After the Fairy Maidens Fell to Darkness, They Captured Me to Ruthlessly 'Repay' Their Gratitude-Chapter 178 - You Dare Take Me Seriously?

“Gu Li, there are two key points you must keep in mind for this mission.”

“First, beware of Shengxu Sect’s third-rank celestial servant, the Destined Heroine An Luo Yi. If you encounter her, avoid engaging in combat. She possesses the Abyssal Pearl and has recently broken through to late Nascent Soul stage. You are no match for her.”

“Second, remain vigilant for any interference from the Moon Sect Witch. Be cautious of anyone with unclear identities who might be affiliated with Moon Sect.”

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Inside the Hall of Blood Flames, the white-haired demon lord was giving instructions to the young Black Dragon clan prodigy.

The earlier conflict between Gu Li and Que Sheng had been resolved by Dongfang Zhou. Out of respect for the Vermilion Bird clan, Dongfang Zhou publicly scolded Gu Li to appease Que Sheng.

However, Gu Li didn’t seem to care at all. He firmly believed that Que Sheng’s disdain for him stemmed from his humble origins and his past as a failure—nothing more than prejudice and discrimination.

“Master, you can rest assured.”

“As for Lady Que Sheng, I hope she takes this time to rest and recover. Once I’ve wiped out those arrogant celestial servants of Shengxu Sect and brought back the ancient treasures to our sect...”

“I will personally present her with a token of my achievements and formally propose marriage to the Vermilion Bird clan!”

With a confident flick of his hair, Gu Li’s face lit up with an air of pride and self-assurance.

As a “protagonist” of the reversal trope, Gu Li was brimming with confidence about this mission.

Shengxu Sect? Ancient treasures?

It sounded like classic cannon fodder encounters, accidental treasure discoveries, and artifacts choosing their rightful master—standard plotlines for his journey!

Ever since awakening his ancient dragon destiny, Gu Li had stumbled upon opportunities wherever he went. Many sect treasures had already fallen into his hands!

The thought of acquiring yet another powerful artifact excited him.

To achieve greatness, rise in cultivation, defeat stronger foes, and make those who once looked down on him reevaluate their judgments—this was the perfect script for a “trash-to-treasure” protagonist!

“Idiot...”

Not far away,

The red-feathered girl standing beside the demon lord muttered under her breath, her expression cold and filled with disdainful amusement.

In the past, given Gu Li’s cultivation and talent, Que Sheng might have believed he could complete this mission successfully.

But after her experience in Shengxu Sect—encountering a certain white-robed youth of the same age as Gu Li whose terrifying strength was unfathomable—and enduring hours of humiliation at his hands...

Que Sheng was now genuinely afraid.

She had witnessed He Ange’s cunning and cruelty firsthand. She had acted in his schemes, been marked by him, and remained haunted by his shadow.

So much so that she no longer dared return to Shengxu Sect for any mission.

In just one night, He Ange had left an indelible psychological scar on Que Sheng.

And now?

Gu Li thought this mission was an opportunity—a chance to shine in Shengxu Sect?

If that wasn’t naive overconfidence, what was?

If this mission were truly a golden opportunity, why would Que Sheng give up her spot? Why would it fall to Gu Li?

Que Sheng had no faith in him. She was ready to sit back and watch the show.

“He thinks he can propose to me...”

“If he can survive an encounter with that demon He Ange and return alive, then we’ll talk.”

With a cold snort,

The red-feathered girl turned away, her heart filled with schadenfreude.

...

...

The Next Morning

Shengxu Sect held its long-awaited training expedition early in the day. In coordination with neighboring sects, many elders led their young disciples down the mountain to join forces in suppressing a western demonic sect.

By noon,

The sect was nearly empty—unusually quiet.

Forbidden Grounds – Entrance

“Old man, are we really just going to waltz into the forbidden grounds in broad daylight?”

The sun hung high as He Ange met up with Li Daoyuan.

The white-haired elder led the way while the white-robed youth followed behind.

The pair walked openly through the forest—not at all like demonic cultivators about to steal ancient treasures.

“You don’t understand,” Li Daoyuan replied casually. “The most dangerous place is often the safest. With all the elders gone from Shengxu Sect, no one would expect us to strike during the day. It’s called catching them off guard!”

Li Daoyuan’s tone was relaxed—his confidence evident.

Before leaving Dao Yuan Temple,

Li Daoyuan had already set up a Divine Transformation-level illusionary barrier around the area. Using a treasured illusionary scroll he had saved for years, he created a core array within the temple to mask their departure.

With such meticulous preparations,

Even a Divine Transformation celestial servant monitoring Dao Yuan Temple wouldn’t immediately notice its emptiness!

This was Li Daoyuan’s confidence.

Before long,

The two arrived at the entrance to the forbidden grounds.

