Chapter 53 Part 2

Finally, she added, “You won’t stop me.”

Wei Mingyi: “…” Back when she was still a frail, beautiful Shizun in a wheelchair, she already listened selectively. Now that she was recovered, the entire sect combined was no match for her—things would only get worse.

Putting aside those emotions, Shizun’s approach did have merit. So far, Lang Fengya hadn’t heard any gossip about the Zither Paragon betraying Spirit Mountain. If it wasn’t a delay in information, then Spirit Mountain simply hadn’t publicized the matter. The name “Zither Paragon Wu Jianchan” alone would be enough to intimidate those who didn’t know the full picture. Even if she was a renegade… it wasn’t for a mere third-rate clan to deal with.

Once the stone in her heart settled, Wei Mingyi’s thoughts began to drift dangerously again. “Can we attack Lin Prefecture?”

She didn’t know the System’s exact standards, but in any case, it didn’t follow the aristocratic clans’ tier divisions. After all, after they defeated the Lu Clan, their numbers hadn’t even met the benchmark for a fourth-rate clan. She knew reclaiming the Guo Clan’s territory might work—but what beyond that? Recapturing the Three Cities had relied on timing, location, and people; going higher wouldn’t be so easy. Fighting a third-rate clan wasn’t village-against-village hegemony.

Su Xuanjing glanced at Wei Mingyi. Great dreams required corresponding strength. She said, “The Guo Clan was one of the families that devoured the Feng Clan. They know how the Feng Clan fell. This Evil Tide, the Clan Head won’t be personally taking the field.”

Wei Mingyi gave an “Oh.” Much as she wanted to boost the monthly income to five thousand, she couldn’t force it. After thinking, she asked, “What about those sects and little families in the Three Cities that have accepted our protection? Can they become affiliates?”

Su Xuanjing said, “A few powers have already pledged allegiance to Chongyuan Sect and signed contracts.”

Wei Mingyi: “?”

Why wasn’t the System reacting? When Hidden Moon Sect became an affiliate, they’d gotten two hundred points per month.

Could it be the remaining cultivators all failed to meet the “affiliate” requirement? Was the Cheat hinting that she needed to go out and adventure?

Half an hour later, Wei Mingyi and Wu Chongyun emerged from Chongyuan Hall.

The whisk swayed gently against the back of her hand. Wei Mingyi caught the whisk, looking left and right. Seeing no one nearby, she whispered, “Shizun, you can’t do that.”

Wu Chongyun lifted her eyes and asked lazily, “Do what?”

The February mountain wind swirled the floating clouds at the summit. Amid the mountains, time slipped by almost unnoticed.

How many years had it been since Wei Mingyi appeared at her side?

It occupied only a small span of her life, yet it was colored in the richest, heaviest strokes, impossible to lightly erase.

She wanted to live.

But what did it mean to live?

This question had haunted her.

Later, when she saw Wei Mingyi’s brilliant, radiant face, she seemed to find an answer.

The whisk was caught and couldn’t move freely.

Wu Chongyun simply let it go, allowing Wei Mingyi to hug it.

“Isn’t it better than the zither?” Wu Chongyun asked.

Wei Mingyi paused, then suddenly understood. She wasn’t saying she couldn’t tease her with the whisk—she was talking about what happened in the hall.

She said, “What you don’t want to hear, you can’t just pretend you didn’t.”

Wu Chongyun said evenly, “I heard it.”

She simply chose not to comply and not to respond.

Wei Mingyi shook her head. “That won’t do.”

Wu Chongyun asked lightly, “Did I overstep?” Without waiting for Wei Mingyi’s answer, she added, “Didn’t you say to follow the heart’s desire?”

Wei Mingyi was at a loss for words: “…”

She actually couldn’t out-argue her “mute” Shizun!

Watching Wu Chongyun stride away, Wei Mingyi hurried after her. The mountain breeze swept a drifting sleeve across her face. Wei Mingyi drew a soft breath—but the next moment, the sleeve fell back.

