This is not how immortals cultivate

Chapter 429 Why is your Western Chu full of men who steal other men's wives and daughters?

A person's name is like a tree's shadow. Xiang Yuan is no longer an unknown figure. He has so many titles that they can't all be contained in one room, and he has a great reputation in Southern Jin.

The main problem was that they had gone too far before. Baiyun Manor, Wangjian Manor, and Dajue Temple suffered one after another simply because they did not comply. Two of the manors were even razed to the ground, and their assets were seized by Tianzong.

Moreover, in the Southern Jin Dynasty, Xiang Yuan also had the infamous reputation of forcibly seizing the Zhenshui Iron Sword and destroying the Baichuan Alliance, which was basically impossible to clear his name.

Although it was a misunderstanding, most people in the world fear power more than virtue, and a bad reputation is often more effective. Therefore, Tianzong gave a casual explanation and then let the rumors go unheeded.

Besides, we've already taken the scolding, and now that the misunderstanding has been cleared up, all the scolding was for nothing!
Xiang Yuan believed that Wang Daoyan had listened to rumors and misunderstood his character. Wang Daoyan did not think so. She had eyes to see and ears to hear. In her mind, Xiang Yuan was first and foremost a member of the Liu clan, and only later the Western Chu Overlord who supported the Zhaowang Mansion.

In other words, the current emperor of Western Chu is a puppet of Northern Qi and a mouthpiece for Emperor Tianzong. The Xiao family of Shendu has declined and become a lackey of Emperor Tianzong.

Xiang Yuan's arrival in Southern Jin was clearly intended to take advantage of the chaos in the Southern Jin court and extend his evil claws to firmly control the capital, Shangyuan.

Wang Daoyan could come up with a plausible excuse for Xiang Yuan: another year has passed, and floods are returning. The overlord is kind-hearted and cares for the world, regardless of national boundaries. He came to control the floods and save the people.

That's it!
“There are Blood Sea Dao cultivators in Shangyuan Prefecture. They have already traced it back to your sister-in-law. You have turned the candidate saintess into an incarnation of the Illusionary Annihilation Dao and have recklessly offended them to death.”

Xiang Yuan insisted, "I know my sister-in-law doesn't believe it, but it's the truth. There's a Blood Sea Path in Shangyuan Capital. You'll know if it's true or not once you go there."

Wang Daoyan was skeptical, but since he had nothing better to do, he decided to go to Shangyuan Capital with Xiang Yuan. If there was a Blood Sea Path, he would strike first; if not, he would find a way to cause trouble for Li Yuanrong.

Neither way is a loss; there's a profit to be made.

He pointed to the distance and opened up space, accurately locating the capital city of Shangyuan, without triggering the feng shui formation of four vertical and five horizontal lines.

Xiang Yuan's skillful display impressed Wang Daoyan, who marveled at his astonishing talent, suggesting he might have already reached the threshold of the upper three realms.

If I remember correctly, the last time she failed to ambush Xiang Yuan and instead lost Ah Hong was in March of this year.

It hasn't even been a year, how could it be so fast?

With the old emperor's passing and the new emperor yet to be identified, undercurrents surged in the court. The six great families, each harboring their own ambitions, sent masters to secretly infiltrate Shangyuan Prefecture, waiting for their chance to strike.

The devastating news that the Northern Qi and Western Chu armies were stationed on the border caused widespread panic and paranoia in the capital, making the atmosphere incredibly oppressive.

On the streets, the city patrol guards, clad in armor and armed with weapons, scanned passersby with eyes as sharp as hawks.

In teahouses and taverns, merchants who were talking in hushed tones would occasionally glance around, afraid that someone might overhear them.
Even the music played on the brothel boats was a bit lower than usual, as if it were not decadent music, but a lament for an impending chaotic world.

The nine-story observatory was operating at full capacity, its view covering the entire capital. Any unfamiliar faces from out of town would be subject to strict scrutiny.

As Xiang Yuan strolled through the streets, he noticed that the area was rather deserted, but there were many more eyes peering from the shadows and shadowy figures disappearing suddenly at street corners. He shook his head repeatedly, lamenting that the mastermind behind the scenes had caused considerable harm.

