Lowborns?

When news of the impending war reached the luxurious restaurants beside Duanhai Waterfall, that indolent young lord was still drinking wine and admiring the graceful figure of a dancing girl. Hearing the commotion of panicked people and galloping horses growing clearer outside, the dancing girl and the musicians instinctively halted. This pause immediately drew the young lord's displeasure, yet he did not lose his temper, merely teasing with a smile, "Why stop? Don't stop the music, and keep dancing. Those running away right now either have inscribed ships or flying demonic beasts. Do you have either?" "......" The dancing girl fell silent for a moment, then resumed dancing gracefully to the musician's strings. Slender, jade-like legs showed flashes of skin amidst the dance; her slender waist swayed in graceful movement, paired with fine wine, seeming exceptionally serene amidst this city thrown into turmoil. Amidst the dance, a feminine man pushed the door open and stepped in, carrying a slip of paper as he walked behind the young lord. Glancing at the man's expression, the young lord had a rough guess of the outcome, saying with a smile, "It seems the Chancellor's Manor has no intention of giving the Wanxiang Sect a choice?" The feminine man looked somber, leaning in to whisper in his ear, "My Lord, the eastern city has fallen." "......" Hearing this, the relaxed smile on the young lord's face suddenly froze. The feminine man immediately continued in a sinister undertone, "The Chancellor deployed troops in private without consulting the court. The Emperor should have yet another excuse to wield the knife." The young lord's brows furrowed. "Fool, shut your mouth. If Xu Yinhe dared to mobilize troops, he must hold irrefutable proof to destroy the sect and justified cause to deploy his forces." The feminine man was taken aback, dropping to his knees at once to apologize. "Third Young Master, this lowly one was thoughtless—" The young lord pondered for several breaths, let out an exhale, and waved his hand, his tone regaining its indolence. "Enough, get up. If I recall correctly, barely two quarters of an hour have passed since that man issued the challenge. With the city-protecting array, how did it fall so quickly?" Speaking in a hushed voice, the feminine man presented the small slip with both hands. "My Lord, this is a rough account sent by the Imperial Shadow Guard." The young lord took it. Reading it thoroughly, he let out a long sigh. "The Black Scale Army's combat power has actually reached such a level... At the very least, in terms of military equipment and siege weaponry, they are far ahead of us..." The feminine man whispered, "My Lord, this was catching them unawares. Wanxiang City's defenders had no time to react." The young lord shook his head. "Zhang Rou, leaving them no time to react is a form of strength in itself." With that, the young lord slowly rose, stepped to the railing, and walked to the window, raising his eyes to look at the massive black eagle still hovering in midair. "The man in the pavilion atop that black eagle is truly ruthless. Just because the Wanxiang Sect Master kept quiet, he launched a direct assault on the city... Tsk, tsk." With that, the young lord swung a leg over the windowsill, preparing to jump straight down. The feminine man froze at the sight. "My Lord, you... what are you doing?" "Running away, of course. Am I supposed to stand here waiting to die?" The young lord spoke as though it were the most natural thing in the world, with a touch of helplessness: "Someone in the Wanxiang Sect knows I'm here, and I snuck in secretly. The city is in utter chaos, and that fellow in the sky is so ruthless. If he slaughters me in passing, no one will even know." "......" The feminine man was speechless. *** News of the fall of Wanxiang's eastern city spread like wildfire across the entire city through various channels. Although the Wanxiang defenders were merely second-line forces trained in martial halls rather than elites, no one could have imagined they would collapse so swiftly even under the cover of the city-protecting array. Neither the Wanxiang Sect Master nor the Grand Elder had anticipated it either. Fortunately, after capturing the eastern city, the Black Scale Army did not push further inward, instead setting about restoring order amidst the city's turmoil. Inside the pavilion atop the black eagle, all was silent. Xu Xinyao stood to one side without speaking, looking thoroughly aloof. The young man sat alone on a cushioned divan, while the two old men knelt on prayer mats, their expressions betraying not the slightest displeasure. Xu Yuan unhurriedly poured a cup of wine for each of the two elders before him and pushed them across. "Seniors, just now junior was washing up and getting dressed, which caused a slight delay." Saying so, Xu Yuan paused, adding with deep meaning, "The Black Scale Army operates strictly according to schedule. I lost track of time and didn't send word, so they simply initiated the first phase of the plan. I hope