Longevity, starting from being a chicken raising servant Chapter 2397: 201: Visit (Part 3)
Previously on Longevity, starting from being a chicken raising servant...
When Wang Ba caught those words, he offered no denial.
Arm in arm, the pair stepped into the Taoist Field together.
The Yin Family Ancestor and the rest had been waiting right at the gate, and the moment they spotted Wang Ba, genuine smiles of delight and thrill lit up their faces.
On that day, Wang Ba had soared in on his sword, shattering the deceptive mask of the Ten Thousand Demon Palace's fake Palace Master, etching a profound mark in their minds.
Not to mention how he single-handedly crushed a horde of fellow-level Cultivators with ease, his might standing unrivaled.
When it came to spell-based battle power, he rivaled mid-stage Crossing Tribulation Cultivators without falling short, so respect came naturally from all around.
By then, Yin Fu had set up a lavish feast in the Taoist Field's most breathtaking location.
Yin Tianzhi wasted no time in dragging Wang Ba to the head table to sit side by side.
The other Crossing Tribulation Ancestors joined them there.
Spirit wine flowed, melons and fruits abounded, desserts tempted, while songs and dances captivated without need for further description.
As the drinks brought waves of merriment, Yin Tianzhi burst out:
"I truly envy you, Taoist Friend Taiyi, wandering the vast seas so freely, while we so-called Rogue Cultivators end up tangled in mortal ties despite our label."
Wang Ba took in the remark with steady calm, setting his wine cup aside with a subtle grin:
"Your Yin Family commands a special territory, Taoist Brother—what worries plague you?"
At those words, Yin Tianzhi spilled his burdens:
"You're probably aware too, during the last Cloud Sky Realm clash, the Supreme True Buddha overwhelmed Cloud Sky Realm badly, yet he dragged the Eastern Luli Buddha Realm into the fray, forcing a fruitless retreat. The Supreme True Buddha took a loss but escaped unscathed in essence, whereas Cloud Sky Realm lies half in ruins now... Zhang’s Ruins sit far too near the Supreme True Buddha's influence, and we're all wary of drawing his followers' eyes."
"Right now, inside the ruins, every clan forges pacts and schemes both overt and covert, all to claim the ultimate prize. My Yin Family harbors no grand designs, but caught in the mix, we struggle to find our footing."
Wang Ba arched his brows just a touch:
"Why not simply move away from this place?"
A wry smile crossed Yin Tianzhi's lips:
"For all its flaws, folks hesitate to abandon their rooted homes..."
Wang Ba let out a light chuckle:
"In that case, no other path exists. How could the world offer flawless ways? If you're set against departing, you'll have to confront the storms head-on."
Noticing this, Yin Tianzhi sensed Wang Ba had likely grasped his intent already. With a shake of his head, he dropped all pretense, rising from his spot to offer Wang Ba a profound salute with clasped hands:
"My Yin Family finds itself mired deep, unable to break free. I dare to ask boldly, might Taoist Friend Taiyi extend aid to safeguard us?"
The Ancestor and banquet guests stared in shock at Yin Tianzhi's display of such deference.
But Wang Ba sidestepped none of it, instead querying with a laugh:
"What makes Taoist Brother believe I could aid the Yin Family in this crisis?"
With the plea laid bare, Yin Tianzhi answered straightforwardly:
"Taoist Friend burst onto the scene with dazzling flair, and in spell duels, I suspect you've reached my level. United, we'd resemble a pair of mid-stage Crossing Tribulation Cultivators watching over, so typically, no group would risk provoking us. That level of warning suffices; the Yin Family would manage the rest."
Wang Ba gained a sudden insight from those lines.
He promptly shook his head several times.
Yin Tianzhi's spirits dropped, a hint of letdown in his voice:
"Should Taoist Friend refuse, I get it, but could you share your reasons..."
Wang Ba laughed it off, clarifying:
"Not at all—that's not my point. What I mean is, Taoist Brother's idea falls a bit short."
Yin Tianzhi froze for a beat, not quite catching on:
"What better plan does Taoist Friend propose?"
"It's straightforward."
Wang Ba casually raised a finger, tapping softly toward the Taoist Field's edge.
Right away, countless rays of light burst forth from his finger, speeding off into the distance...
"This, what is this..."
Yin Tianzhi and the Ancestors gaped in confusion.
Wang Ba gave an unconcerned smile, easing his hand back before lifting his wine cup to drain it fully.
Watching him, Yin Tianzhi tentatively grasped his own cup and, mirroring Wang Ba, downed it in one go.
He gazed distantly at the swaying dancers ahead, the lovely tunes filling his ears, though right then they struck him as jarring and loud.
Wang Ba stayed silent, merely trading sips of wine and casual talk with him.
Until one light ray abruptly darted into the Taoist Field, dropping straight into Yin Tianzhi's grasp.
Yin Tianzhi's pulse quickened; he flashed Wang Ba a sorry smile before eagerly unsealing the dispatch.
Scanning its message, he froze, then glanced up at Wang Ba on reflex:
"Three days from now, you're heading to Spirit Origin Prefecture to meet Fan Fenglei?"
"Is this your strategy, Taoist Friend?"
Wang Ba affirmed with a nod:
"Defeating them outright ought to clear up Taoist Brother's dilemmas, wouldn't it?"
Sensing the quiet assurance in Wang Ba's words, Yin Tianzhi felt both awe and a touch of exasperation, adding:
"Taoist Friend might not realize, this goes beyond just Spirit Origin Prefecture—other players are involved too..."
Before his sentence ended.
Yet another light ray cut in, halting Yin Tianzhi mid-thought.
Helpless, he gave Wang Ba another apologetic grin and swiftly checked it.
But one look left him dumbstruck.
He lifted his eyes to Wang Ba in astonishment:
"You, you're also set to visit the Illusion Sky Realm? In three days as well?"
Wang Ba merely chuckled without confirming or denying.
Only moments passed.
Then seven or eight more light rays arrived in quick succession!
As these arrivals unfolded, a subtle mix of doubt and stirring emotion welled in Yin Tianzhi's chest.
He reflexively tallied them:
"One, two... eight, nine!"
Nine clans!
And across all of Zhang’s Ruins, excluding the fallen Ten Thousand Demon Palace, that tallied exactly ten families, Yin included!
"So, does that imply..."
He turned to Wang Ba, shock widening his gaze:
"You, you've reached out to all nine families simultaneously!?"
"What about the lesser groups in Zhang’s Ruins—do they require persuasion too?"
Wang Ba's eyebrow lifted faintly, caught off guard.
"No, that's not what I meant..."
The ever-poised and reliable Yin Tianzhi faltered unexpectedly then, fumbling for expression, at last voicing:
"Taoist Friend, your advances these years may be immense—one against one, they might not best you, but they won't stand passive. Plus, should your power come to light, other powers dreading our union might band against us, and if they unite, then..."
"Unite?"
Wang Ba's face turned grave, stressing the word a notch:
"We absolutely cannot afford to overlook that."
Yin Tianzhi gazed at Wang Ba in a daze, words escaping him for the moment.
This Taoist Friend Taiyi—why does he feel so changed from earlier?