Among them, Jieyin was the happiest, because ever since he had first gained intelligence, he and Zhunti had depended on each other.
"Hahaha, Junior Brother, you've finally taken human form! Now when you do something that deserves a beating, I can just hit you myself."
Zhunti had thought Jieyin would say something to congratulate him. He hadn't expected Jieyin to be thinking about beating him up.
Seeing the constipated look on Zhunti's face, Jieyin burst out laughing again. He had said that because of Zhunti's personality, which was extremely unruly—perhaps because his origin had been affected by demonic energy.
Zhunti stopped paying attention to Jieyin and looked at Randeng with eager eyes. His gaze seemed to say, Senior Brother, I've taken human form. What about the spiritual treasure you promised me?
Randeng replied unhurriedly, "Don't worry. Your spiritual treasure should have arrived by now."
He had sent Ao Yuan back to the Dragon Clan. Judging by the time that had passed, surely the Dragon Clan had already sent someone to the West.
He turned to Jieyin.
"Junior Brother, has anyone come to visit Mount Sumeru in the past ten thousand years?"
Jieyin thought for a moment before answering.
"About three thousand years ago, Senior Brother, the dragon you let go returned to the West and said he wanted to see you. But you were in seclusion, repairing the core of the leyline, so I told him to leave. He refused, though, and opened a cave dwelling in one of the barren mountains. He's been living there ever since."
As soon as Jieyin finished speaking, a voice rang out from beyond Mount Sumeru's grand formation.
"Dragon Clan member Ao Yuan has come to pay his respects to Senior Randeng. Congratulations on repairing the core of the leyline and earning great merit from Heaven and Earth."
Randeng looked outside through the grand formation. Ao Yuan had taken human form and was hovering beyond it.
"Hmph. I didn't think you'd actually dare to come back."
Randeng snorted coldly, flashed outside the formation, and faced Ao Yuan.
"Why wouldn't I dare return, Senior? I've completed everything you asked me to do."
Ao Yuan spoke loudly and without fear.
Randeng unleashed the pressure of a mid-stage Great Luo Golden Immortal, binding Ao Yuan once more. He cast a spell to examine Ao Yuan's Primordial Spirit.
The lotus seed was still inside Ao Yuan's Primordial Spirit, and its roots had firmly anchored themselves to the karmic shackles.
The gray-white karmic shackles had faded a little more.
"It seems the West Sea Dragon King really didn't tamper with your Primordial Spirit. So, what does the Dragon Clan think? Do they agree or refuse?"
Randeng was more concerned with the Dragon Clan's response to his offer of an alliance.
That would determine how much harm the karmic shackles could do to the Dragon Clan.
To his surprise, Ao Yuan gently shook his head.
"To be honest, after I returned, I was interrogated and examined repeatedly to make sure I wasn't a spy from the Demon Clan."
Ao Yuan paused, as if recalling everything he had experienced after returning to the Dragon Clan.
"Then, when the clan elders learned what the lotus seed in my Primordial Spirit could do, they were all extremely excited. Some wanted to form an alliance with you immediately. Others wanted to capture you and imprison you in the Dragon Clan, forcing you to remove their karmic burden."
At this, Randeng couldn't help snorting coldly.
"What a Dragon Clan. I wanted to help remove your clan's karmic burden out of goodwill, yet your people wanted to capture and imprison me."
Ao Yuan bowed again. A prayer bead appeared in his hand, its surface a pale, golden glaze. Judging by its spiritual radiance, it was also a Mid Grade Innate Spiritual Treasure.
"But once they learned you had advanced to Great Luo, they abandoned that idea. After discussing it, they decided on a term of fifty thousand years. Each time, they'll ask you to treat five clan members, and in return, they'll give you one Mid Grade Innate Spiritual Treasure or spiritual root."
Randeng understood. The Dragon Clan still carried some of the pride of the Ancient Three Clans. But it didn't matter; this was within his expectations.
By the time of the Sermon at Purple Cloud Palace, the Demon Clan would establish the Heavenly Court. Before they removed East Prince Gong as an obstacle, the Dragon Clan would be the first they suppressed. By then, the Dragon Clan would be begging the West to form an alliance.
