Who Let Him Cultivate?! (WX)-Chapter 583: Ninth-Layer Golden Core Stage!
In the Qiongqi Tomb, two figures, one large and one small, stood silently before the black coffin, not uttering a word. The oily green glow from their pupils added a touch of terror in the pitch-black darkness.
If any Qiongqi Tribe elder were present, they would recognize the larger figure as the Qiongqi Tribe’s living fossil and the most senior existence, a Transcendent Tribulation old qiongqi who had lived for nine thousand years.
But strangely, between these two figures, the Transcendent Tribulation living fossil stood slightly behind, treating the petite figure with utmost deference, not daring to overstep the slightest.
The petite figure gently caressed the burial objects. They emitted a series of buzzing sounds, as if yearning to break through their seals and follow their master into battle.
“It’s not yet time,” the petite figure murmured.
Hearing their master’s command, the burial objects quieted down.
Chieftain Jin hurriedly entered the tomb chambers on all fours. As he neared the main tomb, his pace slowed, and he gradually assumed human form. Seeing the two figures, he steadied himself and bowed. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢
“Little Ancestor, the people from the Meng Family and the Dao-Seeking Sect have been sent off. The Meng heir promised to speak to his father about lending us spirit stones upon his return.”
The figure addressed as “Little Ancestor” turned around. It was a petite girl, looking about thirteen or fourteen years old.
The girl nodded, quite satisfied with Chieftain Jin’s actions. “That’s good news. With the imminent arrival of the Great Era, that old fellow from the Dijiang Tribe can no longer restrain himself. He wants to unify the Demon Region and seize the initiative. His Incipient Dao Fruit is indeed suited for this.
“Our Qiongqi Tribe need not imitate others. There is still time before the true Great Era arrives. During this period, what you all need to do is improve your own cultivation realms.”
“Yes,” Chieftain Jin and the living fossil replied simultaneously, a hint of excitement in their eyes.
The scale of the Battle of the Great Era rivals that of ancient times. If anyone today knows the situation in the ancient era best, it’s undoubtedly Little Ancestor.
Then, as if remembering something, Chieftain Jin hesitated slightly.
The girl prompted him. “If you have something to say, feel free to speak.”
“Little Ancestor, with our Qiongqi Tribe’s strength, can we truly develop to the point of being qualified to compete with behemoths like Great Xia and the Buddhist Kingdom for fortuitous opportunities in the Battle of the Great Era?”
The girl rolled her eyes, somewhat exasperated at them for not meeting her expectations like iron not turning into steel. “I didn’t say we should compete for first. Can’t we just aim to be in the top ten?”
“Oh.”
~~~
The black market was a gathering ground of fish and dragons alike, a chaotic mix of people, and rumors flew everywhere. As long as you were willing to spend money, there was no intelligence you couldn’t obtain.
In a tavern, two figures in black robes with obscured features were conversing. This was the most common attire in the black market.
“Have you heard of the Diabolic Sound Heavenly Maiden?”
“What kind of question is that? Who hasn’t heard of the Diabolic Sound Heavenly Maiden? When her guqin resounds, millions of sound threads slice demons to pieces, leaving not even a whole piece of flesh. That she-devil is on every tribe’s wanted list. The combined bounties would tempt even Fusion cultivators. If not for my lack of ability, I would have tried to catch her too!”
“Hai, I’m not talking about that old news. I’m asking about the news from four months ago—about the two attendants appearing beside her.”
“Two attendants? To be honest, old brother, I’ve been in seclusion for half a year and haven’t paid attention to such news.”
“Buy me a drink, and I’ll tell you all about it.”
“Waiter, bring two barrels of your finest monkey wine!”
The person sniffed. Catching a whiff of the wine fragrance, he chuckled and said, “I won’t elaborate on the Diabolic Sound Heavenly Maiden; everyone knows about her. Just four months ago, two attendants suddenly appeared by her side. They were also human and were at the Advanced Nascent Soul Stage.
“Since gaining these two attendants, news of the Heavenly Maiden’s appearances has become more frequent. She often goes in and out of various tribe’s ancestral tombs. By the time this trio is discovered, it’s too late—they’ve already fled without a trace.
