by RWX
“Master.” A respectful voice rang out from outside. “Daddy.” Another voice rang out as well. The sinister old man revealed a hint of a smile. “Come in.”
A short, ugly looking man walked in, alongside a tall, azure-robed, beautiful woman. The ugly man appeared quite calm and collected.
“This Yu Dong…” The sinister old man looked at the ugly man, nodding mentally to himself. “When he first apprenticed himself to me, I didn’t hold him in any regard, but unexpectedly, he was the first amongst my many disciples who reached the Wanxiang level! In addition, he made his breakthrough after a few short decades, which is quite fast. He really can’t be underestimated.”
As for his appearances? Immortal cultivators didn’t care too much about appearances. If you were both weak and ugly, then others might look down on you, but if you were powerful…no matter how ugly you were, others would respect you.
“And, by the looks of it, it seems as though Wei’er has taken quite a fancy to Yu Dong as well.” The sinister old man nodded to himself. “It seems as though in the end, my lineage will pass into the hands of Yu Dong.”
“Wei, daughter, come over here,” the sinister old man said. The azure-robed woman walked over, sitting atop the jade bed as well. She hugged the old man’s arm in a very close manner. “Daddy, this time, senior apprentice-brother Yu Dong has procured a gift for you. You’ll definitely like it,” Yue Wei said.
“Oh?” The sinister old man laughed as he looked over. Yu Dong immediately said with respect, “Master, your disciple just procured a bottle of ‘Three Immortals’ wine, and so came to offer it to you.”
“Three Immortals wine?” The sinister old man’s eyes instantly lit up, and he couldn’t help but sniff the air. He had been stuck at the peak Wanxiang level for more than two centuries, and was close to the end of his lifespan; he didn’t have much longer to live. For cultivators who were close to the end of their lives, they cared deeply about being able to enjoy themselves.
Three Immortals wine was a truly top-class wine that was incredibly hard to find. Generally speaking, it was only available in places like Stillwater City, while hard to procure in backwater places like Mount Mooncrescent.
“You are quite thoughtful.” The sinister old man nodded in approval. He felt more and more satisfied with this Yu Dong. Despite having reached the Wanxiang level, Yu Dong had remained under his tutelage, and remained as respectful as ever. In addition, he served as respectfully as he would towards his own father…
“Master, you showed me great kindness by transmitting knowledge unto me. What’s a little wine?” Yu Dong produced a jade tray, atop which was a bottle of Immortal wine. That incomparably beautiful and intricately carved jade wine-bottle alone would be considered a priceless treasure in the mortal world.
“Junior apprentice-sister, if you would be so kind.” Some time later, Yu Dong and his junior apprentice-sister, Yue Wei, both left the hall.
The sinister old man watched his most capable disciple and his beloved daughter walk off into the distance. He couldn’t help but nod, especially upon seeing how respectfully Yu Dong treated his daughter.
Within another hall on Mount Mooncrescent. This was Yu Dong’s estate. This area was naturally warded by formations, preventing outsiders from entering.
“You can leave,” Yu Dong instructed his servants upon entering his estate. “Yes.” The servants and maids all respectfully departed, going to other halls within this estate, leaving behind only himself and his junior apprentice-sister, Yue Wei.
After seating himself in the hall, Yu Dong glanced at Yue Wei, then said calmly, “Kneel.”
Yue Wei immediately laughed enticingly, her robes immediately disappearing from her body, revealing her ravishingly beautiful body. She lightly knelt down, then, like a little dog, slowly crawled forward. And then, moving close towards to Yu Dong’s legs, she began to lick.
“In the past, you held me in such disregard. But now, you are kneeling between my legs.” Yu Dong looked downwards towards Yue Wei as he would towards a dog.
“Senior apprentice-brother, stop teasing me,” Yue Wei said with an adorable harrumph. Yu Dong stretched his hand out, grabbing her head and pushing it down hard. Instantly, Yue Wei began to cough and choke.
“Hahaha…” Yu Dong laughed wildly. “Endure it.” Yue Wei had no choice but to do so.
