Tales of Demons and Gods : The Legend of Xiao Ning'Er

Working together, they also started putting together plans for the mining operation to the Hell Mountains because this would be the area that required the most extensive preparation. They started purchasing extensive mining equipment and hiring more mining team members, and when their expenditure of funds grew significantly, it was progressively getting harder and harder to hide their actions from the other families in Glory City.

However, even with the spying networks utilised by powerful families, no one could get clear details because the information was being tightly held among the few clan leaders who had attended the meeting. They could only tell that a large mining-related operation was being set up, and therefore, suspected that an important resource had been located. Some even managed to plant their own people in the people being hired but even then, they had to wait for more information because nothing was being revealed yet.

…..

In a private meeting room, Ye Zong grimly faced Ning'Er and her father with a thoughtful look on his face. Ye Shuo and Ziyun were also seated at one side of the table.

"You're talking about making changes in the current political structure of Glory City in a radical way. Are you sure you know what you are doing? This could set a precedent which would enable the Dark Guild and Sacred Family to implement entirely new strategies we're not prepared for!" Through the activities of Ye Shuo and the mysterious organisation he ran on behalf of the Snow Wind Family over the last few months, Ye Zong had uncovered many worrying connections with the Sacred Family and the Dark Guild, and no longer thought that Ning'Er's initial warning was exaggerated.

He continued, "There's already a precarious balance of power as it is, and recklessly changing the system can bring about more damage than you can imagine...Imagine if the combined sects grew more powerful than the appointed City Lord's jurisdiction. Who would maintain the order? What if those who had access to such power decided they were above the law?"

Xiao Yunfeng decided to try to respond to the issues being raised. "It's clear that allowing a sect system is something that will need to be implemented fairly, taking into account the entire city. I apologise, City Lord, if we did not carefully consider the big picture."

"However..." He paused for a moment as he searched for the right words. "A sect system may be just what the future of Glory City needs. We have been too inward focused, with each family fighting for themselves, hoarding their resources and knowledge for their own family members. A sect could help to level the playing field, allowing those with talent and character to grow with less nepotism involved! The important thing is that when the Sacred Family makes its move, there are sufficient powers to keep it in check."

Ye Zong pinched his short, black beard as he considered this proposal, muttering, "Hmmm, so if the system is established where anyone who meets the requirements can start a sect but with proper rules that allow the City Lord's Mansion to govern it. It's true that many in Glory City might be open, especially the commoners who feel that they do not have a fair chance to compete with the more powerful families...What do you think Ye Shuo?" He turned to his trusted advisor.

"It's not easy to set up a sect in the first place. A family will need to look at how to reallocate funds that are currently focusing on their own family members to help to establish one. And in many cases, it would be solidifying current alliances already in place rather than setting them up from scratch. Why don't we set a rule that may encourage the right perspective in those wanting to set one up?" The others looked at him as Ye Shuo continued.

"What if each sect established has to be built at a key border of the city? This means that no matter what, one of their primary, overriding reasons to exist would be to protect Glory City on the frontline from the attacks of demon beasts!!"

Ye Zong's eyes brightened at this idea. "That idea has merit. No matter what they will have the expend resources and funds to build defensive measures to counter any waves of attacks from outside. It could help to reveal whether the hearts of those wanting to establish a sect placed priority on Glory City fluorishing! What do you think Xiao Yun Feng?"

They spoke for several hours more discussing the requirements and rules that would accompany establishing a sect, as well as the communication that would go out to the citizens of the city. They realised that it might make more sense to establish two sects instead of one because of the suspicion that would arise if only one sect began right after the announcement.

The Snow Wind Family and the Winged Dragon Family, along with the smaller four commoner families would establish Glory Sect and build it at the southern border of the city, where a major demon beast attack would be most likely to eventuate from. This sect would focus on martial arts, blacksmithing and the mining of precious materials, partnering with the Guild of Inscriptionists, to raise up young and talented experts, wielding formidable equipment.

