"That is hard to say."
"Of our three families, my Lei family has had the most contact with the Xu family," Lei Yunchao said. "But even now, we have yet to see through the true depths of their heritage."
"I feel the same," Lin Zhaofeng agreed. "The Xu family is simply too mysterious."
"Perhaps their confidence in surviving the Thousand-Year Great Tribulation is even greater than that of the Cao family's alliance. Otherwise, how could they remain so calm and tranquil?"
"Three Golden Core cultivators have been born in the span of just half a year. Do you still call that calm and tranquil?" Jiang Huarong argued.
"But other than that?" Lin Zhaofeng retorted. "A Golden Core Formation Celestial Phenomenon is incredibly difficult to conceal. If the Xu family had the ability, they probably would have done everything possible to hide it.
These three newly advanced Golden Core cultivators are undoubtedly a hidden trump card to confront the Great Tribulation and deal with the Cao family.
It's just that now, this card has been laid bare on the table."
Jiang Huarong pondered for a moment before saying, "Several months ago, a portion of the members from the Qin, Zhou, Li, and Wang families relocated to Dongxi. And there was also the recent matter with the Zhao family from Great Liang.
Those ignorant of the Great Tribulation might not see anything amiss, but anyone with a discerning eye can tell at a glance that the Xu family is preparing to face it."
"If they are preparing for battle, would they need to bring in mortals and children?" Lei Yunchao asked lightly. "We don't know what kind of deal those five families made with the Xu family.
But from how I see it, this looks more like granting asylum."
Lin Zhaofeng frowned. "Brother Lei, are you suggesting that they all learned of the Thousand-Year Great Tribulation and struck a deal with the Xu family?
That they relocated a portion of their clansmen into Dongxi merely to preserve their bloodline and inheritance?"
Jiang Huarong blanked upon hearing this. "Doesn't that mean they are willingly waiting for death? Wouldn't that cause utter chaos?"
"Most likely, only the upper echelons of those families are aware. Isn't it the same for our families?" Lei Yunchao pointed out.
If the impending Great Tribulation were made known to everyone right now, the world would have descended into chaos long ago.
Lin Zhaofeng asked, "Given the relationship between your Lei family and the Xu family, would it be possible to send some of the younger generation from our three families into Dongxi?"
Lei Yunchao looked at Lin Zhaofeng, his eyes flickering as he considered the idea. "Relocating our entire clans is unrealistic, but this approach might just be feasible.
Whether it will succeed or not, however, will require me to make a personal trip."
"We will have to trouble you then, Brother Lei," Lin Zhaofeng and Jiang Huarong said, bowing solemnly with cupped hands.
"Our three families share a millennium of friendship; saying such things makes us sound like strangers. Tomorrow, I will pay a visit to Dongxi."
The next day.
Before the morning mist had dissipated, Lei Yunchao rode a streak of light and quietly arrived outside Dongxi alone.
Looking around, he saw nothing but verdant mountains shrouded in swirling clouds and mist. Everything seemed no different from usual.
However, when his divine sense as a Golden Core cultivator swept across the area, he naturally detected the fluctuations of the formations here.
'A Tier 3 defensive grand array?'
Lei Yunchao felt a slight shock in his heart and mused inwardly, 'Was this arranged by the Xu family's Xu Mingxian? Could he be one of the individuals who broke through to the Golden Core stage this time?'
Right at that moment.
"Who goes there? This is the restricted territory of the Dongxi Xu Clan. Idlers must halt!"
Before he could get any closer, two squads of fierce-looking armored patrol guards wearing black armor emerged from the mist.
The leading captain's eyes flashed like lightning, the long halberd in his hands subtly pointing toward Lei Yunchao.
Although he was only at Peak Qi Condensation, with the grand array backing him, his imposing aura did not waver in the slightest.
Lei Yunchao lowered his streak of light, revealing his true appearance. Cupping his fists, he announced, "I am Lei Yunchao of the Great Wei Lei family. I have come specifically to visit the Ancestor of your Xu family. Please pass on my request."
The captain clearly recognized Lei Yunchao, and his expression softened slightly.
But he still maintained a professional tone. "So it is Perfected Person Lei. Please wait a moment."
He took out a Communication Jade Talisman and whispered a few words into it.
A moment later, the jade talisman lit up faintly. The captain listened closely before looking back with a smile. "I have received the Family Head's permission. Perfected Person Lei, please."
He stepped aside and then took out a token to open a gap in the grand array.
