CHAPTER 89: CHAPTER 87: JI WOLONG, LIN FENGCHUO [PLEASE SUBSCRIBE!]

"Brother Wuwang, just agree!"

"Teacher, I too wish to follow you. I have already informed my family, telling them that if they didn’t allow it, I would take my own life on the spot... Guess what? Hmph, they actually agreed."

In the small courtyard where Wu Wang was staying, he paced back and forth with his hands behind his back. Ji Mo and Lin Qi followed closely, leaving no opportunity for Yang Wudi’s four guards to interject.

Not far away, under the shade of a tree, Lin Suqing sat on a lounge chair, gently fanning herself with a folding fan. She indeed had the air of a worldly, wealthy lady. Unfortunately, her pure and delicate beauty made her seem untouched by the mundane, always lacking a certain worldly flavor.

"Brother Wuwang!" Ji Mo pleaded earnestly. "Although I’m already at the Jumping God Realm, I haven’t officially joined any Sect. I’ve practiced with my family elders since I was young and only had a few teachers guide me, Teacher Xu Mu being one of them. Joining your Annihilation Sect is completely reasonable; no one can say a word against it. Look, if the Elder position is hard to arrange, then make me a protector. If not a protector, then an officer. If that’s truly not possible, I’ll even settle for being a disciple... if you really have the heart."

Lin Qi hurriedly added, "Teacher, I feel the same."

Wu Wang turned to look at the two of them. On his left was Ji Mo, dashing and heroic; on his right, Lin Qi, with a face as fine as jade and a tall, slender build. Both were top-tier young gentlemen of this turbid world.

Sigh, acquiring either a Sleeping Dragon or a Young Phoenix could lead to conquering the world. How could his humble Annihilation Sect possibly deserve both at once?

Wu Wang said, "My Annihilation Sect’s temple is too small to accommodate two great deities like yourselves."

"We’re going to cultivate, to temper ourselves!" Ji Mo declared with a decisive wave of his hand. "After this assassination attempt, I’ve realized I must reach the Transcendent Realm! Otherwise, when facing hardship, I can only rely on others! I believe that cultivating alongside Brother Wuwang is my greatest fortune."

Lin Qi said, "Teacher, I feel the same."

"What are you hoping to gain by cultivating in the Annihilation Sect?" Wu Wang was caught between laughter and tears. "Do you find the turbid energy there particularly refreshing?"

PFFT! Lin Suqing couldn’t hold back her laughter. She turned her head, covering her mouth and coughing for a moment.

Ji Mo and Lin Qi stepped forward simultaneously, one on each side of Wu Wang.

"It’s you we’re after, Brother Wuwang."

"Teacher, I feel the same!"

Wu Wang: ...

He was so close to just telling them to get lost.

"Alright then, let’s not say I’m making things difficult for you," Wu Wang said. "It’s fine for you to join our Annihilation Sect; we do need talented individuals like yourselves. However, your family backgrounds are extraordinary, both from prominent Military Families in the Human Domain. I’m worried about bringing trouble to the Annihilation Sect. So, I ask that each of you bring a handwritten letter from your family head, confirming that they permit your actions. If you do that, I’ll accept you as protectors. How about it?"

"Excellent! I’ll head home right away!"

"Teacher, please wait a few days for me. I’ll be right back."

The two exchanged a glance, each gave a light snort, and left with a flick of their sleeves, already secretly competing.

It has started—the rivalry between these two, the ’Sleeping Dragon and Young Phoenix,’ has begun!

Having temporarily placated these two young masters, Wu Wang finally breathed a sigh of relief. He couldn’t help but wonder if he’d be skinned alive by Grandmother Ji of the Ji Family and Lin Nuhao of the Lin Family. This wasn’t something he instigated, nor could it be blamed on him.

After Ji Mo and Lin Qi, each accompanied by several Immortal protectors, left the military camp, Wu Wang quickly gathered Lin Suqing and Yang Wudi’s four men, packed his valuables, and made a swift departure.

Wu Wang had intended to bid farewell to Fairy Ling, but upon reaching her residence, he was informed that she hadn’t been in secluded cultivation there for long and had already returned to the Xuan Nu Sect to continue her practice. This left Wu Wang feeling somewhat wistful.

Since becoming acquainted with Ji Mo and Fairy Ling, Ji Mo had increasingly developed into a comedic figure, while Fairy Ling shared a good rapport with him. She was intelligent and sagacious, with a hint of cunning; resourceful and brave, yet she never let passion lead her to act recklessly.

When we next meet, who knows if she’ll have already become an Immortal? I need to redouble my own efforts. It wouldn’t do if, next time we face danger, she has to weigh whether playing her flute is more effective than drawing her sword to cut someone down. It really can’t come down to ’You’ve been buffed, now go feed!’

