Banshee Family Training Record

Page 240

He muttered to himself, but didn't delay. He then summoned the system's light blue panel and checked the details of each task:

[May your family prosper]

[Task Description: As the head of the family, your most urgent task is to expand the family's size. Only a family with a large and prosperous population can achieve lasting prosperity.]

[Mission Objective: Increase the number of official family members to ten. Current progress: 9/10.]

[Quest Reward: 'Eternal Glory Array' Formation Diagram.]

【Guide to Yanshui Part 1】

[Task Description: It is known that Yan Shuiyi, the chief disciple of the Qingyun Sect, has a preference for upright men who are also talented in literature. If this relationship develops, she will become a member of your family and even a companion on your cultivation journey.]

[Mission Objective: To make Yan Shui a family member and raise her trust level to "Admiration".]

[Quest Reward: Peerless Sword Intent]

[Guide to Dongfang Yue]

[Task Description: It is known that Dongfang Yue, the daughter of the current sect leader of the Qingyun Sect, has a preference for domineering men who possess novel and unique knowledge and secret techniques. If this relationship develops, she will become a member of your family, and even a companion on your cultivation journey.]

[Mission Objective: To make Dongfang Yue a family member and raise her trust level to "Admiration".]

[Quest Reward: Arcane Art 'Seventh Intuition']

[Guide to Sheng Linglong]

[Task Description: It is known that Princess Sheng Linglong of Jin favors men who are just, loyal, and patriotic. If this trend continues, she will become a member of your family and even a companion on your cultivation journey.]

[Mission Objective: To make Sheng Linglong a family member and raise her trust level to "Admiration".]

[Quest Reward: Jin State Pillar Scepter]

Yun Chu'an squinted and read through the information one by one. There was too much information to study carefully at once, so he could only skim through it first.

He reached out and lightly tapped the reward for the quest "Prosperous Family"—the "Eternal Glory Array" formation diagram. Dense annotations appeared beside it, their contents so convoluted and difficult to understand that they made his head spin.

He glanced at the summary and preliminarily determined that the core function of this grand formation should be to gather spiritual energy and create a blessed land exclusively for his family members to cultivate.

Having roughly grasped the contents of the reward, he then glanced at the progress of the mission. However, the progress of the nine people made him raise an eyebrow.

Why are there nine people?

He opened the details and looked at them carefully. Including himself, there were eight women: You Wensi, Ye Jinglan, Nie Ningshuang, Zhu Yunqing, Hua Caiyan, Liu Mengshen, Qi Qiao, and Diao Suisui, all of whom were members of the family.

That's true, but the problem is...

Yan Yao wasn't included?

Logically speaking, she was the adopted daughter that he and Hua Caiyan had raised together, and should be considered a member of the family. After all, even the little snake demon Diao Suisui was now counted as a family member by the system, so there was no reason why Yan Yao, who was closer to him, was not.

Is this girl harboring some other ulterior motive?

Or……

His brows furrowed slightly, his eyes narrowed, recalling the many unusual things Yan Yao had done all along, and a terrifying thought suddenly popped into his head.

Or is it that Yan Yao can't actually be considered a person?

What exactly is she?

He didn't know, and for the time being, he had no way of figuring it out. All he had in mind was a little doubt.

Chapter 487 Marry them all?

At this moment, noticing his strange behavior, You Wensi asked with a puzzled look, "Master, what's wrong?"

Yun Chu'an's thoughts were interrupted. He came back to his senses and shook his head slightly: "Nothing, I was just thinking about something."

Suppressing his doubts about Yan Yao, he looked at the women behind him who were being pursued, turning them into side quests for his family members. He couldn't help but smile wryly: "Mother-in-law, what do you think the odds are if I marry Yan Shuiyi, Dongfang Yue, and Sheng Linglong at the same time?"

You Wensi looked at him with a puzzled expression: "...Master, are you joking?"

Yun Chu'an turned his face away and gave an awkward laugh: "Haha, just kidding, don't take it seriously. Uh, let's change the subject. Is there a simpler way to get them all to join our Huai Shan family?"

You Wen thought for a moment, but couldn't come up with a good reason. Then, her attention turned to another matter: "Master, now that you are the head of the family, shouldn't our family no longer be called the Huai Shan Family, but the Yun Family?"

Yun Chu'an thought about it carefully and shook his head slightly: "It's not appropriate, at least not for the time being."

"Let's talk about it later. Once the family truly owns its own auspicious burial ground and secret realm, the outside world will naturally change how they refer to our family from 'Huaishan Family' to 'Yun Family'..."

He said this in a calm tone, but his words revealed his ambition.

He naturally had the confidence and resources to do so. The sun was currently high in the sky, and the warm spirit of the sun was continuously falling on him, which he absorbed, making his spiritual power surge and become intensely hot.

Such is the talent of those with Heavenly Spiritual Roots. Even without the sun, as long as they stand on the ground, they can continuously absorb spiritual energy and consolidate their cultivation.

The scarcity of spirit stones may hinder most cultivators from advancing, but it can never become a stumbling block for those with celestial spiritual roots to cultivate.

