Chapter 756: Ambitious

The demon had already departed, so Kun Muchen quickly proceeded to complete the remaining stages of his arcane art. Moments later, after confirming the demon was truly gone, he descended from the air and landed beside the four golden-armored arhats.

Compared to the four golden-armored divine generals, now towering like buildings, Kun Muchen's own four white-light guardians, despite looking majestic and holding their respective artifacts, were vastly inferior.

Even at this moment, the four golden-armored arhats regarded Kun Muchen with a look of disdain. However, having witnessed the terrifying tiger-like monster and the immense power of these four, Kun Muchen was not at all bothered by their gazes. He simply formed hand seals, chanted a spell, and began the ritual to dismiss the deities.

"Winds and clouds return to the heavens, dust returns to the earth. I thank you for your assistance and bid the deities return. Kun Muchen will choose a day to offer sacrifices in gratitude."

Following this highly ritualistic hand seal and incantation, the four golden-armored arhats vanished in a flash of golden light, significantly alleviating the immense mental pressure Kun Muchen had been experiencing.

As the saying goes, inviting deities is easy, but dismissing them is hard. While Kun Muchen's arcane art was indeed miraculous, whether the summoned beings would arrive was not his decision, and even when they did, they sometimes wouldn't fully comply with his instructions. Even after their task was complete, dismissing them required considerable effort, especially when the summoned entities were as formidable as these. Normally, it was much more convenient to invoke minor deities, mountain spirits, or spirits of flora.

"These divine generals are incredibly powerful. Although they appear cold and majestic, they also seem somewhat approachable. I must properly set up an altar and offer sacrifices to see if I can establish a spiritual pact with them!"

It was uncertain whether these formidable divine generals were personal guardians of someone or deities worshipped by a specific faction. However, based on the capabilities of his arcane art, he could attempt to explore the possibility of establishing a pact. If successful, invoking them in the future would be much easier, even if the distance exceeded the usual limits, provided he was willing to pay any price.

"I should also inquire with the God of Mount Heng to discover the true origin of that monster."

Muttering to himself, Kun Muchen dismissed his own guardians and surveyed the ravaged hill. He then formed hand seals again and cast a spell, looking up and stomping his foot to draw in spiritual energy. With a rumbling sound, the surrounding mountains gradually began to recover. Though not completely restored, at least the peaks were no longer crumbling and collapsing everywhere; they had regained approximately seventy to eighty percent of their original state.

He clapped his hands, nodded, and then stroked the short beard on his chin, which was still less than half a finger in length.

"Good, that's sufficient."

The next moment, a streak of light ascended from the mountain, and Kun Muchen, too, departed by riding a cloud.

Only then did the little paper crane emerge from the distant white clouds where it had been concealed. All four arhat talismans had returned beneath its wings. It circled the mountain ridge a few times before landing on a recently restored hilltop.

*Tap, tap…*

The little paper crane pecked at the mountain surface a few times with its beak, like a small bird foraging. Instantly, a faint spiritual energy seeped out from within the mountain, followed by a gentle breeze that carried out several long, soft white hairs.

*Chirp!*

The little paper crane chirped with delight, then used its right wing like a hand to grasp the hairs. Pressing them against its own body, the long hairs instantly contracted and transformed into several crane feathers.

Flapping its wings a few times, the little paper crane ascended from the mountain and hovered in the air, gazing in two directions: where Lu Shan Jun and his companions had departed, and where Kun Muchen had left. It then darted swiftly in one particular direction, soon arriving at the roadside tea shed. The place was deserted now, though a few passersby were resting at the unoccupied tables, complaining about the absence of a shopkeeper.

The little paper crane pecked twice on a beam of the tea shed, then lowered its head and curiously observed the resting and chatting passersby for a while. Finding nothing of interest, it departed the tea shed and flew directly towards Ji Yuan's location.

In the distant sky, Lu Shan Jun and Bei Mu had already chosen to dissipate their demonic aura and flee in a more concealed manner. At this moment, Lu Shan Jun was in an exceptionally exhilarated mood.

His recent battle with the golden-armored arhats surprisingly felt like undergoing a tribulation. The sensation of successfully overcoming it grew increasingly intense, and the feeling of his own progress was incredibly exhilarating.

'My Master once said that a tribulation doesn't necessarily involve being struck by lightning; even human conflicts and disputes can constitute one. I never imagined that today's tribulation would manifest through Master's guardians!'

He now possessed what were essentially three tangible tails, but Lu Shan Jun knew this didn't imply an immediate several-fold increase in his strength. It merely raised his upper limit. It was already fortunate that he had managed to repel the golden-armored arhats the moment he achieved his breakthrough.

'However, after a few more years of cultivation, if I were to compete with Old Niu again, I might not necessarily lose to him.'

