Chapter 751: Hard Work

Following close behind, Chibu Zi burst forth, his green robes fluttering. After a single glance, he erupted in thunderous rage: "You vile demon! I use my divine ability to capture you, and you still dare to eat people! You are truly courting death! Today... if I don't capture you, I will have wasted my entire cultivation of divine abilities!"

The spirit oriole sped through the air. Upon hearing his words, every feather on her body bristled, and she gnashed her teeth, her chest swelling with fury: "You... you Lushui running dog, shameless demonic disciple! The Qingchi Sect kills more people every year than the feathers on my body, yet you dare to speak so righteously about eating people!"

She had cultivated overseas for many years, her demeanor long since ethereal, like an immortal in flowing robes. Normally, she didn't reveal her true form, and wherever she went, she was regarded as a Purple Mansion cultivator. Since gaining enlightenment, she rarely consumed blood and flesh. Now, cornered and desperate, she had been forced to resort to eating. Being cursed by Chibu Zi left her speechless with frustration; she didn't even have time to turn around and retort, flying straight ahead in a huff.

Seeing that she didn't respond, Chibu Zi continued to curse as he flew. The two, one human and one demon, darted back and forth through the void, appearing and disappearing, until they reached the easternmost part of the East Sea. Just as the cape came into view, the spirit oriole abruptly turned back, traversing the void to return the way she came.

Chibu Zi pursued her steadily, neither rushing nor slowing, intent on driving her eastward. He shook his head, saying, "Fellow Daoist, that's not right."

He immediately took a cauldron from his sleeve, tossed it into the air, and it instantly transformed into a colossal azure cauldron, as large as a small house. Chibu Zi chanted a spell, swept his sleeve, and brushed it against the cauldron. With a clear clang, he declared, "Heavenly Aspect Palace, shift your position; let there be rain."

This spirit artifact originally belonged to the Lushui lineage. Now, as Chibu Zi activated his divine ability, heavy, murky energy transformed into swirling gray mist, swiftly enveloping the sky and sea, casting a gloomy pall over everything.

The Purple Mansion spirit oriole ahead felt everything around her suddenly change. Rain poured down onto the sea, covering both near and far, transforming into an endless gray world. Fear gripped her, and she swiftly fled into the void.

But Chibu Zi followed closely. After flying for a while, the spirit oriole was caught again, forcing her to escape back into the material world. She blinked carefully, only then realizing that the void around her was uniformly flat, making it impossible to discern her location.

"What kind of spirit artifact is this!" She had no choice but to find a random spot to land, returning to the material world. Still, rain obscured everything in a gray haze, and swirling mist enveloped the ground beneath her feet. She had no idea where she was or in which direction she was flying.

Grit her teeth, she plunged into the swirling mist beneath her feet. After only a moment of traversal, she unexpectedly flew out from the clouds and rain directly above her, colliding head-on with Chibu Zi, who stood with his hands clasped behind his back, staring coldly at her.

*This spirit artifact is extraordinary... it's an ancient spiritual treasure!*

Chibu Zi's divine ability, however, did not wait for her. After long preparation, verdant Lushui poured down. She had not yet cultivated her body's divine ability, was injured, and was weaker than him. Hit squarely, she felt her entire body, feathers and bones, melt, and let out a piercing shriek of agony.

This divine ability of Chibu Zi's truly shook her very being. The spirit oriole reappeared elsewhere, flying blindly with gritted teeth, despair in her heart: "Eight or nine out of ten of Qingchi's spirit artifacts must be in this scoundrel's hands... A dignified late-stage Purple Mansion cultivator, possessing three spirit artifacts, carrying a grand formation, and still resorting to sneak attacks and deception against a junior like me..."

Yet, after flying for an unknown period, she was caught again, struck by a divine ability, and grew increasingly sluggish. The formation Chibu Zi deployed was astonishingly powerful, and the spirit oriole was already injured. Now, this spirit artifact appeared even more ancient, filling her heart with dread.

As she flew, she observed her surroundings. Occasionally, a few small islands would appear in her sight, at least indicating that this spell couldn't make her circle in place, unlike the overbearing spirit artifact of Ning Tiaoxiao from back then...

