Demon Sword Sect’s Undercover
Chapter 608 - 608 607 Going Alone to Take Position

608: Chapter 607: Going Alone to Take Position 608: Chapter 607: Going Alone to Take Position “It’s alright, he’s a very kind old man, you don’t need to worry…”

Hou Niao gave the River Flood Dragon a reassurance pill, as for whether it could truly calm its heart, that all depended on the flood dragon’s own resolve.

Returning to Longxu Gully, over a dozen days had passed, and everything here began to settle down; those who should leave had left, and those who should stay remained.

For the foreseeable future, this place would still maintain such turbulence, but it had nothing to do with him anymore.

In Ancient Lop, the forestry initiative was leading the way, and other directions were beginning to follow suit.

This was a massive project, one rarely seen in human history.

As Hou Niao stood suspended in the air above the line of trees, looking down at the green dragon he had personally established, pride inevitably filled his heart.

“Master, I’m leaving now.”

Yu Zhengxing’s face was expressionless, “Where can you go?

No matter how far you wander, you’ll come back.

We will meet again someday, and when that time comes, I’ll properly make arrangements for you.”

Hou Niao gave a wry smile, for as Yu Zhengxing had said, where could he really go?

He was in the Shan Sect Quanzhen, on the Jinxiu Continent, the brand he carried could never be erased.

When he was needed, he would have to heed such a call, and there was no escaping it.

That’s why Yu Zhengxing didn’t mind, for it was merely a temporary loss against an endless future; if Judge Wan could send him away, Yu Zhengxing could find a way to bring him back.

Just like the donkey in the village, used by one owner after another.

The owners might rest at times, but the donkey never does.

The key point was, not even a single carrot was dangled before its eyes; what was more unbelievable was that he himself seemed to enjoy it?

“You’re really generous, not giving a single Spirit Stone in over two years, instead emptying the pockets of all those who helped you.

Even if your goal is noble, could you at least provide individual creatures with space to survive while carrying out the noble goals?

It’s fine for the donkey to work, that’s its responsibility, but please at least feed it some grass while using it?

That’s its right too!”

Yu Zhengxing was indifferent, “A true donkey doesn’t eat grass, it eats meat!”

He handed over a Jade Scroll, “…Inside here are some people, scattered across the states of Shan Country.

They are all Shan Sect dregs with nothing to do, troublemakers, either lazy, unrestrained, or bearing a criminal charge, expelled by the Three Mansions, and seen as a blight by the state officials.

I heard you have some unique thoughts about the Body Sword Skill.

If you can’t find resonance within the mainstream Sword Cultivator inheritances, perhaps you can seek them out.

Sending the Fishman Seal to the states, wouldn’t that likely meet your expectations?

Judge Wan employs people with flashy incompetence, but at least I am giving you something gritty to work with, right?”

Yu Zhengxing turned and left; he still had many things to take care of, leaving Hou Niao alone, standing there dazed, holding in his hand a Fishman Seal, which was Yu Zhengxing’s private seal.

This seal weighed over ten thousand pounds.

To accept it meant truly entering the small circle that belonged to Yu Zhengxing, likely the most radical circle within the Shan Sect Quanzhen; it was an invitation that Yu Zhengxing had offered after observing him for decades, an invitation not lightly given, one that he earned only after their collaboration in the Northwest.

He was full of conflict over whether to accept such an invitation.

To be honest, he was doing quite well at Sikong Mansion.

Although Li Chuping was extremely troubled by him, Li still acted as his protector.

Now coupled with Judge Wan and the title of Sword Master, and with several great accomplishments under his belt, if he continued on this stable path, even if he wouldn’t climb rapidly up the ranks, he would certainly have a place within the Shan Sect’s governmental structure.

It was a steady road to advancement, but, it wasn’t what he wanted.

Now, Yu Zhengxing was pointing him towards another path.

Was it the right one for him?

He eventually accepted the Fishman Seal, but he was very clear that he might not truly board this treacherous ship, just as entering Sikong Mansion didn’t necessarily mean he had sold his life to serve as a hound for the Shan Sect.

He had his own path, but before making sure of it, it didn’t hurt to explore a bit more.

The people Yu Zhengxing had given him, their real purpose was probably not because of his Body Sword Skill, but rather to provide him with a group of people he could command.

They might come in handy in Pingliang State?

He understood this gesture.

Judge Wan had left a few days ago.

He had to take care of the dispatch of Shan Sect’s Sword Cultivators in the Lop direction, which would keep him busy, so Hou Niao had to assume his new post alone.

In the storybooks, a lord at least had pages or old servants when taking office, but he had nothing.

Rising into the air, looking down at the forest belt snaking far into the distance, a sense of satisfaction surged in his heart; the next time he visited, this wouldn’t be just a thousand miles of forest belt, but several thousand, maybe even tens of thousands.

For this mission in the Northwest, he gave himself a nine out of ten.

He didn’t give himself full marks, leaving room to avoid becoming too arrogant.

His figure slowly moved across the expansive yellow sands, as greenery began to appear more and more, his thoughts turning towards this new mission.

In truth, he didn’t reject Judge Wan’s mission, mainly because Pingliang State bordered the Anhe Daoist Sect.

After going in circles, he was back to dealing directly with Anhe Daoist Sect, or rather, the grudges with the Wu Sect had to be settled; it was his destiny, unavoidable.

Chong Ling, Daoist Yan, Master Xiao…

But this time he returned not as the frail person he once was, but as a holder of significant authority, albeit somewhat in name only.

Chong Ling for righteousness, Daoist Yan for emotion, Master Xiao for Dao, his ties with Anhe Daoist Sect hadn’t dissipated because he joined Shan Sect Quanzhen; instead, they had only grown tighter.

Although it was Judge Wan who delivered the task, in reality, it was Li Chuping who had strongly advocated for his assignment.

This was why he continued to be deeply wary of this patron, unable to grow close.

This former Capital Commandant, who didn’t seem aggressive, imbued every mission he assigned with deep implications, always coincidentally assigning him tasks that he most needed, keeping the ties with Anhe Daoist Sect barely intact—whether intentional or not, he couldn’t tell.

It was as if there were always a pair of eyes silently watching him from behind, making him feel like thorns were on his back, robbing him of peace.

Or perhaps, this was the art of manipulation wielded by those with power?

Also, the true relationship between Yu Zhengxing and Li Chuping?

That too had always puzzled him.

He had initially thought that the two were on the same side, but now it seemed that wasn’t entirely the case.

Those engaged in Cultivation shouldn’t expend too much energy on these messy, worldly affairs.

This was the negative outcome of combining Cultivation with worldly matters.

He didn’t want to get too involved in these pointless things.

Thus, the only strategy was to walk his own path—a path different from everyone else’s.

The core of it all was the position of a True Inheritor, the key to freeing oneself from these factional struggles.

Master Xiao once said something during their conversation that he found quite true: why is it that, be it on the Jinxiu Continent or within the various Daoist factions, each sect is rife with pointless internal strife?

The reason is simple.

The world is too small, stifling everyone within it.

Once the Heaven and Earth Chains are broken, and threats from Outer Space come in, all these issues will be resolved.

When wolves are outside, the flock of sheep must unite.