plumnovel Chapter 42 Wang Chan Arrives at Yanling Fortress
Chapter 42 Wang Chan Arrives at Yanling Fortress
As night fell, the darkness enveloped Yanling Fortress. Su Mixin slowly walked towards the Flying Cloud Pavilion, the council hall at the highest point of the fortress, with Yan Ruyan and Yan Xuanye following closely beside her.
As soon as he stepped into the heart of Yanling Fortress, he encountered the two who were already waiting there.
After parting ways at dusk, Su Mixin thought the girl was too shy to see her again that night, but to her surprise, she mustered up her courage and stood guard on the path she had to take.
Throughout the journey, Yan Ruyan's ears remained faintly flushed, her head slightly lowered, her eyes darting away, never daring to look up at Su Mixin.
Su Mixin smiled and kept glancing at Yan Ruyan beside her, finding the girl's appearance quite charming and endearing.
Yan Xuanye, standing beside him, took in the two of them in this state, his gaze deep as he pondered to himself.
Because she was accompanied by an elder of the Yan family and the most renowned direct descendant of the Yan family, she was allowed to pass through all the guards and checkpoints along the way without any hindrance.
Finally, they arrived at the entrance of Feiyun Pavilion, where two Foundation Establishment elders and six Qi Refining cultivators from the Yan family were guarding the gate.
After exchanging pleasantries and greetings, Su Mixin stepped into the hall.
At this moment, Yan Yan, the patriarch of the Yan family, was sitting in the main seat of the hall. Hearing the sound, he raised his head and saw Su Mixin, Yan Ruyan, and Yan Xuanye who had come together. He was so surprised that he was stunned and froze on the spot.
The council chamber was brightly lit by candles, and the warm yellow light spilled onto the exquisite sandalwood tables and chairs, dispelling the chill of the night.
The atmosphere in the hall was quiet and solemn, with only the candlelight flickering gently. The entire hall was already prepared, waiting for people to come and discuss matters.
When Su Mixin first arrived at Yanling Fort yesterday, she sent a message in advance to report that she had arranged to visit him tonight to discuss matters.
However, the other party only casually mentioned yesterday that he came from Tianluo Kingdom, without revealing any specific details about his sect.
Throughout the day, Yan Yan had been secretly speculating, guessing that he was most likely a disciple of a demonic sect in the Tianluo Kingdom, and he had long harbored a mixture of curiosity and caution.
He quickly concealed the slight tremor in his eyes, calmly rose to his feet, displaying a composed and dignified demeanor befitting a patriarch of a prominent family.
He nodded slightly and smiled, "Young friend Su has arrived as promised late at night. I have been waiting for you for quite some time."
His voice was humble and polite, entirely in the manner of treating distinguished guests. He was neither arrogant nor condescending, yet it also subtly revealed a sense of caution stemming from his unknown origins.
Su Mixin returned the greeting with a slight bow, her manner of advancing and retreating perfectly measured.
"Grand Ancestor Lao Yan waited all night; it is I who have disturbed you."
"I sent a message in advance yesterday to report that I was afraid of being impolite to come here rashly. I came here tonight specifically because there is something I want to discuss with the Ancestor in person."
Yan Yan looked at the young man before him, who possessed an extraordinary demeanor and acted with meticulous care and composure. He secretly admired him, but at the same time, his doubts deepened.
He paused for a moment, then asked gently, "I heard yesterday that you are from the Tianluo Kingdom, but I do not yet know your lineage or background. I have long heard that the Tianluo Kingdom is home to many demonic sects. May I ask which sect you studied under? Could you please enlighten me?"
Throughout the day, he had already tacitly accepted that Su Mixin's origins lay with the various sects of the Heavenly Luo Demonic Path, and had already made some preparations in his mind to deal with it.
Su Mixin smiled slightly and frankly introduced herself: "I am Su Mixin, from Tianluo Kingdom, and am the current young master of Qianhuan Sect."
As soon as he finished speaking, the atmosphere in the council chamber became slightly more subdued.
