The merging of worlds has never been a simple task. It was greatly difficult for one world to devour another.
Even after Pei Xuanjing initiated the Small Thousand World named the Longevity World, the Daming World developed a deep desire for it. They wanted to merge and devour it to strengthen themselves.
However, such an action required the permission of Pei Xuanjing, the originator of the Small Thousand World. Without it, they had no power to devour it and would have to pay a hefty price if they tried to force it.
Having understood this, Pei Xuanjing knew very well the hardships of merging worlds. Even with the support of the will of the Daming World providing him more power, he did not believe he had the strength to accomplish such a task.
Their unwavering confidence intrigued Pei Xuanjing. He was very curious about what detailed plans they had in mind, believing themselves capable of such a feat.
Upon hearing Pei Xuanjing's words, the Master of Mystiq Sky laughed and said, "Truth be told, everything began with inspiration from our strategist's plan…"
He was being honest. Initially, all they wanted to do was use the blessed land and Cave Heavens within their own forces to bring back more resources to their ancestral land and begin expanding their interests there.
However, a series of actions performed by Pei Xuanjing completely opened their eyes, surprising them with possibilities they hadn't even considered.
It was because of this that they came up with a new plan and gained the confidence to implement it.
Their plan was simple. It involved setting up numerous formation bases within the Sky Wasteland, and similar setups in the Daming World. They would then connect both worlds and transfer the origin of the Sky Wasteland to the Daming World, which would then begin devouring it, hopefully merging it with itself one day.
The Sky Wasteland's formation bases were relatively easy to handle. Joining forces, they could easily achieve this, having more than enough resources and power to do so.
However, things weren't as simple with the ancestral land. Even if they put all their power into it, Pei Xuanjing and the Great Ming Divine Dynasty stood as a formidable obstacle. Without Pei Xuanjing's permission and support, the plan wouldn't be possible.
Of course, if these strong forces really had to force things, Pei Xuanjing wouldn't be able to stop them.
However, this was a last resort. After all, with the strength shown by Pei Xuanjing, it would result in a situation where both parties hurt each other if they broke the peace.
In addition to that, there was the fact that Pei Xuanjing had favor in the ancestral wishes of Heaven and Earth. If he were to assist, they would not only save a great amount of efforts but also gain powerful assistance, ensuring the success of their plan.
For these reasons, they needed Pei Xuanjing to cooperate and chose to support the plan he proposed.
"Hearing this, it seems this plan could be feasible." Pei Xuanjing said while carefully studying the plan presented by the Master of Mystiq Sky.
The Master of Mystiq Sky gave Pei Xuanjing a jade slip packed with the details of the plan, allowing him to study it thoroughly for understanding.
According to the planned procedures given to him, as long as they followed their roles dutifully and there weren't any oversights, the Daming World could effectively devour the origin of the Sky Wasteland.
However, these were only assurances. After all, nobody had ever prompted one world to devour another, neither Pei Xuanjing nor any of the strong cultivators present. They could only make plans based on their understanding and knowledge. If any problems arose, they'd just tackle them as they came.
Pei Xuanjing agreed to the plan, but that didn't put an end to things; it only marked the beginning.
The abundant resources needed for the numerous formation bases couldn't be provided by Pei Xuanjing alone, not even with the help of Great Ming Divine Dynasty.
The large forces of Sky Wasteland had to contribute, given their history, influence, and amassed resources over thousands of years. Joining forces, they could easily muster up the necessary resources without any great expense.
The strongest of them had anticipated this demand and subsequently agreed after some initial contemplation.
However, there was a point of contention they couldn't reach an agreement on quickly. That was the distribution of the ultimate benefits.
The merging of Sky Wasteland into the Daming World and the subsequent elevation of the latter would inevitably attract numerous divine wills and intensify its Qi Luck. This was precious to any cultivator, even the strongest of them.
A lot of elders with first-rate powers and independent practitioners of the Spirit Realm Eightfold supported the plan for this reason. They wanted to take this opportunity to refine and consolidate their divine position, gaining Heaven and Earth's favor to enhance their own strength. Even if they didn't break into Spirit Realm Ninefold to reach the Strongest Realm, they wanted to have that kind of power.
However, when Pei Xuanjing proposed a fifty-fifty split, it was immediately met with opposition. They naturally wouldn't agree to such terms.
Although they had prepared themselves to share a portion of the benefits with Pei Xuanjing, they didn't expect him to demand half right off the bat. They found it hard, even impossible, to accept.
