A thousand enlightenments in one night, starting from being a menial apprentice.

Chapter 533 Strategy to break the situation
The valley was quiet and still in the dead of night.

The cold moon shone intermittently through the clouds, its light shifting with the shadows within the secluded valley.

Lu Qingzhu walked out of the cave of the ancestor Lu Yinlin with a pale face. Her light eyebrows were furrowed and her right hand was almost subconsciously gripping the sword at her waist.

The grandfather who has always doted on her since she was a child is now so cold-hearted!

Lu Qingzhu pursed her lips, a fierce determination to rather die than surrender was rising in her heart.

She was troubled and walked with her head down, when suddenly she saw a figure blocking her way.

Lü Qingzhu raised her head and saw the moonlight illuminating Duan Rong's face; her eyes flickered slightly.

Duan Rong glanced at the cave dwelling of the old ancestor Lü Yinlin in the deep valley and said, "Miss Lü, come with me!"

After Duan Rong finished speaking, he turned and walked towards his cave dwelling.

As Lü Qingzhu watched Duan Rong's retreating figure, for some reason, she loosened her grip on her sword slightly, and her previously troubled and fierce state of mind seemed to calm down a little.

Lü Qingzhu followed Duan Rong toward his cave dwelling.

The two entered the cave one after the other.

This was Lü Qingzhu's first time entering Duan Rong's cave. She couldn't help but take a few glances around and saw that the items were in disarray, with the blanket on the stone bed thrown there haphazardly and crumpled into a ball.

Duan Rong was already seated at the stone table. He looked at Lü Qingzhu and said, "Miss Lü, come and sit down. I have something to say to you."

Lu Qingzhu was grateful that Duan Rong had informed her of the marriage arrangement in advance, and since Duan Rong's expression was solemn and showed no sign of disrespect, Lu Qingzhu sat down as he suggested.

The two sat facing each other at the stone table.

Duan Rong immediately asked, "Did you just go to see the Ancestor?"

"Hmm." Lü Qingzhu nodded, her expression somewhat unpleasant. She had clearly had a rather unpleasant experience in Lü Yinlin's cave earlier.

Duan Rong said, "Seeing the Ancestor is useless when it comes to marriage alliances."

Lü Qingzhu remained silent.

Duan Rong said, "Please take a look, young lady."

As Duan Rong spoke, he broke off a withered branch and placed the two branches at opposite ends of the stone table. “These two withered branches represent our sect’s patriarch and Li Ku, the patriarch of the Tianyan Sect, respectively.”

“They are the two strongest wills that propelled the two marriages together,” Duan Rong said, pointing to the two withered branches. “At the same time, they are also the two most powerful beings.”

"Therefore, it is also the most difficult point to start in breaking the deadlock. If the girl goes to the patriarch, she is destined to be met with a cold shoulder and it will be of no use."

Lü Qingzhu had already taken it to heart; she stared blankly at the two withered branches on the stone table.

The principle is very simple, but Duan Rong was able to explain it very thoroughly. More importantly, it's about perspective. Lü Qingzhu could sense that Duan Rong was looking at the problem from a higher perspective when he spoke. This is why he could explain such a simple principle so clearly.

Duan Rong's words greatly lessened Lü Qingzhu's sense of defeat. According to Duan Rong, her setback with her grandfather was indeed due to her choosing the wrong approach.

Duan Rong could tell that Lü Qingzhu had already entered the scenario he had analyzed.

So he placed the cut-off dead branches one by one on the stone table, starting from both ends and moving towards the middle.

"Below Li Ku is the Sect Master of Tianyan Sect, Li Yunjing, and then the Young Sect Master, Li Ruozhou."

"Below our patriarch are Sect Master Chu, your father Senior Lü, and then you, Miss Lü."

Duan Rong looked at Lü Qingzhu and said, "These are all the important figures in the marriage alliance."

Lu Qingzhu's eyes were clear and bright. Duan Rong's gesture seemed to have made the whole situation clear.

Duan Rong pointed at the withered branches and said, "These people, from Li Ku on the other side to our ancestor on our side, and even including your father, Senior Lü, are all united as one, with one mind. They are like an ironclad wall. Only you, young lady, are surrounded by them, like an iron wall on all sides!"

After a moment of contemplation, Lü Qingzhu suddenly raised her head, looked at Duan Rong, and asked abruptly, "You wouldn't also want to persuade me to agree to this marriage, would you?"

Duan Rong's analysis made the answer, which seemed to be at a dead end, quite obvious, which explained why Lü Qingzhu was suspicious.

Upon hearing this, Duan Rong's face suddenly flushed red, and he said, "This is the situation! We must understand it first before we can break the deadlock!"

Duan Rong became somewhat anxious upon hearing Lü Qingzhu's words.

Seeing that Duan Rong's face had turned red with anxiety and his tone had changed, Lü Qingzhu chuckled and said, "What's your hurry? Continue!"

