The Glory of the Tribe-Chapter 81

Shentu Yu was only in the Acquired Meridian Realm, and her method of transmitting sound was different from that of the Innate Realm, though the effects were similar. If there were any Innate experts in this tavern, they would be able to hear.

But there weren’t.

The few drunken men in the tavern were half asleep, and the only sober tavern attendant could only see the girl take off her hood, her lips moving, but no sound could be heard.

Shentu Yu was still speaking, further piquing Shen Taiping’s interest.

"Revenge is just on the surface! In fact, all we need to do is delay for a few years, wait for Jiang Xuan to die!" Shentu Yu said with firm conviction. "The Wei family and Jiang Xuan will be completely torn apart, and Jiang Xuan is now the strongest Innate cultivator, his talent shockingly terrifying! The Wei family cannot allow him to continue growing; they can’t wait for Jiang Xuan to take revenge."

"Lei Hong will leave Flying Snow City in at most five years, and when the Inspection Commissioner changes, Jiang Xuan’s talent, no matter how high, will not allow him to reach the Tribulation Realm by then. He’ll probably still be comprehending the divine might of heaven and earth, and by then, he should be dead! Whether it’s an accident arranged by the Wei family or the hands of the Jinhe Dong family."

"Only if Jiang Xuan dies can the Shentu Clan push through the Jiang Clan! We can absorb them!"

Shentu Yu and Shen Taiping exchanged a look. Despite being seven years older and a renowned prodigy, Shen Taiping didn’t see a hint of fear in her eyes.

Shen Taiping began assessing Shentu Yu.

At the same time, he used his Innate strength to dispel the drunkenness in his body, his eyes gradually clearing.

This clan girl… Shen Taiping even felt a bit of admiration. A girl from a small clan who had little experience and hadn't come into contact with powerful figures, yet she boldly came to Flying Snow City and spoke to him about such things. Even though she was in a low position, she discussed matters of high-level intrigue and strategy, and she was nearly spot-on with everything. This alone was a sign of great wisdom.

Shen Taiping had already thought that Jiang Xuan’s brilliance would attract the Wei family’s killing intent.

The intelligence he had was much more than Shentu Yu’s, but she still wasn’t wrong.

He vaguely recalled the rumors about Shentu Lie’s daughter, Shentu Yu, the first warrior of Black Pond Mountain in previous generations... She was said to be exceptionally intelligent and known as a "military strategist." In a place like a clan, Shentu Yu was considered a remarkable woman.

But her words just now had huge flaws!

"Since Jiang Xuan will definitely die in a few years, why should I bother with this? Annoy him, delay his cultivation—what’s the point?" Shen Taiping asked, transmitting his thoughts. "Just to make him feel miserable for a few years? But then the Shentu Clan benefits immensely from a complete turnaround? Isn’t that suspicious in itself?"

"I said, the Jiang Clan has a shocking secret!" Shentu Yu replied.

"What secret?" Shen Taiping asked. "Do you think it will convince me?"

"A mine," Shentu Yu finally relented, seeing that Shen Taiping was willing to negotiate.

"What mine?" Shen Taiping’s face changed slightly as he felt like this clan girl was tricking him. What kind of secret could a mine be? Even if it was an undiscovered massive gold mine, it was a waste of time. He didn’t care about such things!

"This mine’s value exceeds your imagination."

Shentu Yu looked at Shen Taiping. "Let me put it this way… This mine is enough to allow the Jiang Clan to build a large city, elevate them to noble status! The value of this mine, even a fraction of it, is enough to allow Jiang Xuan to cultivate to the God Demon Realm!"

Shen Taiping’s face froze in shock!

A mine that could elevate a clan to noble status?!

And directly build a city?!

"This mine is sealed by my clan. Within the Shentu family, only the direct heirs know the specific details of the mine."

Shentu Yu continued, "So, if you help me, you will do a great favor to the Shentu Clan. When we Shentu Clan absorbs the Jiang Clan, open the mine, build the city, and elevate to nobility, your Shen family will become the most respected ally of the Shentu nobility! After the mine is opened, during the extraction, refining, and selling processes, we can choose not to cooperate with the Tongtian Pavilion and instead work with your Shen family. I’ve calculated it based on the publicly available information… Our future cooperation on the mine could increase your Shen family’s annual income by nearly 20%, lasting for at least a hundred years!"

Shen Taiping listened intently, his expression changing again.

"You, Young Master Shen Taiping, are troubled by heart demons and your family’s position isn’t what it used to be. Can you just accept this? But if you become the most important person in establishing relations with the Shentu nobility, your status within your family… even if you enter the Tribulation Realm a few years late, as long as you can eventually reach the Great Heavenly Tribulation Realm, with the help of the Shentu nobility, the position of the head of the Shen family will still be yours!"

"So... helping me is also helping yourself! Don’t you understand?" Shentu Yu finally fixed her gaze on Shen Taiping.

Shen Taiping was truly stunned.

Not only because of the news about the mine, but also because of Shentu Yu’s boldness and her commanding attitude!

She was only sixteen!

"Why don’t you just tell me this directly? Aren’t you afraid I’ll kill you?" Shen Taiping suddenly spoke, his words coming out quickly. "If you don’t tell me the mine’s location, I can arrange for people to search for it. I can even secretly capture people from the Shentu Clan and interrogate them!"

"And then?" Shentu Yu asked.

"And then..." Shen Taiping found himself unable to continue.

"As I know, according to imperial law, no family, faction, or individual outside the clan’s territory is allowed to control the resources of the clan or its land, whether openly or secretly! All resources in the clan’s land can only belong to the clan members!"