"The ancestral land and the Sky Wasteland are two separate worlds. I am not just one person, but representative of all cultivators from the ancestral land. Hence, the divine will of the Heaven and Earth should be shared between the two worlds during this division, with both sides possessing fifty percent. It is the fairest," Pei Xuanjing naturally responded.
Pei Xuanjing felt his request was completely justified. Each world's cultivators would have half, and no one would have more or less.
However, the rest of the Sky Wasteland cultivators disagreed. The Master of Mystiq Sky laughed as he shook his head and said, "Strategist, that shouldn't be the case. Generally, all of us cultivators also hail from the ancestral land. It would be inappropriate to divide our territory like this. Isn't that treating us like outsiders?"
A fifty-fifty split?
This is a joke.
Not to mention that common cultivators would not agree, nor would the strongest among them do so. Even if they didn't have a great demand for this will of Heaven and Earth, they couldn't accept this.
As the first sect in name, with the Righteous Path under its control, what the Xuantian Sect represented was not only its own interests but also the interests of countless followers behind it.
So, without the need for other cultivators to speak, when Pei Xuanjing proposed this demand, he immediately stood up in opposition, and the reasons he gave were very reasonable.
They are not natives of Sky Wasteland, but old friends who left the Daming World, so they call this place the Ancestral Land.
The Sky Wasteland and the cultivators of the Ancestral Land each occupying half, as proposed by Pei Xuanjing, is actually unreasonable and unacceptable for them.
"Then, I wonder what division the Master thinks is appropriate?" Pei Xuanjing asked with a smile.
Even though his proposal was rejected, Pei Xuanjing was not angry at all. Instead, he smiled and waited for the Master of Mystiq Sky to propose his acceptable plan.
The so-called bidding to the sky, paying on the ground. Pei Xuanjing's request for a fifty-fifty split was a lion's demand, not only did these people think so, but Pei Xuanjing himself also knew his request would not be accepted, he did not expect it to be passed.
In other words, Pei Xuanjing's proposal for a fifty-fifty split was just a small test, to see the sincerity of the other side.
If these people readily agreed, then Pei Xuanjing would have to doubt in his heart whether these people really wanted to cooperate with him.
The Master of Mystiq Sky pondered, "We occupy ninety percent, and the National Teacher occupies ten percent."
He expressed their idea, ninety to ten split, this method of division was not only the Master of Mystiq Sky's idea but also the decision they had made long ago after consulting with many powerful beings.
Ten percent, it seemed small, but it was actually a lot.
You must know that those who took the initiative this time were almost all the most powerful beings in this Heaven and Earth, even if the cultivators of Sky Wasteland occupied ninety percent, each force and individual would actually not get much in the end.
Although Pei Xuanjing seemed to only take ten percent, but none of these forces and strong people in the Ancestral Land were qualified to share these things with Pei Xuanjing. In the end, the benefits that Pei Xuanjing took up definitely far exceeded the share anyone else had in hand, this was beyond doubt.
Originally, if Pei Xuanjing was a powerful being from Sky Wasteland, he certainly wouldn't be able to take up such a large share, but because he is now the first strong being of Ancestral Land and has the advantage of timing and location, these strong beings cannot bypass Pei Xuanjing, hence were willing to make such a painful decision to give out so many benefits.
But these powerful beings, including Master of Mystiq Sky, who thought they were making sacrifices, didn't taste right to Pei Xuanjing.
"Not enough!" Pei Xuanjing shook his head, and almost without thinking, he vetoed this scheme.
One tenth was too little, even though Pei Xuanjing had prepared to give in, but the other side was only willing to give him and his forces one-tenth of the benefits. From Pei Xuanjing's point of view, it was still too little and not enough to share.
"National teacher, this tenth is already a lot," said the Master of Mystiq Sky in a deep voice.
Although his face was still wearing a casual smile, his tone had changed slightly.
The many other powerful beings felt the same, their eyes were flashing with light, guessing what Pei Xuanjing was thinking. They wondered if the other side was too greedy.
Pei Xuanjing heard the change in the tone of the Master of Mystiq Sky but didn't care at all. He still stuck to his own opinion and said, "As I said, one tenth is not enough."
He was unmoved and did not approve of this initiative.
The Master of Mystiq Sky, though angry and dissatisfied in his heart, did not rush to speak. He began to remain silent, glancing at others.
After all, these things are not solely his business, he had already expressed his attitude by speaking up earlier, so now these people need to express their own stands as well.
