noffsinger Chapter 38 All-out lobbying and recruitment
Chapter 38 All-out lobbying and recruitment
Su Mixin looked at Yan Xuanye, who had fallen silent, and knew that this strategist of the Yan family had already begun to weigh the pros and cons in secret.
He smiled faintly and laid out the pros and cons in their entirety, stating frankly: "Right now, the Yan family's future is clear. Ultimately, you only have three paths before you. Only by choosing the best one can you secure a stable and bright future for the family."
Yan Xuanxin's expression shifted slightly. He looked up at Su Mixin and gestured for her to continue explaining.
"The first path is to defend the Yue Kingdom, pledge allegiance to the Seven Sects, and resist the invasion of the demonic path against the tide." Su Mixin's tone was calm, but her words were sharp. "To put it bluntly, it's like a mantis trying to stop a chariot. There are only two possible outcomes. First, after the flames of war ignite, a mere Core Formation family will most likely be completely crushed by the chaotic torrent of the world. The Yan family's hundreds of thousands of members will be wiped out here, vanished into thin air, and their lineage will be completely severed."
"Secondly, some of the clansmen who were lucky enough to survive either fled to the ends of the earth after the defeat, wandering from place to place, and had no foundation left."
"Either be defeated and surrender to the Tianluo Kingdom's demonic path, becoming a defeated vassal, and ultimately, like other remnants of the Yue Kingdom, they will not escape being purged and will meet a miserable end."
"As for the second path, I might as well tell you frankly." Su Mixin changed the subject and revealed the secret, "I have received definite information that before the Yan family patriarch's lifespan was about to end, he secretly sent a message to the Ghost Spirit Sect, intending to have the entire Yan family relocate and return to the Ghost Spirit Sect's command."
"At this moment, Wang Chan, the young master of the Ghost Spirit Sect, should already be carrying the ancestor's last letter and the sect's edict, traveling day and night to Yanling Fortress, with the aim of recruiting your Yan family."
Yan Xuanye's eyes suddenly narrowed, his heart trembled slightly, and his hidden thoughts were exposed by a single sentence.
Before he could even begin to hope, Su Mixin continued speaking, completely shattering his wishful thinking.
"Do you really think that the Ghost Spirit Sect is so actively trying to win you over because of past ties with the Yan family? You are sorely mistaken."
"Their real target has never been the insignificant power of the Yan family, but your Yan family's only prodigy with a Heavenly Spiritual Root, Yan Ruyan."
"The Ghost Spirit Sect's supreme martial art, the 'True Scripture of Ten Thousand Spirits,' contains the Blood Spirit Great Art as its first demonic technique. This technique is incredibly powerful, but it requires extremely high aptitude and is perilous to cultivate. It necessitates dual cultivation between men and women to solidify the foundation and resist backlash."
"Yan Ruyan, who possesses the water-attribute heavenly spiritual root, is the best candidate for Wang Chan to cultivate this technique and his Daoist partner."
He looked directly at Yan Xuanye and slowly asked, "Do you think that marrying into the Wang family and returning to the Ghost Spirit Sect, with the Wang family as a backer, is the safest way out for the Yan family?"
Yan Xuanye took a deep breath, his expression cautious, and slowly replied, "The Wang family of the Ghost Spirit Sect is the core of the sect's power. They are willing to form a marriage alliance with my clan, and with the promise of benefits from the sect, it is indeed a viable way to survive in this desperate situation."
Su Mixin gently shook her head, her tone carrying a certain coldness: "All of this is predicated on the Wang family being trustworthy. But do you truly understand the Wang family's modus operandi and background within the Ghost Spirit Sect?"
"The Wang family is tyrannical and cruel, xenophobic and bloodthirsty, and they have always been infamous among the various sects of the demonic path."
"Although the Ghost Spirit Sect is now under the control of the Wang family head, Wang Tiansheng, his autocratic style has long aroused the dissatisfaction of the other two Nascent Soul Grand Elders. The sect's high-level officials appear to be harmonious, but in reality, they are at odds with each other."
