Immortality begins with meditation puppets

"There are two matters. First, now that the Anti-Demon Alliance has been formed, we shouldn't sit idly by. I intend to gather the strength of the entire alliance to besiege Wufo Mountain. According to the deductions of the great demon Buddha on Wufo Mountain, his origins are those of an ancient demon lord, who was once a supreme demon general on par with the Dao Ancestor, the Heavenly Emperor, and the Human Emperor. If we don't take care of such an existence before he fully develops, in this era before the Dao Ancestor appears, all my myriad beings simply cannot withstand the threat of a peak demon general. Therefore, killing this fiend should be done sooner rather than later, and it is imperative. I hope that all realms and sects will contribute their manpower and strength, and not shirk their responsibilities."

Because the educational levels and qualities of cultivators from various realms and sects differ, and in addition to taking care of the demons of all ages who were listening in, True Lord Guangxian tried to speak as directly and simply as possible.

In summary, the first thing to do is to engage in a team fight and head straight for the enemy's crystal. The enemy's leader, Shanggu, is a formidable opponent, and we can't defeat him in the late game. If we don't deal with him now, it will be much harder later.

On this matter, cultivators from all realms, both on and off the stage, agreed and supported it. After all, whether human or demon, everyone knows that days without evil spirits are good days. This Demon Buddha is raising all kinds of evil spirits on Mount Wufo like raising Gu poison, so that they can wreak havoc everywhere. Not to mention the future, everyone can't tolerate it now.

The most emotional and supportive were from the immortal kingdoms within the Western Sea, because Wufoshan was unfortunately located in the Western Sea, and these immortal kingdoms suffered the most from its calamities.

"No doubt about it. I've been fed up with this Demon Buddha for a long time. The entire Heavenly Explosion Gang, with its twelve Foundation Establishment elders and thirty-five thousand disciples, will obey the Alliance Leader's orders!"

"The super-star orbital cannons of the Penglai Immortal Kingdom can also be deployed entirely near Wufoshan!"

"Our Thousand Islands Immortal Kingdom will unite with 562 island nations in the Western Sea to blockade Mount Wufo at sea!"

"The Kaiyuan Immortal Kingdom will also spare no effort, sending 30,000 troops, 500,000 puppets, 100,000 armored warriors, and countless cultivation creations such as arrays and talismans to join this battle."

"Who will deal with that Demon Buddha?"

"Of course it's the Grand Alliance Leader, Yuanshi Sect, and the Second Alliance Leader, Lingbao Sect. Soldiers against soldiers, generals against generals, right? How come your Desire Demon Immortal Kingdom wants to deal with the Demon Buddha?"

"No, no, no, we didn't have that idea, we're not worthy!"

The cultivators below the stage clamored, while the various sects on the stage expressed their stances. True Monarch Guangxian remained smiling. Although he knew that these people were putting their Yuanshi Sect and Lingbao Sect in a difficult position to deal with the Demon Buddha, he didn't care. Although the Demon Buddha was difficult to deal with, the ancient treasures and condensed time Dao patterns on its body were far more valuable than the price they had to pay. It was a highly profitable deal. You can't catch a wolf without risking your cub. Dealing with an undeveloped Demon Buddha was such a cost-effective thing. Others might want to do it, but their Yuanshi Sect and Lingbao Sect wouldn't be willing to do it.

"Alright, since all the sects and factions in the world agree to this action, then this matter is settled. Since it will take time for each sect to allocate resources and coordinate manpower, I intend to gather the troops on Langya Immortal Island thirty years later and launch a general offensive. During this period, I hope that the immortal kingdoms within the Western Sea will carry out some preliminary preparations and cooperate with the Dragon Soul Clan in the Meteor Dragon Sea. We do not expect to completely seal off Wufo Mountain, but at least we cannot let the Demon Buddha escape."

Because the Yuanshi Sect had already discussed this matter with the major sects, including the assembly location and the time of battle, none of the major sects objected after Guangxian Zhenjun made the decision.

The major factions remained silent, while the minor factions, though some complained about the tight schedule and others about the remote location, had no voice and could only keep their grievances to themselves, unable to affect the overall situation.

Su Qing, Gao Erqiang, Shi Lijing, Princess Huofeng, and Master Liaode exchanged glances and nodded to each other.

The several immortal kingdoms planned to form an offensive and defensive alliance to join the battle, lest they be outnumbered and betrayed by their fellow members of the anti-demon alliance.

For example, the initial blockade of Wufoshan brings no benefits and the risks are uncontrollable. If Penglai Immortal Kingdom and Thousand Island Immortal Kingdom are tricked into going to the front line of the blockade, wouldn't they be the ones who get ripped off?
For example, when a major battle breaks out, it's important to know who rushes to the front to claim credit when things are going well, and who runs ahead to save their life when things are going against them.

