The Sacred Leaves Family's Wishes for Peace

"Xu Daoyou, your plan has a critical flaw."

Yun Yanshui, disguised as a rogue cultivator under the alias "Wu Daoyou," spoke with deliberate confidence, his voice calm yet cutting.

"Oh? Wu Daoyou, what insight do you have to offer?"

Xu Yan, though visibly displeased at having his plan challenged, chose to swallow his pride. The enigmatic Wu Daoyou carried an aura of power, and offending him seemed unwise.

"Why engage in bloody struggles yourself when you can profit as a bystander?"

"Bystander? And how exactly do you propose we achieve that?"

Xu Yan furrowed his brow, skepticism evident in his tone.

Yun Yanshui's lips curled into a faint smile. "Before I explain, tell me—do you have the courage to take on something big?"

Xu Yan exchanged uncertain glances with his companions before nodding. "We rogue cultivators entered the Dan Ding Sect ruins knowing full well that danger looms. If we lacked the courage, none of us would be here. Speak freely, Wu Daoyou. If your plan holds merit, we will follow."

Satisfied with the response, Yun Yanshui's smile deepened.

"Then let's not waste time with small fry like other rogue cultivators. Instead, let's aim for the real prize: the elite of the Seven Families and Three Clans. For example, King Ren of the Yu Lin Wang Clan, Wang Liyuan."

The air grew tense as Yun Yanshui's words landed like a thunderclap. Xu Yan and his companions looked visibly shaken.

"Impossible, Wu Daoyou!" Xu Yan exclaimed, his voice laden with alarm. "The Seven Families and Three Clans are far too powerful. If we dare lay a finger on their disciples and they find out, we'll be hunted to the ends of the earth!"

"Who said we'd dirty our hands ourselves?" Yun Yanshui's calm demeanor never wavered.

Xu Yan blinked, confused. "Not ourselves? Then how?"

"By making others do it for us, of course."

The simplicity of Yun Yanshui's suggestion sent ripples of intrigue through the group. However, Xu Yan hesitated, his voice heavy with doubt. "Even if we wanted to, convincing others to go against Wang Liyuan would be nearly impossible. Everyone knows of his power, his sword mastery, and his clan's influence. No one would dare."

"But what if," Yun Yanshui countered, leaning forward with a glint in his eye, "word spread that Wang Liyuan has stumbled upon a grand fortune within these ruins—perhaps a treasure capable of elevating someone to the Foundation Establishment stage, or even beyond?"

Xu Yan's eyes widened, realization dawning upon him. His initial hesitation dissolved into admiration as the brilliance of Yun Yanshui's ploy became clear.

"An ingenious plan!" Xu Yan burst into laughter.

Indeed, spreading such a rumor would ignite greed in the hearts of many. Whether they were lone rogue cultivators or rival clans, all would be tempted to make a move against Wang Liyuan. After all, his reputation as someone who had already reaped rewards from the ruins only lent credibility to the lie.

"If the rumor takes hold," Yun Yanshui continued, his voice calm and measured, "Wang Liyuan will be swarmed by countless enemies, leaving him no room to plot against us. And when the dust settles, we'll clean up the leftovers—no risk, no effort, all reward."

Xu Yan clapped his hands, invigorated by the strategy. "Brilliant, Wu Daoyou! Truly brilliant! With this plan, we won't even need to risk our necks. We'll simply let others exhaust themselves and reap the benefits!"

"So," Yun Yanshui said, his tone sharp, "do you know what to do now?"

"Of course," Xu Yan replied with a sly grin. "My companions and I will spread this rumor far and wide. Soon, Wang Liyuan will find himself in the crosshairs of every ambitious cultivator in these ruins. And when the vultures descend, we'll be waiting in the shadows to claim what's left."

"Good," Yun Yanshui said, standing and adjusting his robes. "Let the hunt begin."

As thoughts of Wang Liyuan being besieged by rogue cultivators and noble disciples swirled in his mind, Xu Yan couldn't help but grin. When the fighting began, bodies would pile up, treasures would be left behind, and he and his group would quietly swoop in to reap the spoils.

