Now, among the powers in Kang Kingdom that had the strength to face pressure from the Rogue Cultivator Alliance, only the "Three Tribes, Two Mountains, and One Palace" remained, along with the Mirror Water Pavilion of Zheng Kingdom's immortal sect, which had moved into Moon Condensation Palace.
Of these seven major powers, Wei Tu was most closely tied to Mirror Water Pavilion and had significant dealings with Qin Yuling's lineage.
However, the Mirror Water Pavilion was currently reliant on others for survival, and it was a sect of female cultivators… Wei Tu immediately ruled it out as an option in his mind.
Among the remaining six powers, only the Ying Ding Tribe fit Wei Tu's needs.
The Ying Ding Tribe was an alliance of various tribes and did not reject the entry of outside cultivators. Moreover, they placed very few restrictions on those who joined.
Coincidentally, Wei Tu was already renting spiritual land within a subordinate tribe of the Ying Ding Tribe and temporarily serving as the High Priest of that tribe.
As long as he agreed, he could seamlessly join the Ying Ding Tribe and enjoy their protection.
Previously, Wei Tu hadn't rushed to accept the role of High Priest of the Fen Shan Tribe because he still had options—he could wait up to fifty years before accepting.
There was no need to jump into the position hastily.
But now, his options had dwindled.
...
A month later.
After restoring his spiritual energy on the seventh floor of the Pagoda, Wei Tu sent a message talisman, inviting High Priest Mu Feng to discuss joining the Ying Ding Tribe.
"Wei Priest, have you made up your mind?"
High Priest Mu Feng arrived at Wei Tu's cave residence the moment he received the message, his face full of delight.
Previously, although he had hoped Wei Tu would become the Fen Shan Tribe's High Priest, he hadn't been particularly enthusiastic.
After all, fifty years from now, with the Sacred Spring Conference approaching, many priests and mages would flock to the Fen Shan Tribe, fighting over the position of High Priest.
However—
Once Wei Tu showcased his "skills," High Priest Mu Feng's mindset changed. He went to great lengths to try to keep Wei Tu in the Fen Shan Tribe.
Yanyu was one such move he had made.
A tier-three talisman master.
A near-tier-two alchemist.
Such a High Priest was a rare treasure among the subordinate tribes of the Ying Ding Tribe.
In Mu Feng's eyes, as long as Wei Tu remained, the Fen Shan Tribe would eventually thrive due to Wei Tu's talents, becoming one of the top tribes in the Ying Ding alliance—second only to the royal court itself.
"I've lived in the Fen Shan Tribe for several years. The people are honest, the customs are upright, and with the care of High Priest Mu Feng… I've been moved to take on the responsibility of becoming the tribe's High Priest."
Wei Tu carefully chose his words.
At this moment, he couldn't reveal that his true reason was to guard against Qi Chengchu. Becoming the High Priest of Fen Shan Tribe and relying on the Ying Ding Tribe's power was his way of securing his own survival.
"Also, I must admit, being a rogue cultivator has its hardships when it comes to advancement... The Sacred Spring Conference held by your noble tribe, I do find it rather tempting."
To make it more believable, Wei Tu added another reason after some thought.
Mu Feng was only half-convinced by the first part of Wei Tu's explanation, but he believed the second part completely.
Being an old fox himself, he understood clearly—only benefits could truly sway people's hearts.
"Becoming a High Priest is different from renting spiritual land. You must go to the royal court... If Wei Priest has no other matters to attend to, I'll take you there immediately to handle the formalities."
High Priest Mu Feng was clearly eager.
His remaining lifespan was short—barely over twenty years. Once Wei Tu officially took over as High Priest, he would need to pass on relevant knowledge.
Moreover, his "living" network of contacts would also need to be handed over to Wei Tu.
—Wei Tu, as the next High Priest, was no different from his personal successor.
...
Wei Tu had no other pressing matters.