both seniors won't take offense." "......" The Wanxiang Sect Master's expression did not change in the slightest. His tone grew far more courteous, no longer gloomy, as he said with a chuckle, "The Young Master focuses intently on his affairs, undistracted by external matters. This old man naturally understands." Xu Yuan smiled at his words; it seemed that anyone could flatter when the need arose. Pausing, the Wanxiang Sect Master asked with slight hesitation, "Only, I wonder what Young Master meant by the 'first phase' just now..." Xu Yuan replied with an open smile, "Actually, the plan is quite simple. The first phase goes from points to lines; the second goes from lines to planes. As for the third phase..." Having reached this point, Xu Yuan smiled meaningfully and did not continue. "......" The Wanxiang Sect Master remained calm and composed, unmoved. Xu Yuan merely chuckled softly, "Senior, don't be nervous. The next phase won't begin until about two shichen from now. We still have time." The Wanxiang Sect Master smiled faintly, lifting his cup to take a sip of wine. "Two shichen?" Xu Yuan did not respond to the question, rubbing his brow as though troubled. "Look at my memory, slipping already. I believe it might actually be in one shichen?" He paused, glancing sideways at Xu Xinyao to ask, "Xiaohe, how long did we set it for again?" "......" Xu Xinyao kept her mouth firmly shut, remaining aloof, with no intention of speaking. Seeing this, Xu Yuan frowned, his tone turning severe. "Xiaohe?!" At that moment, the Wanxiang Sect Master suddenly spoke up: "Young Master's maid shares the same name as my daughter. That is quite a coincidence." Xu Yuan raised a brow, speaking coldly to Xu Xinyao, "I'll deal with you later." With that, Xu Yuan's expression shifted as swiftly as a theatrical face-changing mask, turning to the Wanxiang Sect Master with great interest. "Oh? The exact same name? I must admit I'm curious. Would Senior be willing to introduce her?" The Wanxiang Sect Master cleared his throat lightly. "Xiaohe has been busy lately. Once this matter is resolved, if Young Master is willing to be a guest at our Wanxiang Sect, it can certainly be arranged. But for now, let us discuss proper business first." Having his request rebuffed, Xu Yuan frowned and leaned back against the divan, crossing his legs. "I am exceedingly curious. If you cannot introduce her, perhaps we should talk another day?" Watching the boot dangling before his eyes, the Wanxiang Sect Master took a deep breath, maintaining his smile. "Young Master's curiosity is my daughter's honor." With that, his Source Qi surged, sending out a voice transmission that shot past the windowsill toward the Wanxiang Sect's mountain gate. Seeing this, Xu Yuan laughed heartily. "I had heard Senior was forthright, and seeing you today proves you are indeed direct. Then let us discuss business. You may start." The Wanxiang Sect Master fell silent for a moment, weighing his words before speaking in a low voice: "Young Master, there seems to be a misunderstanding between our Wanxiang Sect and your esteemed manor. What would it take for Young Master to withdraw your troops?" "Withdraw the troops?" Xu Yuan narrowed his eyes, thoroughly displeased with this supposed "proper business." Even now, the man avoided any mention of Shengshan County. Yet on second thought, he understood. These experts in infighting typically possessed sharp political instincts. Mentioning Shengshan County amounted to admitting a capital crime, whereas avoiding it left room for maneuver. After a brief pause, Xu Yuan played along: "How do you propose we withdraw?" Before the Sect Master could speak, the Grand Elder chimed in with a compassionate tone: "Young Master, wherever the blades of war march, it is the common people who suffer. The lives of the three million citizens of Wanxiang City hang on a single thought of yours." Xu Yuan frowned. Seeing Xu Yuan frown, the Grand Elder smoothly shifted his tone: "The Chancellor's Manor has aided our Wanxiang Sect in running military drills. Now that the exercise is concluded, our Wanxiang Sect is willing to reimburse your manor's military expenses, along with five million taels of silver as a token of gratitude, payable immediately." "......" Xu Yuan raised a brow and did not speak immediately. He suddenly understood what the two old men meant: We won't demand that you produce concrete evidence; you take the money and leave; we won't submit memorials to the imperial court; everything was mutually agreed upon beforehand. Still... Five million taels of silver. Converted by this world's purchasing power, it was close to 7.5 billion in his previous life—an astronomical figure for any individual. To produce such a colossal sum on the spot, the centuries-long accumulation of these sects was indeed filthy rich. Seeing Xu Yuan remain silent for a long time, the Wanxiang Sect Master took a sip of wine and quietly added, "Young Master has traveled ten thousand li without complaint, weary from the road. A seventy-percent non-voting stake