Chapter 49

Casting a subtle glance at the black-haired man who was still stubbornly insisting, "This deity was merely speaking casually," Chu Xingyun sighed with profound emotion.

The dragon race seemed uniformly stubborn.

Be it the black dragon or the azure dragon.

"Alright." The little cub had never intended to do anything malicious to Ao Xin anyway, since she never bit living creatures.

Her previous fierce intimidation of him was solely because the black dragon had been trapped within the containment array, and she had assumed he was a wicked dragon, thus exerting herself fully to bully him.

Now that he had been released by her grand-uncle, it meant he was no longer bad.

Instinctively recalling her brief yet joyful stay among the azure dragon clan surrounded by dragons, the little cub eagerly stretched out her tiny arms toward Ao Xin and pleaded with eager eyes, "Hold me!"

Since he was no longer bad and was her grand-uncle's friend, he was Youyou's friend too.

Her shift in stance was so swift and decisive that not even turning one's face could compare in speed.

Ao Xin choked for a moment, beginning to doubt the meaning of his dragon existence.

He suspected the little cub was toying with his emotions.

Slowly extending his arms, he gathered the delightfully warm, soft, and heavy little creature into his embrace.

It was entirely different from the terrifying entities within the Abyss of Gods and Demons of his memory.

Those were chillingly cold.

Yet she was warm.

Ao Xin coughed twice, turned his head aside, and muttered softly, "This deity had no choice." He had merely been threatened by the little demon lord and thus forced to compromise, resulting in him holding her.

Yet the little one obediently snuggled into his arms, secretly sniffing the demonic Qi on his body. Instantly infuriated, Ao Xin snapped, "No drooling!"

That was sheer nonsense; the little cub was merely sniffing him, how could she possibly drool?

Remembering Ao Qing's previous assurance that this little thing did not feed on living creatures, the black dragon felt reassured once more!

Looking down at the little one who gazed up at him obediently, revealing two tiny front teeth, he declared, "This lord is a Heavenly Demon! From now on, you must obey me, understood? Hmph! I am hardly a dragon like Ao Qing who spoils the young."

With a loud huff, he rummaged casually through his pockets and shoved a large handful of various round demonic cores into Yu Youyou's embrace, turning his head aside as he added, "Didn't you say you weren't full? Eat these then. This deity is merely giving them away at random."

Those demonic cores were brightly colored and radiated diverse demonic energies; their exact origins were impossible to discern.

Yet Ao Xin's collecting taste was exceptionally refined. The spiritual energy emanating from these demonic cores remained intensely vibrant even after his prolonged imprisonment.

When his well-articulated hand released such a massive handful of spiritual pills, how could the little cub's tiny claws possibly hold them all? She had to press her two small hands together to carefully gather the peak-shaped mound of demonic cores.

With wide eyes and nostrils catching a delectable scent, Yu Youyou looked up at the generous black-haired man and hurriedly pressed her cheek against his.

The little cub was fickle as a weathercock, following whomever fed her.

In her eyes right now, the black dragon was the most magnificent dragon in existence.

"Good person," she flattered him with practiced smoothness.

"Sweet words! Ha! How could this deity possibly believe them?" Having emerged from a theatrical troupe background, she was not someone he would easily trust.

As his cheek was nuzzled by the little one, the black-haired man instantly tilted his head back, the corners of his mouth splitting all the way to his ears.

He piled handful after handful of demonic cores onto the little cub's small tunic.

"This deity's gaze is like a torch! I am not easily deceived!" he shouted loudly. Since he was giving her so many delicious treats anyway, shouting made him appear quite majestic.

The little cub nodded vigorously. Though utterly intoxicated by the fragrant aroma of the demonic cores and barely hearing what he said, she still replied, "Uncle, yes!"

As they echoed and harmonized with each other, Chu Xingyun watched with a throbbing headache. He could not help but wonder how this black dragon had managed to get himself kicked out of the Primordial Sect. Perhaps the black dragon's intelligence was comparable only to that of a little cub. Even Ao Qing had reached his limit with him, choosing "out of sight, out of mind" by delegating this disciple to handle and automatically absorb such an eccentric... childish black dragon.

