The demoness heard that the Holy Son was plotting to instigate the Lord of Tianxuan Star and the Lord of Kaiyang Star to tear into each other. She widened her eyes, thoroughly impressed.
“Is there really such a good thing?”
What could be more interesting than exposing someone else’s cuckolding?
Nuo Nuo immediately patted her chest and took on the task. If there was one thing she was good at, it was causing trouble—and she had an even better idea.
For instance, fabricating an illegitimate child between Tianquan Laoren and the old hag Tianqu, then turning the tables.
Or publishing the list of victims that the Lord of Yuheng Star and Yaoguang Star had wronged. As far as Nuo Nuo knew, there were quite a few missing disciples of Immortal Gates among them. That would definitely muddy the waters.
The two of them schemed together, reading each other’s minds as if they had found a kindred spirit—a feeling of regretting not meeting sooner.
Ao Tian listened, his scalp tingling.
Just how many identities did this Oily Boy have? If this fake act turned into real defection to the Demon Sect, even Shiyu’s pants wouldn’t be safe.
“You’ve come to the right person. Leave it to me.”
The little demoness gladly accepted the mission and left excitedly.
This child would surely amount to something big in the future. Could it be that the heavens had sent her to support the Holy Sect?
When she first met Yun Liu, he was still a Foundation Establishment brat, brazenly claiming to be undercover in the righteous path. The next time she saw him, he was already the priest of Hazy Sakura Shrine, holding the Daughter of the Spirit Attendant, and playing the Seven Stars of the High Heavens in the palm of his hand.
What about next time?
Would he have the widowed Palace Master of the Celestial Pivot Palace on one arm and his master, the Frost Sky Sword Demon, on the other, refining all the revered fairies of the Eastern and Western regions—the pillars of the Dao Gate—into cauldrons?
The Saintess couldn’t wait to see.
At dusk, the junior sister finally returned to the shrine on her flying sword. Her boots had fallen off, and she ended up coming back barefoot.
Yeli Yinglian’s little face was dirty and even had a few scratches. Without even taking a bath, she rushed into the room excitedly, carrying a green ellipsoid as big as a human head.
“Senior Brother, you should eat this.”
“Hiss, where did you get that!?”
Yun Liu was shocked. He took the heavy green Wind Fruit and couldn’t bear to put it down. He could tell at a glance it was a Wind Fruit.
The last ingredient for the Embryo Nourishing Pill had just been brought in by his junior sister—and it was this big, enough for three or four people. It was rare for a Heaven Rank fourth-grade spirit material to grow to such a size.
Ao Tian gasped and immediately drooled, a drop landing on Yun Liu’s forehead.
“There are many other things growing on the tree. If you like, I can go get them tomorrow. Those little animals are all afraid of me.”
Hey, hey, when you say “little animals,” you don’t mean those powerful anomalous beasts guarding the heavenly materials and earthly treasures, do you?
Above the Divine Tree was another world. The path to the dragon’s lair was as complex as an underwater labyrinth. The abundant Wood Spirit, favored by heaven and earth, attracted many strange creatures. Besides that pest, many demon beasts and spiritual plants dwelled there.
Yun Liu knew there were treasures inside, but he had never included them in his plans, not daring to climb the tree recklessly and approach the Yinglong.
He never expected that Ah Lian, who didn’t seem too bright, could freely enter and exit the Divine Tree’s secret realm and restock at will. No wonder she was having so much fun.
Yun Liu circled the little girl and suddenly understood.
The anomalous beasts weren’t afraid of Ah Lian—they were afraid of the evil dragon!
Looking again at Ying Lian, who was gesturing with her small crab-like pincers, she had long been regarded as the Yinglong’s exclusive property. Protected by the Dragon Qi, no one dared to provoke her.
“Good Ah Lian, bring back as much as you can. Pack as much as you can carry. But be careful—only take what you’re sure of. Don’t go to unsafe places.”
Yun Liu rubbed his hands, pulled out seven or eight Storage Bags, and stuffed them all into his junior sister’s hands. Then he held her pink-haired head and gave her a big kiss.
“Ah Lian, roger.”
The girl saluted, her expression wooden, but her cheeks flushed red with two patches of crimson clouds.
