Chapter 544: A Son Won't Betray His Father

Chapter 544: A Son Won't Betray His Father

Amidst the rugged terrain, boulders piled up haphazardly, and gnarled trees grew wildly, forming a damp and shadowy hideout.

The dark clouds above parted, veiling the figures of the two below.

Yue Tiance frowned as he gazed downward, then turned his head and said, "Are you sure about this? This is the lair of a powerful demon capable of injuring you?"

Any self-respecting demon with some cultivation would not willingly subject themselves to such a crude dwelling.

Zilan Xianzi furrowed her brows for a moment, closing her eyes to sense her surroundings.

When she opened them again, a hint of worry had crept into her eyes.

Judging by the dense aura, the bear demon had not taken refuge here due to some unforeseen circumstance, such as being pursued by someone.

It had been dwelling in this place for many years.

A being with such formidable power typically had underlings at its beck and call, yet it seemed to lack any such followers. What did it eat and drink? How did it maintain its full demonic power? Surely it didn't rely solely on meditation and breathing exercises.

"I'll go in and take a look. You stay outside and back me up."

Zilan Xianzi took the lead and began to descend.

Yue Tiance's Black Cloud Divine Ability could even evade the perception of Unity Realm experts. Otherwise, his clan wouldn't have allowed him to venture far from Beihong alone in search of his brother.

"...”

Yue Tiance reached out, intending to suggest that he go inside instead, but thinking of the temperament of the Purple Beard White Dragon clan, he quietly retracted his hand.

This was also the reason for his obsession with Zilan.

The heavens had endowed the Purple Beard White Dragons with exceptionally keen perception, allowing them to easily discern the emotional fluctuations of others. When it came to interacting with people, they could be said to have an unbeatable advantage.

Few could resist someone who understood them completely.

Not only himself, but even many years ago, Xuan Qing, a ruthless and indifferent killer unmoved by emotions, had also fallen for another Purple Beard White Dragon.

However, for the White Dragons themselves, having such heightened perception wasn't always a blessing.

The sufferings of the world and the atrocities committed against its inhabitants could be ignored by others, but for the kind-hearted White Dragons, they were a constant torment.

It was more accurate to say that they sought to comfort themselves rather than save the world.

"Rest assured, it doesn't intend to give face to the East Dragon Palace, but it doesn't seem to want to harm me either. Perhaps it feels that the gains don't outweigh the potential backlash."

Zilan Xianzi offered a soft reassurance. She wasn't a fool; she could tell that the bear demon had recognized her the other day and had no intention of completely severing ties with the East Dragon Palace.

Having said that, she slowly descended towards the damp lair.

As she drew closer to the cave, Zilan Xianzi became increasingly cautious.

She silently navigated the muddy logs, using her full perception to sense what lay within. Suddenly, her steps faltered... The cave was empty; the bear demon was not there at that moment.

Instead, Zilan Xianzi sensed a different presence.

Hidden by the dark clouds, she turned her head and spotted a tall figure clad in ink-black robes standing at a distance.

He was a young cultivator, his brow furrowed with a hint of disappointment as he stood quietly at the cave entrance, gazing into the sky.

Zilan Xianzi's gaze shifted behind the young man, and upon seeing the petite girl, she instinctively furrowed her delicate brows.

With the White Dragons' keen perception, even a Unity Realm expert wouldn't be able to hide their cultivation from her.

The girl was devoid of any spiritual energy, clearly an ordinary mortal, and her heart seemed to be shrouded in deathly stillness, as if she had endured unimaginable torment.

How did a little girl like this end up in a demon's lair?

Zilan Xianzi's thoughts turned to the young man, and she studied him anew, only to be taken aback once more.

Even with her preconceived biases, she couldn't detect any obvious malicious intent from him. However, he was clearly no saint, as the scent of blood on him was overwhelming!

Furthermore, although he carried the aura of the bear demon, it was evident that it was a recent acquisition, indicating that he was not allied with the owner of this lair.

