Immortal Points the Way

An Ce glanced at Xu Mu and smiled faintly. “Then let’s consider this our secret. You can understand it as us still cooperating, or as us having parted ways long ago.”

“Why did their clan become the common enemy of everyone? I’m curious. What exactly did they do?”

Xu Mu asked. Everyone said that the Great Wilderness Clan was utterly evil, but there had to be a reason.

This world had never been simply black and white. In particular, for one race to oppose all the others for so many years, they must have had some belief supporting them.

“You’re asking the wrong person. I’m not familiar with the people of the Great Wilderness Clan either. I mainly follow the Supreme Elder’s orders. All I can say is that every race has something it insists upon.”

An Ce tilted his head back and took another drink.

“That’s true.”

Xu Mu thought of Zhang Que. In the original storyline, he was also said to be a great villain, yet he had now embarked on the path of redemption.

And he had always treated Xu Mu well.

Fu Jinyu also came to understand the situation involving the Heavenly Demon Clan in the outside world. It turned out that, in the beginning, they had separated themselves to prevent being wiped out alongside the Great Wilderness Clan.

The plan had indeed succeeded—but its outcome had ultimately been a failure.

According to what her father had told her, when their ancestors first came to the outside world, they were not the only race to break through. Many other races had made their way there as well.

But wars continued there too. Later, the powerful Jiuli Clan began sweeping across the land.

They conquered and controlled many foreign races in preparation for their war against Yan-Huang.

But the Heavenly Demon Clan would rather die than submit. They fought the Jiuli Clan constantly, and in the end, their own people were reduced to dwindling numbers.

“All right, that’s more or less the whole story. Whether you’re willing to cooperate is up to you.”

An Ce smiled at Fu Jinyu and Nalan Shisan. “I can guarantee that whenever I assign you a mission, I’ll tell you the reward in advance. For example, if you want cultivation techniques, I won’t refuse you. After all, we’re of the same clan. The stronger you become, the better it is for us too.”

“You’re not bad. Much better than that Grand Elder.”

Fu Jinyu folded her arms and spoke indifferently.

“Heh. How should I put this… I feel that Hong Jingshan already wants to break away from the Heavenly Demon Clan.”

An Ce gave a bitter laugh. “Actually, that’s normal. No race wants to remain at the very bottom forever. All he has to do is wag his tail at the other orthodox sects, and he can live under the sun.”

“You’re just going to stand by and do nothing?”

Xu Mu looked at An Ce.

“There’s nothing I can do. He’s a sixth-rank expert, after all. I can’t exactly kill him.”

An Ce took another sip of wine. “The only thing I can do is tell him that some things cannot be changed. When others harbor hostility toward you, begging at their feet won’t help.”

“I don’t care about the problems on your side. I only want to know what I would have to do to cultivate techniques above the Earth Grade.”

Fu Jinyu felt that An Ce was quite easy to talk to.

Cooperating with him seemed like a good choice. She could fight in this world while also learning new cultivation techniques.

Of course, all of this came with danger. But if Fu Jinyu were afraid of danger, she would never have made it this far.

“Same here. I have no interest in Profound-Grade or Yellow-Grade techniques. If you can provide Earth-Grade or Heaven-Grade techniques, I’m willing to carry out missions for the Heavenly Demon Clan.”

Nalan Shisan followed suit.

“Heh. I certainly won’t hand over a Heaven-Grade technique right from the start. Forget about you two—even among the elders, only four of them are currently cultivating Heaven-Grade techniques.”

At this point, An Ce smiled faintly. “As it happens, I have two missions here. You can choose between them.”

“Go on.”

Fu Jinyu folded her arms.

Nalan Shisan stared at An Ce.

“The first mission is in Qingqiu territory. I’ve heard that a new Battlefield of the Gods has appeared there. I want you to go search for treasures. As long as you obtain an Earth-Grade technique or something above it, I’ll let you cultivate one of our Heavenly Demon Clan’s own Earth-Grade techniques.”

An Ce smiled. “If, by some stroke of luck, you happen to find a divine artifact, I’ll let you cultivate one of our clan’s Heaven-Grade techniques.”

“The Battlefield of the Gods? And divine artifacts?”

Fu Jinyu’s eyes lit up when she heard this. “I’ll take that mission!”

“Sister Empress, why don’t you hear what the second mission is first?”

Xu Mu had already explored the place from beginning to end and taken all the good stuff.

As for everyone else, if they left with their storage containers filled, they would certainly inform their friends and fellow clansmen. That would only attract more and more people.

By the time Fu Jinyu and Nalan Shisan arrived, there might not even be any spirit stones left for them.

“What’s the second mission?”

Fu Jinyu nodded. Maybe the second one would be even better.

“The second mission concerns the Nine-Tailed Fox Clan.”

An Ce said, “The king of the Nine-Tailed Fox Clan has died. According to their tradition, they will select a new king. This king doesn’t have to be the strongest member of their race. Instead, they must be someone acknowledged by the Contract of Ten Thousand Races.”

“What is the Contract of Ten Thousand Races?”

Xu Mu frowned. He had a feeling that this mission—or perhaps its connection to the task he had undertaken—was significant.

“Although the Nine-Tailed Fox Clan can’t be considered a first-rate race, even top-tier races won’t provoke them without good reason. Their protection comes from the Contract of Ten Thousand Races.”

An Ce smiled. “Of course, ordinary races generally don’t know about this.”

“Senior, stop keeping us in suspense.”

Xu Mu continued pressing him.

“You should all know what the women of the Nine-Tailed Fox Clan are like, right? Especially when it comes to relations between men and women—they’re more advanced than the women of ordinary races. That’s why, for a very long time, they’ve been the standard companions of powerful experts.”

At this point, An Ce gave a lecherous chuckle. “Many powerful experts take pride in possessing a woman from the Nine-Tailed Fox Clan. But if you want to marry a member of the Nine-Tailed Fox Clan, you have to sign a contract.”

Xu Mu asked, “The Contract of Ten Thousand Races?”

“That’s right. The contract is simple. For example, if a woman from the Nine-Tailed Fox Clan marries you, you have to fill her contract with your qi and spiritual power. The contract can transform into a copy of you and fight on your behalf, but it can only be used once. Afterward, you have to infuse it with qi and spiritual power again.”

An Ce explained, “Under normal circumstances, shortly before a powerful expert dies, they fill it completely. Then the Nine-Tailed Fox will place it on the Contract of Ten Thousand Races.”

“I understand. In other words, this treasure contains the clones of countless top experts from past generations, allowing them to fight for the Nine-Tailed Fox Clan?”

Nalan Shisan asked after hearing this.

“That’s right. Although each one can only be used once, over the course of countless years, they’ve accumulated an unknown number of powerful experts. There are even countless immortals who surpassed the ninth rank. No one would be foolish enough to provoke the Nine-Tailed Fox Clan.”

An Ce nodded slightly.

“Then what is the second mission you mentioned?”

Fu Jinyu asked as well.

“Once the Contract of Ten Thousand Races successfully selects the new king, the Nine-Tailed Fox Clan will celebrate the new ruler taking office. At that time, one of the immortals within the contract will manifest. This is commonly known as ‘the immortal’s guidance.’”

An Ce explained, “The immortal will use their incomparably powerful perception to search for places containing great opportunities. Such places generally contain treasures.”

“What the hell? Immortals can do that?”

Xu Mu’s face was full of astonishment.

“That’s right.”

An Ce smiled. “However, all the major races know about this.”