"I’ve heard that the Phoenix Emperor hasn't been particularly welcoming toward Nie Shiyun and Zhai Bairong. Wouldn't this move be... redundant?" A junior of the White Tiger Clan looked at the manager’s expression and tentatively voiced the dissenting opinions circulating within their clan.
The White Tiger Clan manager glanced at him, looking somewhat disappointed. "You’ve been following me for quite a few years now, yet you’re still so slow on the uptake. This matter no longer has anything to do with the Phoenix Emperor's attitude. Didn't you see how close Xuan Yang was with those two when they visited a few months ago?"
The junior froze, a trace of shame appearing on his face. "This junior’s eyesight is still too poor; I didn't notice much..."
It wasn't entirely his fault for being unobservant. When they had previously come to the White Tiger Clan, although they arrived together, Nie Shiyun and Zhai Bairong had deliberately avoided being as inseparable with Xuan Yang as they used to be, maintaining a certain distance.
Both Nie Shiyun and Zhai Bairong knew that the Phoenix Emperor didn't want others to know that Xuan Yang had been raised like a biological son by two humans in the Lower Realm; it would be a massive blow to his pride as a father. Fortunately, only the Phoenix Clan's inner circle knew the circumstances of Xuan Yang's ascension, and since Nie Shiyun had climbed his way up from the Lower Realm step by step on his own, outsiders wouldn't naturally make that connection.
However, a century of affection had long since permeated their gazes and subtle movements. The White Tiger Clan manager was an old fox—or rather, an old tiger—nearly a thousand years old, and he could vaguely discern that Xuan Yang was extremely close to Nie Shiyun and Zhai Bairong.
The manager reasoned that even if the Phoenix Emperor looked down on humans, he currently placed great importance on Xuan Yang. Therefore, he would likely give Nie Shiyun at least some face for Xuan Yang's sake.
"It’s normal that you didn't see it. Those two are many times smarter than you."
The White Tiger junior’s face soured, unsure if the manager was sincerely praising the others or intentionally insulting him.
Afterward, the manager went to report through the proper channels. The leader of the White Tiger Clan trusted this subordinate implicitly and, with a wave of his hand, authorized him to help Nie Shiyun and the other scout for a location for their sect.
The White Tiger Clan had always remained neutral, siding with neither the Phoenix nor the Dragon Clan. This decision to draw closer to Nie Shiyun would undoubtedly cause dissatisfaction within the Dragon Clan.
But the Dragon Clan had never offered them any benefits. Despite all being among the four Great Beast Clans that had coexisted since ancient times, the Dragons always put on the airs of a superior. This was one of the reasons the White Tiger Clan was betting on Nie Shiyun; as long as he wasn't killed by the Dragon Clan halfway through, the benefits the White Tiger Clan gained from him were at least tangible.
As it stood, Nie Shiyun didn't seem like the type of fellow who could be easily dealt with by the Dragon Clan.
Nie Shiyun himself was, of course, unaware of these machinations.
Having obtained a large quantity of Immortal Crystals, he and Zhai Bairong began looking into the matter of their advancement.
Their current cave dwelling was too close to the town and had long been thoroughly mapped out by various factions. Forget about advancing; even continuing to live there was becoming an issue. Months ago, when people had blocked their doorstep, the two had reached a silent understanding: it was time to move.
Before heading out, they wanted to call upon Xuan Yang and Shen Yan so they could look out for one another during the advancement. Unfortunately, as luck would have it, Shen Yan had likely experienced a moment of sudden enlightenment while cultivating on Senior Jin’s back in the small world. Not long after returning, he had entered seclusion. Xuan Yang, presumably finding himself bored and restless alone, had followed suit and entered seclusion as well.
Seeing their doors tightly shut in diligent cultivation, Nie Shiyun and Zhai Bairong found it inconvenient to disturb them and quietly departed.
The Upper Realm, which had been devoid of ripples for centuries, had briefly seen some splashes, but with Nie Shiyun and Zhai Bairong’s whereabouts now unknown, it quickly returned to tranquility.
When the Phoenix Emperor heard from his servants that Nie Shiyun and Zhai Bairong had vanished, he didn't take it to heart at all.
"What does that have to do with me? Do you think that, with those two's abilities, they could just up and die somewhere?"
Hearing the Phoenix Emperor's ill-tempered tone, the servant hurriedly apologized. Inwardly, however, she couldn't help but wonder: was he praising those two humans or cursing them?
"Where is Xuan Yang?" the Phoenix Emperor asked lazily.
"Still in seclusion."
The Phoenix Emperor’s expression soured, but there was nothing he could do. A cultivator's seclusion was a serious matter; if interrupted, at best they would lose the chance for enlightenment, and at worst, they could suffer a cultivation backlash, making advancement impossible.
