12dz Chapter 36 Yanling Fortress
Chapter 36 Yanling Fortress
Tian Buque's expression was solemn as he spoke to Su Mixin in a deep voice, "Junior Brother Su, please speak frankly. How can we help you?"
"I hope to resolve this matter as soon as possible. You understand, I still need to gather people to explore Yellow Maple Valley."
Su Mixin shook her head. "Senior Brother Tian, there's no need to rush."
"In a little over half a month, the Yan family of Linzhou, the number one Core Formation family in Yue Kingdom, will hold a treasure-hunting competition."
"Our spies have discovered that the invitation sent by the Yan family to Huangfeng Valley was received by that female cultivator, Hong Fu."
"There's a high chance that Dong Xuan'er will be sent by Hong Fu to broaden her horizons."
"And the target I need you to take action against this time is Wang Chan, the young master of the Ghost Spirit Sect. He happens to be going to the Yan family this time as well."
Upon hearing this, Tian Buque nodded in confirmation.
……
Linzhou, located in the easternmost corner of the Yue Kingdom, had an unremarkable territory and population, and was generally unknown among the thirteen prefectures and counties of Yue.
Qingliang City is just an ordinary small town in Linzhou, with no great fame. However, the Yanliang Mountain in the suburbs outside the city has a gentle and unpretentious terrain, but is quiet and secluded with beautiful scenery.
The ancestral home of the Yan family, the first family of immortal cultivators in the Yue Kingdom, is Yanling Fortress, hidden among the beautiful peaks and valleys of Yanliang Mountain, standing against the mountain, concealing its power and strength.
The sky was clear and the air was fresh, with drifting clouds and a gentle breeze.
Yanliang Mountain has no towering peaks or precipitous ravines, but it is covered with lush greenery and layered forests.
A gentle breeze rustles through the forest, creating a melodious sound. A babbling brook meanders among the rocks and vegetation, and the surrounding area is full of life. The scenery is elegant, serene, and pleasant.
At the edge of the sky, two flying boats suddenly broke through the air, one white and one black, moving at extremely high speed, and in an instant they reached the sky above Yanliang Mountain.
The white flying boat was as smooth and lustrous as warm jade, and it was probably made mainly from some kind of white jade spiritual treasure. It was surrounded by layers of spiritual light, shining brightly.
The black flying boat was entirely dark and mysterious, with a faint, dark aura flowing through it. Its shape was cold and sharp, and it was probably made mainly from some kind of black stone spiritual material, giving it an intimidating aura.
The two boats raced side by side through the sky, their roar echoing endlessly. Their overwhelming power spread across the heavens and earth, exuding a heavy and oppressive sense of power that shook the entire mountain forest.
The people on the boat were the cultivators from Su Mixin's and Tian Buque's groups.
In the blink of an eye, the two flying boats hovered steadily atop two inconspicuous small peaks of Yanliang Mountain.
If one were to examine them closely with divine sense, one would discover that these two small peaks, though seemingly ordinary, actually have a layer of spiritual light surging beneath their surface, concealing the inner world with an exquisite array, completely hiding a magnificent gathering place for cultivators.
On the white jade flying boat, Su Mixin nodded slightly to Lu Xin, Madam Yulan, and Li Chongyue beside her.
In the next instant, the immense divine pressure of several Core Formation cultivators suddenly spread out, sweeping across all directions and enveloping the entire Yanliang Mountain with an overwhelming force.
The black flying boat on the other side was not to be outdone. The divine sense pressure of the Chen Clan's two demons followed closely behind, domineering and fierce, intertwining and reverberating with the former, creating a terrifying momentum.
In just a few breaths, the void between the two peaks trembled slightly, and layers of five-colored spiritual light flowed and slowly diffused.
On the once empty and uneventful mountain ridge, a majestic and solemn ancient castle slowly revealed its true form after the concealment array was activated.
As soon as the restrictive array was activated, a crimson beam of light shot out from the fortress, instantly reaching the front of the two flying boats and hovering steadily.