"One Mid Grade Innate Spiritual Treasure in exchange for one treatment is enough. But in the future, when your Dragon Clan comes begging the West for an alliance, the price won't be the same."
Randeng waved a hand and took the Innate Spiritual Treasure. It was called the Vajra Pestle, and it was part of a set with the Vajra Pestle. It could transform into 1,808 spiritual pearls and had the power to seal and suppress.
He turned and gave the Vajra Pestle to Zhunti.
"Junior Brother Zhunti, look. You wanted a Mid Grade Innate Spiritual Treasure, and one has come right to you."
Zhunti accepted the treasure, overjoyed.
"Thank you for the treasure, Senior Brother Randeng!"
Seeing that Randeng was clearly unhappy with the Dragon Clan's attitude, Ao Yuan added, "Rest assured, Senior. My father, the West Sea Dragon King, was gravely wounded during the Dragon-Phoenix Tribulation. He was already clinging to life with the help of a treasure from our clan. Now that there's new hope, he'll soon go suppress the sea eye and make his final contribution to the Dragon Clan. That will be my opportunity."
A glint flashed in Randeng's eyes. The Dragon Clan respected strength above all. With no Great Luo among them at present, the usual rule was that whichever clan member first advanced to Great Luo Golden Immortal would become the next West Sea Dragon King.
"What do you stand to gain if I help you become the West Sea Dragon King?"
Randeng understood what Ao Yuan meant. This dragon really was ambitious.
"What I said before still stands. Once I become the West Sea Dragon King, the West Sea Dragon Clan will form an alliance with the West. I can also help you search for the other Sea-Calming Divine Pearls."
Ao Yuan was, after all, the third prince of the West Sea Dragon Clan, and he had a keen eye. He had recognized that the Sea-Calming Divine Pearls were a set. Once there were enough of them, they might transform into a Supreme Grade Innate Spiritual Treasure. Otherwise, he wouldn't have kept searching for them so persistently.
Randeng considered this for a moment without speaking. Instead, he circulated his magical power and drew Ao Yuan toward him, then sent his Spiritual Sense into Ao Yuan's Primordial Spirit.
He activated the World-Destroying Black Lotus, sending a power infused with its origin into the lotus seed in Ao Yuan's Primordial Spirit.
Ao Yuan screamed again, but he noticed that the karmic shackles had faded further and were no longer binding his Primordial Spirit as tightly.
I was right. Senior Randeng really did leave some kind of measure behind in this lotus seed.
Ao Yuan thought to himself, caught between pain and exhilaration.
In terms of strength, his eldest and second brothers had already reached the peak of Taiyi Golden Immortal and stood a better chance of advancing to Great Luo. But with this lotus seed, he might be able to get there first.
"Actually, you've guessed wrong. I'm not in a hurry about an alliance with the West or those Sea-Calming Divine Pearls. I'm betting on you. I look forward to the day we can call each other fellow Daoists."
Sooner or later, before the Witch-Demon War, the Dragon Clan would have to bow to him.
As for the Sea-Calming Divine Pearls, Randeng had a plan. According to the original course of events, Zhao Gongming would wield twenty-four Sea-Calming Divine Pearls. So the remaining pearls should be in Sect Master Tongtian's hands, or he would soon come to possess them. Otherwise, Randeng would have to wait for Zhao Gongming to appear.
Warmth welled up in Ao Yuan's heart. He wasn't well regarded within the West Sea Dragon Clan because he was born to the West Sea Dragon King and a mixed-blood dragon. That was why he was only a four-clawed golden dragon, while the pure-blooded Dragon Clan were all five-clawed golden dragons.
This was the first time anyone had trusted him.
"On the strength of those words alone, I, Ao Yuan, will not let you down. I'll be the first to break through to Great Luo."
Randeng swept his sleeve, turned, and entered the grand formation, leaving behind a single sentence:
"Bring the first group of Dragon Clan members here in three thousand years. I'll inscribe the lotus seeds for them."