“Even if they were discovered on the spot, the Heavenly maiden had plenty of means to escape with her two attendants, infuriating those tribes that could only stamp their feet in anger.
“I heard some tribe’s tomb guardians actually welcomed the Heavenly Maiden. They steal what they guard, looting a significant number of burial objects. If the Heavenly Maiden came, they could push the blame for the missing burial objects onto her.
“Alas, these tribes weren’t worthy of the Heavenly Maiden’s attention. The tribes she targets have lineages exceeding three hundred thousand years and ancient origins.
“I heard the Heavenly Maiden’s next target is the Zhuyan[1] Tribe. She even sent an advance-notice letter.”
“So arrogant?! The Zhuyan Tribe has a Transcendent Tribulation old ancestor overseeing it. What is the Diabolic Sound Heavenly Maiden’s background?”
“My guess is that she might be a personal disciple of Great Xia’s Thief Ancestor, and she’s here in our Demon Region to undergo a trial.”
By now, people in the tavern had crowded around, all listening to the matter of the Diabolic Sound Heavenly Maiden. One person frowned and questioned, “Why did I hear that the Heavenly Maiden’s two attendants once introduced themselves in the Insect Tribe, saying they were from the Five-Elements Sect?”
“Don’t talk nonsense! As one of the Five Great Immortal Sects, the Five-Elements Sect is aboveboard in their actions. How could they do something as vile as tomb raiding?!”
“So what if they’re one of the Five Great Immortal Sects? Isn’t the Dao-Seeking Sect also one of the Five Great Immortal Sects?”
While the crowd argued over the Diabolic Sound Heavenly Maiden’s origins, the first dark figure who shared the intelligence slipped away quietly to the outskirts of the black market.
“Senior Sister, we’re back.”
The dark figure lifted his hood—it was Meng Jingzhou.
“How did intelligence gathering go?”
“I pretended to be an informed source and spouted nonsense for half a day, and everyone in the tavern was listening. It seems they still don’t know our identities or location.”
Lu Yang soon left from another exit of the black market and met up with Gan Tian to report. “When I went to the Bai-Ze Tribe to buy intelligence on our identities and location, they said they only had guesses and no confirmed information. Seeing they didn’t know, I came back.”
Gan Tian, “...”
I gave you spirit stones to gather intelligence in the black market, yet you two didn’t spend a single one.
Over these four months, the three had been exploring ancient history in tombs while cultivating. Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou had progressed rapidly. At the Ninth-Layer Golden Core Stage, each step was like climbing to the sky. The two had risen from the eighth layer to the ninth layer of the Golden Core Stage. Now, they were merely half a step away from the legendary, seemingly unattainable Nascent Soul Stage!
Just as the three were inquiring about information on themselves to confirm their safety, a shocking piece of news spread through the Demon Region, reaching the entire cultivation world.
The ancient Dijiang had emerged out of nowhere. Hundreds of major tribes had pledged allegiance to the ancient Dijiang, deferentially addressing him as the Demon Monarch and establishing a Demon Kingdom. The ancient Dijiang declined three times before reluctantly accepting the demon populace’s request.
The Dijiang Tribe was in full swing, unstoppable as a wildfire as they busily prepared the coronation ceremony. The ancient Dijiang sent out invitations far and wide: to the Qiongqi Tribe, the Dragon Tribe, the Phoenix Tribe, Great Xia, the Five Great Immortal Sects, the Buddhist Kingdom, the East Sea...
Every major power had received invitations from the ancient Dijiang to attend the coronation ceremony.
“So many demon tribes have submitted?” The Everlasting Immortal Fairy was slightly surprised. That’s pretty fast. Is he letting loose because he thinks there are no more immortals in the current era?
One characteristic of the Law of the Jungle Incipient Dao Fruit was that the more powerful beings one controlled, the more powerful oneself became.
“These major tribes definitely have Fusion or Transcendent Tribulation cultivators. To be controlling so many demon kings and demon emperors, the ancient Dijiang’s strength is likely even greater than it was in ancient times. He rivals the old Qiongqi and is among the strongest tier of half-immortals. No wonder he dares to proclaim himself the Demon Monarch.”
1. The zhuyan looks like an ape with a white head and red feet. ☜