As the light faded, an elderly man with long red hair and wearing a black brocade robe appeared, his demeanor calm and composed. He was none other than Yan Yan, the patriarch of the Yan family.
The patriarch of the Yan family cupped his hands in greeting, his expression respectful yet cautious: "I am Yan Yan, the head of the Yan family. I was unaware of your presence in my humble abode. What brings you here? I apologize for any shortcomings in my welcome."
Su Mixin did not answer loudly, but instead used a secret technique to transmit her voice, her tone calm and composed: "We come from Tianluo Kingdom and have important matters to discuss with the Yan family. Since your esteemed residence is holding a treasure-hunting event, we have come ahead of time. We apologize for any inconvenience caused."
Upon hearing the words "Tianluo Kingdom," the Yan family patriarch's heart tightened instantly. He immediately associated it with demonic forces, alarm bells rang in his mind, and his expression changed slightly.
Sensing that Su Mixin was deliberately using telepathy to avoid making a scene, the Yan family patriarch also suppressed his emotions and replied in kind, "What important matter do you all have? Please enlighten me."
Su Mixin gently shook her head, her tone indifferent: "There are too many people and too many eyes here, so it's not convenient to discuss this in detail. Why doesn't Elder Yan lead us into the fortress first, and then we can talk at a more leisurely pace?"
The Yan family patriarch was filled with helplessness, but dared not refuse in the slightest.
He had already ascertained the strength of the other party through his divine sense. There were five Core Formation cultivators among them, and most of them were above him in cultivation level. They were clearly at the top level of the late Core Formation stage. The difference in strength was too great for him to refuse.
The Yan family patriarch had no choice but to turn around and lead everyone towards Yanling Fortress. "Please!"
The two flying boats slowly landed and stopped in front of the main gate of Yanling Fortress. The group followed the Yan family patriarch and stepped through the gate into the fortress.
Su Mixin's gaze swept over the arena set up in the corner inside the gate.
There were still ten days before the opening of the treasure hunt. They arrived early, but the area around the arena was deserted and there was no sign of excitement.
Suddenly, a thought struck him, and he called out to the Yan family patriarch who was leading the way. With a faint smile on his lips, he transmitted his voice, "Senior Yan, the matter I wish to discuss with you is of utmost importance and has far-reaching implications. How about I visit you privately tomorrow evening for a private talk?"
The Yan family patriarch paused, turned back and gave Su Mixin a deep look, his eyes swirling with thoughts. After a moment, he slowly nodded and replied telepathically, "Very well. I will await your arrival tomorrow evening, and will reserve a seat for you."
After saying that, he raised his hand and took out a communication talisman. With a flick of his fingertip spiritual power, the communication talisman transformed into a ray of light and soared into the sky.
In a short while, two streaks of light rushed in from inside the fortress, and two Foundation Establishment stage elders of the Yan family landed steadily on flying magical artifacts.
The Yan family patriarch looked at the two men and solemnly instructed, "Yan Wen and Yan Qi, you two take these distinguished guests to Qingping Pavilion to settle them in and rest. You must treat them with utmost hospitality and not neglect them."
After giving his instructions, he turned to Su Mixin and her group, his tone humble: "I still have important clan matters to attend to and cannot continue accompanying you. Please follow the two elders to their residences to rest and settle in for now, shall we?"
Su Mixin nodded slightly and calmly replied, "Thank you for your hospitality, Senior Yan."
Lu Xin and the others nodded in response, showing utmost courtesy.
The Yan family patriarch said no more and turned to leave.
Yan Wen and Yan Qi immediately led the way, taking the group towards Qingping Pavilion.
Many members of the Yan clan and cultivators along the way turned their heads, their eyes filled with curiosity, speculating about the origins of this group of distinguished strangers who had come from afar and possessed extraordinary bearing.
Upon arriving at Qingping Pavilion, Su Mixin and Tian Buque each chose their own rooms to settle in.
Su Mixin repeatedly reminded the others traveling with her not to go out or show their faces without permission, and that they should remain hidden for the time being. Then she returned to her room alone.
