Sanyuan Island.
The Jiang Clan ancestral grounds.
Countless pavilions and towers stretched out in unbroken lines, clustering around a lake at the heart of the island.
Beneath the surface of that lake rested a colossal beast, radiating a terrifying demonic aura comparable to late-stage Foundation Establishnt.
Inside the discussion hall.
Jiang Ziyan exhaled a long sigh, her eyes carrying their usual seductive, smoky charm as she gazed at the clan mbers gathered for the eting.
“Ancestor, must we really pledge ourselves to the Sea-Destroying Alliance? The Blue Sea Sect already has two Core Formation cultivators. They clearly hold the upper hand...”
The Jiang Clan patriarch, a middle-aged scholar, spoke with earnest persuasion. “Our family has exhausted every last resource, even selling the pots and pans, just to help Turtle Ancestor reach second-rank superior grade and barely maintain our independence. At a ti like this, with a great war looming, we should be keeping an even lower profile.”
The Jiang Clan’s Foundation Establishnt ancestor, Jiang Zidu, was a youthful genius who cared little for mundane affairs. He had ford his Foundation Establishnt at the age of forty, yet because he had remained bound to the clan, he had never advanced beyond early Foundation Establishnt. Even so, his attitude was firm.
“My decision is final. Precisely because the Sea-Destroying Alliance is the weaker side, they are willing to offer far more benefits and agree to stricter terms. Not only have they already paid one Foundation Establishnt Pill in advance, they have also promised Turtle Ancestor one Earth Fiend Origin Crystal. That is a Core Formation spiritual item!”
Jiang Zidu did not ntion that the Sea-Destroying Alliance had also promised him a spiritual pill capable of breaking through to mid Foundation Establishnt.
“Core Formation spiritual item?”
At those words, Jiang Ziyan and the other clan elders all drew in sharp breaths.
“That Earth Fiend Origin Crystal seems to be suited only for demon beasts to condense their demon cores...”
A white-haired Jiang Clan elder spoke up. “And it only offers slight assistance. Still, it is an incredibly rare treasure. If Turtle Ancestor can form a core, our Jiang Clan will beco a Core Formation clan!”
“A Core Formation clan...”
Many of the younger Jiang Clan mbers felt their hearts ignite with fervor. That title promised an entirely different future from the one they lived today.
“If our family truly becos a Core Formation clan, a re second-rank spiritual vein on Sanyuan Island will no longer be enough. We will need at least a third-rank spiritual vein and proper dao field to accommodate us...”
“And is that not perfect? There is still Taibai Island. It is practically a gift from heaven to our family.”
“Heaven offers it and we refuse? We would only invite disaster upon ourselves.”
Jiang Ziyan looked at the feverish faces of her clansn. For so unknown reason, a sudden chill rose in her heart.
“Moreover...”
Jiang Zidu suddenly gave a cold laugh. “Even if we wanted to stay neutral, it is already too late. To be honest, I previously took Turtle Ancestor with and ambushed a Blue Sea Sect five-toothed warship. Not a single soul aboard survived.”
The mont those words left his mouth, the Jiang Clan patriarch froze. After a long silence he finally gritted his teeth. “Ancestor... you are gambling with the entire family’s fate. Success ans we soar to the heavens. Failure ans we die without even a grave.”
“Excellent. It seems you have already made up your mind.”
Jiang Zidu laughed heartily instead. “In a few days, Wei Yuanfeng, the head disciple of True Personage Heiyuan, will personally co to sign the agreent and deliver the first batch of supplies. The family must make all necessary preparations.”
“Sigh...”
After the high-level eting ended, Jiang Ziyan let out a long sigh. Thinking of the restless, anxious atmosphere that had spread through the clan ever since Turtle Ancestor’s advancent, she felt an inexplicable weariness in her heart.
Even when she had to maneuver among those old monsters at the auction house, she had never felt so drained.
“Elder Ziyan, the patriarch requests your presence.”
Suddenly a servant stopped her and led her to a secret chamber.
Inside the chamber stood the middle-aged scholar—the patriarch himself.
“Patriarch, you summoned ?”
Jiang Ziyan felt sowhat puzzled.
Why had he not spoken during the clan eting? Why discuss it privately now?
“Ancestor has chosen to risk everything. We cannot oppose him, so we can only follow.” The Jiang Clan patriarch sighed. “But in all things, one must consider defeat before victory. Go to the clan academy and select a few disciples with excellent aptitude and steady temperant. Take a portion of the family’s foundation with you and leave for an outer island. Change your nas and live as rogue cultivators.”
