Zhang Chen looked at the Great Freedom Celestial Demon. Could it be that this old guy wasn’t as strong as he seemed? Facing an ancient being that had lived for countless years, the opponent’s heart was like dead water, and Zhang Chen was at a loss what to do.
"So, what’s your purpose in calling me here?" Zhang Chen asked the Great Freedom Celestial Demon, uncertain of what he could do.
"Just lure him into the Nine Bends Yellow River Talisman Array, and when his cultivation is obliterated, his mindset will certainly be broken. That will be my chance," the Great Freedom Celestial Demon stated.
"I’m not going! Even if you kill me, I’m not going. That peacock has lived for countless years; how could I possibly provoke him? Asking me to provoke him is like asking me to cut my own throat," Zhang Chen said sarcastically.
Isn’t this just fooling around?
With his small stature, could he really face the opponent?
"I certainly wouldn’t ask you to commit suicide; haven’t I planned everything for you? With me here, what are you afraid of!" the Great Freedom Celestial Demon hurriedly tried to soothe Zhang Chen’s emotions.
"It’s precisely because you’re here that I’m afraid!" Zhang Chen glared at the Great Freedom Celestial Demon, afraid that he’d get conned to death by this trickster. If given the chance, this villain wouldn’t hesitate to harm him.
"I still need to possess that Old Peacock, why would I harm you? Rest assured, my personal integrity is still trustworthy," the Great Freedom Celestial Demon patted his chest in assurance.
Zhang Chen didn’t believe him one bit: "Explain your plan. If I find it credible, we can cooperate. If it’s not believable, we’ll part ways, and I’ll simply return."
"My plan is to first lure the Old Peacock out, and then we’ll sneak into his den. You’ll set up the Nine Bends Yellow River Talisman Array there. The mysterious connection to the earth vein mustn’t be broken, and when it’s enveloped by the Nine Bends Yellow River Talisman Array, the Old Peacock would not dare use the Moving Mountains and Inverting Seas skill to forcibly destroy your Nine Bends Yellow River Array from outside, but would try to enter and kill you. That’s our opportunity." The Great Freedom Celestial Demon’s eyes fixed on Zhang Chen.
"So, how do you lure the Old Peacock out?" Zhang Chen pointed out the crux of the problem.
The Great Freedom Celestial Demon smiled proudly: "I know of a unique herb right here in Buzhou Mountain that has a fatal attraction to the Old Peacock. As long as he senses the herb’s presence, it’s a done deal."
"So are you going to personally use the herb to lure the Old Peacock?" Zhang Chen asked the Great Freedom Celestial Demon.
"I don’t even have a body, how can I lure him?" the Great Freedom Celestial Demon replied helplessly.
Upon hearing the Great Freedom Celestial Demon’s words, Zhang Chen sneered coldly: "You aren’t thinking of making me do the luring, are you?"
"Of course not. To be honest, I’ve already controlled a mysterious entity to be my avatar. But we’re short on time; calculating from the avatar’s speed, from luring to the Old Peacock’s return, we have about thirty breaths, so we must reach the Old Peacock’s den within those thirty breaths and set up the talisman array." The Great Freedom Celestial Demon explained.
Zhang Chen looked at the Great Freedom Celestial Demon. The methods of this villain were terrifying; in just a few days, he completed a possession? If he continued wreaking havoc in the Great Wilderness, he might actually control it entirely.
"You misunderstood; I didn’t possess him," Zhang Chen seemed to sense Zhang Chen’s thoughts and spoke.
Zhang Chen was puzzled: "If you didn’t possess him, why would he willingly do such a dangerous thing for you?"
"First, I made a deal with him. That poor fellow was about to lose his soul, and I intervened to save it, leading him into the Demon Dao. Secondly, he fundamentally doesn’t realize how dangerous this is," the Great Freedom Celestial Demon said with a smug smile.
He’s not stupid; why would he let the entity know the risks?
No one would do this knowing the risks!
Not even upon threat of death!