From today onwards, Yun Chuan's resources for his own cultivation are practically unlimited!

……

Inside the New Ten Thousand Serpent Cave, the atmosphere was bustling with activity. Although most of the lesser demons hadn't fully recovered from their injuries and couldn't immediately launch a large-scale operation, it didn't stop them from seeing that bright future and genuinely rejoicing in it.

Moreover, a distinguished guest has arrived at the python's den today.

An envoy from the State of Zhao.

The man who arrived had a handsome face and a dignified appearance. He wore a brocade hat and a long gown, and looked extraordinary.

What's even more remarkable is his cultivation level. At this moment, this man is actively displaying his spiritual energy fluctuations. The pressure of the late Golden Core stage makes all the surrounding lesser demons nervous and dare not step forward.

He stood there in the Cave of Ten Thousand Snakes, letting the demons, monsters, and stags around him watch without any sign of nervousness. He then said loudly, "I want to speak with your ancestor."

Before him stood a snake demon in the Golden Core stage, now in human form. Its triangular eyes held none of its usual arrogance. It cupped its hands and said, "Please wait a moment, my lord. Our ancestor is currently in seclusion. I have already sent someone to inform him, and he will be here soon."

No sooner had the words left his mouth than the deep voice of the Yellow Python Ancestor echoed from the depths of the cave: "There's no need to keep the special envoy waiting any longer. I have already emerged from seclusion. Please invite him in."

The Golden Core snake demon was overjoyed and hurriedly invited the late-stage Golden Core cultivator from the Zhao Kingdom inside.

Even though he knew he was about to face a Nascent Soul cultivator, he remained calm and strode forward into the depths.

Not long after he left, he saw a giant python coiled up there, its scales gleaming with golden light. Judging from its aura, it seemed to be shedding its scales and transforming into a dragon, which was quite awe-inspiring.

The Yellow Python Ancestor appeared to be in excellent condition. He looked down at the Zhao State envoy before him, flicked his tongue slightly, and asked with deep suspicion in his eyes, "Whom have you come for?"

The man said, "I have come for my king."

The ancestor remained silent for a moment, then turned to look at the two remaining Golden Core serpents beside him: "You two go down first, I'll talk to him here myself."

The two golden-core snakes hesitated for a moment, then bowed, turned around, and left the room.

Thus, in the deepest part of the Ten Thousand Snake Cave, only the embroidered-hat envoy and the Yellow Python Ancestor remained.

After his children and grandchildren had all left, the Yellow Python Ancestor said directly, "Let's get straight to the point. What is the purpose of the King of Zhao sending you here?"

Before him, the special envoy of the King of Zhao tried his best to appear respectful, but he could not hide the contempt for the mountain demon cultivator in his eyes.

He lowered his head with difficulty, concealing his true feelings: "First of all, of course, I congratulate you on successfully breaking through to the Nascent Soul stage. Our Zhao Kingdom has gained a new Pillar of the Nation cultivator, which is a great blessing for our people."

Upon hearing this, Ancestor Huangmang suddenly let out a cold laugh: "The Zhao Kingdom has gained a new Pillar of State? How come I didn't know? I'm actually a cultivator from the Zhao Kingdom?"

The envoy of the King of Zhao looked up and said, "Senior was born in the State of Zhao and cultivated in the State of Zhao. The things you are doing now, such as moving mountains and building roads and clearing the weather, are all for the State of Zhao. How can you not be called a cultivator of the State of Zhao?"

"Even if there are treacherous ministers and villains who try to obstruct the king's attention, our king is still wise and will not deny the contributions of our predecessors to the Zhao state because of the slander of a few treacherous ministers."

Upon hearing this, the Yellow Python Ancestor immediately understood.

The winds have shifted. The birth of a Nascent Soul level expert is enough to make King Zhao change his mind. Instead of using force to eliminate him, he is preparing to throw out a few scapegoats and adopt a policy of appeasement, turning a blind eye to him.

Having understood the other party's attitude, his tone gradually softened: "My king is wise and sagacious. I have always believed that the treacherous minister's conspiracy will eventually be exposed and the loyal minister's injustice will be redressed."

The envoy of King Zhao cursed inwardly, "You bastard! What a load of rubbish! You have the nerve to bring up your despicable and treacherous deeds. It's truly unfair of Heaven and the capriciousness of fate that you were allowed to break through to the Nascent Soul stage."

He suppressed his dissatisfaction, and then heard the giant snake in front of him say, "Now that King Zhao knows of my loyalty, what kind of compensation will he give me?"

The envoy from the King of Zhao regained his senses and continued, "Our king is well aware of what you need. In fact, our king has a long-standing feud with the King of Jin and has been planning to annex the State of Jin and recover our lost territories."

"If you are also interested in this, I, the King, intend to appoint you as the future Dragon King of the Wei River, to help you shed your scales and transform into a dragon, and to take control of the great river."

He said this, paused for a moment, and then continued, "The Yellow River Dragon Clan will not take action because of this."

The Yellow Python Ancestor's eyes lit up. Shedding scales and transforming into a dragon was the lifelong dream of every snake demon, and he was no exception.

