Beast Taming Clan: I Have a Jade Book

The layout of Demon-Vanquishing City was similar to a mortal pass city. It stood tall at the mountain’s peak, boasting majestic walls that soared fifty zhang high and dozens of continuous beacon towers. The city was densely covered in Arrays, carved with countless reinforcing Spirit Patterns. Behind these Spirit Patterns, Cultivators skilled in Artifact Refining and Array deployment were continuously enhancing the city’s stability.

Inside the beacon towers, the roaring flames were no ordinary fire, but rather the Spirit Fire Golden Yang Fire. This fire was of ultimate masculine firmness and the strongest bane against Evil Cultivators. Even a single beam could significantly impact a Golden Core Evil Cultivator, not to mention the dozens of beams currently blazing. It also served to prevent the Evil Cultivators from using Blood Corpses to corrode the Arrays.

Atop the city walls stood rows of pavilions and mansions. Naturally, the pavilions were places for Golden Core Cultivators to meditate. As for the Purple Mansion Cultivators, they were merely allotted a single room within the tower buildings. As for the mansions, there were only six along the entire wall level, belonging respectively to the five major Nascent Soul Powers and State Governor Liu.

Currently, the flames of war were primarily concentrated in Xiaoshan Prefecture. Although Wangqing Prefecture had made ample preparations, it remained exceptionally peaceful, perhaps due to its affiliation with the Blood Red Faction. Consequently, the Nascent Soul Cultivators were all gathered here in Xiaoshan Prefecture’s Demon-Vanquishing City.

Inside the Profound Puppet Palace, Ye Jingcheng, Xuan Kui True Monarch, and Jiang Daorong gathered once again. Today’s Spirit Wine was still Cyan Dragon Brew, though it was merely the ordinary Tier Four Cyan Dragon Brew. Its taste and True Essence were naturally slightly inferior, but it made up for it in quantity.

“The current situation is far from optimistic. It’s said that the Gui Xuan Sect has gained another Nascent Soul Cultivator. Old Demon Xiao of the Blood Slaughter Xiao Family and Chu the Demon of the West Evil Chu Family have also come out of seclusion,” Jiang Daorong said with a frown.

Similar to the five Nascent Soul Powers of the Southern Wilderness Province, Nanman Province also originally possessed six major Nascent Soul Powers, though the Celestial Demon Sect had previously been swallowed by the Gui Xuan Sect. However, there still remained five Nascent Soul Demon Sects: the Blood Slaughter Xiao Family, the West Evil Chu Family, the Tongyuan Tong Family, the Celestial Poison Valley which excelled in poisoning, and the Gui Xuan Sect which specialized in ghost control and corpse refinement. In terms of Nascent Soul Combat Power, they were actually slightly superior to the Southern Wilderness Province. After all, the methods of Evil Cultivators were infinitely more profound, unpredictable, and impossible to guard against.

“It is precisely because they are all here that this is our opportunity,” Xuan Kui True Monarch said noncommittally. He took out a Spirit Diagram and continued, “If they weren’t here, we would be in some danger. But now, as long as State Governor Liu coordinates with Daoist Liu Yuan and Daoist Liuyun to attract some attention, our chances of obtaining the Ten Thousand Year Cold Marrow are a solid eighty percent.”

This Spirit Diagram depicted the entire borders between the Profound Celestial Three Provinces and the Southern Domain. The location Xuan Kui True Monarch pointed to was even deeper than Wang Kewei and Xiao Wankun’s previous operation—the Abyssal Mansion. This Abyssal Mansion was separated from Xiaoshan Prefecture by three entire regions: Deserted Prefecture, Demon Pass Mansion, and Hezhong Mansion. It could already be considered the heartland of Nanman Province. Moreover, Nanman Province was vast and sparsely populated, even larger than the Southern Wilderness Province, which meant the danger level was exceedingly high.

“Deserted Prefecture was the location of the previous operation, right? The Demon Sects will definitely be on high alert,” Ye Jingcheng finally spoke up.

“On the contrary. According to my intelligence, the Profound Celestial Demon Sect must have discovered a weak point in the World Gate this time. They are planning to break through it to travel to other realms. Setting up the World Gate requires a massive amount of Spirit Stones and Void Nether Crystals. This is why they have been preparing continuously for the past six years. The Profound Celestial Demon Sect couldn’t possibly cover such a colossal sum of Spirit Stones entirely on their own.

“This is also the very reason why the Zheng Huang Faction, Blood Red Faction, and White Jade Faction are all striking at the same time.

