Tu Shan Jun's heart churned, mountains collapsing and seas overturning.
Waves surged violently,
beyond his control.
"A mere Dao Lord, and even Big Head thought so highly of him. Could he really have noticed a mayfly like me?"
Tu Shan Jun felt not the slightest gratification or joy at being noticed by a Dao Lord, much less any sense of accomplishment at being valued.
His eyes were filled with gravity.
He had wanted to use the ascension to sainthood to see through the Dao Lord's methods, so he had made this move, using himself as bait.
While drawing his Dao Brother here, he had secretly searched for cultivators of the same rank or slightly above his own to cooperate with. Even if he fell into the Dao Lord's hands, he could at least rely on the power of the Saint Weapon to negotiate, then see this through.
As for why he had not chosen the Jade family, first, just as he had asked the Pei clan, he did not think the Jade family would necessarily help him. Furthermore, behind the Jade family stood the Ancient Immortal Tower. If his ability to advance was exposed, he would fall into the sights of even more powerful cultivators, and then he would not even have the right to negotiate.
Second, Tu Shan Jun bore resentment toward the Jade family over Meng Zhi's matter.
Tu Shan Jun had indeed anticipated this in his heart, but it was the Jade family that had personally pushed and ignited this conflict, creating the current situation.
Even if he died, he would never submit to the Jade family's control.
To lower the level of attention and prevent the matter from growing too large, the Jade family had chosen to help Tu Shan Jun suppress the news. In truth,