93: Chapter 93 Winning People Over with Virtue

Hun Feng sat cross-legged in the cultivation room, circulating the newly formed blood-red flame for hundreds of cycles, until every strand of flame could move according to his will, and until Little Fan could freely switch between its Fire Spirit form and its Heavenly Flame form without any hindrance.

He opened his eyes to find Little Fan napping on his lap, the nine rings of flame on its back rising and falling gently with its breathing.

He extended a finger and poked its cheek; Little Fan drowsily opened its golden eyes to look at him, then closed them again to continue sleeping.

He chuckled, retracted it back into his dantian, stood up, and pushed open the door of the cultivation room.

Outside the door, the daylight was bright. Hun Qian was waiting under the veranda as usual, holding a few reports that had just arrived.

Hun Feng took them and scanned them—the Sky Mansion Alliance still had no major movements, the energy fluctuations in the Heavenly Tomb were normal, and his four wives would not be coming out of seclusion for another two or three months.

He returned the reports to Hun Qian, his gaze inadvertently sweeping toward the side courtyard. The windows of Cao Ying and Yun Yun's rooms were open, and two slender figures could be vaguely seen.

He had left them to cool their heels for nearly three months; the lesson had been given, but relying on pressure alone was not enough to make them completely abandon the thought of returning.

The Flower Sect and the Cao Clan were sects that could not even protect themselves in front of the Hun Clan. As long as he made a trip and let them see with their own eyes their respective sects bowing their heads in submission to the Hun Clan, the bit of unwillingness in their hearts would naturally dissipate for the most part.

"Hun Qian, prepare two generous gifts, and be quick about it. Five Ninth Grade Pill each, ten ten-thousand-year Soul Crystals each, ten portions of Heaven Tier forging materials each, and two thousand wisps of Soul Origin produced by the Hall of Souls for each. Also, pick out a few decent pieces of jewelry and magic treasures; for the Cao Clan, send a hair accessory to the old matriarch, and for the Flower Sect, send a set of armor to Fairy Qing."

Hun Qian noted them down one by one and bowed as he retreated.

Hun Feng straightened his cuffs, the blood-red light of the Heaven-Slaying Flame flashing across his fingertips and vanishing. He tore through space silently, and his figure disappeared into the void rift.

The Cao Clan's ancestral home was located outside a small city in the southeast of the Central Plains, covering only a hundred acres with several hundred disciples. The strongest among them was Cao Ying's father, the current head of the Cao Clan, Cao Yu, an Eight Star Dou Zun.

In ordinary sects, he would be considered a powerful figure, but in front of the Ancient Eight Clans, he was truly insignificant.

Last time, when they followed Xiao Yan to the Soul Realm to snatch the bride, the Cao Clan lost several elders and dozens of elite disciples, suffering a major blow to their vitality.

Cao Yu had been so worried these days that his hair had turned quite white; he was both worried about his daughter's safety in the Soul Realm and afraid that the Hun Clan would send someone to settle scores one day.

Just as he was sitting in the study, worrying over the account books, a spatial rift suddenly opened silently in the courtyard.

A blood-red light flashed out from the rift, landing on the ground and transforming into a slender figure clad in mysterious black robes.

The account book in Cao Yu's hands dropped to the ground with a thud. He stood up abruptly, his hair standing on end—the aura of an Eight Star Dou Sheng, even more terrifying and unfathomable than what he had felt in the Soul Realm square two months ago.

"Clan Head Cao." Hun Feng stood in the courtyard with his hands behind his back, his tone calm and polite. "Hun Feng has come uninvited; I hope this is not too much of a disturbance."

Cao Yu scrambled out of the study, cold sweat streaming down his forehead. When he cupped his hands to salute, his waist was bent so low it nearly touched the ground. "Young Master, your presence is an honor; I have failed to welcome you properly—"

"No need for such formalities." Hun Feng raised his hand in a gesture of support, his gaze sweeping across the courtyard.

The Cao Clan's ancestral home was not luxurious, but it was clean and tidy. In the corner of the courtyard grew a few Phoenix Flowers that Cao Ying loved the most, currently blooming in a blaze of color.

