After the path was cut off

Li Wangxiang walked alone on the stone steps leading to the General Affairs Hall.

His moon-white robe with gold trim, unique to true disciples, stood out starkly against the dusty crowd. Every passing cultivator bowed their heads, lowered their gazes, and respectfully gave way.

As he walked, hushed, dissenting voices arose on both sides.

"He's a true disciple... How could he come to a place like this?"

"I'm so envious. If you could become a true disciple, you'd never have to set foot in the General Affairs Hall again. Unlike us, we're forced to leave the sect and fill the gaps in that desolate place."

"There's no other way. The next batch of cultivators will be brought out of the Taoist temple soon. If we don't leave, how will they cultivate?"

"Alas! It's said that the death rate for those going to the borderlands is 90%. Who knows if they'll even make it to tomorrow?"

"Shh...don't say anything. Be careful..."

Listening to these deathly whispers, Li Wangxiang's expression remained unchanged, but his steps became heavier.

this is the truth.

Although this world is vast, its spiritual veins are finite, and its resources are finite. Yet, the sheer number of humans has multiplied to an astonishing degree.

In order to make room for the continuous stream of new cultivators, the sect had no choice but to push outwards from the mountains and seas like mad dogs.

Thus began the never-ending wars of expansion.

Even with a 90% mortality rate, it still couldn't stop the rapid growth of new cultivators.

Therefore, the behemoth that was Tianxuan Sect, apart from the carefully protected True Inheritance Peak, had all its other departments, including law enforcement, general affairs, and foreign affairs, transformed into intricate gears on this war machine, running wildly.

In the eyes of those "Taoist seeds" and "Taoist disciples" at the peak of the true lineage, the pioneering war was a quagmire, a low-level drain that had to be maintained. They should cherish the peace and tranquility that thousands of fellow disciples had sacrificed, and only care about seeking gold and climbing higher.

Therefore, true disciples never enter the mortal world.

But at this moment, as Li Wangxiang stood before the palace gate, looking at the endless stone steps beneath his feet and at his fellow disciples rushing about with different expressions, he seemed to see, in a daze, those vague hometown clansmen from his memories.

They all struggled to survive in the cracks, just to give someone like him a moment of peace.

Is this really reasonable?

He had never thought of this before, because at that time he was filled with the fanaticism that "once you attain enlightenment, all laws will be pacified." But now that his path to enlightenment has been abruptly severed, the "immortal aura" that had enveloped him has also dissipated.

Li Wangxiang closed his eyes, and after a long while, he whispered:

"Li Wangxiang, oh Li Wangxiang..."

"I've almost reached the end of my journey, and only now do I remember the people behind me."

"You've owed it for far too long."

He gave a low, self-deprecating laugh, then looked away from the figures avoiding him and climbed the steps.

At the end of the stone steps, the tall threshold of the General Affairs Hall came into view.

On this trip, he was to meet Shen Bai, the head of the General Affairs Hall, to inquire about the matter of the sacred land.

This was his first step in establishing a sect outside the main branch and setting up a new immortal sect.

What others saw as a "self-destructive act" held in his heart no less weight than the pursuit of gold and enlightenment.

He needed to use this bridge to try and attract the attention of the old ancestor who was hidden deep within the Hall of General Affairs and held the reins of the sect's fate.

Now that his path to wealth is blocked, he must carve out another way to survive in this chaotic world, for himself and for those behind him.

-------------------

Shen Bai met him in a side hall.

This powerful figure, who had held power over general affairs for many years, appeared to be middle-aged. He was dressed simply, had a gentle expression, and showed no trace of greed or scheming. Instead, he exuded a sense of composure that came from having seen through the ways of the world.

When Li Wangxiang looked at Shen Bai, the other person was also quietly looking at him.

In Shen Bai's mind, Li Wangxiang should have been a dead man, but not only did he come back alive, he also went to the Hall of Merit to complete the proper etiquette, and then came to the Hall of General Affairs.

What exactly does he want to do?

Shen Bai did not ask any questions first, but simply raised his hand in a gesture of invitation, and then personally picked up a pot of tea and filled it for Li Wangxiang.

"We haven't seen each other for many years. I'll address you as my senior brother; I hope you won't feel awkward, junior brother?"

Li Wangxiang cupped his hands and said:

"Senior brother, you're too kind. Back when we were both inner disciples, I often received your guidance, and I will never forget that kindness."

That was in the past.

Shen Bai put down the teapot and sighed self-deprecatingly, "Since I entered the mortal world and became the head of this General Affairs Hall; since my junior brother became a true disciple and ascended to the clouds, you and I have had very few opportunities to meet in private."

These words contained a hidden barb: "I am an official on earth, and you are a celestial being in heaven. You would never come here unless there's a reason."