Lu Shan Jun understood his own rapid progress, but he was also aware that Niu Batian was progressing equally fast. After receiving a mission from their Master, Old Niu seemed like a changed bull; he abandoned his former idleness and became increasingly diligent in his cultivation, channeling all the energy he couldn't spend at brothels in the harsh, cold lands into his practice. Of course, given the chance, Old Niu would still indulge himself to the fullest.

"Lu Wu, why is your expression so grim? Are you severely injured?"

Bei Mu suddenly became concerned about Lu Shan Jun, unsure whether it was because he realized the other party might be exceptionally special and important, or simply because he had grown more fearful of him.

Lu Shan Jun glanced at the demon with his usual indifferent expression. He had been wondering why this fellow had suddenly revealed such a secret to him. After hearing the little paper crane's vivid recounting, he realized Bei Mu had been captured by their Master. Therefore, in Bei Mu's own estimation, he had essentially failed to uphold his agreement with their Master, which would naturally leave him feeling apprehensive and unsettled.

With this thought, Lu Shan Jun conceived a plan, and his attitude towards Bei Mu suddenly improved. He even offered a rare smile.

"Heh, nothing much. I was just pondering how, despite breaking through in a crisis today and sustaining injuries, when I recover and next encounter Old Niu, I wonder if I can give him a thorough beating."

Bei Mu simply grinned, saying nothing more. At this moment, he couldn't help but feel diminished in Lu Wu's presence.

In a distant, unknown location, within a sheltered mountain cave, Old Niu and several other monsters were seated. Wang Youhong was drawing on the ground with a peach branch, while other monsters cultivated cross-legged. Old Niu, meanwhile, was engrossed in admiring a scroll depicting a hundred beauties in erotic poses.

Suddenly, Old Niu felt an unbearable itch in his nose that he couldn't stop.

"Ah-ah-ah... Achoo! Achoo!"

*Whoosh… whoosh…*

Old Niu's sneeze unleashed a gust of strong wind that raged within the cave, stirring up dust and stones. It took several moments for everything to settle down.

"What's wrong with you?"

Wang Youhong looked at Old Niu. This brute of a bull could sometimes be unreasonable and a bit simple-minded, yet his cultivation was profound.

Niu Batian looked up, bewildered, surveying his surroundings.

"Damn it, it must be some girl from a brothel thinking of me, Old Niu. Those poor, beautiful maidens must be so anxious without me, sigh..."

The other monsters merely watched Old Niu. One alluring and fiery female demon even licked her lips, seemingly wanting to approach him, but Old Niu's cold, disdainful glance, like a splash of icy water, instantly froze her in fear.

"Hmph, your stench is so repulsive that it puts me, Old Niu, off my food from miles away. If you weren't a companion, I'd have long since smashed you with a single punch. Stop being so provocative in front of me; my girls are all so fragrant!"

Although Old Niu was lecherous, he was not indiscriminate in his tastes. Among female demons and ghosts, some he liked, while others, no matter how beautiful, he found utterly repulsive; this was related to their spiritual purity. What he liked most were mortal women, as opportunities with immortal cultivators were rare.

Wang Youhong also smirked disdainfully at the female demon, then turned her gaze to Old Niu.

"Even if there truly is a woman thinking of you, she's thinking of your money, not you, this brute of a bull."

"Heh, so what? I, Old Niu, am willing!"

Old Niu rubbed his nose, ensuring he wouldn't sneeze again. Then, wetting his finger with saliva, he resumed flipping through the erotic album he held, meticulously studying the intricate poses depicted within.

The little paper crane moved with exceptional speed. Though a crane transformed from paper, its swiftness rivaled that of some flying message swords. Within the stratospheric winds, it could instantly locate suitable currents and harness their power at will, quickly returning to an entrance of the Heavenly Secret Grotto-heaven.

The Heavenly Secret Grotto-heaven was no longer sealed. Without any fanfare, an entrance had quietly reopened in a secluded spot, allowing the little paper crane to fly inside.

Ji Yuan was currently resting, lying on his side in a pavilion. The room was adorned with spiritual fruits and pastries sent by the Heavenly Secret Pavilion. Suddenly, feeling a premonition, Ji Yuan opened his eyes. At that very instant, the little paper crane, flapping its wings rapidly, darted in through the window.

Ji Yuan sat up and extended his hand. The little paper crane landed precisely in his palm.

"You're back?"

*Chirp.*

A few feathers detached from the little paper crane's body, transforming into several long tiger hairs in Ji Yuan's palm. Lu Shan Jun's divine consciousness then extended from them.

After a long while, Ji Yuan let out a soft chuckle.

"Hmph, to wish to establish a Heavenly Palace, to seize the authority of the Heavenly Dao and govern both heaven and earth... that's quite an ambition!"