Banshee Family Training Record

Page 402

On the throne of the former King of Zhao, King Ying Xuan of Qin, dressed in a dark black imperial robe, asked his subordinates with a gloomy face.

Even though he forced the Zhou emperor to reconcile with him, which was almost equivalent to dividing the world equally, for him, who had always been a genius and proud, this was nothing short of a humiliating defeat.

Throughout his career, he has always been the one to ruthlessly destroy everything, whether it be his domestic political enemies, rebellious mobs, or leaders of other countries. Who has ever made him suffer such a great loss, forcing him to bow his head and declare a draw with the other side?

Even though the other party was the Zhou emperor, Ying Xuan still felt he couldn't swallow this insult!

He desperately wanted to get everything back!

Beside him, an aide bowed slightly and said, “Your Majesty, it has been found out: Bai Zhuguo was lured by Yun Chuan, a cultivator from Jin Kingdom, and attacked the Heavenly Protection Array. He was captured by Nangong Wan, the sect leader of Qingyun Sect, and is now serving in the heavens to fulfill his duties as a Nascent Soul cultivator.”

service……

Upon hearing this, Ying Xuan felt a surge of rage, wishing he could tear the throne beneath him apart!

What the hell? At this crucial moment in Qin's great conquest, Bai Wu'an isn't thinking about how to make a name for himself as soon as possible, but instead he's doing these trivial matters!

however……

He knew that the righteous sects, represented by Nangong Wan, were the true judges in this struggle for supremacy in the Central Plains. At least for now, he absolutely could not afford to offend these people directly.

"How many more years will he have to waste up there?" he asked.

"Uh..." The advisors exchanged glances, a bead of cold sweat trickling down their foreheads. "According to what we've gathered, there should be another twenty-five years..."

Twenty-five years!

Upon hearing this, Ying Xuan couldn't help but cover his forehead, his heart trembling with anger.

Does he have to wait another twenty-five years?

That won't do. And who can guarantee that twenty-five years from now, some people won't use the same trick again, forcing Wang Jian and Meng Chongju to go to heaven to serve?

If this is delayed again and again, in the end, the process of our conquest may be delayed for a hundred years!

"What were the terms of the contract back then?" he asked in a deep voice. "Is there any way to get Bai Zhuguo back sooner?"

"Similarly, put together a plan for me. I don't expect everyone to be exempt from obligations, but at least Meng Zhuguo and Wang Zhuguo absolutely cannot be held back by these trivial matters any longer!"

He declared this, and his advisors, who had clearly guessed their master's needs and were prepared for it, replied: "Your Majesty, please rest assured, we have already compiled these proposals..."

"First, we can apply for an equivalent split, dividing the obligations that Bai Zhuguo and the others should fulfill into weaker parts, and then sending Lord Wang Ji, Lord Lü Shiwei, and others to carry them out on their behalf. These obligations are based on the state, so it can be done procedurally, and the righteous sects won't say much."

"Then, we can invite elders from certain reputable sects to serve as external aid by donating resources, thus replacing someone from our country in service. In this way, we can avoid the risk that you gentlemen might be suddenly captured by righteous sects and forced to fight against extraterrestrial demons in the future..."

Several advisors spoke eloquently, making Ying Xuan frown repeatedly. To put it bluntly, he needed either more men or more money; otherwise, his conquest would be delayed for several more years.

Ying Xuan didn't want to drag things out for a few more years. Not only was his ambition growing, but as far as he knew, not only was a change of dynasty taking place in the Central Plains, but also on other continents.

He didn't want to wait any longer; he wasn't willing to endure it. Besides, compared to the pain of enduring it, the cost of the other path seemed insignificant.

"We will take the second route as the primary one and the first route as a secondary one." The King of Qin immediately made his decision. "Prepare gifts and invite the elders of the Qingyun Sect to act as external aid and fulfill our country's obligation to fight against the extraterrestrial demons."

"As for the source of funds... let the cultivators within the country suffer a bit. Once the great cause is accomplished, everyone will enjoy the glory of the Great Qin." The two advisors bowed their heads in unison and replied, "Your Majesty is wise!"

