Ye Xuan opened the Cultivation Technique and Martial Skill column, which only contained his own Chaotic Sword Scripture, and the Magical Artifact column was empty. Opening other sections, he found a bottle of healing pills and eight Sword Body Origins. The mission bar displayed: Achieve a Fifth-Grade power (at least one Nascent Soul), and receive corresponding rewards.
Seeing this, Ye Xuan had basically finished looking through everything. Then, unwilling to give up, he asked, "System, are there no other functions?"
"Ding! Host, the System will also issue System tasks at specific times. As long as the Host completes the tasks, he will receive rewards."
"This… it's alright, I guess." After Ye Xuan finished speaking, he looked out the window. It was already bright outside. He needed to get ready; it was time to go to the deliberation hall.
As he approached the entrance of the deliberation hall, he heard a scolding voice from inside: "Tianchen, look at you, still drunk. All day long you just know how to drink, without regard for time or place."
"I was just happy to see Clan Chief recover, so I drank a little more," Ye Tianchen said.
The Grand Elder was about to say something more when Ye Xuan walked in. Everyone immediately clasped their fists and bowed, saying, "Clan Chief."
Ye Xuan waved his hand, signaling everyone to dispense with the formalities, then turned and sat on the main seat. He surveyed the room; including the Eight Great Elders, there were about twenty people, all core members of the Family. They managed various affairs and industries within the Clan. Ye Xuan's gaze lingered on a Clan member named Ye Tianzhi. His loyalty was only forty-two percent. Everyone else's was above eighty-five percent.
He managed the Ye Family's markets in several nearby cities and had only returned this time because Ye Xuan was severely injured.
Ye Xuan spoke, "Tianzhi Clan Brother, you've worked hard outside these past few years. You don't need to attend today's Clan meeting; go back and rest!" Everyone looked at each other, confused, not understanding the Clan Chief's meaning.
Ye Tianzhi said, "Clan Chief, I…"
Ye Xuan raised his hand to interrupt him, his tone becoming heavier, "Go."
Ye Tianzhi, feeling guilty, broke out in a cold sweat and said, "Thank you, Clan Chief," then cupped his hands and turned to leave.
After he left, the Grand Elder, Ye Canghai, asked, "Clan Chief, what is the meaning of this?"
Ye Xuan said, "Although he is a member of the Ye Family, his heart is no longer with the Ye Family. Grand Elder, send someone to watch him now. If he tries to leave the Family or send messages outside, inform me immediately." Everyone looked at each other again, asking no further questions. If the Clan Chief said it, there must be a reason. He would provide them with a reasonable explanation later. This was Ye Xuan's style; it had been this way for the past decade or so. Ye Xuan had never made a single erroneous decision, otherwise, the Ye Family would not have reached its current position.
Ye Xuan waved his hand, signaling, "Everyone, please sit. The reason I called you all here today is to discuss how to make the Fan Family, the Qi Family, and the Five Poisons Sect pay the price."
"Yes, Clan Chief, I didn't expect the Fan Family and the Qi Family to collude with the Five Poisons Sect to ambush you," the Second Elder said. Everyone's faces were filled with anger at the thought.
"It must be that the news of Clan Chief seizing the Scarlet Blood Fruit reached them, and knowing that Clan Chief was injured, they decided to launch a joint ambush," the Eighth Elder said.
"Eighth Sister is right, there's an internal spy in our Clan," the Grand Elder said. The more everyone thought about it, the angrier they became, wishing they could seize that person on the spot and grind their bones to dust. Even the tipsy Ye Tianchen sobered up considerably, his eyes wide.
"Alright, Grand Elder, what's the situation outside?" Ye Xuan asked.
"Currently, the scouts from those few forces outside the Family are still in the city. There are several rounds of them entering and exiting Qing Shi City every day."
"What about the City Lord's Mansion?" Ye Xuan continued to ask.
