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第三卷 幽州乱 第四百四十六章 坦诚相待

Chapter 446 - Open and Honorable [VIP]

It wasn't a problem with the herbs. Although the raw materials for this pill were indeed rare treasures, our sect has been in existence for ten thousand years; we have accumulated some knowledge. However, what makes it troublesome is that this pill is extremely difficult to refine. To be honest, Young Master, even though my White Cloud Mountain has specially cultivated several disciples proficient in alchemy, none of them can guarantee success," said Ouyang Qin with a slight look of dejection on her face.

"Then, what does Lady Fairy mean?" Lin Xuan frowned, already having an idea in his heart.

"I hope Young Master will lend a hand."

"That…" Lin Xuan hesitated for a moment and showed a few signs of difficulty. "I'm afraid I'll disappoint you. It's not that I'm shirking my duties; it's just that my cultivation is too shallow, so I wouldn't have any confidence in myself even if the pill were this difficult to refine."

"Young Master is being modest. My friend, you are a high disciple of True Immortal Through Feathers. You are also the Young Lord of Spirit Herb Mountain. Your alchemy skills must be unparalleled. If you can save Senior Brother Tai Xu, our sect will naturally be eternally grateful," Ouyang Qin stood up and bowed gracefully, her face filled with hope.

Lin Xuan remained silent in thought. He never rose early for no reason; if it was about helping someone like Ouyang Qin who had been seriously injured, he would definitely help without hesitation.

However, when it came to that old monster Tai Xu… Hmm, could one expect him to act on a mere promise of gratitude from the entire White Cloud Mountain?

Lin Xuan knew all too well what an infant spirit cultivator meant to a sect, especially during such critical times. The value was beyond estimation.

He would be willing to help if he had to, but under what conditions…

Of course, Lin Xuan wouldn't make these demands openly; it would sound presumptuous coming from him.

"Why doesn't your sect seek help from other high-ranking experts like my teacher, True Immortal Through Feathers?"

"Ah…" Ouyang Qin's face showed a moment of hesitation as she seemed unsure how to respond. After a while, she asked, "Lin Xuan, do you consider me a friend in your heart?"

Lin Xuan nodded without hesitation: "Yes, I consider you a friend who can share my innermost thoughts."

Hearing this, Ouyang Qin's face flushed slightly before she said seriously, "Thank you. Since we are friends, I can tell you what I have to say. If it were just the Young Lord of Spirit Herb Mountain, Lady Fairy would never have asked for your help."

"Oh?" Lin Xuan tilted his head, a thoughtful expression on his face.

Suddenly, Ouyang Qin bowed again toward him.

Lin Xuan was startled and raised his hand to stop her. "Why are you doing this?"

"Although what I am about to say is true, it might be disrespectful to your sect. Lin Brother, please accept my apologies in advance," said Ouyang Qin with a slight look of dissatisfaction as she glared at him.

"It's no trouble for me; I'm not that petty," Lin Xuan shook his head and said generously, "I understand the truth, so there is no need to be overly cautious."

"Thank you," Ouyang Qin looked at him deeply, feeling grateful for his understanding of her situation as a beautiful woman.

"As you know, recently, the chaos in Youzhou involved not only our sects but also the Great Demonic Cave. Aside from us and them, there was another powerful force that we couldn't ignore—essentially, one that could stand on equal footing with both sides."

"You are referring to the cultivation families?" Lin Xuan raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised. Although some cultivation families had considerable strength, compared to major sects, they were insignificant. For instance, the Chu Family, known as the First Cultivation Family of Youzhou, was no more than a third-rate sect in scale. It made sense that neither side would take them seriously. But what if there was an error?

"Your thoughts are similar to your senior brothers," Ouyang Qin said with respect. "However, your master has a broader and more visionary perspective, making it hard for anyone not to admire."

"I'm eager to hear the details," Lin Xuan was genuinely curious. Could their sect really possess such formidable power?

"This matter is known throughout Youzhou; I will explain everything to you in detail." Ouyang Qin combed her hair and said, "To be honest, while our sides tried to sway various forces, we overlooked a significant factor."

"Another group?"

"Yes, the cultivation families," Ouyang Qin's voice became more somber.

"Cultivation families?" Lin Xuan raised his eyebrows, clearly taken aback. Cultivation families did have some strength, but compared to major sects, they were negligible. For example, the Chu Family, known as the First Cultivation Family of Youzhou, was only a third-rate sect in size and not considered by either side. Could there be an error here?

"It seems your thoughts align with your senior brothers. However, your master has a more far-sighted perspective, making it hard for anyone to disagree," Ouyang Qin said with respect.

"I am eager to hear the details."

"It's simple: many small ants can kill an elephant. While individual cultivation families may not be significant, we overlooked their sheer number. Although these families are smaller in scale, they vastly outnumber major sects."

"Oh, this… I really haven't paid attention," Lin Xuan scratched his nose with a smile.

"Not just Young Master; none of us noticed it either. Even the cunning Great Demonic Lord ignored it," Ouyang Qin sighed. "In Youzhou, even counting minor sects like fourth and fifth-rate ones, there are only around two to three hundred. But do you know how many cultivation families exist?"

Lin Xuan shook his head, though he was slightly alarmed inside. He didn't have specific numbers, but the Nine Leaves Mountain alone had ninety-nine cultivation families, and that was just a small part of Youzhou.

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