Chapter 47: All Benefits and No Harm

"Ya'er, do you know each other?"
Tushan Honghong looked at Tushan Yaya with a hint of puzzlement.
"Yes, Sister. They are the ones I told you about earlier, the ones who helped me retrieve the stolen eggshell and resolved the conflict between Huangfeng Ridge and Huangfeng City," Tushan Yaya nodded.
"I see."
Tushan Honghong nodded, then shifted her gaze back to the two people standing before her.
"Thank you both for your assistance regarding the incident at Huangfeng Ridge."
"You are too kind, Lady Honghong. After all, when all is said and forth, the fault originally lay with us humans."
Yang Qingyuan offered a somewhat strained smile. Given the friendly atmosphere, it seemed there was no immediate need to run for their lives.
"By the way, what brings you both all the way to our Tushan?" Tushan Yaya asked curiously as she stepped forward.
"We heard long ago that a miraculous ancient tree existed within the realm of the soul spirits, so we wished to come and pay our respects."
"The bitter-sweet entanglement tree only helps humans and spirits reincarnate and renew their vows. The two of you, as humans, are looking for the bitter-sweet entanglement tree—"
Before Tushan Yaya could finish her sentence, Tushan Rongrong hurriedly interrupted her with an awkward expression.
"Sister, I suddenly remembered there is something I need your help with. Come with me for a moment."
Without waiting for Tushan Yaya to respond, Tushan Rongrong pulled her away without any room for argument.
After Tushan Yaya and Tushan Rongrong departed, only Tushan Honghong, Yang Qingyuan, and Wangquan Zui remained beneath the bitter-sweet entanglement tree.
"Are you a disciple of the Heavenly Eye Yang family?"
"Yes," Yang Qingyuan nodded.
"Since you are a disciple of a prominent clan, why have you run all the way here?"
Seeing that Tushan Honghong had no intention of picking a fight with them, Yang Qingyuan felt his previously tense nerves gradually relax.
"Does Tushan not welcome disciples from the Daoist League's prominent clans?"
Tushan Honghong shook her head.
"In the past, whenever they came, it was always to attack Tushan."
Yang Qingyuan's heart skipped a beat.
"We harbor no malice toward Tushan."
"I know. You are different from those other Daoist priests in the League who harbor deep hatred for spirits. Otherwise, I would not have allowed you to remain in Tushan."
"I heard that Lady Honghong has recently been rallying various factions to establish a spirit alliance?"
"Yes."
Tushan Honghong nodded, making no effort to conceal it.
"Would it be convenient to inform me of the reason? Because as far as I know, regarding powerhouse-level Spirit Sovereigns alone, each of the Four Great Spirit Kingdoms has one.
With such battle prowess, you shouldn't fear the Daoist League at all, right?"
"My purpose in establishing the Spirit Alliance is not to make enemies with you humans, but to coexist peacefully with you."
Hearing this, Wangquan Zui, standing to the side, could not help casting a few extra glances at Tushan Honghong.
To be honest, this was a reason she truly never expected.
"Why?"
"There is no particular 'why'. It is merely my personal vision."
Yang Qingyuan and Wangquan Zui exchanged glances.
She had to admit that today's trip to Tushan had indeed opened Wangquan Zui's eyes to many things she would never have dared to imagine before.
"Very well. If the two of you have no further business here, please take your leave."
Yang Qingyuan remained silent; he and Wangquan Zui simply cupped their fists in salute, then quietly turned and departed from beneath the bitter-sweet entanglement tree.
"Qingyuan, what do you make of this?"
"Make of what?"
"Naturally, what the Fox Spirit Queen just said! Are they really establishing the Spirit Alliance just to achieve peaceful coexistence with us?"
"If any other spirit kingdom said that, I might genuinely doubt it, but Tushan... I believe them."
"Why do you believe Tushan? Just because these Tushan fox spirits are pretty?" Wangquan Zui curled her lip.
"No, think about it. What is Tushan's primary business?"
"Reincarnation and vow renewal, of course."
"Precisely. Just as Tushan Yaya mentioned earlier, reincarnation and vow renewal require the human and the spirit to fall truly and deeply in love with each other.
Yet, in the current climate where human-spirit conflicts are so acute, human-spirit romance has already become a sort of taboo.
I don't know about the spirit side, but within the Daoist League, colluding with spirits is a capital offense, let alone falling in love with one."
"Oh! I understand what you mean! For Tushan, peaceful coexistence between humans and spirits means more humans and spirits will have the chance to be together.
Therefore, to them, human-spirit peace is actually immensely beneficial."
Wangquan Zui's eyes lit up brightly, though they dimmed again almost as quickly.
"But is that even possible? After all, the deep-seated blood feuds accumulated between us and the spirits are already far too vast."
"Nothing is impossible; where there's a will, there's a way. No matter how profound the hatred, time will eventually wash it away. It may sound ruthless, but that is reality."
"By the sound of it, you seem quite optimistic about them?"
Yang Qingyuan smiled faintly, offering no further response.
"Let's go. Let's leave Tushan first."
...
Beneath the bitter-sweet entanglement tree, watching the two figures gradually recede into the distance, Tushan Rongrong's form slowly materialized beside Tushan Honghong.
"Sister, are we just going to let them leave like this? After all, they secretly snuck into Tushan..."
"It's fine," Tushan Honghong said calmly.
"If they truly harbored malicious intentions back in Huangfeng City, given their strength, they could easily have killed Yaya.
Yet they did not do so; instead, they slew the Lord of Huangfeng City who stole the eggshell and returned it.
From this, we can see they are truly different from other humans."
"Sister is right."
Tushan Rongrong smiled and nodded.
"Regarding the establishment of the Spirit Alliance, how did Sister's discussions with the other Spirit Sovereigns go this time?"
"The same as usual: they stall however they can."
"As expected. However, if they could witness a human genius like Yang Yitan, perhaps they might understand a fraction of Sister's painstaking efforts."
"Ah, perhaps."
Tushan Honghong sighed. Just as she was about to continue, she scanned her surroundings and could not help frowning slightly.
"Where is Ya'er?"
"Who knows? Perhaps... she went to find those two humans?"
"..."
-----------------
On the outer perimeter of Tushan, atop the city walls.
Looking at the bustling and prosperous sight of Tushan behind her, Wangquan Zui could not help marveling, "It's really hard to imagine that this is a city of spirits."
"When all things possess intelligence and spiritual awareness, humanity isn't actually all that special."
"Qingyuan, I still don't quite understand. Since the Fox Spirit Queen Tushan Honghong is clearly so powerful, how on earth do those fellows from the Daoist League dare to come and attack Tushan every few days?"
"Because Tushan's fox spirits don't kill humans."
Yang Qingyuan spread his hands.
"Think about it. If you win, you achieve worldwide renown; if you lose, nothing happens, and you even get to record a glorious stroke in your personal achievements ledger—having participated in the subjugation of a Spirit Sovereign.
Regardless of whether you win or lose, at least your resume looks a lot better, doesn't it?
So why wouldn't anyone do such a risk-free endeavor with countless benefits?"
"So that's why!!!"