Chapter 733: Chapter 733
"Well, Changchun, I didn't expect you to inherit the manual. You've really made something of yourself."
"Sister, let me explain."
"You can explain to my Ice Soul Sword."
The fight between the two grew fiercer, and the entire sky above Changchun Valley's Mountain Protection Array was filled with their imposing presence. Intense energy waves swept across the area, causing the entire region to be in turmoil.
As time passed, more and more onlookers were drawn to the scene. A crowd had already gathered around Wang Shouzhe, and even the Longevity Tree had rarely taken human form to join in the spectacle. Updates are released by novel fire.net
Soon, people from other factions like Xiaoyao Peak and Xuanbing Hall also came to watch.
Before long, the entire Longzuo Academy was alerted.
Changchun deserved a beating for deceiving everyone's feelings.
This beating lasted for more than half an hour.
Seeing Changchun Immortal's increasingly miserable state, our "new dean" of the Purple Mansion Academy of Longzuo Commandery, Liu Xuanfu, finally appeared to mediate.
According to the original plan, Wang Shouzhe's eldest daughter, Wang Liyao, was supposed to be the next dean of the Purple Mansion Academy. However, no one expected Wang Liyao to leap directly into becoming the successor of Lingyun Holy Land, and she excelled in that position.
Naturally, the previous dean of Longzuo Academy needed to be replaced.
Liu Xuanfu, as a disciple of the Yuanshui lineage and part of Tianhe Daoist's faction, had been developing well with the dual support of the Liu Clan and the Purple Mansion. Although not as dazzling as Wang Long Yan, one of Changning's twin prodigies, her bloodline aptitude had also improved to the level of a peerless prodigy, comparable to Princess Suiyun of the past.
Decades ago, her cultivation had not yet advanced to the Divine Realm, and she naturally took over Longzuo Academy, becoming the new dean.
With her aptitude, leading Longzuo Academy to greater heights was only a matter of time.
In fact, besides Liu Xuanfu, many of the leaders of the various peaks and factions of Longzuo had also changed. Over the years, the younger generation of Dreamfeather Academy had gradually matured, and it was naturally time for them to take over.
The former Tianhe Daoist, Yuanshui lineage, and even Xuanyao lineage had aged considerably and had gone to retire in the Purple Mansion retirement home.
The one who took over Xiaoyao Peak was Wang Shouxin from the Longyou Purple Mansion.
Back when the Longzuo Purple Mansion first came to Longzuo, it was Wang Shouxin who led the way. Over the years, he also caught the slow train of Longyou Purple Mansion's revival and became a Dreamfeather Realm cultivator.
As for Binglan Ascetic, who went to explore the Ice Soul Holy Land, the lineage left behind in Longzuo had not broken its inheritance. The current hall master of Longzuo was Ji Mingyu from the Ji Clan, an old acquaintance of Longzuo.
The only place that hadn't changed much was Myriad Butterfly Valley, where Wang Luojing had once apprenticed.
The current Wang Clan's lady still wore a veil as always, never revealing her true face. Her demeanor and temperament were almost unchanged from before, her hair still glossy, and her figure still graceful and charming, as if she never aged, exuding an air of mystery.
By this time, Binglan Ascetic had vented enough, and her anger had subsided. With Liu Xuanfu's mediation, she withdrew her hand and let the battered Changchun Immortal go.
At this time, the news that Changchun Immortal had not only extended his life but also become a young prodigy and inherited the manual had not yet spread within Longzuo.
What was originally a sorrowful memorial ceremony turned into a joyous banquet, enveloping the entire Dreamfeather Academy in a festive atmosphere.
With so many people gathered, the Longzuo Purple Mansion didn't rush back but stayed to catch up with some old acquaintances and reminisce about the past.
At night, the Longzuo Purple Mansion stayed in a spacious courtyard within Changchun Valley, rich in spiritual energy.
