Chapter 111: Spirit Refining Master Junyuan Finally Pledges Allegiance; His Own Brother is Long Xiang【4k】

Lotus lamps flickered, scattering thousands of golden rays.

Illuminating the surroundings, everything was clear and pure.

Inside the cultivation chamber, Fang Longye toyed with the Tiger Soul Fragment in his hand, which looked like mere scrap iron.

He chuckled softly; to use such a treasure merely for trade would truly be a waste of a heavenly gift.

After all, no matter how much the world helped one change their origin, the Dharma principles within items traded from other worlds would still differ vastly from those of this world.

And currently, what he lacked most was an understanding of this world. Compared to items from other worlds, this Tiger Soul Fragment was of greater benefit to him right now.

The mere aura of the divine fiend within it was enough to make the Panlong Spear a renowned divine weapon.

It was just that utilizing the aura of the divine fiend to enhance the Panlong Spear was not so easily accomplished.

The key was whether the Panlong Spear could withstand the aura of the divine fiend.

Fang Longye estimated it could, but only barely; he feared that with the Panlong Spear's current material, it could not bear too much.

Still, it was not bad. At least he would not be standing before a mountain of treasure unable to enter.

"Right, there is another use, though for me now, it can no longer be considered a matter of urgency. But it can be considered the icing on the cake!"

A smile curled at the corners of Fang Longye's mouth; with this Tiger Soul Fragment, Junyuan falling into his trap would be a certainty, with no further variables.

To him, contemplating this Tiger Soul Fragment could bring him insights into the Dao principles, yielding endless benefits.

And to Junyuan, this was equivalent to the teachings of a grandmaster in person!

As a Spirit Refining master who forged divine weapons, who could refuse the temptation brought by a fragment of the peerless divine weapon, the Tiger Soul? ……

Longying Cave.

Inside a magnificent palace.

Water was channeled into the room, winding into a pool.

In the clear pool, colorful lotus flowers emerged from the water, swaying gracefully.

Above the clear pool was an exquisite bronze beast mask, from which water dripped into the pool with a tinkling sound.

Ripples spread out in layers, expanding in all directions.

Before the pool, a Banana Tree cast soft green shadows, and beneath it were translucent pebbles, clouds and stones accompanying each other.

A dozen or so stunning female demons, in purple skirts and bright garments, sat on a platform, their slender jade hands waving as they played music and sang softly.

Coupled with the fox women led by Yuyan dancing gracefully in front, a sense of unbridled extravagance was immediately highlighted.

Fang Longye held Qingli on his left and Jinghuan on his right, with Ao Ying rubbing his shoulders behind him, and Hu Qiuyue nestled in his arms, her face flushed and her chest heaving.

How joyous!

At this moment, a stream of cloud-water light flowed down, revealing a graceful figure.

On her forehead were small coral-like horns, bright red, and she was clad in a fiery dragon-patterned martial outfit. It was Ao Jiao, who walked the path of a Spirit Refining master.

Seeing such a decadent scene, her jade face flushed slightly, but she still stepped forward to report: "Great King, Spirit Refining master Junyuan has arrived."

"Oh?" Fang Longye stopped his revelry and waved his hand to signal the fox women to withdraw.

He tossed the already fainted Hu Qiuyue to Qingli and, served by Jinghuan, put on his robes.

He left the palace and came to a courtyard for receiving guests to meet with him.

Junyuan was naturally the one he had invited over from Yuyang Yaofang again.

Not two days after he had left his cultivation site to explore the Honghu Mansion, this Spirit Refining master had bid farewell and returned to Yuyang Yaofang.

However, after this time, he would likely reside permanently at Cangmang Mountain.

……

All around, flowers and leaves were sparse, scattered mottled under the eaves.

Behind the pavilion was an ancient well, where a spring gushed upward, falling like beads of a string, tinkling as it struck.

"Dragon Lord—" Junyuan sat in a small pavilion in this courtyard, admiring the scenery.

