Chapter 313: Princess Princess Chiyan of the Three-Tailed Demon Fox

"Master Tushan Demon Kingdom?"

Jiang Ding extended his divine sense into the Golden Spirit Mountain formation, looking in all directions.

Indeed, he saw a few demon generals with human heads and beast bodies touring the mountain under the ingratiating smiles of sect disciples, accompanied by numerous mortal servants and maids holding umbrellas, preparing wine and water, fanning them, busy beyond measure, interspersed with a few Qi Condensation disciples.

In the direction of the main peak, Heavenly Thunder Peak, the faint sounds of flutes and strings could be heard, along with hearty laughter; a Foundation Establishment fairy led a crowd of disciples dancing in mid-air, their postures enchanting, pink petals falling from the sky.

Another banquet.

"The posture is a bit too low."

Jiang Ding frowned, feeling somewhat uncomfortable seeing such a scene.

Yet he did nothing.

When strength is weak, temporary humiliation can be savored like sweet wine; this is a manifestation of humanity's powerful survival ability—all dignity must be built on the foundation of strength.

Even immortal sects, when weak, become cauldrons for others to use as cauldrons, and handsome men for others to use as handsome men.

As long as victory is ultimately achieved, it is brilliance and glory.

"Han Lin wants to see me?"

Jiang Ding pondered briefly, forming a rough guess, then touched the Jin Pei with his divine sense a couple of times.

Soon, a green escape light flew in from afar, landed on the ground, and transformed into a Qi Condensation Level Six cultivator wearing a washed-out white Taoist robe with an ordinary face, who approached step by step.

"Greetings, Junior Granduncle."

Han Lin said respectfully, handing over a jade slip: "This is the intelligence on the Outer Cultivation World that this disciple has strived to collect over many years in the Library Pavilion and various markets; up to this year, I confirm that everything findable has been gathered."

"Hard work."

Jiang Ding nodded, drew the jade slip over with his divine sense, and examined it carefully.

"... Yue Kingdom, located in a remote corner of the Cultivation World, differs on three sides: ocean, desert, and Master Dinghai Zhenjun Master Dinghai Zhenjun Bingyuan, all spirit-less lands; only to the north lies the so-called Northern Plain Cultivation World, a distant journey where it is heard the Immortal Dao is extremely prosperous, resources abundant, and powerful experts emerge endlessly..."

"... Passing through the Master Tushan Demon Kingdom and heading north, one must traverse a long spirit-less Gobi Desert to arrive; for a Foundation Establishment cultivator, it is nine deaths to one life, only Jin Dan cultivators can go, yet even they face risks from time to time..."

"... It is heard that over two thousand years ago, an ancestor of our sect with a Heaven Spirit Root, after cultivating a new Jin Dan cultivator for the sect to pursue the Great Dao, resolutely went to the Northern Plain Cultivation World to seek the Dao; centuries later, he passed away, leaving behind his lineage..."

Behind that were various miscellaneous knowledge, such as top-secret route maps, treasures passed down from the Northern Plain Cultivation World of unknown authenticity, and some introductions to the customs and culture of the Northern Plain Cultivation World.

"... The Northern Plain Cultivation World has customs different from other realms; though sects are named sects, they are actually families, with sect main lines mostly inheriting through family bloodlines; it is heard that families with lineages spanning thousands of years are common... Xuetudian's Hua Dong Xue Yu family, the Poison Zombie Zhang family, the Hundred Ghosts Liu family all fled from the Northern Plain Cultivation World..."

"... Mu Mu Tianxue, of mysterious origin, was personally raised by the previous generation of the Blood Transformation Ancestor; as a young girl, she slew many Foundation Establishment members within her family, establishing her status..."

"Family?"

Jiang Ding was stunned.

How could such an inefficient organizational form survive for so long and spread universally throughout a Cultivation World far larger than Yue Kingdom by an unknown magnitude?

"If the intelligence is correct, there must be a reason behind this."

The education Jiang Ding had received immediately filled his mind with many guesses; he temporarily restrained them and looked at the ordinary-faced youth before him: "You have wanted to see me many times; is there something you need?"

Over the past three years, Han Lin had sent seven messages requesting a meeting.