This courtyard, located near the core of the spiritual vein, was one of the highest-standard guest courtyards in Changchun Valley, surrounded by lush greenery and a comfortable environment, exuding a sense of tranquility.
A shadowy figure, as if in a dream, flitted over the courtyard wall and appeared gracefully within the courtyard.
Upon entering the courtyard, she dared not venture further and instead bowed respectfully towards the main house, "The Wang Clan seeks an audience with Master Wang Shouzhe."
"So it's the Wang Clan's lady." The voice of the Longzuo Purple Mansion came from inside the house, "The night is deep, and Shouzhe won't invite you inside. Let's have a chat over tea in the courtyard."
The Longzuo Purple Mansion appeared in the courtyard.
In the moonlight, he was dressed in white like snow, still as gentle as jade, and as elegant as ever, seemingly unchanged from the young man who entered the valley to receive the Lingtai chapter for cultivation eight hundred years ago. However, his demeanor was now worlds apart.
Seeing this scene, the Wang Clan's lady was filled with emotion.
Back then, when Longzuo represented Changchun Valley in meeting the various peaks and factions, she only thought of him as someone with extraordinary talent and deep scheming, who might achieve something in the future.
Who would have thought that in just eight hundred years, that once naive young man would grow to a point where even she had to look up to him? His every word and action could influence the entire world's structure.
The affairs of the world truly are ever-changing.
The Longzuo Purple Mansion gestured for the Wang Clan's lady to sit at the white jade stone table in the courtyard and, under the moonlight, invited her for tea.
"Master Wang Shouzhe is so calm and composed. Could it be that you already guessed the Wang Clan would come?" The Wang Clan's lady's voice was soft and charming, with a hint of relief.
"Why would you say that?" Longzuo smiled gently, "Although the lady's origins are mysterious, as far as Shouzhe knows, you have not harmed the academy or the interests of the Longzuo Commandery, and you have taken good care of our Luojing. Moreover, the contributions you've made on the battlefield over the years are evident to all."
"Master Wang Shouzhe has indeed investigated me." The Wang Clan's lady seemed relieved, her tone steady, "I came today to seek your help."
"The lady's origins are mysterious, and your illusions and butterfly control techniques are rare and exceptional. However, there are many doubts about you, so it's only right for Shouzhe to investigate." Longzuo was candid, speaking leisurely, "I'm just curious why, before your marriage to the heir of the Shentu Clan's Purple Imperial Mansion, you suddenly disappeared and secretly came to the remote Longyou Commandery Academy? Were you avoiding something?"
The Longzuo Purple Mansion was no deity, and the Wang Clan's lady's matters involved the Shentu Clan, events from seven or eight hundred years ago, making the investigation naturally challenging.
Moreover, in his view, the Wang Clan's lady acted high-profile, always doing what a Dreamfeather Realm cultivator should do, not someone harboring malicious intentions. Therefore, he didn't delve deeply into the matter, only assigning some people to keep an eye on her.
"Master Wang Shouzhe indeed has great means. At this point, I can only seek your help." The Wang Clan's lady hesitated briefly, then removed her veil, revealing a mature, enchanting, and captivating face.
She slightly circulated her profound energy, and mysterious, beautiful demonic patterns appeared faintly on her face, seemingly containing the unique laws of heaven and earth.
"Innate demonic patterns?" Longzuo frowned slightly, "The lady indeed has demonic bloodline. It seems your origins are more complicated than I imagined. However, the chances of successful hybridization between humans and demons are very low. Please explain your background."
"The chances are indeed very low." The Wang Clan's lady sighed, "My mother was one of the many human concubines around the Four Hells Demon God. Over the years, the Four Hells Demon God had eight human hybrid offspring, and only I survived to adulthood, displaying extraordinary bloodline talent."
"Four Hells Demon God." Longzuo swirled his teacup, a hint of apprehension in his eyes, "Among the four great demon gods of the demon realm, the Four Hells Demon God and the Bone Saw Demon God are both said to have mid-stage demon god strength. The Four Hells seems to be slightly superior, with two demon gods submitting to it. Moreover, this demon god is always reclusive, rarely seen by anyone."
