Chapter 259 - 252: Deal and Infiltration

Chapter 259: Chapter 252: Deal and Infiltration

"Fellow Daoist Wu, this way, please."

Kongyun Building was unaware of Jiang Zuo’s thoughts. He made a guiding gesture with his hand and landed before the gate of a courtyard.

Soon, a Daoist Child emerged and led Kongyun Building and Jiang Zuo into the courtyard’s reception hall.

Inside the reception hall, a refined-looking middle-aged Cultivator was sipping tea.

"Clan Leader Zhu."

Kongyun Building said respectfully.

"Clan Leader Kong, you said you had urgent business with me. What is it? Have you found a fourth-rank Star Dust Bird? I specifically set aside my other tasks to wait for you. You’d better not disappoint me."

Zhu Anwen said indifferently.

Elder Zhu was extremely concerned about Zhu Fengyu’s Tribulation Crossing Items and had asked about them not long ago.

The other Tribulation Crossing Items were more or less secured, but they still had no leads on the fourth-rank Star Dust Feather Robe they planned to craft.

If they could only refine a third-rank Star Dust Feather Robe in the end, its effectiveness would be greatly diminished.

Zhu Anwen had just been thinking about asking Kongyun Building about this matter. When he heard Kongyun Building was looking for him, he decided to wait for him in advance.

"Clan Leader Zhu, we did indeed find a fourth-rank Star Dust Bird, but something unexpected happened."

Kongyun Building spoke quickly, using a voice transmission to give Zhu Anwen a rough summary of the situation.

After hearing the explanation, Zhu Anwen narrowed his eyes and looked at Jiang Zuo.

"Fellow Daoist Wu Hai, may I ask which sect you are a disciple of?"

Zhu Anwen asked bluntly.

He was certain he had never heard of such a name.

Although the Cultivation World had countless sects, with even more disciples, the number of famous, talented disciples was limited.

To avoid offending these talented disciples with powerful backgrounds, the Zhu Family made a point of collecting their names every few years.

The name Wu Hai was not on the list.

"What? If you find my sect’s background lacking, does Clan Leader Zhu intend to make a move?"

Jiang Zuo said with a light chuckle.

Zhu Anwen was instantly flustered and angry.

’This guy. Doesn’t he know that some things in the Cultivation Realm are better left unsaid, even if everyone knows them?’

That was indeed his intention, but to say it out loud was a clear slap in the face!

"Haha, I was just joking. Please don’t take offense, Clan Leader Zhu."

"I came here purely to make a trade with the Zhu Family. Otherwise, if I had wanted to leave, I would have been long gone."

But then, Jiang Zuo spoke again, leaving Zhu Anwen fuming but with no way to vent his anger.

"Fellow Daoist Wu, I wonder what kind of trade you have in mind?"

However, Zhu Anwen was no ordinary person; he quickly calmed down.

After all, Jiang Zuo’s fearless demeanor made him a little wary.

Although the Zhu Family had Elder Zhu, he was like a nuclear warhead—a deterrent, not to be used lightly.

"It’s simple. I will give your esteemed family three Eight Trigrams Thunder-Transforming Talismans. In return, your family will give me all the Star Dust Birds you’ve captured. The matter of the fourth-rank Star Dust Bird will also be dropped, with no further pursuit."

Jiang Zuo said directly.

The Eight Trigrams Thunder-Transforming Talisman was a top-tier, fourth-rank Talisman. When used during a Tribulation Crossing, the Eight Trigrams Array it generated could deflect the power of the Tribulation Thunder, preventing the full force from striking the person Crossing the Tribulation.

If used during a breakthrough to the Divine Body Realm, the Eight Trigrams Thunder-Transforming Talisman would have a miraculous effect.

Jiang Zuo himself had used many Eight Trigrams Thunder-Transforming Talismans in the later stages of his own Thunder Tribulation.

Even when breaking through from the Three Flowers Realm to the Dao Fruit Realm, the Eight Trigrams Thunder-Transforming Talisman could still have a decent effect.

"Fellow Daoist, are you serious?"

Zhu Anwen asked hastily after a moment of shock.

The effects of the Eight Trigrams Thunder-Transforming Talisman were far superior to those of the Star Dust Feather Robe.

Moreover, all they could get from a fourth-rank Star Dust Bird were materials. The Zhu Family would still have to find an Artifact Refining master to refine them, and no one could guarantee the quality of the final product.

