The Pastoral Life of a Cultivation Master

Chapter 2931 Wasting Everyone's Expressions

The meeting was to be held in a location that was a little far away from the other families.

After all, this meeting might incite everyone's anger, so it's best to keep a distance to preserve some face for the Ouyang family.

Most of the martial artists from the Ouyang family didn't know what they were called over to do, so their voices were rather noisy.

People generally dislike coming to open areas and prefer to gather with familiar people in sheltered spots or behind rocks. This helps reduce the consumption of their energy and blood and effectively resists the low temperatures.

Although temperatures below -70 degrees Celsius are not a big deal for most martial artists, they still need to expend their own vital energy to resist the cold. However, having just experienced an attack by strange beasts, everyone wants to conserve their vital energy so that they can respond promptly should the beasts launch another attack.

Therefore, it is best to conserve your Qi and Blood, that is, the Qi in your Dantian, to minimize its consumption, so that you can respond to attacks from strange beasts in time.

Those martial artists with relatively low strength, in particular, did not want to move in this environment and just wanted to wait until dawn.

To restore one's vital energy, one must either cultivate or take elixirs. However, many martial artists cannot concentrate on cultivation these days, given the harsh environment and the fact that no one can cultivate without protection.

As for pills, I have some on hand, but I'll use as few as I can. We're currently in a valley without any supplies, and we don't know what dangers lie ahead, so it's best to conserve them.

Therefore, meetings are something most martial artists dislike. However, since Ouyang Min and Ouyang Nan are the ones addressing everyone, they have no choice but to bite the bullet and attend the meeting.

However, it's perfectly acceptable to grumble a little in private. Especially since the person who convened the meeting was Steward Ouyang Nan, who is also Elder Nan of the family, or rather, the leader of this expedition team, he would naturally be even more willing to vent.

After all, they were all from the same lineage as the Grand Elder. They only showed respect to Elder Nan, a martial artist at the tenth level of the Acquired Realm, on the surface, but in private, they were quite hostile towards him.

Ouyang Min listened to the complaints of the crowd, secretly pleased with himself. These people were all martial artists from his own faction; it was already quite impressive that they were even willing to hold a meeting openly.

However, he still shouted, "Everyone, quiet down! Elder Nan has something to say to you all." After looking around, he reprimanded the few who were still complaining again, and then said, "I know that gathering everyone together for a meeting in such a cold environment will increase your energy expenditure. But Elder Nan wouldn't have summoned everyone in this environment if it weren't for something important. So, just listen carefully, Elder Nan will finish speaking as soon as possible."

Ouyang Min naturally knew the reason why Ouyang Nan had called the meeting, but he was still happy to give her a little nudge. After all, he was happier to make Ouyang Nan feel uncomfortable.

In addition, he gave Ouyang Jun and Ouyang Ding a slight nod, indicating that they should follow the pre-arranged plan and watch his actions.

This time, Ouyang Min hoped that Ouyang Nan would leave the team so that he could step in and take control, thus ensuring his safety during future adventures.

Indeed, Ouyang Min couldn't completely believe Han Chengye's words. However, given the current circumstances and the perilous valley, only by joining forces with others could they cope. Furthermore, once in control of the team, he could arrange for people to protect him should danger arise.

"Every man for himself, or the world will destroy him," isn't that right?

"Elder Nan, everyone is here, so please begin." Ouyang Min said to Ouyang Nan, "It's quite cold standing here, and no one knows if those strange beasts will reappear. So please keep it brief and get things done quickly so that everyone can return to their safe havens and preserve their strength."

Ouyang Nan could naturally hear the sarcasm in Ouyang Min's words, so he didn't pay much attention to it. However, he was more inclined to leave the team alone and hand it all over to Ouyang Min.

As for how to explain things to the family and other elders after we go out, that's something to worry about when we get home. Besides, it was already explained at the elders' meeting before we set off that if we encounter any unavoidable situations during this expedition, we shouldn't force it; we should just abandon these people.

After all, the decision to weaken the Grand Elder's faction was made by the elders of Ouyang Jing's faction during the meeting.

If it weren't for Ouyang Nan's desire to preserve her own strength, she wouldn't have worked so hard to protect everyone during this valley expedition. After all, everyone except Chen Mo was surnamed Ouyang, and they were all from the same family; any loss would be a loss for the entire family.

However, given the current situation, it's becoming difficult to lead the team.

Without further ado, Ouyang Nan addressed the crowd directly: "Now, I'll take a short while to talk to you about the content of the meeting of the various family leaders organized by Elder Qian."

