Chapter 261: Chapter 177: Honored Envoy_1
Translator: 549690339
Half a month later, at Red Maple Mountain.
As a second-tier lower grade Spirit Land, Red Maple Mountain was originally owned by the Wang Family.
However, heaven has its unpredictable changes, and man has his sudden misfortunes and blessings.
Twenty years ago, above Dongting Lake, there was a conflict over Spirit Land.
The Zhou and Wang families suffered heavy casualties, each losing a Foundation Establishment Cultivator.
As a result, the Zhou Family lost Qingfeng Mountain, and the Wang Family didn’t fare much better; within a few years’ time, the ancestral land of Red Maple Mountain had changed hands.
It truly was…
“The plaything of fate!”
Above Red Maple Mountain, within the Yan family’s estate, Yan Changfeng muttered to himself and looked up at the sky, reflecting on the past.
As a Foundation Establishment Cultivator born into a Qi Cultivation family, he shouldered far too much.
Back then, for the battle over the Spirit Land at Dongting, he had agreed to conditions from the Zhou and Wang families to enter the arena and dueled with the patriarch of the Li Family, Li Jianchen. In the end, he was defeated…utterly bested by his opponent.
Afterward, the Zhou and Wang families were successively defeated, one dead and one injured, their loss extremely tragic. In the end, it even implicated their families, and two long-established Foundation Establishment lineages thus began their decline.
But he seized this opportunity, using his overpowering strength as a Sword Cultivator to defeat strong opponents from all around, snatching the Wang Family’s foundation at Red Maple Mountain. Within a decade or so, he brought it up to second-tier, possessing the qualification to manage a market town, which was far better than the first-tier lower-grade Fish and Dragon Island.
Was this not fate playing tricks on people?
Yet, fate truly does play tricks on people!
No sooner had he set his family on the right track, with over a decade of effort yet to bear fruit, than the skies of the Cultivation World began to change.
In just half a month’s time, Green Jade Sect and Medicine King Valley were successively annihilated.
The Three Sects of Golden Core, which had governed Liang Country and ruled for a thousand years, was left with only a sole survivor.
This sole survivor had a tough time too, being blockaded at their mountain gate, unable to go in or out.
All the external establishments, branches, lineages, and undercover agents of the Three Sects were swept away by people in one stroke.
A storm erupted, sweeping across the world, and all forces in the Liang Kingdom’s Cultivation Realm were impacted.
The Yan family was no exception, having sealed their mountain gate early on, daring not to venture out, fearing being caught in the great calamity of the Cultivation Realm and bringing disaster upon the family.
Indeed, a great calamity!
For these Foundation Establishment powers, such a drastic change was a matter of life and death.
A speck of dust from history, a ripple from the era, becomes an unbearable mountain when it falls upon an individual.
Even though he was a Cultivator, a powerful Sword Dao Cultivator, at this moment, he felt a sense of confusion and helplessness, like “drawing his sword and looking around at a loss.”
What could he do?
He could do nothing!
Weaklings only wait for the outcome, waiting for others to pass judgment on their fate.
Yan Changfeng hated this feeling.
But he was helpless.
He had already tried his hardest, exercised his strength to the utmost.
Yet the road ahead was still so difficult, his all-out efforts only allowing him to move forward slowly.
Did he have any hope in this life of reaching the legendary Golden Core Dao?
Even if it were the Golden Core, what of it? How many Golden Core Cultivators had died recently?
Why had the world changed for no good reason?
What once were influential Foundation Establishment Grand Cultivators now had no qualifications to step onto the stage, and the elusive Golden Core old monsters were butchered like stray dogs.
Was it that he couldn’t keep up with the tides of the era, or was the world changing too fast and too furiously?
Yan Changfeng had fallen into deep self-doubt.
Just then…
“Is young friend Changfeng there?”
A shout came from outside the mountain.
“This is…!”
Yan Changfeng’s eyes sharpened, and he snapped out of it, listening to the person outside and not knowing what to do.
Fortunately, the other party soon continued, “Young friend, don’t be alarmed. I am currently a messenger from Green Jade Mountain, sent by the Spell King to patrol the Cultivation Realm and transmit messages to all sides. That’s why I’ve come to your Red Maple Mountain.”
“The Spell King’s order?!”
