Lying Low in the Martial World to Become a Saint

Chen Qing arrived outside the courtyard where Qu He lived and gently rapped the door knocker.

Soon, a maidservant dressed in a simple and elegant dress opened the door.

She recognized Chen Qing and quickly stepped aside to bow. "Brother Chen, please come in."

The maidservant led Chen Qing to the living room, served him a cup of fragrant hot tea, and then withdrew to announce his arrival.

Before long, Qu He emerged from an inner room with a gentle smile on his face. "Junior Brother Chen, what brings you here today?"

He was familiar with his junior brother’s disposition; the man rarely visited him just to build connections.

Chen Qing stood up, bowed, and didn’t beat around the bush, directly explaining that his Contribution Points had been docked.

Upon hearing this, the smile on Qu He’s face gradually faded. His brow furrowed slightly as he mused, "Something like this actually happened... The amount of Contribution Points for a Prison Peak Defender is set by Sect regulations. How can it be changed arbitrarily? Wait here for a moment. I’ll go to the Steward Hall and ask about this right now."

Clearly, he was also completely unaware of this matter.

Chen Qing nodded. "I’ll have to trouble you, Brother."

Qu He left in a hurry. Chen Qing sat quietly waiting in the living room. His tea was refilled twice, and after about the time it takes for three incense sticks to burn, he saw Qu He return, his expression unpleasant.

"Junior Brother Chen..."

Qu He sighed, his tone tinged with a hint of helplessness. "This has become rather difficult."

"Why?" Chen Qing frowned inwardly.

’Can’t this be resolved even when a True Disciple personally inquires about it?’

"This matter was decided after a review by Elder Wu, who is in charge of disbursing Contribution Points at the Steward Hall."

Qu He said in a low voice, "He insists that the Contribution Point quota for guarding the outskirts of Prison Peak is too high. He claims it’s excessive compared to other equivalent positions, so he used his authority to cut it by three hundred points. He argues this complies with the Sect’s ’rational allocation of resources’ regulation."

He paused, looked at Chen Qing, and said, "His actions are most likely because he’s heard the rumors—that our True Martial Lineage is fully supporting your bid for the position of True Disciple..."

Chen Qing was silent.

He already understood what Qu He had left unsaid.

Receiving the True Martial Lineage’s resource support was like a double-edged sword.

While he received their full assistance, he would also inevitably become a public target. He was bound to face pressure and unseen suppression from all sides. This was unavoidable.

If he succeeded in his bid, it would directly impact the existing structure and the allocation of resources.

"I understand." Chen Qing nodded, his expression calm and unreadable.

Seeing him like this, Qu He said, "I’m also powerless in this matter, Brother. Although I rank sixth among the True Disciples, the True Martial Lineage’s influence is weak. We don’t have enough say in many affairs, making it difficult to overturn a decision already made by the Steward Hall."

"You must understand, the True Essence Realm allows one to refine their True Essence and extend their lifespan. Above us, the current generation of True Disciples, there are True Disciples from the previous generation, and even the generation before that. Although most of them no longer directly compete for the current generation’s resources—either secluding themselves to cultivate on Hidden Peak or serving as Elders—their influence still permeates every aspect of the Sect."

The profound foundation of the Celestial Treasure Upper Sect was far beyond what an ordinary sect could compare to.

Masters in the True Essence Realm could increase their lifespan. Barring any calamities, it wasn’t difficult for them to live past two hundred years.

This long lifespan meant that within the Sect, True Disciples and Elders from the current, previous, and even the generation before that coexisted, forming a behemoth of three or even four generations under one roof.

The True Essence Realm masters accumulated over hundreds of years, along with their connections, disciples, and influence, had long since interwoven through time into a tangled, all-encompassing, invisible web.

It was for this very reason that the Sect established an ironclad rule: only those under the age of sixty could be True Disciples, and they were granted great authority and the right to allocate resources.

This measure was intended to draw a red line, preventing those senior masters hiding behind the scenes from directly entering the fray. This was to stop the Sect from falling into vicious internal strife and to guarantee room for the new generation to grow.

However, while rules could restrict actions, they couldn’t erase influence.

Once they passed sixty and relinquished their position as True Disciples, the factions and prestige these disciples had cultivated over the long years would not dissipate. Instead, they would become new threads in that giant web, continuing to influence the Sect’s future.

The decline of the True Martial Lineage was not only reflected in the quantity and quality of its current True Disciples. It stemmed from the fact that the Li Qingyu incident had created a near-total rupture in the core strength of that generation, resulting in an irreparable vacuum and trapping them in a vicious cycle.

But before Li Qingyu betrayed the Sect, the True Martial Lineage had been known as the head of the Four Veins, the undisputed supporting pillar of the Celestial Treasure Upper Sect.

"Junior Brother Chen, it’s best to endure this for now."

Qu He advised, "The most powerful and direct counterattack is to raise your strength as soon as possible and ascend to the rank of True Disciple. Back then, Elder Deng was suppressed in the same way on Martial Discussion Peak and was ultimately forced to transfer... The helplessness involved is more than can be expressed in just a few words."

The competition between lineages was all-encompassing, involving authority, status, and resources.

Even Deng Ziheng, a True Essence Realm expert, could not escape the crushing pressure of the lineage struggles. How could he, Chen Qing, a mere Astral Force disciple, hope to remain aloof and unaffected?

Chen Qing took a deep breath, suppressing the tumultuous thoughts churning in his mind.

’The root of all this conflict is a manifestation of tangible strength.’

"Brother Qu, I understand."

Chen Qing said in a low voice, then asked, "I’d like to ask, who is this Elder Wu from the Steward Hall? Which lineage does he belong to?"

Qu He pondered for a moment before answering truthfully, "Elder Wu’s full name is Wu Hanhai. He comes from the Nine Heavens Lineage. The Nine Heavens Lineage is powerful and suppresses our True Martial Lineage the most severely. There are two main reasons for this. First, of course, is the struggle for resources and influence. Our lineage is in decline, so they try every means to squeeze our room for survival and prevent us from producing another True Disciple, lest we take a share of their benefits. As for the second reason..."

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