Cause and Effect Dissipated

Heaven Capital Mountain, Deep within Black Vine Ridge.

Inside the mountain's belly, the silence was terrifying.

The air was thick with the stench of blood, mixed with an earthy reek that turned the stomach.

The Star-Backed Black Turtle's enormous body lay prone upon the cold stone platform, scarcely daring to breathe, as though quietly awaiting something.

To its left lay a colossal creature more than a dozen zhang long—a dark jade-green serpent whose scales gleamed with an eerie chill. It was none other than Heaven Capital Mountain's foremost great demon—the Black Jade Blood Python.

This demon had occupied the Toxic Miasma Marsh for years, claiming to possess flood dragon blood. Ordinarily, its ferocity soared to the heavens.

But now, its massive head hung limply. A slender wound at its vital seven-inch point had pierced clean through its neck, and not a trace of life remained.

To Old Turtle's right was a powerfully built Golden-Maned Giant Lion, the mountain lord who presided over Heaven-Sweeping Peak.

This lion demon had always claimed to sit firmly in the second seat of Heaven Capital Mountain, and its innate gifts were indeed formidable.

Yet now, the lion demon's head and body had been severed. Its head had rolled more than three zhang away, while the wound at its neck was smooth as a mirror. Golden demon blood had soaked a vast stretch of the stone platform.

Ever since treasure light had appeared at Black Vine Ridge, the Black Jade Blood Python and the Golden-Maned Giant Lion had joined forces to seize the heart of this mountain hollow, shutting the Thousand-Legged Centipede out.

Only then had the Thousand-Legged Centipede sought to join forces with the Star-Backed Black Turtle, hoping to claim a share of Black Vine Ridge as well.

Well, now there was no need for anyone to fight over it anymore. Their souls had all gone down the Yellow Springs, and this secret realm now belonged to Ye Shaochen.

The only difference was that the Thousand-Legged Centipede had been the most useless, slain by Ye Shaochen with a single sword strike;

The Golden-Maned Giant Lion had at least endured two blows before being beheaded by the third sword;

The Black Jade Blood Python had truly lived up to its status as the foremost great demon. It had forcibly withstood five sword strikes before Ye Shaochen's final sword pierced its vital seven-inch point and extinguished its life.

Watching the two great demons who had once ruled the mountain and made a hundred demons bow their heads be hacked to pieces by flying swords before its very eyes, the Star-Backed Black Turtle could not help but sigh inwardly.

At the same time, however, it secretly rejoiced that it had submitted quickly and presented its gift with sufficient sincerity.

Otherwise, it would likely have sunk to the bottom of Longevity Pool alongside the Thousand-Legged Centipede, becoming another dead soul beneath Ye Shaochen's sword.

"But with these three demons gone, Toxic Miasma Marsh, Heaven-Sweeping Peak, and Ten Thousand Reverence Ridge have all become ownerless lands. In the central region of Heaven Capital Mountain, only Old Turtle remains as a great demon. In the future, won't I be able to dominate the central reaches of Heaven Capital Mountain all by myself?"

Old Turtle lay sprawled over the stone platform, lost in wild thoughts, when it suddenly felt the hundred-zhang-wide platform tremble faintly.

Buzz...

Amid the successive tremors, streaks of emerald light appeared from nowhere at the center of the stone platform, rippling like water.

Immediately after, A figure emerged from within the light—it was Ye Shaochen.

Ye Shaochen stood with his hands behind his back and a smile at the corner of his lips, clearly looking like a man who had reaped a rich harvest.

The Star-Backed Black Turtle knew how to read the room as well, and hurriedly said, "Congratulations, Exalted Cultivator, on your great gains within the secret realm."

Ye Shaochen smiled and shook his head. "Great gains would be an overstatement, but I have at least found a birthday gift for my master."

As he spoke, Ye Shaochen turned and carefully examined the Star-Backed Black Turtle twice before saying, "You old turtle didn't take the chance to cause trouble or flee after I entered the secret realm. You didn't even touch the corpses of these two great demons. Your temperament is quite steady and honest."

Ye Shaochen had actually taken the initiative to praise it, making Old Turtle's heart skip a beat. It quickly replied, "I dare not accept such praise from Exalted Cultivator."

"No need for false modesty. To me, Ye Shaochen, good is good and bad is bad. I tracked a criminal all the way here and damaged your water manor in the process. Not only did you not hold it against me, you even led me to this secret realm and allowed me to gain something from it. Naturally, I should praise you."

Ye Shaochen appeared to be praising it, but his lofty, condescending manner—as though he were doing it a favor by acknowledging it—made the Star-Backed Black Turtle somewhat uncomfortable.

Unfortunately, faced with such a vast gulf in strength, the Star-Backed Black Turtle did not dare reveal even the slightest hint of it. Instead, it focused entirely on the words "criminal."

"A criminal? Could he mean Young Master Sheng? So I was dragged into this because of Young Master Sheng, and that was why I ran into this sword cultivator fiend?"

Old Turtle's thoughts raced.

Ye Shaochen casually brought it up and asked whether the Star-Backed Black Turtle had previously taken any cultivators into its water manor.

Old Turtle did not dare conceal anything. It immediately recounted its ties with the He Family, its grievances with He Sheng, and He Sheng's earlier visit, telling him everything one by one.

