Chapter 264: Three Demons Covet the Water Mansion; A Plan to Capture the Divine Turtle for Show

Huai River Longgong.

On a table as clear as jade, a three-foot-tall ancient green bronze tripod emitted curling wisps of smoke.

The smoke condensed without dispersing, veiling Fang Longye's expression.

The moment the Huai River Dragon Lord mentioned his lineage, Fang Longye understood in his heart that without the permission of his master, Huanglong Zhenren, he truly could not involve himself in this matter.

Nor did he dare to involve himself.

When all was said and done, no matter how much the Macaque King hid the trace of Shangqing intent within his magic power, he could not escape the fact that his lineage was Shangqing.

"Forget it! Anyway, even if I'm not clear on the details of those three Golden Immortal peaks, a three-on-three fight shouldn't carry much risk."

Although Fang Longye knew that to know oneself and the enemy is to be invincible in a hundred battles, given the current situation, he could only give up.

Just as Fang Longye intended to give up on learning specific information about the three enemies from the Huai River Dragon Lord.

He saw the Huai River Dragon Lord's expression freeze, then he beamed at him and said, "Uncle, Master just sent a voice transmission, allowing me to do my best to help that friend of yours."

A sudden turn of events, a glimmer of hope.

……

A quiet room, vast and empty.

On the dome, a dragon head held a pearl, casting down light that shimmered and shone, illuminating the surroundings in a frosty color, bright as day.

On the table sat a small incense burner; the incense smoke was cold, deep and green.

Fang Longye lay half-reclined on a vine chair beside the table, legs crossed, lazily flipping through a book, occasionally clicking his tongue in wonder.

"It seems this Xiao Huanglong isn't without other thoughts regarding those three old neighbors. Look at this collected information; it's truly detailed."

It was precisely the details of those three Golden Immortal peaks recorded in this book.

One had to admit, when it came to gathering intelligence, the Dragon Clan to which Fang Longye belonged was truly blessed by heaven.

The Dragon Clan's influence was deeply intertwined, spreading across the Four Seas, not to mention their solidarity.

Moreover, they had their own people in the Heavenly Court, the Profound Gate, and the Brahma Gate; to describe their mobilization as a Heavenly Net would not be an exaggeration.

It could be said that under the Huai River Dragon Lord's specific targeting, the overt actions and the true backgrounds of these three Golden Immortal peaks had all been uncovered.

Their origins, their masters, their family and friends, the places they had been, and the things they had done.

Along with their cultivation levels, combat styles, the supernatural powers and spells they excelled at, the Spirit Treasures and divine weapons in their hands, and even various other things.

Including their specific origins, Bloodline traits, and so on and so forth, all were recorded.

They were almost stripped bare down to their undergarments.

It allowed him to see everything clearly and plainly.

Do not blame him for making a mountain out of a molehill, being like this when dealing with a few Golden Immortal peaks.

At their current level, even a rogue cultivator would have some trump cards and hidden moves. Without knowing the bottom line, it was very easy to capsize in the gutter.

If it were a sudden crisis where one had to fight immediately, that would be one thing. But if one were taking the initiative to deal with someone, it was better to investigate their background thoroughly beforehand.

Lest one be caught off guard and flustered when the other party reveals some trump card.

And look—

If Fang Longye and his group hadn't investigated clearly this time, they would likely have suffered a great loss.

"Who could have imagined that in some remote corner, a figure possessing the Nine-Bend Yellow River Array would appear?"

Thinking of this, Fang Longye couldn't help but stand up, walk to an iron tree in the center of the quiet room, pick at the flames on the tree, and sigh to himself.

The quiet room was vast and empty, spotless.

In the very center, there was nothing else but an iron tree, thick enough to be embraced.

This iron tree was not cast from iron, but was a rare type of spirit wood. The trunk was a weave of green and gold, with crimson leaves and silver flames burning, bright and dazzling.

The tree was covered in flowers, thin as needles, occasionally falling to the ground and emitting a clear sound, followed by circles of halo-like light diffusing outward.

Iron tree with silver flowers, beautiful and magnificent.

The clear Divine Light poured over the surroundings, illuminating the contemplation between his brows.