He withdrew his gaze, took a storage ring from his sleeve, and placed it on the stone table. He gently rubbed the surface of the ring with his fingertips, a look of extreme heartache appearing on his face—though this heartache was fleeting, Cao Yu was close enough to see it clearly.

"Last time, several elders of the Cao Clan unfortunately perished in the Soul Realm. Although this matter was instigated by Xiao Yan, it did, after all, happen on the territory of the Hun Clan. These meager gifts are my compensation to the Cao Clan."

He paused and added another sentence, his tone carrying a hint of undisguised heartache. "Five Ninth Grade Pill—these are the bottom-of-the-box inventory of my Hun Clan; I myself am reluctant to use so many for my own cultivation. But for Ying'er, it is worth it. Clan Head Cao, open it and take a look."

Cao Yu opened the storage ring and looked inside; his pupils shrank—five Ninth Grade Pill, ten ten-thousand-year Soul Crystals, ten portions of Heaven Tier forging materials, and two thousand wisps of Soul Origin produced by the Hall of Souls.

The weight of this gift list was enough to buy the entire Cao Clan and more.

His hands trembled with excitement; this was not just compensation, this was a windfall from the heavens.

With these resources, the Cao Clan would not have to worry about the birth of strong experts for the next hundred years.

"In addition, Ying'er is living very well in the Soul Realm, so Clan Head Cao need not worry." Hun Feng's tone was calm, but every word carried an unquestionable weight. "From now on, the affairs of the Cao Clan are the affairs of Hun Feng. If any external enemies invade, the Hall of Souls will send people to guard the perimeter of the Cao Clan to ensure the safety of your clan."

"As for the Cao Clan's legacy as Alchemist—the herb warehouse of my Hun Clan is open to the Cao Clan at any time; if you need anything, just ask."

Having said this, he slightly lifted his chin, his gaze sweeping over the few elders and disciples of the Cao Clan who had rushed over upon hearing the news. His voice was not loud, but it made the entire courtyard buzz. "Clan Head Cao, do you and your people have any objections?"

Cao Yu's legs went weak, and he almost knelt down on the spot.

The several elders of the Cao Clan behind him lowered their heads in unison, not daring to even breathe loudly.

An Eight Star Dou Sheng had personally visited, given such a heavy gift, and even promised to protect the Cao Clan—who could refuse? Who dared to refuse?

Cao Yu bowed deeply, his voice trembling and respectful. "Cao has—no objections! From now on, the entire Cao Clan will follow the lead of Hun Feng! Being able to stay by the Young Master's side is Ying'er's good fortune, and it is the honor of my entire Cao Clan!"

Hun Feng nodded slightly, turned, and stepped into the void rift.

Before leaving, he looked down at his storage ring, which was now more than half empty, and the corner of his mouth twitched. He muttered to himself, "Five Soul Origin Pills, that would have been enough for me to cultivate for half a month."

The voice was not too loud or too soft, just enough for Cao Yu to hear.

Cao Yu was stunned, then couldn't help but laugh and cry—this Young Master of the Hun Clan was truly generous, but he was also truly stingy.

The mountain gate of the Flower Sect was as elegant and quiet as ever, built in a valley filled with various colorful flowers. A winding bluestone path extended from the foot of the mountain all the way to the Sect Master's main hall at the top.

The air was permeated with a very faint floral fragrance. Occasionally, female disciples would walk along the mountain path in groups, their skirts brushing against the petals by the roadside, creating a rustling sound.

Nalan Yanran was practicing swordplay in the back mountain.

Ever since Yun Yun was detained in the Soul Realm, the entire Flower Sect had been shrouded in gloom and misery.

As Yun Yun's personal disciple, she had to soothe the emotions of the sisters in the sect and deal with the reproaches of several Grand Elders during these days, and she was already exhausted.

At this moment, she just wanted to vent by practicing swordplay. The cyan longsword fluttered in the rain of flowers, and the sword light intertwined with the petals into a gorgeous scene of cyan and white light and shadow.