As expected, immediately after, other powerful beings voiced their opinions, the Blood Fiend Ancestor spoke, "May I ask how much the national teacher wants?"
Although the Righteous Path and the Demonic Way have some disputes, in the current plan, if the share of Pei Xuanjing increases, it means that the share they originally occupied will reduce. This is something the Blood Fiend Ancestor and others would not like.
Indeed, no matter who it is, no one is willing to give up their own interests, whether it is now or in the future.
Pei Xuanjing stated his own requirements: "I request a thirty-seventy split."
He didn't beat around the bush, instead, he directly stated his own demand, a thirty-seventy split. He wanted to take thirty percent of the share.
Although it seemed that thirty percent was his and seventy percent belonged to others, Pei Xuanjing also knew that it was the maximum share he could ask for now. If he asked for more, these people would not possibly agree.
"This is impossible!"
The Blood Fiend Ancestor shook his head and denied it.
Thirty percent of the share meant that the proportion they originally held had to be reduced by another two tenths. When averaged to each of these powerful beings and forces, each side would lose a lot of shares.
Both sides quarreled over the share for a long time and argued heatedly for a long time, but they still held their own opinions and could not agree with each other's demands.
After a long dispute, despite constant persuasion from various powerful beings, Pei Xuanjing still adhered to his own opinion and was not willing to compromise in the slightest.
Even if a powerful being like the Ancestor Celestial Master spoke out, but Pei Xuanjing wouldn't give in to these people. He admitted that he could repay the favor of the Ancestor Celestial Master in other ways, but he could not compromise on this issue.
After all, Pei Xuanjing does not only represent himself at this moment, he also represents the interests of the original cultivators of Daming World, so he cannot compromise.
After a long discussion, the two sides had not come to a consensus. At this time, the top being of Sky Mechanism Pavilion, the Son of Calculation, slowly said, "Fellow Daoists, the old man has a suggestion, I wonder if everyone is willing to hear it?"
Hearing that the top being of the Sky Mechanism Pavilion spoke up, those who were arguing stopped and turned their eyes to the Son of Calculation, waiting for him to speak.
The Son of Calculation looked at each of the top beings, and then put forward a suggestion, "Fellow Daoists, since we can't reach a conclusion, why not decide by a contest of Dao, what do you say?"
He suggested that since what both sides were arguing about was the benefits of numerous cultivators, these cultivators should also be involved. Therefore, he proposed a method from ancient times – a contest of Dao.
Both sides would send cultivators of different realms to battle. The final determination of benefits for both sides would be based on the outcome of the contests.
"I wonder what all of you Taoist friends think of this proposal?" The Diviner asked Pei Xuanjing and the other powerhouses.
Pei Xuanjing pondered for a moment, looked at the others, and said, "I have no objections."
The Master of Mystiq Sky and others also nodded, "Our sect agrees."
Since both parties had no objections, it was considered an agreement. Each party would send someone into battle, if Pei Xuanjing's side wins, it would be divided according to Pei Xuanjing's suggested three-to-seven ratio. If Pei Xuanjing's side loses, it would be divided according to the Master of Mystiq Sky's original proposed method, which would give Pei Xuanjing's party only a 10% share.
Once a decision had been made, the next step was to discuss the specific methods of the contest.
After discussion, there would be three rounds for the powerhouses, three for the Eighth Level of the Spiritual Realm, and three for the Seventh Level of the Spiritual Realm.
As for cultivators below the Seventh Level of the Spiritual Realm, they don't need to consider it at all, after all, cultivators who have not reached the Seventh Level of the Spiritual Realm do not have the qualifications to participate in this contest.
"I wonder if the National Master here can muster up so many people for the battle?" a powerhouse jokingly said to Pei Xuanjing.
Pei Xuanjing smiled and jokingly responded, "If it is like this, wouldn't it just be fulfilling the wishes of you Taoist friends, to win without fighting!"
The powerhouses laughed heartily.
However, Pei Xuanjing continued, "Taoist friends, let's discuss who will participate. After all, I should participate in all three powerhouse rounds. I'm quite curious about your divine abilities. I hope those who participate can generously share some pointers."
Upon hearing Pei Xuanjing's words, the smiles on the powerhouses' faces stagnated, each expressing varied emotions.
Pei Xuanjing was technically a junior, a less than a hundred years old cultivator, but he had grown to stand on par with them. Especially considering the precedent he set by suppressing the Taixu Venerable, none of the powerhouses dared to be absolutely confident in beating him.
