Immortal Only Accepts Female Disciples

A middle-aged man descended from the sky and landed on a stone pillar. The area on top was wide enough for five or six people to stand. Around him, there were many similar pillars that extended above clouds, forming a forest of stone that appeared out of the sea of clouds below.

This was the Giant Stone Forest, situated directly east of Beast God City. It was a fertile land that propelled the rise of Beast God Sanctum. It also directly bordered the Glittering Forest which was home to countless insect hordes.

Immortal Crimson Eagle Qu Shen studied his surroundings with his eyes and then with his spiritual sense. He had come based on reports of irregular movements from the insects. He had just confirmed it after a brief reconnaissance. The northern insect army was out of position. The southern mantis lord had left its post for some reason. He felt something was amiss but he couldn’t quite grasp what it was.

“Little brother Qu, you came as well?”

Qu Shen didn’t turn to acknowledge the speaker. There was only one person in the world who called him that. Only, Qu Shen hated being called little brother, he was nobody’s little brother, not anymore.

Immortal Lion of Fortitude He Zicheng landed on another stone pillar a short distance away. Compared to Qu Shen, he looked visibly older but was still spry and healthy compared to some of the immortals of the Immortal Association. One was clad in gold and yellow robes like an emperor while the other was in bright red like he was about to get married, they were a curious pair of old men.

He Zicheng didn’t mind silence and continued, “The mantis queen will probably recover soon. It’s a pity that fat sheep will fall out of our reach… Qu Shen, there is still time, if we work together, we can attack the Glittering Forest right now.”

Qu Shen kept his mouth shut, silently brooding. Before, he had listened to He Zicheng’s poisonous words and teamed up to attack their elder brother Zhuge. The agreement was that they would share the spoils equally, especially Jasmine which was the most important prize.

During the confusion of carrying out the coup, He Zicheng had claimed that Jasmine had escaped. This was entirely possible as she was a Spirit Lord and also a divine beast. The truth came out later that He Zicheng had actually captured her and hidden her away, intending to eat up this prize entirely by himself. Qu Shen definitely wasn’t going to fall for the overgrown cat’s schemes a second time.

The two men remained like this, each person with their own thoughts, silently studying the wilderness ahead and the rival nearby.

Loyalty among immortals was a curious thing. A long time, before they were immortals, it could be said that the three sworn brothers of Zhuge Kang, He Zicheng, and Qu Shen had tremendous trust and loyalty in each other. They were loose cultivators of beast arts that had come across each other by chance. They fought together, ate together, and shared triumphs together.

However, after achieving a great and fortune encounter and becoming Spirit Kings, their hearts started to drift apart. Immortals were all arrogant and independent to a certain degree. Mortals had to struggle and fight to survive like ants whereas they had become like deities, able to control the fates of millions and millions of souls. It was natural for arrogance and self-interest to take hold. These three brothers were an alliance but their bond could never go back to what it originally was.

“Qu Shen, what is your intention with that Chen Wentian?” He Zicheng asked after some time.

“He is my guest. It’s none of your business.” Qu Shen replied coldly.

He Zicheng clicked his tongue, “I still have to warn you. That person has a scheming heart. If you think he has ten tricks, he may have twenty. Inviting him into our city is like inviting a snake into your nest.”

Qu Shen snorted, “I guess it takes a schemer to know one.”

Of course, he knew the risks. But Chen Wentian was only a Spirit Lord while he was Spirit King. He felt that he could control anything that could possibly happen. Absolute strength was the greatest deterrent.

He Zicheng ignored the comment and said, “The problem is not specifically him; it is the people already in the city who may be harboring thoughts against us.”

Qu Shen rubbed his beard in thought.

The two had swallowed up the snake lord’s faction in a short time. Those that were rebellious were killed while those willing to submit were folded into their own factions. But the problem was that these people’s loyalties could not be guaranteed.

These relationships were not that of master and disciple but lord and subject. One was the oppressor while the other was the oppressed. Mortals were like ants and could not harm an immortal. Yet their bites would still be annoying and a distraction against more important matters.

Qu Shen felt that He Zicheng’s concerns had merit. The only issue was that it came out of He Zicheng’s mouth, meaning there was always another motive. That motive was to maintain the status quo which Chen Wentian's arrival would certainly disrupt.

Currently, the eagle faction and lion faction were relatively equal. Perhaps the lion faction was slightly better in terms of businesses and land holdings but it wasn’t too far off. With Chen Wentian in the mix, the eagle faction would become the one with the clear advantage. Aside from his personal strength as a Spirit Lord, there were his vast territories and his disciples, many of which surpassed even the best the Beast God Sanctum could produce.

He Zicheng noticed Qu Shen's lack of reaction and let out a long sigh, still playing the part of the wise older brother. “Little brother Qu, are you not worried? Do you not see it? Your actions may lead to the destruction of the Beast God Sanctum as we know it. Please heed my words, they have no other motive than concern for all of our people.”

Qu Shen’s temper flared, “He Zicheng, quit your bullshit. If anybody is responsible for the destruction of the Beast God Sanctum, then it is you. You betrayed big brother Zhuge, and for what? That fox still escaped in the end. Who knows when it will come back to take revenge? Who knows how many years we can hold on for before that day comes? Unlike you, I am actually trying to think of the future instead of squabbling for scraps.”

The two stubborn old men continued to argue like this. Neither willing to back down, each with their point of view, and unable to find common ground. Their nature was conflict. Zhuge Kang was the mediator in the past. After he died, the two had been distracted by the monster invasion and then the insect army’s siege. Now, after things had recovered mostly to their original state, these two were again itching for a fight. The truce that had maintained peace within Beast God City, it would seem, would only last until the end of the Liu Wu Festival.

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