Integration

Fairy Cai Feng departed.

Zhou Yuan's gaze was deep.

"It was worth revealing my divine abilities to attract recruitment from all sides."

"Now that I've joined the Phoenix Perch Mountain lineage, I have a backer within the Demon Clan Heavenly Court."

By leveraging the influence of Phoenix Perch Mountain, Zhou Yuan could act even more aggressively.

However...

Even with the support of Phoenix Perch Mountain, Zhou Yuan still had a long way to go to truly control the water veins within the Tianshui Imperial Dynasty's territory, let alone go further and fully control the Huai River to become one of the Great Water Lords of the Four Rivers.

After all, the beings who already occupied the water veins would never give up their interests.

There would still be a struggle.

"But I have secured the support of Phoenix Perch Mountain."

"With the backing of those two Dao Lords, I don't have to fear the Dragon Clan or other Great Divine Ability Users suppressing me with sheer power."

At least he wouldn't have to fear them making overt moves.

Chessboard Mountain.

Dragon Ancestor Chenlong looked towards the cave dwelling on the mountaintop, his eyes filled with fervor.

"I didn't expect Master to break through to Grand Unity Great Sage so quickly."

"With this, we can also be called disciples of the Grand Unity sect."

Although he was of the Dragon Clan, he was only of mixed blood.

Dragons were inherently lustful, and the Four Seas Dragon Clan had sown their seeds across the land, resulting in countless beings with Dragon Clan bloodlines.

Dragon Ancestor Chenlong, this little dragon of mixed blood, was already the one with the highest bloodline purity among them.

The Dragon Clan was, after all, an ancient overlord. Some powerful beings, to maintain appearances, had enslaved some mixed-blood dragons to some extent, as they couldn't afford to provoke pure-blooded True Dragons.

If it were merely being enslaved, Dragon Ancestor Chenlong would have endured it.

However, dragon blood contained numerous mystical properties that were quite beneficial for cultivation.

Before defecting to Zhou Yuan, Dragon Ancestor Chenlong, to ensure his clan's survival, had even offered a dragon-blooded creature every hundred years to the previous master of Chessboard Mountain in exchange for protection.

"But after Great Lord occupied Chessboard Mountain, he never demanded sacrifices of blood food from our clan."

"Now that Great Lord has become a Grand Unity Great Sage, capable of being a regional overlord, he is sufficient to protect us mixed-blood dragons for a long time."

"I must cling to this powerful figure."

Dragon Ancestor Chenlong's eyes flickered.

The other stewards of Chessboard Mountain, like Rat Ancestor Zishu, beside him, were also extremely excited.

When one person achieves success, their associates prosper.

With Great Lord's talent, he might even have a chance to prove his Dao and become an Innate Dao Lord.

At that time, their status would be even more extraordinary.

Just as everyone was lost in their own thoughts.

Within the cave dwelling, clear sounds echoed.

Rat Ancestor Zishu and the others exchanged glances and transformed into streams of light, flying towards the cave dwelling.

"We pay our respects to Great Lord."

"May Great Lord's Dao path be smooth and may you quickly prove your Dao as a Dao Lord."

Zhou Yuan's divine eyes swept over them, and he understood the cultivation status of everyone below like the back of his hand.

These twelve stewards of Chessboard Mountain were still at the Heavenly Human Divine Demon realm.

However, they had all reached the peak of the Heavenly Human Divine Demon realm.

Just one step away from entering the True One realm.

Zhou Yuan understood this.

Although these twelve individuals had been cultivating for a considerable time, they were all Postnatal Beings created by Creation. Their foundations and heritage made it difficult for them to cultivate the Turbid Fiend God-Demon Path, yielding half the results for twice the effort.

Their current cultivation was due to their diligent and hardworking cultivation; on the other hand, they also received a share of the profits from the Chessboard Mountain marketplace. It was with this income and resources that they could support their cultivation.

Indeed, Postnatal Beings were not suited for cultivating the Turbid Fiend God-Demon Path. It was no wonder that in later generations, the Mystic Gate Immortal Path became mainstream, while the once-resplendent Turbid Fiend God-Demon Path was hidden in the river of time, only leaving behind fragments in some ancient histories.

"There is no need for such formalities, everyone."

Zhou Yuan said with a look of emotion:

"When I first arrived at Chessboard Mountain, I was merely a True One cultivator."

"It was with your assistance that I established the foundation of Chessboard Mountain."

"Time has flown by, and it has already been one primordial epoch!"

Everyone heard Zhou Yuan sigh and quickly said they dared not.

Zhou Yuan waved his hand and continued:

"You have all guarded Chessboard Mountain for hundreds of thousands of years."

