From the family treasure tree to build an eternal family

Chapter 203 Leaking Secrets
A few casual words from Prefect Nie Tingjun decided the fate of the Xue family, a Foundation Establishment clan.

Countless lives and deaths, countless life trajectories, were altered by his decisions.

In fact, Nie Tingjun did not make a hasty decision, but rather after careful consideration.

There are so many cultivation families in Yuanli County, and the interpersonal relationships of any of them are intricate and complex.

According to his investigation, there weren't many families closely related to or with whom the Xue family had any vested interests; the most important were the Fan family and the Baili family. However, Fan Kongye and Baili Xi, who served as officials in the prefectural government, didn't seem to have any intention of helping the Xue family.

It is evident that the Xue family did not have good interpersonal relationships.

Although Nie Tingjun is the prefect, he was parachuted in from Zhennan Prefecture and has a shallow foundation. If it were another family with complex relationships and many allies in Yuanli Prefecture, he certainly wouldn't have done this.

Secondly, the Xue family primarily harmed ordinary people, which crossed Nie Tingjun's bottom line.

Nie Tingjun knew that those cultivation families all had some shady dealings behind the scenes, but none like the Xue family had caused panic and become infamous among ordinary people.

His swift and decisive action against the Xue family served as a warning to others, deterring all the large and small cultivation families in Yuanli County.

This is, once again, an achievement of Nie Tingjun.

Nie Tingjun was not particularly "noble", but he was very responsible for his position as a celestial official. Since he had become the prefect, he had to fulfill his responsibilities.

He served as the prefect of Yuanli County for ten years, and he was considered diligent and accomplished some practical things.

The annihilation of the Xue family was his first major decision.

They wiped out a massive demonic cultivation force and seized a large amount of cultivation resources. Once the Xue family's vast cultivation resources are confiscated and delivered to Zhennan Prefecture, Nie Tingjun will definitely be credited with a great achievement.

With so many benefits, Nie Tingjun made the decision.

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.

Ten days later.

The winds and waves of Yunze Mountain are calm and still.

Xue Fanyu was unaware that the prefect had already decided the fate of the Xue family. Seeing that nothing was happening outside, he assumed that the crisis had passed.

Zhao Qingbin, who went to the Demon Subduing Bureau to file a complaint, had his entire family "dealt with".

As for the others, they all chose to remain silent, and no one talked about the Xue family anymore.

On the surface, the matter seemed to have passed.

Xue Fanyu also went to great lengths, sending the second-tier spiritual pill "Turtle Year Pill" to Tuoba Hongyang, the director of the Demon Subduing Division, and another official.

Although he felt sorry for Lingdan, he thought it was worth it to help the Xue family overcome the crisis.

The Xue family has faced countless crises over thousands of years of development, but this situation is particularly dangerous. If not handled properly, it could bring devastating losses to the Xue family.

At this moment, in the Xue family's main hall, the four Foundation Establishment cultivators of the Xue family gathered together.

"Yimiao, let's put the nightmare thing aside for now and stop investigating."

Xue Fanyu was making various arrangements.

A series of events in recent years have made Xue Fanyu realize the Xue family's situation: still weak and nothing to be proud of.

"Yes, master."

Xue Yimiao responded. Even if she were asked to investigate, she wouldn't be able to find anything.

"Our family has caused too much trouble in the last two years, and just dealing with these issues has wasted a lot of manpower and resources. I have decided to close Yunze Mountain!"

I will arrange for someone to purchase the necessary supplies. The rest of you are not allowed to leave Yunze Mountain and must all stay there for closed-door cultivation.

Everyone should calm down and focus on refining pills or cultivating techniques, without having any other distractions.

As for cultivating the main ingredient of the Foundation Establishment Pill, we'll discuss that twenty years from now.

Xue Fanyu felt that it was because the Xue family had become somewhat flamboyant in recent years and was no longer as low-key as before that so many things had happened.

Twenty years is a generation for ordinary people.

After one generation, the outside world's impression of the Xue family will gradually fade.

Two or three generations later, few ordinary people knew about the Xue family's past.

"Mountain closure?"

"I agree. Everyone should stay quietly in our Yunze Mountain and not go out to cause trouble."

“I agree. We have everything we need in Yunze Mountain, so we don’t need to go out.”

The other three Foundation Establishment cultivators all agreed.

The vast Yunze Mountain has mountains and water, and crops can be grown, so ordinary people can be completely self-sufficient.

For resources that Yunze Mountain lacks, we can simply send people out to purchase them or have them delivered to Yunze Mountain.

Just then, a communication talisman on Xue Fanyu's body lit up.

"Ok?"

Upon seeing that it was a communication talisman, Xue Fanyu's expression changed.

Communication talismans always come in pairs and have special markings. When a person has many communication talismans, the markings can be used to determine who sent the message.

Xue Fanyu knew who had sent the message, and his expression turned extremely grim.

He used his divine sense to examine the communication talisman. The talisman slowly began to burn, and several lines of text appeared in the air.

"what?!"

After reading the contents of the talisman, he stood up abruptly, his face filled with horror.

