A quarter of an hour later, Ian Song met Victor Wu, the sect master of the Lesser Sun Sect.
Victor wore white robes, stood tall and straight, and radiated a solid, upright aura from head to toe.
"Greetings, fellow Daoist. May I ask your name?" Victor Wu asked politely.
"Greetings, Sect Master Wu. I am Song Tian," Ian replied with a smile, returning the gesture.
"So it's Daoist Song. May I ask what brings you here today?" Victor Wu asked again.
Ian's expression turned serious, and he spoke solemnly: "I've come to deliver a great opportunity to your sect."
Victor Wu was taken aback, then laughed, "Please, do explain, Daoist." But deep in his eyes was a hint of disdain—how could a mere early Soul-Split cultivator claim to bring fortune to the Lesser Sun Sect? He thought Ian was just boasting, maybe even a swindler who'd gotten his hands on a fragment of some incomplete manual and tricked an elder, now here to scam the sect.
"Sect Master Wu, what do you think is truly holding the Lesser Sun Sect back from rising?" Ian suddenly asked, clasping his hands behind his back.
Seeing this, Victor Wu felt Ian was just putting on airs, and became even more convinced he was a fraud. His smile vanished and he said coldly, "Daoist Song, I have many matters to attend to."
Ian understood immediately that Victor Wu didn't believe him, so he smiled lightly, "Forget it. Since Sect Master Wu doesn't believe me, I'll just leave. Farewell!"
He cupped his fists to Victor Wu, then turned and walked straight out of the Reception Hall.
Playing hard to get?
Victor Wu sneered. In his mind, as long as he didn't ask Ian to stay, the guy would surely find another excuse to hang around and keep trying to fool him.
But this time he guessed wrong—Ian left without the slightest hesitation, disappearing down the corridor in the blink of an eye, never once looking back.
Did I misjudge him?
Victor Wu frowned.
Just as Ian's figure was about to disappear completely, Victor finally called out, "Daoist, wait!"
Ian turned back and looked at Victor Wu, his gaze playful. "Sect Master, aren't you afraid I'm a fraud?"
Victor Wu gave an awkward smile. "Daoist, you're joking."
Ian walked back over and stared at Victor Wu. "Sect Master, please answer my earlier question!"
Hearing this, Victor Wu thought for a moment. "I think the three main factors holding the Lesser Sun Sect back are: first, territory; second, disciples; third, top-tier fighting strength!"
Ian nodded to himself—Victor Wu was no fool. The size of a territory meant more resources, and the quality of disciples determined the sect’s future. But without a peak expert overseeing things, a first-rate sect could hardly grow, just like the Prime One Church—without Immortals in charge, it would never have reached its current heights.
Still, Victor Wu was holding something back—he hadn’t mentioned the taxes imposed by the Tang Dynasty and the Prime One Church.
So Ian said, "The first two are actually one problem. With a broader territory, your sect naturally gains more resources and better disciples. In my view, the real second limitation is the Prime One Church!"
Victor Wu’s expression changed slightly; his eyes narrowed and grew more wary.
Ian continued, "The Tang Dynasty has 108 provinces, each with dozens of commanderies, but even the strongest first-rate sects only hold a single commandery, at most two or three. For thousands of years, no first-rate sect has ever broken through its shackles to become a super-sect—the very strongest only manage two or three commanderies."
"Exactly!" Victor Wu nodded in strong agreement.
"Who created this situation?"
Before Victor could answer, Ian sneered, "Obviously the Prime One Church. As long as the Church exists, no first-rate sect will ever have a chance to rise to super-power status—they control the manuals, they control the resources."
There are so many first-rate sects in the Tang Dynasty, yet not a single one has reached the Tribulation stage, right? And whenever a first-rate power shows signs of rapid growth, the Prime One Church crushes it immediately—because they're afraid it might threaten their supremacy. Even the Tang Emperor is constrained, unable to break through from Fusion to Tribulation. That's how domineering the Church is!
Victor Wu’s eyes flashed. "You’re absolutely right, Daoist Song. But what can we do? The Prime One Church is just too strong—most people can't even imagine resisting them!"
His tone was tinged with helplessness, anger, and a bit of depression.
Take resources, for example—the Lesser Sun Sect pays a hefty sum in spirit crystals and Spirit Medicines to both the Tang Dynasty and the Prime One Church every year. It adds up to half the sect’s annual income.
Twenty percent to the Tang Dynasty, thirty percent to the Prime One Church.
Half the yearly income goes to taxes, and the rest has to cover the sect’s expenses and disciples’ cultivation. That's why every time they recruit, they have to limit the number of disciples—the resources just aren’t enough. The higher a disciple’s realm, the more resources they consume, especially Fusion-stage experts. That’s why every first-rate sect can only afford to support one Fusion expert at a time—any more, and they simply couldn’t pay for it.
Only when the old Fusion expert is nearing the end of his lifespan does the sect dare train a new one.
And why do Fusion experts face looming death? Because they don’t have any follow-up manuals for further cultivation.
Sensing Victor Wu’s emotional shift, Ian pressed on: "Sect Master, have you ever thought about this? If things go on like this, the Prime One Church will keep cutting meat and drinking blood from all the sects under heaven, growing ever stronger, while the first-rate sects stagnate or even decline once their local resources run dry. You’ll never break through the shackles to become a super-power!"
"So what?" Victor Wu stared at Ian.
Ian lowered his voice, a hint of temptation in his tone. "There’s an opportunity now, but it’s risky. The question is, do you dare to try?"
"What opportunity?"
Victor Wu asked.
"Destroy the Prime One Church’s Great Wild Province Branch Altar!" Ian said, enunciating each word carefully.
"That’s impossible!" Victor Wu blurted out.
"Why not?" Ian replied with a smile.
"Who exactly are you?" Victor Wu fixed Ian with a cold, wary stare.
Ian went on, "Who I am doesn’t matter. What matters is that I can help the Lesser Sun Sect grow. After we destroy the Great Wild Province Branch Altar, your sect can take twenty percent of the altar’s vault!"
The resources in that branch altar are the accumulated wealth of thirty-eight first-rate powers over a hundred years—even just twenty percent is a massive fortune.
Victor Wu’s face shifted rapidly, and after a long pause he finally said, "Twenty percent isn’t worth the risk!"
Ian smiled, knowing Victor Wu was tempted. "That’s just one condition. If we succeed, I’ll also give your sect a high-level manual that reaches late Fusion stage!"
"Are you serious?"
Suddenly, a sharp voice rang out, and a thin, elderly man strode into the hall.