Wu Wang chuckled, "This Fairy Immortal is truly carefree."

Lin Suqing murmured softly beside him, "Why do I get the feeling this Fairy Immortal left without saying goodbye because she didn’t know how to face you, Young Master, and wanted to calm her heart?"

"Don’t overthink it. Who knows more, you or I?" Wu Wang replied indifferently, "You know my situation."

Lin Suqing immediately grinned, her eyes crinkling into crescents. She sauntered around Wu Wang with her hands behind her back, playfully asking, "What situation?" and "What do I know?" She was almost swatted unconscious by Wu Wang for her teasing.

To leave the military camp, they naturally needed permission from the General in charge. Wu Wang, familiar with the procedures, found Xu Mu. The deputy commander, who should have returned to rebuild the Wuchen Celestial Dome, had volunteered to stay behind and look after these four "little ones."

"Leaving already?" Xu Mu pondered for a moment. "Why don’t you stay here and recuperate? The situation outside is chaotic, and you just confronted an Evil God. It would be easy for the Ten Evils Hall to target you. It’s ultimately safer here."

Wu Wang merely smiled at Xu Mu without saying a word, making the latter feel increasingly uneasy under his gaze.

"Alright," Xu Mu sighed. "There aren’t many experts in the military camp at the moment. You’d have more protection back at your Sect."

"Brother Xu Mu, rest assured," Wu Wang said with a slight bow. "Once the beast scourge in the Northern Region is quelled, we can meet again for a leisurely chat."

"Excellent!"

Xu Mu gave them a Flying Shuttle, which Yang Wudi and his men piloted, thus ending Wu Wang’s "sentence" ahead of schedule.

On the way back to the Annihilation Sect, the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion even dispatched two inspection immortal envoys to escort them secretly. This wasn’t special treatment for Wu Wang alone; Fairy Ling, Ji Mo, and Lin Qi all received similar consideration.

It was only natural. They had faced the Evil God Ming Snake with strength below the Immortal level, remaining unyielding, fighting back, and even daring to taunt it. If individuals like these weren’t worth the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion’s full support in their cultivation, then what kind of talent should the Human Domain nurture?

Who knows when I’ll possess the strength to confront an Evil God head-on. It definitely won’t be too far off.

「As the saying goes, when one family is happy, another is worried.」

Ever since their sneak attack on the Wuchen Celestial Dome, the Ten Evils Hall had fallen on hard times. As a clandestine organization unaccustomed to operating in the light, the battle at the Wuchen Celestial Dome had already cost them dearly. During that fight, some of their mid-to-high-ranking members were captured, and a significant amount of intelligence was extracted from them. Consequently, numerous bases used by the Ten Evils Hall for cultivating talent were destroyed, and much of their painstaking effort went down the drain.

Furthermore, the inspection immortal envoys under the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion began scouring the entire Human Domain for any trace of the Ten Evils Hall. One discovery led to another; the destruction of those few Ten Evils Hall bases yielded even more intelligence. For a time, the Ten Evils Hall’s activity plummeted to an all-time low, with all their remaining strongholds going deep into hiding.

「In a certain underground palace.」

"Are our people so lacking in resolve?"

"Elder, all our people have had their Dao Hearts branded. Even if captured, they wouldn’t speak easily."

"Then why!"

"The enemy’s interrogation methods must have been exceedingly brutal, causing our people’s Dao Hearts to break."

"There’s one more thing. The portrait of Lin Qi that the Grand Elder brought back to Father seems... off. It looks more like Wu Wangzi, the Sect Master of that Demonic Sect."

"Are you questioning Father Ming Snake!?"

"No, I wouldn’t dare."

"That *is* Lin Qi! Circulate the image! Everyone, remember him—that is Lin Qi, the holder of the Yan Emperor Order! Find him immediately! We must redeem ourselves!"

In the dimly lit subterranean hall, the Elder’s roars echoed relentlessly, while the figures kneeling below could only bow their heads lower and lower.

...

The military’s Flying Shuttle was indeed swift. Piloted in turns by several True Immortals, it traversed half the Human Domain in just over half a day.

Wu Wang’s return to the Annihilation Sect Mountain was very low-key. Apart from secretly meeting with the Grand Elder and Elder Miao, he didn’t alert anyone else.

There was no other reason. By rights, I should still be ’serving my sentence’ in the military camp, so this was more like sneaking back. If I appeared too conspicuously, it wouldn’t be good. It might lead others to suspect I belong to some privileged class within the Human Domain. What privileges could I possibly have? Just an ordinary Young Master, a simple Demonic Cultivator, and that’s all.