He nodded, stood up, and followed High Priest Mu Feng as they flew from the Fen Shan Tribe toward the Ying Ding Tribe's royal court—Hu Jie City.
The Kang tribes rarely built cities, preferring tents for residence, but the royal courts of the Three Great Tribes were exceptions. Each royal court sat within a city upon the grasslands.
Hu Jie City was also called the Hu Jie Immortal City.
Less than half a day later.
A towering immortal city, golden-yellow and shimmering like crystal, came into view.
The entire city resembled a colossal cauldron resting on the vast grasslands.
This giant cauldron had three legs and two handles. Below the three legs stood numerous tents, and at the base of each leg was a city gate that opened and closed.
Through these gates, one could catch glimpses of the scenery inside the immortal city.
Redwood pillars. Beams of gold and jade. Its architecture was nearly identical to the market cities of Cangnan people.
If not for the many cultivators in Kang attire walking about, Wei Tu might have thought he'd stepped into a market owned by some southern sect.
"It's said that the ancestors of the Kang people had bird bodies and human faces. They were skilled archers and wielded a divine cauldron granted by Eternal Heaven... That's why the three great tribes are called Feng Wu, She Ri, and Ying Ding."
"Hu Jie City of the Ying Ding Tribe was built based on the legendary 'Heaven-Earth God Cauldron'…"
High Priest Mu Feng, knowing Wei Tu was an outsider, cheerfully explained the origins of the "Hu Jie Immortal City."
Wei Tu had done plenty of homework on the Kang people while still in Zheng Kingdom. But he didn't interrupt Mu Feng's enthusiasm and let him speak freely.
The two chatted as they walked.
Once inside the cauldron, the scenery changed again.
Above the mouth of the cauldron hovered a yellow light screen, filled with restrictions. Along the inner wall of the cauldron stood tall towers, with many court mages patrolling the skies above, maintaining strict vigilance.
"The Fen Shan Tribe belongs to the domain of the Left Virtuous King under the Ying Ding Tribe. We're heading to his court now..." High Priest Mu Feng said.
Among the Kang people, mortals and cultivators coexisted. In subordinate tribes, the High Priest often held greater authority than the tribal chief who managed mundane affairs.
Within the royal court, the same rules applied.
However, unlike tribal chiefs, the royal court held the authority to appoint or dismiss the high priests of each affiliated tribe. In principle, high priests served the king of the royal court.
But that was just in theory.
In practice, most of the high priests were overseen by the royal court's Divine Masters.
—Divine Master, a realm above high priest and great mage, referred to a Nascent Soul stage cultivator in the Immortal Dao.
…
With Mu Feng, the current high priest, leading the way, Wei Tu had a smooth journey within the Left Virtuous King's court and easily obtained the official decree appointing him as the high priest of the Fen Shan Tribe.
But that was only the first step.
Wei Tu still needed to report to the cave of Divine Master Du Long to officially declare himself under the latter's command.
Only once that was done could he be officially considered the high priest of the Fen Shan Tribe.
Du Long was in closed-door cultivation and had no time to meet juniors like Wei Tu or Mu Feng.
His second disciple, Great Mage Yuan Xian, received the two in his stead.
"You know alchemy? And also how to craft talismans?" Great Mage Yuan Xian was a chubby old man. When he saw the skills listed on Wei Tu's decree, a surprised look appeared on his round face.
A third-rank talisman master and a second-rank alchemist were common in the Cangnan region, but within Ying Ding Tribe, they were much more rare.
"If you ask me, Mu Feng… you should just hand Wei Tu over to the royal court. Let him follow the Divine Master and become one of his disciples. That way, his talent in talismans and alchemy won't go to waste."
Yuan Xian's eyes gleamed as he spoke, clearly wanting to snatch Wei Tu. He smiled warmly.
He knew that if he could bring Wei Tu under their lineage, it would be like gaining a walking treasure chest. The prospects were promising.
