Xuanjian Xianzu

Chapter 1277 A Different Strategy
Upon hearing this, Tao Jiexing was stunned, standing there in disbelief, as if unable to discern whether what he had just heard from the King of Wei was a sincere statement or a joke, muttering to himself:

"They all landed?"

The King of Wei laughed and said:

"Shouldn't it have fallen long ago?"

He stood with his hands behind his back, slowly pacing, and said:
"This used to be the official residence of the Wei Kingdom, an annex of Mingyang. When it was unattended, it was seized and its contents were not taken seriously. However, it has been used for a thousand years. Now that I have come with the great power of Mingyang, I should take it."

Tao Jiexing's lips moved slightly, as if she were mute, and after a long while she finally spoke:
"This is all due to the good fortune of their ancestors... I'm just afraid they won't be able to accept it..."

"If that's how you see it—then consider this my opportune moment."

The King of Wei before him smiled and said calmly:
"There is a major battle going on in Luoyang now, and there will be many more in the future. If we are unlucky, it may even become a place of conflict between Song and Zhao. Fellow Daoist Tao, do you think... how long can these secret realms be preserved?"

"The day the Song people retreat, the Zhao general will come to eat their flesh and sleep on their skin. After a while, the Song people will come again. Apart from your Tao family, which family can stay here peacefully? It's just a matter of time."

He said casually:
"Rather than aiding the enemy, you should serve me."

The peace in Luoyang had lasted far too long. Tao Jiexing couldn't believe anyone would dare to disturb the secret realms of the aristocratic families, let alone that the King of Wei before him held such a view of the future situation. He stood there, dumbfounded. Xuan Wei pushed the younger man aside with complicated emotions, stepped forward, and said:

"The King of Wei is right."

He sighed:
"The Qiao clan has been out of contact with the secret realm for many years, so there's no one inside. With Gongsun Bei's Qi-cultivating demise, those with insight are probably already worried about a similar fate... It's not unexpected... but the Wei clan..."

Xuanwei's voice was sincere as he tentatively asked:

"With such instability, there will inevitably be gaps. Entering and retrieving items will not be difficult. Nowadays, secret realms are rare in the world. Leaving one or two behind can be considered a gift to future generations of cultivators..."

Xuanwei is right about this. Nowadays, there are very few secret realms left in the world, and the cost of supporting them is extremely high. When opening a cave heaven, the secret realms attached to it will fall one after another, which is unavoidable. As long as they can be maintained, some families will even move their entire clan here!
Since this place is in Luoyang, as long as we cross a mountain and reach the Jianghuai region, and get even a little closer to Wangyue Lake, there is a possibility of us using it. Li Zhouwei will protect it at all costs!

Li Zhouwei laughed after hearing his words:
"Senior Xuanwei—it all depends on the sincerity of each family!"

He turned around and stepped out of the attic. Tao Jiexing quickly followed, while Xuan Wei seemed lost in thought, pausing for a long moment before stepping forward and whispering:

"King Wei!"

Li Zhouwei had reached the jade-like threshold, paused slightly, and listened to the deep voice of the master:

"Does the King of Wei truly intend to occupy Luoyang for a long time?"

The pavilion was quiet; the King of Wei was nowhere to be seen, only the bright morning sun shining from outside.

Xuan Wei remained silent for a long time, while Tao Jiexing, standing beside him, blushed slightly and whispered:
"What...what kind of behavior is this! Isn't this...cultivating martial arts?!"

Xuanwei's thoughts were interrupted by him. He smiled, turned around, and seemed to have a hint of mockery in his expression, saying:
"It seems you've also heard the story of how the Song emperor ascended the throne and recovered the Yue kingdom."

Tao Jiexing only said:
"Have heard a little bit."

Xuanwei said:
"The aristocratic families he came from before he rose to power remained aristocratic families after he rose to power, with even more families. As a result, geniuses emerged one after another, each holding the Xuan (a type of magical energy), which was beneficial without causing any harm. That is the true Qi. So you thought that Luoyang would be the same."

He smiled and said:
“But this is the White Qilin, not the Stone-Embracing Crane—just as he said, he has come to pacify Luoxia!”

Tao Jiexing was extremely uneasy and said:
“I understand what my uncle is saying. This is Mingyang’s move, but we also have to consider the situation. Luoyang has just been settled, and people are uneasy. The various Purple Mansions are hesitant and uncertain. It seems that the secret realm is about to be activated. Wouldn’t this arouse resentment?”

"Furthermore, since the Song Dynasty favors powerful and aristocratic families, how can the Song Emperor sit idly by if he shows such indifference? It would probably ruin the harmony between the people!"

Since the Tao family has pledged allegiance to the Song Dynasty, they have gained nothing and have not even expressed their true intentions. Naturally, they do not want any turmoil to easily occur in Luoyang. Tao Jiexing's concerns are indeed sincere.

Adding to Xuanwei's last question, Tao Jiexing naturally became a little anxious and couldn't help but say:

"This King of Wei... does he really have no intention of staying any longer, and just plans to plunder Luoyang and then leave on horseback to hand it over to the Great Zhao?"