"The current wars against external enemies have temporarily masked the internal strife within the sect, but the Ghost Spirit Sect is already rife with undercurrents and hidden cracks, showing signs of a potential split."
"Ghost Spirit Sect was already at the bottom of the six demonic sects. It was surrounded by rising stars like Blood Slaughter Sect, and its internal conflicts were intensifying every day. It was no longer a stable giant ship at sea, but a dilapidated ship riddled with holes and on the verge of sinking."
"The Yan family's current allegiance is not due to seeking a powerful patron, but rather to being unwittingly drawn into the sect's internal strife and becoming deeply mired in murky waters."
"They are gambling the family's future on a bleak one."
"Moreover, the Wang family is ambitious and ruthless, and has never tolerated any outsider power. Not to mention, before the Wang brothers, Wang Tiansheng and Wang Tiangu, rose to prominence, Wang Chan's maternal family was also a direct descendant of the Ghost Spirit Sect and a family with considerable resources."
"Once the two Wang brothers have reached the Nascent Soul stage and seized power, the maternal clan of Wang Chan, who once relied on them for support, has completely vanished and is now lost to the past, never to be mentioned again."
Su Mi's voice grew increasingly somber, each word piercing to the heart: "From this, it is clear that the Wang family is by no means a good family, and in fact, Wang Chan is even less of a good match."
"The patriarch, Wang Tiansheng, is domineering and tyrannical, with a cold and indifferent nature. His Daoist companions and concubines have no status or dignity whatsoever."
"His son, Wang Chan, although exceptionally talented and with superb spiritual roots, was narrow-minded and vindictive. He was arrogant and domineering from a young age, inheriting his father's domineering nature."
"If Yan Ruyan marries him as her Daoist partner, she will be controlled by him for life, suffering day and night, and trapped in a living hell."
"What's even more fatal is that Wang Chan's mind is flawed and his anger is deep. His path to enlightenment is already difficult and arduous. The Nascent Soul Heart Demon Tribulation is an almost insurmountable chasm for him."
"Yan Ruyan devoted all her Heavenly Spiritual Root talent to dual cultivation of the Blood Spirit Technique with him. With the support of the Wang family's resources, she seemed to be using their help to climb higher, but in reality, she was binding her immortal path, Dao foundation, and even her life's cultivation to someone who was destined to fail in achieving the Great Dao."
"This move may seem prudent, but it is actually self-destructive, leading to a bleak future and making it impossible to attain the Nascent Soul stage in one's lifetime."
Yan Xuanye took a deep breath and slowly questioned, "Your evaluation of the Wang family and Wang Chan is solely your own opinion. How can you prove it?"
Su Mixin chuckled: "Wang Chan will be arriving soon. You can secretly observe his character and temperament."
Yan Xuanye's face, which had been serious and somber all night, broke into a rare smile: "The third path you mentioned, is it the Yan family's allegiance to your Thousand Illusions Sect?"
Upon hearing this, Su Mixin smiled calmly and confidently, nodding readily: "That's right. The third path is to abandon the Yue Kingdom and surrender to my Thousand Illusions Sect with your entire clan before the war."
He leaned forward slightly, his expression solemn, his tone unhurried and deliberate, each word resounding, completely paving the way for his final chance of survival: "You questioned the truthfulness of what I said earlier, that's alright."
"Wang Chan will arrive soon. You only need to observe him coldly and secretly to see his narrow-minded and arrogant nature, which will prove that what I said today is true."
"But now chaos is approaching, and time waits for no one. The Yan family cannot afford to waste time or gamble. You should also see clearly that my Thousand Illusions Sect is worlds apart from the Ghost Spirit Sect."
"First of all, my Thousand Illusions Sect has a strong foundation and the entire sect is united. There is no fierce internal strife or factional division like the Ghost Spirit Sect."
Su Mixin spoke clearly and slowly, "With our Nascent Soul Ancestor in charge, our sect has strict laws and clear rewards and punishments. It is thriving and is one of the most powerful and stable sects among the six major sects of the demonic path. It is far superior to the Ghost Spirit Sect, which is declining and plagued by internal and external troubles."