Later the next morning…
“Mm.” After having thoroughly enjoyed himself, Yu Dong sat there, pondering. As for Yue Wei, she sat on his lap. “Junior apprentice-sister, that old bastard…when will he transmit the Mooncrescent Saber Formation to me? I’ve served him a long, long time after I became a Wanxiang Adept, and yet he still hasn’t taught it to me!”
Yue Wei said gently, “Don’t worry, senior apprentice-brother. I mentioned this to father before, but at that time, my father was hesitant. By the looks of it, father is beginning to like you more and more. I’ll mention it again later. I’ll definitely succeed.”
“I hope that old bastard doesn’t die and take that saber formation to the Netherworld Kingdom with him.” A cold light was in Yu Dong’s eyes.
“Don’t worry,” Yue Wei said hurriedly, and Yu Dong nodded slightly. He continued to ponder silently, while the nearby Yue Wei didn’t dare to disturb him.
“Three years. At most, I’ll wait three more years for that old bastard. I can’t keep wasting my time like this,” Yu Dong said broodingly while looking at Yue Wei. “Half a month from now, I’ll go ask the old bastard to teach me his saber formation; after that, you go help me speak to him as well.”
“Alright.” Yue Wei nodded obediently. Yu Dong suddenly began to laugh strangely. “Junior apprentice-sister, if your daddy saw you right now, would he die of anger? Hahaha…hahahahaha…”
His evil, wicked laughter was completely different from his normal, honest attitude. All of the servants in the estate had been instructed to leave, and the protective formations had been activated; there was no way any sound would leave the room, and there was no way to scry inside from the outside world. Thus, Yu Dong didn’t need to disguise himself at all.
When he was young, he had understood quite early on that this was a world where the weak would be devoured by the strong. Thus, he had clawed up, step by step, either slaughtering or flattering until he had grown powerful enough to fear no one. However, he had always been very good at hiding his nature. Those who knew what his true nature was like were either dead or under his complete control.
Even Ji Ning’s intelligence report had been unable to see through Yu Dong’s façade. After all…the Heavenly Treasures Mountain wouldn’t expend too many resources on a minor figure like him.
“The Mooncrescent Saber Formation that old bastard possesses was left behind by a deceased Loose Immortal. Not even Snowdragon Mountain has such a powerful formation.” In the past, Yu Dong didn’t have any other options, which was why he had apprenticed himself to Adept Mooncrescent. However, based on some tools he had, as well as his many years of service, he had discovered some of Adept Mooncrescent’s secrets. Thus, he worked ever more diligently.
“If I still cannot acquire it…then I’ll kill him.” A cold light flashed through Yu Dong’s eyes. He had originally been an ordinary mortal, and had clawed his way to his current position. Naturally, he was an incredibly calculating person, and he had caused the deaths of many. In the past, he had caused the deaths of two young masters of his clan, three elders of his clan, and even two genius disciples of Snowdragon Mountain. However, to this very day, no one knew that it had been him.
That young master ‘Dong Seven’ of the Dong clan was nothing more than a chess piece to him.
……..
A dragon-headed warship was in the air above Mount Mooncrescent. Ning stared downwards. “Senior apprentice-brother, aren’t you going to attack?” Northson was puzzled. He could sense that Ning was filled with a powerful killing intent, but upon reaching Mount Mooncrescent, they had actually come to a halt.
“Not just yet.” Ning stared downwards. His divine sense had already been spread out, covering the entire Mount Mooncrescent. He could see everything going on within it. In front of Adept Mooncrescent, Yu Dong had acted one way, but upon returning to his own hall…he had acted in a completely different manner.
“This Yu Dong seems to be quite an extraordinary fellow,” Ning mused to himself. His divine sense hadn’t been able to find a single flaw in Yu Dong’s façade before Adept Mooncrescent. If this person had become friends with Ning, most likely even Ning would have been fooled into trusting him; he was definitely a very steady, sure-footed person.
“He was able to start as an ordinary mortal and reach this current level…” Ning thought back to the history of Yu Dong as mentioned in the intelligence reports, then silently mused to himself, “I imagine it wasn’t as simple as the reports described. The reports made it seem as though everything had been smooth sailing for Yu Dong, and that he had flattered and fawned over many as he eventually reached his current heights. I thought that he was just talented and lucky, but now, it seems that he is quite the ambitious figure.”
