This alluring and peculiar woman, isn’t she Zhu Cangyan’s accomplice?
Or perhaps this is a play, aimed at making Chen Yu lower his guard against her.
No matter what, Chen Yu had no reason to accept Zhu Lingyu’s challenge.
There’s no benefit, and it could even be a trap. Why would he fight?
"I refuse."
Chen Yu said simply and decisively.
"Why? You’ve fought my useless brother twice but refuse to fight me, could it be..."
Zhu Lingyu pursued.
Zhu Cangyan, beside him, had a rigid face, and his mouth twitched continuously.
Being openly mocked as useless and incompetent, even though Zhu Cangyan was used to such treatment, he still couldn’t quite adapt and felt angry.But he really couldn’t control Zhu Lingyu’s mouth.
The other wasn’t afraid of him at all, and honestly, he wasn’t her match in a fight.
Zhu Cangyan felt somewhat aggrieved as a leader.
In fact, this mission was originally just him and Chen Yu, but Zhu Lingyu suddenly intervened and couldn’t be chased away.
And Elder Wu seemed very uneasy and distrustful of Zhu Cangyan, allowing Zhu Lingyu to accompany them.
"...Could it be that you’re more interested in handsome men than in beautiful women?"
Zhu Lingyu completed her sentence.
The words struck Chen Yu like lightning; Zhu Cangyan beside him stumbled, his face darkening.
"Zhu Lingyu, shut your mouth and stop talking nonsense, the mission is urgent, we set off immediately."
Zhu Cangyan couldn’t help but scold in anger, walking out of the great hall.
Chen Yu refused simply.
Along the way, Chen Yu and Zhu Cangyan had their differences, and barely spoke, while Zhu Lingyu talked a lot, making the team atmosphere less awkward.
But both Chen Yu and Zhu Cangyan wished Zhu Lingyu wasn’t there.
Chen Yu was getting a bit impatient with Zhu Lingyu, while Zhu Cangyan just hoped Zhu Lingyu would stop humiliating him.
"Leader, this woman keeps harassing me, please manage her."
Chen Yu looked at Zhu Cangyan.
Zhu Cangyan felt helpless, as the leader, he was supposed to handle this matter properly.
"Zhu Lingyu, could you be quieter? Chen Yu doesn’t want to fight you, why trouble him?"
Zhu Cangyan reluctantly helped Chen Yu.
"Zhu Cangyan, don’t get too close to me, I’m afraid of catching your incompetence."
Zhu Lingyu immediately said scornfully, "I’m participating in this mission just to witness the strength of a human prodigy, it has nothing to do with you, don’t impede me."
She acted extremely dominating, looking more like the leader.
In contrast, Zhu Cangyan trembled with anger and couldn’t utter a word.
The usually proud Zhu Cangyan was subdued in front of Zhu Lingyu, perhaps due to the shadow of being bullied by her from a young age, and he had long been used to it.
"It seems Zhu Lingyu truly isn’t someone Zhu Cangyan brought along to help, so why did he bring her at all?"
Chen Yu observed from the side.
He remained vigilant, unfamiliar with the place, lest he be caught unaware.
Moreover, watching Zhu Lingyu adversarially scold Zhu Cangyan, he felt somewhat pleased internally.
"Chen Yu, let’s have a match."
"Leader, manage her."
...
Along the way, Zhu Cangyan endured torment.
He suddenly regretted if he had made a mistake somewhere.
After being repelled by Chen Yu in frontal combat earlier, his grandfather had grounded him for six months and then let Elder Wu assign him a mission to gain experience outside.
But Zhu Cangyan wasn’t reconciled and wanted to take the opportunity to suppress Chen Yu.
After his persistent requests, Elder Wu agreed to include Chen Yu in the mission.
As the leader, he could order Chen Yu, scold Chen Yu, and regain some dignity; that was his sole aim.
Originally, it was supposed to be a very promising mission, but Zhu Lingyu’s interference made the journey feel somewhat like a nightmare.
After enduring the anguish, the three finally reached their destination.
"Ahead is the Heavenly Spirit Crane Clan."
Chen Yu scanned with his spiritual sense.
This mission was in the southern part of the Fire Spirit State, where there are two major demon clan forces, the "Phoenix-headed Parrot Clan" and the "Heavenly Spirit Crane Clan."
According to the intelligence, these two demon clan forces are similar to the five major families where Chen Yu once stayed in the Human Race; their strength should be equivalent to the strongest among the five, the Xu Family.
These two major demon clan forces don’t have any Xuanming Realm, but with the full foundation of the family, they possess strength enough to contend with the Xuanming Realm, making them a force to be reckoned with.
Recently, a conflict erupted between the two families and has been gradually escalating.
The Heavenly Spirit Crane Clan, having lost several Condensed Star Elders, was slightly weaker than their enemies. They reported to the Vermilion Bird Heavenly Nest, accusing the Phoenix-headed Parrot Clan of not abiding by rules. They claimed the clan repeatedly bullied the Heavenly Spirit Crane Clan and might have even allied with foreign races.
The Heavenly Spirit Crane Clan hoped to borrow the power of the Vermilion Bird Heavenly Nest to eliminate the Phoenix-headed Parrot Clan and promised to increase their tribute by thirty percent.
However, the Vermilion Bird Heavenly Nest cared little for such tribute and preferred the existence of both powers to maintain a balance.