The plan guaranteed minimal risk while maximizing gains. With Wang Liyuan as the center of attention, the chaos would clear out competitors and leave Xu Yan's group to claim the riches of the dead.

"Then I shall await your good news, Xu Daoyou," Yun Yanshui said with a knowing smile, giving a slight bow.

He watched as Xu Yan and his companions disappeared into the distance, ready to spread the fabricated rumor about Wang Liyuan's supposed newfound treasure. Soon, Wang Liyuan would become the lightning rod for every ambitious soul in the Dan Ding Sect ruins.

"Did you hear? Wang Liyuan and his companions from the Yu Lin Wang Clan have found another remarkable treasure in the ruins!"

At one of the ruin's edges, a group of three rogue cultivators huddled together, speaking in hushed yet excited tones. The speaker, a wiry man with the appearance of a malnourished monkey, looked as though he'd discovered a gold mine.

"Wang Liyuan? Again? Didn't he find something incredible here just last year? His luck is monstrous!" said another, his face drawn with envy.

"Luck or no luck, it's outrageous to let him hog all the treasures of the Dan Ding Sect ruins," said the third, his tone growing darker. "If he's found another treasure, he must have some kind of artifact that leads him straight to these fortunes."

"Precisely," the wiry man interjected, his eyes gleaming. "I'll bet my soul that whatever tool or treasure he's using, it's the same thing he found during his last expedition here."

The three exchanged glances, the atmosphere thick with greed.

"So? What do you say? Shall we strike?"

"Against Wang Liyuan? Are you mad?" one of them hesitated, visibly uneasy.

"Think about it. If we kill him, we take everything—his treasures, his tools, and his secrets. With what we'll gain, we could live like kings!"

"But what about the Wang Clan? If they find out…"

"Bah! They can only throw their weight around in Yue Country," the wiry man snapped. "Once we take the treasure, we leave Yue and go into hiding in one of the neighboring countries. The Wang Clan can't pursue us everywhere."

After a moment of silence, the others nodded. "Alright, let's do it."

The fabricated rumor spread like wildfire across the ruins. From rogue cultivators to disciples of the Seven Families and Three Clans, everyone heard the tale of Wang Liyuan's newfound fortune.

And like all rumors, it grew more exaggerated with each retelling.

Some claimed he had already broken into the Qi Refinement stage, his newfound power cementing his position as a prodigious genius. Others whispered of him discovering the Dan Ding Sect's sect master's personal inheritance, which included a sacred alchemical furnace, complete with manuals detailing centuries of lost techniques.

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In another part of the ruins, Yun Yanshuang was rifling through the possessions of a slain rogue cultivator. She found a storage pouch containing a partial alchemical recipe and a bottle of nearly-expired Tier Three spirit pills.

Glancing at her elder brother, who was cleaning his blood-stained spear, she asked, "They're saying Wang Liyuan's luck is so strong that he's already found another treasure. Could it be true?"

Yun Yantian chuckled as he finished polishing his weapon. "That's just someone spreading false rumors."

"Do you think it's the Three Clans?" Yun Yanshuang asked, her brows furrowed.

"The Three Clans wouldn't resort to something so petty. Most likely, someone with a personal vendetta against Wang Liyuan concocted the story."

"Who could that be?"

"No idea. But whoever they are, they've made Wang Liyuan the target of everyone's greed. For now, that works in our favor."

Yun Yantian's gaze swept the landscape before them. "With everyone chasing after Wang Liyuan, we're free to explore the outskirts without as much competition."

"True," Yun Yanshuang agreed, a small smile spreading across her lips. She crouched down, rummaging through the corpses around them. A few spirit stones, low-grade talismans, and some inferior herbs were added to her growing collection.

"Not much," she remarked, "but it's better than nothing."

"Come on," Yun Yantian said, his tone serious. "Let's check the next mountain. Stay sharp—this place is still full of dangers."

As they moved, Yun Yantian extended his spiritual sense, carefully scanning their surroundings for hidden threats. Every shadow seemed to carry the possibility of betrayal, but for now, the siblings were a step ahead of the chaos brewing deeper within the ruins.