Ao Tian swallowed his saliva and suggested:
“How about I go with her tomorrow? How can a little girl carry all that by herself? You should be able to handle things here alone, right?”
“Wipe your drool. You can’t go. Only she can.”
Ah Lian had eaten so many strange seeds that she was already part of the Divine Tree. Both the giant tree and the Yinglong would protect her.
“Chicken, speaking. Ah Lian shocked.”
Ying Lian blinked, her short legs bouncing as if she had discovered some new toy. She grabbed the yellow chicken and kneaded it.
“Just because. Like. Ah Lian wants.”
Yun Liu smiled:
“I can’t give it to you. It’s the pet of a yellow-haired girl. You’ll meet her soon, and maybe you’ll become good friends.”
“Ah Lian don’t like yellow.”
The girl reiterated, holding Ao Tian and spinning him around until he got dizzy.
“Stop! You insolent mortal! I am no pet. I am the Nine Heavens—”
“But Ao Tian is yellow too.”
“…”
“Forget it. Just play with her. Never reveal your true form unless absolutely necessary. Don’t let the Yinglong notice.”
Yun Liu carried the Wind Fruit into the mobile alchemy room, settled his Sea of Consciousness, and unfolded the pill recipe for the Heavenly Path Soul-Nurturing Pill.
The peaceful days at the shrine passed one after another. Unfortunately, no matter how many other shrine maidens sent him flirtatious glances, he remained unmoved, spending all day clinging to that broken furnace.
Soon, an anomaly arose again. A curtain of azure rain enveloped Hazy Sakura Shrine, falling for an entire day.
Yushen Longyi was greatly satisfied.
The Divine Path Water truly inspired the master to have a flood of ideas.
The only bad news was that the Young Master Ji seemed a bit obsessed with Ah Lian.
That child was destined to be sacrificed to Lord Divine Dragon anyway. He hoped the master wouldn’t be blinded by personal affections.
The next shrine maiden would be even more fragrant, and could be trained from childhood.
Once was a coincidence; twice was hard to dismiss.
Tianquan Laoren began to turn his attention to the unknown and hidden beloved son of Ji Xingshu, as if he sensed a trace of Stellar Destiny.
Could it be that the inheritance wasn’t limited to Shiyu alone…
While waiting for the time bomb to explode, Yun Liu didn’t stay idle.
During the day, he pretended to concoct spiritual medicines and irrigated the fruit seedbed. When no one was looking, he swaggered into the tree core of the shrine to cause trouble and smuggle things out.
The underground roots seemed lush and rapidly crystallizing, but within a year they would wither—that was a story for later.
At night, he held his junior sister and sang lullabies, lulling diligent Ah Lian to sleep, treating her like a precious treasure.
Just these nine days of play equaled what the two elders could achieve by frantically clearing maps on the surface.
Even Ao Tian grew plump and round, his feathers noticeably glossier.
Seven days passed in the blink of an eye.
Just as Yan Bingling and Gelan were growing uneasy, a heart-palpitating wave of spiritual energy emanated from the Heavenly Cherry Pavilion.
The Seven Stars of the High Heavens had been low-key on this trip, but they all used their personal formation techniques to receive news from their clans, handling negotiations with the Yushen Clan while overseeing affairs.
Recently, however, they had been receiving some rumors.
Amazing hearsay gradually spread throughout Star Isle, growing more intense by the day.
Nuo Nuo had mobilized the Demon Sect’s forces.
The Hehuan Banner’s followers were mediocre at fighting, but they were experts at spreading rumors.
It turned out that the Yaoguang Star and the Lord of Yuheng Star had ruined many promising youths.
It was said that some secluded Immortal Gates had already come to demand justice, asking the two star lords with peculiar hobbies to return their disciples.
The Lord of Yuheng Star, who had been hesitating, was the first to take his leave early in the morning. He declined Yushen Longyi’s invitation and rushed back to clean up the mess.
He hadn’t even had time to make the acquaintance of the handsome young man from the Palace of the Heavenly Pivot Star! And after several attempts to visit Ji Xingshu, he still hadn’t seen the real person!
Xueya, on the other hand, had a thick skin. Even after being exposed, she became even more arrogant, ordering that anyone causing trouble be thrown out. She wasn’t falling for it at all.