Chapter 624: The Divine Ruins' Scroll [End of Book 6]

Beneath the ancient tree of Azure Falling Peak, Jiang Yuebai stood alone.

It had been a month since Chu Liang disappeared. Although Di Nufeng brought back optimistic news from the Celestial Pivot Pavilion, Jiang Yuebai couldn't rest easy without seeing him in person.

She sent many messages to Chu Liang through the United Hearts Jade. The light on the other end remained lit, indicating he was likely still alive. However, there had been no response, leaving her unsure of his current state.

As she was lost in thought, a figure quietly appeared behind her.

"It's about time," said the Whale-Riding Immortal, his voice faint and distant.

Jiang Yuebai turned her head, hesitated for a moment, and said, "Father..."

She had never met her parents before, so saying this felt strange. Yet, the Whale-Riding Immortal's gaze trembled slightly.

"Still worried about Chu Liang?" he asked again.

"Yes," Jiang Yuebai admitted.

"That boy has the look of someone blessed with great fortune. I believe he'll find his own opportunities," the Whale-Riding Immortal said. "We also have our destination."

"Where are we going?" Jiang Yuebai asked.

"I haven't explained this in detail before. Searching for the Divine Ruins' scroll is a long journey," the Whale-Riding Immortal replied. "From what I know, the scroll originally came from the demon race of the Far West. It later fell into the hands of a senior from Mount Shu. Using this scroll, he likely found the true Divine Ruins Monastery and obtained what he desired from it.

"He later divided the scroll into four parts, falsely claiming them to be the pieces of an Immortals' Hidden Map scattered all over the world of mortals, causing a storm of bloodshed and chaos across the land."

Jiang Yuebai wasn't aware of this story, so she quietly listened.

"Your mother..." The Whale-Riding Immortal's expression softened as he spoke. "She emerged from the Divine Ruins back then to resolve this matter. Her goal was to gather the scattered pieces of the Divine Ruins' scroll to prevent further chaos and to stop anyone from disturbing the Divine Ruins Monastery again. That's when she met me.

"When I first saw her, she stood alone in a crowd, radiantly beautiful..."

Jiang Yuebai wouldn't have minded hearing more about her parents' love story, but the Whale-Riding Immortal, after a brief moment of immersion, suddenly remembered he was discussing important matters and quickly steered the conversation back on track.

The Whale-Riding Immortal continued, "When she left the Divine Ruins Monastery, she carried with her the deduced whereabouts of the Divine Ruins' scroll. I had heard her mention some of it before. After those events unfolded, I spent another ten years attaining the Dao. Since coming out of seclusion, I've only had enough time to locate one piece.

"There are still three more pieces of the Divine Ruins' scroll, and we must find them together. One piece is suspected to have been taken by the Soul Destroyer Sect, but the sect's cultivation legacy has since ended, making it exceedingly hard to trace.

"Another piece is in the possession of Jin Mucuo, an Eminent One that resided in the Southern Regions. He was once a disciple of the Mount Shu Sect like me, so we should have been able to get it easily. Unfortunately, he has been missing for years, and his whereabouts remain unknown. The final piece was last seen in Muzhi City located in the Northern Regions, but it vanished after a fleeting appearance.

"I don't know how long it will take for us to gather these three pieces, which is why I said that the journey with me will be very long."

The Whale-Riding Immortal added, "You are the head disciple of the Mount Shu Sect. If you were to stay at Mount Shu instead, your future prospects would be bright."

"As a daughter, how could I turn a blind eye to my parents' affairs?" Jiang Yuebai said as she shook her head. "Once I've rescued Mother, it won't be too late to return to Mount Shu."

The Whale-Riding Immortal looked at his daughter and could only sigh softly.

This temperament, seemingly gentle yet truly stubborn, was so strikingly similar to her mother's.

...

On a distant mountain peak in the Southern Regions, another meeting was taking place.

A young noble, dressed in green robes with a jade-like face, ascended the summit accompanied by a beautiful woman in a colorful dress. At the peak, an elderly man with a radiant divine light in his eyes awaited them.

"Celestial Master." The young noble bowed respectfully before introducing, "This is the Celestial Master of our Celestial Charm Sect, and this is the Demon King of the Verdant Foxhills, Lady Caiyi."

This young noble in green was none other than Young Noble Xunyang, who had lived in the Far West for many years.

At that time, he had fled to the demons' territory to avoid trouble. Later, when a large number of fox demons traveled to the land of the nine provinces, he came along with them. This meeting with Caiyi was arranged under the orders of the Celestial Master.

"I have long heard of the Demon King's great name. It is an honor to meet you today," the Celestial Master said with a gentle smile.

"Your Celestial Charm Sect is equally well-known," Caiyi replied with a subtle nod, maintaining a reserved demeanor.

"Our sect's followers who traveled to the Far West owe their safety to your protection," the Celestial Master said with a smile. "I understand that not all parts of the Far West are welcoming to humans, but the Verdant Foxhills is an exception. Your wisdom is truly extraordinary."

𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

"Whether it's humans or demons ruling over the four seas and nine provinces, neither can completely eliminate the other," Caiyi said with a thoughtful tone. "In the end, coexistence is inevitable. I don't reject humans; I simply wish for demons to have their share of this prosperous world."

"In this regard, we share the same vision," the Celestial Master said.

"I've heard that the Celestial Charm Sect seeks chaos and separation, aiming to purge all beings under heaven," Caiyi remarked. "That is very different from what I hope for."

"Ah," the Celestial Master said with a smile, shaking his head. "Our ultimate goals may differ, but in seeking the demon race's return to the nine provinces, we do share a common objective. At least for this first part of the journey, we need each other's help."

He added, "You wish to restore the Demon God and bring about the resurgence of the demon race. Well, I share that same goal."

"Oh?" Caiyi asked with a smirk. "And can the Celestial Master truly help restore the Demon God?"

"Yes," the Celestial Master replied firmly.

"But why have I heard that things aren't going so well for the Celestial Charm Sect?" Caiyi remarked. "Word has spread about what happened in the imperial city recently—years of your planning were completely ruined. The spies you spent so long planting were wiped out, and some of your top generals were lost. If not for this major setback, I doubt you'd even consider working with us."

"A major setback?" The Celestial Master kept his smile. "There were indeed some unexpected events, most of which were caused by a Mount Shu Sect disciple whose fate and destiny remain unclear to me. Still, the ultimate goal was achieved."

"Chu Liang, isn't it? I know of him," Caiyi said. "I also heard that the Thirteenth Prince, whom you supported in the palace, was killed by Chu Liang."

"Sending the Thirteenth Prince to kill Chu Liang was a last-minute decision on my part," the Celestial Master said slowly. "I sensed a hint of danger from that boy. Unfortunately, the plan failed, and it cost Yu Tuoluo his life... but these are trivial matters."

Young Noble Xunyang, who had been silent until now, added, "Indeed. The Thirteenth Prince was ambitious. Someone like that could be controlled temporarily but never permanently. That's why his death was always part of the Celestial Master's plan."

"Oh?" Caiyi raised her eyes, locking onto the smiling old man in front of her.

Young Noble Xunyang continued, "The Second Prince has always been the key to the Celestial Master's plan!"