"If the sect restructuring truly happens, the best scenario is that they remain one of the Four Great Sects."
"But if an unforeseen accident or upheaval occurs, and they lose their position, falling out of the Four Great Sects, wouldn’t that be a great joke?"
"For such a critical matter, they would not be so careless, nor would they treat it as child’s play."
"Therefore, there must be some deeper meaning behind all this..."
Xun Ziyou said in a low voice.
Elder Master Xun seemed somewhat surprised, silently observing Xun Ziyou, then asked in his aged voice:
"What do you think?"
Xun Ziyou gave a bitter smile, "I’m unsure, which is why I wanted to ask you..."
"Speak your mind," Elder Master Xun’s tone softened slightly, "there’s no need to hold back."
After brief contemplation, Xun Ziyou slowly said:
"In my view, the Four Great Sects seem to be planning to... ’reshuffle’ all the sects?"
Elder Master Xun’s brows lifted slightly.
Seeing that the elder did not reprimand him, Xun Ziyou continued:
"Recently, I’ve taken some time to discreetly probe a few old friends within various families and sects."
"Based on the information I’ve gathered..."
"It seems the Four Great Sects intend to reshuffle the entire sect structure within the Qian Learning State Boundary—from the Eight Major Gates, the Twelve Streams, the Qian Learning Hundred Gates, all the way down to the medium and small sects beneath them."
"Those who comply will prosper; those who resist will perish."
"Sects that refuse to heed their command will be ousted from key positions, replaced by those who are obedient."
"By restructuring everything from top to bottom, the Qian Learning State Boundary will be established under a new sect order, with the ’Four Great Sects’ at its core."
"The Four Great Sects would become the sect overlords, a dominating force."
"Meanwhile, the Eight Major Gates, Twelve Streams, and all other Qianxue Sects would be relegated to subordinates, under their thumb, without the slightest room for defiance."
Xun Ziyou sighed, "In this world, most powerful forces, once they grow strong, inevitably monopolize and become oligarchies, ruling unilaterally. This is an inevitability."
"But there are two problems with this approach..."
Xun Ziyou’s expression turned perplexed, "First, how can the Four Great Sects be certain they won’t fail during this sect restructuring or the upcoming Dao Conferencing, and risk falling from their position as the Four Great Sects?"
"Second, if they’re truly aiming for a reshuffle, then first to be implicated would be our Taixu Gate, as well as..."
Xun Ziyou paused and gravely said, "Two other sects from the same lineage as us... the Tai’a Sect and the Rushing Void Sect!"
"Yet the Tai’a Sect and the Rushing Void Sect seem entirely oblivious to this. Not only do they not oppose the restructuring, but they’re actively supporting its implementation."
"They even appear to be thinking of using this sect restructuring as an opportunity to climb higher, aspiring to become one of the Four Great Sects..."
Xun Ziyou’s face was filled with worry.
Elder Master Xun nodded slightly, and his gaze toward Xun Ziyou carried a hint of approval.
Learning to think critically wasn’t a bad thing. At least it spared him some concern.
"You’re partially right, but also not entirely," Elder Master Xun said.
"The Four Great Sects undoubtedly aim to become sect overlords—true ’Four Great Sects,’ dominating a region, commanding thousands of sects, leaving none daring to defy them."
"But behind this, there must be deeper, more terrifying secrets, shrouded in darker, more sinister intentions..."
Elder Master Xun’s eyes grew profound before he sighed, "But such matters aren’t for me to explain further."
"As for the Tai’a Sect and Rushing Void Sect, even if they remain unaware of these hidden machinations or the far-reaching consequences, they should at the very least be aware of the Four Great Sects’ schemes."
Xun Ziyou frowned, "Then why would they..."
Elder Master Xun shook his head, "The fisherman casts the bait, and the fish bites willingly."
"How can you tell, until the very end, whether it’s the fisherman who catches the fish, or the fish that swallows the bait, snaps the line, and drags the fisherman into the water?"
"For the Four Great Sects, this is a gamble."
"If it succeeds, they will wield supreme authority, commanding an entire state boundary with a thousand sects under their decree."
"But for the Tai’a Sect and Rushing Void Sect, this is just as much a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."
"If they seize the chance and push forward courageously, they could soar to the top and truly become ’premier’ sects."
"Everyone is gambling."
"But..." Xun Ziyou furrowed his brows, "Gambling with the future of one’s sect—isn’t that too reckless? It feels somewhat..."
Xun Ziyou fell silent for a moment but eventually voiced the words:
"Foolish..."
Elder Master Xun smiled faintly, "Don’t view it from an outsider’s perspective. The so-called clarity of a bystander is often an illusion."
"Most bystanders who think themselves clear-headed only turn out to be more foolish than the players once they enter the game."
"The Tai’a Sect is gambling, the Rushing Void Sect is gambling, and do you think our Taixu Gate doesn’t want to gamble?"