Chapter 547: A Son Would Never Betray His Father

Jagged gravel piled up, and massive trees grew chaotically and violently, converging into a damp, dark hiding place.

Black clouds filled the sky, concealing the figures of the two.

Yue Tiance frowned, looking down, then turned his gaze and said, "Am I mistaken? Is this the lair of a great demon capable of wounding you?"

Any demon with some cultivation would never willingly humble itself in such a crude place.

Baohua Xianzi pondered for a moment, then closed her eyes to sense the surroundings.

When she opened them again, a thread of worry had appeared in her eyes.

Judging by this thick aura, that bear demon certainly did not hide here temporarily due to some accident, such as being pursued by others.

The other party has dwelled here for many years.

It is a great demon of such formidable strength, yet it has no subordinate forces to command; what does it eat and drink? What does it use to maintain its full demonic power? Could it rely on meditation and breathing exercises?

"I will go in to look; you stay outside to support me."

Baohua Xianzi stepped forward first.

Yue Tiance's black cloud technique could even evade the perception of experts at the Dao-Integration realm; otherwise, his clan would not have trusted him to leave North Hong alone to search for his elder brother.

"..."

Yue Tiance reached out his hand, intending to say he would go in, but thinking of the personality of the Purple-Bearded White Dragon clan, he quietly withdrew his palm.

In fact, this is also why he is so obsessed with Baohua Xianzi.

Heaven and Earth gave the Purple-Bearded White Dragons exceptionally keen perception, allowing them to easily detect the emotional fluctuations of others; if used in dealings with people, it could be said to be invincible.

Few can refuse an existence that completely understands them.

Let alone myself; even Xu Qing, who years ago was a ruthless killer with no emotional waves and a naturally indifferent nature, also fell into the hands of another Purple-Bearded White Dragon.

But for the White Dragons themselves, perceiving too much is not necessarily a good thing.

The suffering of the human world, the devastation of living beings—others can close their eyes and pretend not to see, but for the benevolent White Dragons, it is a torment without cease.

Rather than saying they are saving the common people, it is more accurate to say they are comforting themselves.

"Rest assured; although it does not give face to the Eastern Long Gong, it has no intention of harming me. It probably feels the cost outweighs the benefit."

Baohua Xianzi softly offered words of comfort; she was no fool, and how could she not see that when the bear demon appeared a few days ago, it clearly recognized her, and absolutely had no intention of completely tearing up relations with the Eastern Long Gong.

Having spoken, she slowly descended toward that damp place.

As she drew closer to the lair, Baohua Xianzi's movements became increasingly cautious.

She stepped silently across the muddy horizontal logs, sensing everything inside with all her might, when suddenly her steps paused slightly... the lair was empty; that great bear demon was not here at this moment.

Instead, Baohua Xianzi sensed a different aura.

Under the cover of the black clouds, she turned her gaze and saw a tall figure in a dark robe in the distance.

It was a young cultivator, with a hint of disappointment between his eyebrows, standing quietly at the cave entrance, gazing out toward the sky.

Baohua Xianzi's gaze shifted behind the other party, and upon seeing that delicate young girl, she instinctively furrowed her delicate brows tightly.

You must know that with the White Dragon's keen perception, even an expert at the Dao-Integration realm could not completely conceal their cultivation in front of her.

That girl had no aura at all throughout her body; she was obviously a mortal, and having suffered some kind of torment, her heart was actually Tianyan Siji.

How could anyone bring such a young girl to a great demon's lair?

Thinking of this, Baohua Xianzi turned her scrutiny back toward that youth, then immediately froze again.

Even with preconceived bias, she still could not sense any obvious malice on this person, but this was obviously not a good person either, because the scent of blood on him was simply too heavy!

Moreover, although this person was stained with the bear demon's aura, it was clearly something that had just happened, indicating he was not an accomplice of the lair's owner.

Strange...

Baohua Xianzi hesitated for a moment, then her figure quietly darted out, immediately subtly blocking herself between the two, revealing her form, and clasping her hands to say, "Forgive the disturbance, Daoist Friend. I am Baohua Xianzi of the Eastern Long Gong. May I ask what business brings you to this demon's residence?"

"..."

Shen Yi and An Yi simultaneously fell silent.

At the moment the black clouds attacked, the young girl had instinctively turned her palm into a claw; if Baohua had not carelessly exposed her back to her, that tender little hand would probably have already pierced the other party's heart.

Shen Yi was also somewhat surprised.

He had always relied on the strange aura-suppression method of the Stabilizing Stone to launch ambushes; it had been a long time since he encountered a situation where someone approached him without him noticing at all.

What made him even more unable to understand was that this woman had been lying in wait for so long, then voluntarily came over to be "subdued" by An Yi.