Her mind wandered until she followed Wu Chongyun beneath the pear trees. Then she spoke: “Listen to me.” The words came out a little sheepish at first, but quickly firmed up. She straightened her back, unrighteous but righteous: “Yes, you all have to listen to me.”

Wu Chongyun gave a soft scoff and eyed her sidelong. “Great Perfected One Wei, would you like to be the Shizun?”

Wei Mingyi saw that Wu Chongyun’s mood was decent. Her eyes darted, and she waved the whisk. “If Shizun is willing—”

She wasn’t opposed either.

Before she could finish, the whisk was back in Wu Chongyun’s hands.

Wei Mingyi gave up striking poses and asked, “Isn’t Shizun’s life-bound artifact a zither? Why does it transform as a whisk?”

Wu Chongyun couldn’t answer; it had just changed, what was there to think about? Meeting Wei Mingyi’s earnest gaze, she said, “Don’t mind it.”

Wei Mingyi tilted her head. “Yes, Shizun.”

–

Lin Prefecture, the Guo Clan’s Daoist ground: Qilin Mountain.

This clan had stood on Qilin Mountain for a thousand years and was one of the stronger third-rate clans. It had five Nascent Soul Daoists—one at Stage 2, two at Stage 3. With one more step, they could reach the threshold of a second-rate clan.

But for the Lei Clan above them, the Guo Clan crossing that threshold was not desired. Yet the Guo Clan acted strictly by the rules in all affairs, so no fault could be found. In the end, the Lei Clan could only squeeze them on cultivation resources. Every allocation was just enough; extra resources were never given. The Guo Clan had no choice but to seek their own methods.

Through accumulation, the Guo Clan had gathered enough cultivation resources—but that alone was insufficient. The clan’s most talented members were taken away at birth; those who remained, having endured much, had already reached their current limits. A major breakthrough depended on karmic opportunity. And a hundred years ago, a Guo Clan Daoist found it in the Wild Domain. Once the Qilin Platform was built, the one at Stage 2 in the clan could use it to break through.

The precious materials for the Qilin Platform were gathered by the Guo Clan themselves, and for construction, they didn’t request Heavenly Dao workers from the alliance—fearing the higher-ups might sabotage—so they could only search within their own sphere of influence.

At first, someone thought to head toward the Three Cities. The Guo Clan Daoists had praised it as solving the personnel problem without further trouble—after all, the Feng Clan’s forces were completely ruined. Who could have known a Nascent Soul expert from the Zheng Clan was hiding there? The other party did not permit the Guo Clan to forcibly conscript the Three Cities’ people and had already captured their Daoist.

When the news first reached them, the Guo Clan Daoists were naturally furious. A Nascent Soul, yes, but from a mere former fourth-rate clan—to dare lay hands on a Guo Clan person! Yet very quickly, the boiling rage cooled. Though the Guo Clan had five Nascent Soul cultivators, only two at Stage 1 could actually be deployed.

“The Qilin Platform matter requires the Heavenly Dao Alliance’s intervention. But that Zheng Clan Daoist originally belonged to the aristocratic clans—it’s the alliance’s business to handle.”

“The alliance’s attention is now on the Wild Domain, with wicked wraiths mutating. They might not want to spare the effort. The Zheng Clan was a fourth-rate family; by their means, even after centuries of scraping, raising a single Nascent Soul Daoist is the limit. Better to recruit her into our Guo Clan. If the Three Cities are effectively under her control, we could gain that land without lifting a finger.”

“Wasted, abandoned territory isn’t important. The construction of the Qilin Platform cannot be delayed. Whether we can take this step upward hinges entirely on the platform.” Families of different ranks received different cultivation quotas from the alliance. They were a third-rate clan, but their quota was essentially the baseline. The closer they approached second-rate status, the harder it was for the clan to sustain its Daoists. They had no choice but to send many clan members into the Wild Domain to hunt wicked wraiths, exchanging Merit Points for resources to send back to the clan. The Wild Domain was exceedingly dangerous; to this day, many uncut jades of the clan had perished there. Yet there was no alternative.