He raised his hand and set up layers of isolation barriers, completely blocking the flow of energy inside and outside. Then, with a thought, he summoned Feng Hou and opened the Marauder's Map inside the World Ring.
The map, with its shifting light and shadow, clearly reflected the layout and movement of people throughout Yanling Fortress. Looking at the image, Su Mixin sighed softly, "I never imagined that Yanling Fortress, a place where immortals and mortals coexist, would have a permanent population of over 100,000."
He knew in his heart that such a prosperous scene would not last long.
When the great war between the two nations begins in the future, this peaceful land will inevitably be destroyed by the flames of war.
Most of these ordinary people could not escape this catastrophe.
Displaced and homeless, this is the best possible outcome for them.
The defeat of the six sects of cultivation in Yue Kingdom was already predetermined; the outcome of this battle was decided before it even began.
The Yan family was originally a branch of the Ghost Spirit Sect. They were well aware of the power gap between the demonic sects of Tianluo Kingdom and the various sects of Yue Kingdom, and would never accompany the declining Yue Kingdom in a desperate struggle or sit idly by and wait for its demise.
Regardless of whether the Yan family ultimately chooses to ally with the Thousand Illusions Sect or return to their former sect, the Ghost Spirit Sect, they will migrate and evacuate as a whole before the great war begins.
Even with the combined strength of the entire Yan family, they could not take away too many of these 100,000 ordinary clansmen. They would only be regarded as expendable by the family and ultimately abandoned completely.
With her thoughts settled, Su Mixin spoke in a deep voice: "Feng Hou, monitor all cultivators and mortals in Yanling Fortress throughout the entire process, and search for the whereabouts of the three target individuals: Yan Ruyan, Yan Xuanye, and Mo Caihuan."
A clear, crisp voice immediately rang out from inside the room: "Yes, Master."
Within moments, the map flickered, and the search results were immediately reported: "Targets Yan Xuanye and Mo Caihuan have been located, but no trace of target Yan Ruyan has been found yet."
Su Mixin nodded slightly, understanding.
They arrived several days earlier than the original storyline, so Yan Ruyan is probably still on her way home from the Hidden Moon Sect and hasn't returned to Yanling Fort yet.
From the moment she decided to intercept the Yan family and begin to win over this force, Su Mixin had already devised a comprehensive plan.
According to details from the original work, Yan Yan, the patriarch of the Yan family, was the only Core Formation cultivator in the family on the surface. He held absolute power in the family and was the sole decision-making core of the Yan family.
However, his lifespan is nearing its end, and his cultivation has stagnated for many years, with no possibility of further breakthroughs. Therefore, he is extremely cautious and conservative in his dealings, and he always prioritizes stability in making important decisions concerning the survival of his family.
In addition, and extremely importantly, before his death, the Yan family ancestor sent a special message to the Ghost Spirit Sect, leaving behind the Yan clan's wish to return to the Ghost Spirit Sect.
At this moment, Wang Chan of the Ghost Spirit Sect must be on his way to Yanliang Mountain, carrying the last letter from the Yan family ancestor and a personal letter from Wang Tiansheng, the sect leader of the Ghost Spirit Sect.
This is the fundamental reason why Su Mixin was in no hurry to immediately confront the Yan family patriarch and explain her intentions.
The Yan family patriarch is shrewd and cautious; he would never rashly agree to join the clan after hearing only a few words. He would definitely delay the process, gather the core members of the clan for repeated discussions and weighing of the matter, before giving a reply.
Once Wang Chan arrives, presents the letter, and explains the recruitment conditions of the Ghost Spirit Sect, given Yan Yan's cautious nature, he will most likely prioritize the Ghost Spirit Sect, which he is more familiar with and has a strong connection with his family.
To break this deadlock, we need to find another way out.
Although the Yan family patriarch held absolute authority in the Yan family, he would indeed discuss and weigh major decisions repeatedly and in detail with the elders of the clan.
This gave Su Mixin the opportunity to find another breakthrough.
The breakthrough point was Yan Xuanye and Yan Ruyan.