Also, if he hadn't misheard just now, did she say Eastern Long Gong?

A wild Purple-Bearded White Dragon... Shen Yi instinctively glanced around.

"Daoist Friend, do not misunderstand; the one outside is my companion, merely supporting me, with no malicious intent."

Catching the gaze the youth cast over, Baohua Xianzi also sensed the killing intent that suddenly arose within him; thinking the other party had misunderstood something, she quickly spoke to explain.

Upon hearing these words, the killing intent on the youth came quickly and left quickly, instantly vanishing without a trace.

This made Baohua somewhat stunned; this person dares to wander in West Hong, yet trusts others so easily?

"Huff."

Shen Yi sighed inwardly; following the news from Wanxiang Pavilion, he had come only to find nothing.

He had thought he could pick up a Purple-Bearded White Dragon Stabilizing Stone, but there was someone guarding outside; this aura-suppression method truly lives up to the style of a top power in Hongze.

"My Lord, this woman clearly is not a good person; why not kill her first, then take her into the Ten Thousand Demon Palace to interrogate her in detail!"

Ke Shisan, hidden within the Sea of Consciousness, eagerly proposed an idea.

Shen Yi was too lazy to pay attention to it; he indeed did not care about making enemies, after all, as long as the speed of growth was fast enough, any trouble was a small matter.

But one must also look at the cost-effectiveness, right? A Purple-Bearded White Dragon from Bai Yujing, compared to offending the Eastern Long Gong, this colossal giant, was truly a case where the cost outweighed the benefit.

Thinking of this, he casually clasped his hands and perfunctorily said, "I happened to pass through here and wanted to find a place to rest."

"You..."

Baohua Xianzi almost laughed in anger, but thinking that this cultivator had believed her so simply just now, she realized he truly had a carefree personality.

"Fellow cultivator, can you not sense such thick demonic aura... especially when you're carrying a little girl?"

Saying this, Baohua Xianzi crouched down and gently stroked An Yi's cheek, wondering what she had endured to become so withdrawn.

She forced a sweet smile and whispered, "Don't be afraid, sister will protect you."

An Yi's small face remained cold; she curled her fingers into a claw again and cast a questioning glance toward Shen Yi.

She truly wasn't accustomed to such sudden contact.

Shen Yi casually shook his head—he still had no confidence in defeating the "fellow cultivator" outside, and though the purple-bearded white dragon seemed somewhat foolish, it showed no malice.

He also wanted to know where the demon in this cave had gone—could it have been moved away by Qi Da in advance?

"You said there was a demon here—where is it?"

"You're looking for it?" Baohua Xianzi soothed the little girl, then sighed and rose, glancing helplessly over: "Fellow cultivator, if you wish to rest, come back with me to Red Maple Valley first—this place is too dangerous. Let's discuss matters after we return; I will surely give you full details."

This young cultivator appears formidable—he must be a junior from a great clan, out to train. Don't let him perish here from inexperience, or it'll inevitably spark another bloody storm.

"..."

Shen Yi fell silent for a moment, then did not refuse.

According to the Wanxiang Pavilion's intelligence, Qi Da had stationed this group of demons in Northern Hong Yue, and should not have allowed them to roam freely.

Something must have gone wrong, drawing the people of East Long Gong here.

I must gather information quickly—don't let someone else get there first.

"After you."

Baohua Xianzi said no more, turned, scooped up An Yi, and dashed swiftly out of the cave.

Though this youth didn't seem evil, he was still a man stained with blood—better to stay slightly cautious.

Seeing this, Shen Yi showed no sign of surprise.

He had never before seen someone so eager to become a "hostage."

"Who is this?"

Long Yuetian waited anxiously in the air for a long time before finally spotting Baohua Xianzi—before he could even relax, he saw two unfamiliar figures.

He subtly frowned, directing his gaze toward the ink-clad youth.

"Let's go."

Baohua Xianzi shot straight toward the distance—she didn't mind risking herself, and Yue Tiance had his own defenses, but she refused to let this innocent child remain in that filthy demon den.

Once far from the demon cave,

she turned to Shen Yi: "This is the second young master of the Northern Hong Yue family. May I ask your surname, fellow cultivator?"

"Shen Yi, a lone cultivator." Shen Yi gave a slight nod.

Across Immortal Hongze's lands and waters, countless others shared the same name; since he was no famous figure, there was no need for a pseudonym.

"Hmph." Long Yuetian shifted his gaze with a cold, humorless smile.

Does he think others are fools? Without clan backing, how could someone so young reach such a notable realm?

Even I didn't hide my identity—could this boy's background be more untouchable than the Yue family's? Such a pointless pretense.

