CHAPTER 178: CHAPTER 177: SWORD DUEL (1ST UPDATE, PLEASE SUBSCRIBE)

In the cave mansion, the Grand Elder looked solemn, expressing the worries in his heart.

After the Golden Core Ancestor arrived in Chu Country, he was vague about his origins. But cultivators are not fools. From some clues, as well as conversations, they have already guessed some information about the Golden Core Ancestor.

He must have been unable to survive in the Central State, or even offended a strong enemy, forcing him to retreat to the Eastern Wilderness.

Thinking of the enemies of the Golden Core Ancestor, possibly Golden Core Great Cultivators, or even Nascent Souls, made my scalp tingle.

Listening to the Grand Elder’s concerns, Lu Xuanji internally mumbled, "What’s a Nascent Soul?"

Her enemies are some major sects and great families in the Central State, perhaps even some Divinity Transformation powerhouses.

However, there’s no need to worry too much.

The Eastern Wilderness is too far from the Central State, and those enemies might not be able to find this place,

In this world, the strong are revered, but it’s not a world where the strong can kill at will. They must consider the hidden rules of the cultivation realm and some cause and effect, karmic force.

Even when annihilating a sect, one must adhere to hidden rules.

Back when Ancestor Yan Yang came to annihilate the Lu Family, he only killed Foundation Establishment cultivators and Qi Refining cultivators, while he didn’t dare touch ordinary mortals.

Killing cultivators could be understood as revenge;

But slaughtering mortals would be regarded as demon cultivation, prompting a Golden Core Ancestor or a Nascent Soul True Monarch to hunt them down.

Back when several major forces joined forces to destroy the Jin Family, they only wiped out the high-level cultivators in the Jin Family, leaving Foundation Establishment and Qi Refining cultivators untouched, simply dispersing them;

As for the lower-level mortals, they didn’t touch them at all.

It’s not that those forces are merciful, but because of the hidden rules of the cultivation realm.

Among cultivators, they fight to seize treasures, to seize territory, and no one interferes, finding it natural; but if cultivators expand slaughter indiscriminately, killing large numbers of low-level cultivators, killing large numbers of civilians, it’s almost self-destructive for the human race.

Then, top powerhouses of the human race would intervene.

If those forces had slaughtered many low-level cultivators and civilians after destroying the Jin Family, a Refining Void elder or even a Harmonization elder might have intervened to impose severe punishment.

Killing and seizing treasures is permissible, seizing territory is permissible, revenge killing is permissible, but indiscriminate large-scale slaughter is forbidden.

Otherwise, every battle would involve civilians, leading to large-scale massacres of civilians.

Perhaps hundreds of years later, due to unchecked slaughter, the human race’s territory would become sparsely populated, on the brink of extinction.

The cultivation realm is constantly killing, seemingly chaotic, yet everyone adheres to some hidden rules, maintaining an orderly state in the world.

Moreover, after those forces destroyed the Jin Family, they became larger and more resourceful, able to cultivate more geniuses; conversely, those remnants of the Jin Family lost their territory and guidance from the elders, falling into resource scarcity, hindering their cultivation progress.

In the end, the strong become stronger, and the weak become weaker.

On what grounds can those Jin Family remnants turn the tables, on what basis can they seek revenge?

Based on a mere saying, "Thirty years of East River, thirty years of West River, don’t mock the young for being poor," or a simple catchphrase, "I’m working hard, I’ll surely succeed."

In the years following the event, the pursuit of the Jin Family remnants was intense.

But decades later, the pursuit of the Jin Family remnants slowed, or even disappeared, as they couldn’t be bothered to chase anymore.

Those forces are busy with endless internal disputes and factional conflicts, focusing their energies on new enemies, while the Jin Family remnants are regarded merely as a skin affliction.

One might say, the Golden Core Ancestor is quite safe now, as long as he doesn’t accidentally run into some people’s crosshairs, he remains unharmed.

Even should he appear directly in front of some people, those enemies might not even remember a certain Jin Family remnant.

...

"Those enemies are too busy to bother with her!"

"The Golden Core Ancestor is very safe!"

"Besides, is there even time for us to get off the ship now?"

"Even if we reported the Golden Core Ancestor, do you think those enemies would take us seriously?"

Lu Xuanji smiled, raising several consecutive questions.

"Getting off the ship, naturally, we can’t get off now."

The Grand Elder sighed, "Only by getting involved in the struggle among big figures, a single careless move could crush the Lu Family!"

"Worse than standing in the wrong line is not standing with a line at all!" Lu Xuanji said with a smile, "Not choosing a side will make us the first target to be eliminated. Does our Lu Family even have the power to choose? The Lu Family is considered strong now, with two Purple Mansion cultivators, and forty Foundation Establishment cultivators, not to mention over a thousand Qi Refining cultivators."

"But in the eyes of those top forces, it’s still pitifully weak. The Lu Family survives not because of its strength, but because it chose a side, allied with the Ye Family, and relied on the lineage of the Golden Core Ancestor. Otherwise, how could the Lu Family have remained safe and stable all these years?"

"Since that’s the case, then one must endure the corresponding risks!"

The Grand Elder nodded, "You’re right! I was foolishly hoping for peace, yet unwilling to bear anything. Check this out?"

While speaking, he took out a Sword Token and handed it over.

Lu Xuanji opened the Sword Token, taking a brief look.

The Wu Family and the Lu Family were in conflict over a mine.

Each side held their own opinion.

Even persuasion by the Dan Yang Sect was ineffective.

Thus, only a sword duel could resolve it.

Two out of three wins would determine the ownership of the mine.

"Why does the Wu Family send a Sword Token now?" Lu Xuanji asked.

"Because you’ve made a breakthrough!"

The Grand Elder laughed, "In conflicts among cultivation immortality clans, with the rules and constraints of the Dan Yang Sect, they cannot battle with their entire clans, only sword duels can decide. In the past, you were a Foundation Establishment Celestial Pride, killing several demon race celestial prides, even gaining the favor of the Golden Core Ancestor!"

"Firstly, with you there, participating in a sword duel, the odds weren’t high; secondly, if in the sword duel, underhanded means were used to kill you, it might incur the wrath of the Golden Core Ancestor!"

"But now that you’ve stepped into the Purple Mansion, you can’t participate in the sword duel. So the Wu Family sent a Sword Token to the Lu Family, challenging us to a sword duel."

Lu Xuanji said, "Why does the Wu Family choose to sword duel, what benefit does it have for them?"

The Grand Elder said, "There are three benefits. That mountain range has a Profound Iron Ore, with initial surveys showing quite a decent yield. Acquiring this vein could bring additional income to the Wu Family, that’s the first benefit;

The second benefit is that the Wu Family and the Lu Family have faced constant killings due to some business conflicts, resulting in some grievances, it’s a proper chance for revenge through this opportunity;

The third benefit is to curry favor with certain people. In the Dan Yang Sect, there’s a Golden Core Ancestor who has conflicts and grievances with the Ye Family Ancestor and the Golden Core Ancestor. They can’t take action themselves, so we must."

"Understood!"

Lu Xuanji nodded, "Then let’s sword duel! The Lu Family’s cultivators have been living too comfortably these years, obtaining resources too easily, lacking a certain amount of tempering. This sword duel is the perfect opportunity to hone the family’s cultivators. Win or lose, it’s a victory either way!"

"This generation of children has had it too easy growing up, becoming somewhat arrogant, imperious, and disrespectful, it’s time they were put in check!"

...

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