582: Chapter 582 Marriage Alliance

Black Death Marsh.

Lianyue Immortal Palace.

Demon Saint Xuanyu descended with his Dharma Idol, bringing with him many treasures of the Yin and Water attributes.

"What is the meaning of this, Fellow Daoist Xuanyu?" Lianyue Ghost King picked up various treasures to examine them, but was in no hurry to put them away.

"It is nothing much. I am simply curious—how did Peach Blossom suddenly achieve Soul Transformation, and where has Daoist Lord Lihuo gone?"

"I hope Fellow Daoist can clear up my confusion!" Demon Saint Xuanyu said, cupping his hands in a respectful salute.

It was normal for Daoist Lord Lihuo to disappear; he was badly injured, and escaping back to the Main Mountain of the Beast Taming Sect was the safest option.

However, for Peach Blossom to advance to Soul Transformation at such a peculiar point in time made things very strange.

Whose side was Peach Blossom actually on?

Who supported her Breakthrough?

With an additional Hua Shen Demon Saint in the Southern Border, could the current situation still be maintained?

Demon Saint Xuanyu was very irritable; he just wanted to spend his later years in peace, so why was it so difficult?

Lianyue Ghost King put away the gifts from Demon Saint Xuanyu one by one and said indifferently, "I am not sure how Peach Blossom broke through either, but Daoist Lord Lihuo is likely gone. You have no need to worry."

"Gone!!"

Demon Saint Xuanyu recalled that aura of Lihuo that had appeared for a moment during the final stage of Peach Blossom's Breakthrough and asked tentatively, "Was it done by the one who supported Peach Blossom Demon Saint's Breakthrough?"

Lianyue Ghost King neither nodded nor shook her head, which served as a tacit admission of his guess.

After a moment, Lianyue Ghost King spoke up, "There are many things I cannot explain too clearly, but for the sake of our years of friendship, I advise you to try your best not to make an enemy of Peach Blossom Demon Saint."

"Daoist Lord Lihuo is dead, so you can consider your revenge taken. If you continue to be an enemy of Peach Blossom Demon Saint, your remaining Lifespan cannot withstand many more backlashes!"

Demon Saint Xuanyu fell silent for a long time. Lianyue Ghost King's meaning was clear: if he opposed Peach Blossom Demon Saint, she would not step in to help him.

"Thank you for informing me, Fellow Daoist!"

"Farewell!"

Without asking further, Demon Saint Xuanyu cupped his hands in a salute and then transformed into a streak of black light, flying away.

...

Biyou Pool.

After Liu Xuan settled down, he appeared leisurely every day, but in reality, he remained vigilant at all times.

Old Daoist Qingxuan, Demon Saint Xuanyu, and even Lianyue Ghost King, as well as other Soul Transformation experts further south, could all potentially come looking for trouble.

There was also the Beast Taming Sect Main Mountain; once they learned of Daoist Lord Lihuo's death, they would eventually find their way to him.

"The Beast Taming Sect is massive with a vast territory. The current Southern Border Beast Taming Sect might not necessarily be of one mind with the Main Mountain!"

Liu Xuan could not control the matters at the Beast Taming Sect Main Mountain, so he planned to first take control of what he could.

Although most of the high-level members of the Southern Border Beast Taming Sect were from the Gentlemans Academy, the massive army of Cultivators and those Loose Cultivators were not.

They were basically the lowest tier within the Main Mountain's territory, or at least the lower tier of their respective ranks. If they hadn't been unable to make it at the Main Mountain, who would be willing to travel tens of thousands of miles to the Southern Border to fight, just to gamble on an unknown possibility?

A massive army of Cultivators combined with the Earth Vein army fiends Formation can exert very strong power. It was just that the previous high-level leaders of the Southern Border Beast Taming Sect could not fully unite them, and their Formation Master's level was insufficient, so they couldn't display their full strength.

Liu Xuan was different. His Formation skills had reached the fourth-rank High Grade, more than two levels higher than the previous Formation Master of Biyou Pool. If he could win over the people's hearts, he could definitely turn the Southern Border Beast Taming Sect's current territory into a monolithic stronghold.