Just as she thrust her sword out, and before the momentum of the sword was exhausted, the space in front of her suddenly split open silently.

A figure in mysterious black robes walked out of the rift, surrounded by a very faint blood-red flame.

Nalan Yanran's pupils shrank, and the longsword in her hand almost slipped out—the aura of an Eight Star Dou Sheng.

She had seen Hun Feng before; two months ago in the Soul Realm square, it was this man who had held her master's throat with one hand and crushed the entire coalition of the Sky Mansion Alliance into dust.

Now that he had suddenly appeared in the back mountain of the Flower Sect, that aura was even more terrifying than it was then. Just standing in front of her made the circulation of Dou Qi in her body sluggish.

"Miss Nalan, long time no see." Hun Feng's tone was calm, and his gaze lingered on her face for a moment.

This face was indeed remarkable—delicate features, heroic and compelling, with more decisiveness and stubbornness than ordinary female disciples.

But compared to the elegant and composed demeanor that had settled over time in Yun Yun, it was still lacking a bit.

"Hun Feng! You, what are you here for?" Nalan Yanran subconsciously gripped the hilt of her sword, her voice trembling slightly.

"To help the Flower Sect solve some problems." Hun Feng withdrew his gaze, took a jade bottle from his sleeve, and tossed it to her casually.

"Miss Nalan has been stuck at the Dou Zong bottleneck for many years, right? This Ninth Grade Pill for breaking through barriers can help you break through to the Nine-Turn Dou Zun Peak. Take it and refine it right here."

Nalan Yanran caught the jade bottle, looked down at the pill in the bottle that was swirling with nine-colored light, and her fingers trembled slightly.

Ninth Grade Pill—she had only heard that Yao Chen could refine pills of this level, and Yao Chen was Xiao Yan's master; although he had some friendship with the Flower Sect, he was not generous enough to casually give away a Ninth Grade Pill.

She looked up at Hun Feng, wanting to find a trace of mockery or conspiracy on his face.

But he just sat down on the stone stool nearby, picked up a teacup he had produced from somewhere, and took a sip. His tone was casual but unrefusable. "Refine it; I will protect you. Don't worry about anyone disturbing you—the entire Flower Sect's mountain gate has been sealed by the Hall of Souls Heavenly Venerables; without my command, no one can enter."

Nalan Yanran bit her lower lip and poured the pill into her mouth.

Two hours later, Nalan Yanran slowly opened her eyes. The aura surrounding her had been completely transformed—Nine-Turn Dou Zun Peak, only a single step away from the Ban Sheng realm.

She looked down at her hands, her fingertips trembling slightly from excitement.

She raised her head to look at Hun Feng, her eyes swirling with gratitude, reverence, and a hint of subtle affection she hadn't even realized herself.

She stood up, her cheeks flushed, and just as she was about to say something, Hun Feng raised a hand to stop her: "Hey, don't! I don't have any other intentions. Your master is still in the Soul Realm; I helped you raise your cultivation so you could guard the Flower Sect well for her."

Nalan Yanran was stunned for a moment, then respectfully lowered her head, quietly snuffing out that budding affection deep within her heart.

Hun Feng didn't look at her again and turned to walk towards the main hall of the Flower Sect.

Inside the Flower Sect's main hall, dozens of elders and core disciples were gathered together.

Fairy Qing sat at the head of the right side, her moon-white tight-fitting outfit outlining her slender and upright figure, a high ponytail hanging by her shoulder, her face wearing its usual composure.

She was a Supreme Elder of the Flower Sect, with Ban Sheng cultivation, and held a transcendent status within the Flower Sect.

Two other Supreme Elders sat on either side of her; they were also Ban Sheng, and were the pillars of the Flower Sect.

Hun Feng pushed the door open and walked in, sitting directly on the Sect Master's throne.

The hall was deathly silent; everyone was too terrified to move by that Eight Star Dou Sheng pressure.

Nalan Yanran stood by his side, took a deep breath, and straightened her back.

