Chapter 449: Senior Brother, Discussion
Her rosy cheeks flushed, silver hair swept aside her bright golden eyes.
A pear-like smile graced her face, her plain makeup resembling a spring butterfly.
“Heehee.”
Xiaotian giggled, causing Anping’s veins to bulge.
“…”
Returning to his senses, he cursed the “dog-like Heavenly Dao” in his heart.
Ye Anping raised a hand to rub his nose bridge. Normally, his junior sister didn’t make him blush that often, yet Feng Yu Die could make him turn into a shy young man, his heart pounding from her simple smile.
He turned and glared at Xiaotian, who, understanding the hint, continued practicing her punches.
Ye Anping fell silent for a moment, then sighed softly. He waved to Feng Yu Die outside the door, returned to the peach tree in the courtyard, took some wood from his storage bag, and set up a makeshift grill.
He split the wood and started a fire, then took out two marinated roasted chickens he had prepared earlier and threaded them onto a spare Spirit Sword.
Then, he squatted down.
Seeing Feng Yu Die still standing foolishly at the door, he frowned.
“What are you doing standing at the door?”
“Oh!”
Feng Yu Die snapped back to reality. She trotted over to his side in her small embroidered shoes, tidied her skirt, and sat down beside him, hugging her knees. She stared at Ye Anping, who was roasting the chicken for her, and grinned, “Young Master Ye, you look the most handsome when you’re roasting chicken, hehe—”
?
Ye Anping rolled his eyes at her and said nothing, quietly picking up the hilt of the Spirit Sword with the chicken and placing it over the fire, turning it slowly.
The fragrance of peach blossoms in the courtyard was gradually replaced by the soy sauce and thirteen-spice aroma of the roasting chicken.
Watching the chicken begin to drip oil, Ye Anping couldn’t help but get lost in thought.
Initially, he put a few marinated roasted chickens in his storage bag, thinking he could use them to shut Feng Yu Die up when needed. Also, when he and his junior sister were out and couldn’t always stay at an inn, they could occasionally satisfy their cravings.
But somewhere along the line, it became a habit.
Even now, while staying at the Xuan Xing Sect, he would marinate a few chickens and keep them in his storage bag…
Lost in thought, the chicken was finally roasted.
Ye Anping handed the sword hilt to Feng Yu Die, then stood up and walked back to the peach tree, sitting down. He watched Feng Yu Die puff her cheeks and blow on the Spirit Sword for a while before starting to eat heartily. He couldn’t help but shake his head, “Eat and go back. I’ll roast a chicken for you every day for the next few days. Don’t bother me, I don’t have time to play with you.”
“Oh… then about your Nascent Soul Formation.”
“As Mr. Qi said, it’s almost certain death.”
“Ah? Then…”
Ye Anping lowered his gaze, interrupting her. He rested his elbows on his knees, a hint of helplessness in his voice, and sighed, “I have dual spiritual root aptitude. I should have formed a second-grade Golden Core and faced a second-grade Nascent Soul tribulation. It’s been over eight, almost nine years now. If I hadn’t picked you up in Wu Xi Town, I wouldn’t have gotten involved in all this. I might be preparing for my Core Formation at the Hundred Lotus Sect with Xiyue and my junior sister right now.”
Feng Yu Die thought Ye Anping was blaming her and immediately stopped biting her chicken.
However, Ye Anping’s tone shifted, becoming serious. “But there are no ‘ifs’. We must adapt to the circumstances. The reason Mr. Qi said I couldn’t overcome the Nascent Soul tribulation isn’t because there’s no way, but because it’s not the method of immortal cultivation, and it’s a method no one has dared to even consider throughout history.”
—”Have a Void Realm cultivator transfer their spiritual root to me.”
Feng Yu Die was slightly stunned.
“Ah?”
Ye Anping calmly explained, “As long as I can persuade a Void Realm cultivator to give me their spiritual root, I can overcome this great Nascent Soul tribulation.”
“Then, what will happen to that Void Realm cultivator if they give you their spiritual root?”
“It will be annihilation.”
“Then how will you persuade them…”
“Do you think I haven’t been doing anything all this time?”
“…”
“There won’t be any mishaps, will there?”
“No.”
Feng Yu Die almost asked “What if?”, but after hesitating for a moment, she didn’t say it and continued pecking at the roasted chicken in small bites.
Ye Anping looked at her, his heart filled with mixed emotions, and sighed, “If you have time to worry about not being able to eat my roasted chicken, you might as well practice your sword more. What if I successfully form my Nascent Soul, and you get struck down by the tribulation?”
“Oh~ Didn’t Young Master Ye just say I could easily form my Nascent Soul?”
“You’re getting too ahead of yourself.”
“Hee—”
Seeing Feng Yu Die’s face covered in chicken grease, Ye Anping simply ignored her. He waved his hand to extinguish the fire and then calmed himself, resuming meditation and Qi cultivation.