Yan Yan's gaze suddenly sharpened, and the gentle smile on his face paused slightly.
Su Mixin gently patted her storage bag with her right hand, took out a jade slip, and handed it over with both hands.
"This is a letter that my father, the Grand Elder of the Thousand Illusions Sect, True Man Mi Luo, wrote by his own hand before his departure."
Upon hearing this, Yan Jia suddenly stood up from his chair and took the jade slip with both hands.
……
The inky sky outside the window grew thicker, with tiny stars hanging in the dome. The night breeze swept across the upturned eaves of Yanling Fortress, carrying away the early chill of the night and quietly pushing the passage of time.
The lights along the way in the fortress gradually dimmed, except for the ever-burning candlelight in the Flying Cloud Pavilion at the top. The swaying warm light landed steadily, isolating the outside world from the deep night and the passage of time.
Inside the Flying Cloud Pavilion, the four sat around discussing matters, and before they knew it, they had been talking for more than two hours.
Only after all the issues were settled did Su Mixin stand up first, a calm smile on her face, and step out of the Flying Cloud Pavilion alone.
He walked briskly, without lingering, and disappeared into the deep night in a moment.
The warmth inside the pavilion had not yet dissipated. The Yan family patriarch still sat upright in the main seat, a faint smile hidden between his brows and eyes, his expression relaxed, clearly quite satisfied with the results of the discussion tonight.
After a long while, he finally snapped out of his reverie and looked up at Yan Ruyan and Yan Xuanye, who were standing quietly beside him.
"Yan'er, immediately issue the order that all core members of the family gather at Feiyun Pavilion at 9:00 AM tomorrow for a meeting."
He paused, then turned to Yan Xuanye, his tone becoming more serious: "Xuanye, quickly send someone to contact all the Yan family cultivators stranded outside the fortress, including those who have joined the seven major sects, and order them to return to Yanling Fortress as quickly as possible, using the upcoming treasure-hunting tournament as a cover."
Upon hearing this, the two bowed and clasped their hands in greeting, accepting the order.
After the two men finished receiving the decree, the hall fell silent for a moment.
The Yan family patriarch gazed at the deep night outside the window and sighed softly, his tone full of helplessness and melancholy: "It is not difficult to inventory and transfer all the family's spirit stones, magic artifacts, and spiritual materials."
"However, it is ultimately impossible to take all the tens of thousands of ordinary people in the fortress with us. This migration will likely require us to leave them here temporarily."
Yan Xuanye, who was standing to the side, pondered for a moment and then suggested, "Ancestor, I have a plan."
"It would be better to organize the ordinary clansmen to migrate to Linzhou in batches before the clan officially moves, and settle them in several stable cities in the surrounding area."
"The wars between sects in the cultivation world are usually difficult to spread to mortal cities, which is enough to keep them safe for a while."
"Once the various sects of Tianluo Kingdom have defeated the seven factions of Yue Kingdom, the overall situation is settled, and the war has subsided, we can send people back to bring our clansmen back one by one."
The Yan family patriarch nodded slightly, his brows softening a bit: "For now, this is the only expedient course of action."
He seemed to suddenly remember an important matter, his expression turned serious again, and he ordered in a deep voice: "Xuan Ye, immediately compile a list including some of the core cultivators of the clan, and transfer them separately."
"Don't put all your eggs in one basket; always avoid risks."
"Secretly contact that person and order him to return immediately to pick up the clansmen on the list and send them to the Xi Kingdom in the north of the sky to settle and hide them. Do not let the slightest word of this leak out."
Yan Xuanye's expression was solemn, and he solemnly replied, "Grandson understands, and will certainly handle it properly."
Hearing this, Yan Ruyan, who was standing to the side, felt puzzled and interrupted at the right moment: "Ancestor, shouldn't we inform the Thousand Illusion Sect about our uncle's existence?"
The Yan family patriarch gently shook his head, his gaze deep and thoughtful: "There's no need to rush. Let's wait a few years, until the Yan family has firmly established itself in the Tianlu Kingdom, and until we are certain that the Thousand Illusions Sect will keep its promise and is worthy of our complete allegiance, before we reveal this matter."
