Chapter 665

Chapter 665: The Nine Maangs Calamity

“Ah, you’ve come, Li kid.” The stout Old Demon Granny stood at the entrance of the water palace, leaning on a curved, gnarled green wooden staff.

This wooden staff towered over Old Demon Granny, resembling a dragon’s head, with a few small gourds tied to its top, radiating shimmering rings of light.

“Hahaha, Old Demon Granny, you look at least fifty years younger!” Li Hui said, his beard unkempt. In the past ten years, he had been extremely busy, and the usually dapper and handsome man hadn’t found time to care about his appearance.

“Tut, tut, the little guy has a sweet tongue. For a hundred years, you’re the only one who enjoys listening to this old woman ramble,” Old Demon Granny said with a kind smile as she looked at Li Hui.

“Hehe, compared to you, I’m just a little one. You have such rich experiences, able to foresee things every time something major happens. You are truly a wonderful teacher and friend to me,” Li Hui took out a large wine gourd and handed it to Old Demon Granny, saying, “Here, wine brewed by me, nurtured with the Time-Flowing Talisman for over ten years. It’s worth as much as a thousand-year-old rare brew! Hahaha, today is the first time I’m bringing it out. Shall we drink and chat?”

“I knew Li kid wouldn’t come empty-handed. I’ve already prepared some rare delicacies. Let’s go inside and talk. To be honest, you are much better than that little brat Bi You. He only talks about sword techniques and manuals when he comes to my water palace and never times it right.”

The two entered the water palace, drinking and chatting. Old Demon Granny’s face lit up with excitement as she opened her mouth like a waterfall, recounting various happenings from the past two hundred years across different continents.

Li Hui was already aware of some of these matters, but he listened intently for insights, unable to resist exclaiming in surprise and admiration when he encountered unexpected news.

After three rounds of wine and five dishes, they had spoken for an entire day when Old Demon Granny suddenly stopped, her expression becoming serious. “The Nine Maangs are in trouble. The four major sects—the Nine Chapters Sect, Nine Phoenix Sect, Nine Ruins Sect, and Nine Heavens Sect—have allowed the Dark Immortals to recover using their profound skills. It looks like they’ll be integrated into one within three years, and I can’t imagine how many cultivators will face calamity then.”

“Oh?” Upon hearing this, Li Hui’s expression changed. However, deep down, he felt relieved and thought, “It has finally begun. It’s precisely because of the suppression of the Dark Immortals that the Nine Maangs practitioners have been too busy to concern themselves with matters from other continents. Otherwise, some would definitely disrupt the fate of the treasure cabinet, leading to a purge on the Wutu Continent to eliminate dissent.”

There was a brief silence in the water palace. Li Hui asked, “Granny, do you know how Mufeng City is developing now? Last time, you mentioned the Hao family’s direct line was pressuring Hao Yue Lin to step down as city lord, causing tensions that have reduced trade in Mufeng City.”

“Ha! I knew you’d ask about the Hao family.” Old Demon Granny took a sip of wine, smiling. “You wouldn’t be hiding from me. With your wit, I can guess your lineage with my toes. The city lord of Mufeng City, Hao Wentong, would hold quite a position in the Nine Maangs if he were there!”

Li Hui politely responded, “You flatter me, Granny. The Nine Maangs have countless high-level demon cultivators. I merely seized an opportunity to become city lord by chance. I had been pressured by Hao Yue Lin for years, and once I inherited Mufeng City, I found it quite meaningless, so I used the Golden Cicada Shelling to escape and travel the world. The longer I stayed outside, the less I wanted to return; the Great Families are full of deceit, and I truly can’t stand that atmosphere.”

“Very good! It’s precisely because you have this mindset that you can sit here and discuss ideas with this old woman,” Old Demon Granny said, quite pleased. She continued, “Speaking of you, you are one of the top youth talents from our Nine Maangs. However, after disappearing for a few hundred years, both the Hao family and others have forgotten about you. The younger generation doesn’t even know you exist; all they see is the powerful Hao Yue Lin. Speaking of her, her arrogance has only increased, and her cultivation has grown higher, which naturally makes her disregard the other branches of the Hao family. The development of Mufeng City has been quite good, placing the Hao family fifth among the ten Great Families, which boosts her confidence.”