*But the East Sea is vast... and with such profound wonders, coupled with Chibu Zi's deliberate encirclement, it's already enough to make escape impossible for me! Now... how can I stay in this spirit artifact's rain curtain, to be slowly carved away by Lushui divine ability like dull knife on flesh?*

She was distressed, but Chibu Zi kept his attention on her. After all, this spirit oriole was an independent cultivator who had attained enlightenment in a lesser lineage. Although he hadn't heard of her obtaining any special opportunities, one could never be careless when facing a Purple Mansion realm cultivator.

He paused slightly, but the spirit oriole before him suddenly turned around. Her Shaoyin divine ability operated at full power, converging into streams of white tassels before her. Although Chibu Zi didn't recognize the specific spell, he had long investigated the spirit oriole's background and could largely guess its nature:

*The Shaoyin divine ability, Fragrant All-Sinking, is originally a divine ability of nascent extravagance and rising coldness. It presides over coldness yet contains fire; it governs yin yet is dry. Fragrant All-Sinking is an artful divine ability, and it must be a blend of cold and dryness, manifesting as fire.*

So, without hurrying, he pinched two fingers together. Indeed, wisps of eerie fire rose from the white tassels, causing the surrounding rainwater to disperse into mist. Even the gray smoke beneath their feet showed faint signs of vanishing. Chibu Zi could not allow this; he simply flicked his finger.

Clear Evening Rain!

Torrential rain fell, temporarily suppressing the flames. The opponent drove the flames with all her might, making them erratic, fluctuating in size within the rain, appearing quite unstable. A feeling of regret arose in Chibu Zi's heart, and he secretly sighed: "Shaoyin's cold and dry Sovereign Fire should be suppressed with Lushui's Pillaging Dew; it would be a perfect counter. With that divine ability, capturing this demon would be effortless. What a pity I haven't mastered the Pillaging Dew divine ability!"

The inheritance of the Qingchi Sect was incomplete. The "Dew Robbery Falling Flower Method" for the Pillaging Dew lineage could not gather vital energy properly. The Chi family had collected Pillaging Dew cultivation methods for many years, but almost all of them had issues with vital energy absorption. Therefore, even for him, a direct descendant of the esteemed Chi family, Pillaging Dew was difficult to cultivate.

Despite Lushui's prominence, the vital energy absorption for Pillaging Dew consistently failed. While in the Qingchi Sect, Chibu Zi dared not dwell on it, but upon reaching the East Sea, he understood clearly: who else could be behind this besides his family's own True Monarch Wuyuan Fu Yu of the Lushui lineage?

As long as that True Monarch wished it so, it was enough to render all vital energy gathering methods ineffective. The specific spiritual energy required by the Chi family's cultivation methods had never been seen in any ruins. Chi Rui had attempted to reconcile it with the "Lushui Dissolving Water Harmony Method" but failed repeatedly. Chi Wei also failed to achieve Pillaging Dew, instead using the "Horn Wood replacing Orion's remaining nourishment"...

As his thoughts raced, the spirit oriole darted forward, shifting from defense to offense. Her goose-yellow, pointed beak suddenly opened, revealing countless tiny, neatly arranged sharp teeth, from which a deep white radiance erupted.

Chibu Zi finally grew serious. His hand seals changed, and the colossal cauldron finally burst forth from the void, blocking his path. His pupils slowly transitioned from light blue to deep azure.

Cave Spring Sound!

With the emergence of this formidable divine ability, which was both a life-and-body profound technique, his body instantly transformed into spring water from a cave, flowing into the large cauldron. The tinkling sound of spring water also emerged.

A full incense stick's time passed before the spirit oriole's desperate deep white radiance finally toppled the great cauldron with a violent clang. The Cave Spring water was knocked out of the precious cauldron, and from the greenish-gray water, a voice echoed out of nowhere: "The cave spring gurgles; turbid in the water, thus it neither condenses nor ceases, neither dries nor stops. Though the Sovereign Fire rages, how can it harm me?"

