Chapter 447: Chapter 432: Abnormality Betokens a Demon
Opening an Elements Mansion was an incredibly difficult feat.
For an ordinary Xuanwu Realm Martial Artist, opening an Elements Mansion with a spiritual nature different from their own was nearly impossible without a special opportunity.
Yet in just one hour, Ying Huo had obtained a Water Element Mansion out of thin air!
And it wasn’t an empty one, either; it was an Elements Mansion brimming with Water Spiritual Power!
Just by refining this one Elements Mansion, Ying Huo could already feel his strength surging. It seemed he was on the verge of breaking through to the Xuanwu Realm Eighth Heaven.
’And Shen Lang was actually suggesting another one?’
’At this rate, wouldn’t it be just a short time before he had a series of Elements Mansions surrounding his Mystic Pill? He could even reach the Xuanwu Realm Ninth Heaven Great Perfection Realm!’
Ying Huo’s expression turned serious. He said respectfully, "Milord, although I have strength to spare, I dare not be greedy. The Elements Mansion I’m refining is still extremely unstable, and my Realm needs to be consolidated. It will likely take several months for me to fully refine it and make it my own."
Shen Lang nodded in satisfaction. "It’s good that you can think so clearly when faced with such a temptation. Very well. There’s no rush; it’s better to be cautious."
At this, the onlookers were all dumbfounded.
Although neither Shen Lang nor Ying Huo had explained the specifics, everyone could piece together what had happened from their conversation.
At first, they thought Shen Lang was going to perform a power transmission for Ying Huo. But from the sounds of it... did Shen Lang just directly *give* him a Water Element Mansion?
This was simply unheard of!
Could Elements Mansions even be given away?
There were powerhouses who could use their immense cultivation to help their juniors open an Elements Mansion, but no one had ever heard of someone directly *giving* one away.
After all, the only things that could easily open a Water Element Mansion were extremely rare treasures like the Water Spirit Pearl!
And even with a Water Spirit Pearl, it would still take several months to actually open one, wouldn’t it?
This was a heaven-defying stroke of luck!
The group immediately fixed their gazes on Shen Lang like a pack of starving wolves, the desire in their eyes unmistakable.
Shen Lang glanced at the crowd and waved his hand. "This was just an experiment. I chose Ying Huo not only for his exceptionally firm will, but also because his cultivation is the highest. Only someone with his level of cultivation and willpower can control such a highly incompatible Elements Mansion."
"Furthermore, I need to observe the stability of Ying Huo’s Elements Mansion for a period of time. If everything goes smoothly, then you will naturally get your turn."
"But cultivation ultimately depends on you. Even if I give you Elements Mansions and help you reach the Xuanwu Realm Great Perfection Realm, you must still rely on your own efforts to truly assimilate them and break through."
"Understood! Thank you, Milord!" the crowd said respectfully in unison.
Shen Lang waved his hand grandly. "Alright, let’s head back now. Qian Luo, you are to return to the Holy Light Sect."
"What? No!"
Qian Luo let out a miserable wail and lunged forward, grabbing onto Shen Lang’s thigh.
"Hmph?" With a twitch of his right leg, Shen Lang sent the scoundrel flying.
Qian Luo scrambled back on his hands and knees, wailing, "Milord, my loyalty to you is not one bit less than theirs! Please, take me back to the Profound Dao Sect! I don’t ever want to go back to the Holy Light Sect!"
This man, who looked to be in his fifties or sixties, was now a blubbering mess of snot and tears at Shen Lang’s feet, leaving the members of War Wolf completely dumbfounded.
He felt he had no other choice.
’What attraction could the Holy Light Sect possibly hold for him now?’
’Even as a Master of One Peak, what kind of perks were there to be had?’
’It was nothing compared to what they had excavated from those fifteen ore veins on their journey.’
’Besides, only by staying at Shen Lang’s side could he possibly gain more benefits—like powerful cultivation techniques, or like Ying Huo, receiving an entire Elements Mansion out of thin air!’
’And those powerful cultivation techniques! Look at Ying Huo! With a single sword strike, he cut down two people from the Holy Light Sect whose cultivation was on par with his own, and he did it with ease!’
