Chapter 354: Forming a Good Relationship
Editor: Atlas Studios
“Chunyang? How can it be you?”
Under the human skin mask, the face exposed was one of the children of the Mu family’s current head, Mu Chunyang.
Jiang Li had seen this second generation young master before he became the Alliance Leader of the Great Mountain Alliance.
At that time, he was still in the cultivation world of the Great Mountain Region and had caused a huge commotion. He had relied on the Mu family to come out and cheat others. He wanted to gain something without risking anything and take down the Medicine Garden Mystic Realm of the Great Mountain Region.
After being stopped by Jiang Li, he found the Mother River’s graveyard and fell inside.
After he was saved by Jiang Li and the others, in order to prevent this fellow from returning to the family and stirring up trouble, they secretly locked him up.
During this period of time, he had been locked in the Shu Mountain Demon Subduing Pagoda.
This was also because of the Mu family’s Peach Blossom cultivation method that the spiritual root seed could not parasitize him.
Jiang Li did not have any extra Parallel Mind to waste at that time, so he could only lock him up and stall for time.
A few days ago, Mu Chunkong and the others had also gone to the Great Mountain Region to ask about many details about Mu Chunyang.
He already had some doubts about the safety of this group of people.
Although they had not suspected the Great Mountain Alliance for the time being, they still could not contact the son of the family head, Mu Chunyang, at the Longevity Peach Banquet held once every nine years.
This made the Mu family even more suspicious.
It was even to the extent that there were already a few people who sought out Jiang Li’s clone to inquire about the situation.
He believed that Elder Mu was in the same situation.
If not for the fact that his Soul Lamp token had not been extinguished, the Great Mountain Region would have antagonized another medium-sized Divine Judgment faction.
However, this kind of thing could not be investigated, especially in the cultivation world where there were countless magical methods.
As long as they really wanted to investigate, it would be very difficult for the Great Mountain Alliance to hide it.
Fortunately, Jiang Li had broken through to the Golden Core realm earlier and the Bodhisattva Heart Sutra had advanced. He had long created the fifth Parallel Mind.
This was why he had come out of seclusion earlier and rushed back to the Great Mountain Region to forcefully convert this Mu Chunyang into one of his own.
He turned into the rogue cultivator young master of the vicinity of Phoenix Sun City and appeared at the Mu family’s banquet.
As for where this Affection Young Master’s identity came from, who was this rogue cultivator who was popular among thousands of young girls?
A certain Eldest Senior Brother who had a good relationship with Jiang Li and had once gone out to the Eastern Region to wander the pugilistic world expressed that he should let the past go.
He handed this identity to Jiang Li only because he wanted him to do things more conveniently here. Jiang Li might as well use it at this moment.
“That’s right. After going out to train for a year, your cultivation has improved quite a bit.”
The figure of the Mu family’s head, Mu Zeshu, flashed again and appeared in front of the fifth clone, Mu Chunyang.
He reached out and grabbed his shoulder, probing everything on Mu Chunyang in the next moment.
However, he did not find anything wrong. The parallel mind of the Bodhisattva Heart Sutra was completely capable of turning anything into reality.
“What have you been doing during this period of time? The family contacted you but did not reply. You even wore such a mask and are always causing trouble here.”
“Forget it, you did well this time. The first prize of this Longevity Peach Banquet is yours.”
The Mu family’s master said a few words to Mu Chunyang, but he was clearly not really angry. Instead, he was very satisfied with this ordinary son.
Earlier, Mu Chunyang had attacked Mu Chunhao for more than ten breaths without being at a disadvantage.
This method was enough to make Mu Zeshu look at him in a different light.
He was his son after all. Since he had already captured the Golden Peach Rat, he naturally would not force him to hand it over.
With the decision made, the clone won the first prize.
“Sixth Brother, you’re so impressive I’ll consult you again after the banquet ends.”
Mu Chunhao was furious, but he could not show it. He could only say this before turning around and leaving.
To this Eldest Young Master, this was the worst situation.
It would have been one thing if it was a rogue cultivator or a cultivator from another sect who snatched the Golden Peach Rat, but it had to be his own brother.
This would undoubtedly cause a certain degree of competition for his status. A single peach was completely enough to allow his brother to break through to the Nascent Soul realm!
Mu Chunhao usually looked like a generous elder brother.
However, that was in front of outsiders and no one could threaten him.
However, this person was actually extremely petty and could not tolerate others. Once he thought that someone wanted to snatch something from him, he would use all kinds of methods to defeat his opponent.
Mu Chunyang was originally only considered average among his brothers. He did not expect that after returning from a year of training, his entire bearing would undergo a huge change.