Yan Changfeng’s gaze sharpened, his suspicion slightly eased, and he soared up, opening the great formation.
Outside the mountain gate stood a man in the air, if not Bai Yunzi, then who?
“Yan Changfeng, greets…the honored envoy!”
Seeing Bai Yunzi, Yan Changfeng had a somewhat strange expression but still completed all the proper etiquette.
He and this Green Jade Immortal Envoy were old acquaintances, having interacted frequently. His Yan family’s acquisition of Red Maple Mountain was, in fact, largely thanks to the other’s “assistance!”
Now that they met again, he was still an envoy, but the Green Jade Sect was no longer the same Green Jade Sect.
The Green Jade Mountain, Medicine King Valley – both sects had changed hands, and the news of the Supreme Elder and all Golden Core Cultivators being wiped out had long spread throughout the Liang Kingdom Cultivation Realm.
In such a case, could be still be an envoy for Green Jade Mountain?
Could it be that he was a weathercock, betraying friends for glory?
That Spell King Shifa who employed such a man, could he also be a character scraping every last bit of the earth for personal gain?
If that were the case, then the days ahead for Liang Country would probably be difficult.
Yan Changfeng’s thoughts were in turmoil.
Bai Yunzi saw this but did not point it out, simply smiling and saying, “May I come in and talk?”
Yan Changfeng then came to his senses: “Of course, the honored envoy, please come in!”
With a smile, Bai Yunzi followed him in.
The two entered the living room, and Yan Changfeng immediately called out, “Someone, fetch my Cloud Mountain Tea…”
“There’s no need.”
Bai Yunzi shook his head, “Let’s cut to the chase, young friend Changfeng. I am now an envoy of the Green Jade Mountain, on King Shifa’s orders to patrol the Liang Kingdom Cultivation Realm and relay messages to various powers. You must remember the following points carefully, without any errors.”
Yan Changfeng’s expression became solemn, “Please speak, Honored Envoy!”
Hearing this, Bai Yunzi also got straight to the point.
“Now that Liang Country has a new ruler, and the Spell King is revered, Green Jade Mountain, Medicine King Valley, and the stubborn Tianshu Sect, as well as all the spirit lands, markets, and strongholds that the Three Sects possessed in Liang Country, all belong to the Spell King.”
“All of you, whether powers or families, clans, or sects, who once served the Three Sects, must now serve the Spell King. Those who do not submit are rebels, and the Spell King has already formed an enforcement squad to patrol Liang Country, exterminate the remnants of the Three Sects, and deal with the Robbing Cultivators causing chaos.”
Bai Yunzi looked at Yan Changfeng, “Is the Yan family of Red Maple Mountain willing to serve the Spell King as master?”
“This…”
Yan Changfeng was startled and then quickly came to his senses, repeatedly saying, “My Yan family shall look only to the Spell King’s lead in the days to come.”
“Very good!”
Bai Yunzi nodded and said with a light laugh, “Young friend Changfeng is indeed astute, not like those who cannot read the times. By the way, do you know what this law enforcement squad formed by the Spell King looks like?”
“This… I do not know; please enlighten me, Honored Envoy.”
Yan Changfeng had no choice but to go along with the other party’s lead, playing the role of the curious baby.
Bai Yunzi smiled, “There are ten teams in total, each team consisting of ten people, with Golden Core leading and Foundation Establishment as followers.”
“Golden Core as the leader?”
Yan Changfeng was shocked, somewhat incredulous.
“Yes, Golden Core as the leader.”
Bai Yunzi explained, “The Spell King has decided to sweep across Qiankun, to change the unfavorable trends in the Cultivation Realm. He has already personally acted, eradicating the claws and hidden offspring of the Three Sects and slaying a group of unlawful Robbing Cultivators and Evil Demons, among whom were not a few Golden Cores.”
“Not a few Golden Cores…”
Yan Changfeng muttered to himself, finding it even harder to accept.
Bai Yunzi said with a smile, “There are still quite a few Golden Core Cultivators within Liang Country. They were merely retiring from public activity because of the Three Sects’ influence.”
“Among these Golden Core Cultivators, some were quite fond of looting, or had outright cultivated into Robbing Cultivators. They have been justly executed by the Spell King.”
“The rest have been enlightened by the Spell King, undergone a change of heart, and are remade, becoming law enforcement cultivators under the Spell King’s command.”