These immortal kingdoms started late and have shallow foundations. Although they are willing to contribute to the anti-demon alliance, it would be a bit difficult for them to do hard labor or even die for it.

In fact, there are countless small circles like theirs within the Anti-Demon Alliance. The island nations of the Thousand Islands Immortal Kingdom Alliance were originally weak, but who doesn't know that they now have all the Heavenly Sects stationed there, completely transformed and incomparable to the past? The floating Penglai Immortal Island in the sky is getting bigger and bigger, and who doesn't know that they have been expanding the Immortal Island to accommodate more Heavenly Sects?

Guangxian Zhenjun was well aware that there were many small cliques within the alliance, which was not a good thing for the alliance's unity. But what could he do? Where there are people, there are cliques. This was due to the closeness of relationships and the conflicting interests. They banded together for warmth, and he could do nothing about it but let it be. After all, the largest clique was the countless subordinate sects and side sects behind his Yuanshi Sect and Lingbao Sect.

"The second thing is purely for the benefit of the families of all realms and sects. As we all know, with the revival of spiritual energy, many ancient inheritances and powerful caves that were once sealed in the Tianyuan Realm will appear in various places in Tianyuan in the form of secret realms. These secret realms are resources prepared by the ancient powerful beings for us, the cultivators of later generations, so that we can make use of them in the great cause of fighting against evil."

We cannot waste the painstaking efforts of our predecessors. These secret realms must be developed in the most appropriate way. However, because these secret realms vary in strength and risk, if the manpower invested in them is not commensurate with their strength, it will at least be a waste of manpower, and at worst, the path to enlightenment will be destroyed. Such situations have not been uncommon in the past hundred years. In order to solve these problems and enable cultivators from all realms to explore secret realms more effectively, the Anti-Demon Alliance intends to establish a Secret Realm Management Office. It is tentatively decided that our Yuanshi Sect, in conjunction with the Celestial Master's Mansion, will take the lead, and the major sects will send appropriate personnel to the position according to their own circumstances.

Once this Secret Realm Management Office is established, all secret realms will be classified and graded from one to nine ranks. All secret realms discovered within the borders of each immortal kingdom must be reported here. The Secret Realm Management Office will then assess the risks and rewards, select the most suitable members to explore, and allocate a portion of the spoils to the place of discovery, while another portion will be handed over to the alliance and then distributed according to each sect's contribution that year. Only in this way can we ensure that no secret realm is overlooked, no resources within a secret realm are wasted, and that everything is used for our benefit, ensuring collective good.”

At this point, True Lord Guangxian paused, giving the cultivators below time to react.

As he expected, the cultivators from various sects below the stage reacted extremely strongly.

These cultivators from various sects and realms have come to Tianyuan from all over the world in recent years. They have to live under the roof of others, compromise with the local forces, and face the threat of evil demons, always ready to fight. What is the point of all this sacrifice? It's all for a bite to eat and a drink, for the ancient inheritance, and for the benefits of the secret realm!
Originally, everyone thought that secret realms could appear anytime, anywhere, and whoever discovered one first could get a piece of the action. Those with exceptional luck, if they found a high-return, low-risk superior secret realm, might be able to turn their fortunes around, leaping from third- or fourth-tier to first- or second-tier power, achieving a previously unattainable upward mobility. Now, the Anti-Demon Alliance is telling them that they were overthinking it. No matter how lucky you are, even if a secret realm appears on your doorstep, you can only watch helplessly. After the secret realm management office registers and verifies it, exploration and allocation will take place. You might get a small share, but forget about the real prize; those at the top aren't getting enough!
"Opportunities are predetermined, but benefits come from hard work. The location of a secret realm is a blessing from heaven. Regardless of the danger, as long as we are willing, there's no reason not to let us explore!"

"There are countless secret realms, and so many resources. Can the secret realm management office handle them all? With such great power, who knows if they will line their own pockets? Who knows if they will abuse their power for personal gain!"

"Oh, so you were saying that the future division of Tianyuan's rights and interests would be based on the strength and status of each faction? So that's what you were waiting for us to do, dividing it in this way!"

"We refuse to accept this! None of us accept this! If the Anti-Demon Alliance insists on this, we don't mind creating a new Anti-Demon Alliance!"

The audience below the stage erupted into chaos, but this time, True Lord Guangxian was not angered. Clearly, he had anticipated this situation. He raised his hand in a gesture of calming the atmosphere, and then said:

"I understand that while the establishment of the Secret Realm Management Office has relieved many small sects of the burden and danger of exploring secret realms, it has also made many sects feel that they have missed many opportunities. Everyone has their own ambitions, and the requirements and pursuits of different sects and immortal kingdoms are different. Our Anti-Demon Alliance has also considered this point. Therefore, in the handling of secret realms, we have added another rule, namely, the first person to discover a secret realm can submit an exploration request after registering and reporting it. After paying a certain price and being approved by the Secret Realm Management Office, they can organize personnel to explore the secret realm on their own. In other words, the first person to discover a secret realm has the right to explore it!"

