Long-Term Plan

Three days after the events in Qifeng City concluded, Fairy Yunxia summoned Yan Yun to her residence.

“Senior, you sought me?” Yan Yun inquired respectfully, observing Fairy Yunxia meditating with her back turned.

Slowly, Fairy Yunxia rose and turned, her gaze falling upon Yan Yun.

“It isn’t precisely you I sought. Senior Heavenly Poison Maiden should still have a wisp of her remnant soul within you, yes? Could you ask her to appear?”

Yan Yun immediately sought Yan Lingyun’s consent.

Without delay, Yan Lingyun flew forth from within Yan Yun, manifesting before Fairy Yunxia’s eyes.

“Ah! Little lass, it has been a long time. I never imagined that after a millennium, you would have grown to such an extent,” Yan Lingyun greeted Fairy Yunxia with a smile as soon as she appeared.

Fairy Yunxia’s face radiated surprise and delight as she looked at Yan Lingyun.

“Sister Lingyun, I never thought we would have this day to meet again.”

Yan Lingyun sighed softly.

“Indeed. It is quite unexpected that after a thousand years, I would still require your aid to rescue both me and this young one. I suppose it simply means my past act of saving you was not in vain.”

Fairy Yunxia offered a faint smile.

“One might say it was fate granting me an opportunity to repay you. Had you not saved me all those years ago, I would not be who I am today. Sister Lingyun, you and this lass may rest assured staying within the Yunhua Sect. As long as I live, I will not allow anyone to harm you.”

Yet, Yan Lingyun abruptly posed a somber question to Fairy Yunxia.

“But, how much longer can you live?”

This question caused Fairy Yunxia’s expression to falter momentarily.

“Alas! You are right. My lifespan is nearing its end. Before long, I will have no choice but to gamble, to forcefully attempt a breakthrough to the Divine Fire Realm. At that time, relying solely on Yunshuang will not be enough to deter those people.”

“Precisely. You cannot protect us for much longer. This young one and I still need to make other arrangements soon. Those individuals will never truly let us go,” Yan Lingyun stated with a helpless air.

It was simply impossible to resolve the enmity between her and those people.

“If you can offer protection for a few more decades, the issue remains manageable. Little one, you must make good use of these coming decades, understand?” Fairy Yunxia then turned her gaze to Yan Yun.

Yan Yun nodded.

“Senior, please rest assured. I will not implicate the Yunhua Sect. I, Yan Yun, already have a general plan in mind, which I will swiftly bring to fruition. The vendetta between the Lin family and me does not require the sect’s assistance; I have my own methods to resolve it.”

Yan Yun spoke with an air of conviction, a sense of relief settling in her heart.

“That is good, truly good.”

****

After concluding her conversation with Fairy Yunxia, Yan Yun then went to Yunshuang, presenting her with a more complete version of the Poison Sutra.

The six elders were also present, though Yunhong’s attitude towards Yan Yun was noticeably less cordial than before, his eyes filled with suspicion.

The group was comparing the two versions of the Poison Sutra.

“Yan Yun, are you certain that the only difference between this new Heavenly Poison Sutra and the old version is the missing breakthrough method?” Yunshuang asked after reviewing it.

“Sect Master, I originally intended to release the complete version. However, due to my circumstances at the time, I was forced to release it bit by bit. Now that my identity has been made public, I have simply brought out the entirety of it.”

“However, I must state this beforehand: these are, after all, my personal belongings. I have installed a ‘backdoor’ within it. This backdoor ensures that if anyone attempts to use the poison cultivation technique against me, it will have absolutely no effect,” Yan Yun declared clearly.

Yan Yun’s direct disclosure of the backdoor did not elicit a significant reaction from the others. Such was human nature; their primary concern was whether the cultivation technique was complete and capable of allowing one to cultivate to the very end.

“Understood. You need not concern yourself with matters beyond this. Purple Abyss Pavilion will remain under your management; the remaining affairs can be entrusted to us,” Yunshuang stated.

Yan Yun offered a faint smile, then turned and departed the main hall.

For Yan Yun, the Yunhua Sect was not a place for long-term residence; she merely regarded it as a temporary haven. Once the time was right, she would leave the Yunhua Sect.

She had no choice; there were certain things she simply could not accomplish while staying within the Yunhua Sect.

As soon as she stepped out of the main hall, Yan Yun saw Jiang Yao waiting outside.

“Are you specifically waiting for me?” Yan Yun asked with a smile as she approached Jiang Yao from behind.

Seeing Yan Yun’s relaxed expression, Jiang Yao knew that the matter had reached a temporary conclusion.

“Ah! The troubles burdening us truly do grow greater, but perhaps that’s for the best. Now we can openly be together, without needing to hide in secret.”