in the Chenguang Chamber of Commerce is a modest token of our appreciation." "......" Hearing this, Xu Yuan almost burst out laughing. A seventy-percent dry share, seventy percent of the equity—essentially handing the merchant association over to him. Yet was this old man attempting to bribe him? The Chancellor's Manor would most likely belong to him in the future, and he was testing an official with this? Anyone else might indeed fail such a test, but he... Just as he thought this, Xu Yuan's thoughts ground to a halt. He realized the old man wasn't bribing him. Because of his cultivation. The Wanxiang Sect Master could clearly see his cultivation: a Rank Six could never swallow such a massive stake without a sound. Even if he took it, he could never digest it. And if he had a superior, that superior was bound to be Xu Yinhe's trusted confidant. In other words, these two old men were trying to use this method to establish ties with the Chancellor's Manor. *It has been a long time since your Chancellor's Manor's Tian'an Chamber of Commerce sought entry into Xize Province. I'll open a backdoor to let you in; the Chenguang Chamber of Commerce is half-dead anyway, so you can expand under its banner. You have superior merchandise and ample silver to carve out a market, while I have the connections to cover for you, and all of our trade networks can be put at your disposal. More importantly, operating under Chenguang's name avoids taxes and circumvents coordinated boycotts by other local factions. And once the business thrives, our Wanxiang Sect can share a slice of the pie. We sit down and divide the money together, seventy for you, thirty for me. Why fight to the death over two hundred thousand lowborns when we could make a fortune and split the dividends together?* Reflecting on this, Xu Yuan sighed inwardly and raised his cup. Agreeing to nothing and refusing nothing, he met the Sect Master's gaze with a shared smile: "Sect Master truly has great boldness. Come, drink." With that, the three laughed and shared a toast. *Hreee—* An eagle's cry echoed at that moment; someone outside wished to board the pavilion. Xu Yuan looked up, smiling as he said, "It seems Sect Master's daughter has arrived. Judging by Sect Master's appearance, you must have been dashing in your youth. Your daughter must be as lovely as a blossom, then?" "......" Hearing this, the Wanxiang Sect Master's eyes narrowed abruptly. Xu Yuan noticed, but paid it no heed. With a faint smirk, he rose from the divan to greet her. "Sect Master, Grand Elder, please wait here a moment. I shall go welcome her." The Wanxiang Sect Master moved to stop him, but was held back by the Grand Elder, who kept his lips sealed and sent a sound transmission: "Sect Master, keep the bigger picture in mind. You had best persuade Xiaohe later. If she can maintain a rapport with this young master, it will benefit the sect." The Sect Master's aged fists clenched slightly. "Do you want Xiaohe to become a courtesan who sells her smiles?" The Grand Elder's expression remained unchanged. "I know you were blessed with a child late in life, but for Xu Yinhe to launch a direct assault, he must possess conclusive evidence. This man is not yet thirty and is entrusted with great responsibility by Xu Yinhe. It would not be beneath Xiaohe." "Why don't you send your granddaughter?!" The Wanxiang Sect Master appeared calm, but his voice was thick with suppressed fury. "If this young master fancies her, why not?" The Grand Elder cast his eyes down, sipping his wine as he answered calmly. "If the young master is interested in having Zhaohua serve him, that too is fine." Zhaohua was the Grand Elder's lawful wife. "......" The Sect Master shot the Grand Elder a chilling glare, but ultimately chose to hold his tongue. Stepping onto the deck, Xu Yuan saw Zhou Xiaohe once more—the busty young woman had changed into palace attire, her hair styled in an updo, yet her figure remained impossible to conceal. Their eyes met. Xu Yuan waved his hand, signaling the escorts to clear off immediately, then smiled and said, "Miss Xiaohe, your father is waiting inside. Please follow me." Zhou Xiaohe's eyes flickered. Appearing completely poised and lively, she replied, "Now that I am on Young Master's grounds, naturally I will follow your lead in everything." Walking along the spacious deck, Xu Yuan asked as if in idle conversation, "I heard that when Miss Xiaohe traveled the world, you were always accompanied by a rather wooden fellow?" "Does Young Master mean Li Zhu?" "That seems to be the name." Xu Yuan nodded. Zhou Xiaohe's gaze darkened for an instant. "He passed away some days ago. He died fighting in the demonic beast tide to protect Shengshan County." "......" Hearing this, Xu Yuan's footsteps paused slightly. Seeing this, Zhou Xiaohe whispered, "Young Master?" "Just a little surprised." Xu Yuan composed himself and spoke candidly, "A man who dies for righteousness deserves respect." Although they had only met twice, that Li Erzhu was indeed the sort of person to do something like