Vessel

Having listened to Xu Yuan's account, Xu Yinhe did not immediately state his stance. Instead, he asked Xu Yuan with profound meaning: "Looking the other way is indeed an option, but Changtian, what if some sects bypass me and Li Yaoxuan altogether, openly defying us by mustering their forces in the name of this 'calamity'? Even if Li Yaoxuan and I remain ignorant, they can always act first and report later." Hearing this, a hint of uncertainty flickered between Xu Yuan's brows. The sects were thoroughbred warlords who possessed their own military systems. Certain major sects had even established a complete, self-sustaining production base within their home provinces. While they did require tiger tallies to mobilize their armies, those tallies were not imperial tallies. Mustering troops to confront the imperial army head-on... Given the nature of those sects, this was hardly beyond them. Father and son walked silently toward the council hall of the Chancellor's Manor. Xu Yuan kept silent, and Xu Yinhe walked ahead in quiet contemplation, waiting for the fruits of his son's deliberation. As thoughts surged one after another, Xu Yuan suddenly understood something, and clarity struck him like lightning: "If the sects merely resort to denunciations and remonstrations, that poses no harm. But if they directly mobilize troops... "Father, aren't the sects already doing that right now? They have not only sneaked around on the battlefield secretly collaborating with the Barbarians to leak intelligence, but have even gone so far as to cut supply routes and trap Wuyuan's Feather Forest Guards to be slaughtered! As for mobilizing troops to face the imperial army on the battlefield..." At this point, Xu Yuan met Xu Yinhe's gaze, his eyes indifferent: "Then they are traitors. We need only annihilate them together!" A dark glint surfaced in Xu Yinhe's deep eyes, his voice growing a shade heavier: "Changtian, blindly favoring war is no virtue." As he spoke, Xu Yuan felt a colossal aura radiate from the middle-aged man in the black dragon robe before him. Without halting his stride, Xu Yuan maintained an even tone: "Father, I say this because it is impossible for the sects to mobilize troops in open defiance. Even if their mobilized forces were wiped out, the sects would simply swallow the loss." "......" Xu Yinhe let out a soft chuckle, his voice low: "Changtian, have you still not realized that when it comes to their own interests, the sects have no bottom line?" Xu Yuan shook his head, pointing toward the imperial palace. "Who would dare gamble against the final frenzy of a true dragon nearing the end of its lifespan? Would those sect leaders dare? They wouldn't!" Spreading his hands, Xu Yuan spoke with equal gravity: "Father, the imperial court and the sects have coexisted for a thousand years. Apart from a select few, countless sects across Great Yan's heartland have already rotted to the core. Scions of noble clans cultivate and grow strong to solidify their family's standing, to use their cultivation to carve out greater power within their own little acre of land." Xu Yuan slowly raised his right hand: "On this side lies gambling their lives. Failure means chaotic war across the world, where the power and wealth they hold could be extinguished overnight." Xu Yuan raised his left hand: "On this side lies appeasement. As long as they stall until the reigning Emperor dies, they can incite internal strife between the imperial clan and us. And if they stall further until you pass away, they will still remain high and mighty sects enjoying their privileges, free to reap the benefits of ancestral traditions for thousands of years to come." Moonlight fell like a cascade, coating his blood-red robe with a silver rim. Looking at the middle-aged man with graying temples, the youth's dark eyes gleamed with a chilling light as he spoke word for word: "If you were in the shoes of those sect leaders, Father, which would you choose?" "......" The night was profoundly still. Silence fell, followed by a soft, leisurely sigh as the imposing aura melted away. Like an ordinary aging father, Xu Yinhe gazed at Xu Yuan with gentle warmth. Seeing this, Xu Yuan hastily lowered his hands and clasped his fists. "These are merely some humble observations. I hope Father will offer guidance." Xu Yinhe smiled and waved his hand. "Changtian, when I spoke of this with your elder brother, he also favored war. But he made no mention of what you just said." Hearing that, Xu Yuan glanced toward the inner court and curled his lip, though he still remarked, "Even though Xu Changge has brains full of muscle, he probably could figure it out too. He's just poor at expressing himself." Xu Yinhe was in good spirits and cast an amused look at Xu Yuan. "Enough. Everything your elder brother did in the past was for your own good. Back then, you couldn't cultivate and your body couldn't handle the potency of medicine. Every time he finished beating you, he and Xinyao would meticulously concoct the ingredients for your medicinal baths." "......" Xu Yuan kept his mouth shut. What era was this, still playing the slap-and-sweet routine? What, did he think he was in the NBA? Besides, his annoyance with Xu Changge wasn't over past grievances, but purely a clash of personalities. With Xu Changge's domineering CEO temperament, even someone as good-tempered as Xu Yuan couldn't stand him. He really had no idea how that sister-in-law from the Celestial Master Manor had fallen for that insufferable