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Chapter 889: Tai Xu
Chapter 889: Tai Xu
Matters of great importance within the sects are typically decided by the ancient patriarchs behind the scenes.
After the decisions are made, the sect leaders and the actual authority elders deliberate on the details and implement them step by step.
The patriarchs of Tai A, Chong Xu, and Tai Xu have already secretly reached an agreement.
After that, the "merger of the three sects" began to truly advance.
This matter was significant, and many people, including the sect leaders and elders of the three sects, were somewhat reluctant.
However, this was the will of the patriarchs, and they could not go against it.
The patriarchs, with their high cultivation, stood at a higher vantage point and saw far into the future.
Without standing in the patriarchs' positions, one could not understand their concerns or the overall strategy.
All the sect leaders and elders understood this.
Therefore, despite many people's reservations, the "merger of the three sects" continued to advance secretly, bit by bit.
Once a series of trivial matters were discussed, the leaders of Tai A, Chong Xu, and Tai Xu gathered to finalize the specific matters of the merger.
These matters did not need to trouble the patriarchs; they could be negotiated among the leaders.
Once the charter was finalized, it would be presented to the patriarchs for approval. With the patriarchs' nod, the matter would be finally settled.
In a secluded grand hall of Tai Xu.
The leaders of Tai A, Chong Xu, and Tai Xu gathered to discuss the merger.
"The merger of the three sects, in name, unifies the three sects, but the positions of each sect's leaders and elders remain unchanged."
"Disciples remain unchanged."
"Each sect's authority remains unchanged."
"The patriarchs and leaders of each sect retain independent decision-making over their respective sect's affairs," the Tai Xu leader said.
This was a compromise.
Otherwise, if the authority of Tai A and Chong Xu were completely absorbed, it would truly become a "merger" rather than a "cooperation."
This would also go against the original intent of Tai Xu to "cooperate and assist each other."
"However," the Tai Xu leader continued, "for major matters, the three sects must gather to deliberate. Decisions must be made with the majority's agreement to be implemented."
"And our Tai Xu sect has a veto right."
This was the right of the Tai Xu sect.
Tai Xu was now the strongest among the three sects and held the highest status. Not having the right to make unilateral decisions, but only having a "veto right" was already a significant concession.
The leaders of Tai A and Chong Xu also nodded in agreement.
Everyone was well aware of these matters.
The Tai Xu leader continued, "Next, there are some specific matters of mutual cooperation..."
"Interchange of sect tokens. Disciples of the three sects can visit each other's mountains with their respective sect tokens without restriction."
"The Tai A token, Chong Xu token, and Tai Xu token are all considered the tokens of the merged sect."
The sect token was crucial, symbolizing the disciples' allegiance to their sect.
However, at the initial stage of the merger, it was not appropriate to unify the tokens to prevent the disciples of Tai A and Chong Xu from feeling excluded.
Moreover, the sect tokens were complex in construction and expensive to produce, requiring a magnetic array as the base. The array's underlying structure needed to be modified, the array pivot expanded, and sequences added. The reward system and merit system also needed to be embedded, which could not be unified in a short time.
Especially the merit system, which directly related to each sect's inheritance, could not be rashly altered and had to be gradually integrated.
The Tai Xu leader said, "The merit systems of the three sects will gradually be interconnected, sharing rewards and bounties."
"A part of the rewards from each sect's merit system will initially be interconnected, and the rest will be gradually opened based on the situation, eventually merging into one sect."
"But the core inheritance of each sect can be retained..."
"After the merger of the three sects, the teachings and instruction of disciples will also be interconnected."
"The elders and instructors of Tai A, Chong Xu, and Tai Xu will rotate, jointly teaching the disciples the Dao cultivation methods."
"From now on, sword forging will be taught by Tai A, sword qi by Chong Xu, and array formations by our Tai Xu."
"This will also gradually enhance the connection and camaraderie between the three sects..."
"Additionally..."
