Chapter 972: Four Clouds Gathering

Her heart pounded wildly, her mind blank. She hastily tugged at her black dress, creased from sitting for too long, and brushed back the strands of hair falling across her forehead.

"Oh, oh, I'll... I'll be right there," she stammered in a panic.

Her mind was in a turmoil, and she felt completely lost.

With trepidation in her eyes, she approached the door, her hands trembling as she opened it. Outside stood only the royal elder, a faint, knowing smile on his face.

He chuckled, "My apologies, I misspoke. It's a letter from Jiang Fan."

The Old Dream Demon Emperor's tensed body suddenly relaxed. Leaning against the doorframe, she said with a mix of shame and annoyance, "Elder, please don't joke about Jiang Fan like that again!" Her heart was still pounding furiously.

Fine beads of sweat had broken out on her palms. Heaven knew how terrified she had been just now.

"You've been too tired lately," the elder said. "I was just trying to lighten the mood with a joke."

Lighten the mood? It nearly scared her to death! She truly didn't know how she would ever face Jiang Fan.

Seeing that the letter the elder handed her was written in demon script, she knew he was still toying with her. "It's a letter from the demon race, isn't it?"

A wave of deep disappointment washed over her.

The elder smiled, "It's about Jiang Fan." Her disappointed heart immediately began to pound again, and she hastily tore open the letter.

"On the tenth day of the first month, Jiang Fan will undergo tribulation in the northern lands of the demon race."

Her eyes widened in surprise. "He's going to undergo tribulation so soon? Then I must go and see it."

"Elder, when the time comes, I'll rely on the eight of you elders to manage the affairs of the South Sea."

The elder nodded slightly. "Go, stay for a few extra days if you wish. Just be mindful of safety precautions."

The Old Dream Demon Emperor was stunned. Safety precautions? What did he mean by that?

West Sea.

The Great Sun Demon Emperor, holding the letter in one hand, vigorously rubbed his bald head with the other. "Damn it!" he exclaimed. "He was only at the eighth stage of Core Formation when he was here last, and now he's going to undergo tribulation? My sworn brother truly is a dragon among men!"

"Where's the Crown Prince? Call him over and let him see how diligently his Uncle Jiang cultivates."

An old turtle demon coughed dryly and said, "Reporting to the Demon Emperor. The Crown Prince is with the widowed octopus in the north; he won't be back anytime soon."

The Great Sun Demon Emperor immediately flared up in anger. "That forgetful good-for-nothing!" he fumed. "The human race produces true dragons, but my West Sea produces a lecherous worm! Jiang Fan is facing heavenly tribulation, while he's chasing women!" The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. He found an iron rod and roared, "I'll break his third leg if it's the last thing I do!"

North Sea.

The Tearful Demon Emperor held the letter from his daughter in Taicang Great Prefecture, tears streaming down his face as he read it. The Empress rolled her eyes. "What's there to cry about? She's become a disciple of a divine sect! That's a great cause for celebration!"

The Tearful Demon Emperor wiped his tears and nodded repeatedly. "You're right, you're right!"

At this moment, Mu Ziyu excitedly reported, "Demon Emperor, Empress, a letter from the demon race states that young master Jiang Fan will undergo tribulation in the northern lands on the tenth day of the first month."

The Empress was utterly astonished. "Tribulation so soon?"

The Tearful Demon Emperor's eyes, just dried, welled up again. "Good, good! My sworn brother has finally reached the day of his tribulation. I must go and see it."

Hundred Flowers Valley.

Yao Yue sealed the washed osmanthus flowers, then looked up at her mother, who was sitting beneath a peach tree, so beautiful she seemed otherworldly. "Mother, Jiang Fan is going to undergo tribulation. Can he pass?"

Ling Yin held a writing brush, dipping it into the pale pink ink that seemed to be infused with peach blossoms. She quietly wrote line after line of graceful characters. After silently finishing, she folded the paper, slipped it into an envelope, and then asked in an ethereal voice, "Are you concerned about him?"

Yao Yue's small face stiffened. "I'm worried he'll be struck dead by lightning and drag me down with him!"

Ling Yin replied calmly, "I don't know either. However, if he succeeds, I can give him a gift." Her beautiful eyes shifted, landing on a dark corner of the valley. There, a massive tiger, exuding the aura of a perfected ninth-stage Core Formation, was visible. It was the Sky-Devouring Tiger Demon King, who had completely disappeared.

Taicang Great Prefecture.

A crescent-shaped, clear small lake. At its center was an island. A snow-white tall pagoda cast a clear, beautiful reflection on the lake's surface.

"Master, were you looking for me?"

At the top of the pagoda, a woman in a plain yellow gown, with skin as fair as jade, leaned gracefully on a lounge chair. She held a book, quietly reading. The book obscured her face, making her features indistinct. Yet, her jade-like, snow-white skin and tall, graceful figure were captivating. However, True Lord Chen Jing kept his head bowed, not daring to cast even a single disrespectful glance. This was because a divine halo floated behind the woman's head. She was True Lord Chen Jing's Master, Venerable True Word.

"Have you heard about what happened at White Horse Temple?" Venerable True Word's voice had a slow, languid quality.

True Lord Chen Jing's face showed a hint of complexity. "I have heard. Jiang Fan from the mainland came to White Horse Temple with the Heaven-Connecting Black Pillar, forced the temple to expel a Demon Emperor who had converted to Buddhism, and then publicly executed him."

Venerable True Word commented, "I heard he's from Qingyun Sect? Is he your fellow disciple?"

Comparison was the most feared thing. Jiang Fan first gained fame on the Ancient Path to Ascension, and then news spread of how he forcefully reclaimed an enemy at White Horse Temple, executing him in a fit of rage before the Bodhisattva and numerous Vajras. Such deeds were things True Lord Chen Jing could not do, and would never dare to do.

He looked embarrassed and said, "Master, I left Qingyun Sect eight years ago. I can no longer be considered a Qingyun Sect disciple, and therefore cannot be called his fellow disciple."

Venerable True Word put down the book, gently covering her face with it. "I'm curious now, what kind of place is Qingyun Sect? It's supposedly a small sect, yet the disciples it cultivates are increasingly outstanding."

These words made True Lord Chen Jing uncomfortable. Increasingly outstanding? Could it be that Jiang Fan was even more outstanding than him? Jiang Fan hadn't even undergone tribulation yet!

"Master, do you think Jiang Fan is more outstanding than your disciple?"

Venerable True Word was silent for a moment. Typically, a master facing such a question from a disciple would offer a subtle form of comfort. But Venerable True Word truthfully said, "You are not as good as him."

True Lord Chen Jing felt unconvinced. His Master actually thought that he, a four-aperture Nascent Soul cultivator, was inferior to Jiang Fan, who was only at Core Formation! Whether this person could even reach the Nascent Soul realm in his lifetime was debatable! How could he be stronger than himself?

"Go to the mainland and invite him to meet me," Venerable True Word said.

True Lord Chen Jing's eyes widened in surprise, and he asked, "Master, you're not planning to take him as a disciple, are you?" He rarely saw his Master praise anyone, and even more rarely did she compare him to others.

"No," Venerable True Word said. "Don't ask any more questions. This is a matter discussed among us several Soul Transformation cultivators and Bodhisattvas. It is not appropriate for you to know."

True Lord Chen Jing breathed a sigh of relief. He then remembered that Jiang Fan was Venerable Heart Karma's registered disciple. However, how could Jiang Fan be involved in matters discussed by Soul Transformation cultivators and Bodhisattvas, matters that he himself was not privy to? He truly did not believe that he was inferior to someone still at Core Formation.