Modern World's Martial Dao Human Immortal

Ling Ruogu and Chi Yu, two Hollow Void Elders, reported solemnly on the news about this rumor.

"Of course, the rumor itself doesn't hold much significance; to some Hollow Voids, whether you represent Penglai Dao Lord or not is irrelevant. What matters is once this rumor solidifies, your position will cause everyone to worry."

At this moment, Ling Ruogu was explaining the harm the rumor could bring: "Having someone from Penglai Immortal Sect become the Vice Sect Leader of Heavenly Dao Sect, will you ultimately seek benefits for Heavenly Dao Sect, or for Penglai Immortal Sect? If it's for Penglai Immortal Sect, it would mean a significant portion of profits would be diverted from Heavenly Dao Sect. That's what many Elders of the Hollow Void and Refining Void Peak Masters are truly concerned about."

Alkaid understood the implications of Ling Ruogu's words.

The people of Northern Sea Star didn't place much importance on the legacy of the sect; as long as it brought them enough benefits, whether it's called Heavenly Dao Sect or Penglai Immortal Sect didn't matter.

But that didn't mean they would idly watch someone from Penglai Immortal Sect rise to power as Vice Sect Leader.

Having someone from Heavenly Dao Sect become Vice Sect Leader or Sect Leader meant that everyone was heavily bound to Heavenly Dao Sect, forming a unified interest group.

But if someone without deep affections for Heavenly Dao Sect or without entangled interests within took the position...

It would be easy for them to become biased.

As for Penglai Immortal Sect having a Dao Lord...

It's not as if Heavenly Dao Sect doesn't have one.

It's just that he's currently traveling elsewhere.

To ignore their own Dao Lord and instead seek favor with another, especially one who has offended two top powers?!

The higher-ups of Heavenly Dao Sect aren't that foolish.

And setting the Dao Lord aside, in what way does Penglai Immortal Sect compare to Heavenly Dao Sect?

If it really is as the rumor suggests, that Heavenly Dao Sect serves as a fallback for Penglai Immortal Sect, then it means once Penglai Dao Lord ascends and Penglai Immortal Sect cannot withstand the pressures in the Deep Blue Sea, all Elders of the Hollow Void and Refining Void will flee to Heavenly Dao Sect.

It's one thing for them to seek refuge in Heavenly Dao Sect, but having the Sect Leader of Heavenly Dao Sect originate from Penglai Immortal Sect would mean that those from Penglai Immortal Sect would become superiors, essentially riding on everyone else's heads.

Even though becoming more powerful allows for expansion of territory, who knows if it will be the experts from Heavenly Dao Sect or those from Penglai Immortal Sect who will have to fight desperately for it?

Just thinking about such a scenario is disgusting.

"I don't have any deep relationship with Penglai Dao Lord."

Alkaid said.

"Others may not think so."

Ling Ruogu also sighed, "After all... Alkaid, your growth trajectory exposed by these rumors makes even us feel that it's only because of Penglai Dao Lord's strong support that you managed to achieve the miraculous breakthrough from Hollow Void to Void Refinement Realm in just over a decade."

Short-sighted.

That was the only thought in Alkaid's mind.

But on the other hand...

Aren't many people only looking at the interests within their own small patch of land?

How many truly care for the future and take a broad view of the world?

Moreover, for a world that holds immense power in one, lacking sufficient strength, worrying excessively might not be good.

Just like an ordinary person with a heart too kind to bear the suffering of humanity, whose benevolence everywhere only ends up dragging their entire family down.

And Northern Sea Star...

Those below Dao Lords can all be summed up as "ordinary people."

Therefore, to thrive like a fish in water in this world, one has to be selfish and unhesitatingly corrupt the Void Refinement and Shattered Void for personal gain.

"Actually, if Sect Leader Alkaid truly had a deep relationship with Penglai Dao Lord, it might not necessarily be a bad thing. Of course, by relationship, I mean a profoundly deep one, not like the ordinary mentor-disciple relationship between several Vice Sect Leaders of Penglai Immortal Sect and Penglai Dao Lord."

At this moment, Chi Yu suddenly spoke with a glint in his eyes, "If you could persuade Penglai Dao Lord to preach at our Heavenly Dao Sect a few times, it could definitely change the attitude of many high-rankers."

"I've only met Penglai Dao Lord once, so there's no way I can invite this Dao Lord."

Alkaid shook his head, "Besides, every sect is like a base for the Dao Lords. One Dao Lord preaching in another's territory would require an invitation from the latter; otherwise, it would be seen as a severe provocation... In other words, unless our Heavenly Dao Sect's Jun Tian Dao Lord agrees to this, which would make it a transaction between Dao Lords, it would have nothing to do with us anymore."

"That does complicate things..."

Ling Ruogu said, "Zong Wenxian has been in charge of Heavenly Dao Sect these years, and his suppression of the other three Vice Sect Leaders is quite effective. Suppression leads to more benefits, which, when distributed among the Four Veins, tends to be fairly shared. Under these circumstances, for you to aim for the position of Vice Sect Leader and take over as lord of the Southern Region, you're likely to face unanimous opposition from the Four Veins."

"Heavenly Dao Sect is not solely owned by the Four Veins; I bet there are plenty of Peak Masters and Elders who are not pleased with the Four Veins," said Alkaid.

