Chapter 1481 - 76: Storm Brewing_2
With two consecutive passes and the [Ancient Dragon Court] as a binding interest, the demoness is a rather useful chess piece at the moment.
At least, more controllable than Cui Zhen, and more trustworthy than Cui Zhen.
"If the Great Palace Master and the Holy Emperor are willing to sit by and do nothing, I don’t mind moving the entire ’Da Sui Sword Palace’ to the Demon Country."
Xie Xuanyi spoke calmly, "It’s just a pity that this is the Demon Country, not Great Chu... Assassinating the Nether Sea is not something that can be done by one or two people; you need Ye Ling, and I also need a helper."
"So this is the helper you chose?"
Cui Zhen watched Ao Ying’s departing figure and mocked, "Assassinating the Nether Sea requires the courage of one who expects to die without success. Ye Ling can abandon her life for me without hesitation, but this demoness... you should be able to see for yourself that she has no desire to be involved in such matters; she simply doesn’t have the courage to sacrifice her life."
"Assassinating the Nether Sea is a matter for Great Divine Ability Users."
Xie Xuanyi remained calm, "In battles of this level, those below the Yang God Realm are no different from ants. If low-level cultivators willingly sought death and could harm a Great Divine Ability User, then the Nether Sea would have died long ago. I don’t need Ao Ying to sacrifice her life for me; I have my own uses for her."
This argument, when it reached this point, no longer held much significance.
Cui Zhen stared into Xie Xuanyi’s eyes.
He didn’t know what exactly these two had experienced, but he knew that Xie Xuanyi did indeed trust Ao Ying.
"Alright."
At this point, Cui Zhen had no choice but to concede.
He took a deep breath and said, "Xie Xuanyi, I respect you... but the matter of assassinating the Nether Sea is extremely important and cannot tolerate the slightest mistake. If this demoness harbors a second thought..."
"If she messes up, I have my own ways of dealing with it."
Xie Xuanyi tapped the back of the chair and said, "Now... you can tell those two pieces of news. Start with the bad news."
"The Territory of Great Ape Mountain has Three Layer Realms."
Cui Zhen adjusted his emotions.
He quickly regained his composure and said, "We are currently located in the First Realm, the ’Outer Mountain’. This realm stretches for thousands of miles, with almost no fortifications, barriers, or checkpoints, nor is there any Great Demon guarding it."
The Outer Mountain has only natural dangers.
Endless snow mountains stretch on, demon beasts roam, and the boundaries of the Demon Country are clearly distinct.
Everyone knows...
Stepping into the Outer Mountain is the territory of Great Ape Mountain!
"The Second Realm, the ’Mountain on the Mountain’, is much more constrained in territory, with many Venerable’s fiefs located here. To enter the Second Realm, you need to use the Passage Document of Great Ape Mountain, a Bloodline Token of the Demon Country."
As he spoke.
Cui Zhen took out two Iron Orders from his sleeve.
These things are not actually difficult to obtain.
Although the Demon Country’s territories are distinct, they have also copied many reforms from the Human Race. Normally, the cultivators from various Great Holy Lands can travel freely without rigorous "inspections"... As long as relations with Great Ape Mountain aren’t too bad, one can obtain such an Iron Order.
As long as you show it, you can enter the Second Realm, the "Mountain on the Mountain".
"What truly matters is the Third Realm."
Cui Zhen’s expression was solemn, "The Third Realm, the ’Great Saint Mountain’, has been a territory where only those with power, influence, status, and standing can enter within Great Ape Mountain. The Great Saint Mountain is almost never opened, and at least Cave Heaven Realm Great Demons have the qualification to enter this realm."
"Is the Nether Sea’s retreat territory in the Third Realm?"
Xie Xuanyi raised an eyebrow.
He had already guessed what the bad news was.
"That’s correct."
Cui Zhen said in a deep voice, "The fiefs awarded to the Great Venerables of Great Ape Mountain are all in the Third Realm. But importantly, the Nether Sea is an ascetic who has ventured out only a handful of times in nearly sixty years... Based on this pattern, he will almost never leave the Third Realm on his own initiative."
Great Ape Mountain and Erosion Sun Swamp are not forces on the same level.
The Nether Sea Venerable has not shown himself in many years.
His strength... no one knows what realm he has reached.
