Starting My Cultivation With Time Management-Chapter 934 - 74 Leaving Without Saying Goodbye

"Your Highness’s bloodline condition is very stable," Long Yuan reported to Long Long several days later. "Although the three bloodlines have not fully merged, the likelihood of conflict occurring is now minimal."

"Minimal is still not enough," Long Long immediately issued a directive. "It must be utterly foolproof. Do you understand? Utterly foolproof."

"Understood." Long Yuan hesitated briefly, then finally couldn’t help but ask, "Elder Long Long, are we planning to open Beiming Fanyang to the outside world next?"

"Oh? Why ask?" Long Long chuckled. "Elder Long Yuan, weren’t you an advocate for opening up to external connections?"

"Elder Long Long, I, as the clan’s interior steward responsible for managing resources, am fully aware that if we don’t open up, we’ll eventually consume everything we have and face dire consequences." Long Yuan replied seriously, "But if we act hastily, and outsiders detect any flaws and move against us, it could spell disaster for Beiming Fanyang."

"Exactly. Which is why we must proceed cautiously." Long Long answered calmly.

Though Long Yuan didn’t say it outright, Long Long had already grasped the subtext of his question.

It was merely an attempt to probe what intentions the Long Hu behind him might have—obvious to anyone with sharp perception, even though Long Long was the current actual ruling authority, he was fully focused on grooming Long Hu, who was ultimately going to take charge of Beiming Fanyang in the future.

What concerned Long Yuan the most was the possibility that, upon ascending to power, Long Hu might clamor for immediate opening-up, only to face overwhelming resistance within Beiming Fanyang that would utterly disorient her and, as a knee-jerk reaction, reverse course by stubbornly insisting on isolationism. That would mean disaster for Beiming Fanyang.

From Long Long’s tone, it didn’t seem like there was any aggressive intent for openness, which allowed Long Yuan to relax slightly.

After Elder Long Yuan departed, Elder Long Xi came to see him.

"I’ve heard Beiming Fanyang is about to open up soon?" This middle-aged cultivator bluntly asked him directly.

"Elder Long Xi, where did you hear such news?" Long Long asked with an intrigued smile.

"Everyone’s been saying it recently," Long Xi replied straightforwardly. "If Beiming Fanyang opens up immediately, does Elder Long Long have the confidence to ensure we won’t be targeted by rival clans?"

"No," Long Long replied frankly.

"Then why...?"

"Then why would Elder Long Xi believe Beiming Fanyang is about to open up?" Long Long suddenly hardened his expression and spoke sternly. "Spreading rumors and recklessly commenting on state affairs—what punishment would fit such offenses?"

Elder Long Xi began to sweat profusely, stammering as he tried to explain but only managed incoherent words.

Punishment? Previously, Beiming Fanyang hadn’t prohibited clansmen from discussing public affairs...

While Elder Long Xi was racking his brains, he saw Long Long softening his expression again and speaking kindly:

"But Elder Long Xi surely isn’t the main culprit behind spreading this rumor, correct? You’re merely informing me because you’ve heard unfavorable talk among the clan, right?"

"Exactly, exactly!" Long Xi quickly responded, "I only noticed some unrest among the clan members, so I hurried over to alert Your Highness!"

"Elder Long Xi’s loyalty is commendable." Long Long praised him. "Let’s do this—tracing the source of these rumors, I’ll entrust the investigation to Elder Long Xi." ƒreeωebnovel.ƈom

Long Xi: .........

He was indeed aware of several subordinates discussing the matter, but...

"Understood." He replied with some frustration. "I’ll get to the bottom of it."

Watching Elder Long Xi’s retreating figure, Long Long pondered deeply to himself.

If Long Xi truly devoted himself to rooting out the perpetrators of the rumors, his prestige among the radicals and even the general populace would undoubtedly suffer, proving him to be someone susceptible to manipulation through authority.

However, if he attempted to cover for his subordinates, it would indicate a potential for him to align future forces against Long Hu. In that case, before leaving the Eastern Emperor Realm, Long Long would have to eliminate these destabilizing elements for her once and for all.

Several days later, Elder Long Xi indeed complied obediently, bringing forth all the clansmen involved in spreading the rumors.

The apprehended Jiaolong clansmen stood there trembling in fear, worried they might be executed immediately, but surprisingly, they only received a gentle reprimand from Long Hu, which left them profoundly moved and grateful.

"So the intention is for me to earn their favor?" After the clansmen left, Long Hu asked in contemplation.

"Correct." Long Long replied. "These key figures who spread the rumors are referred to as ’opinion mouthpieces’ in the realm of public messaging."

"Hu, you need to understand, although everyone has their own opinions, people are not the same."

"Some individuals have vast social networks, and once their opinions are spoken, they influence hundreds or even thousands around them."

"It’s impossible to control every individual’s words. However, controlling just a few dozen ’opinion mouthpieces’ is relatively simple."

"The more you engage with this, the more you’ll realize that public opinion, though not entirely controllable, can certainly be steered and directed toward your desired trajectory… From the top-down perspective, this requires mastering the radicals and conservatives, while from the grassroots, it involves controlling enough opinion mouthpieces."

"If Beiming Fanyang were a single entity, the former would be the brain, and the latter the mouth."

"The brain decides, the mouth speaks, and consensus is thus achieved from top to bottom. This is how you, through your individual efforts, will wield control over the entirety of Beiming Fanyang."

"Long Long…" Long Hu suddenly called out softly.

"What is it?"

"Why are you being so detailed?" Long Hu gazed at him intently.

"What do you mean?" Long Long forced a smile. "Teaching you these valuable lessons isn’t a good thing?"

"That’s not what I mean." Long Hu shook her head vigorously. "I mean… in the future… Long Long will stay by my side to help me govern Beiming Fanyang, right?"

"It’s just… maybe it’s silly of me, but I can’t shake the feeling that you… It’s as if you’re preparing to leave, wanting to teach me everything I need to know before you go..."

Long Long stared at her in stunned silence, his hand within his sleeve slowly clutching the Heaven-Mending Stone pendant tightly.

"Saying such things is a bit foolish." Long Hu laughed sheepishly, "It’s just… I’m probably overthinking…"

Her words gradually trailed off.

Because Long Long didn’t refute her.

In Long Hu’s imagination, Long Long should have rushed over, embraced her, playfully tapped her nose, and reassured her with, "Hu, you silly little thing, how could I leave you?"

Then she’d grip his hand with her sharp teeth or whip her tail at him for making her misunderstand—how naughty of him!

But...

Long Long merely stared at her in a daze, making Long Hu suddenly understand something.

A thought she desperately didn’t want to believe, accompanied by suffocating, drowning pain, surged uncontrollably from the depths of her heart.

"Long… Long Long?"

Long Hu’s eyes widened as she looked at him nervously, her voice quivering slightly.

Long Long still didn’t reply, but in his heart, he called out:

"Ah Jing, load the memory file!"

"But…" The Kunlun Mirror seemed hesitant.

"Quickly load the memory file!!!" Long Long roared.

Suddenly, Long Long’s figure vanished from Long Hu’s sight.

He had completely disappeared.