Eternal Life as False Emperor

Lin Junrong was the first to react: "Elder Zheng, do you mean... the Nether Spirit Race?"

Fengg Xia had an epiphany: "Elder Zheng is correct; the Nether Spirit Race is ambitious, and they could launch an attack against our Human Race at any moment. Compared to their threat, the cultivators outside the Star Sea, trying to steal our secret manuals, are nothing."

Some elders expressed doubts.

"Elder Zheng, your words do make sense. However, it is the affair of the Heaven-supporting Sword Sect or Jinghang Mountain to thwart the Nether Spirit Race’s attack. Although our Star Sea is also a Major Sect, we can’t call the shots."

"Elder Zheng, we’re aware of the Nether Spirit Race threat. But how does that relate to the secret manuals we protect in the Star Sea?"

The elder intended to say his own secret manuals, but as the words left his mouth, he realized they didn’t sound right.

Though Zheng Yi had already taught them these cultivation techniques, the secret manuals could be considered possessions of the Star Sea.

Yet fundamentally, these are still Zheng Yi’s cultivation techniques.

Strictly speaking, if Zheng Yi wished to gift these techniques to others, the Star Sea couldn’t necessarily object.

"I understand your concerns." Zheng Yi did not rush to deny their thoughts: "If it were under normal circumstances, I would certainly agree, striving to keep these techniques from spreading."

"Since I have already taught the techniques to the Star Sea, naturally, they are now the Star Sea’s techniques. How they are handled is the Star Sea’s own matter."

"But given the current situation, a war concerning the destiny of the races might erupt at any moment."

"You must be aware, that if this battle begins, it is likely it won’t cease until one side is extinct."

"Under such circumstances, shouldn’t anything that can enhance our Human Race’s overall power be open to all Human Race cultivators? If we could elevate all Human Race cultivators’ cultivation by one realm, wouldn’t our chances in the upcoming war be greater?"

To persuade them, Zheng Yi put himself entirely in the Star Sea’s shoes to consider the problem.

He believed the elders could understand the implications.

"Elder Zheng speaks wisely." Wang Haiwong excitedly stood up, his face flushed, and said: "Right now, there is no need to haggle over such trivial gains and losses."

"If we indeed lose, the Star Sea would cease to exist, what use would those secret manuals be then?"

As an elder of the Scripture Pavilion, Fengg Xia instinctively rejected the idea: "It shouldn’t come to exposing Elder Zheng’s techniques to us, should it? We could find some excellent Foundation Establishment techniques, those are sufficient for those loose cultivators to train in."

Others strongly supported Fengg Xia’s proposal.

"Elder Fengg speaks rationally, can’t we just give them other techniques?"

"Though our Star Sea’s Foundation Establishment techniques don’t measure up to Elder Zheng’s, they are not something those loose cultivators can access casually."

"Moreover, such matters shouldn’t be decided by just us in the Star Sea; the Heaven-supporting Sword Sect, Jinghang Mountain, Chibi Mountain, Yingxing Valley... don’t they all have their own secret Foundation Establishment techniques? If everyone reveals theirs, wouldn’t it be fair?"

Zheng Yi helplessly shook his head; such sectarian biases were deeply ingrained, changing their minds wouldn’t be easy.

Wang Haiwong explained: "Do you take those cultivators for fools? Everyone knows what techniques we obtained from Elder Zheng."

"If we presented a fake technique, the Star Sea would immediately become the laughingstock of the world."

Fengg Xia retorted: "It’s not entirely unfounded; no sect has ever been so generous, openly sharing its sect’s core techniques. If this doesn’t suffice, we shouldn’t cater to the whims of the insatiable."

"No way!" Lin Junrong rejected emphatically: "Core techniques are passed down by generations of predecessors, how can they be easily revealed?"

Some elders, swayed by Wang Haiwong, earnestly persuaded Lin Junrong: "Elder Lin, I believe Elder Wang makes a valid point; if our Star Sea doesn’t survive, what good are those techniques?"

They argued vehemently, one voice after another.

For a time, Zheng Yi couldn’t get a word in edgewise.

After all, though he was the Star Sea’s Honored Elder, he hadn’t been with the Star Sea long enough; strictly speaking, neither he nor the elders necessarily considered each other as insiders.

"Silence!" A crisp female voice resounded.

Everyone realized Wenn Ziyan had appeared in the hall without them noticing.

"Sect Leader, you..." Lin Junrong felt immense guilt.

Cultivators in closed-door cultivation must not be disturbed.

One interruption might forever bar one’s chance of a breakthrough.

And Wenn Ziyan’s current seclusion had already been disrupted twice by them.

All the elders understood what Wenn Ziyan’s appearance meant, and they lowered their heads in guilt.

This breakthrough was exceedingly crucial, yet instead of aiding it, they had repeatedly interrupted their sect leader.

"Were it not for a fortunate encounter this time, yielding some insights, your deaths wouldn’t suffice to compensate my losses. Now, tell me, what are you arguing about this time?" Wenn Ziyan’s face was icy.

After Lin Junrong narrated the incident, Wenn Ziyan’s eyes, fixed on Zheng Yi, brimmed with a probing look.