Starting My Cultivation With Time Management-Chapter 737 - 71: Jiang the Witch Fights for Her Husband’s Position

Chapter 737: Chapter 71: Jiang the Witch Fights for Her Husband’s Position

The Six Paths Alliance laid siege to Kunlun, and soon reached a consensus with ease.

Representatives from the Heavenly Demon Path, Mortal Life Path, Asura Path, and Eastern Emperor Path gathered at the Nether Ghost Path’s headquarters on Mount Beimang to discuss how to contend with Kunlun for the Guanzhong Area… That was the ostensible purpose, but since the Nether Ghost Path stood to gain the most from the Guanzhong dispute, the actual situation was everyone else haggling over the price with them, demanding sufficient compensation for their expenses.

Wei Dongliu watched these people in the great hall, in a fierce battle of words over every little detail, and couldn’t help but feel a sense of amusement.

He had attended many high-level meetings of the Three Pure Orthodox Sect, where sects like Kunlun, Shushan, or Penglai enjoyed conducting intricate and exhaustive ancient rituals, turning exchanges into long-winded affairs, lest they fail to showcase their own sect’s cultivation of propriety.

In contrast, over at the Intercepting Cult, people were rudely straightforward, opening with how much they stood to benefit and closing with how great their losses were, sometimes playing the victim about barely being able to sustain their sect, sometimes making threats to pull out unless they got more… In short, they employed every tactic they had, turning the main hall of the Nether Ghost Path’s underground palace into something akin to haggling in a vegetable market.

Wei Dongliu was “not adept” at such business negotiations, so he simply let Vice Sect Leader Jiang Li An take the stage to represent Mortal Life Path in the bargaining with the other paths.

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The negotiation over the distribution of benefits quickly concluded, after all, dealing with each other for so many years, everyone was quite clear about each other’s bottom line, and no one harbored illusions of taking advantage on this matter.

But when it came to who would serve as the commander of this war, there was fierce debate, as it involved the reputation and prestige of the sects.

The representative sent by the Asura Path this time, Monk Jiukong, insisted that since Iron City Mountain was to be used as a springboard to attack Kunlun, the Asura Path should lead as the commander.

“If the Asura Path can withstand Kunlun’s offensive head-on,” Wen Yang said leisurely, “then letting Asura Path serve as the Alliance Hierarch could be considered.”

“That’s not appropriate,” Monk Jiukong, dressed as a monk but without a trace of monk-like composure, simply said with a smirking smile, “Our Iron City Mountain is situated between Kunlun and Shushan. To face Kunlun’s attacks alone would be too great a pressure. Your sect could help share some of it.”

“How could that be?” Wen Yang immediately said, “As the Alliance Hierarch, one naturally has to contribute the most in this war; otherwise, how can one command others?”

“How about this, however many Nascent Soul and Golden Core cultivators the Nether Ghost Path dispatches, your Asura Path will send no less than that number. If you can achieve that, we might discuss the position of Alliance Hierarch.”

Monk Jiukong was momentarily silenced. Even with the thickest skin, he couldn’t utter the words, “We can’t afford to send that many people, but we still want to be the Alliance Hierarch.”

Wen Yang calmly looked around and said,

“Is there anyone else who wishes to dispute the position of Alliance Hierarch with our Nether Ghost Path?”

Ling Yun Zhen from Heavenly Demon Path chuckled, “Lianshan Daoist Friend is joking. If the number of high-rank cultivators determines the Alliance Hierarch, then I think Kunlun should take that position.”

So, laughter erupted in the room, as clearly no one agreed with that view.

“Using the number of dispatched cultivators as the standard for becoming the Alliance Hierarch is definitely not workable,” Jiang Li An said with a smile, “Otherwise, we might as well just restrict the contribution of troops to the Alliance Hierarch and not to the sect of the Alliance Hierarch, and let everyone send as many troops as they want.”

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Wen Yang didn’t respond, her mind quickly considering how to handle the situation.

Since the main battlefield was set in the Guanzhong Area, the Nether Ghost Path was sure to contribute the most troops. But even so, support from the Heavenly Demon and Mortal Life paths would be indispensable.

Jiang Li An used the share of troops as a threat and Wen Yang really couldn’t sidestep it directly; however…

She narrowed her eyes suspiciously, wondering if Ling Yun Zhen of the Heavenly Demon Path had reached some kind of understanding with Jiang the Witch behind the scenes?

The former had just made an opening, and the latter immediately chimed in, as if they had arranged it beforehand.

