Chapter 279 - A Tragic, Ancient Figure (2/2)

“Big Brother Ye Chen, are you thinking of Big Sister Little Tanuki?” Little Wingsy looked up and stared at Ye Chen with clear, shining eyes.

“Mmm-hmm. Little Wingsy, don’t you miss your Big Sister Little Tanuki?” Ye Chen stroked Little Wingsy’s head with a doleful smile.

“Big Brother Ye Chen, don’t be sad. I dream that Big Sister Little Tanuki was with some old grandmas. She’s fine,” Little Wingsy said seriously.

Ye Chen’s heart felt a jolt. Little Wingsy was much sharper than him in these matters and might know something. Ye Chen immediately thought of the Illusory Pearl. Previously, he had heard Little Tanuki saying that the past generations of ancestors from the tanuki clan were all in the Illusory Pearl. This was possibly the old grandmas that Little Wingsy had mentioned.

When he heard Little Wingsy say this, Ye Chen’s emotions were somewhat calmer. He looked up at the Soul Pearl hovering about Little Wingsy and asked, “Little Wingsy, you’ve been in the Soul Pearl all this time?”

“Yup, I’ve been training with Master. Master even taught me a few martial art techniques,” Little Wingsy said excitedly.

An apparition suddenly popped up above the Soul Pearl. It was an old man dressed in a black skeleton robe. Three skulls orbited around the old man and a wave of demonic energy surged out. Ye Chen jumped with shock. Surely it was not a demon who was living within this Soul Pearl? Had Little Wingsy been cultivating with this demon?

Ye Chen took a proper look. This elder had a kind gaze without any fiendish glint in his eyes. Although demonic energy poured off from him, this energy was neither bloodthirsty nor savage. It was strange indeed.

The old man stared at Ye Chen with a lofty expression.

Ye Chen was uncertain and bewildered. As he stared at the old man, he saluted with a fist and palm. “Greetings, Senior. Many thanks for rescuing Little Wingsy and teaching him martial art techniques.” Secretly he was thinking to himself, ‘Little Wingsy won’t turn into a massive demon by cultivating with this old man, right?’ No wonder Ye Chen could feel traces of demonic energy coming off Little Wingsy.

Still, Ye Chen did not care what cultivation system Little Wingsy was training under. He would still treat Little Wingsy as his own younger brother. Nonetheless, he heard that those who cultivate demonic ways would ultimately have their personalities easily influenced by demonic cultivation. They would cease to recognize their own family, knowing nothing but slaughter.

Ye Chen was secretly considering, ‘Should I stop Little Wingsy from cultivation demonic techniques?’ He looked back at this elder. Ye Chen did not know what this elder had up his sleeves, so he dared not act blindly for now.

“I’m Tuntian. You must be Little Wingsy’s elder brother. I’ve been rather bored waiting in the Soul Pearl, not knowing how much time was passing outside. I fell asleep and when I woke up, I found that I had been brought out of the Sunken Jade Tower by you.” The old man twitched an eyebrow. His eyebrows were like two limp crescent moons, unable to be raised. It was a hilarious sight.

“It’s true that I’ve brought you out of the Sunken Jade Tower.” Ye Chen nodded. When he heard Elder Tuntian speaking, Ye Chen realized Elder Tuntian was not as overbearing as those demons in the legends.

“Oh oh oh, you b*stard!” The old man’s black robe fluttered without any wind and his face puffed up and turned red. He bellowed hysterically, “Do you know how long it took me to locate the Sunken Jade Tower? More than a thousand years! Do you know how miserable I was during those thousand years? Having to hide from heavenly punishment each day, being struck by lightning and burned by natural fires. After so many trials and tribulations, I managed to hide within the Sunken Jade Tower and have a peaceful nap. Only a nap! Then I was brought out by you again!” The old man was practically jumping, spittle flying from his mouth. “It’s pissing me off, it’s pissing me off!”

“That…” Ye Chen did not know how to explain. He mumbled inwardly, ‘Elder Tuntian’s emotions change so dramatically.’ After hearing what Elder Tuntian said, Ye Chen was slightly less distrustful and he softly asked Little Wingsy, “What are your master’s origins?”

“Master is very pitiful…” Little Wingsy said with sympathy. “He’s been bullied since young… And after great trouble, he cultivated and became a demon, and no one dared to bully him anymore. But in the end, he was refined into a Soul Pearl by someone. I’d thought that Master was no longer bullied after being refined into a Soul Pearl. To think that he’s still so miserable, being struck by lightning and burned by fire every day. Plus, he was nearly devoured by that giant turtle just now and turned into turtle poop.”

After the elder ranted and raved, he felt better and merely snorted twice.

“Senior Tuntian, I can still enter the Sunken Jade Tower. If you wish to hide in the Sunken Jade Tower, I can bring you there whenever you like,” Ye Chen said after some thought. After hearing what Little Wingsy said, Elder Tuntian was truly worthy of sympathy.

“The Sunken Jade Tower only opens once every fifty years. The next time you go, it’ll be fifty years later. What should I do during these fifty years? The Soul Pearl is no longer what it used to be. If heavenly punishment descends, it’ll be ten times worse than before. Whether I can survive these fifty years is the issue.” Elder Tuntian rolled his eyes.

“Well, here’s the thing. I’ve received the approval of Senior Tian Yuan, the master of the Sunken Jade Tower. So, I can enter the Sunken Jade Tower at will, unfettered by the restriction,” Ye Chen replied. Secretly he was considering, ‘If I send this Soul Pearl back to the Sunken Jade Tower, Little Wingsy won’t have to learn demonic techniques from this old man.’

Elder Tuntian shot a sideway, astonished glance at Ye Chen. “That Tian Yuan is an impressive almighty character. To think that you’ve won his approval! Humph, that’s more like it. Since you’re Little Wingsy’s elder brother, I won’t be modest. In the future, I shall nurture Little Wingsy properly and help him train to become an exceptional demon!”

When Ye Chen heard this, he practically coughed up a mouthful of blood. Let Little Wingsy train to become an exceptional demon? There was no need for that! When would Ye Chen be able to save Little Wingsy from the demonic claws of Elder Tuntian?

Ye Chen still did not know the extent of Elder Tuntian’s abilities. He dared not probe too much for now and would wait to assess the situation.

“Master has been very good to me.” Little Wingsy nodded solemnly.

Ye Chen was at his wits’ end. What if Little Wingsy insisted upon learning under Elder Tuntian? It looked like Ye Chen must have a private chat with Little Wingsy.

“You’ve just subdued that Celestial Martial Chi?” Elder Tuntian looked at Ye Chen and asked.

“That’s right.” Ye Chen nodded. His heart leaped. This Elder Tuntian must be some antique-level character. Ye Chen wondered if Elder Tuntian knew anything about utilizing Celestial Martial Chi.