“However! Even if you are an ambitious, ruthless, formidable figure, today you shall definitely die!” A cold light flashed through Ning’s eyes. In the world of Immortal cultivators, personal power was more important than games of intrigue. For example, with his divine sense, Ning was able to clearly see each of Yu Dong’s actions, and so Yu Dong’s hidden, true face was instantly discovered by Ning.
“Let’s go,” Ning said, pointing towards the distant estate. “Let’s go to Yu Dong’s estate.” “Alright,” Northson immediately said.
The Whitewater Hound, now in human form, also stared towards the distant estate. His eyes were also filled with killing intent; after all, he had personally experienced the events of that year.
Swoosh! The dragon-headed warship surged downwards towards the ground.
“Uncle White. Set up the spacelock formation,” Ning sent mentally. “Alright.” The Whitewater Hound nodded, then silently slipped out of the ship, beginning to stealthily set down spacelock formation flags in the area around Mount Mooncrescent. The grand spacelock formation was able to take up a hundred kilometers of space…the entire Mount Mooncresent was covered by it. But of course, they didn’t activate the formation yet. Once they did, Adept Mooncrescent and Yu Dong would instantly notice.
The dragon-headed warship flew towards the air above the estate. Yu Dong and his beautiful, bewitching junior apprentice-sister were openly engaging in lewd, lascivious acts within their estate. Yu Dong, despite acting in a crazed manner, had a very calm look in his eyes; only, he would occasionally let out a vile laugh.
“YU DONG!”
Suddenly, a voice rang out from on high. Yu Dong, shocked, instantly came to a halt, while his junior apprentice-sister also came to a halt and said, puzzled, “Senior apprentice-brother, who is it?”
“Hurry and get up.” Yu Dong’s body quickly became covered by his robes, and the same happened for his junior apprentice-sister, Yu Wei.
Yu Dong called back in a warm, loud voice, “Which fellow Daoist has come?” At the same time, he released the protective formation. He immediately saw the dragon-headed warship in the distant skies. Upon seeing it, Yu Dong felt a slight hint of surprise; he was an experienced person, after all, and he knew that no ordinary Immortal cultivator would be in possession of such a fine construct-warship.
“Junior apprentice-sister, hurry up and ask Master to come,” Yu Dong sent mentally. “Understood.” A leaf appeared in Yue Wei’s hands, and she lightly twisted it.
Right at this moment…
A handsome, delicate-looking youth dressed in furs flew down from the dragon-headed warship. He had an azure serpent wrapped around one wrist, while a white-haired, white-robed man and a white-robed youth were behind him. The fur-clad youth, the leader of the group, said in a calm voice, “An old friend, of course!”
* * *
Book 9, Chapter 8 - The Mysterious Adept Mooncrescent
The highest hall on Mount Mooncrescent.
“My daughter, Wei?” The sinister old man’s face changed. His daughter had shattered the talisman he had given her, and he could clearly sense that the talisman had been shattered in Yu Dong’s nearby estate.
“What’s going on? With Yu Dong protecting her, what sort of problems could Wei have encountered, that she would suddenly break the talisman? This is Mount Mooncrescent.” Adept Mooncresent couldn’t believe that in his own territory, his daughter would encounter any danger.
Swoosh!
Adept Mooncrescent instantly transformed into a streak of black light, departing from his hall and charging towards the skies, flying towards Yu Dong’s estate.
Given how fast peak Wanxiang Adepts moved at, as soon as Ji Ning emerged from his dragon-headed warship, Adept Mooncrescent appeared before him.
“This is…?” Adept Mooncresscent, upon seeing the distant dragon-headed warship in the skies, and upon seeing Ji Ning and Mu Northson, couldn’t help but secretly feel alarmed. Given his experience and judgement, he could immediately tell, just through that distant glance, that these were definitely no ordinary cultivators. No wonder his daughter had instantly shattered the talisman.
“I wonder which Daoist friends have come to visit my Mount Mooncrescent,” Adept Mooncrescent said with a loud laugh. “Why haven’t you come to visit me, and have instead come to my disciple’s place?”
His voice reverberated in the air, and as it did, Adept Mooncrescent landed in the courtyard, standing in front of Yu Dong and Yue Wei, who respectfully moved backwards.