"From what you've said, this He Sheng is indeed a great criminal who has brought chaos to the region, utterly crafty and deceitful! Clearly, he bore a grudge against you, yet he deliberately pretended to lower his head and reconcile with you. In truth, what he wanted was to divert disaster eastward."

Having said that, Ye Shaochen stared straight at the Star-Backed Black Turtle and asked, "After He Sheng treated you like this, you still don't resent him?"

The Star-Backed Black Turtle let out a soft sigh, shook its head, then nodded before finally saying, "To say I bear no resentment would naturally be false. But I was originally the spirit pet of the He Family's ancestor, and I have received the He Family's support for more than a hundred years. If, because I resent He Sheng, I were to wish for his death, I would feel somewhat guilty.

"After all, the He Family is now at the height of its power, like oil poured onto a raging fire. If He Sheng dies, a calamity that topples the heavens will strike at once. I fear the entire He Family would vanish into smoke and ashes.

"Therefore, this old turtle only hopes that, after being taught this lesson by a superior cultivator, He Sheng can cleanse his heart and turn over a new leaf, rein in his wicked ways, cultivate properly from now on, and allow the He Family to continue existing."

"Are you pleading for that He Sheng?"

Ye Shaochen's voice turned cold.

A chill rose in the Star-Backed Black Turtle's heart, but it could only brace itself and say, "This old turtle would not dare. Everything shall be decided by the superior cultivator.

"Only..."

The Star-Backed Black Turtle hesitated somewhat.

"Speak!"

"Superior cultivator, please hear this old turtle out. I do not know what grievance you have with the He Family, but if it is not a life-and-death vendetta, I ask that you spare the He Family this once."

The Star-Backed Black Turtle did not dare mention He Sheng again. It felt that the crux of the matter lay with He Sheng, though it had already made clear that He Sheng was the key to whether the He Family could continue to survive.

"It can hardly be called a grievance. Before this, He Sheng and I were complete strangers. I merely accepted someone's commission to eliminate a great bandit for the Silver Sand River."

The Star-Backed Black Turtle was stunned upon hearing this. So the He Family and He Sheng had both suffered an undeserved calamity.

"No, perhaps it was not entirely undeserved.

"The He Family has been far too overbearing in the Silver Sand River these past few years. That must be why someone secretly invited this sword-cultivating baleful star to act. In the cultivation world, it truly is better to keep a low profile."

The Star-Backed Black Turtle had a clear and perceptive mind, and quickly understood.

Yet it said nothing more, merely looking at Ye Shaochen with the air of awaiting his decision.

Ye Shaochen understood as well and smiled.

"This old turtle of yours understands the ways of the world and possesses wisdom, unlike ordinary demonic beasts that are cold-blooded and stupid.

"I admire your honest nature, your loyalty and devotion.

"I will only ask you one question: would you be willing to cultivate at my side from now on?"

The old turtle was speechless. Why did everyone want to become its master?

And in its eyes, Ye Shaochen was not even as good as He Sheng.

At least He Sheng put on a pretense. But Ye Shaochen's attitude was truly hard to stomach—making a dignified second-rank great demon into a slave and pet, while looking as though he were saying, "I'm giving you face here, so hurry up and accept it!"

But did the old turtle dare refuse?

Would it really think Ye Shaochen was asking for its opinion?

Having gained some insight into human nature, the old turtle immediately began trembling all over, looking incomparably moved as it said, "To be able to cultivate at the superior cultivator's side from now on is truly this old turtle's greatest blessing!"

"Good!

"You old turtle are truly straightforward. I will not play false with you either.

"Since He Sheng survived one strike from me and even escaped from my hands, it means his fate has not yet run out.

"And since you have spoken on his behalf, it means the time for a final reckoning between him and me has not yet come.

"Therefore, I will not pursue this matter further—whether regarding He Sheng or the He Family."

Ye Shaochen wore the bearing of a judge, as though he had bestowed some tremendous favor.

The Star-Backed Black Turtle's heart was filled with mixed emotions, but it repeatedly voiced its thanks.

Ye Shaochen then said, "It is naturally a good thing that you, old turtle, value loyalty and righteousness. But since you have acknowledged me as your master, your heart should be single-minded from now on."

Upon hearing this, the Star-Backed Black Turtle hurriedly prepared to declare its loyalty, only to see Ye Shaochen wave a hand.

"You will come to understand my temperament after we have spent more time together.

"Though I am not very old, I know that many things must be judged by what one does, not merely by what one says.

"Take affection, for example. I want you and me to grow close, but I must also consider your circumstances and not put you in a difficult position.

"So, when I return to the mountain this time, I will ask Master to grant me a complete fourth-grade cultivation method to send to the He Family. Once the He Family obtains such an inheritance, it may one day become a Core Formation family.

"This should be enough to repay the old karmic ties between you and the He Family, should it not?"

The Star-Backed Black Turtle's heart jolted. Though it was a demonic beast, it knew well that human cultivators regarded inheritances as paramount. It did not understand fourth-grade cultivation methods, but it knew very clearly the weight carried by a Core Formation family.

It said nothing further. Instead, it rose and crawled to Ye Shaochen's feet, then lowered its front half to the ground, clearly inviting Ye Shaochen to sit securely upon its back.

Ye Shaochen naturally understood. He immediately drifted up onto its back, let out several hearty laughs, and rode the old turtle out of the mountains.