The spring water, resisting the deep white radiance, and the great cauldron simultaneously suppressed it. The radiance gradually dimmed, and the surrounding heavy gray murkiness thickened once more, locking it down.

This display of divine ability revealed his profound cultivation, far beyond what the demon could ever achieve. A wave of despair washed over her. She had just broken through, but no matter how she struggled, facing Chibu Zi – whose cultivation and divine abilities far surpassed hers, whose formations and spirit artifacts were miraculous, and whose Taoist techniques and spells were profound – there was nothing she could do to turn the tide.

"It's the Cave Spring Sound!"

The spirit oriole hesitated for a moment, instantly realizing that his life-divine ability was fully activated, seizing the opportunity. But it was already too late; greenish-gray Lushui was already trickling down.

Chibu Zi wasn't careless. Although the spirit oriole was trapped by him and found it hard to escape, fighting to the death wasn't impossible for her. If she died, all his preparations over the years would be for naught.

So, while suppressing her with Lushui, he manifested himself, a confident smile appearing on his face. He said, "Fellow Daoist, there's no need to panic. I've gone to all this trouble not to harm your life."

The demon didn't believe him, only replying, "Then let's fight for our lives! Though my divine abilities are shallow, I can risk my life and it won't be difficult to injure you!"

Chibu Zi blinked. His appearance was quite handsome, and with his flowing attire, he looked even more ethereal. He spoke earnestly and solemnly: "I absolutely have no intention of killing you, Fellow Daoist. Our lineages are unrelated, and there is no enmity between us. You have neither spirit artifacts nor treasures, so why would I harm you? I only wish to establish a lesser lineage, and I feared you might contend for it, hence this display."

The demon still didn't believe him. Chibu Zi's Lushui divine ability never ceased, and he continued, "At worst, it's just a fight to the death. Why don't you try?"

As he spoke, a silvery-white rope in Chibu Zi's sleeve gradually began to glow. He maintained an impassive expression, staring sincerely at his opponent, while the Lushui in his hand silently increased its pressure, growing heavier and heavier.

Within the Mirror's Realm.

Clouds and mist swirled, illuminating pristine white bricks. Several stone lamp stands stood in the courtyard, casting a pale yellow glow. Various enigmatic runes were inscribed upon them. A youth with pale green eyes lay sprawled on a stone table, appearing somewhat listless.

*"Drumming Profound Fire Refining"... a true fire control technique, let's see... it follows the path of fire emerging from the Twelve Chambers... how old is this spell... needs some revisions...*

Dang Jiang sprawled for a while, then picked up his brush to revise. The pavilion was empty, devoid of any human figures, save for two dull-witted Yellow-Armored Warriors, wide-eyed, carrying jade slips upstairs.

After being officially promoted in the heavens, Dang Jiang's workload hadn't decreased at all; if anything, he saw fewer people. Previously, he was in the Venerable Lord's residence, at the Son of Heaven's feet, where he had a few people to talk to. Now, he was relegated to a pavilion and couldn't move around freely, which was even more agonizing.

Last year, after receiving an award, Dang Jiang pleaded with everyone, not to be transferred back to the residence, but merely to have a colleague. He finally got his wish: Immortal Official Liu said he would be assigned two strongmen as subordinates. He never expected to instantly become a supervisor. He joyfully returned to his pavilion, only to discover that these two strongmen had no brains whatsoever, like puppets.

Dang Jiang felt a little disappointed, but even if these strongmen were as stupid as mere instincts, at least he had someone to talk to, to alleviate his boredom. After all, strictly speaking, there wasn't much heavy lifting or moving to be done in this place, so two strongmen weren't truly necessary. Dang Jiang felt a bit guilty and fell silent.

However, every time he looked up, he was met with a face with thick eyebrows and large eyes, which was rather disheartening. The youth couldn't help but pause, secretly thinking: "Next time I get a chance, I'm going to change these two guys' dharma bodies. I'll replace them both with maidens—graceful, stunningly beautiful. One holding a green pipa, dressed in white, the other carrying a jade pot, wearing a pink skirt, with hot milk brewing in the pot... *that* would be truly beautiful..."

