Lingyuan Immortal

Chapter 915 The weak and the strong
The atmosphere inside the Lingxin Palace suddenly froze, and everyone's eyes flickered with uncertainty, their hearts churning with turmoil.

Only the Liu clan leader shook his head and said, "Clan leader Li's words are rather naive. When the oath was sworn in during the bet, were even a single piece of clothing from the twelve prestigious clans present?"

"Moreover, the competition for the peak is a matter that Lingzhu Mountain jointly protects. Those powerful sects value it more than their own lives. How could they possibly sever their own foundation?"

He stood up and his gaze swept over everyone in the hall: "As for foreign identities, that's laughable. Which of our ancestors wasn't a seeker of the Dao who crossed the sea?"

"Clan Chief Li's last sentence is correct. Since Daoist Chen is seeking enlightenment in the Eastern Capital, he would never establish a sect here."

"Instead of groveling and begging for handouts, we should prepare generous gifts and negotiate with him face to face. I don't believe he would give up all the resources available and insist on having that spiritual vein dojo!"

After saying that, he strode out, showing no intention of arguing with them anymore.

In his mind, the Wu and Li families were secretly colluding, and if the entanglement continued, the Liu and Sun families would probably be the ones to sacrifice their own flesh to feed the tiger in the end.

It would be better to withdraw as soon as possible. After all, the Liu family has no deep-seated hatred for that Taoist priest. However, by secretly retaining some of the Liang family's assets, there is always room for maneuver.

Seeing him suddenly get up and leave, the Sun clan leader suddenly realized what was going on and couldn't help but curse the Liu clan leader in his heart. If you're going to leave together, why didn't you tell him?
The reason why Liu had the confidence to leave on her own was because a woman in her clan had married into the Bai clan, one of the twelve most prestigious families. Therefore, Liu's clan was more or less a dependent family of the Bai clan.

No matter how angry the Wu and Li families were, they would never cause any more trouble, lest they offend the Bai family.

But the Sun family is different. If they disregard the alliance now, the Wu and Li families can easily control them.

By then, won't the losses be decided at the discretion of those two companies?
Thinking of this, he changed his previous complaining attitude and said solemnly, "Clan Chief Liu is gone, so it seems that the Bai family's path is no longer viable. Clan Chief Li, I wonder if this method can still be continued?"

Li Dan remained unmoved, as if he had long anticipated that the Wu family would withdraw from the alliance, and nodded, saying:
"Fellow Daoist Sun, rest assured. Brother Wu and I have already met with Fellow Daoist Su Han, and he has agreed to mediate between us. I doubt that Daoist Chen will push his luck and be ungrateful..."

Su Han? A member of the Su family?
Clan Chief Sun's eyes lit up, and he thought to himself, "It seems that the rumors that the Su family intends to recruit Golden Shadow True Monarch as a son-in-law are not just empty talk..."

His mind gradually calmed down. With the Su family mediating on their behalf, he thought the Spirit Vein Peak could be saved, but...

Looking at Li Dan and the other two, he suddenly felt a pang of heartache.

The spiritual vein peak can be preserved, but the benefits to the Su family will be considerable.

But that's all there is to it. Seeking help from the Su family is still better than begging from those foreign cultivators...

……

The gambling battle at Chuntao Mountain three days ago caused quite a stir. Without the protection of the great formation, the entire Chuntao Mountain might have been completely destroyed.

Even so, many of the viewing pavilions built by the Qiushan Sect were in ruins. Fortunately, the cultivators were incredibly skilled, and in just three days, Chuntao Mountain was restored to its former glory of blooming peach blossoms.

At the summit of the mountain, in a seven-story pavilion, Chen Mu sat upright on a jade futon, his ten fingers moving like butterflies flitting through flowers, his body surrounded by illusory reflections of water and moon.

After an unknown amount of time, a gentle breeze blew by, and Chen Mu slowly opened his eyes, a hint of satisfaction flashing across his face.

Three days after the battle, he felt that the insights he had gained were rare, so he did not return to the Liang family. Instead, under the guidance of the "enthusiastic" Yu Xin, he began to deduce the reverse changes of the Mirror Flower and Water Moon at the Spring Peach Mountain Pavilion.

