Chapter 646 363: A Wise Choice

Unlike the three major intelligence organizations—sinister, vicious groups that lived by the blade—the three great commerce associations of Yuzhou had always focused solely on business and acquiring resources, rarely involving themselves in the feuds and disputes between the major powers.

Thus, after learning that the three intelligence organizations had been annihilated overnight, the leadership of the three commerce associations adopted a very pragmatic attitude: since the future unification of Yuzhou was inevitable, they should just go with the flow.

They also happened to notice the Ling Family's unusual nature and understood that this was bound to be the superpower that would dominate the realm's future. And so, after the higher-ups of the three associations conferred, today's secret meeting came to be.

"...To show our sincerity, our Xingyun sun Commerce Association has brought over a hundred exceptionally talented Female Cultivators, as well as a cache of resources sufficient to ensure the family can nurture ten Void Refining Cultivators in the future."

Xue Yibing spoke gently. To become a Void Refining Realm Cultivator, sufficient resources were merely the foundation. One's own innate talent, Life Chart and Fate, and fortuitous opportunities were also indispensable conditions.

The three commerce associations did not lack resources, but after so many years, each only had two Void Refining Cultivators presiding over them, which showed just how difficult it was to advance one's Realm.

Of course, with Ling Changqing's help, these conditions, which were originally as difficult to overcome as a natural chasm, would not be a major problem for the women by his side.

"Yes, our Gathering Sea Pavilion has also brought a batch of resources, as well as a hundred Female Cultivators of excellent character and appearance. From now on, they will only follow your arrangements, Patriarch."

Beside them, Qin Shuying spoke in a soft, gentle voice, the golden hairpin in her chignon swaying with a captivating shimmer.

Yang Jinyi of the Illusory Treasure Pavilion spoke with a lovely smile, "It's the same for us. Patriarch, as long as you marry us, besides the Female Cultivators we bring as our dowry, if you have any other requests that we can fulfill, we will never refuse!

In the future, our three commerce associations can advance and retreat with the Ling Family in all matters. Even if you want to establish an entirely new superpower, it will be no problem."

'Of course. I knew it would be like this.'

Ling Changqing complained internally, but he had to admit that the sincerity the three associations had shown was indeed substantial.

From now on, the three commerce associations would be completely bound to the Ling Family on a strategic level, sharing their fortunes and failures, just like Lu Hua Palace and the others.

Ling Qiyue shot him a look, then turned away and said with a smile:

"Then it's settled. As long as your contributions are sufficient, the interests of the three commerce associations will not be affected after the Yuzhou Cultivation Realm is unified."

"Excellent. That sets our minds at ease."

Xue Yibing breathed a sigh of relief. This outcome was enough for her to report back to the Elders.

In the future, the Ling Family would surely expand into the surrounding regions, conquering new territories, and her association would benefit immensely as a result.

Perhaps one day, the association could even expand its business to other continents? Or even the Outer Heaven World?

The talks were a complete success. That evening, Xue Yibing and the other two women stayed, and Ling Qiyue arranged for a grand banquet to entertain the three newly allied powers.

At this point, of the eighteen powers that once dominated the Yuzhou Cultivation Realm, only six remained. The rest had either been annihilated or had sided with the Ling Family.

The six annihilated powers were the Shadow Demon Hall, the Secret Guard Camp, the Hidden Assassins Sect, the Cui Family, the Mu Family, and the Saint Yu Immortal Dynasty.

Meanwhile, Lu Hua Palace, the Liu Ying Clan, and Xianyin Pavilion were completely on Ling Changqing's side. Now, they were joined by the three commerce associations: Xingyun sun, Illusory Treasure Pavilion, and Gathering Sea Pavilion.

As for the Yu Family, the Feng Family, the Yin Family, the Yu Family, the Tang Family, and the Hao Family, these were the six powers that had not yet declared their allegiance.

Of course, from Ling Changqing's perspective, their attitudes no longer mattered much.

Even if these six powers banded together tomorrow, and even if they were joined by the Beichen Family and the Taiqing Divine Dynasty from Yaozhou to fight the Ling Family, it wouldn't change a thing.

The Ling Family merely needed time to digest their victories and consolidate their new territories, which was the only reason they were tolerated to live for a few more years.

...

「The heartland of Yuzhou.」

The Fengdao Mountain Range was the foundational stronghold of the Tang Family, one of the Nine Great Families.

While not comparable to the three great Dragon Veins of Yuzhou, it was still a prime location. Spiritual Qi was abundant, all sorts of resources were plentiful, and the family had meticulously managed it for ten thousand years.

Atop the main peak, within a stone pavilion steeped in ancient charm, Tang Zhenghong, the current Patriarch of the Tang Family, was playing a game of Go with Patriarch Yu.

This new Patriarch of the Yu Family, Yu Jinglong, was Yu Yalan's biological father. He had not held the patriarchal authority for long, but his position was quite stable.

