Xuanjian Xianzu

Chapter 1357 Persuading
The sky was dark.

Several streaks of light raced across the heavens and earth, descending through the heavy mist towards the ethereal, otherworldly realm. Whispers and faint sounds of debate drifted from the side; someone said:
"Gentlemen... we escaped so easily, leaving Master Gu isolated and helpless... this is not the way to conduct oneself in the world!"

The voice from another location sounded slightly guilty, saying:

"Master Gu covered our retreat, blocking the King of Wei, and sacrificed two passes to escape. If we linger here, we would be betraying his kindness..."

Pang Yi, stepping on golden light, remained calm. As the cultivator guarding the two passes, he had suffered a crushing defeat and had to relinquish them. Yet, he showed no anger or impatience, only smiling and saying:
"It's alright! Master Gu will be fine."

He knew them all like the back of his hand, and said:
“Master Gu is resolute and values ​​the unity of the entire prefecture. He will never bow his head easily. That is why you gentlemen sent him out to guard a pass. He cultivates in Heshui, where the road ahead is cut off. He cannot contend with the dragon without being fierce and valiant. With that Qingxuan’s ‘Prophecy is Here’, can’t he leave?”

"No matter how bad the situation, if we fight to the very end, King Wei values ​​talent, so how could he easily kill him!"

Pang Yi smiled faintly and said:
"With the death of Master Gu, how can the current Divine Killing lineage and the Dragon Kang clan let this go?"

Everyone knew the situation perfectly well, but since they needed a commander of such high status to step forward and speak, they followed him down. Pang Yi then assigned people to guard the surrounding areas, while the rest waited for Long Kangyao in the mountains—no one thought that this great master couldn't escape.

He traversed the mountains surrounding the town and descended rapidly into the ancient town. Without lingering, he hurried westward and soon came upon the lake. His father, who had already taken flight on the wind, came to greet him with a mixture of surprise and worry.

Pang Queyun and Pang Yi were father and son, and looked remarkably alike. One was old, and the other young, as if they had been carved from the same mold. Their small eyes met, and they smiled as they looked inside. The old father thought to himself:

Did Gu You manage to escape?

I don't know.

The young man, holding the wind, moved forward calmly, his spiritual sense stirring within him, and said:

"Mingyang is quite imposing; is there any news from within the grotto?"

Pang Queyun said:

'What news could there be? Old Qu has retreated to his cave, clamoring to report to Miao Fan, as if his mind isn't on the matter at all, absolving himself of all responsibility. The others remain stubborn; I doubt that even if news of the great defeat at the two passes arrives, it will be difficult to change their minds.'

'Excellent, let them fight!'

An old man and a young man, each with their own ulterior motives, went inside. The young man deduced:

'As long as Long Kangyao remains unmoved, and there are people willing to charge into battle, there are plenty of connections and resources within the grotto-heaven. What I fear is that Gu You will be captured, leaving the Grand Master with no options.'

Within the grotto-heaven, there were stubborn factions and those that surrendered to Wei. Pang, having received a hint from Qu Caotan, knew that neither side was easy to deal with, so he didn't take sides. In truth, he didn't feel any regret. Pang Queyun smiled and shook his head, saying:

"Look, who's here?"

So the two went inside together and found a person standing by the lake, holding a book, standing quietly in the moonlight. Pang Yi looked closely and quickly went forward, exclaiming with delight:

"Brother Fu!"

The man was very tall, with slightly deep-set eyes, and had a serious appearance. Upon hearing this, he also greeted them with a smile, saying:

"Fellow Daoist Pang, it's been many years!"

Pang Yi shook his head repeatedly and said:

“It’s been so many years. Ever since your father attained enlightenment in the grotto-heaven, and you went to that wonderful place to enjoy yourself, you’ve left us, your old playmates, behind!”

These words were half-joking, but they made the young man shake his head and laugh, then he changed his words:
"Brother Pang, you flatter me..."

Pang Queyun stood beside him, laughing happily, but his hand behind his back was tapping his wrist with a hint of irritation.

This person's name is Fu He, and he is indeed quite talented.

When Tongxuan Palace was established, Shangguan Zidu taught the world about immortal matters, so Tongxuan Palace had the most extensive lineage. Among them, the two Lü brothers were famous, but they never attained enlightenment. They had a junior brother named Chi Xiong, and the Fu family was just a descendant of this one's disciple.

Chi Xiong, whose surname was Wen, was the ancestor of the old master Wen who was beaten into oblivion by the King of Wei. In other words, the Fu family was nothing more than the likes of Jia Wei, and they should have bowed their heads before Wen Daoping. They had no right to discuss matters with them.

