Chapter 1223: The Great Fat Rat!

At Thousand Dao Tower, Xu Changshi stood in the center of the main hall with a face ashen like iron. Behind him, his subordinates knelt in masses.

Before Xu Changshi, the Grand Desolate Immortal sat solemnly in the main seat. Beside him stood a cultivator dressed in a Dao robe.

When Fang Chen and Du Yunxu's divine souls entered the hall, they immediately recognized the cultivator dressed in Dao robes as Song Zhili.

That was the same man who had been taken away by the Spirit God Sect's law enforcement cultivators for decades, yet today he appeared again in Thousand Dao Tower.

"Changshi, there is a bit of karma between me and the Xu Family. I once had high hopes for you in this matter. But for over seventy years, you have made no progress here, and the Spirit God Sect's power has been suppressed and confined by the Killing Spiritual Division. I've heard that over on the Tuxiong Star, our sect's influence can barely extend to even one prefecture?

The Grand Desolate Immortal sighed softly. "Now there are only a few rogue cultivators in those remote areas trying to scheme for our sect with the Blood Spirit God Pill?"

His gentle tone betrayed resentment and disappointment beneath it. His tone was filled with scolding.

Song Zhili smiled. "I think perhaps he's been bought off by the Killing Spiritual Division to act like this."

Xu Changshi immediately flew into a rage and glared at Song Zhili. "What nonsense are you on about? Why are you barking like a dog?"

Song Zhili's face darkened, and his aura fluctuated violently. "You!"

"Song Zhili, on what grounds do you dare say I accepted benefits from the Killing Spiritual Division? What good could those paupers possibly offer me!?"

Xu Changshi continued to curse loudly, "I am a third-transformation Loose Immortal of the Spirit God Sect, and I am sure to advance to the fourth transformation in the future. You say I betrayed the Spirit God Sect? What right do you have to slander me like this?

"You couldn't even protect the Frost Water Immortal Flame, yet you dared to hide this from your superiors and conceal the matter. Right now, you should be in prison, not barking here! Tell me, who gave you benefits? Which damned person had the audacity to accept your bribes and then release you to bark here? Speak!"

Yan Haoran, kneeling on the ground, suddenly raised his head, his eyes filled with murderous intent. "Xu Changshi, how dare you insult my master like that!"

"Shut up! I wonder if you have been holding a grudge these past years. I'm not sure who told you that I'm the one who caused your master to be captured by the law enforcement cultivators," Xu Changshi shouted angrily.

He turned to the Grand Desolate Immortal and cupped his hands. "Senior, when I took over, it was already a mess. For years, I've struggled to change the situation. But time and again, our schemes are known to the Killing Spiritual Division. I think there's a rat inside the Spirit God Sect! A big fat rat! We must find and root him out!"

The Grand Desolate Immortal looked at Xu Changshi, who was complaining before him, and fell silent for a while. After a moment, he slowly spoke, "Song Zhili is someone I released."

"Oh?" Xu Changshi immediately changed his tone. "Senior, I wasn't cursing you; I was simply feeling unfair that Song Zhili could appear here. I don't know why you would release this barking dog. You surely know what kind of character the Heavenly Saint Sect has, right? Back then, just one Wang Chongsong caused the Heavenly Saint Sect itself to become what it is today. I think Song Zhili is the same kind of troublemaker! A harmful spirit!"

Song Zhili's face turned pale, but he said nothing, silently suppressing the anger in his heart.

Although he managed to escape this time, it cost him a lot. He absolutely couldn't afford to be caught slipping over a verbal dispute and cause displeasure to Grand Desolate Immortal.

Compared to Xu Changshi's background, the Heavenly Saint Sect's current status was indeed far weaker.

Grand Desolate Immortal waved his hand in dissatisfaction. "Wang Chongsong is Wang Chongsong, Song Zhili is Song Zhili. Don't confuse the two."

