Chapter 553: He Has Found Me

Chapter 553: He Has Found Me

Dark clouds swept across the sky towards West Hong.

Liushi Qian and Chiyang watched as Shen Zongzhu left, only averting their gazes after a long while.

"Quick, take a look. What is that?"

Forgetting his injuries, Chiyang leaned forward, his heart filled with amazement.

It had to be said that the best decision Old Liu had made in his life was to stay behind at the Nanyang Baodi site when the other elders had left after its reappearance.

This single act had saved the other man's life not once, but twice.

From the three-headed white jade essence demon in the Immortal Cave to the deer demon and bat demon that could rival a combined Dao just now... even talking about them was terrifying. This kind of lineup would not only challenge a mere Qingyue Zong elder but even a newly ascended Xian Zong Master might not survive.

Yet Old Liu's injuries this time were even lighter than the last.

Despite this life-saving favor, Shen Zongzhu acted as if nothing had happened, not even bothering to listen to words of gratitude. With a casual farewell, he had departed, even going so far as to bestow a benefit upon Old Liu.

"Why couldn't I have been the one to go to the Nanyang Clan?" Chiyang lamented, tugging at his lips.

"... "

Liushi Qian retracted his gaze and carefully opened the golden book in his hand. Immediately, he saw a beam of golden light leading towards West Hong.

He studied the writing and murmured, "Wanxiang Pavilion?"

Chiyang furrowed his brows, a hint of confusion in his eyes. "It seems to be a newly emerged Xian sect specializing in information gathering. What kind of benefit is this... Wait, do you think Shen Zongzhu contacted them to gather information about the Nanlong Palace and is now sending you to retrieve it?"

At this thought, Chiyang clicked his tongue.

This was an unexpected boon, even for one of their own elders. By gifting this information at the cusp of Old Liu's breakthrough, Shen Zongzhu was not only helping him solidify his position but also providing an opportunity to climb even higher.

"Don't jump to conclusions," Liushi Qian replied, closing the golden book. If Chiyang's speculation was correct, he was more concerned about safely delivering this information back than any so-called merit.

As for the benefit Shen Zongzhu had mentioned...

To be honest, Liushi Qian didn't feel that he had helped the Nanyang Clan much. With Shen Zongzhu's rapid improvement, even without him, there would have been a Zhang Shi Qian or a Wang Shi Qian, as others were not blind either.

The fact that Shen Zongzhu still remembered him and showed this consideration proved that Liushi Qian's judgment of character... was truly accurate.

"Understood. I'll accompany you there," Chiyang said, having noticed Liushi Qian's concern. He put away the Qingyue treasure boat he had just taken out and produced two ordinary stepping treasures instead.

Fearing that delay might cause unforeseen changes, the two men hesitated no longer and headed directly towards the direction of the golden light they had seen earlier.

For a Baiyu Jing monk, wandering in Hongze was still dangerous, but they now had some ability to protect themselves.

In addition, their deliberately low-key behavior meant that they could sense the aura from a distance and detour in advance.

Along the way, they did not encounter any danger.

Finally, the guest platform, adorned with ancient statues, came into Liushi Qian's view.

Before they could even wonder about the power of West Hong, their bodies had stiffened.

Standing on the guest platform was a water demon clad in exquisite armor. Although the demon's aura was not as formidable as the previous two demons, it was still enough to make people wary.

What truly made Liushi Qian and Chiyang dare not act rashly was the armor the water demon wore, which clearly indicated its affiliation with the West Dragon Palace. It was highly likely that this demon was a confidant of one of the Dragon Sons!

"Wh, what's going on?"

Chiyang's face twitched, and he felt his breathing quicken.

How had Shen Zongzhu's promised benefit led them straight into the hands of the West Dragon Palace?

"Huh."

Liushi Qian remained silent, as the water demon had already turned to look at them.

He slowly extended his sword finger from his sleeve, ready to take action.

Just as he was about to summon his Dao soldiers, the water demon rolled its eyes and pointed to the ground. "Finally, someone has come. We have fixed the crack. Take a look and if you are satisfied, this matter will be considered settled."

Qi Qiye left without a trace, leaving no instructions for these demon generals.

These demon generals didn't know how to face the Wan Yao Dian, but since they had already lost face, they might as well resolve the issue thoroughly.

Fixed... fixed?

This time, not only Chiyang but even Liushi Qian was stunned.

This water demon was a confidant of the West Dragon Palace, and its status and strength were no less than those of the elders of the Nan Hong Seven Sons.

And here it was, fixing tiles for others?

The Seven Sons had stayed in their corner for many years, but they never imagined that West Hong had reached such a bizarre state.

"Why are you standing there? Say something!" The demon general seemed to be getting impatient, but he was forcibly holding back.

