Jiang Ziya's Misery

Jiang Ziya in the original Investiture of the Gods World had looked like this, but the Jiang Ziya before him seemed somewhat foolish, nothing like a sly schemer.

Wang Yuan's eyes shifted. "Jiang Ziya, what realm are you in now?"

"Reporting to Senior, this junior has successfully formed a core."

At that, Wang Yuan shot Tongtian a glare.

Tongtian rubbed his nose, thinking, What did I do this time?

"Oh?... Sigh, you could have attained immortality, but Yuanshi Tianzun suppressed your talent, leaving you unable to become immortal."

Naturally, Jiang Ziya did not believe him. "Impossible. Teacher and my fellow disciples have always treated me very well. How could they do such a thing?"

"Hmm, how about this? Since you don't believe me, I'll help you cultivate into an immortal sooner. What do you think?"

Jiang Ziya froze. "If that is truly the case..."

A trace of suspicion filled his eyes—not only suspicion toward Wang Yuan, but also toward Yuanshi Tianzun.

He doubted whether Wang Yuan was telling the truth.

If it was true, then... Teacher had been wrong. He had intended to harm him.

Although Wang Yuan knew nothing about cultivation, he knew that the things the system gave him every day were excellent, and the resources were plentiful. They should be enough to help Jiang Ziya become immortal. But Wang Yuan did not know how to cultivate either, so who could teach him?

Great nephew?

No, great nephew was only at the Qi Induction Stage. How could he teach someone to become immortal? Wouldn't that be leading a student astray?

Little Mouse?

Forget it. Little Mouse had not even reached the innate realm.

He turned his gaze toward Hu Jiu Mei, Zhi Zhi, and Pipa.

The three of them wanted to cover their chests beneath Wang Yuan's gaze...

"Celestial Immortal... if you have something to say, just say it... Tonight, I..."

Wang Yuan rolled his eyes. "No. I'm afraid of the stink. Anyway, Little Jiu, Pipa, Zhi Zhi, the three of you will start teaching Jiang Ziya tomorrow. Help him become immortal as soon as possible."

"Yes... Celestial Immortal."

"Jiang Shang, follow them and cultivate tomorrow. I guarantee you'll become immortal within half a year."

Wang Yuan had merely guessed at the time. He had no idea how long it truly took to cultivate into an immortal.

The three demons secretly groaned. They had not even reached the Heavenly Immortal Realm themselves, so how could they teach Jiang Ziya? They had merely cultivated a thousand years longer than he had.

Jiang Ziya thus settled down on the Immortal Mountain. Hong Lie seized the chance to stay and refused to leave. The spiritual energy within the Immortal Mountain was more than a hundred times denser than that of Golden Turtle Island, and it even rained spiritual energy once a day. Hong Lie could not bear to leave such a wonderful place.

That night, Wang Yuan quietly arrived outside the three demons' door.

He whispered, "Open the door."

Hu Jiu Mei and the other two had been cultivating. Upon hearing Wang Yuan's voice, they were startled, then delighted. If they could get involved with the Celestial Immortal... wouldn't they receive a tremendous opportunity as well?

Having lived on the Immortal Mountain for some time, the three demons increasingly felt that he was an unparalleled expert.

"Celestial Immortal~~ What brings you here tonight?"

As she spoke, she cast Wang Yuan a seductive look.

But Wang Yuan was no longer the man he had once been. Two Laws of Nature had merged into his body, and his heart had long become one with nature. Hu Jiu Mei was a Nine-tailed Fox; even without using charm arts, she could captivate people's hearts. But Wang Yuan was different. His mind resided within nature.

"Your eyeballs are practically flying out. What are you doing? Don't want them anymore? Should I dig them out and use them as bubbles to step on?"

Da Ji jumped in fright. She had truly gone mad—how could she unconsciously try to seduce a Celestial Immortal, especially one so unfathomable?

Fortunately, Wang Yuan was not angry. Otherwise... she did not dare imagine the consequences.

