The Court and the Sects

After a moment's thought, Xu Yuan did not refuse Xu Xinyao's request. He glanced at the sect disciples who looked at him with such hatred and said softly:

"Suit yourself, but I suggest you hurry up. If you delay too long, you'll probably regret it later, given your personality."

He didn't trust those sect disciples, so naturally he wouldn't explain the reason again.

A hint of doubt flickered in Xu Xinyao's beautiful eyes as she whispered:

"Okay, I'm just explaining the next steps to Ziqing and the others."

Xu Yuan shrugged, indicating that she could go ahead.

Xu Xinyao pondered for a moment, but still turned and walked towards the group of sect disciples.

The tense atmosphere on the official road dissipated somewhat.

Standing still, Xu Yuan sized up the group of handsome disciples from various sects.

After a dozen or so breaths, Xu Yuan suddenly asked himself:

"What is the cultivation level of this group?"

After a moment's pause, the voice of the Saint's Remnant Soul rang out:

"Apart from the two who were talking to you just now, most of them are Body Fusion, and a small number are Soul Condensation."

Xu Yuan raised an eyebrow and scanned the faces of the group:

"They're all quite young. Their cultivation levels are probably among the best in the sect. It seems my Fourth Sister associates with geniuses and spoiled brats, not just any good-for-nothing."

The Saint's Remnant Soul chuckled softly, saying in a mocking tone, "Indeed, not a piece of trash, but kid Xu, I thought you would kill that person."

Xu Yuan's expression turned cold for a moment as he glanced at Li Xu Xinyao Li Zhonghua.

"Kill Li Zhonghua?"

"Naturally," said the Saint's Remnant Soul.

Xu Yuan gently shook his head:

"Why would I kill him? What good would it do, other than putting Xu Xinyao in a difficult position?"

The Saint's Remnant Soul chuckled, "Don't you think that person is quite noisy?"

"It's really noisy."

Xu Yuan agreed:

"But this isn't a duel where swords and spears have no eyes. Such a young third-rank Grandmaster is probably the chief True Disciple of a major sect. Everything requires a legitimate reason. If it were Xu Changge, he would at most severely injure him. Why would I do something that would do nothing but harm?"

Xu Yuan paused, then glanced at the jet-black Soul Ring on his fingertip:

"If I hadn't used the Charm God Dao Rhyme to strike down that old man and that strong man first, those three spies from the Myriad Wanxiang Sect would have almost caused us to capsize in the ditch. Third-grade Grandmaster who have mastered Dao Essence are not easy to deal with."

"Even if we manage to kill them in the end, how much soul power will you, old man, have left?"

Why would I do something so harmful and without any benefit?

After saying that,

Dressed in blue, with delicate, watery eyes Xu Xinyao turned and walked towards Xu Yuan.

It seemed she had taken his words to heart. She simply gave some words of explanation to calm everyone down, made some quick arrangements for her schedule after leaving, and then returned to his side.

"Third Brother, let's go."

Xu Yuan looked the other person up and down and asked:

"Are you still planning to continue your travels with them?"

He had overheard their conversation; Xu Xinyao had told the group to return to Huanglong Market and wait for him.

Xu Xinyao nodded:

"My father promised me."

Upon hearing this, Xu Yuan stared at her for a few moments, then gently shook his head and said nothing more.

Can you fly?

In Cangyuan, the "former female lead" in front of us is not weak in terms of direct combat power, at least in the early to mid-stages, not to mention her mastery of formations.

Xu Xinyao nodded slightly:

"These boots of mine are engraved with an aerial formation, allowing me to fly, but not for long."

"Don't resist."

Halfway through his conversation, Xu Yuan abruptly waved his hand to interrupt, not even glancing at the group of sect disciples. He then used his Saintly Soul Power to lift up his Fourth Sister and said to Ran Qingmo beside him:

"Let's go."

Ran Qingmo nodded slightly:

"Um"

After saying that,

Three figures took to the air and sped off towards Shengshan County.

Along the way, Xu Xinyao asked Xu Yuan many questions, but Xu Yuan ignored her, just as Ran Qingmo had ignored him along the way.

However, the gentle-natured Xu Xinyao was not annoyed. Instead, she shared her experiences and observations from her travels with Xu Yuan via telepathy.

She talked about everything from the hardships of the world to the interesting things that happened along the way, to the friends she made, and even some of the suitors who were causing her trouble.

Of course, Xu Yuan still ignored her.

As they approached their destination, Xu Xinyao became less talkative, not because Xu Yuan ignored her, but because she was becoming more familiar with the surrounding landscape.

She realized they were heading to Shengshan County, and she also vaguely understood why her Third Brother, who had been silent the whole way, had hit her.

One day later, we arrived at our destination.