“Who are they?” Adept Mooncrescent sent to them.
“Daddy, I’ve never met them before,” Yue Wei hurriedly sent.
“Master, I’ve never met them either,” Yu Dong said.
“Hmph, if you don’t know them, why would they suddenly come to my place, but not come visit me, and instead visit you?” Adept Mooncrescent barked mentally at them, and Yu Dong didn’t dare to say a single word in response.
However, Adept Mooncrescent still had a smile on his face. He looked towards Ning and the others in midair. “Fellow Daoists, it seems as though my disciple doesn’t know you; why, then, do you say that you are old friends?”
“Adept Mooncrescent.” Ning took a single step forward, descending from the skies to the estate below. Northson and the Whitewater Hound followed behind him. Ning said, “I have something to discuss with your disciple, Yu Dong. I’d like to ask you, Adept Mooncrescent, and your daughter to temporarily withdraw.”
Yu Dong’s face changed, and Adept Mooncrescent couldn’t help but feel shocked as well. Previously, he had only spoken mentally with his daughter, but this fur-clad youth actually knew that they were father and daughter…clearly, he had come prepared.
“Withdraw?” Yue Wei grew frantic. Her loyalty had long since been given to Yu Dong, and she couldn’t help but mentally send, “Daddy, we have no idea who these people are. You can’t let senior apprentice-brother face them on his own.”
“Daughters always favor outsiders.” Adept Mooncrescent frowned as he looked at his daughter. At the same time, Yu Dong sent frantically, “Master, it seems to me that these people must have come with a plot in mind.”
“Leave it to your master,” Adept Mooncrescent snapped back, then laughed loudly. “You wish to speak in private with my disciple, but I don’t even know who you are…isn’t this a bit too impolite?”
Ning’s divine sense covered the entire mountain. Thus, although Adept Mooncrescent had arrived quite quickly, Ning could’ve killed Yu Dong even more quickly. Still, the hatred he felt towards the murderer of his parents had caused Ning’s heart to become filled with rage. To kill his enemy so quickly? That would be letting him off so easily.
What Ning wanted was for this man to die in regret, agony, and despair! Only thus would he be able to give vent to the hatred in his heart!
“Adept Mooncrescent.” Ning’s face
sank. “I respected you, which is why I asked you to leave. To tell you the truth, the reason I wish to speak in private with your disciple, Yu Dong, is because I suspect that he is colluding with a criminal I am pursuing.”
“Colluding with a criminal?” Adept Mooncrescent was startled.
“Colluding?”
Yue Wei and Yu Dong were both greatly shocked as well. Ning waved his hand, and a medallion appeared within it, atop which was the image of a Raindragon.
“The Raindragon Guard!” Adept Mooncrescent’s face turned solemn. He knew that trouble had truly arrived today; anyone capable of becoming a Raindragon Guard was a true elite, and even he didn’t feel confident in being able to defeat this youth in front of him.
Yue Wei felt nervous as well; to her, a Zifu Disciple, any Raindragon Guard was an incomparably powerful individual.
As for Yu Dong, he was absolutely panicking. “I’ve never offended the Raindragon Guard, and I’ve never met these three. What on earth is going on?” He quickly went through a mental list of those he had killed, but no matter what, he couldn’t find any flaws in his plots; he had no idea what these people had come for.
“I’ve come to Mount Mooncrescent for the purpose of seeking out Yu Dong and chatting with him,” Ning said coldly. “Adept Mooncrescent, are you going to interfere in the Raindragon Guards carrying out their cases?”
Adept Mooncrescent’s face clenched. He definitely wouldn’t be able to handle the repercussions of such an act. But at this time, Yu Dong spoke out. He said respectfully, “I don’t know what you wish of me, milord Raindragon Guard; if you are asking questions pertaining to a case, why must you avoid my master? If you have any questions, ask away; I, Yu Dong, will definitely be fully honest and speak no word which is not true.”
Having clawed to his current position over many years, Yu Dong was an incomparably intelligent man. Since this ‘Raindragon Guard’ insisted on separating him from his master, he definitely wouldn’t let his master leave. Once his master left, he would probably be at the complete mercy of this man, without any protection at all.