Chapter 990

Three years later.

Jiang Ding awoke within the pillar’s soul, a dull gray stone sphere already in his hand.

Behind him, they had agreed to his plan.

Moreover, the Immortal Sect’s strategic department and the Eight Great Elders personally refined the plan, drawing upon their own experience and tens of thousands of years of wisdom, meticulously perfecting it while fully accounting for the mindsets, political struggles, rivalries, and alliances among the Jiao Mo clan’s many Emperors—

In these areas, the eight Great Elders possessed extraordinary expertise and deep insight into human nature.

Jiang Ding read the revised plan and broke into a cold sweat.

He had assumed far too many things without basis.

If he acted without understanding the full picture, he would be exposed instantly, and to an Emperor, he’d be no different from a jumping clown.

The Emperor might even watch the clown’s performance for a while, then crush him at the height of his pride—such a thing could be a small pleasure, a tiny adornment to an endless, tedious life.

“Lower-cultivation cultivators must never scheme against higher-cultivation cultivators.”

“Do not imagine you possess some earth-shattering wisdom or cunning stratagems, looking down upon others.”

Jiang Ding reflected again within himself: “Safety exists only within the concealment of time and space.”

“In short: do everything possible to hide, avoid fame, grow silently and steadily—until the moment you are forced to appear before the powerful, you must have already forged the strength to protect yourself.”

This Jiao Mo Yan Tian Ball thus came into his hands.

Crafted by the Heaven’s Mechanism Immortal Palace, with technical support and celestial materials provided by the Immortal Sects and other Immortal Clans, it was designed to be placed in a suitable location to gather the fate of the realm and the fate of the clan, thereby promoting the birth of the Flame Stone Emperor’s Crown.

After prolonged deliberation among the Nine Immortal Clans, they ultimately decided Jiang Ding would lead this plan.

This meant Jiang Ding now held temporary authority over the Nine Dao Sons.

This authority was granted to him by the Eight Immortal Clans.

Remember, Immortal Clans are strictly hierarchical; unlike the Dual-System of Lord and Disciple in the Great Sun Sword Pavilion, Great Elders within an Immortal Clan hold absolute power, and Dao Sons, no matter their status, must obey the Great Elders’ commands.

Otherwise, life and death may follow.

Those eight Great Elders were each cold, ruthless beings—if they deemed it necessary, sacrificing a Dao Son would be no hesitation at all.

Of course, Jiang Ding’s orders must be reasonable and must not harm the Immortal Clans’ interests; otherwise, they were meaningless.

Jiang Ding’s spiritual sense and sword intent surged into the Jiao Mo Yan Tian Ball, slightly refining it and leaving a spiritual imprint.

He quickly understood how to use it.

“Need to make contact with a Jiao Mo Emperor’s Son? Preferably the Flame Stone Emperor’s son.”

Jiang Ding frowned slightly.

He didn’t understand the fate and heavenly mechanism techniques within the Jiao Mo Yan Tian Ball, but the principle was clear: use a Jiao Mo clan Emperor’s Son with strong innate talent as a catalyst to draw forth the clan’s fate and the realm’s fate, thereby condensing the Emperor’s Crown.

But Emperor’s Sons were not easy to approach.

Take himself—he was constantly monitored by the Central Array Spirit’s computational system within the Immortal Sect’s territory; don’t imagine that wandering around gives him a chance to assassinate. There was never any such possibility—it was all illusion.

By extension, the Flame Stone Emperor must surely have methods to constantly monitor his own offspring.

After all, even Emperors have few children, and only one or two are truly worthy, bearing their legacy and emotions—they cannot possibly ignore them entirely.

“Target the Shadow Demon Son?”

A thought arose in Jiang Ding’s mind.

“No, no—this one is too weak, utterly unreliable.”

Jiang Ding sighed.

The Shadow Demon Abyss Dao Son’s entire arsenal—her techniques, spells, and her life treasure—was entirely focused on concealment; her concealment ability far surpassed that of Dao Sons from other Immortal Clans, true.

But her soul strength and spiritual intent were merely average.

A simple numerical superiority could utterly crush her painstakingly honed concealment, leaving no room for evasion or hiding whatsoever.

She wasn’t incapable of carrying out this task, but there was some risk of exposure.

“I’ll do it myself—go see the Jiao Mo Emperor’s Son…”

Jiang Ding murmured to himself.

He did nothing, did not leave the pillar’s soul, and continued to wait silently.

Not long after—only twelve years later—a chance arose.

The Zi Shi City, governed by the Mo Yan Ancient City tens of thousands of miles away, was subject to a routine inspection every fifty years by a Mo Yan Clan Inspector who would tour surrounding mines, spiritual veins, spirit herb gardens, and check whether slave clans were embezzling resources and whether next year’s tribute could be fully collected.

