Beast Taming Clan: I Have a Jade Book Chapter 969 - 675: Having Subordinates Is Only Natural, Right?

Within the Grotto Heaven, leaves were already yellowing. Lacking the bleak desolation before winter's snow, the contrast to summer remained stark nonetheless.

A faint chill permeated the air.

Countless Ye Family members now clustered before Spirit Peak.

Urgency marked their faces, eyes flickering restlessly, as they had clearly learned the dire news.

Slander struck the Ye Family at this critical hour; a poor response would shatter years of patient endurance into illusion.

Shadows spreading these tales dared go public only with strong evidence likely in hand.

Ye Family dared not wager the foes lacked proof; arriving at Lingyun Peak to confront it would leave them utterly without recourse!

This chaos derailed every prior Ye Family scheme, filling Ye Jing Hu with profound remorse right then. His stubborn push into Cyan Cloud Sea Domain had invited infiltration and probing at Clan Mountain.

Absent that choice, the Ye Family might have evaded exposure altogether.

"Fourth Uncle Ancestor, please impose heavy punishment on Jing Hu." Ye Jing Hu dropped to his knees at once.

But Ye Xuefan waved a hand, pulling him upright.

"If you have a heart of admitting wrong, let’s discuss this after the matter is resolved. The position of Patriarch will have an acting title added to it!" Ye Xuefan held off on punishing Ye Jing Hu for now; all gazes shifted instead to the mountaintop.

There stood the Ye Family's lone Golden Core Cultivator.

Ye Jingcheng must helm the Tier Four Spiritual Ship for a rapid dash back to Yan Kingdom.

Deep in Chu Kingdom territory now, a Tier Three Spiritual Ship would require more than ten days to reach Yan Kingdom—agonizingly slow.

By the time they arrived, the Eastern Domain Ye Family might face total annihilation.

Suddenly, immense yellow radiance erupted across the skies.

It roared into formation, unleashing the Qilin Profound Earth - True Hall Secret Technique.

A majestic, vividly real earth-yellow Qilin True Hall materialized, resembling a True Spirit palace.

The Qilin True Spirit's furious roar accompanied it.

As Spiritual Light surged once more, a Qilin Spirit Shadow mounted the True Hall, glaring with ferocious intensity.

Qilin Eyes loomed proudly, domineering over creation. Meeting that stare unleashed a horrifying gravitational force, as though one abruptly shouldered an enormous mountain.

The True Hall's earth-yellow Spiritual Light spread expansively.

"Scatter!" A crisp command rang out, and all Spiritual Light shattered apart—the True Hall collapsed first, then the Qilin Spirit Shadow followed.

Even in the Qilin Spirit Shadow's dissipation, the pair of Qilin Eyes faded last.

With all traces gone, Ye Jingcheng descended from the lofty heavens.

He landed squarely before the assembly.

"Jingcheng, have a look at the Clan Token!" Ye Xuefan urged intently.

Ye Jingcheng nodded; he'd been secluded before, refining the True Essence gained from the Earth Dragon Demon King Beast.

This granted him substantial advancement in mere half a year.

Moreover, the Earth Spirit Secret Technique had achieved Minor Achievement at last.

His eyes swept the Token, and his face grew somber.

Illusion Peak wasn't handling the Ye Family probe; Dharma Peak and Sword Peak had stepped in.

Facing them meant inescapable humiliation.

Jing Yun might buy some time, yet true resolution loomed as a daunting challenge.

Ye Jingcheng's thoughts whirled furiously now, probing every tactic, but a pounding headache endured.

At length, recalling the prior Fire Peak events, Ye Jingcheng's gaze sharpened.

"Fourth Uncle Ancestor, if the Zhang Family and Jia Family were truly orthodox of Artifact Desolate and Kuihuang, how many Golden Cores are possible now?" Ye Jingcheng asked outright.

He knew little of Eight Desolates Sect's ancient lore.

Yet he grasped that three Golden Core forces stood with him now, bolstered by a peak Demon King Earth Dragon Demon King.

Should the adversaries seclude for Nascent Soul breakthrough, Ye Family could hazard a strike.

"At least over five!" Ye Xuefan mulled briefly before replying.

"The Zhang Family and Jia Family obviously aren't direct descendants of Kuihuang or Artifact Desolate. The devastating fate of the Eight Desolates Sect from that era warrants a place in Cultivation history annals, meaning they probably only possessed Purple Mansion Cultivators at the time, yet today the Zhang Family and Jia Family boldly display Golden Cores while concealing at least one additional Golden Core!" Ye Xuefan analyzed.

Ye Jingcheng's intent was clear to him; by riding this opportunity straight into the Extreme West Desert Sea, the Ye Family could disregard all Eastern Domain powers entirely.

Without a Teleportation Array, reaching the Extreme West Desert Sea demanded crossing at least a hundred thousand li of mountain-sea terrain.

Even the vast Taihang Mountain Range was just the entrance to this mountain-sea, teeming with numerous Demon Kings and Demon Emperors.

Typical Nascent Souls couldn't guarantee safe passage through the mountain-sea to the distant western Desert Sea.

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Yet the Zhang Family and Jia Family's power shouldn't be underestimated, especially since they confront Kuihuang, who likely commands multiple Golden Core Puppets.

Ye Jingcheng grew quiet upon hearing those words.

Rushing into the Desert Sea without superior numbers would spell certain death.

