The Primordial Wilderness Isn't About Fighting, It's About Human Relationships

"This guy is practically a disgrace to the Kirin Clan—hell, he's tarnished the entire Primordial Wilderness!" Xuanxiao muttered under his breath, utterly speechless as he looked down at the disheveled Mo Yuan below.

At this moment, Mo Yuan was a complete mess, looking absolutely pitiful.

But Xuanxiao saw through it like a mirror—this guy was clearly putting on an act, playing out this "martyrdom" with flawless realism.

When it came to mastering the nuances of human affairs, Mo Yuan had truly pushed it to the extreme, with no one else coming close.

Mo Yuan knew full well that with Xuanxiao's sharp perception, he'd definitely see through his little trick.

Still, having known and dealt with Xuanxiao for years, he understood his temperament well. He knew this wouldn't earn him Xuanxiao's disdain; instead, it would perfectly accomplish the task Xuanxiao had set—warming up the relationships among the Three Pure Ones and making the atmosphere between them more harmonious.

Plus, he could play the victim to make up for his earlier pursuit of the Three Pure Ones.

"This guy... is he really putting on a show for us?" Gou Chen frowned, staring at Mo Yuan with suspicion, a flicker of doubt rising in his mind.

Laozi narrowed his eyes slightly, a trace of hesitation in his gaze, and murmured as he watched Mo Yuan, "Strange. I keep feeling like his behavior is off, with a weird vibe I can't quite put my finger on."

To be fair, Mo Yuan's acting was truly masterful. Aside from the sharp-eyed and observant Gou Chen and Laozi, who caught a hint of something odd, everyone else was completely fooled by his convincing performance, believing Mo Yuan was utterly suppressed and powerless.

The Ancestral Witches were howling with excitement, their faces flushed red, their joy spilling over.

Tongtian watched the Ancestral Witches' fervent reactions, a look of full approval unconsciously shining in his eyes.

In his view, the Ancestral Witches might be simple-minded and impulsive, not big on thinking things through, but their straightforward and bold nature clicked perfectly with his own. The more he saw, the more he felt a kinship.

And Yuanshi, at this point, had noticeably softened his attitude toward the Ancestral Witches, no longer radiating the hostility he had before.

Clearly, Xuanxiao's goal had been smoothly achieved.

Mo Yuan, too, sensed that the situation had reached the required level.

Without a trace, he deliberately left an opening, letting Tongtian's Primordial Sword "wound" him at just the right moment.

This Primordial Sword was no ordinary thing—it was actually the Primordial Measure Ruler that Xuanxiao had given Tongtian earlier.

Tongtian had never been fond of ruler-type weapons, so he'd asked Xuanxiao to transform it into the Primordial Sword.

Mo Yuan looked at the spot where the Primordial Sword had "hit" him and let out an exaggerated scream, dragging it out long as if he were in immense pain.

Hearing Mo Yuan's cry, Tongtian was utterly baffled, staring at the Primordial Sword in his hand in disbelief. "Since when did I get this strong? One strike and I can gravely wound a Great Luo Perfection expert?"

The Ancestral Witches, meanwhile, looked at Tongtian with admiration and chorused, "Brother Tongtian, that's incredible! Absolutely godlike!"

"Isn't this a bit too fake? With Tongtian's strength, how could he possibly wound Mo Yuan, a Great Luo Perfection expert, with one sword?" Yuanshi, too, sensed something off, muttering to himself.

"Hmph! See if you dare act so cocky again!" Zhurong laughed smugly at Mo Yuan.

Hearing Zhurong's words, Mo Yuan's heart skipped a beat, and he thought viciously, "If I didn't have to keep this act going, I'd show you why flowers bloom so red, daring to be so arrogant in front of me!"

But on the surface, he still put on a terrified look, trembling as he stared at the Ancestral Witches.

Xuanxiao, watching Mo Yuan still hamming it up below, rolled his eyes in exasperation. Then, with a flicker of movement, he slowly descended from the void.

"Alright, alright, cut the act. Your mission's done perfectly," Xuanxiao said, casually giving Mo Yuan a light kick.

Mo Yuan, far from getting angry, chuckled and nimbly scrambled to his feet, bowing respectfully. "Greetings, Dao Venerable!"

The Three Pure Ones' eyes lit up with joy the moment they saw Xuanxiao appear, and they called out in unison, "Second Uncle!" Their voices brimmed with affection and excitement.

Hearing their call, Xuanxiao turned toward them, a pleased smile on his face. "Not bad, not bad. Looks like you haven't slacked off in your training while I was away." He nodded approvingly at the three.

At Xuanxiao's praise, even the usually composed Laozi couldn't help but show a hint of pride on his face.

