Chapter 273

Chapter 273

Shang Yang, the Demon Lord's words caused a great uproar within the Pleiades Valley.

In an instant, all eyes fell upon Grandma Tie and the three people standing beside her. Those lingering gazes flickered over Wen Qiao and Su Molan before quickly moving away.

The spies from various factions within the Pleiades Valley had mixed thoughts about Shang Yang's words. They were neither fully convinced nor did they doubt Su Molan and the other two. After all, a Transformation Pill was too extraordinary for most to even consider it, and Grandma Tie’s advance preparation to have them pose as Pleiades Valley disciples served as a plausible cover.

If Su Molan truly hid in the Pleiades Valley, she would be concealed by Grandma Tie, not brazenly appearing in public.

Grandma Tie's eyes were filled with hatred, almost bleeding with rage.

Her jaw twitched; if not for the protective barrier blocking her way out, she might have rushed out to confront Shang Yang, the Demon Lord.

Grandma Tie soon regained her composure.

She coldly observed those outside the protective barrier, her gaze shifting from Shang Yang to the tens of thousands of cultivators behind him. A sneer escaped her lips, and her voice, brimming with hatred, echoed near the valley entrance: "What righteous sects? All of you are just a bunch of wicked devils, birds of a feather!"

No one inside the valley dared to speak.

They knew Grandma Tie was extremely angry, and it was best not to provoke her at this moment, lest the eccentric old woman vent her anger on them.

To these Pleiades Valley disciples, the disfigured Grandma Tie was an eccentric and hard-to-please old woman, while Elder Wan, who was in seclusion, was more respected.

But why hadn't Elder Wan appeared yet?

Those hoping Elder Wan would come out to challenge Grandma Tie felt a sense of unease rising in their hearts.

Suddenly, Grandma Tie turned around, her sharp gaze piercing through the disciples in the valley.

The over a hundred Pleiades Valley disciples felt a chill run down their spines under her fierce and icy stare. Those without ulterior motives were fine, but those with hidden agendas felt uneasy.

Grandma Tie suddenly made a gesture, and someone screamed as they flew out, exploding mid-air, splattering blood everywhere.

She then proceeded to kill several more Pleiades Valley disciples, each meeting the same fate—exploding into a pool of flesh.

After finishing them off, Grandma Tie coldly laughed, her raspy and strange voice ringing out: "I know who you work for. Since your loyalty lies elsewhere, there's no need for you to live, lest you tarnish the name of the Pleiades Valley."

This terrified the remaining disciples, causing them to pale and kneel down.

At this point, only Ning Yuzhou, Wen Qiao, and Su Molan stood upright behind Grandma Tie, watching coldly.

Since they chose to betray the Pleiades Valley, they must have been prepared to die.

Grandma Tie laughed again, her raspy voice sounding like that of an enraged old man trapped in a difficult situation.

"Don't think I'm old and ugly, with little life left, and thus easy to bully. Let me tell you, no matter how old and ugly I am, killing you is as easy as breathing. Are you wondering why that old thing Wan He hasn't shown up? Ha! He will never come out."

Upon hearing Grandma Tie's words, several people in the crowd turned pale.

Grandma Tie's divine sense had been locked onto them, and seeing their changed expressions, she grabbed and killed them once more.

This massacre at the Pleiades Valley entrance splattered blood across several feet, filling the air with a thick scent of blood, terrifying the few remaining traitors into submission. They could only lower their heads, desperately controlling their reactions, fearing Grandma Tie would catch them and use them as examples.

After this warning, the Pleiades Valley disciples were pale and trembling, nearly losing their minds.

Indeed, the wrath of an Emperor-level cultivator was beyond what these low-ranking disciples could endure.

Grandma Tie glanced once more at the still-shaking protective barrier, closed her eyes, and turned to leave.

Wen Qiao and the others hurriedly followed her, leaving together.

The remaining Pleiades Valley disciples cautiously raised their heads, finally breathing a sigh of relief when they saw Grandma Tie had left.

Those without ulterior motives felt relieved, believing Grandma Tie would not harm them without evidence. The ones she had killed earlier were likely already suspected of betrayal.

The remaining disciples looked at each other with varied expressions, feeling heavy-hearted, fearing Grandma Tie might discover their past deeds.

Returning to their residences, they attempted to contact outsiders.

However, after hesitating for a while, they put away their communication devices, fearing Grandma Tie might be secretly watching them. They knew not to underestimate a crazed female cultivator, even though the protective barrier wouldn’t be broken anytime soon. Before it was breached, Grandma Tie had ample time to kill them.

***

Back at Chuyun Peak, Grandma Tie said to Ning Yuzhou and the others, "Young Master Ning, Miss Wen, it seems the Pleiades Valley can no longer keep you."

Ning Yuzhou and Wen Qiao both understood.