jerk. Thinking of this, Xu Yuan suddenly recalled the similarity between that Young Celestial Master and the Tianyan cultivation method. Before he could delve deeper, however, Xu Yinhe smiled and brought the subject back: "Your elder brother gave a different reason from yours. He saw the Emperor's impending death, rather than the perspective of the sects." Pausing, Xu Yinhe's voice took on a touch of solemnity: "Changtian, on this point, you truly are more outstanding than your brother." "......" Hearing those words, Xu Yuan was momentarily stunned. He abruptly realized that his father hadn't genuinely been seeking his advice just now—he had been testing him. Testing whether he could truly shoulder the mantle of the Chancellor's Manor after he passed on. Deliberating briefly, Xu Yuan asked softly, "Then what do you plan to do, Father?" Xu Yinhe glanced toward the south and said with a smile, "Traveling from the border between Great Yan and the Great Desolation to the Imperial Capital by flying demonic beast takes at least a month and a half. I've prepared a few small gifts for them along the road. They should arrive at the Imperial Capital in about four months." "Four months..." Xu Yuan murmured. Four months from now, Tianyan would arrive openly in the Imperial Capital. Judging by her attitude when they parted, that flat-chested Saintess probably wouldn't do anything too extreme to him, right? Pondering this, Xu Yuan suddenly gave a casual chuckle. It didn't matter; he could always call for backup. This was the Imperial Capital. With so many formidable experts under his own roof, could he really be bullied by that washboard? Noticing the shift in Xu Yuan's expression, Xu Yinhe looked at him with complex eyes and said softly, "Changtian, the relationship between you and that Saintess of the Overseeing Heaven Pavilion..." Snapping back to reality, Xu Yuan gave a soft laugh. "It's somewhat complicated. I must have gone through a few things with that woman inside the illusory realm, but once I came out, I couldn't remember any of it." Xu Yinhe said in a gentle voice, "I can leave your relations with the Saintess of the Overseeing Heaven Pavilion, as well as Ran Jianli's prized disciple, to your own discretion. But I hope you will consider them carefully." Ran Jianli was the Imperial Preceptor of Great Yan and the Sect Master of the Sword Sect, representing an interest group completely diametrical to the Chancellor's Manor. If marriage alliances could resolve conflicts, there would not be so many wars in this world. Unless one abandoned the ideals for which one had striven a lifetime. Xu Yuan's expression turned solemn, and he nodded. "Father, I understand." Xu Yinhe asked no further and walked quietly toward the front hall. Passing the rest of the way in silence, Xu Yuan spotted a familiar old man waiting by the entrance to the front hall. Hua Hong, President of the Tian'an Chamber of Commerce. He possessed a long, flowing beard and snow-white hair, draped in loose robes. Were it not for those uncomfortably narrow, squinting eyes, he might almost look like a transcendent immortal. He stood by the main hall's doors with a young child, seemingly waiting for them. Seeing this, Xu Yuan's eyes narrowed slightly. "Father, this is..." "The vessel Luo Daofan desires," Xu Yinhe said calmly. Xu Yuan cast a slightly surprised glance at his father. By now, Xu Yinhe had resumed his usual steady, authoritative demeanor: "Luo Daofan went to great lengths to survive. Training an apprentice was naturally never about passing down his legacy; what he truly wants can only be a vessel for possession. The words exchanged between him and your uncle before the Sword Pavilion earlier made that abundantly clear." Xu Yuan fell silent for a moment. "Do you... really plan to give him one?" "I had originally intended to delay for a time." Walking forward, Xu Yinhe said softly, "However, the situation has changed. The reemergence of the Overseeing Heaven Pavilion, along with his identity as their apostate, makes it possible for us to draw him completely to our side." Xu Yuan said nothing more. Looking at the child over there, he let out a soft sigh. The child had rosy lips and fair teeth, but his eyes were hollow, suggesting he had endured harrowing trauma. Perhaps ten years from now, this child would turn entirely into Old Man Luo. Noticing Xu Yuan's expression, Xu Yinhe said nothing. Walking straight up to Hua Hong, Xu Yinhe said softly, "Elder Hua, thank you for your hard work." As the old steward of the Feng family, Hua Hong had toiled for the Chancellor's Manor his entire life. Nearly the entire manor's finances relied on his administration, making him fully worthy of the title. Hearing this, Hua Hong curled his lip, his tone laced with sarcasm: "Hardly hard work on my part. I merely spent 1,739,214 taels of silver to find a few hundred fine saplings for Wu Zigeng's Tian'an Martial Hall. That much silver, spent just like that. Tsk, tsk..." Though the two spoke in close proximity, outsiders could not hear a word. However, Xu Yinhe had made an exception for Xu Yuan, allowing him to hear everything as well. Listening to this familiar tune, Xu Yuan rolled his eyes with a smile. "Hey, didn't I give you three million taels back at the Wanxiang Sect? Not to mention all those properties! Is there really any need to be this stingy?" At those words, Hua Hong's squinted eyes snapped wide open, his beard bristling with long-simmering indignation: "You little brat have the nerve