Chapter 398

Chapter 398: Stirring Up Trouble

Burial Pavilion!

As one of the Four Major Holy Places in the Western Desert, the Burial Land held tremendous influence. The Son of the Burial Land, Yun Tianhuang, was a standout genius from the region. Although he was not a Naturally Born Son, he possessed a Holy Body by nature and had attained the Saint Body through his own efforts and extraordinary fortune. He had long since secured a place among the Thirty Outstanding Talents of the Western Desert.

Yun Tianhuang was one of the more low-key members among the Four Holy Sons. He lacked dazzling public achievements but had nonetheless built a fearsome reputation, having stepped over countless corpses to reach his current position.

In short, none of the Four Holy Sons of the Western Desert had reached their heights without bloodshed, and all were far older than Zhang Yang, having already entered the immeasurable stage.

Naturally, Zhang Yang did not know the location of the Burial Pavilion. With Yan Mengqing accompanying him, she became his guide.

The Burial Pavilion, Bi Tian Pavilion, Zi Tian Pavilion, and Xu Tian Pavilion were all identical in structure, symbolizing the Crimson Flame Dynasty’s equal treatment toward each major holy dynasty.

As soon as they arrived at the entrance, the Son of the Burial Land, Yun Tianhuang, greeted them with a hearty laugh.

“Welcome, welcome!”

“Your arrival, Lord of the Sacred Forest, graces our humble abode with light.”

Yun Tianhuang clasped his hands together, wearing a bright smile.

Zhang Yang chuckled. “There’s no need for formalities, Brother Yun. We’re peers, so let’s not use titles like Lord of the Sacred Forest.”

“Haha, very well! I’ll be at your service,” Yun Tianhuang replied readily. “Brother Zhang, please come in.”

“Brother Yun, after you,” Zhang Yang said with a nod.

Yun Tianhuang also exchanged pleasantries with Yan Mengqing.

Watching their warm and casual banter, Yan Mengqing couldn’t help but pout slightly. Why hadn’t Zhang Yang said the same thing to her about not using formal titles? This man really was quite petty.

Still, she followed them inside, eager and composed.

The graceful figures within the pavilion observed the Grand Princess, the famed beauty of the Western Desert with quiet astonishment, surprised by how modestly she behaved.

They could only follow in silence.

Inside the Burial Pavilion, after exchanging a few more pleasantries, Zhang Yang got to the point.

This time, he didn’t intentionally conceal anything from Yan Mengqing. After all, she couldn’t possibly guess the specific purpose behind needing the Ruyi Iron Heart, it was simply one of the materials required for the Mother-and-child Bead.

“Ruyi Iron Heart?” Yun Tianhuang fell into brief contemplation. He was well aware of how important this material was to the Burial Land.

“If it’s inconvenient for you, Brother Yun, I can ask someone else,” Zhang Yang offered.

“No!”

Yun Tianhuang responded quickly. “To be honest, the Ruyi Iron Heart is extremely rare. However, our Lord of the Sacred Forest mentioned that if Brother Zhang is willing to collaborate, everything is open for discussion.”

Zhang Yang was thrilled.

That attitude spoke volumes.

Only after waging a month-long campaign of relentless blows against the Taixu Dynasty had he earned the recognition of the various holy dynasties in the Western Desert.

Look at the Crimson Flame Dynasty, where even the Grand Princess acted like a demure lady around him.

Now, observe the Burial Land’s openness, this would be a great advantage in his future actions throughout the Western Desert.

In the Southern Region, he had been in direct conflict with all of the Top Ten Saint-level Forces.

But in the Western Desert, he now had the chance to ally with various factions to collectively suppress the Taixu Dynasty.

He actually quite enjoyed leveraging the strength of numbers.

“Brother Zhang, please wait a moment. I need to consult with our Lord of the Sacred Forest. The Ruyi Iron Heart isn’t something I can decide on myself,” Yun Tianhuang said.

Zhang Yang nodded.

Yun Tianhuang stood up and retreated to the back to communicate privately.

In the lounge, several members of the Burial Land kept them company, engaging in light conversation. But their eyes couldn’t help drifting toward Yan Mengqing, her beauty was simply too striking and effortlessly drew attention.

Yan Mengqing remained unfazed; she was used to this. Instead, her focus was entirely on Zhang Yang.

Zhang Yang, meanwhile, was completely indifferent. His mind had already moved on.

He had no desire to engage with this woman, graceful and composed on the outside, but with a mind sharp as a needle. One could never tell what she truly meant with her words, nor could one easily decipher her true thoughts.

