Old Master Chu offered wise and heartfelt advice.

Instinctively, Xie Wuji kicked upward, and at that moment, the intoxicated Daoist soared through the air like a bird, tracing an arc across the sky.

“Master!” the two young Daoists cried as they hurried after him.

When the Daoist finally returned, he was missing a front tooth, and spoke with a lisp, covering his mouth. “You—you’re far too rough! All I wanted was a glance at your behind, and you… you actually hit me?”

“What exactly is the relationship between those two? Meeting one another and immediately looking at someone’s behind—how scandalous,” the shaman woman whispered to the shaman man beside her.

The shaman man raised his brows and grinned lasciviously. “That’s men’s romance. Women wouldn’t understand!”

Xie Wuji regarded the Daoist warily. “I don’t care who you are, but the moment we meet you try to pull down my trousers—are you insane or is your brain filled with waterweed?”

“Ahem, perhaps it was too much excitement. Let’s be a bit gentler,” the Daoist replied awkwardly.

“Gentler, my foot! Gentler!” Xie Wuji retreated a few steps.

At that moment, several burly men dragged the river monster ashore. The fish monster was uninjured, merely unconscious. The Daoist said, “Now is the perfect time to seize its demon spirit. Didn’t you want a water-type demon spirit?”

Xie Wuji eyed the Daoist warily, then cautiously approached the fish monster. Placing his hand on its head, he extracted a demon spirit as clear as a glass marble and immediately stored it in his ring.

The crowd gasped in awe.

“So the river god was actually a monster! We worshipped it for ten years, not knowing how many lives it devoured with that maw!”

A child ran over and stomped on the big fish a few times, but when the fish twitched unexpectedly, the child shrieked and fled in terror, sobbing loudly.

Xie Wuji then made his way to the inn. The village chief, who was none other than the shaman woman, prepared a private room for him herself, along with an array of delicious dishes.

“Um, well…” The Daoist stammered, unable to find his words.

“Ahem. Tell me, Protector Chu, since you serve as a Protector, why do you have no spiritual aura about you?” Xie Wuji inquired.

Old Master Chu shook his head. “Ah, that’s a long story.”

As he spoke, Old Master Chu extended his hand. On closer inspection, Xie Wuji noticed scars on his wrist—the tendons had been severed.

“What happened?” Xie Wuji asked urgently.

“After the Undying Longevity Sect disbanded, we were all wounded, but I was especially unfortunate. I was poisoned by the unique venom of the Myriad Demon Hall. When the poison threatened to invade my heart, I had no choice but to sever my own tendons to save my life. Those bastards from Myriad Demon Hall are especially skilled with poisons!” Old Master Chu said bitterly.

“But the technique you just taught me—?”

“Oh, that’s a skill from the Undying Phoenix Arts—an external demon spirit technique. You can have your Phoenix demon spirit leave your body and fight by your side. Since you’ve already mastered the Undying True Fire, I taught you this method. If you combine the True Fire with the external demon spirit, its power will be three times greater! Even if you meet a Nascent Soul expert, you’ll have a fighting chance.”

“Heh, but what’s the use if I’m never able to use it? If I recklessly reveal the Phoenix’s aura, those from Myriad Demon Hall will find me, and I’ll be doomed,” Xie Wuji replied.

“That’s true. Still, why are you wearing the robes of the Danxia Sect?” Old Master Chu asked.

Xie Wuji recounted his journey in detail, leaving Old Master Chu full of amazement. “Old Qin did the right thing and said the right words. Right now, you’re like a little chick—if the elders of the Myriad Demon Hall find you, you’re dead for sure. With the Danxia Sect as your shield, you can develop in peace for a while, which is a good thing. As for your Phoenix demon spirit, the fewer who know, the better.”

“Of course. Since you’re safe, Protector Chu, why not come back with me? We can plot our next move together.”

Old Master Chu was taken aback, then laughed. “Ha! Forget it. I’m little more than a bag of old bones now, and life here is peaceful—the mountains and water are beautiful, and I’m half in the grave already, with no cultivation left. If I returned with you and someone recognized me, you’d be in danger too!”

Old Master Chu had a point, and Xie Wuji understood. After all, as the Undying Longevity Sect’s Protector—a position equal to Elder—he was well known. The major sects used to frequently visit one another, so everyone was familiar.

If not for that notebook, Xie Wuji wouldn’t have known to find these people here.

Old Master Chu continued, “Let’s do this. You’re just getting started, and the enmity against the Undying Longevity Sect must never be forgotten. Also, your mount may be peculiar, but it does have Phoenix blood. Take this pill.”

With that, Old Master Chu handed Xie Wuji a red pill, nearly transparent and as round as a glass bead.

Xie Wuji turned it over in his hand. “Is this a Blood Pill?”

“You know about Blood Pills?”

“Is it really a Blood Pill? Let me tell you, I don’t want anything to do with those—they’re a menace!” Xie Wuji recounted the destruction of the Yama Hall.

Old Master Chu chuckled. “No wonder you’re Dongmen Yong’s son—decisive, just like your father. But you’re mistaken. This is not a Blood Pill. It’s a spirit pill made from the fused blood and flesh of the Undying Phoenix, crafted especially for demon beasts. Humans can’t take it, or they’ll grow feathers.”

Xie Wuji’s mouth twitched. “Feathers?”

“Yes, your hair will turn into chicken feathers,” he replied.

Xie Wuji’s face froze. “So you mean, this pill is for King Chicken?”

“Exactly! And let me warn you: the Danxia Sect is a peculiar place, and Dongmen Yong is a ruthless man. Back when he fought to become Sect Master, he even married Miss Ding, the third daughter of the Ding family. Everyone knows she’s a wild one…”

“A wild one?” Xie Wuji narrowed his eyes, keenly interested in gossip.

The old man glanced around conspiratorially and grinned, his missing tooth whistling. “You know what I mean by wild—she’s got a bad reputation, harsh in nature, and generally disliked. Yet Dongmen Yong married her. Imagine the resolve that must have taken! He’s a man who’ll stop at nothing for his goals. Be careful—right now he needs you, treats you well, and has accepted you as his disciple. But if the day comes when the Danxia Sect is fully unified, do you think you’ll still be useful to him?”

Seeing Xie Wuji fall silent, the old man pressed on. “Dongmen Yong is a second-grade Golden Core cultivator and can have two demon spirits. One is a Three-Eyed Spirit Ape, the other is an ordinary beast. But if a Phoenix were placed before him, would he be tempted?”

The old man chuckled, and Xie Wuji lapsed into silence. After a long while, he finally spoke. “I don’t think so. Master has helped me more than once.”

“Ah, that shows you haven’t experienced enough intrigue and betrayal. Well, if you won’t listen to your elders, you’ll have to learn from hardship. But that’s not always a bad thing—survival is what matters most,” the old man said.

As the two conversed, the shaman woman’s daughter, Ye Fang, entered.

Seeing Xie Wuji, she smiled gently. “Young Master Xie, my mother told me you’re from the Danxia Sect. I never imagined someone of your stature would visit our humble village.”

“Please, Miss Ye, just call me Wuji. We’re all of the same generation,” Xie Wuji replied.

Ye Fang, accompanied by a few village girls, brought in a spread of wine and dishes. She said, “Brother Wuji, you rid us of a great calamity today. You must stay a while longer and let us properly thank you.”