Strange...

Zilan Xianzi hesitated for a moment before swiftly moving to intercept the two, revealing herself as she stood between them. With a polite bow, she introduced herself, "Apologies for the intrusion, I am Zilan from the East Dragon Palace. May I ask what brings you to this demon's lair, fellow daoist?"

"...”

Shen Yi and An Yi both fell silent.

As the dark clouds enveloped them, An Yi instinctively transformed her palm into a claw, and if not for Zilan exposing her back defenselessly, that delicate little hand would have pierced the woman's heart.

Shen Yi was also surprised.

It had been a long time since someone had managed to get so close to him without his notice, thanks to the stealth capabilities of the Purple Beard White Dragon soul stone.

What puzzled him even more was why this woman had lain in wait only to let herself be "captured" by An Yi.

Also, if he hadn't misheard, she had mentioned the East Dragon Palace?

A wild Purple Beard White Dragon... Shen Yi subconsciously scanned his surroundings.

"Fellow daoist, please don't misunderstand. My companion outside is merely here to support me; there are no ill intentions," Zilan quickly explained, sensing the youth's gaze and the sudden surge of killing intent within him. She thought he had misunderstood something, so she clarified the situation.

As soon as she finished speaking, the killing intent on the young man vanished as quickly as it had appeared.

Zilan was taken aback by how readily he had believed her; was he really so trusting of others despite daring to roam in West Hong?

"Hmm."

Shen Yi sighed inwardly. He had come here based on information from the Myriad Treasures Pavilion, but it seemed that he had arrived too late.

He had hoped to obtain a Purple Beard White Dragon soul stone, but there seemed to be someone else guarding it from outside. The stealth capabilities of this person were truly remarkable, befitting a top power in Hongze.

"My lord, this woman is clearly up to no good. Let's kill her first and interrogate her in the Myriad Demons Hall!"

Hidden within Shen Yi's sea of consciousness, Ke Shisan couldn't contain his eagerness and offered his suggestion.

Shen Yi didn't bother to respond; he truly didn't care about making enemies. As long as he grew strong enough, any troubles would be insignificant.

However, he also considered the cost-benefit ratio. Offending a Purple Beard White Dragon from White Jade Capital was one thing, but angering the massive East Dragon Palace was another matter entirely.

With that in mind, he casually cupped his hands and said, "I happened to pass by and was looking for a place to rest."

"You..."

Zilan Xianzi almost laughed out loud. However, thinking about how easily this cultivator had believed her earlier, she realized that he truly had a carefree and straightforward personality.

"Fellow daoist, with such dense demonic energy, can't you sense it... Especially since you're accompanied by a little girl?"

Zilan Xianzi squatted down and gently caressed An Yi's face, her expression softening with concern for the girl's well-being. "Don't be afraid, sister will protect you."

An Yi's face remained cold, and she curled her fingers into claws again, shooting a questioning glance at Shen Yi. She was truly unaccustomed to someone touching her so abruptly.

Shen Yi shook his head casually. So far, he wasn't confident about taking on the "fellow daoist" waiting outside, and although this Purple Beard White Dragon before him seemed a bit dull, it didn't seem to harbor any malicious intentions.

He, too, wanted to know where the demon of this cave abode had gone. Surely it hadn't been taken away early by Qi Da?

"Fellow daoist, you mentioned there's a demon here. Where is it?"

"You've found it." Zilan Xianzi comforted the little girl before sighing and standing up. She looked at Shen Yi helplessly. "Fellow daoist, if you're looking for a place to rest, please come with me to Hongfeng Valley first. This place is too dangerous. We can talk about everything else after we get back. Zilan will certainly explain everything in detail."

This young fellow daoist seemed to possess extraordinary strength and was likely a scion of a powerful clan out on a training journey. It would be a shame if he lost his life here due to inexperience, which would undoubtedly stir up a storm.

"..."

Shen Yi pondered for a moment before replying.

