txolops Chapter 37 Secret Talk with Yan Xuanye
Chapter 37 Secret Talk with Yan Xuanye
As an elder of the Yan family, Yan Xuanye is meticulous and exceptionally intelligent, and is recognized as the family's strategist.
Whenever the family faces life-or-death decisions or major upheavals, the Yan family patriarch always relies heavily on his insights. His voice carries significant weight within the family and can influence family decisions.
If we can meet with Yan Xuanye privately beforehand and persuade him, then when we formally negotiate with Yan Yan in the future, with Yan Xuanye by his side to support and mediate, we can greatly shake Yan Yan's fixed ideas and make him carefully consider the possibility of joining the Thousand Illusions Sect.
The other key piece and breakthrough point is Yan Ruyan.
Yan Ruyan possesses a pure water-attribute celestial spiritual root, with talent surpassing the entire clan. Such talent is rare in the cultivation world, appearing only once every hundred years. She is the greatest hope for the future rise of the Yan family and the greatest trump card for the clan's survival.
This talent allows her to wield considerable influence in high-level family decision-making, even though she doesn't hold a high position.
More importantly, if the Yan family decides to ally with the Ghost Spirit Sect, their biggest bargaining chip is Yan Ruyan. After all, the Ghost Spirit Sect's prerequisite is that she and Wang Chan become Daoist partners and cultivate the Blood Spirit Technique together, thus binding themselves to the Ghost Spirit Sect in exchange for the Yan family's survival.
If Yan Ruyan could be persuaded in advance to resolutely oppose joining the Ghost Spirit Sect in front of Yan Yan and to be inclined to his side, how could Yan Yan dare to risk completely offending her and forcing this family prodigy to become disloyal and to force the decision to join the Ghost Spirit Sect?
"Tonight, I will secretly meet with Yan Xuanye and persuade him to secure the first bargaining chip." Su Mi's eyes were calm, and she had already made up her mind.
As for Yan Ruyan, all that can be done is to wait for her to return to her clan, and it would be best if she could return tomorrow, so that it would be convenient for me to make my plans accordingly.
The search for the trail of the Ink Ring was purely a momentary reflection and a hidden thought in Su Mixin's mind.
Although Mo Caihuan was just a passerby in the mortal world, she left a very deep mark on Han Li's inner demons and obsessions, an emotional bond that he could never erase throughout his life.
Now that he has mastered the Maha Boundless Great Freedom Contemplation Method and holds the position of Demon Lord who can control inner demons, he can't help but wonder: could he use the Ink Color Ring as a bond to plant a hidden card to restrain Han Li in the future, adding another layer of trump cards?
After carefully weighing the pros and cons, Su Mixin ultimately decided to give up.
He already has enough cards to play, so there's no need to add anything unnecessary.
To rashly scheme against Han Li's inner demons and obsessions could easily lead to a deadly feud, resulting in more harm than good and being extremely unwise.
The night was clear, the sky was serene, the bright moon hung in the sky, and scattered stars twinkled, its gentle light bathing the entire Yanling Fortress.
In the tranquil night at the heart of the castle, a wisp of shimmering white mist drifted silently, swiftly passing through the corridors and halls without emitting a trace of its presence.
Since mastering the Maha Infinite Freedom Visualization Method, Su Mixin's spiritual foundation has surged, already rivaling that of a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator.
At this moment, he used the unique talent technique of the Illusionary Mist Spirit Body, Transformation into Mist, and his entire form dissolved into the white mist. His stealth and concealment skills reached a state of perfection. Even if an ordinary Core Formation cultivator focused their attention to investigate, it would be difficult to detect the slightest clue.
Like a shadow in the dark night, he swiftly passed by the Yan family guards on their patrol several times.
Despite the layers of sentry posts and the clansmen patrolling in shifts, not a single person noticed anything amiss. The entire castle's security line was practically nonexistent to him.
His purpose in sneaking in late at night was very clear: it was the residence of Yan Xuanye, the strategist of the Yan family and a Foundation Establishment stage elder of the Yan family.