Then Grandma Tie continued, "I have another request. Please take our young mistress with you, to any continent, as long as it's not the Pleiades Continent."

"Grandma!" Su Molan was shocked, reaching out to hold her, "What about you?"

Grandma Tie's face was filled with hatred, "I won't leave. I'll stay in the Pleiades Continent and personally kill those hypocrites."

"Grandma!" Su Molan pleaded, "Please leave with us! We’ll go to another continent and return stronger to seek revenge."

Grandma Tie shook her head, looking at her lovingly, "Molani, as long as you're safe, I’m content even if I die. I’ll stay here to watch over them until you come back for revenge. Then I’ll help you find each of your enemies."

"Grandma..." Su Molan sobbed uncontrollably.

Grandma Tie turned away, unwilling to look at her, and addressed Ning Yuzhou, "With just Shang Yang, the Demon Lord, the protective barrier cannot be breached. Unless they join forces to attack it! You still have some time. Prepare yourselves. When you leave, I’ll arrange it for you."

Ning Yuzhou understood what Grandma Tie meant. There were spies from other factions in the Pleiades Valley, and even if the protective barrier was breached, Grandma Tie would not let them go.

"Young Master Ning, Miss Wen... please take care of Molan," Grandma Tie said hoarsely, "Just get her out of the Pleiades Continent. Her future path depends on her own fortune."

These two had helped them so much that Grandma Tie felt guilty asking for more. In this world, one could rely on no one but oneself. If her young mistress became strong enough to fend for herself, she wouldn’t need to depend on others.

So, she didn't plan to find two bodyguards for Su Molan but instead let her venture out on her own.

Ning Yuzhou nodded slightly: "Alright."

"By the way, how did Demon Lord Shang Yang know that Miss Su was in the Pleiades Valley?" Wen Qiao asked in confusion.

Iron Granny frowned, suspecting that there might be hidden enemies in the Pleiades Valley that even she didn't know about.

Su Molan's expression faltered as she lowered her head, "I know that the Xiao family once stole my essence blood when I wasn't paying attention..."

For a cultivator, essence blood is incredibly important and can be used with special methods to trace someone's whereabouts. No matter where Su Molan hid, she couldn't escape being tracked.

Iron Granny's face turned livid, her hatred for the Xiao family deepening.

Then, Iron Granny left Chuyun Peak to handle some matters.

She knew that if the protective array of the Pleiades Valley were breached by cultivators at the Emperor Yuan Realm working together, the fate of the Pleiades Valley would be sealed. Therefore, she needed to make preparations in advance.

Thinking of this, she gave a mocking smile. Back then, those people still had some shame and dared not openly confront the Pleiades Valley. Now, because the young mistress has learned to resist, they have become desperate and lost all sense of propriety.

Su Molan, with her red, swollen eyes, watched Iron Granny leave and suddenly said, "Are you still here? What did you mean by the contract you mentioned earlier?"

As she spoke, a translucent figure appeared.

Pleiades' face tightened as he said, "My main body is in the Pleiades Valley, and it needs to remain here to suppress the area. If I sign a contract with you, I can leave the Pleiades Valley with you."

"What kind of contract?" Su Molan asked.

Pleiades suddenly fell silent.

Seeing the spirit's appearance, Su Molan felt a wave of sadness surge within her, her mind in turmoil.

"It's a master-servant contract," Pleiades said. "You will be the master, and I will be the servant."

Indeed.

Su Molan's throat felt dry, "The Su family's bloodline is just a guardian. You haven't chosen a master for so many years. Are you not afraid that I might harm you?"

Pleiades remained silent.

Su Molan took a deep breath and suddenly asked, "The protective array of the Pleiades Valley will soon be breached. What impact will that have on you?"

"I might fall into another slumber."

Su Molan fell silent again. So that was it, so that was it.

Her eyes were swollen and sore, and her heart felt bitter like having eaten Huanglian.

Just as the person and the spirit were silent, a voice sounded, "Pleiades, are you going to recognize her as your master?"

Su Molan was startled and looked up to see Wen Qiao and Ning Yuzhou appear at the door.

Ning Yuzhou said, "Sorry, we have something to discuss with you. We didn't expect Pleiades to be here too."

Su Molan opened her mouth to say something but remembered that Pleiades had already revealed its identity in front of them. She, the guardian of the Twenty-Eight Constellations Four Symbols Map, only learned of its existence today, so there was nothing to hide.

Wen Qiao frowned and said, "Isn't it said that mortals cannot make divine artifacts recognize them as masters?"

Once an artifact recognizes a master, life and death are in the hands of the cultivator. Wen Qiao really couldn't understand why Pleiades would do this.

"Mortals indeed cannot force divine artifacts to recognize them as masters, but if the artifact does so willingly, it's a different matter," Ning Yuzhou explained. The level of divine artifacts is too high; no matter how strong a mortal is, they cannot force an artifact to recognize them as a master.