When Lü Qingzhu smiled, Duan Rong's eyes lit up instantly; it seemed to be the first time he had ever seen Lü Qingzhu smile.

He had never seen a person's smile change so drastically. Just a moment ago, it was like a winter plum blossom, standing proudly against the cold, but in an instant, it was full of spring and as bright as the water.

"Speak!" Lu Qingzhu urged Duan Rong when she saw him standing there in a daze.

Duan Rong then lowered his head and looked at the withered branches on the stone table.

“Please look at the people in this solid group! The weakest, yet the one most capable of changing the situation, is Li Ruozhou! Therefore, this is the best point to break the deadlock.”

Lü Qingzhu pursed her lips and said, "After all your analysis, you're thinking the same thing. It's all about dealing with this Li Ruozhou!"

Duan Rong shook his head slightly and said, "It's different! Of course, you have thoughts of dealing with Li Ruozhou, but you also have other thoughts. Your mind is in turmoil, so you are bound to make many wrong moves. Your visit to the Ancestor is one example. The significance of this kind of analysis is to cut off distracting thoughts, concentrate all your strength, attack one point, and strive to penetrate it!"

Lu Qingzhu's eyes widened in surprise. Duan Rong was right. She had indeed had many thoughts on her mind just now, and dealing with Li Ruozhou was only one of them. Now that she thought about it, those thoughts were indeed, as Duan Rong said, just misguided feints that wasted her energy.

Lü Qingzhu said, "You're right. We should concentrate all our strength and attack their weakest point. That's the only way to break the deadlock!"

Duan Rong smiled and said, "Young lady is intelligent and has already understood! In this situation, the driving force behind this matter is two powerful beings at the Nascent Soul stage. We naturally cannot directly test our strength against them, but as long as we start from their weakest point, we have a great chance to break through the will of these two powerful beings at the Nascent Soul stage. In terms of will, we can compete with them."

Duan Rong's eyes sparkled like stars.

Looking at the withered branches on the stone table, he suddenly felt that this was actually very similar to the leverage principle he learned on Earth in his previous life. Whether it was financial leverage or physical leverage, it all talked about the principle of using small amounts to gain large amounts and using leverage to fight back.

Archimedes famously said, "Give me a lever long enough and a fulcrum on which to place it, and I shall move the world." But Duan Rong is about to move two powerful beings at the Nascent Soul stage.

Lu Qingzhu looked at Duan Rong. Her mood had been gloomy, but Duan Rong's expression and eyes gave her a lot of confidence.

Lu Qingzhu asked, "In this situation, how should we attack the weakest point?"

Duan Rong glanced at a certain direction on the other side of the stone wall and said, "Two stone caves away from here, Li Ruojian lives in that place."

Lü Qingzhu knew that Duan Rong wasn't beating around the bush. She stared at Duan Rong, her eyes expectantly waiting for him to continue.

Duan Rong said, "His elder brother can not only inherit the position of sect leader, but also marry into the Lü family. However, he can only be sent here as a hostage, no different from a prisoner. With the changing situation in the world, his life is in danger at any time." Lü Qingzhu said, "You mean Li Ruojian will help me to deal with Li Ruozhou?!"

“Actually, we’re helping him,” Duan Rong said. “If I’m not mistaken, he’s probably waiting for an opportunity. Although Li Ruozhou is the weakest link in the situation, we don’t know him well enough. If Li Ruojian gets involved, the chances of winning this game will increase significantly.”

Lü Qingzhu's eyes shone brightly. "That's right. In this world, Li Ruojian is definitely one of the people who understands Li Ruozhou the most."

“But…” A hint of hesitation flashed in Lü Qingzhu’s eyes. “Would he really get involved in this?”

Duan Rong said, "As long as we ask, he will definitely agree."

Lü Qingzhu said, "What if he doesn't agree?"

"Then beg him to agree!" Duan Rong said. "And once he agrees, he will definitely be more ruthless than us. He just needs a way out and an excuse to convince himself."

Lü Qingzhu nodded; she seemed to have understood what Duan Rong meant.

Lu Qingzhu looked at Duan Rong, her heart fluttering slightly.

Thinking of her grandfather's coldness and her father's cowardice, it seemed that only Duan Rong was silently supporting her through this immense storm...

Three days later, at dusk, on Cuiwei Peak where the Elders' Council was located, Sect Leader Chu Qiushan, Zhu He, Yang Sixuan, Lin Youjian, Lü Zhongtang, and a group of elders were waiting on a platform halfway up the mountain.

They had been waiting there for almost half an hour, and no one showed any impatience. Many of them were whispering and chatting amongst themselves.

The previous evening, Li Yunjing, the sect leader of Tianyan Sect, had already sent a letter via hawk, saying that he would definitely arrive at Taiyi Gate at dusk that day.

Yang Sixuan had already given instructions to the sect guards on the outer mountain peaks to be on alert.