The Illusion Mist Array in Shengshan County still stands like an insurmountable barrier along the edge of the Wanxing Mountain Range, while Xu Yuan leads Xu Xinyao directly to the control point of the Wanxiang Sect.

It was still a moonless night, and occasionally a loud roar of a beast could be heard in the dark forest.

Landing at the entrance of the cave where the control array is located,

Xu Yuan remained silent, glancing sideways at the unresponsive Xu Xinyao.

Xu Xinyao lowered her head, her soft hair falling down her temples and obscuring her expression.

Without saying a word, she quietly walked into the cave.

Xu Yuan didn't move. He watched the other woman's slender figure disappear into the darkness of the cave before letting out a soft, ambiguous hum and slowly walking to the cave entrance to sit against the stone wall.

He hadn't slept for two days and two nights, and as soon as he stopped circulating his Cultivation Method, a strong feeling of drowsiness would wash over him.

Ran Qingmo silently sat down beside him, removed the Veil Hat, and gazed into the dark forest around her with her clear, beautiful eyes, saying softly:

"Xu Yuan."

"Hmm?" Xu Yuan asked, slightly tired, without opening his eyes.

Ran Qingmo said softly:

"Your younger sister is actually a very nice person."

Xu Yuan said in a low voice:

"How so?"

Ran Qingmo thought for a moment, then said in a low voice:

"I had heard of her reputation when I was traveling around the world. Before I came down the mountain, my master said that I should learn from her."

Xu Yuan whispered upon hearing this:

"Your master is a reasonable person, isn't he?"

As he spoke, a slight smile played on his lips:

"However, the sect should indeed hope that the imperial court has more people like her."

Ran Qingmo thought for a moment, but still couldn't figure it out, so she asked:

"Why?"

"Because if there are too many people like this, my father's plans will face difficulties, and everyone will live in peace."

"Um"

Ran Qingmo thought for a moment and asked, "Wouldn't it be better to live in peace?"

"Of course it's good."

Xu Yuan slowly opened his eyes. "No one wants war, not even my father. Those who truly want war and enjoy it are all lunatics."

Upon hearing this topic, Ran Qingmo's eyes flickered, and she asked in a low voice:

"Coco, why did your father target the Sword Sect?"

Xu Yuan looked at her beside him, his expression softening, and asked in a low voice:

"Ran Qingmo, what do you think of the Wanxiang Sect's massacre of the city?"

Ran Qingmo remained silent for a few moments, then said very seriously:

"Angry."

Xu Yuan smiled slightly and nodded, saying:

"Yes, anyone would be angry to see something like this, especially considering it involves 400,000 people."

Speaking of this,

Xu Yuan paused for two seconds, then suddenly changed the subject, his tone becoming somewhat complicated:

"Four hundred thousand people may seem like a lot, but it's really not much. Two years ago, the Demon Beast tide breached Ziyue County, killing more than three hundred thousand people. Did you know about that?"

Ran Qingmo honestly shook her head. "I don't know."

Xu Yuan continued to ask:

"The year before last, the Demon Beast tide caused the fall of Chengqing County, killing more than 500,000 people. The worst-hit event was the fall of Xichen Prefecture nine years ago, which killed nearly two million people. You didn't know about these things, did you?"

"."

Ran Qingmo didn't speak, but shook her head.

She didn't read the official gazette or internal reports; she only knew how to cultivate herself.

All the information was given to her by her master.

Xu Yuan sighed:

"Forty thousand people are just a drop in the ocean compared to the entire Great Yan. Because everything I just mentioned was a round number."

"The number of casualties along the 100,000-mile border of the Wanxing Mountain Range is hard to count each year, but it is at least more than the number in Shengshan County."

"Remember, I said every year."

"..." Ran Qingmo pursed her red lips.

Xu Yuan showed no sign of stopping. He pointed to the northwest and north, and said wearily:

"Ran Qingmo, the border of the Great Yan is not just the Wanxing Mountain Range that stretch for 100,000 miles. There is also the Northwest Great Desert and the bitterly cold lands of the North. Since the Great Yan officially started the war with the Barbarian Tribe of the Northern Border, more than five million people have died there. In addition, there are Wokou causing trouble along the nearly 200,000-mile-long coastal defense line in the Sea Border."

"The number of deaths and injuries in these places every year is really nothing compared to the number in Shengshan County."

Ran Qingmo lowered her eyes slightly and spoke softly:

"Xu Yuan, do this many people die every year?"

"It was recorded in the internal Prime Minister's Estate."

Xu Yuan sighed again, his tone leisurely:

"Moreover, the casualties on the border are only a small part. The real losses are within the Great Yan territory. Apart from those seven or eight wealthy continents, you should have seen what the rest of the country looks like. The reason for this is that the blood-sucking by many sects has led to a deficit in the imperial treasury, and local governments are unable to afford the expenses of exorcising demons in their respective regions."

