Pressing Forward

Turning to Yan Yun, she too felt the looming crisis within her family.

Though she harbored deep prejudices against Yan Long, the Yan family had never treated her poorly.

The blood of the Yan family flowed through her veins; their prosperity was hers, and their ruin would be hers too.

She could not possibly stand by idly and do nothing.

“Youngster, it’s not for lack of trying, but in my several centuries of life, I’ve come to understand only one truth: many situations often defy reason, boiling down purely to a clash of interests.”

“Currently, the Yan family stands in the Lin family’s path.”

“If the Yan family lacks a counter-strategy, its decline would be the mildest outcome.”

“More commonly and severely, a family faces utter annihilation; you must be mentally prepared.”

Yan Lingyun had been continuously expounding upon the harsh realities of this world to Yan Yun.

This was because she herself had truly experienced the darkness and malice of this world firsthand.

Yan Yun remained silent, not denying anything Yan Lingyun had said, yet she truly needed time to ponder and observe further.

Should the Yan family indeed face a moment of life-or-death peril, she would undoubtedly exert her utmost effort to help them overcome the crisis.

“Allow me to consider this thoroughly,” Yan Yun said with a sigh of resignation.

“Even if we must confront this trouble, we still need to prepare properly.”

Following the incident with the Yan family’s defective pills, the foot traffic in the Yan family’s market instantly plummeted by half.

Customers dwindled day by day, and even those factions that had previously maintained cooperative ties immediately suspended their transactions with the Yan family.

The situation grew increasingly dire.

As for Yan Yun, she did not concern herself with these matters.

Instead, she immersed herself in studying alchemy at her residence, recognizing this as her immediate priority.

Even if she were to aid the Yan family, she could only do so covertly, for Yan Yun’s poison arts were a clandestine power.

Frankly speaking, Yan Lingyun’s past enemies were scattered across every corner of the Heaven Dust Continent.

Should Yan Yun dare to expose her poison arts, she would risk being hunted down by all the major cultivation powers.

****

Days later, the Yan family’s market lay utterly desolate, with scarcely a single customer in sight.

All patrons had flocked to the West City and the Jiang family’s establishments.

Meanwhile, Jiang Yao, residing at the Cloud Blossom Sect, also received news of the Lin family’s move against the Yan family.

Consequently, she arrived at Lin Mo’s residence, her expression frigid.

“Lin Mo, come out here!” Jiang Yao roared in fury.

Before long, Lin Mo emerged from the pavilion, a strange smile playing on his lips.

“Oh, isn’t this Junior Sister Jiang? What matters have made you so angry?” Lin Mo inquired, feigning ignorance.

The sight of his hypocritical smirk made Jiang Yao’s stomach churn.

She had initially intended to confront him, yet the words caught in her throat just as she was about to speak, suddenly swallowed back down.

For she realized, once more, that there was nothing truly worth saying to this man.

Thus, she forced a smile, then spoke to Lin Mo with an air of pleasantry.

“Heh heh, I’m not angry. I merely came to inform you that I’ve changed my mind. I’ll be returning home today or tomorrow to marry my fiancé ahead of schedule. You’re welcome to come to the Jiang family and partake in my wedding feast.”

Having spoken, Jiang Yao decisively turned and departed.

These words instantly darkened Lin Mo’s expression, transforming it into a grimace; he had initially believed he had Jiang Yao firmly under his thumb.

He had anticipated Jiang Yao coming to plead on behalf of the Yan family, never imagining she would instead come to humiliate him.

“You! Vile wretch, you slut…”

The more Lin Mo thought, the angrier he became, until he furiously raised his hand and unleashed a violent barrage of attacks upon the garden rocks, causing dust to erupt everywhere.

After leaving Lin Mo’s residence, Jiang Yao muttered curses under her breath the entire way.

‘What utter nonsense? Who do you think you are, trying to coerce me with violence? No chance!’

‘As soon as I marry that Yan Yun, the Jiang and Yan families will become one, and then we’ll see what you can do.’

Jiang Yao understood clearly that retreat held no meaning.

Upon leaving Lin Mo, she immediately headed to her master Yunshuang’s residence.

****

Within the Cloud Blossom Sect, atop a serene mountain peak known as Moon-Gazing Peak, lay the residence of the Sect Master of Cloud Blossom.

Jiang Yao descended from the sky, landing before the entrance of a quiet and beautiful pavilion.

“Master! Your disciple requests an audience,” Jiang Yao said, bowing respectfully towards the pavilion.