"... "

Liushi Qian remained silent for a long time before nodding.

Having received a response, the demon general finally breathed a sigh of relief. He casually cupped his hands in farewell and immediately transformed into a stream of light, speeding towards the waters outside the mountain!

"Oh no, I must be getting old and blind. I think I just saw a West Dragon Palace demon general bowing to me," Chiyang said, rubbing his eyes vigorously. The shocks he had experienced since leaving the sect this time might have been greater than those of his entire life before this.

"I'll go in and take a look. You wait for me outside," Liushi Qian said, calming his mind and stepping towards the method array.

Even though the scene before him was beyond his comprehension, he trusted that Shen Zongzhu would not harm him.

"Hold your token tightly and stay vigilant," Chiyang instructed.

Chiyang nodded. Having worked together for many years, if something happened to Liushi Qian, he would be responsible for delivering the message.

"Mhm."

As soon as Liushi Qian stepped onto the array, he was enveloped by shimmering light.

This was his first time leaving Nan Hong, and despite his calm temperament, he couldn't help but feel nervous.

Shen Zongzhu's instructions had been too brief, and he didn't even know how to broach the topic with the Wanxiang Pavilion dao friends when he arrived.

However, the next moment, the scene that appeared before Liushi Qian caused him to freeze completely.

He had been directly transported into an empty grand hall.

The seats on both sides and the main seat above were all vacant.

"..."

Liushi Qian felt a chill run down his spine, and he slowly turned around.

At the entrance, a sturdy and robust figure stood, shrouded in a dark golden robe, his face hidden beneath a large hood. Not a hint of aura emanated from him, making him seem like an eerie, lifeless object, yet he exuded an air of nobility.

"I, Liushi Qian, have come to visit the sect under orders. I request an audience with the Pavilion Master of Wanxiang," Liushi Qian said, unaware of the specifics and not daring to reveal his identity casually. He reached out and took out the golden book.

Immediately after, he was plunged into bewilderment once more.

The figure in the dark golden robe shook his head slightly. "There is no Pavilion Master here at the moment."

"Then?" Liushi Qian asked, wanting to inquire further.

But he was interrupted by the other party, who lifted his palm. "Sit." The dark golden-robed figure gestured towards the main seat.

Liushi Qian hesitated. He couldn't make head or tail of the current situation, but he didn't want to show weakness, lest he embarrass Shen Zongzhu. So, he steeled himself and walked forward, then sat somewhat awkwardly in the main seat.

He looked at the figure in front of him with confusion, but then he suddenly heard a faint laugh. "Now there is."

Liushi Qian leaned back in his chair, as if struck by lightning. He couldn't believe his ears, wondering if he had misunderstood the other party.

"The previous Pavilion Master of Wanxiang has just died, and this precious land has not yet completely freed itself from his control. Taking advantage of the current opportunity to merge with the Dao, performing a soul-stealing technique will greatly shorten the time. I hope you will seize this opportunity and not waste this favor," the figure said.

Wu Jun looked at the middle-aged man in the main seat and said seriously, "Pavilion Master Liu." After speaking, he turned and left the hall.

Not until he had completely disappeared from Liushi Qian's sight did Wu Jun stomp his foot vigorously, finally relieved that he was about to be freed from this duty!

"Damn it, who knows how full the other Demon Generals had been eating with the master during this time, but as for myself, I had honestly stayed in Wanxiang Pavilion, and not only had I not gained any benefits, but I had also inexplicably suffered a severe blow, almost shattering my stone body!"

"My master! Wu Jun is coming back!" a voice called out.

In the hall, Liushi Qian didn't know that the noble presence had just transformed into another form as soon as he turned his head. He just stared blankly at the hall, his mind wandering.

Liushi Qian understood what kind of person Shen Zongzhu was. It was said that one should repay a drop of water with a gushing spring, but he never expected that... the drop of water he had given away would be returned a hundredfold.

The Dao-merging sacred site, coveted by the seven sect elders, had unexpectedly fallen into his hands in such an unforeseen manner.

"Old Liu, what's going on?" Chiyang's anxious voice came from the token. "Why haven't you sent any messages?"

"I..." Liushi Qian picked up the token, opened his mouth, and didn't know how to respond.

"What do you mean, 'you'? Speak!" Outside Wanxiang Pavilion, Elder Chiyang was anxious, and even though he had enough confidence in Shen Zongzhu, this place was not their Nan Hong, but the completely unfamiliar West Hong. Even a Celestial Realm cultivator wouldn't dare guarantee that nothing unexpected would happen.

