Let Me Explain, Fairy
Chapter 149 - 131 Planning

Chapter 149: Chapter 131 Planning

At the foot of Qionghua Mountain, a bustling street market unfolds.

Falling Immortal Pavilion, symbolizing fairies descending into the mortal world. Each attendant within these lofted chambers is a cultivator, exclusively catering to elite clientele. Ordinary folk, even if they possess silver, are not granted entry.

Guided by the brothel madam, Tianrui, clad in black, walked expressionlessly among the chirping and chattering throng.

Ultimately,

the two halted at the door of a chamber on the top floor of the pavilion.

The full-figured madam bowed to the black-clad youth before her:

"Saint Heir, Mister Shen is waiting for you inside."

Tianrui glanced at her with a voice devoid of emotion, his golden eyes turning, as if he were a descended deity:

"I know, leave."

"Yes." The madam bowed slightly, took two steps back, and turned to leave.

Standing at the door for two seconds, a voice came through directly from behind the door:

"What’s with standing at the doorway? When have you become so polite?"

Upon hearing this, Tianrui pushed the door open and entered. The sight that met his eyes was an embroidered screen vibrant with the aura of spring.

After rounding the screen, the chamber’s furnishings were antiquely charming. A man in a white robe was leaning lazily by the window, pouring his own drink and observing the autumn scenery of the mountains and forests, his long hair fluttering in the autumn breeze, enveloped in solitude.

Tianrui, looking at Shen Weixiu, spoke in his usual unemotional voice:

"You asked to see me. What for?"

Shen Weixiu maintained his squinted smile, glanced sideways at Tianrui, and grinned:

"Do all Saint Heirs of Jiatiange look like this? Why do you resemble those women from Taiqing Tao Palace who have cultivated the Paramount Forgetful Love Technique?"

Tianrui’s gaze remained calm as he looked at him: "If you wish to talk nonsense, we can skip that."

Shen Weixiu gestured with an air of boredom:

"I’ve come to you, naturally, to discuss a partnership."

"Partnership over what?" Tianrui cut to the chase.

"What else? The Enchantress Divine Sakura Tree."

Shen Weixiu walked over to a wooden table inside the room, sat down, poured himself a drink, and sipped leisurely: "Aside from Jing He and Tang Jiuqing, the rest of this generation’s disciples from Qionghua Sect are like misshapen dates rejected by the pound."

Tianrui:

"You’re worried they won’t keep their betting agreement?"

Shen Weixiu drained the exquisite wine in his cup, his squinted eyes narrowing even further:

"Tianrui, don’t play dumb with me. You’ve already prepared to make your move against Jing He and Tianyan, haven’t you?"

"..."

Tianrui did not speak; a glint of divine light immediately flashed across his pale gold eyes.

Shen Weixiu cracked a smile:

"The last spar was interrupted, and to be honest, I am quite eager to continue experiencing the finesse of your Jiatiange’s Yantian Art. But I advise against it?"

Shen Weixiu tapped on the table:

"Young friend Tianrui, if you wish to beat me, first master all four Chapters of your Yantian Art and then come find me."

Tianrui ignored the juvenile provocation and, after a moment of silence, his voice remained undisturbed:

"How did you find out?"

"Don’t concern yourself with that; my Taiqing Tao Palace has its own means." Shen Weixiu.

Tianrui fell silent for a moment before speaking slowly:

"How do you propose we collaborate?"

Shen Weixiu smirked:

"Both Jing He and Tianyan are Third Grade; one for each of us."

"Agreed," Tianrui assented, "but be more specific."

After a brief pondering, Shen Weixiu smiled and said:

"I’ll take care of Tianyan, and you handle Jing He. Afterwards, shall our respective Tao Palaces split the profits fifty-fifty?"

Tianrui, looking at Shen Weixiu:

"Tianyan has just broken through to Third Grade; Jing He is stronger. Nicely calculated."

"So, shall I handle Jing He?" Shen Weixiu shrugged his shoulders.

Tianrui shook his head: "No need, I’ll handle Jing He, but the split will be sixty-forty. The Enchantress Divine Sakura Tree was exchanged by my Jiatiange."

At that, Shen Weixiu fell into silence and finally, with a sigh, his voice casual and languid:

"Fine, as you say, sixty-forty. I’ll handle Tianyan, considering it a steal."

