Starting My Cultivation With Time Management-Chapter 895 - 35 White Face and Red Face

Facing the Tai Yin Suming Sword’s reproach, the Kunlun Mirror was utterly baffled.

He helps me search for the Heaven-Mending Stone, and I help him avoid calamities. Clearly, it’s a mutually beneficial arrangement, so how has it turned into an unreasonable give-away?

Leaving aside the back-and-forth between the sword and the mirror, over here Ling Yunpo spoke eloquently. In just a few sentences, he shifted the focus of competition between Shushan and Kunlun from "whose talents are greater" to "who is more formidable in combating the Demon Cult."

In this way, Shushan’s superior strength as a whole takes center stage against the Demon Cult, and it no longer concerns me, Qing Heng True Person—after all, I am but a humble Golden Core True Person, incapable of consistently unleashing the full power of the Tai Yin Suming Sword. I can only act as a deterrent weapon, observing from the sidelines.

Ah Jing, load the Wei Dongliu archive!

[Checkpoint Four: Central Peak, Tong Xuan Gate Headquarters.]

[Character Identity: Wei Dongliu.]

[Mirror Flower Water Moon Template activated, initiating time-space travel.]

Several months had passed since the last major clash between Kunlun and the Six Paths.

Now, the Six Paths gathered again at Central Peak, with all major figures present.

The topic? None other than dividing spoils.

The Six Paths had invaded and seized Kunlun’s various resource points in the Guanzhong Area. The plundered stores were now to be divided. That much was straightforward—stick to the prearranged shares.

However, before the war began, the Nether Ghost Path had inaccurately assessed the situation, believing it could occupy those resource mines for an extended period.

To recruit other sects for the fight, they had promised substantial compensation.

But in reality, Kunlun’s counterattack came far too swiftly. Despite the Nether Ghost Path’s desperate and exploitative mining efforts before losing control of the resource points, the gains were less than anticipated.

As such, paying the remaining compensation based on the initial agreement now seemed rather unfair.

Wen Yang and Sect Leader Fu Xie entered the meeting room with grim faces, apparently prepared to press their case aggressively.

On the Mortal Life Path side, Wei Dongliu and Jiang Li An sat composed, completely unfazed by the Nether Ghost Path’s threatening demeanor, watching calmly with prepared ease.

For the Heavenly Demon Path, Ling Yun True Person sat grinning at everyone in the room, saying nothing, his smirk laden with cryptic amusement.

Eastern Emperor Path’s delegate was once again Shi Yao. As Kunlun Taiqing Sect’s former mentor of Long Long, Shi Yao continued her usual cold, aloof posture within the Cultivation Realm, her expression as frigid as frost.

From the Asura Path, this time’s representative was Sahua Senior, a Nascent Soul Elder of the sect.

Standing quietly beside him was Gu Lie. It had been many days since their last meeting, and the elderly figure seemed to have already achieved the Sarira state. At this moment, Gu Lie stood there with a bowed head and calm demeanor, not uttering a word.

Seeing all the key representatives present, Wei Dongliu spoke calmly:

"If there are no further business matters, let’s proceed with the distribution according to the prearranged shares."

"Wait a moment." Wen Yang’s cold voice interjected, "The agreed shares are fine, but only if strategy followed the original plan as well."

"The plan called for pincer actions on both the Qin Ling and Iron City Mountain fronts, yet the army ultimately withdrew entirely toward Iron City Mountain to defend against Kunlun. This led to total loss of the resource points in Qin Ling overnight. How are you going to explain this?"

Qiu Changtian responded indifferently:

"The pressure from Kunlun on the Iron City Mountain front was too intense; we were forced to intervene."

"Rescuing the Asura Path is acceptable," Wen Yang said, tapping the table. "But the rescue doesn’t come without a price."

"Because of this intervention for the Asura Path, we abandoned occupying the Guanzhong Area, resulting in fewer spoils than anticipated. Shouldn’t this shortfall be deducted from the Asura Path’s share?"

Hearing Wen Yang’s words, many glanced at one another, and apart from Sahua Senior’s boiling rage, no other objection arose.