Ying Xuan nodded slightly, letting out a small sigh of relief. He pondered for a moment, then suddenly looked up and said, "I just heard you mention 'Yun Chu'an'? Was Bai Zhuguo's arrest also his doing?"

One of the aides bowed his head and said, "Yes, Bai Zhuguo was vague about the details, and we have no way of knowing them, but in any case, it was indeed his doing."

"Bai Zhuguo... he probably fell for his treacherous scheme."

As he spoke, another advisor cautiously observed Ying Xuan's expression and continued, "Your Majesty, regarding this person, we..."

Ying Xuan's eyes flickered as he recalled the reports he had heard recently about the many things Yun Chu'an had done, and he was extremely annoyed.

He didn't know why, but this person seemed to be born to oppose him. Not only did he repeatedly thwart their offensive on the Qin and Zhao front lines, but after the war, he also captured the Xuanhuang Mother Beast, defeated Meng Chongju, and breached the city wall defenses...

This made him extremely annoyed.

But he can't personally take action to deal with this person yet.

After all, he had just signed a truce treaty with the Zhou emperor, and he wasn't ready to resume hostilities. If he rashly took action again personally, and the Zhou emperor deemed him untrustworthy, he might risk his life, burning his life essence to the utmost in a final battle against him…

At that point, a lose-lose situation would likely be inevitable. And after that, the supreme power of the Central Plains would be handed over to someone else for nothing...

All his hard work will have turned into a joke. He himself will probably become the most laughable clown in the history of the Central Plains.

“I have a question,” Ying Xuan suddenly asked, “What is Yun Chu’an’s motive for doing all this?”

The two advisors exchanged a glance and hurriedly flipped through their respective files. Soon, the pre-prepared documents were brought to the table, and they reported back: "Going to the Qin-Zhao front was initially to comply with Zhou rituals, but later it was to make money by dumping goods in Zhao..."

"The specific reasons for the scheme to imprison Bai Zhuguo are unclear. We will probably only find out when Bai Zhuguo returns."

"Later, he went to abduct the Xuanhuang Mother Beast. According to the reports from the spies, it should have been at the behest of Jiang Qingke, the Pillar of the Yan State..."

"As for now, it's because the Allied Forces are the weapons they produce, and they're the biggest buyers of those jade lions and black lions, so he's also reaped considerable benefits..."

Ying Xuan listened quietly, and then suddenly said, "So, in other words, this person probably doesn't have any personal grudge against our Qin state, and is simply greedy for money?"

One of the aides said, "Yes, but he did indeed inflict extremely heavy losses on us..."

Ying Xuan said, "But that means he is extremely valuable. Even our army, which is strong as it is, cannot stop his repeated breakthroughs."

"If such a person could join our Great Qin, he would surely become our country's fifth Pillar of State?"

Upon hearing this, the two advisors were immediately alarmed: "Your Majesty, you mean..."

Ying Xuan said, "If I ascend the throne one day and become the ruler of the Central Plains, I should grant a general amnesty. Those Nascent Soul stage monsters who previously served different masters, as long as they are willing to serve my Qin state in the future, why can't they be pardoned?"

To be a king, one must have the magnanimity to embrace all things.

This was Ying Xuan's true thought, so he ordered, "Go and do it. Make Yun Chu'an a model. As long as he can join my Qin state, it doesn't matter how much wealth we have to pay."

One of his advisors opened his mouth, but Ying Xuan immediately saw through his thoughts. He promptly replied, "As for the source of funds, let the people suffer a little more. This is all contributing to the empire!"

……

The coalition members gradually left.

The countries were already unable to bear the heavy losses brought about by the continuous fighting, so after the armistice was signed, they hurriedly withdrew their troops and disbanded them in order to reduce the heavy losses they had to bear.

The Zhou emperor was more than happy to do so, as it would allow him to take the opportunity to avoid some of the rewards and reduce his own burden.

Chapter 792 The Grown-Up Daughter

Thus, the cultivators from various countries returned to their respective countries, and the war to wipe out the tyrannical Qin ended up with such a disappointing conclusion.