Both being reincarnations of the Heavenly Emperor, Po Shanban may be a lazy bum, but he doesn't cause trouble and is even more afraid of trouble, making him much better than the mastermind behind the scenes.

It wasn't meant as insults; Xiang Yuan was genuinely praising Ji Wuzhou and expressing his hope that there would be many more reincarnations of the Heavenly Emperor like him.

With his profound cultivation and understanding of the Dao, he wanted to avoid Gu Xinglou's gaze and be completely invisible to him.

Wang Daoyan was also quite skilled; he was very adept at hypnosis in the Illusionary Path. Standing side by side with Ah Hong, the two figures in bright red robes looked like celestial beings, but not a single person on the street turned around to look at them.

Xiang Yuan wandered around for a while, getting a general idea of ​​the situation in Shangyuan Capital. He randomly picked a teahouse, asked for a private room on the second floor, and sat down by the window.

The storyteller was no longer needed. There were two beautiful and alluring women in the room, and Li Yuanrong was about to burst into tears. He had no time to listen to the storyteller's ramblings.

Instead of wasting money, I'll save it to buy six souvenirs to take home.

Three copies in front of you, three copies behind your back.

I like you more than either of them! x3
Xiang Yuan closed his eyes to sense, dispersed his aura to merge with the capital's grand formation, reversed his direction to find Li Yuanrong's location, flicked his finger to send out a beam of spiritual light, and asked the other party to meet him at the teahouse.

Before he even opened his eyes, a delicate body appeared in his arms.

Xiang Yuan cursed his bad luck, telling Wang Daoyan to tone it down, but she didn't listen at all. She picked him up and threw him aside.

The moment he struck, his true energy scattered Wang Daoyan's acupoints, causing her to stiffen for a short time and fall hard on her buttocks.

Wang Daoyan stood up with a displeased expression, annoyed that Xiang Yuan didn't know how to cherish women. How dare he call her "sister-in-law" when he was a proper brother-in-law?

The two were of vastly different strengths. Xiang Yuan was unwilling to act as a minotaur and cooperate in torturing Li Yuanrong. Wang Daoyan was completely helpless against him. However, as a woman who had been a demoness for many years, she had seen all kinds of situations and said that it was enough for a man and a woman to be alone in a room together.

When Li Yuanrong arrived, she opened the door and saw Wang Daoyan lying on the table, her clothes disheveled, her hair disheveled, her cheeks flushed, and her eyes closed as if she was still savoring the moment.

Beside her was Ah Hong, who was also disheveled and ready to start the second round.

And Xiang Yuan, leisurely drinking tea.

It was a simple and straightforward scene, not hard to guess.

Puff!

As soon as Li Yuanrong entered the room, he was struck in the chest by a sword, his face turning pale as he staggered backward.

A moment later, he regained his composure and entered the room. He glanced at Wang Daoyan, who was still slumped over the table, and said sarcastically, "You shameless woman are like a prostitute. How could the Prince possibly consort with someone like you? It would only make you a laughingstock."

Hearing this disdainful taunt, how could Wang Daoyan bear it? He said weakly, "What do you know? Your Highness is born with superhuman strength, surpassing countless others in the mortal world. You will never give me this kind of feeling."

The atmosphere in Southern Jin was open-minded. When the two Paths of Disillusionment clashed, Xiang Yuan felt as if he had personally experienced a NTR (Netorare) comic book, and he was so disgusted that he rolled his eyes.

As the saying goes, no wonder the Southern Jin Dynasty suffered from severe floods every year; even the heavens couldn't bear to watch anymore.

"Stop talking nonsense, or I'll have you playing the flute at the door to entertain us later!"

Xiang Yuan glared at Li Yuanrong. She knew perfectly well he wasn't that kind of person; nothing had actually happened inside, yet he was still arguing back and forth. What kind of skill is it to just talk the talk? Look, Wang Daoyan is already sitting there, so go ahead and argue!