"Bai Mu, escort Perfected Person Lei to the Main Hall of the Grand Manor."
"Yes, Captain."
"Sorry for the trouble," Lei Yunchao nodded, stepping through the gap.
The moment he stepped inside, heaven and earth abruptly transformed!
Surging, incredibly pure spiritual qi rushed over him like a tidal wave.
With every breath, it felt as though the very bones and meridians in his limbs were being cleansed.
'This concentration of spiritual qi...'
Feeling the dense spiritual qi within Dongxi, turbulent waves of shock crashed through Lei Yunchao's heart.
'How could the Xu family have undergone such a massive transformation?
Could it be that they discovered a spirit vein?!'
"Little friend Bai Mu, when I last visited, the spiritual qi in Dongxi didn't seem to be like this. How has it become so dense in just half a year?" he inquired.
Bai Mu replied with a smile, "This junior isn't entirely sure either. These changes only occurred after the Old Ancestor came out of seclusion."
Seeing that the guard did not wish to speak further on the matter, Lei Yunchao refrained from pressing him.
Bai Mu led him all the way to the Main Hall.
"Senior, this junior will take his leave now."
Bai Mu bowed respectfully and withdrew.
Lei Yunchao walked inside and took a seat at the first position on the left.
Shortly after, a maid entered bearing spirit tea and fresh fruit.
Following that, a streak of light arrived.
The person who walked in was not Xu Chuan, as Lei Yunchao had expected, but rather Xu Mingyuan.
He sensed that Xu Mingyuan's aura was as profound as the deepest ocean. After a brief sweep of his divine sense, his pupils suddenly constricted. Standing up, he cupped his fists and said, "Daoist friend Mingyuan, congratulations on your Great Success in Golden Core."
Xu Mingyuan gave a slight nod, returning the greeting with a faint smile. "You are too polite, Daoist friend Lei. Please, sit."
Lei Yunchao sat back down in the guest seat.
Xu Mingyuan walked past him and took the host's seat.
He then picked up the white jade teacup resting on the table and took a shallow sip.
Setting the cup down, his expression remained placid as he spoke. "Daoist friend Lei, I imagine your visit today is not merely to catch up. If you have an important matter, feel free to speak your mind."
Lei Yunchao had no intention of beating around the bush either, speaking candidly. "Indeed, I have a request.
I am sure Daoist friend Mingyuan is aware that the winds of change have swept the outside world. The Cao, Liu, and Sima families have formed an alliance.
The day of the Great Tribulation draws near.
My Lei family, along with the Jiang family and Lin family, all feel our futures are unpredictable, leaving our hearts restless and uneasy.
My presumptuous visit today is to ask the Xu family if... you would permit a portion of the core disciples from our three families to temporarily reside in Dongxi to take shelter from the impending disaster."
Upon hearing this, a flash of understanding crossed Xu Mingyuan's eyes. He looked at Lei Yunchao with a half-smile. "Daoist friend Lei, did you see the Zhou, Qin, Li, Wang, and even the Zhao family...
Did you see that they all had a portion of their members move into Dongxi, and assume that our Xu family was recruiting manpower to combat the Great Tribulation?"
"Perhaps others might think so, but I have dealt with the Xu family on numerous occasions. I know that the Xu family's heritage runs unimaginably deep.
Your actions must be to provide asylum, ensuring those families can preserve their bloodline and inheritance after the Great Tribulation.
I'm not wrong, am I?"
Xu Mingyuan smiled faintly. "Daoist friend Lei is truly a wise man. This one enjoys dealing with intelligent people."
Lei Yunchao pressed forward. "The Xu family's actions are righteous and benevolent. Our Lei, Jiang, and Lin families are willing to pay a certain price as remuneration for taking shelter.
As for the conditions, the Xu family can name them."
"A price?"
Xu Mingyuan shook his head slightly. "I fear Daoist friend Lei will be too reluctant to part with what is required.
The price for the Zhou, Qin, Li, Wang, and Zhao families to enter Dongxi was that they all became vassals of my Xu family. They acknowledge my Xu Clan as their master and obey our commands.
Moreover, their respective inheritances in artificing, beast taming, alchemy, formations, and talisman crafting are genuinely useful to our Xu family.
It is only for these reasons that we permitted them to split off branch families and relocate into Dongxi to preserve their legacy fire."
"Vassals?!"
Even though Lei Yunchao was somewhat prepared mentally, hearing those words from Xu Mingyuan's mouth still sent a severe shock through his heart, causing his brows to furrow deeply.
