402: Green Bamboo

"What is it?" Xiao Zhuo's face was calm, his voice even.

Yuan Tian had already seen through Cao Xiaochuan's concerns, a flicker of worry passing through his eyes.

No one understood Cao Xiaochuan better than him.

Compared to Xiao Zhuo, who had given Cao Xiaochuan a Legacy and then left him to his own devices for many years, Yuan Tian had watched Cao Xiaochuan struggle from a mere mortal to the Profound Immortal Realm. Their friendship was deep, like a Revered Master and a friend.

His concern for Cao Xiaochuan far surpassed Xiao Zhuo's.

At this moment, Yuan Tian's heart was in his throat, fearing that Cao Xiaochuan would make some presumptuous request.

But his reverence for Xiao Zhuo was ingrained, and everything was based on his Revered Master's will. At this moment, he could only suppress his anxiety and wait to see what would happen.

"Revered Master!" Cao Xiaochuan took a deep breath, as if he had made up his mind, "This Disciple still has a Bloodline Family in this Realm. I humbly request, Revered Master... to take the Cao Family with us from this place!"

As soon as the words left his mouth, he visibly relaxed, but a hint of hesitation remained.

Yuan Tian nervously looked at Xiao Zhuo. If his Revered Master showed even a hint of displeasure, he was ready to immediately kneel and plead.

"Is that all?" Xiao Zhuo's expression remained indifferent. "Then go arrange it today."

Hearing his Revered Master's consent, a huge weight lifted from Cao Xiaochuan's heart, but the hesitation on his face had not yet dissipated.

"Hmm?" Xiao Zhuo raised an eyebrow slightly, genuinely surprised this time. "Is there something else?"

Cao Xiaochuan's scalp tightened under Xiao Zhuo's gaze. He could only steel himself and say, "This Disciple... this Disciple dares to ask, Revered Master, if you could... bring one more person?"

"Oh?" A half-smile played on Xiao Zhuo's lips, his heart already making a guess.

Seeing Xiao Zhuo's expression, Yuan Tian's suspended heart finally relaxed considerably—his Revered Master showing such an expression usually meant he wouldn't be angered.

Cao Xiaochuan, however, dared not look up and quickly added, "It's a... Fairy from the Immortal Realm! During the great calamity of the Blood Demon Realm, she fought alongside this Disciple. Later, when the Blood Demon Realm was promoted, the Heavenly Court intervened, and Old Ancestor Xue Tian detained all the Prodigies from the outside, for reasons unknown. This Disciple humbly requests Revered Master to rescue this... friend from the Blood Demon Realm!"

"Just a friend?" The smile on Xiao Zhuo's lips deepened.

The others in the hall couldn't help but show mischievous smiles.

"Senior Brother!" Wang Xianyu playfully blinked, giggling, "If you truly like Sister Qingzhu, why not directly ask Young Master to make the decision for you? Why go such a long way around? Look at you, your face is all red!"

"Junior Sister! Don't talk nonsense..." Cao Xiaochuan was utterly embarrassed.

"Senior Brother," Wang Xianzhi also chimed in seriously, finally looking at Xiao Zhuo, "I think Yu'er has a point. Revered Master is so enlightened, he wouldn't be constrained by such minor matters. Right, Revered Master?"

"Uh..." Cao Xiaochuan's handsome face instantly turned crimson, wishing he could find a hole to crawl into.

Xiao Zhuo shook his head slightly, his gaze sharp, and asked again, directly hitting the core: "Xiaochuan, is taking Qingzhu away your idea? Or did she ask you to plead with me?"

This time, Cao Xiaochuan was silent for a few breaths, finally choosing to be honest: "Replying to Revered Master, Qingzhu... did indeed mention this to this Disciple. This Disciple did not dare to presume, only promising to... plead with Revered Master for her."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Zhuo secretly nodded.

With his Realm, he could naturally perceive Cao Xiaochuan's struggle just now—he instinctively wanted to protect that woman, but in the end, he chose to tell the truth.

If Cao Xiaochuan had insisted it was his own idea, Xiao Zhuo would have flatly refused.

If Qingzhu, without any actual marital status with Cao Xiaochuan, used his affections, and if Cao Xiaochuan was still willing to cover for her, or even deceive his Revered Master, then this Disciple would be too foolish and not worth much.

Xiao Zhuo had already decided in his heart that if that were the case, he would find a stable place to settle Cao Xiaochuan in the future, to avoid wasting his efforts and resources.

After all, his first Disciple's affection was not as deep as that of the Wang Siblings.

Fortunately, Cao Xiaochuan held his ground.

Seeing Xiao Zhuo lost in thought, Cao Xiaochuan's heart tightened again. He held his breath, not daring to say another word, quietly awaiting the verdict.

After a few breaths, Xiao Zhuo spoke indifferently: "Enough. I grant this matter. All of you, go prepare."

"Thank you, Revered Master!"

"Yes!"

Everyone bowed and withdrew.

Once the main hall returned to silence, a playful smile slowly appeared on Xiao Zhuo's face.