"Winning over the people's hearts!"

"Human hearts are fickle; it's not easy to manage!"

After some thought, Liu Xuan decided to continue using the old routine, the simplest and most direct method—marriage alliance.

Cultivators do not care for faith or morality; most only recognize benefits.

A marriage alliance is just the beginning. What Liu Xuan wanted to do was use this as a foundation to bring more people into the Liu Clan Merchant Alliance, redistribute the pie that was the Southern Border Beast Taming Sect, and thereby bind everyone's interests to those of the Liu Clan.

"Peach Blossom, your husband wants to take a Concubine!"

Liu Xuan called Peach Blossom over and explained his thoughts to her. "I plan to hold a beauty pageant for the entire Southern Border. I'll use this opportunity to win over people, stabilize the situation, and incidentally establish connections with surrounding forces."

Peach Blossom stared at Liu Xuan with a peculiar look. "Is Husband really doing this just to stabilize the situation, and not because he wants to find new beauties?"

"How can you think of your husband like that? Don't you know what kind of person I am?"

Liu Xuan said with a serious face, "Isn't everything I do for all of you, and for the Family?"

"Yes, yes, yes!" Peach Blossom chuckled. "This Concubine knows she was wrong and shouldn't have misunderstood Husband."

After admitting her mistake, Peach Blossom walked behind Liu Xuan to massage his shoulders, her tone becoming solemn. "Since it is a marriage alliance, there is no need to limit it to a beauty pageant. As long as the status is appropriate, they can be married into our Liu Manor."

Seeing Liu Xuan's brow furrow slightly, Peach Blossom secretly covered her mouth and giggled, then quickly added, "A marriage alliance is only the beginning of establishing a connection. The key still lies in subsequent alliances regarding interests. Why must Husband do everything personally? Your sons are equally suitable."

Liu Xuan thought about it and realized Peach Blossom made a lot of sense. Since it was a marriage alliance, the beauty of the woman was not the key; her status and position were. Using a beauty pageant to take a Concubine was indeed inappropriate.

In that case...

Liu Xuan reached back and pulled Peach Blossom from behind into his arms, praising her with a smile, "As expected, Sister Peach Blossom understands me best and knows my heart!"

"Then we shall hold the beauty pageant and the marriage alliance simultaneously. I'll take the beauties, and the plain ones can go to my sons..."

Peach Blossom shifted her body slightly, her hands hooked around Liu Xuan's neck, bringing her exquisite face close to his. "Sister has helped you so much; how are you going to thank me?"

"How does Sister want me to thank her?"

"I want another child!"

Peach Blossom finished speaking with a slight blush, her tender red lips already pressed near Liu Xuan's mouth.

Back when Peach Blossom gave birth to Jing Zun, her Bloodline rank had directly jumped a whole grade, reaching the peak of the fifth rank. That was why she was able to break through so smoothly.

The benefits of having children were simply too great!!

If she were to conceive another child with a Bloodline talent similar to Jing Zun's, or even one with a higher talent, she would very likely advance to a sixth-rank Bloodline!

Why even bother with conventional cultivation?

Working hard to make babies was more cost-effective than anything else!

Peach Blossom's suggestion just now actually had selfish motives. She couldn't stop Liu Xuan from having more women, nor did she dare to move against the women he had already taken, but she could reduce the speed at which the number of women in the manor increased.

By separating the marriage alliance from the beauty pageant, with Liu Xuan's current high standards, probably only a few would be able to enter the door.

Furthermore, marrying in many 'vases' wouldn't matter much. Once Liu Xuan's interest faded, they would just be ordinary Concubines and wouldn't take away much of his favor.

Peach Blossom knew Liu Xuan's nature perfectly well. She could never possess him entirely. To gain more favor, she had to show more charm and ability. Fighting for favor was secondary; once boundaries were crossed, it would easily lead to major problems.

A faint pink aura filled the room, and a special fragrance of flowers mixed with fruit seeped into Liu Xuan's taste buds. He soon became lost in the gentle paradise Peach Blossom had created.