...
The merger and reform of the three sects were extremely complex.
The three leaders deliberated from morning until evening, roughly discussing the major matters and recording the proposed charter in jade slips.
Afterward, all three heaved a sigh of relief and took a sip of tea.
However, the atmosphere did not become much lighter; instead, it became even more serious.
Because they all knew that the most important, core, and sharp issue was yet to come.
A moment later, the leader of Tai A spoke first:
"After the merger of the three sects... what name will we use?"
The "name" of the sect was crucial.
If the name was not right, the words would not be smooth.
A good name also related to the sect's fortune, even its prosperity for hundreds or thousands of years.
Moreover, now that it was a merger of the three sects, this name was even more closely tied to the honor and dignity of each sect.
The matter was too significant, and none of the three could speak lightly.
The leader of Chong Xu pondered for a moment and slowly said, "How about... using the name of the ancient sect from before?"
The leader of Tai A shook his head, "Would you really dare to use it?"
The leader of Tai Xu also sighed, "That name can no longer be mentioned."
"Yes, all records have been destroyed."
"Moreover, the fortune is too great, and we cannot bear it. Our three sects have already been forced to split once. If we use that name again, we might have to split again after a short merger."
"The Dao Court would never agree..."
"Without mentioning that name, a simple merger is still acceptable, a weak alliance forced by circumstances. But using that name would make our ambitions too obvious and would inevitably anger the Dao Court."
"In this situation, it would be good enough to merge without alerting the four major sects and withstand the pressure from all sides. If we provoke the Dao Court's suspicions, all our plans will come to naught."
"We cannot use that name."
"Yes, we absolutely cannot use it..."
The three leaders' expressions were solemn.
"Then..." the leader of Chong Xu said, "what name should we use?"
The atmosphere became somewhat oppressive.
The leader of Tai A was tall and resolute, with a steady gaze.
The leader of Chong Xu had a sword-like demeanor, his eyes gleaming with vigor.
The leader of Tai Xu, on the other hand, appeared calm, embodying a cultivation and self-cultivation demeanor.
Each of the three had their own thoughts but remained silent.
After a moment, seeing that no one was speaking, the Grandmaster of Taiyi couldn’t hold back any longer and spoke up first:
"Well, before the three sects merged, my Taiyi Sect had the greatest reputation, ranking first among the Eight Great Sects. I think we should just call it the ‘Taiyi Sect,’ as it has the most recognition."
Grandmaster Chongxu immediately disagreed:
"What are you thinking? That was before, now your Taiyi Sect can’t even rank among the Eight Great Sects..."
"I say we should stick to our roots and focus on sword cultivation. The sword qi of my Chongxu Sect can rival any of the Four Great Sects. Though we might be a bit behind, it’s not by much. Therefore, after the three sects merge, we should use the name ‘Chongxu Sect,’ as it is the most fitting."
"No, no," Grandmaster Taiyi said, "my Taiyi Sect has the most disciples, and strength lies in numbers, so it should be called the ‘Taiyi Sect’..."
"Didn’t a batch of disciples leave the sect?" Grandmaster Chongxu asked.
"Even with some disciples leaving, we still have the most people," Grandmaster Taiyi replied, and then added disdainfully, "Moreover, those who left are just fair-weather friends, willing to share in good times but not in bad. It’s better they left, as it brings unity to our Taiyi Sect..."
"But those who stayed aren’t exactly top-notch either..." Grandmaster Chongxu retorted.
Grandmaster Taiyi was not pleased:
"Top-notch? Isn’t a high-quality spirit root enough? Do they have to be the best of the best?"
"Furthermore, how good is talent supposed to be? Even if they have the best talent, if they lack a sense of belonging to the sect, lack unity and cooperation, and run away at the first sign of trouble, they are still a bad omen! Such ingrates, what use do I have for them?"
