The Sacred Leaves Family's Wishes for Peace

"An obsidian vein?"
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Sun Tianming's expression hardened upon hearing the report from his clan members.

"Indeed, the Yun Clan has discovered an obsidian vein in Mount Yunzhang. According to the report, they've already stationed guards near the vein. Additionally, they've deployed over a thousand troops from Yunzhang County to secure the area.

Even one of their spirit root cultivators has been mobilized."

"To think, such immense wealth didn't fall into my Sun Clan's hands but ended up with the Yun Clan instead," Sun Tianming sighed, his tone heavy with frustration. His heart churned with unwillingness, but even more so, with envy.

The Sun Clan had once invested significant manpower and time in the hope of being the first to locate and seize the obsidian vein, which they saw as a cornerstone for revitalizing their family's fortunes.

In their efforts, they had sacrificed many clansmen, and even his third brother, Sun Tianli, had been driven to madness.

Yet, despite their sacrifices, the Sun Clan had no fate with the obsidian vein.

And now, the Yun Clan had beaten them to it, uncovering the vein's location. How could Sun Tianming accept this?

But with the situation as it stood, he could not act recklessly.

After all, the Yun Clan was growing stronger by the day. Word had it that two more spirit-root children were recently born to the clan, bringing their total to five! The Yun Clan's future prosperity was foreseeable.

In contrast, the Sun Clan was struggling with every step.

Although they had recently received some rewards from the court for aiding in the capture of cultists from the Gu God Sect, Sun Tianming knew full well that the gap between the two clans remained vast.

If they were to compete secretly with the Yun Clan over the obsidian vein, it could jeopardize the marriage alliance they had worked so hard to secure in recent days.

"Patriarch, we must act quickly! How can we let the Yun Clan monopolize that obsidian vein and allow them to grow even stronger while we stand by and watch?"

"Exactly! If our Sun Clan makes a move, we might still have a chance to claim something for ourselves."

Many of the Sun Clan's elders turned to Sun Tianming, urging him to take action.

"The Yunzhang Yun Clan is no longer what it used to be. They now have five spirit-root cultivators, and their future strength is predictable. My Sun Clan lags far behind.

Reckless actions could bring disaster upon our family.

Moreover, we've only just secured a marriage alliance with the Yun Clan. If we act now and they discover it, the relationship between our two families will be irreparably damaged."

"What are we afraid of? Our clan has three spirit-root cultivators. Even if the Yun Clan has five, three of theirs are said to be newborn infants who haven't even begun their cultivation.

How could they possibly compare to our Sun Clan?"

One of the Sun Clan elders spoke arrogantly, his tone full of disdain.

"It seems you don't understand just how formidable the Yun Clan's two spirit-root cultivators are," Sun Tianming sighed, shaking his head at the arrogance of his clansmen.

"Fenglin, explain the situation in detail to your uncles and elders."

Seeing the overconfidence of his family members, Sun Tianming felt compelled to let them understand the true disparity.

Sun Fenglin stood and began recounting the events at Mount Yunzhan's ancient battlefield, detailing how the Yun Clan's two spirit-root cultivators had worked together to capture a Gu God Sect cultist.

When the Sun Clan's elders heard the full account, they gasped in shock.

They could scarcely believe that the Sun Clan's three spirit-root cultivators had been utterly powerless against the Gu God Sect cultist and that it had taken the Yun Clan's two cultivators to subdue him.

The difference in strength was staggering!

A heavy silence fell over the room. The Sun Clan's elders, who had been full of bravado moments ago, now wore grim expressions.

"If my Sun Clan were strong enough, I wouldn't stand idly by while the Yun Clan discovered the obsidian vein," Sun Tianming finally said, breaking the tense silence.

"But the reality is that we are far from being a match for the Yun Clan. Opposing them would be sheer folly.

This is why I sought a marriage alliance with the Yun Clan—to bind our two families together."

"So, are we just going to watch as the Yun Clan mines all the obsidian for themselves?"

"What else can we do? Do you have another plan?"

"Weakness leaves us with few choices, and you all should understand that by now."

"What my Sun Clan must do is endure, quietly build our strength, and avoid making foolish enemies that would bring disaster upon us."

Sun Tianming's voice was firm and decisive, leaving no room for argument.

The room fell silent once more. Though some of the elders wanted to refute his words, they found themselves unable to do so.

