Translator: CinderTL
Xu Sanyan had noticed them long ago, but since they were rivals, he hadn't bothered to greet them. He was surprised when they spoke first.
Xu Sanyan pursed his lips and nodded subtly toward them. Chi Yu leaned forward to peer through the foliage and whispered, "It's the Demoness from Joyous Harmony Mountain, not Mengdie. She must be from Gong Niang's faction. Their overall strength is inferior to ours; she ranks seventh among the Ten Great Talents. Rumor has it she and Mengdie don't get along."
Before entering the mountain, Chi Yu had meticulously researched the Ten Great Talents, gaining a thorough understanding of each faction's capabilities.
This was Chi Yu's forte: knowing a little about everything. When asked, he could provide relatively objective assessments, ensuring Xu Sanyan wouldn't be left completely in the dark. No wonder he enjoyed Luo Yu's deep trust.
As the Demonic Seed's influence deepened, Chi Yu's attitude toward Xu Sanyan gradually shifted from familiarity to profound respect. The thoughts embedded within the seed weren't static; they evolved in response to changes in their respective statuses.
If Xu Sanyan were to ascend to the Sect Leader's throne, Chi Yu's respect would only deepen. But if Xu Sanyan were stripped of his cultivation and reduced to a mere mortal, Chi Yu's regard for him would likely diminish to that of any other ordinary person.
Once Xu Sanyan broke through to the Dao Seeking Realm, fully widening the gap in their cultivation levels, the Demonic Seed's full potency would manifest more powerfully.
As Xu Sanyan pondered, he quickly adopted a cheerful smile and feigned ignorance, "May I ask which Senior Sister from Joyous Harmony Mountain this is?"
A group of men and women emerged from the forest, led by a woman in a white dress with a gauze veil covering her face, revealing only her serene eyes.
"This humble one is Gong Niang. Hmm... and who is this Junior Brother?" Gong Niang's gaze lingered on Xu Sanyan, her mind swiftly searching for information about him.
"I am Xu Sanyan," he replied, cupping his fists in a polite greeting. "I recently joined the Holy Sect, so Senior Sister may not have heard of me." They maintained a safe distance between them.
"Ah, Junior Brother Xu! And Senior Brother Luo?" Gong Niang's eyes flickered with recognition. Seeing Chi Yu trailing behind Xu Sanyan, she immediately formed certain suspicions.
Xu Sanyan merely smiled enigmatically, offering no explanation. Instead, he countered, "Senior Sister, are you also planning to visit the ruins?"
Gong Niang suspected that something might have occurred within the Crimson Heart Faction, but she refrained from probing further. Her smile remained radiant as she replied, "Oh, how delightful! Junior Brother Xu is going too? In that case, why don't we join forces and travel together?"
"That would be wonderful. I'd be grateful for Senior Sister's guidance," Xu Sanyan said, his smile widening.
Since both parties were inevitably headed to the same ruins and couldn't avoid each other, Xu Sanyan figured it was better to bring the hidden threat into the open.
The two groups stood clearly separated, about seven or eight paces apart. Gong Niang's side consisted mostly of women, with only a few slender men among them, their delicate, effeminate appearances perfectly fitting Xu Sanyan's stereotype of the Joyous Union Lineage.
"Senior Brother Luo and I agreed to form an alliance once we entered the mountains," Gong Niang said, her beautiful eyes rising to meet Xu Sanyan's. "Could it be that something prevented him from coming?"
"He came," Xu Sanyan replied cryptically, a faint smile playing on his lips, "and then he left."
"Oh..." Gong Niang's heart tightened, but her expression remained unchanged. She understood Xu Sanyan's meaning perfectly: Luo Yu was dead.
Luo Yu's cultivation level was at least equal to hers, and he even ranked higher among the Ten Great Talents—Gong Niang herself only managed seventh place. This indicated his formidable strength.
"Under which senior master does Junior Brother Xu cultivate?" Gong Niang inquired, probing for information.
"I was fortunate enough to receive guidance from the Hall Master himself," Xu Sanyan replied with a faint smile, subtly invoking the Mad Daoist's name.
"What?! The Mad Daoist actually took a disciple?" Gong Niang exclaimed in genuine surprise, her face registering disbelief.