"Having offended all the powerful families in one fell swoop, he probably doesn't plan to take many people back. They'll just each hold their own positions, leaving behind a mess. In that case... who will dare to subdue him in the future..."

"That makes us even more embarrassed!"

Tao Jiexing sighed deeply.

Xuanwei's eyes were piercing as he said:

"Quite the opposite."

Tao Jiexing was taken aback, but the middle-aged man in front of him no longer answered him. Instead, he looked like he was enjoying the show and said:
"Go to Boye immediately, find out the status of the various secret realms, and make sure that the Qiao family has no hidden tricks up their sleeves so that they can't fall here."

Tao Jiexing was surprised that his elders had inexplicably reached a tacit understanding with this Prince of Wei, and even seemed anxious. Xuan Wei glanced at him and sighed:

“You always blame Qi Lanyan, but when it comes to the changing situation, you are still inexperienced and focused on the Tao, so you don’t see things as clearly as he does.”

"Just watch."

He leaned closer to the windowsill, looked up at the sky, and sighed:

"The secret realm has fallen like a comet; such a sight hasn't been seen here for a thousand years..."

……

Liangchuan Mountain.

The clouds in the sky rolled up and down like dragons, flames raged in the distance, and raindrops as black as ink pounded on the great formation nearby. The old man stood on the mountain peak, his body engulfed in flames. He touched the blood at the corner of his mouth, and hesitated to speak.

"It's been three hours..."

Jia Zan had been guarding this place for a long time. When the news of Gongsun Bei's death came, he knew that the situation was settled, so he tried even harder. However, his supernatural powers were weak, and his efforts did not have much effect.

Now that he was injured, he could only raise his eyebrows to look and see a person standing in the air.

This person, dressed in a robe, possessed an extraordinary bearing. He stepped on the hazy, flickering flames, his supernatural powers converging and illuminating the heavens and earth, which was truly astonishing.

'Indeed, it was because the Great Master Guangda did not come, but Qianyan did…'

The situation was urgent, and there weren't many cultivators coming from the north. They mainly came from the two nearest regions: Mianchi and Da Mu Dharma Realm. However, everyone in the world was trying to protect themselves, and even though Jiang Fuwang had indeed made a feint and gone to Mianchi, the situation was unclear, and there weren't many cultivators willing to follow him.

The only one with real weight is this Qianyan.

This person is the grand-nephew of Master Chi Guangda, a cultivator from the Linxiang Pavilion in Minchi. He has been in the mid-stage of the Purple Mansion realm for many years, and because of his extremely high level of alchemy, he has a deep foundation and is a particularly famous great cultivator in the entire north!

With him leading the way, and two other great masters of the Dharma realm, it was difficult to resist. Jia Zan first used a large formation to resist for a while, and then Yu Xi rushed over and naturally took the lead. Only the Li Fire in Jia Zan's hand could make everyone wary.

Although he was a True Fire cultivator, the Li Fire he obtained was very powerful, with an unpredictable brightness, and was called the [Three Illumination Li Fire]. It could break through the concealment and changes of the Qianyanmu Fire. Therefore, even though he had retreated into the formation, he was still paying close attention to the situation at all times, illuminating all directions.

But as he was pondering this, he suddenly realized something and looked to the east with some unease. To his surprise, he saw that the direction of Ruzhou was brightly lit and extremely conspicuous!

'Oh no! Something's happened in Ruzhou!'

His expression changed drastically. He looked at the sky with surprise and doubt, and sure enough, he saw the sky full of female water suddenly tremble.

Jia Zan acted decisively, activating the great formation once more. The sound of rushing water filled the air again, and the formation shone brightly, like a rising star sweeping away the churning clouds.

"Boom!"

Golden light enveloped the universe, temporarily suppressing many supernatural powers. Two figures landed urgently, retreating one after the other. The one in the lead was old but vigorous, with a full head of white hair; it was none other than Yu Xi!

The old man was in a terrible state of panic, barely able to catch his breath. He used his supernatural powers to look far to the east!
"Boom!"

A deafening roar shook the sky once more, and faint rays of colorful light shot into the heavens, causing Jia Zan to appear bewildered and uncertain. Yu Xi seemed to sense something as well, and exclaimed in horror:
"Oh no! It's my family's great formation!"

Yu Xi's service to the Li family was forced by circumstances, but there was a bottom line—the safety of the Yu family! Now that Ruzhou has been attacked, it's bad enough that it has shaken the Yu family's great formation, how could he not be horrified?

Jia Zan felt a chill run down his spine and knew something was wrong. Sure enough, he saw the old man suddenly stand up. He couldn't stay any longer and said:

"Wait until I save Ruzhou!"

"No!"

Jia Zan had no choice but to bite the bullet and step forward, saying:

"Uncle, please wait... The situation is still unclear. If you rush east without permission, you may be ambushed!"

There were many marriage alliances among the prominent families of Luoyang, and Jia Zan could address Yu Xi as his elder brother, but no matter how earnest his words were, the old master's gaze never left the east, and he said in a deep voice:

"I cultivate the female waters, unafraid of hidden dangers."

