313: The kind-hearted Heavenly Sword True Lord

Peach Blossom Sect.

Hundred Flowers Secret Realm.

The Peach Blossom Demon Lord was watering her flowers again, a natural smile on her face, as if she were completely unaware of the fierce war in the outside world.

Wisps of pale pink aura seeped out from the Secret Realm, mixed with a faint floral fragrance.

As soon as the Yao Beast army smelled the fragrance, they would immediately become frenzied, fearless of death, and their combat power would soar.

"Peach Blossom, do you have any idea what you're doing?!!"

A gentle woman dressed in white appeared within the Secret Realm, questioning her angrily the moment she arrived.

"Using the Myriad Spirits Grand Array to push for Soul Transformation while being targeted by both the Beast Taming Sect and the Demon Court—do you know how much risk is involved?!!"

The anger in her expression didn't seem like true rage, but rather concern for the Peach Blossom Demon Lord.

"Sister Bai Leng, there's no need to worry. Isn't the situation fine right now?"

The Peach Blossom Demon Lord showed no sign of urgency; every movement was calm and unhurried, possessing a magic that could soothe the mind.

She smiled radiantly. "Looking at it from another perspective, the Beast Taming Sect is willing to help me, and the Demon Court is also willing to help me. A Soul Transformation Opportunity that comes once in a thousand years is right before me; why should I abandon it?"

The woman named Bai Leng countered, "How are they helping you? The Myriad Spirits Grand Array requires you to be the array eye yourself. Your goal is the Soul Transformation Opportunity, but their goal is you, Peach Blossom!"

"Even if we take ten thousand steps back and everything goes according to your plan, would they really let you obtain the Soul Transformation Opportunity for free and watch you achieve a Breakthrough?"

In Bai Leng's view, the Peach Blossom Demon Lord was undoubtedly dancing on the edge of a blade. One mistake and she would get nothing, and most likely, her Dao would end in death.

The Beast Taming Sect wouldn't watch a new Soul Transformation Yao Beast successfully break through and influence the war, nor did the Demon Court want to see a Yao Beast with an unclear stance achieve Soul Transformation. They couldn't be sure if Peach Blossom would help the Demon Court or the Beast Taming Sect after her Breakthrough.

"Enough!" The Peach Blossom Demon Lord set down her watering can, walked to Bai Leng's side, took her hand, and comforted her, "The greater the Opportunity, the greater the risk. We lack luck; if we don't dare to fight for it, where will we ever find another chance to break through?"

"But..."

"There are no buts!"

The smile on the Peach Blossom Demon Lord's face vanished for the first time as she said seriously, "The Beast Taming Sect has launched a Pioneering War. It's unlikely the Demon Court can drive them back. If we don't fight for this, our only path is to defect."

"Losing your freedom and becoming someone else's slave, or being buried with the Demon Court—which one do you choose?"

Bai Leng fell silent. If they were to defect to the Beast Taming Sect now, they could only sign a Life-Bound Spiritual Pet Contract. Setting aside the loss of freedom, their cultivation would be severely restricted!

Because the Cultivators signing contracts with them would definitely be weaker than them, using their cultivation to increase their own training speed, while their own cultivation Realm would be held back for a long time.

If they didn't defect to the Beast Taming Sect, following the Demon Court was also a dead end; the Demon Court was almost certainly no match for the Beast Taming Sect.

"I'll go outside and kill for you!"

Bai Leng stopped trying to persuade the Peach Blossom Demon Lord and transformed into a streak of white light, leaving the Secret Realm.

The Peach Blossom Demon Lord stood alone in the Secret Realm's garden, her gaze focused on the distance. After a long while, she smiled again... Red Pine Sect.

West Courtyard.

Yun Xian and Yun Yao finally left. Liu Xuan's tense nerves relaxed, and he felt much more at ease during his Cultivation.

[Ding! Congratulations to the Host; your 288th descendant has been born. Spiritual Root: Grade Eight. Obtained one first-tier peak-grade stage-breaking pill *1.]

Happy news followed happy news. Amidst his joy, another Junior Sister gave birth to a child for him.

A Grade Eight Spiritual Root meant average talent, but the number of descendants was about to reach three hundred, at which point he would receive another grand prize.