Their Phoenix Clan had the best cultivation resources and geomancy, yet Xuan Yang insisted on staying in that wretched place with his human Dao companion.
"If Young Master Xuan Yang can advance to the Integration Stage in one go, it would be a joyous occasion that brings honor to you," the servant said, naturally choosing words that were pleasing to the ear.
Upon second thought, the Phoenix Emperor realized that with Xuan Yang's high talent, this was indeed a possibility.
He thought of his other sons in the clan. Ever since Xuan Yang had been recognized and had given them a piece of his mind, they had all become timid and shrinking, terrified of being discarded by their father, constantly coming around to flatter him. Xuan Yang, on the other hand, didn't bother with pleasantries, let alone flattery; he never had a kind word to say.
Seeing the Phoenix Emperor's expression shift repeatedly, the servant didn't dare say more, only thinking to herself that Xuan Yang truly had quite the presence. In the past, when the Phoenix Emperor was idle like this, he would have undoubtedly gone off somewhere to find a beautiful woman for a tryst. Now, he was actually worrying about his son's advancement.
In her opinion, people sometimes couldn't help but be a bit masochistic. The Phoenix Emperor looked down on all the respectful and filial sons in the clan, yet he insisted on fixating on the rebellious one who wasn't even willing to come to the Phoenix Clan.
Of course, the servant didn't dare say this aloud and could only grumble in her heart.
Xuan Yang and Shen Yan remained in seclusion for several years.
Xuan Yang emerged first and advanced shortly thereafter. The Phoenix Clan had people watching him constantly; seeing him emerge successfully, they delivered the Phoenix Emperor's rewards and conveyed his wish for Xuan Yang to return to the clan. But anyone with half a brain knew that since Shen Yan was still in the cave dwelling, no one could drag Xuan Yang away.
While the servant was fretting, fortunately, Shen Yan didn't take much longer, emerging within a month. Xuan Yang wasn't polite at all, taking all the Immortal Crystals, magic treasures, and pills the Phoenix Emperor had sent and stuffing them all into Shen Yan’s hands to help his advancement go more smoothly.
"My Phoenix father sent them; it would be a waste not to use them," Xuan Yang said with a curl of his lip. "The stuff is decent, but unfortunately, it's all generic goods. Your path of Soul Cultivation is quite specialized. If only Nie Shiyun and Zhai Bairong were here, they could help refine things specifically for your constitution."
Generic goods? Those were bought at a high price! The Phoenix Clan servant’s eye twitched. Moreover, those things weren't meant for Shen Yan in the first place! Their Phoenix Clan had a constitution of extreme Yang; yin souls wouldn't even dare approach them. How could the clan possibly have any of those sinister things for Soul Cultivation?
"They aren't here...?" As soon as Shen Yan emerged, he saw Xuan Yang and a Phoenix Clan member staring at each other at the entrance. He was a man who held grudges and acted as if he hadn't even seen the female cultivator.
Xuan Yang shrugged. "I didn't come out much earlier than you. I went to look for them before my advancement, but unfortunately, they weren't there. The cave's restrictions were gone, and I only found a note saying they moved."
Shen Yan glanced at the note Xuan Yang waved in his hand. It was covered in symbols that looked like ghost scribbles; he certainly couldn't understand them.
According to Xuan Yang, this was a secret code known only to Nie Shiyun and Zhai Bairong, which no outsider could crack. The code followed no discernible pattern and was almost like another language entirely. Zhai Bairong, however, had learned it from Nie Shiyun in just a few days and could recite it fluently. But Xuan Yang didn't like studying and had only memorized a few simple parts.
"It's not good to always trouble them. These will do for now," Shen Yan said flatly.
"Yeah. I'll protect you, so don't worry. Nothing happened when I advanced to the Integration Stage a few days ago, so I reckon this isn't much. I heard the Great Ascension Stage is the real hurdle; we'll ask Nie Shiyun and the other for help then. Save the best resources for the most critical moments!"
Shen Yan hesitated for a moment, then nodded. After all, he wasn't like Xuan Yang, who was as close as a son to Nie Shiyun and the other; he felt a bit embarrassed taking benefits.
Seeing the two talking as if no one else were there, the Phoenix Clan member's expression was quite a sight.
Setting aside how envious Xuan Yang's dismissive comments about advancement were... what did he mean by "do for now" and "save the best resources for the most critical moments"? Did he mean the items sent by the Phoenix Emperor were just rusty iron?
Her eyes darted around, and she decided not to report these words truthfully in the future. Otherwise, if the Phoenix Emperor was driven to a heart attack and took his anger out on her, the rewards she had worked so hard to guard would be gone.