According to the information provided by the Huai River Dragon Lord, these three peak Golden Immortals, while said to be immortals and demons, were actually not of the Human Race.

They were all exotic species from the Honghuang era.

It was just that some followed the Immortal Dao, while others followed the Demon Dao.

These three peak Golden Immortals, out of covetousness for the Shuimu Yifu and to guard against others sharing the spoils.

Had established their own daochangs around the Shuimu Yifu, building three factions surrounding the Water Mansion.

The peak Golden Immortal who established his place of practice to the west of the Shuimu Yifu was a Qi-Tu that had attained the Dao; it was also a type of Primordial exotic species, though not famous.

The "Classic of Mountains and Seas: Classic of the Western Mountains" records: "On the Wing-Gazing Mountain, there is a bird; its shape is like a crow, with three heads and six tails, and it is good at laughing. It is called the Qi-Tu. Eating it prevents nightmares, and it can also ward off evil."

In other words, this Qi-Tu's true form looked like a crow, but it had three bird heads and nine tails, and it liked to laugh.

As for the laughter, it was nothing to brag about. In any case, it was exceptionally terrifying and chilling.

It could be said to be a perfect image of a demon.

This peak Golden Immortal Qi-Tu resided on a small sandy island, recruiting a large group of demons and ghosts as subordinates, acting just like a Demon King. He also possessed a signature Spirit Treasure in the style of a Golden Bell, so he was called Jin Zhong Dasheng.

As for the one Fang Longye mentioned who possessed the Nine-Bend Yellow River Array, he resided in a territory near the north bank of the Huai River, and was also a type of Honghuang exotic species that had attained the Dao, though not famous.

His original form was a Gu-Diao, appearing like a bird yet not a bird, like a beast yet not a beast.

The "Classic of Mountains and Seas" records: "Deer Wu Mountain, with no grass or trees, has much gold and stone. The Ze-Geng River flows from it, flowing south into the Pang River. In the water there is a beast, named the Gu-Diao; its shape is like an eagle but with horns, and its sound is like the sound of an infant; it eats humans."

It didn't sound like a benevolent creature.

In Fang Longye's memory, regardless of cultivation level, just in terms of habits, the Gu-Diao was much more ferocious than the Qi-Tu.

This could also be seen from the description in the "Classic of Mountains and Seas."

The Gu-Diao did not have an evaluation regarding its dietary properties like the Qi-Tu, such as "eating it prevents nightmares, and it can also ward off evil."

It was not something to be eaten by others, but rather something that ate humans.

However—

Clearly, within her bloodline, there existed such fierce and vicious traits, yet this Gu Diao at the Perfection of Golden Immortal realm did not follow the Demon Dao to become some Demon King who roared over a region.

Instead, she became a fairy.

That's right, this Gu Diao, ranked at the Perfection of Golden Immortal, was also a female practitioner.

She, just like Shuimu Niangniang back in the day, established a Water Mansion called Zilan Palace. She even founded a sect, teaching a multitude of the Water Tribe, and became the master of a sect.

By now, she had truly managed this sect with great success. Her own title, 'Zilan Fairy', had also risen in fame accordingly.

"Speaking of which—" Fang Longye flickered the flame-bright silver flowers on the iron tree, chuckled, and muttered to himself: "For the Monkey King, does this count as the flood destroying the Dragon King's temple?"

Not to mention that Huai River Dragon Lord had already verified her lineage; even if he hadn't, based solely on the Nine-Bend Yellow River Array, her belonging to the Shangqing Lineage was already a nailed-down fact—

It couldn't be that everyone could be like Fang Longye, possessing the strengths of many schools, right?!

Shaking his head, Fang Longye thought to himself: "This has nothing to do with me anyway. Why am I bothering with this idle concern?"

"In any case, this information was passed to the Monkey King long ago. Let him have the headache himself!"

Whether to fight or to make peace.

With her trump card already known to him in advance, Fang Longye had long since ceased to regard this Zilan Fairy as any kind of threat.

The reason a trump card is a trump card is that it is unknown to others, allowing one to achieve victory through surprise at a critical moment. Once it is known in advance, like it is now, its effect is not great.