According to the information from the Myriad Treasures Pavilion, Qi Da should have kept these demons in West Hong, and they shouldn't have been allowed to move around freely.

Something must have changed, attracting the attention of the East Dragon Palace.

He needed to get his hands on information quickly, or else he might lose this opportunity to someone else.

"Please."

Without further ado, Zilan Xianzi turned and picked up An Yi, swiftly striding out of the cave.

Although this young man didn't seem like a bad person, he had blood on his hands, and it was always better to be cautious.

Shen Yi didn't show any unusual reaction to this.

He had never encountered a situation where someone insisted on being a "hostage."

"And who might this be?"

Having anxiously awaited in the air for a long time, Yue Tiance finally spotted Zilan, but before he could breathe a sigh of relief, he noticed two unfamiliar figures with her.

He quietly furrowed his brows, his gaze shifting to the youth in the ink-black robe.

"Let's go."

Zilan Xianzi headed straight toward the distance. She didn't mind taking risks herself, and Tiance also had means to protect himself. However, she didn't want to leave this innocent little one in that filthy demon's lair.

After they had put some distance between themselves and the demon's lair, Zilan turned to Shen Yi and asked, "This is the second young master of the Bei Hong Yue family. May I ask your name, fellow daoist?"

"Shen Yi, a wandering cultivator," Shen Yi replied with a slight nod.

In the vast lands of Hongze, there were countless people with the same name. Moreover, he himself wasn't a well-known figure, so there was no need for an alias.

"Heh." Yue Tiance's lips curled up in a mocking smile as he averted his gaze.

Did this guy take him for a fool? Without the support of a powerful sect, how could one cultivate to such a remarkable realm at such a young age? Since he himself hadn't hidden his identity, this kid's background must be even more secretive than the Yue family. This attempt at concealment was pointless.

"Fellow daoist Shen," Zilan Xianzi didn't press further, understanding that everyone had their reasons for keeping certain things hidden. Moreover, she didn't really care about his background. In all of Hongze, there were only a handful of powers that could rival the East Dragon Palace.

"Why are you out here cultivating, and why bring such a young child with you? Aren't you afraid something might happen?"

"It's a request from an old friend. It's safer to have her by my side."

Shen Yi wasn't exactly lying. With An Yi by his side, he was indeed much safer.

"I see... Be more careful in the future and don't go wandering into dangerous places."

As Zilan Xianzi took the lead, she wanted to offer more reminders but hesitated since they had just met. After a moment's thought, she took out a piece of jade scale from her waist and placed it in An Yi's embrace.

"If you encounter any danger, just call out to me, sister, while holding this jade scale. You won't need to use any spiritual energy."

After thinking for a moment, she took out another piece and handed it to Shen Yi. "Fellow Daoist Shen, please take this as well. Things have been a bit unstable around here lately, so it's always good to be careful. If there's nothing else, it's best to leave as soon as possible."

"..."

Shen Yi took the jade scale and rubbed it between his palms, a habitual gesture.

This was his second encounter with a Purple Beard White Dragon, and both the Jade Mountain Dragon Consort and the young dragon girl before him seemed somewhat unusual.

Yue Tiance's eyes twitched as he noticed Shen Yi's caressing gesture, and he opened his mouth to rebuke him, but upon seeing Zilan, he forcibly suppressed his anger.

What a playboy! Zilan Xianzi's face turned slightly red, but then she recalled that when she had revealed her identity earlier, Shen Yi had remained calm, indicating that he probably didn't know much about the East Dragon Palace.

Ignorance was no crime, and pointing it out now would only make her seem petty.

"Not peaceful?" Shen Yi put away the jade scale and glanced at her, now only interested in this matter.

Zilan Xianzi hesitated for a moment before recounting what she knew. "I've already reported this matter to my elders, and we're waiting for them to send someone to deal with it. Fellow Daoist Shen, if you're not in a hurry, you can stay at Hongfeng Valley for now to avoid attracting the attention of that demon... Its situation is a bit strange. Although it's powerful, it seems to be starving, even devouring the corpses of Returning Void cultivators."