Back in his own pavilion, Wu Wang felt much more at ease. He activated multiple layers of Formations and established several Barriers. Yang Wudi and his three guards took turns standing guard outside. With the Mountain Protection Array running non-stop, Wu Wang felt a profound sense of security, from the inside out.

Lin Suqing had kept the small building exceptionally clean. The first floor now featured many new decorative items like Screens and vases, adding an extra touch of elegance and beauty to the place. Pushing open the window revealed a waterfall cascading into a tranquil pond; closing the door ensured undisturbed peace.

Wu Wang stretched lazily and lay down comfortably on his bed. Lin Suqing had already gone to boil water for tea and wash some Spirit Fruits.

She asked, "Young Master, did you really come face-to-face with the Evil God?"

"Not exactly face-to-face. It was more like enduring one-sided pressure." Wu Wang tossed a few empty Treasure Sacks beside his pillow and silently rolled over. "The Evil God is truly too powerful for me to contend with right now. However... its human form was quite captivating."

"Huh?" Lin Suqing blinked. "The Evil God has a human form too?"

"The human form is the innate Dao body, harmonious with the Great Dao," Wu Wang hummed. "Do you think that when the great goddess Nuwa created the Human race, she just had a sudden inspiration and whimsically sculpted a few clay figures? There’s much more to it than that."

Lin Suqing approached gracefully, carrying a plate of Spirit Fruits. She smiled and said, "Could it be, perhaps, that we’re just embellishing our own importance?"

"That’s also a possibility... I don’t want to eat anymore. I just want to sleep and relax now. Touch me once."

"As you command, Young Master!" Lin Suqing made a playful salute, then, forming a sword gesture with her fingers, she gracefully floated into the air. She twirled twice with a flourish... and lightly tapped the back of Wu Wang’s hand.

Suddenly, the sound of thunderous drums echoed from the Rift Valley, accompanied by the incessant blare of suonas and horns. Lin Suqing quickly froze, and Wu Wang, puzzled, jumped to his feet.

His Spiritual Sense swept out, revealing a golden cloud descending grandly towards the Annihilation Sect Mountain. Atop it, Fairy Immortals danced and Immortals sang, attracting the attention of experts from thousands of miles around. This area was already densely populated with Sects of the Demon Path, and the commotion had already startled numerous Demonic Cultivators, who rushed over to join the excitement.

The golden cloud slowly came to a halt before the Rift Valley. A female Immortal stepped forward, her voice carrying for hundreds of miles, "Are the Elders of the Annihilation Sect present?"

A blood-red light flared as the Grand Elder, leading several other Elders, flew out of the Grand Array. He gave a slight bow towards the golden cloud; the Immortals and guards above returned the gesture in unison.

The female Immortal, dressed in a colorful palace gown, spoke softly, "We have come under orders to deliver rewards to the Annihilation Sect, to commend Sect Master Wu Wangzi of the Annihilation Sect for his outstanding contributions in the great battle of the Northern Region."

As she finished speaking, guards carried treasure chests forward one by one. The Grand Elder called out to those below, and immediately, dozens of Demonic Cultivators at the Immortal Realm flew out to receive the chests.

The female Immortal continued, "Please also accept this item on behalf of the Annihilation Sect." With that, she gracefully slid her hand forward, and a streak of golden light flew from her sleeve.

The golden light hovered above the Annihilation Sect, eventually solidifying into a Stele. The front was inscribed: "Loyalty and Righteousness First, We Are Invincible." The back read: "Liu Baiyi, Pavilion Master of the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion."

At that moment, the faces of the Annihilation Sect’s Demon Path members reflected the shining golden light of the Stele. Many grew emotional, and several Demon Lords even shed tears.

Within the small pavilion, Wu Wang turned his head and lay back down on the soft couch, remarking indifferently, "I didn’t expect the Pavilion Master of the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion to be so valiant during Duels. His name, though, is quite fitting for his usual demeanor—surprisingly ordinary."

"Wow, Young Master, this is a commendation from the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion!"

"Making such a fuss over these superficial things. Is my Annihilation Sect lacking Spirit Stones? What’s the use of those few boxes?" Wu Wang huffed. "I’m going to sleep. Don’t let anyone disturb me."

Lin Suqing acknowledged and was about to poke Wu Wang’s wrist when, outside the Rift Valley, the Grand Elder was still exchanging pleasantries with the entourage from the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion.

Suddenly, the clear melody of a flute pierced through the Rift Valley. Lin Suqing paused, and Wu Wang, somewhat perplexed, gazed beyond the Grand Array.

