NOVPUBA cultivator at the Nascent Soul stage, unless being as out of touch with worldly affairs as Yao Wudi, should not be neglected.
Especially since Wang Ba himself was exceptional.
But as the newly appointed Sect Master had just ascended to the position, he, as an Elder, did not find it proper to say much.
Qu Shentong seemed to turn a blind eye to the minor complaints of the cultivators below and calmly announced the next directive:
"In light of this lesson, Qu suggests the establishment of a Deputy Sect Master position. Should anything happen to the Sect Master, the Deputy will take over temporarily to avoid leaderless chaos."
Once these words were spoken, the cultivators in the hall inevitably started discussing amongst themselves.
Ji Ying and Xumi did not anticipate Qu Shentong making such a proposal and exchanged glances with furrowed brows.
Ji Ying said after some contemplation,
"Normally, it should not be necessary as even without the Sect Master, there are still the Elders of Taihe Palace… However, no one foresaw such a great calamity this time, and Sect Master Qu’s concerns do indeed make sense. This old man agrees with the proposal."
With the Elders voicing their support, there was little else the others could say.
Some, however, felt their hearts stir with speculation.
Sure enough, Qu Shentong immediately announced his choice for Deputy Sect Master.
"Chief Division Master Wang Ba of Diwu Hall, with his strategic insight, unmatched in magical combat, composed and well-measured demeanor, and proficiency in adapting to power shifts, shall hold the position of Deputy Sect Master. Should I be unable to fulfill my duties, Wang Ba shall lead the Sect."
Upon hearing this, Ji Ying slightly nodded his head in appreciation and looked at Qu Shentong with increased respect.
Among the cultivators below, initially, some had objections, but they too found themselves nodding.
They were either from the twenty-five departments under Diwu Hall, well-acquainted with Wang Ba, or were Martial Uncles under whom Wang Ba had once studied. They naturally supported him more.
Seeing Qu Shentong and the others looking over at him, Wang Ba pondered for a moment and finally nodded in agreement.
He was not averse to holding a high position, but he resisted standing in the most conspicuous spot.
The position of Sect Master was undeniably too hot to handle and came with too many constraints. Moreover, having just advanced to the Nascent Soul stage, he was at a critical point in his cultivation. Being distracted would not be good for either the Sect or himself.
Now was not the most suitable time.
While the role of Deputy Sect Master would also attract attention, with Sect Master Qu upfront, he would only need to manage his part well.
Seeing Wang Ba accept, Qu Shentong also breathed a sigh of relief and quickly delegated other vacant positions.
Throughout the hall, almost all cultivators at the Nascent Soul stage received promotions to some extent.
Yet, no one felt joyful; instead, they couldn’t help but recall the past prosperity of the Wanxiang Sect and felt a wave of sadness.
Soon, everyone moved under Qu Shentong’s arrangements to their respective positions to acclimate to their upcoming roles.
This was to avoid any disruptions during the succession ceremony three days later.
In the hall, only the new Sect Master Qu Shentong, Deputy Sect Master Wang Ba, the Third Hall master, and a few other high-ranking sect members such as Ji Ying and Xumi remained.
Ji Ying spoke first:
"Now that our Sect’s plan to leave this realm on the Tribulation Crossing Raft is no longer viable, since we cannot leave, we must seriously deal with the issues in Fenglin Continent. After all, we still need to survive in this world."
Everyone present nodded slightly.
The path to Immortal Ascension was severed, but those who remained still needed to live.
Indeed, the cultivators that could truly achieve Immortal Ascension were extremely few.
And in order to live well, they still needed to diligently manage and acquire cultivation resources.
Ji Ying continued:
"The first issue, according to what the Sect Master communicated to me through the Spirit Rhinoceros Stone before he left, nearly all the Immortal Ascension cultivators in the primitive Demonic Sect have been sent to fill the Sky Rift, leveling almost the entire Demon Sect. Now, we can probably stop worrying about the Demon Sect... However, absence of the Demon Sect poses a significant issue, which is the cultivators from the Three Continents who were held back by it."
"Secondly, there remain remnants of issues with the Kingdom of Immortals. Previously, the Sect Master attempted to seal off the stronghold of the Kingdom of Immortals in Yujiang City, but it’s unclear if there are any that escaped the net. Additionally, many followers of the Evil Gods of the Kingdom of Immortals are still far away in the Huangji Continent."
"Thirdly, the Great Flood, and the still not fully closed Realm Membrane fissure in the sky, these continue to pose threats to us and must be resolved."
"These three matters are exactly what we need to face and resolve."
Upon hearing Ji Ying’s words, Qu Shentong slightly furrowed his brow and spoke:
"As for the cultivators from the Three Continents seeking to expand their territory, since the Demon Sect is no more, our Jin’s Three Sects and One Clan has also suffered great losses and lacks the strength to drive them away, so we might just have to watch them occupy Yan."
"As for the Kingdom of Immortals, we could send cultivators to the Huangji Continent to thoroughly check the situation."
"The Realm Membrane fissure in the sky… that’s a bit problematic."
"What do you all think?"
Qu Shentong looked toward Guan Ao, Ma Shengxu, and others.
Guan Ao, skilled in magical combat, didn’t have much of an opinion on these matters, so he chose to remain silent.
Ma Shengxu hesitated for a moment and then said:
"We don’t know what the situation is out there; how about we first gather some intelligence before coming up with a plan?"
Qu Shentong thought for a moment and felt the suggestion was reasonable, he then shifted his gaze to another person:
"Wang Ba, what do you think?"
Wang Ba contemplated for a moment and then spoke:
"I agree with Martial Uncle Ma. After this calamity, our Sect is not very clear on the changes in Fenglin Continent, which is unacceptable. Would it not be better to restart the Linglong Ghost Market outside of Jin, allowing us to exchange information with the outside and stay updated about the local situations?"