In the past one hundred and seventy years, the Dreamfeather Academy's Palace of Immortals had been gradually infiltrating the demon realm, establishing a preliminary intelligence system after integrating various channels.
Yet, even so, information about the Four Hells Demon God remained scarce.
There was no way around it; the Four Hells Demon God's territory didn't border human strongholds, and with two demon god halls in between, infiltrating intelligence was challenging.
Fortunately, the Four Hells Demon God seemed uninterested in human territories and only superficially supported the Yincha Demon God's plan to welcome back the Great Demon Lord, secretly amassing strength without sending troops to aid the Yincha Demon God.
However, to resolve the demon threat, the faction led by the Four Hells Demon God was an unavoidable obstacle.
"Master Wang Shouzhe, you may have underestimated the Four Hells Demon God." At the mention of this name, the Wang Clan's lady's eyes showed deep fear, "In my view, this demon god is the most unfathomable and ambitious among the four great demon gods. Master Wang Shouzhe, have you heard of the Eclipse Moon Demon Lord?"
"Eclipse Moon Demon Lord? I've heard of it; it seems to be another demon lord from the demon realm." Longzuo nodded slightly, secretly pondering.
Wasn't this Eclipse Moon Demon Lord the one taken down by the later generations of the Xuanling Saint? Could there be more to this story?
"The Eclipse Moon Demon Lord was not originally a native demon lord of the demon realm. It was part of the reinforcements for the demon realm's King Fugui, and the ancestor of the Four Hells Demon God was one of the demon gods under the Eclipse Moon Demon Lord."
"Back then, the Eclipse Moon Demon Lord, along with its subordinates, attempted to bypass the Shenwu World by navigating the void with the Eclipse Moon Palace, only to be intercepted and annihilated by a mysterious human powerhouse in the Star Chaos Belt. The battle shattered countless stars and devastated the void, leaving the Eclipse Moon Demon Lord and the palace destroyed, and the Eclipse Moon faction annihilated in the star chaos."
Speaking of this history, the Wang Clan's lady's eyes shone with admiration and longing.
After a moment, she continued, "However, the ancestor of the Nether Fiend survived because it stayed behind, passing down the secret through generations. The Four Hells Demon God has been secretly trying to unlock the ancient battlefield of the Star Chaos Belt."
"But the Star Chaos Belt is vast, and the star chaos is extremely dangerous, so progress has been slow. Until this generation of the Four Hells Demon God, it received a signal from the Eclipse Moon Demon Lord's remnant soul in the distant star chaos."
"It turns out the Eclipse Moon Demon Lord's remnant soul, through persistent effort and luck, escaped the star chaos. The Four Hells Demon God welcomed the remnant soul with sincerity but secretly devoured it, gradually assimilating its true spirit core over the years."
Hearing this, Longzuo's brow twitched slightly.
This Four Hells Demon God indeed hid deeply. For high-level demons, the true spirit core is crucial, containing all the bloodline information of a demon, allowing it to possess other beings and gradually demonize them.
Since the Four Hells Demon God devoured the Eclipse Moon Demon Lord's core, as it assimilates the true spirit core, it will gradually acquire all the bloodline information of the Eclipse Moon Demon Lord. While it may not necessarily reach the demon lord realm, its strength will certainly increase, with the potential to grow into a demon lord.
I thought so; even if the demon factions are divided, the Four Hells Demon God was being overly low-key. It turns out it was biding its time.
"However, the path to becoming a demon lord through this is not simple." The Wang Clan's lady said, "It tasted the benefits and wanted to see if it could find the legacy of King Fugui. Moreover, it feared the day when King Fugui's remnant soul might return as a demon lord, reducing it to its original form. Therefore, it painstakingly cultivated me, hoping to use me to plot against King Fugui's remnant soul."