This despicable couple had been engaged for fifty years, vowing to dominate each other. They've been fighting for fifty years without getting tired of it and even enjoying it. They're beyond just being abnormal.

Xiang Yuan didn't want to eat this expired dog food, so he slammed his hand on the table, telling Wang Daoyan to move aside and not block his way to drink tea.

“That’s not what you just said…”

Wang Daoyan sat to the side, straightening her disheveled clothes, her eyes filled with resentment, complaining that Xiang Yuan had turned his back on her the moment he pulled up his pants.

But it's okay, she likes bad things, we'll make an appointment another day.

Li Yuanrong sat down with a dark face, wondering why Xiang Yuan and Wang Daoyan were together. Fearing that he would hear hurtful words, he did not ask and went straight to the point: "Prince Xiang, the Li family is going through a lot of troubles. What brings you here?"

"Flood control".

"..." x2
I'd never believe you.

As expected, that was the excuse.

Wang Daoyan was tidying her hair, glancing at Xiang Yuan with affection from time to time, constantly adding insult to injury for Li Yuanrong.

Li Yuanrong was flustered and worried that Xiang Yuan would use the pretext of suppressing the water to interfere in the Southern Jin court. She wanted to say that there were still two or three months left before the water suppression was completed, but she was afraid that if she did, Xiang Yuan would lose the water-suppressing iron sword on the spot.

Being outmatched in strength leads to various frustrations.

Xiang Yuan knew he had gone down the same old path of foolishness, and he had a bad reputation outside. People always looked at him with prejudice. He gave up explaining and insisted on the bad reputation caused by misunderstanding, saying, "When I came to Shangyuan Prefecture last time, I protected your Li royal family. The old emperor didn't believe me. Now he's gone, and all that's left are three good-for-nothing princes. Isn't that right?"

Li Yuanrong sighed repeatedly, saying that the dead should be respected, and that His Majesty must be regretting it now, so he told Xiang Yuan to stop talking.

"I know what you're thinking. Rumors are circulating that I am a member of the Liu clan and that I am supporting the emperor of Western Chu as a puppet, making Northern Qi the supreme ruler of Western Chu, with the power of life and death in my hands."

Xiang Yuan held his teacup and gave Li Yuanrong a deep look: "Here, let me explain. This is not a rumor, it's all true. Western Chu has already fallen into the hands of Northern Qi, and even the next emperor has been decided."

Li Yuanrong's face darkened further.

"At this moment, both countries have deployed troops on their border, eager to achieve the feat of expanding their territory. Southern Jin borders both countries, and it is difficult to fight them with divided forces. It is certain that it will have to cede territory, pay reparations, and suffer the loss of sovereignty and national humiliation..."

Xiang Yuan chuckled ominously halfway through his sentence: "You can't say that. The six great families are in the middle of their heyday. Even if there were a treaty that would humiliate the country, the Southern Jin wouldn't find an emperor willing to sign it." Internal and external troubles made Li Yuanrong break out in a cold sweat.

"This junior knows that Your Highness is definitely not..."

"That was before. I've tasted the sweetness of power, and things are not the same as before."

Xiang Yuan toyed with his teacup: "Let me say this again: all three princes of Southern Jin are cursed by me. Their lives are in my hands. Whoever I want to be emperor will live. It's that simple."

"Does Your Highness insist on this?" Li Yuanrong asked with a wry smile.

You don't believe me when I tell you the truth, what can I do?

Xiang Yuan thought to himself, the royal families of the Three Kingdoms were all amateurish and incompetent. Expecting them to cooperate would be less effective than a direct confrontation. Coincidentally, the Heavenly King himself had a terrible reputation, making him perfect for playing the unreasonable villain.

"With a single command, armies from both countries pressed in; with a mere thought, two princes followed the late emperor in death; with a single punch..."

Xiang Yuan shook the teacup in his hand: "Your Shangyuan Li clan's grandmasters can be wiped out. The advantage is on my side, so why can't we do it?"

With so many advantages, what can the Li family of Shangyuan use to fight me?

