lovenovelstory #391 - The inner demon arrives
#391 - The inner demon arrives
Chapter 388: The Demonic Tribulation Arrives
Upon hearing Old Ancestor Xuanji's words, Zhang Chen asked in surprise, "A strange matter?"
He felt that this Old Ancestor Xuanji was somewhat capable, actually able to see his unusual nature, but Zhang Chen was now striving to blend in with the world, trying to help the Innate Peacock revive, and then kill the Old Thief Changsheng, so he said with a surprised expression, "I wonder what strange matter the Old Ancestor is referring to? This disciple has never encountered anything strange since childhood."
"Strange indeed! According to fate, you should have died young, but why are you still alive?" A hint of confusion appeared in Old Ancestor Xuanji's eyes. He had attained enlightenment through the secrets of heaven, and was incredibly confident in his calculation skills. How could such a situation arise? This was completely contrary to the laws he had always followed.
However, for him, this was also an opportunity. If he could comprehend the changes within, his cultivation would surely experience a breakthrough.
"Boy, are you willing to become my disciple?" Old Ancestor Xuanji wanted to keep Zhang Chen by his side day and night to study him, looking at Zhang Chen with burning eyes, revealing a hint of fervor.
"This disciple has already been accepted by my ancestral master, how dare I seek another master?" Zhang Chen, unaware of Old Ancestor Xuanji's intentions, refused without revealing anything.
"You mean that as long as your ancestral master agrees, you would be willing to become my disciple, is that right?" Old Ancestor Xuanji said.
He saw that Zhang Chen was now doing the work of boiling tea and pouring water, and did not seem to be a highly valued disciple. With hundreds of disciples in Wuzhuang Temple, and considering his relationship with Old Ancestor Changsheng, asking for an insignificant disciple should not be a problem.
"Thank you for your kindness, Old Ancestor, but I also have a younger sister cultivating in the Taoist temple. My sister is still young, and I must take care of her. Wherever my sister goes, I will go. If the Old Ancestor can take my sister away as well, what harm is there in me becoming your disciple?" Zhang Chen said respectfully, while a vicious plan arose in his heart. Xu Erniu was refined into a Caohuan Pill by Old Thief Changsheng, which was a secret only Old Thief Changsheng knew. What would happen if Old Ancestor Xuanji and Old Ancestor Changsheng asked for Xu Erniu? Would the Thief Changsheng become suspicious, even feeling that someone had窥视 the secrets of the Ginseng Fruit and the Heavenly Treasure Mirror? If he took the opportunity to steal the Heavenly Treasure Mirror at that time, would the Thief Changsheng suspect Old Ancestor Xuanji, even to the point of killing him?
It must be known that the Caohuan Pill and the Heavenly Treasure Mirror were related to the Thief Changsheng's tribulation, and even if Old Ancestor Xuanji had known him for tens of thousands of years, once it involved such fundamental matters of survival, they would kill each other without hesitation.
"Which one is your sister? This old ancestor has a deep friendship with Old Daoist Changsheng. As long as I open my mouth, I can definitely bring your sister over as well." Old Ancestor Xuanji asked nonchalantly.
It was just a matter of asking for two disciples. Old Ancestor Xuanji felt that Old Ancestor Changsheng would definitely give him this face.
Hearing Old Ancestor Xuanji's words, Zhang Chen respectfully said, "My younger sister is called Xu Fu."
Old Ancestor Xuanji stood up: "I will go talk to your master now."
After saying that, Old Ancestor Xuanji had already left in a hurry, leaving Zhang Chen standing in the courtyard watching Old Ancestor Xuanji's back, silently carrying the kettle away.
Now, in the courtyard of Patriarch Changsheng, the patriarch was seen with his hands behind his back, looking at the distant sea of clouds, his eyes full of surprise and uncertainty: "How can there be such a domineering and ruthless formation in the world? Wenlong has grown up in the Taoist temple since he was a child, and has never left my sight. How could he come up with such methods? Moreover, the power of this formation is immense. Where does Wenlong have the ability to activate it? Could it be that someone knows that my tribulation is near and wants to plot against me?"
Just as countless thoughts flashed through Old Ancestor Changsheng's mind, a voice came from outside the door at this time: "Is Dao Brother Changsheng there?"
"So it's Brother Xuanji. Please come in and have some tea." Patriarch Changsheng invited Old Ancestor Xuanji into the courtyard with a smile, and then the two sat down. The patriarch brewed tea:
"Brother, have you come up with a way to break the formation?"
Old Ancestor Xuanji shook his head: "It's difficult to break the formation! Difficult! Difficult! I am here today not for the great formation, but to ask Dao Brother for someone as a disciple, even if I have to lose this old face."
"You old rascal, you actually came to poach my disciples. If you want a disciple, can't you go and choose one yourself? But since you have spoken, I can't be stingy. As long as it's not one of the four great disciples, which one do you want?" Patriarch Changsheng scolded with a smile.
