Longevity Chronicles-Chapter 363 - 259: Decrees Capturing the Heart, Lady Mei in Danger_2
"Clearly, this little devil was seeking credit."
Tao Qian was also looking at the newly transformed Rashamon Girl and indeed noticed some subtle changes in her.
They were slight, and quite elusive.
The most obvious sign was the previously charming Princess An Ya, whose brows now bore a hint of murderous and heroic spirit.
Seeing Tao Qian looking at her, the Rashamon Girl even held her fists in a salute and then said very cheerfully and directly,
"Daoist, are you worried I might affect the Great Plan?"
"There is no need for that, An Ya and Qi Ye are truly in love, they would never harm each other."
"I have long disliked that demon Zhu Qi, a pervert indeed, and I can't wait for his schemes to fail and for him to perish."
"According to the common saying in Longevity Heavenly Dynasty, this is what we call sharing a common hatred."
"Good!"
As soon as An Ya finished speaking, a familiar cheer erupted.
Then in the quiet room, a glow flashed, and a treasure emerged from the ground, shaped like an ordinary fishing boat.
Two figures emerged from within the shuttle.
Leading the way was Shi Yingqiong, followed by Yang Li, who was clearly the controller of the treasure.
Seeing Tao Qian unconsciously look at the shuttle-shaped treasure, Yang Li openly said,
"This item is called the 'Kasyapa Golden Light Shuttle.' It was a Protective Dharma Treasure given to me by my master when I left the temple. It can ignore many Forbidden Techniques. Even in the base of the Heavenly Demon Army, as long as I bear no malice, I can come and go freely."
"However, when coming here, it was discovered by the Daoist Soldiers under your command. After obtaining their agreement, we were allowed to enter."
"Daoist indeed deserves the reputation of being able to kill power figures from Evil Sects like Lian Yulou. Just one Mechanical Alien Species under your command also holds extraordinary treasures."
Upon their first meeting, Yang Li seemed like a shy young man.
But once he became a bit familiar with Tao Qian, it became clear that he was also a chatterbox.
And indeed, he was quite sincere.
He clearly placed a lot of trust in Tao Qian, revealing all his details upon their first meeting.
The Mechanical Daoist Soldier he mentioned was undoubtedly referring to "Lian Jing'er," who had indeed sent a message to Tao Qian just moments before.
Regarding the extraordinary treasure mentioned by Yang Li, it was likely the Creation Treasure Wheel hanging behind Lian Jing'er's head, but that object was clearly not something Tao Qian could have forged. It was painstakingly crafted by a group of aunt-mentors in the Penglai Sea who doted on Lian Jing'er, using various metal essences.
As soon as Shi Yingqiong appeared, she glared intensely at the Rashamon Girl, having previously had a quite unfavorable impression of her.
However, after just a brief conversation, she began to view her differently.
Moreover, she inexplicably felt that this girl could also be recruited into the National Salvation Congress.
Tao Qian, standing to the side, clearly saw and noted Shi Yingqiong's thoughts.
His lips twitched slightly, and in front of everyone, he reached out and stuffed a Demon Pill into the mouth of the waiting Decree Demon, then drew it back into the Demon Gourd.
Then, he thoughtfully produced another item.
It was an object resembling a human skin mask, which he handed over to the two.
"Within this item is the 'Formless Chapter' of the 'All Heavens Secret Demon Scripture.'"
"Send it along with the Rashamon Girl to Yin Qiye. Let him cultivate it for two days, but do not switch immediately."
"Switch from Taishang Demon Son to Secret Demon Child during the crucial moment when Zhu Qi is refining the Mountain and River Map. Doing so will avoid the attack from Zhu Qi's Master, the Primordial Demon Manifestation Saint True Monarch."
Upon hearing this, Yang Li took the Formless Chapter while Shi Yingqiong led the Rashamon Girl.
"Daoist, rest assured, we will not betray your trust."
