Translator: Dj22031
Editor: Dj22031
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“Perhaps…perhaps I should return the position of Immortal Lord to my brother?” Yu Tianji said, his brows furrowed, his face full of worry, devoid of confidence.
“No,” Mu Qingning said, “If you hand over the position of Immortal Lord, your life will depend entirely on the mercy of Lord Tianliu.”
“My brother is highly respected; surely he wouldn’t do anything to harm his own brother…”
“Before the position of Immortal Lord, even brothers can become enemies,” Mu Qingning sighed. “The Immortal Lord is benevolent and considerate of brotherly affection, but Lord Tianliu may not.”
“Then, what does the High Priest think we should do?” Yu Tianji asked helplessly.
Mu Qingning took out a map from his sleeve and unfolded it.
“Lord Tianliu has returned with five thousand cultivators and is now encamped outside the mountain gate,” Mu Qingning said. “Kunlun Immortal Mountain has over thirty thousand cultivators, and they have just repelled the Demonic Sect, their morale is high. If war breaks out, we will surely win.”
“Lord Priest wants me to go to war with my brother?” Yu Tianji’s face turned pale.
“Going to war is the best policy,” Mu Qingning said. “If you, Immortal Lord, are willing to be a hero, you will naturally choose to go to war, and you will surely annihilate Lord Tianliu and his five thousand cultivators. It will be entirely beneficial.”
Li Yuebai couldn’t help but secretly admire him.
Mu Qingning was right. Killing everyone in one fell swoop was the most advantageous, ending it all and preventing endless trouble in the future. This was why many generals in history chose to massacre cities and kill prisoners.
It was a reasonable approach, but in the eyes of modern people, it was also a crime against humanity.
“Please forgive me for not being able to adopt Immortal Master Mu’s superior strategy.” Yu Tianji suddenly became serious, saying solemnly, “Slaughtering one’s own brothers and sisters, and brutally murdering five thousand innocent Kunlun cultivators, is no different from the actions of beasts.”
“…” Mu Qingning remained silent.
“Immortal Master Mu, you have always been compassionate towards all living beings, why… why would you propose such a plan?” Yu Tianji asked, puzzled.
“Never mind.” Mu Qingning sighed, “The superior strategy is the most advantageous and ruthless one for the Immortal Lord. If the Immortal Lord is unwilling to adopt it, I also do not wish to see it implemented.”
Li Yuebai felt a sharp pain in his heart.
The five thousand people led by Yu Tianliu and the tens of thousands remaining in Kunlun were originally brothers and sisters, with deep bonds between them.
If he could truly order Kunlun cultivators to kill his own brothers and sisters without batting an eye… then he wouldn’t be Mu Qingning.
“The middle strategy is to grant Jiuli as a fiefdom to Lord Tianliu,” Mu Qingning said. “Order him to take up his post immediately and not return to Kunlun.”
Jiuli was a remote place, rich in medicinal herbs. A few months ago, bandits caused trouble in Jiuli, so Yu Tianliu led his troops on a distant expedition.
If Yu Tianliu were to take up his post in Jiuli and develop his power there, it wouldn’t be a bad option.
Moreover, the land there was vast and sparsely populated, making it difficult for Yu Tianliu to recruit more men, and he wouldn’t pose a threat to Kunlun in the short term.
“That’s best.” Yu Tianji’s tightly furrowed brows finally relaxed. “Let’s proceed with the middle strategy.”
Yu Tianji’s order was quickly issued, and Yu Tianliu, knowing that a stalemate would bring no benefit, quickly and decisively withdrew.
Next, Li Yuebai adjusted the timeline.
It could be seen that for some time afterward, Mu Qingning assisted in handling many affairs of Kunlun. He acted impartially and was highly respected by everyone in Kunlun.
Many of Mu Qingning’s disciples, including Xiao Ai, had died in the battle against the Demonic Sect. The courtyard, already quiet, was now even more desolate.
Li Yuebai could see Mu Qingning personally setting up memorial tablets for his fallen disciples in his study, sighing to himself when no one was around, showing the deep affection he had for them.
“Master,” Jiang Shaoying said, “I still feel uneasy about Xiao Ai’s death. Was it a mistake by Peak Master Wan in command…?”