Li Yuanrong had no way to refute this. The six powerful families within the Southern Jin territory alone were already causing the Shangyuan Li family a lot of trouble and keeping them busy. Not to mention Xiang Yuan, a mountain hanging over the capital.

This mountain, if it were to fall, would be enough to raze the Li family to the ground.

"So, we should learn from the Xiao family of Shendu. What's wrong with being a dog? If the Li family can't back down, the next time they come to Shangyuan Prefecture to show off their power, it will probably be the Xiao family of Shendu."

Xiang Yuan chuckled and put down his teacup, patting Li Yuanrong on the shoulder: "Well, does your Shangyuan Li clan not want to be bullied and treated like dogs by the Xiao clan of Shendu?"

Li Yuanrong's face turned deathly pale as she imagined the scene Xiang Yuan had described. Her heart ached as if it were being torn apart, even more so than when Wang Daoyan and Xiang Yuan had slept together.

The two were each other's incarnations, each possessing the clone techniques planted by the other. Wang Daoyan immediately sensed Li Yuanrong's heart-wrenching pain.

He was furious!
Fine, fine, so you think it hurts more for me to be ridden than for Li to be ridden by Xiao? Well then, I'll let someone ride you right now.

"Your Highness~~"

"roll."

Xiang Yuan slapped the flirtatious Wang Daoyan aside. He was a married man who loved his wife very much and would never get involved with disreputable women outside.

Especially that demoness from the Illusionary Path, don't even think about fooling him into becoming a blondie!

After taking a picture of Wang Daoyan, Xiang Yuan continued to greet Li Yuanrong, squinting his eyes and saying, "Have you heard of the current emperor of Western Chu, the Prince Zhao who will ascend the throne next year?"

Yes, I've heard some of it.

Li Yuanrong didn't know much about Xiao Yan, but according to the intelligence he had gathered, the future emperor of Western Chu was quite a womanizer, with nine official wives in his household alone. His skills in making women happy were a hundred times better than his own, a good-for-nothing who had been waiting for a marriage contract for fifty years.

"What you've heard is all embellished. I am also a member of the Prince Zhao's household. Here is some latest intelligence. Take a listen and remember to spread it around when you get back."

Xiang Yuan squinted and said disdainfully, "After the old emperor of Western Chu passed away, more than ten concubines remained in the harem. They were all still beautiful and charming. His Majesty King Zhao pitied their hardships and often visited them in person... Guess what will happen to these widows of the royal family now that the Xiao family has taken advantage of the Li family?"

It goes without saying that Xiao Yan was able to figure out the different ways the Southern Jin empress could sit that very night.

Deceiving too much!

Why is your Western Chu filled with such scoundrels who steal other men's wives and daughters!
The immersion was so strong that Li Yuanrong's eyes turned green. After a moment, he was surprised and doubtful, and wondered, "The new emperor of Western Chu is the prince's father-in-law and godfather. Is it really appropriate for him to speak ill of him in front of an outsider like me?"

You're not lying to me, are you?
"No."

Xiang Yuan shook his head, saying that's not how it works, and suggested that Li Yuanrong consider it from a different perspective.

Even his son-in-law and adopted son couldn't tolerate him speaking ill of Xiao Yan in front of outsiders. One can imagine how worrying the new emperor of Western Chu's moral character was.

Li Yuanrong smiled bitterly. He could tell that Xiang Yuan was not very fond of this Prince Zhao, and his words were full of personal grudges.

Even if only one-tenth of the truth is true, the Li family of Shangyuan cannot be overshadowed by the Xiao family of Shendu; the two must be on equal footing.

Li Yuanrong took a deep breath: "Your Highness, among the three princes, who do you think is the most suitable to become the new emperor?"

How would I know? It's rotten in a fairly uniform way.

Xiang Yuan dared not speak. As for Western Chu, Xiao Yan was indeed incompetent, but with Xiao Qian as a safety net, he could become a wise ruler without doing anything. Therefore, he dared to promote Xiao Yan.

On the Southern Jin side, Li Mi, Li Zhu, and Li Ke were all mediocre, and with powerful ministers crowding the court, the three princes, who were not wise rulers to begin with, were in even worse shape.

