Immortality begins with meditation puppets

"Fellow human comrades and friends from other races, with the support of all races and worlds, and with the cooperation of countless fellow Daoists, the highly anticipated Heroes' Assembly and the intense and exciting competition have finally come to a close today."

Over the past few days, we have witnessed heroes and warriors from all sides vying for supremacy, and seen masters of all arts demonstrating their skills and techniques, showcasing their talent and skill. This has broadened our horizons and enriched our knowledge. Therefore, let us give a warm round of applause to all the participating cultivators to thank them for presenting us with this intense, exciting, and spectacular event!

Pop, pop, pop!
At the closing ceremony of the Heroes' Gathering, Su Qing, representing the host city, paused briefly, holding down his prepared remarks, and waited for the applause from the crowd before continuing:

"Friendship first, competition second. The purpose of the Heroes' Gathering has never been to compete in strength and violence, but to promote the great integration of all realms, sects, and all human cultivators through competition and exchange."

Now, in the Tianyuan Realm and even in all the myriad realms, demons have risen up and the situation is turbulent. The ancient demonic calamity has returned, which is a time of life and death for all races. Therefore, all human cultivators, regardless of whether they are from the heavens or the Tianyuan Realm, should work together. All living beings, whether human, witch, demon, or spirit, are sentient beings and should fight against the demonic calamity together. This is an opportunity created for us by our predecessors who exhausted their remaining energy, and it is also a responsibility bestowed upon us by the times. We cannot slack off and must do our utmost for ourselves and for all living beings.

However, with various forces from different realms mixed together, differing opinions and ideas inevitably hinder each other's actions, which is of no benefit to the great cause of resisting demons. Therefore, although there is no great responsibility or high or low status, it is still necessary to select someone in this anti-demon alliance who can take charge of the overall situation and make strategic plans to guide us and unify our opinions.

Therefore, before the start of the conference, the great powers of all sects and countless cultivators unanimously decided that, based on the performance of each sect in this Heroes' Conference, five top-tier forces would be selected to lead the masses, twelve first-tier forces would serve as the mainstay, and one hundred and eight second-tier forces would protect the four directions...

Furthermore, because the ancient witch clan was fierce and brave, shedding the blood of great witches for all living beings and spirits, and the three dragon clans of Golden Dragon, Azure Dragon, and Green Dragon swore to fight to the death and perished entirely in the Sea of ​​Fallen Dragons, and the demon clan waged war in various realms, with countless great demons dying, in recognition of the outstanding contributions made by the three clans in ancient times, and hoping that they would use their respective influence to continue to lead the witch, demon, and dragon forces in the present myriad realms, the conference decided that these three forces would automatically enter the top-tier forces without having to go through the Heroes' Conference competition.

Besides the three top-tier forces whose positions have been finalized, the Yuanshi Sect, which ranks first in the points list and has won first place in many popular categories such as array formation, weapon crafting, and talisman paper making, is well-deserved to be selected as a top-tier force due to its mastery of all arts, lack of any weaknesses, profound inheritance of ancient sects, and innovative vitality that keeps pace with the times.

The three ancestral temples of the Dao lineage are inseparable, like Meng and Jiao. The Lingbao Sect won first place in the most difficult swordplay and combat events, widening the gap with other sects on the points leaderboard and entering the ranks of the top-tier forces. As for the Taishang Sect, due to its special inheritance, it has been passed down through generations by a single successor. This time, only the current successor, Gu Le Zhenjun, participated. Unfortunately, the competition's points system did not take this special situation into account, so it fell into the ranks of the top-tier forces. However, we all know that when the Taishang Sect truly exerts its strength, it will definitely be at the level of a top-tier force!

The twelve sects selected as first-tier forces are: Supreme Sect, Eastern King Sect, Kaiyuan Immortal Kingdom, Immortal Qin Martial Kingdom, Penglai Immortal Kingdom, Rahu Sect, Peach Blossom Sect, Thousand Island Immortal Kingdom, Reincarnation Sect, Fire Phoenix Immortal Kingdom, Hanging Temple, and Xuanyuan Sword Sect. They are listed in no particular order and are all regional hegemons. In addition, at the suggestion of the organizing committee of the conference, cultivators from all realms and sects unanimously agreed to add an honorary seat for first-tier forces, namely the Celestial Master's Mansion of Langya Immortal Island, to commemorate and remember the outstanding contributions made by the Four Celestial Masters to human cultivation and to all living beings for all eternity.

Second-tier forces include: the Kingdom of Punishment and Slaughter, the Kingdom of Desire and Demon, the Kingdom of Land of Light, the Kingdom of Earthly Treasury, the Kingdom of Martial Peace in the West, the Sect of Burial of Immortals, the Sect of Primordial Slaughter, the Sect of Blood Slaughter, the Sect of Wonderful Green, the Sect of Elixir Origin, and so on.

The three major factions are: the Great River Gang, the Fire Cloud Cave, and Qilin Mountain...

