Chapter 1096: Marriage Alliance

"A small favor?"

Jiang Fan hadn't given it much thought until those words were spoken. He asked suspiciously, "Patriarch Jian, are you sure it's a *small* favor?"

Jian Lanjiang picked up his wine glass, gazing at the liquid within, and said meaningfully, "Though I'm called Patriarch, I'm merely an agent put forward by the elders of our clan. Many matters are not mine to decide alone. You understand this, don't you?"

Jiang Fan nodded. Whether it was the Three Divine Sects or the Seven Great Cults, the reason Nascent Soul cultivators with seven apertures could govern their sects was due to the unique nature of the Nascent Soul realm: eight apertures meant semi-madness, and nine apertures meant complete madness. For the sake of sect management, trusted seven-aperture disciples were appointed. The Jian family operated similarly.

Jian Lanjiang said, "I am very willing to protect the Heavenly Dao Pavilion. However, I need a reason that can persuade the elders of our clan to agree." He looked at Jiang Fan with a knowing smile, his eyes filled with admiration: "I've thought of an excellent reason for you."

"And that is for you to marry into my Jian family."

Taken by surprise, Jiang Fan spat out the wine he was drinking. He stared with wide eyes. "Marry in? No, no, I already have a fiancée and several close female companions. I really can't delay any more of your Jian family's young women."

Jian Lanjiang waved his hand. "What's wrong with that? You can become a live-in son-in-law, and your other women can be considered external concubines."

That was even less possible. Become a live-in son-in-law to the Jian family? What about Xu Youran and Fairy Yunshang?

Jiang Fan said solemnly, "I appreciate your kind offer, Patriarch Jian. Let's just pretend I never brought up the matter of protection." He had made this request to secure a fallback option for the Heavenly Dao Pavilion, not to rely entirely on the Jian family. Exchanging protection for a marriage alliance seemed too trivial.

Jian Lanjiang clicked his tongue and said, "Our Jian family has many beautiful young women; we'll definitely pick an outstanding one for you." So, he still intended to marry off a woman from the clan to him. Jiang Fan had thought it might be Jian Weishuang. He dismissed the idea even more definitively.

Shaking his head, he said, "Patriarch Jian, the wine has been drunk. May I cultivate for a few days before the Slaughter Stele now?" He finally understood why Jian Lanjiang had insisted on him returning to the Jian family. It turned out he intended to recruit him into the family. His potential, demonstrated by subduing a nine-aperture Nascent Soul and overpowering six Jian family experts, had sparked Jian Lanjiang's appreciation for talent. Hence the enthusiastic invitation.

Jian Lanjiang watched Jiang Fan for a moment, a thought flashing through his mind: should he 'wrong' Jian Weishuang by marrying her off to him? He quickly suppressed the thought. "Alright, let's put this matter aside for now. Let's have a few more drinks, and I'll personally take you to the Slaughter Stele." No matter how outstanding Jiang Fan was, he was still just one person. The Heavenly Dao Pavilion behind him was simply no match for a colossal entity like the Jian family. It simply wasn't worth it to marry off his beloved granddaughter.

Soon after, the banquet ended, and Jiang Fan arrived deep within the Jian family estate. He stood before a grand hall located next to the asylum. In the center of the hall stood an ancient, hundred-zhang-long stone stele, etched with numerous markings. Like a combat arena, these markings contained unknown divine abilities and precious techniques. The difference was that the combat arena was ancient, while the stele, by contrast, was much more recent.

"The Slaughter Stele descended from the heavens onto the Grand Cang State several centuries ago," Jian Lanjiang said. "An ancestor of my Jian family, being more skilled, was the first to claim it. The slaughter techniques inscribed upon it have brought our Jian family immeasurable benefits, but also endless harm." Jian Lanjiang looked at the stele with a complex expression and added, "If you're interested, you can cultivate the desired slaughter techniques, but you must be prepared for the consequences."