"No movement. Since it involves four Six-Grade powers, they wouldn't want to bring trouble upon themselves."
The City Lord's Mansion consisted of officials arranged by the Great Qin Dynasty in various cities. They were only responsible for overseeing local tax resources; other matters they turned a blind eye to. In the Cultivation world, the strong were revered. Seizing resources, killing, and arson happened countless times every day, so they only needed to do their job well. By maintaining good relations with various great powers, these powers would also not dare to offend the people of the City Lord's Mansion, as the Great Qin Dynasty stood behind them.
Ye Xuan tapped his finger on the armrest of his seat and said, "Tianqiong, I'll give you a list. After you go out, take people to control everyone on this list. After this matter is over, I will conduct a major purge within the Clan. Also, after you go out, spread the news that I have fallen, and the entire Ye Family should wear white. Tell the Clan members to express their sorrow as much as possible. I won't say more about this; everyone understands. All Elders, please stay; everyone else, begin your tasks." Everyone turned and left, busy with their respective duties. Soon, cries of grief could be heard from outside.
"Clan Chief, what other instructions do you have? Please speak freely," the Grand Elder said. "Indeed, there is one more matter for those of you who remained, which can be considered an Opportunity for you all. However, there is one condition. It depends on whether you are willing or not; there is no compulsion, it is entirely up to personal will."
"Clan Chief, just tell us, what exactly is it?" This time, it was the Fifth Elder who spoke. He loved fishing the most in his free time, and even he couldn't wait any longer.
"Alright, one of the Opportunities given to me by the Immortal, as I mentioned before, is that there is a Cultivation Technique which, after I Cultivate it, allows me to take on eight Sword Attendants. These eight Sword Attendants Cultivate a simplified Cultivation Technique, but it infinitely surpasses Heaven-Grade Cultivation Techniques. The eight of them will advance as my cultivation improves, always remaining half a major Realm lower than me. The prerequisite is that they must voluntarily become Sword Attendants. After Cultivating the Cultivation Technique, they will be one hundred percent loyal to me. Please consider carefully before responding."
"I am willing," a female voice said. It was the Eighth Elder. No one expected her to respond so quickly, agreeing as soon as he finished speaking.
"I am also willing," the Grand Elder said.
"I am willing, I am also willing."
Of course, everyone was willing. Who would give up such a good thing? They could follow in the Clan Chief's footsteps and see the outside world, the East Continent's heartland, and even the Central Continent.
"Good, since you all have chosen me, I will certainly not let you down. Here are the Jade Slips."
Ye Xuan took out eight Jade Slips, which landed in the hands of the eight individuals respectively.
"Refine this Jade Slip and Cultivate the Cultivation Technique within it, and the contract will take effect. Everyone, don't rush to refine it yet. Before that, there is a great fortune to bestow upon you all. Please open your minds."
The scene shifted, and everyone found themselves in a vast, ethereal space, surrounded by swirling mist.
"Clan Chief, this is…?" the Grand Elder asked.
"This is a spatial world within a Magical Artifact. This Magical Artifact is called the Chaos Dao Tower, and it has nine layers. This is the lowest layer, and the time flow here is ten times faster than the outside world."
"Clan Chief, this must have been bestowed by an Immortal, right?" the Fourth Elder asked. Well, now Ye Xuan didn't even need to explain; they had already figured it out themselves. Wasn't this even better? It saved him from having to explain every time. Ye Xuan stretched out his palm, and in his hand appeared eight clusters of misty light, each a different color. Everyone's eyes were fixed on them.
"These are called Sword Body Origins. Fusing with the body will Awaken Sword Bodies of different attributes." The surprise in everyone's eyes turned into ecstasy. What they didn't know was that the most basic condition for becoming a Sword Attendant was to possess a Sword Body. Because Awakening a Physique would be accompanied by a Heaven and Earth Anomaly, and even more so for eight people, if discovered by a major power, it would bring endless trouble.