Seeing Fang Longye pacing over, he immediately stood up to welcome him.

"Sit—" Fang Longye waved his hand, signaling him.

The two sat down, and Junyuan picked up the teapot on the table, poured it into the plain white tea cup on the desk, and poured a cup of tea for him.

In the pavilion, wisps of cloud vapor were like water, and the tea fragrance was thick.

"I must congratulate the Dragon Lord for displaying your might in Bei Zhou and completely establishing your foundation in Beiju Luzhou."

Junyuan wore a long robe and had a gentle temperament, which did not quite match his tall and burly stature; he spoke in a slow and measured manner.

This was not the time for false modesty; Fang Longye accepted it all, not being humble, and said proudly, "This is only the beginning."

"The Dragon Lord acts under the title of the Dragon Clan; in the future, you will inevitably have disputes with the demon kings of Beiju Luzhou. In Bei Zhou, the title of 'Dragon Lord Yuanlong' is much harder to walk with than 'Great King Yuanlong'."

"Regardless of the Dragon Lord's intentions, by putting out the name 'Dragon Lord Yuanlong', in the eyes of the demon kings of Beiju Luzhou, you are representing the Dragon Clan in planting a flag and plotting for territory in Beiju Luzhou."

"These demon kings will not remain indifferent. You must know that Beiju Luzhou has always been regarded by the Demon Clan as their own private territory."

"What's more, you should also know that the reputation of the Dragon Clan among the Demon Clan is somewhat lacking."

He said these words very directly.

He also directly stated the relationship between the Dragon Clan and the Demon Clan. Out, they are dragons; in, they are demons. Their identities change as they please, so naturally, they are not liked by others.

Fang Longye also understood the concerns in Junyuan's heart.

Actually, he had been far too subtle. The reputation of the Dragon Clan among the Demon Clan was not just "somewhat lacking"; it was a complete mess, truly unspeakable.

Envy was real envy, and hatred was also real hatred.

How should one put it?

The old demon of the Iron-Eating Beast clan who had previously cursed the Dragon Clan as "three-surname slaves" was not spouting nonsense.

In Fang Longye's view, if compared to his previous life, the Dragon Clan was like the post-Brexit United Kingdom—a true stirrer of shit in the Honghuang, a fence-sitter.

After falling from the position of overlords of the Honghuang, the Dragon Clan did not choose to live in seclusion like the Phoenix and Qilin clans.

On the contrary, they constantly scheme and calculate, choosing to actively engage with the world.

Basically, the Dragon Clan has a hand in all the major and minor events of the Honghuang. Hedging their bets during the Witch-Demon era, actively clinging to power during the Human Race era, and so on and so forth...

Only then did the Dragon Clan come to be the prominent force that still occupies a position of power today.

If one were to truly discuss the dark history of the Dragon Clan, it would take thousands or even tens of thousands of years to finish.

But, so what?

In the eyes of Fang Longye, the Dragon Clan is not the three-surname slave Lü Bu, but rather the Uncle Liu who knows the times and constantly seizes opportunities.

From ancient times to the present, even the Heavenly Court has changed masters countless times, yet the Four Seas, rivers, and marshes remain firmly in the hands of the Dragon Clan.

Developing to this day, they are Demon Kings among demons, Dragon Gods among gods, and the Immortal Clan among immortals... No matter which side it is, there are elders occupying high positions.

History is written by the victors; other idle gossip is merely the jealousy of the ignorant and incompetent.

Everyone curses the Dragon Clan, yet everyone hates that they are not the Dragon Clan. This is the true portrayal of the Demon Clan's psychology.

Of course, Fang Longye would naturally not speak these inner thoughts to Junyuan.

He merely flipped his palm, revealing a token.

The token was bronze-colored, shining with strange patterns, and had quite a texture; it looked like no ordinary object.

The front was wordless, while the back had a line of seal script in Demon text—Demon Master Mansion.

"Workshop Establishment Token?!"

