“Stretch your muscles?” Elder Niu asked, “Master, do you want a massage?”
“I have great strength. Shall I give you a rub?”
The Long-Browed Daoist heard this, glanced at Elder Niu, and thought to himself, “This ox does not seem very clever!”
Then the Long-Browed Daoist said, “Little brat, are you suspecting there are enemies nearby?”
“It’s not suspicion. It’s certainty.” Ye Qiu said, “I killed so many geniuses in the Undying Mountain. Those top forces are definitely hunting me. If they knew I was in the demon clan, they would surely send people to guard outside the demon clan, waiting for me to emerge.”
Only then did Elder Niu understand what Ye Qiu meant by stretching his muscles. He said, “Master, you rest here. I will scout around. If there really are people, I will slaughter them all for you.”
Ye Qiu smiled and said, “Dali, can you take me for a circuit within a thousand li radius without letting anyone discover us?”
“That’s simple.” Elder Niu finished speaking, crossed his hands in front of him, silently chanted an incantation, and lay down on the ground.
Soon, his body transformed into a five-coloured divine ox several times larger than a train engine.
On its massive ox head grew two cyan horns more than a metre long.
Ye Qiu was somewhat surprised and asked, “Dali, is this your true form?”
“Yes, Master.” Niu Dali said, “Master, Daoist, come onto my back. This old ox will carry you around for a turn.”
Ye Qiu and the Long-Browed Daoist did not hesitate. They immediately flew up and landed on the ox’s back.
Elder Niu stood up, gave a few light hums from his mouth, and a layer of transparent light appeared, enveloping his true form and the bodies of Ye Qiu and the others, blending completely with the air.
“Master, hold steady. I’m setting off.”
After Elder Niu spoke, he lifted his front hooves. One step crossed the sky, reaching directly a hundred li away.
Soon, Ye Qiu discovered a group of people.
His gaze swept down. When he saw the attire of that group, he immediately confirmed they came from the Desolate Ancient Holy Land.
Elder Niu said, “Master, there are twenty-three human cultivators below. The strongest is at the early Spirit Communication realm, one at the peak Nascent Soul, and the rest are all Cave Heaven realm. Shall we eliminate them?”
“Do not alert them. Let’s check elsewhere.” Ye Qiu instructed.
“Yes.” Elder Niu changed direction, galloped several hundred li, and again saw a group of people on the ground.
“Those are people from the Chaos Holy Land.” the Long-Browed Daoist said.
Elder Niu said, “Master, there are seventeen people below. The strongest two are at peak Nascent Soul. Master, shall we strike?”
“No need.” Ye Qiu said, “Change location and see.”
Elder Niu changed direction once more. Not long after, they discovered another group on the ground.
This group numbered over a hundred.
Beside them stood two large banners fluttering in the wind. One banner bore the characters “Taichu”, the other “Butian”.
Clearly, this group came from the Taichu Holy Land and the Butian Sect.
“Master, this group is not weak. Among them are four at early Spirit Communication realm, over a dozen at Nascent Soul realm, and the rest are all peak Cave Heaven.” Elder Niu asked, “Master, just say the word. I will trample them to death with one hoof.”
Ye Qiu said, “Do not alert them.”
“Ah?” Elder Niu was somewhat puzzled and asked, “Why not kill them?”
Ye Qiu said, “These people are all minor figures. They have little value.”
“Moreover, they are stationed here clearly to wait for me to come out.”
“If we kill them now, those several great holy lands will discover that I have already left the demon clan. They will certainly issue a widespread manhunt for me.”
“So, it is better not to alert them.”
“I understand.” Elder Niu said, “Shall I take Master around some more?”
The Long-Browed Daoist said, “From the circuit just now, this poor Daoist quietly observed and discovered a pattern.”
“The Chaos Holy Land people are guarding the north.”
“The Desolate Ancient Holy Land people are guarding the west.”
“The Butian Sect and Taichu Holy Land people are guarding the south.”
“In other words, all four directions, north, south, east, and west, have people from top forces.”
“If nothing unexpected, the Yin-Yang Sect people are most likely guarding the east.”
Ye Qiu immediately instructed Elder Niu, “Dali, go east and see.”
“Alright.” Elder Niu strode out, appearing three hundred li away.
Here was a range of lofty mountains and steep ridges.
Soon, Ye Qiu and the others discovered another group. As the Long-Browed Daoist had predicted, this group came from the Yin-Yang Sect.
The Yin-Yang Sect had ten disciples in total, hidden in a secluded canyon.
“This group is the strongest. Among them are two at mid Spirit Communication, two at early Spirit Communication, and the rest are all Nascent Soul realm.”
Elder Niu said, “Master, do not stop me. Let me exterminate them.”
“Think of that day when Wuji Heavenly Venerable attacked the demon clan, nearly bringing great disaster upon us.”
Elder Niu hated the Yin-Yang Sect to the bone.
“First, hold off. Wait and observe more.” Ye Qiu noticed that this group from the Yin-Yang Sect all stood within the canyon, faces solemn, on full alert.
“We won’t be discovered, right?” the Long-Browed Daoist asked.
“Rest assured. What I am using is a saint-level divine ability. Unless a saint comes, it is impossible for anyone to detect us.” Elder Niu was very confident in his method.
Ye Qiu observed for a while and said, “They seem to be waiting for someone.”
Sure enough.
Just as Ye Qiu finished speaking, a streak of flowing light approached from afar.
“Someone is coming.” Elder Niu reminded.
Moments later, that streak of light appeared above the canyon. It was a wind-riding boat.
Following that, a figure emerged from within.
It was a young man.
He appeared only just over twenty years old, extremely handsome in appearance, dressed in white robes, hair bound with a jade crown, a long sword slung diagonally across his back, otherworldly and extraordinary.
He was none other than the second holy son of the Yin-Yang Sect:
Yun Jie!
Inside the canyon.
The Yin-Yang Sect disciples saw Yun Jie and immediately knelt on the ground in unison, crying out loudly, “We welcome the Holy Son!”
“We are all fellow sect members. Everyone, no need for excessive courtesy. Please rise quickly.” Yun Jie stepped down into the canyon, like an immortal descending to the mortal world, graceful and elegant.
“I have come this time on behalf of the sect leader to visit you all. Everyone, you have worked hard.”
Yun Jie wore a warm smile on his face, appearing very polite and amiable.
“To serve the sect is our honour. It is not hard.” the Yin-Yang Sect disciples said.
“Everyone, rest assured. Your contributions and efforts, when I return, I will truthfully report to the sect leader and request rewards for you.”
As soon as Yun Jie said this, grateful looks appeared in the eyes of those Yin-Yang Sect disciples. They thanked him one after another.
“Thank you, Holy Son.”
Yun Jie glanced in the direction of the demon clan and said, “Has there been any activity from the demon clan recently? Has that fellow come out?”
“Reporting to the Holy Son, the demon clan is temporarily quiet. No one has emerged from within.” an elder at mid Spirit Communication said.
“I understand! Everyone, I fear you will have to endure hardship a while longer. If there is any activity from the demon clan, please send me a message at once.” Yun Jie said.
The Yin-Yang Sect disciples all agreed.
“Very well, I will take my leave first. Everyone, take care!” Yun Jie cupped his hands, flew into the wind-riding boat, and departed through the air.
Ye Qiu decided immediately, “Dali, follow him.”