The area was ethereal—shrouded in misty spiritual energy. The entrance itself resembled a thin veil, an illusory portal leading to another world.

“Alright, the ancient treasures are just beyond here. Let’s go.”

“No guards at such an important location?”

He Ange asked curiously.

Li Daoyuan scoffed and waved dismissively.

“You’ll see once you’re inside.”

With that,

He stepped through the portal and vanished.

After a brief hesitation,

He Ange followed suit.

“Elder Dao Yuan, you’ve arrived.”

“Elder Dao Yuan, this way please.”

The scene beyond the portal left He Ange momentarily stunned.

Several Dragon Dynasty celestial servants knelt on one knee before the white-haired elder, their expressions respectful and submissive.

Seeing He Ange’s astonishment,

Li Daoyuan smirked smugly:

“You think I’d dare target ancient treasures without connections in Dragon Dynasty?”

“These are all your people?”

He Ange asked incredulously.

Among those kneeling were celestial servants wearing golden-threaded dragon robes—at least third-rank! These were Nascent Soul peak-level experts!

Such high-ranking celestial servants enjoyed immense privileges under Dragon Dynasty. Why would they betray their sects for Wanmo Sect?

“They’ve all been poisoned with soul-binding venom—completely loyal to certain old celestial ministers above them...”

Li Daoyuan muttered with a hint of melancholy.

Realizing he had said too much,

He quickly waved it off: “Kid, you’re too young to understand how this world truly works. When you reach Divine Transformation stage, you’ll see for yourself.”

With that,

Li Daoyuan continued leading the way.

He Ange followed silently while the kneeling celestial servants rose and trailed behind them.

Before long,

They reached the treasure chamber within the forbidden grounds.

Along the way,

There should have been numerous traps and barriers. But with Li Daoyuan’s knowledge of safe routes, they breezed through in mere minutes.

Years ago,

When Dragon Dynasty ordered these ancient treasures sealed away, it was Li Daoyuan himself who had been tasked with setting up the illusionary arrays.

Li Daoyuan knew this place inside out.

In hindsight,

It seemed many of Dragon Dynasty’s old celestial ministers—publicly righteous figures—had their own hidden agendas.

Finally,

They stood before the treasure chamber.

Several celestial servants stepped forward to input codes and dispel seals. With a rumbling sound, the stone door opened—revealing countless dazzling ancient treasures within.

At first glance,

He Ange’s eyes locked onto a certain ancient abyssal scroll deep within the chamber.

Meanwhile,

Li Daoyuan showed no urgency to claim anything. Instead, he smiled contentedly and turned to address his subordinates:

“Your task is complete. Return to your posts and administer the poison yourselves. When you wake up, claim it was my doing.”

“Thank you for your guidance, Elder Dao Yuan!”

The celestial servants knelt once more before retreating obediently.

Though they were loyal operatives of certain old celestial ministers,

They had no intention of fleeing with Li Daoyuan. Their identities as celestial servants were too valuable to waste on such risks.

By feigning unconsciousness from poison,

They could shift all blame onto Li Daoyuan while preserving their positions within Dragon Dynasty.

“Kid,” Li Daoyuan said proudly from ahead. “Learn anything today?”

He Ange nodded thoughtfully—he had indeed gained valuable insights along the way.

Compared to this cunning elder,

Other demonic sect operatives seemed laughably amateurish in their methods of infiltrating forbidden grounds.

This wasn’t theft—it was practically an open invitation!

“Kid,” Li Daoyuan continued. “As agreed—you take three parts; I take seven. Pick your treasures.”

Seeing He Ange’s greedy gaze,

Li Daoyuan smirked inwardly. After all,

Once Wanmo Sect’s operatives arrived, He Ange would be eliminated—and all treasures would belong to him alone.

“Can I really take anything?”

“Of course,” Li Daoyuan replied confidently. “I never go back on my word.”

He Ange stepped forward—his eyes fixed on the abyssal scroll deep within the chamber.

“May I take this scroll?”

His tone carried genuine deference—a rare moment of sincerity from him.

The ancient scroll was what Feng Yuan had tasked him with retrieving. If he could secure it now,

There’d be no need for further scheming against Li Daoyuan—he could simply leave immediately.

Li Daoyuan hesitated briefly—his gaze darkening with a flicker of murderous intent.

But maintaining his facade,

He forced a cold smile: “If you want it... take it.”

Feigning generosity,

He concealed his growing hostility beneath a veneer of politeness.

Yet as He Ange reached for the scroll,

Li Daoyuan couldn’t help but inwardly sneer at the youth’s audacity. Did He Ange truly think he could claim such a priceless artifact under his watch?

But then...

To Li Daoyuan’s utter disbelief,

He Ange casually pocketed the scroll before turning back with a polite smile:

“Thank you for your generosity, Elder Dao Yuan!”

“This scroll alone is enough for me—the rest is yours.”

—