“The family... has it truly co to this?”
Jiang Ziyan felt a surge of heat rush to her face. Her eyes reddened and she nearly shed tears.
“I will obey.”
Only after a mont did she bow solemnly. “Rest assured, Patriarch. I will handle this matter perfectly.”
In truth, both Jiang Ziyan and the patriarch knew that the clan’s true genius seeds had never trained in the academy.
This group she would lead might serve as a decoy, or perhaps even bait.
Still, splitting their forces across multiple paths was far better than placing all their hopes on a single route.
Jiang Ziyan left the secret chamber, her heart heavy, and headed toward the auction house. A steward imdiately ca forward to greet her.
“Clan Elder, this subordinate has sothing to report.”
“What is it?”
Jiang Ziyan waved her hand impatiently. Right now she only cared about preserving the family’s bloodline. She had no interest in auction house matters.
“It concerns the grandfather and granddaughter pair with the Zhan surna who previously purchased one of our Myriad Longevity Turtle eggs...”
Steward Zhang spoke respectfully. “Sohow those two have already managed to hatch the Myriad Longevity Turtle egg. They have even begun purchasing first-rank mid-grade turtle feed. It seems they may have already raised the turtle to first-rank mid-grade!”
“Oh? Is this true?”
Jiang Ziyan’s expression shifted.
The Myriad Longevity Turtle was famous for its extrely slow growth. Such speed was astonishing.
If she could obtain their secret turtle-rearing technique, would it not accelerate Turtle Ancestor’s growth as well?
If their own Turtle Ancestor could reach third-rank great demon, the Jiang Clan would instantly beco a hegemon of the Minor Huan Sea. Why would they need to split their eggs into different baskets then?
Although Jiang Ziyan also knew that certain demonic paths could force rapid early growth by sacrificing a spiritual pet’s lifespan and potential.
Such secret techniques might work on first-rank spiritual turtles, yet they might prove ineffective on second-rank demon beasts.
Even so, she felt like a drowning person clutching at any straw.
If nothing else, even a first-rank rearing secret technique would still count as valuable foundation.
Jiang Ziyan asked, “Do you have their whereabouts and background? Make sure they are not from so Foundation Establishnt clan or blood relatives of sect higher-ups.”
“Clan Elder, rest assured. I have already investigated thoroughly. They are rely a pair of rogue cultivators. The grandfather was lucky enough to obtain so inheritance from a predecessor...”
Steward Zhang answered with an ingratiating smile. “They ignorantly went to the auction before and were chased by a group of bandit cultivators. They could not even fight back, so they hid inside the market and rented a cave dwelling, too afraid to venture out...”
“The grandfather is called Zhan Qinggen, sixth layer of Qi Refining. The granddaughter is nad Zhan Hongxiu and is only at early Qi Refining. However, the one who ford the contract with the Myriad Longevity Turtle is Zhan Hongxiu.”
“They are inside the market?”
Jiang Ziyan frowned slightly. “That makes it rather difficult to act. It would damage our clan’s reputation.”
Even though Sancai Market belonged to their own family and taking action would have been simple, ruining their reputation and breaking the rules would drive every rogue cultivator away. What would the market survive on then?
“Just pin any cri on them and have the enforcent team haul them away?”
Steward Zhang offered another suggestion. “Say they stole property from our clan!”
“Too blatant...”
Jiang Ziyan thought for a mont, then smiled charmingly. “Better to lure them to a quiet corner of the market. I will handle it myself. As long as I set up a concealing array, no combat fluctuations will leak out.”
A pair of cultivators whose strongest mber was only mid Qi Refining—she truly did not take them seriously.
Even if so traces remained, the Lu Clan would surely overlook them out of respect for the Jiang Clan.
The cultivation world had always been a place where the strong preyed on the weak.
Who would care if a pair of rogue cultivators simply vanished?
The next day.
“Little Turtle, if we manage to buy that spiritual liquid today, you’ll be able to grow a bit bigger!”
Zhan Hongxiu had tied her hair into two cute maid buns. She wore a cyan ruqun with bright red sleeves, patting the small cloth pouch hanging at her waist.
The pouch wriggled, and a green turtle head poked out.
Beside her, Zhan Qinggen puffed on a long-stemd pipe, exhaling clouds of smoke. “Little girl, you still don’t understand how treacherous the human heart can be. Fortunately the seller chose to trade inside the market this ti. Otherwise I would never have agreed, no matter what.”