to bring that up? How much did you give me? And how much did you give that woman Lou Ji? Fifteen million taels! Do you have any concept of what fifteen million taels means? "Oh, you ungrateful little beast! Lou Ji treats you well, but did this old man pay any fewer bills for you when you were little? Xu Changtian, if you don't give this old man an explanation today, see if I don't beat—" "Ahem!" "......" Hua Hong clamped his mouth shut. "......" Xu Yuan adopted an innocent expression. Xu Yinhe looked at the child and asked calmly, "What physique?" Hua Hong shot a final glare at Xu Yuan before taking a deep breath. "Among the physiques you specified, we only found one Mystic Life Yin Physique. The boy's village was slaughtered by horse bandits; after we avenged them, he said he was willing to follow us. What, do you plan to train him yourself?" "Luo Daofan requires a vessel," Xu Yinhe said placidly. Hua Hong frowned, seemingly wanting to argue, but looking at Xu Yinhe's calm demeanor, he ultimately sighed: "Though I know you won't listen, my advice is to keep him and raise him ourselves. The ceiling of our training might not match that Saint who has dragged out his life for ten thousand years, but at the very least, we can guarantee loyalty." The night wind gently stirred the black dragon robe Xu Yinhe wore, his eyes as still as an ancient well. "Elder Hua, time is running short. We can no longer afford to slowly nurture the next generation as we once did. Luo Daofan will stand on our side." Hua Hong glanced at the hollow-eyed child beside him and said no more. "Have it your way." "......" With that, Xu Yinhe cast a glance at Xu Yuan, then turned and crossed the threshold with the child and the soul ring, stepping into the council hall. The pure moonlight spilled down, and his departing silhouette remained as formidable as ever. Yet for a fleeting split second, Xu Yuan seemed to glimpse his father let out what looked like a weary sigh... The early summer night remained chilly. The old man and the youth stood quietly before the hall doors. Watching Xu Yinhe disappear inside, Hua Hong let out a soft huff: "Refusing steady returns just to take wild risks. What a pity for such a fine seedling." Xu Yuan fell silent for a long while before shaking his head with a sigh. "High risk, high reward." Hua Hong chuckled, his squinting eyes sizing up Xu Yuan's expression. "Who would have thought a rotten egg like you actually harbors compassion for heaven and earth?" The old monsters in the manor possessed terrifyingly sharp eyes. Xu Yuan made no attempt to conceal his feelings: "Without compassion, one is unworthy of being called human." The wrinkles on Hua Hong's aged face twitched, and he scrutinized Xu Yuan with a genial smile. "In that case, why didn't you dissuade your father? He might have listened to your advice. Wouldn't that child have been saved then?" Xu Yuan turned toward the inner court, speaking as he walked, "If you don't know the full story, old man, don't talk nonsense. Exchanging one child for a powerful, reliable Mortal Shedding realm combatant in the short term is something my father will never change his mind on. Alright, farewell. I'm heading back to my wing." Instead of leaving, Hua Hong quickened his pace to keep up, talking as he matched strides: "Sacrificing one person to save tens of thousands in the future is indeed a profitable bargain." "......" Seeing him tag along, Xu Yuan frowned with a bizarre look in his eyes. "Why are you following me, you old geezer? Doesn't your Tian'an Chamber of Commerce—" Smack! A blow caught the back of Xu Yuan's head. Hua Hong pointed at himself, snapping peevishly, "Even your old man calls me Elder Hua, yet you brat dare call me an old geezer?" "......" Xu Yuan opened his mouth, ready to unleash a barrage of curses, but seeing the boundless Source Qi casually swirling around Hua Hong, he silently shut it again. Pausing for a breath, Xu Yuan offered a strained smile. "Elder Hua, may I ask why you've sought me out?" Sister Lou Ji wasn't around. If this old man felt like beating him up, there probably wasn't a single person in the Chancellor's Manor right now who would come to his rescue. Seeing this, Hua Hong stroked the white beard beneath his chin, nodding with satisfaction. "This old man heard tell of a man named Zhou Chen who possesses deep insight into commercial trade and can author a treatise on business principles..." "......" Hearing those words, Xu Yuan instantly understood that this was another arrangement orchestrated by his old man. Having Hua Hong deliver the child in person, thereby creating an opportunity for Hua Hong and Xu Yuan to be alone together. His father was preparing him to gradually take over the core faction, and the first step was to win the deference of the subordinates toward this 'crown prince.' After a beat of silence, Xu Yuan broke into a grin: "Ah, right, there is indeed someone named Zhou Chen. But he's been dispatched to the Northern Border." "......" The corner of Hua Hong's eye twitched. Taking a deep breath, he cut straight to the chase: "Yet I heard that Zhou Chen is you, brat." "Mhm." Xu Yuan was not in the least surprised. Among all the high-ranking figures in the Chancellor's Manor, this old geezer was the most shameless. "That's right, it's me. What about it?" "Can you write it?" "Of course I can." "In that case, can you write out this treatise on business principles—" "My head hurts. You broke it with that smack just now. I forgot." "......" Hua Hong.