"Shen fellow cultivator." Baohua Xianzi did not press further—everyone had their private burdens, and she didn't care. Across Immortal Hongze's lands and waters, few could claim higher status than East Long Gong.

"Why are you training outside, carrying such a child? Aren't you afraid of accidents?"

"A friend entrusted her to me—she's safer with me."

Shen Yi wasn't lying; with An Yi beside him, he was indeed far safer.

"I see... don't wander recklessly again."

Baohua Xianzi led the way ahead, wanting to offer more advice but hesitating due to their recent acquaintance. After a moment's thought, she took a jade scale from her waist and placed it in An Yi's arms.

"If you encounter trouble, just call out 'sister' to this jade scale—it doesn't require any Qi."

She paused, then took out another scale and handed it to Shen Yi: "Shen fellow cultivator, take this one too. The surroundings have been unsettled lately—better to be cautious. If you have no other business, leave as soon as possible."

"..."

Shen Yi accepted the jade scale and instinctively rubbed it in his palm.

This was his second encounter with a purple-bearded white dragon—whether the Jade Mountain Dragon Consort or this young dragoness, both seemed strangely unusual.

The rubbing motion caught Long Yuetian's eye, making his eyelid twitch. He opened his mouth to rebuke, but seeing Baohua Xianzi beside him, he swallowed his anger.

Absolute lecher!

Baohua Xianzi's cheeks flushed slightly, but remembering how calmly Shen Yi had reacted when she introduced herself, she realized he likely knew nothing of East Long Gong.

Ignorance is no crime—warning him would make her seem petty.

"Unsettled?" Shen Yi tucked the jade scale away and glanced sideways—he was only interested in this.

Baohua Xianzi hesitated, then recounted what she knew: "I've already reported to my elder. I must wait for her to send someone to resolve this. If you're not in a hurry, stay at Red Maple Valley—avoid drawing the demon's attention... its condition is strange. Though powerful, it seems starving—even the corpses of Void-Refining cultivators aren't spared."

"Understood."

Shen Yi nodded again.

As long as the demon still lived, it wouldn't come just once—it had targeted Red Maple Valley.

Seeing the two ahead quicken their pace, he activated Dragon Leap Heavenly Mare, transforming into a purple-white streak racing toward the direction Baohua Xianzi indicated!

"..."

This time, even Baohua Xianzi froze in place.

Long Yuetian gritted his teeth, tugged at his lip, and whispered to Baohua Xianzi: "You pretended not to know him, yet he's seen you bathing—do we really need to care for this liar?"

Baohua Xianzi's face reddened; she waved her hand: "Can you just stop talking? We have no connection."

Seeing her was nothing—so many in Immortal Hongze had seen her. Some even shamelessly painted her into scrolls. Her dragon scales were like ordinary girls' clothing—nothing was forbidden to be seen, just annoying.

But one moment she thought Shen fellow cultivator knew nothing of East Long Gong, and the next he pulled this stunt—it felt like mockery.

Baohua Xianzi shook her head and continued toward Red Maple Valley.

Soon they landed within that crimson valley.

"You've returned," said the Master of Red Maple Valley, as if resigned; he had already ordered all disciples and stewards within the valley to devote all efforts to refining the Jade Maple Treasure Pill, aiming to gather a full millennium's worth at once.

He now only hoped this Purple Orchid Xianzi would help explain the situation to the Yunhe Upper Sect when the time came.

"Prepare lodging for these two," said Zilan softly.

"Understood," said the Master of Red Maple Valley, finally noticing the two newcomers; after a quiet glance, he shifted his gaze from the ink-robed youth to Long Yuetian, his eyes instantly brightening.

The Purple Orchid Xianzi is already calling in her allies!

This horned man, with his fine scales, unexpectedly reminded him of a famed great demon clan from North Hong—millions of years ago, this clan had produced an extraordinary prodigy named Yue Tiance.

Before the elder from Yu Nanhong became renowned throughout the Hongze region and dominated his realm, Yue Tiance was unquestionably Hongze's number one prodigy.

He even had the potential to elevate his clan to a status equal to that of the North Long Gong.

Unfortunately… it was said Yue Tiance had been suppressed for tens of thousands of years, his heart filled with bitter anguish; he wandered endlessly seeking masters and the Dao, exhausting himself not only to increase his bloodline's purity but also attempting to replicate the myriad cultivation arts mastered by the Yu Nanhong elder.

After enduring countless hardships, when he finally believed he could reclaim the title of number one prodigy, that Yu Nanhong elder met with an accident.

Yue Tiance's decades of effort found no outlet; rumors say his Dao heart shattered, and since then, no word of him has ever surfaced again.