"By joining my Thousand Illusions Sect, the Yan family will not need to get involved in any sect infighting, nor will they become pawns in others' power struggles. They can simply establish a stable foothold, recuperate, and develop steadily."
"Secondly, my Thousand Illusions Sect recruited the Yan family, but my sect's target for conquest is not the Yue Kingdom, so there is no need for you to secretly betray and stab other forces in the Yue Kingdom."
Su Mixin smiled and said, "Let me be frank with you. How could my Thousand Illusions Sect care about the meager strength of your Yan family? My sect recruits you because we value talent and have our eye on Yan Ruyan, who has the Heavenly Spiritual Root."
"Secondly, they have a grudge against the Wang family of the Ghost Spirit Sect and are deliberately trying to thwart the Wang family's plans."
"I, Su Mixin, act with integrity and follow a clear and stable path. I will not force Yan Ruyan to become my Daoist partner."
At this moment, Yan Xuanye suddenly realized that he had been wondering why the Yan family was such a rare commodity that the two major demonic sects were fighting over it.
Su Mixin spoke with a firm tone, revealing her sincerity: "When I left the sect, the Supreme Elder of the Thousand Illusions Sect, who is also my father, True Man Mi Luo, asked me to bring a promise that after my mother, Lady Lian Yue, finishes her seclusion and emerges successfully, she will personally accept Yan Ruyan as her personal disciple."
"If the Yan family submits to Yan Ruyan, this promising future prodigy, my Thousand Illusions Sect can make a promise."
"Yan Ruyan doesn't need to force herself into dual cultivation with anyone or bind her path to others. She can rely on her own innate talent to enjoy the sect's top-tier resources, focus on cultivation, and walk a smooth path. Her path is entirely in her own hands; she doesn't need to depend on anyone, nor does she need to gamble on the success or failure of others."
"All she needs to do with your Yan family is be loyal."
Yan Xuanye's pupils contracted slightly, his heart trembled, and he subconsciously held his breath, listening quietly as he continued.
Su Mixin continued to speak eloquently, each word piercing the heart and hitting the nail on the head: "Furthermore, our Thousand Illusions Sect's expansion this time has set its sights on the Tianlu Kingdom, north of the Tianlu Kingdom, which is no less than the Yue Kingdom in terms of area and resources."
"My father has already promised to take charge and select a good spiritual vein site for your Yan family within the Tianlu Kingdom, so that your Yan family will not be split up or assimilated."
"Of course, if your Yan family is willing to participate in the war, those who have made contributions will be rewarded accordingly, and those who are talented will be promoted beyond their usual ranks. From elders and cultivators to ordinary clansmen, everyone can be protected and survive in peace."
He looked up at Yan Xuanye, who was deep in thought, and slowly concluded, giving his final verdict: "The first path, the annihilation of the entire clan and the severing of the lineage, is a dead end. The second path, relying on the wrecked ship, sacrificing the prodigies, and gambling with one's life, is a perilous and hopeless path. Only by joining the Thousand Illusions Sect is the only way for the Yan family to preserve the clan, the prodigies, and the future—a path of survival and a smooth road."
"Mr. Xuan Ye is exceptionally intelligent and has a profound understanding of the world. He must already have the answer in his heart regarding who is superior, who will live, and who will die."
Su Mixin seemed to remember something and reminded her, "Neither of my parents had many disciples. Besides me, their only son, my mother, Lady Lianyue, currently has a chief female disciple who is traveling abroad in search of an opportunity to form a Nascent Soul. She has not returned for many years. Not long ago, she promised to take in a second junior sister, but she has not yet formally entered the sect. After Yan Ruyan became a disciple, she became one of my mother's only three personally taught disciples."
"My father, True Man Mi Luo, now only has my eldest senior brother as his disciple. My eldest senior brother is the current sect leader of the Thousand Illusions Sect, and he just formed his Nascent Soul several decades ago."
"Taking this as an example, if Yan Ruyan were to become an apprentice, her future status would be self-evident."