Chapter 14: 014

Though she desperately wanted to rush to the border between Cangwu City and Langya City to blow up the “Azure Dye Sand” vein, Wei Mingyi still didn’t dare leave the sect.

With her cultivation at the Meridian Opening First Layer, she would likely be captured by the Lu Clan before she even stepped past the mountain gate, becoming a tool to threaten the Sect Leader and her Shizun.

Until the Assistant Master returned, Wei Mingyi had no choice but to cultivate patiently. Cultivation was a matter of slow, grinding effort. Relying on oneself meant enduring the bitter grind.

The Meridian Opening Pool had proven quite effective, and Wei Mingyi diligently urged Mo Xuanxiao to use it. Mo Xuanxiao, utterly unable to refuse, also went to cultivate in the pool. She had originally opened twenty-eight Qi Meridians. Both her Shizun and the Sect Leader said that was her limit, and she believed so herself. After all, unlike those aristocratic families, the Chongyuan Sect couldn’t afford to splurge heavenly treasures without regard for cost. Opening twenty-eight Qi Meridians purely through her own effort, without the aid of precious materials, already counted as exceptional talent. But after cultivating in the Meridian Opening Pool, Mo Xuanxiao faintly sensed the twenty-ninth meridian showing signs of opening! Mo Xuanxiao’s heart instantly leaped with joy. Improving further was, of course, something she eagerly desired.

“In the future, our Chongyuan Sect will thrive. We’ll have whatever we want. When those mere clans kneel outside our mountain gate begging, I won’t even spare them a glance.” Wei Mingyi declared, her spirit soaring. “Our goal is: every sect practitioner in a Grotto-Heaven!”

Mo Xuanxiao took a drag on her smoke pipe. Her junior sister’s dream was still a bit too grandiose, but she couldn’t bring herself to dampen her spirits. She nodded dazedly. “Yes, indeed.”

Meanwhile, when Feng Cangcang returned to the Lu Clan’s main house in Cangwu City, she went to see Lu Chunqiu and the Lu Elders. Recently, knowing the Zheng and Wang clans’ people had fallen into a tense state——the June Review’s results would affect their allocated resources——Feng Cangcang took in their expressions, inwardly amused.

Facing Lu Chunqiu’s inquiring gaze, Feng Cangcang said calmly, “The Chongyuan Sect does indeed have a Spirit Vein, connected from the Wang Clan’s side.”

Lu Chunqiu didn’t doubt Feng Cangcang’s words. He had suspected the Zheng or Wang Clan before. Hearing the name he’d been thinking of, fury erupted within him. His expression shifted to one of vindicated certainty. He ground his teeth. “That Wang Clan, just because they have a clansman climbing the ranks, dares to bully us like this! Today they stretch their hand into the Chongyuan Sect. What about tomorrow? Will Cangwu City need a new master?!”

The Lu Elders’ faces were also dark with anger as they loudly berated the Wang Clan. But Feng Cangcang knew that with the June Review approaching, and knowing the Feng Clan would shield the Wang Clan, the Lu Clan wouldn’t dare spark a conflict with them. They could only rely on words to vent their fury. But this wasn’t what she wanted. She needed the conflict between the Wang and Lu Clans to ignite.

She remarked casually, “That Azure Dye Sand… the Wangs have been mining it for a long time, haven’t they?”

As soon as the words fell, a hush descended on the room. Lu Chunqiu’s expression turned strange. He naturally knew about Azure Dye Sand, but to the Lu Clan, that stuff was just broken stones, worth nothing on the Cangwu City market. But hauling the stones elsewhere to sell required obtaining the proper permits from the Heavenly Dao Alliance, passing through layers of checkpoints. By then, the Heavenly Dao Alliance would make a fortune, while the Lu Clan might gain nothing—perhaps even end up paying out of pocket. Under those circumstances, the Lu Clan couldn’t be bothered with those worthless rocks.

