mtlumby2d Chapter 679: The Diplomatic Balance
Chapter 679: The Diplomatic Balance
The ancient master’s eyes narrowed into tight, paranoid slits as his mind rapidly processed the reality. This brash youth did not merely possess an anomalous medical talent—he wielded a terrifying political influence that could command a newly ascended Sect Protector with a single whisper. It was blatantly obvious that Ethan Brightsword was orchestrating a massive long-game on this mountain.
The weight of the situation was suffocating. The Vice Sect Leader reached inside his sleeve, his fingers tightly clamping around a golden decree jade. He possessed a supreme, unyielding order handed down directly from the lips of the isolated Sect Leader himself: Ethan Brightsword had to be transferred to the Central Sect Headquarters at any cost—but it explicitly had to be done by his own free, uncoerced will.
The high-tier directive was unforgiving. If the Vice Sect Leader committed a blunder, or if there was even the most microscopic, single part of disgust or hostility from the young doctor that caused him to refuse the transfer, the Vice Sect Leader himself would be the one to face the supreme, grave punishment of the ancestors. He could no longer treat this rogue fish as a mere frontier merchant; he had to play the diplomatic game of his life to bring this monster into the inner capital.
The suffocating tension that had gripped the ruined courtyard vanished as quickly as it had arrived, seamlessly replaced by a warm, booming laugh from the Vice Sect Leader. The ancient master took three smooth steps forward, his weathered face morphing into an expression of profound, affectionate admiration as he extended his arms in a gesture of hospitality.
"An absolute misunderstanding, Master Ethan!" said the Vice Sect Leader, his voice rich with an engineered, great warmth that echoed through the plaza. "Please, do not mind my rough manners. My sudden inspection was driven entirely by an overwhelming sense of awe! In fact, my primary operational objective for journeying to this frontier peak was explicitly to meet your esteemed self. I bring grand, historical tidings from the Central Sect Headquarters!"
He adjusted his luxurious crimson robes, gesturing toward the sky with a grand, theatrical sweep of his hand.
"I have traveled across the province to personally escort you to our main capital line," said the Vice Sect Leader, his tone dripping with profound, calculated reverence. "A localized, severely cramped frontier peak such as this is entirely inadequate for a man of your towering stature. The grand and powerful Immortal Doctor should not be wasting his divine, miraculous talents in a remote wilderness! You must transition to the primary seat of our empire, where you can systematically receive the supreme treatment, historical status, and luxurious lifestyle you so rightfully deserve."
He leaned in slightly, his eyes flashing with a sharp brilliance.
"Let us speak with logistical reality," whispered the Vice Sect Leader. "On this isolated border, you will only ever possess access to highly limited resources and low-tier ingredients. The main headquarters, however, commands mountains of ancient herbs and cosmic treasures that are currently locked behind our supreme capital vaults."
Ethan watched the ancient fox’s performance, his amethyst eyes calm, hiding the calculations running through his mind. He had zero intention of remaining a frontier practitioner forever; the path to the destruction of the Crimson Sect lay straight through the heart of the capital line. However, he was fully aware that the Vice Sect Leader was operating under a strict, high-stakes directive to secure his compliance. If he agreed too quickly, he would lose his operational leverage. He needed to sell his transition at the highest possible price.
A look of deep, conflicted reluctance seamlessly washed over Ethan’s handsome features. He let out a long, heavy sigh, slowly looking back at the bustling line of wealthy clients waiting outside his doors.
"The supreme generosity and kindness of the Vice Sect Leader is truly overwhelming, and it deeply humbles this humble practitioner," said Ethan, his deep baritone carrying a flawless, convincing tone of peaceful contentment. "However... I must confess that my heart has grown deeply attached to the simple tranquility of this mountain peak. Here, I have built a quiet, peaceful life. My pavilion is highly successful, my days are spent in serene meditation, and I am entirely free from the exhausting, cutthroat political warfare of the capital factions."
He folded his massive hands inside his crimson sleeves, shaking his head with a thoroughly expression of anxiety.
"Uprooting my entire household, my dedicated staff, and my established business models to enter the volatile snake pit of the main headquarters is a nightmare," Ethan added, his voice dropping into a hesitant murmur. "Furthermore, the operational costs of relocating my advanced medical arrays and securing a prime commercial territory in the capital district would drain my current financial reserves. I fear that leaving this peaceful sanctuary would bring far more headaches than rewards."
The Vice Sect Leader was no naive layman; he was an ancient, battle-tested fox who had survived centuries of cutthroat institutional warfare. The exact millisecond Ethan finished detailing his quiet, content frontier life and the immense financial risks of relocating, the old master immediately saw right through the performance. He perfectly understood the precise operational terms being dictated to him: the young doctor was aggressively demanding supreme administrative concessions before he would ever set a single boot toward the capital line.
Instead of taking offense, a flash of deep respect rippled through the Vice Sect Leader’s mind. He preferred dealing with a calculating, ambitious predator over a simpleton.
A man driven by raw ambition could be easily calculated and controlled through his desires, whereas a creature entirely devoid of aspiration was a loose cannon—an unpredictable wildcard that no faction could ever realistically leverage. Therefore, the old fox was more than willing to pay the tiger’s price just to successfully invite the beast straight into his own den.
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From this moment forward, to avoid confusion regarding cultivation ranks, I will include this footer with the current established levels.
Note: These are only the ranks mentioned so far to avoid spoilers.
Body Refinement Realm
Skin Refinement / Bone Refinement / Organ Refinement
Spiritual Gathering Realm
Spiritual Perception / Spiritual Mist / Spiritual Condensation
Spiritual Core Realm
Core Solidification / Core Awakening / Spiritual Collapse (Half-step Spiritual Core)
Spiritual Soul Realm
Spiritual Soul Awakening / Soul Nourishing / Soul-Core Fusion
Golden Core Realm
Prime Fusion / Core Perfection / Core Destruction
Spiritual Sea Realm
Stage 1 ?? / Stage 2 ?? / Stage 3 ??
Dao Manifestation Realm
Stage 1 ?? / Stage 2 ?? / Stage 3 ??
Spiritual Transcendence
Stage 1 ?? / Stage 2 ?? / Stage 3 ??
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Sword mastery levels
Sword Intent.
Sword Aura.