Jia Zan then said urgently:
“Uncle! Qian Yan and the others are hesitating outside the formation, unable to see the situation clearly and with no profit to be gained, which is why they are not causing much trouble and are merely putting on a show... But everyone has seen the scenery of Ruzhou. If you leave, Uncle, I'm afraid the bandits will have the intention to break through the mountains and plunder.”

Although Jia Zan wasn't particularly powerful, he at least had a clear understanding of the situation and spoke urgently. Yu Xi was equally eager as well:
"The Yang clan has no intention of protecting us. If the entire clan is wiped out, what will happen then? They come and go very quickly!"

Then, a shimmering silver light appeared, revealing her form as a woman. Her brows were solemn, and she said:

"Senior, wait!"

Yu Xi didn't actually need to consider Jia Zan's thoughts at all; his continued inaction was merely to give face to the Prince of Wei and wait for Li Quewan to speak. Upon seeing the woman appear, he immediately said:
"Fairy Su Yun, has the King of Wei gone to Ruzhou yet?!"

Li Quewan knew that Li Zhouwei was still in Yinling, but even if she knew, she couldn't say it now. She whispered:

"Senior, the King of Wei has made many arrangements, and his current location is beyond our knowledge..."

Yu Xi's expression changed, and he was about to speak when Li Quewan gently reminded him:

"Furthermore, the noble clansmen have already moved into the Yang family's formation. Although the Yu family's formation is shaken, there is no need to worry about casualties! It must be because the True Immortal who went there concentrated his strength and did not split up to defend two places, which caused the noble clan's formation to shake!"

In this world, fortune and misfortune are intertwined. The means that Li Zhouwei used to control the Yu clan back then have now become the reason why the Yu clan members have saved their lives—if this action had not been taken, the Yu clan would have been in danger!

After these words were spoken, Yu Xi finally calmed down considerably, and the old man said in a deep voice:
"But we cannot help but worry—if the things in my formation were to be plundered by the Buddhist monks, I would be devastated. Furthermore..."

His gaze darkened, and he had no choice but to say:

“Su Yun, you may not know this, but the secret realm of my Yu clan is somewhat different. We cannot control its entry and exit. The entrance is located within the formation. Without my protection, if the formation is broken and a few pitiful individuals seize it, it will bring shame upon our ancestors... Even if I were to perish, I could not atone for it!”

'Secret realm? '

Only after he finished speaking did Li Quewan understand the source of his urgency. The wealth and reputation of the Luoyang aristocratic families were well-known, and if these Buddhist monks were to seize it, it would be a real problem.

Seeing that she was deep in thought, Yu Xi said urgently:
"Although the King of Wei has pacified Luoyang, many are eyeing him covetously, definitely intending to test him, and even more so, to invade!"

In Luoxia, which was under the rule of Zhao, very few people wanted to go to its aid, as there was almost no benefit to be gained. But Luoxia, which had almost all surrendered to the King of Wei, was different. It was a place where people could fight and plunder, and everyone from all directions had the desire to get a share.

If Jia Zan could see the truth, how could Yu Xi not see it? Qian Yan and the others could slacken their attack because there was no profit to be made, but Shi Xiu of Ruzhou could attack with all his might because there was profit to be made!

This is exactly what Yu Xi is anxious about!

Jia Zan nodded inwardly, his gaze fixed intently on the east. Suddenly, his eyes lit up, and he said:
"It seems there's a cloud of gray smoke rising into the sky... I'm afraid the King of Wei has already subdued the Tao clan and sent people to their aid!"

Yu Xi looked on with a mixture of belief and doubt. After a moment of contemplation, he shook his head and said:
"If it were that kid Jie Xing here, I would believe it too. But you don't have the ability to see, so how can you accurately determine if it's Tao based on just a wisp of gray? It's not quite right."

Li Quewan, however, discerned something:

'This old master not only distrusts Shi Xiu, but also the cultivators in Luoyang, and even the Tao family, let alone the master from the south…'

This idea is indeed normal. With the great formation broken and the treasures scattered, no one can be at ease. It is difficult to keep an eye on things at all times on the battlefield. Yu Xi himself is not here. After a great battle, everyone goes their own way. Who knows where the things have gone?

'But we absolutely cannot let him go back now! Without him, Liangchuan Mountain will surely fall!'

Li Quewan hesitated for only a moment before firmly stating:
"If I'm not mistaken, the King of Wei must be on his way. If you're still worried, I'll go back and check on him for you!"

"what?"

Now it was Yu Xi's turn to change color:
"Absolutely not! If anything happens to you, fellow Daoist, how can I explain it to King Wei!"

In his haste, the old man even called out "fellow Daoist," but Li Quewan smiled and said:

"You can rest assured, senior!"

After speaking, Li Quewan's figure vanished, causing Yu Xi's pupils to dilate instantly. Jia Zan, however, had already witnessed it once, and was now greatly relieved. His expression relaxed, and he smiled:

"Senior Yu, in your opinion... how did the King of Wei appear in Luoyang without anyone noticing?"