’As for an Elements Mansion... you could fight desperately for over a decade and still not open one, yet here they could be obtained so easily... To hell with the Holy Light Sect!’
"You’re a man of several decades, crying like this in front of me. Have you no shame?" Shen Lang said, his face dark. "If you want benefits, if you want to become stronger, then do exactly as I say. Only by handling matters for me will you have a chance to get what you desire."
"We might not need to use the Silent Extinction Divine Thunder, but just to be safe, you still need to place it within the Holy Light Sect’s forbidden grounds."
"Secondly, I need you to act as my mole and keep a close watch on the Holy Light Sect’s movements. Report to me immediately if anything happens. Understood?"
Wiping away his tears, Qian Luo stood up and said plaintively, "Understood, understood... I just thought Milord didn’t want me anymore..."
A wave of goosebumps broke out among the onlookers.
Then Shen Lang added, "Oh, right. There’s a disciple in the Holy Light Sect named Xiu Ban. He was one of my earliest subordinates. Find him and make him your deputy. When you have time, groom him a little."
With that, Shen Lang tossed a Jade Scroll to Qian Luo.
"The cultivation technique recorded in this Jade Scroll is called the Purple Qi Celestial Net. Take it and cultivate it diligently. The Jade Scroll will only last for three days before it self-destructs. Remember that."
Qian Luo’s face fell. "Um... Milord, could I learn that swordsmanship technique of Ying Huo’s instead? Just from the name, this Purple Qi Celestial Net doesn’t sound nearly as impressive as his swordsmanship."
"Insolent!" Shen Lang snapped.
"You will learn what I give you. Is this something you can bargain over?"
"Do you think the Purple Qi Celestial Net is inferior to the swordsmanship Ying Huo learned? This is a cultivation technique from Taixuan Cave Heaven, one of the Thirty-Six Great Cave Heavens. It’s an Emperor Level Third Grade technique! I only gifted it to the Imperial Dragon Sect’s Elder Ancestor, Shangguan Feiyue, because he did me a favor. You, you scoundrel, have hit the jackpot, and you still dare to pout?"
"If it weren’t for the current circumstances, do you think someone like you would ever be qualified to come into contact with such a technique?"
Qian Luo’s expression changed drastically. "Em... Emperor Level Third Grade? The same cultivation technique Elder Ancestor Shangguan learned?"
The nearby War Wolf members were practically drooling with envy.
"The Purple Qi Celestial Net is an Emperor’s Cultivation Method. Cultivating its Imperial Qi to the absolute limit allows one to condense a True Dragon. When that dragon roams the world, the heavens will tremble, the earth will quake, and ghosts and gods alike will cry out in terror!"
Shen Lang said coldly, "Listen well. I don’t keep useless people. If your cultivation is still stagnant even with the help of a technique like this, sooner or later, I will erase your memory and take it back!"
"Don’t think that just because I have ways to boost your cultivation, you can just sit back and enjoy a free ride. On the contrary, you need to make a worthy contribution to earn what I’ve given you! Otherwise, what use do I have for a useless piece of trash like you?"
Shen Lang’s words were blunt, but for someone like Qian Luo, it was the perfect tone to take.
Cold sweat streamed down Qian Luo’s face as he nodded repeatedly. "Understood, understood! This subordinate will definitely cultivate diligently and live up to Milord’s grace! Milord, rest assured! If those scumbags from the Holy Light Sect so much as stir, I will contact you immediately. I will absolutely not let their vile schemes succeed!"
By the end, the scoundrel was speaking with an air of righteous heroism, causing the members of War Wolf to roll their eyes again and again.
Only a character like Shen Lang, using a combination of rewards and threats, could ever hope to tame such a shameless individual.
"Alright, it’s getting late. Let’s head back."
At Shen Lang’s command, the group took to the skies.
The wind whistled past. As Shen Lang sped through the air, his thoughts returned to the Holy Light Sect.
The alliance between the Holy Light Sect, the Beast Emperor Palace, and Shui Tianji wasn’t as powerful as Shen Lang had initially imagined.
