I Have A Cultivation World

Chapter 1096: Chapter 602: Authority and Virtue Are Equally Important (Extra for 7200 Monthly Votes)_2 Chapter 1096: Chapter 602: Authority and Virtue Are Equally Important (Extra for 7200 Monthly Votes)_2 Only by raising the All-things Altruistic Cauldron to Rank-4 could the owner of the Magic Artifact, who would be either at the stage of Perfect Core Formation or the Nascent Soul Realm, harness the Earth True Qi. Due to its close resemblance to the Qi of Creation, the cauldron could use True Qi as a template to sense if the Qi of Creation was nearby and alert its master.

“Master, it seems to work!”

Zhuo Ming closed her eyes and tried, and sure enough, while wielding the All-things Altruistic Cauldron as her Lifespan Artifact, she could also use the Ten Thousand Spirit Rhinoceros Abilities.

“That makes sense now!”

Zhuo Ming’s Ten Thousand Spirit Rhinoceros Abilities allowed her to Commune Spirit directly with the earth veins, knowing everything about the land she set foot on. Before melting down the All-things Altruistic Cauldron, she had completed this step as well.

The trace of Qi of Creation contained deep within the earth veins of Northern Abyss City had been discovered, captured, and utilized in the instant the cauldron was formed.

It was like gambling with a Void Blind Box and having x-ray vision.

If Zhuo Ming was willing to take the trouble to traverse every piece of land in the Eastern Wilderness and Commune Spirit with each earth vein, she could extract all the Qi of Creation with the All-things Altruistic Cauldron.

What was the most challenging step for other Cultivators was as simple as picking something up from home for Zhuo Ming, as all doors were open to her.

Chen Mobai told Zhuo Ming that, because he had a part in it, the All-things Altruistic Cauldron should be considered their common Lifespan Artifact, belonging to both master and disciple.

Zhuo Ming didn’t mind at all. To her, everything she had was granted by Chen Mobai, and even if the Master took it all away, she would find it natural.

“In the future, I’ll help you refine another Lifespan Artifact. Think about what you need,” Chen Mobai said, and Zhuo Ming, who wouldn’t mind having more, immediately nodded happily.

As the master and his disciple were preparing to descend the mountain, they found that the Foundation Establishment Practitioners from the Divine Wood Sect in Northern Abyss City had mostly gathered midway up the mountain, waiting for them.

Clearly, the commotion caused by refining the Qi of Creation with the All-things Altruistic Cauldron had alarmed everyone, and despite their confidence in Chen Mobai, they had all come.

After the group returned to the grand hall of Northern Abyss City, E Yun took the initiative to report the situation with Wang Juyuan and Han Zhiling to Chen Mobai.

“Hmm, how do you plan to deal with this matter?” Chen Mobai asked, and the response came from Jiang Zongheng, who stepped forward with his viewpoint, suggesting that this was a good opportunity to establish some rules.

“Zong Heng, I am very pleased that you have such aspirations; this deserves commendation. I hope you maintain such steadfastness. But you haven’t considered all the angles. Have you thought about another possible outcome that this situation might lead to?” Chen Mobai said.

Jiang Zong Heng shook his head and then asked Chen Mobai for guidance.

“Rules, no matter how strictly conceived, will have loopholes, and sometimes there are even conflicts between rules. The world is never short of cunning people. If we handle everything strictly by the rules, and someone finds a loophole in our Sect’s rules to seek resources beyond the Foundation Building Pill, how should we respond?” Chen Mobai inquired.

“If we are to uphold integrity and honesty, we should endure this time, give them the resources, and then immediately fix the loophole.”

Chen Mobai nodded after hearing this, then shook his head, agreeing with Jiang Zong Heng’s viewpoint but not his suggested approach.

“Rules must not become shackles that bind us!”

“There’s a saying, ‘A gentleman can be deceived with integrity.’ If everything is handled strictly according to the rules, then there will be many who seek to exploit the loopholes in the Sect’s rules.”

