Hunyuan Immortal Sect

Chapter 159 Madam Route
"The Ding family has such an attitude?" After listening to Zhong Wenyuan's report, Song Xian frowned. This was a difficult situation. If the Ding family did not join the coalition, peace talks would be impossible.

With the strength of Hunyuan Sect and Qingyuan Sect, they are no match for the Loose Cultivator Alliance. How can the Loose Cultivator Alliance negotiate when the strength is so one-sided?

No wonder Qingyuan Sect hasn’t come here for such a long time since the last time. It seems the problem lies here.

They also knew that if the Ding family did not agree to send people to join the coalition, the Hunyuan Sect would never agree.

However, the Ding family's actions are really puzzling. Now the situation is very clear. The Loose Cultivator Alliance is unwilling to let Qingyuan Sect go and is determined to wipe it out. Isn't the Ding family worried that it will be their turn after Qingyuan Sect?
Logically speaking, Ding Wenxiang shouldn't be so short-sighted!
If he said that he was resentful of the Qingyuan Sect for having previously concealed from him the joint attack on Qixia Mountain with the Xuri Sect and forcibly dispatched the Ding family cultivators to assist, that would not make sense.

On the day Lingyun Mountain was attacked, the Ding family even sent people to help!
After much thought, there is only one possibility: Ding Wenxiang was influenced by the lobbyists of the Loose Cultivator Alliance.

Since the Loose Cultivator Alliance sent people to lobby him, they must have also sent people to lobby the Ding family. I just don’t know what conditions they put forward that made Ding Wenxiang so hesitant.

The Loose Cultivator Alliance had previously seized the Ding family's resource territory, and they were able to convince Ding Wenxiang to trust them. They must have put in a lot of effort.

The Ding family's influence is not comparable to that of the Hunyuan Sect. If they do not agree, there will be no chance for the Qingyuan Sect to re-establish an alliance and negotiate with the Loose Cultivator Alliance.

"I'm also surprised by the Ding family's behavior. I've been thinking about it for a long time along the way. Could it be that they want to replace the Qingyuan Sect?" Zhong Wenyuan said.

"If the Qingyuan Sect is wiped out by the Loose Cultivator Alliance, the market town of Bianxia Town may fall into the hands of the Ding family. Now that the Xuri Sect is dead in name only, no one in Bianxia Town can compete with them. If the Qingyuan Sect is kicked out by the several families behind the market town, the Ding family will have a good chance of taking over this position."

Song Xian's eyes lit up. It was indeed true. A formal market town like Nanyuan Valley would not seek cooperation with independent cultivators. Security management was always handled by the largest and most powerful local sect.

If the Qingyuan Sect is wiped out, the Ding family will be able to take power naturally.

The Loose Cultivator Alliance must have used this as bait to keep the Ding family inactive. Compared with the management rights of the market town, a mere resource jurisdiction is of course insignificant.

Moreover, the Ding family has no hatred with the families in the Loose Cultivator Alliance, and there is no conflict of interest between the two sides. The Ding family taking over the market will not pose a threat to the Loose Cultivator Alliance. Moreover, the family itself has certain strength and is not a soft persimmon that can be easily manipulated.

"You're right. Besides that, I can't think of any other reason for the Ding family to sit idly by. They chose to side with the Qingyuan Sect because they wanted to plunder the resources of the Loose Cultivator Alliance. Now that the Xuri Sect exists in name only, the Qingyuan Sect is severely weakened. It's clear that they can no longer defeat the Loose Cultivator Alliance."

"Since there's no benefit to be gained, there's no need for them to side with the Qingyuan Sect anymore, unless the Loose Cultivator Alliance threatens its survival."

"If the Loose Cultivator Alliance offers peace terms and can eliminate the Qingyuan Sect, allowing them to take over the management of the market, they will certainly be happy to see it happen."

Zhong Wenyuan nodded. "That's what I think. The Ding family is standing by and watching. So what should we do next? How should we deal with the current situation?"

"The Ding family has over forty disciples, and their combat power is no less than that of the severely weakened Qingyuan Sect. If they don't take action, we alone, along with the Qingyuan Sect, will be unable to contend with the Loose Cultivator Alliance. Negotiations are impossible. All we can do now is stay out of this and avoid making enemies with the Loose Cultivator Alliance."

