Volume 1, Chapter 208 – Trouble for the Liu Family

Southern Region, Qingyang City.

Qingyang City was no longer the modest place it had once been.

The once-small city had expanded several times over. Its walls now stood more than thirty meters high, built entirely of blue steelstone.

Above the city gates, the characters for “Qingyang” were inscribed in bold, vigorous strokes, with sword qi faintly flowing through them.

At the heart of the city, the Liu family estate covered more than sixteen acres. Pavilions and towers rose one after another, while the two stone lions before the gates had each been carved from a single massive block of spirit jade.

Yet at that moment, the atmosphere in the main hall was tense.

Liu Beichuan sat upright in the seat of honor, his aura restrained. With vast quantities of resources poured into his cultivation, he had already reached the middle stage of the Nascent Soul stage.

Seated below him were Liu family head Liu Beihai and several clan elders.

One of the elders set down his teacup and spoke with a trace of helplessness.

“Ruyan and Ruxue have both entered Yaochi Immortal Palace. That is an extraordinary blessing for our Liu family.”

“But… they’ve only returned twice, and each time they stayed for no more than a few days.”

A white-haired clan elder stroked his beard and nodded in agreement.

“Of the three cities and seven towns around Qingyang City, who doesn’t take their cue from our Liu family now?”

“But when it comes to our family’s own strength… Sigh. Aside from you, Beichuan, who has reached the Nascent Soul stage, nearly all our influence rests on Ruyan’s reputation.”

Another, somewhat portly clan elder cleared his throat.

“And then there’s the Chen family of Black Water City. I hear they somehow recruited a Spirit Transformation guest elder last month.”

“That old bastard from the Chen family has been sending people to Qingyang City repeatedly of late. I’m afraid he’s plotting something.”

Liu Beichuan listened in silence. Only after everyone had finished did he slowly speak.

“Ruyan is now a disciple of Her Majesty the Empress. Cultivation must be her first priority.”

“The fact that she still remembers this family and lends us some support already shows how deeply she values our family ties. How could we hinder her path of cultivation over trivial family affairs?”

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His gaze swept over the assembled elders, and his voice turned cold.

“As for the Chen family… they’re nothing but a pack of clowns.”

“When Ruyan returned a year ago, even the Spirit Transformation ancestor of the Flying Cloud Sect came to pay his respects in person. Have you forgotten?”

At those words, everyone relaxed slightly.

One elder, however, continued,

“Beichuan, I suggest we send word to Ruyan and ask her to come back.”

“Nonsense!”

Liu Beichuan slammed his palm on the table, cutting the elder off.

“This matter is not to be mentioned again!”

His piercing gaze swept across everyone in the hall, his voice grave and stern.

“Ruyan’s acceptance into Yaochi Immortal Palace is her opportunity and our Liu family’s honor!”

“All you see is her profound cultivation and exalted status, but have any of you considered how much hardship she must endure to cultivate?”

He paused, a trace of heartache flashing through his eyes before giving way to resolve.

“As her elders, it is bad enough that we cannot help her. How could we disturb her cultivation over a minor family dispute?”

He rose to his feet. Though he did not flaunt his middle-stage Nascent Soul aura, he carried a natural air of authority.

“As for the Chen family…”

Liu Beichuan gave a cold laugh.

“That old bastard Chen is nothing but a clown. Does he really think I’m afraid of his family’s Spirit Transformation guest elder?”

One clan elder said hesitantly,

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“But Beichuan, you’re only at the middle stage of the Nascent Soul stage…”

“Hmph.”

Liu Beichuan took an ancient mirror from inside his robe and placed it on the table.

“This is an earth-rank artifact Ruyan left behind the last time she returned.”

“Ruyan said her Master personally refined this mirror. If I activate it with all my strength, I may well be able to hold my own.”

The moment they saw the ancient mirror, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

“Besides…”

Liu Beichuan put away the ancient mirror, his gaze distant.

“If the family truly faces annihilation, she will sense it. When that time comes, there will be no need for us to send word. She will know.”

At that, everyone finally put their worries to rest.

Liu Beihai nodded.

