Chapter 93

On the other side.

Morning Song.

The Southern Pole Immortal, bearing the divine edict of Yuanshi Tianzun, came to Morning Song to see what new change had befallen Jiang Ziya.

After understanding the situation, he furrowed his brows.

""Jiang Ziya has been appointed as a senior official?""

""This actually fits the original plan quite well.""

""Jiang Ziya, in the mortal realm, has no kin left; he can only calculate that he still has one sworn brother in the world, and upon arriving at Morning Song he should first seek him out, but now there's a slight deviation—Jiang Ziya came to Morning Song together with Wen Zhong..."

With things as they are, the Southern Pole Immortal had no choice but to go to Song Family Village to inquire of the Strange Person Song.

Facing the Southern Pole Immortal, Song the Strange Person wore a dazed, vacant gaze; after the Southern Pole Immortal probed his memories of this period,

His brows furrowed.

""The marriage arranged for Jiang Ziya also fell through; this way there's no way to let him, over marital trifles, resolutely head to West Qi."

Knowing the reason why Yuanshi Tianzun felt something was off, the Southern Pole Immortal's expression grew grim.

""The marriage must be settled swiftly, and we must also make Jiang Ziya clash with the three sprites of Xuanyuan Tomb, so that the fox demon will inevitably deal with him."

""Jiang Ziya, in order to preserve his life, having suffered marital misfortune, only when disheartened can he go forth without attachment to oversee the Investiture of the Gods and complete our sect's great undertaking of the Investiture."

……

Xuanyuan Tomb.

Gu Xiu originally wanted to return, when suddenly the system chimed.

""Ding!"

""Detected the Southern Pole Immortal's descent upon Morning Song, triggering a random quest; please, host, make a choice."

"Choice One: Attack the Southern Pole Immortal to make him retreat; reward: a Heavenly Dao wondrous treasure, the Hourglass of Time! (It can control the flow of time within a limited area—speed it up, slow it down, or even briefly reverse it, a key treasure for turning the tide of battle.)"

""Choice Two: Thwart the Southern Pole Immortal's plan to make Jiang Ziya clash with the three sprites of Xuanyuan Tomb and to have Su Daji deal with Jiang Ziya; reward: Pure Phoenix Essence! (The phoenix's innermost, most primordial essence; obtaining it not only raises cultivation and breaks bottlenecks, but may also grant mastery of the phoenix clan's unique divine abilities and secret arts, even the power of nirvana.)"

Having read the system options, Gu Xiu pondered briefly: "The Southern Pole Immortal has come to Morning Song; has the Sect of the Enlightenment noticed the variable in Jiang Ziya?"

Attacking the Southern Pole Immortal, Gu Xiu outright ruled it out; the reward, though good, is too risky.

The second option, the reward of Pure Phoenix Essence, also seems quite nice.

After silently choosing the second option in his heart,

Gu Xiu looked toward the Jade Stone Pipa Sprite and the Nine-headed Pheasant Sprite beside him.

""You just stay put in Xuanyuan Tomb for now, wait for my order—the Southern Pole Immortal of the Sect of the Enlightenment has already arrived in Morning Song, intending to lure Jiang Ziya into attacking you when you head there; your cultivation is still shallow, and though Jiang Ziya has attained the Dao, he is not someone you can handle; if you dare ruin my plans, don't blame me for being ruthless."

Having said that, Gu Xiu deliberately gave them a further scare.

The two sprites nodded.

""Rest assured, Elder Immortal, we will remain in Xuanyuan Tomb this whole time, cultivating in seclusion."

Seeing that he had successfully bluffed the two sprites, Gu Xiu then left the place.

……

The Southern Pole Immortal stayed in Morning Song for several days, originally planning to wait for the Jade Stone Pipa Sprite to come to Morning Song to visit Su Daji, then arrange a little interlude so that Jiang Ziya would meet the pipa sprite.

The sprite, having just taken human form and newly entered the world, is curious about everything; it will surely come to tease Jiang Ziya, and Jiang Ziya, being single‑minded, will surely strike out to exterminate the demon.

The Southern Pole Immortal thought thus, yet after waiting several days he still saw no sign of the Jade Stone Pipa Sprite entering the palace to visit Su Daji, and he wondered inwardly: "Strange—do the three sprites of Xuanyuan Tomb usually not move about?"

""Logically, the three sprites, having cultivated together in Xuanyuan Tomb for over a thousand years, share deep feelings; having been ordered to Morning Song, they ought to meet privately now and then to discuss tactics—so why, after all these days, have the other two of the Xuanyuan Tomb trio never come to Morning Song to visit the fox demon?"