The King of Zhao's meaning was that he tacitly approved of Zhao's actions against the Wei River Dragon Clan, extracting the blood of the entire clan to help him complete his evolution.

King Zhao will help him hold off the Yellow River Dragon Clan, preventing them from attacking him before he completes his transformation into a dragon.

This chip made him want to burst out laughing.

He was already quite satisfied with these conditions, but his face showed that he was still quite dissatisfied and wanted more.

The King of Zhao's envoy was well-prepared for this, and produced a map to delineate the territory, agreeing that once the matter was settled, these places would all be his territory.

As for him, King Zhao's only requirement was that he align himself with the strategic direction of the Zhao state and advance and retreat together.

Finally, the envoy of the King of Zhao added, "Naturally, recently, in order to prevent the King of Jin from finding out about this matter, you should join the King of Zhao in condemning the Qin state's probing and provocative actions on the border."

"When the time is right, we will act together to reclaim our territory."

This seemed like a trivial request, but Huang Mang Patriarch agreed without hesitation: "Of course, it is only right. I will do my best to support you and help King Zhao solve his problems."

Chapter 488 The Princess's Worries

At this point, the contract was finalized, and both parties were quite satisfied with the outcome of the negotiations.

The Zhao envoy immediately turned and left to return to his country to report to the King of Zhao. No sooner had he left than the Yellow Python Ancestor's once gleaming golden scales suddenly dimmed, and grayish-white spots appeared on them.

His breathing gradually became heavy, but he couldn't bother to regulate his breathing and stabilize his condition. His originally excited eyes gradually turned into hatred.

Ha, humans, thinking you're so good at disguising yourselves, thinking I can't see the arrogance in your eyes?

In any case, the prejudice of humans against my snake race will not change, and cooperation at this time is only a temporary measure.

Wait, once I complete my dragon transformation, I will devour both the Zhao Kingdom and the Yellow River Dragon Clan!

He was ambitious, and his chest burned with an uncontrollable desire that was growing wildly and without end.

But he also knew that the most important thing right now was to devour the Wei River Dragon Clan.

Let the Wei River Dragon Clan be his first delicious meal on his journey to become a dragon!

……

Weihu Market, located on the surface of the lake.

Yun Chu'an walked alone here, looking around. Compared to the Weihu Market he remembered, this place was much quieter now.

Most fundamentally, the density of cultivator stalls here has clearly decreased by an order of magnitude. Even the Qi Refining stage cultivators, who should be the most numerous, are now scattered and few in number, unable to form any significant scale.

It is conceivable that the current situation is due to the fact that the news of Huang Mang Ancestor's achievement of the Nascent Soul stage has spread far and wide, causing great panic among local cultivators. As a result, many people have now moved away.

What a sin...

Looking at everything before him, Yun Chu'an couldn't help but feel a sense of感慨 (gǎnkǎi, mixed feelings). Just then, a fiery red figure appeared, rushed to his side, grabbed his wrist, and pouted, clearly unhappy.

It was none other than Hua Caiyan.

Yun Chu'an also took her small hand and asked softly, "How is it? What is the current situation of the major families?"

Before today, Hua Caiyan had been personally in charge of the activities here. Her cultivation level was already at the mid-Foundation Establishment stage, and she was proficient in disguise, making it almost impossible for cultivators below the Golden Core stage to see through her disguise.

Therefore, she could act without restraint, traveling everywhere to inquire about the information she needed.

“We’ve found out pretty much everything.” Hearing this, she replied softly, “It’s pretty much what you guessed before. The Wenren and Xiahou families are definitely going to leave. They’ve even found out their destination. However, it’s not the capital of Jin, but another place, a border area with other countries.”

"Clearly, these guys are all prepared so they can make a quick getaway should anything happen between Zhao and Jin."

Yun Chu'an nodded gently: "Yes, I understand. What about the Nalan family? Has Madam Nalan's injury healed?"

Hua Caiyan said, "I found out. She's actually recovered, but she's still pretending to be seriously injured so she can have an excuse to avoid outsiders. She hasn't seen anyone during this time."

"As for their next move, they have reached a consensus: to leave quietly, and directly leave the State of Jin to seek refuge in other countries."

Hua Caiyan couldn't find out which country it was, so she simply didn't say.

After hearing this, Yun Chu'an immediately showed a distressed expression: "Oh dear... what's wrong with these people? They're all locals, so why do they all think of fleeing for their own lives when disaster strikes?"

Hua Caiyan sighed softly: "After all, this time it is indeed a great calamity. A Nascent Soul cultivator is a rare find, not only in the states of Zhao and Jin, but even in the entire Central Plains, one might not appear for decades. In the vassal states, it is a matter of great importance that can directly affect the rise and fall of a country..."

She gently shrugged: "Who knows, it just happened right here, all of a sudden?"

Yun Chu'an nodded slightly, agreeing. If a Nascent Soul cultivator doesn't perish prematurely, they can generally live for over two thousand years. If they take good care of themselves or consume some rare and precious medicines, living to three thousand years old is not impossible.