He briefly recounted the contents of the meeting, mentioning that they had agreed to take on the task of leading the expedition. However, Ouyang Nan didn't mention that during the meeting, everyone had already decided that the Ouyang family would be assigned this mission.

There's no need to tell them these things; after all, some things are better left unsaid.

After hearing Ouyang Nan's words, most of the team members immediately became noisy. Forming a small expedition team to explore the other side of the canyon? Wasn't that just sending them to their deaths? Whoever wanted to go could go; they weren't going.

"Elder Nan, you just said that you took on this task all by yourself during the meeting?" Ouyang Min asked.

"good."

"So, for this mission, our Ouyang family will provide personnel, while other families will not?" Ouyang Min asked again.

“Yes, but the Qian family will send a martial artist to join. As for the other families, they don’t need to send anyone,” Ouyang Nan replied.

With a bang, apart from Chen Mo and his group, the other martial artists from the Ouyang family immediately became anxious and voiced their objections. As the leader, they should have tried their best to avoid such a suicide mission, so why did they have to take it on alone?
Do you really not value people's lives that much?

"Quiet, quiet. If anyone has something to say, please stand up and speak. Don't talk behind people's backs. I think Elder Nan must have his reasons for doing this." Seeing this, Ouyang Min was overjoyed. Wasn't this exactly what he wanted?

However, we still have to save face. Besides, in this situation, wouldn't it be better to slander Ouyang Nan as much as possible so that she can complete the task herself?

He subtly signaled to Ouyang Jun and Ouyang Ding, instructing them to step forward and speak, and to proceed according to plan.

Although it was night, a headlamp was used for illumination during the meeting. Although it couldn't illuminate the surrounding environment, all the martial artists were still able to see their surroundings clearly.

Upon seeing Ouyang Min's signal, Ouyang Ding and Ouyang Jun immediately began to take action.

“Elder Nan, how could you take on this mission all by yourself? Shouldn’t such exploration missions involve selecting members from various families to form small exploration teams? That way, even if the mission is dangerous, the number of people from each family would be smaller, and the losses would be less. But now our family has taken it all on alone. Isn’t that sending everyone to their deaths?” Ouyang Ding stepped forward and said.

“Exactly, exactly. This mission sounds like it’s sending our Ouyang family’s warriors to their deaths. Elder Nan, why are you doing this?” Ouyang Jun chimed in.

When the others heard what these two people said, they immediately chimed in. They had already secretly joined forces to oust Ouyang Nan and let Ouyang Min take over the leadership.

……

Looking at everyone's expressions, Ouyang Nan felt a pang of discouragement. She had worked tirelessly to care for and protect them, and yet, for this one task, these people stood up and questioned her—what a bunch of ingrates!

It seems that martial artists who aren't from my own lineage will never remember my kindness. Since that's the case, then I should let go and avoid future resentment.

His gaze swept over his nephew-in-law, and then over these so-called family members with the same surname, and he shook his head slightly.

If these guys later encounter danger and discover that among those who were pushed away are innate masters, their expressions will be quite interesting.

In such a valley, it is relatively safe to stay by the side of a master of innate cultivation. Just look at Qian Ying and Zhou Zixing, and you can clearly see this point.

"Alright, shut up, all of you. When I took on this mission, I never intended to select any of you to complete it, so there's no need for everyone to be so agitated," Ouyang Nan said, waving his hand to interrupt the noisy and somewhat indignant chatter.

"Elder Nan, what do you mean by that?" Ouyang Min was taken aback and quickly asked.

If we don't select people from the team, where do we select people from?
“I am well aware that this mission is extremely dangerous. In fact, if there are many strange beasts in the canyon, we might not return. However, our Ouyang family has no choice but to take on this mission. Therefore, I have decided that this mission will be carried out by just the four of us, including Ouyang Nana. There is no need for the others to join; they can just wait for news here,” Ouyang Nan said.

Upon hearing this, Ouyang Min was somewhat confused about Ouyang Nan's intentions. Such a dangerous mission, and before he could even put in any effort, she was already saying she wanted to carry it out personally—it was truly a waste of his plans.

So all his private arrangements were in vain?

I don't understand, I don't understand at all! What's going on? What other ideas are behind Ouyang Nan's arrangement?
The other martial artists from the Ouyang family fell silent upon hearing Ouyang Nan's words, staring at Ouyang Nan and the other three in disbelief.

What? We don't need to go. Only Ouyang Nan and her group of four will go. Then why call us to a meeting? It's a waste of everyone's time and energy.