Chapter 248: Chapter 237: The Three-legged Golden Toad
As the core terms of the peace talks between the Four Sects were settled one after another, the grand summit that would determine the future of the Northwest began to move forward in earnest.
The first two items on the agenda were quickly established.
First, each of the Four Sects would dispatch two Foundation Establishment Masters to form an elite Four Sects United Mission. This mission would head south immediately to investigate the true nature and movements of the Four Imperial Heavens.
This mission would be led by Qian Xin Master of the Holy Sect.
Second was to marshal the full strength of the Four Sects to begin constructing the Northern Defense Array, a line of defense that would span the entire Northwest Border.
Unsurprisingly, the immense responsibility of overseeing this vast project fell upon the shoulders of the Holy Sect Master, Qi Yun, who had already proven his capabilities.
With the two resolutions finalized, the four Great Masters did not linger. They each had numerous affairs within their respective sects that required their personal oversight and planned to depart for their homes the following day.
Moonlight like liquid silver poured over the magnificent and rugged landscape of Ten Thousand Caves Mountain, a terrain pockmarked and scarred, yet secretly teeming with life.
On this night before their departure, Nan Dou Master’s figure once again appeared outside the cave where Qi Yun was temporarily residing.
As if sensing something, Qi Yun emerged from his cave to see Nan Dou Master standing under the moonlight. Holding a bamboo staff, his aura was one with the surrounding mountain rock.
Without a word, he turned his palm over, produced an object, and offered it to Qi Yun.
"This is the Four Extremes Derivation Order," Nan Dou Master said, his voice calm. "The four of us refined it together, imprinting it with the unique auras and wills of the Four Sects."
"You are overseeing the construction of the Northern Defense Array. During this period, for any resources, personnel, or logistical arrangements required for the array formation, you may use this token to requisition them on the spot, regardless of which sect they belong to. You need only report it after the fact.
As for how to use it... I trust I don’t need to say more, do I?"
Qi Yun’s gaze fell upon the token in Nan Dou Master’s palm.
The token was about the size of a palm, neither gold nor jade.
Four slightly raised ridges naturally extended from its edges, each glowing with a faint light of cyan, crimson, black, and yellow, corresponding faintly to the Dao Rhyme auras of the Cyan Sect, Fengduo, the Yellow Springs Netherworld, and the Wuji Holy Sect.
’Well now, isn’t this just a three-legged golden toad...’ Qi Yun’s brow twitched. He reached out and took the Four Extremes Derivation Order. It was cool to the touch, yet it felt heavier than a mountain.
The moment the token settled into his palm, he felt four distinct yet equally vast wills within it, all having reached a delicate state of balance and authorization.
A knowing smile appeared on his face as he nodded to Nan Dou Master.
"I understand perfectly. You can rest easy, Senior."
Nan Dou Master gave him a deep look, said no more, and his figure silently dissipated, as if melting into the moonlight.
Holding the token that contained immense authority, the smile on Qi Yun’s face gradually faded, and a sharp glint flashed in his eyes.
Constructing the Northern Defense Array was undoubtedly a time-consuming, costly, and arduous task.
The one in charge, moreover, bore a mountainous responsibility and immense pressure.
It was clearly a heavy burden, so why had the Yellow Springs Netherworld tried to seize the opportunity to compete for it?
There was only one reason. Greater responsibility often meant... greater power!
This Northern Defense Array concerned the entire Northwest Cultivation Realm and was the top priority being jointly promoted by the Four Sects.
The person presiding over the array formation was, to some extent, simultaneously receiving the endorsement and support of all Four Sects in this matter.
Standing behind them was the will of the entire Northwest Cultivation Realm!
With such a monstrous background supporting them, as long as they could successfully set up the Northern Defense Array,
and ensure its power met the standards,
then in the process, it would be as natural and simple as breathing for the overseer to use their authority to seek some "reasonable" benefits for themselves.
The enormous power to allocate resources meant that even a little bit slipping through the cracks would amount to a fortune that an ordinary Master might not be able to accumulate in several hundred years.
The temporary command of personnel from the Four Sects meant one could build connections and even install confidants.
As long as what was ultimately delivered was a qualified, powerful Northern Defense Array,
then no one would even bother to investigate exactly how many resources you had "reasonably" appropriated during the process.
Because this, in itself, was the deserved reward for shouldering such a monumental responsibility!
The deep meaning behind Nan Dou Master’s special trip to deliver the Four Extremes Derivation Order, which symbolized the joint authorization of the Four Sects, was precisely this—to allow Qi Yun to wield this immense power more smoothly and with a more "legitimate pretext."
As long as he wasn’t excessive and didn’t affect the fundamentals of the Grand Array,
then seizing this opportunity to acquire vast amounts of cultivation resources was practically a foregone conclusion.
This seemingly cold token was, in Qi Yun’s hand at this moment, like a key to a massive treasury.
’Such overwhelming power... it’s almost too hot to handle,’ Qi Yun mused, weighing the token in his hand as a meaningful smile returned to his lips.
Still, there was plenty of room to maneuver.
...
Wielding the Four Extremes Derivation Order, Qi Yun did not immediately start mobilizing resources with great fanfare.
Haste makes waste, especially in this vortex of intertwined interests of the Four Sects, with countless eyes watching.
He first took the token containing the will of the Four Sects and once again came before the vast, illusory Array Map of the Nine Heavens Mountain-Suppressing Demon-Subduing Celestial Wall Map.
Using his Divine Sense to communicate with the token, he slowly pressed it toward the core of the illusory Array Map.
BUZZ—!
The moment the token and the Array Map made contact, the entire illusory Array Map trembled violently. It became more solid and clear, and even faintly began to connect with the real Earth Vein aura of Ten Thousand Caves Mountain.