Zhang Chen looked at the Great Freedom Celestial Demon, feeling speechless. This old guy was truly despicable.
"Do you know the structure inside the den?" Zhang Chen asked.
"Celestial Demons are shapeless and formless; even that Old Peacock can’t detect me." The Great Freedom Celestial Demon said.
Zhang Chen felt like the plan might have some credibility.
At this moment, the Great Freedom Celestial Demon said: "Let me take you to see the Old Peacock."
"How to go?" Zhang Chen turned to the Great Freedom Celestial Demon.
"Transform into a bat," Zhang Chen suggested.
"Can you fool that peacock?" Zhang Chen wondered about the credibility.
"Of course not! But you’re merely a first-tier bat, worthy of the Old Peacock’s notice?" the Great Freedom Celestial Demon replied.
Those words made sense.
Zhang Chen transformed into thirty-six bats, one of which flew like an ordinary Vampire Bat into the ravine’s depths.
The Great Freedom Celestial Demon led the way, with Zhang Chen following behind. After flying into a crevice seven to eight thousand meters deep, a waterfall cascaded down, and towering stone pillars rose like giant columns, standing tall in the ravine.
After some agile navigation through the ravine, they stopped at a pillar, and the Great Freedom Celestial Demon pointed toward a stone peak three thousand meters away, "The Old Peacock’s den is atop that stone peak, and the mysterious entity is inside its den."
Zhang Chen looked over to see a colorful glow shimmering from the distant mountain peak.
Below the ravine, rapid undercurrents flowed, and the stone peak with colorful light stood seven to eight meters above the water.
The stone peak was not narrow, roughly a hundred meters across, and had a flat surface where a grand den stood about seven to eight meters high and twenty meters wide.
The nest wasn’t made of branches but rather straw that looked like jade, clean and meticulously woven like a work of art.
"This nest looks extraordinary, but I wonder if there’s any skill drop," Zhang Chen felt a bit hopeful, given that it belonged to such an ancient being that surely wasn’t ordinary.
"Honestly, what’s the tier of this peacock? So I have an idea," Zhang Chen asked the Great Freedom Celestial Demon.
The Great Freedom Celestial Demon’s eyes darted around, "Very powerful."
"What do you mean by ’very powerful’?" Zhang Chen inquired.
"Could it be Twelfth Tier?" Zhang Chen asked yet again.
The Great Freedom Celestial Demon ambiguously replied, "Consider it Twelfth Tier."
Zhang Chen, feeling unsure about the reliability, thought that he might attempt the plan according to the Great Freedom Celestial Demon’s arrangements.
"Ready for action?" the Great Freedom Celestial Demon asked.
Upon hearing this, Zhang Chen nodded: "Let’s go!"
The Great Freedom Celestial Demon didn’t say another word, simply looking into the distance. Suddenly, colorful light soared into the sky and vanished beyond the horizon.
"Quick, act now!"
The Great Freedom Celestial Demon urgently urged.
Zhang Chen swiftly darted through the air.
"One breath..."
"Two breaths..."
"Three breaths..."
The Great Freedom Celestial Demon continuously urged Zhang Chen repeatedly.
Zhang Chen’s adrenaline surged rapidly, the Crystal Core pulsing vigorously, his body transforming into a shadow. By the tenth breath, Zhang Chen reached the peacock’s den.
On the eleventh breath, Zhang Chen summoned within himself, and thirty-five bats turned into blood essence returning to Zhang Chen’s body.
By the sixteenth breath, Zhang Chen returned to his human form.
On the seventeenth breath, Zhang Chen pulled out the Nine Bends Yellow River Talisman Array.
By the eighteenth breath, Zhang Chen began setting up the array.
...
By the thirtieth breath, Zhang Chen stepped into the Nine Bends Yellow River Talisman Array, his heart racing uncontrollably, even the Crystal Core couldn’t suppress it.
"We did it! We’ve succeeded!" The Great Freedom Celestial Demon stood inside the Nine Bends Yellow River Array, shouting excitedly.