Therefore, the crisis wasn’t as severe as he had first thought.
Besides, Shen Lang had now united the Five Sects, including Evil Wind Valley. With more than twenty King Martial Realm experts at his command, what reason was there to fear the Holy Light Sect and the Beast Emperor Palace?
On the other hand, planting the Silent Extinction Divine Thunder in the Holy Light Sect’s forbidden grounds felt like complete overkill, trapping them in an inescapable deathtrap.
’But something still feels off,’ Shen Lang thought.
’Based on what I know now, even with two King Martial Realm Fifth Heaven powerhouses, they pose no real threat to the current Profound Dao Sect.’
’But back in Celestial Palace City, the Master of All Things said I would soon face a deadly calamity.’
’Something that could be called a ’calamity’ couldn’t possibly be this simple.’
Shen Lang ran through everything in his mind once more, carefully sorting through the details. Suddenly, a sharp glint flashed in his eyes.
’Shui Tianji brought two powerhouses, roped in the Holy Light Sect and the Beast Emperor Palace, and planned to annihilate the Profound Dao Sect. On the surface, it all seems straightforward.’
’But there’s a gaping hole in this plan!’
’The person Shui Tianji truly holds a grudge against is me, Shen Lang, not the Profound Dao Sect!’
’If Shui Tianji really wanted to deal with me, the best way...’
’...would be to lie in wait outside the Profound Dao Sect, just like I had Qian Luo do, not waste so much effort trying to wipe out the entire sect.’
’Moreover, with the opening of the Yumu Cave Blessed Land imminent, given what she knows of my strength, Shui Tianji should have been absolutely certain I would participate in its trials.’
’Since she knew I was going to the Yumu Cave Blessed Land, why didn’t she ambush me on the road after I left the Profound Dao Sect? Why wait until I’ve entered the Blessed Land to attack the Profound Dao Sect, a group she has no real conflict with?’
’It makes no sense!’
’Does she plan to destroy the Profound Dao Sect first, then wait for me to come back so she can kill me?’
’Isn’t that completely backward and redundant?’
’Besides, if she destroys the Profound Dao Sect while I’m in the Blessed Land, once I hear the news, I’ll obviously run as far away as I can.’
’Why would I give her another chance?’
’And Shui Tianji already knows my relationship with the Imperial Dragon Sect is unusual. If I were to return with their powerhouses, in her current state, even with her two King Martial Realm Fifth Heaven experts, she would have no choice but to run!’
’"When things are this abnormal, there must be something wicked at play!"’
Shen Lang began to slowly sort through all the information he had.
...
"When things are abnormal, one suspects a wicked plot. That is exactly what I want him to think. Only when he thinks along those lines will he fall into the trap I have laid."
A young woman spoke leisurely from within a bright and pristine room.
"To deal with someone as demonically intelligent as him, one must use unconventional methods. Since Mother and my two senior uncles cannot crush him with overwhelming force, we can only engage him in a battle of wits."
The speaker was a young woman of about seventeen, around Shen Lang’s age. Dressed in a flawless white gown, she sat in a wheelchair, her tone calm and detached.
Her eyes were as clear as autumn pools, her nose was fine and elegant, and every glance held an indescribable, moving grace.
But her face was pale, a sickly pallor, as if she hadn’t felt the sun’s rays in a very long time. It was a sight that would stir an irrepressible feeling of pity in anyone who saw her.
Across from her sat two old men with white hair and beards, their expressions grim and uncertain as they seemed to ponder her words.
On the table between them rested a translucent, dragon-shaped object. Inside, a small, four-winged snake swam back and forth.
"Xian’Er, are you saying our collaboration with the Holy Light Sect and the Beast Emperor Palace is just a diversion to mislead Shen Lang? That our goal isn’t actually to kill him with this alliance?"
The little snake swimming inside emitted a soft, feminine voice. It was none other than Shui Tianji of Blood Evil Island, whose physical body had been destroyed by a single strike from Hong Yu’s sword!
And the woman in the white dress, seated in the wheelchair, was Shui Tianji’s daughter, Zhuge Xian’Er.
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