Even if the ensuing contest was just a friendly match, without using any killer moves, if many powerhouses were to lose to Pei Xuanjing, a junior whose cultivation time was shorter than theirs, it would be a face-loss, particularly because numerous cultivators would be watching. It would be very embarrassing.
No matter what the powerhouses thought, since Pei Xuanjing had agreed upon the method of resolution, he had to do some preparations. After leaving the Great Hall with Zhu Houji and Wu Shijiu, Pei Xuanjing led them to another side hall.
"Master Pei, it seems that the contest is not in our favor!" Zhu Houji remarked to Pei Xuanjing.
The Daming World had only revived for a short period, and apart from Pei Xuanjing, even if the rest of the strong cultivators had potential, they were not truly rising stars yet. They still required time to mature and accumulate strength.
With Pei Xuanjing being in the powerhouse contest, there was no need to worry. But it was hard to find enough cultivators for the Eighth Level and Seventh Level of the Spiritual Realm.
Not to mention how the cultivators at the Eighth Level of Spirit Realm would fare, even if we gather enough Seventh Level cultivators, the top forces of the Sky Wasteland that would participate, would be the strongest at their level. It's likely that very few on their side would be confident in winning.
Pei Xuanjing naturally understood Zhu Houji's concern, he counter questioned, "Do you think they would easily agree if we were not in a disadvantage?"
Because many cultivators of Daming World hadn't grown up completely and were at a disadvantage in this contest, the others would agree to this contest. Otherwise, why would they easily pass it?
Pei Xuanjing understood that they were at a disadvantage, but there was no other way, after all, if we really talked about strength, even one-tenth of the share was too much. If we wanted to get more shares, others would consider us to be asking for too much.
So after that Diviner suggested it, he just gave Pei Xuanjing a graceful retreat. Otherwise, in their view, forcing Pei Xuanjing to cooperate would only make the situation more chaotic.
"However, do you really think that I will necessarily lose?" A smile appeared at the corner of Pei Xuanjing's mouth, he thought to himself.
"Indeed." Zhu Houji sighed lightly, he also understood what Pei Xuanjing meant.
He suppressed this thought and then asked, "So Master Pei, what should we do next?"
Since Pei Xuanjing is clear about this, all he can do is follow Pei Xuanjing's plan, as both of them are in the same boat.
Pei Xuanjing smilingly said, "Don't worry, some people still haven't arrived."
"Huh?" Zhu Houji was first puzzled, then he reacted, understanding who Pei Xuanjing was waiting for.
The next moment, Zhao Baiyang and others appeared at the entrance to the palace.
Zhao Baiyang, Xue Wuheng, Tie Qianshan, Zi Tianxiong, the Taoist Qingxu, and Prince Zhu Yousong, all powerful people appeared together.
Although all of them were at the Sixth Level of the Spiritual Realm, they had a deep foundation, extraordinary backgrounds, and with the methods they possessed, they wouldn't be disadvantaged against many Seventh Level cultivators.
Of course, there were actually more strong cultivators at the Sixth Level of Spiritual Realm native to Daming, such as the old Heavenly Master, several holy monks of the Buddha Way, and some elders of noble families.
However, the current situation is special, after all, whether it's Dragon Tiger Mountain's old Heavenly Master, several holy monks of the Buddha Way, or those noble families, they have complicated relationships with the various forces of the Sky Wasteland.
Although Pei Xuanjing wasn't concerned that these people would turn against him at a critical moment, when he informed these people of the situation via message, they all wisely chose to abstain from participating in order to prove their innocence.
Of course, whether it was because they have intricate relations with the various forces of Sky Wasteland and wanted to avoid suspicion, or whether they didn't have a good outlook for Pei Xuanjing's situation, these were subjective matters, which nobody could be sure about.
Regardless, whether it's Taoist Qingxu, Zhao Baiyang, or Xue Wuheng, the forces behind them were very clear, they were all native forces to the Daming World and had no connections to the various forces of Sky Wasteland.
"Greetings to the National Master."
"Greetings to His Majesty the Emperor."
"Greetings to Mr. Wu."
Upon entering the hall and seeing Pei Xuanjing, Zhu Houji, and Wu Shijiu, Zhao Baiyang and others greeted them.
In the way of cultivation, those who achieve are respected first.
No matter what happened before, now Zhu Houji was not only the emperor of the Great Ming Divine Dynasty, but his strength also surpassed those who were present. They naturally needed to show respect.
With the growth in Pei Xuanjing's power and status, even Zhao Baiyang had stopped referring to him as Brother Pei Xuanjing.