“This matter initially began when a mysterious person actively approached the Hidden Killers Pavilion, hiring us to act. At that time, Grand Elder Li Hongtai of the Heavenly Dao Academy and Lin Chen were inseparable, so Tian Yin Louzhu (Tower Master of Heavenly Shadows) personally intervened to facilitate this...”
You Sha dared not conceal anything, revealing everything.
“Mysterious person?”
Su Qingmeng raised her delicate brows slightly, her gaze narrowing a little.
You Sha quickly bowed and explained:
“The Hidden Killers Pavilion has always refrained from inquiring about the employer’s background; that is our rule.”
“But as the Second Hall Master, I know some inside information.”
“This person and the Louzhu… actually had secret dealings several centuries ago, and it’s likely inseparable from the original intention of the Hidden Killers Pavilion’s establishment.”
“What original intention?”
“I’m not entirely clear about the specifics, but it definitely concerns the Jiang Clan. For the several centuries since the Hidden Killers Pavilion was founded, it has intentionally been secretly causing trouble for the Jiang Clan. Although the impact has never been very great, it has indeed been actively pursuing this, though I don’t know the reason why...”
“Why did you join the Hidden Killers Pavilion back then?”
“Alas… that Louzhu possesses a peculiar Divine Ability, one that can be considered top-tier even among Quasi-Emperors.”
“I was forced by Tian Yin Louzhu to pledge allegiance to the Hidden Killers Pavilion for ten thousand years. As a Supreme Realm Cultivator with a Lifespan of a million years, I naturally had no choice but to wisely agree.”
“A mere Quasi-Emperor dares to be so audacious?”
“I am a Loose Cultivator, like rootless duckweed. Later, Tian Yin Louzhu secretly gained control of two other Supreme Realm powerhouses, both of whom were without support. Otherwise, it would have long since provoked public anger and a combined attack.”
Jiang Ye fell into thought upon hearing this.
That mysterious person must be Old Dog Tianji.
However, there was one thing he was quite curious about, and he asked calmly:
“Logically speaking, Lin Chen was merely a business deal taken on by the Hidden Killers Pavilion. Why did you actively approach him a few years ago and even deliberately owe him a favor?”
“Is there some secret in this?”
You Sha’s expression shifted slightly, not expecting Jiang Ye to have already guessed.
“There’s… no secret in this.”
His voice was low, as if he felt a little guilty.
“This was also not instructed by the Louzhu, but my private doing!”
“At the time, I thought that if I could achieve some merits, I could exchange them for a few treasures, so an idea came to me.”
“I reviewed the Tian Yin Lou’s historical records and found that Lin Chen was a very special person. Although he possesses an ordinary physique, he was able to reach the Dao Severing Realm before the age of thirty, and he also has a grudge with the Jiang Clan—he’s a good prospect...”
“If he can run for the Heavenly Dao Academy’s Dao Child in the future, he will surely be able to influence the alliance between the Heavenly Dao Academy and the Jiang Clan...”
“So… I did this.”
After speaking, You Sha glanced at Su Qingmeng with some panic.
Jiang Ye listened quietly, golden light flickering in his eyes.
It seemed that Tian Yin Louzhu might not have a deep friendship with Old Dog Tianji.
At least, from You Sha’s description.
Tian Yin Louzhu should not have known about Emperor Tianji’s plan, nor had he noticed that Lin Chen was a “person of great Luck.”
The two sides should only have had some cooperative relationship, not being accomplices.
“What exactly is the identity of Tian Yin Louzhu?”
“I suspect… it might be related to the Ancient Immortal Domain, or it could be the Western Buddhist Kingdom.”
Who in the Myriad Domains of the Heavens doesn’t know that the Western Buddhist Kingdom has a grudge with the Jiang Clan?
Jiang Ye’s mouth twitched slightly.
That group of bald donkeys in the West were just like the Heavenly Dao Academy. If the Heavenly Dao Academy still knew how to endure and keep a low profile, then the Western Buddhist Kingdom was a troublemaker, always at loggerheads with the Jiang Clan since ancient times.
From the Ancient Era onwards, the two sides had been engaged in constant overt and covert struggles.
It was only after the Dark Ages.
When Su Hongye dominated the Heavens, they somewhat restrained themselves, no longer daring to act rashly.
As for the Ancient Immortal Domain?
Jiang Ye sneered inwardly.
It had long since fallen into decline.
Countless eras ago.
Even much more distant than the Ancient Era.
At that time, when Heaven and Earth first opened and species and living beings first emerged, the Ancient Immortal Domain was once the true center of the endless Universe.
It was glorious for a time, overlooking the endless Universe.
At that time, the Myriad Domains of the Heavens.
It was merely a desolate land with sparse Spiritual Qi and few inhabitants, not fit for refined society.
