Chapter 1047: Deception

The faint red of the setting sun still pulsed on the horizon. The exquisitely dressed demon turned his head, warmly wrapped in a large cloak, and looked at the Realized Being beside him: "Realized Being Chi, can this truly be considered a demon lord?"

Chi Buzi looked at him in turn, his expression calm, almost taking it for granted. He said: "He's all bluster and no substance, despicable and incompetent. Just a petty evil spirit."

The demon smiled: "Isn't it perfect? My subordinate only used his divine powers to influence women, but all his actions came from his own heart, from that malevolent 'Bright Yang' nature. In my opinion, that's enough."

"With such a purpose, he can assist with matters that Minghuang has no time to attend to."

'Minghuang... that's Li Zhouwei...' A peculiar thought, tinged with faint doubt, arose in Chi Buzi's mind. The demon's expression remained calm as he carefully observed Chi Buzi and said: "Clear Sea, Pure Pond, Inheritor of the Azure White Flood Dragon, Ding Jiao."

Chi Buzi took a sip of wine and replied: "So, it is the White Dragon Crown Prince Tao... I am Chi Buzi, a rogue cultivator."

Chi Buzi had, of course, heard his name. Ding Jiao was a genius of the White Dragon clan, a descendant of the Dragon Sovereign, with pure and noble bloodline—one of the foremost noble species among flood dragons!

Dragon nature is inherently licentious yet utterly ruthless. Mating between those of the same lineage, even siblings, is common, though producing offspring is difficult. Instead, they often have numerous children with various other demon creatures, mostly used as servants... Only a select few pure-blooded descendants are qualified to be true dragon scions... For example, the Xu River Demon King, whose true form is a noble species of demon perch, is also a son of the Dragon King of Bei Sea, yet he must address descendants born of pairings with true dragon kin, like Ding Jiao, as master!

'Moreover, he is a descendant of Dongfang You, a direct descendant of the Dragon Sovereign. If the dragon clan's quest for truth succeeds, his status will undoubtedly rise, and it's highly probable that he will attain a golden position in the future!'

The Realized Being slowly withdrew his gaze, subtly swallowing, and replied: "I see him merely as a pathetic villain. The 'Bright Yang' spiritual fruit has influenced Li Zhouwei, and it has also affected his descendants. This is an undeniable fact, so why bother with all this extra effort?"

The Dragon King shook his head, his expression inscrutable: "This is not simple. According to Daoist principles, Minghuang is favored by a spiritual fruit, naturally possessing a 'Bright Yang' nature. However, he is cunning and two-faced, unbound by divine powers. Who knows what he truly is like? Our elders always felt that his human nature outweighed his golden nature, making it difficult for him to achieve Dao..."

"They tried to test him, but it ended in failure. However, they don't necessarily have to test him directly."

The Dragon King smiled: "What a father keeps silent about will surely be revealed by his naive, young son. Sons throughout the world carry their fathers' secrets and unconsciously divulge them, thereby making their fathers aware of their own ugliness. This is what you cultivators call the 'Sin of Yang Extremity'."

"Just test Li Jiangnian. If he truly possesses that kind of 'Bright Yang' evil, how could his father not?"

Chi Buzi fell silent, but a doubt arose in his mind: 'The dragon clan testing Li Zhouwei to assess the possibility of 'Bright Yang' — that's a clever move, but what does it have to do with me? I'm not aiming for the 'Bright Yang' position, nor am I related to the Li family. Why tell me, as if I were one of them...?'

Ding Jiao, however, shook his head and said: "But my father still doesn't like it. He always feels that once someone ascends to the position of a True Sovereign, they are beyond manipulation and too uncontrollable... I, however, am different."

His light blue eyes flickered, and Ding Jiao smiled: "I am certain that the prophecy book will come true, and I also believe that our dragon clan needs to ally with these True Sovereigns..."

Upon hearing this, Chi Buzi finally showed a hint of gloom and simply said, "Oh."

Ding Jiao said blandly: "However... both my father and I are extremely supportive of the Grand Realized Being's matter."

Chi Buzi's heart turned cold, a sneer forming within him: 'How could they not approve? Forget your dragon kin, even Lu River is highly in favor... Who wouldn't approve of drawing out the golden nature of that feathered serpent? It's just that no one cares about me... I'm simply expected to die quietly on the side. Am I supposed to approve too?!'

The Dragon King quietly stared at him, as if discerning the emotions in his eyes, and sighed softly, replying: "There are some matters that Li Zhouwei cannot handle himself, nor can he necessarily contact the person behind him. It's difficult for me to discuss it with him... but isn't talking with you, Chi Buzi, the same?"

He turned his head, his light blue dragon eyes fixed calmly on Chi Buzi: "Grand Realized Being, am I correct?"

Chi Buzi's eyes suddenly narrowed, a deep suspicion surfacing in his mind. But his knack for disguise allowed him to maintain a somber expression. He remained silent, took a sip of wine, and whispered: "I am indeed puzzled. How does the Dragon King know this?"