'But he has a good father, so he went to Dongmu to cultivate! Although Fu Tanjian is only a nominal disciple, and his cultivation has already been cut off…'

But no matter what, I still heard the Dharma from him!
In ancient times, lineage was paramount. None of the disciples taught by the Three Mysterious Masters were below the level of True Lord. And nearly half of these True Lord disciples who had reached the level of seeing the profound were confident of forming their core... Although things are a bit lighter now, to put it bluntly, even a dog that had listened to the Dharma in front of a True Lord deserved to be called "Master"! How could the Fu Clan not rise in status?

Fu He and Pang Yi chatted enthusiastically, sitting down together. After a brief exchange of pleasantries, they naturally turned to the surrounding battles, with Pang Yi remarking:

"We tried our best to stop him, but Mingyang's momentum was already established... He broke through several passes in succession, and even Lord Longkang could not do anything to him!"

Fu He frowned and said calmly:
"I'm here today to talk about this matter—you say that the Mingyang Great Power has already gained momentum, but I don't think so. Lord Longkang's abilities are no less than my father's. If he insists on guarding a place and holding someone back, how many people in the world wouldn't have a headache? I heard it in the cave heaven; they doubt that True Man Longkang has done his best!"

Pang Yi never offended anyone, and simply said in a righteous voice:

"Absolutely impossible!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a raging fire rushed towards them, flashing across the sky for only a moment before arriving in front of them. The Great Immortal of the Fire Realm materialized, his aura fluctuating, and his expression slightly gloomy.

This is truly a delicacy from Longkang!
This great master emerged from the swirling miasma without a trace of injury, standing by the lake like a divine messenger, emanating waves of heat that caused the three to rise and bow in unison.

"Meet the adults!"

Long Kangyao's usually calm and composed face was now incredibly gloomy. When he narrowly lost to Li Zhouwei in the East, although he regretted underestimating his opponent, he still had the mind to fight and win the next time they met, and his emotions did not fluctuate much. But now he was like a suppressed volcano, as if he was about to swallow the person in front of him at any moment!
"Where is Gu You?!"

This question was like a thunderclap, startling Pang Yi. He exchanged a glance with his father, and both of them knew that since this Great Master had not returned, he had most likely been captured by the King of Wei!
Pang Yi said with remorse:
"Master Gu... is covering the rear at the second pass!"

Long Kangyao's gaze was like a sharp sword, piercing his face. His anger intensified, but fortunately, Pang Yi was prepared and cried out:
"It's not that I haven't tried to persuade him... but Master Gu remained unmoved, mocking Bian Qi and ridiculing Dong Hua, while also belittling Ming Yang and ignoring Zi Qi, claiming that he shouldn't be touched in the slightest. He even gave orders for all cultivators to escape through the east gate..."

“Pang Yi is just a junior, how could he possibly compete with the Great Master? He has gone far away, and I am burdened with the heavy responsibility of various schools. Without his powerful supernatural abilities, how can I lead the cultivators forward!”

Long Kangyao was stunned—he knew Gu You better than anyone, and these words sounded too much like Gu You's own words. He gritted his teeth slightly, his anger finding no outlet.
'I've mentioned it to him countless times: life comes first, moral principles second, but he refuses to change...'

Long Kangyao had promoted him all along because he admired his character. Gu You was able to easily break through to the Purple Realm with his human body through the cultivation of water, also because of his lofty ambitions and firm Dao heart. Unfortunately, fortune and misfortune are intertwined. At this moment, Long Kangyao actually regretted it:

Everyone says that the two paths are similar, and it's true. The one who merges fire is foolish and greedy, while the one who merges water, though better, is still stubborn and fanatical. He... he really cultivates in the same way as that sect in the sea...

Back then, the True Dragon, at the peak of the Dao Embryo stage, was able to abandon everything without hesitation for a prophecy and fight to the death with the Green Water. Both He and his dragon sons and grandsons were extremely stubborn and obsessed, which shows the nature of the Water!
But it was too late for him to regret it. Gu You's location was the second pass, the least likely to be lost, and also the last territory to be lost. When the order came, he even thanked Qu Caotan, but unfortunately, the situation had changed so drastically...

As his expression shifted between grim and somber, Fu He finally stepped forward and said with a smile:
"This junior has come to resolve the Great Master's predicament!"

Long Kangyao certainly recognized him.

This great master, however, gave him a cold look, slowly walked into the pavilion, calmly sat down, and said indifferently:

"Do you represent the Fu family, or... the Dongmu family?"

These words terrified the young man, who bowed and said:

"How dare I represent Dongmu! Even my father is merely a nominal disciple of the temple, and he too dares not represent Dongmu! As a member of Gu County, I am fortunate to have some knowledge and am merely offering advice to the Great Master!"

Long Kangyao's expression softened, and he said:

"explain?"

Fu He then laughed and said:
"Does the real person know... what is Li Zhouwei here for?"

Pang Yi watched coldly from the side, inwardly scoffing:
'What else could I be doing...? Of course, I came for the people...'

Long Kangyao sneered:

"Speak directly."

