Chapter 6: The Southern border.

Chapter 6: Chapter 6: The Southern border.

Yue’er walked quietly along the familiar stone path leading away from the ancestral grounds. Her small hands held her doll tightly, and normally, she would have been skipping by now.

The journey back from the ancestral grounds had always been something she looked forward to. The path wound down the mountain, passing through familiar trees and medicinal gardens before eventually reaching the main family grounds.

But today, she wasn’t skipping like she usually did.

Her small footsteps were unusually hurried.

Her mind was still filled with what had happened and what she had seen.

Huge sword with a cool old man standing on the hilt!

The terrifying image that had appeared in her mind for only a brief moment had left a deep impression on her.

And most importantly...

There was the strange technique now residing within her mind.

Heaven-Severing Swordfall.

Yue’er hugged her doll tightly.

"How am I supposed to understand something like that? The Third Elder is probably expecting me to understand it once I grow older."

She muttered quietly to herself.

But after walking for another few moments, Yue’er gradually noticed something strange.

The Chen Family grounds were usually lively around this time of day.

The younger members could often be seen returning from training, servants carrying medicinal herbs moved between the various courtyards, and elders occasionally passed through the main roads while discussing family matters.

Today, however...

Something felt different.

Yue’er slowed her steps and looked toward several clan members walking in the opposite direction.

She noticed it immediately.

Their expressions were solemn.

Two middle-aged cultivators were quietly discussing something, their voices low enough that she could barely hear them.

Another person passed by without even noticing her on the path.

There was an unmistakable heaviness in everyone’s expressions.

Yue’er hugged her doll tighter.

She didn’t dare to ask.

But something bad must have happened.

For some reason, she suddenly wanted to see her father right now.

She quickened her steps.

Soon, the familiar buildings of the main family grounds appeared before her.

She hurried toward her father’s residence.

However, after arriving, she found the courtyard unusually quiet.

"Father?"

She pushed the door open and looked inside.

"No one?"

Yue’er blinked.

She checked the nearby rooms before eventually stepping back outside.

Just then, a servant passing through the courtyard noticed her.

"Young Miss?"

Yue’er immediately approached him.

"Where is my father?"

The servant hesitated for a moment before answering respectfully.

"The Patriarch has gone to the main hall, Young Miss. There is an important matter that requires the presence of the elders."

Yue’er’s expression changed slightly.

"The main hall?"

"Yes."

The servant nodded.

Yue’er immediately turned in that direction.

"Thank you."

Without wasting any more time, Yue’er turned around.

The main hall was located in another direction, further away from this side of the family grounds.

She hurried away with her small steps.

Yet the closer she got to the main hall, the more unusual the atmosphere became.

There were more clan members gathered around the central buildings.

Some were whispering among themselves, while others had worried expressions on their faces.

Yue’er slowed her steps as she approached.

"...the southern border..."

"...the defense line has completely collapsed..."

"...the kingdom is demanding more cultivators..."

Yue’er’s footsteps stopped.

She quietly moved closer.

Several clan members stood beneath the corridor, their voices low.

"The war has now entered another stage."

One of them sighed.

"The demonic kingdom has begun mobilizing its higher-ranked forces. The southern defense line crumbled overnight and couldn’t withstand them."

"The Blackmoon Demon Kingdom?"

Yue’er’s eyes widened slightly.

She had heard that name before.

The Blackmoon Demon Kingdom occupied the vast territory beyond the southern border of the human lands.

For centuries, the two sides had clashed repeatedly.

But according to what she had been taught, the conflict usually remained far away from their city.

This time seemed different.

"The southern border was defeated?"

"Not just defeated. Several defensive cities have already fallen. Millions have been slaughtered by those wretched demons."

The man’s expression was grim.

"The kingdom is urgently gathering reinforcements. The problem is that the imperial army alone isn’t enough."

"Then it’ll be our cultivation families’ turn to send family members to the front line to meet the required quota."

"Of course."

Yue’er listened silently.

She didn’t completely understand the political situation, but she understood enough to know that the current situation was bad for the family.

The Chen Family was a cultivation family under the jurisdiction of Blue Cloud Mist City, which in turn fell under the authority of the Great Yan Kingdom.

Every cultivation family across the kingdom ultimately answered to the kingdom’s call.

If the City Lord issued an order, then the families couldn’t simply refuse.

Refusal meant disobedience.

And disobedience to the City Lord, who represented the kingdom’s authority, could be considered an act of rebellion against the kingdom itself.