The four factions include: the Five Tigers Broken Blade Sect, the Qingcheng Sword Sect, the Lilliputian Kingdom, the Black Fiend Sect, and so on.
The five factions are: (details omitted).

Su Qing read out the list of forces in each of the five tiers in one go, following the ranking of points.

Although these rankings had long since been settled with the end of the various competitions of the conference, whether it was surprising, disappointing, acceptable, or unacceptable, we can only accept it now. However, the announcement of the list still caused a great stir among the cultivators below the stage. After all, everyone knew that, barring any unforeseen circumstances, this list would determine the landscape of the myriad realms and affect the distribution of interests among countless cultivators for at least the next thousand years.

"The Yuanshi Sect and the Lingbao Sect have indeed remained incredibly powerful from ancient times to the present day. As top-tier forces, who dares to disobey them!"

"What's going on with this Kaiyuan Immortal Kingdom? It merged the points of the Snail Emperor Sect and the Taiyi Sect. Before, Su Qing led the way, and a bunch of puppets and gods were racking up points like crazy. I thought they had a sliver of hope, but now it seems they're still doomed. They're destined to be just a first-tier power!"

"This isn't right! How come Tianyuan forces have such a large share in the first and second tiers? What gives them the right? Is there some kind of shady deal going on? No way! This is unfair! I, Nong Chaoxin from the Dajiang Gang, hereby lodge a formal protest and demand a rematch!"

"Buddha is merciful, but we cannot bully Buddha like this. Only one of our Buddhist sects has reached the top tier, and its voice is so weak. Who will protect Buddha's interests in the future!"

"Hahaha, my senior brother is invincible! The entire Peach Blossom Sect fully supports the results of this conference. We hope that individual sects and individual cultivators will not be unwilling to admit defeat. The results you have achieved are entirely commensurate with your strength. Do not underestimate yourselves!"

"Hey! If there really is some behind-the-scenes manipulation, then Su Qing is the mastermind behind it all. In the final rounds, how many matches did he lead the Kaiyuan Immortal Kingdom, Taiyi Sect, and Snail Emperor Sect to throw away, and how many points did he give away? If he hadn't given away points, would the Xingsha Divine Kingdom and the Desire Immortal Kingdom have been able to become second-tier powers?"

"What kind of demon dares to bark and howl here, daring to insult my Demonic Immortal Kingdom? Do you think my Demonic Sect has no one to rely on?!"

Unexpectedly, the competition proceeded peacefully without causing chaos. However, once the results were announced, many sects and cultivators immediately protested, clamoring that it was unfair and demanding a rematch. They refused to acknowledge, accept, or recognize the results, and it seemed a full-blown brawl was about to erupt. Su Qing gestured to Yuan Shi Sect's Guangxian Zhenjun, the representative of the Yuan Shi Sect. This man, having just topped the tournament's points standings, was in a state of excitement and would not tolerate any questioning of the tournament's results!
Yes, it's not unusual to be number one in a competition. The Yuanshi Sect has accumulated countless honors from ancient times to the present, and they really don't care about this little honor. But the opportunity to surpass the Lingbao Sect and the Taishang Sect is rare. They cannot allow anyone to doubt the value of this competition. To doubt the competition is to doubt the Yuanshi Sect's championship, to disrespect the Yuanshi Sect, and to show that the Lingbao Sect and the Taishang Sect are not satisfied with the result and are trying to smear the Yuanshi Sect!
Guangxian Zhenjun was very angry. After receiving a hint from Su Qing, an ancient yellow bell landed beside him, and two fourth-level warriors grinned and glared at him.

A long, deep bell rang out, resounding in the ears of all the cultivators.

Those with power, recognizing this as a warning from the Primordial Sect, and considering its immense influence throughout the heavens, obediently shut their mouths. Those without power were directly shaken by the bell, their internal organs shifting, their souls trembling, and in their fear and pain, they recalled the suffering they had endured from the Primordial Sect's suppression throughout the heavens over the years. Only then did they realize that the friendly atmosphere among the myriad sects of the Heavenly Origin Realm had influenced them, making them feel that their status was truly equal to that of the Primordial Sect. Some couldn't distinguish between the major and minor sects, failing to realize that their sects were nothing more than ants and mayflies before these other sects. The fact that they were given a fair chance to compete was already a great favor from heaven; how could they dare to be so weak and resentful? Were they courting death?
To be honest, the Yuanshi Sect has a lot of face. When True Monarch Guangxian rang the bell once, all the discordant voices inside and outside the venue came to an abrupt end. It was more effective than him talking until he was hoarse. Su Qing also used this opportunity to once again verify the prestige of the Yuanshi Sect in the myriad realms. He secretly thought that his decision to support the Yuanshi Sect and the Lingbao Sect as top-tier forces and for the Kaiyuan Immortal Kingdom to retreat to the first tier was the right one. There are things that the Yuanshi Sect can do that the Kaiyuan Immortal Kingdom really can't do!
The will of the Primordial Sect was conveyed to all the cultivators present through the resounding sounds of the Yellow Bell and the Great Bell, so that everyone would understand that regardless of whether they accepted it or not, this list and this division of power were fixed facts that could not be changed.