At the same time, a vast and complex stream of information flowed from the token into Qi Yun’s Sea of Consciousness.
It was a preliminary compilation from the Four Sects: a list of resources available for the array formation, a roster of available personnel, and detailed survey maps of the Earth Veins.
The information was as vast as a sea of smoke. If an ordinary Master were to process it, just sorting through it would likely take months.
But with a single Heart Thought from Qi Yun, Daluo Heaven began to operate on its own. It categorized the massive amount of information, sifted the wheat from the chaff, and in an instant, he understood it all completely.
’So that’s how it is...’ A flash of understanding crossed Qi Yun’s eyes, followed by a glint of coldness.
On the resource list, there seemed to be a wide variety and a large quantity.
But the numbers of top-tier Spiritual Materials truly suitable for the core nodes of the Nine Heavens Mountain-Suppressing Demon-Subduing Celestial Wall Map, and the special treasured ores for stabilizing the Earth Veins, were all strictly controlled.
The allocation plan was also ambiguous, clearly the result of mutual constraints after political maneuvering from all sides.
On the personnel roster, the number of Array Cultivators, Warriors, and servants sent by the Four Sects was not small.
But which of them were there to actually work, and which were there to slack off or even cause trouble, was not specified on the list.
’Are they trying to put me in my place? Or do they just want to watch me run around in a panic and make a fool of myself?’
A smirk formed on Qi Yun’s lips.
’Fine. I’ll just use this to establish my authority.’
He didn’t immediately summon anyone. Instead, his body flickered, transforming into an unremarkable Flowing Light.
He was going to see with his own eyes what the actual situation was at the key Earth Vein nodes marked on the survey map.
...
「A few days later.」
On the northern foothills of Ten Thousand Caves Mountain, at the edge of a massive rift valley known as Abyssal Canyon.
This place was an important Earth Vein Anchor Point in the Nine Heavens Mountain-Suppressing Demon-Subduing Celestial Wall Map.
One hundred and thirty-nine Mountain-Suppressing Foundation Stakes had to be driven into the ground here, drawing on the Earth Qi from a ten-thousand-li radius to stabilize the Grand Array’s foundation.
According to the plan, the Yellow Springs Netherworld was responsible for providing and transporting the Nine Pillar Sunken Gold Stone required here.
This stone was extremely dense and eternally incorruptible, making it the core material for the foundation stakes.
However, when Qi Yun arrived with his presence concealed, what he saw was a scene of chaos.
Dozens of Warriors and servants from different sects were scattered around the rift valley.
In groups of three to five, they were sitting or lying around, appearing idle.
Only a few people were listlessly clearing the site, urged on by a Junior Sect Steward.
In the center of the rift, where the stakes were supposed to be driven, there were only a few scattered pieces of mixed-quality Nine Pillar Sunken Gold Stone piled haphazardly.
This was a far cry from the quantity and quality specified on the list.
Never mind one hundred and thirty-nine stakes, there wasn’t even enough material for nine.
The Junior Sect Steward was sweating profusely with anxiety, arguing his case with a cultivator dressed in the attire of the Yellow Springs Netherworld:
"Cultivator Xun Chen, the deadline is tight! If the Nine Pillar Sunken Gold Stone doesn’t arrive soon, we can’t drive the first Mountain-Suppressing Foundation Stake. The entire schedule will be delayed!
I can’t bear that responsibility.
Can you send another message to hurry them along?"
The Yellow Springs Netherworld cultivator called Xun Chen slowly fiddled with a bone bead in his hand, not even bothering to lift his eyelids:
"What’s the rush? The Nine Pillar Sunken Gold Stone is difficult to mine, and transportation is even more time-consuming.
My Yellow Springs Netherworld is already doing its best to coordinate, but the journey is long. Occasional delays are only to be expected.
Are you cultivators from minor sects so lacking in patience?"
The perfunctory and gloating tone in his voice was barely concealed.
Most of the cultivators from other sects also stood by with their arms crossed, their eyes showing they were enjoying the show.
Anyone could see that the Yellow Springs Netherworld was deliberately making things difficult.
But the Yellow Springs Netherworld was a major sect; they didn’t dare to offend them.
The Junior Sect Steward’s face turned red with anger, but he was helpless.
The other party was a Major Sect Cultivator of noble status. Since he insisted that resource transportation was difficult, it was hard to find any fault with him for the moment.
Just as they reached a stalemate, a calm voice suddenly rang out:
"This fellow cultivator is right. Resource transportation is indeed not easy."
Everyone followed the sound and saw a young Daoist in a deep blue Daoist robe. He had appeared at the edge of the rift at some unknown time, and he stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze calmly sweeping over the scene.
"You are..." Xun Chen’s eyes narrowed, swiveling to glance at Qi Yun. He vaguely felt that the man looked familiar.
"I am Qi Yun, a third-generation disciple of the Wuji Holy Sect. I am here under orders to oversee the construction of the Northern Defense Array."
With a gentle smile, Qi Yun released the suppression on his aura.
BOOM—
A terrifying True Realm aura swept out. All the cultivators, Warriors, and servants on site were struck as if by lightning, hastily kneeling and shouting in unison:
"We pay our respects to the Master!"
Taking a single step, Qi Yun’s figure instantly appeared beside Xun Chen, who was kneeling on the ground and trembling like a leaf. He gently helped him up and said in a soft voice:
"I wonder if young Cultivator Xun Chen could explain something for me. The day to drive the Mountain-Suppressing Foundation Stakes is in ten days.
Why has the Nine Pillar Sunken Gold Stone not yet been delivered?
Hmm?"
...
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