# Chapter 35: Create a Faction
Three weeks into his tenure as Azure Mountain Sect Elder, Xìng Huáng had gained a sobering appreciation for the isolation that accompanied divine heritage recognition. While his official status provided access to advanced resources and high-level intelligence, it had also revealed the fundamental truth that individual power—no matter how divine—was insufficient against the organized forces that shaped reality in the Blood Demon Martial Realm.
The morning's intelligence briefing had driven this point home with uncomfortable clarity.
**INTELLIGENCE SUMMARY - EXTERNAL THREATS:**
**Blood Iron Tribe:** *Increased bounty to 500,000 gold talismans* *(Elite hunters mobilizing)*
**Blood Stone Magic Tower:** *Research teams investigating "divine anomaly reports"*
**Shadow Council:** *Active interest in "corruption-immune entities"*
**Unknown Factors:** *17 separate intelligence inquiries from unidentified sources*
PROTECTIVE RESOURCES:
Azure Mountain Sect:12 Gold-level members, 1 Platinum elder*
Radiant City Defense:Adequate for normal territorial threats
Personal Capability: Divine heritage authority, limited manifestation
The mathematics were stark. Dozens of major powers were developing interest in his capabilities, while his protection relied primarily on a single city-state and sect organization that, despite their sophistication, operated at scales insufficient for confronting continent-spanning threats.
His new accommodations reflected his elevated status—a private tower within the sect complex that contained advanced cultivation arrays, comprehensive intelligence access, and most importantly, secure meeting spaces for sensitive discussions. This morning's session would determine whether his divine heritage remained a personal asset or became the foundation for something larger.
Present were the individuals he had identified as most crucial for any faction-building efforts:
Master Liu Tianshan - His original sect sponsor, whose purification expertise and political connections made him invaluable for legitimacy and technical development.
Captain Lin Wei - The External Affairs Division officer who had first contacted him in the wilderness, representing connections to Radiant City's broader military and intelligence apparatus.
Senior Researcher Zhang Ming - A Gold-level cultivator whose expertise in merger survivor integration had made him essential for understanding the unique challenges facing human advancement in the realm.
**Merchant Chen Wei** - Not officially part of any organization, but whose trade networks provided intelligence and resource access that formal institutions couldn't match.
"The situation is becoming untenable," Xìng Huáng began without preamble, activating privacy arrays that would prevent external monitoring of their discussion. "Individual capability, regardless of divine enhancement, cannot address the scope of attention my awakening has attracted."
"Agreed," Master Liu replied, his expression carrying the gravity that marked serious strategic analysis. "The intelligence reports suggest coordinated investigation from multiple major powers. Azure Mountain Sect, while supportive, lacks the resources to provide adequate protection against sustained pressure from that level of opposition."
Captain Lin Wei leaned forward, her military training evident in her direct approach to the problem. "Radiant City Council is discussing contingency measures, but their primary concern is avoiding conflict that could threaten the city's 47 million residents. If protecting you requires confrontation with multiple major powers simultaneously..."
She didn't need to finish the sentence. Political mathematics would eventually force the city to choose between his protection and broader population security.
"Which brings us to the fundamental question," Senior Researcher Zhang observed. "Do we accept external relocation to avoid political complications, or do we develop alternative solutions?"
"Alternative solutions," Xìng Huáng confirmed without hesitation. "Running would simply delay confrontation while surrendering the advantages we currently possess."
"I propose creating a new organization," he continued, outlining concepts his Lord of Greed heritage had been developing since his divine manifestation. "Not a sect or guild limited by traditional specialization boundaries, but a faction dedicated to the principle that true power comes from earned advancement rather than inherited advantage or stolen authority."
The room fell silent as his companions processed the implications of such an organization.
"A faction built around philosophical principles rather than territorial or resource control," Master Liu mused. "Interesting approach, but what would differentiate it from existing organizations?"
"Divine authority backing," Xìng Huáng replied. "The Order of The Golden Hand would offer something no other organization can provide—guaranteed advancement opportunities for members who prove their worthiness through legitimate struggle."
Core Principle:Advancement through worthy effort and Cunning, Winner takes all Philosophy
Membership Requirements: Demonstrated commitment to earned development, philosophical alignment
Leadership:Merit-based hierarchy, divine authority oversight
Resources:Enhanced training, purification support, advancement opportunities
Objectives:Individual member development, anti-corruption operations, divine authority establishment
"The advantages are significant," Captain Lin Wei observed after reviewing his proposal. "Members would receive benefits unavailable elsewhere, while the organization itself would provide political protection through collective strength rather than individual capability."