The Ancient Immortal Domain at that time considered the Saint Realm as Immortal, the Saint King Realm as True Immortal, the Supreme as Immortal King, and the Quasi-Emperor as Immortal Emperor.
At that time, it happened to be the early period of the endless Universe’s creation and transmission.
Spiritual Qi surged like tides, resources were boundless, Heaven And Earth Treasures were everywhere, innate immortal liquid flowed like springs, and immortal veins stretched for hundreds of millions of miles.
innate immortal liquid nourished every inch of the Ancient Immortal Domain’s territory.
Cultivators had long Lifespans, and their cultivation speed far surpassed the current era.
Even at the same Realm, their Lifespan was more than ten times longer.
That was a prosperous era where everyone could achieve Immortal Ascension.
The Heavenly Dao was at Perfection, with no cracks in the Great Dao, no Dark turmoil, and the Heaven and Earth Laws were harmonious and flawless.
But precisely because of the excessive resources.
This led to the Cultivators within the Ancient Immortal Domain being complacent and peaceful, indulging in extravagance and debauchery, forming a cradle that fostered arrogance and pleasure.
Their Divine Abilities were crude, and their secret techniques were not yet perfected.
Their Dao and strength were also far inferior to the powerhouses of the Myriad Domains of the Heavens who rose from endless slaughter.
Their combat power at the same Realm was weak.
Even their comprehension of the true meaning of the Great Dao was extremely superficial.
The Myriad Domains of the Heavens at that time was a region where villains and criminals ran rampant. Under the environment of the strong preying on the weak, after countless years of tempering, it instead grew stronger day by day, eventually surpassing the Ancient Immortal Domain.
Later, powerhouses from various clans in the Heavens joined forces to attack the Ancient Immortal Domain.
At the same rank, the combat power of the Cultivators from the Heavens was far superior.
The Cultivators of the Ancient Immortal Domain suffered successive defeats, their dead piling up like mountains.
The bones of hundreds of millions of Cultivators covered the sky and earth, the Ancient Immortal Mountains collapsed, Dao lineages were severed, immortal veins were drained, and Heaven And Earth Treasures were all plundered.
Even countless innate immortal liquid was completely seized by the forces of the Heavens.
Later, the first Great Emperor was born in the Heavens, completely breaking the deadlock.
It was the Ancestor of the Jiang Clan!
Jiang Taiyi!
After Jiang Taiyi became Emperor, he swept across the Ancient Immortal Domain with an invincible might, annihilating countless top-tier immortal sects, and single-handedly laid the Foundation for the Jiang Clan’s eternal existence.
And the Ancient Immortal Domain has since fallen into decline.
Resources were exhausted, Spiritual Qi was cut off, and it no longer had its former glory.
The Myriad Domains of the Heavens, in turn, completely became the new center of the endless Universe.
As Jiang Ye’s thoughts churned, Su Qingmeng suddenly spoke: “If we capture that Tian Yin Louzhu, we can uncover the person hiding behind him.”
Jiang Ye deeply agreed, nodding slightly, his gaze falling on You Sha.
“Find a suitable excuse to lure that Old Dog Tian Yin out.”
You Sha frowned slightly and said in a deep voice, “I’m afraid that won’t work. Tian Yin Louzhu is extremely proficient in Restrictions. The moment the Restriction on my Divine Soul was lifted, he must have already noticed. This itself is a form of insurance.”
Jiang Ye was not disappointed, as if he had long anticipated that it wouldn’t be so simple.
Just then, Su Qingmeng’s killing intent became apparent, her tone chilling: “Since that’s the case, then let’s first uproot the Hidden Killers Pavilion completely. Let’s see if that Tian Yin can still sit still?”
Jiang Ye quite agreed, and said to You Sha: “Tell me all the branch locations of the Hidden Killers Pavilion that you know of. We’ll eradicate them all first.”
As long as the overt forces are eliminated, even if there are some who slip through the net, they won’t be able to cause any trouble.
Furthermore.
Jiang Ye didn’t intend to let this matter pass so easily.
Since they dared to scheme against and harm the Jiang Clan, they must pay the price.
“You Sha, Aunt Meng, what do you think? Behind this Tian Yin… which force is most likely responsible?”
Su Qingmeng pondered for a moment, then spoke:
“Establishing the Hidden Killers Pavilion doesn’t seem like the work of those old dogs from the Western Buddhist Kingdom...”
“As for the Ancient Immortal Domain… that place is now desolate with depleted Spiritual Qi. The only truly first-rate immortal Dao lineage that remains is the Ancient Immortal Dynasty.”
“There are indeed two Quasi-Emperor level powerhouses left, but that Tian Yin… doesn’t resemble any of them.”
You Sha also said in a low voice, “I observe that Tian Yin’s aura indeed bears some resemblance to a Cultivator from the Ancient Immortal Domain.”