When Zhu Cangyan and his two companions arrived outside the Heavenly Spirit Crane Clan’s territory,
Hundreds of people flew out of the vast palace complex, forming orderly ranks.
Among the ranks, several powerful Condensed Star Kings emerged.
A tall elder with white hair and sharp, spirited eyes was at the forefront. He slightly bowed, "I am He Shan, the Clan Leader of the Heavenly Spirit Crane Clan. Welcome, envoys of the Vermilion Bird Heavenly Nest."
Subsequently, other high-ranking members of the Heavenly Spirit Crane Clan also offered their greetings.
"All of you have traveled far; please come inside. Our clan has prepared a banquet to welcome the three of you."
Clan Leader He Shan showed a harmonious smile, his cloudy eyes examined the three, revealing a hint of confusion: who was the leader, and why was there a human among them?
"That won’t be necessary."
Zhu Cangyan replied casually, intending to assert his leadership.
"The three envoys have come a long way to support the Heavenly Spirit Crane Clan. It’s best to first adjust your states; otherwise, work will be difficult."
Seeing Zhu Cangyan as the leader, He Shan continued to invite them.
"The Clan Leader is right."
Zhu Cangyan smiled and agreed.
The journey had indeed been taxing, and he needed proper rest.
Chen Yu cared about nothing but being wary of Zhu Cangyan’s potential harm to him, while Zhu Lingyu only wanted to challenge Chen Yu.
The three entered the Heavenly Spirit Crane Clan’s domain, unnoticed by many clan members who secretly observed and discussed them with admiration and reverence in their eyes.
It was understandable, for if a Heavenly Martial Sect strongman had arrived suddenly when Chen Yu was still with the Yang Family, he might have felt the same way.
Unwittingly, he had achieved such significant accomplishments in the main world.
In a lavish hall, musicians played, dancers performed, and rare delicacies were served with fine wine.
The dishes, crafted from the finest ingredients, were not only extraordinary in taste but also beneficial to cultivators.
"I wonder what plans the envoys have with this visit?"
Clan Leader He Shan sat beside Zhu Cangyan and asked in a low voice.
This plea for help was aimed at eliminating the Phoenix-headed Parrot Clan, but the Vermilion Bird Heavenly Nest’s true intentions were most crucial.
"First, tell me the entire conflict between your two clans."
Zhu Cangyan replied nonchalantly.
"Here’s what happened..."
He Shan recounted.
The Heavenly Spirit Crane Clan and the Phoenix-headed Parrot Clan had longstanding grievances.
Recently, the Phoenix-headed Parrot Clan intruded into the Heavenly Spirit Crane Clan’s mining grounds, killed dozens of slaves, and stole a batch of the most precious minerals.
Upon discovery, the Heavenly Spirit Crane Clan immediately sent an elder to question them and seek compensation.
However, the elder went into the Phoenix-headed Parrot Clan’s territory and never returned!
Subsequently, the two families clashed in two minor battles, with the Heavenly Spirit Crane Clan suffering greater losses.
"I suspect that the Phoenix-headed Parrot Clan might be secretly colluding with foreign enemies."
After explaining, He Shan expressed his suspicion.
The words of the Heavenly Spirit Crane Clan, seeking to eliminate the Phoenix-headed Parrot Clan, should not be fully trusted.
"This matter is complex; I’ll observe for a while before making decisions."
Zhu Cangyan, exhausted from the journey, was not eager to handle the matter immediately, opting for some enjoyment first.
Late at night, after the banquet dispersed,
The Heavenly Spirit Crane Clan arranged accommodations for Zhu Cangyan and his companions.
"Clan Leader, what do you think the envoys mean?"
A high-ranking member asked.
"Unclear."
He Shan’s face slightly darkened.
Though they sought help from the Vermilion Bird Heavenly Nest, their true intentions were unclear.
Were they genuinely here to help the Heavenly Spirit Crane Clan, or did they believe in supporting the Phoenix-headed Parrot Clan under the principle of survival of the fittest?
Returning to his quarters, Chen Yu thought nothing more of it.
This mission was none of his concern; it was all up to Zhu Cangyan to handle.
"Chen Yu, why won’t you battle me?"
Suddenly, Zhu Lingyu’s voice came from outside, startling Chen Yu. He sighed inwardly at her persistence.
In actuality, Chen Yu had considered just having the duel with Zhu Lingyu to settle things.
However, since Zhu Lingyu’s goal was merely to duel and then leave, it might be better to keep her here to vex Zhu Cangyan, disrupting his plans.
"Chen Yu, it seemed like someone was watching you earlier."
Zhu Lingyu said.
Chen Yu completely ignored her; she was likely just making things up to lure him out.
"Strange, why is the Heavenly Spirit Crane Clan monitoring Chen Yu?"
With that doubt, Zhu Lingyu left.
She wasn’t worried about the Heavenly Spirit Crane Clan taking on Chen Yu; they lacked the courage, and Chen Yu wasn’t easily dealt with.
In the distance, within the flowers, two shadowy figures appeared.
"Phew, we were almost discovered."
"What should we do? These three disciples from the Vermilion Bird Heavenly Nest might disrupt the Young Master’s plans."
The two exchanged thoughts through transmission.
"Hmph, regardless if they’re Vermilion Bird Heavenly Nest disciples, anyone blocking the Young Master’s path is doomed."
The two shadows merged into the darkness, disappearing without a trace.