Scheming

Zhou Yuan did not see that after he left, the blood of those cultivators slowly flowed out and gathered toward the Wei River.

Within the Wei River, as the blood flowed in, an ancient pale-blue pattern flickered in and out of sight.

Faint sounds of ritual sacrifice seemed to echo between heaven and earth.

Yet in the blink of an eye, the pattern gradually faded into nothingness.

Clearly, the remaining energy was insufficient to sustain its manifestation in the world.

"These are people from the Kui Water Tribe."

Before long, another group of beings clad in divine robes appeared.

They surveyed the scene before them, their expressions turning stern.

Although the Kui Water Tribe was not among the foremost Divine Demon Tribes of the Tianshui Imperial Dynasty, it was still a major tribe.

Though these tribal beings were not highly cultivated, each carried a tribal secret treasure. Their combat strength was far beyond that of ordinary independent cultivators.

Yet now, they had been completely wiped out.

"Judging from the state of the battlefield, a high-level cultivator intervened."

"These fellow Daoists were clearly struck dead in a single blow while fleeing from that cultivator."

An Old God slowly shook his head.

"Such an existence is no longer one we can pry into."

Their cultivation and combat strength were roughly on par with the tribal beings before them. Even if they found the perpetrator of this massacre, they would merely be throwing their lives away.

"This matter must be reported to the Eighteenth Prince for his decision."

The Old God's words received unanimous agreement from the group.

The culprit was so ferocious that even if they found him, they would only die.

How many cultivation resources did they even receive from the Tianshui Imperial Dynasty? Why risk their lives for this?

With that in mind, the cultivators vanished back into the water mist moments later.

By the Wei River.

On an unnamed barren mountain.

Zhou Yuan gazed calmly at the Innate Deity before him.

"So, among the beings dispatched by the Tianshui Imperial Dynasty to the Wei River this time, the Eighteenth Prince has the highest cultivation."

"And the Eighteenth Prince is merely at the True One Realm?"

The blue-robed deity, who had long since been tortured beyond recognition by Zhou Yuan's Yin-Yang Chaotic Cavern Divine Light, gave a muffled groan.

"That is indeed the case."

"I would not dare conceal anything."

"I beg Your Divinity to spare my life, considering that I have told you everything truthfully."

Zhou Yuan glanced at the obsequious heavenly being and divine demon, then sighed softly.

"Though you have recounted everything that happened here in full detail,"

"the causal logic behind it does not stand up to scrutiny."

"The Eighteenth Prince is the son of the Dao Lord Tianshui. How could he possibly lack supreme treasures at his side?"

"If I am not mistaken, the Dao Lord Tianshui must have left quite a few safeguards upon the Eighteenth Prince."

"Yet you urged me to seek out the Eighteenth Prince and seize his opportunity."

"Your intentions deserve death."

The blue-robed divine demon's face stiffened as he knelt on the ground.

He forced out a smile.

"Your Excellency misunderstands."

"Your Excellency truly misunderstands."

"My life and death rest upon a single thought from Your Excellency. How would I dare harbor such a scheme?"

Zhou Yuan smiled faintly.

"Whether you harbored such a scheme is no longer important."

"I have my own judgment regarding all these causes and effects."

In the deity's terrified eyes, a jade-green bamboo staff descended from above and struck his skull.

A beam of divine light shattered his primordial spirit.

Zhou Yuan looked at the utterly dead being before him and thought to himself:

Most of what this cultivator said should have been true.

He merely concealed certain details regarding the strength of the Eighteenth Prince's party.

He likely intended to use a borrowed knife to kill.

With that, Zhou Yuan's thoughts raced.

If what he said was true,

the Wei River Water Mansion was about to emerge into the world.

That would truly be a great opportunity.

The Wei River was a branch of the Huai River and one of the Eight Streams of the primordial world.

Its Water Mansion's master governed the Wei River. His status was noble, equivalent to that of an Innate Great Sage.

That master of the Water Mansion has been dead for several epochs, and now the Wei River is choosing a new master.

If I can seize the right moment, refine the Wei River, and use its power to comprehend the Water Element Law, the rank of Great Sage will be within reach.