.........

After entering August, the situation in Bianxia Town had become completely one-sided.

The Loose Cultivator Alliance launched a large-scale siege on the Qingyuan Sect. The disciples of the sect could only be safe if they stayed at the mountain gate and the market town. Once they went out, they would be targeted and ambushed by the Loose Cultivator Alliance, causing the disciples of the sect to panic. There were rumors that the morale within the Qingyuan Sect was low and some disciples had fled.

During this period, the Qingyuan Sect also sent people to the Hunyuan Sect secretly to ask Song Xian to come forward to negotiate with the Loose Cultivator Alliance, but because the Ding family had remained inactive, Song Xian could only deal with it perfunctorily.

In September, three murders and hijacking incidents occurred in succession around the Nanyuan Valley Market. Soon after, news came out that the owner behind the Nanyuan Valley Market was worried about the safety of the market. They believed that the Qingyuan Sect was incapable of maintaining the safety of the market and were considering kicking it out.

In October, a major event occurred. Hu Yingquan was ambushed and killed by the Loose Cultivator Alliance.

Rumor has it that he left the mountain gate and went to Bianxi City to seek help from other forces. Others said that it was because the owner behind the Nanyuan Valley Market had decided to kick Qingyuan Sect out, so he went to Bianxi City to plead with these people, but unexpectedly his movements were grasped by the Loose Cultivator Alliance.

It was said that someone inside the Qingyuan Sect betrayed him. He was originally going there secretly, but the Loose Cultivator Alliance had precise control of his travel information.

The Qingyuan Sect had recruited some independent cultivators before, and it was said that it was independent cultivators who leaked the information to the Independent Cultivator Alliance.

There are also reports that the person who betrayed Hu Yingquan was a former disciple of the Qingyuan Sect whom he trusted. The disciple was infiltrated by the Loose Cultivator Alliance, received a large sum of money from the Loose Cultivator Alliance, and informed the Alliance of his travel news.

Many rumors spread quickly in Bianxia Town like birds. Regardless of whether they were true or false, it was an indisputable fact that Hu Yingquan was ambushed and killed by the Loose Cultivator Alliance. The other three Qingyuan Sect disciples who were traveling with him were also killed.

In November, the Nanyuan Valley Market decided to terminate its cooperation with the Qingyuan Sect and handed over the security of the market to the Ding family. From then on, the Ding family monks entered the market.

After Hu Yingquan's death, the Qingyuan Sect was in complete chaos. In addition, the profits from the market were taken away, which led to more people fleeing and choosing to leave the Qingyuan Sect.

.........

At night, the moon was bright and the stars were shining. In front of the majestic mansion, Song Xian slowly descended on a flying magic tool, accompanied by Feng Yan.

The huge golden characters "Yang Mansion" on the mansion's plaque were very conspicuous in the dark night.

"Master Feng is here. What's the matter?" The servant standing in front of the door greeted her with a smile when he saw her coming.

Feng Yan had been dealing with many prominent ladies in Bianxi City over the past two years. Zeng Rou was one of them, and she was also a major customer of Yuxiangdan.

Feng Yan would regularly send him freshly refined high-quality Jade Fragrance Pills, so the doorman recognized her.

"I need to see Sister Zeng for something, please let her know." Feng Yan took out a spirit stone and handed it to him.

"Okay! Please wait, I will inform you right away." The servant took the spirit stone, smiled even brighter, and immediately turned around and left.

The two waited outside for a long time before being led into a spacious and bright room.

"Please take a seat, I will inform my wife." The butler politely asked the two to take a seat and then left.

Song Xian took a seat as instructed. Seeing that she had gone far away, he turned to Feng Yan and said, "It will be up to you later. As long as she agrees to speak to Yang Jinzhang on our behalf, we will have a chance."

Of course, he did not come here to give Zeng Rou the Yuxiang Pill, but he had other plans and wanted to take over the Qingyuan Sect's property.

In addition to the market town, the Qingyuan Sect also has several industrial collaborations with the Beast Taming Sect.

After several months of siege by the Loose Cultivator Alliance, not only did the Qingyuan Sect suffer a large number of casualties among its disciples, but its industries were also destroyed.