His words brought a slight smile to Ding Jiao's face. He leaned forward, very calmly: "Back then, you were only at the Mid-Purple Mansion stage, still trapped by Lord Du, unable to act independently. Yet, you took advantage of his seclusion and leisurely went to Moon-Gazing Lake. Since then, your temperament drastically changed. You traveled across the seas, often exhibiting unusual behavior, and inexplicably passed the Purple Ascension trial—truly inexplicably!"

His smile gradually faded as he replied: "Lord Du might not know these things, but our dragon clan knows them very well. Without a prominent figure from our dragon clan to handle the loose ends for you, do you think Lord Du became a True Sovereign for nothing? Do you think you would have lived until now?"

Ding Jiao's gaze was cold, revealing a hint of intimidation. The unspoken meaning behind his words was crystal clear: 'You painstakingly visited Penglai, holding the 'Profound Dan Lunar White Laurel Branch' that appeared out of nowhere, fabricating that immortal abode, and completely deceiving the Pure One Dao. We saw it all. We were the ones who cleaned up your mess!'

"Better to kill by mistake than to let someone go. Our Lord Du has never hesitated!"

Chi Buzi lowered his head, his eyes slightly narrowed. His heart felt as though mountains were crumbling and the earth splitting, yet his mind was blank, as if he had fallen into an endless abyss. He mused silently: 'What... what have I done?'

Ding Jiao's demeanor certainly didn't suggest deception. A dignified descendant of the Dragon Sovereign had no need to deceive him with such baseless nonsense. Either the Dragon King before him had misunderstood something... or... the dragon clan had indeed covered up some misdeed for him without Lu River's knowledge!

'Why am I completely unaware of this?!'

Yet, no matter how perplexing the other's words were, and how much he racked his brain, Chi Buzi's expression remained calm. Ding Jiao, however, chuckled: "In this world... which other family could possibly possess the 'Profound Dan Lunar White Laurel Branch'!"

"That cultivation method, Lord Xuan An gave it to you, didn't he? It was also at Moon-Gazing Lake, under Qing Yiyuan's direct favor, that you received his guidance. That's when you suddenly awakened, gained unknown benefits, and ventured out into the Four Seas!"

'Xuan An... Who is that Lord...?' The name 'Xuan An' was completely unfamiliar to Chi Buzi. He didn't know how to respond, so he simply lowered his gaze, said nothing, and displayed a complex expression.

Ding Jiao waited for a moment and, seeing no reply, said in a calm tone: "Rest assured. Now that Wei Xuan has entrusted the Xinyou Luze Seal to you, it signifies the approval of Zhixuan Pavilion and even Luoxia Mountain. With our guarantee as well, even if Lu River discovers something, it still won't kill you."

He offered a somewhat amused smile and replied: "But you are in Lu Pool, and Lu River is full of suspicions. How Lord [Xuan An] will protect your conspiracy and collusion from Lu River, and how he will enable the fox clan to contact you... that is for him to resolve."

Chi Buzi was no ordinary man. After hearing these two sentences, a clear connection instantly formed in his mind: 'First... this Lord Xuan An must be the True Sovereign behind the fox clan...'

'And Moon-Gazing Lake... must belong to this True Sovereign's territory. It is for this reason that, whether by misunderstanding or actual fact, Ding Jiao views me as this True Sovereign's person...'

'The so-called Li family also has this True Sovereign's shadow behind it—at least this True Sovereign wishes that Li Zhouwei to achieve Dao! And I, as a Grand Realized Being representing his interests, would then be used as a messenger by the dragon clan!'

'In other words, in the eyes of the dragons, Li Zhouwei and I are extremely close. Li Jiangnian might be involved in some kind of transaction or proof between two True Sovereigns, and I am like a representative for one of them, which is why I've been invited to watch this 'good show'!'

His previous doubts suddenly vanished. Chi Buzi finally understood why Ding Jiao had specifically come to see him. But upon uncovering this hidden truth, a chill went down Chi Buzi's spine, and he then realized another critical situation: no matter what, he now had to be a person connected to this so-called True Sovereign Xuan An!

He raised his eyebrows and said softly: "This matter... the Dragon King need not worry about it."

Ding Jiao merely smiled, but Chi Buzi's ambition suddenly swelled, filling his entire being in an instant.

The fundamental reason Chi Buzi distrusted the dragon clan lay in their lack of an indispensable need for him, and his own insufficient backing to negotiate with them! If he could truly leverage the background of a True Sovereign, playing along wouldn't be 'fake acting leading to true results,' but rather a seamless surrender to circumstances—and not difficult at all... He still had a chance!

'The immediate priority is to investigate the situation regarding this True Sovereign Xuan An!'

His mind worked like lightning. He withdrew his hand, his expression unreadable, and replied: "Since that is the case, your noble Lord must have already known that I intended to cultivate the Mansions' Water."

His response was perfectly apt. Ding Jiao chuckled and replied: "How could he not know? The Mansions' Water is a Qingxuan artifact. In this current era, how many possess the ability to even touch it!"

