The Modern Martial Immortal

Chapter 268: Departure

"You don’t have to feel so unwilling about paying this forty billion. Treat it as an investment at worst. You all know Yaoguang’s talent. Reaching the Void-Piercing Realm in the future is not an impossible dream. Once he achieves it, he will inevitably return to Cangwu. At that time, we can buy the Nine Cauldrons Sect back from you at a premium," Li Hanqiu said.

The Golden Core cultivators present treated these words as nothing more than empty talk. Only a fool would take them seriously.

After all, most of them did not believe Yaoguang would live long enough to reach the Void-Piercing Realm.

Hide? Heh. The methods of immortal cultivators far exceed ordinary imagination. There are countless ways to drag someone out, even if they hide at the ends of the earth.

"I know you won’t believe me, but I will say this anyway. If all of us, including Yaoguang, die, then whatever you choose to do will be entirely up to you. But as long as our sect's lineage still lives..." Li Hanqiu’s gaze swept across each of the Golden Core cultivators present, as if engraving every fluctuation of their psychic consciousness into his memory.

Only then did he emphasize each word, saying slowly, "I hope you will treat the remaining members of the Nine Cauldrons Sect well."

The moment these words were spoken, all the Golden Core cultivators felt a chill in their hearts.

That's true. If Yaoguang dies, then everything will be over. But if he survives Heavenly Venerable Jiang’s pursuit and reaches the Void-Piercing Realm, becoming a top-tier powerhouse on the North Sea Star whom any immortal sect would eagerly recruit... Then we can really consider these forty billion to be an investment and also a path of retreat.

After comforting themselves in this way, the Golden Core cultivators finally felt slightly better.

As for those who still felt uneasy, they could only continue to endure it. What else could they do?

***

Li Qingshan’s mobilization was extremely efficient. In recent years, things had improved somewhat, but twenty years ago, the Nine Cauldrons Sect had always maintained contingency plans for a full evacuation of core personnel in the event their homeland suffered a devastating blow.

After all, back then, if not for Li Hanqiu holding the line, the Nine Cauldrons Sect would have been at constant risk of being devoured by surrounding forces.

Now, with those plans in place, the entire sect quickly mobilized.

The sect didn't force everyone to evacuate.

Upholding a principle of transparency, Li Qingshan publicly revealed the sect’s current predicament. Combined with rumors circulating outside, not everyone was willing to follow the Nine Cauldrons Sect in pursuit of such an uncertain future.

Especially those from the Artifact Sect who had joined in recent years. Some of them even secretly rejoiced at the Nine Cauldrons Sect’s departure.

Under such circumstances, after tallying the evacuees and removing nonessential personnel, the leadership discovered that the Void Disk, originally designed to forcibly accommodate two million people, would ultimately need to house only about one million.

The Void Disk’s internal space spanned roughly five kilometers in diameter. Based on cities like Longxiang City, it could comfortably house five hundred thousand people.

With efficient use of space, even two million could be squeezed in. Though, of course, the quality of life would decline significantly.

But now, the actual number was only half the estimate...

This result left Sect Master Li Qingshan feeling somewhat desolate.

After decades of development, the Nine Cauldrons Sect now had over ten thousand Foundation Building cultivators. Including star lords and primordial psyche cultivators, their core force alone exceeded forty thousand.

Adding their families and technical personnel, even two million slots would theoretically not be enough.

Yet after ten days, fewer than one million people had gathered in Crimson City. This deeply disappointed Li Qingshan, who had believed that in times of crisis, the sect would stand united.

As expected, everyone weighed gains and losses.

Many were willing to share prosperity, but not hardship.

To follow the Nine Cauldrons Sect into the starry expanse, all while bearing the threat of pursuit by a powerful figure, risking destruction at any moment...

Rather than gamble on such slim chances of survival, it was better to remain in the Great Cangwu World and integrate into other sects.

At least that way, they would not risk their lives.

Understanding this, and even feeling that he, as sect master, had failed these people, Li Qingshan quickly cast aside his disappointment and resumed his duties, arranging for personnel to enter the Void Disk, where Foundation Building cultivators had already prepared basic living spaces.

***

While Li Qingshan organized the evacuation, Yaoguang and Li Hanqiu visited each sect in turn to conduct their deals.

The process went quite smoothly.

However, when they arrived at the Infinite Star Palace, Yaoguang stayed noticeably longer.

He went directly to Susan. "I have obtained some information about the North Sea Star from the Immortal Alliance and the Thousand-Beast Sect. But I believe the Infinite Star Palace has broader information channels. I would like to obtain your knowledge of the North Sea Star as well."

The Golden Core cultivator did not dare to be negligent and quickly explained everything she knew.

At the end, she could not help but add with some regret, "Actually, Yaoguang, if you are truly confident in your strength, you can consider attempting to become a true disciple of the Taiyi Immortal Sect. If you succeed, even True Disciple Jiang would not be able to act against you easily."

"Is that so?" Yaoguang replied calmly. "Then why does the information I have say that every three to five years, one or two true disciples of the Taiyi Immortal Sect die? Some are killed by external forces during expeditions. Others... die within the sect itself, at the hands of elders from different lineages?"