Vassals!
This meant completely forfeiting their independent status. Their lives, deaths, glory, and disgrace would all hinge on a single thought from the master family!
His Lei family was a dignified Golden Core aristocratic family. Allied with the Jiang and Lin families, their strength might fall short of the Cao, Liu, and Sima families...
But with the combined power of their three families, their heritage was nothing to scoff at. They were absolutely not comparable to ordinary Golden Core aristocratic families!
Asking them to abandon a thousand years of pride and autonomy to bow down as someone's vassal?
Never mind his own inability to make such a decision—even within the Lei family, the waves of opposition would surely surge up to the heavens.
The Jiang and Lin families would likely refuse to agree as well!
Xu Mingyuan took in every shift in Lei Yunchao's expression, completely unsurprised by his reaction.
"This path is the method that preserves the largest population for your three families. If you are willing, you can split off a branch of no more than five hundred people and relocate them to Dongxi.
If you are unwilling...
Then there is only the second path."
"What path?"
"A trade." Xu Mingyuan's voice remained calm and unrippled.
"What kind of trade?" Lei Yunchao raised his eyes.
"My Xu family built its foundation on business. Our integrity and honesty are universally praised," Xu Mingyuan stated.
"If you do not wish to become a vassal, yet still seek the asylum quotas of my Dongxi, you must offer up a heritage that my Xu family deems worthy of exchange.
Whether it be rare natural treasures or precious spirit grasses.
Whether it be unique and powerful cultivation methods, divine abilities, or secret art inheritances.
Or the inheritances from the Hundred Arts of Immortal Cultivation.
All sorts of cultivation resources are acceptable.
If you possess such things, then depending on the value of the heritage offered, we can grant five quotas to each family."
"Five?!" Lei Yunchao gasped, his face turning ugly. "Daoist friend Mingyuan, five quotas... this is far too few!"
"Five is enough to preserve the most talented core descendants your three families have produced over the past few decades."
Xu Mingyuan's voice was firm, but his tone quickly shifted. "Of course, if the heritage your three families can present is profound enough to move my Xu family...
The quotas may be increased at our discretion. But at the very most... no more than ten individuals per clan."
Lei Yunchao fell silent, an intense mental struggle raging in his heart.
Five to ten quotas for families like the Jiang, Lei, and Lin, which possessed a thousand years of history, was simply a cup of water on a burning cart.
As for the heritage the Xu family desired... if their clans were annihilated, those treasures would just end up falling into the hands of those who plundered them.
Handing them over wasn't entirely out of the question.
One path meant becoming vassals, while the other offered a painfully small number of precious quotas.
No matter which he chose, it was a profound dilemma!
Yet this wasn't the Xu family deliberately making things difficult.
If other families could accept being vassals, why couldn't the Jiang, Lei, and Lin families?
In the eyes of the Xu family, there was no difference between them.
In fact, as far as the Xu family was concerned, the usefulness of their three clans was inferior to the Qin, Zhao, Zhou, Wang, and Li families, all of whom possessed specialized skills.
"This matter is of grave importance. It is not something I can decide alone. I must discuss it in detail with Daoist friends Jiang and Lin," Lei Yunchao finally said, his voice hoarse.
Xu Mingyuan nodded slightly, indicating his understanding. But then, a hint of playful mockery touched his tone. "Daoist friend Lei, discuss it to your heart's content.
However, this one should inform you in advance.
Before long, our Dongxi Xu Clan will completely initiate Sealing the Mountain, cutting off all contact between the inside and outside to focus entirely on the Great Tribulation.
When that time comes, we will not receive any outsiders.
That is all. I hope Daoist friend Lei will look out for yourself."
Sealing the Mountain!
Lei Yunchao's heart sank.
He took a deep breath, stood up, and solemnly cupped his fists. "Many thanks to Daoist friend Mingyuan for your frankness. I understand.
I will return and discuss this immediately, and bring our heritage to the Xu family as soon as possible."
"Take care on your way out."
Xu Mingyuan remained seated motionless, merely speaking those few words faintly.
Lei Yunchao said no more, turning and taking his leave.
Xu Mingyuan walked to the entrance of the Main Hall, watching the streak of light fade into the distance. He murmured, "It seems I am still inferior to Father after all.
When he instructed Chong Hui to construct five designated areas, he already knew that at most, only five families would relocate here.