The spring breeze blew through the courtyard, and peach blossoms slowly fell onto his shoulders.
A moment later, a flying sword wobbled down from the west and landed in front of the Three-Bay House. The rustling sound of long boots crunching on grass came from outside the open courtyard gate.
Liang Zhu, with dark circles under his eyes, reached the courtyard gate expressionlessly. Seeing his sixth brother meditating in the courtyard and Feng Yu Die gnawing on roasted chicken beside him, several veins on his forehead bulged.
Recently, he, as the eldest brother, had been incredibly busy, yet his sixth brother was leisurely eating roasted chicken with a girl in the Xuan Xing Sect.
This Ye Tianchong, always rushing…
Liang Zhu’s eye twitched slightly. Then, he spotted the severed hand hanging under the eaves, and a chill ran down his spine. He rubbed his nose bridge and raised his hand to knock on the door.
Bang bang—
“Hm?” Feng Yu Die turned her head. “Are you… Liang… Liang…”
Liang Zhu glared at her.
“Zhu.”
“Oh, Zhu…”
“…”
Hearing Feng Yu Die’s greeting, Ye Anping’s heart lightened. He also opened his eyes and quickly stood up. “Big Brother Liang is here.”
“Then I’ll leave?”
Liang Zhu showed no kindness, turning to leave.
Ye Anping couldn’t help but feel a mix of amusement and helplessness. He stood up and quickly caught up, adding with a smile, “Are you still angry about that painting from before? Sixth brother was just kidding; he was trying to cheer you up.”
“Heh~ You dare mention that painting again?”
“What about it?”
“The artistry was excellent. The Empress had it framed and hung in her room. As a result, every time I visit the Empress, I get to exercise my state of mind.”
Ye Anping cupped his hands. “Big Brother’s optimistic attitude truly impresses your sixth brother.”
Liang Zhu gave him another look and didn’t intend to continue this conversation. He was silent for a moment and then said, “Do you know what the situation is outside?”
Ye Anping became serious now, nodding faintly. “I can guess roughly. But I haven’t left the courtyard much these past few days, so it’s all hearsay.”
“…Since the Summoning Immortal Decree, you’ve become famous. Many sects have sent people to the Hundred Lotus Sect to gather intelligence, both openly and covertly. Even people from the Black Market are watching the Hundred Lotus Sect, trying to sneak in and find out about you day and night. I haven’t had much rest lately…”
Ye Anping propped his chin on his hand, pondered for a moment, and nodded, “It’s a bit more serious than I anticipated, but with Big Brother at the Hundred Lotus Sect, I’m sure there won’t be any problems.”
Liang Zhu glared at him and looked up. “Heh, you flatter me.”
The Hundred Lotus Sect now had Fu Xuan Shangxian stationed there, and the remaining forces of the Xing Tian Division had over a dozen Nascent Soul cultivators. Moreover, it was only a few hundred li from the Xuan Xing Sect. Currently, Madam Si was likely watching over him too, so the Hundred Lotus Sect need not worry for now.
However…
As Ye Anping pondered, Liang Zhu picked up his thoughts. “Sixth brother, I think it would be best to resolve this matter as soon as possible. Even a swarm of mosquitoes can drain a person to death.”
“I naturally know that. I was waiting for you to come over, Big Brother.”
I knew it… Liang Zhu sighed earnestly, deliberating the seriousness of the matter, and raised one finger. “One thing.”
Ye Anping immediately replied, “Deal.”
“I haven’t even said anything, and you dare to agree? Aren’t you afraid I’ll raise the price on the spot?”
“Heh…” Ye Anping smiled slightly. “The Empress and the Xing Tian Division are at the Hundred Lotus Sect now, and A Ting is at the Xuan Xing Sect. Does Sixth Brother think Big Brother Liang would ask for an exorbitant price, considering our brotherhood?”
Although he was reluctant to admit it, it was the truth…
Liang Zhu’s eyes twitched. His weaknesses were indeed in the sixth brother’s hands now. It was already generous that he wasn’t completely asking for free.
But then again, since coming to the Hundred Lotus Sect, his and A Ting’s lives had been much better.
And perhaps because Pei Lianxue often taught her sword practice, A Ting was much stronger than immortal cultivators of the same realm.
Last month, A Ting had been too rough during a sword test, sending a senior sister from the Xuan Xing Sect, who was two small realms higher than her, to the medical clinic. Afterward, she was confined for a few days by an elder for “lack of discretion.”
When Liang Zhu heard this news, he was incredibly proud.
Although Tong Zilan had quickly sent some pills to the Xuan Xing Sect disciple who had gone to the medical clinic…
“Then, do you know my condition?”
“Don’t worry, Sixth Brother has always treated A Ting as his niece.”
“Heh… Go ahead, what is it?”