"Uh..." Susan was momentarily speechless.

After a while, she said, "At least such conflicts are not openly acknowledged... If you also become a true disciple, True Disciple Jiang would not be able to mobilize the sect’s full power against you..."

Yaoguang ignored her. After collecting the information, he quickly left and regrouped with Li Hanqiu, who had been accompanying him.

After regrouping, Li Hanqiu frowned slightly. "Even true disciples of the Taiyi Immortal Sect can die in internal struggles? Is it that chaotic?"

"I reviewed the information on the North Sea Star. Their definition of a true disciple is not the same as ours," Yaoguang said. "Rather than disciples, true disciples are more like unestablished lineage leaders or hall masters. The entire sect functions more like a massive alliance. If we compare a sect to a world, the sect master’s lineage is like the alliance leader. Hall masters and lineage leaders are like directors just below the sect master. And each true disciple is a member within this structure, each representing a significant faction behind them, though not as large as those of hall masters or lineage leaders."

Li Hanqiu carefully reflected on the information he had been given, then nodded.

The birth of a true disciple often represented the rise of an entire faction.

Even if that true disciple had started from nothing and had no backing, once they attained the status of a true disciple, countless unaffiliated forces would flock to them.

True disciples needed the support of these forces to reach the Void-Piercing Realm. In the future, they would rely on that same support to compete with other true disciples for the position of deputy sect master. In turn, those forces could rally under the banner of the Taiyi Immortal Sect and truly establish themselves on the North Sea Star.

Under such circumstances, the open and hidden struggles between the factions behind the true disciples were endless.

When conflicts intensified, it was not unusual for a major figure to personally step in and eliminate a true disciple.

Of course, by the rules, such figures were not permitted to intervene directly.

But rules had always been made by people. As long as one’s status was high enough and their methods were clean enough, even if a true disciple died, the sect might not pursue the matter to the end.

"And a sect like that still has any sense of cohesion?" Li Hanqiu remarked.

"Cohesion..." Yaoguang pondered for a moment. After a while, he said, "Perhaps, to cultivators of the North Sea Star, a sect is a broader concept. They are only united by shared language, culture, territory, and interests. In fact... a sect is merely a tool for obtaining benefits. They... or rather, all cultivators, truly believe in only one thing: themselves."

He paused briefly before continuing, "In a world where immense power is concentrated within the individual, true strength lies in oneself. Naturally, they will use every possible means to gather resources to strengthen themselves... A sect channels the interests of many individuals into a collective, and then allows individuals to appropriate the collective’s benefits. It is simply one of the more efficient tools."

Li Hanqiu felt a chill in his heart. For a moment, he was no longer certain whether their decision to head to the North Sea Star was the right one.

Compared to the Great Cangwu World, which at least maintained some semblance of propriety, the North Sea Star was truly a dangerous world.

"Let’s go," Yaoguang said.

Li Hanqiu snapped back to his senses. He glanced at Yaoguang and quickly cast aside those thoughts.

They no longer had a choice.

If even he, the foremost figure of the Nine Cauldrons Sect, gave in to fear and hesitation, then the sect truly had no hope left. Even if they reached the North Sea Star, they would be quickly eaten alive by other factions.

***

Soon, Yaoguang and Li Hanqiu arrived at the Void Disk located at the center of Crimson City.

Li Qingshan, Lou Yuyu, Jiang Zhouyue, Huang Tianhao, and the others were already waiting there.

Looking at the entrance, which was still bustling but noticeably quieter, Li Hanqiu asked, "Are you ready?"

"Ten days is too short. We couldn’t possibly prepare everything. We can only simplify as much as possible," Li Qingshan replied.

"That will have to do." As he spoke, Li Hanqiu stepped into the Void Disk.

According to the information left by Wan Liugui, he would delay Heavenly Venerable Jiang for as long as possible on the return journey.

But to ensure they had enough time to erase the traces left behind from distorting space, and to avoid being tracked by the true Void-Piercing Realm experts Heavenly Venerable Jiang might bring back, they had to depart within ten days. Therefore...

"Take one last look at the Nine Cauldrons Sect. Once we leave, it will take between thirty and fifty years before we have any hope of returning," Li Hanqiu said to Li Qingshan and the others before stepping into the Void Disk ahead of them.

Everyone’s expressions turned complicated.

Li Qingshan even bent down, scooped up a handful of soil, and carefully stored it close to his body. He looked once more at the land beneath his feet...

After a long moment, he turned decisively and walked into the Void Disk.

The hall masters and disciples followed suit. Each of them took a small piece of ordinary grass, soil, or stone, then stepped into the Void Disk.

Half an hour later, the Void Disk slowly rose into the air, then gradually accelerated as it ascended into the nine heavens.

By the time it reached outer space, it had already gained considerable speed. Suddenly, the surrounding space twisted.

In the next moment, ripples spread outward.

Like a raindrop falling into a lake, the entire Void Disk was engulfed by those ripples and vanished without a trace.