Chapter 536: Starting Cooperation

To get straight to the point, let's start at the beginning. This simple opening made Bai Qiru, who had just stood up, suddenly realize something, her gaze fixed on her grandmother, filled with surprise and doubt.

"It was because the Demonic Ancestor, after acquiring the Demonic Book, began to rule with tyranny, seeking to seize control of all realms. This left Jin Zhan with no choice but to confront him. Before making this decision, Jin Zhan might have sensed that he was no match for the Demonic Ancestor, as he made arrangements for his lineage beforehand. Our ancestor, Baihu, only learned about the six books of 'Wuyanggong' from Jin Zhan himself, just before Jin Zhan set out for battle. It was then that he discovered the Demonic Ancestor was not content with merely possessing the Demonic Book; he yearned to collect all six. This was also why Jin Zhan did not easily pass on the entire Monster Book to his descendants.

Jin Zhan had long known of the Phoenix Clan's rebellious intentions, aware that they were colluding with the Demonic Ancestor and willingly serving as his pawns. However, Jin Zhan chose not to expose them. Instead, under his instruction, our ancestor secretly aligned with the Phoenix Clan. Jin Zhan's intention was that if he didn't return, his own clan would surely suffer. Therefore, he instructed our ancestor to do everything possible to protect the Golden-Furred Rat Clan. Our ancestor swore an oath for this purpose, vowing that if the oath were ever broken, the Bai Clan would face ruin."

Hearing this, Bai Qiru asked, her voice trembling, "Has the Bai Clan ever violated this oath?"

Grandma Qi glanced at her, neither confirming nor denying, and continued, "Later, Jin Zhan was defeated and died. You already know how the Phoenix Clan reclaimed God Mountain and took control, and how many high-ranking members of the Jin Clan either perished in battle or were sent to the Demonic Ancestor. However, the world is full of unforeseen events, and fortunes can change in an instant. The Demonic Ancestor didn't remain rampant for long either; he eventually met his end at someone else's hands.

Our ancestor served Jin Zhan for a long time and knew him intimately. How could a man capable of planning for the survival of his clan possibly allow the Monster Book to be lost? Our ancestor believed that Jin Zhan would surely have made arrangements before his death to guarantee the Monster Book's lineage. With Jin Zhan's intellect, our ancestor was convinced that the Monster Book would, sooner or later, reappear before the Golden-Furred Rat Clan; it was only a matter of time. However, our ancestor never witnessed the Monster Book's reappearance before his own demise. Since then, generation after generation of our Bai Clan has awaited the emergence of that Monster Book.

If it weren't for our anticipation of this Monster Book, and if our Bai Clan hadn't been secretly guiding and protecting them for countless years, how could the Jin Clan have withstood the Phoenix Clan's murderous intentions, especially with their occasional acts of defiance or their past mistakes? Perhaps because the Jin Clan was confined within God Mountain, preventing the Monster Book from easily reaching them, our Bai Clan occasionally created opportunities for the Monster Book to connect with the Jin Clan. Situations like Huang Yingying gaining her freedom have occurred more than once throughout history."

Bai Qiru's pupils constricted. "Huang Yingying's escape was arranged by the Bai Clan?"

Grandma Qi replied, "Granny Fan's daughter was in danger and happened to be rescued by Huang Yingying. To outsiders, it had to appear as a mere accident; only then would Granny Fan show gratitude to Huang Yingying. With just a subtle hint from someone, and given Granny Fan's standing within the Phoenix Clan, granting Huang Yingying her freedom was a trivial matter. We chose Huang Yingying for this arrangement because, in recent years, she has shown the most promising cultivation aptitude among the Jin Clan."

Bai Qiru immediately understood the true purpose of her association with Huang Yingying. Repaying a debt of gratitude was a pretense; the real aim was surveillance. Living together, it would be impossible for Huang Yingying to conceal any unusual developments in her cultivation from her.

She bit her lip and asked, "Our ancestor swore an oath. Isn't the Bai Clan afraid of divine retribution if we break it?"

Grandma Qi calmly responded, "Have you ever witnessed divine retribution? Our ancestor did indeed swear an oath, but that was his affair. Whether he violated it or not is impossible for us descendants to ascertain, as too much time has passed. Furthermore, the Bai Clan has not actually broken that oath; we have consistently worked to preserve the Golden-Furred Rat Clan. Jin Zhan never explicitly stated that the Monster Book would be passed down to his descendants, nor did our ancestor swear an oath that he couldn't lay claim to it. To safeguard the Jin Clan, our Bai Clan has served the Phoenix Clan with unwavering loyalty and subservience for countless years, enduring immense humiliation and sacrificing much dignity. Any debt of gratitude, no matter how great, has long been repaid. Shouldn't we be entitled to some recompense now?"