Unless it is powerful to the point of being unsolvable, otherwise, with the premise of knowing it in advance, there are always ways to deal with or even break it.

"Right now, what is worth paying attention to is that solitary Divine Ao."

……

Three at the Perfection of Golden Immortal.

Among them, two—one is a great Demon King who roars over a region, and one is a fairy who founded a sect—have both built up significant forces around the Shuimu Yifu, each having no fewer than ten Golden Immortals under their command.

Only this one, perhaps belonging to the ancient Giant Ao Clan, is naturally fond of quietude and is simply too lazy to build a force.

It directly fell into a deep sleep in the territory bordering the river mouth. Then, it wakes up once every thousand years or so, devours some immortals, gods, and members of the Water Tribe, and then continues to sleep.

But the more this is the case, the more it proves that this Divine Ao is not simple.

To stand as a tripod alongside the forces established by the first two with its own strength.

One can see how its strength is.

Moreover, the origin of this Divine Ao is quite mysterious. After much investigation, Huai River Dragon Lord only knows that it is vaguely related to the fifteen ancient Giant Ao that once carried the Five Immortal Mountains on their backs.

This is extraordinary—

Legend has it that to the east of the East Sea, immeasurably billions of miles away, there is a great abyss, which is truly a bottomless valley, known as the Return Ruins, where all rivers flow into it.

And around the Return Ruins, there were five great mountains, all of which were immortal mountains and divine islands: the first is Daiyu, the second is Yuanqiao, the third is Fanghu, the fourth is Yingzhou, and the fifth is Penglai.

All were transformed from the Chaos remnants that fell when Pangu opened the heavens and split the earth, containing immeasurable creation.

However, these five immortal mountains were all duckweed on the sea, drifting everywhere with the ocean currents, moving up and down, without a fixed location.

Originally, these Five Immortal Mountains had Dongwanggong of Penglai to manage Yin and Yang and harmonize the Great Dao, so there was no fear of being swallowed by the Return Ruins.

Moreover, Dongwanggong also realized a secret technique, causing the Five Immortal Mountains and the Return Ruins to form a special balance.

Not only did it construct an environment extremely conducive to cultivation, but being in these Five Immortal Mountains was like facing the Great Dao directly.

It also allowed these five immortal mountains to use the power of the Return Ruins to spontaneously obscure the Heavenly Secrets, which could even block the calculations of a Hunyuan Saint to some extent.

Such days indeed lasted for a long time, allowing the immortals and gods on the Five Immortal Mountains to benefit for countless epochs.

However, flowers do not bloom red for a hundred days.

As Dongwanggong had to engage in a life-and-death battle with the Demon Court led by Di Jun for the sake of the Great Dao, this balance was broken.

Because Dongwanggong fell—without Dongwanggong sitting in command, these five immortal mountains remained top-tier Blessed Lands, but they no longer had that environment that felt like facing the Great Dao directly, and that powerful ability to obscure Heavenly Secrets also ceased to exist.

Most crucially, in the long run, these five immortal mountain Blessed Lands were very likely to be swallowed by the Return Ruins.

And in order to appease the remnants of the forces left behind by Dongwanggong, to resolve the resentment of these elders of the Immortal Court, and also to demonstrate his own responsibility as the Heavenly Emperor.

Di Jun had no choice but to send out fifteen ancient Giant Ao, letting these fifteen Giant Ao be divided into five groups, changing every epoch, each carrying an immortal mountain.

Rotating without end in this way, these five immortal mountain Blessed Lands would not drift with the waves but would stay fixed in one place, avoiding being swallowed by the Return Ruins.

Thus, the original lineage of the East Sea rogue cultivators was born.

Unfortunately, burdened by the Lich War, the mountain-carrying Giant Ao all died.

Afterwards, the multitude of immortals and gods only recovered three immortal mountains: Penglai, Yingzhou, and Fanghu, while the two mountains Daiyu and Yuanqiao disappeared into the vast sea.

Perhaps as the world shattered, like other fragments of Honghuang, they scattered into Chaos and evolved into a world.

Perhaps they were just unlucky and drifted directly into the Return Ruins, being swallowed directly and ceasing to exist.