After Su Mixin returned to Qingping Pavilion, she immediately summoned Li Chongyue.
Upon entering and seeing the young master's smiling face, Li Chongyue already knew what was going on and asked, "Young Master, have the matters with the Yan family been settled?"
Su Mixin nodded slightly: "Everything has been discussed and agreed upon. Immediately contact the spies you secretly planted earlier, send a message back to the sect to inform them that the Yan family's affairs have been settled, and dispatch some manpower to the border between Jiang and Yue to receive the Yan family's relocation team."
"With war looming and the border situation volatile, we must ensure a safe journey."
"Yes, young master, I obey!" Li Chongyue bowed and accepted the order.
……
Time flies, and Su Mixin and her group stayed at Yanling Fort for another six days.
During these six days, the Yan family made extensive preparations for the treasure-hunting event, and the fortress was bustling with people, creating a lively and exciting scene.
Secretly, a large number of Yan clan cultivators scattered elsewhere returned to the fortress one after another. The core area of the clan was lit up every night. The entire Yanling Fortress was outwardly relaxed but inwardly tense. Everyone was secretly busy preparing for the clan's relocation plan.
During this time, Su Mixin repeatedly asked members of the Yan family to send messages, inviting Yan Ruyan to meet her.
Unfortunately, the girl was either busy with clan affairs or shy, and several invitations failed to bring them together.
Despite his busy schedule, Yan Xuanye would always find time to visit Qingping Pavilion, ostensibly to rest and relax.
Through Su Mixin's introduction, he also got to know Tian Buque, the young master of the Hehuan Sect.
With Yan Xuanye, a strategist, present, the three carefully discussed and planned how to punish Young Master Wang Chan after he arrived at Yanling Fortress.
As the morning light streamed into the Qingping Pavilion tea room, Tian Buque and Yan Xuanye sat facing each other, engrossed in playing chess.
Su Mixin leaned against the side a little distance away, holding a jade slip that recorded the Dao of Array Formation, and quietly studied and comprehended it.
The two had invited Su Mixin to play chess twice before, but both times Feng Hou secretly helped them with telepathic communication, allowing them to witness his extraordinary chess skills. Since then, they have had no desire to play against him again.
In their eyes, Su Mixin's chess skills were so superb that it was as if a saint had descended to earth, unlike an ordinary person.
Suddenly, a divine sense transmission quietly entered his ears; it was a secret message from Feng Hou.
A faint smile slowly rose on Su Mixin's lips. According to the live map monitoring, Wang Chan and his group were finally about to arrive at Yanling Fortress.
The long-awaited show is finally about to begin.
About half an hour later, a Qi Refining cultivator from the Yan family hurried over and quickly reported to Yan Xuanye the arrival of the Ghost Spirit Sect members.
The relaxed and comfortable atmosphere in the tea room instantly vanished.
Tian Buque paused slightly before placing his piece, and when he looked up, the playfulness in his eyes faded, replaced by a cold and amused expression.
Yan Xuanye paused slightly with his fingertips holding the chess piece, his expression remaining calm and composed, showing no sign of panic, only a cold glint flashing deep in his eyes.
He slowly raised his hand and gently placed the chess piece on the chessboard. The move was silent, yet it had already calmed his mind.
"It's finally here."
Yan Xuanye murmured a sentence softly, his tone indifferent.
Su Mixin, who was standing to the side, had already put away the jade slip in her hand. She looked up at Yan Xuanye and a faint smile appeared on her lips.
"Just now, I heard from the Yan family disciple that Wang Chan brought a lot of Ghost Spirit Sect disciples with him this time."
"Given his arrogant and domineering nature, he will definitely take advantage of the treasure-hunting competition to deliberately suppress your Yan family members and publicly intimidate you."
His gaze darkened slightly, and he added calmly, "It seems that many members of the Yan family will suffer humiliation for nothing."