As she spoke, she rose from her seat, approached Bai Qiru, and whispered, "The Bai Clan's efforts have not been in vain, nor have yours. Gao He and Wang Ping have lived in Dazhi City for so long, and from the current situation, they are clearly not ordinary people. How could individuals like them remain as mere errand boys in Dazhi City for so long? How could they be spending time with Huang Yingying? Huang Yingying even claimed Gao He could save her! My child, it's clear they are deliberately trying to approach Huang Yingying, and Huang Yingying has nothing to offer them. Is it merely because she can pilfer some spirit rice from a grain store? Or because they enjoy visiting brothels with her? These clumsy excuses wouldn't fool a ghost! My child, our ancestor's judgment was correct. The appearance of individuals with ulterior motives contacting the Jin Clan signifies that Jin Zhan's contingency plans have come to fruition, and that the Monster Book has surfaced. Do you realize what the Monster Book means to our Bai Clan, who have endured countless years of subservience? Do you know what it means for *you*? Jin Zhan once said that mastering the six books grants immortality!"

As the old woman spoke, she grew increasingly agitated, her body trembling slightly.

Bai Qiru, however, was not thinking of such distant prospects. Instead, another thought occurred to her, and she asked, "Grandma, given the relationship between the Bai Clan and the Phoenix Clan, if we truly wished to, wouldn't we have long been able to convince the Phoenix Clan to release the Jin Clan?" She had considered this question early on, especially since it was supposedly about repaying a debt of gratitude.

Grandma Qi instantly calmed down considerably, fixing her gaze on Bai Qiru's unflinching eyes for a moment. "If they were to leave and scatter, it would be much harder to keep an eye on them!"

Bai Qiru's eyes widened slightly. She understood instantly, biting her lip.

Grandma Qi then placed a hand on her shoulder. "My child, I would never reveal these things to anyone else. But I know you. You are a good child, capable of making sacrifices for the Bai Clan, and you would never allow these secrets to leak, as that would be a catastrophe for our clan. I've told you before that your efforts won't be in vain. Your grandmother is grooming you to be the next clan leader!"

Bai Qiru, of course, understood the implications for the Bai Clan if this secret were to spread—the Phoenix Clan would likely be the first to punish them. She lowered her head and said, "Grandma, perhaps you're overthinking this. If even the Bai Clan can betray the Jin Clan, why would Gao He and those others necessarily give the Monster Book to the Jin descendants, if they truly possess it? There might be another reason for them contacting Huang Yingying."

Grandma Qi shook her head. "You're underestimating your ancestor's judgment, and Jin Zhan's intellect. How could someone who emerged from 'Wuyanggong' and obtained the Monster Book be simple? Our ancestor knew Jin Zhan extremely well. If this truly is Jin Zhan's contingency, he would certainly have a way of directing it. Even if our assessment is mistaken, we must verify it. At this point, we cannot give up midway, nor can we afford to miss this potential opportunity. The Bai Clan has waited far too many years, and my body can't wait any longer!"

Bai Qiru fell silent, lost in thought for a moment, then suddenly said, "I want to go see Huang Yingying."

Grandma Qi, however, took out a mother-child talisman to check. It was a message from clan members outside, stating that Gao He was requesting an audience. She immediately replied, "Alright, I have other matters to attend to. If you wish to go, you'll have to ask the Goddess yourself; I certainly won't approve it from here." With that, she leaned on her staff and exited the room, heading directly towards the location where Wu Jinliang and his group were being held under house arrest.

The location wasn't far, both places situated on the same mountain. In a separate courtyard, Wu Jinliang had already been led to a quiet room to wait. Grandma Qi opened the door, stepped inside, and casually closed it. Upon seeing him, she immediately asked, "Have the people you represent given an answer?" She had always firmly believed that Wu Jinliang had backers; otherwise, a cultivator of such low rank wouldn't warrant such extensive involvement from the Extreme Fire Sect.

Hearing such talk again, Wu Jinliang chuckled wryly. He was actually quite annoyed on her behalf, genuinely wondering where this old hag found the confidence to get involved in this matter without even knowing his true identity or background. Leaving aside the demonic sects, he had already reviewed the other factions involved in this affair and discovered that the Bai Clan was, in fact, the weakest among them.