Who knows?

In short—

These fifteen ancient Giant Ao were able to carry immortal mountains like Penglai, which shows the size of their true bodies and the strength of their physiques.

And this Divine Ao, which covets the Shuimu Yifu, can actually be related to those fifteen ancient Giant Ao, which shows how extraordinary it is.

Being able to resist the two forces led by Jin Zhong Dasheng and Zilan Fairy with its own strength is not surprising—you must know, let alone now. Even starting from the beginning of the creation of the world, in terms of the size of the true body alone, among the ten thousand clans of Honghuang, the Giant Ao Clan is the recognized number one; no one is unconvinced.

Besides those fifteen mountain-carrying Giant Ao, the Giant Ao Clan had two even more famous existences.

The body of one could be directly used by the Shangqing Saint as a Daoist field. The other was killed by Wa Huang, and its four limbs were even taken to be used as pillars to support the heavens.

Thus, one can see the size of the true body of an ancient Giant Ao.

Although a large true body does not necessarily mean powerful strength. After all, the ancient predecessors of the Giant Ao Clan had a lot of bitter tears.

But there is one point, that is aimed at the high-level figures of Honghuang with high realms.

For Fang Longye and these Golden Immortals and Taiyi, a large true body and a strong physique can bring considerable advantages and deterrent power.

"Speaking of that person's Daoist field, Golden Turtle Island—" Fang Longye took out the Zhanxian Gourd, rubbed the innate patterns on it, and laughed happily: "If my Daoist field had such a Divine Ao to decorate the facade, how imposing would that be!"

He had made up his mind; it didn't matter whether those other two at the Perfection of Golden Immortal lived or died.

However, he must find an opportunity to see if he can subdue this divine giant turtle.

In the current Honghuang, it is truly too rare to find a giant turtle that has opened its spiritual wisdom and cultivated all the way to the perfection of a Golden Immortal!

It would not be shameful even to use it as a mount. No one would say anything like "using a turtle as a mount."

Just imagine, a divine beast of an exotic species as large as Jupiter from his past life, carrying a massive Dao Palace on its back, coming straight toward him.

How incredibly cool that would be!...

Huai River.

The daylight reflects in the ripples, shimmering and clear. It is as if countless golden scales are rolling about.

The boat flies across, stirring up mist and water all around.

It is just that—

Fang Longye and his nephew, Yurong Wang, along with the Huai River Dragon Lord, are escorted by a troop of Water Tribe soldiers and generals, heading straight toward the location of Yurong Wang's mother's Water Mansion.

As for why the Huai River Dragon Lord is among them.

It is very easy to understand; after all, he did help you. Can you not show some appreciation?

After the Huai River Dragon Lord informed them one by one of the information he had gathered over these years, the nephew and uncle, Yurong Wang, very generously invited him to go to the Shuimu Yifu together.

The implication is, of course, clear.

It is a promise to this Huai River Dragon Lord that he can share a portion of the collection within the Water Mansion as a reward for his assistance.

It is truly not a case of Yurong Wang heartlessly selling off his mother's property.

The key is that he is not blind. The bright, shimmering Jade Purity Divine Light on the Huai River Dragon Lord, Xiao Huanglong, was clearly visible to him.

The other party disregarded the suspicion between the two families and offered a helping hand. If you were still stingy, the one losing face would not just be you personally.

The Water Mansion dojo left behind by Yurong Wang's mother is not too far from the Huai River Longgong.

Although the four of them were afraid of alerting those three demon immortals midway, they deliberately concealed their escape light, slowed their speed, and steered the Dharma boat, traveling at a leisurely pace.

Yet, it took only the time it takes to drink half a cup of tea to arrive at the Water Mansion dojo left behind by Yurong Wang's mother.

They saw an island appear not far away, with rolling hills and beautiful forests; in the middle stood a peak, like a green screen, standing proudly.

The scene all around was clearly visible, and Fang Longye could not help but think to himself: "I finally understand why those three at the perfection of Golden Immortal, despite clearly being unable to enter, are still clinging to this Water Mansion and unwilling to give up!"

"It truly highlights the word 'extravagant'!"

(End of this chapter)