The Sacred Leaves Family's Wishes for Peace-Chapter 198: Ancient Devouring Soul

"Wait."

Yun Yanshui suddenly remembered something. That entity from within the mirror came from the spiritual realm—it likely knew a great deal about many things.

Perhaps keeping it around might prove useful?!

"Hey! Old man, are you still there?"

He quickly strode to the offering table, cradling the ancient bronze mirror in his hands while shouting.

However, the bronze mirror remained as quiet as a stone, showing no reaction whatsoever.

"Ugh! I acted too rashly!"

Unwillingly, Yun Yanshui placed the bronze mirror back onto the offering table, letting out a deep sigh of frustration.

No sooner had his words fallen than a loud plop sounded from the previously silent bronze mirror. A book dropped out of the mirror and landed on the table.

The cover of the ancient book gleamed with black-gold hues, emanating an eerie, shadowy light.

Noticing the book that had fallen on the offering table, Yun Yanshui quickly picked it up and examined the grandiose characters scrawled across its cover: "The Ancient Devouring Spirit Manual."

"Did the bronze mirror absorb the creature within it, producing this cultivation method in the process?"

He flipped through the pages and found the manual incomprehensible. Cultivating its teachings would likely be no easy task.

"I'll hang on to this for now and study it later."

Unable to make sense of the manual, Yun Yanshui silently cursed his younger self for not reading and learning more. For the moment, he tucked the manual into his robe, deciding to see if he could cultivate it in the future.

If not, he would pass it down to a spiritually gifted child within the clan.

Since the manual had emerged from the bronze mirror, it was undoubtedly a high-grade treasure.

Pulling his thoughts back to the present, Yun Yanshui left the cellar.

Unbeknownst to him, as soon as he turned his back and departed, the surface of the bronze mirror flickered.

A lingering image appeared in the reflection.

In it, a young man dressed in white robes stood with his hands clasped behind his back amidst a boundless starry sky.

Before the youth hovered the ancient bronze mirror, radiating a dazzling divine light.

In the opposite expanse of the starry void stood countless formidable beings: ancient celestial monsters, extraterrestrial demons, supreme immortals of the Dao, holy saints, merciful Buddhas, and many other mighty figures from various great worlds—all staring greedily at the bronze mirror.

Their gazes brimmed with insatiable desire and envy.

The scene shifted again, revealing the young man's true face—sharp brows and bright eyes, his lips curling in a perpetual, disdainful smile. He exuded an aura of supreme authority, as though he stood above all creation, effortlessly controlling the life and death of everything beneath him.

And with that, the image abruptly vanished.

Had Yun Yanshui delayed his departure and caught a glimpse of this lingering image, he would have been utterly dumbfounded.

This was because the white-robed youth in the mirror's reflection was identical to him in appearance!

"Mother, do you need help with anything?"

Exiting the cellar, Yun Yanshui headed to the kitchen, where he saw his mother busy preparing dinner.

The smell of spicy crab had already wafted through the air, making his stomach growl in anticipation.

Although he had reached the Qi Refinement stage and could sustain himself on spiritual energy from the heavens and earth, bypassing the need for mortal food, he still relished the taste of well-cooked meals. There was something uniquely satisfying about the feeling of a full stomach.

Especially when his mother's cooking was involved—no matter how often he ate her dishes, he never grew tired of them.

Only a fool would willingly give up such flavors for bland spiritual sustenance!

"Just a moment ago, your cousin Yantian had Xia Wenyu bring over some spiritual lotus roots. Get a knife and peel them for me—cut them into small pieces for soup later."

Yun Qinshi spoke as she busied herself steaming spiritual rice.

With the spiritual rice fields in the mountains flourishing more each season, the family could now distribute the grain to clan members. Eating it would enhance their physical strength and extend their lifespans.

"A regular kitchen knife won't work on spiritual lotus roots, will it?"

"On the knife rack, your father had Xuan'er forge a simple spirit-weapon knife a while ago. Use that one to peel the roots."

"Got it!"

Yun Yanshui cheerfully agreed, grabbing the spirit-weapon kitchen knife and heading outside to peel the lotus roots under the shade of a tree.

The discarded peels were tossed before the golden-eyed beast nearby, though it didn't even bother giving them a glance.

"Yunyang Clan Brother, there's news from the Tongshan Xia family."

Yun Yunrui rushed into the ancestral hall, where Yun Yunyang was discussing plans for the clan's future. He immediately reported what he had learned.

