Eternal Life by Dual Cultivation

Chapter 435 - 252: Shangguan Qingying: Little Thief, What Reward Do You Want?

The Qin Family’s main estate.

Inside the Council Hall, Patriarch Qin Zhongqi sat upon a magnificent and imposing Jade Chair, his face livid as he remained silent.

Below him, a Qin Family Elder with graying hair and a beard was cautiously delivering a report:

"...Within our family’s territory, a total of fifty-seven Spirit Gold Mines have been destroyed, along with thirty-nine Medicinal Gardens, one hundred and thirteen cities of various sizes, twenty-seven Spirit Beast pastures, and countless Spirit Fields...

"The perpetrators behind all this are the two sisters from the Zhao Family, along with an Independent Guest Elder named Ling Changqing. Although his cultivation is only at the late stage of the Golden Core realm, his actual combat strength is nearly on par with a Nascent Soul True Monarch...

"After the three of them leave, these territories are then preyed upon by opportunistic foreign Loose Cultivators. They not only plunder all valuables but also kill most of the Qin Family members left behind to guard them..."

"Enough! Why are you still prattling on about this useless nonsense?"

Qin Zhongqi roared, slamming his hand on the table.

All the Elders in the hall immediately fell silent, not daring to make a peep.

Whether they admitted it or not, the losses the Qin Family had suffered were unprecedented and utterly devastating.

All told, a total of thirty-seven Golden Core Masters had perished, along with more than two hundred True Pill and Pseudo Core Cultivators. The number of casualties among Foundation Establishment and Qi Refining Stage Cultivators was even greater.

For a Nascent Soul power like the Qin Family, Core Formation Cultivators were its backbone, while Foundation Establishment and Qi Refining Stage Cultivators formed its very foundation.

The two Nascent Soul True Monarchs who served as the family’s strategic pillars had also once started at the Qi Cultivation Stage, working their way up step by step.

Excessive casualties at these levels meant the family’s future vitality would be severely damaged, and it would be difficult for any new Nascent Soul True Monarchs to emerge from their ranks.

Losses of this magnitude were comparable to losing a large-scale war. It would be impossible to recover without at least eighty to a hundred years.

But now, with the Zhao Family holding the strategic advantage, would they give the Qin Family a chance to recuperate and restore their strength?

More importantly, those bastards from the Zhao Family hadn’t left. They were still rampaging across Qin Family territory, destroying one bustling town after another and slaughtering the family’s forces in droves.

As for those foreign Loose Cultivators, they had effectively become the Zhao Family’s accomplices, taking every opportunity to kick the Qin Family’s Cultivators while they were down.

The two Nascent Soul True Monarchs, Qin Zhongqi and Qin Zhongyuan, had personally set out to hunt them down more than once. But because they were at a disadvantage in the domain of Celestial Secret Arts and Divination, their efforts were always in vain, as their targets managed to evade them every time.

And whenever Core Formation Cultivators confronted the trio, no matter their numbers, they were invariably slaughtered. Even escaping with their lives was a futile hope.

So now, faced with this vicious trio, the Qin Family’s leadership felt completely powerless.

"We can’t... let this go on!"

Elder Qin Wuyan sighed under his breath.

The other Elders exchanged glances, but no one dared to speak.

This time, the Qin Family’s losses were truly disastrous.

Although their two Nascent Soul True Monarchs were unharmed, the family’s core strength had been too heavily depleted. The loss of wealth and resources was incalculable, and their overall power had clearly declined.

In the regions surrounding the Qin Family’s territory, several powers were now stirring, planning to come and claim a piece of the pie.

This was the cruel, dark side of the Cultivation Realm. No matter how powerful you once were, the moment you met with misfortune and hit a low point, the surrounding jackals and hyenas would swarm in to finish you off.

Thus, the leadership was facing an extremely grim situation. If they couldn’t resolve this matter quickly, the Qin Family’s entire foundation would be carved up and devoured before long.

"Tell me," Qin Zhongqi asked, his tone softening, "how should we handle this?"

"If we can’t deal with the Zhao Family for the time being, then our only option is to negotiate a truce!"

A Core Elder ventured, mustering his courage.

Anger flashed across Qin Zhongqi’s face, and his fists clenched so tightly his knuckles cracked, but he ultimately restrained himself.

His rational mind told him the Elder had a point; the Qin Family could not afford to bleed any further.

It was better to make some concessions and negotiate a truce with the Zhao Family, buying the Qin Family some breathing room. Once they had restored their strength, they could find a way to settle the score.

Circumstances forced their hand. A temporary concession wasn’t shameful, as long as they could exact harsh vengeance later. Then, the family’s prestige would not be tarnished.

"Then, Elder Wuyan, you will go with Elder Kang this time, won’t you?"

Qin Zhongqi said slowly, "As long as the Zhao Family agrees to stop, you can promise them more territory and compensation in resources. You can also hand that traitor and his entire family over to them to be dealt with."

At this point, Qin Zhongqi had no intention of protecting his expendable son-in-law, Zhao Hua. After all, the security of the family’s foundation came first.

The two Elders accepted their orders and departed.

「Several days later.」

Zhao Wanyi, who was resting after having just wiped out a Qin Family merchant caravan, received a message from Shangguan Qingying.

"...My love, Mother wants us to return!"

The beautiful woman turned her head to look at Ling Changqing, who was currently taking stock of their loot.

"I suppose the Qin Family is ready to back down?"

Ling Changqing said, unsurprised by this outcome.

Since the Qin Family couldn’t hold out any longer, their only choice was to endure and concede in order to buy themselves some breathing room.

"So... should we head back right away?"

Zhao Wanqing asked in a soft voice. Although their Matriarch had given the order, she cared more about Ling Changqing’s opinion.

"Let’s head back, then. We’ve been out for a long time, and we’ve reaped more than enough spoils," Ling Changqing said.

’With the Zhao Family’s current strength,’ he thought, ’it isn’t realistic to wipe out the Qin Family in one fell swoop. Even if we could, it would come at a great cost.’