Yet this episode, though it severed the clan's path upward, did nothing to diminish its status as a great clan of North Hong.

With the East Long Gong and the Yue family standing guard, the Master of Red Maple Valley refused to believe that bear demon would dare act up again!

Regardless of background, merely from sensing his aura, the master did not believe this Yue family junior was much weaker than that bear demon.

As for the ink-robed youth, though his strength seemed far lower, he could at least bolster their numbers.

"Esteemed guests, this way, please."

The Master of Red Maple Valley hurriedly summoned several elders to lead the way personally.

…

Outside the chaotic, damp hiding place of the giant trees.

Two figures crashed down; when their forms became clear, they were two sturdy bear demons—one tall, one short.

"Dad, you ate another human?" The shorter bear demon sniffed, glancing over with resignation: "Those Red Maple Valley cultivators—you've already devoured them, and it won't help at all. It'll just make nearby factions distrust us."

Honestly, if Dad hadn't eaten those cultivator corpses back then, and had just left the six bodies outside Red Maple Valley, this whole matter would've been resolved long ago.

Making such a move is clearly telling those cultivators: after you finish your work, you'll all be eaten anyway.

"Who asked you to speak?"

The tall bear demon bared his fangs, his eyes filled with resentment: "Qi Zhaoyu is no man—he knew I was just one step away from breaking through a realm, yet he promised me the item and then cut it off without a word. This is clearly holding me hostage!"

"Dragon Lord probably fears that once you break through, you won't obey him anymore. I heard he went to Yu Nanhong—likely preparing some grand scheme… There's no need to rush. He still needs us, and he's given us these rare treasures for tens of thousands of years—how could he possibly abandon all this hard-won progress?"

The shorter bear demon whispered gently: "At least our current situation is better than when we were being hunted across North Hong."

"Better? Pfft!" The tall bear demon spat: "Still hiding in this hellhole for tens of thousands of years. I refuse to believe I can't break through without the West Long Gong!"

"Dad, what about the Purple Orchid Xianzi?" Seeing the conversation veering further off track, the shorter bear demon changed the subject.

At this, the tall, imposing bear demon's face darkened. Earlier, he had ignored the Dragon Princess not out of fear of the East Long Gong, but because he didn't know how to handle her.

He definitely wanted the Jade Maple Treasure Pill—but negotiating with the Purple Orchid Xianzi… if Dragon Lord found out, he'd flay me alive.

She's been keeping us around precisely to make us work together against Lady Yushan. Now, before the job's even done, we're already scheming with the East Long Gong—it's like we've painted "I want to betray" on our faces.

Even jumping into the Yellow River wouldn't wash it clean.

So he could only ignore the Purple Orchid Xianzi… When she unexpectedly intercepted the spear, he nearly died of fright—but thankfully, she was powerful enough to catch it, or things would've exploded.

At that moment, a third bear demon swept in as a black wind; upon landing, his expression turned solemn: "Dad, she's brought two more people. Looks like she's serious."

The tall bear demon clenched his teeth hard, then stepped into the cave.

Immediately after, he saw the cave in utter disarray: "Damn it, I almost forgot that bitch has tracking abilities! This is such a pain! Does she really think she can meddle in every damn affair across Hongze? What a beast!"

Hearing this, the third bear demon's eyes rolled, stepped forward, and whispered: "Dad, forcing her to leave isn't hard. Everyone knows Zi Ran Bai Long's nature. We just need to kidnap one of the people she brought, leave a note proving we mean no harm—if she's willing to stand down, we'll release the captive once she leaves this place."

"Will she believe that?" The tall bear demon sneered.

"I don't know if she'll believe it—but she definitely won't burden her friends. Dad, you still don't understand the Purple Orchid Xianzi," the third bear demon smiled, lowering his voice: "As for settling scores later… Dragon Lord is clearly preparing to act. By then, we'll already be in Yu Nanhong, and you'll have broken through—why fear her then?"

"As for whom to kidnap… among the allies she brought today, there's one with mediocre cultivation."

Saying this, he conjured a letter with demonic aura: "Dad, you just handle the kidnapping. When the time comes, place this letter on the table—within three days, she'll leave for sure."

Hearing this confident speech, the tall bear demon was swayed—his son wouldn't betray him.

Besides, there was no other option. Might as well give it a damn try.

Once Red Maple Valley bows, every small faction near Yunhe Sect will gladly send their tributes.

If he succeeds in breaking through and becomes a demon as powerful as a Fusion Realm being, he won't need to risk his life alongside Dragon Lord anymore—he'll be free to roam the heavens and seas.

With that thought, he turned and walked out of the cave, grinning wickedly: "It's settled."

(End of Chapter)