Otherworld Advance Team-Chapter 1756 - 1749: Stars Surrounding the Moon

"Are you concerned about me?" Xing Hu asked incredulously.

"Of course," Ichuan Fei responded matter-of-factly, "Yichuan Yue is my biological aunt, so naturally we refer to each other as brothers. If I don’t think about your interests, am I supposed to think about outsiders?"

"Who is an outsider?" Xing Hu frowned, asking in displeasure.

"Hehe," Ichuan Fei chuckled softly, choosing not to answer his question but instead turning to Qingtang, earnestly saying, "Though you are a commoner, you are still aware of propriety and honor; it seems my aunt educated you well. I believe they treated you as if you were their daughter. Hence, I don’t mind your identity. If you wish to be with Xing Hu, feel free; I won’t stop you, but..."

After a pause, he continued, "I still say this: I hope you leave Yin State. Go anywhere, as long as you don’t expose your identities. Staying at Liangyu Mansion may seem like enjoying wealth and glory, but in truth, it is fraught with great danger. Children of the Yichuan Clan should be raised outside."

Qingtang stared at him, pursing her lips without a sound, clearly showing her inner turmoil.

"Why are you insistent on driving us away? I don’t believe your so-called danger," Xing Hu said. "In the end, you just want us gone so you can have the family wealth to yourself, right!"

Hearing this, Ichuan Fei’s demeanor instantly turned cold. He suddenly turned, looking at Xing Hu with a grim expression and said emotionlessly, "Xing Hu, do you know what you are saying?"

"I, I certainly know..." In that moment, Xing Hu visibly hesitated but still mustered his courage to speak.

"I hope you understand one thing," Ichuan Fei said coldly, "All of your achievements are not by chance, nor are they due to sheer luck. Everything you’ve gained is a gift from the Yichuan Clan. You enjoyed the Yichuan Clan’s support and connections. Do you really think Bai Xingzi accepted you because you were a natural talent?"

Hearing such words, Xing Hu was left speechless, lowering his head guiltily.

Ichuan Fei’s words were not without logic. Without the Yichuan Clan’s connections, how could Bai Xingzi, a great figure of the Hongying Sect, possibly come to this remote area to take a commoner as a disciple?

Without the proactive assistance of the Yichuan Clan, no matter how talented Xing Hu was, he basically wouldn’t have had the chance for cultivation.

This is the current situation Kyushu faces: nominally, everyone can cultivate, but the excellent resources are completely controlled by the gatekeeping families.

These gatekeeper families can have their family wastrels reach Foundation Building, while talented commoners have to take unconventional paths, and many never even get the chance to cultivate because the Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures needed are a huge expense that most commoners cannot afford.

So understanding this, one can see how smooth Xing Hu’s path has been.

If he were just an ordinary person, he would most likely be like Qingtang, busy with farm work all day, and upon growing up, marry and lead a bland life.

But Xing Hu is a descendant of the Yichuan Clan, so throughout his growth, one can see the Yichuan Clan’s influence. They spared no effort in supporting Xing Hu to secretly enhance their power unseen by others.

The Advance Team has seen many cultivators along the way. These cultivators mostly share common traits, such as being estate soldiers of a large family or directly being a member of a large family. In fact, the Advance Team had hardly seen true commoner cultivators.

Xing Hu can be considered the first, a commoner cultivator based on personal effort. But the truth ultimately proved otherwise. Xing Hu still came from a large family, or else he could never have achieved such success.

From this, it’s also evident that although magic systems differ between the East and the Western Continent, the social essence is startlingly similar. Whether in the East or the Western Continent, those who control more resources have greater access to magical power.

Compared to the Western Continent, East Continent seems to allow everyone the chance to cultivate and gain power from magic. But in reality, only those with cultivation resources have the opportunity to continually climb the ladder of strength.

And the vast majority of common people exhaust their financial and physical resources in intense yet low-quality competition, ending up in a mid-tier, awkward position.

Hence, the conflict of civil and martial powers in East Continent is apparent. The civil official government negates or even opposes cultivation, not wanting too many commoners to invest all their energy into cultivation.

The civil officials introduce the Demon Clan people under the guise of captives and continuously improve their social status, attempting to change the Kyushu people’s bloodline, making them give up cultivation aspirations, and concentrate more on production and development.

The Wu Family does not encourage ordinary people to cultivate, but the exceptionally high status of cultivators still drives common people to strive to climb the cultivation ladder. Objectively, the Wu Family’s status fosters a public cultivation trend.

And what the Wen Family seeks to do is naturally to weaken the Wu Family’s social standing as much as possible, removing the "martial" from the ranks of scholars, farmers, workers, and merchants, even trampling it down. Only then will people not exalt cultivation but instead exalt the new aristocratic class.

Of course, all of this is just the speculation of the Advance Team members. The martial family structure of the Kyushu Empire has existed for a thousand years, not something so easily altered.

As Ichuan Fei said, they are undertaking a great reform, a reform wave spreading throughout Kyushu. To counter this wave, the martial families, sects, and even factions from Dual Dao Nine Schools have united to resist the changing times.

And as the foundation of the Wen Family government, the Yichuan Clan undoubtedly becomes the target of all, facing the threat of extermination at any moment.

Cheng Ziang always felt that each era had its own moral standards. If one were to measure East Prosperity Nine States with modern civilization’s moral metrics, then even the Yichuan Clan, which seems good enough, would be heinously guilty for merely existing.

"I give you two days to consider carefully," Ichuan Fei said, hands behind his back, facing away from them, "Decide whether to stay or leave, it’s up to you. If you wish to stay, I won’t stop you. If you wish to marry, I can organize the wedding, witness your union."

"However, you must think it through. Once the Yichuan Clan’s identity is revealed, you’ll be facing more than just ordinary threats. With so many enemies, the Yichuan Clan can’t always be there to protect you. I may be powerless to help if it comes to that."

With that, he no longer paid attention to the two, instead heading towards Cheng Ziang and others, saying with a slight smile, "My apologies for the spectacle."

"There is no need for such courtesy, Young Mansion. Your invitation to witness this matter shows your trust in us. It is we who should be thanking Young Mansion," Cheng Ziang replied courteously.

"I have long admired your reputation, Saint. Even when you were far in the West Outer Heaven, collaborating with the Demon Clan army to defeat the Heavenly Army. I have long admired you. If I could converse with you heart-to-heart, it would truly be my honor," Ichuan Fei said, clasping his hands.

"Uh, no need for such courtesy, Young Mansion..." ƒгeewebnovёl_com

Cheng Ziang felt a buzzing in his head, as if it exploded. That Ichuan Fei actually knew the Advance Team had assisted in repelling the Dongsheng army, it seemed either the team’s concealment was inadequate or the Wen Family’s spies in Kyushu were too many, fully grasping the Advance Team’s circumstances.

Feeling somewhat tense, he realized that since Ichuan Fei was the son of Ichuan Qing, a hundred-chief of the Imperial Court Cabinet, his knowing of the Advance Team’s secrets meant Ichuan Qing also knew, which meant the Advance Team was entirely exposed to the Wen Family.

Taking a deep breath to steady his nerves, Cheng Ziang asked cautiously, "I do not quite understand what Young Mansion means."

"Hehe," noticing his nervous demeanor, Ichuan Fei chuckled, waving a hand and said, "Manor Lord, there’s no need to be so apprehensive. The Heavenly Army’s defeat was due to the failure of overt strategies, not cunning plots. It was a loss that brings respect, rather than complaints, even from my father who admires you more than complains."

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