The arrival of the Grand Elder from Green Mountains was much faster than Chen Xiao had anticipated.
Chen Xiao had just handed over all the puppets that needed to have their strength improved to Hei Qing and mentioned his idea of going on a long trip to Little Fairy Doctor and the others when the Grand Elder from Green Mountains had already arrived.
Calculating carefully, it had only been half a day from when the news was sent out to the Grand Elder's arrival.
"Hahaha, I was taking the Second Elder and Third Elder to pay respects to His Majesty the Old Dragon Emperor, and we just happened to be returning from the Northwest."
Seeing the surprise in Chen Xiao's eyes, the Grand Elder explained with a hearty laugh.
So that's how it was!
Chen Xiao suddenly understood. The Grand Elder had mentioned last time that the Elders from Eastern Dragon Island planned to pay respects to the Old Dragon Emperor and had even gone to the Mysterious Space to inquire about the Old Dragon Emperor's opinion specifically.
It seemed the Old Dragon Emperor had clearly agreed to this matter.
"Cai Lin, how about we postpone our departure by two days?"
After figuring out the reason for the Grand Elder's swift arrival, Chen Xiao turned to Cai Lin.
The decision was made only yesterday, and they were to depart today; it was too rushed and didn't give Cai Lin much time to prepare.
However, upon hearing Chen Xiao's suggestion, Cai Lin shook her head.
"Since the Grand Elder has already arrived, let's depart directly. The sooner we go, the sooner we can return."
Chen Xiao opened his mouth but ultimately didn't voice any further objections, only nodding.
He shifted his gaze to the other side and saw Yao Yao having a great time playing with the Little Heaven Swallowing Python. He waved to her, "Yao Yao, come here."
The little one, although unsure of what was happening, ran over by treading on the void, her small face tilted up, her big eyes looking at him, and she softly called out, "Daddy..."
Chen Xiao smiled and nodded, picked her up, and walked to Cai Lin's side.
Cai Lin took her daughter from Chen Xiao's arms, her eyes filled with doting, gentle smiles, and a hint of unconcealable reluctance.
"Yao Yao, Mommy has to go out for a while and won't be back for some time. Before Mommy returns, you must listen to Daddy, okay?"
"Mommy, where are you going? Can't you take Yao Yao with you?"
The little one had never been separated from Cai Lin since birth. Hearing this, she immediately became anxious, reaching out with her small hands to tightly embrace Cai Lin's neck.
Cai Lin gently stroked the back of her head to comfort her, smiling as she said, "Yao Yao, be good. Just wait for Mommy at home. Mommy will be back soon..."
While the mother and daughter were reluctantly parting, Chen Xiao also walked over to the three women, including Little Fairy Doctor.
"Xian'er, when Cai Lin and I go to the Beast Region, I don't know if we'll return before Brother Hei Qing. If he returns first, have someone send a puppet to the Tagor Desert in the Northwest to guard the Spatial Wormhole there. Also, go to Jia Nan Academy and pick up Qing Huan and Xing Yao. Let them keep Yao Yao company."
Due to Zi Yan's intervention, when Chen Xiao last saw those two little ones, he had implicitly agreed to be their Teacher and hadn't waited for them to condense their Dou Qi Cyclones.
Since the master-disciple relationship was established, bringing them over in advance was naturally not an issue.
Little Fairy Doctor didn't speak but nodded gently with a smile, accepting the task.
Qing Lin, standing beside them, spoke up, "Young Master, I'll go to the Beast Region with you. If we encounter any trouble, I can help."
Chen Xiao shook his head. "With the Grand Elder here, where would there be so much trouble? You don't need to come this time. You are at a critical juncture in your Nine Revolutions to Sainthood, so focus on cultivation."
Furthermore, if they encountered trouble that even he and the Grand Elder couldn't resolve, Qing Lin's presence wouldn't make a difference.
Hearing this, Qing Lin could only respond with a dejected nod.
