Chapter 18

Chapter 18: A Sudden Turn

True Lord Yu Feng’s words made both Wei Ling Tao and Wei Ling Yue flash with joy.

Even though there were only three spots, for the Wei Family, it meant three more promising clan disciples.

True Lord Yu Feng’s promise meant that as long as the Wei Family selected the disciples and their character wasn’t too bad, they would definitely be able to enter the sect to cultivate. The sect would also look after them a bit, so they wouldn’t be bullied.

This was far more lenient than the Hao Ran Sect’s public selection of new disciples in Kun Yu City. When recruiting publicly, the first screening was based on spiritual root aptitude. Even after reaching the Hao Ran Sect, they still had to pass tests. If they failed, they would be sent back. There was no guarantee they could join the sect.

Wei Ling Tao immediately stood and cupped his hands in thanks.

“Many thanks to True Lord Yu Feng for considering the Wei Family. Today, please rest here at the Wei Family for now. I will personally go to the City Lord’s mansion to notify them about the recruitment.”

True Lord Yu Feng didn’t refuse. In any case, these people wouldn’t dare fool him. Considering the Wei Family had been tactful over the years, he was willing to give them this face, so he nodded.

“Then I’ll have to trouble Family Head Wei.”

“True Lord flatters me. It is the Wei Family who should thank True Lord for your care.”

Wei Ling Tao didn’t dare accept that “trouble.” Wei Ling Yue also quickly echoed him. The two of them then escorted True Lord Yu Feng to a separate courtyard to rest, and immediately set out for the City Lord’s mansion to notify them.

The news that the Hao Ran Sect would be recruiting widely in Kun Yu City spread throughout the city. Any family with even a bit of influence began picking out their most outstanding juniors to send to the screening the next day.

Feng Family council hall.

Feng Jia Qing received the news immediately. He gathered the clan elders to discuss which clan disciples to send to the screening.

The elders weren’t dazzled by this gift from the sky. Instead, they calmly analyzed the pros and cons.

“It’s a good thing to send clan disciples to the Hao Ran Sect to cultivate, but we can’t send all the elite disciples away.”

“Right. The clan still needs to develop. We must leave enough elite disciples to support the family. Besides, we don’t have much of a foundation in the Hao Ran Sect. The Wei Family is different. They’ve sent disciples to the Hao Ran Sect for several generations. This time, if we send disciples there, we’ll still be owing the Wei Family a favor.”

“Once our disciples enter the sect, they’ll probably have to stick close to the Wei Family disciples. That has pros and cons. They won’t protect you for no reason. That will make our children lower than them, and in some matters they’ll have to compromise. I think that would actually be bad for their cultivation.”

“What the Clan Chief says makes sense. Also, the Hao Ran Sect’s decision to increase recruitment in Kun Yu City didn’t leak the slightest hint beforehand. I always feel like something is off.”

This elder was quite suspicious.

In truth, he didn’t know that the Hao Ran Sect’s sudden increase in recruitment in Kun Yu City really did have something to do with the Feng Family. But the root of it lay with Wei Yun Xi. Because the Feng Family had snatched away the Hao Ran Sect’s “variable,” the sect’s old ancestor decided to cast a wide net in Kun Yu City, even sending True Lord Yu Feng.

Of course, this reason couldn’t be exposed to outsiders. So True Lord Yu Feng used the excuse of being on official business and conveniently picking up Wei Family disciples. He also recruited a few more disciples while he was at it, and gave the Wei Family face. It was killing three birds with one stone.

Based on the information they had, the Feng Family also made their own analysis. In the end, they unanimously decided to send two elite disciples to the Hao Ran Sect to cultivate. As for collateral branch disciples, there would be no restrictions. Anyone who wanted to go could go. Whether they passed the tests would be up to their own ability.

The Sun family and the Liu family of Kun Yu City made the same decision as the Feng Family. After all, everything happened so suddenly that they could only respond like this. Kun Yu City was their foundation, and they couldn’t abandon it.