At this point, the Wang Clan's lady's eyes showed uncontrollable hatred, "What's more despicable is that it polluted my mother's bloodline with demon god essence, slightly enhancing my cultivation and lifespan, intending to indirectly control me. I had no choice but to follow its plan, impersonating a human to infiltrate the Red Moon Demon Dynasty and successfully seducing my husband, Yongyan."
"With Yongyan, I experienced both humiliation and protection, and also tasted true love." The Wang Clan's lady's eyes sparkled with memories, her tone tinged with nostalgia, "Even when Yongyan learned of my identity, he didn't expose me but thought of ways to help me out of trouble."
Longzuo sipped his tea, "Did the lady abandon the plan for the sake of the heir of the Purple Imperial Mansion? Of course, as far as I know, Shentu Yongyan is now the new 'Purple Imperial King.'"
"Not entirely." The Wang Clan's lady clenched her veil tightly, her eyes burning with hatred, "My mother refused to be indirectly controlled and chose to self-destruct with unstable demon crystals during a demon god meeting, attempting to assassinate the Four Hells Demon God. Unfortunately, Four Hells Demon God was too powerful, and even its fur wasn't harmed! Upon hearing the news, I was heartbroken but realized it was my chance to escape the Four Hells Demon God's control."
"I immediately broke off with Yongyan, faked my death, and fled, eventually reaching the remote Longyou Commandery... Firstly, this place is remote, minimizing the risk of being detected by the Shentu Clan and the Four Hells Demon God's spies. Secondly, I hoped to find a slim chance for revenge."
"So, the lady intends to use the Purple Mansion to deal with the Four Hells Demon God?" Longzuo leisurely drank his tea.
"The Four Hells Demon God is ambitious and will eventually become a major threat to humanity. I only trust Master Wang Shouzhe to handle it." The Wang Clan's lady stood up and bowed again, "As long as the master commands, the Wang Clan will not hesitate, even if it means death."
Longzuo drank his tea, pondering, and had already raised the security level of the Four Hells Demon God to the highest.
Compared to the cunning, scheming, and powerful Four Hells Demon God, the threats posed by the Yincha Demon God and the Nether Fiend Demon God were minor.
"There's no problem with cooperation, but the lady seems to have found the wrong person." Longzuo said.
"Then..." The Wang Clan's lady was slightly disappointed, "Does this mean that even Master Wang Shouzhe cannot decide, and it requires the Immortal Emperor or Demon Emperor's approval?"
"Not at all." Longzuo explained, "In our Dreamfeather, responsibilities are clearly divided. My main duty is to manage the Purple Mansion's affairs and assign tasks to the family. The strategic planning and specific policies regarding the demon realm and demons are fully handled by our family's Fugui."
"Here's what we'll do. I'll write an introduction letter, explaining the situation clearly. You can report to Fugui, and he'll handle it." As Longzuo spoke, he took out paper and pen and began writing.
The Wang Clan's lady was momentarily speechless.
For such a significant matter as dealing with the demon realm, the main person in charge wasn't even the esteemed head of the Dreamfeather family. She had heard of the Xuanbing Hall, known for its not-so-great reputation, as a playboy and libertine.
"Of course, Fugui will naturally investigate and assess the authenticity of what you say." Longzuo reminded, "When facing Fugui, it's best for the lady to speak candidly and not hide anything. Otherwise, even I don't know what that kid might do."
The Wang Clan's lady felt a chill and immediately set aside her underestimation of Longzuo, taking the introduction letter and leaving with gratitude.
After she left, Longzuo didn't immediately get up to leave but sat alone, drinking tea under the moonlight, tapping the white jade stone table and pondering for a moment, "Four Hells Demon God, hehe, interesting."
Time flowed like water, and in the blink of an eye, several days had passed.
Purple Mansion's main residence.