"Junior Granduncle's insight is clear."

Han Lin hesitated for a moment, then gritted his teeth: "This disciple wishes to request a long-term mission to the Master Tushan Demon Kingdom, preferably one lasting twenty or thirty years."

Sect disciples, upon entering the sect, leave a Shen Hun Lao Yin in the Ancestral Hall; if they betray the sect or refuse orders, enforcement cultivators will personally pursue and kill them.

If the situation is serious, even Jin Dan Ancestors might participate in the pursuit and capture.

"Twenty or thirty years."

Jiang Ding frowned, somewhat displeased.

This was to completely avoid the sect's chaotic battles, or even directly leave Yue Kingdom.

This matter was originally none of his concern.

He himself felt that Xiang Qiyu Sect was too harsh on outer disciples; without investing anything, they still demanded hard labor to support the sect; if outer disciples wanted to leave and did not wish to join the war, he could understand, and even if he encountered them, he would not arrogantly do anything.

But to have to go through his hand to grant permission made him somewhat unhappy.

Overall, Xiang Qiyu Sect was acceptable to him; even the Nine-Pore Golden Fruit was plainly placed there, waiting for him to take it, although everyone was bound together by calculation and benefit.

But where is it not so?

Under these circumstances, when Xiang Qiyu Sect's situation was unfavorable, to lead the way in undermining the walls and opening cracks was something he could not bring himself to do.

Although this person had done many things for him before, sufficient rewards had been given; neither owed the other anything.

Han Lin glanced upward, feeling increasingly uneasy.

"Go and bring back the heads of five Foundation Establishment cultivators from Xuetudian."

After pondering for a long time, Jiang Ding said calmly: "I will post a mission at the Sect's General Affairs Hall; five Foundation Establishment cultivator heads can be exchanged for a mission in a remote region for one hundred years."

"Five Foundation Establishments!"

Han Lin's face turned pale; he said in disbelief: "Junior Granduncle, this disciple is only at Qi Condensation Level Six! Are you not...?"

Jiang Ding smiled, looking at him silently.

"Are you not..."

Han Lin's voice grew quieter.

"That is how it is; go."

Jiang Ding waved his hand: "I do not care how you do it, and I understand, but if you want my hand order, it must be like this."

"... Yes."

Han Lin, helpless, took his leave and departed.

After waiting for him to leave, Jiang Ding cultivated for a while, then opened his eyes and looked into the distance.

In the mountains,

Li Li Qingyun, a disciple of the Grand Elder, personally accompanied them; numerous Foundation Establishment sect members surrounded them, chatting and laughing amiably, occasionally exchanging a few spells, spiritual light flashing, getting along quite harmoniously.

Among the crowd, the two most eye-catching figures.

One wore a crimson palace gown, deliberately cut with openwork to reveal her navel and large expanses of snow-white skin; her looks were enchanting, her figure bewitching, and every glance of her eyes seemed to hook souls and steal the spirit. Three fiery fox tails behind her added even more captivating charm.

Many Foundation Establishment cultivators of various sects kept sneaking glances her way with burning eyes.

The other was far rougher in bearing — a burly figure with a bird's head, feathers like ink-black jade, a sharp beak that was startlingly fierce, and the pressure of a peak Foundation Establishment cultivator radiating from his whole body, making it hard to breathe.

"Junior Brother Qing, didn't you say that Sword Son Xiang Xiang Qiyu was still in closed-door cultivation?"

The three-tailed woman glanced at the escape-light that had flown out shortly after Han Lin went in, her voice so tickling it made one's heart itch, and threw her arms around Li Li Qingyun's: "You're not deceiving your sister, are you? This one won't let that slide."

The ink-black bird-headed man cast a jealous glance at Li Li Qingyun.

"Senior Sister Chi Yuan is joking."

Li Li Qingyun, however, felt no joy at having a beauty in his arms, and unobtrusively pulled his arm free: "He's merely a subordinate of my little martial-uncle, just passing through — nothing out of the ordinary."

He felt a great headache in his heart.

His master had previously instructed him not to let his little martial-uncle come into contact with these demonfolk, lest something unpleasant happen, but this woman seemed dead-set on steering the conversation that way.

(End of chapter)