After listening to the duo exchange remarks for quite a while, the black-haired man finally turned his head dazedly, supporting the deliciously munching little cub in his arms with one hand, and said to Chu Xingyun, "Also, your family was targeted by someone some time ago, and an Immortal-stage entity even intervened. Ao Qing sent this deity to investigate the situation and determine who the target was."

Chu Xingyun had dealt with that Huangfu Zhou more than twenty days ago, and the manifestation of Immortal-stage power in the skies above the Chu Imperial Dynasty during those days could not be concealed from anyone.

With both his own disciple and the little cub residing here, the signs of an Immortal-stage intervention meant Ao Qing could hardly just stand by and watch.

This was precisely why he had required Ao Xin to manifest so violently and conspicuously upon his arrival in the Chu territory.

The overpowering presence of a Heavenly Demon powerhouse like Ao Xin served to broadcast to the entire cultivation world that the Chu Imperial Family was sheltered by an Immortal-stage entity.

In the future, people would think twice before attempting to threaten Chu Xingyun through the Chu family.

And if Yu Youyou was the intended target, they needed to know she was a tough nut to crack.

"Thank you for the trouble, Senior," Chu Xingyun said, cupping his fists.

"Although you are merely at the Mahayana stage, you can still be considered young and accomplished."

Reaching the Mahayana stage around the age of a hundred and appearing completely at ease, Chu Xingyun clearly held high prospects of reaching the Immortal stage in the future. Ao Xin muttered inwardly about the Primordial Sect's sheer blind luck.

With two huffs, he tilted his head back, assumed the demeanor of a senior, and slowly walked into the Minghua Hall, saying, "Are the lingering traces of that Immortal-stage power all right here? Let this deity see who dares to oppose the Primordial Sect."

Having just emerged from his cage... his confinement array, he was precisely looking for a few unfortunate souls to vent his frustrations upon.

If he could not defeat Ao Qing, could he not defeat some nameless, skulking Immortal-stage coward who dared not even reveal his face?

"It is said that Huangfu Zhou originated from the Great Yan Imperial Dynasty," Chu Xingyun remarked.

The black dragon paused in his steps and said slowly, "The Great Yan imperial clan indeed bears the compound surname Huangfu."

However, the Great Yan Imperial Dynasty enjoyed a renowned and transcendent status throughout the entire cultivation world, and it was no secret that its direct bloodline bore the surname Huangfu.

If someone claimed the surname Huangfu, there was no guarantee they were not an impostor falsely utilizing the prestige of the Great Yan imperial clan.

Before his imprisonment, Ao Xin had witnessed numerous such fraudsters brandishing grand banners to deceive others across the cultivation world, so he paid it little mind. Releasing his divine sense, he retracted it after a moment and said softly, "The Dao arts are rather ordinary, but that golden hook is definitely of Immortal-artifact grade, by no means an ordinary item. Even an Immortal-stage holder would surely cherish it dearly. How is it that I recall no Immortal-stage cultivator in this cultivation world who specializes in using golden hooks?"

Immortal artifacts were hardly common cabbages; even among Immortal-stage powerhouses, few possessed them.

Such precious Immortal artifacts were usually the signature magical treasures of Immortal-stage experts.

Yet Ao Xin could find no trace of its origin in his memory.

Yu Youyou blinked her large eyes.

She indeed knew nothing of the golden hook's origins.

Just as in the book, Yu Youyou had never sensed any connection between Huangfu Zhou and the Great Yan Imperial Dynasty.

Yet finding Huangfu Zhou was by no means a difficult task.

In the novel, Yu Youyou had worked herself to the bone for Huangfu Zhou's grand ambitions, leaving her completely familiar with every facet of his foundation.

And once she knew?

Naturally, it was time to betray him and raid his ancestral stronghold.

His karmic retribution was none other than her!