Yuanshi, in particular, shot a deliberately provocative glance at the Ancestral Witches, his expression practically screaming, "See that? Second Uncle still likes us best!"

But Yuanshi's little show was completely wasted on them.

The Ancestral Witches were still caught up in their excitement, not even noticing Yuanshi's smug and taunting look.

Xuanxiao watched them with a helpless sigh.

In his memory, the Three Pure Ones weren't like this. Now, they acted just like little pets vying for attention.

What Xuanxiao didn't realize was that the Three Pure Ones' true nature hadn't changed—they only let this side show in front of him.

Xuanxiao didn't dwell on the Three Pure Ones and turned his attention back to Mo Yuan.

"You handled this job quite well. Take this as your reward," Xuanxiao said, casually tossing a Yellow Middle Plum toward Mo Yuan.

Mo Yuan's eyes lit up at the sight of the Yellow Middle Plum flying his way, and he secretly rejoiced, "Wow, this was totally worth it! Just putting on one act and I get a Yellow Middle Plum—if only this kind of deal came around more often!"

"Thank you for the generous gift, Dao Venerable!" Mo Yuan quickly caught the plum and expressed his gratitude with a full face of appreciation.

Xuanxiao waved his hand dismissively, signaling it was nothing.

"Um... Dao Venerable, shall I take my leave now?" Mo Yuan asked cautiously, testing the waters with a tentative look at Xuanxiao.

In the past, whenever Mo Yuan ran into Xuanxiao, he'd do everything he could to stay by his side.

After all, in the chaotic mess of the Three Clans' war in the Primordial Wilderness, sticking close to Xuanxiao was the safest bet.

But things were a bit different now. He'd spent years hunting down the Three Pure Ones, and though he'd never gone for the kill, he'd still managed to offend them to some degree.

So now he wanted to gauge Xuanxiao's and the Three Pure Ones' attitude toward him.

If Xuanxiao or the Three Pure Ones showed strong rejection, he'd better make a quick getaway—the farther, the better.

The Three Pure Ones showed no strong reaction to Mo Yuan's words.

After all, though Mo Yuan had been hunting them all these years, he had never struck to kill, and the two sides had not formed any deep enmity, so they bore him little real hatred.

"Enough, enough. Keep all those schemes of yours to plot against others." Xuanxiao looked at Mo Yuan and shook his head with a smile.

He saw through the little calculations in Mo Yuan's mind at a glance.

"I know what you're thinking, kid. You want to follow me, right? Let me tell you plainly now: after the Three Clans war ends, if you still have nowhere good to go, come find me at Thunder Marsh. Disciple or son—forget it—you'll be my mount." Xuanxiao looked at Mo Yuan and spoke seriously.

Truth be told, Xuanxiao hadn't thought much of Mo Yuan at first, but after observing him this past while, he realized that while the Ancestral Witches were all immensely powerful, their minds were far too simple, and they often acted without regard for consequences. They truly needed someone meticulous and calculating by their side.

Gou Chen was clever, but when it came to scheming and coming up with wicked ideas, he couldn't hold a candle to that little imp Mo Yuan.

With Mo Yuan around, Xuanxiao wouldn't have to worry too much about the Ancestral Witches being easily tricked in the future.

Hearing Xuanxiao's words, Mo Yuan's face lit up with joy.

He understood that Xuanxiao saying this meant he had decided to take him in—a blessing he couldn't have hoped for.

"Then, Master, I'll take my leave." Mo Yuan respectfully bowed to Xuanxiao, then turned to go.

"This kid, he sure knows how to seize an opening—already calling me master. Still, I have to say, he did the Kirin Clan a great service this time." Xuanxiao watched Mo Yuan's retreating back and mused to himself.

Given Xuanxiao's current status and position, even if Mo Yuan were merely his mount, it would still tie him to Xuanxiao.

With that connection, the Kirin Clan's fortune would be linked to Xuanxiao's, and their outcome this time would surely be far better than in Xuanxiao's memory.

Still, Xuanxiao didn't dwell too much on it.

He turned his head slightly to look at the large group standing not far away, and couldn't help but let out a wry thought: Good grief, without realizing it, I've gathered so many fellows around me.

"Come on. You were born early because of my interference, and the Primordial Wilderness as it is now isn't fit for you to keep wandering. You'll come with me." Xuanxiao said, looking at the Three Pure Ones.

Hearing Xuanxiao's words, the Three Pure Ones hesitated briefly, but in the end, they all nodded.

Having experienced it firsthand on this journey, they now realized they had underestimated the brutality and complexity of the Three Clans war. It was truly dangerous for the three of them to travel the Primordial Wilderness alone.

With that, Xuanxiao led the way, guiding everyone as they slowly departed.