328: An intractable situation

[Qin Han on your shoulder naturally belongs to the faction that has no opinion of its own.]

[He looks at you with a bewildered expression:]

["Daddy, that Tao guy... is he right or wrong after all?"]

[You take a deep breath and ask, "Han'er, let me ask you, why do you... Cultivate?"]

[Qin Han shakes his head seriously: "I don't Cultivate!"]

[You resist the urge to slap yourself and change your wording: "Then if you were powerful, would it be to protect the people you care about?"]

["Of course! But what does that have to do with their situation?" Qin Han blinks, full of curiosity.]

["This matter involves the Chen and Xue families. Their starting points are both to protect those they care about... This in itself is beyond reproach," you say slowly.]

["So, what does that have to do with me? They aren't people I care about." Qin Han tilts his head and speaks with righteous conviction, "If it were someone I cared about, I wouldn't bother reasoning with them."]

[Listening to Qin Han's innocent and direct words, combined with the chaotic arguments all around, that strange feeling in your heart... becomes increasingly clear.]

[These Elders were almost all Old Ancestors of various Imperial Dynasties, and the emperors sitting on the Dragon thrones are mostly their blood descendants.]

[You ask yourself: If the one who committed the offense was your own father, how would you handle it?]

[If the Law is not enforced impartially, the immortal regulations will become a mere formality, and the Laws of the Pavilion will lose all authority. Over time, people's hearts will be lost, no one will follow the rules, and the consequences will be endless.]

[The ultimate result would be—world Chaos, the collapse of order, and then a rebirth from destruction, giving rise to a new world order.]

[Just as—the old order dies in Chaos, and the new world is born from Chaos.]

[In the dark, you seem to see a hint of hidden worry—]

[If this situation is not handled properly, it might trigger... signs of internal strife within the Fengyun Pavilion.]

[You find it more and more suspicious. You immediately concentrate, and a wisp of Primordial Spirit Power, wrapped in Law fluctuations, silently pierces straight into the sky.]

[The moment it touches the world barrier, Qing Ming's thoughts reach out: "Are you looking for me?"]

["Qing Ming, why don't you do something about the Xue Yunhao matter?" you ask.]

[Actually, you have always been somewhat puzzled by Qing Ming's past disregard for your parents' deaths.]

[Later you understood it; after all, there was another pseudo-artifact spirit in the sky at that time. If it had acted rashly, it might have invited endless trouble.]

[But now, it has complete control over this world, yet it still does nothing?]

[This makes you feel a bit unable to understand.]

["Do you know why the true Heavenly Dao of the Immortal Realm never intervenes, even if billions of lives are lost?" Qing Ming's voice echoes in your mind.]

["Why?" Your brow furrows slightly.]

["If I intervene the first time, there will be a second, a third... I would eventually be trapped forever, unable to make any progress. To not advance is to retreat, and this world would also degenerate until it collapses."]

[It pauses and continues, "Moreover, the rebirth of order also means that my Realm will experience a Breakthrough."]

[You nod slightly: "I understand... This is the Dao following nature, the survival of the fittest; it is also the principle of heaven."]

[You have a deep realization of this; after every Chaos, there is growth and evolution.]

[Qing Ming's voice rings out again: "However, although I do not interfere, I can tell you—though Xue Yunhao is mediocre, he is not entirely without self-awareness."]

["His original intention was only to maintain the status quo, not to seek merit. It's just that his mediocrity... was exploited."]

["Exploited?" Your heart sinks.]

["Someone cast a 'Charm Technique' on him, magnifying the suppressed desires in his heart and making him sink into them, unable to pull himself out."]

["Who did it?" you quickly ask via voice transmission.]

["If I say any more, I will be considered to be intervening. Since you Cultivate the dao of heavenly fate, why not observe for yourself?"]

["Could it be that these Golden Core Elders in the Pavilion... cannot detect it?" you press.]