"It's that Taoist boy who brewed tea for me today, the one named Zhang Chen." Old Ancestor Xuanji said.
"Is it him?" Patriarch Changsheng was stunned upon hearing this, and asked incredulously, "Are you sure it's him?"
"What, are you reluctant?" Old Ancestor Xuanji said.
"It's not that I'm reluctant, but this person is dull. He has been under my tutelage for a year, but he hasn't even cultivated his Qi sensation. Could it be that you have misjudged him?" Patriarch Changsheng confirmed again.
"That's right, it's him! I always feel that this person is destined for me!" Old Ancestor Xuanji said with a smile: "Are you putting on this expression because you are reluctant to let go?"
Patriarch Changsheng shook his head: "Since you have taken a fancy to him, I naturally have no reason to keep him. You can just take him away when you leave."
Patriarch Changsheng had examined Zhang Chen before, and he was just a piece of rotten wood that could not be carved. He felt that Old Ancestor Xuanji had misjudged him.
Hearing Patriarch Changsheng's words, Old Ancestor Xuanji laughed loudly: "Good! It's settled then, you can't go back on your word."
Speaking of which, Old Ancestor Xuanji said: "Since you have given Zhang Chen to me, let me settle another matter for you as well. That Zhang Chen also has a younger sister named Xu Fu, who is also cultivating in your Taoist temple. I don't want to separate them as siblings, so please give Xu Fu to me as well."
Old Ancestor Xuanji's pupils shrank upon hearing this, and the palms in his sleeves could not help but clench, but with his temperament that had been cultivated for countless years, he finally suppressed the shock in his heart.
"Xu Fu is my personal disciple, and I have high hopes for that girl's aptitude, so I can't give her to you." Patriarch Changsheng picked up his teacup and took a sip, refusing without revealing anything, but a huge wave was rising in his heart: "Testing? Or coincidence? Has this guy noticed something? His acceptance of Zhang Chen as a disciple is fake, and targeting Xu Fu is the real goal. Could it be that he has sensed the existence of the Caohuan Pill, so he has become interested?"
Thinking about how Zou Wenlong had obtained the formation for no reason, and it was activated in Wuzhuang Temple, Old Ancestor Changsheng's mind was racing at this time, and it was difficult for him not to connect everything together.
Even he would be extremely wary of that heaven-defying formation. With Zou Wenlong's ant-like cultivation, why would he obtain it?
Even if he obtained it by luck, why would he be able to activate it?
Unless there was someone secretly pulling the strings behind the scenes, setting up a plan on Zou Wenlong.
Most importantly, Old Ancestor Xuanji grasped the secrets of heaven and could deduce the destiny in the dark. It was normal for him to see something in the secrets of heaven if he really did.
"You old fogey are too stingy. Xu Fu has only been under your tutelage for a year. How can you bear to part with him? I can compensate you with some conditions," Ancestor Xuanji said, unwilling to give up.
He was proficient in celestial secrets and adept at grasping the changes in the world. From Zhang Chen's few words, he could deduce that Xu Fu was Zhang Chen's younger sister. Since she was younger than Zhang Chen, she must have ascended the mountain with him to study under a master. Therefore, he deduced that the two had become disciples at the same time.
However, when Ancestor Changsheng heard this, another thought arose in his mind: "He really came prepared, having done his homework beforehand. He even knows the time when Zhang Chen and Xu Fu entered the mountain…"
Thinking of this, the Ancestor's heart grew even more gloomy, and a trace of murderous intent flowed through his heart. The Grass Return Pill concerned his future tribulation, and anyone who dared to stand in his way and ruin his grand plan would face his wrath.
"But what I need to figure out now is whether Ancestor Xuanji is the only one plotting against me, or whether the other old fogeys are also involved." A trace of killing intent flowed through Ancestor Changsheng's heart. If these old fogeys dared to scheme against him in this matter, he would disregard their tens of thousands of years of friendship and show no mercy.
Meanwhile, Ancestor Xuanji was unaware that in just a few words, Ancestor Changsheng had already harbored murderous intent towards him. He still chuckled and teased, "It's just a disciple. What's the big deal? Give me that disciple, and you can name any conditions you want. I can even offer the methods that the immortals from the Upper Realm taught me in exchange."
Ancestor Xuanji was truly curious about Zhang Chen's fate. If he could thoroughly study this fate that broke the destiny and existed neither on the shore nor on the other shore, his cultivation would surely reach a higher level.
"What? Are you willing to offer the methods that the immortals taught you in the past?" Ancestor Changsheng was stunned, staring at Ancestor Xuanji in disbelief, wanting to see if he was joking.
"Of course! As long as you ask, I will offer that creation with both hands. I will even use that wisp of immortal spirit in exchange!" Ancestor Xuanji said.