“Don’t say such things again,” Mu Qingning said. “I have thoroughly investigated Xiao Ai’s death, and it has nothing to do with Peak Master Wan. We cannot wrong an innocent person.”
“Yes…” Jiang Shaoying had no choice but to agree.
However, Peak Master Wan certainly didn’t think so. After several instigations from his disciples, Peak Master Wan quickly became wary of Mu Qingning, fearing he would seek revenge.
While Wan Guangliu worried about being retaliated against by Mu Qingning, Su Xu was always thinking of using Mu Qingning’s power to take revenge on others.
Su Xu was quick-witted and shrewd, and had previously contributed greatly with his silver tongue. Therefore, after defeating the Demonic Sect, he rose rapidly through the ranks, becoming extremely powerful.
That day, Su Xu visited Mu Qingning and bowed, saying, “High Priest, why did you reject my proposal the other day?”
“Sect Leader Su, your proposal was merely settling a personal score,” Mu Qingning glanced at Su Xu, his gaze gentle, yet forcing Su Xu to turn away.
“Immortal Master Mu, I have something I must say,” Su Xu sighed, “Immortal Master Mu possesses extraordinary talent, why only think of doing thankless tasks, instead of striving for the top? If only you could command the winds and rain…”
“…” Mu Qingning didn’t want to reply, having already seen through Su Xu’s thoughts.
Su Xu had always harbored a great desire for power, but given his humble origins, he could not ascend to the position of Immortal Lord on his own. Therefore, he devoted himself to the role of a strategist, hoping to climb onto a powerful patron’s tree so he could enjoy its shade and wield his authority.
Now, knowing he couldn’t surpass Mu Qingning, he desperately tried to curry favor with him, hoping to become his confidant.
However, as time went on, he increasingly realized Mu Qingning had no intention of forming cliques.
They were never on the same path, and further discussion was a waste of breath.
Mu Qingning dared not keep someone like Su Xu around any longer; he might bring trouble at any time.
“Sect Master Su, no need for further words, please return,” Mu Qingning sighed.
Su Xu’s expression changed; knowing he couldn’t succeed, he could only slink away.
Soon, his position was demoted, preventing him from wielding power.
However, demotion alone wasn’t enough; Mu Qingning remained deeply worried about Su Xu. Although this man was immoral, he was quite cunning… perhaps capable of stirring up even greater trouble.
Unexpectedly, not long after, Su Xu suffered a qi deviation while practicing magic and died suddenly.
“Host, please pay attention here,” the system warned. “Su Xu’s so-called sudden death was actually a fake death.”
“A fake death…” Li Yuebai’s heart sank. Indeed, a scourge lives on. A shrewd person like Su Xu couldn’t possibly die so easily.
“Yes, Su Xu faked his death to secretly escape Kunlun and head south to join Yu Tianliu,” the system said.
“This is bad.” Li Yuebai’s heart turned cold.
Su Xu knew a lot about Kunlun’s internal affairs, and he was ambitious and eloquent. With his assistance, the consequences for Yu Tianliu were unimaginable.
“Please continue watching,” the system reminded. “The Immortal Lord is about to get married.”
The Yu Tianji in the original story differed significantly from the promiscuous version he encountered— in that he was devoted to one woman.
From a young age, Yu Tianji was in love with Ji Yao, the eldest daughter of the Ji family of Kunlun. Ji Yao was of noble birth, beautiful, and exceptionally talented in Taoist magic.
Unfortunately, Ji Yao was in love with Yu Tianliu.
Only after Yu Tianji secured his position as the Immortal Lord did he propose to the Ji family. Considering that Yu Tianliu was far away in Jiuli and would likely never return, Ji Yao, for the sake of her family and power, gladly married Yu Tianji. However, although she became the respected Immortal Lord’s wife of Kunlun Immortal Mountain, she still harbored feelings for Yu Tianliu.
“I don’t want to watch anymore,” Li Yuebai said, a chill running down his spine, and he couldn’t help but demand from the system.
Dangerous figures appeared one after another, and traps lurked everywhere, both overt and covert. Mu Qingning was truly in grave danger.
“You must watch,” the system said helplessly. “If you don’t watch, then there’s truly no hope.”
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