"Rest assured, Ancestor, I will stick close by and safeguard Young Master Xiubai."

...

Hidden Dragon Mountain, Dragon Tamer’s Mansion.

On the giant rock, Shen Li sat cross-legged, continuously harnessing the spiritual power within her to nourish the Celestial Capital Grass Sword Insect parasitizing in her arm’s flesh and blood.

She didn’t know how many years this little thing had lived, but she vaguely guessed that, over such long ages, if it had grown normally, this Celestial Capital Grass Sword Insect would at least be in the Growth Body stage, possessing tremendous power.

Yet instead, it’s still in the Larval Stage, so weak it looks like it’s on the verge of death.

A large infusion of spiritual power, along with the nourishment from Shen Li’s Gu Spirit Sacred Body blood, has finally preserved the little life of the Celestial Capital Grass Sword Insect, making it significantly more active.

Through the Puppet Centipede, she saw the ongoing confrontation between both sides in the stone hall of the mountain valley.

Leaves Minghuang and another stood by the broken statue: whenever they left its vicinity by more than a yard, three mutated demon beasts would immediately attack.

With both sides hesitating to fight inside the stone hall, Shen Li wasn’t absolutely sure she could handle five opponents with Great Perfection of Fetal Breathing strength, so she could only keep watch here with the Snow Wolf King.

The best chance to intervene would be after one side couldn’t hold on any longer and both suffered greatly.

Inside the Stone Hall.

Ye Minghuang was relaxed, having leaped atop the statue that had been cut in half, sitting crossed-legged.

In contrast, the cultivator named Zhou Ji clearly lacked such calm.

Zhou Ji was constantly pulling out old bamboo slips and books from his storage bag to search through.

These books and slips were all materials they had collected related to the Dragon Tamer’s Mansion prior to their arrival.

Unlike Ye Minghuang, who was a genius with a Fighting Spirit Profound Body.

This mission’s failure might only result in a reprimand for Ye Minghuang without any real punishment from the sect.

But Zhou Ji was in a different situation.

Although he was a cultivator with Great Perfection of Fetal Breathing, nearly two hundred years old, he held little privilege within a powerful sect that had several Nascent Soul True Monarchs.

Failure was certainly going to result in punishment.

Zhou Ji had hoped to complete this task, earn contributions, and exchange them in the sect for a Heaven-Repairing Pill to slightly increase his chances of advancing to the Golden Core.

"Evil Dragon Platform!"

"Junior Brother, I’ve found it!"

Amidst his frantic browsing, Zhou Ji suddenly exclaimed aloud.

He handed the ancient bamboo slip over to Ye Minghuang, saying, "Junior Brother, take a look."

Ye Minghuang jumped off the statue, glanced at the slip, and said, "So, this stone platform is the legendary Evil Dragon Platform?"

"Is it the place where the Dragon Taming Clan used to slaughter disobedient Flood Dragons?"

Zhou Ji nodded repeatedly, "No wonder there’s such terrifying Dragon Spirit resentment here."

"Those defiant Evil Dragons were all uncontrollable beings during their lifetimes. After their deaths, their resentment naturally became intense."

"Junior Brother, we’re in the wrong place."

"The ’Dragon-Suppressing Celestial Spell’ definitely wouldn’t be left here."

"We need to find the Dragon Taming Clan’s Priest Divine Hall."

Upon hearing this, Ye Minghuang gazed tens of yards away at the three monstrous creatures emanating fierce evil qi.

"The past few days, intermittent Dragon Spirit resentment under the Evil Dragon Platform continued to emerge and was absorbed by these three beasts."

"Without dealing with them, finding the ’Dragon-Suppressing Celestial Spell’ is impossible, let alone us two brothers getting out of here."

Zhou Ji’s face was equally grim.

"I wonder how Senior Sister Bai is doing?"

"If they can resolve their matters smoothly, they might quickly come to aid us."

Listening to him, Ye Minghuang slightly shook his head, "We cannot pin our hopes on them."

