Integration

She watched Fairy Cai Feng depart.

Zhou Yuan's gaze was profound.

"It was not in vain that I revealed my divine abilities and drew solicitations from all sides."

"Now that I have entered the Phoenix Perch Mountain lineage, I can be said to have a patron within the Demon Clan Heavenly Court."

With Phoenix Perch Mountain's name behind him, Zhou Yuan could act more aggressively.

But...

Even with Phoenix Perch Mountain's support, Zhou Yuan still had a long road ahead if he wished to truly occupy the water veins within the Tianshui Imperial Dynasty, and go even further by taking all of the Huai River and becoming one of the Great Water Lords of the Four Rivers.

After all, those beings who had already occupied the water veins would never surrender their interests.

There would inevitably be conflict.

"But having gained Phoenix Perch Mountain's support..."

"With those two Dao Lords backing me, I need not fear the Dragon Clan or other Great Divine Ability Users using force to suppress me."

At the very least, he no longer had to fear them acting openly.

Chessboard Mountain.

Dragon Ancestor Chenlong looked toward the cave dwelling atop the mountain, his eyes blazing with fervor.

"I never expected Master to break through to the Grand Unity Great Sage realm so quickly."

"Now, we too can be called disciples of Grand Unity."

Though he was also a dragon, he possessed only mixed blood.

Dragons were naturally lustful. The Four Seas Dragon Clan had spread its seed throughout the world, leaving countless creatures with dragon blood in their veins.

Among their clan, Dragon Ancestor Chenlong, this little mixed-blood dragon, already possessed the purest bloodline.

The Dragon Clan had once been ancient overlords. To decorate their own prestige, many great powers had enslaved mixed-blood dragons to some extent. After all, they could not afford to provoke true pure-blooded dragons.

If it had merely been enslavement, Chenlong could have endured it.

Yet dragon blood contained countless wondrous properties and was greatly beneficial to cultivation.

Before pledging himself to Zhou Yuan, in order to preserve his clan, Dragon Ancestor Chenlong had even needed to offer one dragon-blooded creature every hundred years to Chessboard Mountain's former lord in exchange for protection.

"But after Master occupied Chessboard Mountain, he never demanded that our clan offer blood sacrifices."

"Now that Master has become a Grand Unity Great Sage, he is a regional overlord capable of protecting our mixed-blood dragon clan for the long term."

"I must cling tightly to this thigh."

Dragon Ancestor Chenlong's gaze flickered.

Rat Ancestor Zishu and the other Chessboard Mountain stewards beside him were equally excited.

When one person attained the Dao, even his chickens and dogs ascended to heaven.

Given Master's talent, he might not lack the hope of attaining the Innate Dao Lord realm.

By then, their status would be all the more extraordinary.

Just as everyone entertained their own thoughts...

A clear voice rang out from within the cave dwelling.

Rat Ancestor Zishu and the others exchanged glances, then transformed into streaks of light and flew into the cave dwelling.

"We pay our respects to Master."

"May Master's path be smooth, and may you soon attain Dao Lordhood."

With a sweep of his Dharma eyes, Zhou Yuan took in the cultivation of everyone below at a glance.

The twelve stewards of Chessboard Mountain were still in the Heavenly Being God-Demon realm.

Yet all of them had reached the perfected Heavenly Being God-Demon realm.

They were only one step away from entering the True One Realm.

Zhou Yuan understood the reason clearly.

Though these twelve had cultivated for no short time, they were all Postnatal Beings born through natural creation. Given their foundations and heritage, cultivating the Turbid Fiend God-Demon Path yielded twice the effort for half the result.

Their current cultivation was due, first, to their diligent and conscientious efforts, and second, to their share of the profits from Chessboard Mountain Marketplace. Only with those resources could they sustain their cultivation.

Postnatal Beings truly were unsuited to cultivating the Turbid Fiend God-Demon Path. No wonder the Mystic Gate Immortal Path became mainstream in later ages, while the Turbid Fiend God-Demon Path, so glorious in this era, vanished into the river of time and left behind only scattered fragments in ancient histories.

"There is no need for such ceremony."

Zhou Yuan looked rather sentimental as he said:

"When this humble Daoist first came to Chessboard Mountain, I was merely a True One cultivator."

"Only with all of your assistance was I able to establish Chessboard Mountain's foundation."

"In the blink of an eye, more than one yuanhui has passed!"

Hearing Zhou Yuan's sigh, everyone hurriedly said they did not deserve such praise.