Just then, a powerful horn sounded from the distance of the endless mountains.

Yang Sixuan said, "They're here! The horn sound is coming from the southwest. It seems that the outer hills in the southwest have already spotted the Tianyan Sect's movements."

Chu Qiushan nodded, but remained silent as he gazed at the misty valley.

Not long after, the clouds and mist in the valley suddenly began to churn violently, followed by the cry of an eagle coming from the depths of the clouds.

The eagle's cry was desolate and powerful; it was clearly the cry of the Cloud Feathered Mad Eagle!
A few breaths later, three enormous black shadows burst forth from the clouds in the valley, like three small mountains, piercing through the mist and causing it to churn violently...

On the back of the eagle, the great banner of the Tianyan Sect was held up by the three of them, fluttering in the wind!

When they were still more than ten zhang away, the Heavenly Evolution Sect Master, Li Yunjing, let out a rather booming laugh. "Chu Qiushan! It's been three years! How have you been?"

Chu Qiushan's aura surged, and his long roar echoed through the valley. "Welcome! Li Yunjing!"

The sound of the two caused the clouds and mist within a dozen feet to dissipate, and the figure of the three-headed cloud-feathered eagle appeared, rushing in like thunder from a mountain!

Each cloud-feathered eagle carried more than ten figures. Estimating, the Heavenly Evolution Sect had nearly fifty people present this time!

The three-headed, cloud-feathered eagle swooped down onto the edge of the platform halfway up the mountain, its massive wings flapping like clouds, raising a cloud of dust! The eagle folded its wings, standing there like three small mountains.

A dozen or so figures jumped down from the back of the three-headed eagle. Many of them were carrying boxes and cages!

Li Yunjing landed and looked at the crowd that came to greet him, his eyes immediately landing on Chu Qiushan, who was walking at the very front.

The two areas are adjacent, and he and Chu Qiushan often interact, but they haven't had the opportunity to meet in person for three years.

Chu Qiushan is an upright man, though somewhat rigid and overly methodical in his work. Over the years, Li Yunjing has come to quite approve of him.

Li Yunjing clasped his hands and said, "Sect Leader Chu, it's a pleasure to meet you again!"

Chu Qiushan laughed and said, "Sect Leader Li! Your arrival today is a great honor for both our sects!"

Li Yunjing smiled and said, "It is indeed a fortunate event to form an alliance! But in this treaty, could Sect Leader Chu grant me a few concessions?"

Chu Qiushan laughed and said, "I can't interfere with the details of the treaty; Sect Leader Li, Zhu He, and Lin Youjian can discuss them themselves!"

"Slippery!" Li Yunjing laughed. "Sect Leader Chu is still the same old Chu. Whenever something like this happens, he just washes his hands of the matter!"

Chu Qiushan said, "Sect Leader Li, you must be tired from your journey! A banquet has been prepared at the manor. Please take your seats and let's drink and chat!"

Li Yunjing said, "That's wonderful! We've been through so much wind and sand, we were just thinking of having a few drinks!"

"please!"

"please!"

The two groups of people then headed towards a manor not far from the mountainside.

This manor on Cuiwei Peak is only used to receive guests of the highest rank, and the decorations and furnishings inside are the best within the Taiyi Sect.

As they headed toward the manor, two old servants approached and came to a short distance from the three cloud-feathered eagles. They bowed and said, "My lords, we two will escort you to the Eagle Guard!"

On each of the three cloud-feathered eagles sat a burly man in black, perched on the eagle's neck. They rose, glanced at the two old men, and said, "Come on up!"

The two old men said, "Our legs are not good, so we would be grateful if you could help us."

No sooner had they finished speaking than two dark figures flashed by, grabbed them, and flew onto the backs of two Cloud Feathered Eagles.

One of them placed the old scholar on the back of the eagle behind him and asked, "Where is the Eagle Guard?"

Old Sheren staggered to his feet, gripped a feather tightly at his side, and said, "Southeast! Tianzhu Peak, thirty miles away!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the Cloud Feathered Eagle spread its wings wide, like clouds hanging down, and with a flap in the air, its mountain-like figure darted into the clouds and mist of the valley.

When the group arrived at the manor, they saw that it was majestic and imposing, with an extraordinary aura.

Above the grand gate, adorned with painted red and flying eaves, hangs a couplet: the first line speaks of standing at a high place, while the second line speaks of walking towards a wider path. The words are simple yet profound, perfectly fitting the occasion and the times.

The group filed in and took their seats in the main hall and side hall.

There were three tables: the sect leader and elders of the Tianyan Sect sat at one table in the main hall.

Each person in charge sat at one table, while the accompanying servants sat at yet another table, all in the side hall.

Li Ruozhou followed his father into the main hall and sat beside him. According to his cultivation level, he was naturally not qualified to sit here, but he was the young sect master of Tianyan Sect. According to this status, his position was indeed above that of the elders.

(End of this chapter)