After a moment's contemplation, the Southern Pole Immortal decided to go to Xuanyuan Tomb to have a look.

He discovered the Jade Stone Pipa Sprite and the Nine-headed Pheasant Sprite cultivating in Xuanyuan Tomb, and couldn't help but frown.

""Mere little demons, not heeding the edict to wreak havoc upon Yin‑Shang and ruin its fate, actually cultivating here—do you truly think that beasts in fur and horns can also ascend the Dao? Simply laughable."

Yuanshi Tianzun ordered them to spoil the fortune of Yin‑Shang, not to cultivate in Xuanyuan Tomb; after a moment's thought, the Southern Pole Immortal revealed himself.

""Xuanyuan Tomb Trio," the Southern Pole Immortal's voice low and solemn.

The Jade Stone Pipa Sprite and the Nine-headed Pheasant Sprite were instantly startled, a bit frightened.

""Who are you?"

The Southern Pole Immortal bore an immortal aura and daoist bearing, his expression solemn.

""I am the Southern Pole Immortal."

The two sprites froze, just as Gu Xiu had said—the people of the Sect of the Enlightenment had not only appeared, but had come seeking them.

The Jade Stone Pipa Sprite said in a sweet voice: "I don't know if the Immortal Elder has come to Xuanyuan Tomb for business; we sisters are peacefully cultivating here and have not gone out to harm anyone."

The Southern Pole Immortal thought.

He would have loved the three sprites to go out and do evil, to go to Morning Song and disrupt the court, but he restrained himself.

""The fortune of Yin‑Shang is exhausted; you, having received the Heavenly Venerable's edict, are to go to Morning Song to wreak havoc upon the court—a great merit. Why do you not go to Morning Song to aid the thousand‑year‑old fox demon, but instead remain in Xuanyuan Tomb cultivating? Could it be that you do not wish to attain consummation?"

The Jade Stone Pipa Sprite's eyes flickered coquettishly: "Replying, Immortal Elder, we also wish to go, but elder sister says that Morning Song needs only her presence; perhaps she fears we'll compete with her for people, yet our sisterly bond runs deep, so we defer to her."

The Southern Pole Immortal gave a cold snort: "A mere thousand‑year‑old fox demon—how could she know the heavenly numbers? It is proper for you all to enter the palace together and help each other."

The Jade Stone Pipa Sprite opened her vermilion lips slightly: "Immortal Elder, then we shall visit elder sister after a while."

The Nine-headed Pheasant Sprite's eyes were seductive as silk, and she said in a sweet voice: "By then we will remain in the palace to help elder sister."

Jiang Ziya's affair has already produced a variable; the Southern Pole Immortal, unwilling to delay further, spoke out: "This is a great merit—how can it be postponed? Do you intend to let this great merit be monopolized by the thousand‑year‑old fox demon? Do you not wish to attain consummation, achieve immortality, and prove the Dao?"

Upon hearing this, the Jade Stone Pipa Sprite furrowed her willow brows slightly: "Immortal Elder, we three sisters are as close as limbs, our sisterly bond runs deep; how can you sow discord between us? Even if elder sister alone enjoys the merit, we would bear no grudge."

The Nine-headed Pheasant Sprite echoed: "I believe elder sister will surely not forget us then; she will definitely lend us a hand."

The Southern Pole Immortal, flushed with anger from embarrassment, had not expected the two sprites to be so unpromising; how could his scheme be carried out now?

""You will go to Morning Song tomorrow and there obtain an opportunity; if you seize it you will soon be able to cultivate to consummation and even surpass the thousand‑year‑old fox demon—I hope you make good use of it." The Southern Pole Immortal then played his trump card, launching into sweet‑talk.

Having said that, he departed, intending to whet the two sprites' appetites.

After leaving, I had thought the two demons would take some action.

As a result, the two demons only exchanged a few words, with no intention to act at all.

The South Pole Immortal Elder's face was grim.

"Damn! Such a petty beast wearing fur and horns, actually so ignorant of favors."

If it weren't for the Chan Teaching's plan to send the three demons of Yellow Emperor's Tomb to wreak havoc on Yin-Shang, the South Pole Immortal Elder would have wanted to kill the two demons to vent his anger.

"The three demons simply won't obey; regarding the matter of wreaking havoc on Yin-Shang, they pay no attention; no wonder our Chan Teaching's operations in Morning Song keep suffering setbacks; this matter must be reported to the teacher."

Thinking this, the South Pole Immortal Elder returned to Kunlun Mountain.