“I believe, to be the Alliance Hierarch of the Six Paths, one must first be recognized by all Six Paths,” Ling Yun Zhen said with a playful laugh, “Without the consent of even one path, one cannot hold the position of shared ruler.”

“Indeed,” Jiang Lian agreed, “If there is a sect that does not recognize our alliance, and therefore does not put in their full effort, how can we possibly win this war?”

“Not to mention,” continued Yun Zhen, the mystic from the Heavenly Demon Path, “if the Alliance Hierarch position is held by the Nether Ghost Path, we of the Heavenly Demon Path will not accept it. The Nether Ghost Path has already reaped substantial benefits this time, and if they even want the nominal title for themselves, what are we, the allies, supposed to do? Sit by and sip on soup?”

“That’s precisely the case,” Jiang Lian drew out her words, “If the Nether Ghost Path truly wants to be part of the alliance, they shouldn’t be too greedy.”

Wen Yang: ………

Suddenly realizing that her bottom line had been seen through, she inwardly cursed her bad luck.

Honored White Bone had sent her to negotiate, rather than empowering the Nether Ghost Sect Leader, precisely because the Nether Ghost Path had already taken substantial benefits. Therefore, they had no great desire for the nominal title of Alliance Hierarch and could give it up if necessary.

However, the moment Fu Xie, the Sect Leader, was not present, the Nether Ghost Path’s lack of enthusiasm for the position of Alliance Hierarch was immediately perceived by the others.

A misstep! If only I had let the Sect Leader come and put on a show… Wen Yang looked at Wei Dongliu, Sect Leader Wei, who sat quietly behind Jiang Lian without saying a word, and regretted it inwardly.

“Actually, the position of Alliance Hierarch is more fitting for us of the Mortal Life Path,” Jiang Lian said with a smile, “and there are three reasons for this.”

“First, it was our Mortal Life Path that initiated this plan, which has benefited the Six Paths Alliance, hence we deserve the position of Alliance Hierarch on this occasion.”

“Second, the Nether Ghost Path and the Asura Path are too close to Kunlun. If they become the Alliance Hierarch for this Six Paths alliance, they would have to bear the full brunt of Kunlun’s backlash. If Mount Wutai were to assume the role, we could share some of that burden for you.”

Her shameless assertion that “being the Alliance Hierarch is for your own good” was delivered so confidently and righteously that everyone was shocked by her composure and struggled to find words in response.

Wen Yang, appalled by what she was hearing, kept glancing at Wei Dongliu behind Jiang Lian, thinking that such audacity knew no bounds. To play the virtuous saint when acting the complete opposite—who in this couple came up with such a notion? Surely, it must have been Jiang the Witch’s own idea.

“This is indeed strange,” said Wan Ling, the representative of the Eastern Emperor Path, with a smile, “If so, our Eastern Emperor Path, and even their Heavenly Demon Path, are further away from Kunlun, making us even more suitable for the role of Alliance Hierarch. After all, Kunlun can’t retaliate against us.”

“Indeed,” Jiang Lian replied with a faint smile, “but Shushan and Penglai could.”

“If Shushan moves south, the Eastern Emperor Path would seek help. If Penglai looks westward, the Heavenly Demon Path would be restrained. How absurd would it be for the Alliance Hierarch to be too busy defending their own turf to fight against Kunlun? That would truly be a laughingstock.”

“Only Mount Wutai, situated at the heart of the Divine Land and not directly bordered by the Three Pure Orthodox Sect, can enjoy the strategic depth in all directions—west, east, south—and is therefore most suitable as the Alliance Hierarch, positioned behind the scenes, strategizing and orchestrating.”

The crowd fell silent—isn’t her argument of geographical safety meant to be an advantage for becoming the Alliance Hierarch?

“Third, and the most critical point,” Jiang Lian continued with a charming smile, “When it comes to strategizing, who can surpass my husband, Wei Dongliu, the Sect Leader of the Mortal Life Path?”

“If anyone among you believes that they have better management skills than my husband when it comes to leading a sect, they are welcome to contend for the position of Alliance Hierarch.”

With that, the room fell utterly silent.

Is Wei Dongliu capable of managing a sect? Just look at how the Mortal Life Path was once scattered and now observe the stringent laws and ordered structure of Mount Wutai, and his ability becomes apparent.

Of course, if we were to compare, surely there would be some who would disagree, believing that they could do the job just as well.

However, even if they felt that way, they couldn’t voice it right then and there. Without any evidence, making baseless claims to compete with Wei Dongliu would turn them into a mere joke.