Su Qing spoke again:

"Since everyone agrees on the result, I will now announce the next matter."

As we all know, demons and living beings are irreconcilable enemies; it is a matter of life and death. The great cause of resisting demons is not just the business of one family, one sect, or one realm, nor is it just the business of our human cultivator race. We must unite all forces that can be united in order to win this battle. Therefore, each sect and nation on this list must assume corresponding responsibilities according to their position on the list. The greater the ability, the greater the responsibility. No one can shirk responsibility, avoid the important matters, or engage in any slacking off or double-dealing!

To ensure that all sects have the capacity and motivation to shoulder their responsibilities, representatives from all realms and sects have unanimously decided that, effective immediately, the various secret realms and rare treasures that have emerged due to the revival of spiritual energy in the Tianyuan Realm will be allocated based on each faction's position within the Anti-Demon Alliance and their corresponding contributions. This is both to prevent some from shirking their duties and to increase their enthusiasm for fighting demons, and to avoid the previous disorder and infighting over secret realm resources that could have created discord and allowed evil spirits to take advantage of the situation.

After Su Qing finished speaking, she glanced at the audience below the stage. She thought the cultivators would have some discussion about the allocation plan, but to her surprise, they all kept their mouths shut as if they had been stitched up. The audience was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

He knew, of course, that these cultivators weren't truly without opinions; they had just learned their lesson and suffered a loss, so they dared not speak out easily again.

But this won't do either. What kind of event is a conference dedicated to the cultivation of all people and the great unity of all sentient beings if it doesn't have the heartfelt support of cultivators from all realms?

With a thought, he instructed the employees of Suji Group, who had been pre-arranged in the crowd, to applaud under the guidance of Li Hailang and other professional atmosphere-building teams.

"Well said, absolutely right. With great power comes great responsibility, and with great responsibility comes great benefits. Even the emperor doesn't starve his soldiers. Top-tier forces, standing at the forefront of the fight against the demons, should reap the greatest rewards!"

"That's right. If you're capable, you should also be on the front lines, fighting to the death against the high-ranking and mid-ranking demons. As long as you're capable, you can also reap the benefits!"

"I've heard there's also a merit-based promotion mechanism. The top-tier and super-top-tier forces aren't fixed. As long as you kill enough demons, any sect has a chance to become a top-tier or super-top-tier force!"

"It's so fair and reasonable. After all, those secret realms are full of both opportunities and risks. In the more powerful secret realms, small sects like us would just be cannon fodder and wouldn't get any benefits. On the contrary, now that these big sects are developing secret realms, we can get a share of the secret realm's profits without taking any risks. We can collect dividends at home. Where else can you find such a good deal!"

With the atmosphere-building team's encouragement, the atmosphere in the audience gradually heated up. This was mainly because many cultivators in the audience had no complaints about the rankings and corresponding distribution of benefits in this conference. For example, sects such as the Yuanshi Sect, Kaiyuan Immortal Kingdom, Yumo Immortal Kingdom, and Taoyuan Sect were all winners of this conference, so naturally they only supported it and had no opposition. As for some sects, although they were only third- or fourth-tier forces, they knew very well what kind of cowardly sects they had been since ancient times. Although they were also envious of the secret realm opportunities that appeared in the Tianyuan Realm, there have been countless opportunities that have appeared in various realms and places throughout history, from Tianyuan to the heavens. They have been envious enough, but they still dare not get involved.
Eat only what your appetite allows!

Once they understood their own appetites, the cultivators below the stage accepted the fact that they could eat a single grain of rice, or even a whole bowl of rice.

Su Qing was also satisfied with this. It seemed that the Heroes' Gathering held by their Kaiyuan Immortal Kingdom should be able to come to a successful conclusion.

"Since all realms, sects, and races have no objection to the results of this conference, I, on behalf of the organizer, Kaiyuan Immortal Kingdom, hereby announce the conclusion of the First All-Race Heroes Conference. Next, please welcome Guangxian Zhenjun, representative of the Yuanshi Sect, to read out a few matters on behalf of the Anti-Demon Alliance..."

Su Qing stepped aside to welcome Guangxian Zhenjun's entrance. As he walked onto the stage with a smile, Su Qing also flashed into the group of cultivators from the Kaiyuan Immortal Kingdom, including Ying Jueshen, and obediently became a spectator, completely handing the stage over to this leader of the Anti-Demon Alliance.

Let him steal the limelight; after all, the Yuanshi Sect will need to put in a lot of effort in the fight against the demons!

"Ahem, dear cultivators from all realms, dear guests from other races, on this day of blooming flowers and singing birds, I, the True Lord, am honored to stand here and speak to you on behalf of the Anti-Demon Alliance..." (End of Chapter)