"I understand."

Shen Yi nodded again.

As long as the demon was still alive, it would definitely return to Hongfeng Valley, unable to resist the temptation.

Seeing the other two speeding up, Shen Yi also accelerated, unleashing the Dragon Leap Heaven Piercing technique, transforming into a purple and white rainbow that shot toward the direction Zilan Xianzi had indicated!

"..."

Even Zilan Xianzi was left stunned this time.

Yue Tiance gritted his teeth and pulled at the corner of his mouth, transmitting his voice to Zilan, "You pretend you don't know him, but you've seen him bathe. Do we really need to bother with someone who lies so much?"

Zilan Xianzi's cheeks reddened as she waved her hand. "Can you stop talking about it? We barely even know each other."

It wasn't a big deal that he had seen her; countless people in Hongze had seen her, and some shameless individuals had even recorded her in their scrolls. Her dragon scales were like clothing to her, and there was nothing that others weren't allowed to see. It was just a bit annoying.

But the fact that he had pretended not to know about the East Dragon Palace earlier and then revealed that he had seen her bathing made her feel like he was mocking her in some way.

Zilan Xianzi shook her head and continued toward Hongfeng Valley.

Soon, they landed in the valley filled with crimson leaves.

"You're back." The master of Hongfeng Valley seemed to have resigned himself to his fate and had ordered his disciples and stewards to start refining the Jade Maple Treasure Pills in full force, trying to make up for a thousand years' worth.

He now only hoped that this Zilan Xianzi would help him explain the situation to the higher-ups in the Cloud River Sect later.

"Prepare accommodations for these two," Zilan instructed softly.

"Understood," the master of Hongfeng Valley replied, finally noticing the two additional people. After discreetly observing them for a moment, he shifted his gaze from the ink-robed youth to Yue Tiance, his eyes lighting up.

It seemed that Zilan Xianzi was starting to gather her allies.

This horned man, along with his fine scales, reminded him of a powerful and notorious demon clan from Bei Hong, which had produced an unparalleled genius known as Yue Tianji many millennia ago.

Before the emergence of that renowned figure from Nan Hong, who had shaken the entire Hongze with his might, Yue Tianji was undoubtedly the first young genius of Hongze.

He even had the potential to lead his clan to a status rivaling that of the Northern Dragon Palace.

Unfortunately... Hearing that Yue Tianji had been suppressed for countless millennia, the valley master could imagine the frustration he must have felt, leading him to seek guidance from various masters and exhaust himself in his pursuit of progress. Not only did he aim to further enhance his bloodline concentration, but he also attempted to replicate the immortal techniques mastered by the Nan Hong expert.

After enduring countless hardships, just as Yue Tianji believed he could reclaim his title as the foremost genius, the Nan Hong expert met with an unexpected accident.

All of Yue Tianji's efforts went to waste, and it was said that his heart for cultivation was shattered, after which he disappeared from the public eye.

However, this incident, while ending their clan's chance to rise further, did not affect their status as a major power in Bei Hong.

With the backing of the East Dragon Palace and the Yue family, the master of Hongfeng Valley didn't believe that the bear demon would dare to cause any more trouble!

Moreover, judging solely by their auras, the valley master didn't think that this latecomer from the Yue family would be much weaker than the bear demon.

As for the ink-robed youth, although his strength seemed much lower, he could still bolster their numbers.

"Honored guests, please follow me."

The master of Hongfeng Valley quickly summoned several elders and personally led the way.

...

Outside the damp hideout, amidst the rugged terrain and piled boulders, two figures descended forcefully. As they revealed themselves, they turned out to be two sturdy bear demons, one taller than the other.

"Dad, you ate someone again?" The shorter bear demon wrinkled its nose and glanced at its father with some helplessness. "What's the point of eating those Hongfeng Valley cultivators? It won't help you much, and it will only make the nearby sects distrust us."

