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Chapter 84: Human Relations
The fearsome aspect of a wealthy miser lies not in their riches, but rather when those riches can be transformed into combat strength, it becomes intriguing.
Upon reaching the foot of Linshan, dedicated disciples who welcome guests greeted Meng Zhang and his companion warmly. Led by the disciple, they ascended the mountain, passing through the majestic gates of Forest Mountain School, until they reached the halfway point, where Sect Master Xu Chengxian of Forest Mountain School awaited them.
"Sect Master Meng, welcome, welcome! Your visit to Linshan truly brings luster to our sect," said Sect Master Xu.
"Sect Master Xu, you're too kind. Since our last parting, I have not forgotten your magnificence. Today, seeing you again, Sect Master Xu surpasses his former self," replied Meng Zhang.
Compared to the formidable wealth of Forest Mountain School, Taiyi Sect was merely a small faction. Xu Chengxian surpassed Meng Zhang in both cultivation level and seniority. The fact that Xu Chengxian personally received Meng Zhang, a sect master of a small sect, showed his exceptional character.
After exchanging pleasantries for a brief moment, Xu Chengxian reluctantly concluded the conversation and summoned a trusted disciple to lead them to the guest residence. Forest Mountain School, with its vast wealth, had dedicated buildings for hosting guests, forming an elegant architectural complex.
Meng Zhang and his companion were arranged in a separate small courtyard. Between each courtyard were small groves, streams, and bridges. After resting in the courtyard for a while, Li Xuan led Meng Zhang out.
This Foundation Building dharma meeting held by Forest Mountain School invited almost all the surrounding cultivation forces, and the leaders of various major forces were present. It was a rare opportunity for exchange, a chance to get to know influential figures and establish connections with other forces.
Meng Zhang was not fond of such social activities. He was neither a hermit solely focused on cultivation nor a gregarious socializer. Nevertheless, as the Sect Master of Taiyi Sect, dealing with others was inevitable. At the very least, he couldn't afford to make unnecessary enemies.
Overly arrogant people were likely to be isolated, while those who refused to socialize could be ostracized. As a sect master, expanding one's social circle and making friends was important. Even if they couldn't find allies, having more friends would help secure a more favorable external environment for Taiyi Sect.
Meng Zhang realized that he was no longer entirely in control of his life. Since becoming the Sect Master of Taiyi Sect, he was compelled to do many things he disliked. Li Xuan's advice made sense, so Meng Zhang humbly accepted it.
As they left the small courtyard, they entered a large garden with pavilions, terraces, small bridges, and flowing streams. Many groups of people were already present, engaging in social interactions during this rare gathering.
Li Xuan, having been a member of the Li family and the manager of a shop in Singing Sand City, had a wide circle of acquaintances. Now that he served a new master, he made full use of his advantages.
"Brother Ruan, it's been a while! This is Sect Master Meng of Taiyi Sect. He's my new employer," said Li Xuan, introducing Meng Zhang to a person from Golden Blade Sect.
"Sect Master, this Brother Ruan is a remarkable figure from Golden Blade Sect."
...
"Sect Master, this is Brother Chen, the foreign affairs elder of Flying Eagle Sect. Allow me to introduce you both."
...
"Sect Master, this is Brother Gu. Don't let his loose cultivator status fool you; he surpasses many cultivators from prominent families."
...
Li Xuan led Meng Zhang through the garden, engaging in conversations with all the relevant cultivators, making introductions on Meng Zhang's behalf.
After making the rounds, Meng Zhang's smile felt almost numb. Although he wasn't physically tired, he felt mentally exhausted and slightly irritated.
In the hierarchy of Twin Success Valley's affiliated forces, Forest Mountain School and the now-destroyed Li family belonged to the first tier, with many Foundation Building stage and Refining Qi stage cultivators. They were considered powerful and were given some respect by Twin Success Valley. The second tier included forces like Taiyi Sect's arch-nemesis, Zhao Family. These forces had several Refining Qi stage cultivators and, with some luck, could produce a Foundation Building stage cultivator. In the presence of a Foundation Building stage cultivator, they could even challenge the first-tier forces. However, without a Foundation Building stage cultivator, their power would decline drastically, and they might face various crises. The third tier consisted of forces that had never produced a Foundation Building stage cultivator, relying solely on Refining Qi stage cultivators to maintain their status.
Over a decade ago, Taiyi Sect belonged to the third tier. However, after the chaos caused by the sand monster incident more than ten years ago, Taiyi Sect lost all its Refining Qi stage elders and fell to the bottom of Twin Success Valley's affiliated forces. Now that Meng Zhang had reached the Refining Qi stage, Taiyi Sect was starting to recover its strength and barely qualified as a third-tier force. Despite this, Taiyi Sect was still considered quite weak among the various forces gathered in the garden.
When encountering individuals from larger forces, some were polite and exchanged a few words, while others simply ignored them. Li Xuan smiled and greeted people everywhere, but they didn't form any significant connections.
In a quiet corner of the garden, Meng Zhang's face darkened. "Sect Master, there's no need for you to introduce them. I know them all," he said to Li Xuan.
He not only recognized them but was also quite familiar with them. These people were all Zhao Family's descendants, and the middle-aged man leading them was Zhao Dong, the one Meng Zhang had fought with before.
Seeing Zhao Dong, Meng Zhang noticed that Zhao Dong had reached the same cultivation level as him, the Refining Qi stage, with a cultivation base at the seventh level. However, there was a hint of arrogance in Zhao Dong's eyes, seemingly provoking Meng Zhang.
When Meng Zhang's cultivation base was inferior to Zhao Dong's, he could still suppress him with the Blood Refining Martyr Art. Now that their cultivation bases were equal, Meng Zhang didn't even bother to pay him any mind.
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