"That’s what you say, but the Sword Congress tests not just talent, but cultivation and ability!" Grandmaster Chongxu raised his eyebrows and said, "My Chongxu Sect is different."
"In my Chongxu Sect, there is a sword genius, a rare find in five hundred years. The most precious thing is that he is devoted to the Chongxu Sect and hasn’t left even now."
"At the next Sword Congress, this disciple will surely shine, becoming the first in sword cultivation among the three sects, capable of rivaling the Four Great Sects!"
"And the sect takes pride in its disciples. Among the three sects, my Chongxu disciples have the highest talent. In my opinion, we should name it ‘Chongxu.’”
"No way! We should still use Taiyi."
"Chongxu."
"Taiyi!"
"Only if we name it Chongxu, can the sword qi techniques of my Chongxu Sect be freely shared with all disciples of the three sects."
"Then my Taiyi Sect can also freely teach sword forging techniques..."
...
The two argued back and forth, each taking turns, without end.
After arguing for a while, they noticed that Grandmaster Taixu hadn’t said a word, which left them both puzzled.
"You, Taixu Sect, have no opinion?"
Grandmaster Taixu had a Buddha-like expression and waved his hand, "It’s just a name. The Taixu Sect doesn’t mind. You two can decide on a name that satisfies both of you."
This left Grandmaster Taiyi and Grandmaster Chongxu both feeling a bit surprised.
Was the Taixu Sect really so magnanimous?
They thought Grandmaster Taixu was joking, but seeing his calm demeanor and his usual Buddha-like attitude, they both nodded, feeling relieved.
Grandmaster Taiyi then declared, "Then it’s settled. We’ll call it the ‘Taiyi Sect.’”
"Such a big face, why is it settled so quickly?" Grandmaster Chongxu was unhappy.
"The Taixu Sect has agreed."
"What nonsense? When did the Taixu Sect agree? They just didn’t argue and didn’t say they’d give it to you. Besides, my Chongxu Sect hasn’t agreed yet."
"How can you be so unreasonable?"
"You’re the one being unreasonable!"
The two argued for a bit longer, almost coming to blows.
Seeing this, Grandmaster Taixu sighed and stepped in as a mediator, earnestly saying:
"The original intention of the three sects merging is for all three to unite, cutting through any obstacle. If we argue over a name, isn’t that counterproductive..."
Hearing this, Grandmaster Taiyi and Grandmaster Chongxu both felt a bit guilty.
It wasn’t that they were deliberately arguing, but the interests of their sects were at stake.
As sect leaders, they had to argue, even if it meant putting on a thick face.
But continuing like this wasn’t looking good...
Grandmaster Taixu pondered for a moment and sighed:
"Then how about this: since the two of you can’t agree, why don’t we each take a step back? We can take one character from each of your sect names to form a new name. This way, it will be fair for both sides."
"Take one character each?"
"Exactly."
Grandmaster Taiyi and Grandmaster Chongxu looked at each other, then each pondered for a moment, and both nodded.
For the moment, they didn’t think too deeply, only feeling that this was the fairest way, and both could accept it.
"Good!" Grandmaster Taiyi said, "Then the two characters should be chosen by the Taixu Sect."
This would also be fair to the Taixu Sect.
Grandmaster Chongxu also nodded, "This is best."
But as soon as he finished speaking, he felt a subtle sense of discomfort, as if something was off...
But it was too late now.
Grandmaster Taixu’s eyes lit up, and he said:
"Then I’ll humbly accept. Here’s my suggestion: from the Taiyi Sect, we take the character ‘Tai,’ and from the Chongxu Sect, we take the character ‘Xu.’ Put together, it will be the name of the new sect."
"From the Taiyi Sect, take ‘Tai,’ and from the Chongxu Sect, take ‘Xu,’ put together..."
Grandmaster Taiyi finally realized what was happening and immediately widened his eyes, slamming the table:
"This is just ‘Taixu’! Fine, I see, why were you so quiet, waiting all this time?"