["After the Charm Technique is cast, it leaves no trace in the subject's body. Moreover, this method only magnifies their existing desires rather than forcibly controlling them."]

[You suddenly realize.]

[This "Charm Technique" actually originates from the Three Thousand Dao Academy. It was one of the Cultivation Techniques Qin Yu exchanged for and placed in the Fengyun Pavilion's Legacy Tower years ago; it is not some profound secret art.]

[It is generally only effective against low-level Cultivators with incomplete minds or weak Divine Souls, and Mortals.]

[To balance the various forces on the Tianhuang Continent, the Fengyun Pavilion often allows non-core Legacy Cultivation Techniques to be traded and circulated with other Schools, to avoid resentment from Loose Cultivators and stagnation of overall strength.]

[Therefore, this type of Cultivation Technique is very easily spread outside.]

[Clearly, the opponent's intention is not Xue Yunhao at all—it's to incite Chaos in Tianhuang... or internal strife in the Fengyun Pavilion.]

[The more you think about it, the clearer it becomes—]

[If it were you, you would do the same: when facing a powerful opponent, disintegrating them from within is the best strategy.]

[It seems someone is ambitious, wanting Chaos in the Fengyun Pavilion and the Tianhuang Continent to profit from it.]

[So the best Breakthrough point is these Golden Core Elders; the royal relatives of the Dynasties behind them are the best targets.]

[Thinking of this, you turn your head to Protector Qiao and ask:]

["What is the current situation of the Xue Clan Imperial Dynasty? And what are the movements of the other Dynasties?"]

["Currently, the Xue Clan Imperial Dynasty has split internally into over a dozen factions, each carving out territory and declaring themselves kings; the flames of war almost never cease," Protector Qiao reports in a low voice. "Surrounding nations are encroaching on the territory and have already occupied large areas."]

[You nod slightly and say solemnly, "It seems the opponent's method is effective. They will likely start implementing this plan in other nations soon. At that time..."]

["Once the hearts of the people across the entire Tianhuang Continent are scattered, the land will surely fracture... It will be difficult to unite it again."]

[Qin Han rests his chin on one hand, looking completely puzzled: "Why? Just kill those who don't listen!"]

[You look at Qin Han patiently and explain, "If you kill the emperor, there will be a dozen factions declaring kings. If you kill those dozen kings, won't it split into a hundred factions?"]

["It will be even more chaotic then, and the people's hearts will be even more scattered."]

[Qin Han nods, seemingly understanding: "Oh, I see. There will only be more divisions, and in the end, everything will fall apart."]

[You pat his head: "Exactly. Killing people without cause only makes their hearts colder. Someone must gather the people's hearts and establish a new Dynasty to bring stability."]

[Qin Han thinks for a moment, his eyes lighting up: "Daddy, is this... what you taught me before—the best strategy is to attack the heart, the middle strategy is to attack diplomacy, and the worst strategy is to attack the city?"]

[Hearing this, you can't help but take a deep look at him.]

[Seeing this, Protector Qiao asks in a low voice, "Pavil... Young Master... what should we do about this?"]

[You frown deeply: "This matter is indeed difficult to handle."]

["From the perspective of those supporting the Xue family, the Xue family is the victim; the monarch is dead, the nation is broken, and the people are suffering."]

["From the perspective of those supporting Chen Yuntao, a Cultivator should follow their heart and seek clarity of thought. Killing a Mortal like Xue Yunhao, who was burdened with evil karma, is just killing."]

["And from the perspective of the Fengyun Pavilion, the immortal regulations are the Heavenly Dao. If they are defied, authority is lost. If everyone follows suit in the future, it will inevitably lead to division and collapse."]

["A force without common beliefs and unity will not last long."]

[You ponder and mutter, "I need to find a way to achieve three goals at once."]

[Qin Han shakes his head and then nods with a bewildered face: "Oh, my head hurts, it's so complicated!"]