A Conversation

Even Xu Yuan, as a fifth-rank Soul Condensation Realm cultivator, could not withstand this severe cold, to say nothing of ordinary mortal folk. When Xu Yuan and his party of four had traveled north, their route had followed the official highways, along which lay almost exclusively the most prosperous regions. Yet even then, countless people had still died. The reality signified by chaos and war amid a catastrophic blizzard was simple, and brutally cruel. Starving corpses strewn across ten thousand li, countless frozen bones, and people trading their children for food. Now that the imperial court had chosen to take up the knife against the sects of the Northern Border, all the war and production machinery of both the imperial family and the Prime Minister's Manor would pivot around this single focus. Although the court was the first power to reap the massive dividend of martial academies liberating extraordinary productive forces, its resources were by no means limitless. Massive investments of resources and large-scale deployments of cultivators were constantly draining the reserves the court had accumulated over time. Spanning ten thousand li, the three northern provinces had refugees numbering far beyond hundreds of millions, which would inevitably consume vast amounts of supplies and military strength from the court's treasury. There was no choice in this world that could satisfy both sides; the two men in Di'an City could only choose one or the other. Disaster relief, or wiping out the northern sects. And as the current situation made glaringly clear, the two had chosen the latter. Because this opportunity would come only once. Gazing at the deathly silent stone hut before her, half-collapsed under the weight of the blizzard, Li Qingyan posed a quiet counter-question to Tianyan: "In this catastrophic blizzard, had the local yamens not opened their granaries to distribute grain and stabilize food prices, and had the local garrisons not organized expeditions to chop firewood, even the commanderies and counties would likely be a living hell by now." Tianyan shook her head, murmuring in a low voice, "Your Highness probably hasn't visited any northern commanderies or counties in quite some time, have you?" "......" Li Qingyan let out a soft sigh and fell silent. The reserves of local commanderies and counties were finite. The blizzard disaster had dragged on for more than half a year; even if the authorities had released grain, their stocks had likely been depleted by now. She had no desire to debate such a childish topic with her. Standing in different positions, neither could ever convince the other. The imperial court certainly ought to provide disaster relief, but what about the northern sects? The sects all spoke of co-governance—refusing to shoulder responsibility, yet claiming all the benefits? Amid the silence, "Survival of the fittest... winnowing out those who can survive the disaster..." Bai Muxi suddenly piped up, her voice tinged with an odd quality: "The people who die hold value—they conserve resources while freeing up more for those better suited. Surely that can't be considered a bad thing, can it?" "......" Tianyan turned her head to look at the woman in purple silk, whose expression was obediently sweet even as she uttered such horrific words. Bai Muxi blinked, her eyes filled with nothing but matter-of-fact certainty. Tianyan reacted quickly, turning to Xu Yuan. "Xu Yuan, where on earth did you rescue this maid from?" Standing in the snow, Xu Yuan quietly looked at the lifeless stone hut and replied softly, "A small place. Cut off from information, with a harsh environment and limited resources. Useless people were put to death outright." As he spoke, he turned his gaze back toward her and asked: "By the way, Tianyan, have you ever handled the practical affairs of your Overseeing Heaven Pavilion?" "What affairs?" Tianyan murmured. "Granaries and storage, merchant guilds, annual balance sheets, that sort of thing." "...Never." "Never had your delicate hands dirtied by the world's work," Xu Yuan chuckled, casting a sidelong glance at her. "......" Tianyan fell silent. Xu Yuan exhaled slowly and said in a low voice, "Still, since you've never dealt with them, you probably don't realize just how deep the foundations of a millennial sect truly run." Saying this, he looked back at the dilapidated stone hut in the snow-ruined mountain village. "In truth, the situation isn't unsolvable. Slaughter the northern sects, seize their stockpiles, and distribute relief grain along the line of march. It'll be a bit more troublesome and a bit slower, but the two objectives don't inherently conflict. "Relief will definitely come; it's just that under current conditions, wiping out the sects takes priority." With that, he offered no further explanation and walked straight into the stone hut. Even though Li Yaoxuan and his old man intended to eradicate the northern sects, they certainly had no desire for a deserted wasteland. Wiping out the Barbarians and the local sects of the three northern provinces was meant to secure a stable rear—one capable of continuously fueling the imperial court. If everything was smashed to pieces, leaving behind no population and no infrastructure, it would become an outright burden to the court instead. His words faded into silence, leaving the three women speechless. Bai Muxi subtly glanced at the other two before silently following her young master into the stone hut. Snow fell thick and fast within the courtyard enclosed by stone fences. Tianyan and Li Qingyan remained where they were. After a long silence, Tianyan murmured softly, "The great worldly calamity draws