Since Shen Yan was about to advance, Xuan Yang refused to budge. The Phoenix Clan female cultivator had no choice but to bitterly help Xuan Yang protect Shen Yan.
Shen Yan gave her a cold look, clearly not expecting her to be of any help, and was instead somewhat wary. But figuring she wouldn't dare pull any tricks with Xuan Yang right there, he didn't drive her away.
Shen Yan began planting formation flags on his own, fixing the positions for the outer circle before continuing to focus intently on laying the inner formation.
Most of the formations he had learned in the past were meant for ambushing people, which suited his style. He had only mastered these new ones after Nie Shiyun shared some ancient texts with him. Because he wasn't yet proficient, his movements were exceptionally focused.
Xuan Yang couldn't help and was anxious on the sidelines, pacing back and forth until he accidentally knocked over a formation flag Shen Yan had just firmly planted. This angered Shen Yan, who told him to get to the side and stop causing trouble.
Trying her best to ignore the sight of the once-mighty Xuan Yang standing to the side with his head hanging low, the female cultivator for the first time showed a trace of envy toward Shen Yan. "You know formations."
"...Not many," Shen Yan replied casually, not in the mood to deal with her.
Everyone in the clan said this human had ascended by clinging to Xuan Yang, and that he practiced a heterodox path the Phoenix Clan looked down upon. They wondered what kind of bewitching potion he had fed Young Master Xuan Yang to make him so distracted. Seeing him lay a formation now, the female cultivator was somewhat surprised; after all, in the Beast Clans, anyone who mastered any kind of technical art was held in higher regard.
Before she could continue her curious questioning, Xuan Yang became displeased. "What are you doing, what are you doing! I'm standing right here, so don't you go trying to get close to my Dao companion like that, alright?"
The female cultivator choked. She had never seen a formation master at work in her life and was just curious! Aside from Xuan Yang, who would even look at such a scrawny and gloomy-faced human!
But this was the young master of her clan; what could she say?
"Young Master Xuan Yang, how would I dare? You've misunderstood..."
Xuan Yang looked at her with great suspicion. Although he didn't press the matter, he silently moved to stand between her and Shen Yan, as if to block her line of sight.
Shen Yan, helpless, could only turn his back to them and say in a deliberately cold voice, "Stop arguing. Setting a formation requires silence."
Upon hearing this, Xuan Yang immediately shut his mouth, terrified that a mistake in the formation would hinder the advancement.
Seeing him so obedient yet vigilant, Shen Yan’s heart softened. He thought to himself that only Xuan Yang would worry about such things. He wasn't like Nie Shiyun and Zhai Bairong, who could shine brightly in any crowd; from the past until now, when had any outsider ever taken an interest in him?
On the contrary, it was Xuan Yang himself who always drew the gazes of men and women whenever he went out. Yet he was as thick-headed as could be, completely oblivious.
Sometimes Shen Yan couldn't figure it out himself. He practiced Soul Cultivation, but he controlled yin souls, not the souls of the living. How was it that Xuan Yang seemed as if his soul had been sucked away or he had been hexed by him?
Puzzlement aside, he was still happy. But Shen Yan wore a cold face year-round, so his happiness wasn't apparent.
Though the atmosphere was somewhat stiff, after several days, Shen Yan steadily advanced to the Integration Stage.
Xuan Yang was overjoyed, and even his wariness toward the Phoenix Clan female cultivator lessened as he gave her a few smiles. The female cultivator was delighted, thinking she could finally take Xuan Yang back to the clan to report, but before she could speak, Xuan Yang started shouting.
"Since Nie Shiyun and the other have moved, let's go too. Those two didn't even say where they are now. Why don't we wander around and ask? It'll be good to stretch our limbs."
Having just advanced, Shen Yan’s spiritual energy was entirely different, and he naturally wanted to head out, so he agreed.
"Tell the Phoenix Emperor for me that I've advanced! He said back then that I could leave the territory after reaching the Integration Stage. Although I wasn't staying in the territory anyway, I think it's been hard on you guys constantly keeping watch at the front door. This is great; he doesn't have to worry about me anymore!" Xuan Yang laughed brightly.
The Phoenix Clan female cultivator froze, her mouth opening to say something, but Xuan Yang grabbed Shen Yan and bolted.
After their advancement, the two were now at the same cultivation level as her. In the blink of an eye, they were on a flying sword and gone, far beyond her reach. The Phoenix Clan female cultivator stood there dumbfounded, only coming to her senses after a long while.
Those rewards... in the end, they were probably gone for good!
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Transmigrated into a Total Shou Novel as a Cannon Fodder, but Ended Up 1v1-ing the Male Lead | Chapter 209 | Advancement and Departure | Novela.app | Novela.app
