The Confucian and Taoist Sages of Mortal Cultivation

The Yan family patriarch looked solemn and invited everyone to sit on the seats on both sides. He then recounted his conversation with Wang Chan to everyone, word by word, until half an incense stick had burned.

The people below the hall were all dumbfounded upon hearing such astonishing news, and they were all stunned and speechless for a long time.

When Yan Ruyan heard that she was to marry Wang Chan, the young master of the Ghost Spirit Sect, she felt a mix of emotions, but she did not show it and sat silently to the side.

Once everyone came to their senses, the scene instantly erupted into chaos, with elders and deacons chattering away.

"The Kingdom of Cheqi and the Kingdom of Jiang are not weak either. They've been locked in a stalemate with the Kingdom of Tianluo for so many years, how come they suddenly collapsed?"

"If we join the Ghost Spirit Sect, then our Yan family will be considered to have betrayed the Yue Kingdom."

Seeing the chaos, the Yan family patriarch coldly snorted, "Silence."

"Look at yourselves, so panicked and disoriented! What kind of behavior is this?"

"Xuan Ye, you are the strategist of our Yan family, so please share your opinion."

As soon as he finished speaking, a Foundation Establishment cultivator who looked like a middle-aged Confucian scholar stood up, bowed to the Yan family patriarch, and said, "Ancestor, Xuan Ye has three questions to ask."

"First, is our Yan family truly descended from the Ghost Spirit Sect? Second, what exactly is the Blood Spirit Technique of the 'Ten Thousand Spirits True Scripture'? Third, will the Righteous Alliance of Fengdu Kingdom allow the Six Demonic Sects to annex Jiang Kingdom and Cheqi Kingdom?"

Upon hearing this, the Yan family patriarch took out the letter from Wang Chan's father and handed it to Xuan Ye to read. He said, "When I was still in the Foundation Establishment stage, I heard the previous patriarch mention that the first patriarch of our Yan family fortress came from the Ghost Spirit Sect."

"Moreover, many of our Yan Family Fort's family heirlooms and cultivation techniques were brought out from the Ghost Spirit Sect by the first patriarch, so they can't be faked."

"As for the Blood Spirit Great Art, it is the cultivation method that our first patriarch of the Yan family longed to practice."

"According to the notes left by our ancestors, the Blood Spirit Great Art is the first demonic technique in the 'Ten Thousand Spirits True Scripture.' Once mastered, it is enough to dominate the six sects of the demonic path, making it one of the most terrifying secret techniques in the world."

"However, this method is too domineering and is very easy to backfire. Only when two cultivators, a man and a woman, cultivate together can the risk of backfire be reduced."

"Moreover, this technique requires extremely high spiritual roots and aptitude from the practitioner."

"The Ghost Spirit Sect Master's letter also stated that only cultivators with dark spiritual roots like Wang Chan and cultivators with heavenly spiritual roots like Yan'er have the possibility of achieving success."

"As for the Righteous Alliance, the Ghost Spirit Sect's letter says that the Righteous Alliance has also annexed a medium-sized country and has no time to care about the Six Demonic Sects."

Upon hearing this, Xuan Ye pondered for a moment and said, "Then what's there to hesitate about?"

"The simultaneous expansion of the Righteous Path Alliance and the Demonic Path clearly indicates a tacit agreement to not interfere with each other."

"With the limited strength of the Yue Kingdom, it is simply no match for the Six Demonic Sects."

"Over the years, the seven major factions of Yue have outwardly maintained friendly relations with us, but inwardly they fear that the Yan family's strength will further develop and threaten their interests."

"Therefore, in recent years, the seven major factions have been suppressing our Yan family both openly and covertly."

"Ancestor, the reason you invited the Core Formation forces from other countries this time was precisely to find a good marriage partner for Ruyan and leave our Yan family a way out, wasn't it?"

"Instead of doing that, why not let Ruyan and Wang Chan become Daoist partners? Firstly, we can obtain a copy of the 'Great Law of Ten Thousand Spirits,' and secondly, we can take advantage of the expansion of the Six Demonic Sects to enhance the strength of our Yan Family Fortress."

"Of course, there's a premise to this."