"The All Heaven Monarch mentioned that besides the old undying one guarding the barrier in Danzhou, other Nascent Soul True Monarchs definitely exist."

"Especially that old fellow on Celestial Monarch Mountain who mastered ’Heavenly Secret Concealment’, elusive and unpredictable, even the All Heaven Monarch dares not act rashly."

Zhou Ji nodded, changing the subject, "The East Sea can be relied upon."

"The Suihuo Lineage left behind some contingencies in the quest for the Three Immortal Mountains over there. Shouldn’t we borrow some of their strength?"

Ye Minghuang didn’t reply.

Being in possession of a Fighting Spirit Profound Body and a True Monarch disciple, he couldn’t lower his face to seek help from other sect powers.

Zhou Ji seemed to understand his reluctance and smiled, "You don’t need to step in, Junior Brother; I’ll contact Master Wei Chengyu."

As he spoke, he pulled out a Communication Stone.

Outside the stone hall.

The Snow Wolf King, relying on its keen sense of smell, seemed to sense fluctuations from the Communication Stone.

"Miss, are they calling for reinforcements?"

Shen Li did not open her eyes, nodded slightly, "This group has allies in the East Sea."

She was aware of everything occurring inside the stone hall via the Puppet Centipede.

She also overheard many secrets she hadn’t known before.

Like the Nascent Soul True Monarch on Danzhou Celestial Monarch Mountain, the East Sea’s ’Three Immortal Mountains’, and the relationship between the Suihuo Lineage and this group, among others.

What exactly are these people plotting?

Shen Li was curious, hoping the two inside the stone hall would discuss more things she was unaware of.

...

Yunshui City.

Within a vibrant courtyard, Zhantai Yujing was close to her due date.

In the pavilion, Shen Chongxuan was slightly excitedly crafting spells.

A pale white light suddenly emerged from his brow, landing to manifest a spectral figure clad in a white scholar’s robe, hair and beard entirely white.

Seeing the apparition, Shen Chongxuan respectfully bowed, "Master Grandfather."

The ghostly form of Lu Zhiyuan chuckled, "You foolish child, just let this old man return to the Netherworld; yet you insist on keeping me."

Shen Chongxuan laughed with joy and quickly helped Zhantai Yujing approach.

"Master Grandfather, this is Yujing."

With child, Zhantai Yujing couldn’t properly greet but merely bowed slightly, "Greetings, Master Grandfather."

Lu Zhiyuan smiled kindly, noting her protruding belly, "Well done, you’re going to be a father."

"Sadly, I won’t be able to present you both with a gift then."

Shen Chongxuan laughed, "You’ve done enough for the Shen Family, sir."

Lu Zhiyuan nodded, pensive, before adding, "Speaking of gifts, I do have something suitable for the unborn child."

Upon hearing this, Shen Chongxuan was initially surprised, then seemed to realize something and hurriedly protested, "Master Grandfather mustn’t."

"The Literary Dao Wisdom Root is crucial; if you strip it away, you may never advance again."

As a Literary Dao cultivator himself, Shen Chongxuan understood Lu Zhiyuan, already a Divine Spirit, could only offer the Literary Dao Wisdom Root.

The Literary Dao Wisdom Root is akin to the Foundation of the Immortal Embryo for Immortal Dao cultivators, but unlike the Foundation of the Immortal Embryo, it can be voluntarily stripped away and gifted to someone else.

This item’s greatest boon is dramatically enhancing the recipient’s understanding, with better effects for unborn children.

"For someone in my state, I’ve no aspirations of improvement," Lu Zhiyuan said.

"With your current power, defying foes, I offer little aid."

"It’s better this Wisdom Root serves this little one instead."

As he spoke, Lu Zhiyuan’s Divine Spirit suddenly glowed intensely, the radiance slowly focusing into a pale golden light on his forehead.

Once formed, the light emitted a gentle golden glow, slowly flying toward Zhantai Yujing’s abdomen, disappearing inside.