Chapter 328 - 296: The Reason for Coming, A Sense of Crisis

Chapter 328: Chapter 296: The Reason for Coming, A Sense of Crisis

"My Helian Family was in the wrong here. I’m usually busy with my Cultivation and have been remiss in my duties. I never thought my clansmen would stoop to such a plot."

"I recall our prior agreement with Master Gu that the Vermilion Bird Divine Beast was to belong to the Helian Family."

"I presume Master Gu has already tamed the Vermilion Bird. The Helian Family can no longer shamelessly ask for it. The Divine Beast will belong to Master Gu as an apology from us."

After a long internal struggle, Helian Shiping finally spoke with a hint of apology.

He could have insisted on their prior agreement that the Vermilion Bird belonged to the Helian Family.

But with Venerable Red Fox now in the picture, Huyan Sea had also become unreliable.

If a conflict truly broke out with He Daozhen, and Venerable Red Fox suddenly decided to intervene, the Helian Family would be doomed beyond redemption.

Against He Daozhen alone, he could have considered simply fleeing back to the Secret Realm and never coming out.

But with Venerable Red Fox added to the equation, he likely wouldn’t even be able to escape.

And the chances of Venerable Red Fox helping He Daozhen were not insignificant.

"Heh, Fellow Daoist Helian, you certainly have a way with words."

"But, no matter. I can’t be bothered to argue with you about this. I hope the Helian Family watches its step from now on."

He Daozhen chuckled dryly.

Ordinarily, he would never have let Helian Shiping off so easily.

But Ge Fangrong had already confirmed via voice transmission that the Vermilion Bird Divine Beast was indeed in Gu Changqing’s possession.

With Venerable Red Fox present, He Daozhen didn’t want to risk further complications. He wanted to leave this place first and figure out his next move later.

"Thank you for your magnanimity, Fellow Daoist He. The Helian Family is too ashamed to linger. We will take our leave."

Helian Shiping sighed, gave a slight bow with cupped fists to the others, and prepared to lead his clansmen away.

"And this must be Young Friend Gu?"

"Young Friend Gu, may I ask your origins?"

But just then, Venerable Red Fox, who had been silent the entire time, suddenly spoke.

Instantly, everyone present—from Helian Shiping, who was about to leave, to Ge Fangrong and He Daozhen—turned to look at Jiang Zuo.

This was especially true for Ge Fangrong and He Daozhen. The two had been so convinced by Jiang Zuo’s identity as an heir from the Upper Realm that they had never actually thought to question his origins.

"My origins?"

"I’m actually from a Nameless Island in the Endless Sea. When I was a child, I accidentally fell into the ocean and drifted into the Chaotic Space Domain..."

Jiang Zuo glanced at Ge Fangrong and He Daozhen. Seeing that neither of them stopped him, he continued.

"That’s enough. Don’t say another word."

"Fellow Daoist Red Fox, whoever you’re looking for, it is not Changqing."

However, after mentioning his origins on an Endless Sea island, continuing his story would mean revealing his identity as an heir from the Upper Realm.

At that moment, He Daozhen cut Jiang Zuo off.

"From the Endless Sea, you say? How unusual. No wonder you’re so capable at such a young age."

"It seems I was mistaken. Please pay it no mind, Young Friend Gu."

Venerable Red Fox gave a faint smile and didn’t press the matter.

With a flick of his sleeve, He Daozhen swept up Jiang Zuo, Ge Fangrong, and two other disciples, and departed.

Seeing He Daozhen leave with Jiang Zuo, Helian Shiping and Huyan Sea also bowed with cupped fists to Venerable Red Fox before leading their own people away.

In the blink of an eye, only Venerable Red Fox remained.

’Is it really related to him, I wonder?’

’More than half a month ago, this jade suddenly reacted and pointed to this location.’

’But when I was facing him just now, it didn’t react at all. How strange.’

’Still, the possibility is high. I know his identity now, so I’ll just observe him for the time being.’

’If it is him, I’ll be able to confirm it sooner or later.’

Venerable Red Fox muttered to himself, gazing at a glossy black Jade Stone resting quietly in his hand.

With a flicker of his form, Venerable Red Fox vanished from the spot.

"I never thought that old fox, Venerable Red Fox, would suddenly show up. Plans can never keep up with reality."

Huyan Sea led the disciples of the Ten Thousand Beasts Sect for a while before departing on his own.

Just then, a seductive female voice suddenly whispered in his ear.

"It couldn’t be helped. In the Cultivation Realm, things rarely go exactly as planned."

"Your Cultivation is only at the initial stage of the Third Realm. We could kill that Helian Shiping if we worked together, but killing He Daozhen is still highly unlikely."

"If we were to fail, it wouldn’t be good for you. Calling it off now might not be such a bad thing."

Huyan Sea snorted.

"I don’t really care about that. But you’d better get the reward you promised me ready soon."

"Otherwise, I might just have to return to the Black Cliff Forbidden Land."

The seductive voice chuckled lightly.

Huyan Sea said no more.

