Chapter 518: Final Ultimatum
After giving the He Family’s old butler some instructions, Guang Xuanji dismissed him. Before he left, she gave him a special reminder not to try persuading Patriarch He or He Yuntian again for the next few days without her direct orders.
The He Family’s old butler walked out of the private residence and quickly left under the cover of night. Little did he know that after he departed, Zhou Wen’s figure emerged from the darkness.
Watching the old butler’s retreating back, Zhou Wen smiled faintly. ’Hmph, what an old fox. But all his escape routes are useless.’
Zhou Wen had been secretly following the He Family’s old butler for some time, and the butler remained completely unaware.
The next day, at Chunfeng Tower, Guang Xuanji personally wrote a letter addressed to Young Master Cao.
This Young Master Cao was the only son of Cao Tianxing, the head of the Celestial Spirit Auction House in the Eastern Domain. The purpose of her letter was self-evident—she was almost certainly trying to lure Cao Tianxing to Wind City.
Summoning a member of the Qing Zhu Association, Guang Xuanji instructed, "You must deliver this letter to Young Master Cao in person."
The man left Wind City that same day. Just as he departed with Guang Xuanji’s handwritten letter, Lin Yun received a report.
"He’s gone? Good. Tell Chairman Qian that I will handle the rest," Lin Yun said to the man Chairman Qian had sent.
Guang Xuanji wanted to invite Cao Tianxing to Wind City, little knowing that this played right into Lin Yun’s hands. Cao Tianxing’s arrival was exactly what he wanted.
As the head of the Celestial Spirit Auction House in the Eastern Domain, Cao Tianxing oversaw its branches in the Five Great Cities and was himself a powerhouse at the Limit of the Spirit Realm.
Cao Tianxing was not in any of the Five Great Cities, but at the Eastern Domain headquarters of the Celestial Spirit Auction House: Celestial Spirit Town.
Lin Yun calculated the time. It would take Cao Tianxing five days at the fastest to travel from Celestial Spirit Town to Wind City. For the next few days, he planned to lay low.
Just then, a maid entered, bowed to Lin Yun, and said, "Young Master Lin, Miss Xiaoqing from Chunfeng Tower has sent a message specially inviting you for a visit. She says she has composed a new melody and would be honored if you would come and listen."
Hearing the maid’s words, Lin Yun smiled faintly. He then changed his clothes and walked out of the courtyard.
Sure enough, Guang Xuanji had probably anticipated that Lin Yun wouldn’t refuse; she had even prepared a carriage for him. He boarded the carriage waiting at the Bai Family’s gate and headed toward Chunfeng Tower.
Once again, it was the third floor. As soon as Lin Yun entered, Guang Xuanji dismissed her attendants. In an instant, only the two of them remained in the room.
Facing Lin Yun again, Guang Xuanji’s expression was complicated at first, but she quickly masked it. She smiled and greeted him, "I am truly honored that you came, Young Master Lin."
With a faint smile playing on his lips, Lin Yun sat down and looked at her. "Guang Xuanji, Inner Sect Disciple of Flawless Palace. Oh, no, that should be *former* Disciple. Since we both know the truth, there’s no need for you to keep up the act, is there, Miss?"
Guang Xuanji showed no shock at all that Lin Yun had uncovered her identity. In fact, she would have found it strange if he hadn’t.
Sitting down opposite Lin Yun, Guang Xuanji personally poured him a cup of wine and said with a light laugh, "Young Master Lin, the Qing Zhu Association’s power is not something you can stand against. I advise you to give up now, for your own good."
Guang Xuanji had invited Lin Yun today mainly to recruit him into the Qing Zhu Association. Deep down, for reasons she couldn’t quite understand, she didn’t want to kill him with her own hands.
But Guang Xuanji clearly didn’t understand him. Hearing her words, Lin Yun replied with a light laugh, "Miss Xuanji, did you invite me here today just to tell me this?"
"I can recommend you to join the Qing Zhu Association. Our association was founded to gather all the geniuses and powerhouses of the Eastern Domain to create a golden era together."
"Moreover," Guang Xuanji said, "if you agree to join the Qing Zhu Association, my body included... will also be..."
To think that Guang Xuanji would actually offer herself as part of the bargain. For anyone else, her beauty might have been enough to sway them. Coupled with the offer to join the Qing Zhu Association, very few people would have refused.
But Lin Yun was different. As he listened, he thought, ’So the Qing Zhu Association wants to conquer the entire Eastern Domain and change its landscape completely.’
"Miss Xuanji, you can save your breath. I will not join the Qing Zhu Association. And frankly, I’m not interested in your body," Lin Yun said bluntly.
It seemed Lin Yun was dead set against joining the Qing Zhu Association. Although Guang Xuanji’s feelings for him were complicated, if forced to choose between the Qing Zhu Association and Lin Yun, she would definitely choose the association.
Steeling her heart, a hint of killing intent flashed in Guang Xuanji’s eyes. Since Lin Yun wouldn’t listen to reason, she would no longer hold back.
"Young Master Lin, I know it won’t take you long to find all of our association’s strongholds. However, the Qing Zhu Association has the power to turn all of Wind City into a city of the dead. Even knowing that, do you insist on making an enemy of us?" Guang Xuanji’s voice had turned cold and sinister.
"Are you saying the Qing Zhu Association plans to slaughter everyone in Wind City and abandon its strongholds here?" Lin Yun replied calmly.
"Once it’s a city of the dead, it’s of no use to us," Guang Xuanji stated.
’So her invitation today was her final attempt at persuasion. She knows it won’t be long before I can uncover all of the Qing Zhu Association’s strongholds in Wind City. Rather than wait for me to find them, she’s choosing to abandon them. But before she does, she’ll probably turn Wind City into a city of the dead for real. Although the power the Qing Zhu Association has shown is just the tip of the iceberg, I know they have the strength to do it.’
"Young Master Lin, you needn’t place your hopes in Flawless Palace. Flawless Palace alone cannot stop our association from carrying out a massacre." Seeing Lin Yun remain silent, Guang Xuanji spoke again.
Guang Xuanji was completely confident and had no fear of Flawless Palace whatsoever.
"Haha," Lin Yun stood and laughed heartily. "Is this your ultimatum, Miss Xuanji? A pity, but I’m afraid I’ll have to disappoint you. Since it has come to this, then let me see the true power of the Qing Zhu Association!"
With that, Lin Yun left Chunfeng Tower without another word.
Watching his departing back, a complex expression flickered across Guang Xuanji’s face before it gradually turned to ice.
’Since the strongholds in Wind City can’t be saved, there’s no reason for them to exist. Slaughtering the city isn’t difficult for the Qing Zhu Association. Even if Flawless Palace sends reinforcements, I have ways to hold them off.’
"Lin Yun, you will regret today’s decision," Guang Xuanji said coldly.