The clan leader and the elders of the Green Hill Foxes followed Dumbo nervously, crossing the walkway that was thick with divine mists and into the luxurious palace.
Armored foreign pseudo-Overdeities stood on both sides of the walkway.
Jiang He did not have many of these foreign pseudo-Overdeities left like before. In the fight at the Grand Luo battlefield, seventeen were killed and sixty self-destructed.
Then, when they left it, a few more self-destructed, leaving just a little more than 280 foreign pseudo-Overdeities now standing guard over both sides of the walkway.
They retained many of their race’s attributes, with fearsome gazes and cold auras.
With one foreign pseudo-Overdeity stationed every twenty meters, the clan leader and the elders of the Green Hill Foxes felt a profound pressure and became nervous… at the same time, they also verified that Jiang He’s accomplishments at the Grand Luo battlefield was no exaggeration.
Soon, they saw Jiang He, who was sharing a drink with the Jade Emperor. When he saw the Green Hill Foxes arrive and remembered that he was going to talk to them courteously, and so quickly stood up to welcome them with a very gracious attitude.
The leaders of the Green Hill Foxes had no idea what Jiang He was up to, and so offered ugly, apologetic smiles.
After some small talk, Jiang He cut to the chase. “I understand why all of you have come—it is none other than resolve your differences with me and clear all grudges… it is sincere on your part since you would come to the Celestial Court to see me.”
Jiang He spoke before looking up into the distance with a look of nostalgia, and breathed a long sigh. “Now that I’ve remembered, I really was young and vigorous back then… I was just a newbie who had just started cultivating immortal arts for a few months, and yet I assumed the heavy responsibility of protecting Earth, and repelled the entire Sky Demon race alone!”
After a beat, Jiang He withdrew his gaze, glanced at the leaders of the Green Hill Foxes and said, “You Green Hill Foxes left a strong legacy back on Earth, including an immortal weapon and an immortal daemon’s corpse.”
“And yet, when the Sky Demons’ legion attacked Earth, your contemptible descendants, the immortal sects, and all demonic sects—none of them came to help.”
“But when I wiped out the Sky Demons’ vanguard, they saw that my abilities were impressive, and so came to attempt recruiting me… but when I refused, they did a heel-face turn and tried to put me down, so I had to fight back.”
Jiang He described his past.
It counted as offering the Green Hill Foxes an explanation as he told them how he came to blows against their clan.
One of the elders of the Green Hill Foxes frowned, however, and exclaimed in surprise, “Impossible… we Green Hill Foxes would never recruit humans for disciples!”
“…”
Jiang He facepalmed. “Oh, right… it wasn’t your descendants, but the Penglai sect or something.”
“I got it!”
“Your clan’s champions were wary of my rapid growth, and so sent an invitation which was actually a trap to kill me at Green Hill. I was only forced to kill them in return.”
“Mister Jiang!”
One of the white-haired elder fox said. “You didn’t have to wipe out our entire clan even if our descendants were in the wrong…”
“Eh?”
Jiang He’s gaze darkened as he shot a cold look at him, putting weigh behind each question as he asked, “Are you telling me what to do?”
“…”
The elder fox felt his heart tighten as a mysterious killing intent shrouded himself, as if he would be killed with a single slap if he said another word, and so shook in apprehension, afraid to breathe too heavily.
Jiang He then sneered. “It only goes to show that they were lacking since they tried to kill me only to be killed by me in return, and I killed all the other daemons you’ve sent at me later as well… I’ll always welcome with open arms if you still want revenge.”
“Of course, we are all beings of the Three Realms and the Green Hill Foxes did contribute to the Three Realms’ war effort, which is why I don’t want to wipe out your clan either.”
Jiang He’s tone was casual.
Even so, his words left the Green Hill Foxes thunderstruck.
The clan leader of the Green Hill Foxes promptly said, “Surely you jest, Mister Jiang—it’s all just a misunderstanding between us. Moreover, our clan had emigrated to the celestial battlefield for a long time, and the legacy left on the homeworld is merely established by outcast lesser daemons.
“Likewise, the immortal daemons sent to the homeworld were supposed to defend the planet and the legion of the Hundred Races Alliance, and their deaths are deserved if they provoked you.”
As he spoke, he took out two Spatial Rings with a flip of his hand, and offered an apologetic smile as he spoke, “In the end, all of those were mistakes on our clan’s part. We, the Green Hill Foxes, are therefore willing to offer compensation for troubling you, Mister Jiang.”
Jiang He took the Spatial Ring and scanned it with his Spatial Ring.
There were not many things inside aside from a million immortal crystals, several premium-grade immortal items, and a few medicinal pellets.
Casually handing it to Dumbo, Jiang He flatly said, “We’ll let bygones be bygones, then. Watch yourself, Green Hill Foxes.”
Delighted, the clan leader of the Green Hill Foxes bade them farewell, offering Jiang He and the Jade Emperor fist-palm salutes before leaving with his clan elders.
Jiang He felt half-relieved after the Green Hill Foxes finally left, and smiled at the Jade Emperor. “Sorry for the mess, Brother Jade Emperor… to tell the truth, I had two little objectives when I came to the celestial battlefield—one of it was to resolve my grudge against the Green Hill Foxes, which is accomplished now.”
The Jade Emperor then asked interestedly, “What about the second?”
“That’s to cut my karmic ties with the Nether River Patriarch.”
The Jade Emperor laughed. “That would be a little difficult to do at the moment.”
“Not really.”
Jiang He replied confidently. “When I ascend to become a full-fledged Demi-Saint and improve to the fourteenth tier of martial arts, I will be able to kill him and cut all ties.”
***
Three more days passed, with the Jade Emperor sending millions of immortal pellets to Jiang He.
Most were rank-three and rank-four, followed by rank-five and rank-six, whereas rank-seven and rank-eight immortal pellets were the rarest.
The rank-three or rank-four pellets were the fewest and mostly used to restore immortal yuan strength and immortal Dao, which were useful for Heavenly Immortals and True Immortals.
At the same time, the people sent by the Jade Emperor would collect the immortal items that had been planted.
***
At the Jade Emperor’s palace, after sending immortal soldiers to deliver immortal pellets to Jiang He, the Jade Emperor called in Lü Dongbin and instructed, “With nothing happening at the frontlines, recall some of the weapons and mystic treasures from our forces. They shall be rearmed after Jiang He reforged the items.”
“No!”
“Absolute not, Your Majesty!”
The Jade Emperor had just spoken when many immortal ministers entered, all of them speaking out against the idea.
An old white-haired immortal even went down on his knees to dissuade him. “Your Majesty, the vaults have already been emptied… if our forces’ weapons and items were recalled, they would be defenseless if something happens, and we would lose a lot of our people.”
“I believe in Jiang He’s methods.”
The Jade Emperor flatly replied, “The mystic items he reforged would improve to the next grade and increase greatly in power. When the time comes, the forces of the Celestial Court would gain an overall improvement in power, which is why this benefits us.”
“Please reconsider, Your Majesty!”
A old minister stepped forward to dissuade him. “Mister Jiang’s methods are a mystery and all of us admire him, but he is still one person… even if he could split himself to a thousand clones, it would still be a very long process for him…”
That was when the immortal soldier whom the Jade Emperor had sent to deliver Jiang He loads of immortal pellets returned, remaining outside the Jade Emperor’s palace as he asked for an audience.
The Jade Emperor gave his permission, and the soldier went in.