“Next, the enforcement squad will patrol everywhere in Liang Country, exterminating the remnants of the Three Sects and unlawful Robbing Cultivators, leaving no stone unturned, no mercy given.”
Bai Yunzi looked at Yan Changfeng with a smile that was not quite a smile, “Young friend Changfeng, there surely aren’t any Robbing Cultivators from your Yan family, right?”
“No, absolutely not!”
Yan Changfeng, startled, denied it repeatedly.
“It’s good that there are none.”
Bai Yunzi said with a smile, “Additionally, among the enforcement squad are disciples personally taught by the Spell King, who possess the Heavenly Mechanism Eye. No matter if they are remnants of the Three Sects or unlawful evil cultivators, none can escape detection before them. Young friend Changfeng, you must be careful not to slip up.”
“Thank you for the reminder, Honored Envoy.”
Yan Changfeng swallowed nervously, also somewhat fearful and uneasy.
“After the eradication of the Robbing Cultivators, the Cultivation Realm of Liang Country will surely prosper.”
Bai Yunzi continued, “Since you now serve the Spell King, the taxes will remain as before, collected just as the Three Sects did, not a penny more, not a penny less.”
“It’s just that the labor required will increase, after all, the Spell King has exterminated the Robbing Cultivators, and a great many of the Demon Beasts from the Hundred Thousand Mountains have been slain. From now on, the tasks of labor will no longer be combat-oriented but focused on production.”
“The risk factor has been greatly reduced. As such, it’s only right to increase some labor tasks, isn’t it?”
Bai Yunzi looked at Yan Changfeng, awaiting his response.
“Right, right, it’s only right!”
Yan Changfeng answered repeatedly, “My Yan family and Red Maple Mountain will fully cooperate.”
“Very good!”
Bai Yunzi nodded and said with a light laugh, “Actually, there’s nothing much to it, just some routine tasks—plowing the Spirit Fields, planting Spiritual Medicine, mining Spirit Stones, raising Spirit Beasts. Every Cultivation Art has its arrangement; although it may be harder work, it’s still better than constant fighting, don’t you think?”
“Yes, yes, yes!”
Yan Changfeng nodded repeatedly, not daring to disagree.
“Oh, there’s one more thing.”
Bai Yunzi went on to say, “Three months from now, Green Jade Mountain under the Spell King will hold a grand event!”
“A grand event?”
Yan Changfeng’s heart skipped a beat, looking at Bai Yunzi somewhat apprehensively, “What… kind of grand event?”
“An auction, the Competition of the Chosen.”
Bai Yunzi looked at him, “All powers must come to participate. At the auction, there will be many rare treasures, Golden Core Skills, Core Formation Spiritual Objects, Magic Artifacts, Magical Treasures, medicinal pills, talismans—essentially everything you could want, surely not disappointing you.”
“This…”
Yan Changfeng looked at Bai Yunzi, not knowing what to say, and finally forced himself to say, “I understand. I will definitely be present at Green Jade Mountain in three months.”
“No, you don’t understand.”
Hearing this, Bai Yunzi shook his head, speaking seriously, “This isn’t just an excuse for you to give gifts and offer gold. The Spell King’s purpose in holding this grand event is the prosperity of the Cultivation Realm, to promote development and exchange, without a shred of falsehood. Don’t let your thoughts run wild with speculation.”
This statement took Yan Changfeng aback, and then he realized, “You mean to say…”
“The Golden Core Skills are real, the Core Formation Spiritual Objects are real, and so are all the other Cultivation Techniques and skills inheritance. Everything can be auctioned off as long as you have Spirit Stones, and you won’t have to worry about being ambushed afterward, for the Robbing Cultivators in the Liang Country Cultivation Realm will soon be completely exterminated.”
Bai Yunzi said with a light chuckle, “So, young friend Changfeng, if you are interested in the Golden Core Dao, it’s best to start gathering Spirit Stones now, or you may regret missing out at the auction.”
“This…”
Yan Changfeng stood frozen, unsure of what to do.
It took a while before he came back to his senses, looking at Bai Yunzi with astonishment and uncertainty, “What exactly is the Competition of the Chosen about?”
Bai Yunzi smiled and began to explain, “This is a great incentive from the Spell King for the cultivators of Liang Country…”