These matters were fundamental to the Mo Yan Clan and could not be taken lightly.

This time, ten years before the scheduled inspection, the Mo Yan Clan Inspector arrived at Zi Shi City.

It had nothing to do with Jiang Ding.

His lifespan was long—he could wait a hundred years if necessary, doing nothing, quietly awaiting a natural opportunity, never adding unnecessary steps.

The Mo Yan Clan Inspector arrived early because a "Blood Demon Disaster" had occurred a thousand li away: several Wei-clan leaders and their clansmen had been slaughtered, their blood qi and souls completely plundered, leaving only gleaming white skeletons.

Among these dead clan leaders was one from Zi Shi City: the Golden Core clan chief of the Niu Shi Clan.

Golden Core

rank, within the Jiao Mo Imperial Clan’s hierarchy, was called “Wei Rank.”

Nascent Soul rank corresponded to “Jiang Rank.”

“Hail, Kuo Yan Great Lord!”

Zhen Shi True Person, along with the Fox Clan, Tiger Clan, Vine Demon Clan, and other Golden Core demonic cultivators, bowed three times and kowtowed nine times, showing utmost humility.

This mountain-like giant also radiated Golden Core energy, his entire body pitch-black as ink, constantly emitting low murmurs of demonic language that shook the spirit and instinctively stirred fear.

Though equally Golden Core, these dozens of slave-clan Golden Core demonic cultivators in Zi Shi City appeared like quails before him.

“The Blood Demon Disaster at Ling Jing Lake has been dealt with.”

“The Blood Demon has been slain.”

Kuo Yan showed no interest in small talk; his voice rumbled: “The Niu Shi Clan chief is dead, but the Niu Shi Clan’s tribute cannot go unpaid.”

“You will shoulder it.”

“Fox Clan: two parts. Tiger Clan: three parts. Human Clan: one part…”

He did not ask questions—he simply issued orders.

Clearly, he knew the situation of every clan intimately; he was not as crude as his massive frame suggested, ensuring maximum exploitation without exhausting the resource.

“Any problems?”

Kuo Yan finished speaking, spreading a heavy pressure, coldly gazing at the dozens of slave-clan Golden Core demonic cultivators below.

“We humbly obey Great Lord Kuo Yan’s command!”

The Fox Clan, Tiger Clan, and other Golden Core demonic cultivators wore grim expressions but dared not speak, bowing respectfully.

“You understand priorities.”

Kuo Yan’s expression softened: “Then the remaining Niu Shi Clan members and their territory shall be distributed among you as well—don’t say I, Kuo Yan, have been harsh on my subordinates.”

“Thank you, Great Lord Kuo Yan!”

The surrounding slave-clan Golden Cores rejoiced.

With the Niu Shi Clan’s resources to supplement them, it wouldn’t be so difficult—this year’s tribute, though still hard, could now be made up.

Kuo Yan sat calmly, saying nothing.

“Great Lord Kuo Yan, you’ve traveled far…”

The Fox Clan chief, a handsome man, smiled seductively, clapped his hands, and two beautiful Fox Clan cultivators shyly stepped forward to serve the towering Mo Yan cultivator.

“Good, good.”

Kuo Yan smiled, slowly opening his mouth, then closing it.

Crunch.

The two beautiful Fox Clan cultivators were reduced to two trembling legs, which finally fell to the ground.

“The flavor is still as delicious as ever.”

Kuo Yan praised.

“If the Great Lord enjoys it, that’s all that matters.”

The Fox Clan chief beamed.

Then the Tiger Clan, Vine Demon Clan, Human Clan, and others each presented their gifts—some celestial treasures, some spirit stones, some clan members, varied in kind.

The Human Clan’s offering was a third-rank mid-grade purple jade stone.

Kuo Yan accepted each with a smile, absorbing them into his black stone body.

“The tribute must be fully paid.”

Kuo Yan’s expression eased slightly, repeating.

These gifts could only ensure he wouldn’t impose additional levies—the original tribute must still be submitted, or he would have to cover it himself.

At that point, people would be killed.

“Yes, Great Lord Kuo Yan.”

The surrounding slave-clan Golden Cores showed no surprise, bowing again respectfully.

No one noticed the subtle flicker of light from the third-rank mid-grade purple jade stone within the black stone body—a silent force flowed along the black stone frame, surging into the Mo Yan cultivator’s soul.

No one noticed that the third-rank mid-grade purple jade spirit stone within the pitch-black stone body flickered with faint spiritual light, and an invisible force flowed through the black stone into the soul of the Demon Rock tribe cultivator.