143 Formal Alliance

"Sect Leader Fang." Ed said respectfully. "I've come from America in hopes of securing a formal alliance between your sect and my organization in America known as Harmony. Originally, I had worked out a deal with Captain Fang, but things are a bit different than when I last spoke with him. Harmony has run into quite a few domestic problems."

"Fang Hao?" Sect Leader Fang nodded, not seeming to find the answer unexpected at all. "Let's discuss this privately. Follow me." He turned away, leading Ed towards the castle.

They climbed steep steps and went through two majestic doors. The inside was like a palace of ancient times. Ed half-expected to be led to a throne room, where he would be treated like a subject making a plea towards a king. But instead, they entered an unremarkable room barely the size of a typical living room. There were no fancy decorations on the walls nor anything resembling gold. Instead, there was just some basic furniture, including a simple table that was low to the ground with a tea set atop it. There was a purple pillow on each side of the table.

Chonglin sat down atop a pillow and poured two cups of tea, passing one across the small table. "So, you've been given the Mortal Dragon Technique?" He questioned.

"Mm." Ed nodded as he copied Sect Leader Fang's posture, sitting uncomfortably on his knees in a position known as seiza. "Though I didn't bring it with me, I can answer anything about it."

"Oh?" Chonglin rose an eyebrow. "And where is the book if you didn't bring it?"

"That..." He hesitated but decided to answer honestly. "I had kept it locked up in my underground lab for safekeeping, but when I was sent to the cage, Reef city was completely destroyed and a manullium mine appeared in its place. I'd imagine the book is either destroyed or hidden within the labyrinth of that mine by now."

"I see." Sect Leader Fang's eyes narrowed, and an extreme pressure radiated from his body. His eyes seemed to be burning with rage.

Ed felt his hearts speed up while also feeling like they'd stop. The pressure was incomparable to any he had felt before. Perhaps only US President Walker came close. Fortunately, the force vanished almost as soon as it appeared.

Sect Leader Fang grinned, like an elderly grandfather teasing his grandson and pretending to be mad. He leisurely took a long sip of tea and let out a long and relaxed sigh. "The book isn't important. It was only an ordinary technique."

"About that..." Ed's curiosity got the better of him, and so he decided to ask some questions before jumping straight into business. "Are there really differences between cultivation techniques? Based on the Mortal Dragon Technique, I would think they are all the same."

"There are differences." Sect Leader Fang nodded and took another sip of tea. A moment of silence took over as he sat silently, seemingly having no desire of expanding further on the topic. Just when Ed was about to move the conversation forward, Chonglin continued. "There are many types of cultivation techniques. The base stays the same, which is why the Mortal Dragon Technique is so simple. It is the most basic of techniques with no fluff or special features added. There are techniques for storing only a single type of mana in all meridians regardless of your mana type. There are techniques for special body constitutions, though they are rare. There are also techniques that allow an ordinary cultivator to mimic special body constitutions. There are other unique types as well. But in the end, it isn't that important." He took a brief sip of tea. "The only thing that truly matters in the beginning is the technique working for the cultivator and for the cultivator to build a strong foundation. Those that seek greater strength at earlier stages often waste time on more difficult techniques and only realize these truths as they get older. It's due to this that we don't actually put much effort into developing new techniques, as they are superfluous in the end. The only exception for this is special body constitution techniques, since they require something unique."

Ed was surprised at the generous wealth of information he hadn't been expecting. "Thanks." He gratefully replied. Satisfied with Chonglin's answer, he decided to jump to business. "I originally met Captain Fang while leading a local Sinless branch in Florida. When I was exposed as an esper and started Harmony, we penned an alliance between our two groups. It was then that I was given the Mortal Dragon Technique. However, things changed very soon after. Both Harmony and myself ran into one hurdle after the other, and the Governor wasn't going to stop until we were both destroyed. Things only continued to escalate from there."

"Mm." Chonglin nodded. "I received a letter from him about you a long time ago." He smiled. "Fang Hao wouldn't have offered you the Mortal Dragon Technique if he did not see your potential, and you rose to power much faster than we expected. It's not just you either, as we've formed similar alliances in many countries. Most of these new groups fail, but there are always a few exceptions to the rule that makes it worth our time. Though I must admit, your group both rose and fell much faster than I expected. I've been paying attention to the developments of Harmony for a long time now. I look forward to seeing it rise again, like a phoenix from the ashes."

"I'm flattered." Ed smiled. "So, can I take that to mean the alliance still stands?"

"Mm." Chonglin agreed. "However, do you know what an alliance really means between the two of us? Do you know why we do such things in the first place?"

"That..." Ed hesitated. Truthfully, he wasn't sure. It was a cheap investment for them at the very least, so it's not like they had much to lose. On the other hand, nothing in life was free. He hadn't worried too much in the beginning, as he was too weak, but things were different now. He was strong enough to stand on his own, and he was a real threat to the status quo in America. However, he wouldn't just sell his country out to another either. He had his own pride and goals. "I don't." He answered honestly while shaking his head. "Even if we form an alliance, I don't know what the Purple Origin Sect could possibly gain from it."

"Most have the same answer." Chonglin poured himself another cup of tea before continuing. "Every organization has its own goals, allies, enemies, and... politics." He frowned. "How much do you know about our sect?"

"Not much." Ed answered. "Only that it's made up of elites from the seven other sects and some geniuses directly recruited."