near. Stoking internal strife like this can hardly be a good thing." Li Qingyan raised her eyes to the sky. "A great worldly calamity? Saintess, do you even believe your own words?" Tianyan glanced at her and coldly tossed back, "One cannot speak of summer ice to a summer insect. The decline of my Overseeing Heaven Pavilion in antiquity came precisely from sparing no effort in resisting the calamity." "Perhaps that was true back then," Li Qingyan nodded, not denying what had occurred ten thousand years ago. The Overseeing Heaven Pavilion's ancient might was universally acknowledged; the cultivation realms they established back then remained in use to this day, a clear testament to how flourishing they once had been. Pausing briefly, Li Qingyan asked with a touch of amusement, "That may have been your purpose back then, but does your Overseeing Heaven Pavilion still hold true to its original aspiration today?" Hovering in midair, Tianyan knitted her slender brows and said evenly, "With the calamity approaching, my Overseeing Heaven Pavilion will naturally do its part. But the prerequisite for all of that is our own survival." "I thought you'd spout some hollow platitudes," Li Qingyan remarked with mild surprise, letting out a light chuckle. "Being so blunt—I find myself rather liking this temperament of yours." Tianyan narrowed her beautiful eyes. "You sound disgusting when you say that." "Hide your jealousy, or you'll only make trouble for others." Li Qingyan's eyes curved into a smile as she caught a falling leaf in her palm, before suddenly asking, "Are you still intent on going to Lingshui Palace?" Tianyan shot her a look. "Yes. I believe I already told you as much back in Beifeng." Seeing the sparks of defiance in her eyes, Li Qingyan didn't take offense. She merely said in a soft voice, "I advise you to alter your itinerary. Don't go to Lingshui Palace." Tianyan's golden pupils fixed on her for several breaths before she asked in a low voice, "Why?" Li Qingyan's plain robes fluttered in the wind and snow, making her poised figure appear even more striking. She remarked casually, "It will be very dangerous there. If you go, you might die." Lingshui Palace, the foremost sect of the Northern Border. According to the intelligence received from Di'an City during their stay in Beifeng, the imperial forces surrounding Lingshui Palace would finish gathering within ten days. The court attached immense importance to this premier northern sect. Two garrisons from Beifeng, along with the garrison of the Black Scale Army commanded by the general named Yuan Hao. Three garrisons in total, numbering nearly a hundred thousand troops. Beyond that, there were also Barbarian wolf riders and infantrymen who had surrendered to the court in hopes of survival. The Barbarian forces had collapsed like a landslide, and living beings would always seek a way to survive. No intelligent being wanted to die. Given a chance, the routed Barbarian tribes would fabricate their own reasons to surrender. For instance: Their king had fled the battlefield, abandoning them. They had marched south in the first place only to secure enough food and living space. Now their faith had crumbled, and with food and shelter guaranteed, propaganda from the upper tribal echelons allowed the Great Yan court to incorporate a contingent of Barbarian soldiers. In the midst of a catastrophic blizzard, no troops were more suited to the conditions than the Barbarians. Facing such an array, Lingshui Palace—bereft of its elite military forces—had no hope of survival. A single decisive battle to cut down the foremost sect of the Northern Border as a deterrent to all. Tianyan remained silent for a moment, having already deduced most of the truth. Seeing the faint smile in the eyes of the woman before her, she felt an unsettling prickle of irritation. "Why tell me this?" Holding her gaze for several breaths, a glint of cold amusement flashed across Li Qingyan's phoenix eyes. "Truth be told, I wanted you to die there. 'The Saintess of the Overseeing Heaven Pavilion perishes amidst wartime chaos'—doesn't that have a pleasant ring to it?" "......" As the words fell, the atmosphere in the biting wind suddenly froze. Yet that tense standoff lasted only an instant. Li Qingyan suddenly burst into laughter, her smile blossoming like a flower in the swirling snow. "But then I gave it some thought. If you died there, it would be far too boring. Letting you live might prove much more interesting." Ripples stirred in Tianyan's heart. To her, this princess clad in snow-white robes seemed downright unhinged. "Interesting?" "I like watching you fly into a flustered rage." "......" Tianyan's brow twitched as an inexplicable wave of annoyance washed over her. Exhaling evenly to calm herself, she glared at Li Qingyan. "Your taste in amusement is thoroughly vulgar." Li Qingyan did not deny it. "Perhaps. So, you had better not go." "Your Highness, I am not your subordinate, and certainly not a lapdog of your imperial family." Tianyan's clear golden eyes flared with a divine radiance, the sashes of her palace gown fluttering around her. "Even if I go, I have the means to keep myself alive." "I'm hardly considering your well-being," Li Qingyan replied. Sensing the subtle shifts in the surrounding Source Qi, her smile did not waver, but her raspy voice dropped low, speaking each word with deliberate weight. "Though Changtian holds no feelings for you now, he might remember that so-called illusion in the future. If you die at Lingshui Palace this time, even if I wasn't the one who killed you, it would still become a thorn between him and me." The freezing wind bit to the bone; their gazes were like