Cao Ying untied a jade pendant from her waist and handed it to Chen Xiao, saying, "This is a protective jade pendant left by Xun Er. I don't need it in the Pavilion, but you're going out, so take it with you."
This jade pendant was identical to the one Xun Er had given Yao Yao.
Although Xun Er had never mentioned what level of power was hidden within this jade pendant, anything that Xun Er considered a protective item was likely not as ordinary as it appeared.
"You are pregnant; it's better for you to keep it. As a father, I can't compete with my own child for things. Don't worry, this trip is not risky."
Seeing their serious expressions, Chen Xiao felt a bit helpless.
He wasn't tempting fate; he was genuinely confident about escorting Cai Lin to receive her inheritance this time.
Moreover, he still had a pre-payment opportunity as a backup, so there was indeed no need to borrow the protective jade pendant.
Seeing his firm conviction, Cao Ying did not insist further.
On the other side, Cai Lin spent a considerable amount of effort comforting Yao Yao, finally getting her to agree to wait obediently at home. Then, she took Yao Yao by the hand and walked over.
"For this period, I'll entrust Yao Yao's care to you all."
"Don't worry, Sister Cai Lin. You can leave Yao Yao to us."
Cao Ying smilingly took Yao Yao, her affection genuine.
From when Yao Yao was just a few months old until now, they had watched the little one grow up, and their feelings were truly deep.
Cai Lin nodded gently, giving them a grateful look, then turned her gaze to Chen Xiao.
"Let's set off."
Chen Xiao nodded and, without further delay, reached out to gently rub Yao Yao's little head. Then, leading Cai Lin, he walked towards the Grand Elder waiting not far away.
...
The azure sky was clear of clouds, like a vast blue mirror, so pure there wasn't a trace of impurity.
"Screech!"
Suddenly, a clear crane cry echoed across the silent sky. Immediately after, the space, calm as still water, seemed to be torn open from within. A streak of colorful light shot out, followed by a gust of wind, whistling through the sky.
As it drew closer, one could finally see that this colorful light was actually an incredibly beautiful Seven-Colored Spirit Crane!
And on the broad back of this Seven-Colored Spirit Crane, three figures stood upright. They were Chen Xiao, Cai Lin, and the Grand Elder Qing Shan, who had set out from the Purple Firmament Pavilion.
Listening to the occasional roars of magical beasts from the mountains below, Cai Lin's gaze shifted slightly.
"Compared to the chaos in the Central State, this Beast Region has a peculiar kind of tranquility."
When they were in the Tian Bei region, the three knew the Central State was in turmoil, but they didn't feel it deeply.
However, on their journey to the Beast Region, they had truly experienced how chaotic the Central State had become under the conflict between the Soul Hall and the Pill Tower. Battles were almost everywhere, and the entire Central State felt like one gigantic Black-Corner Region, with scenes of unimaginable misery occurring frequently.
Especially at night, where dark smoke billowed, the sky was devoid of stars, and red flames blazed, painting the land for a thousand miles with crimson!
Looking at the Beast Region now, although it was also full of danger, with magical beasts fighting everywhere, this was a matter of survival of the fittest, a different kind of tranquility.
It had always been like this, it was like this now, and it would always be like this!
"We've witnessed dozens of clashes between forces allied with the Soul Hall and the Pill Tower during our journey. Yet, strangely, at every battlefield, the Pill Tower held an absolute advantage but couldn't completely crush their opponents. This situation makes it seem as if the Soul Hall is doing this deliberately, constantly giving the Pill Tower the illusion that they are 'just a little more effort away from completely destroying their enemy'."
Mentioning this, Chen Xiao felt a sense of unease.
Although he used the word "seems," he was largely certain that this was a deliberate arrangement by the Soul Hall.
Having personally traversed the Central State and witnessed so much bloodshed, Chen Xiao had a rough understanding of the Soul Hall's plan.
