Chapter 121: The Piglet's Savior

Tu Zhe did not feel particularly honored, though not because he was arrogant or pretentious. It was simply that he failed to grasp the true significance of the invitation.

What was Yujing, anyway? Wasn't it just like the capital city of his previous life? Every nation has a capital, doesn't it? Beyond having more officials, taller buildings, more traffic, crowded streets, and the usual vices, what was so special about it?

He was completely unaware that the Daluo Heaven, where the Daluo Golden Essence was kept, existed on the same plane as the Shenxiao Yujing. Before fully understanding the situation, the oblivious Emperor felt there was no necessary or compelling reason to visit Thunder City. Of course, this nonchalance would soon be replaced by intense concern; after all, without the Daluo Golden Essence, how was he to master his Indestructible Demon Body?

At that moment, among the Five Directional Thunder Emperors, Jiang You—the Thunder Emperor of the Southern Red Heaven and Blazing Fire—was also keeping a close watch on Tu Zhe. Ever since the soul fragment of Chi You self-destructed and Tu Zhe gained massive benefits before reincarnating to Mount Sumeru, Jiang You had been waiting in silence for his arrival.

Now that Tu Zhe was right before his eyes, the faint divine consciousness imprint Jiang You had once planted in Tu Zhe’s soul was pulsing, actively communicating with Jiang You’s core consciousness. Jiang You was certain: this unfamiliar-looking young Tu Zhe was the very same wandering spirit that had once slipped through his fingers.

As Jiang You observed him, Tu Zhe caught sight of him as well. Tu Zhe chuckled inwardly, thinking, "Damn, what a small world; we meet again. You old fool, you have no idea who I am now. The next time I get a chance, I will make sure to crush your body and soul for your betrayal."

One shouldn't be too confident. Tu Zhe never imagined that a trace of Jiang You’s consciousness remained hidden within his soul. It wasn't that he lacked vigilance, but rather that he hadn't even considered such a possibility. Back when he was a wandering spirit, he hadn't even known what a consciousness imprint was. Though he knew now, his sea of consciousness was terrifyingly vast; could he really find a stray imprint hidden by Jiang You?

Meanwhile, Little Lei Lei’s consciousness was unusually active, continuously transmitting reports of Tu Zhe’s affairs to the Thunder Ancestor via divine telepathy. The Thunder Ancestor received, processed, and was shocked by the information.

This fellow possessed time-based supernatural powers, the Mana Blade, and an endless supply of various celestial stones—countless Divine-grade items, countless Imperial-grade artifacts, and immeasurable Sacred treasures... Most defying of all was the presence of the King of Divine-grade celestial stones.

Damn it, as a supreme deity of the Thunder Department and one of the nine great Shenxiao Emperors, even he had rarely seen a King of Divine-grade stones. "You little brat, carrying an infinite number of them—are you trying to die quickly?"

However, compared to the secrets of the Indestructible Demon Body and the celestial stones, even the King-grade stones, while tempting, were not the priority. First, he had to ensure the boy obtained the materials needed to cultivate the Indestructible Demon Body. Then, Tu Zhe would naturally find a way to go to the Great Fuli World, open the tombs of Chi You and his brothers, refine their demonic remains, and then... everything would proceed according to plan.

With his strategy set, the Thunder Ancestor lost all interest in letting the Thunderbolt General harass the little piggy. He immediately announced that the sparring session was over and that there would be plenty of opportunities in the future.

It was said that Lady Su was a woman of great talent; by bringing this group of visitors here, she had effectively provided a group of saviors. Lady Su placed a hand over her heart and breathed a sigh of relief, thinking, "Little Piggy, you’ve finally managed to save your skin."

The heart-stopping sparring session ended in such an inexplicable way. Little Piggy was, of course, immensely relieved, but the Thunderbolt True Monarch was rather displeased.

"Damn it, I risked my reputation to come out and bully a minor Emperor, and it ends just like that? If word gets out and is distorted, people might say the Thunder Ancestor doesn't even have faith in his own True Monarch and just used this as a convenient excuse to back down."

It was frustrating! The Demon-Subduing Thunderbolt True Monarch was actually quite resentful that the Thunder Ancestor held the administrative and military power of the Thunder Department. The Thunder God Puhua was the ninth son of the Primordial Heavenly Lord, a being of peerless ability and unfathomable power, and he was someone the True Monarch respected wholeheartedly. But who was the Thunder Ancestor? He hadn't even reached the realm of a Heavenly Lord, yet he was ordering around a True Monarch? Did he really think the True Monarch couldn't slap him into oblivion?

And the Thunder God Puhua was just as bad—if he was leaving, he could have at least left the administrative power to him! Handing it all over to the Thunder Ancestor was an insult. Did they, the old brothers who had struggled alongside him for millions of years, deserve to be bossed around by some insignificant upstart from the mortal realm?

The Demon-Subduing Thunderbolt True Monarch felt a deep sense of grievance. "Damn it, when you wanted to save face, you sent us out; when you found something more important than your face, you called us back. Are you playing with us?"

As a True Monarch, he was furious, and the consequences were dire. "We're 'sick,' we're taking leave to return to Yujing, alright?"

The Thunderbolt True Monarch stepped forward, cupped his hands toward the Thunder Ancestor, and said, "Lord Thunder Ancestor, I am feeling unwell and must return to the Shenxiao Yujing to see a physician. I wouldn't want a minor ailment to turn into a fatal one. I request your permission to depart."

The Thunder Ancestor knew the True Monarch was displeased, thinking to himself, "You've got a case of heart-sickness, haven't you?" He replied, "Very well, as a True Monarch, you are the master of your own affairs. If you wish to return, then return." He granted the request immediately.

The True Monarch took a giant stride and vanished. The Thunder Ancestor smiled, appearing as though he hadn't noticed the True Monarch’s cold attitude, though he was deeply annoyed inside. "Damn it, when I have a moment, I'll deal with you. Is it hard to frame you for colluding with the outside world and betraying the interests of the North Pole?"

Once the Thunderbolt True Monarch left, the atmosphere between the host and guests became harmonious. Lady Su mobilized all available resources to entertain these distinguished guests. Due to confidentiality, she kept the fairy Andromeda in her private chambers, hidden from view. Andromeda didn't find this inappropriate; attended to by a few maids with tea and fruit, she sat reading the unofficial histories of the heavens by the light of a night-pearl, feeling quite content. As for Andromeda’s unreliable mother, she wasn't foolish enough to announce in front of everyone that she was there looking for her daughter.

Lady Su arranged for everyone to stay at the famous interstellar hotel, "Green Wilds Immortal Tracks," simply because she couldn't meet them all at once to discuss serious matters. Since they couldn't talk business, they would eat, drink, and be merry. Once everyone was satisfied, she would speak with them one by one.

The Green Wilds Immortal Tracks was a famous destination in the Northern Xuanwu region. It lacked opulent palaces and golden chambers; instead, it featured vast, sparse forests, quiet and serene. Grasses swayed, wildflowers clustered, bees and butterflies danced, dragons soared, phoenixes sang, and immortal mist drifted over gentle springs. Several fireballs the size of houses illuminated the deep forest with a soft glow. Though there were no perilous cliffs or deep valleys, it was a place of natural, effortless beauty.

Fairies flew to and fro, offering various fruits, immortal vegetables, jade nectar, and fine wine, accompanied by elegant songs and dances to serve the guests. It was truly a place of such joy that one would never wish to leave.