Let Me Explain, Fairy
Chapter 860 - Five Hundred Thirty-Nine: The Purpose

Chapter 860: Chapter Five Hundred Thirty-Nine: The Purpose

Xu Yuan hadn’t lied.

Before the New Year, after the grand banquet in the Prime Minister’s Mansion, Lou Ji’s senior officials had formally submitted a proposal regarding the disposal of the Earth Palace Remnants to Xu Yinhe during the core secret meeting.

As a vast power spanning the entire territory of Dayan, this wasn’t the first time the Prime Minister’s Mansion had dealt with similar matters; in the process of aggressive expansion, the Prime Minister’s Mansion had subdued many tribes similar to the Earth Palace Remnants.

The small ones had only a few thousand people; the large ones had millions, but even for those as large as millions, none of these tribes’ management plans had entered the core secret meetings of the Prime Minister’s Mansion for adjudication; an informal summons had directly decided their fate.

The Earth Palace Remnants were a tribe that could enter the core secret meeting.

Moreover, concerning this matter, the attitude of the high-ranking officials of the Prime Minister’s Mansion, who always had conflicts, was surprisingly unified.

Divide—assimilate.

Whether radical or conservative, this was their stance.

This was the first alliance of the many factions within the Prime Minister’s Mansion,

Because this batch of Earth Palace Remnants was too special, special enough to make these high officials deeply worried, even fearful.

But it wasn’t a fear of the overall strength of the Earth Palace Remnants; it was fear of the frighteningly high proportion of individuals among them capable of cultivation.

Over the long course of history, Cultivators’ exploration of Cultivation physiques had never stopped, but no one had ever obtained a definitive answer, only some recorded experiential discussions.

Cultivation physique was random; although it could be gradually stabilized through iteration between the bloodline of Cultivators, that required a long time.

Families occupying local commanderies for hundreds of years, lottery-like passing of traits in each generation, and many descendants merely ordinary humans; their continuation greatly depended on their adaptability, attracting outside Cultivators through marriages.

Only descendants of Sects that had lasted over a thousand years possessed an initial "certainty," but that too was merely rudimentary.

Moreover,

The direct lineages of these Sects numbered at most a few hundred or a thousand.

Yet the Earth Palace Remnants numbered four hundred thousand.

This was an unprecedented, chilling figure.

Within the lifeless Underground Palace, the population of the Earth Palace Remnants was limited to four hundred thousand due to scarce food and the hostile environment surrounded by Ghouls.

Once this constraint was removed, following the customs of the Earth Palace Remnants, this tribe’s population would rapidly expand in a short time, and the inertia of surviving a desperate environment for thousands of years would make them united and ferociously fearless.

This sharp insight into the crisis by the senior officials of the Prime Minister’s Mansion.

As a power comparable to a nation, the Prime Minister’s Mansion’s seniors had to focus not just on the present but also see decades into the future.

If this extremely xenophobic religious tribe was given an opportunity to grow, it could pose a colossal threat to these seniors, to the future Prime Minister’s Mansion, and even to the entirety of Dayan.

Therefore,

Dividing and assimilating this tribe was the option that aligned with everyone’s interests.

Xu Yuan hoped Xiao Bai would realize this point because the tribe of the Earth Palace Remnants had already reached the cliff’s edge.

His father had used decades of accumulated absolute authority to suppress the opinions below, granting him the choice.

If Mu Xi couldn’t grasp this, or, having understood, feigned ignorance to test his limits, then her people would be gradually divided over the next few months and completely become history in a few decades.

Soon, Mu Xi also responded to Xu Yuan.

Her voice was soft:

"...I hope the young master will treat the Mu Xi tribe well."

"..."

Hearing this, Xu Yuan’s brow did not relax; it tightened even more.

This answer was a submission, but he was not satisfied.

With a light snort, Xu Yuan softly asked:

"Show kindness... how do you expect me to show kindness?"

Bai Muxi’s eyes flickered, she blinked, but before she could speak, Xu Yuan’s voice rose again:

"I’m not sure what you’re thinking, but I need to remind you that this is my last question, and the fate of your people depends entirely on your answer."

"....."

After he spoke, silence descended on the spacious, grand staircase.

A trace of panic began to spread in Bai Muxi’s heart.

Having come to Dayan, traversing those thousands of miles, everything she saw and heard told her that her people were special, that given time, they could carve out a place for themselves in this new world.

But that brought with it, a persistent worry in her heart.

She tested the waters, and the result left her feeling desperately powerless.

The top echelons of the Prime Minister’s Mansion were more decisive than she had imagined.

Amidst the silence, Bai Muxi slowly knelt on the cold staircase, her eyes fixed on the tips of the man’s boots, and she softly said,

"Mu Xi... in this life, I wish to be only a servant for the young master."

Hearing this, Xu Yuan’s expression remained unchanged:

"Don’t play word games with me, be clear."

Bai Muxi took a deep breath, her lips under the purple gauze lightly pursed,

"After today, there will be no Si Ming of the Seven Cities, only the servant girl Bai Muxi by the young master’s side."

"In other words, you will never contact anyone from the Earth Palace again, is that right?"

"Yes," Bai Muxi bowed her head.

"A wise choice."

Xu Yuan gently placed his hand on the woman’s hair in front of him, his voice deep, "I am very satisfied with your answer, but what about the other two high-ranking priests from your Earth Palace?"

Without any hesitation, Bai Muxi replied:

"The young master may use my name to call upon them or... directly kill them."

At these words, Xu Yuan smiled, slowly leaned down to pick up the woman from the ground, and softly said,

"Xiao Bai... you being such a clever person, should have understood the stakes involved early on, why did you have to bring it to this point?"

A breeze stirred the gauze, with Bai Muxi looking closely into the man’s narrow eyes, she said,

"It was just... a hope against odds."

"Really just hope against odds? Today, we’ve both been so open, all grievances laid bare, if there’s any hidden agenda, feel free to speak it."

Xu Yuan also looked into her bright eyes, not believing the sugar-coated words coming from her mouth.

He understood why Bai Muxi was testing him, but such tests could easily touch the bottom line of Xu Yuan and even the Prime Minister’s Mansion; it would be foolish to not leave a way out.

Bringing this up at this time, Xiao Bai must have something she truly desires.

"..."

Their eyes locked for a few moments, Bai Muxi suddenly averted her gaze, took a step back, her lips pursed, and said in a faint, mosquito-like voice:

"Please... may the young master bestow grace and grant Mu Xi descendants."

After she spoke,

A woman dressed in loose plain clothes bowed in respect.

Her supple slender body slightly leaned forward, as if her chest could barely contain itself, seeming ready to tilt downwards.

The perfectly curved posture highlighted the enticing lines of her waist and hips in the light purple fabric...