With that, a new problem landed in front of Feng Jia Qing: Wei Yun Xi’s future. Given the Hao Ran Sect’s care toward the Wei Family, it was inevitable they would take extra disciples to the Hao Ran Sect.

Wei Yun Xi had been cut because her aptitude wasn’t as good as Wei Yun Qing’s. But even if she wasn’t as good as Wei Yun Qing, she was still stronger than those Wei Family disciples who hadn’t even succeeded in Qi Induction. With these extra spots, there was a high chance the Wei Family would send her to the Hao Ran Sect to cultivate.

Feng Jia Qing had already negotiated with Wei Ling Yue. Since Wei Yun Xi’s inability to enter the sect was Wei Ling Yue’s “helpless decision,” Feng Jia Qing had stood up for his niece and said he was willing to train her.

The Feng Family decided to bring Wei Yun Xi over to study alchemy. Even though Wei Yun Xi had three spiritual roots, she was well-suited to learning alchemy.

This decision benefited the Wei Family. Naturally, Wei Ling Yue wouldn’t refuse. In his view, no matter what, Wei Yun Xi was still part of the Wei Family. If she learned alchemy, she would be a support to the clan in the future. He would be thrilled, not opposed.

This matter had been settled before, but now a variable appeared. So Feng Jia Qing went to consult Old Ancestor Feng Feng.

Old Ancestor Feng Feng stroked his beard and sighed.

“Fate is fate. It seems our Feng Family can’t keep Yun Xi, that girl.”

“Old Ancestor means…”

“See what the Wei Family decides. If the Wei Family is willing to send Yun Xi to the Hao Ran Sect, we have no reason to stop it. If the Wei Family insists on keeping Yun Xi in the clan to cultivate, then we’ll follow the earlier plan and bring her to the Feng Family to study alchemy.”

“Yes, Old Ancestor.”

After that, Feng Jia Qing sent a message to Wei Yun Xi through Feng Xiu.

When Wei Yun Xi received the message, she felt a strange sort of discomfort, like she had tried to find shelter before the rain fell. She had run fast, but in the end, she still couldn’t avoid the downpour.

Seeing her young miss’s downcast little face, Feng Xiu didn’t know what to say. In her eyes, both paths were good choices. Either way, someone would back her up.

Wei Yun Xi rubbed her chubby cheeks and told Feng Xiu, “Sister Feng, I understand what Uncle means. I want to be alone for a while. Don’t let anyone come disturb me.”

“Yes, Young Miss.”

After Wei Yun Xi opened the defensive array, she climbed onto the bed and spread herself out like a big “da.” Her thoughts were a mess. She felt that with Wei Ling Yue’s character, he would definitely send her to the Hao Ran Sect.

She needed guidance, so she once again sent her consciousness into the chat group space.

As soon as her consciousness entered, the light screen shifted from a dim standby state to an online state and automatically posted a message in the group chat.

“‘Passing Clouds and Smoke’ has logged into the chat group and is currently online.”

Wei Yun Xi thought for a moment, then sent a message to the group.

Passing Clouds and Smoke: “I had a prophetic dream. If I enter a sect to cultivate, something bad will happen. What should I do?”

Tribal Warrior: “How bad?”

Passing Clouds and Smoke: “I’ll become someone else’s stepping stone.”

Star Trek: “Then don’t go.”

Survival Is The Only Hard Truth: “Why not go? Smash everyone who wants to use you as a stepping stone! You can’t hide for your whole life!”

Ox-Head and Horse-Face: “Sounds like your fortune is pretty good. Since you already had a prophetic dream, you can definitely avoid some traps. Just go.”

Ethereal Aura: “When you had that prophetic dream, you also showed you won’t become anyone’s stepping stone the way you did in the dream. You yourself are a variable. If you’re destined to be a chess piece, then enter the game and slaughter them until not a scrap of armor is left!”