Both Daoist Masters revealed themselves at the same time. Daoist Master Changxiao glanced at Daoist Master Hengxing with a faintly amused smile.
Tu Longjian emerged from the red mist and looked up at the two Purple Mansion Realm cultivators in the sky.
He was neither humble nor arrogant as he said loudly, “I am Tu Longjian, courtesy name Junjian, and I have cultivated the Molten Fire divine ability. Greetings to the two esteemed seniors.”
Daoist Master Changxiao, with his willow-leaf eyebrows and deep cultivation, seemed rather kindly disposed toward Tu Longjian. He had both hands clasped behind his back and spoke mildly, “So it is Daoist Master Junjian. To have attained the Purple Mansion Realm at such a young age, your talent is truly extraordinary. We are deeply impressed.”
Though he spoke politely, Daoist Master Changxiao himself was not very old. Known for his skill and decisiveness, he was one of the fastest cultivators to ascend to the Purple Mansion Realm.
Standing to the side, Daoist Master Hengxing was displeased by Changxiao’s words and looked coldly at him, making her stance clear.
It was only when she turned to Tu Longjian that her demeanor softened. She spoke in a gentle voice, “Congratulations, Daoist Master Junjian. I am Daoist Master Hengxing of Hengzhu Dao Gate. Our two sects lie just across the mountains from each other; let us stay in close contact going forward.”
Daoist Master Changxiao did not show overt hostility toward Hengxing, but he remained silent with his hands behind his back while the latter spoke. Tu Longjian could see that the relationship between the two was strained, so he refrained from siding with either party and simply replied, “I have long heard of both your great names and should have come to pay my respects sooner. However, I have only just made my breakthrough and still have much to comprehend regarding my divine abilities, so I remained in the mountains.”
Both Purple Mansion Realm cultivators caught the underlying meaning of his words. Changxiao merely smiled without speaking, while Hengxing nodded and said, “Since you’ve just entered the Purple Mansion Realm, you should take your time to understand your divine abilities. When you’re free, Daoist Master Junjian, you might consider heading north along the great void to visit Mount Bianyan.”
Though Tu Longjian had never left the mountain, he was not ignorant of the world. He had heard that Mount Bianyan was a battleground between immortal and demonic cultivators, with Purple Mansion Realm cultivators clashing against Maha.
He had long wished to contribute in some way, so he replied solemnly, “Understood.”
His words caused subtle changes in the two Daoist Masters’ expressions. Hengxing nodded in farewell and vanished, and Daoist Master Changxiao spoke again, “Daoist Junjian, you and I share a bit of fate after both escaping from the gameboard. I am a few years your senior, so allow me to offer you a word of advice.”
Tu Longjian remained calm, his expression unchanged by the words. He responded clearly, “Senior, please enlighten me.”
Changxiao looked at him quietly. “Fellow Daoist, whatever you seized along the way, or whose favor you received, none of that matters now. After stepping into the Purple Mansion Realm, the gains and losses of earlier moves on the chessboard are no longer important. But there are still a few items that must be accounted for.
“First is the Purple Mansion Realm spirit artifact. Ordinary ones are of no concern. But the Six Ding Merging Fire Token is a great treasure, and the Guo Family will not compromise on that.”
Tu Longjian nodded slightly, as if he had anticipated this, and offered a word of thanks. Changxiao’s willow-leaf eyes stayed fixed on him as clear mist drifted off his robe.
He spoke softly, “The jade box from Green Pine Temple is missing two items. You know where they are, don’t you?”
Tu Longjian’s eyes flickered slightly, but Changxiao continued calmly, “One is the Taiqing, and the other is the Taixu. By now, you surely understand the value of these two items. Azure Pond Sect couldn’t spare the resources in the past, and Zipei believed the opportunity was limited, so they refused to act.
“However, now that you’ve stepped into the spotlight, you must either return them and curry favor with one of the sects, or act as if you never heard anything, refuse to return them, and seek your own path.”
Tu Longjian listened to his words carefully and replied, “Thank you for your guidance, Senior.”