He had been deceived by Grandmaster Taixu’s calm and indifferent demeanor.
How could something as important as the sect’s name be truly indifferent?
It turned out that this Buddha-like fellow was the most devious!
Grandmaster Taixu smiled slightly and said:
"This is what you both agreed to. Taking a character from each of your sect names was what you agreed to, and having me choose was also what you agreed to."
"Since you both agreed, why don’t we settle on this? After the three sects merge, we’ll call it the ‘Taixu Sect.’”
"Everyone here is a sect leader, responsible for a sect. Your words carry the weight of mountains. We can't go back on our word, can we?"
Grandmaster Taiyi's face turned beet red.
Grandmaster Chongxu was speechless.
But the words had already been spoken, and the situation was their own doing. Backing out now would be like slapping their own faces.
Grandmaster Chongxu sighed, "So be it."
Grandmaster Taiyi, though reluctant, added, "Then let's use 'Taixu' as the name..."
Grandmaster Taixu smiled calmly.
Of course, all three of them understood the situation.
Despite the lengthy debate, the name of the new sect would ultimately be decided by the Taixu Sect.
The situation dictated the outcome, and in the end, it all came down to strength.
Currently, the Taixu Sect ranked third among the eight major sects, with the most prestigious reputation.
In terms of lineage, the three sects shared a common origin and complemented each other, making it difficult to truly rank them.
However, while sword forging and sword qi were powerful, they were not unique.
What was truly unique was the Taixu Sect's Divine Consciousness Sword Technique.
Even if the Divine Consciousness Sword Technique couldn't be passed on, refining it into a Sword Intent Technique would still be a highly advanced sword cultivation legacy.
Sword Intent might be weak at the Foundation Establishment stage, but once one reached the Golden Core stage, with a profound divine consciousness, the Sword Intent would begin to show its might.
Feather Transformation made it even stronger, and the higher one's cultivation, the more terrifying the Sword Intent became.
Such profound techniques were only possessed by sects with deep roots.
Thus, in terms of lineage, the Taixu Sect had the deepest foundation.
And when it came to disciples, there was even less to debate.
The Taiyi Sect had the most disciples, but after the recent turmoil, very few stood out.
The Chongxu Sect did have a sword cultivation genius, but he hadn't yet participated in the Sword Debate, and his true strength was unknown.
Even if he was strong, he could at most match the top geniuses of the four major sects.
But the Taixu Sect was different.
The Taixu Sect had a "monster" in its ranks.
At the mid-Foundation Establishment stage, he was the top array master, a genius who was virtually preordained to be the next Array Master Champion.
This was a genuine, unmatched genius.
Therefore, no matter how they calculated, the Taixu Sect was the strongest.
The name of the sect was a significant matter, and as leaders of their respective sects, they had to try their best to secure it.
But if they couldn't, there was nothing they could do.
In this matter, Grandmaster Taixu seemed to have played a small trick, but in reality, he also gave them a way out.
Being outmaneuvered by the Taixu Sect was better than admitting that they were indeed inferior and had to compromise by using "Taixu Sect" as the name.
Moreover, what Grandmaster Taixu said wasn't entirely wrong.
"Taixu" did incorporate the "Tai" from Taiyi and the "Xu" from Chongxu, making it a fitting name for the merged sect.
With that, the matter was settled.
Grandmaster Taixu, now serious, bowed to the other two sect leaders and said solemnly, "Rest assured, the merger of the three sects will be fair. Each sect's name will be preserved."
"From now on, the three sects will be one, known as the 'Taixu Sect.' The disciples will be referred to by the mountain they reside in."
"Taiyi Mountain, Chongxu Mountain, and Taixu Mountain. The disciples of the three mountains will be one lineage."
"The three mountains, one lineage, united in spirit, working together in harmony!"
Grandmaster Taiyi and Grandmaster Chongxu also bowed, "Three mountains, one lineage, united in spirit!"