She grasped Yan Yun’s wrist, then soared into the sky.

Moments later, they descended upon a secluded, uninhabited peak within the Yunhua Sect.

“Oh, the incident in Qifeng City truly terrified me! With so many Divine Venerables trying to kill you, I genuinely thought we were doomed,” Yan Yun recounted with lingering fear.

“I hadn’t anticipated that situation either. Had it not been for the sect, I truly would have been finished. I must never again allow myself to fall into such a dangerous predicament,” Yan Yun admitted, also feeling a profound sense of dread.

Jiang Yao slowly sat down.

“Do you think our arrival in this world might be connected to that mysterious expert who secretly saved your father?”

At the mention of this, Yan Yun immediately pulled Jiang Yao down beside her.

“You’re right, that possibility isn’t entirely out of the question. I suspect that my previous dream, the one predicting the future, might also have been orchestrated by this person. However, if she could revive my father, why would she transform him into a woman? That part I cannot fathom,” Yan Yun mused, having pondered this matter extensively.

This particular question, however, was one they had already discussed several times, yet it always remained without a definitive answer.

“Let’s not dwell on that. Let’s talk about the future instead. You don’t intend to stay in the Yunhua Sect indefinitely, do you?” Jiang Yao asked.

At this, Yan Yun chuckled.

“Hehe, truly worthy of my wife; my thoughts can never be hidden from you. Do you recall when I previously asked you where someone like me could truly belong?”

This was a question Yan Yun had posed shortly after the two had first met.

Jiang Yao had informed Yan Yun that the Tianchen Continent was primarily divided into four major powers.

First were the righteous forces, comprising Jiang Country and several surrounding nations, all part of the Righteous Alliance’s sphere of influence.

The Jiang Country Immortal Alliance was merely a branch of the Righteous Alliance stationed in Jiang Country.

Beyond the righteous forces, there was the demonic path, entirely opposed to righteousness, and two neutral powers: one called the Tian Dao Alliance, and the other the Chaotic Heaven Alliance.

The Tian Dao Alliance’s philosophy emphasized the cycle of the Heavenly Dao and adherence to natural laws. Their domain was governed by individual ability, devoid of distinctions between good and evil, where only the fittest survived.

Neighboring Xiang Country fell within the Tian Dao Alliance’s sphere of influence, which was why the Lin family found themselves helpless once they learned Yan Yun had entered Xiang Country.

The other, the Chaotic Heaven Alliance, was somewhat similar to the Tian Dao Alliance but more extreme.

These four major powers dominated everything on the Tianchen Continent.

Yan Yun intended to accumulate some capital within the Yunhua Sect before leaving the righteous forces’ territory to develop within the Tian Dao Alliance and Chaotic Heaven Alliance.

She certainly couldn’t go to the demonic path, as it was in constant conflict with the righteous path. Going there would put her in direct opposition to the Yunhua Sect.

“The Tian Dao Alliance? Are you really going to the neighboring Xiang Country?” Jiang Yao asked, agitated upon learning of Yan Yun’s idea.

For if that were the case, wouldn’t they have to separate?

“Oh, my dear wife, please don’t get so agitated! You must understand me. Given my current circumstances, staying in Jiang Country would surely lead to constant targeting, which is utterly detrimental to my growth, let alone seeking revenge against the Lin family,” Yan Yun hastily explained.

Jiang Yao could understand, but she found it difficult to accept the outcome.

“Isn’t staying in the Yunhua Sect good enough? Must you be so desperate to grow stronger? Can’t you wait for me to catch up?” Jiang Yao questioned, a series of queries tumbling out.

“Alas! Your cultivation path and mine are fundamentally different. I also do not wish to implicate you or the Yunhua Sect. You know the kind of person I am, my love; you must support me,” Yan Yun said softly, drawing Jiang Yao gently into her embrace.

Jiang Yao remained silent.

****

Although Yan Yun had shared the complete Heavenly Poison Sutra, it did not, in fact, alter the problem of the poison cultivation technique’s excessively high entry requirements.

Afterward, Yan Yun began to extensively refine various poison medicines. These poisons were indispensable for poison cultivators seeking rapid advancement.

The Poison Sutra could be shared, but these specific poison medicines still held those poison cultivators by the throat.

The Yunhua Sect and Yan Yun continued to reap immense profits, especially Yan Yun. Her various shops earned her millions of spirit stones each month, and more.

The number of poison cultivators in Purple Abyss Pavilion continued to rise, with more poison cultivators appearing across the lands each day.

Their demand for poison medicines also increased exponentially.

In the blink of an eye, two years passed.

The cultivation world of Jiang Country also welcomed a grand event: the Jiang Country New Disciple Exchange Conference.

The venue for this event was the Six Yang Mountain headquarters of the Jiang Country Immortal Alliance.