CH 090 Master's Path & Apprentice’s Heart, Each Has Its Own Basis

After a night of intense battle, Ji Yunlai felt as if he had returned to his middle school days a long time ago and was watching the animal world on television once again, except without the narrator's magnetic narration.

When they were finishing, that great spirit demon revealed his true form: a beautiful and domineering gray-blue nine-headed serpent, with dragon-like heads, raised ridges on the backs, and nine heads fused at the tail. In comparison, the black snake was just an ordinary beauty rat snake, commonly known as a "beauty snake." Although it was slender and beautiful, it was undoubtedly less domineering. However, in bed, this black snake seemed more assertive, able to use his tail to slap the other even during intimate moments, insisting that not too many heads should be involved at once!

The world of animals was so confusing...

In the morning, Black Snake crawled out of bed and lazily walked to the window to bask in the sun.

The cultivator behind him also put on his clothes. With black hair and eyes, deep brows, and a handsome appearance, he took out a fat mouse from Black Snake’s pocket and swallowed it with satisfaction, “I’ve been waiting for you for almost a month. The higher-ups have instructed me to follow your orders. So, what should we do?”

Black Snake's heart sank, knowing the real business was coming. Although no one was controlling him this time, he knew that if he said the wrong thing, this snake might end up eating him just like the female spider or mantis who ate their mate after mating. 

Nervous, he naturally switched to the palace intrigue mode he had learned in the Great Xuan Palace, adopting a high and aloof demeanor, “Aren’t you going to prove if I’m really the one you’re looking for?”

“By using the snake as a token, I knew it was you at a glance. After waiting so long, you are the only snake that came.” The cultivator approached and touched the smooth scales on his arm, “And indeed, it’s a unique meeting. It’s the first time a snake spirit demon has been so straightforward in showing their tail before me.”

I was just baiting, Yin Wushe thought to himself in exasperation, and didn’t pay attention to whether you were a spirit demon or not, but he certainly wouldn’t say that out loud, only giving a grunt in response.

“You’re also accompanied by many Kun-Lai monitoring sword cultivators. Have they discovered any traces?” The spirit demon cultivator asked slowly.

“They couldn’t have discovered me. Just played some minor games to deal with them. But we can’t make any rash moves now. Does that side have any other instructions?” Black Snake raised his eyebrows slightly and asked casually.

“I’m just here to cooperate with you as requested. After all, you guys made such a big move last time; we all want to try our hand as well.” The spirit demon cultivator said with a light smile, “When you live long enough, you always want to try out more things.”

Last time? What last time? Black Snake wondered how he could pass this off, so he followed the other’s lead and replied ambiguously with a smile, “Oh, so any kind of cooperation is acceptable?”

“Of course not, things that could cost our lives are out of the question.” The spirit demon cultivator flirtatiously brushed his face with his fingers and then said, “A hundred years ago, you gave us a little book. We have still kept it.”

“Really? Then let me see it.” Black Snake immediately seized the opportunity.

The spirit demon cultivator casually threw out a small booklet, old and yellowed but well-preserved. Black Snake casually flipped through it, showing a nostalgic expression while his mind churned.

It was a booklet depicting the flying peak of Qingdi Peak, detailing the defenses, routes, the residence of the peak master, and key locations clearly. It also described the characteristics and preferences of the high-level cultivators on the peak in a sketchy manner. Black Snake didn’t know if it was true, but having been at Kun-Lai for so long, he had heard about the turmoil on Qingdi Peak. If this was true, it was possible there was a traitor from Kun-Lai a hundred years ago, and now they were starting to collaborate with this powerful spirit demon. He might have stumbled into a plot by accident.

“Unfortunately, after that incident, my father forbade us from provoking Kun-Lai again. It should be that the death of my second brother made him upset.” The spirit demon cultivator said nonchalantly, “Father is still too cautious. With his relationship with Kunpeng, why would he still fear a mere Human Immortal who has just appeared for a few hundred years?”

“Hai Chaoxu…” Black Snake felt he had guessed something, casually mentioning the name he heard the other reveal yesterday. The surname Hai and the good relationship with Kunpeng...

“No need to be so formal. Just call me Ninth Brother.” The spirit demon cultivator pinched his chin flirtatiously.

“How is the Seao-Covering Great Sage doing recently?” he asked tentatively.

“Same as usual, unwilling to leave the North Sea. If my father liked to go out, our territory would certainly extend beyond the Yuntian Domain.” The spirit demon cultivator replied.