The cultivators who had surrounded him could only give up in embarrassment.
After all, the family head had already spoken. Could they still kill his son in front of everyone?
As soon as Mu Chunyang, who had not returned home for a long time, appeared in front of everyone in such a dazzling manner.
This caused his name to appear in the eyes of the other sects and powers. Perhaps another outstanding figure would appear in the Mu family.
Mu Zeshu personally brought him to sit beside him, causing Mu Chunyang’s mother, who was sitting at the side, to be extremely happy and gratified.
The cultivators were extremely disappointed. However, although the competition was intense just now, there were actually dozens of gray-furred rats and four silver-furred rats that had yet to be found.
It was important to capture those peach rats as soon as possible.
After another round of competition, they each obtained quite a bit.
Among them, Drunken Young Master Tang Yan and an unknown rogue cultivator captured the most rats.
However, they were very cautious. Before they were completely surrounded, they had already left the peach forest area.
The hunt lasted for a few hours before it finally ended. Most of the people found nothing and could only sigh and leave the forest.
A small number of people with both strength and luck obtained the Longevity Peach corresponding to the peach rat.
These Longevity Peach spiritual fruits were excellent choices whether they were sold to outsiders or kept for oneself to consume.
Jiang Li, who was mixed in the crowd, relied on the cooperation of his main body and clone to secretly obtain many peach rats, and he could be considered to have profited greatly.
However, until the end of the banquet, the great chaos that Jiang Li was looking forward to did not appear.
Thinking about it, it made sense. There were so many external forces invited to this banquet. It could be said that there were countless experts.
Moreover, most of them had friendly relations with the Mu family.
Attacking at this time was the stupidest choice.
He was not in a hurry. He was ordinary among the rogue cultivators.
After the banquet, many forces left in an orderly manner, and some young rogue cultivators who had outstanding performances in this banquet were invited to stay behind and be received by the Mu family.
Those who had an interest in these people could choose to join the Mu family. It was even possible that they could become Dao Companions with the disciples of the Mu family and become members of the Mu family.
After the banquet ended, Mu Chunyang, who had won the first prize, was pulled to the side by his birth mother and got nagged at for a long time.
This caused Jiang Li to be slightly embarrassed. After all, the soul of the original owner of this body had completely vanished.
The other party also asked the few elders who went out with Mu Chunyang.
At that time, there was a group of people going out, but now, only one came back.
The people on that ship were all affiliated with Mu Chunyang’s mother. One of them was a Soul Formation elder, Mu Chunyang’s uncle and also her younger brother.
As the temporary fifth clone, Mu Chunyang naturally would not say that the few vassal elders were basically dead, and that “uncle” was still locked in the Shu Mountain Demon Subduing Pagoda.
He could only fabricate a reason and say that they had discovered some clues and could not give up easily. They were still outside helping search for the Nine Nether Wood and could not rush back for the time being.
It was not a very good reason, but the other party did not doubt it at all. She only kept nagging that Mu Chunyang had gone out and suffered too much.
After a long time, he left his mother’s residence and walked on the small road in the clan. When the maids and servants on the road saw him, they all bowed respectfully.
Their attitude seemed to be much better than before. This was the internal style of the Mu family. In such an environment, naturally, everyone would try their best to climb up.
At this moment, a pure white spiritual cat ran to him. After rubbing Mu Chunyang’s pants twice, it ran towards a remote courtyard.
Mu Chunyang followed without hesitation. He knew this cat and the owner of it.
Sure enough, he soon saw the person who had been waiting for him.
“Sixth Brother, you’ve really changed a lot in a year.”
The white cat jumped into the arms of a young girl.
Apart from her long hair, that girl was 60-70% similar to Mu Chunyang.
“Jingnan, why aren’t you accompanying Mother? Why are you here?”
This young girl was called Mu Jingnan, and she was the closest sister to Mu Chunyang. That white cat from before was obviously this person who wanted to lure him here.
“Brother, did you find the Demon Wood Tree Heart?”
Mu Chunyang shook his head. It was naturally impossible for Jiang Li to hand over his Nine Nether clone.
On the other hand, Mu Jingnan had long expected this. The Mu family had been established in the Eastern Region for 8,000 years, and all the Nine Nether Wood Branches they could find in the surroundings had already been plucked clean. How could it be so easy to find another one?
“In that case, Jingnan will give you a gift.”
She brought Mu Chunyang into the inner room and took out a small box from a pouch-shaped storage artifact.
Just through the box, Jiang Li already knew what was inside.
The box opened, and a dense Nine Nether spiritual qi immediately leaked out.
Inside was a wooden figure sitting cross-legged with a vivid and lifelike expression. It was the heart of a Nine Nether Wood.