"My path of cultivation seems to have unfolded a little further," Liushi Qian took a deep breath, suppressing the trembling in his voice. Even if he pretended to be calm, as a White Jade Essence monk, who would dare say that they didn't want to merge with the Dao? If one didn't have such aspirations, how could they be considered part of the White Jade Essence?

The other side of the token suddenly fell silent. Elder Chiyang seemed to need a lot of time to digest this sentence.

The atmosphere gradually became a little awkward.

Finally, heavy breathing sounded from the token, followed by a voice that was jealous enough to go crazy. "You, Li! You really should die!!!

In the West Hong Waters, Jade Mountain, the dignified and luxurious Dragon Consort finally stepped out of her secluded boudoir and sat majestically in the hall. There were dancing beauties and fine wine in the hall, all prepared to entertain just one person, with a grandeur comparable to that of a birthday banquet.

In the hall, the man in the black and white cloak sat quietly at the table, not touching the food or wine. His sharp gaze never fell upon the dancing girls.

He was a fierce and cruel tiger, rising to power with a fierce momentum and taking control of the Frost Tiger clan.

Even before experiencing the ten-millennium slaughter, he was already comparable to the older generation of demons who had merged with the Dao, and few were willing to provoke him.

This was because An Tingfeng was ruthless, not only to outsiders but also to his own clan members.

It was rumored that he had even gone to North Hong to seek out extremely poisonous means, able to temporarily borrow the power of his clan members, consuming the essence and lifespan of those frost tigers, allowing himself to briefly attain strength comparable to the Celestial Realm.

Although this wasted the potential of the entire Frost Tiger clan and might even lead to the clan's destruction due to a lack of successors, it also gave him the qualification to sit in front of the Dragon Consort of Jade Mountain.

"You are my senior. Tingfeng pays his respects to you with this cup of wine," An Tingfeng said, finally raising his wine cup, holding it with both hands, and gesturing towards the woman in the main seat.

"There's no need to be so polite," the Dragon Consort of Jade Mountain smiled faintly, raised her cup in response, but then slowly put it down without drinking.

She didn't like this cruel and fierce tiger. Even though he was a strong man she had to deal with to control West Hong, his malevolent aura was too heavy, and he even lacked filial piety towards his own daughter, offending the taboo of the Purple Beard White Dragon clan.

Moreover, it was clear that he had come with a purpose.

An Tingfeng seemed not to see the Dragon Consort's attitude and drank the wine in his cup in one gulp. Then he put down the wine cup, took out a letter from his sleeve, and placed it on the table, saying straightforwardly, "Tingfeng wants to use this to exchange for a word from the Dragon Consort."

Zi Xian glanced at the letter and quickly withdrew her gaze. "What word?"

Upon hearing this, An Tingfeng slowly stood up, his eyes becoming sharper. "The Dragon Consort should still remember what happened last time. Tingfeng arranged for his clan members to search for a long time in West Hong, but there was still no news of that person. He appeared out of thin air and then disappeared without a trace, with no background and no purpose, making it really hard to take any action."

"Do you want me to help you find him?" Zi Xian looked at the envelope again. If this was his only request, then they could continue the conversation.

However, An Tingfeng slowly shook his head. "That's not what I mean. I just suddenly realized that I used to think that he must have planned for a long time to be able to break my treasure array so easily. So I've been thinking about which forces might have come into contact with the treasure array or my clan members."

"But now I understand that instead of doing such a laborious task, it's better to directly find those who hold a grudge against my clan, no matter how big or small, and go through them one by one."

Hearing these words, Zi Xian frowned involuntarily. "Have you gone mad?"

In the midst of the chaotic situation in West Hong, who didn't have enemies everywhere? From An Tingfeng's words, it seemed he intended to provoke all their adversaries at once.

"There's no need for the Dragon Consort to worry about that."

An Tingfeng strode to the center of the hall, bowed once more, and lowered his stance even further. "All I ask for is an answer. That young man who clashed with my clansmen at Your Highness's banquet, who exactly is he?"

As his words echoed, a subtle change flitted across Zi Xian's features.

She remained silent, gazing down at him.

Then, a hint of frost appeared at the corners of her lips.

This tiger might appear to be extremely submissive, not even daring to raise his head, but the sharpness emanating from his entire being was impossible to suppress, and his attitude was bordering on aggressive.

"So, all that talk was just nonsense, and you simply suspect me, huh?"

"Tingfeng would never dare."

An Tingfeng finally straightened his body, his expression calm to the point of being lifeless. "But I really can't understand why, when you needed to curry favor with me, you would stand by and watch my clan being humiliated, even going so far as to invite that person into your private chambers afterward."

"Tingfeng would never dare to be disrespectful to the Dragon Consort, nor would I ever suspect the Dragon Palace."

"I just want to use this letter to exchange for that person's identity."

"..."

