476: Chapter 476 King Kong Xuan

The Main City Tower.

"How is that possible?" Zhou Yan looked at Qing Xuan, bewildered. "Yuan Chenling is still only at the Core Formation stage, right?"

Qing Xuan nodded.

"And Shi Suiyan is also still at the Core Formation stage, right?"

Qing Xuan thought for a moment before speaking.

"She recently finished her seclusion in the Small World and has already reached the Nascent Soul stage. As for her actual strength, it's hard to say."

"But she shouldn't be stronger than me, right? I'm still trying to find a way out, and yet the two of them just barged right in?" Zhou Yan still found it hard to believe.

Shi Suiyan did have that time-based Divine Ability that was practically a cheat, but she shouldn't be stronger than him.

There was no reason for him to be stronger before his Transmigration and settling down, only to end up weaker after twenty years of refinement.

Qing Xuan quickly began to explain.

"Actually, they didn't exactly barge in. They used a bit of a trick."

Hearing this, Zhou Yan's interest was piqued.

"Oh? Care to elaborate?"

"This story starts a while back." Qing Xuan narrowed its eyes, looking as if it were about to start from the beginning of time. But before it could speak, Zhou Yan punched it in the head.

"You just said it was urgent, and now you're going back to the beginning? Just get to the point!"

After taking the punch, Qing Xuan behaved and quickly laid out the facts.

"A lot has happened in these past three years since you disappeared, Holy Brother."

"First, many of the Truth Cult's strongholds were uprooted, causing them to lose a significant amount of manpower. After that, Bai Ling and Xuanyuan Qingyao reached the Soul Transformation stage naturally while in the Small World."

"Since becoming Soul Transformation Cultivators, they've been constantly causing trouble for the Truth Cult."

"Even though the Sect released news that you were still alive to calm things down, they didn't stop."

"This has led the Truth Cult to have a terrible opinion of the three of you. You're practically seen as villains now."

At this, Zhou Yan didn't feel much of anything. He could only say that Bai Ling and Xuanyuan Qingyao were truly hardcore.

"Although this tarnished his reputation, he didn't have any good feelings toward the Truth Cult anyway, so it didn't really matter."

Once he got out, he'd have to treat them to a meal at the very least... and, while he was at it, get his hands on the things they had promised him.

"Furthermore, while you were away, Holy Brother, we used your seclusion as an excuse to stall the Truth Cult. However, a high-ranking Cultivator from the Truth Cult has been constantly trying to get in touch with you."

"Eventually, unable to wait any longer to see you, he began negotiating a partnership directly with Mo Ran."

"Ultimately, after weighing the pros and cons, I agreed to incorporate the Taiyi Sect into the Truth Cult."

"In exchange, he even applied for a position within the Truth Cult's upper management for you, stating that it could be finalized once your seclusion ended."

"So, on the surface, our Taiyi Sect is already a part of the Truth Cult. You, Holy Brother, are even a designated King-rank powerhouse of the School of Life and a future member of the Truth Cult's upper management."

Hearing this, Zhou Yan was completely dumbfounded.

What was going on? He had been gone for three years, and he came back to find himself part of the enemy's management?

"That doesn't seem right, though. Didn't you say it wouldn't be finalized until I 'finished my seclusion'? Given how strict the Truth Cult is being, it doesn't seem like Yuan Chenling would be able to bring Shi Suiyan in with him."

Qing Xuan nodded, rubbing its head with its wing as it spoke.

"That's true. Even if you were to officially take the title, Holy Brother, it wouldn't work. After all, everyone knows Yuan Chenling is your lackey."

"If his identity as Earl Spirit Lion remained unknown, it would be fine. But if he were to report to the Desire Realm in person, not only would he meet a miserable end, but even Earl Spirit Lion might be banned from receiving sacrifices within the Desire Realm."

"The reason he was able to smuggle Shi Suiyan into the Desire Realm was all thanks to that 'talent' you found, Holy Brother."

"He contacted a Void Refining Cultivator from the Lianxing Pavilion and used their name to open a smuggling route, allowing them to enter the Desire Realm directly without being monitored."

"A talent? Did I really find someone that capable?"

Zhou Yan searched through his memories. The most powerful subordinate he had recruited seemed to be Zhang Wei's father, a veteran Soul Transformation Cultivator.

"But could a veteran Soul Transformation Cultivator really have that kind of influence?"

Qing Xuan still remembered the force of Zhou Yan's punch, so it didn't keep him in suspense.

"It's that man named Qian Santong. This was the result of his maneuvering."