He was right; the guess was not wrong!

Black Snake worked hard to avoid trembling and maintained his calm. After some further discussion, he lazily said, “Let’s leave it at that for today. I need to go deal with some matters. We’ll meet again.”

“I’ll wait for you here.” The spirit demon cultivator smiled.

Black Snake put on his clothes which were made from his own shed skin and left elegantly.

The spirit demon watched him leave with a satisfied expression.

***

As soon as Black Snake climbed onto the flying peak, he crashed onto the ground, almost flattening into a snake pancake. He needed to recuperate.

“What did you find out?” A shadow emerged slowly nearby.

“That snake spirit demon named Hai Chaoxu should be a son of the Sea-Covering Great Sage.” Black Snake couldn’t see the shadow’s appearance but still organized his words and clearly conveyed the news about the Hai family in the Yuntian Domain.

During the Battle of Qingqiu, the two great sages of Yuntian Domain were also involved. Although the information was a bit old, it should be fairly accurate. For such powerful spirit demons, a thousand years was just a blink of an eye.

After quickly finishing his account, the shadow nodded and disappeared into the void.

It should be over now, right? Black Snake tucked in his neck, returned to his room, and decided it was best not to go out for the next few days. He just wanted to date a handsome snake! Did it have to be so terrifying? Could he still have a normal meeting with a fellow snake?

Ji Yunlai silently processed the information. 

The Yuntian Domain has a spirit demon couple: the Sea-Covering Kunpeng Great Sage, which actually refer to two names, the Sea-Covering Dragon Snake and the Sky-Overturning Kunpeng.

Over a hundred years ago, Dragon Snake and Kunpeng's son, Hai Langqi, received a small booklet from an unknown source, which contained detailed information about Qingdi Peak. The lascivious and thrill-seeking snake spirit demon—perhaps with some other promises—went to the Fire Domain during Kun-Lai's expedition and caused a ruckus on the flying peak of Qingdi Peak. If it weren’t for the trap set by Yimeng Ruge, who severely injured him, he might have been able to escape intact.

Later, about a hundred years ago, Kunl-Lai's expedition encountered this Hai Gongzi again in the Yuntian Domain. The deputy peak master of Qingdi Peak, Yimeng Ruge, upon seeing his enemy, attacked on the spot. To everyone’s surprise, the spirit demon didn’t dodge and was killed with just one sword strike. The people of Qingdi Peak didn’t even have time to check if he was faking his death before the local Ziyun Dao turned against Kun-Lai, claiming that this spirit demon was of very high status and couldn’t let Kun-Lai leave. Thus, they waged war against Kun-Lai and informed the Sea-Covering Great Sage, who was meeting with the Human Immortals of the Central Continent not far away.

When the Sea-Covering Great Sage learned that their beloved son was killed, they flew into a rage and attacked Qingdi Peak’s flying peak.

Other flying peaks that wanted to come to their aid were held back by the local Ziyun Dao for a while. In that brief period, the high-level cutlivators of Qingdi Peak were almost entirely annihilated.

It was only when he felt something was wrong and came to rescue that the matter came to a halt.

It seems that there must have been a great battle here at that time.

Later, he had An Xian stay behind to handle the aftermath. This should be the course of events from then until now.

From start to finish, the spy in Kun-Lai never took action, only giving a little booklet at the beginning. With the involvement of the Central Continent's sects later, the fact they could plan all of this meant they were quite capable.

And he couldn’t divine his identity and actions.

There must be a powerful figure whose cultivation level was not below his own, specifically shielding the heavenly secrets from him. Moreover, the spy's own intentions wouldn’t be able to fall under good or evil such that it could be perceived.

In truth, there was no need for divination.

Ji Yunlai shook his head. Regarding the events of that year, the three major sects, along with the mysterious High Priest, should all have been involved, and no one would have escaped responsibility. The only ones who might not have participated are probably the two Great Sages, as confronting him directly was detrimental to them, especially with their son involved.

And now, that troublemaker hiding in Kun-Lai was causing more problems, and this time, the target was his apprentice Xiao Qing.

Thinking of this, his figure slowly faded and disappeared into the air.

***

At the foot of Zhuiyun Peak, Kun-Lai's market was as bustling and lively as ever.

Yang Fuyin and Feng Qingxiu were browsing the market, finding inspiration in the creative ideas of some disciples. They often needed to learn from others' strengths to make progress.

While Yang Fuyin was explaining the pros and cons of a talisman, Feng Qingxiu felt a warmth in his chest. Instinctively, he touched it, but upon realizing it was really his master, he blushed and stopped.