Junyuan exclaimed, then let out a sigh of relief.

He naturally understood the function of a Workshop Establishment Token issued by the Demon Master Mansion.

Previously, making an exception to let this Dragon Lord move a treasure mountain could only mean that this Dragon Lord had a significant background.

But to protect this Dragon Lord in opening a Yaofang, and to grant him the title of Demon Workshop Master—which even Golden Immortal Demon Kings would scramble for—was not just a matter of having a deep background.

Regardless of the details inside, with the Demon Master Mansion's endorsement, he was not worried that this Dragon Lord would be unable to stay in Beiju Luzhou for long.

Junyuan looked at the bit of tea leaves in the plain white tea cup in his hand; they were dark green and lush, with a tender color that was striking, the two colors of green and white forming a charm, intertwined and interesting. The tea color was faint, like the hazy sky after rain.

The tea fragrance did not dissipate; it was a cold, lingering spiritual charm.

As if drinking wine, he drained it in one gulp.

"Since the Great King thinks so highly of me and has hinted in every way, Junyuan shall naturally follow in your footsteps and offer the labor of a dog or horse."

"Good!"

Fang Longye clapped his hands and laughed.

"Since that is the case, this King will not be stingy either, and will present a meeting gift to you, fellow Daoist."

Fang Longye then took out a Jade Box and presented it before him.

"Yin-Yang Dao Pill?!"

"That's right. With this Dao Pill, I imagine you are not far from the Golden Immortal realm, are you?"

"Many thanks for the generous gift, Great King!"

Junyuan said with a face full of gratitude.

Not everyone has such grand ambitions as Fang Longye, striving to be perfect in every realm and pursuing an supreme foundation.

A Dao Pill that even Golden Immortals would scramble for was enough to allow Junyuan to complete his cultivation of essence, energy, and spirit.

Naturally, he could then consider the promotion to Golden Immortal.

"However, it is merely borrowing flowers to offer to Buddha!" Fang Longye smiled mysteriously, "It cannot be counted as any great favor~"

"Later, fellow Daoist will understand. What follows is the gift I truly intend to give you."

Seeing Junyuan's confusion, Fang Longye did not mind.

He simply took out the Tiger Soul Fragment and displayed it before his eyes.

"This is? A Tiger Soul Fragment? It really is a Tiger Soul Fragment!" Junyuan looked at the 'scrap metal' before him with fervent eyes.

When a cultivator reaches a certain realm, they resonate with heaven and earth, and many things can be understood at a single glance.

Although the Tiger Soul Fragment hid its own divinity, it did not conceal its own information.

As soon as Junyuan looked at it, a realization arose from the void, knowing that this fragment, which looked like scrap metal, came from the legendary divine weapon, Tiger Soul.

Seeing Fang Longye's gesture, he carefully took the red-rusted metal fragment.

He examined it in his hand; it was plain and unremarkable.

Immediately, he released his divine sense to probe inside.

A black ocean, vast beyond imagination, stretched without end or shore.

It was filled with the Qi of divine malice, pure slaughter, pure destruction, without a trace of impurity.

The combination of materials inside was wonderfully extraordinary, and the traces of forging and hammering were clearly visible, as if one could hear the sounds of forging from the distant past.

Ding-dang, as melodious as immortal music.

Junyuan was mesmerized as he observed the internal structure of this Tiger Soul Fragment and the forging techniques displayed. He felt as if his own skills were leaping forward as if in an epiphany.

Suddenly, two blood-red rays shot out from the deepest part of the Abyssal Sea of divine malice, emerging into the world.

"Roar—"

The tiger's roar shook the heavens and earth, filled with a world-destroying ferocity, sweeping through the surroundings.

The light soared into the sky, the brilliant blood color permeating the surroundings, reflecting deep colors, bottomless; just by looking at it, one would be immersed within, unable to extricate oneself.

Then, the blood color dissipated, revealing its true form: two tiger eyes that shattered the soul.

The murderous intent was chilling, terrifying and fierce.