These words sent another shiver down Chi Buzi's spine.

After laughing, Ding Jiao, seeing that he still didn't reply, sighed inwardly: 'Xuan An is indeed not in a good state... Moon-Gazing Lake has Qing Yiyuan's favor, and no lords can fathom it, yet Lord Tang personally guards the lake! That Qingyu Qian merely enticed a member of the Si family into the lake for a moment, and afterwards, that Si family member was annihilated... The defenses are solid...'

His thoughts spun like lightning, but Chi Buzi raised his eyebrows and looked at him, cleverly shaking his head. He said blandly: "So that's it. Senior Zeng Zan's outing today was not without reason. It was the Crown Prince who permitted me this role."

Ding Jiao gave a wry chuckle and replied: "It was Zeng Jiu and the Black Dragon who permitted you."

Upon mentioning Guang Fou, Ding Jiao did not express much dissatisfaction. Unlike his father, the Dragon King of Bei Sea, this White Dragon Crown Prince was more ambitious and energetic. Although he disliked the Black Dragon lineage, he held some fondness for Guang Fou and and likewise hoped for more True Sovereigns to align with the dragon clan. However, his father's command was hard to defy... otherwise, he wouldn't have volunteered to come and test Li Jiangnian today!

Chi Buzi's gaze subtly shifted as he quietly watched him. Ding Jiao then softly said: "The fact that Lord Xuan An was willing to take out the Profound Dan Lunar White Laurel Branch and entrust it to the Pure One Dao filled our dragon clan with great joy. Our Lord, upon hearing of this, was also extremely impressed... He said that Lord Xuan An finally saw the situation clearly, made a sacrifice, and ceased to cling solely to the so-called 'Radiant Whiteness'..."

Chi Buzi frowned and took the opportunity to whisper: "This matter... I am not entirely clear on it. Could you please enlighten me?"

Ding Jiao frowned, then said earnestly: "Back then, when Xie Jun perished after achieving Dao, it proved that the 'Lunar Position' might have issues, yet everyone remained wary. Some True Sovereign secretly wrote a 'Lunar Quest for Profound Mystery Method' and slipped it into the Pure One Dao's legacy... falsely inscribing Xie Jun's last will to secretly deceive them."

"This 'Lunar Quest for Profound Mystery Method' is indeed a method for breakthrough. In fact, all its secret arts also directly point to the fundamental nature of the Moon. It involves combining the life of a seeker of Dao with a spiritual object from the 'Lunar Remnant Position' to seek a response from the main position, and to ascertain the true nature of the spiritual fruit's master from within the Lunar mist..."

"The true nature of the spiritual fruit was originally obscure, but the former master of the Moon left a contingency, locking down a remnant position and making it bright, allowing later generations to ascend. It was this small contingency that the 'Lunar Quest for Profound Mystery Method' exploited."

The Dragon King gently flicked his sleeve and whispered: "The 'Lunar Quest for Profound Mystery Method' through a spiritual object achieving Dao can greatly advance the True Sovereigns' conjectures about the Moon. Waiting for the Profound Dan Lunar White Laurel Branch to achieve Dao and sense the Great Void, to inquire about its true nature—perhaps then the 'Lunar Position' will finally have an owner."

The sky gradually darkened. Chi Buzi sat in his seat and said faintly: "Then what are these Lords waiting for? What does the dragon clan... need?"

Ding Jiao quietly replied: "Waiting for peace to reign over the land, for True Qi to be proven, for the True Dragon to appear in the world, for 'Bright Yang' to fall, for the High Shamans to return to their positions, for all matters in the hands of the various families to be resolved, and for the Lords to return to their rightful places. Only then can the Donghua Heaven descend, and the Yin-Yang mystery that has troubled us until now will surely find a resolution. As for you..."

"Can the Realized Being wait until then?"

Ding Jiao whispered: "As for us... I don't know what arrangements Lord [Xuan An] has for you, but our Lord hopes that the Grand Realized Being will embrace this role, perfect his divine powers, and serve as a trump card for our dragon clan, intervening in Jiangbei at a crucial moment!"

The demon looked deeply at him and said blandly: "This helps you, it helps him, and it helps us."

Chi Buzi remained silent for a long time. The figure before him dissipated like wind, and the colossal beast silently sank into the seabed, taking with it the enormous palace that gleamed under the night sky, disappearing into the sea without a trace.

'Xuan An... I must investigate thoroughly...'

The bright moon hung high in the sky, casting down slivers of light. Chi Buzi watched the empty sea surface, his emotions slowly fading. He stared deeply at the ebb and flow of the tide: 'But... does Lu River truly not care about me?'

'Why would a figure like Him tolerate me to such an extent... completely unconcerned about me joining the dragon clan's faction, and not even minding the potential emergence of a True Sovereign-level enemy in the future...?'

'Is this possible?'

He slowly raised his head, his gaze directed towards the brilliant moon: 'Or... are Ding Jiao and the dragon clan also deceiving me? Do they, like Lu River, have absolute certainty... that I will not succeed?'