Chapter 576: A Convenient Scapegoat, The Daoist Sage In The Mysterious Jade

Upon hearing Jiang Chen's words, the Ancient Beings exchanged glances. Their faces showing a hint of doubt. They were hesitant to immediately agree, as the location they were in was perilous and they couldn't fully trust Jiang Chen's intentions.

Caution was always the wiser course of action as there was a possibility that Jiang Chen might be leading them into a trap.

A group of Ancestors from the Ji Family stepped forward and solemnly said, "We suppose we can place our trust in your plan this time. If you can aid us in rescuing our Prime Ancestor, we are willing to offer whatever you desire."

On the way here, they already knew of Jiang Chen's methods, and were quite confident in his abilities. Spurred on by the prospect of their Prime Ancestor just within reach, they readily and eagerly assented to Jiang Chen's plan, undeterred by any potential risks or consequences.

"I hope you will keep your promise." Jiang Chen calmly nodded. He knew all too well that these Ancestors from the Ji Family were fickle. Despite their current commitment, if they no longer had use for him, they would likely discard him without a second thought.

Jiang Chen had a meticulously crafted plan in mind, and he would not allow a single person here to get away unscathed.

Upon receiving agreement from several Ancestors of the Ji Family, several Ancient Beings from Sky Emperor Mountain and the Ancient Ye Family also gave their nod of approval. A smirk played across Jiang Chen's lips as he turned to face Gu Changge. "Your skills are unmatched, Young Master Changge. Even the True Daoists are no match for you. I reckon that with your help, the chances of successfully rescuing the Prime Ancestor of the Ji Family will greatly increase. So how about it, Young Master Changge?"

As soon as Jiang Chen made his request, a ripple of surprise washed over the faces of those present. They were taken aback by his audacity in seeking Gu Changge's aid. It was a bold move, one that required a great deal of courage. Was it really necessary for Jiang Chen to ask for his help when he already enlisted the assistance of several True Daoists?

Ji Yaoxing and Ji Chuyue watched with concern. Both of them feared that Gu Changge might strike Jiang Chen down.

"Oh, I'm more than happy to help in any way I can." Gu Changge turned his gaze away from Kun Mountain. The smile on his face surprised those around him as they thought he would fly into a rage.

Jiang Chen secretly snorted, vexed by Gu Changge's composure as if he had everything under control.

[I'll make sure you suffer and regret it later,] Jiang Chen thought to himself with a sneer, but maintained a composed expression on his face.

After he surveyed the area, Jiang Chen started explaining to the Ancient Beings on how to avoid the perilous dragon breath. Everyone listened carefully, eager to catch every word and avoid any fatal missteps.

Under Jiang Chen's guidance, the True Daoists wielded their Dao Artifacts to strike a specific location. The mountain ridges shook as if a majestic dragon was stirring beneath their feet, and a burst of hazy light rose to the sky.

"Let's go." Jiang Chen gazed at the newly opened path and spoke with a determined voice, before taking the lead. Everyone quickly followed suit, keeping close to him and avoiding straying too far behind.

[Despite being at death's door, this guy still persists in scheming against me.] Gu Changge shook his head, observing Jiang Chen with a strange look in his eyes. Although he knew Jiang Chen was scheming, Gu Changge still needed his help to locate Ji Shengchu, so he wasn't in a rush to eliminate Jiang Chen.

After walking for kilometres, a peculiar aroma suddenly wafted through the air. "What is this delightful scent?" A young prodigy from Sky Emperor Mountain asked, his expression brimming with surprise.

"It's quite likely from the bounties of heaven and earth here which are on the cusp of ripening." An elderly man surveyed his surroundings, his expression shifting to one of astonishment.

Upon hearing the elderly man's words, a spark ignited within the hearts of all present, causing them to eagerly scan their surroundings. Some of the True Daoists even alerted their fellow people through their divine senses, determined not to miss out on the bounties of heaven and earth that might lay before them.

Finally, a cold lake came into view, emanating an extremely rich and peculiar aroma that permeated the air. The most astonishing sight, however, was the wisps of dragon aura that encircled the chilly waters. Strange spirit grass grew around the lake, releasing a radiant lavender glow, and each bearing succulent fruit.