Several Fairy Immortals in white gowns, riding a Lotus Platform, slowly approached. As they neared the Annihilation Sect, one called out coolly, "Which one is the Sect Master of the Annihilation Sect?"

The speaker’s voice was crisp and cold, and the expressions of the others were equally frosty, like the dead of winter.

The Grand Elder frowned slightly and replied calmly, "I am the Grand Elder of the Annihilation Sect. Our Sect Master is currently resting and is not receiving visitors."

Nicely done! Wu Wang thought.

"Is that so?" The Fairy Immortal who had spoken nodded lightly. She enveloped the invitation in her hand with immortal power and sent it floating before the Grand Elder. "This is an invitation from our Tianyan Xuan Nu Sect. In half a year, our Xuan Nu Sect will hold a disciple recruitment ceremony. We await the esteemed presence of your Sect Master."

With that, the female cultivators steered their Lotus Platform and drifted away.

The Grand Elder accepted the invitation. True to his nature, his first instinct was to burn it, as he couldn’t be bothered with these arrogant Major Immortal Sects. The attitude of those few female cultivators was also rather poor. But then he thought of the Sect Master being seemingly on good terms with Fairy Ling... The Grand Elder pondered for a moment, then tucked the invitation into his sleeve, deciding to tolerate it for now.

"The Xuan Nu Sect’s disciple recruitment ceremony?" Wu Wang mused. "Suqing, does our Annihilation Sect hold such disciple recruitment ceremonies?"

"Not at all, Sect Master," Lin Suqing chuckled softly. "Generally, only very famous Sects can afford to host such grand disciple recruitment ceremonies. They announce the date half a year or even a year in advance, and then large numbers of young people rush to seek apprenticeship. The Annihilation Sect’s ranking isn’t very high, and our renown is insufficient."

"Then how does the Annihilation Sect recruit disciples?" Wu Wang asked, a hint of dissatisfaction in his eyes.

"By swindling and cheating in our daily... No, that’s not it!" Lin Suqing quickly corrected herself, then whispered, "Periodically, the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion hosts an Immortal Qualification Conference, where all Sects can go to select disciples. However, those with good aptitude are usually chosen by the major Sects. At these conferences, it’s often the aspiring disciples who choose their Sect."

This sounds somewhat interesting. Wu Wang raised an eyebrow.

"Let’s sleep first..."

"Is the Sect Master of the Annihilation Sect present?"

Just as Wu Wang spoke of resting, another shout came from outside the Formation, nearly making the Young Master jump up and curse.

Is there no end to this! Is there no end to this today!

Two white clouds were seen approaching rapidly from the east and west, landing almost simultaneously above the Rift Valley, seemingly vying for position.

"The Ji Family has sent our Young Master to the Annihilation Sect for cultivation!"

"The Lin Family has sent our Young Master to the Annihilation Sect to seek the Dao!"

With two resounding calls, the groups of Immortals on either side parted. Ji Mo, clad in a deep blue robe and holding a folding fan, flew forward with a smile. Lin Qi, dressed in white, rose from a bamboo chair carried by four Maidens and stepped forward.

Ji Mo said, "An unknown youth, earnest in his pursuit of the Dao, seeks but a single tile to shelter him."

Lin Qi declared, "We cultivators question our own destiny, seeking a humble thatched hut to nurture our aspirations."

The Blood Hand Demon Respect Great Elder, all of Annihilation Sect’s Demon Path cultivators, and the crowd of demonic cultivators watching from nearby: ...

He had just arrived, and these two ’Sleeping Dragon and Young Phoenix’ types had already pursued him. This was truly something else!

Wu Wang rubbed the bridge of his nose, gritted his teeth, and steeled himself. His shout carried through the Formation, "Grand Elder! Arrange a couple of thatched huts for them, and have them wash diapers for three months first!"

The Grand Elder’s eyes crinkled into a smile, while Ji Mo and Lin Qi both stumbled half a step.

Fortunately, the Grand Elder chuckled and said, "Sect Master, we don’t have that many infants within the Sect, so we can’t produce many diapers that need washing..."

Wu Wang collapsed onto the soft couch, unable to suppress a few soft groans.

Ji Mo being a carefree dandy is one thing, but Lin Qi is famous now! His reputation as the holder of the Yan Emperor’s Order has spread far and wide. When they said they’d join the Annihilation Sect to cultivate, I thought they’d come secretly. But this... My low-profile and ordinary life as a Sect Master... is shattered.

"Eh?"

Suddenly, Wu Wang thought of something and sat bolt upright.

The upward curve of the Young Master’s lips made Lin Suqing break into a cold sweat for the two handsome young masters outside.