"I can tell you, Song Zhili did make mistakes, but the Heavenly Saint Sect has already made amends by finding a new immortal flame. So he no longer needs to be detained."

Xu Changshi smiled and nodded. "I see, the Heavenly Saint Sect really has some skills to be able to find a new immortal flame in today's era? Not bad, not bad."

However, he soon shifted his tone. "But even so, that doesn't mean Song Zhili didn't do wrong. Senior, would you rather let a convicted man take charge here than trust me?

"My family has never betrayed the Spirit God Sect for generations; who among us hasn't devoted themselves entirely to the sect? But what did Song Zhili say? That I took benefits from the Killing Spiritual Division? Bah! I, Xu Changshi, stand upright and pure, dedicating my life wholly to the Spirit God Sect. For him to slander and betray me, what does that mean? Is he trying to prompt the sect's leadership to investigate my family? Or force us to compromise over this matter?"

Xu Changshi's voice grew stern. "If that's the case, I will appeal to higher authorities and have elders intervene to see whether I, Xu Changshi, have betrayed the Spirit God Sect. If Song Zhili is spreading lies, then he must bear the responsibility for his barking!"

Fang Chen couldn't help but nod slightly. He hadn't misjudged Xu Changshi; he was indeed decently capable. Although, a huge part of that relied on the backing of the Xu Family.

At the same time, Xu Changshi had clearly pointed out the Grand Desolate Immortal's weak spot.

Besides him, probably no one else knew about the matter of him receiving benefits from the Lesser Immortal Realm.

He certainly wouldn't want others to know and share in the gains. After all, this involved precious immortal herbs. Its value was immeasurable.

If this matter reached higher authorities, it would bring no benefit to the Grand Desolate Immortal. It might even allow others to get some leverage against him because he released Song Zhili.

Sure enough, the Grand Desolate Immortal's expression softened somewhat as he waved his hand. "Changshi, don't be so agitated. I didn't come this time to say you must be removed. I only want to ask about the real situation here."

Song Zhili's expression suddenly changed. He instinctively looked toward Grand Desolate Immortal. However, seeing that he was being ignored, he immediately understood and bowed slightly, no longer speaking.

"Oh? Just the real situation here? Senior, you should have said so earlier. Yan Haoran understands these matters," said Xu Changshi with a smile, shooting a glare at Song Zhili.

"See that? I rely heavily on Yan Haoran here; all major and minor matters go through him. You say I took benefits from the Killing Spiritual Division. So has your disciple taken benefits from them too?"

Song Zhili's face grew even more unpleasant. He had no rebuttal.

The Grand Desolate Immortal laughed. "Alright, alright, don't be upset. It was just a heated remark. Don't take it too seriously. I also know Changshi would never side with the Killing Spiritual Division. You can't stand the way those people operate."

So the whole removal drama was ended by Xu Changshi making a fuss, turning it into a joke.

However, Fang Chen subtly caught a trace of satisfaction deep in the Grand Desolate Immortal.

"That old fellow never intended to remove Xu Changshi but was using this to reprimand him. At the same time, bringing back Song Zhili so the two can work together? Looks like the Lesser Immortal Realm is pressing him hard."

Fang Chen smiled at Du Yunxu.

At that moment, Yan Haoran was already reporting the details of the decades-long struggle between the Spirit God Sect and the Killing Spiritual Division.

At the end, Yan Haoran let out a breath and said softly, "Elders, our intelligence has always lagged behind the Killing Spiritual Division, and that's why we keep losing. We can't just recklessly slaughter living beings without cause, can we?"

After a pause, Yan Haoran's eyes suddenly brightened as he spoke, "Senior, can we imitate the Myriad Immortal Palace? Why not ask them to help, just like when they destroyed the Nine Immortal Mountain Holy Land back then?"

Grand Desolate Immortal's expression grew somewhat awkward. "The Myriad Immortal Palace, huh..."