Chapter 333: What Gives the Jade Cauldron Sect the Right to Lead?

Ouyang Lang once again covered Shi Jingtian’s mouth.

Shi Jingtian struggled desperately, his face turning red, but he was powerless against the restraint of a Divine Transformation realm cultivator.

Ouyang Lang smiled awkwardly. “Apologies, everyone. Our young master is just like this—he enjoys boasting. I hope you’ll all understand.”

Everyone let out a dry cough.

Enough already.

Your young master just exposed every single one of his trump cards.

At this rate, once he becomes island master, Poseidon Island might as well be renamed Leak Island.

After a brief moment, Ouyang Lang whispered something into Shi Jingtian’s ear before finally letting go.

He then wiped his hand, looking slightly disgusted by the saliva.

Strangely enough, just moments ago, Shi Jingtian had been eager to spill everything. Now, however, he was completely silent.

He forcibly swallowed back whatever he had been about to say.

Shen Mo raised an eyebrow. “Elder Ouyang, what did you tell him?”

Ouyang Lang chuckled. “Nothing much. I just told him that if he leaks any more of Poseidon Island’s secrets, he won’t be allowed to set foot in the sea for the next ten years.”

Shen Mo couldn’t help but laugh.

Shi Jingtian had grown up in the ocean, constantly battling sea beasts and water demons.

Forbidding him from entering the sea for ten years? That was probably worse than killing him.

“Let’s not waste time with small talk. We’ve already reported the situation to Sect Master Li, but we felt it was necessary to also inform you directly,” Tong Yuan said calmly.

“After all, in our eyes, you are the one who is truly suited to be sect master.”

Shen Mo smiled. “Go ahead.”

Tong Yuan’s expression grew serious. “After Wuzhou was conquered by the Myriad Demon Nation, Yuzhou and Qianzhou are now at the frontline, directly facing their invasion.”

Ouyang Lang continued, “Additionally, Haizhou is located north of Yuzhou, within the attack range of the Eastern Sea Flood Dragons.”

“When the second prince of the Eastern Sea attacked Yuzhou, the ninth prince led a group of water demons to assault several small islands of Poseidon Island.”

The two exchanged glances, their expressions grave. “That’s why we believe our three forces need to form an alliance.”

Shen Mo nodded slightly.

He had already anticipated this response from the two sects.

After all, Qianzhou, Yuzhou, and Haizhou, located in the southern part of Jing Kingdom, were the next regions in the Myriad Demon Nation’s path of conquest.

Anyone with basic intelligence could predict what was coming.

Tong Yuan continued, “You killed the eldest and fourth princes of the Myriad Demon Nation, annihilated the second prince of the Eastern Sea, and wiped out a million-strong demon army.

“In five years, when the Demon Emperor Gu Ming emerges from the Blood God’s Vault, he will undoubtedly be furious and launch a northern invasion.”

“If the Eight Great Sects and the imperial court remain fragmented and even continue their internal struggles, we will inevitably be defeated by the Myriad Demon Nation one by one.”

“Our only hope of resisting them is for the Eight Great Sects and the imperial court to unite.”

Shen Mo’s expression remained unchanged.

This was simply the natural course of events.

Anyone who thought about it for a moment could predict what was going to happen.

Tong Yuan looked at Shen Mo and said calmly, “It will take time for the Eight Great Sects and the imperial court to fully unite. In the meantime, our three forces should form an early alliance.”

“But we will need a leader.”

Shen Mo smiled.

This was the key point.

A leader!

Sects had sect masters.

Holy orders had grandmasters.

Islands had island masters.

Likewise, an alliance needed a supreme leader.

Tong Yuan spoke arrogantly. “Qianyuan Sect has twelve Divine Transformation realm cultivators. The strongest of them has already reached the peak of Divine Transformation.”

“This leader should be from Qianyuan Sect.”

Ouyang Lang coughed lightly. “I disagree. Poseidon Island has thirteen Divine Transformation cultivators—one more than you.”

“Moreover, Poseidon Island has a good relationship with a peak sixth-rank sea beast from the Eastern Sea, which should also count as part of our combat strength.”

