I'm in Yellow Maple Valley, and I have one equipment slot!

Chapter 289 The Threat of the Absurd! Han Li: My Senior Brother Has Caused Me So Much Suffering!

"This is Zhou Yuan? He is indeed as young as rumored—truly only a little over two hundred years old, yet he has already reached the mid-Nascent Soul stage!"

Master Zhiyang's gentle gaze fell upon Zhou Yuan, his divine sense stirred, and his heart was filled with turmoil.

Such a cultivation speed is extremely rare, not to mention in Tiannan, even in the legendary Great Jin, the center of the human realm.

He couldn't help but think of another young cultivator who had recently gained fame, and transmitted his voice to him.

"Even surpassing Han Li, who was equally brilliant?"

"Hey, it's more than just amazing talent."

The Old Demon of Hehuan responded telepathically, his tiger-like eyes sweeping over Zhou Yuan, revealing undisguised admiration and a hint of apprehension: "It is said that this person slew nine Nascent Soul cultivators in the previous battle, including three troublesome demonic cultivators from the Yinluo Sect and a mid-stage Grandmaster from Mulan! Such a remarkable record even I am ashamed to admit my inferiority. Decisive in killing, with unfathomable supernatural abilities, he is a ruthless character!"

Long Han, standing to the side, remained silent, but his mind raced. He silently weighed the situation: "Fellow Daoist Wei once said that this person's true combat strength is comparable to that of a late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator. My wife and I need to join forces and use secret techniques to contend with a late-stage cultivator. And he, all alone—among rogue cultivators, to produce such a figure! With his current combat strength and achievements, he is indeed qualified to discuss this decisive battle plan with us."

1

A multitude of thoughts raced through the minds of the four, but their faces remained impassive.

Having reached their level of status and cultivation, they have long been able to keep their emotions hidden.

"Fellow Daoist Zhou, how have you been? We've been eagerly awaiting your arrival!"

Wei Wuyai spoke first, a sincere smile breaking the brief silence in the hall. He stepped aside to introduce them.

"Come, Fellow Daoist Zhou, let me introduce you. This is Fellow Daoist Zhiyang from the Taizhen Sect, this is Fellow Daoist Hehuan from the Hehuan Sect, and this is Fellow Daoist Long Han from the Heavenly Dao Alliance."

"Zhou Yuan greets the three fellow Daoists."

Zhou Yuan remained calm, bowed to the three of them with a serene smile on his face.

He was neither overly enthusiastic nor at all shy or reserved, as if he were not facing a giant who had dominated the south for hundreds of years.

They were just a few ordinary colleagues.

"Fellow Daoist Zhou, I have long admired your name! Meeting you today, I can see that your reputation is well-deserved. You are young and promising, truly a blessing to Tiannan!" Venerable Zhiyang stroked his long beard, nodded with a smile, and spoke in a gentle tone, but with the appreciation of an elder for an outstanding junior.

"Haha, Fellow Daoist Zhou, I love a fellow Daoist like you who kills with such ruthlessness! Unlike some hypocrites, who spout benevolence and righteousness but are nothing but scheming!"

The Old Demon of Hehuan laughed heartily, his voice shaking the palace. His words were rough and bold, revealing a frank and open-minded nature.

"Fellow Daoist Zhou possesses extraordinary abilities and has repeatedly achieved remarkable feats in this border battle. I, Long Han, admire him greatly." Long Han smiled and returned the greeting with a cupped hand, his tone humble.

After a brief exchange of pleasantries and formalities, the atmosphere was quite harmonious.

Even the Hehuan Old Demon, known for his fiery temper and arrogance, did not show the slightest arrogance when facing Zhou Yuan.

Strength is always the most powerful passport.

"Fellow Daoist Zhou, you've come at the perfect time."

After everyone had rested for a while, Wei Wuyai straightened his expression and got down to business, taking out a jade box about a foot long from his sleeve.

The box is covered with sealing runes.

"Several months ago, Wei met with an old friend and, fortunately, he succeeded in obtaining this item."

He opened the jade box.

Inside the box was a soft silver lining, upon which lay a strange tree branch about three feet long, displaying five different colors yet seamlessly integrated, crystal clear, and faintly rippling with spatial ripples—the legendary treasure of heaven and earth, the Five-Colored Wood!

A glint flashed in Zhou Yuan's eyes. He scanned the area with his divine sense, confirmed it was correct, and a look of joy appeared on his face.

"Thank you for your trouble, Fellow Daoist Wei!"

"This is exactly what I need. According to market prices, this piece of Five-Colored Wood is worth five high-grade spirit stones. The spirit medicine you paid earlier can be used to offset four stones. Thus, you still owe me fifteen high-grade spirit stones. However, the Silver Sand and other items you promised can be settled later."