"These are the legendary Earth Dragon Fruits, said to only grow after being nourished by the potent energy of dragons. It takes thirty million years to fully mature. To think that there are not just one, but nine of them here!" An Ancient Being gasped in astonishment, recognising these peculiar fruits. The Earth Dragon Fruit's worth was beyond measure as it was rumored to possess a hint of dragon essence that could enhance those with dragon bloodline.

"Come, let us gather and distribute these treasures amongst ourselves," an Ancient Being from the Sky Emperor Mountain suggested as he reached for one of the fruits. As he neared the cold lake, a bone-chilling gust of air suddenly surged forth, causing a stir of fear amongst everyone. The young prodigies instinctively stepped back, keeping a safe distance from the lake.

A ferocious water dragon poked its head out of the lake. Its scarlet eyes revealed his bloodthirsty nature and as it opened its jaws, a gust of overwhelming Chaos Qi enveloped everyone.

"That water dragon possesses strength that rivalled that of a True Daoist, and it has been in existence for tens of millions of years..." An Ancestor from the Ji Family gasped in shock. He quickly summoned his Dao Artifact and attempted to fight it. The other True Daoists followed suit in an effort to suppress the dragon.

The water dragon possessed innate spiritual wisdom. Sensing the presence of numerous formidable experts, it let out a reluctant roar before transforming into a beam of light and quickly vanishing into the heart of Kun Mountain.

"That water dragon made a wise decision, otherwise we could have reaped many treasures from it." The True Daoists shook their heads with a tinge of disappointment before proceeding to harvest the fruits. Gu Changge received two of them without even lifting a finger but truth be told, these fruits were of little use to him.

He looked at the direction where the water dragon fled, a pensive expression crossed his face. The fact that creatures at the level equivalent to a True Daoist could survive in this area led him to wonder if there were other living beings present. This realisation sparked an idea in his mind. [Perhaps I can orchestrate an incident involving the wild rampage of these creatures on Kun Mountain?]

...

The rush toward the heart of the Kun Mountain continued over the next few days. With each passing moment, the distant yet strange sound intensified, resembling the pulsating rhythm of a heartbeat.

Until now, no one had been able to locate the Prime Ancestor of the Ji Family, nor had they heard any signs of movement. This led to a growing sense of doubt among the Ji Family members, wondering if the voice Ji Chuyue had heard was real or merely a figment of her imagination. It was also possible that the Prime Ancestor was simply too fatigued to reveal his presence.

"What's that?" As they reached the heart of the mountain, everyone was shocked by a strange place emanating a brilliant glow that resembled an enormous waterfall suspended in mid-air.

There was a huge cavern so deep that it seemed to be connected to the legendary Nine Nethers. At the entrance of the cavern, there was mysterious blue jade appearing to have been sealed away for countless eons. Everyone could vaguely see a figure sitting crossed-legged in it.

It was a Daoist sage who sat in deep meditation with his eyes closed, draped in flowing robes and adorned with a crown. He appeared so vividly lifelike that it was impossible to tell how long he had been meditating here. Though he was in the jade, everyone could still sense how profound his cultivation was as he exuded the aura of the Great Dao. It was as though he had become one with the universe, rendering it impossible to determine if he was dead or alive.

"Is it possible that this Daoist Sage had surpassed the Nirvana Realm and attained the True Immortal Realm while he was still alive?" Many True Daoists gasped in shock. As they gazed upon the sage, a shiver ran down their spines, overwhelmed by the aura emanating from him. It was evident that he was a supreme master that had been sealed away here for unknown reasons.

"Brother Jiang, is breaking this mysterious jade the only way to gain access?"

At this moment, nobody dared to recklessly shatter the mysterious jade so they turned to Jiang Chen for advice.

Jiang Chen was equally perplexed by the unexpected obstacle that lay before them as he communicated with the Artifact Spirit of the Celestial Boat of Creation to find out how to proceed.