The Zhou, Qin, Wang, and Li families were far too weak. Since they knew of the Great Tribulation, they had no choice but to rely on the Xu family.
And for the Zhao family to make such a decisive choice, certain individuals within their clan must have played a pivotal role."
As he spoke, he turned his gaze toward Zhao Qiyang, who was cultivating in seclusion in the Wu Character District.
'Father mentioned that he possesses a trace of Golden Core qi luck, but I wonder if it's true or false?'
The Xu family had made countless preparations, and several of them possessed profound foundations. It was only because of this that they were able to succeed in their Core Formations one after another.
Meanwhile, Zhao Qiyang was merely an ordinary Foundation Establishment Perfection cultivator who hadn't received any resource assistance from the Xu family. At best, he only benefited from the meager boost of Dongxi's spiritual qi.
Attempting to break through to the Golden Core stage entirely on his own—by conventional logic, his chances of success wouldn't even be one in a hundred.
If he actually succeeded, it would truly be the blessing of the heavens.
'Perhaps this is the rebound of providence brought about by the Great Tribulation that Father spoke of.'
As for the Jiang, Lei, and Lin families.
After this conversation, Xu Mingyuan knew they would never agree to become vassals.
His fate talent, Piercing the Obscure and Illuminating the Microscopic, was comparable to divine abilities and secret methods when it came to perceiving the hearts of men.
'I wonder what kind of heritage those three families have accumulated over the past thousand years. If they truly offer something my Xu family finds interesting, I believe Father will let a few of their people stay to ensure their bloodlines live on.'
Back in the Great Wei Imperial City.
Lei Yunchao immediately summoned Jiang Huarong and Lin Zhaofeng. He relayed everything he had seen and heard during his trip to Dongxi, particularly emphasizing the two paths of "vassalage" or "trade" presented by Xu Mingyuan.
He also informed them without holding anything back about the impending move of Sealing the Mountain.
"Outrageous!"
Upon hearing this, Jiang Huarong slammed the table and rose to his feet. His beard and hair bristled, completely unable to restrain his anger.
"Vassals? The Xu family has such an enormous appetite!"
"And a trade only grants five quotas, yet they still expect us to hand over our heritage in exchange?"
"This is blatant extortion while our house is on fire!"
"They are bullying others excessively!"
"The way I see it, we might as well follow the Cao family in relocating to Great Liang! At the very least, our status with the Cao family is equal. If worse comes to worst, we'll just put forth more effort when the calamity strikes!"
Lin Zhaofeng remained silent, his fingertips absentmindedly tracing patterns on the table's surface.
His brows were tightly furrowed, clearly showing he was locked in a fierce internal struggle.
Lei Yunchao waited until Jiang Huarong's anger subsided slightly before slowly speaking up. "Calm your fury, Brother Jiang. Do you have any idea how dense the spiritual qi inside Dongxi has become?"
He looked at the two men, enunciating every word. "Even the most ordinary zones in the outermost periphery are comparable to the core cultivation areas of the Cao family's imperial palace!
And as for the region where the Xu family's Grand Manor is located, based on my perception, the spiritual qi concentration there has likely reached the level of a Tier 3 low-grade spirit vein!"
"A Tier 3 spirit vein?!"
Jiang Huarong and Lin Zhaofeng cried out in unison, their faces filled with utter shock.
They found it somewhat hard to believe, but they also knew that Lei Yunchao had no reason to lie to them.
After all, their three families were grasshoppers tied to the same rope!
"The Xu family's heritage is truly no longer what it once was. It is profoundly unfathomable."
Lei Yunchao let out a long sigh. "Of those three Xu family members who formed Golden Cores, I estimate that two of them are Xu Mingxian and Xu Mingyuan.
The third person is a bit more difficult to guess.
Perhaps it is Xu Mingqing, or maybe Xu Mingxuan and Xu Mingshu.
Although the conditions laid out by the Xu family are extremely harsh, since they offered this deal, they will ensure that the descendants of our three families with the most potential survive.
But as for the Cao family..."
Pausing for a moment, Lei Yunchao's gaze sharpened. "Cao Jiyi hasn't raised any demands, and that is precisely what makes me so anxious. After all, everyone knows exactly what kind of people they are; we understand each other perfectly.
It is entirely possible the Cao Clan will force us to march to our deaths during the Great Tribulation.
Once the elites of our three families have died out...
I expect our heritage will then become the spoils of war for the Cao, Sima, and Liu families.
As for our remaining clan members, do not expect a single one of them to survive."