"What's wrong?" Yang Fuyin asked.

"Nothing," Feng Qingxiu said, unable to mention that his master had returned. He changed the subject, "As you mentioned, there are over three hundred ways to crack the wards of Ziyun Dao. Is there a specialized tool for this? After all, not everyone in Kun-Lai is a master of wards."

"Yes, after being blocked by Ziyun Dao's wards a hundred years ago, I made a type of ward-breaking stone. It’s sold at every talisman stall. When encountering their sect’s human wards, we can just throw it at them," Yang Fuyin said with a smile.

Human wards are temporary wards composed of a group of people using spiritual tools. They test the sect's foundation and the abilities of its disciples. Only a major sect can prepare enough ward masters—of course, with the exception of Kun-Lai, where any mid-level talisman master can set up dozens of wards without preparation.

"What happens when you throw it at them?" Feng Qingxiu asked curiously.

"You'll find out when you throw it at them," Yang Fuyin said with a perfect smile.

At that moment, a Ziyun Dao disciple loudly protested at a stall of a Pill Peak disciple, "Why aren’t you accepting my Ziyun Dao high-quality talismans? If I weren’t in a hurry to help my brother breakthrough to Nascent Soul, do you think I would use them to exchange for a mere Nascent Soul Pill?"

"Well, I do accept high-quality protective and speed talismans," the female disciple said gently, "But this is a lightning talisman. Kun-Lai doesn’t accept external lightning talismans."

"Nonsense! Lightning talismans are top-grade. A ninth-tier lightning talisman is highly effective against demons. You simply don’t want to sell it to me!" the Ziyun Dao disciple said angrily.

"That’s not true," the female disciple, finding words ineffective, showed a stack of at least twenty talismans, "Look, Kun-Lai really doesn’t lack lightning talismans. Here are twenty high-quality lightning talismans. If you want Nascent Soul Pills, I’ll sell one pill for five talismans. How about that?"

"These are fake! Do you dare to let me examine it?" the Ziyun Dao disciple roared.

"Here!" The female disciple confidently showed him.

The Ziyun Dao disciple, initially skeptical, then bewildered, finally flushed as he said, "How is this possible? Such fine talisman strokes, how could someone produce such results…"

"This lightning talisman was improved by our eldest senior brother. Originally, it took one hundred twenty-eight strokes, but now only ninety-seven are needed. The power remains the same, and even mid-level talisman masters can draw it now. So, materials and labor costs have been greatly reduced. Lightning talismans are so common now that they’re undervalued in Kun-Lai," the girl said regretfully.

"Rubbish! Lightning talismans have been passed down for thousands of years. Someone who can make a single stroke change is deserving of the title of master. How could it be altered so much? That senior brother is a fraud, and so are you!" He became angry, emitting a high-level aura to intimidate.

As soon as these words were uttered, at least twenty Nascent Soul-level cultivators around them moved in, surrounding the Ziyun Dao disciple.

"Xiao Leng," Yang Fuyin walked over with a smile, patting the girl's head, "Don’t discuss talismans with outsiders; it makes us seem arrogant."

"Okay, Senior Brother Yang," the girl nodded and rubbed against her senior's hand, while the Ziyun Dao disciple, pale and anxious, hurriedly retreated.

Yang Fuyin returned to Feng Qingxiu and continued his explanation.

Then Feng Qingxiu saw that Senior Brother Yang's right eye reflected Qiu Yuansheng… carving characters on his own arm with a sword.

"Senior Brother Yang… Qiu Yuansheng seems to be self-harming?" Feng Qingxiu thought it best to remind him.

"But I can’t let him out. Qing, do you have any suggestions?" Yang Fuyin asked nonchalantly.

"Why are you keeping him locked up?" Feng Qingxiu asked in confusion.

"I actually have many matters about him to discuss with the Sect Leader. Unfortunately, I can’t see the Sect Leader," Yang Fuyin said regretfully, "Because of a person, I angered the Sect Leader back then."

Feng Qingxiu eagerly leaned in, "A person? Is this person important to you, Senior Brother?"

"Indeed, the Sect Master’s spouse," Yang Fuyin said. "So, if you get the chance, can you persuade the Sect Leader to let me see him?"

"I’ll try," Feng Qingxiu said and instinctively gave the paper man against his chest a hard squeeze.

The paper man felt silently wronged.

Xiao Qing, don’t worry, this is definitely a misunderstanding!