Even when the Daoist Sage was deep in meditation with his eyes shut, everyone felt a watchful gaze on them. They weren't sure if it was their imagination or the Daoist Sage in the mysterious jade observing them.

"Do not lay a hand on him..." As everyone was hesitating, unable to make a decision, a faint and otherworldly voice drifted from beneath the cascading waterfall before them.

"T-This is... the Prime Ancestor's voice!" Everyone in the Ji Family was stunned for a moment before their excitement took over. Their blood pulsed with the realisation that The Ji Family was left in awe, but soon their excitement and anticipation took over.

Their blood pulsed with the realisation that the voice belonged to their Prime Ancestor, the person who founded their Family and was once revered as a Human Ancestor. Ji Shengchu! He was still alive and well in Kun Mountain!!

"That's really Senior Ji Shengchu's voice, cautioning us against touching the mysterious jade. How then, can we proceed to rescue him?" A group of True Daoists exchanged puzzled glances, their brows furrowed in contemplation as they pondered their next course of action. One of them attempted to reach out to Ji Shengchu, but to no avail—his voice fell into an abyss of silence and there was no movement or even a sound from the bottom of the waterfall.

"Now that the only path forward is obstructed by this mysterious jade, we can't get in unless we move it out of the way," Jiang Chen said. After conversing with the Artifact Spirit of the Celestial Boat of Creation, he understood more about this place, which could be called the Dragon Cavern or a dragon's lair.

This Daoist sage had most likely incurred the wrath of a true dragon during his lifetime. As a result, after his passing, he was sealed within the mysterious jade to safeguard the Dragon Cavern from any further intrusion. Any attempts to disturb anything within the cavern could potentially trigger the release of the Daoist Sage from his jade prison.

When that happened, he would be no different from a puppet, with an overwhelming strength that would prove difficult for anyone present to subdue.

The realisation stirred something within Jiang Chen, as he had destroyed all the escape routes when he entered this place. If chaos ensued and everyone attempted to flee through the same route they used to come here, they would soon discover that all the paths had turned into dead ends.

Jiang Chen was starting to wonder if he found ways to release the Daoist Sage, how many among them would be able to survive this ordeal?

[Well, an eye for an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth...] Jiang Chen sneered in his heart. He already had an escape route, the Artifact Spirit of the Celestial Boat of Creation would help him escape anytime, but the rest weren't as fortunate.

"Do you have any idea what to do then, Brother Jiang?" a True Daoist asked, pondering whether the Successor of Divine Source Master had any alternative means in the current situation.

"There's no other way to gain access other than moving or destroying the mysterious jade," Jiang Chen stated resolutely, shaking his head.

"Senior Ji Shengchu has cautioned against touching this mysterious jade, so there must be alternative solutions. Are you certain that destruction is the only viable option? What's your intention?" Gu Changge, who had been looking at the mysterious jade, suddenly asked with interest. There was a peculiar glint in his eyes as he stared at Jiang Chen's face intently, like he was sceptical of his advice.

Gu Changge's question shook everyone. Between Jiang Chen and the Prime Ancestor of the Ji Family, they were naturally more inclined to heed their Prime Ancestor's advice. Jiang Chen spoke with conviction, but no one knew if his intentions were pure.

The siblings from the Ji Family furrowed their brows, worried that they might fall into a trap set by Jiang Chen. After all, they knew there was bad blood between him and Gu Changge. The other True Daoists present also had their doubts as they glared at Jiang Chen with hostility, hoping for an explanation.

Jiang Chen was caught off guard by Gu Changge's question, causing his heart to skip a beat. Despite this, he managed to remain composed and replied, "Well, that is all the advice I have to offer, you can take it or leave it. Whether or not you choose to rescue the Ji Family's Prime Ancestor bears little significance to me."

He stood his ground, insisting that this matter bore little significance to him. After all, rescuing Ji Shengchu was the responsibility of the Ji Family and the entire Upper Realm. He was merely caught up in the situation against his will.