His words were clear and unambiguous, affirming Wei Wuyai's fulfillment of the contract and clarifying the subsequent debt relationship without any ambiguity.

"That's how it should be."

Wei Wuyai handed the jade box to Zhou Yuan, and breathed a sigh of relief.

He could use this piece of Five-Colored Wood, which had a relatively limited use for him, to offset part of his debts and exchange it for high-level spirit stones urgently needed for defending the city.

He felt the deal was worthwhile.

Zhou Yuan carefully put away the Five-Colored Wood, feeling great. With this item, his progress in refining the late-stage Nascent Soul puppet would be much faster!

"Alright, enough of the small talk. Now that Fellow Daoist Zhou has arrived, let's get down to business."

Master Zhiyang steered the conversation back on track, his expression solemn. "This time, the Mulan people have come with overwhelming force, coming out in full force. This is no longer the small-scale skirmish of the past."

"The four major powers of Tiannan have joined forces, and in terms of overall strength, they are far superior to the barren grasslands of Mulan."

.

He changed the subject and sighed, "However, the Tiannan region is vast, with numerous sects and complex entanglements of interests. Even now, to protect their gates and foundations, each sect still has a large number of experts who have not yet come. This time, the combined strength of Tiantian City is less than half of what Tiannan has.

"On the other hand, the Mulan have almost entirely marched south, fighting a desperate battle. Although we still have the advantage in top-tier combat strength and the number of cultivators, our advantage is not overwhelming. If we were to truly fight to the death, even if we won, it would be a pyrrhic victory!"

"Our cultivation world in the south cannot afford such devastating losses."

This is indeed the truth.

The Tiannan region is not a monolithic entity; each faction has its own selfish motives.

The fact that they were able to mobilize the current seventy or eighty Nascent Soul cultivators was the result of a complex interplay of power struggles and intimidation. It was absolutely impossible to get all the forces to empty their coffers and fight the Mulan people to the death.

"Then we'll wait." Zhou Yuan said slowly, his expression unchanged.

"Wait?" The Old Demon of Hehuan raised an eyebrow.

"Good, wait." Zhou Yuan's gaze swept over the four people, and he said calmly, "The Mulan people are so eager this time, even going so far as to collude with the demonic sects of the Great Jin Dynasty to invade Tiannan from the north. Do you all think it's really just for the sake of plundering resources?"

He paused, then continued, "As far as I know, there is another powerful tribe on the Mulan Grassland called the Tuwu."

"This tribe and the Mulan are sworn enemies, and their struggles are endless. In recent years, the Tuwu people have become powerful and have been constantly encroaching on the Mulan grasslands and territories. The Mulan people have been retreating step by step and are now in danger of extinction."

"This invasion to the north is a desperate act, an attempt to seize our fertile southern lands as the foundation for our people's survival! They are fighting a desperate battle!"

"There's no way to retreat!"

Upon hearing this, Master Zhiyang, Wei Wuyai, and the Old Demon Hehuan all remained silent.

As the top echelons of Tiannan, they naturally had spies planted in Mulan as well.

They have some understanding of the situation on the grasslands.

What Zhou Yuan said was exactly what they had vaguely guessed.

This is why, despite the setback suffered at the gates of Khotan, the morale of the Mulan army remained high, and they became even more ferocious, for they had no way out.

"As for us cultivators from Tiannan, we are equally determined to defend our homeland and protect our people. We are equally eager to fight and resolute in our resolve."

Zhou Yuan continued his analysis, "When two powerful forces clash, once a decisive battle breaks out, regardless of the outcome, it will inevitably result in mutual destruction. Corpses will litter the fields, and Nascent Soul cultivators will fall like rain. It will take hundreds or even thousands of years to recover their vitality."

"Does Fellow Daoist Zhou mean—wait for the Mulan people to give up and take the initiative to propose peace talks?"

Master Zhiyang pondered, a thoughtful look in his eyes.

"Exactly."

Zhou Yuan nodded. "They can't afford to drag this out. A full-scale expedition involves long supply lines and enormous costs. More importantly, their home base is not secure, with the Turks eyeing them covetously. The longer it drags on, the greater the pressure from the rear will be, and the more war-weary sentiment will grow within their ranks."

"On the other hand, we in the south are well-rested and have a vast territory and abundant resources. We have nothing to fear from attrition. In the end, it will be the Mulan people who will be anxious and take the initiative to seek peace and negotiations."

"That makes sense," Wei Wuyai clapped his hands and said, "At that time, we will have many more bargaining chips at the negotiating table."

It might be possible to force them to withdraw from the State of Yu, sign an alliance, or even demand compensation.

"I'm afraid things may not be that simple."

Zhou Yuan shook his head, a profound glint in his eyes. "Have you all considered what those Tuwu people are doing right now? Are they also waiting for Tiannan and Mulan to fight to the death so they can reap the benefits?"

