The Zhao Clan Seeks Refuge!
When the Lord Rat arrived, Shi Jian was gnawing on a monkey's paw.
The ape paws belonged to the Sea Ape Beast. They were marinated for half a month and then slowly roasted with Purple Firmament Divine Lightning until the skin was crispy and the meat was tender. The juices seeped into the bluestone slab, sizzling loudly.
The flesh and blood of the Sea Ape Beast were highly nutritious, and Shi Jian couldn't bear to eat it all, so he saved some to savor later.
"Ancestor, news has arrived."
The Lord Rat stood upright, its narrow eyes darting around, clearly assessing the ancestor's mood. Only after confirming its safety did it pac to Shi Jian's side and wait cautiously.
Shi Jian didn't even look up. "Speak."
"As for the Yun Clan, Yun Tianfan has taken over the council hall. Today, he sent a message telling the Sun Clan to behave themselves and not to bully others by abusing their power."
The Lord Rat paused, "You speak politely, but you haven't quite hidden the knife properly."
"This is intentionally meant to be a warning."
Shi Jian bit off a piece of meat and chewed it twice.
Yun Tianfan.
At the Foundation Establishment Late Stage, the Grand Elder of the Yun Clan was a wise and experienced man. He didn't have many special skills, but he knew more about the rules than anyone else.
What about the Sun Clan?
"Upon receiving the news, Sun Mao summoned Sun Lin for a private meeting that very day."
"My few informants overheard the gist of it; it seems Sun Lin is planning to plant a few people in the Formation and Talisman Halls recently."
"This displeased the Yun Clan. It seems these two families are engaged in a power struggle from afar, secretly vying with each other."
Shi Jian casually tossed aside the cleaned bone and clapped his hands.
Sun Mao's strengths are loyalty, but his weakness is also loyalty. Although he is quick-witted, he can be a bit too straightforward at times.
However, it is precisely because of this that it is easy to control.
"Anything else?"
The Lord Rat then twitched its whiskers, a hint of amusement in its eyes:
"Things are getting interesting with the Zhao Clan."
Shi Jian then turned his gaze to the side.
"Zhao Yanshan, the current head of the Zhao Clan family, has been making frequent private visits lately. First, he went to pay his respects to Yun Tianfan, but it seems they didn't reach an agreement."
Later, he discreetly probed Sun Mao's intentions, but Sun Mao ignored him.
The Lord Rat paused for a moment. "Last night, he sat alone on the Artifact Refining Peak, not sleeping a wink all night."
"Then what?"
"Then this morning he washed up, put on a fine blue silk Daoist robe that he had kept at the bottom of his trunk, and is heading towards our Purple Firmament Peak."
After finishing speaking, the Lord Rat shrank his neck and glanced at Shi Jian with a half-smile:
"Ancestor, the person is probably already at the foot of the mountain, and they must be requesting an audience with you."
Shi Jian remained silent.
He picked up Root Bone again, silently picking at the remaining bits of meat, his expression calm, as if he were thinking about something, or as if he weren't thinking about anything at all.
Zhao Clan.
The founder of White Cloud Temple has now become the weakest of the three factions in the tripartite balance of power, with three second-tier Spirit Vein and three Foundation Establishment cultivators.
There's also the position of Peak Master of the Artifact Refining Peak, which sounds prestigious, but in reality, it's not even as good as the Sun Clan.
Zhao Yanshan paid his respects to Yun Tianfan, but it didn't work out; he also visited Sun Mao, but was ignored.
Now we've reached Purple Firmament Peak.
This demonstrates that the person is still quite clear-headed and knows who the real player is on the chessboard of White Cloud Temple.
Shi Jian had already planned for this.
Sun Clan is now following him, and although she is loyal, that loyalty is only because she has him as her powerful backer.
If one day the Sun Clan feels they have grown too strong and no longer need him...
Shi Jian had seen and experienced many such things. He didn't trust anyone's feelings, only those bound by mutual interests, since humans and demons were fundamentally different.
No matter how close you are, there is always a limit.
One chess piece isn't enough; you need two, so they'll keep an eye on each other and won't have any extra thoughts about the ancestor.
"Alright."
"Let him come up."
The Lord Rat let out a cry, then vanished, flying swiftly and happily down the mountain.
It must have been Zhao Yanshan who secretly offered sacrifices to the Lord Rat.
Only then did they use the Lord Rat's mouth to convey the message.
Shi Jian didn't care at all. Some of his small actions themselves represented his will, and the Lord Rat dared to accept a share of the benefits.
Behind this lies Shi Jian, who may have had this inclination himself.
Zhao Yanshan is about 170 years old this year, in the Foundation Establishment Middle Stage, with a thin face and a short beard on his chin.
His clothes were neat and tidy, and he walked with a measured and proper gait.
When he arrived at the Purple Firmament Peak, he stood for a moment at the entrance of the cave abode before performing a proper bow...
"Junior Zhao Yanshan pays respects to Ancestor Shi!"
Shi Jian lay on the stone platform in the cave abode, casually glancing at him with his Divine Sense. A Golden Core aura instantly caused the heavens and earth to tremble.
Suddenly, lightning flashed Lei Ming above Purple Firmament Peak!
Thousands of thunderbolts converged, and a raging storm erupted, forming the eye of the storm in the sky, where countless bolts of lightning burst forth.
A single thought can change the weather.
The power of the Golden Core Elixir was revealed at this moment, further demonstrating Shi Jian's extraordinary abilities!
"Come in."
Zhao Yanshan stepped inside, his gaze sweeping over the furnishings of the cave abode...
Blue stone wall, thunder patterns, eye of a storm, and a picture of ten thousand beasts!
Hanging in the corner was the complete skeleton of a Sea Ape Beast, gleaming with a faint eerie light, making it appear even more divine.
His expression remained unchanged. He stopped three steps in front of the stone platform and bowed again.
"I am deeply grateful that you, my ancestor, have taken the time out of your busy schedule to grant me an audience."
"Today, having witnessed the true form of our Ancestor, I am filled with awe. May our Ancestor flourish for a thousand thousand years, protecting this vast land!"
Zhao Yanshan, that guy, he's got a whole repertoire of little words.
But as the saying goes, flattery will get you everywhere. Although the flattery was just so-so and sounded a bit stiff, the words were still pleasant to hear!
Shi Jian propped his head up with his paw and said casually:
"You went to find Yun Tianfan first, then scouted Sun Mao, and only came here last. You're not very brave, but you're still quite smart."
Zhao Yanshan remained calm and met Shi Jian's gaze, replying serenely:
"Elder Yun is the guardian of the sect's rules. If I can seek protection within those rules, it will naturally be the safest course of action."
"The person in charge of the Sun Clan is the patriarch's confidant; if we can get through him, it will be a shortcut."
"Since both paths are blocked, I had no choice but to come in person."
That's quite blunt.
Shi Jian's lips twitched slightly, a hint of appreciation appearing in his eyes. "Then speak frankly, what do you want from me?"
"He wants a powerful backer, and a chance for the Zhao Clan to rise again."
When Zhao Yanshan said this, his voice was steady, without any pleading or pleas; it sounded more like a statement. He was a man of principle!
Shi Jian remained silent for a moment.
He had seen too many people come to him for help; some cried, some knelt, and some desperately emphasized their sincerity. But this Zhao Yanshan was different. He spoke as if he were discussing a business deal, clean and straightforward, without any unnecessary embellishment.
This made him think a little more highly of him.