"Puff—"

In just an instant, Junyuan hurriedly withdrew his divine sense.

The illusion dissipated, the backlash appeared, and a trace of blood spilled from the corner of his mouth.

A bright crimson reflection shone on his brow, with crisscrossing patterns that looked like a blood-stained tiger claw print; it was somewhat terrifying and somewhat shocking to the eye.

It was difficult to erase.

It even faintly stirred the vital blood throughout his body, wanting to devour the vitality of his entire being.

"As expected of the Tiger Soul Blade! Even a broken fragment has such power~"

There was no astonishment or annoyance on Junyuan's face; instead, his eyes revealed waves of excitement and joy~ To hear the Dao in the morning, one could die content in the evening!

For a pure refiner like him, being able to comprehend the forging method of such a peerless divine weapon.

He could pay any price~ Seeing Fang Longye take back the Tiger Soul Fragment, he looked at Fang Longye with longing.

"Rest assured, fellow Daoist. Since you have already joined my ranks, as long as you wish to comprehend it, I will offer it at any time."

"For now, what you must do is recover from this injury. This already counts as a Dao Injury."

"Do not underestimate it, lest you end up in the same state as your brother, who remains unconscious to this day."

"My brother?"

"What happened to my brother?"

Fang Longye shook his head and pointed a finger; a brilliant radiance flashed by, which Junyuan accepted, and various streams of information flowed through his heart.

A long while passed.

Junyuan opened his eyes, his gaze hazy, with various emotions intertwined.

"Now, fellow Daoist, do you understand why I previously brought up the saying of 'borrowing flowers to offer to the Buddhist'?"

He composed his feelings, stood up, and bowed.

"The Great King jests! If not for the Great King, my brother might have lost his life long ago. Please, say no more of 'borrowing flowers to offer to the Buddhist'."

"The Great King's generosity is etched in Junyuan's heart; in this life, I shall never have two hearts. If I violate this vow, may heaven destroy and earth annihilate me!"

Such words and actions between Junyuan and Fang Longye were naturally because of one person.

That was none other than the 'Longxiang Wang' who was still in a coma!

In truth, Fang Longye had not expected such a coincidence; this Longxiang Wang was actually Junyuan's half-brother from the same mother.

Although Junyuan was not close to him, this Longxiang Wang was truly a good brother.

In his thoughts, he had been constantly preoccupied with wanting to share the opportunities and good fortune he obtained from the Honghu Dongfu with his own younger brother!

This was also the reason why Fang Longye said it "could not be counted as any great favor."

Of course, Junyuan also understood the ways of the world very well.

His words served as a final verdict—what Fang Longye obtained from his brother was naturally a matter of opportunity, and could not be counted as forcible seizure or taking advantage of a crisis.

Naturally, Fang Longye would not act petty. In the future, he would naturally bestow a reward upon Junyuan as compensation.

Seeing his slightly anxious expression, Fang Longye immediately said: "Since that is the case, as a younger brother, you should naturally go and visit your brother."

"Rest assured, although your brother is unconscious and has not yet awakened, there is no major issue, and there is absolutely no danger to his life. He simply needs to rest quietly!"

Immediately, he pointed out where Longxiang Wang was, and after accepting Junyuan's expressions of gratitude, he watched him leave in a hurry.

……

Daylight poured down, over the flowers and leaves, with halos of light shimmering.

The courtyard was filled with reddish-gold, dotted with stars, mixed with a cool breeze that brushed against their clothes as they passed.

Fang Longye stretched and laughed: "With this, I should be able to harvest another great general, Longxiang!"

It just so happens to pair with Jinglong, this dragon-whale, to make up the great generals for the sea and land armies.

Is this deal not worth it?

"Alright, not much time has passed. Let's go back and continue the music and the dance!"

After some fun, it will be time to go into seclusion to cultivate and thoroughly digest this good fortune! Just one chapter today~ I am truly too busy at the end of the month.

(End of chapter)