To be honest, if their father hadn't eaten those cultivators' corpses, he could have just left the six of them outside Hongfeng Valley, and the matter would have been resolved by now.

By doing what he did, he was essentially telling those cultivators that no matter how hard they worked, not a single one of them would be able to escape.

"Mind your own business!" The taller bear demon bared its teeth and glared at its offspring. "Qi Zhaoyu is an unfilial son. Knowing that I'm just a hair away from breaking through, he should have kept his promise, but he hasn't said a word about it. He's clearly trying to control me!"

"Dragon Lord is probably worried that you'll stop listening to him after you break through, and I heard he went to Nan Hong to do something big... We might still be useful to him, and he's been providing us with heavenly treasures for countless years. How could he possibly give up now?"

The shorter bear demon tried to calm its father down. "At least our current situation is better than when we were being chased by those in Bei Hong."

"Nonsense!" The taller bear demon snorted. "If it weren't for us hiding in this godforsaken place for countless years, I wouldn't believe that I wouldn't be able to break through without the help of the West Dragon Palace. I'll show them!"

"Dad, what about Zilan Xianzi?" Seeing that the conversation was getting out of hand, the shorter bear demon steered it in another direction.

At the mention of Zilan Xianzi, the taller bear demon's face also showed some difficulty. Its previous disregard for the dragon girl was not due to a lack of fear of the East Dragon Palace, but because it didn't know how to handle the situation.

It definitely wanted the Jade Maple Treasure Pills, but negotiating with Zilan Xianzi... If Dragon Lord found out, he would definitely flay its skin.

Inviting outsiders to deal with the East Dragon Palace was as good as signing its own death warrant.

Hence, it could only ignore Zilan Xianzi... When that woman suddenly intervened and caught its attack, it almost scared the bear demon to death. Fortunately, she was strong enough to handle it, or else things would have escalated.

Just then, a third bear demon arrived, its body transformed into a black whirlwind. As soon as it landed, it spoke with a grave expression, "Dad, she's invited two more people. It looks like she means business."

The taller bear demon gritted its teeth and stepped into the cave.

Following closely behind, it saw the mess inside the cave and growled, "Damn it! I almost forgot that bitch has the ability to track demons. She's so troublesome! Does she think she can meddle in every affair in Hongze? She's a real pain in the ass!"

Hearing this, the third bear demon's eyes narrowed, and it stepped forward, speaking in a low voice, "Dad, it's not that hard to force her to leave. Everyone knows what the Purple Beard White Dragons are like. We just need to capture one of her allies and leave a letter proving that we don't intend to harm anyone. As long as she agrees to back off, we'll release the hostage once she leaves this place. Dragon Lord will definitely make a move soon, and by then, you would have successfully broken through and no longer need to fear her."

"Would she believe that?" The taller bear demon looked skeptical.

"Whether she believes it or not is not the point, but she definitely won't cause trouble for her friends. You don't know Zilan Xianzi well enough, Dad," the third bear demon smiled and lowered its voice further. "As for settling the score later... Dragon Lord is definitely planning something big. By the time we reach Nan Hong, you would have broken through, and we won't need to fear her anymore."

"As for the hostage... One of the helpers she invited today has mediocre strength."

As it spoke, the third bear demon used its demonic energy to create a letter. "Dad, you just need to capture the person. After that, put this letter on the table. Within three days, she will definitely leave."

Hearing its offspring's confident words, the taller bear demon was tempted. This was his own flesh and blood; surely it wouldn't deceive him.

Besides, they didn't have any other options. It might as well give this plan a try.

If Hongfeng Valley backed down, all the large and small sects near the Cloud River Sect would have to obediently pay their respects.

If it could successfully break through and become a powerful demon on par with an immortal, it wouldn't need to take risks alongside Dragon Lord anymore. It could roam the world freely.

With that in mind, the taller bear demon turned and walked out of the cave, a sinister smile on its face. "Let's do it."

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end