"Everyone," Hun Feng leaned back in his chair, his tone flat yet every word clear, "Sect Master Yun Yun is staying in the Soul Realm and will not be returning. The position of Flower Sect Master will be succeeded by Nalan Yanran. I have come to inform you all of this matter."

The hall was quiet for a few breaths before it exploded into an uproar. The elders looked at each other, and the disciples whispered amongst themselves.

The three Supreme Elders stood up simultaneously. Fairy Qing's face was as dark as water, her voice cold yet every word resonant: "Hun Feng, although the Flower Sect is small, it has its own rules. The position of Sect Master has always been nominated by the Supreme Elder group; it is not something an outsider can decide with a single word. Sect Master Yun Yun is currently safe and sound, so the Flower Sect cannot appoint another Sect Master. Although Nalan Yanran is the Sect Master's personal disciple, her seniority is shallow, and her cultivation is not enough to convince the masses—"

Hun Feng glanced at Fairy Qing. He had an impression of this woman—she had represented the Flower Sect at the table when the three clans formed an alliance back then. She was Yao Chen's old lover, her temperament composed, her speech neither servile nor overbearing; she certainly had backbone.

But today, he wasn't here to reason. He raised a finger, and a wisp of extremely thin, blood-red flame danced on his fingertip.

Then, that wisp of flame flicked lightly towards the outside of the hall, landing on an empty martial arts stage in the plaza.

With a loud boom, the entire martial arts stage, along with the surrounding dozens of zhang of bluestone ground, instantly turned into nothingness—not burnt to ash, not blown into rubble, but completely vanished from this world, leaving not even dust behind.

A giant pit several zhang deep was left in the ground, the walls of the pit smooth as a mirror, with a faint blood-red glow shimmering at the edges.

The entire hall was dead silent. Hun Feng withdrew his finger, leaned back in his chair, and his gaze swept over everyone present, his tone flat yet carrying an unquestionable pressure: "Nalan Yanran is the new Sect Master. Are you convinced?"

The two Supreme Elders turned pale and lowered their heads tremblingly. Fairy Qing looked at the giant pit, her lips moving for a long time, but she couldn't say a single word.

Ban Sheng against Eight Star Dou Sheng—this wasn't a confrontation; it was suicide.

Hun Feng's gaze slowly swept over the three of them, his fingers tapping lightly on the armrest, his tone suddenly becoming a bit more casual, as if chatting about daily life: "No response, then that means you are convinced. But having said that, your Flower Sect's martial arts stage actually uses bluestone—this stuff isn't cheap. The amount burned by that Heaven-Slaying Flame just now was enough for me to refine three Ninth Grade Pills. If I had known, I would have fought somewhere else."

He shook his head, and that expression of extreme heartache appeared on his face again, exactly the same as it had been at the Cao family earlier.

Fairy Qing looked at his appearance of having gained an advantage yet still acting aggrieved, not knowing whether to be angry or speechless. He was the one who smashed the Flower Sect's martial arts stage, yet he was the one feeling heartache over his own pill materials.

Hun Feng stood up, brushed the non-existent dust off his cuffs, and his gaze swept over everyone present: "From now on, the Flower Sect's affairs are the Hun Clan's affairs. If any external enemies invade, the Hall of Souls will send people to guard the periphery of the Flower Sect. As for you all—assist the new Sect Master well, and do not let her down."

He stopped for a moment when he reached the hall entrance, didn't look back, but turned his head slightly and added indifferently, "Oh right, that Ninth Grade Breakthrough Pill is for Nalan Yanran; don't you dare have any designs on it. Whoever dares to touch her, the martial arts stage from just now will be their fate."

After speaking, he stepped into a void rift and disappeared. He left dashingly, but Fairy Qing clearly heard him mutter while stepping into the rift—"This trip out, I gave away pills and soul crystals; when I get back, I have to tell Hun Qian to cut the food budget in the East Courtyard in half."

The hall was deathly silent. Nalan Yanran stood before the Sect Master's throne, looked at the smoking giant pit outside the hall, and then looked at Fairy Qing's livid expression. She took a deep breath and slowly sat down on the Sect Master's throne.