Jiang Chen's response was met with furrowed brows, as everyone started contemplating whether or not to trust his advice. The Prime Ancestor of the Ji Family had gone out of his way to warn them despite his exhaustion. It was evident that the Daoist Sage sealed in this mysterious jade was anything but ordinary. Despite being dead for countless years, the mere presence of his body still posed a deadly threat to all present.

Nevertheless, they couldn't proceed without either moving or destroying the jade. This was truly a dilemma.

"How can we be certain that you're not leading us to a trap? As the only Divine Source Master present, we have no way of knowing if you're concealing anything," the True Daoist from Sky Emperor Mountain voiced his concern. They couldn't shake off the feeling that Jiang Chen might have some ulterior motives.

Jiang Chen merely replied, "If you have any other suggestions, you are welcome to try it."

He already knew there were no alternative entrances available, so something must be done to that mysterious jade.

"Let's check if there is any other entrance before we do anything to the mysterious jade." A soft sigh escaped from Gu Changge's lips, conveying a sense of helplessness. His words were met with unanimous approval. Everyone cast a cold glance at Jiang Chen, then started to cautiously survey the area, refraining from approaching the mysterious jade hastily.

Gu Changge pretended to be surveying his surroundings carefully, but he was looking at the mysterious jade from the corner of his eye, more precisely, at the Daoist Sage in it. He had a plan in mind.

"I can rescue you, but under one condition." Gu Changge remained calm as he communicated with the Daoist Sage through divine sense.

The Daoist Sage in the mysterious jade appeared to stir slightly, though his movement was barely discernible and could be easily missed if not observed closely.

Gu Changge remained unfazed. He knew that the Daoist Sage was already dead, but he sensed a renewed vitality within the lifeless body. As time passed, the corpse seemed to have gained a newfound intellect and Gu Changge recognized that it could be leveraged to his advantage.

"Do you truly mean what you say?" After a prolonged silence, an extremely hoarse voice came from within the mysterious jade.

"If you wish to come out, you will have to heed my orders from now on," Gu Changge responded nonchalantly, not at all surprised by the voice.

"Hoho, how bold of you to threaten me. And what if I refuse to comply?" The Daoist Sage in the jade snorted coldly.

"Then, I have ways to kill you again." Gu Changge remained nonchalant. Although this Daoist Sage was once a powerful being who had potentially attained the True Immortal Realm, Gu Changge wasn't overly concerned. After all, it was merely an intelligence spawned from a lifeless body.

"I trust that you will honour your word." The Daoist Sage in the mysterious jade was not a fool either. He could sense that among the individuals present, Gu Changge was the most powerful person with immeasurable strength.

"Then, do as I tell you..." Gu Changge transmitted his voice calmly and gazed up at the waterfall. He had a hunch that there was a sealed underground palace there, and the Prime Ancestor of the Ji Family was trapped within its walls.

If he could absorb the Ji Family's Prime Ancestor's Source, he could complete the Path of Nirvana and become a True Daoist.

[Jiang Chen has served his intended purpose here. It is time to put that Demonic Seed planted within him to use. There is no clash between the identities of being the Successor of Demonic Arts and the Successor of a Divine Source Master. More than anything, Jiang Chen's exceptional talent in disguise made him an extremely convenient scapegoat.]

...

"Boy, let this old man out. I will help you kill everyone here." An otherworldly and ancient voice suddenly appeared in Jiang Chen's mind, startling him. Despite his fear, he maintained his composure.

"Who are you? Where are you?" He looked around carefully, trying to communicate with the voice in his mind.

"You should know where I am," the otherworldly voice appeared again. Jiang Chen calmed himself down and took a deep breath as he cautiously looked toward the mysterious jade. He could hardly believe that the Daoist Sage ,who seemed to have been dead for ages, would suddenly transmit his voice to him. [Could it be that he isn't dead and was just trapped here for countless years like the Prime Ancestor of the Ji Family?]

"How did you know I intended to kill this group of people?" Jiang Chen asked cautiously. He remained guarded and did not immediately agree to help.

"Hoho, you think I can't sense such a strong murderous aura from you? Rest assured, I will gladly eliminate all of them as long as you can get me out of here." The otherworldly voice chuckled coldly.