Comprehension Ability: I Forge a Villainous Longevity Family

Chapter 586: Chapter 455: Devouring_2

"Please, go on."

"I’m doing this not because I need them but because I need the outside world to be without them."

"What do you mean?"

"They are cultivators, cultivators with cultivation techniques. If they were allowed to fight and kill each other in Gan State without intervention, then no matter how much time passes, even if they die and their techniques are seized by their enemies, these techniques would continue to be passed down in Jiangzhou generation after generation. Now, they have joined the Iron Sword Sect, and their techniques have naturally become part of the sect. From now on, without the sect’s permission, these techniques cannot be passed on to outsiders."

"But what good does this do?" Shi Hao was unable to understand what use these broken techniques were, many of which couldn’t even reach the Nirvana Realm.

"Use? For us, they aren’t of much use. But Xiao Hao, you must understand that if I don’t act like this, the Iron Sword Sect will hardly ever reach the heights I desire within my lifetime."

"Senior, I know you wish to monopolize these techniques, but I still don’t understand the significance of your actions. If you want to strengthen the influence of the Iron Sword Sect, shouldn’t you let there be more outside cultivators? If your actions lead to only two or three large sects remaining in Gan State... wouldn’t your Iron Sword Sect end up at the bottom again?"

Divine Sword Elder chuckled in surprise.

At the bottom?

Indeed, that’s the case.

As long as the Iron Sword Sect sets this precedence, other sects will likely be forced to do the same. Eventually, all the cultivation sects in Gan State will merge into a few families. When sect disciples go out, they can claim to be from these few grand sects, but they can only flaunt their power in the eyes of mortals; when they encounter other cultivators, they’re all grand sect disciples, so there’s no need to envy one another. Without identity differences in Gan State, once they go beyond it... everyone is at the bottom again.

Yet Divine Sword Elder knows he must do this!

Gan State is too impoverished. If the resources aren’t consolidated but are instead scattered among hundreds of insignificant family units as before, the Gan State cultivation realm won’t develop no matter how much time passes, let alone compare with outside cultivators.

Divine Sword Elder didn’t wish to explain these things to Shi Hao, so he thought of a way to phrase it:

"Once the small sects are consolidated, it will be the turn of other families. Then, after we all merge into one sect, all cultivators in Gan State will be one family. At that point, Gan State cultivators, united like a clenched fist, might have a chance to seek resources from other states."

"Are you doing this to seize resources from other states?"

"Hmm, you could say that, but it’s also not entirely correct." Divine Sword Elder shook his head and said, "Once all sects have merged into one, the newly formed Divine Sword Sect will have more potential to resist risks. For instance, before, Iron Sword Sect had only me in Nirvana and three in True Self Realm. If a secret realm was discovered, and I knew there were treasures inside, but entering that secret realm would cost one of our True Self Realm members their life, then that secret realm would be beyond our reach... because Iron Sword Sect can’t afford such a loss."

However, if Gan State is fully integrated, and the sect has seven or eight people in Nirvana and hundreds in True Self Realm, then such a secret realm becomes worth developing. Even if the resources discovered inside cannot sustain even one True Self, it wouldn’t be a loss to Iron Sword Sect overall and might even be a gain."

"..." Shi Hao didn’t understand, feeling there’s a logical mistake here, yet he subconsciously felt it made some sense!

"Because at that time, we can withstand such losses, and without any external pressure, the acquired resources can be used to train new disciples. With time, we can continuously supply True Self Realm, and even Nirvana Realm cultivators."

"So, are you acting this way to reduce internal competition within Gan State?"

"Efforts must be focused to change Gan State’s current situation."

"I still don’t fully understand, but I think you have a point. My master said that when faced with such situations, just keep them in mind, and you’ll naturally understand them in the future."

"Your master said that?"

"Yes."

"No wonder he’s your master. If I had been under his guidance in my youth, I might have already achieved longevity by now?"

Divine Sword Elder laughed heartily, sharing a not-too-big or small joke with Shi Hao.

...

Divine Sword Elder’s Iron Sword Sect began consolidating cultivators around the Celestial Break Mountain Range.

This move almost disrupted all of Gan State.

Just as Divine Sword Elder said, once Iron Sword Sect made such a move, other sects had no choice but to do the same.

Unless they wanted to be annexed by the enlarged Iron Sword Sect!

Of course, there is another possibility, due to Iron Sword Sect recruiting too many members, leading to severely declined sect benefits, causing discontent among Iron Sword Sect members, and eventually resulting in its natural disintegration amidst its grandeur.

Comparatively, the latter possibility is greater.

Because Gan State’s resources are limited, incorporating surrounding small sects will inevitably require reducing Iron Sword Sect’s sect benefits.

During this period, those who previously enjoyed benefits find theirs diminished... they won’t agree to that.

No matter the grand reason, the resources they receive have decreased!

It’s essentially like reducing an original one million salary to three hundred thousand... who could accept such a massive gap?

And this isn’t a temporary reduction; it’s a permanent one!

So, why shouldn’t they leave Iron Sword Sect and switch to other grand sects that can offer them a million?

Of course, this part is only a minority, specifically those in Divine Communication and Divine Travel Realms, the vested interest group in Iron Sword Sect.

Would they rebel?

Yes.

But Divine Sword Elder has anticipated all of these.

The ordinary disciples at the lowest level haven’t been reduced because their resources were scarce to begin with.

At the highest level... these low-level resources are insignificant to them. Comparatively, the foundation of those newly merged small sects and small families is what these True Self cultivators care about.

And because of annexing numerous small forces, Iron Sword Sect’s True Self cultivators have more personnel to command, naturally increasing their power.

They remain the vested interest group, and their gains have increased.

The ones truly hurt are only those mid-level cultivators in Divine Communication and Divine Travel realms, and of course, those many small forces forced into Iron Sword Sect.

From being in charge to becoming someone’s aide.

This feeling is unpleasant.

But do these small forces have any capacity to refuse?

No!

They can run, but their survival depends on the land’s resources, which they cannot take with them!

Without these resources, if they flee elsewhere... their fate would be worse than joining Iron Sword Sect.

Unless these small sects unite, find an external major force to suppress Divine Sword Elder into submission, abandoning this harmful idea.

All along, these small forces have acted this way.

If Divine Sword Elder didn’t comply, they would unite with outside forces to destroy Divine Sword Elder’s Iron Sword Sect together.

But things are different now!

On one hand, Divine Sword Elder previously announced his intention to retire and grant wisdom, showing that after joining Iron Sword Sect, it’s possible to become the sect leader.

On the other hand, Divine Sword Elder now has sufficient backing and possesses the power to deter other grand sects from acting.

This is also why Divine Sword Elder bowed down to Chen Zhixing.

Therefore, Divine Sword Elder is naturally acting without any restrictions now.

No resistance.

No external, and even less internal!

Now all factors for a major reshuffle in Gan State are ready; next, everyone will be playing a game of big fish eating little fish.

If you don’t eat, you can only be eaten by others, and since Divine Sword Elder initiated this...

Unless Divine Sword Elder calls it to a halt, no one can stop this process!