Hearing that, Mu Feng's face tightened with anxiety. Wei Tu was the successor he had waited so long for—he absolutely couldn't let the royal court take him away.
He spoke up and directly refused, "Great Mage Yuan Xian, before coming to the royal court, Priest Wei had already signed a spiritual contract with our Fen Shan Tribe. That agreement cannot be altered."
Mu Feng was bluffing.
The spiritual contract between Fen Shan Tribe and Wei Tu only covered the lease of the third-rank spiritual land at Fire Burn Mountain. There was no clause about him becoming the tribe's high priest.
But Mu Feng had no choice at this moment. If the royal court forcibly tried to seize someone and he couldn't give a proper reason, he'd have no way to refuse.
"Priest Wei, the royal court offers many benefits. But what Great Mage Yuan Xian values most is your skill in talismans and alchemy. As for cultivation… the royal court might not be able to help you much…"
Mu Feng quietly sent Wei Tu a voice transmission.
Yuan Xian, standing nearby, didn't object. He just kept smiling, waiting for Wei Tu's reply.
The disparity in resources between tribal outposts and the royal court was something every priest knew deep down.
When the royal court extended an invitation…
Very few priests could resist.
"I, Wei, pursue freedom above all. The royal court has too many rules—I fear I wouldn't be able to get used to it."
Wei Tu tactfully declined.
Talisman Dao and Alchemy Dao—these two immortal crafts were, in his eyes, tools to assist his path in cultivation, not burdens.
To forsake the root for the branch wasn't the act of a wise man.
Besides, he had little contact with the royal court and with Great Mage Yuan Xian, so he had his reservations—he feared that once he joined, he might be forced into becoming a dedicated "alchemy slave" or "talisman slave."
That wouldn't end well.
One last thing—
He carried too many secrets. It wasn't suitable for him to stay in close contact with Nascent Soul cultivators.
That alone was enough reason for him to refuse Yuan Xian.
"Priest Wei, are you perhaps worried about the Sacred Spring Conference?" Yuan Xian frowned slightly when Wei Tu refused. Then he said persuasively, "The Sacred Spring Conference isn't only for high priests. We great mages can also participate, and we get to bathe in the spring a whole year longer than high priests."
"I already have an agreement with High Priest Mu Feng. I would not feel right breaking it."
Wei Tu refused again.
"In that case, never mind." Yuan Xian shook his head.
As his words fell—
Mu Feng finally let out a sigh of relief.
But just as Wei Tu and Mu Feng thought everything was over, Yuan Xian suddenly spoke again, a sly smile on his lips.
"However, since Priest Wei is so accomplished in alchemy, I happen to have a spiritual plant here that is withering…"
"I'd like Priest Wei to use your alchemical skills to revive this plant."
"A spiritual plant?" Wei Tu and Mu Feng exchanged a look and furrowed their brows.
He had just refused Yuan Xian, the representative of the royal court.
If he refused again now, it would undoubtedly be seen as a major offense.
Of course, he also knew that Yuan Xian was likely using this spiritual plant as a pretext to make trouble—so they'd be accused of "disrespecting the royal court."
That accusation could be minor… or serious.
Though not fatal, it would still be troublesome for both of them.
"Don't worry, Priest Wei. I have a good relationship with Divine Master Du Long's fourth disciple, Great Mage Qu Bei. If you refuse Yuan Xian, I'll go find Qu Bei to settle things."
Mu Feng quietly transmitted.
Though they were both Golden Core cultivators, even if Yuan Xian had higher status, Mu Feng wasn't afraid.
He had played along earlier only to avoid escalating the matter.
Wei Tu gave a small nod and was about to open his mouth to decline Yuan Xian's unreasonable request.
But just then, Bai Zhi's voice rang out in his mind, stopping him.
"This spiritual plant… doesn't seem ordinary. It looks like a withered branch of a Thunder Spirit Tree."
"Agree to his request. I have a way to bring it back to life."
Bai Zhi said urgently.