Yun Chuan and Sheng Linglong also led the cultivators of Jin back to their country. However, Sheng Linglong did not return to the capital of Jin, but instead went all the way to Caozhou City.

She seems to have made this palace her new home, and doesn't seem to care much about the old capital.

At this moment, in the study of the Caozhou Royal Palace, her round, perky bottom sat on Yun Chu'an's lap, and together they were calculating the accounts of trade over the years.

Over the years, they have made a fortune by exporting jade lions and other war beasts. Even after deducting the expenses for rewarding their subordinates, what remains is still a windfall.

After all, the Zhou emperor paid for all of these expenses with top-grade spirit stones.

"In this way... there's only one final payment left for the 'Mysterious Yellow Heavenly Lion,' and then our accounts with Emperor Zhou will be settled."

Flipping through the ledger in his hand, looking at the astonishing figures, Yun Chu'an came to this conclusion.

Sheng Linglong nestled her soft body in Yun Chu'an's arms, looking at the astonishing figure with a rather excited expression: "Hmm, there's such a large sum of money..."

She seemed to be fantasizing about a bright future, and seeing her excited expression, Yun Chu'an couldn't help but chuckle, "Stop fantasizing. I think, well... the Emperor probably won't pay this money anymore."

"At the very least, it's unlikely that they'll use high-grade spirit stones as the final payment."

Sheng Linglong was taken aback upon hearing this. She was about to ask why when she suddenly understood the reason.

High-grade spirit stones are a useful resource even for Nascent Soul cultivators. Moreover, since the Zhou Emperor is currently in poor condition and such resources are scarce everywhere, he naturally has to conserve every bit of them.

Previously, the war was at its most intense, forcing him to exhaust all his resources. Now that the war has at least paused, he will certainly try to find ways to "equivalently" replace these outstanding payments with other worthless items.

Although she knew this was almost inevitable, Sheng Linglong still puffed out her cheeks, her expression quite displeased: "If the Emperor really dares to do this and delay paying our outstanding balance, who will stand on his side if the King of Qin raises an army again in the future?"

"You should know that King Qin is now a Nascent Soul cultivator, and in the future, he will definitely have the ability to create high-grade spirit stones."

She muttered this to herself, but Yun Chuan did not respond.

He was also weighing the pros and cons in his mind. If the King of Qin wanted it, when could Xianyang be like the capital of the Great Zhou Dynasty, able to continuously produce high-grade spirit stones?

What impact will this have on the political landscape of the Central Plains? How many late-stage Golden Core cultivators will break through to the Nascent Soul stage and pledge allegiance to the King of Qin from now on? And how many Nascent Soul cultivators who originally belonged to various vassal states will be tempted to pledge allegiance to the King of Qin?

The more Yun Chuan thought about it, the more he felt a headache coming on, and he felt that the pressure he was facing was truly as huge as a mountain.

Just then, a voice called out from outside: "Dad, there's a foreigner with the strength of a Golden Core cultivator looking for you."

It was Diao Suisui's voice.

Since the little girl grew up, Yun Chuan consciously involved her in family affairs, partly to hone her abilities and partly to ensure she wasn't idle every day, so she would at least have something to do.

At the same time, it also helped Zhu Yunqing share some of the administrative burden.

After all, as the area they control grows larger and larger, Zhu Yunqing and his team's experience alone will eventually become insufficient.

Therefore, they must prepare early.

Hearing that his adopted daughter was coming over, Yun Chuan gently kissed Sheng Linglong's cheek and helped her get off him.

Sheng Linglong obediently got up and then straightened her clothes, which had become somewhat disheveled from sitting on him and rubbing against him.

Yun Chuan straightened his clothes a little, and just then, the door to the room was pushed open, and Diao Suisui barged in without any hesitation.

The girl had a pretty oval face and a pair of bright, large eyes that were especially beautiful against her dark, slender eyebrows.

However, unlike ordinary human cultivators, her pupils were a pair of bright yellow vertical pupils, exuding a dangerous aura belonging to reptilian predators, making people dare not easily meet her gaze.

Otherwise, you'll get a dangerous and almost creepy feeling that you're being watched.