“And if that Zheng Clan Daoist refuses?”

“Then we have no choice but to kill.”

…

The Guo Clan would not permit anything to obstruct the Qilin Platform’s construction. Upon receiving the message, they immediately dispatched two Nascent Soul Daoists to the Three Cities—on one hand, to recruit the person; on the other, to bring back their clansman. The Life Plaque hadn’t shattered yet, indicating no lethal danger had been inflicted. That the person hadn’t struck a death blow at the outset meant the matter could still be discussed.

In Xingyang City, Xie Xianqing quietly awaited the Guo Clan Daoists’ arrival.

She already knew the previous captive had sent a message out. Barring accidents, the Guo Clan would send Nascent Soul cultivators.

Early March, the Guo Clan’s Nascent Souls arrived.

Two Daoists in tall hats and broad sashes—one in front, one behind—both in indigo, narrow-sleeved, round-collared robes, their lapels embroidered with qilin and auspicious clouds. This clan’s Transformation Dao involved embodying the qilin, requiring constant visualization of the qilin. Thus, everything they wore bore traces of the auspicious beast.

The two Daoists who appeared outside Xingyang City did not enter. They merely released their auras, and when Xie Xianqing flew out, a flicker of surprise crossed their faces before settling back into geniality.

“Guo Yuanying of Lin Prefecture.”

“Guo Yuanhui of Lin Prefecture.”

Xie Xianqing gave only a slight nod and offered no name of her own. She said, “Your purposes?”

“To retrieve our Guo Clan member,” Guo Yuanhui said.

“The Feng Clan has fallen and the Three Cities are in decline. Having cultivated a Nascent Soul hasn’t been easy. Without a major clan to back you, cultivation will be a difficult path. My Guo Clan of Lin Prefecture treats capable people well. Why not join us, Fellow Daoist?” Guo Yuanying added.

“No,” Xie Xianqing refused flatly. She gazed at the Guo Daoists and said carelessly, “I can return your Guo clansman, but you must return the Three Cities’ Daoists you’ve taken. And from now on, the Guo Clan shall not come to my Three Cities to seize people.”

Guo Yuanhui frowned. “Why does Fellow Daoist care about those people? Could our Guo Clan compensate with Pill Jade or other precious materials?” He fixed his stare on Xie Xianqing and added darkly, “This region’s spirit veins are of low quality. Fellow Daoist’s name isn’t in the alliance registry, so I imagine you can’t obtain the Ninth-Grade Divine Sand best suited for Nascent Soul cultivation, correct? If you are willing to join us, we can provide Divine Sand.”

He said this, but in truth, the clan’s Ninth-Grade Divine Sand was limited—barely enough for their own use. Now, to press upward, their entire allotment had been funneled to one person. First, bring the person into the clan; everything else could be discussed later.

“No need,” Xie Xianqing declined coldly. The green snake hissed; she stroked its head soothingly. “You have six Golden Core captives of my Three Cities. If you won’t return the people you’ve taken, don’t blame me for being ruthless.”

“You—” Guo Yuanhui erupted in fury.

Golden Core cultivators weren’t easy to nurture, especially those born of the main clan. Because the stakes were so high, the Guo Clan had sent only their own, not subordinates. If these clansmen were killed, the loss would be grave.

“We’ll exchange,” Guo Yuanying halted Guo Yuanhui with a look. She fixed her gaze on Xie Xianqing and spoke deeply.

The Qilin Platform hadn’t been placed in Lin Prefecture, but in a small gourd realm—a treasure obtained from the Wild Domain that could be carried along or take root as a world of its own. The Guo Clan’s Nascent Soul Perfected One controlled the key. Releasing the captured Daoists from within was as simple as a thought.

But this Zheng Clan Daoist not only refused to join the Guo Clan—she even obstructed the Qilin Platform’s construction. She could not be left alive.