As it turned out, Wu Songfu's method of reflecting the shadows was indeed unique. Although he only spent three days comprehending it, it still brought him sudden enlightenment.

He was confident that if he encountered the Stone Emperor Blade again, he could not only reverse the power of the blade's momentum, but also trace back to the origin of its Daoist principles through the blade's light.

This profound mystery has already touched upon the second level of the "illusory beauty"...

After pondering for a while, he got up and went to the window, where he stood with his hands behind his back and gazed at the peach blossoms covering the mountainside.

At that moment, a voice came from outside the door: "True Lord Chen, I request an audience."

Chen Mu's heart stirred slightly, and he said, "Come in."

Yu Xin entered the pavilion and bowed very respectfully. He then said, "True Lord Chen, in recent days, many cultivators from both inside and outside the mountains have come to seek apprenticeship and enlightenment. Many aristocratic families have also sent people to present their visiting cards, hoping to meet you, True Lord."

"I dare not make decisions on my own, so I will put the visiting cards aside for the time being. Those cultivators who wish to seek the Dao have been arranged to stay in the newly built villa at the foot of the mountain. I hope that you, True Lord, will give me your instructions on how to handle this matter."

The gambling battle at Chuntao Mountain was clearly a ploy by Chen Mu to stand up for the Liang family and undermine the alliance between the Li family and other powerful clans.

However, some minor cultivators or independent practitioners were unaware of the details and thought that Chen Mu's gambling for the peak was just like ordinary people wanting to establish their own sect. That's why they came to him early on, hoping to be valued by him.

As for those aristocratic families who sent visiting cards, they probably had no connection with the Li, Wu, and other four clans. Seeing Chen Mu's talent, they wanted to establish a relationship with him...

After a moment's thought, Chen Mu felt that this was a win-win situation. He certainly wouldn't stay in Guixu for long, but the Liang family couldn't leave. Taking advantage of this opportunity to befriend the surrounding families would help avoid many unnecessary risks.

Thinking of this, he nodded slightly and said, "The visiting cards from the noble families can be forwarded to the Liang family, and the Liang family head can arrange a meeting with them in my name. I will go and have a chat with them then."

"And those cultivators who wish to become disciples and seek the Dao..."

He paused for a moment, then said, "Let's put it aside for a few days. I have my own plans."

As if receiving an imperial edict, Yu Xin bowed and said loudly, "Yes, Your Majesty, I will do it right away!"

As he was about to get up, he glanced around and said, "There's one more thing. The duel between the True Lord and the Li, Wu, and other noble families has ended. I wonder when we should go and collect the bet?"

Chen Mu turned around, raised an eyebrow and smiled, "I remember your father and Li Dan were very close. What, are you getting anxious for me?"

Yu Xin immediately raised his head and said with a righteous expression, "Your Majesty, I am a villain, and my father is my father. He wants to use Li Dan's power to seek stability for the sect, but I do not think so. One must be strong to forge iron. If we want to establish ourselves in Lingzhu Mountain, developing the sect properly is the right thing to do."

Upon hearing this, Chen Mulang laughed and looked once again into the depths of the mountains.

After the laughter faded away, he said in a low voice, "Days and months pass, times change, circumstances shift, there's no rush for the bet, let's wait a few more days..."

He's not in a hurry, but plenty of others are...

Yu Xin's head jumped, and he thought to himself, "Does the True Lord perhaps have some other scheme in mind?"

However, Chen Mu did not bring it up further, nor did he dare to ask any more questions. He bowed and took his leave.

As soon as he stepped outside, a refreshing breeze carrying peach petals wafted towards him. Yu Xin took a deep breath and felt invigorated.

He looked around at the lively scene, and although he was only temporarily doing some mundane tasks for Chen Mu, he was enjoying himself.

He lightly touched the bluestone with his toes, and instantly the clouds surged and transformed into a white rainbow of light, rushing towards the Liang family.

Before he had even flown out of Chuntao Mountain, he saw his father waving to him from a mountaintop, signaling him to come down and talk.

Yu Xin's heart stirred slightly, but he did not pretend not to notice. He descended from the cloud and asked, "What is it, Father?"

Seeing his son standing with his hands behind his back, Xuanji Zi secretly cursed the brat for being rude, but he also knew that his son was currently highly regarded by Chen Mu, so he could only pretend not to see him. He waved his hand to set up a restriction and whispered, "What did True Lord Chen say to you?"

