The grand banquet ended swiftly.
Hong Tianbao took Zhang Fusheng around, introducing one acquaintance after another, including descendants of old friends, essentially entrusting his own network to his apprentice.
After personally seeing off the numerous guests and arranging a ’visit’ time with Hu Zhongli under everyone’s gaze,
Zhang Fusheng then ’kicked’ Zhang Xiaoxi, that troublesome kid, out of the hall.
"Junior Brother Zhang, don’t forget about me while you’re busy visiting Elder Hu," Shen Baobao said before leaving.
He naturally responded with a smile, making note of it in his mind.
The Ancient Saint Sect of Confucianism.....
Shen Baobao, indeed, is a good choice, holding a high position within the Ancient Saint Sect, and an equally significant status in reality.
If Zhang Fusheng aimed to pull Elder Yu into the High Heaven Association, he planned to bring Shen Baobao into something even grander than High Heaven.
The Four Great Religions, both the Buddhist and Taoist Religions, whether Ling Mountain, Mandala, or Eastern and Western Sects, all have people who have ascended beyond High Heaven.
Zhang Fusheng wasn’t too impressed with the Pantheon, but Confucianism was an influence he needed to harness.
Watching Shen Baobao leave, he decided to quietly deliver the High Heaven Order to him tonight, before turning his gaze to the senior elder.
Chen Qiusheng didn’t linger, seemingly receiving some news, hurriedly departing.
Zhang Fusheng watched his departing silhouette silently, smiling.
Competitors...
Eliminate all competitors, and there would be no competition.
He sighed softly, but still, it was a pity he couldn’t finish it thoroughly.
Zhang Fusheng learned about the whereabouts of Wang Tianlong and Lu Zheng from He Gaozhuo, only managing to deal with these two,
but as for Second Senior Uncle’s unworthy disciple, Jin Qiuyue?
Tracking him down in the short term is difficult.
This time, the timing, location, and circumstances were all favorable—it was his own apprenticeship banquet, and even the Western Believers backing Wang Tianlong and the others hadn’t reacted in time.
Next time, if he wanted to kill Jin Qiuyue?
It would be troublesome.
Second Senior Uncle probably wouldn’t interfere much, as he was eager to cut ties with this branch, but those Western Believers...
Zhang Fusheng sighed softly again.
"I’ll still have to find an opportunity to eliminate this Jin Qiuyue."
He muttered to himself:
"In that case, those Western Believers will only have to support me..."
Zhang Fusheng understood clearly that within the Western Sect, there were different factions, and he was on Miss Mingyue’s side,
with Wang Tianlong and Jin Qiuyue backed by another faction.
In the end, if only he remained?
Then the people from those two factions would have to approach him too.
By then, his status would rise significantly, and he could even demand a great deal!
For example, a massive amount of Star Beast meat.
Or enough Natural Medicine to completely uncover all the secret mysteries of his internal organs in one go!
That’s exactly what he’s lacking now; as long as he has enough Natural Medicine, he could use the cultivation time gained through transactions to reach the pinnacle of a Martial Arts Master in one go!
Or even, a Grandmaster—no, a Great Grandmaster.
"A Great Grandmaster... just a step away."
Returning to the back room.
"In the days to come, cultivate well."
In the back room, Hong Tianbao held Zhang Fusheng’s hands solemnly.
"As your mentor, I can only support you for a while, just a while."
"Beyond that, through all the hardships and challenges, you’ll have to walk and climb over on your own!"
Zhang Fusheng bowed deeply in respect.
Genuinely heartfelt.
The time spent with his master wasn’t particularly long.
But his master’s sincerity toward him was palpable—truth be told, in this pathological world today, ’rare’ isn’t enough to describe it.
"You led me onto the path,"
he said, using the term ’path’ rather than simply saying ’initiated me.’
Hong Tianbao paused, stroked his long beard in comfort, but his expression suddenly grew solemn.
"Soon, you will go with your two senior sisters to meet your grandmaster."
He gestured, summoning Chen Yuque and Lin Dongxi.
Zhang Fusheng was somewhat curious:
"Isn’t that tomorrow?"
"Tomorrow is for listening and learning the techniques; today is for paying respects."
"Paying respects?"
Lin Dongxi wondered:
"Paying respects to our grandmaster?"
Hong Tianbao nearly lost patience, giving Lin Dongxi a tap on the head:
"Your grandmaster is still alive!"
He took a breath, his expression turned solemn, voice deepened:
"Remember the essence of our lineage."
Zhang Fusheng felt a chill in his heart.
Indeed.
Their lineage, after all, is from the Evil Cult—even if according to his master, they had left the cult, there were still inexplicable connections with Ling Mountain’s lineage.
Hong Tianbao spoke in a low voice:
"To pay respects to the last True God of the Ling Mountain lineage."
The three senior and junior disciples exchanged looks.
The last True God of the Ling Mountain lineage??
Zhang Fusheng pondered:
"Master, do you mean the fall of the Ling Mountain lineage actually began with the decline of the deities from the Different Dimension?"
Hong Tianbao nodded slightly:
"Otherwise, how could the vast Ling Mountain lineage wither so completely in just a few decades?"
He sighed softly:
"Truly speaking, although we’ve left the sect, we’re still people of the Ling Mountain lineage."
"If in the future you wish to glimpse the great path, to achieve a Realm Breakthrough in the Innate Realm, you cannot do without the help of the last deity of Ling Mountain."
Zhang Fusheng’s expression turned extremely solemn; indeed, to Break into the Innate Realm, the assistance of deities from the Different Dimension is necessary.
Normally, it requires anchoring to a certain scenario and corresponding deities from the Different Dimension.
But it could also naturally be other divine spirits.