"Opportunity knocks but once." Duge looked at them and said, "Cultivation is like rowing upstream; not to advance is to drop back. If you retreat today and again tomorrow, there will come a day when you can retreat no further.

If one day, all of you Dao friends truly ascend to the Immortal Realm, won't you regret not having comprehended the Daoist Rhyme when it was laid out before you today?

Immortals enjoy longevity, rather than being haunted by regret every day, why not bravely take that step today? My fellow Dao friends, those willing to perceive the Daoist Rhyme and walk with me, feel free to stand alongside the Dao friend who stepped out first..."

Duge's words had a strong stirring effect, especially since someone had already taken the lead. Those who had just gleaned some insights into the Daoist Rhyme immediately stepped forward, gave Duge a fist salute, and then paid respects to Xu Jinkui before joining the person who had stepped out first.

When one stood up, so did a second, and then a third...

In a little while, more than twenty Unity Realm Stages were standing by Duge's side.

Zhao Jinlu, Chi Jinshou, and others were eager to try but hesitated because of Xu Jinkui standing beside them, feeling too embarrassed to step over.

After all.

Their ancestors had served in the Heavenly Master's abode.

They, as Peak Masters, had also enjoyed many benefits from the Heavenly Master's abode, but as the number of people standing next to Duge increased, their gazes became increasingly anxious.

Why is there only a Heavenly Master Xu and not a Heavenly Master Zhao or Heavenly Master Chi? These thoughts would not stop echoing in their heads, gnawing away at their nerves...

Zhao Jinlu clenched his teeth: "Sect Head Senior Brother, I..."

Xu Jinkui glared fiercely at him, and looking at the disciples of Dragon Tiger Mountain who were standing with Duge, said with a iron-faced, "You fools, only see the immediate benefit, but have you ever thought, without Dragon Tiger Mountain, would you have your today? Indeed, you can perceive the Daoist Rhyme, but do you think you can conceal today's affairs from the Heavenly Master's abode?

What Heavenly Master Xu hates most is rebellion. If Heavenly Master Xu learns of today's events, with this demon alone, can he protect you all? To comprehend the Daoist Rhyme, you also need to have the life to enjoy the benefits it brings..."

Upon his saying this.

Those Integration Dao True Men who were standing with Duge immediately changed their expressions. They had been blinded by benefit and had forgotten that Dragon Tiger Mountain is the Daoist field of Heavenly Master Xu, and their actions were akin to declaring war on the Heavenly Master.

Heavenly Master Xu had ascended to the Immortal Realm thousands of years ago, and the Heavenly Master's abode has countless Heavenly Soldiers and Generals...

Who could withstand the Heavenly Master's descent to suppress them?

"Sect Head Xu is worried about this after all." Duge looked at Xu Jinkui and smiled. "If we don't let Heavenly Master Xu know, wouldn't that solve the problem?"

"..." Xu Jinkui's face darkened. Is that what I meant? It sounded like I too wanted the Daoist Rhyme, only that I was afraid of Heavenly Master Xu.

However.

What he said was not wrong either; he did indeed want the Daoist Rhyme, otherwise, he would have cut him down with a sword by now.

"Sect Head Xu, by strictly controlling the speech within Dragon Tiger Mountain, and keeping the matter of Daoist Rhyme a secret, how could the Heavenly Master's abode possibly learn of it?" Duge looked at Xu Jinkui and said, "All Dao friends present have benefited, and I imagine they would not advertise it. Once ascended to the Immortal Realm, they would instead owe a favor to Sect Head Xu..."

"..." Xu Jinkui was stunned.

"If you don't speak out, and I don't, who would know that the disciples of Dragon Tiger Mountain have all perceived the Daoist Rhyme?" Duge smiled and continued, "With Daoist Rhyme as their foundation, this generation of Dragon Tiger Mountain disciples will be the strongest. In time, with the resources of the Heavenly Master's abode, they could rise in the Immortal Realm, even establishing their own sect. For now, we need only maintain tight-lipped, and that would be sufficient."

Gulp!

Xu Jinkui's throat bobbed.

Duge's voice, devilish as it might sound, kept tempting, "If Sect Head Xu can deceive those above and below, with the traveling Daoist Rhyme bolstering us, it's not impossible to intercept the dao lineage of Heavenly Master Xu and establish a new branch in the Heavenly Court.

Enjoying the benefits together and maintaining a secret community gives us the strongest unity. We share in the losses and the glory. Who decreed that there can only be one Heavenly Master Xu in the Heavenly Court?"

Tirelessly Ruinous was prodding at the wicked thoughts in Xu Jinkui's heart, leading him on unknowingly with Duge's persuasive words to dream about the future.

"With just five brothers, Dragon Tiger Mountain established the Heavenly Master's abode in the Immortal Court." Duge looked at Xu Jinkui and said softly, "Sect Head Xu might wish to count how many disciples are now on Dragon Tiger Mountain, and how many can comprehend the Daoist Rhyme. Are you truly content to hand over the splendor and riches to Heavenly Master Xu?"

Xu Jinkui was fiercely shaken, his tiger-like gaze fixed on Duge.

"Keep it hidden, let everyone comprehend the Daoist Rhyme together, and the Sect Leader will have a force comparable to, or even far exceeding, the Heavenly Master's abode, capable of establishing a sect and becoming well-known," Duge analyzed the situation for Xu Jinkui, "But today, if because of me, Sect Head Xu begins a massacre, and Dragon Tiger Mountain suffers this undeserved calamity, losing many Integration Dao True Men, do you think Heavenly Master Xu would blame you?

On the other hand, if you think positively, you kill me and do not harm a single disciple of Dragon Tiger Mountain. But you also sever their chance of comprehending the Daoist Rhyme; do you think they would harbor resentment towards you in the future when they become immortals, or would they resent Heavenly Master Xu?"

Xu Jinkui was once again shaken. He looked around at those Unity Realm disciples eyeing him with hostility, and even though he had been fasting, at that moment, he felt a fine layer of sweat on his back.

One path leads to a bright future; the other to betrayal and alienation.

The choice between the two paths seemed not too difficult, requiring only to betray one's ancestors...