As someone wholly dedicated to martial arts, striving to become a saint within three to five years, he preferred people without hidden agendas. That was why he had grown tired of the Black Cloaked Strategist, and ultimately removed him.

Before long, Yun Tianhuang returned with a smile.

“Brother Zhang, our Lord of the Sacred Forest has agreed. But he has one condition.”

Zhang Yang asked calmly, “What does he want?”

Yun Tianhuang hesitated for a moment. “I’m afraid Brother Zhang might not be willing.”

Zhang Yang said nothing, waiting for the details.

“Our Lord is very interested in the black cloak of the Black Cloaked Strategist. I wonder if Brother Zhang would be willing to trade it?”

The Black Cloaked Strategist had always hidden within that cloak. It was a holy treasure—so powerful that even saints couldn’t see through it.

“Oh, that’s fine,” Zhang Yang replied casually, retrieving the cloak from his storage. At this point, he was in a state of financial abundance, having seized the Strategist’s entire reserve of treasures. He now possessed countless rare items—especially those that extended life or enhanced survival—and many were likely tied to the Strategist’s secret plots in the Western Desert. He just hadn’t had time to study them all.

“Brother Zhang, are you sure?” Yun Tianhuang asked, slightly uncertain.

“Absolutely,” Zhang Yang replied.

With a flick of his hand, he tossed the black cloak to Yun Tianhuang without hesitation.

The decisiveness of the gesture made Yun Tianhuang tense up slightly as he caught it.

Yan Mengqing was momentarily stunned. Her quick mind processed the situation almost instantly. It wasn’t that Zhang Yang had no strong opinion about the Black Cloaked Strategist, it was that in his eyes, martial arts were supreme. He held unwavering confidence that he would rise to a level where he stood above all others.

That explained why he seemed so casual about things that others would consider priceless.

Her thoughts swirled. If this truly reflected the kind of person he was… then perhaps his mindset really was different from the rest.

A surge of curiosity rose within her.

She wanted to see what this man would achieve next, not only in the Crimson Flame Imperial Capital but perhaps even throughout the entire Western Desert.

A quiet sense of anticipation bloomed in her heart. She was eager to find out whether her intuition about him was correct.

“Brother Zhang, you’re remarkably straightforward,” Yun Tianhuang said, visibly excited after receiving the black cloak. “Please wait a moment—I’ll bring the Ruyi Iron Heart right away.”

He immediately activated an ancient teleportation array and returned to the Burial Land.

The wait was not long.

Yun Tianhuang returned and handed Zhang Yang a storage bag.

Zhang Yang opened it to find a silver-white substance, roughly the size of half a person, and with a liquid-like appearance.

He remembered the Moon-Returning Dragon had once described the Ruyi Iron Heart as needing to be only the size of a fist.

He was surprised to see such an abundance.

“Brother Zhang, are you satisfied?” Yun Tianhuang asked with a smile.

Zhang Yang recognized this as a clear display of sincerity from the Burial Land. Their generosity demonstrated their genuine intent.

“Please convey my gratitude to the Lord of the Sacred Forest,” Zhang Yang said.

With that, the transaction was complete.

What the Cold Moon Dynasty had struggled in vain to obtain, Zhang Yang had acquired effortlessly.

This undoubtedly highlighted his rising influence in the Western Desert.

Even Yan Mengqing was momentarily stunned, knowing just how scarce the Ruyi Iron Heart truly was.

After storing away the treasure, Zhang Yang watched as Yun Tianhuang personally poured him a cup of tea.

“I wonder,” Yun Tianhuang began, “what Brother Zhang thinks of the Four Great Pavilions of the Taixu Dynasty?”

These Four Great Pavilions had all recently arrived in the Crimson Flame Imperial Capital, taking residence in Zi Tian Pavilion.

They housed nearly all of the top talents in the Taixu Dynasty, beneath the saint level.

“I have nothing but disdain for them,” Zhang Yang said plainly, his hatred for the Taixu Dynasty unmasked.

Yun Tianhuang chuckled. “Brother Zhang, you’ve just arrived, and already you’ve experienced their arrogance firsthand. The princess and I are no strangers to their malice either.”

He gestured toward Yan Mengqing as he spoke.

At that moment, Yan Mengqing felt a bit caught off guard. She hadn’t expected Yun Tianhuang to seize the opportunity to involve her, essentially pulling her into the conversation.

Zhang Yang looked at her with interest.

It was clear these two were planning to stir up trouble, and they shared a common adversary.

As a third party and host, Yan Mengqing had to make her position known.