255: Chapter 255 Golden Ranch: Not a Place to Get Too Close

When Ye Wuhen returned to Wendao Palace, it was exactly evening.

The setting sun dyed Wendao Peak a golden-red, like a giant burning sword thrust into the horizon.

Ye Wuhen wore a moon-white Daoist robe with a jade pendant hanging at his waist, and beside him followed a woman—Jiang Haoyue, the princess of Tianfeng Kingdom, his wife.

Jiang Haoyue wore a pale gold long dress, her hair swept up into a high bun, her face refined and beautiful, her temperament dignified.

Her cultivation was not high, only at the Early Stage of Spirit Spring, but her eyes were very bright, revealing a composure that belied her age.

As the two passed through the Mountain Gate, the Disciples along the way stepped aside one after another, bowing in salute.

Ye Wuhen remained expressionless, looking straight ahead, his pace neither hurried nor slow.

In his heart, he actually quite enjoyed this feeling of being the center of attention, but he could not show it on his face; he had to keep up appearances.

Ye Cang summoned Ye Wuhen to a secret chamber at the top of Wendao Peak.

The secret chamber was not large, containing only a stone table and two meditation cushions.

On the table sat a teapot and two cups.

Ye Cang sat on one of the cushions and pointed to the seat opposite him.

Ye Wuhen sat down, poured a cup of tea for his father, and then poured one for himself.

The tea soup was emerald green, and its fragrance was intoxicating.

Ye Cang picked up the teacup, took a sip, set it down, and looked at his son.

"How much do you know about this person, Chu Sheng?" Ye Cang asked, his tone flat, revealing no emotion.

Ye Wuhen replied, "I have met him a few times, and he has helped me. I do not know him too well."

Ye Cang nodded, fell silent for a moment, and said something that surprised Ye Wuhen.

"This person can be used, but you must not associate with him deeply."

Ye Wuhen was taken aback: "Father, what do you mean by that?"

Ye Cang looked at him, his gaze deep: "He is too smart. Smart people will not genuinely attach themselves to anyone. Today, when you are useful to him, he smiles at you; tomorrow, when you are useless, he will turn and leave."

Ye Wuhen was silent for a while, then nodded: "I understand, Father."

Though he said he understood, in his heart, he disagreed.

Chu Sheng had saved him, helped him out of a predicament in the Imperial Capital, and in the Reverse Demon Tower... although he had not gone himself, he had heard about it.

How could a person like this be so snobbish?

But he did not contradict his father.

He knew Ye Cang's temper; the more he contradicted him, the more insistent he would become.

Emerging from the secret chamber, Ye Wuhen did not return to his own residence but instead went to the Outer Sect.

Chu Sheng was not in the Outer Sect.

He had gone to Jin Xiao City, but Ye Wuhen did not know that.

Ye Wuhen sent him a message: "I am back, let's meet to talk."

Chu Sheng replied quickly: "Three days later, the usual place in the Imperial Capital."

The "usual place" was that inconspicuous little tavern in an alley on East Street in the Imperial Capital.

It was the first place Ye Wuhen had drank with Chu Sheng, and it was also where Chu Sheng had helped him out of that predicament.

Three days later, the Imperial Capital, the small tavern.

Chu Sheng arrived before Ye Wuhen and had already ordered wine and dishes.

A pot of old wine, two plates of small dishes, and a plate of peanuts.

Ye Wuhen walked in and sat down opposite him.

Chu Sheng poured him a cup of wine and pushed it over.

"What is it? You just returned to the Sect and you are already running out; are you not afraid your father will scold you?"

Ye Wuhen picked up the wine cup, took a sip, and set it down.

"My father told me to stay away from you." He said it directly, without beating around the bush.

Chu Sheng paused, then laughed: "Your father is right. I am indeed not a good person."

Ye Wuhen looked at him, a flicker of light flashing through his calm eyes.

"But I did not come here to listen to my father's words. I have my own judgment."

Chu Sheng picked up his wine cup and clinked it against his: "Then why did you come to find me? What is the matter?"

Ye Wuhen was silent for a while, then said something that surprised Chu Sheng.

"I do not want to just be a vase. I want to prove myself in the Righteous-Demonic War."

Chu Sheng looked at him, his gaze becoming a bit more serious.

"You want to go to the front lines?"

"Yes."

"Does your father agree?"

"He does not. But I will go myself."

Chu Sheng thought for a moment, then nodded: "Fine. I will take you."

Ye Wuhen's eyes brightened, but quickly returned to that faint calmness.

"Are you not afraid my father will cause you trouble?"

Chu Sheng laughed: "If your father wanted to cause me trouble, he would have done so long ago. One more thing will not make a difference."

Ye Wuhen said nothing, picked up his wine cup, and drank it in one gulp.

The two drank a few more cups and chatted about trivial matters.

Ye Wuhen asked about the situation of the Righteous-Demonic War, and Chu Sheng briefly explained it.