Zhou Yuan felt somewhat exhilarated.

His true body was a Ren Water Pure Dharma Bamboo, naturally compatible with the Great Dao of Water Element. With the Wei River's aid, comprehending the Water Element Law would be far easier.

Moreover, his Heavenly Machine Chessboard was a High-grade Innate Spiritual Treasure. Though he had yet to refine it completely,

when he used it to calculate heavenly secrets, the Wei River could obscure those secrets.

Clearly, the treasure within possessed a status at least equal to the Heavenly Machine Chessboard, perhaps even surpassing it.

Then I cannot avoid contending for it.

A great opportunity lay before him.

The Great Dao lay before him.

To advance was to survive; to retreat was to fall behind.

As for being discovered and hunted down by the Dao Lord Tianshui,

based on the information he had obtained,

that ancient Dao Lord was clearly being watched by those two from Phoenix Perch Mountain.

Combining what Guizhenzi and this Innate Deity said, the demon race will be established within this One Yuan Assembly.

The Five Directions Divine Dynasty, including the Tianshui Divine Dynasty, may become sacrifices for the demon race's founding.

When that time comes, that Dao Lord will likely have no time to concern himself with me.

With the Innate Supreme Treasure, the Myriad Dao Book, concealing heavenly secrets as well,

Zhou Yuan's eyes flickered with divine light.

He had already made up his mind.

The bamboo staff in his hand swept lightly, and pure divine light flickered.

The mountain split apart, and a crude cave dwelling was formed.

Zhou Yuan entered the cave dwelling.

He took out a bronze furnace and sat cross-legged upon a meditation cushion.

He then opened the furnace and directly tossed the intact corpse of the heavenly being and divine demon inside.

This heavenly being and divine demon was clearly one of the Eighteenth Prince's attendants from the Tianshui Imperial Dynasty.

Using him to gather intelligence and scheme against others will be much more convenient.

With that thought, Zhou Yuan's hands did not slow in the slightest.

One divine material after another was placed into the bronze furnace.

Then, an ancient golden lamp appeared in the void.

Clusters of flames surrounded the golden lamp.

"Go."

Zhou Yuan formed a Magic Incantation with his fingers.

A scarlet flame instantly appeared within the golden lamp in the air.

The flame transformed into two fire dragons in midair. Taking the form of yin and yang, they circled the bronze furnace as they danced and flew.

"Myriad Transformations Divine Mechanism."

The fire dragons roared as all manner of profound mysteries unfolded.

Beneath the firelight, Zhou Yuan's face flickered between light and shadow.

After an unknown length of time, the blaze gradually weakened.

He took out his bamboo staff and lightly struck the bronze furnace.

A clear, resonant sound rang throughout the cave dwelling.

Then, the furnace lid rose.

A deity suffused with water-element aura and shimmering with deep blue light appeared in the void.

Yet upon closer inspection, its eyes were dull and lifeless.

It was clearly a puppet.

Zhou Yuan swept his divine sense over the puppet.

Finding not the slightest trace of altered aura upon it, he could not help clapping his hands in praise.

"Excellent!"

"This divine ability of the Myriad Transformations Divine Mechanism is truly extraordinary."

Divine light flashed in Zhou Yuan's eyes.

A wisp of divine sense entered the puppet's body.

The puppet immediately became lively.

"Original body, do I look more like a deity or more like you?"

The puppet spoke with a giggle.

Zhou Yuan glanced at him indifferently.

"You are me, and I am still me."

"Boring."

The puppet deity casually sat down.

Zhou Yuan rubbed his forehead and sighed.

Did his original body have such a carefree side as well?

He lightly flicked his sleeve.

Dozens more puppets appeared within the cave dwelling.

Most were puppets of the Grotto-heaven Realm, while a small number possessed the strength of heavenly beings and divine demons.

"Take them with you."

"Lure over another group of cultivators from the Tianshui Divine Dynasty."

"I have a great use for them."

The puppet deity and the dozens of puppets present were linked to Zhou Yuan's will. Having received his command, they said nothing further.

They transformed into streams of light and scattered in all directions.

Zhou Yuan looked toward the distant, sky-shrouding water mist.

He slowly closed his eyes.