Yu Xin frowned: "Why is Father asking this?"

Xuanjizi did not answer, but only asked, "Did he mention... Chuntao Mountain?"

Spring Peach Mountain was among the stakes in the previous bet.

Even if I didn't participate in the battle, as long as Chen Mu kept focusing on this point, it would be enough to take down Chuntao Mountain...

Upon hearing this, Yu Xin understood his father's concerns and shook his head with a smile, saying, "Father, oh Father, even if the True Lord had never mentioned the old bet, even if he truly wanted to take Spring Peach Mountain..."

He stepped closer, riding on the clouds: "Isn't our Qiushan Sect's mutual support with the Liang family a hundred times better than relying on the Li family?" "Father is good at leveraging power, how come he can't even understand this?"

When his son lectured his father, Xuanji Zi couldn't help but show anger on the surface, but he suddenly realized something in his heart.

The reason is actually quite simple. The reason he didn't think of it was because three days ago, when he saw Chen Mu directly arrive at Chuntao Mountain, he was worried that the other party would settle old scores, and forgot that this overseas True Monarch was ultimately a dragon crossing the river...

"I never imagined I wouldn't be able to see through the message so clearly..."

He gradually calmed down, but his words were still sharp. He glared at Yu Xin and said, "Foolish child, how could your father not know the implications? I just thought about it one step further than you. After all, Chen Zhenjun is an outsider. How could he stay in Guixu for long? That's why I asked such a redundant question..."

Yu Xin still gave his father some face, putting away his smile and saying, "Master Chen is a god-like figure, so naturally he won't stay on our shallow beach for long. However, with his reputation, the Liang family can be assured of a hundred years of peace. It would be reasonable for our Qiushan Sect to befriend him..."

After he finished speaking, a commotion arose at the foot of the mountain, as someone else came to deliver a visiting card.

Yu Xin lowered his eyes and looked into the distance. He saw that the newcomer was also from a family of True Lords. His heart stirred slightly. He summoned an elder of the Qiushan Sect and entrusted him with the task of delivering the visiting cards and messages he had received over the past three days.

After he rode away on the clouds, he flew down the mountain and greeted the person who had delivered the invitation.

Xuanjizi couldn't help but scold, "I've never seen you so attentive before..."

But when he looked down, he couldn't help but feel a mix of emotions.

He recognized the person from that aristocratic family. Despite only being at the Nascent Soul stage, he had always looked down on the Qiushan Sect because of his powerful family background.

But right now... the figure who was so polite, bowing repeatedly, and chatting and laughing with his son seemed somewhat unfamiliar...

At the foot of the mountain, Yu Xin seemed to sense something and looked back, but he only saw his father's back.

Just then, another beam of mysterious light flew in from beyond the sky.

Everyone's hearts skipped a beat, clearly sensing that the spiritual pressure of this profound light far exceeded that of the Nascent Soul stage, indicating that a True Monarch had come in person!
Yu Xin was not surprised but delighted. The higher the realm of the person who came to visit, the stronger Chen Zhenjun's power must be.

His spirits lifted, and he bowed deeply to the members of the aristocratic family before stepping forward to greet them.

Before he could even take a step, a clear laugh came from behind him, like jade striking each other.

Looking up, he saw his own father, Xuanji Zi, arriving on a cloud, his wide sleeves billowing in the wind: "Clan Chief Liu, why have you come at this time?"

Where the light dissipated, the green-robed cultivator stood tall, his three short wisps of beard making his features appear even more profound. He gave him a meaningful look and said, "Only today do I realize that Fellow Daoist Xuanji is truly a wise man!"

Upon hearing this, Xuanji Zi's heart stirred slightly, and he roughly guessed the purpose of his visit. His smile widened: "It seems that Clan Chief Liu's visit this time is a wise move..."

The Liu clan leader raised an eyebrow, exchanged a smile with Xuanji Zi, and everything was understood without words.

Is Chen Zhenjun here?

Xuanjizi was taken aback. He suddenly remembered that he had not yet paid his respects to Chen Mu. If he took it upon himself to bring the person in, wouldn't he easily offend the person in charge?

Just as he was feeling conflicted and uneasy, a clear voice suddenly rang in his ears.