“Big Brother is right.”

“Ruyan’s status is different now. As her elders, the greatest support we can give her is to avoid holding her back.”

“As for the Chen family…”

A ruthless glint flashed through his eyes.

“Pass down the order. Increase patrols around the estate. Unless absolutely necessary, no disciples of the clan are to leave the city for the time being.”

Meanwhile, in Black Water City.

Deep within the Chen family estate, inside a secret chamber dense with spiritual energy…

Chen family head Chen Xuanying, a gaunt, sinister-looking cultivator at the late stage of the Nascent Soul stage, stood before an elderly man in black robes with the utmost deference, his expression earnest and troubled.

“Senior, the Liu family has Yaochi Immortal Palace behind them, and Liu Ruyan is even the Empress’s personal disciple.”

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“Should we… perhaps reconsider this matter?”

The black-robed elder slowly opened his eyes. Though clouded, they gleamed sharply as they swept over Chen Xuanying.

He was the Chen family’s guest elder, an independent cultivator at the middle stage of Spirit Transformation known as the Bloodfiend Old Demon.

“Reconsider?”

The Bloodfiend Old Demon sneered. His withered fingers tapped lightly against the jade throne beneath him as he spoke in a hoarse voice.

“Family Head Chen, you have cultivated for centuries. Why are you still so hesitant and timid?”

“Yaochi Immortal Palace lies far away, deep within the Wanjue Mountain Range, and Liu Ruyan is merely a junior disciple.”

“Do you truly believe the mighty Empress would personally intervene for the sake of one insignificant little family?”

Chen Xuanying’s expression shifted, and he seemed to want to speak but held back.

Seeing this, the Bloodfiend Old Demon slowly rose. A cold, baleful aura spread from his body, and the temperature inside the secret chamber plummeted.

“I have fought and schemed my way through the cultivation world for more than a thousand years. What haven’t I seen?”

He walked over to Chen Xuanying, his gaze as sharp as a blade.

“Great sects and powerful factions care more than anything about appearances and rules.”

“When all is said and done, the only connection between the Liu family and Yaochi Immortal Palace is that one of its daughters is a disciple there.”

“As long as we act swiftly and cleanly, leaving no evidence behind, who will ever know we were involved?”

Overawed by his presence, Chen Xuanying broke out in a fine sheen of cold sweat. Even so, he remained hesitant.

“But… Liu Beichuan seems to possess an artifact bestowed by Yaochi Immortal Palace…”

“An artifact?”

A trace of greed flashed through the Bloodfiend Old Demon’s eyes, only to be replaced by even deeper contempt.

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“He is merely a middle-stage Nascent Soul cultivator. Even with an artifact in hand, how much of its power could he possibly unleash?”

“I entered the middle stage of Spirit Transformation a century ago. A trifling Nascent Soul cultivator cannot compare to me.”

He patted Chen Xuanying on the shoulder, his voice coaxing.

“Family Head Chen, how long have you been stuck at the late stage of the Nascent Soul stage? Fifty years? A hundred?”

“Qingyang City may be small, but over the past two years, the Liu family has amassed quite a collection of treasures by trading on Yaochi Immortal Palace’s name.”

“Once we take down the Liu family, those resources… will be enough for you to attempt a breakthrough to Spirit Transformation and enough for me to advance another step.”

The struggle in Chen Xuanying’s eyes intensified, and even his breathing quickened.

He took a deep breath, and a ruthless glint flashed in his eyes.

“Senior is right! I was far too timid!”

“In that case… we will proceed according to Senior’s plan!”

The Bloodfiend Old Demon nodded in satisfaction.

“That is more like it. The path of cultivation has always been one where the strong prey upon the weak and defy heaven to seize their fate.”

“When an opportunity lies before you, how can you let fear make you miss it?”

He turned to look out the window in the direction of Qingyang City, a blood-red gleam flashing through his eyes.

“Three days from now, I will personally make my move and break their clan-protecting grand formation.”

“When the time comes, all you need to do is lead your men inside and end the battle quickly.”

“Remember, uproot them completely. Leave no evidence behind.”