Da Ji dropped to her knees with a thud. "Celestial Immortal, spare my life..."

"Alright, alright, I was joking. Anyway, listen carefully, you three. You must teach Jiang Ziya until he becomes immortal, no matter what methods you use. See that? You may use anything on my Immortal Mountain. If those Immortal Deer or Immortal Cranes are useful, kill them and eat their meat. If the golden carp in the fish pond are useful, stew them too. I only have one requirement! Make Jiang Ziya immortal within half a year!"

"Yes..." The three demons answered tremblingly. Wang Yuan had even widened his eyes, so he was clearly in a great hurry.

The next day, before Jiang Ziya had even gotten up, the three demons dragged him out of bed.

"Jiang Ziya! Listen up. Starting today, we three sisters will teach you. If you don't obey us, we'll eat you!"

Jiang Ziya swallowed hard and looked pitifully toward Wang Yuan...

"Don't look at me. If you fail to reach it, that just means you didn't work hard enough."

Jiang Ziya's gaze drifted toward Hong Lie. Hong Lie squatted fawningly beside Wang Yuan. "Senior, would you like to ride an eagle? I'll transform into my true form and take you flying around?"

Jiang Ziya: ...Hong Lie! You shameless bastard!

Hu Jiu Mei first examined Jiang Ziya's body and found nothing wrong with it. He was merely older, and his aptitude was slightly lacking, but that should not have left his cultivation so poor.

"Run your cultivation technique once."

Jiang Ziya nodded, sat cross-legged, and circulated the Jade Clarity Technique once. After watching, Hu Jiu Mei froze. "No, no. I don't know what is going on with your technique, but the speed at which you circulated it just now was far too slow."

This was actually why Jiang Ziya had failed to cultivate successfully. What others could achieve in a day took Jiang Ziya three hundred days...

Half the effort for twice the result!

Pipa and Zhi Zhi nodded as well. "Looks like we know what's going on..."

The three of them squatted some distance away and discussed it. "Could it be that his cultivation technique is no good?"

"No way. Isn't this guy from the Clarification Sect??"

"So what if he's from the Clarification Sect? Could they possibly be more glorious than our Demon Race? Our ancestors said that when the Demon Race ruled the heavens, there were more than a dozen Quasi-Sages alone. Can the Clarification Sect produce a Quasi-Sage now?"

"Don't know..."

Pipa's eyes lit up. "Eh? Didn't the Celestial Immortal say we could use any method? I saw a clump of Sesame Grass the day before yesterday. I don't know its age, but I've seen it at Your Ladyship's place. Ten-thousand-year Sesame Grass is only palm-sized, and a thousand years adds half an inch, but that Sesame Grass was rather big..."

"How big?"

"Come with me."

The three demons went around behind the small courtyard and walked another several miles. Suddenly, everything ahead turned dark, and even the sun was blocked out.

"This is it..."

Hu Jiu Mei and Zhi Zhi looked up at the Sesame Grass standing more than twenty meters tall.

"This is Sesame Grass?"

"That's right!"

"A thousand years adds half an inch... This must be around a million years old..."

A million years?

The three demons swallowed. "Give it to Jiang Ziya! We must make him immortal. And if the Jade Clarity Technique doesn't work, we'll replace his cultivation technique!"

"That makes sense!"

The three demons had their own little schemes as well. The Celestial Immortal was so wealthy; if they handled this matter well, his rewards would surely be generous.

But even if they had a hundred times the courage, they would not dare entertain any improper thoughts. Use this as an excuse for personal gain and eat it themselves? They did not dare. They feared death.

"Hey, Jiang Shang! Hurry up and eat this!"

The three of them worked together to drag back that enormous piece of Sesame Grass, sweating profusely from exhaustion. Cultivation powers were forbidden on the Immortal Mountain. If they had not possessed demon bodies, they could never have carried this Sesame Grass back.

"Eat it??"

Jiang Ziya was dumbfounded. He was a human! Not a demon. Even as a Golden Core Stage cultivator, he was still human—how could he possibly eat so much?