Chapter 135: Fei Lian at Work

The first to sense the change in Jiang Yuan was the Demon Sage Bai Ze. He stared at Jiang Yuan in astonishment; how had this young man ascended to the Great Golden Immortal realm in the blink of an eye? There had been no warning signs whatsoever, as if his cultivation level had simply manifested out of thin air.

Next was Shen Gongbao, who had been waiting for Jiang Yuan’s orders. Relying on his instincts as a leopard demon, he suddenly felt an indescribable pressure radiating from the King. To put it bluntly, his intuition felt a sense of dread toward Jiang Yuan; in that very instant, the King had become someone who could pose a genuine threat to him.

"Ding! Transaction successful. Host has consumed 888 Tyrant Points to ascend to the Great Golden Immortal realm. Current balance: 2,543 Tyrant Points!"

Jiang Yuan’s heart bled. He had accumulated most of these Tyrant Points by enduring endless slander and being cursed by countless people. He hadn't expected them to dwindle so quickly. He knew he desperately needed these points; his own strength alone was insufficient—he couldn't possibly fight the entire Chan Sect by himself. The best way to bolster his forces was to spend Tyrant Points to elevate his subordinates.

With only a little over two thousand points left, and having already promoted those who were ready for the Great Golden Immortal stage, Jiang Yuan planned to help Huang Feihu ascend next. While his top-tier strength still lagged behind the Chan Sect, this would at least be enough to stall the Xiqi army for a time. As for what to do during that window, he would naturally need to seek reinforcements and align with powerful figures. He felt he needed to find opportunities to meet heavy hitters like Daoist Lu Ya, the Half-Saint Kong Xuan, and the Master of Heaven. At the very least, he had to ensure they wouldn't assist Xiqi. Otherwise, even with the Half-Saint Bai Ze on his side, it would be to no avail.

"As expected of the Human Emperor," Bai Ze remarked. He was the only one present who confirmed Jiang Yuan’s new cultivation level. Zhang Kui and his wife looked at Jiang Yuan in confusion, but he merely smiled without offering an explanation.

Turning to Shen Gongbao, Jiang Yuan said, "Imperial Preceptor, I grant your request. Do you think you can persuade some of your fellow disciples from the Chan Sect to serve the Great Shang?"

"Although Primordial Heaven bestowed the title of disciple upon you, I suspect most of the Chan Sect members only care about their status. I believe Primordial Heaven hasn't provided much guidance to disciples like you, has he?"

Hearing this, Shen Gongbao’s eyes turned cold. It wasn't because Jiang Yuan was intentionally rubbing salt in a wound, but because what he said was the truth. Primordial Heaven cared nothing for them, the nominal disciples. There was never any talk of cultivation guidance. Shen Gongbao had achieved his current level entirely through his own efforts, without any provided resources, overcoming bottlenecks through his own insights.

"The King is correct. Primordial Heaven has never valued us nominal disciples," Shen Gongbao replied, his voice chilling. On Mount Kunlun, only the Twelve Golden Immortals, favored by Primordial Heaven, were permitted to enter the Yuxu Palace to seek wisdom. Even then, some of those Twelve Golden Immortals remained only at the Great Golden Immortal level, wasting such excellent resources. How could Shen Gongbao not be angry? He was furious, even harboring resentment. If he had taken them as disciples, why couldn't he treat them equally? Just because he was a Saint revered by all?

"I imagine there are many more in the Chan Sect like you who are dissatisfied with Primordial Heaven," Jiang Yuan asked with a smile.

Shen Gongbao nodded. "There are indeed quite a few. I know many, but they are mostly at the Golden Immortal level. I fear they would not play a critical role in this great war."

"It doesn't matter," Jiang Yuan said lightly. "Tell them that if they are willing, they can serve the Great Shang. The benefits they receive will far exceed what they have in the Chan Sect. Especially for those dissatisfied with Primordial Heaven—I will give them the chance to take their revenge."

He had an idea: since he couldn't cultivate enough powerhouses in a short time, he would poach them. As long as the hoe is swung well, no wall corner is too sturdy to dig. If it was just about Tyrant Points, he would promote the first Golden Immortal who defected to him directly to the Great Golden Immortal stage. Build the reputation first! As more people defected, the foundation of the Great Shang would naturally grow stronger. As for Tyrant Points, Jiang Yuan wasn't worried; war would surely bring him more. As long as the Great Shang was at war, more and more people would view him as a tyrant. He could just sit back and collect the points—how delightful. Furthermore, he possessed a piece of the Investiture of the Gods; perhaps he could even establish his own Heavenly Court. Maybe he could even make himself the Jade Emperor? The more Jiang Yuan thought about it, the better he felt.

Since Shen Gongbao had already chosen to join the Great Shang, he naturally wouldn't refuse this request. In fact, even if Jiang Yuan hadn't mentioned it, Shen Gongbao had intended to do so anyway. He realized that the Great Shang’s high-end combat power was insufficient. After all, they were opposing a Saint; the more secure they were, the better. He wanted to make Primordial Heaven, who coveted and feared the fate of the human race, regret his actions.

"Your Majesty, rest assured, I will do my utmost to facilitate this."

Jiang Yuan nodded in satisfaction. "Bring the first one who defects to me."

Shen Gongbao nodded. Jiang Yuan waved his hand, "You may go, Imperial Preceptor."

Feilian approached Jiang Yuan with a fawning expression. "Can you really help Bai Ze ascend to become a Saint?" He was filled with envy; what else could he feel but envy?

Jiang Yuan smiled faintly. "I am not certain. That is merely what Senior Bai Ze believes; I am not sure if I truly possess that ability."

"Then can you help me ascend to the Hunyuan Golden Immortal realm?" Feilian asked, full of anticipation. He didn't have extravagant demands. While he was envious of Bai Ze’s potential to become a Saint, he knew his own limitations. He knew there was only so much he could do for Jiang Yuan, and gaining the benefits to reach the Hunyuan Golden Immortal level would be more than enough. He didn't even dare to dream of becoming a Half-Saint, knowing his talent and fate didn't allow for it.

"I am confident in that," Jiang Yuan said, looking at Feilian with a faint smile. "But what does Demon Sage Feilian intend to trade for it?"

This put Feilian in a difficult position. Aside from serving Jiang Yuan for a longer time, he didn't seem to have anything of value to offer. However, he didn't want to trade his freedom for the Hunyuan Golden Immortal realm. So, he threw the question back at Jiang Yuan, "State your terms."

"It is simple: capture ten Great Golden Immortal disciples of the Chan Sect who are hostile toward me," Jiang Yuan had already decided on his terms. He knew Feilian wouldn't want to trade his freedom, so he changed the approach: let Feilian capture ten Great Golden Immortals for him. This was equivalent to an equal exchange. If he killed the Great Golden Immortals, he would earn Tyrant Points, which he would then use to elevate Feilian’s realm. In short, he was making Feilian work for him!