"Master, what's wrong?"

"What happened?"

Xue Weiwu, Xue Yimiao, and the other two were surprised.

What could have frightened Xue Fanyu like this?

"Impossible, impossible..."

Xue Fanyu stood there dumbfounded, muttering "Impossible" as if in a daze.

There had been no news for a while, and he thought the Xue family was safe and sound. But then came the governor's decision, which he couldn't believe and didn't want to believe.

He could not accept such serious consequences.

"Homeowner!"

Xue Weiwu's sharp shout jolted Xue Fanyu awake.

"It's fake, it must be fake. How could the Prefect possibly exterminate my Xue family over such a trivial matter?"

Xue Fanyu told the three men the message he had received: "I bribed a Demon-Slaying Guard from the Demon-Slaying Division to deliver a message to me in an emergency. He said that the Prefect is going to wipe out our family."

Those at the Foundation Establishment and late-stage Qi Refining stages will be killed without mercy. Those at the mid-stage and early-stage Qi Refining stages will be expelled from Yuanli County. Ordinary clansmen will be stripped of their surnames and driven away from Yunze Mountain to fend for themselves.

Do you think this is possible? Is it even possible?

"this!"

"Impossible! Absolutely impossible!"

Not only Xue Fanyu didn't believe it, but the other three didn't believe it either.

Why would they want to wipe out the Xue family for the sake of some ordinary people?
"What benefit would this bring to the Prefect?"

"Won't the Fan family and the Baili family protect us? If they wipe us out, who will refine their Foundation Establishment Pills?"

"..."

The four of them tried to find excuses for the Xue family, but they all fell silent as they talked.

Such specific information doesn't seem like something meant to scare them.

"Could it be..."

"Master, did he say when?"

Xue Yimiao asked, her heart pounding with fear.

The prefect's decision was a death sentence for them. Who can face death calmly?

The higher one's cultivation level, the more one cherishes their life; even Foundation Establishment cultivators are afraid of death. "The Demon-Subduing Guard said that the Prefect gave the order a few days ago, but kept it a secret from them."

Chief Tuoba summoned them for the operation, only informing them of their destination and the prefect's orders just before departure. They are currently on their way!

Xue Fanyu's heart was pounding wildly.

According to intelligence, Tuoba Hongyang did not lead a team this time, but instead sent a deputy director with six Foundation Establishment stage Demon-Subduing Guards.

To avoid suspicion, Fan Kongye did not participate in the operation; another deputy director came instead.

Since the target was the Xue family, not only the Demon Subduing Division came, but also the county garrison!

The Demon Subduing Division has many powerful members, while the county camp has a large number of troops, enough to completely surround the Xue family, so that not even a Qi Refining stage member could escape.

At the speed of a Foundation Establishment cultivator, it would take at most two or three hours to fly from Yuanli City to Yunze Mountain.

"Damn Tuoba Hongyang, he took our Turtle Life Pill and didn't even send a message!"

Xue Weiwu shouted and cursed.

"Master, what should we do?"

"Don't panic yet."

Xue Fanyu forced himself to calm down, but in reality, his mind was in complete turmoil.

At this moment, he still held a sliver of hope that the news was false and that the prefect would spare the Xue family at the last moment.

"Wei Wu, Yi Miao, you two split up and search the area around Yunze Mountain to see if there is anything unusual."

"Yes."

Xue Weiwu, at the seventh level of Foundation Establishment, and Xue Yimiao, at the third level of Foundation Establishment, flew out of Yunze Mountain to explore the surrounding area.

The two returned quickly, both looking unwell.

“Patriarch, there are a large number of Qi Refining cultivators outside, who should be county soldiers from the county garrison.”

"They're coming from all directions, closing in on our Yunze Mountain."

The deputy director of the Demon Subduing Division and the Demon Subduing Guards had not yet arrived, but the county camp had already dispatched troops to surround Yunze Mountain.

Upon hearing this news, Xue Fanyu was utterly devastated and believed the intelligence to be true.

"What sins has my Xue family committed that warrant such a drastic measure as to exterminate us all?"

Xue Fanyu looked up and sighed, his tone filled with endless vicissitudes and helplessness.

He used mortals to refine pills, merely wanting to produce more Foundation Establishment Pills and add a few more Foundation Establishment Grandmasters to Yuanli County. Is this a grave crime?
"Fight them!"

Xue Weiwu knew he was going to die, but he wanted to teach his opponent a lesson, to let them know that destroying the Xue family would have a backlash.

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.

"Have the late-stage Qi Refining cultivators in the clan carry all the resources with them. When the time comes, give the order, and they'll scatter and flee for their lives. We'll save as many as we can."

Faced with the destruction of the Xue family, Xue Fanyu couldn't muster any strength.

Their family, which had been practicing cultivation for thousands of years, declined under his leadership.

Although the prefect did not exterminate their clan, what difference is there between this and extermination?
Ordinary clansmen were stripped of their surnames, and those in the late Qi Refining stage were sentenced to death. Only the mid- and early Qi Refining cultivators, who were expelled from Yuanli County, remained. They certainly couldn't take the Xue family's resources with them.