Shentu Yu responded quickly, "This law first appeared ten thousand years ago, and it has become stricter over the years! All possibilities have been considered! Any family, like your Shen family, that tries to secretly control a clan’s resources, will be eradicated! Even divine families will be wiped out! Everyone dies!"

The Great Qian Dynasty had many strange and harsh laws regarding clan territories, with extreme measures to protect them from being exploited.

This was common knowledge and a crime no one dared commit!

Not even the Lord of the Demon City would dare!

If they tried to secretly control a clan’s territory, the dynasty would kill them!

And it was precisely because of these laws that clan territories had survived and proliferated, otherwise, they would have long since been swallowed up by the stronger and more numerous cities.

"So..." Shentu Yu continued, staring at Shen Taiping, "Everyone knows, if you want to gain benefits from a clan’s territory, you can only cooperate with the clan. The same applies to cooperating with nobility."

"Then why would you want to kill me? Do you think there’s anyone better to cooperate with than me?"

"I have a blood feud with Jiang Xuan! I am more determined than anyone!"

"Do you want to kill me and then deal with those men in the Shentu Clan? They don’t have the brain I do! They’ll show you what it means to be short-sighted and what real savagery looks like! And now, with the Shentu Clan’s internal instability, someone might leak the secret of the mine to the Jiang Clan as a greeting for their alliance."

"And if you cooperate with me, I will take people back to the clan, and I will execute those who are not loyal! I’ve been with my father since I was young, no one understands the Shentu Clan better than me! I can clear up all the internal issues."

Shentu Yu’s eyes glinted with a cold, vengeful light as she spoke.

She had escaped from the Shentu Clan!

After Jiang Xuan killed Shentu Yan, the protection she had within the clan diminished, and her living conditions became harsher, leading to a breaking point. If no one had warned her in time, she would have likely been killed before she could escape.

Those beasts!

"Besides," Shentu Yu took a breath and continued, "I’m a woman! And you’re a man! In the case where you all can deduce that Jiang Xuan will die in a few years, it would be strange for you to help the Shentu Clan to annoy Jiang Xuan, but if it’s for me, whether out of admiration or pursuit... Just pretend, and everything will seem more reasonable!"

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"No one will investigate, and the secret of the mine will never leak! Jiang Xuan will never know about it, even until he dies!"

Shentu Yu said all this naturally, still maintaining her negotiating tone.

Her appearance was indeed stunning, with extremely fair skin and delicate features that were rare among the clan's women. In fact, she was not far behind Jiang Qinghong in beauty, though Jiang Qinghong better fit the clan’s aesthetics, making her the most beautiful woman of Black Pond Mountain.

Though the story of a genius noble falling for a clan girl was somewhat cliché and too rare, it was more jarring when it happened with Shen Taiping.

But... Shen Taiping had heart demons. He could be abnormal! He could act out of place!

"Lastly!" Shentu Yu added, "Given your heart demons, you might not be governed by reason, so I’ve made preparations... If I die or go missing today, my people will reveal the secret of the mine to the Jiang Clan!"

"Then, the Jiang Clan will gain that wealth! In a few years or even decades, they’ll be elevated to nobility! Jiang Xuan will have enough resources to quickly surpass the Innate stage, and the God Demon realm will be in sight! He can hire experts from the Tribulation Realm to protect himself as he grows!"

"At that time, with unparalleled talent and boundless resources, all the four major families of Flying Snow City will ally with Jiang Xuan! Your Shen family will certainly reconcile with Jiang Xuan, since he’s a potential great noble on the verge of becoming a God Demon! Even the Wei family will apologize! Not to mention your own Shen family!"

"Everyone will be happy!"

Shentu Yu finished with a hint of sarcasm, "It’s just a pity for you, Young Master Shen Taiping. You’ll be nothing but a stepping stone on Jiang Xuan’s path to greatness. I can imagine that your family will send you away from Flying Snow City to some insignificant place to handle some minor matters..."

"Of course, you could go apologize to Jiang Xuan, curry favor with him, kneel and beg. Perhaps if Jiang Xuan is pleased, he might even look at you a little more favorably! Your status in the Shen family will rise again! It will become the perfect tale of 'a great man can bend and stretch.' What do you think, Young Master Shen?"

"You—" Shen Taiping stared wide-eyed, clenching his fists.

Shentu Yu’s last words were filled with mockery.

Shen Taiping glared at the suddenly appearing clan girl. Gradually, his anger faded, replaced by admiration, even... a trace of affection!

This girl was incredible!

She had extraordinary intelligence, superb eloquence, and unshakable courage! She analyzed the situation from all angles, considering every consequence, and logically gave him two choices: either help her, helping himself, or kill her, allowing Jiang Xuan to benefit.

Not doing anything would also benefit Jiang Xuan, because if no one helped Shentu Yu, the Shentu Clan would inevitably fall apart, and someone would eventually leak the mine’s secret to the Jiang Clan.

The scheme was laid out so clearly; it was almost a straightforward plot.

Shen Taiping still knew that Shentu Yu was using him!

But Shen Taiping could find no reason to refuse her! He was more than willing to be used! He wanted to help this incredible girl achieve her goals and redeem himself! Shen Taiping even felt that Shentu Yu was here to save him! She was the ray of light that appeared at the darkest and lowest point in his life!

She exuded an extraordinary and unique charm!

"I can help you!" Shen Taiping said, his attitude becoming gentle. "But I need to confirm that the mine really exists. If you trust me..."

"We can leave right now. I’ll take you to see it," Shentu Yu immediately stood up, putting her hood back on.