For centuries, the Mad Daoist had served as Hall Master without ever accepting a single apprentice. Some speculated he found teaching too troublesome, but the true reason remained a mystery.
Xu Sanyan simply smiled enigmatically, choosing silence. The less said, the better. Leaving the matter ambiguous allowed others to fill in the blanks with their own assumptions.
Chi Yu lowered his head slightly, obscuring his expression from the others.
The Jin brothers exchanged glances, their eyes filled with envy. While they couldn't be certain if Xu Sanyan had truly become a disciple of the Mad Daoist, daring to make such a claim implied some connection. Otherwise, provoking the Mad Daoist could cost him ten lives.
As the saying goes, "It's good to rest in the shade of a tall tree," and the Mad Daoist was undoubtedly such a towering tree.
A venerable Void Harmony Realm Grand Cultivator, he belonged to the elite few at the pinnacle of the Central Region's cultivation world, someone no one dared to provoke. Securing the Mad Daoist's favor would bring immense fortune.
Gong Niang harbored her own doubts but remained silent. Wary of each other, the group continued their journey side by side.
Xu Sanyan wasn't worried about the Mad Daoist seeking retribution later. He hadn't claimed to be the Mad Daoist's disciple, only that he had been fortunate enough to receive the Mad Daoist's guidance.
The Mad Daoist had indeed offered him guidance, though not on cultivation techniques. Instead, he had shared insights into the internal workings of the Harmonious Heart Demonic Sect.
Daylight quickly faded, giving way to night. The group paused briefly, settling into cross-legged meditation to replenish their Spiritual Power.
In the Ten Thousand Demons Mountain, danger could strike at any moment, making it essential to maintain full reserves of Spiritual Power.
Chi Yu approached Xu Sanyan, holding up a crude map. "Senior Brother Xu," he said, leaning closer, "at our current pace, we should reach the ruins by dawn tomorrow."
Xu Sanyan nodded, his gaze drifting toward Gong Niang. Their eyes met, and they exchanged a brief smile before quickly looking away.
Chi Yu leaned in and whispered, "That woman is ruthless and malicious, Senior Brother. Be careful when dealing with her."
Xu Sanyan nodded slightly, already formulating his own plans. There are no good people in the demonic sects, he thought. If it weren't for the Sect Rules, they'd probably have wiped themselves out long ago without needing the righteous path to intervene.
"Besides the ruins, where else might the Holy Son Token be hiding?" Xu Sanyan asked quietly.
Chi Yu ticked off the locations on his fingers. "Hundred Beast Peak, the Spirit-Severing Tree, Tranquil Heart Pool, the Phoenix Tree Forest, and Resting Phoenix Mountain—any of these places are possible."
"So many?" Xu Sanyan asked, surprised.
"Yes. Ten Thousand Demons Mountain is vast. Our Holy Sect is located on its outskirts. Rumor has it that deep within the mountain, there are even Eighth-Tier and Ninth-Tier Great Demons. No one has ever fully explored it."
Xu Sanyan nodded thoughtfully. "Which of these locations is closest to the ruins?"
Chi Yu pulled out a crude map and pointed to a spot. "Here are the ruins, and here is Resting Phoenix Mountain. Legend has it that a phoenix once landed here, hence the name. The mountain is teeming with avian demon beasts, making exploration extremely difficult."
"South of Resting Phoenix Mountain lies Tranquil Heart Pool," Chi Yu continued. "It's a spring of living earth energy, fed by underground currents."
Xu Sanyan took the map as Chi Yu meticulously explained its features.
The map marked only a few easily identifiable locations within a five-hundred-mile radius. Beyond that, the land was uncharted.
"Where do you think Qi Liang and the others might have gone?" Xu Sanyan asked, his gaze fixed on the map.
Chi Yu shook his head. "I have no idea." There were simply too many possible places to search; no one could predict where they might encounter them.
Just then, Gong Niang chimed in, "Senior Brother Qi went to Tranquil Heart Pool."
Xu Sanyan looked up, surprised. "How do you know, Senior Sister?"
Gong Niang giggled. "It was pure coincidence! I happened to run into Senior Brother Qi recently, and they were heading straight for Tranquil Heart Pool."
(End of the Chapter)
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