Upon hearing this, only one thought occupied Ancestor Changsheng's mind: "He's even willing to give up that wisp of immortal spirit in his possession. Either he's gone mad, or he has truly deduced something and wants to plot against me. This is just a test."
"That grand formation is his scheme. He knows I can't break it, so he will definitely invite everyone over, giving him a legitimate excuse to ascend to Wuzhuang Temple and take the opportunity to explore its secrets." Anger surged in Ancestor Changsheng's heart: "No matter who it is, as long as they block my path, I will definitely kill them! Now, the only thing to determine is how many of the remaining people are involved."
"I still need to consider this matter. Besides, Xu Fu is a person, not a cat or a dog. If you want Xu Fu, shouldn't Xu Fu agree to it herself? If you can persuade Xu Fu, I might as well make a deal with you," the Ancestor said calmly.
Hearing the Ancestor's words, Ancestor Xuanji laughed loudly: "Good, you said it yourself, and you can't go back on your word. Go and call Xu Fu over, and I'll try to persuade her."
"Xu Fu is currently in closed-door cultivation. I will notify you when she comes out," Ancestor Changsheng said, taking a sip of tea to conceal the unease and anxiety in his heart.
Hearing Ancestor Changsheng's words, Ancestor Xuanji pressed closer: "I say, you wouldn't be making up an excuse to搪塞 me, would you? When will that Xu Fu come out of seclusion?"
"Tomorrow at noon," the Ancestor gave a time. Having one night to prepare was enough for him to explain everything to Xu Fu. Moreover, Xu Fu's 'father' was in Qingcheng Mountain. As long as he gave some instructions, there was no way the other party could take away his disciple.
"Good! Then I will come again tomorrow." Ancestor Xuanji was in a great mood, turned around and left. He refused to believe that he couldn't persuade a little girl when even Zhang Chen had spoken.
Watching Ancestor Xuanji's disappearing figure, Ancestor Changsheng's face darkened, and the killing intent in his eyes was so intense that it seemed impossible to dissolve. The next moment, the Ancestor stood up and went to find Xu Erniu's whereabouts.
Meanwhile, Xu Erniu came to the Celestial Treasure Mirror and was circulating the incantation that the Ancestor had taught her, wanting to absorb the innate five elements energy from the Celestial Treasure Mirror. But who knew that after standing in front of the Celestial Treasure Mirror and circulating the incantation for half a quarter of an hour, the Celestial Treasure Mirror in front of her showed no reaction.
"How could this be? It shouldn't be?" Xu Erniu widened her eyes, her eyes filled with confusion, and she began to doubt her life: "Could it be that I misremembered the incantation?"
Thinking of this, Xu Erniu tried a few more times, then turned around and went to find Ancestor Changsheng for guidance. But she had only walked halfway when she saw the Ancestor coming, and she quickly knelt down on the ground with a timid expression and pleaded with Ancestor Changsheng: "Master, this disciple has made a big mistake, please punish me."
When Ancestor Changsheng saw Xu Erniu's expression, his heart couldn't help but 'thump' and a bad premonition surged into his heart: "What's the matter? Get up and talk."
"This disciple misremembered the incantation that Master taught me and failed to absorb the five elements energy. Please punish me, Master," Xu Erniu refused to get up and knelt on the ground.
"I thought it was something. It's just a small matter of forgetting the incantation. I'll teach it to you again." Ancestor Changsheng breathed a sigh of relief and said with a smile. Then he pulled Xu Erniu up and came to the main hall where the Celestial Treasure Mirror was enshrined, and said to Xu Erniu: "I'll teach you the incantation."
After saying that, he taught the incantation again. Xu Erniu frowned upon hearing the incantation, because she found that she had not misremembered it. The incantation passed down by her ancestor was no different from the incantation in her memory.
"Why do you have that expression?" Ancestor Changsheng saw the expression on Xu Erniu's face and felt a little flustered, realizing that something was wrong.
"Reporting to the Ancestor, the incantation you taught is exactly the same as the one in this disciple's memory. This disciple did not misremember it, but I don't know why it doesn't work after being cast, and I can't extract the five elements energy." Xu Erniu scratched her head, her small face full of confusion.
"What?" Ancestor Changsheng's face changed: "Cast it again and let me see. Maybe you remembered the incantation correctly, but there was a mistake when casting it."
Xu Erniu felt that she had not made any mistakes in casting the incantation, but since the Ancestor had said so, she naturally had no reason to refute. So she pinched her fingers with both hands and pointed at the Celestial Treasure Mirror, but saw that the Celestial Treasure Mirror in front of her was flowing with divine light, but there was no innate five elements energy emerging.
Seeing this scene, Ancestor Changsheng's expression changed drastically, his eyes filled with horror. He confirmed that Xu Erniu's incantation was correct, so the problem must have occurred with the Celestial Treasure Mirror.