Chapter 366 - Doesn’t Benefit Themselves, but Others?
“Aunty, I just had a thought, though I’m not sure if I should say it?” said Nie Li. Although he’d been tortured by Long Shuyun, he knew that this was still one of his few chances to speak with her. If he missed this opportunity, then who knows when the next time would be?
“Speak!” Long Shuyun cast a glance at Nie Li with a “hmph”. She was still rather unhappy about the way things had turned out. If Long Yuyin wasn’t there with them, then her temper would’ve erupted a long time ago.
“Aunty has a high position inside the Dragonseal Family. With your support, Long Yuyin would have a really good chance of obtaining the Patriarch’s position. It’d still be slightly inferior to Long Tianming’s, but it shouldn’t be too far apart.” Nie Li said as he probed.
“You’re wrong. The Ancestor of the Dragonseal Family[1.Since Demon Spiritualists have long lifespans the higher their cultivation go, it might be an ancestor from generations back.] supports Long Tianming! Therefore, it won’t be easy for Long Yuyin to obtain the Patriarch’s position.” Long Shuyun lightly looked over Nie Li as she continued, “Don’t think that I’m unaware of what you’re planning. You’ve helped someone from all the three major families establish a foundation. It’s all for your competition over the Sect Master’s position. However, all three of them won’t have an easy time trying to obtain the Patriarch’s position in their respective families!”
Nie Li shook his head. “About that, Aunty has misjudged me. I didn’t approach these three on purpose, just to lift them up for my own purposes!”
“Oh? Then what’s your motive? Have I misjudged you?” Long Shuyun looked at Nie Li with that “smile” again. She obviously didn’t believe his words.
Long Yuyin looked at Nie Li. She firmly believed that Nie Li wasn’t just using her. After all, her relationship between Nie Li was built under many coincidences, it wasn’t Nie Li who’d specifically tried to get close to her. If Nie Li been trying to get close to her, then he wouldn’t have confronted her in the Saint Soul Grounds.
“Aunty should also be able to see it. The Divine Feathers Sect has too many factions that are competing intensely against each other. There are many people who tried to change it, but they weren't able to do so. Hierarch Skycloud, for example. He'd rather become a hermit and not bother about any of the sect’s matters. I'm certain that if this goes on, then the Divine Feathers Sect will definitely fall apart within two hundred years!” Nie Li said firmly.
Long Shuyun was silent.
Long Yuyin’s eyes were wide — she obviously hadn’t thought as far as Nie Li’s words were predicting.
“Continue…” Long Shuyun said.
Nie Li slowly explained, “Everyone keeps prioritising their own benefits. Everyone knows that there are a lot of problems inside the Divine Feathers Sect, but they keep competing against each other. If this continues, then the Divine Feathers Sect will definitely fall. One hundred years ago, the Divine Feathers Sects was ranked third among the six major sects. Now, we're at the tail end of that ranking. Even if Sect Master Situ tries to change the current situation with all his heart, he can't do anything because the three major families all have their own agendas. After all, the combined power of the three major families has already surpassed the Sect Master’s!”
Long Shuyun looked down at him. “What are you trying to say? Are you trying to tell me that you can change the situation with just your own strength?”
“Trying is better than doing nothing. Of course, it's impossible to change anything with my strength alone. However, I have Gu Bei, Li Xingyun, and Long Yuyin. I think that their talents are pretty good, and that they're also people worth trusting. They're much better than the likes of Gu Heng, Long Tianming, and Li Yufeng. If those three wind up in charge of the three major families, then the Divine Feathers Sect will have a dark future, where it ends up torn apart. However, if Gu Bei, Li Xingyun and Long Yuyin can take control of the three major families, then everything will be totally different!”
Nie Li impassionedly reasoned, “With my strength alone, it’d be hard to accomplish that feat. But I, Nie Li, am willing to use everything I have to help Gu Bei, Li Xingyun, and Long Yuyin ascend to their positions! I'm not doing this for myself. I'm doing this so that in one hundred years, the Divine Feathers Sect will still be a safe place for us all!”