"Using my Disciple's affection as a stepping stone? Heh, she has some guts..."

Before he finished speaking, his figure had already vanished without a trace.

Seven States of the Blood Palace · Blood Haze State.

Within an elegant villa suspended in the rosy glow.

A stunning woman in a red dress and white skirt was meditating by a spiritual pool, cultivating.

Thin Immortal Qi mixed with rich Spiritual Qi formed a small Qi vortex around her, slowly entering her body.

At this moment, a delicate figure with snow-white wings lightly descended.

The woman sensed something, slowly ceased her cultivation, and opened a pair of clear, cold beautiful eyes.

"Sister Qingzhu!" The white-dressed girl, White Spirit, skipped closer, her small face full of nonchalance, "Why work so hard? We came here just to gain some Luck, and now that our Realm has broken through, isn't it better to Cultivate when we return to the Immortal Realm? Even if this Blood Demon Realm has been promoted to a Great Thousand World, the Immortal Qi is still pitifully thin. Cultivating here for ten days might not even be as good as one day back in Jade Pool Holy Land!"

Her tone was sweet and innocent, with the unique laziness of the Immortal Beast race.

Qingzhu gave her an annoyed look: "White Spirit, your Immortal Crane race is uniquely blessed; you can even increase your cultivation by sleeping when Immortal Qi is abundant. I am of the Human Race; how can I be so lazy?"

White Spirit, the little princess of the Immortal Crane race in the Immortal Realm, was, like Qingzhu, a Disciple of the Jade Pool Holy Land.

Her trip to the Blood Demon Realm was also part of a deal between her clan and Old Ancestor Xue Tian, sending her to "gild herself" and gain some Luck.

Who knew that Emperor Haotian of the Heavenly Court would personally intervene, causing Xue Tian to flee in disarray, and detaining all these "connected individuals" like them?

Previously, when Xue Tian and Xiao Zhuo went deep into the Dark Realm, they had no time to deal with these second-generation elites. So, these nearly a hundred well-connected second-generation elites from the Immortal-Demon Realm were collectively put under house arrest in Blood Haze State.

The Blood Demon Realm had not yet broken out of the Dark Realm, and the situation in the outside Immortal-Demon Realm was unclear, so the disposition of these second-generation elites was naturally put on hold.

This made everyone, except for the carefree White Spirit, anxious, anxiously inquiring about news, hoping that their backing forces could find a way to rescue them.

Qingzhu's identity was even more special.

She was not only a Core Disciple of Jade Pool Holy Land, one of the Three Great Sacred Lands of the Immortal Realm, but also a direct descendant of an Immortal King Great Family in the Immortal Realm.

Her ability to come to the Blood Demon Realm this time was due to her Family elders promising to block other coveters, thus exchanging for a spot from Xue Tian.

However, when the Heavenly Court's army descended, her elder weighed the pros and cons and chose to stand by.

This was tantamount to betraying the agreement with Xue Tian, severely offending this newly promoted Great Thousand World Lord.

Now, Qingzhu's situation was even more awkward and dangerous than others.

During the defense of No. 6 Giant City, she met Cao Xiaochuan, a native Prodigy of the Blood Demon Realm.

The two had fought side by side several times and had developed some friendship.

She could clearly feel that the simple and resilient young man had developed feelings for her.

But what was Qingzhu's status? A Prodigy of Jade Pool, a granddaughter of an Immortal King! How could she fancy a native of the Lower Realm?

However, as the great calamity of the Blood Demon Realm concluded, the details gradually surfaced.

She was astonished to learn that Cao Xiaochuan's Revered Master was none other than the revered Saint of the Blood Sea, who had already gone to the Immortal-Demon Realm to Cultivate!

Even more shocking was that this Saint, with only a Profound Immortal Clone, returned to participate in the war and, in the final battle, fiercely cut down a Golden Immortal and severely injured another!

He single-handedly seized the greatest Meritorious Service (merit) apart from Xue Tian!

A Profound Immortal Clone, cutting down a Golden Immortal!

This was by no means something that could be achieved by mere profound cultivation!

This person, among those of the same Realm, must be an unparalleled Prodigy who dominated one side!

When Cao Xiaochuan inadvertently revealed that his Revered Master, Xiao Zhuo, was about to take them away from the Blood Demon Realm, Qingzhu's mind instantly became active.

She subtly hinted, tentatively asking Cao Xiaochuan if he was willing to take her out of this cage.

She quietly placed her hope of leaving on the Lower Realm youth whom she had once disdained.

"By my reckoning, Xiaochuan has been with his Revered Master for a while now; he should be back soon!" Qingzhu murmured, her expression carrying a hint of hope.

"Sister! Why are you so anxious! Would the Lord of this Blood Demon Realm dare to offend so many of us at once?" White Spirit said nonchalantly, "Sooner or later, they'll have to send us back!"

Qingzhu felt a bit helpless. Sometimes she envied foolish girls like White Spirit, at least they wouldn't be anxious and uneasy from knowing too much.

Just as the two women were chatting, a figure had appeared behind them at some unknown point.