"You can be said to have worked hard and made great contributions."

"I am now officially the Water Lord of the Wei River."

"I'm afraid I won't be able to look after things on Chessboard Mountain from now on."

"Now I will give you two choices, and it can be considered as fulfilling this master-servant relationship."

Rat Ancestor Zishu and the others all prostrated themselves on the ground, weeping profusely:

"Great Lord, have mercy, please take us in."

Zhou Yuan's eyelids twitched when he saw this, and he said in a deep voice:

"Quiet, and listen to me finish."

"The first choice is to stay on Chessboard Mountain and manage this foundation."

"With my face, the mountain lords of the Myriad Spirit Mountain Range will not make things difficult for you."

"I will also pass on a scripture to you, and from then on, live in peace, and entering the True One Realm will not be difficult."

Rat Ancestor Zishu and the others paused upon hearing this. The True One Realm, such an existence was something they had never even dared to imagine before.

Now, a smooth path to the True One Realm lay before them.

It would be a lie to say they weren't tempted.

"But the price for this is to completely sever this sliver of connection with the Great Lord."

The stewards present knew what this meant.

Ox Ancestor Chou Niu said in a deep voice:

"Great Lord, what is the second choice?"

Zhou Yuan smiled:

"That would naturally be to accompany me to the Wei River."

Upon hearing this, Ox Ancestor Chou Niu's large, bell-like eyes lit up like bulbs, and he nodded repeatedly, chuckling foolishly:

"I choose the second option."

"I choose the second option."

"Following Great Lord, I feel at ease and can sleep and eat soundly."

Heh, shameless.

Pig Ancestor Hai Zhu, with his fat head and big ears, saw this fellow shamelessly push Ox Ancestor Chou Niu aside with his bulk. After stammering at Zhou Yuan for a long time, he finally managed to squeeze out a sentence:

"Me too!"

Everyone present expressed their stance.

They declared their unwavering commitment to following Zhou Yuan in his endeavors and resolutely upholding the leadership position of the Wei River Water Palace with Zhou Yuan at its core.

"As I have just taken charge of the Wei River, there will be many military matters to attend to."

"If you wish to live in peace in the Wei River, it will be difficult to achieve."

"Moreover, matters of war and killing will inevitably involve sacrifice and annihilation. Can you all bear this?!"

Rat Ancestor Zishu and the others exchanged glances, prostrated themselves on the ground, and said solemnly:

"Since we have pledged allegiance to Great Lord, we shall be your vanguards, wading through fire and water, and dare not retreat."

Seeing Zhou Yuan's boundless future, and now that he had joined Phoenix Perch Mountain with a Dao Lord as his backing, his future held infinite possibilities.

How could they make an unwise choice?

Besides, the path of cultivation is paved with bones; if you fear death, don't cultivate.

"Good!"

Zhou Yuan, seeing their sincerity, couldn't help but clap his hands in praise.

"If that is the case, you all quickly finish tidying up and handing over the affairs of the mountain."

"Each tribe shall leave only one or two minor demons to guard the mountain and manage the secondary residence on Chessboard Mountain."

"All other demon followers will accompany me to the Wei River."

Rat Ancestor Zishu and the others roared their assent, saying happily:

"We respectfully obey Great Lord's command."

After Rat Ancestor Zishu and the others withdrew, another short, thin old man, hunched over and leaning on a peach wood staff, entered the cave dwelling.

"Guizhenzi greets the Great Sage!"

Guizhenzi looked at Zhou Yuan, who was sitting on a cloud bed surrounded by infinite phenomena, with complex eyes.

Tens of thousands of years passed. Friends who were once at the same cultivation level had ascended to the heavens, while he remained stagnant, wasting his time and making no progress. The bitterness of this was something he couldn't share with outsiders.

"Hahaha, it's been tens of thousands of years, my friend. How have you been?"

Zhou Yuan looked at Guizhenzi's expression and sighed inwardly. He knew that as his cultivation grew higher, such occurrences would only become more common.

"All is well, all is well..."

Guizhenzi briefly shared some of the events that had transpired in the Myriad Spirit Mountain Range over the past hundred thousand years with Zhou Yuan.

A short while later, Zhou Yuan smiled at him:

"This humble Daoist is now the Wei River Water Lord."

"My Water Mansion is still in need of a chief steward. Would you be willing to take on the position?!"

Guizhenzi stroked his beard and smiled, bowing deeply:

"It is my deepest desire, I would not dare to ask for it!"

Zhou Yuan was stunned for a moment, then clapped his hands and laughed heartily:

"Excellent!"

This old man is truly astute and decisive.

This is for the best.

Otherwise, if this old man were to seek refuge when he intended to take the Canglan River, it would be too late.