that. After all, he was a "fool" who would travel thousands of li to the border during a demonic beast tide solely to slay beasts and protect the people. "......" Zhou Xiaohe lowered her eyes. Looking sideways at her sorrowful profile, Xu Yuan suddenly asked, "Then, Miss Xiaohe, do you know what caused the disaster in Shengshan County?" Zhou Xiaohe's figure trembled faintly, but she quickly put on a nonchalant smile. "Young Master, what caused it?" She had to think of her sect. Xu Yuan gazed into her eyes, enunciating every word: "Because your Wanxiang Sect wanted to massacre the city to create a ghost mist." Zhou Xiaohe frowned, cupping her fists. "Young Master, what do you mean? Only recently did the sect send aid to Shengshan County—" "Are you sure about that?" Xu Yuan interrupted, his gaze holding an odd glint. Zhou Xiaohe was puzzled, yet her tone remained resolute: "Young Master, I do not understand what you are saying." "......" Xu Yuan's gaze softened instantly, as if looking upon someone already dead. "Just a joke. Don't take it to heart." As he spoke, he reached out and wrapped an arm around Zhou Xiaohe's shoulder, murmuring softly, "Xiaohe, I'm feeling a bit drunk." "......" Zhou Xiaohe shivered slightly, but tacitly accepted it. The two walked into the ward-laden pavilion, neither uttering a word along the way. Entering the chamber, seeing Xu Yuan with his arm around his daughter, the Wanxiang Sect Master instinctively caught his breath, yet said nothing. Observing his expression, Xu Yuan smiled faintly, his fingers brushing Zhou Xiaohe's delicate cheek as he held her shoulder: "Sect Master, you dote on this daughter of yours very much, don't you?" The Sect Master remained silent. The Grand Elder chuckled softly beside him: "The Sect Master was blessed with a daughter late in life; naturally, he treasures her deeply." "Is that so?" Xu Yuan nodded and smiled, but his smile was bone-chilling. And then— *Squelch!* Drawing upon the power the Saint's remnant soul had amassed for so long, a sharp blade abruptly pierced Zhou Xiaohe's slender body, shattering her heart. Almost simultaneously, *Hum—!* Boundless Source Qi erupted violently within the confined chamber. The Wanxiang Sect Master could no longer suppress his fury: "You court death!!!" Yet in the next instant, *Bang!* With a dull thud, the reinforced wooden floor caved in as the Wanxiang Sect Master was slammed down onto the floorboards by the Grand Elder beside him. Seeing this, Xu Yuan slowly drew out Qingyu and gently laid Zhou Xiaohe flat upon the floor, speaking softly: "All right, spare me the double act. Lord Sect Master has been in the Transcendent Realm for over thirty years. How could a sudden outburst possibly be held down by a Grand Elder who only reached the Transcendent Realm half a year ago?" With that, Xu Yuan walked leisurely past the two and sat back down on the cushioned divan. By the time he turned his gaze back, the charade was over. The Wanxiang Sect Master had appeared as if by teleportation before the dying Zhou Xiaohe. Blood welled continuously from the corners of Zhou Xiaohe's mouth as the Sect Master poured his formidable cultivation into her, forcefully preserving the life of the blossom-like girl. Even with a shattered heart, in this world, there was still hope of saving her. Yet looking at the Sect Master, whose eyes were ready to tear at the seams, Xu Yuan uttered two despairing words: "Stop." "......" The Wanxiang Sect Master ignored him, his face wrought with guilt as he strained to sustain his daughter's life. Xu Yuan spoke in a gentle, hushed tone: "Such deep father-daughter affection—truly touching. But if you don't stop, I will have the Black Scale Army massacre your entire sect." The Wanxiang Sect Master looked up, his aged visage furious enough to split: "Young Master, what is the meaning of this?!" Xu Yuan stared at him with dark, fathomless eyes. "Eight thousand, three hundred, and fourteen." "What?" "Two hundred and seventy thousand." "Young Master, speak plainly if you have something to say," the Grand Elder interjected suddenly, knowing the Sect Master had reached his breaking point. Hearing this, Xu Yuan lifted the flagon before him, poured a cup, and said unhurriedly, "The former is the number of Shengshan border soldiers who died protecting the people of Shengshan. The latter is the approximate number of Shengshan civilians who perished in the jaws of demonic beasts." *Thud!* Xu Yuan slammed the wine flagon down onto the table before him, lifted the cup, and poured the wine onto the ground: "Every single one of them had a family of their own. "Lord Sect Master, "do you feel what their loved ones felt now?" The Wanxiang Sect Master froze for a moment, then let out a low, bloodshot laugh: "You did this... all for a bunch of lowborns?!" "......" Xu Yuan sighed. Without arguing, he silently retrieved a stabilized crystal from his Sumeru ring, holding it in his hand as he repeated, "Stop." Pausing, Xu Yuan grinned, whispering softly, "Of course, "Sect Master, you could also try to kill me."