“Lend the intelligence brokers from the Black Market and spread the news of the Summoning Immortal Decree to the Sect Masters of the Gu and Hehuan Sects in the Eastern Domain. Exaggerate it slightly, emphasizing two points: first, that the Taibai Sect Master, Zu Yuan, is already half-dead, and second, my Spring Aspect physique.”
Liang Zhu listened, his brow furrowing slightly. He stared at Ye Anping and asked, “You… what do you mean?”
Ye Anping nodded seriously and explained, “The war between the demonic cultivators of the Eastern Domain and the four immortal sects is inevitable; it’s only a matter of when. Currently, the Ghost Spirit Sect has lost some vitality due to the incident in Donghuang, and although the Taibai Sect Master is nearing the end of his lifespan, he’s not yet unable to wield his sword.
This incident will be the first arrow fired by both sides. Once the news is released, the demonic cultivators of the Eastern Domain will certainly not sit idly by. They will definitely cross Sword Gate Pass and invade the Southern Region to encircle and suppress the Taibai Sect.”
Liang Zhu narrowed his eyes slightly. “You want to instigate a war?”
“It’s not me instigating it.”
Ye Anping shook his head slightly and explained, “This bomb has already been planted. I just want to detonate it early before too many people are around.”
The invasion of the demonic cultivators into the domain was a foregone conclusion.
In the game, Zu Yuan had set his sights on Feng Yu Die after the “Summoning Immortal Decree.”
Zu Yuan tried various methods to capture Feng Yu Die six times, but each time, just before she was about to be brought before him, she would escape through a golden cicada shedding its shell, either due to Dan Yue Shangxian or some other event.
After being angered seven times, Zu Yuan eventually fell into an inner demon due to the pressure of his lifespan and was jointly killed by Si Xuanji and Taishang Wusun.
After Zu Yuan’s demise, the demonic cultivators seized the opportunity once more.
They broke through Sword Gate Pass and invaded the Southern Region, causing countless casualties among the immortal families.
Although the demonic cultivators temporarily retreated due to Sun Juehu’s sneak attack from the Northern Region, the Southern Region was left with myriad traces of smoke and broken weapons.
Therefore—while Zu Yuan still had the strength, by using the news to make the Sect Masters of the Gu and Hehuan Sects restless and immediately march into the Southern Region, he could enable Zu Yuan to eliminate two great threats to the immortal families before the immortal-demonic war.
At the same time, he could also use Zu Yuan’s demise to obtain the spiritual root needed for Nascent Soul Formation.
This was killing two birds with one stone.
After all, rather than letting Tian Yun Dao Xian die in vain because of Feng Yu Die, it was better for him to die while carrying out heavenly justice.
And likewise, this was the reason he used to persuade Tian Yun Dao Xian to give him the spiritual root.
Liang Zhu stared into Ye Anping’s deep dark purple eyes. He didn’t understand Ye Anping’s intentions, but he didn’t ask him to explain the entire process. He only asked, “Inciting the immortal-demonic war, is it purely for personal gain?”
Ye Anping smiled and replied, “Naturally. Seeking personal gain is not wrong, but this action is also for the benefit of the immortal families.”
Liang Zhu scoffed and said coldly, “…Ultimately, I’m just someone who gets paid to do a job.”
“Then why did Big Brother Liang ask if it was for personal gain?”
“Heh…”
Liang Zhu summoned his flying sword and stepped onto it. Just as he was about to leave, he turned and saw Feng Yu Die eavesdropping from the side. After some thought, he said, “Sixth brother.”
“What?”
“Madam Kong has already started preparations for your marriage with Miss Pei. Once things settle down, it can proceed.”
“…Mm.”
Ye Anping remembered that his father had mentioned this matter in a previous letter, stating that they planned to make it a grand affair, so it would take some time to prepare. Furthermore, the sudden incident of the Summoning Immortal Decree had caused it to be temporarily shelved.
He hadn’t reacted, and Liang Zhu was about to repeat himself until he heard a voice from behind.
“Hm?!”
Ye Anping was stunned, and his eyes twitched. Seeing Liang Zhu’s amused expression, he understood what was happening.
Feng Yu Die pouted and asked curiously, “Young Master Ye, are you and Junior Sister Pei getting married?”
“…”
Ye Anping turned around, momentarily hesitant. Liang Zhu, standing on his flying sword, revealed a gratified smile, anticipating seeing his sixth brother lose face.
However, seeing Ye Anping’s long silence, Feng Yu Die shyly asked, “Can I join too?”
Liang Zhu fell silent.
Ye Anping also fell silent.
The two of them stared at Feng Yu Die for a while. One, disappointed at not witnessing his sixth brother’s impending awkward situation, flew away on his sword. The other turned and walked around Feng Yu Die, heading back towards the courtyard.
“Hey~ Young Master Ye, let’s discuss—”
*Slap—*
Before Feng Yu Die could chase him into the courtyard, Ye Anping had already closed the courtyard gate.
…