They cared nothing for their reputation or how many enemies they made; their only concern was how to capture more soul bodies and extract enough soul origins.
This was the sole purpose of the Soul Hall's existence!
Currently, on the surface, the support of the ancient six clans for the Pill Tower's crackdown on the Soul Hall seemed to be progressing quite well.
But in reality, this was likely the very outcome the Soul Hall desired.
The more intense the conflict, the more forces involved, the more people would die!
Even worse, more and more powerful individuals would perish, and these were all high-quality soul bodies!
Therefore, the ancient six clans' move to settle accounts with the Soul Hall might not only fail to stop the Soul Clan's conspiracy but might even accelerate it!
Thinking about it, this matter was truly tricky, as if they were trapped in a dead end.
If they let the Soul Hall wreak havoc in the Central State, the Soul Clan would simply proceed according to their original plan.
But if they intervened to crack down on the Soul Hall, it would inevitably trigger greater conflict, ultimately benefiting the Soul Clan without any harm.
Well, this was a true dilemma…
One could only say that the Soul Hall's methods were truly wicked!
"Let those ancient races worry about these things; it has little to do with us. To be selfish, I even wish the eight ancient clans would truly clash, resulting in all of them being severely weakened," Grand Elder Qing Shan chuckled, not hiding his thoughts at all.
Chen Xiao sighed softly and no longer pondered the matter.
He could figure out the intricate details behind this conflict. Would the old foxes of the ancient six clans not be able to see it?
Absolutely not!
So, as the Grand Elder said, let the six clans worry about it themselves.
At least for now, he didn't have the ability to interfere in the chess game between these seven clans.
"Let's go, we'll head directly to the Nine Nether Earth Python Race territory."
Since it wasn't his first time in the Beast Region, Chen Xiao and the Grand Elder were quite familiar with the way. After briefly orienting themselves, they instructed the Seven-Colored Spirit Crane to fly towards the main camp of the Nine Nether Earth Python Race.
The true main camp of the Nine Nether Earth Python Race was hidden deep underground. Of course, there were also many branch tribes on the surface.
Among the three major races, the Nine Nether Earth Python Race had the largest population. However, this wasn't necessarily a good thing; a larger population also made it difficult to maintain bloodline purity.
According to the estimates of some elders within the Nine Nether Earth Python Race, if the situation continued to develop, their ancient bloodline would likely be completely depleted in about a hundred years. At that time, the entire race would be reduced to a state similar to ordinary magical beasts.
For this reason, there had always been significant disputes and disagreements within the Nine Nether Earth Python Race.
But no matter what, without the replenishment of their ancient bloodline, coupled with their reproduction rate, that day would eventually come.
…
The Nine Nether Abyss was the main passage into the underground world, controlled by the Nine Nether Earth Python Race, and its defenses were extremely strict.
However, this strictness was only relative to ordinary powerhouses.
With Grand Elder Qing Shan of the Ancient Dragon Clan, a Dou Sheng, present, such defenses were as good as nonexistent.
The three people and one crane appeared on a mountain peak not far from the abyss. Chen Xiao glanced at the Seven-Colored Spirit Crane, which dared not take another step forward, and shook his head slightly.
"Wait here. When I return, I will grant you your freedom. If you dare to have any other intentions, you will bear the consequences."
Silently leaving an imprint within the Seven-Colored Spirit Crane that could control its life and death at any time, Chen Xiao gave his instructions and then paid it no further mind.
Bringing this Seven-Colored Spirit Crane along this time was purely coincidental.
As its name suggested, the Seven-Colored Spirit Crane was very beautiful and a good choice for a mount.
Chen Xiao had also noticed Hai Bo Dong and the others were interested in it, and Yao Yao also quite liked it, which was why he put in a little effort.
"Yes!"
The Seven-Colored Spirit Crane didn't dare to question the trio's purpose, nor did it want to know. It nodded obediently, and a female voice transmitted out.
