Chapter Twenty-Five
The crisp cries of the Water Condensation Beast echoed clearly beyond Purple Moon Mountain, its tear-streaked pitiful appearance enough to sadden anyone who saw it. San Huo stared blankly at this Ancient Divine Beast that was usually arrogant, flashy, and outrageously domineering, taking a long while to regain his senses.
Having lived for tens of thousands of years, if there was anyone the Three-Headed Fire Dragon truly envied, it was this Water Condensation Divine Beast. This plump, silly, lazy creature had never engaged in proper cultivation for a single day, merely chewing on the Primordial Spirit Pills bestowed by the Ancient True God. In just a hundred years, it had directly transformed from beast to god, and not a single bolt of Heavenly Thunder had struck during its ascension. In earlier years, San Huo could still rely on his Demigod cultivation to look down on Bi Bo, but in recent decades, not only had he been bullied by Bi Bo to the point of not daring to even sneeze, but he also had to shamelessly flatter and curry favor. After all, this little plump beast had quite a few Primordial Spirit Pills hidden away, and occasionally handing one out could give San Huo much more life-saving capital when facing tribulations.
Ah, different origins lead to different fates—this was the phrase San Huo had been muttering to himself all these years while watching Bi Bo. But given Bi Bo's status as an Ancient Divine Beast, how could it be so familiar with a junior from the Immortal Tribe? San Huo's mind raced quickly. Remembering Bi Bo's connection to the Immortal Realm's Clear Pond Palace, his round dragon eyes immediately narrowed, and his gaze toward Gu Jin grew fervent.
Could this child have ties to the Divine Lords? That Bi Bo is notoriously stingy—I wonder if this kid has any treasures I could try to get my hands on? San Huo didn't connect Gu Jin with the Little Divine Lord Yuan Qi from back then. Yuan Qi was the son of the True God Shang Gu and Bai Jue, the young lord of the Ancient Divine Realm. He'd have to be utterly bored to go to Great Marsh Mountain and become a mere disciple. Moreover, although Gu Jin's Immortal Power appeared orthodox and profound, it wasn't Primordial Chaos Power, clearly indicating no blood relation to the two Divine Lords.
After crying in Gu Jin's arms for a long while without hearing a single comforting word, Bi Bo couldn't help but wipe its tears and lift its head to look at Gu Jin. "A Jin, why aren't you comforting me? Before, when I cried, you would hug me and play 'fly-fly' with me!"
The Water Condensation Beast's nose was red from crying, its question naive and innocent, while suppressed laughter came from Ayin behind it. Gu Jin's face turned from green to purple, then from purple to red, a wave of embarrassment from having his past exposed washing over him. Suppressing the urge to beat Bi Bo into a ball, he gritted his teeth and whispered, "Bi Bo, in these two hundred years, you haven't grown in size, and your intelligence hasn't grown either? Two hundred years ago, I was only a few years old, and now how old am I!"
Although Gu Jin said this, he didn't push Bi Bo out of his arms. He pinched the soft flesh behind Bi Bo's head, and the Water Condensation Beast comfortably narrowed its eyes and hummed. As Bi Bo lay on Gu Jin, its head tilted back and it happened to see Ayin covering her mouth and laughing. It immediately straightened up, its plump wings pointing at Ayin. "Ah, ah, ah! A Jin, there's another Water Condensation Beast here!"
Bi Bo's face was full of excitement as it flew out of Gu Jin's arms and landed in front of Ayin with a whoosh, its eyes wide with excitement. "Little girl, what's your name? Where are you from? Are there any other Water Condensation Beasts?"
Having gone extinct after tens of thousands of years of changes, Bi Bo had never encountered its own kind since birth, so seeing Ayin now made it particularly excited.
Before Ayin could blink and answer, Gu Jin had already turned around and said, "Bi Bo, her name is Ayin. She's my junior sister. I raised her, and there are no other Water Condensation Beasts."
Hearing Gu Jin's words, Bi Bo's perked-up large ears immediately drooped, looking utterly pitiful.Gu Jin patted him on the head, "Bi Bo, is Divine Lord Tian Qi at Purple Moon Mountain?"
Bi Bo shook his head, "The Divine Lord left to travel many years ago and hasn't returned for ten years now. By the way, A Jin, weren't you at Great Marsh Mountain learning immortal arts from Dong Hua? What brings you to Purple Moon Mountain?"
"Bi Bo, Dong Hua ascended to High God last month and has already ascended to the Divine Realm." San Huo, seeing that these people had finally finished their chatter, transformed into human form and walked over. He glanced at Gu Jin, "So you're Dong Hua's disciple. What business do you have with Divine Lord Tian Qi?"
Learning that Tian Qi was not at Purple Moon Mountain, Gu Jin frowned. Before his master ascended, he had mentioned that there might be a phoenix tree in the Nine Nether Purgatory. Now that the purple-haired uncle wasn't here, the clue to that strand of soul would also be lost.