Long Shuyun was mesmerised by Nie Li’s solemn vow, so much so that she no longer knew what was true and what was false. In this world, almost everyone worked for their own benefits. Who would do something that wouldn’t benefit themselves, but others instead? In her heart, Long Shuyun still didn’t believe him very much.
However, Long Yuyin was moved by Nie Li’s words. So, it turned out that Nie Li had such a huge dream. She looked at him. She compared herself to the man before her, and felt petty and low. Everything she'd done was to benefit herself; however, Nie Li had been thinking of the entire Divine Feathers Sect. This lifted Nie Li’s image even higher in her heart.
Long Shuyun twitched her lips in disdain. “Your words are only enough to bluff little girls. You want me to believe you? Hmph! Do you really think I'm that childish?”
It was true that Nie Li’s motives included something other than “for the good of the Divine Feathers Sect”; however, he could still look into his heart without shame. For the entire Draconic Ruins Realm, their greatest threat wasn't from organizations like the Demon God’s Sect. It was the supreme existence — the Sage Emperor!
Countless numbers of experts from the Draconic Ruins Realm had fearlessly performed divinations on destiny, all to confront the Sage Emperor. The death toll far surpassed thousands, or even tens of thousands.
In order to protect his family and clansmen, Nie Li could embark on his noble plan with a clear conscience.
Nie Li looked at Long Shuyun and smiled. “It doesn't matter if Aunty believes me or not. Either way, there's no disadvantage to it. Right?”
Long Shuyun was silent for a moment, then said, “That's true. Then, what do you plan to do?” It didn't matter what Nie Li’s real motives actually were; the ones who he was pushing onwards included her daughter. And that was enough for her. As long as it didn't threaten her, she didn't care what he did.
Nie Li looked Long Shuyun in the eye and said in a serious tone, “Some of the things I have up planned are extremely huge. I wish that no matter what happens, Aunty will stand by me. Helping me also means helping Long Yuyin!”
“That depends on my mood!” Long Shuyun crossed her arms over her chest and calmly said, “If you need my help, send a message through Yin’er. Maybe I'll consider it!”
Long Shuyun didn't look concerned in the least; however, Nie Li knew that he'd be able to convince her. Long Shuyun was very caring towards her daughter. If Nie Li could convince Long Yuyin, and have her coax and pester her mother, then he wouldn't have to worry about whether Long Shuyun would refuse.
Now that he had help from a 9-stage Dao of Dragon Realm expert, many things would be a lot easier to handle.
Long Shuyun looked at Nie Li as she said patiently, “Brat Nie Li! You’re really won’t marry my daughter? If you marry her, then as your mother-in-law, how could I not help you? When Yin’er ascends to her position, we’ll also do our best to help you obtain the Sect Master’s position. If you keep things this way, then aren't you afraid that, after you raise Yin’er to her position, we might abandon you? If that happens, you won't have anything more to gain!”
“Mother!” Long Yuyin stomped her feet in embarrassment.
Nie Li righteously replied, “It'd be hard to find any man who wouldn't have his heart moved by a woman as good as Long Yuyin. However, if the marriage is linked to benefits, then it would be disrespectful towards Miss Long Yuyin! How could I, Nie Li, be that kind of despicable person? Therefore, we should carefully think this matter over!”
Long Shuyun looked at Nie Li in a daze. She really couldn't understand this boy. If Nie Li managed to push Long Yuyin to the Patriarch's position and marry her, then his chances of obtaining the Sect Master’s position would be much higher. Not to mention that there was nothing more a man could ask for in terms of Long Yuyin’s appearance. However, no matter how she tried to persuade him, he wouldn't agree. Could there really be people in this world who didn't work to benefit themselves, but to benefit others?
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