In contrast, the effect of the Eight Trigrams Thunder-Transforming Talisman was very stable. It could basically guarantee that Zhu Fengyu would withstand three Tribulation Thunders.

"Of course. These are the Eight Trigrams Thunder-Transforming Talismans."

Jiang Zuo nodded and took out three Eight Trigrams Thunder-Transforming Talismans.

For him, creating fourth-rank Talismans was just a matter of a little effort.

’First, I need to get my hands on these few dozen Star Dust Birds.’

"Good! The Zhu Family accepts this trade!"

Zhu Anwen was knowledgeable and experienced. He recognized the Eight Trigrams Thunder-Transforming Talismans at a glance and immediately agreed to Jiang Zuo’s terms.

Soon, a Cultivator delivered more than ten Beast Bags.

Jiang Zuo inspected the Beast Bags one by one. Inside each was two or three Star Dust Birds.

"Very good. They are indeed Star Dust Birds."

Jiang Zuo nodded in satisfaction and handed the Eight Trigrams Thunder-Transforming Talismans to Zhu Anwen.

Zhu Anwen carefully stored away all three Talismans.

"Fellow Daoist Wu, to tell you the truth, in a few days, it will be our Elder Zhu’s 800th birthday. The Zhu Family will hold a grand celebration, and the Elder himself will come out to greet guests."

"If you are willing to stay with the Zhu Family for a few days, Fellow Daoist, you will be able to meet our Elder."

Zhu Anwen added with a smile.

"Thank you for your kind offer, Clan Leader Zhu, but I have urgent matters to attend to, so I won’t stay any longer."

"Clan Leader Kong, Clan Leader Zhu, we shall part ways here!"

Jiang Zuo shook his head. Not only did he decline to stay, but he also took his leave on the spot.

Zhu Anwen quickly tried to persuade him to stay, but unfortunately, Jiang Zuo had already made up his mind to leave.

Soon, under the watchful eyes of the two clan leaders, his figure rapidly disappeared.

"Clan Leader Kong, do you know this person’s origins?"

Zhu Anwen asked faintly.

"I do not. Although I tried to probe him on the way here, he didn’t reveal a single thing."

"The only thing I can be certain of is that his strength is extraordinary. Although he appears to be in the early stage of the Three Flowers Realm, my feeling is that even if I joined forces with two or three mid-stage Three Flowers Realm Cultivators, we would probably still be no match for him."

Kongyun Building shook his head.

His intuition was very sharp and rarely wrong.

That was also why, despite Jiang Zuo’s low-looking Cultivation, and despite having several strong Cultivators on his own side, he never considered making a move.

Zhu Anwen understood Kongyun Building’s meaning.

’Such a genius must be from one of those major sects.’

’For some reason, he just doesn’t want to reveal his identity.’

’Oh well. Right now, it’s better to stir up less trouble, not more.’

’The Eight Trigrams Thunder-Transforming Talismans are in hand. I doubt that man has any other Tribulation Crossing Items on him.’

’And to attack someone like that just for some worldly possessions... it would be truly unwise.’

...

Jiang Zuo traveled a great distance and, upon reaching a deserted place, summoned the fourth-rank Star Dust Bird.

As Jiang Zuo released the captured Star Dust Birds from the Beast Bags one by one, the fourth-rank Star Dust Bird immediately cried out in excitement again and again.

For a moment, the surroundings were filled with chirping sounds.

With the fourth-rank Star Dust Bird present, Jiang Zuo quickly gained the trust of the other birds.

In total, thirty-two Star Dust Birds were taken into Jiang Zuo’s Spirit Garden.

"Alright, once night falls, I’ll go and investigate the Zhu Family."

Jiang Zuo looked toward the Zhu Family’s location.

He hadn’t spent much time inside the Zhu Family estate, but Jiang Zuo was already mostly certain that the Miracle Building material was related to Demon Beast blood, or perhaps even a Demon Beast bloodline.

This thing was probably very rare, which was why Jiang Zuo hadn’t mentioned it to Zhu Anwen.

The Zhu Family was unlikely to trade it away, and mentioning it would only make them wary.

Soon, night fell.

Like a ghost, Jiang Zuo stood on a hill some distance from the Zhu Family estate, gazing at it from afar.

A Blood Qi Avatar condensed, and then Jiang Zuo, along with his avatar, snuck into the Zhu Family estate, one after the other.