The moon hung high in the sky.
An unpleasant banquet had concluded.
Ji Yuan and Qian Ni Chang had returned to the Qian family residence and were now seated in a secluded pavilion.
Attendants brewed tea and served fresh spiritual fruits nearby.
These were Qian Ni Chang's trusted confidantes, adopted by the Qian family from childhood and rigorously trained for over a decade.
There was no need to worry about their conversation being overheard with these attendants present.
The Qian family also possessed corresponding countermeasures against certain cultivators' methods.
"You could have actually agreed to it," Qian Ni Chang said slowly, sipping her hot tea.
In her opinion, gaining the support of the Zhuang family by offering a talented disciple, or even directly acquiring ownership of Ming Xin Xuan, was a deal that would bring no loss, and indeed, immense profit.
Yet Ji Yuan had refused, his stance firm, leading to an unpleasant evening for both parties.
Consequently, all plans had fallen through.
Neither side had secured the benefits they had anticipated.
Ji Yuan, however, seemed unconcerned. He merely smiled gently at Qian Ni Chang's complaint.
"If I had agreed, I would be constrained from now on," he said.
He picked up a small spiritual fruit between his fingers and chuckled, "And why should I be shackled when things I can obtain can be acquired freely?"
The ownership of Ming Xin Xuan, in his view, was within his grasp.
There was no need to shackle himself.
The Zhuang family's intentions were clear to anyone with a modicum of intelligence.
They simply wanted to use him to establish a connection with the Nine Xuan Sect, and from there, expand their influence into the sect.
With time and further maneuvering, they could naturally cultivate their own power base.
Of course, while it appeared simple on the surface, the complexities involved were considerable, making it no easy feat.
"I wonder if the Zhuang family overestimates themselves or underestimates the Nine Xuan Sect," Qian Ni Chang sighed.
If it were truly that simple, the Nine Xuan Sect would have long been infiltrated by various forces.
Ji Yuan, however, held a different view.
He pondered for a moment before speaking, "The Zhuang family must have gathered sufficient leverage."
Such a method would be ineffective against any other disciple, or even elder, of the Nine Xuan Sect.
The Nine Xuan Sect, having endured for nearly a millennium without being infiltrated, naturally possessed ample and well-established countermeasures.
However, his existence represented a variable.
While Xuan Tian Peak was developing reasonably well, it suffered from a significant drawback: a lack of its own cultivated cadre.
Every other传承 mountain peak was akin to an established sect in its own right, possessing ample foundational disciples, a robust number of powerful cultivators, and considerable resources.
Xuan Tian Peak, however, lacked everything.
It lacked disciples, powerful cultivators, resources, and a deep foundation.
These were not things that could be easily rectified within decades or even a century.
Once Ji Yuan ascended to a higher position and sought to develop Xuan Tian Peak, these issues would become unavoidable.
At that point, the Zhuang family could provide a large number of exceptionally talented disciples, as well as various resources and foundational support.
Once these disciples, selected and even trained by the Zhuang family, entered the Nine Xuan Sect, their influence would naturally grow over time.
This process might take one or two centuries, or even longer.
But a family that had existed for hundreds of years would never lack patience.
"The Zhuang family truly desires a great deal!" Qian Ni Chang exclaimed. Their appetite was far larger than hers.
If the Zhuang family's objectives were realized, the benefits they would gain would be unimaginably vast.
"It matters not. I fear not their ambition, but their lack of it," Ji Yuan said with a smile, unconcerned.
In fact, the more they desired, the more advantageous it would be for him.
"Please help me send a calling card," he said, placing the pit of the spiritual fruit onto a jade plate. "I wish to pay a visit to the Governor soon."
Initially, Ji Yuan had not intended to interact extensively with the Governor's mansion, as such actions could easily draw the attention of various factions.
However, it seemed unavoidable now.
The next morning, Qian Ni Chang dispatched her trusted confidante to the Governor's mansion with Ji Yuan's calling card.
Thanks to his connection with the Governor's third son, the card quickly reached the Governor.
That afternoon, Ji Yuan met with a steward from the Governor's mansion and entered the residence with him.
It was not until late that night that he returned to the Qian family, and he and Qian Ni Chang engaged in a lengthy discussion until dawn.
In the following days, she frequently visited the Governor's mansion, either conversing with the Governor's third son or meeting with the Governor himself.
Concurrently, a message from Ji Yuan was sent with utmost speed to Feiyun Commandery.
About half a month later.
Ji Yuan emerged from his quiet chamber. His injuries had healed, his spiritual power flowed smoothly, and had even become more refined.
He scanned the courtyard and saw that Zhao Yuan Song and the others had also recovered their conditions.
While the lingering effects of their severe injuries had not been entirely eliminated, with the supply of potent spiritual pills and elixirs, they were no longer major concerns.
He believed that with a period of recuperation, they would be nearly fully recovered.
"We have news of Elder Hong Tian!" Xue Yang exclaimed, rising to his feet, his eyes gleaming, as Ji Yuan appeared.
Ji Yuan's spirits lifted, and he quickly gestured for Xue Yang to elaborate.
"Two days ago, a cultivator from the Shen Xuan Sect entered the borders of Luoxia Commandery," Xue Yang stated gravely. "And engaged in a life-or-death battle with another cultivator."
Moreover, the cultivators from the Shen Xuan Sect who appeared this time were far more numerous than the original three.
According to cultivators nearby who witnessed the event, the Shen Xuan Sect deployed over five cultivators of the third realm, with the weakest being at the middle stage of cultivation.
"Something is not right..." Ji Yuan's brow furrowed, instinctively sensing a problem.
Regardless of the deep animosity between the Shen Xuan Sect and the Xuan Tian lineage, even if it extended to the Nine Xuan Sect, dispatching such a force to pursue a single third-realm elder across vast distances seemed unusual.
After all, the Shen Xuan Sect's mountain stronghold was not located in Jinyang Commandery, but in Qishan Commandery, many tens of thousands of miles away.
Coupled with the current situation and rumors of serious internal issues within the Shen Xuan Sect, their actions were highly suspect.
"Regardless, we must first support Elder Hong Tian," Ji Yuan decided immediately.
Whatever the Shen Xuan Sect's intentions, he would only investigate them after Elder Hong Tian was safe.