"Do you think City Lord Zhao Mingyuan will order an expedition?"

Someone asked.

The others fell silent.

Yue’er listened carefully.

Zhao Mingyuan.

The City Lord of Blue Cloud Mist City.

He was a cultivator appointed by the kingdom to oversee this area and the surrounding settlements.

His authority extended over every cultivation family within the city’s territory.

"There’s a good chance."

Another man finally answered.

"The kingdom needs people. If the City Lord decides that Blue Cloud Mist City must send cultivators to the southern border, every family will have to contribute."

"But how many?"

"No one knows yet."

The man shook his head.

"Whatever number he demands, we have no choice but to provide them."

Yue’er’s expression became uneasy.

The weight in her chest gradually grew heavier.

She hugged her doll tightly against her chest.

She didn’t want to hear anymore.

She turned around and hurried toward the main hall.

Her small footsteps became faster and faster.

Father...

She wanted to see her father.

The main hall stood towering over the surrounding buildings, with several guards standing outside the entrance.

As Yue’er approached, they immediately recognized her.

"Young Miss."

"Is my father inside?"

"Yes."

Yue’er nodded and quickly entered.

She stepped inside, and the difference was immediately apparent compared to the outside.

The hall was filled with people.

Numerous clan members stood below, their expressions solemn.

At the tallest seat sat Chen Haoran, the current Patriarch of the Chen Family.

His normally composed face was grim today, his brows furrowed deeply.

To his left sat the Second Elder, Chen Guanshan.

He was a broad-shouldered old man with thick gray eyebrows and a short beard. His hair had already turned completely white, but his body remained sturdy despite his age.

At first glance, he looked like the kind of old man nobody would dare to provoke.

On Chen Haoran’s right sat the Fourth Elder, Chen Meilan.

Unlike Chen Guanshan, she was a thin woman with silver hair tied neatly behind her head. Her expression was usually gentle, but at this moment, her brows were tightly knitted together.

There was another empty seat beside them.

It belonged to the Third Elder.

Yue’er looked at the empty seat for a moment, and her mind immediately recalled the old man who had accompanied her earlier.

Third Elder, Chen Yuan.

Her gaze shifted further down.

The Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh Elders were seated in their respective positions.

Several other important clan members stood beneath them.

Yue’er quickly moved toward the back.

For now, she didn’t dare to disturb her father.

Something important was clearly happening.

"The order has already arrived."

Chen Haoran’s voice finally broke through the whispers and chatter.

He had an envelope in his hand.

"The seal belongs to the City Lord."

The hall became even quieter.

Chen Guanshan’s expression darkened.

"How many?"

Chen Haoran didn’t answer immediately.

His fingers tightened around the envelope.

"Twenty."

The hall fell silent.

Even Yue’er could sense the change in the atmosphere.

Twenty cultivators.

That was an enormous number for the Chen Family.

Their family wasn’t large.

Most of their cultivators were only in the early stages of Qi Condensation, and many were responsible for managing the family’s medicinal gardens, businesses, and other affairs.

Sending twenty cultivators would affect the family greatly.

"Twenty..."

Chen Guanshan’s brows furrowed.

"This is twice the number they asked for last year! What about the other families?"

"Ten."

The meaning was obvious.

Chen Haoran’s expression became even darker.

"The last time, we sent ten while the other families sent seven. Now they’re demanding twice the number from us while each of the other families in the city only needs to send ten?"

A murmur immediately spread throughout the crowd.

"Twenty?"

"They’re demanding twice as many from us?"

"Why?"

"Who else could it be? The Li Family Patriarch’s eldest daughter married into the City Lord’s family through his second son. It must be them manipulating the orders to cause us trouble."

The anger within the hall gradually increased.

Chen Guanshan slammed his palm against the armrest.

"That bastard!"

"Second Elder."

Chen Haoran’s voice was calm but stern.

Chen Guanshan took a deep breath and restrained himself.

"The Li Family has been waiting for this opportunity. No wonder they deliberately haven’t caused us any trouble over the past few months."

His eyes narrowed.

"They were planning for this."

Another elder immediately spoke.

"The Li Family isn’t the only one. The Wang and Chu Families have also benefited from this. Those wretched demons in human skin."

"Enough."

A female elder frowned.

"Arguing about them now won’t change the order."

"Then what do you suggest, Fifth Elder?"

The Fifth Elder, Chen Rong, spoke calmly.

"We need to obey. We have no other choice."