The voices of the three sect leaders echoed through the Taixu Mountain.
Thus, the largest sect in Qianxue Prefecture, after standing on their own for a thousand years, was united once again.
...
The merger of the three sects caused a stir throughout Qianxue Prefecture.
Especially the four major sects, from top to bottom, were shaken.
"How... shameless!"
"Totally without dignity!"
"How can they do this? Abandon their sect's legacy just like that?"
"What a joke! They've been independent for so long, and now they're playing 'what was once united will eventually divide, and what was once divided will eventually unite'?"
Some were confused, "Why was there no prior indication?"
"The cause was hidden..."
"It was the work of the Taixu Sect's ancestor..."
"No, it's not that simple... It's because of the Taixu Sect's prodigy."
"We were so focused on the prodigious array master that we neglected the small moves the Taixu Sect was making."
"Using the prodigious array master to divert attention and conceal the true cause, they quietly pushed the merger forward..."
"With swift and decisive action, by the time we realized what was happening, it was too late..."
"Was this all part of their plan?"
"The Taixu Sect's ancestor's schemes are truly unfathomable..."
"Silence, how can we casually criticize the Ancestor of the Cavernous Void?"
...
The four major sects were in various states of shock, awe, anger, and concern.
In the high pavilion of the Qian Dao Sect.
An elderly man of the Shen family, dressed in fine robes, frowned as he examined the jade slip in front of him.
Elder Shen knelt below, not daring to raise his head, "They used a feint to conceal their true intentions..."
"Moreover, the Taixu Sect moved too quickly, and they had everything prepared. The Qianxue Sect's regulations don't prohibit mergers, so they found a loophole."
Mostly, they hadn't anticipated that the divided sects would actually be willing to merge again.
This was difficult for the cultivators of the Qian Dao Sect to understand.
"The Dao Court has also completed the procedures, seemingly on the personal order of a high-ranking official, allowing special treatment..."
"Even if we try to use our connections to obstruct it, it's too late."
"This is my fault..."
Elder Shen bowed his head to the ground.
Elder Shen of the Shen family looked at the jade slip for a moment, then his furrowed brows relaxed slightly as he casually tossed it aside.
"Well, it's settled. The three grasshoppers are now tied together with one rope, which will save us the trouble."
"The Taiyi Sect and the Chongxu Sect are both greatly weakened. The Taixu Sect is in a bit better shape, but they've only managed to stay in the top three of the Eight Great Sects by sheer luck, having produced a formation genius."
"Even if these three ropes are twisted together, they still can't match any of the Four Great Sects."
"Moreover, in the Dao Discussion Conference, the sword competition is the main event. They can't make waves in the sword competition, so they can only struggle to survive."
"This isn't your fault, so you can stand up..."
Elder Shen took a deep breath and shouted, "Great Ancestor, your wisdom is clear." He then slowly stood up.
But before he could fully straighten his body, the Great Ancestor of the Shen family's gaze sharpened, and he asked:
"This isn't your fault, but are you... hiding something from me?"
Elder Shen's body trembled, and his voice was hoarse. "Great Ancestor, I don't understand what you mean..."
"Did you..." the Great Ancestor said coldly, "hide and destroy a record from me?"
These words were like a bolt of lightning from a clear sky.
Elder Shen was shaking like a sieve and immediately prostrated himself. "Great Ancestor, I, I did it accidentally, I..."
The Great Ancestor gave him a contemptuous look and shook his head. "That's enough."
Elder Shen was still fearful and dared not speak.
"This isn't a big deal," the Great Ancestor said, "in the end, it's just a genius disciple."
"The cultivation world is vast, and extraordinary geniuses often appear."
"But 'geniuses' are extremely fragile and rarely grow up."
"The path of cultivation is long, and anything can happen..."
"Of the geniuses, some falter after setbacks; some shine brightly in youth but fade into mediocrity as they grow older; some lose their way on the long path of cultivation; some are seduced by worldly desires and fall into depravity; some are envied and persecuted by others; and some, with their pride and arrogance, bring about their own downfall..."