If he were to develop hobbies like carpentry, cockfighting, or ball games in the future, then this person named Xiang would become a major sinner.

You can't respond to that.

Xiang Yuan shook his head slightly: "You're overthinking it. What I want is the attitude of the Li family of Shangyuan. They won't really interfere in the succession of the throne. My Tianzong doesn't believe in any oaths. Might makes right, that's all."

"Your Highness, I am foolish and would be grateful for your guidance."

"Your Highness~~~"

Go cool off to the side!
Xiang Yuan slapped Wang Daoyan away again and said, "I don't care who becomes emperor, and the Tianzong doesn't care either. As long as your Shangyuan Li family cooperates obediently, I will help you suppress the six great families this time."

"Is this true?"

"Hehe, you were just as suspicious when Xiang came to manage the floods last time."

Xiang Yuan scoffed. These days, no one believes in good people. If someone does this once, they won't change even twice. You have to resort to dirty tricks for them to listen.

Upon hearing that Xiang Yuan would suppress the six great families and not interfere in the selection of the new emperor, Li Yuanrong immediately patted his chest and declared that the Li family was willing to listen to the Emperor's words and follow the lead of the Xiao family of Shendu.

Getting the Li family of Shangyuan to obey was not difficult, and it was not the main purpose of Xiang Yuan's visit. Now that this problem was solved, it was time to get down to business.

"Don't be too happy yet. Your Shangyuan Li family is facing a bloody disaster. If you don't survive this calamity, let alone the emperor, it's questionable whether anyone in your Li family will even survive," Xiang Yuan sneered.

Li Yuanrong was shocked: "May I ask, Your Highness, is this the Book of Life and Death?"

"Pretty much. I've received accurate information that Blood Sea Dao... is the mastermind behind it all..."

Xiang Yuan concisely recounted the impending calamity for Shangyuan Prefecture, using slightly exaggerated language. He concluded with a tirade of ridicule: "I told you long ago that the mastermind behind this plot intends to overthrow the common people. The three kingdoms should have cooperated to discuss the grand plan, but you wouldn't listen. Now that disaster is imminent, you want me to come and save the day. You won't shed a tear until you see the coffin. You deserve to be schemed against by the mastermind."

"I hope Your Highness will forgive my mistake. After this calamity, the Li family of Shangyuan will go through fire and water for the Heavenly Sect without hesitation..." Li Yuanrong's mind was filled with the Blood Sea Path and the Book of Life and Death, and he could already see the scene of the Li family being wiped out.

“The Blood Sea Dao cultivator hiding in Shangyuan Prefecture has the cultivation of the Upper Three Realms. If the opponent does not show himself, even the Star Gazing Tower will be useless.” Xiang Yuan spoke slowly, knowing that Li Yuanrong was anxious, and told him not to rush, as their side was not without any advantages.

The cultivators of the Blood Sea Path were unaware that they had been exposed. With their intentions thwarted by the unsuspecting, they threw out bait, determined to lure the other party out.

"Does Your Highness have a solution?"

"That's simple, just make a bigger commotion..."

Xiang Yuan offered a plan: the capital city of Shangyuan is a powder keg right now. The Li family plans to hunt in the eastern suburbs tomorrow, taking all three princes with them. The three princes will lure out the hidden masters of the six great families, and then they will ambush them. The Li family's masters will all be mobilized to try and knock the dog's brain out.

Although this move would not directly attract the Blood Sea Dao cultivators, Xiang Yuan was confident that as long as they took a look, he could find them by following the clues.

Add another chip!
Xiang Yuan raised his hand and pointed to Ah Hong standing to the side.

Although the Blood Sea Dao's candidate saintess does not hold the same status as the official saintess, her identity is still significant, and the Blood Sea Dao cultivators will not stand idly by while she is humiliated by the Illusionary Annihilation Dao.

As I said before, Xiang Yuan was confident he could dig it out as soon as the other party took a look.

He's always been very good at navigating the vastness of the sky!
Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

10,000 words, please vote with monthly tickets!

(End of this chapter)