42: First Qilin

Hearing Yuan Feng's warning, the figure made no further attempt to remain hidden.

"Very well, very well!"

"Fellow Daoist, do not be anxious. This poor Daoist will reveal himself now."

A heavy Dao rhyme began to flow as the person withdrew his concealment, revealing the image of a kind, middle-aged Daoist.

The two white eyebrow marks above his eyes were exceptionally thick, and he was looking at the two of them with a benevolent expression.

The two Qilin horns upon his head revealed his identity; he was a member of the Qilin Clan.

The aura of Daluo Perfection faintly radiating from him declared that this person was certainly not simple.

Behind him followed several others from the Qilin Clan, who were also looking at them with somewhat ill intentions.

Could they be planning to seize the treasure?

In truth, when a treasure is born, it belongs to the one with the Opportunity.

Setting aside whether one is fated, meeting is fate enough, and might makes right.

There was no guarantee the other party didn't intend to seize the treasure by force, which inevitably caused Qing Wu and his companion to heighten their alertness.

But soon, the leader waved his hand casually, signaling those behind him to retreat while he remained alone.

"Qilin Clan, First Qilin, greets you both, Fellow Daoists."

It wasn't that First Qilin hadn't thought about seizing the treasure, but he considered that the two individuals opposite him were experts no weaker than himself.

He had only brought a few juniors from the clan; it was not advisable to provoke a conflict with them.

Furthermore, although this wood spirit pearl was precious, it was ultimately only a High Grade Innate Spirit Treasure. His Qilin Clan had deep foundations, and it wasn't worth taking such a risk.

Thus, First Qilin bowed again: "This poor Daoist congratulates you, Fellow Daoist, on obtaining the treasure!"

Hearing this, Qing Wu's heart stirred.

First Qilin? The Clan Chief of the Qilin Clan? Why would he appear here?

Compared to the Dragon Clan, although the Qilin Clan was low-key, their strength was not to be underestimated.

The Qilin Clan's Qilin Cliff was located on the Central Land, not very far from Mount Buzhou, so it made sense for him to be here.

As fellow powerhouses of Daluo Perfection, they had coincidentally come to Mount Buzhou to seek a possible chance for a Breakthrough.

It could be considered a bit of fate, though not much.

Speaking of First Qilin, they had encountered him once before during the previous Beast Calamity.

At that time, Qing Wu and his companion were searching for traces of Qiong Qi, and they happened to come across First Qilin leading the Alliance of Ten Thousand Races in a fierce battle against Tao Wu.

Adhering to the principle of treating all Beast Kings equally, the two of them had only intervened slightly.

They broke the balance of the battlefield, allowing First Qilin's side to gain the upper hand.

It was only that much, and there had been no further communication.

First Qilin clearly still remembered the two of them. Discovering they were also at Mount Buzhou, he wanted to establish some good karma.

He also wanted to see if there was a possibility of recruiting them.

After all, the strength these two displayed was not to be underestimated. If he could gain their assistance, it would be a significant boost.

Thinking of this, the smile on First Qilin's slightly mature face became even more benevolent.

One does not strike a smiling face. Qing Wu and his companion returned the greeting and announced their own Daoist Names.

"So it is Fellow Daoist First Qilin. I have long heard your great name."

"This poor Daoist is Qing Wu, and this is Yuan Feng. We come from the Nanming Undying Volcano."

Hearing this, First Qilin was visibly stunned.

Immortal Volcano—he hadn't heard much about it.

What kind of place was it? Could it compare to his Qilin Cliff?

But the smile on his face did not fade. "Very well, very well. This poor Daoist has also long heard of your great names and has quite a yearning for the Immortal Volcano."

Qing Wu and his companion didn't believe a word of this.

His reaction just now had been clearly seen by them.

It was obvious he didn't know and was just pretending.

Yuan Feng didn't care much for pleasantries, while Qing Wu engaged in mutual flattery with First Qilin.

First Qilin expressed his gratitude for their righteous intervention during the battle with Tao Wu.

Qing Wu also praised First Qilin's righteousness in leading the Alliance of Ten Thousand Races to resist the Vicious Beasts.

With a warm smile on his face, First Qilin's gaze shifted back and forth between Qing Wu and Yuan Feng.

He spoke in a gentle tone: "You two have come from afar and are likely unfamiliar with Mount Buzhou. This poor Daoist has operated in this area for many years. Why don't I take you on a tour?"

Qing Wu smiled slightly and cupped his hands. "We appreciate your hospitality, Fellow Daoist. However, the two of us are used to being idle and prefer to explore on our own. We won't trouble you."