At the dock by Zhuhui Lake, a large Yuan Shui Old Turtle slowly approached the shore, and several children from the clan school jumped off its back, chatting and bouncing as they ran towards home.
Among them, a seventeen or eighteen-year-old, dressed in a festive red robe, stood out in the crowd.
This young one was none other than the Tree of Fortune, "Left Academy."
A hundred and seventy years had passed, and now its strength had reached the tenth tier, having long since successfully taken human form.
In human form, it appeared as a chubby seventeen or eighteen-year-old girl, round and plump, with a face full of fortune, resembling Wang Bao Fu, but also bearing some resemblance to Fugui.
In the clan school, it performed decently, but its luck was exceptional, so it always did well in exams.
However, as it progressed to the intermediate clan school, its weak foundation gradually became apparent. Due to the competitiveness of the clan school, even slightly challenging exams had no multiple-choice or true-false questions... Most questions required full steps and lengthy formulas.
As a result, even with good luck, the Left Academy could only guess correctly a portion of the answers, which was already fortunate.
Therefore, Wang Bao Fu gave it a beating and sent it back to the elementary clan school to relearn. Thus, the Left Academy slowly studied, returning to the intermediate clan school and continuing its leisurely learning.
Wang Bao Fu didn't push it to learn quickly, allowing it to take its time in the lower clan school. After all, while Bao Fu's strength grew slowly, its mind was mature enough.
This was a common issue among lower-tier spirit plants. Spirit plants had pure minds, and their mental growth was often slow. Unless they experienced psychological trauma like the peony Jinshan, they would remain childlike for hundreds of years.
The Left Academy had a difficult early life, with its intelligence suppressed for a long time. It wasn't until it came to the Purple Mansion that it began to enjoy a good life, savoring the years.
As the Left Academy separated from its companions and bounced towards the main road, a male voice suddenly called from the garden.
The Left Academy was startled, quickly trying to run, but a slender, fair hand grabbed it and pulled it into the bushes.
In the bushes stood a beautiful woman.
She held the Left Academy's shoulder with one hand and pinched its round face with the other, smiling warmly, looking very familiar.
"Auntie, Auntie Zhaoyu, don't mess around~~" The Left Academy immediately burst into tears, "You've pinched my face swollen... and messed up my hair."
Its cultivation level was indeed not high, but as a naturally supportive spirit plant, its personal combat ability was quite weak. Moreover, with its aunt causing trouble, it dared not resist.
"Don't cry, don't cry~ Let Auntie rub some luck off you." The beautiful woman comforted it while vigorously rubbing the Left Academy's hair, her attitude serious, as if completing an important task.
This woman was none other than Princess Zhaoyu of the Demon Dynasty.
Over the years, the little bean sprout who used to cling to Fugui's lap had grown into a stunning and graceful woman, exuding charm with every gesture.
Although her strength wasn't as formidable as the Xuanbing Hall, she was undoubtedly outstanding among her peers, having reached the Divine Realm before the age of two hundred, with unfathomable strength.
After her breakthrough, she, like Longzuo and Yunhuan Die, dominated the Dreamfeather Rankings for years, becoming a prominent figure in the Immortal and Demon Dynasties, a model for the younger generation.
After rubbing the Left Academy's head and face several times, she finally stopped, "This time, the luck should be enough, right? I can't let Chuan Nan take the lead again~~ This time, I must hurry and have a child~~ I'll bet Yunhuan Die is having a princess."
"Auntie Zhaoyu, is Auntie Chuan Nan having a baby?" Hearing this, the Left Academy's spirits lifted, and even its tears stopped, "That's great, I'll have another little brother."
"Wait, how do you know it's a brother?" Princess Zhaoyu's face changed.
"I don't know, I was just saying." The Left Academy blinked its big eyes, looking innocent and clueless.
Princess Zhaoyu's mind went blank, as if struck by lightning.
It's over, it's over, the direct line still can't compete with Yunhuan Die. This time, the old ancestor will be furious.
(End of this chapter)