“Therefore, as soon as widespread chaos erupts, no one will pay any attention to Deserted Prefecture. However, regarding the Ten Thousand Year Cold Marrow, the three of us can only take seventy percent in total. As the initiator, I will take thirty percent. The remaining forty percent will depend on your own capabilities.” Xuan Kui True Monarch had clearly made ample preparations. He not only knew the power distribution in Nanman Province but also the location of the Teleportation Array, and he had even figured out the underlying reasons for the unrest between the two Immortal Sects beforehand.

Giving away the extra thirty percent also reassured the two of them considerably. If the three of them were to take it all, it would mean they had absolutely no external support. After all, this was within the territory of Nanman Province. The slightest mishap could result in them being refined into Demon Corpses; even choosing Divine Soul Soldier Resolution might be an impossible feat.

“This matter still requires a bit more preparation. I need to arrange some things,” Jiang Daorong said.

“We have three days. In three days, I will be setting off,” Xuan Kui True Monarch added, a flicker of disappointment in his eyes. In his view, after all, Ye Jingcheng had only just broken through, while Jiang Daorong’s strength had truly earned his deep respect. However, for the sake of the bigger picture, Xuan Kui True Monarch still looked toward Ye Jingcheng to ask.

“I have no issues,” Ye Jingcheng shook his head. Since so much preparation had been made, he was willing to take the risk. If he were to unleash all of his current strength, he alone could fend off all the Nascent Soul Powers of the entire Southern Wilderness Province. After all, he had the Earth Dragon Demon Emperor in his hands. Counting the Jade Qilin Flood Dragon, the Red Flame Fox, and his Spirit Treasures, Ye Jingcheng even had the confidence to slay an ordinary Late Stage Nascent Soul Cultivator.

As for the Ten Thousand Year Cold Marrow, whether given to the Jade Qilin Flood Dragon to increase its chances of Advancement and breakthrough, or consumed by himself to break through to the Middle Stage of Nascent Soul, it was considered a peerless Treasure Medicine. Its only flaw was its level of condensation; it was estimated to only possess a medicinal age of over nine thousand years, not having truly reached the ten-thousand-year mark, rendering it unable to provide substantial help for a Nascent Soul Cultivator breaking through to Divinity Transformation. Of course, this was exactly why Ye Jingcheng was willing to make a move. If it were a fully matured Ten Thousand Year Cold Marrow, he wouldn’t even dare to go.

“Very well. In three days, I will announce that I am entering Seclusion for a period of time. I hope you two Fellow Cultivators will do the same,” Xuan Kui True Monarch said.

The three of them subsequently went their separate ways.

As Ye Jingcheng exited the mansion, he spotted Ye Qinghe waiting to the side. Ye Qinghe was about to report something, but Ye Jingcheng waved his hand and led him back to his own mansion before allowing him to speak. Currently inside the mansion was Ye Jinghu as well, who had just rushed over from Tianshu Mansion.

“Eleventh Brother, the matters in Tianshu Mansion are mostly settled, and Yun Xuan has already returned to the Desert Sea,” Ye Jinghu said.

“Mhm, it’s good that it’s settled.” Ye Jingcheng nodded. The profits from Tianshu Mansion were not small. Over the past decade, the Ye Family had been in the process of taking over while simultaneously engaging in co-optation and suppression. Because they were ostensibly still under the jurisdiction of the Righteous Sects, the Ye Family had proceeded at a moderate pace. Only today could it be considered completely finalized.

“This is the Tier Four Celestial Gate Talisman refined by Yun Xuan.” Ye Jinghu then took out a Spirit Talisman. This Spirit Talisman was the true core Spirit Talisman of Talisman Desolate. It could pass through Arrays and even some Small Secret Realms, making it a life-saving Spirit Talisman. Ye Jingcheng was naturally overjoyed.

“It seems our Ye Family’s attainments in the Dao of Spirit Talismans have finally caught up with the family’s pace,” Ye Jingcheng smiled faintly. However, instead of taking the Spirit Talisman, he looked at Ye Jinghu. “Keep this Spirit Talisman for now. Over the next few days, I’ll continue to assign the Golden Falcon and White Brow to you. Keep a close eye on the situation here, especially the clansmen of the Celestial Inner Hall,” Ye Jingcheng repeatedly urged.

The Celestial Inner Hall represented the clansmen possessing Beast Communication Patterns. Unlike the active members of the Eastern Domain Ye Family on the outside, who were all from the Earth Inner Hall or regular clansmen, most of the clansmen here in the Central Domain belonged to the Celestial Inner Hall. They knew more secrets and carried more precious Spirit Beasts with them. It was inevitable that the Profound Celestial Demon Sect and the Penglai Demon Sect were colluding together; the Ye Family still needed to keep their wits about them.