To be honest, everyone privately agreed with Wen Yang’s argument.

Though the Six Paths proclaimed camaraderie, in reality, they had been forced into a coalition by the Three Pure Orthodox Sect. Aid to Iron City Mountain wasn’t an issue, but it wasn’t charity either—Wen Yang’s demand that the Asura Path compensate for the assistance was reasonable.

Most importantly, the Nether Ghost Path had singled out the Asura Path rather than infringing on other sects’ interests, so no one felt obligated to speak up.

"Ridiculous!" Sahua Senior slammed the table with such force that cracks spread instantly across the surface.

Wei Dongliu raised an eyebrow and listened as Sahua Senior roared:

"We of the Asura Path had no desire to join this hunt. It was only under your repeated invitations that we were reluctantly compelled… And now, we’re the ones at fault?"

"Had we not cooperated with all of you, Kunlun wouldn’t even have attacked Iron City Mountain. Why would intervention have been needed? You talk of ’not without a price’—wasn’t it your own interests that motivated this rescue? Is there truly any ambiguity in this matter?"

He glared furiously at the crowd, and the others deftly avoided his gaze in silence.

Suddenly, Shi Yao remarked:

"Even if the Asura Path had abstained from attacking Kunlun, would Kunlun have truly believed Iron City Mountain to be neutral? Or that it wasn’t feigning neutrality, waiting for a chance to strike Kunlun’s flank?"

"Frankly speaking, your Iron City Mountain’s geographical position ensures that once war erupts, Kunlun inevitably targets it."

"It’s only thanks to the Six Paths’ protection that you’ve survived until now. Look at Kunlun’s ancient lineage: dozens of sects once flourished, yet today only Kunlun Taiqing Sect remains. Why is that? Doesn’t the truth dawn on you?"

Sahua Senior’s expression shifted drastically at her words, unable to formulate a reply, opting instead to glare venomously at Shi Yao.

The crowd observed the tense scene, interpreting it as a dispute between Eastern Emperor Path and Asura Path, yet Wei Dongliu discerned Shi Yao’s true intent. His sharp "mentor" acted not to antagonize the Asura Path but to expedite the meeting’s resolution.

Her focus ultimately rested on Eastern Emperor Realm, far from the concerns of this Eastern Emperor Path faction. With the Southern Border’s Peach Blossom Miasma shielding them, the Eastern Emperor faced little threat of total destruction, granting Shi Yao unfettered freedom in diplomacy.

"Amitabha." Just when the Asura Path seemed cornered, Gu Lie beside Sahua Senior suddenly chanted a Buddhist blessing and spoke sorrowfully, "Everyone’s points are valid… But our Asura Path, after resisting Kunlun, has suffered grave losses."

"Even if the Nether Ghost Path pays according to the initial shares, it would barely offset a tenth of our damages. At this rate, our Asura Path may truly have to withdraw from the Six Paths. This isn’t meant as a threat, but a reflection of our genuine limits."

The crowd remained silent upon hearing this.

The Asura Path was renowned for its domineering and belligerent tendencies, so this abrupt admission of poverty starkly contrasted its usual stance. Everyone felt remarkably unaccustomed to the change.

Yet crying poverty aside, no one sincerely believed Gu Lie’s claim of merely offsetting one-tenth of the damage. The remark about "withdrawing from the Six Paths," however, struck a nerve.

The Six Paths indeed needed Iron City Mountain as a strategic linchpin against Kunlun’s flank; without it, Kunlun could freely march into the Guanzhong Area, intensifying pressure on the Nether Ghost Path. It was analogous to two major nations requiring a smaller state as a buffer—if war occurred, the smaller state bore the brunt.

From this perspective, the Nether Ghost Path did genuinely need the Asura Path as their western shield.

Wen Yang’s face darkened swiftly, and Sect Leader Fu Xie suddenly interjected:

"Ahem, we understand your sect’s difficulties. This matter will be revisited."

Sect Leader Fu Xie’s conciliatory stance indicated that the Nether Ghost Path wouldn’t pursue further conflict with the Asura Path for now.

So, who would become the next target?

Wen Yang quietly pondered the implications.