At that moment, the girl peeked through the crack in the door and looked into the study. She immediately saw Yun Chuan and Her Majesty Sheng Linglong tidying their clothes.

Suddenly, her thin, rosy lips curved slightly, revealing a mischievous smile. She didn't utter a word, but the smile in her beautiful eyes clearly expressed everything she wanted to say.

The implication was clear: she definitely believed that the two of them had just started doing something shameless in the study.

Yun Chu'an was somewhat embarrassed. He forced a straight face and tried his best to maintain a dignified and serious attitude. He said to Diao Suisui in a deep voice, "Why didn't you knock before coming in? You're so impolite, Suisui!"

Diao Suisui tilted her head slightly, showing no fear of him whatsoever. Instead, she smiled and said, "But this isn't a study, is it? Is it a public place where anyone can come in and browse books and documents? Why do we have to knock before coming here?"

"Could it be..." she said, her eyes darting around, her expression meaningful, "that Dad was doing something shameful in public?"

She said this with a charming smile, and her words made Sheng Linglong blush slightly.

Yun Chu'an was slightly embarrassed and annoyed. He then stepped forward, raised his finger, and tapped her hard on the head: "You have no manners!"

Diao Suisui covered her head, feigning a pained expression, but then pressed her body against him without any hesitation.

Today, the snake demon girl was wearing a bright yellow dress that perfectly outlined her slender and graceful figure. Her waist was soft and flexible. As she pressed against him, Yun Chu'an suddenly felt a sense of unease, as if he were being entangled by a small snake.

A faint, sweet fragrance emanated from Diao Suisui. As her arm linked with his, her soft breasts, through a thin dress, pressed against his upper arm, making the softness and fragrance even more pronounced.

Yun Chu'an's heart began to beat faster, somewhat uncontrollably. He couldn't tell whether Diao Suisui was doing it on purpose or accidentally, but at this moment, her delicate body clearly gave the feeling of deliberately rubbing against him.

Even through the clothes, the feeling of that beautiful body belonging to a young girl continued to ignite his lust.

Did she do it on purpose?

Or is it her serpentine instinct that makes her like to cling and rub against the person she trusts most?

It's as if she still hasn't been able to completely transform her pupils into human round eyes?

Yun Chu'an couldn't make a judgment for the time being, but nominally, this little snake demon was, after all, his daughter.

He tried to put on a serious face, suppressing the anger within him, and said, "Let's get down to business, Sui Sui. Who is looking for me?"

Diao Suisui clung to him, insisting on staying close to him in his embrace, before finally speaking: "He's a self-proclaimed, uh, free merchant who hopes to bridge trade barriers between different countries..."

Yun Chu'an immediately understood: "Oh, a persuader from Qin."

On the side, Sheng Linglong was observing Diao Suisui's actions with a playful look in her eyes.

As a woman herself, she sensed a hint of danger. It was obvious that the snake demon girl's actions were a provocation towards her adoptive father, or even a kind of assertion of dominance.

However, because of those vertical pupils, Sheng Linglong was also unsure whether the snake demon girl's actions were unintentional.

She was engaged in detailed observation and thought when she heard Yun Chu'an's assertion and couldn't help but be taken aback: "Why do you say that?"

Diao Suisui, also full of curiosity, took his arm and led him to the chair. Yun Chuan sat down naturally, and the snake demon girl naturally stuck out her round, pert bottom and sat directly on his lap.

Yun Chu'an didn't notice anything unusual for a moment. He held her light body as he had when she was a child and continued, "The reason is very simple. You see, there were no trade barriers between our Jin State and the other major vassal states that were also loyal to the Zhou Emperor. In the past few months, we have basically opened up all the trade channels that could be opened up."

"Given this premise, if a businessman with this stance suddenly comes to us, what kind of barrier does he want to dismantle?"

Sheng Linglong suddenly realized: "Qin Kingdom?" (The rest of the text appears to be gibberish and unrelated to the previous sentences.)

Yun Chu'an nodded: "Yes, that's why I said that this is a Qin envoy."

As he spoke, his expression became somewhat subtle: "It seems that the pressure the Qin people are facing may be even greater than we imagined..."