Li Wangxiang naturally understood the probing in the mantra, but he was too lazy to engage in pretense and simply said:

"From now on... Junior Brother will probably have to come to this mortal world often to ask Senior Brother for a cup of hot tea."

Shen Bai narrowed his eyes, vaguely guessing what was going on.

"Junior brother, what's wrong with you...?"

Li Wangxiang didn't beat around the bush. He looked up and stared directly into those deep eyes, and calmly said:

"I want to purchase a sacred site to establish a celestial sect."

Shen Bai's gaze lingered on his face for a long time before he pressed on, "Junior Brother, in whose name do you plan to bid?"

"It's myself, of course."

"Junior brother, have you thought this through?" Shen Bai spoke very slowly. "Once you purchase the spiritual land, you will have to take on the tasks assigned by the sect. From then on, you will be burdened with countless mundane affairs. After leaving the sect, you will no longer be a true disciple."

"I understand."

The hall fell silent for a moment, with only the sound of the remaining water in the kettle gently boiling.

Seeing that he hadn't responded for a long time, Li Wangxiang broke the silence first: "What, is it forbidden by the clan rules?"

Shen Bai held his teacup, his gaze somewhat unfocused.

"The sect rules don't say that true disciples can't establish their own sects, but..." He sighed, "You are a divine seed that countless disciples would kill for. It would be such a waste for you to fall into the mortal realm."

Li Wangxiang looked directly at him: "Didn't you, Senior Brother, also give up your status as an inner disciple and voluntarily enter this mortal world? If it were me, I couldn't?"

Upon hearing this, Shen Bai chuckled and shook his head.

"Junior brother, why pretend to be ignorant when you know the truth?"

"I entered this mortal world seeking power and taking shortcuts. But what about you?"

He looked up, his gaze suddenly becoming sharp as a knife.

"You're giving up your status as a true disciple, and you're heading to the most dangerous place in the mortal world. Junior brother, think it over carefully."

Li Wangxiang remained unmoved.

"Senior brother, please don't try to persuade me anymore. My mind is made up." He took another half step closer. "Senior brother, does the General Affairs Hall really intend to stop me?"

Shen Bai gave him a deep look and sighed inwardly.

This junior brother hasn't changed at all; he's straightforward and won't stop until he's pushed someone to the point of no return.

"Although the sect rules do not restrict the acceptance of true disciples leaving the sect to establish their own, no true disciple has ever gone through this process before." Shen Bai put down his teacup, his tone tinged with helplessness. "Junior brother, you have really given me a difficult problem."

Li Wangxiang's heart stirred; this was exactly what he wanted.

He wanted to put Shen Bai in a difficult position, to prevent Shen Bai from acting on his own initiative, and to force him to pass the matter up to a higher level. In this way, he could attract the attention of the patriarch and alleviate the pressure on the Hall of Merit.

"If you can't make a decision, senior brother, you can ask your superiors. I can wait."

Shen Bai waved his hand: "There's no need to ask, but Junior Brother, you have to give me a plausible reason."

Li Wangxiang's gaze paused slightly, and his plan to take the opportunity to alert his superiors vanished silently with those words.

A sense of desolation welled up in his heart. The status of a true disciple was already high and mighty in the eyes of ordinary disciples, but in the eyes of those Golden Core elders, he was ultimately just a junior.

If it weren't for the overall situation of the sect, his decision to stay or leave, and his thoughts, wouldn't have been enough to warrant a second glance from the higher-ups.

As Qing Shu said, "If you want to leave, then go ahead. Lord Huan You never looks at where people are standing."

His spirits were slightly dampened, and he was too lazy to polish his words to be flawless. He simply followed his genuine emotions and said, half-truthfully, half-jokingly:

"To be honest, I've had this thought for a long time," Li Wangxiang sighed softly, a hint of melancholy in his expression.

"My elder brother is already very old. This 'Beichen Incident' has made me realize that although the road ahead is long, the time with loved ones is short. If I don't go back to my hometown to take care of him, I will regret it for the rest of my life."

"Moreover, it's not just my elder brother; my mortal nephews and nieces also need someone to teach and protect them."

Shen Bai fell silent. He looked down at his fingertips tracing the rim of the teacup, the wisps of steam obscuring his unfathomable eyes.

How could someone who had been in the world for a hundred years believe such a reason? But he saw the resolute determination in Li Wangxiang's desire to leave.

A moment later, he clapped his hands and laughed.

"What a wonderful saying, 'The path to enlightenment is long, but the time with loved ones is short!' Junior brother is indeed a person of deep feelings and true character. I admire you, I admire you."

His laughter was loud, but it lacked sincerity and instead revealed a hint of amusement.

"Since you, junior brother, are seeking a complete and lasting union, and also wish to establish a sect to protect your family... then your arrival is truly timely."