Yan Xuanye's residence is located in a quiet place on the outskirts of Yanling Fortress. It is an independent and elegant three-story building, away from the hustle and bustle of the fortress, quiet and secluded.
Under the cover of night, Su Mixin quietly walked to the front of the building. The shimmering white mist surrounding her slowly dissipated, and her figure gradually materialized from nothingness.
Before making his move, he remained cautious, subtly confirming with his divine sense: "Feng Hou, maintain monitoring of the live point map and confirm whether Yan Xuanye is currently alone in the building in front of us, with no one else around?"
Within his consciousness, Feng Hou's clear, cold voice immediately rang out: "Confirmed, Master."
Su Mixin quickly sorted out her thoughts and decided on her words.
After a moment, he took a deep breath, then stepped forward steadily, and with a slight movement of his fingertips, he activated the protective barrier in front of the small building.
The protective aura trembled slightly, and after a dozen breaths, a steady, middle-aged male voice slowly echoed from inside the building, tinged with caution: "Who goes outside? What brings you here so late at night?"
Su Mixin spread her divine sense far and wide, completely enveloping the entire small building, sealing off any possibility of sound leakage, and ensuring the absolute secrecy of the conversation. She then replied using a telepathic technique: "I am Su Mixin, the young master of the Thousand Illusions Sect of the Tianluo Kingdom. I have come to Yanling Fortress in secret to discuss an important matter concerning the survival of the Yan Clan with you. I have come late at night because I wish to have a private meeting with Mr. Xuan Ye before the formal discussion. I hope you will grant me permission."
Yan Xuanye was well-versed in Confucian classics and always considered himself a Confucian scholar. He was intelligent and shrewd, and usually dressed as a Confucian scholar and addressed others as "Sir," which was the most appropriate and safest way to address them.
A long silence fell over the building. After nearly ten breaths, the protective aura swirling in front of the door slowly faded, and the heavy wooden door opened with a thud.
Behind the door stood a middle-aged scholar, about forty years old, with a gentle and upright face, calm and clear eyes, and an air of insightful understanding of the world. His short beard was neatly trimmed, with a few strands of silver hair, adding to his mature and dignified appearance.
He wore a simple, unadorned, moon-white scholar's robe, clean and elegant, with a wooden hairpin to tie his hair and a plain jade buckle to fasten his waist, his attire simple and dignified.
He exudes a scholarly and profound aura, not showing any sharpness, yet possessing the wisdom and composure of a sage.
Yan Xuanye bowed slightly, displaying impeccable manners: "Greetings, distinguished guest. I am Yan Xuanye, and I apologize for not greeting you sooner."
"Mr. Xuan Ye, I have long admired your name." Su Mixin nodded in return, her demeanor composed.
A barely perceptible hint of surprise flashed across Yan Xuanye's eyes. He then stepped aside to make way, saying, "Honored guest, please come inside for a detailed discussion."
"Very good." Su Mixin smiled slightly and stepped inside.
The first floor of the small building was an elegant reception room, where Yan Xuanye led Su Mixin to her seat as host and guest.
After the two were seated, the hall fell silent, and the atmosphere became quiet and subdued.
After a moment of silence, Yan Xuanye broke it first, his gaze calmly fixed on Su Mixin: "Young Master Su, you've condescended to visit so late at night, saying you have important matters to discuss. May I ask what those matters are?"
Su Mixin smiled faintly and then spoke with earth-shattering words: "Mr. Xuan Ye, do you know that the Yan clan is now facing a great calamity? If we are not careful, the entire clan will be destroyed and there will be no hope of recovery?"
Yan Xuanye's expression suddenly changed slightly, and his heart was greatly shocked.
But with his extensive experience and exceptional wisdom, he quickly suppressed his turbulent emotions, calmed his expression, and spoke in a deep voice: "I would like to hear the details."
Su Mixin didn't mince words and stated the truth directly: "The Demonic Alliance of Tianluo Kingdom has already launched a large-scale invasion and begun its war of conquest against the surrounding countries."