He mused for a few moments, then heard a knock at the door. Dang Jiang leaped up in delight, shouting, "Please come in, honored sir!"

Sure enough, a white-robed immortal official, ordinary in appearance, stepped in from outside the courtyard. Seeing him, Dang Jiang was overjoyed, tears welling up in his eyes from emotion. He cried out, "Immortal Official Liu, it's truly been too long!"

Immortal Official Liu nodded slightly and replied, "Greetings, Fellow Daoist. We haven't met for some time. How is your progress?"

Dang Jiang had long grown accustomed to his cool tone and paid it no mind, maintaining a warm smile on his face. He immediately began to speak about the cultivation method on the table: "I'm currently writing this book, 'Drumming Profound Fire Refining.' The 'profound' in 'Drumming Profound' refers to profound beneficence, meaning to spread blessings across the vast wilderness, implying that nothing is beyond its reach. This fire-refining method draws on ancient principles, and to explain it, one must start from the Twelve Chambers..."

He talked incessantly, rambling from one topic to another, from west to north, his words flowing freely. Listening to him, Lu Jiangxian's fists clenched and unclenched repeatedly.

*I really talk too much. Why did I bother asking?*

Lu Jiangxian's avatar had come specifically for Chibu Zi. Chibu Zi was about to deliver a Purple Mansion demon, and Lu Jiangxian didn't have much to offer in return. He was reluctant to give him a Green Talisman, so he would likely only be able to reward him with Talisman Pills and White Talismans.

However, this reward wasn't particularly grand, and Chibu Zi was someone who wouldn't act without seeing a clear benefit, making him hard to fool. On one hand, to ensure he returned and honestly continued to work for their family, he needed to be handled carefully. On the other hand, this could also serve as a rehearsal for future contact with the Li family.

Furthermore, he was too lazy to get involved personally, saving himself from having to constantly adapt later. After all, Chibu Zi was formidable, and no matter how well he acted, it wouldn't be as natural as Dang Jiang's genuine belief. So, he thought of using the honest Dang Jiang. Yet, Dang Jiang kept talking, even as Chibu Zi, outside this realm, was already beating the demon back, piece by piece, and was about to capture it with his spirit artifact. Dang Jiang showed no signs of stopping. Seeing that the timing was about to be off, Lu Jiangxian finally couldn't hold back and whispered, "What Fellow Daoist says is very reasonable... truly many profound and captivating conjectures. However, today... I have come to bid farewell!"

"Huh?" Dang Jiang was thoroughly enjoying his speech. Hearing this thunderous news, he didn't react immediately, only staring blankly for a moment before saying, "This... how can this be! Is this Lord Zhengao's intention?"

Immortal Official Liu nodded gravely. Dang Jiang felt like burying his head and weeping bitterly. He said, "You're the only confidant I have in the heavens... no one else bothers to interact with me... and all matters are handled through you... If you leave like this, what will I do!"

Immortal Official Liu simply said, "I am not descending to the mortal realm for reincarnation; it's merely a change in my position. I won't be able to see you as often. Others will come to take over your affairs... There's no need to worry. When I have time, I will visit you again."

At this, Dang Jiang breathed a sigh of relief. He wasn't afraid that Liu would leave and never return, like some Immortal Official Li; he might still see him occasionally. However, Immortal Official Liu sighed, "However, something has been bothering me, and I need to trouble you with a matter... After much thought, I've decided to speak."

"Please speak, honored sir! I will certainly do my best!" Dang Jiang, already eager to please him, patted his chest and guaranteed. Immortal Official Liu paused, then replied, "With my transfer, my previous position in the residence will be vacant. There are few people in the heavens, and several colleagues have gone down to the mortal realm. I'll also be traveling to the other side of heaven, making it inconvenient to go back and forth. So, I petitioned the Venerable Lord... thinking of having you cover for a period."

Dang Jiang's smile froze. His face even showed a mix of shock and misery. He extended a trembling hand, pointing to himself, and stammered, "Your Honor means... you... your work... your duties..."

"You want *me* to do them?!"