novelraw Chapter 57: Plot
Chapter 57: Plot
While the Yuanjing Clan's influence was formidable, it did not go unchallenged in the diverse and competitive landscape of the north. To the east, the Qingfeng Clan's mastery over the subterranean world allowed them to extract and trade in rare metals and precious minerals, essential for the crafting of cultivation tools.
To the south, the verdant gardens and alchemical expertise of the Hehua Clan yielded an array of herbal medicines and elixirs, each vial a coveted treasure promising healing and enhancement. Meanwhile, to the west, the Yinghao Clan's forges blazed into the night, their weapons and armor becoming symbols of might and artistry.
Though rivals in commerce, these clans formed a complex web of interdependence, with each specializing in a trade that, while competing, also complemented the others, creating a robust economy of essential goods.
One month had passed since the letter was sent by Gao. Outer Elder Yun Chen of the Yuanjing clan was reviewing clan accounts when a clan merchant named Yun Qianli arrived. The merchant greeted Outer Elder Chen respectfully and presented the sealed message he had received from a merchant from Lujingbao Fort.
Intrigued, Chen opened the sealed message and quickly scanned its contents, a smile slowly spreading across his face. The sealed message was from someone named Gao, who claimed that eleven years ago, Xuan, one of the heir apparents of the Yuanjing clan, had sired a son during his travels in the desert.
The boy, now ten, was currently training at Lujingbao Fort under the tutelage of two guardians, Boluo and Chao.
More alarmingly, Gao insinuated that Boluo and Chao were teaching the boy demonic cultivation techniques. He claimed to have noticed the child manifesting strange dark energies during training. Gao strongly urged the Yuanjing clan to take action against this potential threat.
Outer Elder Chen praised the merchant Yun Qianli for his services and assured him of a generous reward. This was very important and good news. After the merchant left, Outer Elder Chen departed to share this fortuitous news with his allies on the council of elders. Chen met with three other outer elders, Li, Wuju, and Zhao, behind closed doors.
All four were part of Core Elder Yun Tianxing's faction, which had long competed with Yun Minzhu's faction, Xuan's grandfather and Wuyi's biological great-grandfather, for influence.
Yuanjing was one of the strongest clans in the north of the Tianbao kingdom. Just like many other clans, the clan structure depended on the strength of members. The oldest, most powerful members were core elders, with the patriarch being the pillar of the clan. The clan was divided into factions, each core elder having their own faction.
Even though the clan had a few hundred thousand members, there were no more than three hundred core elders in the clan.
As in any faction, there was clan politics between core elders' factions for more resources and strengthening their faction. Xuan, Wuyi's father, was not the only heir apparent; there were a few other heir apparents competing with Xuan who were born in other core elders' factions.
Chen, Li, Wuju, and Zhao belonged to the faction of a core elder whose heir apparent was competing with Xuan to become the clan's heir. It was not that Wuyi had bad luck, and Gao's message was sent to a competing elder's faction. Gao knew about clan politics, and he had specifically instructed the merchant that the message should be sent to the competing factions of Wuyi's father.
The merchant had done his due diligence before finding another merchant who belonged to core elder Yun Tianxing's faction.
The four outer elders discussed the implications of Gao's sealed message over wine. Outer Elders Li and Zhao expressed skepticism about Gao's claims, but Chen insisted he had heard rumors of Xuan's desert tryst years ago. There was a confirmed document in the clan archives that a member was born in the desert.
But since Lujingbao was too far, none of them took it seriously except the officials of the clan who document these things.
In any case, it was an opportunity, whether the demonic claims were true or not. Even if he was not demonic, they had a reason to eliminate the boy. The boy was from the Minzhu faction, and it had come on a platter for them.
Wuju agreed. They could not allow a potential demonic cultivator to grow up carrying the Yuanjing bloodline. Even if he was not demonic, eliminating this bastard son, who has Xuan's bloodline, might save them future troubles.
Outer Elder Zhao raised the question of whether they should inform the Core Elder of their faction, Elder Yun Tianxing, of this before taking action, or at least inform any inner elder. Outer Elder Chen responded that if they informed an inner elder or core elder, then it would become an internal matter of the clan.
Yun Tianxing might have to inform the patriarch, which would lead to the patriarch telling Yun Minzhu. This would alert them, and they might try to save the boy. The best was not to tell anyone, as if they didn't know, they would not be able to find out. Elder Li asked what if they eliminated the child and later Yun Minzhu's faction found out and discovered he was not demonic.
Wouldn't they be in trouble for not informing the inner clan members at least? To which Elder Chen replied that when they find out, they could show them Gao's sealed message, which asked for urgent action, so they could say there was no time; they had to act. And if they discover the boy was not demonic, they could always blame Gao, who had sent the message with certainty.
Perhaps Gao had a vendetta against the boy, but regardless, all the blame would go to Gao.
After their meeting concluded, Chen summoned Feng, a qi-initiate level 9 warrior who served their faction. He ordered Feng to travel immediately to Lujingbao Fort through long-distance teleportations and assassinate the boy mentioned in Gao's letter. Feng was also instructed to assassinate the boy's guardians as it was mentioned in the letter.