Chapter Seventy-Seven: Disaster Diverted East

When Yazi regained consciousness, he felt an intense pain throughout his body, his mind foggy, memories of the past nearly blank. Groans escaped his lips, deep and hoarse, startling even himself.

Before he could make sense of his situation, he suddenly noticed Qingxu standing before him and was instantly alarmed. His condition was dreadful; if this Daoist meant him harm, ten lives would not be enough to save him.

“Fellow Daoist Yazi, I, Qingxu, greet you.” Qingxu, having already refined the Mother Beast Control Talisman, was in high spirits. Seeing Yazi awake, he calmed himself. Though he had taken advantage of Yazi’s weakness to implant the Child Beast Control Talisman into his primordial spirit, taming him as a guardian spirit beast would require further effort. Still, the situation was essentially under control. No matter how proud or resolute Yazi might be, he could not escape Qingxu’s grasp.

As Qingxu spoke, Yazi pieced together recent events and discovered the Child Beast Control Talisman within his primordial spirit. His expression darkened, his gaze—eyes as large as bowls—glinted coldly, murderous intent unmistakable.

“Despicable scoundrel! You dare commit such low acts while I was unconscious? Remove it at once, or soon you will bear the wrath of the Dragon Clan!” Yazi tried to break the talisman’s hold, but it was like a dragonfly shaking a pillar—utterly futile. Left with no other option, he could only threaten Qingxu.

“I am a true Daoist of the Mystic Sect, dedicated to subduing evil and monsters. Though you are one of the Nine Sons of the Ancestral Dragon, you neglect cultivating virtue to atone for your forebear’s sins and instead wreak havoc. Being enslaved by me is your opportunity—submit quickly, lest your spirit be consumed by inner fire.” Qingxu showed no shame at Yazi’s insults, his smile cold and mocking.

“Even in death, I would never submit to a despicable wretch like you!” Yazi, ever proud among the dragons and revered across the four seas—at least on the surface—had always held himself in high esteem. How could he accept the reality of becoming another’s guardian spirit beast?

“Alas! Such ferocity. Though I am compassionate, I must now employ methods to subdue evil.” Outwardly sorrowful, Qingxu unleashed the Mother Beast Control Talisman, flooding the area with radiant golden light. The Child Talisman responded, its immense and indifferent power pressing upon Yazi’s primordial spirit.

“Ah! Ah!” A heart-wrenching scream erupted from Yazi’s mouth. He felt as if immersed in molten lava, stabbed by countless poisoned needles, billions of ants gnawing and burrowing through his muscles...

“Monster, will you submit?” After a moment, feeling the torment had lasted long enough, Qingxu questioned coldly.

“Submit! Submit! Master, please stop! Yazi will submit...” The cold tone was, to Yazi’s ears, heavenly music. He begged for mercy; the agony was unbearable, stronger than any previous suffering by countless times.

Yazi pleaded, and Qingxu granted him reprieve, wary of pushing Yazi’s spirit toward collapse.

“Huff... huff...” Yazi had just traversed from heaven to hell, still shaken, gasping for breath, terror in his eyes.

“This place is unsafe. The disturbance just now may attract powerful beings. We must leave at once.” With a wave, Qingxu turned and walked away, his back exposed to Yazi.

Seeing Qingxu’s back, Yazi’s eyes flashed fiercely. With a roar, “Die!” he spat a sphere of dark energy straight at Qingxu’s head.

“Monster, you cannot change your nature—it’s your own fault.” Yazi’s move had been anticipated; Qingxu remained calm, flicked the Xihuang Banner, dispersing the dark energy. He immediately used the soul-refining method of the Child-Mother Beast Control Talismans upon Yazi’s soul and true spirit.

Once again beset by agony worse than death, Yazi writhed and howled, rolling on the ground, repeatedly kowtowing and begging Qingxu for forgiveness, swearing never to betray him, pledging eternal submission and servitude.

“Hmph! However proud or resolute you may be, do you think you can escape the Beast Control Talismans forged by a Sage?”

“Yazi, let me make this clear to you today: I am Qingxu, first disciple of Pangu Jade Purity Primal Sage. These Child-Mother Beast Control Talismans were crafted by my master himself. With a single thought, I can destroy your soul or make you wish for death. The soul-refining pain you’ve felt twice now is but a tenth or less of its true power. Of course, you may seek out Zhuo Dragon to remove it, but that is your own affair. Let me warn you: should I perish, you will suffer the full pain of soul refinement until your spirit shatters.” Qingxu spoke truthfully, not deceiving Yazi.

His heart sank to the depths.

Yazi’s eyes filled with despair. Qingxu had laid it all out—did he have any hope left?

“Hunyuan Sage”—this title, to the beings of the Wilds, was nearly equal to the Heavenly Dao, representing supreme authority. Even quasi-sages could only bow before such power; otherwise, they would find themselves unable to survive in the Wilds, forced to flee into chaos and open a minor world to hide, ever fearful of discovery by a Sage.

Zhuo Dragon was the second greatest figure in the Dragon Clan’s most glorious era, possessing profound cultivation. Yet, for all that, he was only a quasi-sage, close to sagehood but separated by an insurmountable gulf. All beneath the sages are but ants; before Primal Heaven Sovereign, Zhuo Dragon was merely a slightly stronger ant.

“Sage powers are unfathomable. With just my uncle’s abilities, this Beast Control Talisman likely cannot be removed. To become another’s guardian spirit beast—even for a Sage’s disciple?”

Seeing his words had struck a chord, Qingxu pressed his advantage, persuading further: “You need not be troubled. Though you serve as my guardian spirit beast, you retain your freedom as before. All you must do is relay some key information about the Dragon Clan to me and occasionally pass on my messages. Of course, matters critical to the survival of your clan are excluded. Besides, consider this: I am a disciple of a Sage, destined for greatness, with a Sage as my backer. This connection could help your Dragon Clan in the future. In the present Wilds, the Witch Clan dominates, the Demon Clan rises, and your Dragon Clan—once the foremost—will surely face many opportunists after its fall.”

Qingxu’s words stirred Yazi’s heart. He had no other choice now. After careful consideration, he finally nodded in agreement. After all, he controlled what information he passed along, so long as it did not harm the Dragon Clan. It was a minor matter. Compared to before, he was merely bound as a spirit beast, but now connected to a Sage’s disciple—not too great a loss.

“In that case, pass along your first message for me: tell Zhuo Dragon that the Four Ferocious Beasts perished at the hands of the Second Demon Ancestor, Luo Fan.”

Disaster redirected east!

“Second Demon Ancestor? Luo Fan?” Yazi was surprised; he did not even know the name of the Second Demon Ancestor, nor did Zhuo Dragon, perhaps. Yet the Daoist before him knew, which impressed him greatly. After all, a Sage’s disciple must not be underestimated. He did not doubt Qingxu’s words—three feet above, the Heavenly Dao watches. Sages are not to be deceived; if a Sage’s disciple lied, it would not be long before divine retribution struck. This was hardly a secret in the Wilds.

“Very well. In future, relay important information to me through the Beast Control Talisman. Now, I take my leave!” Seeing Yazi nod, Qingxu waved his hand, summoned the clouds, and departed for Wanqu Hill. Yazi, retrieving his natal treasure—the Yazi Blade—returned to the Water Crystal Palace of the East Sea Dragon Clan to deliver this false message to Zhuo Dragon. He cared not if it caused friction between the Demon Sect and the Dragon Clan; others might not know, but he understood. It was the Demon Sect’s schemes during the ancient era that led to the war and decline of the Dragon, Phoenix, and Qilin clans.