“These are the actions of petty people, and to prevent such incidents while establishing rules, we must remember another saying, ‘Petty people are deterred by might, not by virtue.ʼ”

“So, while rules are necessary, and Han Tingfeng’s debt must be repaid, we cannot allow Wang Juyuan’s objectives to succeed.”

“Only by balancing might and virtue can there be a greater good under heaven.”

“And this might must come before virtue!”

After Chen Mobai’s words, Jiang Zong Heng fell into thought.

Chen Mobai valued this disciple; it was rare to find someone with such noble thoughts in the Eastern Wilderness.

However, due to his environment, Jiang Zong Heng’s thinking was still naive, with a feeling that he was straying off-course even as he came to his own understanding.

This was primarily because of Chen Mobai. Although he had planted the seeds of thought since accepting the disciple, the two had rarely met, lacking proper guidance.

“Thank you for your instruction, Master!”

After receiving Chen Mobai’s guidance, Jiang Zongheng realized how naive he had been while simultaneously becoming aware of the immense gap between his own understanding and that of his master’s, which filled him with even greater respect.

“E Yun, do as I said and take care of this matter, and be a bit flexible in your methods,”

Upon Chen Mobai’s words, E Yun, who had been deeply engrossed in contemplation, immediately snapped to attention. He respectfully bowed and then retreated.

The next day, Wang Juyuan and his sister Han Zhiling were called over.

Han Ronglu mortgaged his Rank-3 Cave Dwelling and took out a loan of one hundred thousand Spirit Stones from the Divine Wood Sect, then he settled the debts of Wang Juyuan and others on the spot.

Wang Juyuan didn’t actually want the Spirit Stones, but the contract he had signed with Han Tingfeng indicated payment in Spirit Stones.

Under E Yun’s cold stare, all Wang Juyuan could do was somberly take the Spirit Stones and leave, his hopes dashed.

He had put everything on the line for Foundation Establishment, but it all turned out to be an empty dream.

He even offended the Divine Wood Sect and was expelled from his family.

The next day, his Liu Dan Pavilion was visited by many people.

They were the suppliers he owed for medicinal materials; they had tolerated the debt before because of the Wang family’s face.

After he failed to take the Foundation Building Pill through proper channels, everyone knew he had offended the Divine Wood Sect.

And now the Wang family had also publicly disowned him.

“Please give me a few more days…”

“Hmph, the date on the contract has already been overdue by a month. We need to act according to the rules; if you don’t pay up today, come with me to the Divine Wood Sect and pay off the debt with your shop’s deposit.”

Justice is clear, retribution is certain.

Even if he used all the Spirit Stones he received from the Han family to pay off the debt, Wang Juyuan was still short by three thousand Spirit Stones.

He tried to borrow money, but all his former friends shut their doors to him.

In the end, unable to produce enough Spirit Stones, E Yun coldly repossessed the shop, and both of his Cave Dwellings were taken away for auction.

But that still wasn’t enough to cover his debts, and according to the Divine Wood Sect’s rules, he was detained to work in the mines.

As the scion of a distinguished family, Wang Juyuan couldn’t bear the thought of mining; therefore, on a dark and windy night, he escaped from Northern Abyss City.

When he returned to his clan, he was stopped right at the entrance to their territory.

With an angry expression, the clan leader told Wang Juyuan that many of the family’s businesses had been affected by his actions, and the hard-earned channel they had established with the Divine Wood Sect had been snatched away by the Hua family.

Wang Juyuan wanted to see his parents, but the clan leader immediately expelled him from the clan’s property.

Having no place to go, he had just left the family estate and was standing by a lake, pondering his future.

Just as he was about to head to the Nanxuan Sect, a beam of Spiritual Light descended from the sky.

Only Foundation Establishment Practitioners could fly.

The newcomer was someone he knew very well—Wang Xuan Ming, the patriarch of the Wang family.

“Greeting the elder…”

Just as Wang Juyuan was wondering if the patriarch had any tasks for him, a burst of Sword Light flared, filling his vision.

Within the flash of blood, his head had been severed by a Flying Sword.