The reason, of course, was that Yu Yalan had successfully remained by the side of the Child of Destiny. Although his current whereabouts were unknown, this fact was certain.

Outside the stone pavilion, the breathtakingly beautiful and graceful Tang Wanying waited quietly, surrounded by a group of peerless Female Cultivators from the Tang Family.

"...Had enough?"

Yu Jinglong placed a stone, asking with a relaxed smile.

Tang Zhenghong stared at the board, sighed helplessly, and conceded defeat.

"Your skill at Go is something I've always admired. Your ability to strategize and lay out a plan is truly extraordinary."

The Tang Family Patriarch's eyes narrowed slightly as he spoke with a hidden meaning.

Yu Jinglong nodded, not shying away from the topic. "Those other families have approached me, and they've approached you. So, by now, your Tang Family should have made a decision, right?"

Tang Zhenghong frowned and glanced at Tang Wanying in the distance, then spread his hands.

"What else can I do? Of course we'll follow the Yu Family's lead. My girls were just a bit short on luck back then. If they had been with your three lasses, they might have even had children by now. It's truly..."

Speaking of this, Tang Zhenghong couldn't help but feel some resentment. His own Tang Wanying and the other girls were in no way inferior to the Yu Family's Yu Ruoshuang and Yu Yalan in terms of talent, character, or appearance.

Yet, they had somehow managed to find the Child of Destiny and successfully remain by his side. As a result, no matter how the situation outside changed, Patriarch Yu remained perfectly calm and secure, not panicking in the slightest.

Even the fallen Mu Family, thanks to Mu Yunxiu, Mu Xinlan, and their women, had managed to preserve a part of its bloodline, avoiding complete annihilation.

Yu Jinglong nodded slightly, his expression growing more serious. "It's good that the Tang Family has made its choice. I don't know all the specific details, but that's not important.

Later, you and I will go see the Patriarch of the Ling Family, and perhaps then, the truth will come to light."

He conveyed the last two sentences via Divine Thought. Moreover, the stone pavilion was protected by Multiple Array Restrictions, ensuring absolute secrecy.

Tang Zhenghong's expression flickered. He quickly understood, nodding with a solemn look on his face. He knew he had truly made the right choice this time.

In this treacherous and unpredictable era of great conflict, where even the Celestial Secrets were in chaos, a single misstep for either an individual or a family could lead to eternal damnation.

"Brother Yu, if the Ling Family is truly... how could we have been completely oblivious for so many years?"

Tang Zhenghong asked via Divine Thought.

"It must be the effect of Celestial Secret Shielding. You know as well as I do that 'He' is impossible to divine."

Yu Jinglong replied, "At first, we all thought the Ling Family was just a proxy propped up by those three factions of female cultivators. We assumed they had so many High Level Female Cultivators because of the support from those three factions behind the scenes.

Little did we know, the truth was not at all what we thought. Or rather, the outcome was correct, but our understanding of the cause and the process was completely wrong."

In the eyes of outsiders like the Yu and Tang Families, the three factions of female cultivators in Yuzhou had always maintained a good relationship and collaborated on many things. However, forming a strategic alliance to share life and death was another matter entirely.

Only a special existence like the Child of Destiny could make them completely set aside their differences, stand together without reservation, and even plan to unify Yuzhou together.

Now, more than half of Yuzhou had fallen under the Ling Family's control. To be precise, it had fallen under the control of the Child of Destiny.

Such a situation had never occurred in the past tens of thousands of years, and it caught the various powers completely off guard.

"In that case, the fate of those four families... is sealed, isn't it?"

Tang Zhenghong asked in a low voice.

"What else did you expect?"

Yu Jinglong chuckled. "Yuzhou has been divided for far too long. It's time for it to be unified. Otherwise, we won't even survive the first wave of the coming Immortal Dao Heavy Tribulation!"

"You speak the truth, Brother Yu."

Tang Zhenghong nodded in sincere agreement.

Once the Yu Family and the Tang Family clearly sided with the Ling Family, the only powers in Yuzhou that had yet to submit were the Yu Family, the Yin Family, the Feng Family, and the Hao Family.

These four families had limited strength and would absolutely not be able to withstand a siege from the Ling Family. Even with the backing of the Beichen Family and the Taiqing Divine Dynasty, the outcome would not change.

However, in Yu Jinglong's eyes, this was a case of 'better them than me.' After all, the Yu Family's relationship with them over the years had been lukewarm at best, with no shortage of friction and conflict. Now was the perfect time to settle all accounts.

"Well then, there's no time like the present. Shall we depart now?"

Yu Jinglong stood up. He had come to visit the Tang Family this time precisely to bring them along to pay a visit to the Ling Family's Patriarch.

If he was lucky, he might even be able to see Yu Yalan and the others, or even... the Child of Destiny himself?

"Alright. I'll need an hour to prepare the gifts. Please wait a moment, Brother Yu."

Tang Zhenghong replied readily. With hope for his family's future, he naturally had no more lingering worries.