Chapter 144: The Celadon Jade Seal

Chapter 144: The Celadon Seal

The Tianyue Realm is vast, containing about thirty administrative prefectures, each spanning millions of square kilometers, similar to the Linqing Prefecture. These prefectures are governed by various Fourth-Rank sects, all of which are under the ultimate jurisdiction of the Tiannan Sword Sect, the only Fifth-Rank sect and the supreme authority in the Tianyue Realm.

The four Fourth-Rank sects of the Tianyue Realm, including the now-fractured Xihe Sword Sect, were:
The Xihe Sword Sect of the East Wood Region in the east.
The Nanming Wuji Sect of the Wanjia Mountain Region in the south.
The Xixia Sect of the Xixia Plains in the west.
The Beiyuan School of the Water Prefecture Kingdom in the north.

With the Xihe Sword Sect of the East Wood Region now completely splintered, the region found itself without a Fourth-Rank sect capable of governing its various lesser sects. This invited the covetous gaze of the other three. Over the past two years, the Xixia, Nanming Wuji, and Beiyuan sects have resorted to all sorts of schemes—enticements and forced surrenders—trying to unify the East Wood Region. Yet, after two years of fighting, all three were left battered and bruised, having suffered countless losses among their elite members without gaining a single inch of territory.

Under these circumstances, the long-silent Fifth-Rank Tiannan Sword Sect finally intervened. According to their mandate, the Fourth-Rank sect destined to govern the various Third and Second-Rank sects of the East Wood Region must emerge from within the region itself. The three outside Fourth-Rank sects were ordered to withdraw immediately, forbidden from laying a finger on any part of the East Wood Region.

The Xixia, Nanming Wuji, and Beiyuan sects, having fought tooth and nail, were forced to slink back to their own territories. Furthermore, the Tiannan Sword Sect strictly forbade any disciples from these three sects from entering the East Wood Region until a new Fourth-Rank sect was established there.

Having heard Monk Kongse describe the shifts in the East Wood Region over the past year, Jiang Yan finally understood. No wonder the Xixia Sect had shown no intention of retaliating after his junior sister killed the grandson of their outer sect elder—the reason lay right here. As a Fourth-Rank sect, they were strictly prohibited from entering the Linqing Prefecture.

A Fifth-Rank sect is defined by the presence of a Core Formation stage cultivator, capable of governing the sects of an entire realm and deterring countless Foundation Establishment masters. A Fourth-Rank sect is defined by the presence of a Foundation Establishment Great Perfection master; regardless of the number of other members, the moment a sect possesses such a master, it qualifies for the Fourth Rank. For example, the Xixia Sect has countless Foundation Establishment masters, while the fractured Xihe Sword Sect has only three, with only one at the Great Perfection stage.

When Monk Kongse last visited Mount Hua, Jiang Yan was already in the late Foundation Establishment stage. It was precisely because he estimated Jiang Yan’s rapid advancement that Kongse dared to accept the mission of assisting in the emergence of a Fourth-Rank sect in the East Wood Region.

"Kongse, you know the enmity between my Mount Hua and the Golden Flame Sect. Rather than becoming a Fourth-Rank sect, I, Jiang Yan, would much rather annihilate the Golden Flame Sect to avenge my master," Jiang Yan said slowly as he watched Kongse diligently explaining the distribution of sects in the Tianyue Realm.

A look of difficulty crossed Kongse’s gentle face. Jiang Yan’s concern was reasonable; if Mount Hua were to become a Fourth-Rank sect, the hierarchical relationship between sects would prevent Jiang Yan from seeking revenge against the Third-Rank Golden Flame Sect. This was a problem Kongse hadn't considered.

"As far as I know, the order to kill your master came from the Xie family of the Golden Flame Sect. Following the style of the three lineages within the Golden Flame Sect, the other two never participate in the actions of the Xie family. In that case, your enemy is simply the Xie family lineage of the Sect Master, Xie Wenyuan. I have an idea, what do you think?" After frowning for a long time, Kongse finally proposed a plan.

Although the Golden Flame Sect has only three Foundation Establishment cultivators, they have formed distinct factions. There is Xie Wenyuan’s Xie lineage, Xu Mingyuan’s Xu lineage, and Bai Tong’s Bai lineage. Because Xie Wenyuan has been in the Foundation Establishment stage the longest, his lineage holds an overwhelming position of power, far surpassing the other two, who have long been suppressed. Kongse had heard from the families of Golden Flame Sect members visiting the Huasheng Temple that the resentment between the suppressed lineages and the Xie family had reached a boiling point.

Kongse’s plan was to sow discord, using the internal conflicts of the Golden Flame Sect to rope in the Xu and Bai lineages and eliminate the Xie lineage.

"As the leader of a Fourth-Rank sect, your word would naturally carry weight with the Xu and Bai lineages. Once you restrain Xie Wenyuan, uprooting his lineage would be a simple matter. You could avenge your master without the need for bloodshed. I believe your master, beyond the thousand realms, would find peace. Amitabha." Kongse joined his palms, chanted a Buddha’s name, and spoke with jade-like gentleness.

Jiang Yan pondered for a long time before saying, "Kongse, you help me so much that I feel uneasy. Although my experience is limited, I am certain the Huasheng Temple is not merely a small temple in the Linqing Prefecture..."

Kongse kept his palms together and offered a gentle, nonchalant smile. "You flatter me, Jiang. The Huasheng Temple is naturally not just a small temple, and I am not just a young novice. My assistance to you, of course, has my own considerations."

Jiang Yan looked at Kongse and smiled without speaking, as if this answer had been expected all along.

"Little Monk Kongse, my senior brother treats you with sincerity, yet you have ulterior motives! This is not the way of a monk!" A loud voice rang out from outside the hall. Nanmen Luo strode in, holding a lush green willow branch, followed by the smiling Tang Wan.

Seeing Kongse, Nanmen Luo exclaimed, "Kongse, you are being unreasonable! How my senior brother treats you..."

Tang Wan walked gracefully into the hall, bowed to Kongse, and stood behind the high platform where Jiang Yan sat, serving him with quiet elegance.

Kongse tossed a square celadon seal toward Jiang Yan. "Sect Master Jiang, channel your spiritual energy into this seal. If it lights up, Mount Hua will be a Fourth-Rank sect."

"A Fourth-Rank sect!" Nanmen Luo gasped, his eyes wide as bells, staring at the seal in disbelief.

Tang Wan also furrowed her brow, looking at the seal with surprise, seemingly unable to believe that this small object could elevate Mount Hua to the Fourth Rank.

Jiang Yan did not hesitate. He placed his hand on the seal, channeled the Green Wood Art, and surged his spiritual energy into it.

Before his eyes, a transparent interface manifested, revealing the details of the item:

Spiritual Treasure: Celadon Seal
Rank: Fourth-Rank
Function: Suppress the earth veins of the East Wood Region