Soul Realm, side courtyard. It was already evening when Hun Feng returned; the setting sun had dyed the dark-leaf osmanthus in the East Courtyard a warm gold.

He pushed open the door to the side courtyard, and Cao Ying and Yun Yun were sitting at the table eating dinner. Seeing him enter, both dropped their chopsticks at the same time, their faces showing a complex expression of mixed vigilance and unease.

"The weather is nice today, so I went for a walk." Hun Feng sat down at the table, picked up the teapot, and poured himself a cup of tea, his tone as casual as if chatting with an old friend, "I stopped by the Cao family on the way and met the Cao family head. A good man; he accepted a few of my pills and agreed that from now on, the Cao family will be under the protection of the Hun Clan. Your mother is in good health and even asked me to ask you on her behalf if you are doing well."

The chopsticks in Cao Ying's hand clattered onto the table, her phoenix eyes widened, and the expression on her face was a mix of shame and anger.

Before she could speak, Hun Feng added another sentence, his tone carrying a hint of undisguised heartache, "But your father is truly impolite—five Ninth Grade Soul Origin Pills, ten ten-thousand-year soul crystals, plus ten portions of Heaven-tier materials. I emptied more than half of my storage ring on this trip; I didn't even have enough money left to buy a pot of wine on the way back. Sigh, for your sake, I really bled for this."

Cao Ying had wanted to say something, but was interrupted by his look of heartache, and the words stuck in her throat.

Hun Feng turned his head to look at Yun Yun, the corners of his mouth curling slightly: "I went to the Flower Sect as well. That girl Nalan Yanran has decent talent, so I gave her a Ninth Grade Breakthrough Pill, helping her break through directly to Nine-Turn Dou Zun Peak. But she is far worse than you—the first thing she did after breaking through was to offer herself to me."

Yun Yun stood up abruptly, her fingers clenched white under her plain robes, staring fixedly at Hun Feng. Her lips trembled several times, and finally, she squeezed three words through her teeth—"You… shameless."

Hun Feng was not annoyed and calmly recounted everything that happened at the Flower Sect—how he announced Nalan Yanran as the successor to the Sect Master, how the two Supreme Elders were unconvinced, how he intimidated everyone, and how Fairy Qing and the remaining elders dared not say another word.

Finally, he described the reactions of the Flower Sect members vividly—"I asked them if they were convinced, and no one made a sound for a long time. Eventually, Fairy Qing nodded first, and the others followed suit. However, your Flower Sect's martial arts stage is of good quality; the bluestone is indeed fire-resistant, but it's just a bit expensive. Next time I go, I'll have to find an empty plot to fight on, so I don't have to feel heartache over the material costs after fighting."

Upon hearing this, Yun Yun was furious. She stared at Hun Feng's smug face, gnashing her teeth in hatred, but other than cursing "shameless," she was completely helpless against him.

Cao Ying listened from the side, her expression gradually changing from initial shock to complex silence—she knew that Hun Feng's words were not just meant for Yun Yun, but also for her.

The Flower Sect's rules were changed just like that, and the Cao family's strength was even weaker than the Flower Sect's; for Hun Feng to destroy the Cao family would be nothing more than a thought.

But he didn't do that; instead, he personally visited to deliver a large amount of resources and gave the Cao family a promise of protection from the Hun Clan.

This method of using both kindness and authority left her unsure whether to hate him or be grateful to him.

"Sect Master Yun Yun, whether you hate me or curse me—either way, you can't go anywhere. The Flower Sect is already surnamed Hun, and Nalan Yanran is the new Sect Master. As for what your status is in the Soul Realm—" Hun Feng put down his teacup and stood up. When he reached the door, he stopped for a moment, turned his head to look at her, and a meaningful smile appeared at the corner of his mouth, "It depends on your performance."

After speaking, he pushed the door open and left, leaving Cao Ying and Yun Yun behind—one silent, the other glaring with eyes wide open, fists clenched tightly.