For an alliance to develop, it must take into account the interests of all parties. The allocation of secret realms is a top priority affecting the unity of the Anti-Demon Alliance. The Primordial Sect and other major sects discussed this for a long time before coming up with this plan.

This plan satisfies the needs of some sects and immortal kingdoms with a strong gambling mentality. As long as they pay a secret realm exploration fee to the secret realm management office when they discover a secret realm, they can bring their entire team to explore the secret realm as they wish. They are responsible for their own profits and losses, and bear the casualties themselves. One wave of poverty, one wave of wealth. Either the sect is destroyed and people die, or they become rich and powerful. It is foreseeable that in the future, it will not be uncommon for the Tianyuan Realm to take out loans to develop secret realms.

As expected, the cultivators from various sects below the stage were very satisfied with the plan to discover the first secret realm. After all, many people had the illusion that they were the chosen ones, the trendsetters of the times. How could developing a secret realm be considered a gamble? It was an opportunity arranged by the heavens, giving them wings to take flight. To miss it would be to disrespect one's own destiny and to desecrate the heavens.

Seeing that this matter had once again gained the support of cultivators from various realms and sects, True Monarch Guangxian's smile deepened. With these two matters settled, his position as the leader of the Anti-Demon Alliance of the Yuanshi Sect was now secure, and his status in the myriad realms was even greater than in ancient times. Although the Yuanshi Sect was also a leader among righteous cultivators in ancient times, there were still the Human Dao Imperial Court, the Ancient Heavenly Court, the Witch Clan, the Demon Clan, the Dragon Clan, and the Phoenix Clan that could stand shoulder to shoulder with them. There were many obstacles, so it was not as straightforward as it is now.

"The third thing is to establish the Hundred Arts Chamber of Commerce. Through a joint vote by the second-tier and above forces within the alliance, we aim to unify the Hundred Arts organizations of various sects in the heavens and the Tianyuan Realm, so as to promote the free flow of Hundred Arts talents and various resources in the heavens and the Tianyuan Realm, without being restricted by the identity of sects and immortal kingdoms, and without being affected by the trade protection of various immortal kingdoms and sects.

As everyone knows, the flourishing of the Hundred Arts is the only aspect of our current cultivation world that surpasses that of the ancient cultivation world. To complete the unfinished work of the ancient cultivators, we must rely on the Hundred Arts for creation, including arrays, artifacts, elixirs, talismans, puppetry, painting, farming, and weaving. Every industry must make achievements to provide ample resources and equipment support for our protracted war against the demons…

"I object!"

"I think this is inappropriate!"

"Should we discuss this further?"

"Which lackey of the heavens proposed this?! Step forward and I'll kill him!"

Before Guangxian Zhenjun could finish speaking, it was the major sect cultivators on the stage who stood up to oppose him this time.

Those who can sit on the stage are at least second-tier forces, powerful forces, and their influence is far beyond what the minor sects and cultivators below can compare to.

Those who stood up to oppose were all local forces of Tianyuan. Even forces that had never been on good terms with other forces in Tianyuan, such as Penglai Immortal Kingdom, Xuankong Temple, and Pingxi Martial Kingdom, all stood up at the same time.

From the perspective of the Tianyuan native immortal kingdom, setting up this Hundred Arts Chamber of Commerce at this moment would definitely harm their interests.

It sounds nice to say that resources can flow freely between the heavens and the celestial realm, promoting fair competition and making it easy to do business anywhere in the world.

In reality, there is no fairness in the competition between the various forces of the heavens and the forces of the Heavenly Origin.

In the past, Tianyuan's spiritual energy was suppressed and resources were limited. Its talents and industries in various arts and crafts could not compare with those in the myriad realms. If the door to competition were opened now, the various sects in the myriad realms would use their developed industries in various arts and crafts to frantically export cheap and beautiful creations to the various immortal kingdoms. Under such dumping, it would be difficult for the arts and crafts industries of Tianyuan's native immortal kingdoms to develop. How could they have the ability to counter-dump into the markets of the myriad realms?

Su Qing is capable!
For him, his Su Ji puppets were not afraid of price wars at all, and he had many unique puppets that could open up a market in the heavens. The establishment of this Hundred Arts Chamber of Commerce was beneficial to him.

But now that he's on the side of the Tianyuan Realm, even the Penglai Immortal Kingdom and the Pingxi Martial Kingdom wouldn't dare betray their class. If they choose to stand with everyone now, even if he's deeply grateful, he still has to join them in opposing this policy.

Although he didn't see anything wrong with the policy—free trade would impact Tianyuan's local industries in the short term, it would also drive their development and progress—it all depended on the efforts of each immortal kingdom. For the greater good, a period of hardship was acceptable. (End of Chapter)