Vol. 1 - Chapter 215 - Schemes on All Sides

“That’s enough. I’ve made our position clear. Whether or not we cooperate depends on whether your patriarch is truly willing to seek revenge.”

“Rest assured, I will faithfully convey everything that was said today.”

“If your clan has such intentions, you may simply send word.”

Liu Ziyan nodded, cupped his hands, and said, “Then I shall take my leave for now.”

When the elder departed, one of the clansmen stepped forward with unease. “Brother, do you think that old man will refuse to cooperate?”

Shi Pojing let out a cold laugh. “It isn’t his decision to make. Send a secret message to Linquan Village, where the Liu family resides. Tell them it was the Chen family’s doing that their other branch was destroyed.”

The clansman’s eyes lit up. “Brother, that’s brilliant! Once their patriarch learns this, he’ll be forced into revenge. And if he wants revenge, he’ll have no choice but to work with us!”

Shi Pojing smiled faintly. That was precisely his intention. Now it was time to report the matter to the patriarch.

Using the Liu family’s hand to wipe out the Chens would remove a threat without drawing the Zhou family’s attention. If the plan succeeded, his own prestige within the clan would rise even higher.

With the backing of the two elders, no one would be able to rival him. But two elders’ support alone wasn’t enough. He would need to see if the patriarch would lend aid to this scheme—only then could his grand ambition be realized.

…

“Elder Ziyan and the others have returned!”

“They came back so quickly. They must have found my cousin and the others!”

“Hm? Why don’t I see Brother Yingxian?”

Inside a wooden cabin at the center of the village, Liu Ziyan was recounting the details of his recent journey. Listening in silence was a middle-aged man—this branch’s patriarch, Liu Ziqi.

“Patriarch, cooperating with the Shi family is no different from seeking help from a tiger. I believe this is a path we should not take,” Liu Ziyan concluded after giving his account.

“You’re too late,” Liu Ziqi replied. “Before you returned, the clan had already received word of these matters.”

“What? Patriarch, I never sent any other message back to the clan!”

Liu Ziqi gave a low snort. “Of course, I know it wasn’t you. At first, I was uncertain, but after hearing your account, it must have been the Shi family’s work. They want to use us to destroy the Chens.”

“Then what should we do, Patriarch? Should we relocate, put distance between ourselves and this place?” Liu Ziyan frowned.

But Liu Ziqi only shook his head. “No. This grudge can be avenged. Cooperating with the Shi family isn’t entirely a bad thing.”

“As far as I know, the Chen family possesses a natural Blood Spring, and the blood rice comes from it. That must have been why Liu Zishan and his branch remained in Chaotic Burial Mountain—they wanted to revive the clan totem through that spring. Unfortunately, they failed, and even sacrificed Lord Qingling in the process.”

“With our current strength alone, we cannot contend with the Chen family. But with the Shi family’s support, we might be able to seize the Blood Spring. If so, Lord Qingshan could regain his former power.”

“Once we take the Blood Spring, we’ll leave. The Shi family wants to use us to destroy the Chens; then why shouldn’t we use them to obtain the spring?”

“But… wouldn’t that be too great a risk?” Liu Ziyan was tempted, but still hesitant.

Liu Ziqi sneered. “The clan’s circumstances are not what they once were. If we wish to rise again, how can we hope to snatch fire from the flames without daring to risk the blaze?”

At this, Liu Ziyan stopped trying to dissuade him. He bowed his head. “Very well. We’ll follow the patriarch’s orders.”

“Good. Have the clansmen send word that we are willing to cooperate. But as for the blood rice—we must demand sixty percent.”

“Patriarch, will the Shi family really agree to that?”

Liu Ziqi smiled thinly. “They will. Even if we demanded seventy percent, they’d still agree. They never intended to give us any blood rice in the first place. But by demanding sixty percent, we’ll appear greedy. That will lower their guard, lull them into carelessness. Once we gain control over the blood rice, we’ll strike at the root, absorb the entire Blood Spring, and then leave this place behind.”

Liu Ziyan’s eyes gleamed. “Patriarch, your insight is unmatched!”

…

“Patriarch, I’ve returned.”

In the ancestral hall, Chen Xingzhen was in the midst of offering incense to the sacred tree when Chen Tianquan entered.

His face lit with joy. “How did it go? Were you able to settle matters with the Xie family?”

“Patriarch, the negotiations are complete. What’s more, the Xie family secured a shop for us in Yong’an City. I inspected it myself—it’s spacious and located right on a main street. And the Xie family didn’t even charge us rent. They sent over the deed and said it was a gift to mark the beginning of our cooperation.”

Chen Xingzhen gave a slight nod to show he understood, but did not comment further. Compared to the clan’s blood rice, a shop was of little consequence. Still, there was no harm in accepting it.

Chen Tianquan, however, voiced his concern. “Patriarch, wasn’t it our decision not to involve ourselves in the power struggles among the four great families? Now that we’ve entered into cooperation with the Xies, won’t the other three clans turn against us?”

Chen Xingzhen shook his head. “In the past, avoiding the four great families was indeed the safer path. But the situation has changed. Our relationship with the Shi family is like water and fire. Without the Zhou family, there will be no peace between us.

“That is why we must quickly grow stronger. To do so, we need the partnership of a clan with both power and resources. Not only will this strengthen us, it will also prevent the Shi family from tightening their grip. Do not underestimate their influence in Yong’an City.”

“As for the other three families, it’s the Xies who will draw their attention now, not us. Whether or not the Xie family can withstand that pressure is no concern of ours.”

Chen Tianquan considered this, then nodded thoughtfully. Given the clan’s strength, they truly weren’t ready to contend with the four families directly. Maintaining stability was already an achievement.

“By the way, Patriarch, our clan received ten rootless fruits from this deal, and also a piece of Purple Jade Crystal. They say it helps late-stage Blood Coagulation cultivators refine their blood essence, increasing the chances of advancing to the Innate Realm. It can be used three times. Xie Hongyuan claimed it was a gift to commemorate this first partnership.”

When Chen Tianquan took out the palm-sized crystal, Chen Xingzhen’s eyes narrowed in surprise. If the claims were true, it was of great value—and costly. By that measure, their clan had come out ahead.

“Distribute the other items as needed. As for the Purple Jade Crystal, let Tianyu and Tianjing try it first. In two days, send Tianling and Tianlei to Yong’an City with some of the clan’s goods to manage the shop. Have Chen Yihu accompany them as well. He is better suited to develop in Yong’an.”

“Yes, Patriarch.”

Tianling and Tianlei had only recently broken into the Blood Coagulation Realm, and guarding a shop was well within their ability. But Yong’an was a complicated place; without cultivators of that level, survival would be difficult. The clan had few such people to spare, and for now, only Chen Yihu could be sent. Hopefully, he would not disappoint.

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