"Few of the young geniuses can truly achieve greatness and dominate a region."
"Most of the great figures were not particularly talented in their youth, but they endured hardships and persevered, eventually achieving greatness and becoming powerful cultivators."
"That so-called 'Mo Hua' is, at the end of the day, just at the Foundation Establishment stage. Don't be overwhelmed by his current fame and lose your composure."
"Yes, Great Ancestor, your insight is profound," Elder Shen said, bowing.
The Great Ancestor pondered for a moment, his eyes filled with thought, and then said:
"Moreover, I don't believe his divine consciousness is truly his own. He must have used some bizarre method to borrow or steal it from elsewhere, and it may not be his at all."
He then snorted coldly. "At the Mid Foundation Establishment stage, could he really win the formation competition with a peak nineteen-pattern divine consciousness? This is too much of a stretch. Do you think all the cultivators in the world are naive?"
Hearing the Great Ancestor's words, Elder Shen felt more at ease.
He also thought that the matter was somewhat absurd.
He had been so stunned by what he saw during the formation competition that he hadn't thought it through.
Elder Shen added, "Great Ancestor, I was afraid that this child, who entered the mountain gate with an ancient sect order, might have some hidden destiny and karma..."
The Great Ancestor shook his head. "Ancient destinies are beyond your understanding. At this point, where is there any more destiny or karma?"
"The Great Dao has fifty, and the Heavenly Dao has forty-nine. The number of forty-nine has already been reached. Those who were meant to die have died, and those who were meant to perish have perished. To speak of destiny now is a joke."
Elder Shen didn't fully understand, but he bowed and said, "Yes, Great Ancestor, your wisdom is profound."
The Great Ancestor looked at Elder Shen coldly and said:
"Your greatest mistake is not that you didn't take on this disciple, but that when something happened, you didn't report it and tried to hide it."
"If we followed the usual rules, your position as Elder would be stripped away, but I'm giving you a chance..."
"Find a way, by any means necessary, to win the formation competition in the next Dao Discussion Conference."
"I only care about the result. As long as the formation champion is from our Qian Dao Sect, I will forgive you, and you will still be trusted. Otherwise, you will be demoted to an ordinary Elder and will have to spend several decades or even a century climbing back up."
Elder Shen was drenched in cold sweat, but he had no choice but to repeatedly kowtow.
"Thank you, Great Ancestor, for your leniency. I will do my utmost, without any hesitation!"
The Great Ancestor waved his hand.
Elder Shen dared not say more and respectfully withdrew.
After Elder Shen left, the Great Ancestor sat alone in the white jade pavilion, deep in thought.
After a while, he shook his head and sneered.
"People are already dead, and they want to entrust their legacy?"
"Do they think my Qian Dao Sect is some place they can use at will?"
"Times have changed. Do they still think my Qian Dao Sect is a subordinate sect, that we have to bow and scrape to bear their karma?"
The Great Ancestor snorted coldly.
...
The merger of the three sects was now a done deal.
The news had already spread.
Not only to the outside world, but also to the disciples of the Taiyi, Chongxu, and Taixu Sects, who were all in an uproar upon hearing the news.
They never imagined that the three sects, which had been independent and only shared some ancestral ties, would suddenly merge.
Mo Hua was also very surprised.
He hadn't thought that the three sects might merge, but he hadn't expected it to actually happen.
And it happened so quickly and suddenly.
He also recalled what Old Master Xun had told him a few days ago:
"You will always be the little senior brother, and who knows, maybe you'll become the little senior brother to even more people in the future..."
Mo Hua was somewhat taken aback.
Old Master Xun's words were true...
And the merger of the three sects...
Mo Hua stroked his chin.
It seemed that his position as "little senior brother" had grown and strengthened without him noticing...
(End of Chapter)
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