"Right." Chonglin nodded. Suddenly, his face turned slightly pale, and he coughed into his hand. When he pulled his hand away, there was a trace of blood on both it and his lips. He quickly wiped it away with a cloth before continuing. "Why does our sect offer alliances?" He asked. "Why bother when we can't send much help to our allies? We can't just up and leave the country, leaving our base of operations behind. At most, we might be able to send a few spare espers to help out on occasion. Other than that, we can only provide proper cultivation knowledge and techniques. So, what do we gain by helping raise foreign organizations as our allies in other countries? Like us, they likely wouldn't be able to send any significant amount of forces if we ever needed their help."

Ed remained silent, patiently waiting for the answer while also wondering whether Sect Leader Fang had suffered some type of hidden injury.

"Like many problems, it is an issue of quantity and quality." Chonglin continued. "If the sect were truly ever in danger, only high-quality elites would be capable of assisting us. A few select espers from strong allies would be most welcome in such a situation. However, that still leaves the problem of quantity."

"So." Ed interrupted. "You form many alliances across the world in different countries. Should a time of need ever arise, you can call on all the allies at once. Individually, the allies seem to benefit more from the alliance agreement. But once you call them all at once, you're essentially gaining an elite temporary army at little cost."

"Indeed." Sect Leader Fang nodded while smiling. "Before, the alliance between Harmony and the Purple Origin Sect was merely a starting agreement. We gave you a basic cultivation technique for just yourself to gauge your potential." He stood from the table and walked to a small bookshelf nearby. He reached towards it and pulled out a sheet of paper. Returning to the table, he placed it in front of Ed. "Read the new contract carefully. Unlike the last one, there are far more benefits. But it also comes with restrictions." He sat back down and returned to drinking his tea.

Ed nodded and looked at the paper. There was a bunch of formal legal language, much to his annoyance, but he quickly picked out the main points. By signing the contract, Harmony and the Purple Origin Sect would become official allies indefinitely. In exchange, the Purple Origin Sect would allow a single cultivation technique to be passed down to all members of the ally. Additionally, the Harmony leader would become an honorary Purple Origin Sect elder. His status within the sect would soar, and he would gain access to all cultivation information within the sect. He was also free to guide members of his own organization further down the path of cultivation, though he was forbidden from making the knowledge public. In short, the contract was almost only good things for him. However, there was a single cost. Should the Purple Origin Sect ever require assistance, it was required for Harmony to send three of its most elite members, who at the minimum must have stepped onto the 49 paths. If this requirement cannot be met, then the Harmony leader himself must come to their aid. There was also a clause specifying that this call for aid could only be invoked once a decade at the most.

Having already made up his mind before he came, Ed signed the contract. He used both his real name and his alias, and then passed it to Chonglin.

"Good." Chonglin grinned as he rubbed his beard. "Truthfully, these agreements really do benefit the allies more than us. We've never invoked the call for aid once in the history of the sect." He reached into his robe and pulled out a purple medallion with the Chinese word for 'Elder' inscribed on it. He passed it across the table. "With this, you'll have full access to all of our facilities. Not just knowledge, but also unique training rooms that can't be found anywhere else. I think you'll be quite satisfied with what you find."

"Thank you." Ed replied. Hesitating for a moment, he raised a question. "So, who exactly is the enemy you're worried enough about to form all these alliances?"

"Naturally, it is the other seven sects." Chonglin answered truthfully. "Man always hopes for more power, and the other sects are no different. There is always a game of politics going on in the background here, and they would gladly hasten the fall of the sect if it meant their own sect rising to replace us."

"I see..." He nodded. Deciding to be blunt, he asked what was on his mind. "You coughed blood earlier. Are you injured?"

Chonglin smiled but didn't answer. Instead, he stood up and gestured for Ed to follow.

Confused, Ed followed behind him as they left the room. They travelled to the back of the castle and entered a courtyard. Soon, they came to a cave entrance that slanted downwards. A heavy iron door blocked the entrance, making it appear like a dungeon of some sort.

Chonglin easily opened the door, revealing a pitch-black cave. He waved his hand and a light appeared atop it. Surprisingly, the cave floor was made of high-quality tile. Not only that, but there were many sculptures built directly into the wall. They looked like reverse carvings, like pictures jutting out from the wall. "These are called reliefs." He explained. "They're a unique type of sculpture."

"I see..." Ed nodded politely. Not wanting to let his disinterest in art show, he decided to continue the conversation. "Did the Purple Origin Sect sculpt them?" He asked.

"We did not." Chonglin shook his head. "This cave and these sculptures were here long before the Purple Origin Sect. The discovery of them is the only reason I opted to settle the sect at Mount Dongling." He pointed at the various reliefs. They depicted strange looking men and women, some with wings, some with oddly shaped bodies, and some with other forms. "These are the elder gods. There are many, and the tale for each one could eat up hours of conversation." He continued walking down the path.

"Why are you showing me these?" Ed questioned, his confusion growing greater.

"Like all myths and legends, there are hints of truth sprinkled within." Chonglin calmly explained. "Not just of Chinese beliefs but other religions and cultures as well. These stories we all take for granted as tall tales from another time, are they not remarkably similar to the present?"

"That..." Ed hesitated, not knowing much about religion. It had never registered on his radar as something worth studying like engineering, biology, or even history.

Suddenly, Chonglin stopped. In front of them was a massive mural nearly as large as a football field. "This is one other benefit for the leaders of our allies." He explained. "Go and place your hand upon it."