If its clan hadn't been controlled by the Heavenly Demon Phoenix clan, with their lives not their own, it would have long ago pledged allegiance to the Purple Firmament Pavilion.
During this period, it had witnessed the power of the Purple Firmament Pavilion.
Despite also being known as one of the Four Great Pavilions, the former Wind and Lightning Pavilion was like a joke compared to the current Purple Firmament Pavilion.
"Grand Elder," Chen Xiao said.
Qing Shan nodded, waved his hand, and invisible spatial power spread out like a tide. A temporary spatial passage immediately appeared before them.
Let alone the experts of the Nine Nether Earth Python Race, even Chen Xiao and Cai Lin, who were standing beside the Grand Elder and witnessed his actions, couldn't sense the slightest spatial anomaly!
It was as if this passage had always existed.
"Let's go."
The Grand Elder chuckled and walked in first.
Chen Xiao took Cai Lin's hand, exchanged a glance, and followed closely behind.
This Nine Nether Earth Abyss was actually a long, bottomless abyss.
It was filled with countless passages. It was likely that even a local resident like the Nine Nether Earth Python Race couldn't completely figure out where every passage led, and the terrain was extremely complex.
After the three entered, they relied on their soul perception and Grand Elder Qing Shan's spatial techniques to probe deeper into the depths.
Along the way, they also passed through numerous Snake-People tribes led by the Nine Nether Earth Python Race.
It was lightless, cold, and damp here, yet it was an exceptionally suitable place for the Snake-People to survive.
"There are many similar places in the Beast Region. We can pick one in the future to serve as the territory for the Snake-People."
Chen Xiao noticed the look in Cai Lin's eyes and transmitted his thoughts.
Cai Lin nodded silently.
She now seemed to have completed the mission of past queens, and her focus had gradually shifted. She no longer lived solely for her clan.
However, if she could help the Snake-People live a better life, she would naturally be happy to see it.
There was no conversation along the way; the three of them cautiously probed forward.
Under such progress, after about two hours, they finally arrived at the main camp of the Nine Nether Earth Python Race.
The Nether Snake Earth Vein!
From this, one could tell how vast this underground world was.
"The closer we get to the Nether Snake Earth Vein, the more frequent the aura of experts appears. There are even many Half-Saint level existences. It's no wonder the Nine Nether Earth Python Race can stably hold the third position among magical beast races; they do have some foundation."
The three appeared on a mountain peak outside the Nether Snake Earth Vein, gazing at the distant mountain range. Grand Elder Qing Shan commented.
This was his first time visiting the Nether Snake Earth Vein, and he gained a deeper understanding of the Nine Nether Earth Python Race.
Previously, among magical beasts, only the Heavenly Demon Phoenix Race could occasionally threaten the status of the Void Ancient Dragon Race. For other magical beast races, the Ancient Dragon Race had always maintained a consistent attitude.
None of them compare to me!
Now, after personally venturing deep into the Nine Nether Earth Python Race's territory, the Grand Elder discovered that this race indeed had some hidden strength. If nothing else, just the number of mid-tier experts was greater than that of the Void Ancient Dragon Race.
Chen Xiao smiled, "Great reputations are not without substance, and it's the same for races. Although the Nine Nether Earth Python Race's vast numbers make it difficult to maintain their bloodline, the frequency of powerful experts appearing is higher than in other races. Of course, this is only for experts below the Dou Sheng level."
"Haha, you've hit the nail on the head!"
After a few laughs, the Grand Elder's gaze returned to the depths of the earth vein, and he said, "Let's continue to go deeper. The Nine Nether Earth Python Race also has Dou Sheng experts. As long as you don't leave my side within ten feet, you absolutely won't be detected."
"Okay." Chen Xiao and Cai Lin nodded.
Whoosh!
Seeing this, the Grand Elder waved his sleeve, and the surrounding space quickly distorted, then tightly enveloped the three of them. With a slight ripple of space, their figures mysteriously disappeared from their original positions.
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