"Let's bring him in."

Xuanjizi was immediately overjoyed and breathed a sigh of relief. He subtly bowed towards the mountain peak and then turned to the side, saying, "True Lord, please stay here. Clan Chief Liu, please follow me."

Before long, the two ascended to the seventh-floor pavilion. After bowing respectfully, Xuanji Zi quietly retreated to a side seat to observe.

The Liu clan leader pondered for a moment, then took out a Qiankun bag with flowing gold patterns from his bosom and pushed it to Chen Mu's desk with slightly bent knuckles.

Chen Mu smiled faintly: "What is the meaning of this, Fellow Daoist Liu?"

The Liu clan leader did not rush to answer, but said in a deep voice, "The Guixu region is resource-poor, not to mention that there are thirty-six prominent families in the Lingzhu Mountain Range alone, so the distribution must be uneven."

"Although my clan is prominent, it is only supported by the Three Mountains and Seven Peaks. The cultivators in the clan still have to be careful with their resources, let alone nurture a True Monarch?"

"Fellow Daoist Chen must come from a prestigious family, and perhaps he cannot solve our predicament. However, the law of the jungle applies everywhere. I wonder if what I, Liu, have said aligns with the Great Dao?"

Chen Mu remained expressionless and slowly nodded.

The cultivation world has always been rife with conflict, as is the case in both the Tai Xuan Realm and the Fu Yun Realm.

He has not been practicing Taoism for long, but he has already experienced a lot, so he can naturally understand.

Seeing him nod, the Liu clan chief continued, "If that's the case, then Fellow Daoist Chen should understand that the struggle for the Liang family's foundation is nothing new. Even without the Liu family, there would still be the Zhang, Wang, Li, and Zhao families."

"However, Liu's purpose in coming here is not to exonerate himself, but simply to make the True Lord understand that the Liu and Liang families are not mortal enemies, and that the matter of harassing the Liang family's foundation and forming an alliance with the Wu, Li, and Sun families to wager war..."

At this point, he sighed deeply and said with a look of shame, "I am a man of principle and I am not inflexible. Since I have lost the bet, I should offer my apology."

He swallowed slightly and looked at the Qiankun bag on the table.

"There are several spiritual items here, enough to repay the resources that my Wu family has seized from the Liang family in recent years. As for the bet with you, fellow Daoist... I wonder if you could make some adjustments?"

The words had barely left his lips when they lingered in the air.

Xuanji Zi, who was standing to the side, was already stunned. Was this still the Liu clan leader he remembered? How could he so decisively show weakness and apologize?

Chen Mu was not surprised. Compared to a business empire that could shake the stability of his family, someone would always be willing to abandon their pride.

Since the Liu clan leader was so frank, he was willing to give him a way out. After all, if things were pushed too far, it would be the Liang clan that would suffer after he left.

However, there's one thing I need to clarify beforehand...

He narrowed his eyes and said in a clear voice, "Fellow Daoist Liu, have you come here solely for the Liu family?"

The clan head of Liu replied truthfully, "I, Liu, can only shoulder the responsibility of the clan."

Upon hearing this, Chen Mu nodded slowly, pondered for a moment, smiled calmly, and pushed the Qiankun bag back.

The Liu clan leader's expression changed drastically: "Fellow Daoist..."

Before he could ask any questions, Chen Mu explained, "The matter of the bet is easy to discuss, and I have no intention of being aggressive. However, for the Liang family's apology, you will need to personally visit the Liang family."

The Liu clan leader suddenly realized what was happening and breathed a sigh of relief. He then handed the choice over to the Liang clan, which was essentially the same as accepting the offer outright, except that it carried an additional layer of meaning: he hoped that the Liu clan and the Liang clan would become friendly...

He smiled, knowing that even if Chen Mu hadn't made that gesture, he wouldn't have offended the Liang family again.

After all, it was only Chen Mu this time. What about when Liang Chong comes back as well?
Since they're not mortal enemies, only a fool would cause trouble again...

“Fellow Daoist Chen is right, I, Liu, will go there now.”

With his worries resolved, the Liu clan leader felt relieved and immediately rose, bowed, and took his leave.

Xuanji Zi, without needing to be told, escorted Chen Mu out of the mountain gate...

……

(End of this chapter)