Chapter 504
"Zheng Zhangmen, you can place this item into your soul. Ordinary Dao fruits won't be able to uncover your secrets," Chen Ting added, "I used this with Youming Xian Qin Shangren to deceive the Great Freedom Demon Emperor."
Zheng Fa couldn't help but believe him.
He didn't quite grasp the full extent of the Jiu You Mo Zu's power, but the ability to hide one's true self was undeniably impressive.
The Great Freedom Demon Emperor might have been a bit unlucky, but he was certainly no fool. Yet, when faced with the two blatant traitors, Chen Ting and Qin Mu, he failed to notice anything amiss.
In the end, it seemed he was even outsmarted by them.
This could be seen as evidence of the Jiu You Mo Zu's capabilities.
The problem was, Zheng Fa didn't really understand the Jiu You Mo Zu!
Deep down, he harbored a strong sense of wariness towards this person.
Although Zheng Fa managed to survive in front of the Great Freedom Demon Emperor thanks to the techniques taught by this individual and the hidden traps left behind, the current situation of the Jiu Shan Sect was at least partially due to him. Zheng Fa had fought tooth and nail against the five sects, barely managing to bring the Great Freedom Demon Cult to the brink of collapse, only to see the Jiu You Mo Zu's schemes revive the Great Freedom Demon Emperor.
What about the Dao fruit of the Demon Emperor? What about the grand plans spanning hundreds of thousands of years? All of it was about to come to naught.
Yet, this person had orchestrated a plan that brought the Great Freedom Demon Emperor back to life!
This was the root of the subsequent battles and the crisis in the Jiu Shan realm.
In Zheng Fa's eyes, whether it was himself, the five sects, or even the Great Freedom Demon Emperor, they were all being manipulated by this person.
How could he trust someone like that?
It was better to receive benefits without strings attached.
Chen Ting held the Jiu You talisman aloft for quite a while, and when he saw Zheng Fa seemingly uninterested in accepting it, he merely smiled and said, "The Holy Ancestor said this is for... rewarding merit."
"Rewarding merit?"
Zheng Fa was taken aback.
"In fact, the Holy Ancestor wasn't initially focused on the Great Freedom Demon Emperor. It was just a matter of chance that after you severely injured the Great Freedom Demon Cult, the Demon Emperor was left incomplete, giving the Holy Ancestor an opportunity."
"…"
This was indeed true.
According to Mu Qingyan's "recollections," when the Jiu You Mo Zu established the Jiu You Underworld, the Great Freedom Demon Emperor was still alive and well.
It was clear that without Zheng Fa's "variable," the Jiu You Mo Zu wouldn't have been able to kill the Great Freedom Demon Emperor.
The Jiu You Mo Zu had plotted so much, and killing a Dao fruit cultivator would naturally yield significant benefits.
To say it was a reward for merit was... somewhat misleading.
Dao fruit cultivators weren't exactly paragons of virtue; who would repay a favor?
This was just how the immortal sects operated. What good could the Jiu You Mo Zu be?
Seeing that Zheng Fa still wouldn't accept the Jiu You talisman, Chen Ting sighed, seemingly shaking his head, and said, "As Qin Shangren said, Zheng Zhangmen, you're not easily fooled."
"…"
"Yet the Holy Ancestor claimed he has experience; with Tianhe Zunren, one deception works wonders!"
"…"
Zheng Fa felt as if this group was mocking him.
But this statement subtly hinted that the Jiu You Mo Zu indeed had a significant connection with Tianhe Zunren.
From the techniques of dispelling demons sent by the Jiu You Mo Zu and some secrets Zheng Fa had seen before, this possibility was quite high.
Though he still had his doubts, at this moment, Zheng Fa found himself leaning towards trusting the Jiu You Mo Zu a bit more.
After all, his ability to traverse the modern world was also due to Tianhe Zunren's jade pendant, and when it came to the Jiu You Mo Zu, there was indeed some connection.
He looked at Chen Ting, waiting for him to continue.
Chen Ting smiled and said, "What the Holy Ancestor is doing now shouldn't be known to the five sects. If you, Zhangmen, were to reveal how the Great Freedom Demon Emperor died, it would be detrimental to the Holy Ancestor's grand plan."
Zheng Fa suddenly understood.
This explanation was much more credible.
The Jiu You Mo Zu, lurking in the shadows, must have some reservations.
If he were captured by the Xuanwei five sects and forced to reveal this secret, it would disrupt some of the Jiu You Mo Zu's plans.
Zheng Fa gently picked up the Jiu You talisman. Though he still had some doubts, he was leaning towards believing the other party.
He studied the talisman for a while, then suddenly looked up at Chen Ting and asked, "You just said this talisman is a reward for merit?"
Chen Ting nodded, "That's what the Holy Ancestor said."