Today, the Qingyuan Sect has completely declined. With the death of Hu Yingquan, there is internal unrest and it has been kicked out of the market.

Song Xian saw the opportunity and planned to seize those properties in one fell swoop, so he dragged Feng Yan to visit Zeng Rou, intending to become her wife.

Given the Hunyuan Sect's strength, it wasn't actually qualified to cooperate with the Beastmaster Sect. Even if the Beastmaster Sect wanted to change its partner, they wouldn't choose a weaker sect like the Hunyuan Sect. If they went directly to Yang Jinzhang, they might not even see him. But if they could convince Zeng Rou to whisper in Yang Zhang's ear, there might be a chance.

"I'll do my best." Feng Yan nodded in response.

As soon as he finished speaking, footsteps were heard outside. Soon, Zeng Rou appeared outside and walked in slowly.

The two of them quickly stood up, and Feng Yan came forward, smiling like a friendly little girl: "Sister Zeng, I hope you won't be angry with me for disturbing you so late!"

Zeng Rou glanced past her, looked at Song Xian, then looked at her again, tapped her forehead lightly, and said with a smile: "I thought you came to see me specially to chat with me and relieve my boredom, but it turns out you brought a man with you."

"My name is Song Xian. I hope you will forgive me for disturbing you." Song Xian bowed his head.

"Alright, no need to be so polite, take a seat!" Zeng Rou waved her hand and sat down in the main seat. "Fellow Daoist Song certainly didn't come here to visit me specifically. If you have anything to say, just tell me directly!"

Song Xian reached into the storage bag with his right hand and took out an exquisite stone box. He walked to it with both hands and lightly tapped the mechanism with his finger. With a crisp sound, the lid of the box popped open, revealing an elegant and luxurious set of colorful cloud brocade clothes, with gold and blue alternating patterns and a gorgeous glow.

This is a first-grade top-grade robe, worth 1,300 spirit stones. There are four miniature magic arrays on it, namely cooling, dust removal, water repellent, and wind control.

Wearing this robe can not only cool the body but also prevent dust from sticking.

At critical moments, you can also activate the water-repellent function and dive five hundred feet underwater, which is equivalent to taking a water-repellent pill. The wind-controlling function greatly increases your walking speed, which is equivalent to using a speeding talisman.

"Thanks to you, fellow Daoist, for your care. My sect's Jade Fragrance Pill has become famous. This is just a small gift to express my gratitude. I hope you will not despise it."

Zeng Rou glanced at the robe, a smile on her lips: "I just like your sect's Jade Fragrance Pills, so I often buy some. Brother Song, please take them back! I don't deserve it without any merit."

"Sister Zeng, this is not right. How come you have no merit? Many of those who come to our shop to buy Yuxiangdan have heard that you like this thing, so they are trying to follow your taste." Feng Yan interrupted when she saw the opportunity.

"Not to mention that you often mention our shop's Jade Fragrance Pills to others. For example, Sister Yu'er of the Kong family and Shopkeeper Xu of Fengling Pavilion became customers of our Jade Fragrance Pills because of your recommendation."

"I often use you as an example when telling customers about your experience. Once they hear that you are a regular customer of our store, they feel at ease buying from you."

"This is a small gift from our master. It's worth nothing to you, so just accept it!"

Zeng Rou smiled and said, "Sister, I'm not trying to offend you, but I never accept things of unknown origin. Don't let it get out there and say I accepted your things for nothing. That would ruin the reputation of our mansion."

This statement couldn't be more obvious. Unknown origin certainly doesn't mean that there is a problem with the source of the thing, but it means that he should understand what he is explaining.

Upon hearing this, Song Xian was delighted. Zeng Rou hadn't explicitly refused, which meant there was hope. So he quickly said, "Our sect has no ulterior motives. This gift is simply a token of our gratitude for your support of our Jade Fragrance Pill. Honestly, someone of your status purchasing our Jade Fragrance Pill is the best possible publicity for it."

"Since you say so, I'll accept it." Zeng Rou reached out and closed the wooden box, took it and put it aside.

As Yang Jinzhang's woman, she was influenced by him all day long, and she was not a self-righteous person. Since someone brought gifts to her house without making any specific requests, she would of course accept them with a smile.