A sharp light flashed in First Qilin's eyes as he continued to smile. "Fellow Daoist is too polite. Although Mount Buzhou is vast, there are some hidden places that might be difficult to find without a guide."

Since the other party was being so proactive, he must have a motive.

Hearing this, Yuan Feng's eyebrows twitched slightly, but she did not respond.

She could also read the intent to recruit from First Qilin's tone.

Yuan Feng couldn't help but begin to observe this Clan Chief of the Qilin Clan.

She had a feeling that if she ever embarked on the path of seeking hegemony, this First Qilin would certainly be a formidable opponent.

A battle between them would be inevitable.

Now, it was quite something—not only had she not gone to compete with First Qilin for hegemony, but he was actually thinking of recruiting her. It was a truly indescribable feeling.

Qing Wu responded calmly: "Thank you for your kindness, Fellow Daoist. However, our trip is only for travel. Regarding Opportunity, we will simply let nature take its course."

Seeing one plan fail, First Qilin came up with another.

He stroked his long beard and sighed with feigned emotion: "Now that the world has just settled and the Vicious Beasts are destroyed, the Great Desolate is still not peaceful. My Qilin Clan sits in the Central Land and is on good terms with all clans. We can provide a quiet place for you to Cultivate."

A flash of realization appeared in Yuan Feng's eyes; he clearly didn't think much of her Immortal Volcano.

The top-tier precious land in the Great Desolate that she had worked so hard to find was surely no worse than his Qilin Cliff.

Yuan Feng felt a bit of anger and was about to give First Qilin a piece of her mind, but Qing Wu reached out to stop her.

One couldn't blame the other party. He and Yuan Feng had always acted with a low profile, choosing to ignore all recruitment and allegiance from various forces, only caring about their own small territory.

Usually, the two of them didn't reveal their strength much in the Great Desolate, having only intervened once during the Great Calamity. Those who knew of them were limited.

It wasn't surprising that First Qilin wasn't very clear about their background.

But this was also good. Since First Qilin didn't take the Immortal Volcano seriously, it meant he didn't view them as potential rivals.

This also reduced the risk of them being pulled into the Great Calamity.

Qing Wu chuckled. "We appreciate your kind intentions, Fellow Daoist. However, although the Immortal Volcano is remote, it is peaceful, which perfectly suits our temperaments."

Seeing that the other party consistently refused to take the bait, First Qilin tried several more times, but Qing Wu answered flawlessly, giving him no chance to recruit them.

The atmosphere became somewhat stagnant for a moment.

Seeing this, First Qilin knew that further beating around the bush was futile. He finally withdrew his smile and said seriously:

"Fellow Daoists, this poor Daoist will be direct."

"The current structure of the world is about to change, and a tripartite balance is forming. My Qilin Clan is thirsty for talent. If you are willing to join, you will be treated with the position of Elder and share in the Great Desolate's Luck!"

Qing Wu and Yuan Feng glanced at each other, both seeing the realization in each other's eyes.

This old fellow has finally shown his horns.

After setting the stage for so long, he finally couldn't keep up the act.

However, if he wanted to pull them into the calamity, he could forget about it.

He only wanted to Cultivate peacefully within the Immortal Volcano, survive the various Great Calamities, and accompany Yuan Feng in climbing the Great Dao together. That was all.

As for extra matters, he would help if he could, and if he couldn't, he would just watch from the sidelines. That was the path he pursued.

Qing Wu cupped his hands. "We are unworthy of your invitation, Fellow Daoist. It's just that the two of us are used to being like idle clouds and wild cranes; we cannot stand being constrained."

He paused and said meaningfully: "It is not convenient for us outsiders to interfere in the Qilin Clan's affairs, nor do we wish to."

The meaning was clear: we have no intention of getting involved, so you should go back to wherever you came from.

First Qilin's expression changed slightly, but it quickly returned to normal.

He took a deep look at Qing Wu and sighed: "Fellow Daoist is indeed clear-headed. In that case, this poor Daoist will not force you. However..."

"If you should change your minds in the future, the doors of the Qilin Clan will always be open to you."

After saying that, First Qilin bowed, called his clansmen, and turned to leave.

Once First Qilin was far away, Yuan Feng snorted coldly: "That old Qilin is certainly calculating."

"Isn't he afraid that if he pulled the two of us over, he wouldn't be able to keep us in check by himself?"

Qing Wu turned to look at her slightly serious expression and couldn't help but chuckle.

This one was also not one to be content with living under others for long.

If Yuan Feng truly had been recruited by First Qilin, then that would have been quite a show to watch...