"On the Demon Race side, the three armies of the Nine Nether Palace, the Wanmo Hall, and the Blood God Sect have a total force exceeding two hundred thousand. On the Tianfeng Kingdom side, with the reinforcements from Wendao Palace, we can barely hold on. But we lack top-tier combat power."

"What can I do if I go?" Ye Wuhen asked.

"Gain experience. Not to go and die."

Chu Sheng looked at him, "With your current cultivation, you are not enough to be seen on the main battlefield. But you can start from the sides, gather intelligence, harass supply lines, and accumulate experience."

Ye Wuhen nodded.

"Good. I will listen to you."

In the corner of the tavern, a woman wearing a bamboo hat was drinking alone.

She heard the two's conversation, and the hand holding her wine cup paused slightly.

After Ye Wuhen left, she took off her bamboo hat, revealing a refined and beautiful face.

Jiang Haoyue.

She walked up to Chu Sheng and sat down opposite him.

Chu Sheng looked at her, unsurprised.

"Your Highness, eavesdropping is not a good habit."

Jiang Haoyue's face flushed slightly, but she quickly regained her composure.

"I am not eavesdropping. I am worried about my husband."

Chu Sheng poured her a cup of wine and pushed it over.

"What do you want to say?"

Jiang Haoyue picked up the wine cup, did not drink, but turned it in her hands.

"He has been weak since childhood, recovering from illness in the Northern Territory, and has suffered a lot. Now that he has finally returned, he wants to go to the front lines again..."

She did not continue, but her eyes had already turned red.

Chu Sheng looked at her and was silent for a moment.

"I will not let him die." His voice was not loud, but very serious.

Jiang Haoyue raised her head and looked into his eyes.

Those eyes were very calm, like a pool of stagnant water.

But she saw something within them—a promise.

"Do you promise?" She asked.

"I promise."

Jiang Haoyue took a deep breath, picked up the wine cup, and drank it in one gulp.

She stood up, put on her bamboo hat, turned, and left.

After walking a few steps, she stopped and said without looking back: "Thank you."

Chu Sheng did not answer, picked up his own wine cup, and took a slow sip.

The wine was cold, but it felt warm in his stomach after drinking it.

It was already late at night when Chu Sheng returned to his Immortal Cave in Jin Xiao City.

Just as he sat down, the communication Jade Slip in his Storage Pouch lit up.

It was Madam Huayue.

Her voice was urgent, not lazy as it usually was.

"Chu Sheng, something has happened."

Chu Sheng frowned: "What happened?"

"The Golden Pasture. Do you remember that Golden Pasture in the territory of the Blood God Sect?"

Chu Sheng remembered.

The Golden Pasture, one of the three Forbidden Grounds of the Demon Realm.

Of course, one, the Reverse Demon Tower, had already been destroyed.

When the previous Demon Lord Greed was in power, he had cultivated countless Demon Seeds on the pasture.

After Greed died, the pasture lost control, and those Demon Seeds devoured each other, evolved intelligence, and became the masters of the pasture.

Later, Gluttony appeared and took over the pasture.

It was occupied by at least three Dao Palace-level Demon Seeds, and they provoked no one.

"What happened to the Golden Pasture?"

Madam Huayue's voice was very low, as if she were afraid of something overhearing.

"The residual devouring power of Gluttony has leaked out. The Demon Seeds in the pasture have started to riot. The Blood God Sect sent several waves of people in, and none came out. Demon Boy went personally, but he was unable to suppress it."

Chu Sheng's brow furrowed even deeper.

He had witnessed the devouring power of Gluttony in the Reverse Demon Tower.

That was a power capable of gnawing through even the Restrictions of Greed.

If it leaked to other parts of the Demon Realm, the consequences would be unimaginable.

"I understand," Chu Sheng said, "stay away from there, do not get involved."

Madam Huayue's voice carried a trace of worry: "You... you will not be in danger, right?"

Chu Sheng laughed: "Rest assured, my life is tough."

The communication Jade Slip went dark.

Chu Sheng sat in the chair, looking at the ceiling, silent for a long time.

The Golden Pasture, the leakage of Gluttony's power.

The Righteous-Demonic War had not yet started, but chaos had already broken out within the Demon Realm.

Was this an opportunity or a trap?

He shook his head and temporarily pushed these thoughts aside.

Regardless, he had to handle the matters at hand first.

Ye Wuhen wanted to go to the front lines to gain experience, and he had to make arrangements.

He also had to greet Grandmaster Jiang.

And there were the reinforcements from Wendao Palace; the Peak Master of the Tenth Peak was still waiting in the main camp.

Chu Sheng stood up, walked to the window, and pushed it open.

The night wind blew in, cool and refreshing.

The distant horizon was hazy, impossible to distinguish where the sky ended and the ground began.

He watched for a while, closed the window, and turned back to the inner chamber.

It was time to rest; there was much to do tomorrow.