Having said that, both of them bowed solemnly to Tao Qian and then reunited with the Kasyapa Golden Light Shuttle.
The light flickered and the Golden Light Shuttle, clearly a treasure of the Buddhist Sect, disappeared without a trace.
Tao Qian, watching, couldn't help but think,
"In this era of great contention, all forces in the Cultivation World are placing their bets."
"But unexpectedly, the usually tightly-knit Buddhist Sect has also chosen to split up their stakes."
"The Great Freedom Temple evidently backed the Emperor."
"And this Reclining Buddha Temple sent Yang Li as their pawn into the National Salvation Congress."
"However, it now seems the National Salvation Congress is the territory of the Primordial Sect, a Daoist Hidden Sect that crumbled in the Ancient Era but found a prime opportunity here."
"At least for now, the National Salvation Congress is a good organization."
While reflecting on this, Tao Qian suddenly recalled Yang Li's previous praise of Lian Jing'er.
Instantly moved, he conceived a new plan.
He transmitted his voice directly and called Lian Jing'er, Little Age, and Shan Jiu.
These three young ones, who could have enjoyed their blessings at the Spirit Treasure Mountain Gate, had only been idling around following Tao Qian into worldly trials without engaging in any serious matters.
Now, an opportunity had arrived.
Tao Qian, struck by a sudden whimsical idea, assigned each of the three little ones a task that seemed exceedingly fitting.
Lian Jing'er, highly skilled in hiding, surveillance, and analysis without any aura or murderous intent, was nearly undetectable by the cultivators of the Ultimate Happiness Realm, so Tao Qian tasked him with monitoring the entire movement of Demon City, to relay any unusual activities to Tao Qian.
Little Age was sent by Tao Qian with a few demons as escorts to the outskirts of Demon City to watch over the movements of the Fungus Demon Army under Fourth Prince Zhu Xuan.
In a sense, this was right up their alley.
If the Fungus Demon Army were not actually a trained force by the Heterodox Sect known as the Fungus Sect and just natural fungus demons, Tao Qian would have even considered letting Little Age slowly consume them.
And Shan Jiu?
This fellow was the least of Tao Qian's worries, requiring no complicated arrangements.
Tao Qian instructed him to pose as an Alien Species drawn to the "Treasure Convention," pairing this with the intelligence he acquired from defeating the leader of the Changchun Society, easily enabling Shan Jiu to blend into the lower ranks of this loosely organized society.
Given Shan Jiu's luck, Tao Qian had no doubt he would reap some rewards.
...
After making these arrangements, another day had passed.
Night fell again, and Tao Qian had no time to rest any further.
Suddenly, something unexpected emerged.
This time, it came from a pawn he had almost forgotten.
Originally, when Tao Qian set foot in Demon City, at a dance hall in Sleepless City, he encountered two Tribulation Leaders, one being Lady Mei and the other Zhang Baisui.
He delayed entering into tribulation, and neither contacted immediately.
However, he secretly deployed a "Red Lady Demon," parasitized inside Lady Mei.
Over the days, amidst many changes of fate and even a life-and-death tribulation, Tao Qian had almost forgotten about it.
But at that moment, the voice of Red Lady Demon, still fierce and filled with anxiety, came into his mind:
"Master, Master, come save me quickly."
"That disgusting Taishang Demon Son, just now suddenly said he gathered the last spiritual material needed, 'Demon Soul Swallowing Corpse Essence', and decided to refine the Six Desires Demon Pill ahead of schedule."
"Lady Mei, this silly and pitiful woman, cried every day previously, now hearing the death sentence, knowing she's about to be thrown into the pill furnace to be thoroughly burned, she suddenly stopped crying."
"Master, if you do not come to save us, Red Lady may have to return to the Outer Realm prematurely. The pill furnace of Taishang Demon Sect is horrifying; once I enter, I'll be refined into mere dregs too."