“That means the leader should be from Poseidon Island.”

Shen Mo smiled faintly. “That’s not quite right. Qianyuan Sect may have twelve Divine Transformation cultivators, but they are split between the Qian Sect and the Yuan Sect.”

“The Qian Sect and the Yuan Sect have been feuding for centuries, constantly in conflict.”

“If Qianyuan Sect takes the leadership, would it be the Qian Sect leading, or the Yuan Sect?”

Tong Yuan’s expression darkened instantly.

Shen Mo turned to Ouyang Lang and continued, “As for Poseidon Island, though you have thirteen Divine Transformation cultivators, the various islands are scattered and lack unity.”

“I’ve heard that the island farthest from the mainland doesn’t fully obey the orders of the Grand Island Master.”

“If Poseidon Island takes the leadership, which island master will actually be in charge?”

Ouyang Lang was stunned into silence.

Shi Jingtian and Du Cangqing, on the other hand, looked at Shen Mo in amazement.

How did he know so much about Qianyuan Sect and Poseidon Island?

Wan Muchun and Murong Yue, however, simply smiled.

Shen Mo also smiled lightly.

It had been two months since the annihilation of the three demon armies.

During that time, he hadn’t focused solely on cultivation.

He had ordered a thorough collection of intelligence on every region of Jing Kingdom.

Some of the information was outdated, but it still provided a solid understanding of each state’s situation.

For example, Hanzhou, the northernmost region of Jing Kingdom, was too far from Yuzhou.

The most recent intelligence he had on Hanzhou was from twenty years ago.

But Qianzhou and Haizhou bordered Yuzhou, so their intelligence was much more up-to-date.

That was how he had gained such a deep understanding of Qianyuan Sect and Poseidon Island.

Both sects were internally divided due to historical reasons.

Much like the old Jade Cauldron Sect.

Qianyuan Sect, for instance, was originally two separate sects that had merged.

Yet the internal rivalry between the two factions had persisted for centuries.

Poseidon Island was even more fragmented.

It had once been a collection of independent beast-taming sects spread across various islands.

They had only united out of necessity to resist invading water demons.

Even now, their unity was superficial.

Some islands were nominally part of Poseidon Island, but their true allegiance—whether to the Eastern Sea Flood Dragons or to Jing Kingdom—was questionable.

Under such circumstances, appointing either sect as the leader was clearly a poor choice.

“Oh? So you’re saying the Jade Cauldron Sect should lead?” Tong Yuan asked coldly.

“A Yuzhou that was nearly reduced to ruins, a sect that suffered great losses—what qualifies you to take this position?” Ouyang Lang pressed.

Shen Mo smiled. “Yuzhou may have been devastated, and the Supreme Purity Sect and Pill River Sect may have suffered heavy losses, but the Jade Cauldron Sect has absorbed them both. Rather than weakening, we’ve become even stronger.”

“Furthermore, I can tell you with certainty—Jade Cauldron Sect now has fifteen Divine Transformation cultivators, all of whom follow my command without question.”

Tong Yuan and Ouyang Lang were momentarily stunned.

They instinctively asked, “Why?”

Shen Mo replied calmly, “Because I am stronger than each and every one of them.”

The two were left speechless.

They couldn’t refute that.

After all, even the sect master of Qianyuan Sect and the Grand Island Master of Poseidon Island had admitted that Shen Mo’s strength was unrivaled—he was the strongest cultivator below the Divine Transformation peak.

Shi Jingtian and Du Cangqing both looked at Shen Mo with newfound respect.

When he spoke those words, his expression, posture, and tone radiated absolute confidence.

It was impossible not to admire him.

Tong Yuan and Ouyang Lang exchanged glances before suddenly bursting into laughter.

“In truth, before coming here, we had already decided that the Jade Cauldron Sect would take the lead.”

“We simply wanted to see whether you were truly worthy of the position.”

“Now, it seems that you are.”

The two extended their hands toward Shen Mo.

Shen Mo smiled and clasped their hands in return.

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Source: Webnovel.com, updated by Madara Web Novel