Without cultivation resources, without top experts, and even without their surnames, the Xue family disappeared without a trace.

"Yimiao, Wanqiao, let's take all the resources of our family with us."

Xue Fanyu is the head of the Xue family and a key target of the other party; it is impossible for him to escape.

There's also Xue Weiwu, the strongest member of the Xue family, so the other side will also be on high alert against him.

Only Xue Yimiao, who is slightly weaker, and Xue Wanqiao, who has just broken through and has not shown his face much, have a chance to escape with their lives.

"If you two manage to escape by chance, don't even think about revenge. Escape, escape as far away as possible, escape Yuanli County, change your ways, and establish a new family for our Xue family."

Xue Fanyu was making the final arrangements.

Time ticked by, and the deputy director of the Demon Subduing Division was about to arrive with his Demon Subduing Guards.

Xue Fanyu had also made all the arrangements: "Weiwu, the two of us will go first to attract their attention. Yimiao and Wanqiao, you two wait for news. Once the communication talisman lights up, immediately send a signal so the whole clan can escape in the chaos."

"Patriarch, please take care."

Facing life and death, the atmosphere at the scene was heavy. But time was of the essence, and there was no extra time for them to say goodbye and express their feelings.

"go!"

Xue Fanyu and Xue Weiwu flew out of Yunze Mountain.

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.

Xing Wuming, a general of the county camp, has reached the ninth level of the Foundation Establishment stage and is one of the most important figures in Yuanli County.

The Yuanli County garrison has a large number of troops, including eight deputy generals at the Foundation Establishment stage.

The county camp has 800 soldiers who are late-stage Qi Refining cultivators, 3,000 who are mid-stage Qi Refining cultivators, and 5,000 who are early-stage Qi Refining cultivators.

There are also tens of thousands of innate martial artists.

The deputy generals of the county camp were appointed as celestial officials, while the ordinary soldiers were all hired.

The situation faced by the county camp and the Demon Subduing Division is different. The Demon Subduing Division faces powerful individual demon cultivators, so there are no low-level soldiers, only high-level Demon Subduing Guards.

The county garrison, on the other hand, faced a situation with a larger number of people.

For example, right now, the county soldiers need to deal with the Qi Refining cultivators and ordinary clansmen of the Xue family.

A large number of Qi Refining cultivators and Innate Martial Artists surrounded Yunze Mountain, ensuring that those Qi Refining cultivators and ordinary clansmen would have difficulty escaping.

As soon as Xue Fanyu and Xue Weiwu flew out of the Yunze Mountain range, they were stopped by Xing Wuming and a deputy general.

Xing Wuming originally did not plan to come to this operation, but Tuoba Hongyang said he did not want to come, so Xing Wuming had no choice but to come and oversee the operation.

Tuoba Hongyang had received benefits from the Xue family after all, and he was also worried that Xue Fanyu would plead for him in person. He was too lazy to face him, so he simply didn't come.

"Patriarch Xue, please wait. Where are you two headed?"

Xing Wuming stopped Xue Fanyu.

"Lord Xing, we have some urgent business to attend to and need to go out."

Xue Fanyu was making things up.

"I'm afraid that won't work. I'm ordered to stay here and guard your Xue family. No one from your Xue family is allowed to leave."

Xing Wuming did not reveal the prefect's order.

The Demon Subduing Division's men hadn't arrived yet, and he didn't have enough powerful warriors under his command. Originally, he and the Demon Subduing Division had agreed that the Demon Subduing Guards sent by the Demon Subduing Division would deal with the Foundation Establishment cultivators of the Xue family, while Xing Wuming would deal with the Qi Refining and ordinary clansmen.

He worried that if the Xue family were sentenced to death now, their desperate counterattack would not only cause a large number of casualties, but also allow many people to escape in the chaos.

"Oh? Why can't we leave?"

Xue Fanyu pretended not to know.

Xing Wuming made up an excuse: "I heard that your Xue family is involved in a certain demonic cultivator incident. The Demon Subduing Division will send people to investigate. During this period, it is best if your Xue family members do not leave, lest the demonic cultivator escape."

"Master Xue, don't worry, we'll get to the Demon Suppression Division once they arrive and investigate."

Xue Fanyu's face was grim. Would they have any chance of survival once the Demon Subduing Division arrived?
The Demon Subduing Division has so many Demon Subduing Guards at the Foundation Establishment level, and the County Camp has so many Deputy Generals, as well as General Xing, who is at the ninth level of Foundation Establishment.

Xue Fanyu gave Xue Weiwu a wink, and Xue Weiwu understood and flew away to the side.

Meanwhile, Xue Fanyu fled in another direction.

"Ok?"

Seeing how decisive the two were, Xing Wuming knew that the news had been exposed.

"court death!"

Could the two of them escape from his ninth-level Foundation Establishment cultivation?
However, realizing that the Xue family members were involved, he quickly ordered: "Everyone, listen to my command! No member of the Xue family is allowed to escape!"

They then pursued Xue Fanyu.

(End of this chapter)