ice. Tianyan bit her lip. "Your conceited personality is truly loathsome." Li Qingyan pursed her lips into a smile, crossed her arms over her chest, and lightly tapped her chin with a slender forefinger. "On the contrary, I rather like your naive temperament... Heh, people always covet what they lack most. So, have you made up your mind?" Tianyan huffed coldly. "My safety is hardly something you need to trouble—" "Your journey to Lingshui Palace is nothing more than sending a signal. There is no need to object merely for the sake of contradicting me." Li Qingyan was utterly composed in front of Tianyan, as though seeing right through her heart. A smile lingered in her magnificent crimson eyes. "On the contrary, rather than heading to Lingshui Palace, I believe you ought to stay by Changtian's side." "......" Tianyan fell abruptly silent, her gaze turning somewhat peculiar. "Don't look at me like that." Li Qingyan narrowed her smiling eyes slightly. "That fellow's cultivation is so feeble, yet his status is so prominent. Scoundrels harboring ill intentions toward him are inevitable. I must remain with the northern army and cannot be in two places at once." Saying this, she looked into Tianyan's eyes, articulating each word: "The Chief Arbiter's cultivation is far too weak. Over the past few days, however, I've observed your demeanor—your feelings for Changtian do not appear feigned, and your cultivation is profound. You could not be more suited to escort him back to the capital." Hearing this, Tianyan was taken aback. She knitted her brows, her voice hesitant: "You want the two of us to return to the capital alone?" "Does the Chief Arbiter not count as a person?" Hearing her tone, Li Qingyan knew she had already agreed. She smiled and added, "Tianyan, on the road back, make sure you don't get bullied by her." "......" Tianyan clenched her fists. Drawing a deep breath and letting it out, she steadied her emotions and spoke in a clear, crisp voice, "You are quite open-minded." "Open-minded? Perhaps." Li Qingyan's crimson eyes shone brilliant as rubies in the wind and snow, a smile playing at the corners of her lips. "Worldly affection tastes sweet once savored, making one instinctively yearn to linger at another's side. But Tianyan, in this world, there are far more important matters waiting for me to attend to." "......" Tianyan's eyes widened slightly. Pursing her lips, she looked away and asked, "Li Qingyan, given Changtian's status and the talent he has displayed, no one should be willing to take the risk of moving against him." "During the Battle of Beifeng, his brilliance was noticed." Li Qingyan smiled faintly, a chilling glint flashing in her eyes. "Because of that, he and I have already faced one assassination attempt. The journey back to the capital may be perilous, which is why I need you to protect him." "Who?" Tianyan frowned. Li Qingyan gave no direct answer. "When the time comes, you can ask Changtian yourself." Hearing that, Tianyan spoke no further. Her bare feet hovering in midair shifted slightly as she stepped through the void, heading toward the stone hut. Upon reaching the doorway, her crisp voice drifted back: "I don't hate you quite as much now." "......" Li Qingyan chuckled at her words, teasing, "Just because I'm letting you be alone with Changtian? You're remarkably easy to coax, little girl." "......" Tianyan's delicate frame trembled. Gritting her teeth, Source Qi surged from her in an instant. Striding forward on her long, graceful legs, Li Qingyan brushed past Tianyan, who hovered frozen in midair, and leaned close to her ear, her breath sweet as orchids as she whispered softly: "See? Angry again. "On the way back to the capital, Tianyan, I have a feeling that Chief Arbiter might just bully you to death~" With that, she ruffled Tianyan's hair while the girl was fuming, then strode directly into the stone hut, leaving Tianyan's petite figure standing outside, trembling with fury. The moment she stepped inside, however, Li Qingyan's marvelous mood vanished without a trace. A Fire Spirit Lamp had dispelled the chill within the stone hut, and a dark jade bed retrieved from a Sumeru ring sat right in the center. Xu Yuan lay prostrate on the bed, his cheek buried in a soft dark jade pillow. Bai Muxi, dressed in purple silk and gauze, had her shapely hips perched near the base of his thighs, her slender hands gently kneading his lower back. The posture was rather intimate. Looking at the man and woman on the jade bed, Li Qingyan wore a smile on her lips. "Changtian, if you're really feeling unwell, why not let me massage you instead?" Xu Yuan glanced back at her and said nothing. *Doesn't matter. Xiao Bai will handle it.* Seeing this, Bai Muxi lowered her gaze, slid off the man, and spoke demurely: "Your Highness, it was—" "Shut up." Li Qingyan's cold gaze swept over her. "How is your cultivation of the Reversed Origin Six Elements Art progressing, that you have the leisure for such things?" As she spoke, she drew a whip from her Sumeru ring. "It just so happens I haven't tested your progress in days." Bai Muxi shrank her neck and immediately went quiet. *Oh no. Xiao Bai can't outplay this wicked woman.* With a calm expression, Xu Yuan sat up from the jade bed, rested his elbows on his knees, and smiled at her by the entrance. "Finished whispering with Tianyan? What secrets did you two have to share behind my back?" With her plain robes fluttering, Li Qingyan put away the whip, strolled to the bedside, and narrowed her eyes. "Once we reach Guangyang Prefecture, Tianyan will escort you back to the capital. Before we part ways, why don't I render my services to you, Changtian~?" "......" Xu Yuan.