"The point is that our Yan family can no longer be used as weapons by the Ghost Spirit Sect, which would only waste our manpower."

"If we can reach Miss Ruyan and master the Blood Spirit Technique, we can stand on equal footing with the Ghost Spirit Sect. Perhaps, we can even force the Ghost Spirit Sect to change its surname to Yan!"

Upon hearing this, all the Yan family members present perked up, their faces lit up with joy, and they nodded frequently.

However, one of the more cautious elders of the Yan family raised a question, saying, "Xuan Ye, the Ghost Spirit Sect is no benevolent force; they will never allow our Yan Family Fortress to grow stronger."

"In the future, if the Ghost Spirit Sect realizes that our Yan Family Fortress is out of control, they might try to kill Miss Ruyan and us as well."

"What should we do then?"

Xuan Ye pondered for a moment, then continued, "How about this, Ancestor, summon Wang Chan and inform her."

"If the other party truly wants our Yan family to submit, then let Wang Chan, the Li brothers, Yan'er, and the two uncles of our family each cast a life-or-death curse on each other."

"With this life-and-death curse in effect, if either party dies, the other will also perish on the spot."

Upon hearing this method, the Yan family patriarch and everyone present nodded in approval, finding it highly reliable.

The Yan family patriarch then made the final decision, saying, "Yan Qi, inform the Ghost Spirit Sect guests in the side hall of our demands."

Upon hearing this, an elderly man in gray robes in the crowd immediately stood up and, without the slightest hesitation, headed straight for the side hall.

Meanwhile, the Yan family patriarch took out a black array token and released his divine sense to monitor the situation in the side hall.

If Wang Chan dares to refuse the proposal to cast a life-and-death curse on each other, the Yan family patriarch will immediately activate the formation, capture her alive, and hand her over to the seven major sects of Yue Kingdom.

Before long, Wang Chan arrived with the Li brothers. She bowed to the Yan family patriarch and said calmly, "Senior Yan, this junior agrees to plant the Life and Death Curse."

Upon hearing this, the Yan family members present all breathed a sigh of relief.

Yan Ruyan took the opportunity to secretly observe her future husband, but she noticed that the mask he wore could easily block her divine sense, so she did not know what he looked like.

"Alright." The Yan family patriarch also showed an approachable smile and said, "In that case, our Yan family will return to the Ghost Spirit Sect."

But Wang Chan changed the subject, saying, "There are also Foundation Establishment cultivators from other countries in Yan Family Fortress."

"Why don't we ask Senior Yan to capture them and use their essence and soul to help Miss Ruyan cultivate the first level of the Blood Spirit Technique?"

"What do you think?"

Upon hearing this, the Yan family patriarch's face instantly darkened, realizing that this was the Ghost Spirit Sect demanding a pledge of allegiance.

If the Yan family really does as Wang Chan says, then they will be locked in a life-or-death struggle with all the major sects, and will have no other choice but to join the Ghost Spirit Sect.

Seeing this, Xuan Ye stepped forward and said loudly, "Ancestor, the Zijin Kingdom and other countries have come to arrange a marriage for Miss Ruyan. It is really not advisable to antagonize them."

"Why not split the treasure hunt into two locations, allowing the Foundation Establishment cultivators from the seven major sects of Yue Kingdom to go to Feilai Peak in the west on their own?"

Then, he looked at Wang Chan and said, "Young Sect Master, since you want to marry my Miss Ruyan, why not offer some betrothal gifts first?"

"Our Yan family is willing to step in and lead the cultivators from the seven major sects of Yue Kingdom to Feilai Peak."

"At that time, it will be up to you to decide their fate. With the two Core Formation cultivators behind you, dealing with them will not be difficult."

Upon hearing this, Wang Chan also felt that as long as the Foundation Establishment cultivators of Yue Kingdom died in Yan Family Fortress, the pledge of allegiance would be the same. She immediately nodded in agreement and said, "Alright, we will go to Feilai Peak the night before to set up the Yin Fire Array and sacrifice the blood of the cultivators from the seven major sects of Yue Kingdom to help Miss Ruyan refine the first level of the Blood Spirit Technique. This will serve as a betrothal gift..."