"Then... what about the benefits of keeping it secret?"
Upon hearing this, Chen Ting's eyes widened slowly as he stared at Zheng Fa.
Zheng Fa looked back at him, his expression saying one thing—
Are you trying to say that you pocketed the benefits the Holy Ancestor gave me?
(End of this chapter)
---
**Chapter 388: Enlightenment and Transformation, Let Me Try**
On Tiangong Island, in the main hall, a group of high-ranking members of the Jiu Shan Sect surrounded the Jiu You talisman, all frowning in unison.
Chen Ting had already left, and he left in quite a hurry, showing no attachment to the Jiu Shan Sect, as if he feared Zheng Fa would actually demand a kickback.
At this moment, Uncle Pang was also no longer concerned about this disciple—according to his words, Chen Ting used to be a talent in the Jiu Shan Sect, but now...
The number of Golden Core cultivators in the sect had tripled!
Was it Zhou Qianyuan's lack of talent, or was Sun Daoyu's high-quality Golden Core impure?
He now had nearly ten Golden Core disciples, and he couldn't even keep track of them all.
Chen Ting... who was Chen Ting?
Zheng Fa felt that Uncle Pang's mindset was somewhat like that of someone who had moved on after a breakup, feeling relieved.
Not only relieved, but Uncle Pang was also coldly suspicious of Chen Ting: "Chen Ting never spoke much truth before; now, he might not be trustworthy either."
This was indeed a valid point—Zheng Fa still didn't fully trust the Jiu You Mo Zu, so naturally, he was wary of Chen Ting as well.
However, Sister Zhang pondered for a moment and surprisingly said something nice about the traitor: "What he said about the Jiu You Mo Zu sending this talisman to conceal his whereabouts could be true."
Zheng Fa nodded; this statement had some credibility.
The others exchanged glances, hesitating—truth be told, the threat from the five sects alliance was significant.
Now was the time to choose the lesser of two evils.
Before Zheng Fa could speak, an elder shook his head: "He may want to keep it a secret, which could be true, but that doesn't mean he doesn't want to harm us."
"…"
"What if you place this thing into your soul, and he takes over, controls you, and confuses your mind?"
"Or simply silences you?"
"That must be guarded against."
This was precisely what Zheng Fa feared:
Chen Ting had deliberately obscured a matter; fundamentally, the Jiu You Mo Zu wanting to conceal his actions didn't mean he intended to help Zheng Fa—perhaps he wanted to have his cake and eat it too?
The more powerful the Jiu You Mo Zu was, the more dangerous it became to recklessly place this talisman into his own soul.
The expressions of everyone in the hall changed.
This was not only due to concern for Zheng Fa but also because the safety of the Jiu Shan realm now rested entirely on his shoulders.
Forget about the fact that the other party was a demon ancestor.
Even if he were just a member of the Xuanwei five sects... well, that might be worse than a demon ancestor.
After a long silence in the hall, it was Uncle Huang who broke the stillness:
"Is this talisman only usable once?"
Zheng Fa shook his head and replied, "According to Chen Ting, it has a time limit but no limit on usage."
Uncle Huang pressed further, "Can only one person use it?"
Everyone was momentarily stunned, quickly grasping Uncle Huang's implication—let's have someone else try it first.
Or rather, find a guinea pig.
"This method isn't bad; if it works, then let Zheng Fa use it afterward."
Uncle Pang stroked his chin thoughtfully.
Zheng Fa frowned slightly; he was cautious but also reluctant to force the disciples of the Jiu Shan realm to act as guinea pigs.
But unexpectedly, Uncle Huang reached out and took the talisman, her spiritual energy surging, and the Jiu You talisman vanished from her hand.
Uncle Huang was indeed a bit reckless...
Without a second thought, she became the guinea pig!
To be honest, Zheng Fa was genuinely taken aback.
If it had been someone else, like Uncle Pang or his master, or Sister Zhang, he would have been surprised but not stunned.
But Uncle Huang... this elder, while not openly critical of him, had never really spoken much.
Today, to risk herself so recklessly for him was truly unexpected.
The elder and Uncle Pang both widened their eyes, looking at Uncle Huang with a cautious expression, as if they feared she might explode at any moment.
Uncle Huang, however, maintained a calm demeanor, seemingly unaware that she had done something significant. After a moment, she opened her palm, and the Jiu You talisman reappeared.
"There’s no problem; I can enter and exit, and it seems to have no effect on my soul."
Zheng Fa nodded. At this point, while he wasn't completely at ease, he had taken all the precautions he could.
There was nothing more to be done.
If it came down to it, he could only trust the protective properties of the Yin-Yang Fish jade pendant on his soul and the Fusang Wood Dao fruit within him.
"Junior sister... you really..." Uncle Pang couldn't help but speak up, "Isn't this a bit too reckless?"
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