The Heavenly Marks Family and Lu Family, would establish Elixir Sect, combining with the family of the City Lord's trusted friend Huyan Xiong, where this sect would focus on martial arts, the procurement of precious spirit herbs, and the production of cultivation pills and elixirs. They would partner with President Gu Yan and Director Yang Xin, whose character could be vouched for, in order to reinforce their influence in this area. This sect would be built on the northern border of the city, the second most likely location of any major attack from outside.

Their plans would take a few months to put into place so the general populace wouldn't hear of it until much later. In the meantime, the City Lord would call a meeting with all the main families of Glory City to inform them of this direction.

.....

There were still two weeks until Ning'Er wanted to leave for the Ning You City Ruins. It was time to try to forcefully progress the cultivation of her friends. She sensed that their martial comprehension and insights had grown far beyond their cultivation level but the resources currently available in Glory City were just too poor for their soul force to catch up.

She procured the blood of a black gold ranked demon beast with a lightning attribute to ensure that the next steps would go smoothly. Using a fine brush, she began to release her soul force steadily as she drew an intricate rune on the floor of her room. Beads of sweat began to gather and drip down the sides of her face as she ensured that every stroke of her brush released the precise angle and energy required. After two hours, she was done and she called her three friends into the room to sit on the dried blood that was still humming with energy. She had explained to them previously what she wanted to do.

As she sat down, she closed her eyes and began breathing in the profound, unnatural rhythm that accompanied the Purifying Art of Sacred Lightning. As before, she began coating her mouth, throat and organs with the dense energy radiating from her dantian. Then she took out one of the pungent smelling fruits from her interspatial ring. Although her three friends kept their eyes closed and their breathing at the optimum state, she could visibly see their foreheads creasing and their nose crinkling as the repulsive smell reached their nostrils.

She cracked open the extremely hard, spiky green skin and began pulling out the gooey fruit within. Bracing herself, she started swallowing piece after piece, taking note that each one was saturated with a unique energy that seemed to want to explode out of her mouth if she injected soul force into it. Instead, her unique technique began to quickly absorb the abundant energy she was consuming and without hesitating any longer, she placed her fingers onto the inscription and activated it.

Immediately, a translucent blue dome shrouded her three friends and began to draw soul force out of her fingers to create waves of energy that repeated crashed against their bodies and souls. Although the energy had become much gentler after Ning'Er's purification process, every tiny ounce of it still radiated with fierce power. They grunted softly as they quickly sought to assimilate the energy as fast as they could. They had never experienced such raw, potent energy in all their years cultivating and although it terrified them, they trusted that their friend would not harm them.

As they each circulated their soul force according to the powerful cultivation techniques Ning'Er had imparted to them, the vigorous energy churned around the room, vibrating with increasing intensity. The force pushed through their veins, blood vessels and meridians, circulating like a rushing river as they felt many impurities within their bodies begin to be cleared up and flow smoothly. In joy, they could sense as time passed that they were reaching the breakthroughs they desired.

The process went on for twelve full hours as Ning'Er continued painstakingly refining and releasing the powerful energy, and the other three also focused wholeheartedly on absorbing and assimilating it. Finally, after all three fruits had been eaten, both Ziyun and Linjian had reached 1-Star Gold Rank and Du Ze was right at the peak of 5-Star Silver Rank!

Sensing that they had absorbed all that they could at this point, the three of them continued cultivating to reinforce the progress in ranks they had just experienced. Ning'Er took the time to progress her own cultivation based on the excess energy that continued to pulsate in her dantian, which her friends did not manage to absorb. The Dragon Spiked Datura was truly a wondrous fruit and she could feel her physical body being significantly strengthened as she circulated the vibrant energy. At the same time, it effortlessly pushed her towards the peak 2-Star Gold Rank only stopping right at the border to 3-Star. It would not take a lot more to reach the next level!

When they opened their eyes, they looked at Ning'Er with expressions of amazement and uncertainty. When she told them she had a method for increasing their rank, they did not think it would be this easy. What kind of progress had they experienced in the past which would not require significant pain and suffering? Cultivation was supposed to go hand in hand with extreme challenges, and it was in overcoming difficulties that progress was attained. This felt more like someone else's effort and they wondered with guilt whether they were taking advantage of their friend to cheat the process determined by the heavens.