Crafting an Immortal Race with Daily Hexagrams

Chapter 401: Chapter 209: Eighth Grade Bloodline

Zhao Tuan adjusted his wide robe sleeves, let out a low chuckle, then lifted his head, his eyes sharply surveying the crowd.

”Do all you esteemed elders think the patriarch’s action is too cruel?”

The people present exchanged glances, and then someone spoke up, ”Those common people and cultivators sincerely came to seek refuge with our Shen Family. If we turn them away, leaving them to be slaughtered by those Southern Border beasts... we cannot bear it.”

”Indeed, if our Shen Family does this, we will likely leave a bad name among the common people and cultivators in the future.”

The remaining people nodded in agreement with this view.

Zhao Tuan adjusted his sleeves and continued, ”The patriarch is wise and strategic, surely aware of this.”

”Let me ask again...”

”Elder Liu, do you know how many common people and cultivators from the Yangnao Land have been slaughtered by the Southern Border over this period?”

Among the crowd, Liu Fang, already in his twilight years with white hair, had eyes showing a trace of wisdom despite long-standing comfort.

”I’ve heard that when three Golden Core Realm cultivators from the Southern Border came, they abducted a tenth of the common people and cultivators from the Yangnao Land in one day.”

”During this time, other great demons and evil cultivators from the Southern Border have been rampaging, abducting another twenty to thirty percent.”

Upon hearing this, everyone nodded gravely.

In the past, there were many frictions between the noble families and other families in the Yangnao Land, yet there is now a shared sense of lament for their losses.

Zhao Tuan sighed softly, ”One-tenth, then two to three-tenths more gone. Do esteemed elders see any Southern Border cultivators satisfied?”

The crowd remained silent.

Zhao Tuan continued, ”They will not be satisfied, instead they will become more frenzied as the common people and cultivators from the Yangnao Land diminish.”

”Our Shen Family’s four cities can still accommodate more common people and cultivators.”

”But consider, elders: when the common people and cultivators outside Yunzhong are no longer enough, what will those Southern Border cultivators do?”

With these words said, the people around instantly turned serious.

After a moment, an aged elder pondered and addressed, ”What Nephew Zhao fears should not happen, right?”

”After all, Yunzhong still has Golden Core Realm elders stationed at Luoxia Mountain, those Southern Border creatures must give some respect...”

Zhao Tuan shook his head with a bitter smile and replied, ”Uncle Liu knows, the thin respect given by the Southern Border cultivators is merely allowing Luoxia Mountain to protect Yunzhong’s lands.”

”Currently, whether it is Luoxia Mountain or the Shen Family, seizing the opportunity to gather the common people and cultivators from outside Yunzhong is seen as overstepping.”

With a soft sigh and hands dropping, Zhao Tuan said gravely, ”When there are no more common people and cultivators to plunder outside Yunzhong, the entire Yunzhong will become the most tempting feast in the Yangnao Land.”

”The more we strive to consume now, the greater the temptation will be then.”

”There is only one Elder Jiang, yet there is more than one or two Golden Core Realm cultivators from the Southern Border. Do you all believe that one or two Golden Core cultivators wouldn’t want to offend a peer? Could the remaining Golden Core Realm cultivators also think this way?”

”If there were three or five Golden Core Realm cultivators reaching a consensus to divide Yunzhong, could Elder Jiang withstand it?”

His words were like a heavy stone dropped on their hearts, shaking them, and pressing down heavily on their breaths.

The elderly stewards had shifting expressions, their faces all turning solemn.

”Nephew Zhao’s meaning is that it won’t be long before those Southern Border demons might attack Yunzhong?”

Liu Fang asked in a deep voice.

Zhao Tuan clenched the fists hidden in his sleeves and replied solemnly, ”The patriarch’s decision is to delay our Shen Family and Yunzhong County entering the Southern Border cultivators’ sights as late as possible.”

”In this disaster... wouldn’t someone prevent the extinction of the Yangnao Land?”

Gazing deeply at the sky outside the ancestral hall, stained red by the dusk, from time to time, terrifying figures flew past over Yunshui City. Zhao Tuan shook his head slightly and walked slowly toward the outside of the ancestral hall.

Currently, he only possesses a Qi Cultivation Seventh Layer, unable to make even the slightest difference in this disaster sweeping across all of Danzhou.

He can only hope that our family has other plans, or perhaps the Heavenly Dao shows mercy to stop this massacre.

The stewards gained insight and already understood Shen Chongming’s intentions.

Immediately, they returned to their cities and villages, dispatching numerous family martial artists and cultivators to guard the borders, prohibiting any outsiders from fleeing into their cities under their jurisdiction.

Just like Elder Liu mentioned, after being prevented and refused, those cultivators and common people ended up cursing endlessly after futile cries and clamor.

Cursing the Shen Family for being heartless and not saving the fallen.

Some even claimed that the Shen Family and Luoxia Mountain had secretly agreed with those Southern Border demons, letting them in.

Various rumors spread throughout the chaotic Yangnao Land.

Many cultivators, knowing there was no way out, despairingly charged against the defenses of the Shen Family and Yunzhong County.

As a result, small conflicts often erupted around Yunzhong County’s outskirts.

Meanwhile, those Southern Border cultivators and demons stationed around Yunzhong County watched, enjoying the spectacle like an amusing play.

Time quickly passed over a month.

With large numbers of Southern Border cultivators invading, the Yangnao Land’s population had already decreased by two-thirds.

Those cultivators and demons, unable to plunder blood food, started becoming restless, taking risks by secretly attacking villages and towns on Yunzhong County’s outskirts.

As a result, Luoxia Mountain and the Shen Family had to deploy a large number of disciples and cultivators to patrol their territories.