"Of course, from your sect's perspective, this can also be seen as a consequence of the court's stubbornness, its clinging to power without any real authority, and its refusal to back down."

"However, no one wants the Great Yan to decline, because only when the Great Yan is strong can the imperial court, sects, and many Aristocratic Clan have more power and influence."

"..." Ran Qingmo's chest rose and fell slightly.

Xu Yuan's eyes showed a hint of helplessness as he said in a low voice:

"Ran Qingmo, now you should understand why my father wanted to target the Tianyuan Sword Sect, right? He didn't just want to target the Tianyuan Sword Sect; he wanted to target all the sects in the world. Your Tianyuan Sword Sect was only the first to be targeted because you were the leading sect."

Silence reigned; all was still outside the cave.

A long time passed,

Ran Qingmo then said in a low voice:

"Xu Yuan, aren't you afraid I'll tell my master and the others about this?"

Xu Yuan raised his hand and flicked him on the forehead.

Ran Qingmo looked puzzled, but remained indifferent.

"."

Xu Yuan silently withdrew his aching finger and coughed lightly:

"Well, all of these things I've mentioned, except for the last one, are known to the sect's higher-ups."

"As for the last point, no one believed it before, and no one will believe it now if you say it, since the news that you've been staying with me all this time has probably already spread throughout all the sects in the world."

The black Coiled Dragon carriage representing the Prime Minister's Estate's direct line was too conspicuous, and Ran Qingmo's all-black attire with a Ink Sword was also particularly unique. The disciples were unaware of it, but the real high-ranking members certainly knew that this old man from the Sword Sect was his precious disciple.

Basically, it's like mud got into your crotch, and you can't get it clean no matter how you wash it.

Ran Qingmo sat silently beside Xu Yuan for a while, then seemed to realize something was amiss:

"Xu Yuan, since your father is going to do that kind of thing, why is your sister doing the opposite?"

That's just her nature.

Xu Yuan glanced in the direction of the cave and said without thinking, "She's too gentle and kind. She always wants a solution that doesn't kill anyone, but where in this world does such a good thing come from? When it comes to self-interest, who will back down?"

After that, neither of them spoke again.

Time flows quietly.

The voice of the Saint's Remnant Soul suddenly resounded in Xu Yuan's heart:

"Young Xu, your father is quite the schemer."

"How so?" Xu Yuan asked.

The Saint's Remnant Soul sighed:

"To be honest, this old man doesn't know much about the world today, but your father, as a high-ranking official, is secretly plotting to destroy the sects, yet he's also letting your sister go on a journey. Isn't that just a deceptive show of goodwill towards the sects? Coupled with other political measures, the sects probably all think that your Prime Minister's Estate is about to compromise, right?"

"Tsk tsk. To strike with lightning speed when everyone in the sect thought they wouldn't make a move, what a brilliant move."

Xu Yuan was slightly surprised to hear this.

The fact that this Old Man Luo could draw such a conclusion with just that little information shows that his ten thousand years of life haven't been in vain.

However, Xu Yuan only said softly:

"Old Man Luo, you're wrong. This is the path Xu Xinyao chose herself."

"It was more of a lucky accident than a result, but her actions were merely icing on the cake for my father's plans."

For more than a decade, the imperial decrees concerning sects have been largely ineffective and have been all talk and no action.

There were even rumors recently that several states surrounding Jiangnan Prefecture had policies allowing local officials to govern their respective territories.

This would have been unthinkable more than a decade ago.

After all, Xu Yinhe had ruled for decades and gone through many hardships to eliminate the sectarian forces in the government offices of various parts of the Great Yan.

The avenue for disciples of powerful clans to enter government service has been virtually closed, but recent decrees from the court seem to hint at reopening this avenue.

These are just a few examples.

Compared to these misleading policies, Xu Xinyao's goodwill towards the sect can only be considered icing on the cake.

As soon as he finished speaking, Xu Yuan suddenly realized that the time should have passed enough, and he should go in and properly discipline his Fourth Sister, whose thinking had gone awry.

Slowly rising, Xu Yuan whispered to Ran Qingmo beside him:

"Ran Qingmo, you stay here. I have something to say to my Fourth Sister inside."

Ran Qingmo seemed to still be pondering Xu Yuan's words, and simply nodded slightly:

"Okay, I'll wait for you here."

Xu Yuan looked at her, her brows slightly furrowed, and reached out to ruffle her hair.

"Don't overthink it. The conflict between the sects and the imperial court is fundamentally irreconcilable; the only option is to break up the old order and establish a new one."

It's a bit late.