The Azure Dye Sand was located where Cangwu City and Langya City’s spheres of influence met. The Lu Clan had the right to claim the relevant interests. This Azure Dye Sand vein wasn’t concentrated at a single point but extended over a long stretch, scattered in distribution. There were definitely areas clearly belonging to the Lu Clan, and the Wang Clan likely wouldn’t leave that Azure Dye Sand untouched either.

After a moment, Lu Chunqiu said, “The border region of Cangwu City is due for the construction of an outer city.” Building within their own sphere of influence was something even the Feng Clan couldn’t interfere with or criticize them for. This would sicken the Wang Clan without harming the Lu Clan themselves. Then they could use this as leverage to negotiate terms with the Wangs!

Once the decision was made, the Lu Clan acted with incredible speed. At the border where Cangwu City and Langya City’s spheres of influence intersected, many stone gatherers had operated before—some commoners from Cangwu City, some from Langya City, making a living this way. These people were all mortals without cultivation. The moment the Lu Clan’s cultivators drove them off, they fled immediately.

The Wang Clan’s Deacon in charge of Azure Dye Sand rushed over to question them upon hearing the commotion. But the Lu Clan members only responded with cold glances, deigning no communication with the Wang Clan. Knowing they had overstepped their bounds, the Wang Clan swallowed their anger and withdrew from Cangwu City’s territory. However, the Lu Clan went a step further, directly blasting apart mountains and destroying the vein. Although it was within their own border, it still affected the Wang Clan’s vein. The Wangs could no longer endure it.

Azure Dye Sand was crucial to the Wang Clan disciples’ cultivation. While it could be replaced with other dyes, doing so would drastically inflate the clan’s expenditures. With their interests at stake, how could they hold back? The Deacons on that side soon began squabbling, escalating into a full-blown brawl, causing a considerable disturbance. The Wangs also dispatched clansmen to negotiate with the Lu Clan. The Lu Clan, in turn, remained calm and unruffled, aiming to use this affair to thoroughly squeeze the Wangs. Azure Dye Sand was useless to the Lu Clan, and Lu Chunqiu had no intention of completely offending the Wang Clan to the point of no return. For one, they lacked the ability to devour them outright. For another, the Feng Clan would absolutely forbid it. After careful deliberation, he planned to exploit the situation for profit.

But waves once stirred were not so easily calmed.

At the Chongyuan Sect.

Hua Xiaozhu, having returned, brought the related news.

“The Deacons below, lacking anyone to manage them, are locked in fierce struggle. The people above are calmly negotiating terms as if the Deacons’ fights are none of their concern.” Wei Mingyi clicked her tongue. These fellows perfectly matched her stereotype of “hypocrites.” Stroking Wu Chongyun’s white hair, Wei Mingyi lowered her head and said, “Shizun, don’t you think now is the perfect time for us to act? We just use the Thunderfire Golden Pills to blow up the Azure Dye Sand vein.” Flip the table and see how the Wang and Lu Clans can continue their talks then!

Hua Xiaozhu was also tempted, her gaze shifting to Wu Chongyun.

She couldn’t defeat a Golden Core Daoist, but blowing up a mountain with Thunderfire Golden Pills was well within her ability.

The rift between the Wang and Lu Clans had already been provoked.

Wu Chongyun pursed her lips and breathed out two words: “Sect Leader.”

Hua Xiaozhu said, “The Sect Leader is personally taught by her Shizun, with exceptional natural talent. If not for looking after the Chongyuan Sect, she would have already entered the Nascent Soul stage. A mere Third Layer Realm is nothing for her. I knocked on her door earlier. Wind chimes beneath the eaves swayed, so I think she’ll emerge from seclusion soon.” Progressing from the Second Layer to the Third Layer wasn’t crossing a major realm. It would flow naturally to completion and wouldn’t take too long.

Wu Chongyun shook her head slightly, avoiding Wei Mingyi’s restless hand, and wearily uttered a single word: “Granted.”