"What is it?"

Ever since the ambush, Yun Yunyang had been wary of the Tongshan Xia family making more covert moves against the Yun Cang Yun clan.

Indeed, over the past few days, Yun Yunyang had been secretly sending people to scout the areas under the control of the Tongshan Xia family, hoping to gather information about their movements.

Only by doing so could the Yun family prepare to counter any potential ambushes or schemes from the Xia clan.

"My men were sent to Tongshan City, and based on what they uncovered…"

"The Tongshan Xia family's current situation is far from optimistic."

"Oh? Elaborate."

Yun Yunyang, Yun Yunlin, and the others perked up at this news.

Hearing that the Xia family was in dire straits was an incredible boon for the Yun clan!

"Apparently, ever since the Xia family's patriarch perished on Mount Wanlong, their leadership has been in disarray.

No one has been able to take full control, and infighting has become rampant, with signs of an impending split within the family.

"Furthermore, the Emperor has been quietly pressuring them from behind the scenes, worsening their plight.

Notably, the Tongshan Xia family's representative in the Eastern Palace, the imperial consort, was punished by the Emperor and sent to the Cold Palace. freeωebnovēl.c૦m

Their network of spies and operatives within the court has also been systematically eradicated.

At present, they've lost all influence within the royal court!"

"Additionally, the younger generation of the Xia family lacks talent and cohesion. Ever since Xia Changqing disappeared, their internal struggles have only intensified, further exacerbating their disarray."

"As it stands, the Xia family has lost favor with the royal court and is being suppressed by the Emperor.

Internally, they are weakened by the death of their patriarch and the disappearance of their most promising heir, Xia Changqing.

This has created cracks within the family, leading to division.

"Under such circumstances, the other three major families and six prominent clans have already begun covertly targeting the Xia family.

Many of the Xia family's resources—such as markets, shops, spirit mines, and fields—are being forcibly seized by these factions through various underhanded means."

Yun Yunrui succinctly summarized the intelligence gathered over the past few days, sharing it with Yun Yunyang, Yun Yunlin, and the other family members present.

"No wonder the Xia family hasn't sent anyone to attack us since the ambush.

It turns out they're dealing with internal and external crises of their own!"

Yun Yunyang nodded in realization, letting out a breath of relief.

As long as the Xia family was unable to target the Yun clan, they would have ample time to focus on their growth and development.

"At this rate, the Xia family is nearing their downfall!"

Yun Yunlin chuckled heartily, feeling a deep sense of satisfaction.

Ever since learning that his cousin Yunyang and three of their younger family members had nearly been killed by assassins secretly arranged by the Xia clan, he had harbored nothing but resentment toward them.

"Anyone who harms our kin deserves nothing less than death!"

"If the Xia family cannot produce someone capable of stabilizing their internal situation, with the combined pressure from the three families, six clans, and the Emperor himself, their destruction is inevitable," Yun Yunyang said calmly.

"Brother Yunyang, since the other three families and six clans are already making their moves to seize the Xia family's resources, why don't we take this opportunity to do the same?"

"Our family is still in the developmental stage. We lack the foundation that the three families and six clans possess. It's best not to get involved in these murky waters. Stability must remain our priority. Acting too aggressively could lead us to the same fate as the Lanlin Sun clan of the past."

Yun Yunyang shook his head, rejecting the idea of imitating the other factions by seizing Xia family resources.

The mention of the Lanlin Sun clan sent a chill through the room, sobering Yun Yunlin and the other core members of the Yun clan.

Indeed, the Sun clan's downfall had been the result of Sun Tianming's overzealous ambition to rapidly elevate his family's status, leading to a series of disastrous decisions.

"Moreover, if we are to act, we must wait for more information and carefully assess the situation before making any moves," Yun Yunyang continued.

He was a cautious man who never acted rashly. Without sufficient information or the right timing, he was not one to make hasty decisions.

For the next several days, life in the Yun clan estate remained peaceful as usual.

During this time, Yun Yunyang continued sending scouts to Tongshan County to gather more intelligence on the Xia family's situation.

It wasn't until several days later—

"Brother Yunyang, someone from the Wang family has arrived!"

A Yun clansman hurried into the ancestral hall, bowing respectfully as he reported the news.

"What business does the Wang family have with us at this time?"

Yun Yunrui asked curiously.

"Well, let's meet them and find out, shall we?"