“Hmm, I can imagine,” Li Hui nodded. “Hao Yue Lin is a woman with a strong desire for power; how could she keep a low profile while sitting in control of the number one city of the Hao family? Time has flown by, and while I’ve been solidifying my Dao Foundation, she is basking in Limitless Glory without realizing she’s sowing the seeds of disaster.”

“Indeed, a person who laid the foundation for Mufeng City’s fortunes for hundreds of years possesses excellent character, vision, and strategy,” Old Demon Granny praised before continuing, “I received news that the atmosphere in Mufeng City has soured. Hao Yue Lin has a younger sister named Hao Yue Chen. Her husband has somewhat married into the Hao family, so her son bears the Hao surname. This son has just ascended to the Traveling Realm and has challenged Hao Yue Lin, aiming to take over Mufeng City. As a result, they’ve both fallen apart.”

“Fallen apart?” Li Hui frowned, forced a smile, and said, “I suspect this nephew of mine has the backing of various branches of the Hao family and other families, so he won’t back down easily. If there’s a first challenge, there will be a second. He has the right to challenge Hao Yue Lin as a potential heir, but I wonder how many times she can withstand this.”

“Hmph! If he challenges her again, she will surely die, but she has support behind her—one called Jiao Lintian. It’s this old man who devises strategies for Hao Yue Lin, planning to use Mufeng City to assist the Nine Phoenix Sect in controlling the Dark Immortals to gain their support.”

“What?” Li Hui was shocked. His avatar, Li Sifan, was still in the Ancient Tomb of Mufeng City, gradually refining it using various talisman formations. If they used Mufeng City to suppress the Dark Immortals, wouldn’t that mean his true self would be caught in a tiger’s den, while the other Legal forms fell into the jaws of wolves?

“Li kid, you’d best return for a visit; otherwise, they truly won’t take you seriously. In about two months, Hao Yue Lin will cooperate with the Nine Phoenix Sect to manipulate Mufeng City, suppressing the Dark Immortals without your consent.”

“Thank you, Granny, for letting me know.” Li Hui stood up to bow respectfully and shook his head, saying, “To be honest, I’ve made an agreement with the advanced seniors of the Extreme Radiance Continent that I can only return after staying for a sufficient period, so I need to think of a way with my friends.”

“Oh?” Old Demon Granny pondered, then smiled knowingly, “Inviting Russell and Bi You to help won’t come cheap. Even if they were to give you a discount of eight out of ten, it would still be incredibly expensive.”

“Does Granny have any clever plans?” Li Hui quickly inquired. This Old Demon Granny was indeed a high-level demon cultivator, possessing immeasurable power in the Nine Maangs, strong enough to retire to the Extreme Radiance Continent. Besides, the Extreme Radiance cultivators ignored her, which made her even more formidable.

“I wouldn’t say I have any clever plans; Bi You is a firecracker; he would only cause trouble if sent to Mufeng City. Russell does come from the Ren Water Continent and indeed possesses some skills, but he can’t handle it alone. I suggest you consult the Three Cultivators; they walk in the dark side of the moon.”

“The dark side of the moon? Does it relate to the Yin Moon Dynasty?” Li Hui felt a stir in his heart and couldn’t help but ask. He could never see through Old Demon Granny’s background and wondered if this granny was a spy for the Yin Moon Dynasty.

“Oh dear, Li kid actually knows about the Yin Moon Dynasty! The connections between the Yin Moon Dynasty and the mortal realm are indeed few.” Old Demon Granny scrutinized Li Hui closely, her heart filling with doubt. There was no question he was Hao Wentong; did the Hao family want something from the Yin Moon Dynasty?

Li Hui thought, “There may not be many connections now, but in the future, that will change…”