Fu He's heart skipped a beat, and he gritted his teeth inwardly. But when it came to status and position, even his father, who cultivated in the grotto-heaven, couldn't be presumptuous in front of this person. So he could only say:

“What he wants is people… In every major battle, we suffer losses while he gains something. We dare not force those who surrender to their deaths, nor do we have the ability to eliminate him. This ebb and flow is a path to our own destruction. So what are we fighting for?”

His words made everyone frown as they listened to Fu He say:
"In my humble opinion, the key to breaking the deadlock lies in taking people back from Mingyang's command. He wants people, not land. As long as there are enough capable people who don't surrender to him or who surrender and then rebel, he can't kill them all. If he kills them all, who will he find to be his henchmen?"

"Then...we'll have the leverage to negotiate with him..."

He then continued:
"The same idea was originally conceived in the cave, but the problem was that there were many powerful families in Gu County, and they couldn't unite. At that time, there were three Grand Masters guarding the area. Even if the three of them couldn't suppress the Qilin, they would have been able to force him to retreat... Why did it end up like this? First, the command was not unified, and second, there was no way to get those people to defect again..."

The young man knelt on the ground and calmly said:
"Great Master, please forgive my bluntness, but although the Longkang clan are descendants of immortals, they have been living in seclusion for many years. Although you all obey my commands, you hesitate because you might return to your celestial abode one day, leaving only yourselves in Gu County..."

Long Kangyao's expression changed. He looked up at him, his lips moved, but he didn't speak. Fu He whispered:
“Now that the King of Wei is pressing westward, he will surely attack Chuncheng to test the waters. My father’s life force has been cut off. If the Great Master is willing to write a letter, I will immediately take him to the cave and invite him out!”

"His divine powers are extremely strong. He is blessed with immortal light, which can both protect the reputation of Gu County and stand up for the Great Master. You don't need to charge into battle. He can take all the blame onto the Long Kang Clan!"

His words seemed to have come prepared, striking right at the Great Master's hesitation—Long Kangyao was originally fearless, but Gu You's matter made him reflect, and now was the time for him to hesitate.

Seeing the Grand Master hesitate, Fu He knelt down and gritted his teeth, saying:
“The Great Master has always been accurate in his judgment. We may not have the ability to kill him, but we have our own foundation. The grotto-heavens and secret realms are high above all. Which of their ancestors were not enlightened immortals or reigning True Lords? Why should we lower our pride and fulfill his grandeur?”

"After all... in the end, he is just one person, not an entire lineage. As long as we are united and unwilling to bow down, no matter how great the losses, we can drive him out..."

He lowered his head as if he had made a firm decision, and conveyed his thoughts through his spiritual sense:

"While the Grand Master is indeed of noble status, other cultivators may not be. This junior does not wish for the conflict between Yinghuo and Mingyang to wreak havoc in Gu County, causing widespread suffering. To be frank, if we invite Father back, Mingyang will surely hold a grudge in Dongmu Heaven and will not blame everyone. This would be good for both of us. I urge the Grand Master to reconsider!"

These words made Long Kangyao raise his head and look at him cautiously. Fu He's expression was extremely sincere as he said:

“This junior understands perfectly well. Nowadays, there are many people in the world who are unhappy with us and use them to humiliate us. This kind of thing is not uncommon. Hasn’t it been like this for generations? Is there no way to change this? But didn’t Emperor Zhao compromise back then?”

He lowered his gaze slightly, as if he had mentioned something taboo, causing Long Kangyao's expression to change slightly. The Pang family father and son pretended not to hear, and there was a moment of silence among them. Fu He quickly said:

“We don’t need another Emperor Liang, and he’s not qualified to be one. We need him to cooperate… we need him to do…”

"Father, Qi Yan!"

The courtyard fell silent instantly.

"Using the past to allude to the present, the arguments are intricately linked, starting from the perspectives of Long Kangyao and Gujun, and further mentioning Emperor Zhao, who was also very likely to die shortly after attaining enlightenment. What a brilliant argument!"

Pang Yi felt a slight tremor in his heart—he and this person were childhood playmates, and he absolutely could not believe that such words came from his mouth. In that instant, this perceptive member of the Pang family immediately realized that there was someone else behind him!

However, the father and son remained indifferent, observing the situation with a cold eye, and no one dared to remind or advise the great master. In the quiet courtyard, only the sound of Long Kangyao gently tapping the table could be heard.

Clearly, he was already tempted.

Those eyes, burning with fierce flames, were also fixed on Fu He, but he remained silent. Long Kangyao's pride prevented him from bowing to Mingyang, but equally, he was unwilling to easily submit to Dong Mu. More importantly…

'You, Fu He… and your son are lackeys of Dongmu; how could you possibly offer me good advice! You must not use them lightly unless absolutely necessary.'

After a long silence, he was deeply moved, but unwilling to give in easily, he simply said:
"The battle wasn't even over yet. Li Zhouwei must have been severely injured when he suppressed Gu You. If he comes here rashly, I must fight him again to find out his strength before we discuss anything else!"