Chen Meilan snapped.

"So you want us to send twenty innocent clan members to die?"

"They are not necessarily going to die."

"Have you forgotten where the order is sending them?"

Chen Rong’s face darkened.

"The southern border."

Her voice became colder.

"That isn’t some training ground."

Everyone fell silent.

The southern border had already collapsed.

Sending twenty cultivators there now was fundamentally different from sending them during an ordinary conflict.

That meant casualties were almost inevitable.

Chen Haoran lowered the envelope.

"According to the order, the twenty cultivators must report to the city’s military assembly point within three days."

Three days.

Yue’er squeezed her doll against her chest.

Then, something unexpected happened.

Chen Haoran spoke again.

"I’ll go."

The hall immediately erupted.

"No!"

"Patriarch, absolutely not!"

Chen Guanshan stood up.

"You are the strongest cultivator in the family. You cannot leave."

"If you go, who will oversee the family?"

Another elder immediately agreed.

"Exactly. The Patriarch cannot personally lead the team to the southern border."

Chen Haoran frowned.

"But someone has to lead the team."

"We can select someone else."

"Who?"

Silence.

Chen Haoran looked across the elders.

"Tell me who?"

No one answered immediately.

After all, they themselves had no idea who was suitable for the task.

Finally, someone cautiously spoke.

"The Third Elder."

The moment those words came out, the atmosphere immediately changed.

"No!"

The refusal came almost instantly.

Several voices spoke at once.

"Absolutely not."

"The Third Elder cannot go."

"His importance to the family is even greater than the Patriarch’s."

Yue’er blinked.

She looked at them in surprise.

The old man she had frequently visited and bothered was that important?

Chen Guanshan slowly shook his head.

"The Third Elder may only display the cultivation of the seventh layer of Qi Condensation, but that’s not the only reason he’s important."

He looked around the hall.

"That man has spent his entire life studying the family."

His expression became serious.

"He has read almost every record left behind by our previous generations. The history of our cultivation techniques, the records of our enemies, the secrets hidden within the old family archives, and numerous other important pieces of information."

"Even many of the body techniques currently practiced by the younger generation were either modified or created by him."

Another elder nodded.

"He’s practically a walking ancient record of our family."

Chen Guanshan continued.

"And don’t forget why the other families have been so cautious toward us despite our apparent decline."

The hall became quiet.

"It’s because the Third Elder is here."

His voice lowered.

"Despite his cultivation, no one knows how many secret techniques that old man has accumulated after so many years."

"Even the City Lord’s forces have never dared to force a confrontation with him."

Yue’er’s eyes widened.

She had known Chen Yuan as an old man who liked to smile and stroke his beard.

She had never imagined that the entire clan viewed him in such a way.

One of the elders sighed.

"If we lose the Third Elder..."

He slowly shook his head.

"It would be like cutting off the roots of the family."

Everyone fell silent.

Yue’er hugged her doll.

For some reason, she felt proud when hearing this.

That was the Third Elder she knew, after all.

The room remained quiet for several breaths.

Finally, Chen Haoran gritted his teeth.

"Then we have no choice."

He looked toward the clan members below.

"I need twenty volunteers."

At first, no one spoke.

Then, an elderly clan member stepped forward amidst the gazes of the crowd.

"I’ll go."

Another followed.

"I’ll go as well."

Then another.

One by one, members of the older generation began stepping forward to shoulder the duty and protect the younger ones.

Twenty people.

None of them looked particularly happy about it.

But none withdrew either.

They knew what might happen.

There was a slim chance of returning.

Yet they were still willing to make this sacrifice for the sake of the clan.

Yue’er watched quietly as the atmosphere became heavier with every person who stepped forward.

Chen Haoran eventually closed his eyes.

"Thank you for your service."

His voice was low.

Then he suddenly opened his eyes.

"Those three families."

His expression grew colder.

"The Li Family, the Wang Family, and the Chu Family."

His fingers tightened around the armrest.

"They’re using the war as an excuse to settle their old feud with us."

The Li Family had competed with the Chen Family for generations.

They competed for resources, medicinal fields, and businesses.

Even several disputes over territory had existed between them.

Normally, none of the families could openly destroy another, as doing so would incite the wrath of the kingdom.

But now...

The City Lord had given them an opportunity.

And the Chen Family had been ordered to send twice as many cultivators.

It wasn’t difficult to see the implications behind it.

Chen Haoran’s eyes narrowed.

"It seems the City Lord is siding with the other families."