“Where did you get this?”
The fifth clone, Mu Chunyang, cried out in surprise. At the same time, he sighed with emotion at the boldness of the person in the underwater graveyard.
He had a tree heart burned away by Jiang Li, causing his vitality to be greatly damaged. If he relied on this tree heart, he would definitely be able to recover faster. However, he took the initiative to offer it at this moment, it was obvious that he had great ambitions.
“I bought this from an old Daoist who doesn’t know anything. If Brother presents this tree heart to the ancestor, the ancestor and father will definitely look at you in a different light.”
“At that time, Brother, you will definitely not lose to Mu Chunhao!”
Their branch had always been a little hostile to Mu Chunhao.
This was probably the reason why the Nine Nether Wood in the graveyard targeted them.
One could imagine that if Mu Chunyang did not return after a long time, Mu Jingnan would probably go on stage and hand over the Nine Nether Tree Heart.
However, her cultivation level was even lower, and as a woman, she was not suitable to be the successor of the family head.
This time, Mu Chunyang had stolen the limelight at the banquet. If he pursued and offered a tree heart, he might be able to suppress Mu Chunhao in the patriarch’s mind.
“Is it really just an old Daoist that we don’t know?”
However, Mu Chunyang did not immediately take the box. Instead, he stared at his sister and asked.
Sure enough, there was a hint of panic in her eyes. This bit of temperament was still too shallow.
“As expected of the first place winner, Young Master Mu. We found this tree heart by accident and are willing to form a good relationship with you.”
From the back of the small courtyard, four mysterious cultivators led by an old Daoist walked out.
They did not hide and stood in front of the fifth clone openly.
In another place, Jiang Li who had his vision synchronized narrowed his eyes.
This was because the old Daoist who walked out looked almost identical to the tree heart on the Nine Nether Wood in the graveyard.
It turned out that this old fellow had been hiding here all along. In that case, he had given Jiang Li the leaf through Mu Jingnan.
The two sides looked at each other for a moment. The other party did not recognize Mu Chunyang.
When Mu Chunyang and the others broke into the underwater graveyard, he had actually been in the flying ship because his cultivation was too low. Therefore, his appearance was not seen by the other party.
“Form a good relationship? Why didn’t you find Mu Chunhao instead? You should know that he’s the eldest son.”
Mu Chunyang was like a normal person as he cautiously raised his question.
“Because we feel that the icing on the cake cannot compare to timely assistance. Sixth Young Master, what do you think?”
“If you have any doubts, I believe many people will be interested in this Tree Heart.”
The old Daoist priest took the box back from Mu Jingnan. Clearly, they had the initiative.
“What do you want?”
His fifth clone, Mu Chunyang, acted as himself. According to his identity, it was impossible for him to give up on this tree heart.
“We want your Immortal Peach.”
The moment the other party spoke, he made such a request.
“No, I can’t give you the Immortal Peach.”
“However, I can exchange it for ten 90-year Longevity Peaches. I can give you two per year, for a period of five years.”
The Immortal Peach in his hand had long been given to his main body. He did not have a single one left.
“Deal!”
After both sides reached a consensus, the tree heart landed in Mu Chunyang’s hands.
Just thinking about it, it was obvious that this tree heart had been tampered with and could not be used by him.
However, Jiang Li did not intend to expose him. Instead, he planned to continue cooperating with the other party.
Just as the other party had said, the Mu family’s patriarch and the Nine Nether Wood were natural enemies. If he became stronger, Jiang Li’s life would not be easy.
On Jiang Li’s side, he was studying the new Immortal Peach, two 90-year-old Longevity Peaches, ten 30-year-old Longevity Peaches, and several nine-year-old Longevity Peaches.
After the Nine Nether clone absorbed these 90 years of Longevity Peaches, they could also transform into the Nine Nether Earth Fruit.
A 90-year-old Longevity Peach was roughly equivalent to the full cultivation of a Void Core cultivator. As for the lifespan of decades, it was not comparable to the Nine Nether Earth Fruit.
Although this bit of cultivation was actually nothing to Jiang Li, the Earth Fruits transformed like this had no attributes.
In other words, cultivators of any attribute could consume it. This was slightly more useful than ordinary Earth Fruits.
As for the Immortal Peach, it was a little different.
It was far above the Longevity Peach and had almost reached the same level as the Nine Nether Earth Fruit that grew from the branch.
Moreover, these two types of spiritual fruits were natural enemies, and Yin and Yang countered each other. After absorbing a single peach, a small bump actually grew on the back of the Nine Nether clone’s tree heart.
It was nurturing the second tree heart.