With his aptitude, reaching the Third Realm wasn’t hopeless, but it wasn’t something he could achieve just by staying cooped up in his sect.

In the Cultivation Realm, the chances of finding a fortuitous encounter that could still help him were few and far between.

But Huyan Sea’s karmic luck was decent. In an ancient tomb, he had actually found some information related to the Black Cliff Forbidden Land.

Following that information, Huyan Sea had tracked it down and, deep within the Black Cliff Forbidden Land, found a cave concealed by an Array.

And inside the cave slept a manifested puppet at the Third Realm.

And within the puppet was the soul of a Demoness who had lived for an unknown number of years!

...

"So this is the Vermilion Bird Divine Beast! Truly magnificent!"

He Daozhen brought Jiang Zuo and the others directly back to the Divine Wood Sect.

It was Jiang Zuo’s first time visiting the Divine Wood Sect, and his first time ascending East Divine Mountain.

A high-grade Spirit Vein lay at the foot of East Divine Mountain. The areas on the mountain with the densest Spiritual Qi were indeed far superior to any medium-grade Spirit Vein.

Inside a large hall, Jiang Zuo summoned the Vermilion Bird.

The Vermilion Bird had been cultivating. When it was suddenly summoned, it shot an impatient glance at the surrounding humans who were staring intently at it.

If Jiang Zuo hadn’t been right beside it, it would have thrown a tantrum, even if He Daozhen was a grand Cultivator of the Manifestation Realm.

It was also the first time He Daozhen, Ge Fangrong, and the others had seen a Divine Beast.

Needless to say, the Vermilion Bird’s appearance was extraordinary, even among Divine Beasts.

Its body of cyan-green flames was a one-of-a-kind sight in the Cultivation Realm.

He Daozhen’s and Ge Fangrong’s eyes lit up as they gazed at the Vermilion Bird.

The Vermilion Bird was only at the early fifth tier, but they could already sense it was far more powerful than an ordinary fifth-tier Spirit Beast.

If the Vermilion Bird could break through to the sixth tier, it could protect the Divine Wood Sect for several thousand years, at the very least.

"News that you’ve obtained the Vermilion Bird Divine Beast will almost certainly be spread by the Ten Thousand Beasts Sect and the Helian Family."

"Then there’s Venerable Red Fox. He may have his sights set on you. For the time being, you should stay within the Divine Wood Sect and not return to Yunyuan Immortal City."

He Daozhen said after a moment of thoughtful silence.

"I will follow the Sect Leader’s arrangements."

"However, now that I have to raise an additional Vermilion Bird Divine Beast, the amount of Spirit Stones I need will be even greater."

"As for the business of helping others tame Spirit Beasts, I’ll have to ask Elder Ge to help arrange things."

Jiang Zuo was currently playing the part of a brainwashed, loyal disciple, so of course he wouldn’t object.

His original plan was to screw over the Divine Wood Sect anyway. Although he had joined the sect a bit earlier than expected, it was still within his calculations.

There were many buildings on East Divine Mountain.

Jiang Zuo was assigned to a private courtyard halfway up the mountain.

Jiang Zuo was the only one in the courtyard, with no other buildings or people in sight.

’I can’t believe so many Venerables showed up, and yet no fight broke out in the end.’

’Huyan Sea and Helian Shiping... what a pair of useless wastes. They didn’t even try to fight for the Divine Beast.’

Jiang Zuo had been hoping to see a great battle between Venerables when he came out.

He was sorely disappointed that nothing had happened.

’It seems that even when you’ve cultivated to the peak of this world, everything still comes down to politics and social maneuvering.’

’So that gaunt old man was Venerable Red Fox?’

’What was he getting at? Judging by his last question, it seemed like he was after me, specifically?’

’According to He Daozhen, Venerable Red Fox showed up uninvited, as if he’d been guided here by something.’

’Could it be... the Mysterious Stele?’

Jiang Zuo continued to ponder.

He had never expected to meet Venerable Red Fox under these circumstances.

Back in Red Fox Town, he had heard Venerable Red Fox’s name countless times.

’Back then, Venerable Red Fox seemed to be searching for something in Red Fox Town, and the Mysterious Stele itself came from there.’

’It’s highly likely he’s after the Mysterious Stele.’

’He never came looking before, yet he shows up now, just as I was about to leave the Secret Realm.’

’Could it be because I used the Mysterious Stele’s power when its refinement progress reached seventy percent?’

’If that’s the case, I’ll have to be more careful from now on.’

’And it’s very likely Venerable Red Fox has already locked onto me.’

’This is bad! This identity is becoming more and more dangerous!’

’I’m a little reluctant to let it go, but I need to finish refining the Array and drain the Spirit Vein as quickly as possible.’

’Then I’ll change my identity and start fresh!’

Possessing a Divine Beast was one thing; with the Divine Wood Sect as his backer, few would dare to move against him.

But where the Mysterious Stele was concerned, Jiang Zuo couldn’t afford to be careless.

If Venerable Red Fox knew the effects of the Mysterious Stele, and confirmed that Jiang Zuo had it, he would not hesitate to act, even if it meant offending the Divine Wood Sect.