But when an artifact chooses to do so willingly, it's a different story.

Unfortunately, throughout history, very few cultivators have been able to make divine artifacts choose them as masters.

Wen Qiao looked at Pleiades seriously, "Pleiades, are you really going to recognize Miss Su as your master?"

Pleiades nodded, saying solemnly, "She is the last descendant of the Su family and also the guardian of the Star Map. Recognizing her as a master is better than recognizing anyone else."

"That's not what I meant," Wen Qiao tried to pick up the little spirit, "Why must you recognize her as your master? You could stay like this."

Pleiades hesitated, unsure how to explain.

It was Su Molan, who had been silent for a while, who explained for her, "It wants to leave the Pleiades Continent with you. Only by recognizing me as its master can it leave with you."

After her explanation, Wen Qiao finally understood.

Pleiades' main body needed to suppress the continent and couldn't leave, so it came up with a plan to keep its main body here to continue its task while the spirit left with them.

Wen Qiao didn't know what to say, feeling guilty for unintentionally taking the innocent spirit away.

Feeling guilty, she looked at Ning Yuzhou, hoping he could come up with a way to dissuade Pleiades from this dangerous idea.

Ning Yuzhou, under her gaze, couldn't help but want to resolve any difficulty for her.

He sighed inwardly and asked Pleiades, "Do you remember what your main body is suppressing?"

Pleiades mumbled, unsure what to say.

"Since you don't remember, how can you talk about leaving? Can you leave without worry? Don't you know what will happen to the Twenty-Eight Constellations Four Symbols Map without a spirit?" By the end, Ning Yuzhou's voice had become stern.

Pleiades looked at him timidly, and upon seeing Ning Yuzhou's stern expression, suddenly burst into tears.

Wen Qiao: "..."

Su Molan: "..."

The spirit cried? Scared by Brother Ning?

Wen Qiao looked at the sobbing spirit and felt sorry for it, wanting to say something but fearing she might ruin Ning Yuzhou's efforts.

Pleiades cried while speaking: "I, I really can't remember... I was severely injured, and I've forgotten many things... I don't want to be alone again; I want someone to keep me company..."

Seeing it cry like this, Su Molan's heart ached.

She thought of her past self—though the Xiao family treated her as one of their own on the surface, she was not truly part of the Xiao clan. In that vast clan, she was the only outsider.

Ning Yuzhou remained composed, not feeling he was bullying a child at all. He merely thought this little spirit was indeed too young, having never seen a spirit cry like this before.

However, facing Wen Qiao's sympathetic gaze, Ning Yuzhou had no choice but to console it. "If you want to remember, it's easy; just repair your body."

"B-but my injuries were severe... I haven't been able to heal for so many years..."

"You can have the guardian help you! As I said, if there are divine artifacts, they can speed up the repair of your body."

"Divine artifacts?" Su Molan asked in surprise. "Are there divine artifacts in the lower realm?"

"Why not?" Ning Yuzhou smiled enigmatically. "In ancient times, during the three realms' war, countless immortals fought, leaving behind many divine artifacts in those ancient battlefields."

Su Molan looked at him blankly.

But Wen Qiao seemed to recall something. "Husband, the battlefield you mentioned—is it like Tianzhiyuan?"

"Exactly."

Wen Qiao's face immediately scrunched up. The impression of Tianzhiyuan was too strong; another such place would likely become another dangerous area.

Ning Yuzhou knew what she was thinking and explained, "Rest assured, the ancient battlefields I speak of are not as dangerous as Tianzhiyuan... Of course, there is danger, but those places have not been visited by cultivators, which is why divine artifacts remain."

"Where are these places?" Su Molan quickly asked.

Ning Yuzhou did not answer, giving her a faint glance before suddenly asking, "Are you willing to find divine artifacts to repair its body for the Star Map?"

"I am!" Su Molan answered without hesitation. "The Suzu Valley is the guardian of the Twenty-Eight Constellations Map, and I am its sole inheritor. Since this is our responsibility, I will bear it." At this point, her face showed a pained expression. "Our family has held on until now, losing countless lives, yet we have never given up. Neither will I."

She did not understand why her family had to guard the Twenty-Eight Constellations Map, even at the cost of extinction, but since they had never regretted it, how could she reject their efforts?

Pleiades couldn't help looking at her, recalling Wen Qiao's words.

It should indeed trust its guardian.

"Ning Gongzi, what should I do?" Su Molan asked.

Ning Yuzhou said, "When we leave the Pleiades Continent, Miss Su, please join us. Once we reach the next continent, I will tell you what to do. As for Pleiades..."

Pleiades looked at him nervously, wanting to ask but not daring to.

"You don't need to establish a master-servant contract with her; just leave with her."

"Ah..."