Zhou Yuan waved a hand and continued:

"You have guarded Chessboard Mountain for over a hundred thousand years."

"Your merits and hardships are immense."

"I have now formally assumed the position of Wei River Water Lord."

"I fear that I will be unable to attend to matters here at Chessboard Mountain in the future."

"So I will give you two choices, to bring this bond between master and servants to a proper close."

Rat Ancestor Zishu and the others all fell to their knees, weeping bitterly.

"Master is merciful. Please take us in."

Seeing this, Zhou Yuan's eyelid twitched as he said sternly:

"Quiet. Let this humble Daoist finish."

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

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

"I will also impart a passage of scripture to you. From then on, you may live in peace, and entering the True One Realm will not be difficult."

Rat Ancestor Zishu and the others paused at those words. The True One Realm was something they had never even dared dream of before.

Now, a broad road into the True One Realm lay before them.

They would be lying if they said they were not tempted.

"But the price is that you will completely sever this last thread of sentiment with Master."

The stewards present all understood.

Ox Ancestor Chou Niu rumbled in a muffled voice, "Master, what is the second choice?"

Zhou Yuan smiled.

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

At those words, Ox Ancestor Chou Niu's bell-like eyes lit up like lanterns. He nodded repeatedly and chuckled foolishly.

"I choose the second."

"I choose the second."

"Only by following Master do I feel secure. Only then can I sleep soundly and eat well."

Pah! Shameless bastard.

Pig Ancestor Hai Zhu, fat-faced and large-eared, saw that this fellow had no shame at all. Using his bulk, he shoved Ox Ancestor Chou Niu aside, then stammered at Zhou Yuan for a long while before finally forcing out one sentence:

"Me too!"

Everyone present voiced their stance in turn.

They declared that they would steadfastly follow Zhou Yuan in building their cause and firmly uphold the leadership of the Wei River Water Palace with Zhou Yuan at its core.

"I have only just taken control of the Wei River. There will be much warfare ahead."

"If you wish to enjoy peace at the Wei River, I fear that will be difficult."

"And warfare and slaughter cannot avoid sacrifice and death. Can you endure it?!"

Rat Ancestor Zishu and the others exchanged glances, then prostrated themselves solemnly.

"Since we have entered Master's service, we shall be Master's vanguard. We will brave fire and water without daring to retreat."

Zhou Yuan's future was vast. Now that he had joined Phoenix Perch Mountain and had Dao Lords behind him as support, his future held limitless possibilities.

How could they make such an unwise choice?

The path of cultivation was paved with corpses. If one feared death, one should not cultivate.

"Good!"

Seeing their sincerity, Zhou Yuan could not help clapping his hands in praise.

"Since that is so, quickly settle and hand over all matters within the mountain."

"Each clan need only leave one or two minor demons behind to guard the mountain and tend to Chessboard Mountain's secondary residence."

"All other demon folk shall accompany me to the Wei River."

Rat Ancestor Zishu and the others answered in unison, saying joyfully:

"We shall obey Master's orders."

After Rat Ancestor Zishu and the others withdrew, another figure entered the cave dwelling: a thin, stooped old man leaning on a Peach Wood Staff.

"Guizhenzi pays respects to the Great Sage!"

Guizhenzi looked with complicated eyes at Zhou Yuan, who sat upon a cloud couch surrounded by countless strange phenomena.

More than a hundred thousand years had passed. The friend who had once stood at the same realm as him had already soared to the heights, while he had squandered the years and remained stagnant in place. The bitterness within him was beyond what he could tell outsiders.

"Hahaha, it has been more than a hundred thousand years since we last met. Has everything been well, Daoist friend?"

Seeing Guizhenzi's expression, Zhou Yuan sighed inwardly, but he knew that as his cultivation grew ever higher, such things would become commonplace.

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

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

After a while, Zhou Yuan smiled at him.

"This humble Daoist has now become the Wei River Water Lord."

"There is still a vacancy for a chief steward in the Water Palace. Would Daoist friend be willing to take the position?"

Guizhenzi stroked his beard and smiled, then bowed deeply.

"It is precisely what I desire, though I had not dared ask for it!"

Zhou Yuan was first stunned, then clapped his hands and laughed.

"Good!"

This old man truly was clever and decisive.

Excellent.

Otherwise, when Zhou Yuan sought to take the Canglan River, it would be too late for this old man to come seeking refuge.