"Qian Santong? Isn't he still rotting in prison?" Zhou Yan became even more confused after Qing Xuan spoke.

The real Qian Santong was still serving time in the Great Yu, and the one in the Main City was merely an Incarnation. His original purpose was just to help with the city's construction and clerical work. How had he suddenly pulled off such a major feat?

"It's a simple story, really."

"Because Hui Butan and the Taiyi Sect have maintained a friendly relationship for years, and since the demon himself is at the Lianxing Pavilion headquarters, Qian Santong was quickly able to use Hui Butan to establish connections with the headquarters.

Through those connections, he found the nephew of the person in charge of the Lianxing Pavilion's headquarters in the Great Yu Dynasty, and then used the nephew to get in touch with the man himself.

I don't know what that guy did, but somehow he managed to establish a secret partnership between the Taiyi Sect and them, and even got himself a sentence reduction of one hundred and forty-five years."

"Holy... crap, he really is a talent..."

After hearing this series of events, Zhou Yan fell into a state of deep shock.

Originally, he hadn't thought much of Qian Santong. In his eyes, Qian Santong was just a paper tiger who had climbed the ranks through unconventional means and scheming; reaching that level should have been his limit.

But now it seemed that this guy really had skills. If he hadn't been so accustomed to being slippery and hadn't limited himself with so many unconventional tactics, he might have been able to go even further.

It turned out that using his silver tongue to become a high-ranking official of the Great Yu was actually a waste of his abilities!

However, after learning that Shi Suiyan and the others were likely safe and that Yuan Chenling's silence was probably just due to being too busy, Zhou Yan felt relieved. He then asked Qing Xuan if there was a way for him to enter and exit the Desire Realm legitimately.

Although it looked like one of his tasks might be located here, he would be able to exert much more influence if he could move in and out freely.

Maintaining autonomy was far better than going back now and continuing to rely on luck, especially since he had many things he hadn't had time to capitalize on yet. Whether it was his injuries or the Fusion of the Law of the Heart, he wouldn't be able to act freely within the Desire Realm.

After telling Qing Xuan what he wanted, Qing Xuan offered its advice.

"Holy Brother, you can go to Qian Santong for this as well. After all, the connection he made is with a genuine high-ranking member of the Lianxing Pavilion, someone with significant influence even among the upper echelons."

"As long as that person is willing to vouch for you and frame your entry into the Desire Realm as being under their wing, then your presence there will be legitimate."

"Afterward, you can find the leader of the Truth Cult's School of Life and register your identity to obtain King-rank status. Then, moving in and out freely won't be difficult, and you'll also be able to provide significant help to Yuan Chenling and the others who smuggled themselves in."

"However..." Qing Xuan looked at Zhou Yan, who was still in his female body, with some hesitation. "Holy Brother, this female body of yours is indeed known to very few, but is it reliable? You won't be seen through and walk right into a trap, will you?"

"I have my ways. You don't need to worry."

Regarding his identity in the female body, Zhou Yan had two layers of cover. Even if they could see through him at a glance like Han Yue and were absolutely certain of his identity, he still had ways to alter their perception.

"So, contact Qian Santong for me now and have him set up the connection. I'll head back and prepare."

"Oh, right!"

As if remembering something, Zhou Yan handed a tattered scroll and a... dirty carpet? to Qing Xuan.

"Give these to my Master, the Fourth Elder. See if he can help me repair them, and let him know that I'm safe while you're at it."

"And while you're at it, ask if there's any way he can fish me out of the Desire Realm."

"After all, you shouldn't put all your eggs in one basket. It's always better to have several backup plans."

"Alright, I'm off. I'll be back in about an hour."

With that, Zhou Yan vanished from the tower, leaving only Qing Xuan behind to grumble.

"Sigh, Holy Brother gives me work the moment he returns. It looks like I won't be having any free time from now on."

"Hmm, now that Holy Brother is back, I can't openly exploit Mo Ran anymore. I'll have to find a more discreet tool to use so I can keep slacking off."

Qing Xuan was very efficient. Less than twenty minutes after Zhou Yan left, it had already finished handling the matters.

It even took a moment to send a message to King Dong, informing him of Zhou Yan's emergence from seclusion.

The other party replied quickly.

"Kong Xuan? Fellow Daoist Kong?"

"Since you have emerged from seclusion, Fellow Daoist, let us meet in the Desire Realm."

"Give Fellow Daoist Kong Xuan a message for me."

"I shall be waiting in the Desire Realm for the future Wisdom King, Kong Xuan!"