"Even—after both sides are severely weakened, will they also harbor thoughts of heading north, not only wanting to annex the Mulan Grassland, but also wanting to point their military might at my southern border?"

Upon hearing this, the atmosphere in the hall suddenly froze!

The expressions of Venerable Zhiyang, Wei Wuyai, and the Old Demon Hehuan all changed slightly. Long Han's gaze also sharpened, revealing a solemn expression.

"Although the Tuwu people are stronger than Mulan, their ambition to simultaneously annex Mulan and meddle in Tiannan is far too great."

""

The Old Demon of Hehuan frowned and raised a question, feeling that Zhou Yuan was exaggerating.

"If the Mulan people can contact the Yinluo Sect of the Great Jin, then why can't the Tuwu people—who also border the Great Jin—contact other sects and forces within the Great Jin?"

Zhou Yuan's voice remained calm, yet it struck the hearts of the four like a heavy hammer.

Yes!

If the Mulan people could summon the Yinluo Sect, why couldn't the Tuwu people summon other helpers?

The Great Jin Dynasty has more than just the Yinluo Sect as a powerful sect. If the Tuwu people also collude with the forces of the Great Jin Dynasty and take advantage of the mutual exhaustion of Tiannan and Mulan to move south—then Tiannan will face a catastrophic disaster that is even more terrible than the invasion of Mulan!

A brief silence fell over the hall.

The four powerful cultivators who held authority over the southern region were all taken aback by Zhou Yuan's bold yet highly probable deduction, breaking out in a cold sweat.

Their previous strategic thinking was largely limited to how to defeat the Mulan people in front of them.

However, they failed to take into account the Tuwu people on the other side of the grassland, and the possible powerful sects of the Great Jin Dynasty behind them.

"Fellow Daoist Zhou's words are truly insightful and thought-provoking!"

Master Zhiyang sighed deeply, his face no longer showing any ease. "In that case, fighting to the death with the Mulan people is certainly not the best strategy."

"A mutually destructive outcome would only benefit the Tuwu people and the potential power of the Great Jin. Delaying, attrition, and forcing a truce are the best strategies to preserve the vitality of Tiannan and prepare for potentially greater crises in the future."

"Damn it, does that mean we can't really fight a proper war?"

The Old Demon of Hehuan muttered something in frustration, but he also understood the implications.

"Fellow Daoist Zhou's views are exactly what I think."

Wei Wuyai solemnly said, "I will immediately adjust the deployment and order all armies to shift to a defensive and attrition-based strategy, supplemented by small-scale harassment, and absolutely not engage in a major decisive battle with the Mulan people."

"At the same time, we sent more spies deep into the grasslands to closely monitor the movements of the Turks and try to find out whether they were in cahoots with the Jin forces."

Long Han nodded: "The Heavenly Alliance will fully cooperate."

The strategic direction has now been set.

The initial strategy of "seeking a decisive battle and defeating Mulan" has been transformed into "delaying and attrition, forcing a truce and stopping the war, and guarding against Tu Yuan".

After discussing important military and national affairs, the atmosphere in the hall eased slightly. Wei Wuyai smiled and looked at Zhou Yuan: "Fellow Daoist Zhou, the land I promised you before, as the foundation for establishing your sect, should now be addressed. Although our Nine Kingdoms Alliance agreed to this, the specific division of territory, population migration, and sect acceptance still require the joint efforts of the four major powers."

Upon hearing this, Venerable Zhiyang smiled and replied, "Fellow Daoist Zhou, you are so young yet already possess the ambition to establish a sect and pass on the Daoist tradition; this is truly admirable. However, establishing a sect is a complex and multifaceted undertaking, no easy task. My Tai Zhen Sect is the leading sect of the righteous path, with a history spanning tens of thousands of years and profound foundations. We have over ten Nascent Soul cultivators within our sect, making us arguably the number one sect in Tiannan. If you wish to join, you can directly become a Supreme Elder, with resources, inheritance, and disciples at your disposal. Isn't that far more convenient than starting from scratch?"

He actually went so far as to directly recruit them!

Offering such generous terms clearly shows that they value Zhou Yuan highly.

"Haha, Master Zhiyang, what's the point of your righteous path having so many rules and regulations, making you all feel so constrained?"

Not to be outdone, the Old Demon of Hehuan Sect boomed, "Fellow Daoist Zhou, why not come to my Hehuan Sect! We demons act according to our own hearts, living a carefree and joyful life! With your abilities, if I were to pass away one day, you would undoubtedly be the Grand Elder of the sect, and you could choose any beautiful women you wish to mate with! Wouldn't that be wonderful?"

Two high monks.

They even started fighting over Zhou Yuan on the spot.

Wei Wuyai and Long Han exchanged a smile.

He did not interrupt.

They were also curious about what choice Zhou Yuan would make.