Not even considering potential hidden allies of the Zhang Family and Jia Family.

From the Eight Desolates Sect's disclosures, after all, the Ye Family represents Beast Desolate, the Wan Family embodies Sword Desolate, leaving the other four Desolates unidentified.

Ye Jingcheng harbored doubts about the Qinghe Sect and Taiyi Sect, naturally—their structures mirrored the Eight Desolates Sect's model precisely.

"With six Golden Cores in play, it could be worth the risk. Aren't they after a Tier Five Spiritual Vein?" The Earth Dragon Demon King's voice suddenly echoed in their minds.

Ye Jingcheng, Ye Xuefan, and the rest stared in stunned disbelief at this development.

"Beyond Jingcheng's own battle prowess, the Three-eyed Demon Roc, early Fourth Tier Thunder Roc, and mid-stage Fourth Tier Mammoth Demon King could participate too!"

Expressions grew even stranger as they processed this.

"Stop staring like that. Don't I need Fourth Tier beast followers, just as you cultivators do, to advance to Fifth Tier?" the Earth Dragon Demon King explained.

A wave of relief washed over Ye Jingcheng's heart right then.

The impasse seemed on the verge of shattering.

Furthermore, he had just confirmed the Earth Dragon Demon King spoke truth.

Though the Mammoth Demon King's precise might eluded him, the Ye Family knew the Three-eyed Demon King's capabilities well.

This beast had lingered at late Fourth Tier for over seventy years, far from a fresh breakthrough.

Its power had undoubtedly surged in that span.

The Thunder Roc Demon King was a recent arrival, claiming the old Cloud Lion Valley.

Merely early Fourth Tier, yet a Thunder Attribute Demon King nonetheless.

Three extra Golden Core-level fighters joined the fray.

The Ye Family's odds of success soared dramatically!

"I'll call those three to Earth Dragon Valley, but before my breakthrough, no communicating with the beasts—only contracting them!" the Earth Dragon Demon King stipulated once more.

During soul infusion, any beast communication risked siphoning soul power.

The Earth Dragon Demon King dismissed threats from Ye Jingcheng's current beasts, all Tier Three except the Fourth Tier Jade Qilin Flood Dragon.

But unrestricted communication would change everything.

"Of course, Dragon Ancestor, your contribution here earns immense gratitude—the Ye Family won't forget!" Ye Jingcheng bowed deeply in succession.

The earlier worry over Chenjing Jade had faded; now it seemed an absolute bargain!

Beams of delight lit up Ye Xuefan and the others' faces.

Securing the Extreme West Desert Sea and shifting the teleportation array to the Taihang Mountain Range would fortify the Ye Family—even Penglai Immortal Sect's arrival couldn't touch them!

"Jingcheng, if we can stay hidden, we should. The Taiyi Sect isn't fully aligned with them!"

Ye Xuefan added this caution at that juncture.

"In the Yan Kingdom's present crisis, Taiyi Sect possesses merely one Nascent Soul, matched by Tian Dao Sect. While Zhao Kingdom's Medicine King Valley might thwart Qinghe Sect's onslaught against Taiyi Sect, it cannot halt their assault on Tian Dao Sect. Once Tian Dao Sect collapses, Taiyi Sect will inevitably get devoured by Medicine King Valley or Qinghe Sect—no surprise whatsoever!"

"The Profound River Infinite Sword Array is likely aimed at the Tian Dao Sect, and if handled shrewdly, True Monarch Zi Ming could maintain the stalemate on our behalf!"

"In truth, would discovering the Beast Desolate truly aid the Taiyi Sect? Since Artifact Desolate and Kuihuang are real, why not the Beast Desolate as well?"

"Uncover the Secret Treasure? Surely the Penglai Immortal Sect would eliminate all witnesses?" Ye Xuefan's remarks further strengthened Ye Jingcheng's resolve.

Within Taiyi Sect, members split into three distinct groups: those covertly pursuing the Secret Treasure and Beast Desolate, those conducting open hunts, and those abstaining entirely.

Illusionary Blade Peak, Dharma Peak, and Purple Peak each represented one of these factions.

"Fourth Uncle, I get it completely. Let's make for the Yan Kingdom right away. I'll go pilot the Spiritual Ship!" Ye Jingcheng affirmed with a nod before exiting the Grotto Heaven.

Ye Haisheng was currently steering the Spiritual Ship positioned beyond the Grotto Heaven.

Right then, Ye Haisheng poured every ounce of his power into slapping a Spirit Talisman onto the Spiritual Ship, his face turning red from the strain.

Being merely at the early Purple Mansion stage, such intense effort proved a heavy toll on Ye Haisheng!

Evidently, Ye Haisheng harbored deep concern for Lingyun Peak and yearned to rush back without delay.

Despite his upbringing on Hidden Peak, the Ye Family's blood surged passionately between Lingyun Peak and the Hidden Peaks!

"Uncle Haisheng, I'll handle it from here. You enter the Grotto Heaven first!" Ye Jingcheng offered.

Pulling out a Tier Four Spiritual Ship, he climbed aboard, and in a flash, it shot forward like a loosed arrow, vanishing over the vast plains instantly.

Ye Haisheng gazed in awe at its velocity, envy flickering in his eyes, before stepping into the Grotto Heaven.

Aware of the grueling battles ahead, he needed to swiftly replenish his True Essence.