But years ago, during the Battle of Poison, he was already at the peak of the Fourth Realm of Yang God.
After so many years of ascetic practice.
The Nether Sea very likely has had a significant breakthrough.
To step into the Third Realm to assassinate the Nether Sea is almost an impossible task.
This Third Realm also holds numerous Yang Gods of Great Ape Mountain.
Not to mention the Holy Emperor.
There are also the Saint Prince, Ling Chenzi, and the Primordial Saint...
Even Zhao Chunyang at his peak couldn’t accomplish such a feat.
"What’s the good news?"
Xie Xuanyi frowned, feeling somewhat at a loss.
To kill the Nether Sea.
The first step is extremely difficult.
They simply cannot enter the Third Realm, and the inspection of this Third Realm must be very strict.
"In recent days, the guard of the Third Realm may be relaxed."
Cui Zhen shifted the topic, lowered his voice, and said, "Internal news from Great Ape Mountain, the Holy Emperor’s three hundred year birthday has arrived... Just a few days ago, invitations have already been sent out, and it won’t take long before this news spreads throughout the entire Demon Country..."
"The Holy Emperor’s three hundred year birthday?"
Xie Xuanyi was slightly stunned.
He really hadn’t expected such a thing. Nowadays, the situation in Great Ape Mountain actually isn’t very optimistic, because after the end of the Battle of Poison, the Holy Emperor fell into a situation similar to his own master. This absolute leader of Great Ape Mountain has been in retreat for many years, rarely appearing in public or meeting the world. For a time, there have been numerous rumors within the Demon Country, the most common being "The Holy Emperor is dead."
Indeed.
When someone reaches an old age, they will encounter such suspicions.
The Great Tribulation ended just a thousand years ago.
The Holy Emperor... has sat alone in this supreme position on Great Ape Mountain for nearly three hundred years.
If he is still alive.
He should make a public appearance before all living beings.
If he is already dead.
Then this position... should be occupied by another person.
"This move by Great Ape Mountain is quite interesting."
Xie Xuanyi chuckled slightly, musingly saying, "At such a time, holding a birthday banquet in a grand manner, are they trying to prove something to the world? This is unlikely to be at the Holy Emperor’s own directive, isn’t it?"
This birthday banquet, at first glance, seems unproblematic.
But on closer thought, there are many inconsistencies.
"Of course."
Cui Zhen responded very quickly and affirmatively.
"The Holy Emperor has been in retreat for many years... As far as I know, even the Saint Prince has no chance to step into the retreat place. This grand birthday banquet definitely wasn’t ordered by him, I am ninety percent sure that an intense undercurrent is hitting inside Great Ape Mountain."
"Oh... really?"
Xie Xuanyi raised his eyebrows.
"You mean, someone wants to test the Holy Emperor’s life and death, deliberately released the news of the birthday banquet..."
"Yes."
Cui Zhen nodded and said, "The invitations have already been sent, and there’s absolutely no room for negotiation or retraction."
"For such a big matter, there shouldn’t be a unified opinion within Great Ape Mountain, right?"
Xie Xuanyi smiled, "Once the invitations are sent, it may stir quite a commotion..."
This indeed is a piece of good news.
With the invitations sent, a large number of demon cultivators will visit.
The Second and Third Realms of Great Ape Mountain will be opened.
The more people there are.
The easier it is to fish in troubled waters.
The task for him and Cui Zhen is to become the most inconspicuous bystanders among the numerous demon cultivators, and during this grand Holy Emperor’s birthday banquet, use the crowd to squeeze into the "Third Realm".
"The Saint Prince returned to Great Ape Mountain today."
Cui Zhen sneered, "As far as I know, they’ve already started arguing internally."
"..."
Xie Xuanyi sat in the wheelchair, giving the handsome Great Demon a meaningful look.
He silently pondered over this sentence.
This news carries significant weight.
However, he was more interested in Cui Zhen’s "insider"... Xie Xuanyi knows that this guy has insiders in both Great Ape Mountain and Heavenly Phoenix Palace, but now it seems that Cui Zhen’s "insider" is of a remarkably high level, since the Saint Prince returning to Great Ape Mountain and having conflicts with the high echelon isn’t information that ordinary demon cultivators could have access to.
This "insider" must at least have the qualification to reside permanently in the Great Saint Mountain.