Changxiao gazed at him quietly and said softly, “There are many paths. Guo Shentong and I once chose different ones. Now we are enemies. Fellow Daoist, tread your own path wisely.”
When he was done speaking, he gradually faded away. In the distance, several figures appeared one by one. Among the figures were a golden-robed woman with a radiant smile, a stern old man with a rigid demeanor, a sinister-looking man, and a female immortal gently stroking her sword.
The representative from Azure Pond Sect was Daoist Yuan Xiu, who bowed to him meticulously. He seemed completely unconcerned by Changxiao’s earlier remarks. After a few polite words, he took his leave.
The rest were from Golden Feather Sect, Purple Smoke Gate, Profound Peak Gate... most of the three sects and seven gates had arrived, all speaking with reasonable courtesy. Only Snow Ji Gate and Yue Cultivating Sect were absent.
Snow Ji Gate has sealed its mountain for nearly two hundred years, so their absence is understandable... As for Yue Cultivating Sect, they too have shut their gates. The few Purple Mansion Realm immortal families under their jurisdiction are busy with their own troubles, so it’s unlikely they could spare the time to come.
Neither of the two Purple Mansion Realm immortal families of Yue State showed up; perhaps their Purple Mansion Realm cultivators were away from home. Tu Longjian stood there for a moment longer, and seeing no further appearances, finally descended back into the red mist.
The cave dwelling within the mountain was entirely red, with even the tables and chairs tinted crimson. It was spacious, with several luminous spell-pearls embedded in the ceiling.
Tu Longjian entered, drew a black-and-red command token from his sleeve, and spoke to it, “Senior, did you hear all that?”
The command token flickered twice, releasing several strands of gray flame that circled in the air twice before returning to the token. Tu Longjian pressed two fingers together and placed them to his lips, fingertips facing inward just level with his nose. A faint light shimmered in his eyes, and a stream of gray wind rose between his fingers.
He gave a soft command, “Unruly Molten Fire, take human form!”
The gray wind swirled once through the cave, swept up the Six Ding Merging Fire Token, and upon landing, transformed into a gray-robed man. His eye sockets were deep, his cheeks were sunken, and his figure was small and lean.
Once he stood firmly on the ground, he took a deep breath and exclaimed joyfully, “Nothing beats being human!”
“Senior Guo.” Tu Longjian was in no mood for chatter. He gave him a heavy look and asked in a low voice, “Is there still anything you’re hiding from me?”
The gray-robed man plopped down casually into a seat, took a large gulp of tea, and chuckled, “You’ve probably guessed most of it! Even with fate on your side, you wouldn’t have made it this far so smoothly without help from the Purple Mansion Realm cultivators.”
Tu Longjian silently stared at him. The gray-robed man shrugged and said, “Changxiao tried to hint at it, but I’ll tell you straight, it was Crimson Reef Island!”
Tu Longjian’s expression darkened bit by bit as he growled, “So... the Six Ding Merging Fire Token was deliberately delivered to me by Guo Hongyao... and all your promises and schemes, Guo Er, were at the will of Guo Shentong. Embedding your soul into the token was also a way to plot against me.”
Guo Er burst into laughter as he replied, “Nonsense! Guo Shentong hasn’t been seen in years; he could be dead in some forgotten corner! Crimson Reef Island says his soul lamp still burns bright with no signs of weakening, but who knows if that’s even his soul lamp?
“As for Guo Hongyao? She doesn’t even have half an ounce of cunning. She wouldn't know intentional from unintentional. She’s just another pawn sacrificed in factional strife!
“The East and West Reefs of Crimson Reef Island are constantly at odds. By letting this spirit artifact fall into your hands, clearly one faction hopes for my return to unify them. As for which one? I haven’t the slightest clue!”
Tu Longjian remained silent, but Guo Er continued, “Their calculations were precise, either I seize your body, or gain a powerful ally through gratitude. There’s no downside for them.”
The gray-robed man took several more sips of tea, delightedly savoring its taste, and said cheerfully, “Tu Longjian, I truly mean you no harm. Once I’ve formed a real body and unified Crimson Reef Island, what problem couldn’t the two of us solve together?”