Indeed, how many options does a weak family truly have?

In this world, the strong prey upon the weak.

This was true not only in the realm of cultivation but also in the mortal world.

In battles among the strong, the weak can only tremble in the cracks, struggling to survive.

"For now, let's set this matter aside," Sun Tianming said after a long pause.

"Fenglin, Fengxuan, and Fengli must focus on their cultivation. The family's future honor and prosperity rest upon the three of you."

"Also, I heard that the clan has recently welcomed a new spirit-root child?"

"Yes," someone replied.

"What grade?"

"Fourth-grade."

"Not as good as the Yun Clan, but it's still something to be thankful for."

"Very well, this meeting is over. You're all dismissed."

Sun Tianming waved his hand, signaling the end of the gathering.

After everyone had left, Sun Tianming gathered a few clan soldiers and prepared a carriage loaded with gifts for a visit to the Yunzhang Yun Clan.

"The personnel for mining the obsidian in Mount Yunzhan has been fully arranged.

The county government has also dispatched 1,500 soldiers to ensure the security of the mine.

Yan Tian is stationed there as well, so the Lanlin Sun Clan wouldn't dare attempt anything underhanded.

As for the transport logistics, the county government will also provide military escorts for the journey."

Yun Yunrui reported the details to Yun Yunyang.

"How is my third brother's side? Is everything normal?"

"Brother Yunfeng reports that everything is normal for now; no unusual incidents have occurred."

"Good. Issue the following orders: From now on, part of the mined obsidian will be allocated to Shuang'er for refining.

Another portion will be escorted by our clan soldiers to Yulin County's cultivation market for sale. I've arranged connections with the Wang family there; they'll help us discreetly."

Yun Yunyang spoke calmly.

"The Wang family won't help us for free, I assume?"

"Of course not. They'll take 60% of the spirit stones earned from the sale of our obsidian."

"Sixty percent? That's outright extortion!"

Yun Yunrui frowned, clearly dissatisfied.

"What choice do we have? My Yun Clan currently cannot compare to the Wang family of Yulin. For the family to develop steadily, sacrifices must be made in the early stages.

Once the clan grows stronger and we have a solid foundation, do you think the Wang family will be able to take advantage of us so easily?"

Yun Yunyang sighed at first but then a determined gleam flashed in his eyes.

While he was known for his mild temperament and sincerity in dealings, that didn't mean he was a pushover. Neither he nor the Yun Clan would allow themselves to be manipulated.

However, until the family had fully matured, patience and restraint were necessary. Acting rashly would only lead to disaster.

"Wise words," Yun Yunrui nodded in agreement.

"Brother Yunyang, someone from the Sun Clan is here!"

A Yun clansman hurried into the ancestral hall and respectfully informed Yun Yunyang.

"That hunting dog has quite the nose. It caught the scent and came running!"

Yun Yunyang sneered coldly.

He composed himself, adjusting his demeanor, and then led several core clan members to the estate's entrance.

"Brother Yunyang."

Seeing Yun Yunyang appear with his group, Sun Tianming quickly greeted him with a flattering bow.

"Brother Tianming, it's been a while. How have you been?"

Yun Yunyang returned the greeting with a polite smile.

"I heard your esteemed clan has recently welcomed two new spirit-root children. I'm truly delighted for you! I've brought some gifts on behalf of my family as a gesture of congratulations. I hope Brother Yunyang will kindly accept them."

"Brother Tianming, you're too generous. Please, come inside!"

Yun Yunyang smiled and extended an inviting hand.

Though he knew full well that Sun Tianming's visit had ulterior motives, it wouldn't be appropriate to shut the door in his face.

Even if Sun Tianming's intentions were clear, Yun Yunyang could only deal with him diplomatically.

"Your esteemed clan is growing stronger by the day. I can't help but feel envious," Sun Tianming remarked with a sigh once he was seated.

"It's all thanks to the hard work and unity of our clansmen," Yun Yunyang replied humbly.

"If only my Sun Clan could achieve even half of your accomplishments."

"Brother Tianming, you're diligent and disciplined. Under your leadership, the Sun Clan is also flourishing."

"Brother Yunyang, please don't mock me. I know my clan's situation better than anyone."

"These are heartfelt words, not mockery. Please, Brother Tianming, don't misunderstand," Yun Yunyang reassured him.