"Before I set off from Jiang Kingdom to Yanling Fortress, the entire territory of Jiang Kingdom and Cheqi Kingdom had already fallen, and all resistance forces in the two countries had been pacified by the demonic army."
"The next target of the Six Demonic Sects is the Yue Kingdom. The Yan family patriarch comes from the Ghost Spirit Sect, which belongs to one of the Six Demonic Sects. You must know better than anyone the disparity in strength between the Tianluo Kingdom and the Yue Kingdom."
"The Yan family is rooted in Linzhou, located on the eastern border of the Yue Kingdom, right next to the front lines of the war, in the eye of the storm. You might as well ask yourself, once the flames of war break out, will the Yan family still have a future?"
Even with Yan Xuanye's composure and shrewdness, he could not hide his shock at this moment, his brows furrowed: "Absolutely impossible! The major Nascent Soul sects of Jiang Kingdom and Cheqi Kingdom have been locked in a standoff with the various demonic sects of Tianluo Kingdom for many years, their defenses formidable. How could they have collapsed overnight without a single word leaking out?"
Su Mixin smiled coldly, with a hint of clear-eyed sarcasm: "The pretense of confrontation between the two countries in the past was nothing more than a situation deliberately maintained by my demonic path."
"Even with the combined strength of the Jiang and Che kingdoms, they are still no match for the Yue kingdom. How could they possibly withstand the full-scale attack of any one of the six major demonic sects? It is only because we have deliberately held back and are waiting for the right opportunity."
Yan Xuanye's eyes were deep and somber, yet a glimmer of hope remained: "What about the Righteous Alliance of Fengdu Kingdom? They will never stand idly by and allow the Demonic Path to expand and grow so powerfully!"
Su Mixin chuckled and revealed the ultimate truth: "Hehe, at the same time that my demonic army began its invasion of the Jiang and Cheqi kingdoms, the righteous alliance also launched an attack, initiating a war against foreign powers and gradually encroaching on the surrounding countries. The fighting is currently in full swing."
As soon as he said this, Yan Xuanye felt as if all his strength had been suddenly drained away. He slowly slumped into a chair, closed his eyes, and remained silent for a long time.
After several breaths, he opened his eyes, his voice low and hoarse, full of helplessness and enlightenment: "I understand. The six demonic sects and the righteous alliance have long since reached a tacit agreement. We, the surrounding countries, are nothing more than fish on a chopping board, waiting for the two sides to divide and eat us up."
Su Mixin remained noncommittal, her smile fading as her expression suddenly turned solemn and serious: "The Yan family originated from the Ghost Spirit Sect, and has a deep connection with my demonic path. You are well aware of the true strength of my Tianluo Sects."
"How long do you think the Yan family can hold out against the Yue Kingdom, a ship already doomed to sink?"
A glint of light flashed in Yan Xuanye's eyes as he stared intently at Su Mixin, and he cut to the chase: "So, Young Master Su is here on behalf of the demonic path of Tianluo Kingdom to recruit my Yan clan, to make my clan betray Yue Kingdom, and then betray us at the crucial moment, to become your spy planted in the cultivation world of Yue Kingdom?"
Su Mixin slowly shook her head, her tone firm, correcting his guess: "No, I am not representing the Tianluo Kingdom's demonic path, but rather the Thousand Illusions Sect, one of the six sects of the demonic path."
"Furthermore, the Thousand Illusions Sect is willing to recruit the Yan family, without needing your clan to betray the Yue Kingdom, secretly betray you, or act as an inside agent. The Thousand Illusions Sect's ambitions do not lie within the territory of the Yue Kingdom."
Yan Xuanye stared intently at Su Mixin and murmured, "Thousand Illusions Sect?"
Su Mixin nodded in reply: "That's right. Qianhuan Sect is among the top sects of the six demonic sects. On the surface, there are eight Nascent Soul elders in the sect, three of whom have already reached the mid-Nascent Soul stage."
"Is such a powerful sect worth your Yan clan's submission and reliance?"
Yan Xuanye fell silent, lost in thought.