Chapter 152: Slaughter and Imbalance

In Jade Capital Mountain, times are peaceful.

Outside Jade Capital Mountain, things are gradually becoming noisy.

As the Dragon Clan's princes were enfeoffed, the silent Primordial Wasteland gradually gained vitality; the Dragon Clan built city after city, bringing its civilization to every corner of the Primordial Wasteland.

Because Ancestor Dragon's bloodline can only awaken scaled aquatic beasts, now there is only one intelligent species in the world—the Dragon Clan!

But under your restriction, Ancestor Dragon has endless fodder yet cannot convert it into strength; he can only fiercely establish a harem in the East Sea to vent his resentment……

Of course, this is just impotent rage; you don't fear it at all. With Ancestor Phoenix standing beside you, even if Hongjun doesn't return, you can still coerce it into obedient submission!

As you watch the Primordial Wasteland gradually come alive, even though it's all Dragon Clan, you feel no discomfort; you lack any sense of kinship, treating all races the same.

Ancestor Phoenix, however, feels a bit displeased, because she prefers birds similar to her own form; if possible, she actually wants the Phoenix Clan to occupy the Primordial Wasteland, or at least carve out a domain for itself.

But… because of you, she simply gave up that idea.

You curiously ask why; she rolls her eyes: "Isn't it because she fears arousing your suspicion? What if you think she still can't resist the temptation of becoming a Dao?"

You stare: "Just because of me?"

Or what?

Ancestor Phoenix's natural response leaves you somewhat silent……

You naturally understand Ancestor Phoenix's thoughts; in fact, you also have a good impression of her, often recalling the instinctive affection you felt when you first met her in your previous life.

You always feel something is missing between you, so you hesitate to respond.

You once again vividly embody the meaning of "indecisive"……

Regarding your flawed personality, even you find it laughable: always indecisive, always unable to achieve great things!

But you mock yourself over and over, yet never change in the slightest……

However, what Ancestor Phoenix worries about is exactly what you worry about.

In fact, you also wish to awaken all spirits of heaven and earth as in your previous life, letting the Primordial Wasteland bloom with a hundred flowers, rather than letting the Dragon Clan monopolize the world as it does now.

But you are well aware that the reason you can get along with Ancestor Phoenix to this extent is precisely because you have not revealed that you too can awaken spirits; once you show this ability, the Ancestor Phoenix who currently gets along well with you might immediately leave you.

You fear she will again walk the path of slaughter to become a Dao, and she fears you will undergo a major change in temperament for the sake of becoming a Dao; therefore, for this fragile affection, you must keep this secret buried in your heart.

If Ancestor Phoenix leaves you, you will no longer be able to suppress Ancestor Dragon as you do now, reducing him to a state of utter decay; by then, you will awaken intelligence for all spirits, she will awaken intelligence for birds, and with Ancestor Dragon unleashed, the three‑clan war will have no distinction……

Therefore, whether for personal reasons or public duty, you can only quietly watch with Ancestor Phoenix on Jade Capital Mountain as the Dragon Clan gradually lights up myriad homes.

"May times remain peaceful."

You murmur.

Ancestor Phoenix plays with the little golden crows, also smiling and saying: "All is well, that's all."

……

Times peaceful?

Hongjun: "Nonsense!"

As you gradually become intoxicated in this hard‑won ease of times, one day someone you never expected returns……

Old man Hongjun, triumphantly resurrected!

Under the tree on the mountain peak, his first words to you are a complaint: "Fellow Daoist, why not give Jade Capital Mountain to me, and I'll go to the Small Volcano?"

You: ……

Hongjun points to the hundreds of second‑generation phoenix seedlings at the mountain's foot, his face grim: "This isn't my Jade Capital Mountain at all; this is clearly your bridal chamber, complete with hundreds of your followers and friends……

Facing the landlord's complaint, Ancestor Phoenix quickly says: "Everything is up to you, Fellow Daoist; I'll send them back to the Great Volcano right away."

But Hongjun sighs: "Forget it, let's just make do for now; they've already moved in, and driving them out would be awkward. Jade Capital Mountain is still big enough to house them…… just don't cause trouble, after all, this is his home……

After a moment of talk, Hongjun suddenly glances at Ancestor Phoenix, wanting to speak but holding back.

Ancestor Phoenix's mouth twitches; knowing she's being seen as an eyesore, she doesn't wait for Hongjun to speak, gets up and leaves, taking along three little critters she's long been familiar with, leaving the space for you two……

Fellow Daoist, if you have something to say, just say it.

Under the tree on the mountain peak, now it's just the two of you; you don't waste words, knowing this old geezer surely has something important to say.