"But the challenges are equally significant," Merchant Chen warned. "Creating a new faction means competing with established powers for resources, territory, and membership. Major organizations rarely welcome new competitors."
Senior Researcher Zhang raised a more fundamental concern: "Divine authority backing is impressive in theory, but can you provide concrete benefits that justify the political risks of joining an unproven organization?"
It was a fair question that required demonstration rather than promises.
Xìng Huáng activated his Spiritual Domain Projection, but instead of the combat-focused manifestation that had overwhelmed the bounty hunters, he created a zone of enhanced cultivation that filled the meeting room with golden radiance.
The effect was immediate and profound. Each person present felt their cultivation techniques operating with enhanced efficiency, their spiritual energy circulation improving, their advancement potential expanding in ways that no normal cultivation array could provide.
"This is what divine authority can offer," he explained while maintaining the enhancement field. "Not just protection from corruption or improved combat capability, but fundamental acceleration of legitimate advancement for those aligned with earned development principles."
Master Liu's eyes widened as he experienced cultivation enhancement that surpassed anything in his decades of purification research. "The improvement is approximately 300% over baseline efficiency. If this could be provided regularly to members..."
"It can," Xìng Huáng confirmed. "Divine authority operates by different rules than normal cultivation. The more worthy the recipient, the greater the enhancement. An organization dedicated to earned advancement would create a positive feedback loop where member development enhances my divine authority, which in turn provides greater benefits to members."
The demonstration convinced them that the Order of The Golden Hand could offer genuine advantages that justified the risks of creating a new faction. But building an organization required more than divine authority—it needed expertise, connections, and resources that could only come from committed partners.
"I'm prepared to transfer from Azure Mountain Sect to serve as the Order's Chief Purification Specialist," Master Liu announced. "The advancement opportunities you're describing represent the culmination of everything I've studied about cultivation enhancement."
"External Affairs Division has protocols for members joining allied organizations," Captain Lin Wei added. "I can maintain my city position while serving as the Order's Intelligence Coordinator."
Senior Researcher Zhang nodded slowly. "The merger survivor integration challenges require exactly this kind of philosophical approach. I accept the position of Member Development Specialist."
Merchant Chen's smile carried the satisfaction of someone who recognized exceptional opportunity. "Independent traders value organizations that enhance rather than restrict individual advancement. I'll serve as Resource Acquisition Coordinator."
The Order of The Golden Hand- Founding Charter
Mission:Provide advancement opportunities through worthy challenge, reject unearned power
Leadership Structure:
- Divine Authority:Xìng Huáng *(Final authority on philosophical alignment)*
- Chief Purification Specialist:Master Liu *(Technical expertise and training)*
- Intelligence Coordinator:Captain Lin Wei *(Information and security)*
- Member Development Specialist:Senior Researcher Zhang *(Integration and advancement)*
- Resource Acquisition Coordinator:Merchant Chen *(Logistics and connections)*
Initial Resources:
- Sect Tower Lease:Private facilities for training and meetings
- Intelligence Access: Through Lin Wei's connections
- Cultivation Enhancement:Divine authority manifestation
- Trade Networks:Chen's merchant relationships
- Technical Expertise:Liu's purification research
Membership Goals:
- *nitial Target:20 core members within 3 months
- Selection Criteria:Demonstrated earned advancement, philosophical compatibility
- Enhancement Promise:300% cultivation efficiency improvement
- Protection Guarantee:Divine authority backing against corruption
But the most significant aspect of the Order's founding was psychological. For the first time since his divine manifestation, Xìng Huáng felt the beginnings of genuine security—not through hiding or individual power, but through the collective strength of people who shared his fundamental principles about advancement and authority.
HIDDEN INTERFACE: FACTION CREATION CONFIRMED
ORGANIZATION STATUS:The Order of Golden Hand - ACTIVE
FOUNDING MEMBERS:5 confirmed *(High-quality initial leadership)*
Divine Authority Integration:Successful *(Enhancement benefits confirmed)*
Political Protection:Collective strength replacing individual vulnerability
Growth Potential:Exponential *(Divine backing attracts worthy members)*
As his founding partners departed to begin recruitment and resource acquisition, Xìng Huáng remained in his tower contemplating how completely his approach to survival had evolved. He had begun as a desperate refugee, advanced to hidden cultivator, emerged as recognized deity candidate, and now stood as the divine authority behind a faction dedicated to proving that earned power surpassed all alternatives.
The Lord of Greed had found his people—individuals who understood that true strength came not from what you could take, but from what you had earned through worthy struggle.
And with that foundation established, his divine heritage whispered of possibilities that extended far beyond simple survival to encompass the kind of authority that could reshape how power operated throughout the Blood Demon Martial Realm.