Jiang Fan nodded. "Thank you, senior. I will consider it carefully." He took a deep breath and approached the stele. From within the stele, a spatial light shot out, drawing him inside. From the outside, a new mark appeared on the stele, recording the number of times it had been used.

"I wonder how long he can last," Jian Lanjiang mused. He was somewhat curious. Facing opponents whose strength reached one's own limit, the ability to defeat them tested one's real-time combat experience. More victories meant a higher chance of survival in actual life-and-death combat. To date, the best record was held by the ancestor who cultivated the "Selfless Dust Purification Art." He had maintained a record of cultivating within the stele for an entire day without defeat. Jian Lanjiang wondered how long Jiang Fan could last, given that his strength limit should be at the peak of the six-aperture Nascent Soul realm.

Whoosh, whoosh!

Zong Chaosheng and Jian Weishuang glided over side-by-side. "Grandfather, Young Master Zong says he has an important matter to discuss with you," Jian Weishuang said with a hint of helplessness. She had accompanied Zong Chaosheng throughout, but his attention was clearly not on touring the Jian family estate. Instead, he was constantly paying attention to others' conversations. Only after he overheard several clan elders happily discussing the recovery of the battle corpse did he request to see her grandfather.

Jian Lanjiang stroked his beard with a smile. "You wouldn't come here without a reason. Young Master Zong, you're here for the battle corpse, aren't you?"

Zong Chaosheng didn't hide it. "You are wise, Patriarch Jian. I am presumptuous enough to ask Patriarch Jian to bestow one of your esteemed clan's daughters upon me in marriage, to forge a good relationship and facilitate an alliance between the Divine Movement Sect and the Jian family."

Jian Lanjiang's smile remained. He showed no surprise whatsoever. Zong Chaosheng was here to inquire about the battle corpse's whereabouts. If it were confirmed lost, the Divine Movement Sect would use all its means to find it and claim it for themselves. If it was recovered, then an alliance between the two parties would be formed. The Divine Movement Sect was one of the Seven Great Cults, but it had no Venerable presiding over it. The Jian family's battle corpse was naturally an object of their covetousness. Proposing a marriage alliance was perfectly normal.

"Which daughter of my Jian family has caught your eye, Young Master Zong?" Jian Lanjiang asked. He was pleased with the prospect of an alliance with the Divine Movement Sect, especially one involving Zong Chaosheng, one of the Eighteen Prodigies of Grand Cang. He was even more satisfied.

Zong Chaosheng smiled. "Naturally, it's Miss Weishuang. I humbly request Patriarch Jian to grant this wish."

Jian Weishuang was startled and exclaimed, "Grandfather, I don't agree! This was far too sudden!"

Jian Lanjiang waved his hand, signaling her to be quiet, and said, "Young Master Zong, please choose someone else. Weishuang will only marry someone from the Three Divine Sects, or Revered Chen Jing, the disciple of the True Word Venerable. No others will be considered."

Zong Chaosheng wasn't too surprised, however. The Jian family would naturally reserve their best daughter for the Three Divine Sects. He smiled, looking towards the Slaughter Stele, and said, "Patriarch Jian, I've heard that when this stele first fell, there was a line of text on it. It was precisely this that sparked the initial contention. That line read: 'He who wins ten battles is destined to achieve the Divine Transformation realm.'"

Jian Lanjiang's eyes glinted faintly as he observed Zong Chaosheng. "That's right. What, do you have the confidence to win ten consecutive battles?" In the battles within the stele, let alone ten consecutive victories, it was rare enough to remain undefeated against opponents. The Jian family ancestor who achieved the record of cultivating for a day without defeat had only managed to overcome five opponents. He was far from reaching ten consecutive victories.

Zong Chaosheng smiled slightly. "I dare to give it a try. If I achieve a remarkable result, I hope Patriarch Jian will grant my request."

Jian Lanjiang chuckled. "Young people are truly confident. Very well. If you can win six consecutive matches, surpassing my Jian family's record, what's to stop Weishuang from marrying you?"