The Nine Nether Purgatory was a space created by Tian Qi, said to be hidden in an unknown location within the Three Realms. Only True Gods and gatekeepers could summon and open it. Gu Jin had originally thought that after finding Tian Qi at Purple Moon Mountain, he could enter the Nine Nether Purgatory to retrieve one of Feng Ran's soul strands. Now that hope was dashed, he couldn't help but feel disheartened.
Gu Jin explained his purpose to San Huo and Bi Bo. When San Huo heard "Nine Nether Purgatory," he blinked thoughtfully.
Knowing Bi Bo wasn't particularly reliable, Gu Jin directly asked San Huo, "Dragon Lord, before Divine Lord Tian Qi left, did he mention where he was going or when he would return?"
San Huo shook his head, "The Divine Lord only said he was going to visit an old friend. He didn't say where or when he'd be back."
The purple-haired uncle visiting an old friend? Gu Jin couldn't think of anyone Tian Qi wouldn't be able to find. As long as a soul wasn't extinguished, nothing in the Three Realms or Six Paths could escape his calculations.
Hong Yi had gone missing three years ago, and Tian Qi hadn't returned for ten years, so Hong Yi's disappearance near Purple Moon Mountain had nothing to do with Tian Qi. Gu Jin looked at San Huo, "Dragon Lord, the tribal chief of the Fox race, Chang Qin's nephew Hong Yi, disappeared near Purple Moon Mountain three years ago. Have you seen him enter the mountain?"
Before San Huo could speak, Bi Bo beside him waved his wings and shook his head, "Impossible, A Jin. I've been here for a hundred years and haven't seen a single fox enter the mountain. Three years ago, a nine-tailed fox did come, saying he wanted to see the Divine Lord to find his nephew, but I sent him away. Alright, A Jin, you must be tired after traveling so long. Let's go into the mountain and rest."
Sure enough, for Bi Bo, even if the sky fell, filling his stomach was more important.
Bi Bo waved his wings, and a passage opened in the Purple Moon Barrier.
Gu Jin glanced at the barrier, deep in thought. Only Bi Bo and San Huo could open the Purple Moon Barrier. Hong Yi was an underage young fox who couldn't possibly avoid their notice and break into Purple Moon Mountain. But Chang Qin wasn't one to speak carelessly. She had knocked on the mountain three years ago and now entrusted him to come, meaning she was certain Hong Yi was inside Purple Moon Mountain.
Gu Jin frowned, unable to make sense of it, and decided to follow Bi Bo and San Huo into the mountain first to think of another way.
Bi Bo, however, wasn't idle. He flew to Ayin's side, propping his chin with a hand and speaking with an air of aged wisdom, "Little girl, little girl, I'm your ancestor. From now on, follow me, and I guarantee no one will dare bully you!"
Ayin had long heard there was another Water Condensation Divine Beast in the Three Realms, but she never expected this ancient divine beast to have such a childish temperament. She smiled until her eyes curved, nodding, "Ancestor Bi Bo, my immortal power is weak. You must protect me well from now on."Bi Bo nodded eagerly, "Yes, yes. From now on, you and A Jin can stay at Purple Moon Mountain. With Divine Lord Tian Qi's barrier protecting it, this place is very safe—no one can break in. But don’t leave the mountain casually. There are many demon beasts outside, and with your level of immortal power, they could swallow you in one bite. I can’t beat them anyway."
Only then did Ayin understand that Bi Bo’s idea of "hanging out" genuinely meant staying at Purple Moon Mountain with it. She couldn’t help but feel both amused and exasperated. "Ancestor Bi Bo, aren’t you a divine beast? How could you not beat those demons?"
Bi Bo looked as if this were perfectly natural, patting its little wings on its belly. "What does being a divine beast matter? Little girl, I’m a Water Condensation Divine Beast. We Water Condensation Beasts are born to save people. What’s the point of learning to fight? That’s too tiring." Bi Bo pointed toward San Huo nearby. "See, fighting is this brute dragon’s job."
San Huo couldn’t be bothered to respond to Bi Bo. With his hands clasped behind his back, he led the way ahead, his eyes narrowed as if scheming something.
Aside from Bi Bo and San Huo, everyone else inside Purple Moon Mountain was transformed from mountain spirits. Having received Tian Qi’s enlightenment, they respected Bi Bo, the mountain guardian chosen by Tian Qi, just as much. Even though Bi Bo had brought members of the Immortal Tribe inside, they still treated them with courtesy.
After dinner, Bi Bo mysteriously took Ayin away, claiming it would teach her the ultimate secret technique of the Water Condensation Beast clan. Gu Jin remained alone in the courtyard behind Purple Moon Hall, cultivating his immortal power.
The moon rose to the treetops, but Ayin still hadn’t returned. After finishing his meditation, Gu Jin didn’t go looking for her. Instead, he glanced toward the rooftop of the courtyard.
"Since the Dragon Lord has arrived, why not reveal yourself?"
A low chuckle echoed from the rafters as San Huo materialized in human form, stroking his chin. "You’ve got decent immortal power, kid. You actually noticed this old dragon’s arrival."