Seeing that she accepted the gift, Song Xian felt a little happy. When asking someone to do something, no matter what the reason was, as long as the other party was willing to accept the gift, the matter was half done. He slowly said, "I wonder if you have heard any news about Bianxia Town recently?"

"I've heard a little bit about it. It doesn't seem very peaceful, does it?"

Song Xian nodded and said, "There is a sect called Qingyuan Sect in Bianxia Town. They were besieged by the forces of independent cultivators. Not only did a large number of disciples die, but even the sect leader was killed."

"The Qingyuan Sect was originally responsible for the management of the Nanyuan Valley Market in Bianxia Town, but has now been kicked out of the market. Several cooperative businesses between this sect and the Beastmaster Sect have also been sabotaged by the Loose Cultivator Alliance."

"The Qingyuan Sect is now in name only, and the several businesses that Senior Yang entrusted to it have also gone bankrupt. We must find new people to take charge."

"When it's convenient, could Fellow Daoist Zeng tell Senior Yang about our sect?"

"If you can allow our sect to take over the industries that Qingyuan Sect was originally responsible for, our sect will never forget the favor and will definitely repay you handsomely."

Zeng Rou smiled slightly: "Brother Song, you came to visit me today just for this matter! I was wondering! Why would you suddenly give me something for no reason?"

Feng Yan quickly responded, "Sister Zeng, this is quite a different matter! The Sect Master told me a long time ago that I would find a time to visit you and thank you for your care. It's just that the situation in Bianxia Town was very chaotic before, so I couldn't find the time to come. We just happened to be together today. Whether Sister Zeng is willing to help us speak to Senior Yang or not, we are very grateful."

Having said that, there was nothing to hide anymore. The top-grade robe was just a stepping stone, so Song Xian put forward the conditions directly.

"If Senior Yang were to hand these matters over to our sect, we would certainly do our utmost to see them through. If we were to take over, in addition to paying Senior Yang the due respect, we would also be able to provide an additional 2,000 spirit stones to you each year."

Zeng Rou's eyes lit up. Although she had no shortage of spirit stones, she did not have her own income from industry. No matter who you are, you hope to be independent with your money and not rely on others.

Although those who came to ask Yang Jinzhang to do things respected her, they never gave her a share of the profits. When Song Xian said this, it seemed to arouse the worms in her stomach.

"What specific industries does the Qingyuan Sect manage? Please tell us in detail."

"The Qingyuan Sect has three industries. The first is black arrowfish, which is the favorite food of the Canglan Bird. The second is the manufacture of spirit bone whistles, which are a kind of equipment for training spirit beasts. The third is the refining of mysterious beast spirit liquid, which is a liquid refined from three kinds of spirit herbs and is passed on to spirit beasts that are still in the lactation period for consumption."

Zeng Rou's eyes flickered slightly. "I heard Sister Feng say that there are only a dozen or so people in your Hunyuan Sect! Can they complete these industries?"

"As long as Senior Yang is willing to hand this matter over to our sect, I guarantee that there will be no problem. If Senior Yang doesn't trust our sect, I can pay a deposit first."

Seeing Song Xian's confidence, Zeng Rou nodded with satisfaction. This matter didn't require her to put in any effort anyway. If it succeeded, she would get a benefit every year. If it didn't succeed, it would not be a problem for her, so she naturally would not refuse.

"I understand. If I have the chance, I will tell the master about this. You go back and wait for news!"

"Thank you, fellow Taoist. I'll take my leave now." Song Xian stood up in response.

Feng Yan also stood up: "I won't bother you anymore, Sister Zeng, I'll come visit next time."

"Girl, come and talk to me when you are free. I won't see you off."

After the two left Yang Mansion, they went to Qingfengfang to meet up with Alan Tam. So many things had happened in Bianxia Town recently. Although Hunyuan Sect had no grudges with the Loose Cultivator Alliance for the time being, Song Xian was still very cautious and asked Alan Tam to accompany him to avoid any accidents.

After resting for a night, he gave Feng Yan some instructions the next day, asking her to go to Yang Mansion to inquire about the news in a few days, and then returned to Bianxia Town.

Although Zeng Rou had the opportunity to talk to Yang Jinzhang about this matter, she didn't know when he would bring it up. He certainly couldn't wait here all the time, nor was it appropriate for him to ask about it every now and then.

(End of this chapter)