....

....

While the participants for the clash had been decided, the verbal battle within the Dome Palace of Qionghua Sect still raged on, much like the parliaments of certain countries in previous eras.

Were it not for the presence of two powerful outsiders within the Sect, Xu Yuan even felt that these squabbling "cabinet ministers" of the Sect would have turned their literary fight into a physical one.

Internal strife seems inevitable wherever there are people.

In the past life, as well as this one.

In his former life, the old man parachuted Xu Yuan into a small department. Counting the head, deputy heads, and various team leaders, there were fewer than twenty people, yet even there, some indulged in office politics. How much more so in the large Sect of Qionghua, akin to a nation?

While united, the Sect under the surface was rife with different factions.

The focus of the ongoing strife on both sides was clear, centered on the Enchantress Divine Sakura Tree sapling.

The sapling, brought back by Brother Li, is something the Sect Master’s faction did not wish to share with the faction of the Second Elder.

The stance of the Second Elder’s faction was straightforward.

You only tell us after someone else comes knocking? What are you trying to imply?

Either handle it yourself or hand over the lion’s share.

The Sect Master’s faction wouldn’t give in until pushed to the brink, only willing to part with a smaller share.

Thus, both sides reached an impasse and continued the bickering, far removed from the graceful composure expected of the powerful.

Listened to the various Elders within the Dome Palace verbally clashing, waves of absurdity rose in Xu Yuan’s heart.

Observing these unreliable leaders, Xu Yuan almost felt the urge to intervene.

He had thought they were called together to discuss the details of facing tomorrow’s enemy, only to endure an endless tirade instead.

With a great enemy before them and yet they indulged in infighting?

Securing internal stability is a prerequisite for repelling external threats, correct?

Can they even defeat the adversaries from the leading Tao Palace?

Of the only two within the hall who remained silent, one was Xu Yuan and the other was another core disciple, Xiao Jianqing.

Xu Yuan recognized this person as belonging to the faction of the Second Elder.

He was quite renowned among the core disciples, notably for having no backing from any Nobility Sect.

A mortal among mortals, he had risen all the way from being a menial disciple to a core disciple, a formidable figure.

With his talent and aptitude, he should have been a True Disciple ten years ago by the rules, but alas, those slots were always monopolized by the great Sect families.

Even worse off than Jing He.

Seemingly aware of Xu Yuan’s gaze, Xiao Jianqing turned his cold, stern face in Xu Yuan’s direction.

Xu Yuan gave him a slight nod.

Xiao Jianqing snorted softly and continued to look down in silence.

Xu Yuan was speechless.

Clearly, this young man’s mentality had also been rattled by these high-ranking members.

The senior members inside the hall had been arguing from the fourth watch of the si hour until noon, but in the end, they still hadn’t discussed any details. They were about to take a break and continue in the afternoon.

"Sect Master (Second Elder), Jing He (Jianqing) has a request."

Xu Yuan and Xiao Jianqing spoke almost at the same time, having remained silent until then.

The faces of the Qionghua Sect’s senior members varied upon hearing this.

Some were surprised, but more were impatient.

But after all, they still needed these two young men to risk their lives for them, so they suppressed their dissatisfaction in their hearts.

The Second Elder was the first to speak, asking cheerfully:

"Jianqing, what do you want? As long as you defeat Shen Weixiu, I can promote you to a True Disciple exceptionally."

Xiao Jianqing’s resolute face remained unmoved as he softly said:

"Second Elder, being a True Disciple is one aspect, but to fight against the chief of Tao Palace, I need a sword forged from Amethyst Profound Iron, three Barrier Breakthrough Myriad Heart Pills, a Glazed Heart-Protecting Soft Armor, and one Sumeru Ring."

Xu Yuan listened to these requests, his eyes twitching slightly.

This Xiao Jianqing had some nerve.

The Second Elder’s eyes showed a touch of displeasure:

"As long as you win against Shen Weixiu, I can give you whatever you want."

Xiao Jianqing silently knelt on the cushion, calmly meeting the Second Elder’s gaze:

"If these items are not available in full, I’m afraid I won’t be able to fulfill the role. Please choose someone else, Second Elder."

"...."

Silence.

There was silence within the great hall.