Immediately thereafter, an ethereal and resonant female voice emanated from within the pavilion.

“Enter.”

Only after receiving permission did Jiang Yao push open the door and step inside.

Upon entering, she glimpsed a woman behind a curtain, clad in a delicate gauze dress, lying on a chair with her eyes closed in contemplation.

This was an exquisitely beautiful woman, her long hair cascading down, dressed in casual attire.

Her figure was voluptuous and graceful; lying there, she resembled a painting, her temperament and appearance both utterly peerless.

Even Jiang Yao found her gaze fixed upon her master, utterly mesmerized by her appearance.

She was none other than the current Sect Master of Cloud Blossom, Yunshuang, renowned as the foremost beauty in the cultivation world of the Jiang Kingdom.

“Speak, what troubles you? Surely it’s not about family matters, is it?”

Yunshuang shifted, turning onto her side, opening her eyes, and gazing at Jiang Yao with a gentle smile.

After collecting her thoughts, Jiang Yao articulated her purpose.

“Master, I have decided to return to my family early and marry my fiancé. I hope Master will grant permission,” Jiang Yao stated directly.

With such a significant event unfolding in Phoenix Roost City, Yunshuang undoubtedly would have known about it long ago.

Yet, she had no compelling reason to intervene.

Upon hearing this, Yunshuang did not express anger; instead, she merely gazed at Jiang Yao with a serene expression.

“Have you given this thorough consideration?”

Jiang Yao nodded without a hint of hesitation.

“It seems Master is already aware of what has transpired with my family.”

“This matter originated because of me, and I cannot bring harm upon them.”

“Only by swiftly marrying that Yan Yun can we ensure the Lin family will no longer dare to act wantonly and exert pressure.”

Yunshuang observed her disciple’s resolute gaze and let out a soft sigh.

“Ah, I understand. Since you have made your decision, proceed as you deem fit.”

“However, remember my earlier words: do not fall truly in love, do you understand?” Yunshuang cautioned.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Yao also smiled.

“Master, please rest assured. This is purely an act.”

“Besides, how could I possibly harbor such thoughts for a mere child I’ve never even met?”

With the conversation having reached this point, Yunshuang saw no need to waste further words.

“Very well, I shall send you home tomorrow.”

****

Meanwhile, back in Phoenix Roost City.

A greater tribulation had befallen the Yan family: their Pill Pavilion was sealed by the Jiang Kingdom’s Immortal Dao Alliance today.

Furthermore, a prohibition was imposed upon the Yan family, forbidding them from engaging in any further pill business.

Just as they had anticipated, the Lin family was actively driving the Yan family towards utter destruction; now, it seemed, only an outright massacre at their doorstep remained.

Every member of the Yan family was steeped in gloom.

They had never imagined that, in a mere few days, their family would fall into such a desperate state, it was simply too swift.

There was utterly no time to react.

Crucially, the Immortal Dao Alliance had imposed this prohibition on the Yan family without any investigation whatsoever, a clear indication of the Lin family’s manipulative influence.

The envoys they had dispatched to the Royal Capital days earlier had also returned, bearing the disheartening news that no one was willing to oppose the Lin family on behalf of the Yan family.

In desperation, they had even journeyed to the Lin family themselves, personally seeking forgiveness and pleading for leniency, yet regrettably, the Lin family refused to grant any audience to the Yan family members.

This clearly demonstrated that the Lin family truly had no intention of sparing the Yan family.

“Bad news, bad news, Family Head! The Zhou family and the Song family have led people to storm our Yan family market! First Young Master, Second Young Master, they’re fighting them!”

Before one crisis could be resolved, another emerged; troubles seemed to cascade endlessly.

Yan Long and the others, who had been deliberating countermeasures in the great hall, instantly blanched, then immediately led their people towards the market.

At the market, indeed, chaos reigned, with cultivators clashing everywhere.

Yan Hui and Yan Kun were currently leading their clansmen in a fierce confrontation against the forces of the Zhou and Song families.

“Yan Hui, your Yan family has offended those you should not have.”

“Such a predicament is entirely your own doing.”

“From today forward, the Yan family’s territory will be taken over by our two families; abandon your futile struggles.”

The young man from the Zhou family, who had recently been with Lin Ze, was already locked in fierce combat with Yan Hui.

Both were cultivators at the Great Completion stage of the Cave-Heaven Realm, and the commotion of their battle was substantial indeed.