Hongjun doesn't beat around the bush, speaking solemnly: "I set out this time to seek the opportunity to slay corpses; though I found nothing, and even if I had, it would be useless…… but I have discovered something extremely dangerous!"

Hearing the two words "danger" from Hongjun's mouth, your heart jolted at once; if it makes him feel dangerous, then this matter must surpass even your three lifetimes of experience.

But you still can't fathom: aside from the calamity of the three ancestors' slaughter, what other harm in this world could be great enough to make even Hongjun afraid?

Facing your doubt, Hongjun slowly utters two words.

"Qilin."

You stare blankly: "Old ox and horse? That old thing's long dead, isn't it?"

"No……

Hongjun speaks solemnly: "It's other Qilin clans! After all this time out there, I've happened to discover that quite a few Qilin clans exist in the Primordial Wasteland!"

You're even more bewildered: "If they exist, they exist; the Qilin clan isn't just the Ancestor Qilin—it still has many descendants, and it's normal for those descendants to awaken more descendants; the Qilin clan hasn't perished……

"Fellow Daoist, it's not that simple!"

Hongjun worries: "After my field investigation, I'm certain those Qilin clans are all madmen obsessed with revenge! There's not a single normal person among them!"

They chant, "Revenge for the ancient ancestor!" Believing that Ancestor Dragon killed the Ancestor Qilin, which reduced the Qilin clan to this state, and that the Dragon Clan seized everything that rightfully belonged to the Qilin clan……

You're somewhat puzzled: "Surely this sounds troublesome, but it probably wouldn't reach the point of making you afraid, right? These Qilin clans merely lack guidance; if we educate them well and back it with absolute force, they'll surely cause no trouble."

Hongjun shakes his head upon hearing that: "You may think that, but it doesn't mean Ancestor Dragon would think the same!"

You begin to ponder the meaning of Hongjun's words……

Soon the answer arrives—but it's not something you figured out; it's what Ancestor Phoenix brought back.

Originally, Ancestor Phoenix had gone out to play with the three little golden crows, but she rushed back in a panic, transmitting to you a piece of bad news from Central Province.

A large number of Qilin clans suddenly emerged from Central Province, then, under the banner of avenging the ancient ancestor, launched an attack on the Dragon Clan that had only recently settled in Central Province!

Hearing this news, you look bewildered: "What's there to say? If Ancestor Dragon steps forward to suppress them, wouldn't that settle it?"

Although you absolutely cannot tolerate the original three-clan great war, and Hongjun's unilateral decision to sacrifice the myriad spirits, this does not mean you are a pure holy mother; toward malicious troublemakers who cause harm, you will choose to suppress them without hesitation!

But Zu Feng's response shocked you greatly: "Zu Long simply does not resist!"

Ah?!

Almost instinctively, you easily discerned Zu Long's thought: "I was worried no one would help me start the slaughter, but now drowsiness has come bringing a pillow…"

"No!"

You made a decisive decision: you cannot let this Qilin remnant's slaughter campaign against the Dragon Clan continue, not only for the lives of the Dragon Clan's beings, but also for the peace of the Wilderness.

Once Zu Long uses this to advance his cultivation, the original balance of power will be instantly broken; at that point the situation will take a sudden turn for the worse, and Zu Long will spare no one!

You hurriedly went with Zu Feng and Hongjun to Central Province to stop this sudden clan slaughter…

Your obstruction was effective; as soon as three Great Luo Golden Immortals appeared, the many Qilin clansmen participating in the slaughter were quickly all slain.

But before you could relax, more news of slaughter kept bursting forth!

At some point, in Central Province the Qilin Clan slaughtered the Dragon Clan!

Next period, the Qilin Clan again caused chaos in the Southern Wilderness!

Another period, the Northern Wilderness again fell into chaos!

Another period, the Western Wilderness again fell into chaos…

One after another, Qilin Clan slaughter incidents had you running all over the Wilderness; Central Province was pacified, then the Southern Wilderness flared up again, after pacifying the South, the Northern Wilderness broke out in turmoil!

In the five directions, turmoil constantly alternated, and the Qilin clans in various places seemed to spawn randomly—pacify one spot and another would appear.

Casualties among the Dragon Clan civilians kept rising, while the number of Qilin clansmen you killed was unknown, but in short, the more you killed, the more there were!

Gradually, you realized: these slaughter incidents were not random at all, but someone deliberately caused them, someone had laid out a vast conspiracy net…

As for who the culprit is?

This hardly needs deep thought: who benefits most from slaughtering the Dragon Clan? Who has never shown their face from start to finish? Who is indulging the slaughter?

"Zu Long!"

Your eyes bloodshot, you stared straight toward the Eastern Sea: there a surge of heavenly aura rose!

Zu Long, already at the peak of Great Luo!

……

(End of chapter)