Since that Huangfu Zhou had sneaked into her grand-uncle's home to stir up trouble and plot against him, it was only fair that since he had cast the first stone, she and her senior brother should cast the fifteenth, paying a visit to his home!

"Bixia Ridge," the little cub eagerly betrayed the rotten peach blossom from the novel, acting with utmost enthusiasm.

Now backed by the black dragon and a Heavenly Demon powerhouse stepping forward, she felt even more confident as she cheerfully sold out Huangfu Zhou.

Seeing her milky-voiced excitement as if she had won the lottery, Ao Xin was instantly left utterly bewildered.

Fortunately, Chu Xingyun shared a tacit understanding with his junior sister and inquired, "Bixia Ridge? Are you saying Huangfu Zhou's lair is in Bixia Ridge?"

"Mhmm!" The little cub nodded vigorously.

For the sake of his ambition, Huangfu Zhou had recruited cultivators and painstakingly accumulated wealth to plot his grand scheme. That lair of his must be exceptionally wealthy.

Even if it wasn't as wealthy as it would later become in the book, it certainly wasn't meager now.

"…Let this scoundrel wait for a moment. Since his whereabouts are already known, there is no need for undue haste." To raid the lair of a deeply scheming individual, especially one backed by an Immortal-stage shadow, was naturally not something to rush.

They must plan meticulously and ascertain the exact extent of his forces first.

A gentleman takes revenge even ten years later, Chu Xingyun smiled and said to Yu Youyou, "When I go to seek vengeance against him, I will certainly bring my little junior sister along. How does that sound?"

He clearly perceived Yu Youyou's profound aversion toward Huangfu Zhou.

Yu Youyou nodded eagerly, happily munching on her demonic cores while resting her cheek against Ao Xin's shoulder.

Ao Xin let out a cold internal huff.

For this little thing to know so many deep secrets about that Huangfu Zhou suggested their relationship was far from ordinary.

Yet!

Lord Black Dragon would not ask.

Arrogantly lifting his chin while cradling the plump little bundle, he withdrew his divine sense and told Chu Xingyun, "The person who intervened was extremely cautious. Whether it was the golden hook or other traces, everything was rendered untraceable. With such deliberate concealment and furtive behavior, you might assume otherwise, but it is not necessarily someone from the Great Yan Imperial Dynasty who made a move."

Having produced the supreme and invincible Great Yan Emperor, whom had the Great Yan Imperial Dynasty ever feared?

Would they ever need to skulk about in such hidden disguise without daring to reveal their true faces?

Yet, even if the perpetrator was not a cultivator of the Great Yan Imperial Dynasty, the Immortal-stage entity lurking behind Huangfu Zhou undoubtedly harbored ulterior motives.

Moreover, this Minghua Hall was also exceedingly strange.

It was far too clean.

Aside from pristine spiritual energy, not a single trace of impurity existed.

As a practitioner of the demonic path, he was exceptionally sensitive to demonic miasma and the like, yet he sensed none of it whatsoever within this hall.

It was clean enough to send a chill down a dragon's spine.

Ao Xin subconsciously scratched his black hair.

Thinking too deeply caused a headache.

Fearing he might rack his brains to no avail, he roughly cast these problems aside and refused to dwell on them further.

Meanwhile, though Chu Xingyun had just advanced to the Mahayana stage and his foundation was relatively stable, he prepared to undergo a brief period of secluded cultivation here.

With Ao Xin present, he felt entirely at ease leaving the cub in his care while he retreated for a month.

Since Ao Xin had made no attempt to conceal his identity upon manifesting in the Chu territory, the Chu Imperial Family was well aware that a true demon lord had arrived within the palace, prompting them to show even greater reverence.

As for the few members of the Chu Imperial Family who had been recruited by Huangfu Zhou and subsequently perished within the Minghua Hall, no one felt any grief.

The aged emperor acted with thunderous wrath, thoroughly confiscating the properties of those deceased descendants and arresting all their accomplices, sending a temporary wave of shock through the entire Chu Imperial Family.