Chapter 500 - 442: Tieyuan Alliance

Chapter 500: Chapter 442: Tieyuan Alliance

In Tieyuan County, within the grand hall of the Huanggen Sect, the walls and dragon-carved pillars exuded a cold, metallic sheen. Even adorned with brightly colored brocade, they couldn’t dispel the chilly atmosphere.

Tieyuan County, with its scarcity of forests, lacked enough timber. Mortals made bricks from clay, while cultivators built with iron. The architectural style of the Huanggen Sect was characterized by its hard, simple lines, radiating an aura of stern severity, much like the cultivators of Tieyuan County.

Though cultivators were few here, resources were even scarcer. The fierce competition fostered a disposition among Tieyuan cultivators that was brave and martial, harsh and fierce.

Thus, in the past, when Tieyuan County was divided among three sects, it was a place of constant turmoil and conflict. Outsiders had even less interest in this desolate and impoverished land, summing it up with a single phrase: "Awful people breed in barren mountains and unruly waters."

But now, Tieyuan County had a new ruler. Golden Core Master Ye Xiao had united Tieyuan over the past century, consolidating all power. Under a generally peaceful environment, the number of cultivators increased rapidly, and the once barren Tieyuan began to show signs of overcapacity.

Though a new spirit vein was discovered, it barely alleviated the conflicts. Looking ahead, continuing on this path either demanded a brutal internal competition to eliminate some cultivators or embarking on a journey of external expansion.

Would Ye Xiao, who had achieved the Golden Core at such a young age and had ambitions to unify Tieyuan, be content to be confined within it?

Master Cangfeng did not believe it, nor did Lu Qian.

Thus, Master Cangfeng constantly sought ways to win over Ye Xiao. Yet, Ye Xiao was not reckless or thoughtless; she carefully gauged the surrounding situation, both waiting for the right time and ensuring her Huanggen Sect wouldn’t be used as a sharp-edged weapon.

But the situation had quietly shifted.

"Sect Leader Lu, what do you think of this girl?" asked the curly-haired lady, raising her wine cup as she leaned against the iron seat. Her long legs stretched elegantly, her curves captivating, with a blush on her charming cheeks, and her delicate skin looked as inviting as honey under the lights.

However, she wasn’t referring to herself, but to a beauty spinning and dancing in the middle of the hall.

She was a Feathered Scholar at the early-stage Foundation Establishment, graceful and elegant, with a pretty and delicate appearance. As her skirt fluttered, it revealed her slender, fair calves. Her pale feet stepped on the luxurious carpet, where her ankles bore a string of golden bells, tied with red silk threads, jingling with her movements.

The golden bells added a touch of allure, yet her expression remained calm, even indifferent. This subtle contrast made one’s heart itch even more.

Lu Qian felt a warm current surge in his lower abdomen, suddenly recalling the coquettish look of his senior sister.

Usually dignified and graceful, his senior sister bit her red lips, staring at him in embarrassment while holding an awkward pose...

Speaking of which, it had been over a year since he went into seclusion and practiced harmony double cultivation with his senior sister!

Lu Qian’s trance led to Ye Xiao’s misunderstanding, and she smiled with satisfaction: "This is my disciple Shen Jialuo. If Sect Leader Lu doesn’t mind, I could play matchmaker and unite you as Dao companions, forming a mandarin duck alliance, how about it?"

Before Lu Qian could react, a murderous aura had already arisen in the hall, with more than a few discontented glances directed at him—coming from the Foundation Establishment cultivators accompanying them from Tieyuan County.

It seemed this Fairy Jialuo was quite popular in Tieyuan County.

But in any case, he was still one of the honored guests seated in a distinguished position. Based on the seating arrangement alone, Ye Xiao had given him equal treatment as Master Cangfeng, and under such circumstances, no matter what Ye Xiao said, the Feathered Scholar under her command should not have dared to act so rudely.

It seemed the cultivators of Tieyuan County were indeed a rebellious lot.

Lu Qian looked toward the center of the hall, where Shen Jialuo, requested by Ye Xiao to dance for entertainment, continued her movements, yet the jingling of the golden bells on her ankles became disordered. It appeared she wasn’t as composed as she seemed on the surface.

As Lu Qian pondered Ye Xiao’s intentions, he gently placed his wine cup down: "Fairy Ye is jesting. I’ve just met Fairy Shen for the first time, and it’s naturally good to make friends. But becoming Dao companions is a bit too much."

Ye Xiao remained unbothered: "Jialuo has been with me since childhood. Can I, as her master, not have the final say? Besides, with time and frequent contact, you’ll naturally grow to understand each other."

Lu Qian calculated in his heart, wondering what this was for. Repayment? Wooing? Or control?

He then continued, "Fairy Shen is exceptionally talented, a Golden Core direct lineage. I, from a humble background, am not worthy."

Ye Xiao leaned forward slightly and spoke earnestly: "I’ve long heard of the renowned Yunshan Sect. You exercise autonomy, ruling your own domain, heedless of higher commands."

"I used to wonder why Fellow Daoist Li regarded you differently, but after this encounter, I understand now."

"It’s not that Fellow Daoist Li favors you, but that you deserve such treatment."

"I heard you aren’t a native of this province; your sect was destroyed, and you fled here. Yet, you’ve resurged almost instantly. The Yunshan Sect now has eight Foundation Establishment cultivators, six hundred cultivators in total, and you built this foundation while barely past thirty."

Apparently, she wasn’t aware of the intricacies, counting the already departed Guh Niqiang and the entire Shuangye Alliance cultivators under the Yunshan Sect.

As soon as this number was mentioned, the previously hostile gazes in the hall shifted to cautious scrutiny.

They didn’t value honored guests but respected the strong, a fitting portrayal of the Tieyuan cultivators’ usual conduct.