Hearing these calm words, Zi Xian slowly raised her chin. Her demeanor gradually changed, and aside from her identity as the West Dragon Consort, her true source of confidence came from her strength, which was comparable to the Celestial Realm, as well as her status as the beloved daughter of the East Dragon King, a position equal to that of the Dragon Sons.

There was almost no room for negotiation as she lightly parted her red lips and said indifferently, "No exchange."

An Tingfeng was expected to go into a frenzy and fly into a rage like he had the other day.

Yet, upon hearing these words, this fierce tiger suddenly smiled, nodding slightly. "Alright."

Seeing this, Zi Xian was slightly taken aback, and her attitude softened a little. "However, I can assure you that this matter has nothing to do with him."

How could that kid with the surname Shen, even with the addition of that Liuliu Qingfeng puppet, have the strength to invade the Baoyue Mausoleum?

Moreover, the conflict at the banquet was simply a verbal dispute. It was completely insufficient to make that kid offend the Frosted Moon Tiger clan when the South Hong Seven Sons were already so nervous.

"Whether or not it has anything to do with him, Tingfeng will investigate personally."

"However, I want to remind you that the matter of the South Hong Seven Sons coming here for assistance is not a secret to us. The woman who clashed with my clansmen at the banquet was from the Azure Sea Sect. A little investigation will reveal her identity."

"In this situation, that young cultivator suddenly found an excuse to make a move. Moreover, you are now trying to hide his identity, even at the cost of disregarding my respect for you... As everyone knows, Your Highness has a good relationship with the South Hong Seven Sons."

"Thank you, Dragon Consort, for confirming my suspicions."

When he wasn't in a state of frenzy, An Tingfeng was the fierce and cunning clan leader who had single-handedly regained control of the entire Frost Tiger clan.

"Are you telling me all this to brag about your intelligence or to show off your information network?" Zi Xian quietly gazed down at him, her exquisite, pale face devoid of any emotion.

"No, I'm saying that I've already found him."

An Tingfeng lifted the corners of his lips and said sincerely, "As long as the Dragon Consort doesn't interfere in this matter, after it's over, in return for the soul-sustaining item you gave me in the past, the Frosted Moon Tiger clan will still be Your Highness's most loyal supporter."

"This letter was given to me by your husband. I'll give it back to you now as a small token of my gratitude. There's no need to stand on ceremony."

After speaking, this fierce tiger slowly turned and began to walk out of the hall.

He had only come here today with two purposes in mind: to confirm his suspicions and to greet the Dragon Consort. That was all.

Even before coming here, he had already arranged for his clansmen to ambush at the border between South Hong and West Hong.

However, just as An Tingfeng was about to step out of the hall, a vast and mighty force suddenly enveloped him.

"What if I insist on getting involved?"

In the hall, Zi Xian slowly rose from her seat.

In the face of absolute strength, any scheming was meaningless. For instance, at this moment, An Tingfeng's life was in her hands, and the outcome of this matter would naturally be decided by her.

"Hiss..."

An Tingfeng suddenly covered his face with his hand, a low and manic laugh escaping his lips. "Do you think I would be afraid to die just because I dared to come here?"

Zi Xian's eyelids twitched. She couldn't understand what could make this tiger risk his life, even at the cost of his entire clan's anger, just to create trouble for Shen Yi.

"By the way, the secret technique I learned back then wasn't just about gathering my clansmen's lifespan bloodlines within my body... Actually, doing the reverse is also possible."

As he spoke, An Tingfeng's face quickly paled, and he turned his head, his eyes fixed on the woman high above him on the main seat. "You can try to make a move. That way, the young man you want to protect will die at the hands of a demon comparable to the Celestial Realm, and it will be a more dignified death."

Apparently, he was using the secret technique to transfer his power to another Frosted Moon Tiger.

"..."

Zi Xian suddenly reached out with her palm, her figure disappearing from her original spot. Her right arm transformed into a snowy white dragon claw, tightly gripping the tiger's neck. Her voice was cold as she said, "I said it has nothing to do with him. You madman!"

She had once promised Jing Xi, so how could she possibly allow the young master of the South Hong Seven Sons to die in her territory now?

But at this moment, Zi Xian felt that she couldn't make a move.

If she really killed this tiger, it would only put the other side in greater danger... But for Shen Yi, what was the difference between a demon at the Earth Realm and one at the Celestial Realm? They were both demons comparable to the power of the Dao!

"Tsk, tsk, tsk."

An Tingfeng could clearly use the secret technique to consume other clansmen to reach the Celestial Realm and break free from the dragon claw's restraint.

Yet, he showed no signs of resistance and just kept smiling foolishly, a hateful and venomous tone escaping from his sharp, white teeth.

"I already said, I've found him!"

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end