The high-ranking members of the Sect seemed amused by the spectacle.

After a while, the Second Elder continued to speak cheerfully:

"These resources are precious and will take time to gather, by tomorrow noon..."

Xiao Jianqing was clear-headed: "If they cannot be prepared before the battle, I’m afraid I will not be able to confront Tao Palace’s chief."

"....."

After a brief silence,

the Second Elder chuckled lowly, took a deep breath, and said, "Hehehe... Alright, I promise you."

"Jianqing thanks the Second Elder."

Having said that, Xiao Jianqing turned and left.

Xu Yuan watched Xiao Jianqing’s retreating figure when the voice of the Qionghua Sect Master came from the main seat:

"Jing He, you can speak frankly about what you want."

Xu Yuan slightly mustered his emotions, his nostrils flared slightly, and his expression became complex, filled with resentment and a murderous intent, as he looked directly into the Sect Master’s eyes:

"Sect Master, in the nearly two decades since the World Honored One’s death, my brothers Li and Bai Fan have treated me as a brother. Now they have both died because of Shen Weixiu. It is natural for Jing He to seek revenge for them. This time my request is not for material things but simply to take a look at the Enchantress Divine Sakura Tree sapling."

Upon hearing this,

the gaze of the Qionghua Sect Master softened noticeably toward Xu Yuan but then he still asked:

"Jing He, may I ask why you wish to see the Enchantress Divine Sakura Tree?"

Xu Yuan had a ready answer in his heart and said confidently:

"After Brother Li returned to the palace, he entrusted me with a secret technique privately. This secret technique relates to the Enchantress Divine Sakura Tree."

The Qionghua Sect Master’s eyes showed a hint of surprise, and he glanced around at the Elders before nodding:

"After the meeting, you may stay."

Xu Yuan’s eyes narrowed slightly as he thanked with a bow:

"Jing He thanks the Sect Master."

...

...

Two quarters of an hour later,

the silhouettes of an old man and a young man stood atop the summit behind the Dome Palace mountain.

Xu Yuan looked at the sapling in front of him, his pupils shaking for a moment.

It wasn’t the source...

The Enchantress Divine Sakura Tree sapling that he and Tianyan had gone to great lengths to see was not the source of this Illusionary Realm.

The source is the center of the entire Illusionary Realm. It emits a special kind of Will-spirit vibration that spreads outward. The simulated people within the Illusionary Realm cannot sense it, but the "self-aware" outsiders who have come from the real world can perceive it clearly.

Now that Xu Yuan was standing in front of this Enchantress Divine Sakura Tree sapling, his Will-spirit didn’t sense anything out of the ordinary.

Xu Yuan fell into a brief silence, then glanced sideways at the Qionghua Sect Master and spoke softly:

"Sect Master, is this the Enchantress Divine Sakura Tree sapling?"

The Qionghua Sect Master nodded:

"Of course. You can begin comprehending it now."

After receiving a positive response,

Xu Yuan took a deep breath, sat down cross-legged, and his Will-spirit reached out delicately to feel.

About half an hour later, Xu Yuan slowly opened his eyes.

The Qionghua Sect Master, who had been standing by, glanced at him: "Jing He, what’s the matter?"

Xu Yuan slowly stood up and shook his head:

"This Sakura Tree sapling has not yet matured. Even if I comprehend it, the gains won’t be significant."

The Qionghua Sect Master sighed softly upon hearing this and asked in a low voice:

"Then... Jing He, do you have any other requests?"

Xu Yuan shook his head:

"I have no other requests."

With that,

Xu Yuan’s gaze was serious, staring at the elder before him:

"Uncle Bai, the day after tomorrow, I will decapitate Shen Weixiu to avenge Bai Fan."

"...."

The autumn wind was piercing,

and a hint of sadness flashed in the elder’s eyes, but he soon smiled, patted Xu Yuan on the shoulder...

In the end, the Qionghua Sect Master still gave Xu Yuan two Sumeru Rings as a reward and promised that after this incident, he and Tianyan would be promoted to True Disciples of Qionghua.

After his own son’s death, the old man was prepared to win over him and Tianyan.

After leaving the Sect Master’s Grand Hall, Xu Yuan took a long sigh and without any hesitation, sped towards his residence.

The Enchantress Divine Sakura Tree had been switched out.