Experienced PUA user: From mortal enemy to little fangirl

The next morning, the sky was faintly lit.

Fu Qingxuan, having stepped into the Late Golden Core Stage, quietly departed.

Her steps were light, and the cold aloofness in her brows had melted away, replaced by a captivating radiance, like a Spiritual Plant thoroughly nourished by rain and dew, exuding new vitality.

Lin Yuan stretched, savoring the profound academic exchange of last night, and with his great progress in the Dao of Talismans, he felt quite pleased.

“Spreading the Dao through practical application is indeed efficient,” he mused.

Just as Mu Wanqing finished serving him breakfast, Gu Zheng walked in with steady steps, still in a plain dress, as cool and aloof as ever.

“Grand Elder Yue Qingyao of the Misty Immortal Sect is requesting an audience outside the hall.”

“Oh? Let her in.” Lin Yuan picked up his Spiritual Tea, took a sip, and his expression remained calm.

A moment later, Yue Qingyao entered the reception hall of Xianyu Ting, holding a jade box.

Meeting again, the hatred and killing intent in her eyes were long gone, replaced by a sense of weariness and resignation. She wore a plain white palace dress, and her exquisite face carried a hint of pallor, which only added to her pitiable charm.

As soon as she saw Lin Yuan, her delicate body trembled slightly, she took a deep breath, and bowed: “This concubine greets Alliance Leader Lin.”

Lin Yuan nodded slightly. The last time they met, he was being relentlessly pursued by this woman, though by a stroke of Opportunity, the crisis was resolved. But the enmity between them, he feared, would not be so easily resolved.

Yue Qingyao presented the jade box she held with both hands, her voice trembling: “Alliance Leader Lin, this is the fundamental Dao Legacy, 'Misty Immortal Art', passed down for thousands of years in my Misty Immortal Sect. This concubine offers it to you, only asking that you show mercy and spare the lives of the tens of thousands of Disciples in my Sect!”

“Yue Qingyao... is willing to bear everything! Whatever you desire, Qingyao will not object!”

She held the jade box above her head, closed her eyes, looking as if she were ready to be executed.

Lin Yuan put down his teacup and looked at the slightly trembling Yue Qingyao, a strange expression on his face.

“How do you want me to spare you?”

Yue Qingyao was startled, thinking he was testing her sincerity. She gritted her silver teeth and said: “Do not slaughter the Sect. Qingyao... is willing to be the Alliance Leader's slave and maid, to serve by your side, only asking for...”

“Stop.” Lin Yuan raised a hand to interrupt her, chuckling: “Fellow Daoist Yue, what are you doing? Who told you I was going to slaughter your Sect? I sent people to deliver invitations, not a declaration of war. I wanted to invite you to join the Alliance and develop together, so how did it turn into a demand to exterminate your Sect and confiscate your property?”

He stood up, walked around the table, and approached Yue Qingyao, looking down at her: “I merely want to integrate the power of the Eastern Region and form an unprecedented grand Alliance. I never thought of wantonly killing your Disciples. As for your Dao Legacy, as long as you are willing to join the Alliance, you can naturally retain it. Didn't you clarify the situation before you came?”

Yue Qingyao slowly raised her head, her slightly pale, pretty face filled with large question marks.

Not... not here to exterminate the Sect?

She had imagined countless possibilities: coercion, temptation, humiliation... but never this situation.

Then why did the Yin Corpse Sect and the Five Poisons Sect, with so many Nascent Souls, descend upon my Misty Immortal Sect's mountain gate so menacingly, with that world-shattering Aura, and it turns out... you're telling me it was an invitation?

Seeing her bewildered look, Lin Yuan probably guessed her thoughts and couldn't help but chuckle.

But thinking about it, it made sense. The Six Sects of the Eastern Region had been fighting for many years, all wanting to devour each other to strengthen themselves, so it was no wonder Yue Qingyao thought that way.

Yue Qingyao was skeptical and still dared not relax her guard. She tentatively asked: “Then... Alliance Leader means that our Misty Immortal Sect only needs to... join the Alliance?”

“Yes.” Lin Yuan nodded, “Of course, joining the Alliance also means abiding by its rules. Resources will be shared, and Cultivation Techniques will be mutually accessible. Your Misty Immortal Sect will need to submit five-tenths of your Sect's resources, and also make a copy of your Sect's core Cultivation Technique for the core members of the Alliance to study. Of course, you can also study those of other Sects.”

Upon hearing this condition, Yue Qingyao actually breathed a sigh of relief.

But she still couldn't understand why Lin Yuan, with his current strength, could completely sweep away everything with iron and blood, turning the entire Eastern Region into his personal domain, yet he bothered to establish an Alliance?

“Why?” She couldn't help but ask the doubt in her heart, “Why are you doing this? What good does it do you? Shouldn't you just crush all opposition with absolute strength and firmly control all the resources of the Eastern Region in your own hands?”

“Your vision, your vision is too small.” Lin Yuan wagged his finger, clasped his hands behind his back, and paced to the window, striking a profound and mysterious pose.

“Slaughter is the lowest means. Constant conquest will only bring endless resistance and internal strife, turning the entire Eastern Region into a mess. What good is that to me? What I want is a stable, prosperous Cultivation world, not scorched earth.”

He turned around and looked at Yue Qingyao with deep eyes.

“Think about it, the Six Sects of the Eastern Region, each governing themselves for thousands of years—what was the result? The strongest Ice Phoenix was only in the Late Nascent Soul Stage, unable to produce even a single Soul Transformation expert. Why? Because they guarded their own secrets and engaged in endless internal strife!”

“And my Alliance will break all of that! Shared Cultivation Techniques will allow everyone to learn from each other's strengths; concentrated resources can supply the most talented individuals to impact higher Realms. I can even help you Break through Bottlenecks, just like I helped Xuan Yin and Ye Youmeng advance to the Late Nascent Soul Stage.”

Lin Yuan’s voice was full of allure: “Unity is strength, unity is iron, unity is steel! When we bind the entire Eastern Region into one rope, then what we will possess is the Luck of the entire Eastern Region! Not to mention Soul Transformation, even Ascension to the Upper Realm might not be impossible!”

His words stirred Yue Qingyao’s heart, as if a new door was slowly opening in her mind.

She stared blankly at Lin Yuan. This man wasn’t thinking about dominating the Eastern Region; he was thinking about leading the entire Eastern Region to impact the legendary Immortal Path!

This vision... was too grand!

For a moment, her heart was filled with mixed emotions, extremely complex. This man, just before, was a demon she wished she could eat his flesh and sleep on his skin;

But at this moment, he displayed such breadth of mind and spirit, like a sage guiding the direction of an entire era.

She bowed deeply to Lin Yuan again, this time from the bottom of her heart, truly convinced, “The Misty Immortal Sect is willing to join the Alliance and contribute its strength to the Alliance Leader’s great cause!”

“Very good.” He stepped forward, personally helped Yue Qingyao up, his fingertips intentionally or unintentionally brushing her cool wrist, and at the same time leaned close to her ear, smelling the faint fragrance emanating from her: “There are still a few excellent courtyards in Xianyu Ting, with superb scenery. If Elder Yue doesn't mind, why not stay for a few days? The Spiritual Qi here is abundant, which will greatly benefit your recovery from injuries, and we... can also have more time to deeply discuss the future development direction of the Alliance, can't we?”

Yue Qingyao’s delicate body stiffened, her voice like a mosquito: “...All as Alliance Leader arranges.”