Zhou Yuan cupped his hands to the two of them, his tone calm yet firm: "Thank you for your kind offer, fellow Daoists."

"It is merely that I, Zhou, have established a sect to pass on my own lineage. I hope you two fellow Daoists will understand."

He once again explicitly refused.

A hint of regret flashed in the eyes of Venerable Zhiyang and the Old Demon Hehuan, but they did not insist.

At their level, they deeply understand that a firm will is essential and that forcing things is futile.

"In that case, which country does Fellow Daoist Zhou prefer?" Wei Wuyai asked.

"Dongyu Kingdom." Zhou Yuan said without hesitation.

"Dongyu Kingdom?"

Wei Wuyai pondered for a moment, then nodded. "This country borders all three major powers, yet it doesn't belong to any of them. Its resources are decent, and it's a mix of small and medium-sized sects and independent cultivators. If we carve out this country, our four major powers only need to coordinate a little, relocating or absorbing the existing sects and independent cultivators into their respective territories, and we can free up space!"

"Fellow Daoist Zhou has chosen a good place."

"good."

Zhou Yuan nodded, "All we need is for the four major powers to do us a favor and take over and settle the existing forces within Dongyu."

"Zhou will not let them suffer losses; there will be compensation. Specific details can be discussed after the war."

"Very well! Since Fellow Daoist Zhou has made up his mind, we will certainly grant his request."

Wei Wuyai exchanged glances with Master Zhiyang, Old Demon Hehuan, and Long Han. Seeing that no one objected, he made the decision.

"Once the war here is over, the four of us will jointly handle the handover of the Eastern Yu Kingdom and announce to Tiannan that Fellow Daoist Zhou has been exonerated!"

"Thank you, fellow Daoists."

Zhou Yuan bowed and thanked him.

The biggest obstacle to establishing a sect—obtaining legitimate territory and recognition from the southern powers—has now been largely resolved.

Just as Zhou Yuan and the four leaders were setting the future格局 (geju, meaning structure or pattern) of Tiannan in the main hall.

Outside the south gate of Khotan City.

A slightly disheveled azure light was fleeing towards the city at an extremely fast speed, with several other lights of different colors chasing closely behind. Attacks bombarded the azure light, creating a perilous situation.

Within the azure light was Han Li. At this moment, his face was somewhat pale, his breathing was unsteady, and his eyes held lingering fear and a hint of annoyance.

Not long ago, he took on a reconnaissance and harassment mission from the Nine Nations Alliance, and went out of the city to conduct guerrilla warfare.

Unexpectedly, his relationship with Zhou Yuan as a "fellow disciple" and the rumors that he also possessed the "Golden Thunder Bamboo Magic Treasure" had already attracted the attention of the Yinluo Sect and the higher-ups of Mulan.

His location and time of departure from the city were leaked by a Mulan spy lurking in the city!

As a result, not long after he left the city, he ran headlong into an ambush carefully set up by three Yinluo Sect black-robed cultivators and two Mulan masters!

The opponent was clearly well-prepared, unleashing all their deadly moves right from the start and setting up a large formation!

Han Li was surprised but remained calm.

With his immense magical power far exceeding that of his peers, numerous life-saving abilities, and several newly acquired powerful ancient treasures, he fought his way through a bloody path.

However, he was forced to use all his means, even losing a precious life-saving talisman, before he could barely escape the pursuit and flee towards Tiancheng.

"Activate the formation! Let Senior Han in!"

The cultivators guarding the city wall recognized Han Li and, seeing him being chased, quickly opened a narrow crack in the protective barrier.

Han Li moved like lightning, instantly disappearing into the crack. The pursuers behind him, seeing him enter the city, unwillingly bombarded the light barrier a few times, but finding they could not break through, they had no choice but to retreat in frustration.

Back in the city, Han Li breathed a sigh of relief, but his face showed little joy; instead, a helpless, bitter smile appeared on his face.

"well----"

He sighed softly and shook his head. "Senior Brother Zhou's reputation is just too great. Even I, as his junior brother, have benefited from it, becoming the target of those demonic brats' covetousness—"

He couldn't help but recall that back in the Chaotic Star Sea, because of the great reputation of the "Ancestor of Extreme Yin," he, as the "Disciple of Extreme Yin," also received a lot of attention.

In the end, he had no choice but to flee back to the far south.

Unexpectedly, after going around in circles and returning to Tiannan, he was once again drawn into the center of the vortex because of Senior Brother Zhou Yuan's reputation, becoming a thorn in the side of the Mulan Dharma Masters and the Yinluo Sect demonic cultivators.

"Senior Brother Zhou, you've caused me so much suffering—"

A complex mix of emotions welled up in Han Li's heart, a mixture of admiration for Zhou Yuan's strength and a sense of pride, as well as helplessness at being implicated.