"Never mind," he thought. As long as they weren't openly hostile, he had no desire to disrupt the current peace; only a fool would invite trouble. So he spoke casually, "Have them prepare some things first. Let me ask you, Grandma, can you obtain 'Death-Defying Incense'?" This was a decision Shi Chun had made after carefully considering all safety aspects. Didn't the other party want to cooperate? It seemed cooperation wouldn't harm them. So, he decided to grant their wish and proceed with the collaboration. After all, escaping wasn't feasible for the time being, and his own mission couldn't be put on hold; it had to continue. He could manage his tasks while simultaneously looking for opportunities, effectively killing two birds with one stone.

Hearing this, Grandma Qi looked suspicious. "Why do you need 'Death-Defying Incense'?" A thought even flashed through her mind: These individuals approached Huang Yingying, and now they're at the foot of God Mountain. Could they be after the Death-Defying Incense? However, she quickly dismissed the idea, realizing that Huang Yingying wouldn't be able to acquire the Death-Defying Incense either.

Wu Jinliang replied, "Of course it has a purpose. You'll see what it's for when we use it. Since I still don't know if you'll spare my life, I can't give you a full explanation. Aren't we already in an alliance, working together, just by beginning this process?"

Despite his words, Grandma Qi still shook her head. "We do have it, but I can't obtain it."

Wu Jinliang paused, surprised. He had originally intended to ask her for help in finding the raw materials or refining it, thinking it a waste not to utilize readily available assistance. To his surprise, she claimed they had the finished product. He immediately pressed, "Who has it?"

Grandma Qi replied, "Naturally, it's in the hands of the Phoenix Clan. This item originally came from them."

Wu Jinliang's eyes immediately lit up. His pragmatic nature couldn't be contained, and flattering words poured out. "Grandma, you are highly respected within the Phoenix Clan. What's wrong with asking for just a tiny bit of Death-Defying Incense? If you simply ask, there surely won't be any problem."

Grandma Qi shook her head. "I genuinely don't have that kind of influence; I wouldn't be able to get it."

Wu Jinliang wouldn't give up easily. "You are highly esteemed; how would you know without trying? Why not give it your best effort first, and then we can discuss it? What do you say?" Since a ready supply might exist, he certainly didn't want the trouble of finding or refining it himself. After all, running errands to the Phoenix Clan wasn't his task. As Shi Chun had just conveyed, the Bai Clan would do the work.

Grandma Qi sighed. "There's no need to try; it would be useless. Even the Phoenix Clan is currently short on the refining materials for the Soul Reversal Tree, and they don't have much of it themselves."

Wu Jinliang persisted, "Even if they don't have much, how do you know they won't make an exception for you? We don't need a lot, just a tiny bit would suffice. Grandma, refusing to even try doesn't suggest much sincerity in cooperation."

Grandma Qi hesitated, then, after much deliberation, finally divulged, "What you don't know is that Death-Defying Incense holds extraordinary significance for the Phoenix Clan. Let me put it this way: have you ever heard of the Phoenix Clan's legend of immortality?"

Wu Jinliang was startled. "I've heard whispers—about the undying bird, rebirth from ashes, and an immortal divine race. Could it possibly be connected to the Death-Defying Incense? But that doesn't make sense. Corpses revived by Death-Defying Incense aren't truly resurrected; they still decay and rot."

Grandma Qi shook her head again. "For others, it's true, it's not genuine resurrection. But for the Phoenix Clan, it's different. The Phoenix Clan possesses a unique ability: after death, their physical bodies can be reborn through fire, and with the aid of Death-Defying Incense, their souls can return. Upon revival, they retain their original consciousness, merely inhabiting a new body.

In the past, when Soul Reversal Trees were abundant, the Phoenix Clan never worried about a shortage of Death-Defying Incense. However, ever since Huang Yingying's ancestor performed the spell to move the mountain, defiling God Mountain in the process, Soul Reversal Trees have become extremely rare. This has led to the scarcity of Death-Defying Incense, to the point where some ordinary Phoenix Clan members, upon dying of old age, no longer qualify to use it and thus truly perish. This is also why the Phoenix Clan's numbers are dwindling today. The Phoenix Clan keeps this secret, afraid that their reputation as a divine race will be tarnished. I only stumbled upon this secret by chance. I ask you, if even their own Phoenix Clan members, dying of old age, can no longer use Death-Defying Incense, how could they possibly give it to an outsider like me? There's simply no point in even asking."