Grandfather and granddaughter walked one behind the other into a large residence tucked away in a quiet part of the market.
“Brother Zhang...”
Zhan Qinggen cupped his hands in greeting, about to exchange pleasantries, when his expression suddenly changed.
An array had silently appeared around the residence, completely isolating everything inside from the outside world.
“Fellow Daoist, what is the aning of this?”
Zhan Qinggen reacted with lightning speed. He slapped a first-rank mid-grade Golden Body Talisman onto himself for protection and pulled his granddaughter behind him.
“Hehe... This humble one simply wishes to make a small transaction with you, that’s all.”
Jiang Ziyan stepped forward with graceful lotus strides, her seductive eyes like silk threads as a strange glow flashed in her pupils.
Zhan Qinggen was instantly ensnared by the charm technique. His mind went blank for a mont before he saw Jiang Ziyan unfurl a fragrant handkerchief magical artifact.
A beam of rosy light slamd into the Golden Body Talisman’s defense.
For a late-stage Qi Refining cultivator at the ninth layer, shattering a mid-grade talisman’s defense with a single strike from a magical artifact was perfectly ordinary.
Zhan Hongxiu caught a whiff of a pleasant fragrance and suddenly felt her limbs go weak. She collapsed to the ground.
“Little sister, you really have raised this Myriad Longevity Turtle exceptionally well.”
Jiang Ziyan picked up the Myriad Longevity Turtle from the pouch, gently stroking its head with her fair hand. She cast a spell to examine it and showed a trace of surprise. “It hasn’t lost any of its origin at all. In fact, it’s brimming with vitality. Looks like I’ve truly hit the jackpot this ti...”
No matter how superior the Myriad Longevity Turtle’s bloodline was, it was currently far inferior in realm and had also inhaled the poisonous mist within the artifact. It could only let out a few weak cries and blow a couple of bubbles.
“Haha... Be good and hand over your turtle-rearing secret technique. Otherwise, who knows what fate awaits you grandfather and granddaughter...”
Greed blazed fiercely in Jiang Ziyan’s heart.
Just then, a cold laugh rang out. “Heh... What a fine Jiang Clan this is, actually laying hands on custors right inside their own market!”
“Who is it?”
Jiang Ziyan’s face paled in shock. In the courtyard, a young sword cultivator had appeared at so unknown ti.
Sword-like brows, starry eyes, and an upright, proud bearing. Most crucially, a sharp, piercing aura radiated from his entire body. One glance was enough to tell he was a sword cultivator.
His cultivation was unfathomably deep, faintly reaching the mid Foundation Establishnt stage!
“A Foundation Establishnt senior? You... Aren’t you the guest from the auction last ti?”
Jiang Ziyan truly lived up to her reputation for smooth diplomacy—she actually rembered Fang Qing’s disguised appearance.
Her expression changed. Then she flashed a charming smile. “Senior, these two stole a secret technique from my clan. I had no choice but to apprehend them. Please be magnanimous. Afterward, this humble one will definitely repay you handsoly and ensure Senior is completely satisfied...”
Jiang Ziyan deliberately displayed her alluring figure, causing the flat-chested Zhan Hongxiu beside her to feel a surge of annoyance.
She was no fool—she understood the implication in the other party’s words.
At this mont, she could only gaze at Fang Qing with pleading eyes, hoping this immortal-like senior who had saved her last ti would rescue her once more.
“Haha... Who do you think you are, daring to seduce with your charms?”
Fang Qing burst into loud laughter, causing everyone present to change expressions drastically.
In truth, he had deliberately disguised himself and co here precisely to stir up trouble. Earlier in the market he had been looking for an excuse to cause a scene when he happened to see the grandfather and granddaughter step into the trap, so he had co to observe.
Now that he had perfectly caught the Jiang Clan red-handed and held the moral high ground, how could he possibly let it go?
He imdiately declared with a stern face, “I am a sword cultivator. Wherever the road is uneven, I level it! Under the bright sun and clear sky, how can I allow the Jiang Clan to act so outrageously!”
Upon hearing these words, Zhan Hongxiu felt boundless admiration. ‘As expected, this senior is a true righteous cultivator, brimming with upright qi.’
Whoosh!
Before Fang Qing’s words had even faded, he flicked his finger.
The hand with which Jiang Ziyan had secretly been preparing to activate a second-rank talisman was instantly severed at the wrist. At the sa ti, her dantian was sealed by a surge of sword qi.
Beside her, Steward Zhang clutched his throat and collapsed to the ground.
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