"If the Dragon Lord didn’t want this junior to know, how could I possibly have noticed?" Gu Jin rose and saluted as San Huo landed in the courtyard. "Dragon Lord, what brings you here so late at night?"
The Three-Headed Fire Dragon held a revered position in the Demon Realm, second only to Demon Emperor Sen Hong. Although he stayed at Purple Moon Mountain partly for its cultivation energy, it was also to avoid trouble. Gu Jin, a mere disciple of Great Marsh Mountain, clearly wasn’t important enough for San Huo to visit personally in the middle of the night. He must have another purpose.
San Huo tilted his somewhat sinister face and nodded toward Gu Jin. "Kid, are you really willing to enter Divine Lord Tian Qi’s Nine Nether Purgatory for that little phoenix’s soul?"
The Nine Nether Purgatory imprisoned the most vicious demons and monsters from the Three Realms over tens of thousands of years. No one had ever willingly entered it.
Gu Jin was taken aback, a flicker of hope crossing his face. "Does the Dragon Lord know where the Nine Nether Purgatory is?"
The Nine Nether Purgatory was not only an alternate dimension but also a prison. And since it was a prison, it naturally had a warden. Gu Jin had always known the Nine Nether Purgatory had a warden, but he never expected the one chosen by Tian Qi for this generation to be this Three-Headed Fire Dragon.
"Bi Bo is mischievous and unreliable. A hundred years ago, the Divine Lord summoned me from the Demon Emperor’s palace to guard the Nine Nether Purgatory and Purple Moon Mountain," San Huo declared, clearing his throat.
Though San Huo spoke with an air of righteousness, Gu Jin saw through it clearly. Bi Bo was small in stature but bold and prone to trouble, with no skills other than saving people. Tian Qi had clearly summoned San Huo to Purple Moon Mountain to protect this plump bird. Only a True God or the warden could open the Nine Nether Purgatory, and the duty of guarding it was merely Tian Qi exploiting San Huo’s tough hide and putting him to work."So the Dragon Lord is the guardian of the Nine Nether Purgatory." Gu Jin feigned surprise, his face full of admiration as he cupped his hands toward San Huo. "I beg the Dragon Lord to grant me passage, allowing this junior to enter the Nine Nether Purgatory and retrieve Feng Yin's soul."
"Kid, that's a place of purgatory that strikes fear throughout the Three Realms. It has God-Slaying Flowers guarding its gates—even I wouldn't dare barge in. You're just an Immortal Lord, are you trying to throw your life away?" San Huo narrowed his eyes and demanded.
Gu Jin hailed from the orthodox Immortal Sect of Great Marsh Mountain and had ties to Clear Pond Palace. Since he dared to enter the Nine Nether Purgatory, he naturally had a magical treasure to rely on. San Huo's question was merely to confirm this; he couldn't gauge the depths of this youth's background or origins. Though he wanted to achieve his own goal, he didn't want to bring trouble upon himself.
"Dragon Lord, rest assured. This junior possesses a Heavenly Shuttle Robe, which can conceal my traces and ensure my safety."
The Heavenly Shuttle Robe was a Semi-Divine Artifact crafted by the ancient Weaving Goddess. It had no offensive power, but wearing it could conceal the aura of all things in heaven and earth. Although it was a wondrous object, it had one weakness: its effectiveness was tied to the wearer's Divine Power. If used by a High God, wearing it to remain invisible for ten or fifteen days would be no issue, but with Gu Jin's current Immortal Power, lasting an hour at most would be impressive.
"You actually have such a treasure? This old dragon underestimated you. Very well, kid, your family background runs deep!" Surprise flickered across San Huo's face as he looked at Gu Jin, his gaze sizing him up like a walking treasure.
Back when Gu Jin followed Shang Gu to the Ancient Realm, the awakened High Gods all took great delight in the Little Divine Lord, each presenting their treasured magical artifacts to the Hall of Worship to celebrate the young lord's descent into the world. When Gu Jin descended to the Mortal Realm, the pile of treasures he had accumulated was stripped clean by Tian Qi. Somehow, he was left with this last-resort Heavenly Shuttle Robe in his Cosmic Bag.
"Dragon Lord, you flatter me. This Heavenly Shuttle Robe was passed down from my ancestors." Little Fatty Gu spun the lie effortlessly and without hesitation.
San Huo waved a hand at him. "I don't care how you got the Heavenly Shuttle Robe. You must know its weakness—with your Immortal Power, wearing it can protect you for at most an hour. Have you thought this through? If the Heavenly Shuttle Robe loses its Magical Power, you'll be trapped in the Nine Nether Purgatory forever."
Since the Heavenly Shuttle Robe belonged to Gu Jin, it must have already undergone Blood-Binding Recognition. No one else could use it, nor could anyone enter the Nine Nether Purgatory in his place.
Gu Jin nodded. "This junior has thought it through. I ask the Dragon Lord to open the Nine Nether Gate for me." Seeing San Huo lost in thought and silent, he sighed and looked toward the three-headed fire dragon's sinister face, suddenly speaking up: "Dragon Lord, what do you need this junior to do for you? Please speak plainly."
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