Chapter 1273: Chapter 23: The Yu Family’s Two Demons

When Jiang Daoist saw the two men, his expression changed slightly, though he quickly put on an unaffected demeanor; yet in his heart, he was overcome by tumultuous waves.

He had never expected Qu Changzhi to be so bold as to dare to collude with the North Sea Demon Tribe!

The Zhongtai Sect had long issued strict orders that no Lower Sect practitioners or citizens were allowed to associate with North Sea Demon Cultivators, and violators would be severely punished.

For more than a century, anyone daring to step beyond the Thunder Pool was invariably executed.

Especially since he was a guest of the Sixth Prince of Chu Kingdom, his identity was even more sensitive. If this were discovered, his life would likely be in jeopardy.

Lured by Qu Changzhi’s fervent invitation, he had initially thought it was because of his escape skill, but now, it seemed there might be another motive.

Yet regretting it now would be too late, for he had no doubt that if he showed the slightest abnormality, he would immediately be killed by these two men.

However, Qu Changzhi was clearly under Ancestor Hui Xuan, closely connected to the Zhongtai Sect, so why was he acting this way?

Qu Changzhi approached with a welcoming smile and said, "Are you under Luo Daoist?"

Yu Jia replied, "My brother and I were originally cultivators on Luoxi Island. Favored by the Third Elder, he accepted us as guests."

With a look of realization in his eyes, Qu Changzhi was unsurprised that he had never heard of the two; after the Python Clan occupied the Beimo Sea Realm, they brought all scattered Demon Cultivator forces under their control, assisting those with promising aptitude in cultivation, thereby greatly strengthening their prowess. These brothers must have only recently achieved Nascent Soul status in the past century.

He felt slightly dissatisfied, as compared to the Luo Family’s deep roots and Divine Passage Skills, these two were unsatisfactory to him. Nonetheless, since they had come, they still constituted some assistance, so he remained courteous, nodding slightly, and stepping aside, "Fellow Daoists, please, we shall shortly discuss some strategies to deal with that formidable foe together."

Yu Yi rolled his eyes and said arrogantly, "With my brother and I here, no opponent is insurmountable. As for Zhang Daoist, if Master Qu feels unable to handle him, just leave it to us; why bother discussing?"

His words were not only conceited but also carried an undertone of mockery.

Qu Changzhi showed a hint of harshness, which briefly appeared and then vanished, as he pulled out two face tokens from his sleeve, smiling, "That works too. I have set an array here, and without these tokens for protection, you’d be unguarded. Please take them."

"Array?"

The Yu brothers exchanged disdainful looks.

Yu Jia stepped forward and swept his sleeve to collect the two tokens, then each grabbed a handful of black smoke from their sleeves, threw it to the ground, and wrapped themselves in it, ascending into the clouds, hovering a hundred meters high, as if too proud to associate with the trio.

Qu Changzhi and his companions glanced up a few times, then returned to the cabin. Once seated, Wang Guangyuan slammed the tea table, eyes flaring with anger, and pointed outside, "Brother, what are they that they dare be so arrogant in front of my fellow disciples?"

Qu Changzhi smirked, "Don’t be upset, brother. If they’re willing to help, that can only be good news. Later, let them be the vanguard."

His gaze shifted to Jiang Daoist sitting nearby, looking somewhat dazed, "Fellow Daoist, you look pale; are you unwell?"

Jiang Daoist seemed startled, quickly saying, "Nothing, nothing."

Qu Changzhi gave him a meaningful look, saying, "Glad to hear it; we’ll need your aid shortly."

Then Wang Guangyuan said grimly, "Brother Jiang, make sure to hold onto your face token carefully. If any unexpected changes arise, my brother and I can’t help you."

Jiang Daoist’s heart sank, realizing the token must have been tampered with in some way. He forced a smile and clasped his hands in acknowledgment, "I will follow your lead shortly."

With that, Qu Changzhi paid him no further mind, settling on the couch cross-legged.

Wang Guangyuan chuckled, also sitting cross-legged with closed eyes.

Jiang Daoist gritted his teeth, thinking since he’s already been dragged into the fire pit, he could only take things one step at a time.

Outnumbering one with five should ensure victory. Once Zhang Daoist is dealt with, he’ll look for a chance to escape if possible.

He waited anxiously for about one quarter of an hour, until the end of noon, when suddenly the sound of a Gang Windstorm was heard from Heaven, which made Qu Changzhi shudder slightly and say in a deep voice, "Here it comes."

The three of them simultaneously left the cabin and looked ahead, only to see a fierce Rainbow Light approaching from the south. As it drew closer, the Qi Waves on the sea became increasingly intense, causing their Floating Boat to rock violently, as if about to be thrown over.

Qu Changzhi was startled; this person was still over ten miles away and could already stir such a commotion. How powerful must his mana be? He couldn’t help but secretly rejoice, grateful he had prudently overestimated his opponent and set the array in advance, avoiding a thorny situation.

Within a few breaths, the tunneling light reached a distance of a hundred meters, then retracted inward, suddenly vanishing, revealing an imposing Daoist. Above his head hovered three Gang Clouds, two solid and one ethereal, with Spiritual Energy surging around him, creating a whirlpool that pressed down the sea’s surface. When his electric gaze swept over them, everyone felt a shiver in their hearts.

Yu Jia and Yu Yi seemed also to sense the threat posed by the newcomer, dispersed the black smoke, descended from Heaven, and willingly stood alongside the three.

Zhang Yan glanced down at the dozens of Floating Boats below and flicked his robe sleeve, releasing a burst of radiance that drifted elegantly toward the five standing together.

The five could not discern what Daoist Skill it was, so cautiously refrained from directly confronting it and scattered in all directions with tunneling light. In his haste, Qu Changzhi looked back, only to be shocked; as the radiance descended, the dozens of Floating Boats vanished simultaneously!

...

...(To be continued. If you enjoy this work, please visit Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for recommendations and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please read at m.qidian.com.)