"Those of us who can't get into the Four Veins are essentially marginal figures or losers in the sect's struggles; our opinions can't cause much of a stir. All we can do is rely on our own efforts, leveraging the name of a Heavenly Dao Sect Elder to scrape together something extra on the side," Ling Ruogu said helplessly.

Alkaid did understand this point.

There were divisions even within the interests of Heavenly Dao Sect.

The Sect Leader, the Supreme Elder Council, and the Four Veins of Dao, Heaven, Immortal, and War, undoubtedly held the core interests.

They were the real rent-seekers of the Heavenly Dao Sect.

The rest were the Vice Sect Leader and the Peak Masters.

As for those Elders who were not from the Four Veins...

Most of them had only the title of "Heavenly Dao Sect," relying on it to run their own businesses.

The benefits directly obtained from within the Heavenly Dao Sect amounted to only a few hundred thousand Pure Yang Great Pills a year.

"This rumor, when you get down to it, is simply because the Sect Leader is unwilling to give up the interests he holds in the Southern Region. The Heavenly Dao Sect has had its way of distributing benefits for many years. If I want to counterattack, I can't do it the way they think; I have to start with this distribution system."

Alkaid glanced at the two: "If they want to spread rumors, we can do the same. I hope you two can help spread a rumor within the Sect for me, saying Zong Wenxian, the Sect Leader, plans to centralize power. The proof is that he wants to break the rules, take complete control of all the Four Domains, east, south, west, and north, and from now on, he himself will distribute all resources. Once he completes the integration of the Sect's resources, everything will be in his hands. Anyone in the Sect who dares to oppose his will would be marginalized."

As he said that, he added another line, "Even say that within the Heavenly Dao Sect, he wants to create another class that belongs solely to his line of master and disciples, his family. Henceforth, everyone will have to consider the desires of this class before acting, whether they are Elders or disciples. Because of the resources he controls through centralizing power, they will indirectly become his servants, generation after generation serving him and the layer of his master and disciples."

"This... "

Ling Ruogu widened her eyes.

Chi Yu couldn't help but say, "The true ruler of the Heavenly Dao Sect has always been the Dao Lord from generation to generation, that's common knowledge. Zong Wenxian, no matter how bold, wouldn't dare to pull such a stunt..."

"It's just a rumor, isn't it? If it's not explosive, how can it grab people's attention?"

Alkaid gave a slight smile: "Just like the rumors they spread using the Penglai Dao Lord as a hook. But the Dao Lord is such a person, even Shattered Void Supreme Elders can hardly ever get a chance to see him. What's more for a minor person like me at the Void Refinement Realm?"

Ling Ruogu and Chi Yu exchanged glances.

If Alkaid really spread this rumor as a counterattack...

No matter how unwilling Zong Wenxian was, he would have to release the Southern Region as quickly as possible to prove he had no intentions of centralizing power.

The doubts and speculations of Elders and disciples are one thing, but if the Supreme Elder Council also heard this rumor, some Supreme Elders aspiring to be Sect Leader would definitely spread the news to the Dao Lord immediately...

If the Dao Lord happened to be idle and had someone check...

There were indeed four Vice Sect Leaders in the Sect.

And one Southern Region was empty.

Yet, this Vice Sect Leader had not gone to take charge of the Southern Region...

Wow.

Quite the audacity.

Zong Wenxian's time as Sect Leader was over.

"If this rumor really spreads, the Sect Leader will definitely investigate in secret..."

Ling Ruogu hesitated a bit.

Upon hearing this, Alkaid smiled slightly: "If I go to the Southern Region, I will certainly need many people to help me handle various affairs. The Heavenly Casualty War Hall is good at foreign campaigns but not so capable of internal management. Therefore, I would like to invite both families to move to the Southern Region to help maintain the normal operation of the forty-nine states. How do you feel about this arrangement?" Continue reading at My Virtual Library Empire

The two perked up immediately upon hearing this.

They had approached Alkaid of their own accord when he achieved the Hollow Void rank, waiting for such a day, hadn't they?

Upon hearing Alkaid's promise, they did not hesitate to stand up: "We are willing to follow the commands of the Vice Sect Leader."

"Then I look forward to your good news."

Alkaid nodded slightly.

Immediately, the two left in high spirits to spread the rumor.

Although these two families were not major clans in the Heavenly Dao Sect, they had been established for a long time.

They had some networks and influence.

Plus, with rumors being what they are...

Especially ones involving the Sect Leader Zong Wenxian's centralization of power and affecting everyone's interests, once they started circulating, they spread rapidly.

It wasn't long before the entire Heavenly Dao Sect had heard it.

The previous rumors about Alkaid were even overwhelmed.

After all, even if Alkaid wanted to bring Penglai Immortal Sect into the Heavenly Dao Sect, that would be a matter for a thousand years from now. But Zong Wenxian's centralization...

Was happening right now.

He had indeed controlled the Southern Region for a long time.

It was said that even the Vice Sect Leader of the Northern Region was completely under his control. Was it that when something happened to this Vice Sect Leader, would the situation naturally evolve into the Sect Leader taking over his duties?

Under the spread of such rumors, Zong Wenxian could no longer sit still.

He immediately stopped the spread of the rumors and launched a thorough investigation into their source.

Soon after, he announced once again that during the celebration of Alkaid's promotion to Vice Sect Leader, the appointment for Alkaid to take charge of a Domain would be made public.