After receiving his instructions, Ye Jinghu nodded. Once he finished conversing with Ye Jinghu, Ye Jingcheng waved his hand to complete the surrounding Array and turned his gaze to Ye Qinghe.

“Eleventh Uncle, I have two matters to report. First, according to the intelligence our family has gathered and the reports from Zhu Wenjing, the Profound Celestial Demon Sect should be raising Spirit Stones to set up a massive Array this time.

“Second, we’ve received news from Uncle Jingxin and Qingxu,” Ye Qinghe stated.

Of course, he didn’t use Voice Transmission or say anything further; instead, he brought out a coffin. Inside the coffin was a struggling Blood Corpse. This Blood Corpse was severely injured, but on its forehead was clearly carved the character ‘Xin’.

In the Cultivation Realm, most Spirit Talisman Masters and Artifact Refiners had a habit of leaving a harmless mark on the Magical Treasures or Spirit Talismans they refined to prove their craftsmanship. Naturally, some Spirit Puppet Masters and Corpse Cultivators would also leave marks when refining Spirit Corpses. This ‘Xin’ character naturally represented Ye Jingxin.

“Jingxin was rather thoughtful.” There was a Forbidden Array placed within the mind of this Blood Corpse; the moment a Soul Search was initiated, it would shatter. However, the Ye Family’s Nine Yin Profound Soul Secret Manual contained specific Techniques to dismantle this Forbidden Array. With enough care, one could break the Forbidden Array and perform a Soul Search, though doing so would inevitably render the Blood Corpse entirely useless. Therefore, unless someone truly knew there were secrets hidden inside, no one would expend such effort. Moreover, no more than twenty people in the Ye Family knew of the Nine Yin Profound Soul Secret Manual.

Ye Jingcheng quickly formed a Spiritual Technique hand seal. The Blood Corpse immediately became agitated and restless. After violently thrashing for a few breaths, it completely stopped moving. Ye Jingcheng then began the Soul Search.

Through the Soul Search, Ye Jingcheng finally learned about the current situation of Ye Jingxin and Ye Qingxu in Demon Jade Mountain. Back when the Ye Family annihilated Demon Jade Mountain, they had sent Ye Jingxin and Ye Qingxu there to develop. Today, they had established a rather sizable Demon Sect faction known as the Blood Gold Valley.

Ye Jingxin’s Cultivation had also reached the Peak of the Purple Mansion Middle Stage. Coupled with the several Tier Three Beast Corpses the Ye Family had previously bestowed upon him, he had truly carved out a small reputation for himself. As for Ye Qingxu, after all these years, he had also broken through to the Middle Stage of Purple Mansion a few days ago. Of course, this speed wasn’t considered fast. However, considering neither of them utilized Communication Beasts, reaching this stage proved their talents were exceptionally remarkable.

Besides evaluating their strength, after the Soul Search, Ye Jingcheng also finally understood that although the Southern Domain bordered the South Sea, the Profound Celestial Demon Sect’s power was entirely concentrated on land. Not far from the continent in the South Sea lay an island where a Demon Saint resided. Therefore, even though the Profound Celestial Demon Sect coveted the Sea Domain, they couldn’t advance a single inch and were forced to focus their expansion inland.

Furthermore, the Southern Domain and the three provinces of the Central Domain didn’t directly border each other; instead, they were separated by the South Poison Mountain Range. This mountain range was exceptionally lengthy, much like the Taihang Mountain Range. It used to be the domain of the Demon Race and was home to an Insect Saint. However, thousands of years ago, the Insect Saint underwent Ascension, and the entire South Poison Mountain Range fell into the hands of the Profound Celestial Demon Sect. It was precisely by relying on this territory that the latter had broken out of the Southern Domain and seized three entire provinces in the Central Domain.

According to the mission the two of them received, they were also to search for Spirit Stone Veins, plunder Spirit Stones, and rush to Lu Yuan Mansion. Speaking of which, the location of Lu Yuan Mansion was poles apart from Deserted Prefecture and Abyssal Mansion. This would indeed serve to draw away attention and perfectly counterbalance their operations. It was just unclear whether this information was intentionally leaked by the Profound Celestial Demon Sect, or if it was the genuine truth.

Ye Jingcheng maintained a skeptical attitude toward this, but fortunately, according to Xuan Kui True Monarch’s description, he had already prepared the Teleportation Array. As long as nothing went wrong with the Teleportation Array, their operation this time wouldn’t be excessively dangerous.