Last time, Yue Li used a pregnancy nurturing pill to give birth to their son, De Ming, who had a Grade One Spiritual Root. It would be difficult to reach a new high for descendant Spiritual Roots, so future grand prizes would depend on the number of descendants.

While Liu Xuan was cradling and teasing his young daughter, the Lingshu Pavilion sent back intelligence from the Peach Blossom Sect battlefield, and the Merchant Alliance also delivered Materials transported back from the front lines.

"The real war has begun!"

The nominal head of the Lingshu Pavilion was now An Yunxi. In addition to the previous staff, they had recruited many Beast Taming Sect Disciples, making the battlefield intelligence sent back exceptionally detailed.

In the list of Materials sent by the Merchant Alliance, the previously rare Foundation Establishment monster beast flesh and blood Materials had suddenly surged, confirming the intelligence.

"Husband, Immortal Master Yun Xian and Immortal Master Qin Mo have both sent messengers to increase their purchases of various flying boats, Magical Artifacts, Medicinal Pills, Talismans... especially the Yuan Magnetic Flying Boats we refine. They've raised their offer to eighty thousand Spirit Stones per vessel."

She Xiaorong, who was in charge of Merchant Alliance affairs, also hurried forward to report. As the war broke out, various Sect matters were flooding in.

The Yuan Magnetic Flying Boat didn't have any unique features, but its overall performance was good. In large-scale warfare, it was no worse than flying boats of the same rank, and its price was relatively lower, which was why Yun Xian and Qin Mo were scrambling for them.

Liu Xuan pondered for a moment. The Artifact Refining Hall's operations were mature; they could now refine one vessel every half month on average, or twenty-four per year.

"Prioritize the supply for Immortal Master Yun Xian. For every three vessels given to her, give one to Immortal Master Qin Mo. Medicinal Pills, Magical Artifacts, Formation Plates... prioritize these for Immortal Master Yun Xian as well, then consider Immortal Master Qin Mo for the remainder."

"Yes!"

She Xiaorong immediately went to make the arrangements.

Liu Xuan could now earn fifty thousand Spirit Stones per Yuan Magnetic Flying Boat. The flying boat business alone could earn a million Spirit Stones a year. Combined with taxes, as well as Medicinal Pills, Talismans, Formation Plates... and the business in Feiyu City, the revenue was at least seven or eight million.

After deducting the three million annual tribute to the Heavenly Sword Sect, the Liu Family was left with nearly five million.

After further deducting the consumption of the Liu Family members, subsequent investments in the Sect's various halls, the cultivation of intelligence forces, and various social expenses, there were still one or two million left for the treasury.

Although the income was high, the consumption was equally significant. With three hundred Concubines, nearly three hundred children, and countless maidservants, their annual stipends alone were no small amount.

The Lingshu Pavilion needed to develop Beast Taming Sect Disciples and recruit a group of Beast Taming Sect Junior Sisters. The Artifact Refining Hall, Pill Refining Hall... these also needed expansion and development, all of which required massive investments of Spirit Stones.

Between the Star Space warehouse and the Storage Ring on Liu Xuan's hand, his Spirit Stone reserves hadn't actually increased much over the past few years, totaling only about ten million, most of which had been saved up by Xiao Changfeng previously.

To save the five million Spirit Stones demanded by the Heavenly Sword True Monarch, Xiao Changfeng had already been sent by Liu Xuan to participate in the war at the Peach Blossom Sect.

He was in Shen Yunshu's camp and had the protection of the Beast Taming Sect, so there shouldn't be much danger, and he could even earn quite a bit of Beast Taming Sect Military Merit for Liu Xuan.

Speaking of Beast Taming Sect Military Merit, Liu Xuan felt frustrated. Non-Beast Taming Sect Cultivators could also earn Military Merit, but one-third of it had to be credited to the Heavenly Sword Sect.

Golden Core True Persons within the Heavenly Sword Sect's territory who didn't go to war had to hand over at least five million Spirit Stones, and if they did go, one-third of their Military Merit would be docked for no reason.

Everyone was fighting desperately, yet the one who profited most in the end was the Heavenly Sword True Monarch, who did nothing at all!

Liu Xuan thought this level of exploitation of the lower Cultivators was harsh enough, but according to the news he got from the Chongming Sect and the Cloud Top Sect, the Heavenly Sword True Monarch was actually considered quite generous!