Chapter 128: Treasured Land of the Connate Demon
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Chuxiu Inn, the courtyard of the second guest house.
“Young Master, was that old man really a Connate adept?” Little Gold’s eyes were incredulous as he circled above the courtyard, looking at the young man chatting happily with the little girl at the stone table.
“If you ask again, I’ll break your wings, and you won’t be able to fly for two months… do you believe me?” Zhou Donghuang glanced at Little Gold and answered impatiently.
Just now, after he had murdered Jiang Yunding, the retired emperor of Yunyang country and an early Connate stage adept, Little Gold had flown over right away after noticing something amiss. He witnessed the servants from Chuxiu Inn taking the body away. However, after finding out that that was a Connate adept, Little Gold was in disbelief and could not help but question.
Faced with the threat from Zhou Donghuang, Little Gold shut its mouth immediately.
“Instead of doubting me, why don’t you spend the energy practicing… with the qi-gathering elixir and the techniques that I taught you, you are really worthless to not have broken the frontier by now!” Seeing Little Gold continue circling above the courtyard without any sign of leaving, Zhou Donghuang could not help but glare at him angrily. “Your elder brother has already achieved Great Consummation a month ago… I’m worried that when he reaches the Connate stage and becomes a Connate demon, you won’t even have achieved Great Consummation,” added Zhou Donghuang.
“Young Master, Brother was naturally more gifted than me, with your qi-gathering elixir and techniques, it is only expected that he breaks the frontier earlier than me,” responded Little Gold indignantly. “I have improved so much in this short time. I am already reaching the bottleneck of Petty Consummation and will be able to overcome it in no time. Young Master, I’ll call my brother over… if you can kill a Connate adept, that means a Connate demon should be no problem for you either.”
With that, Little Gold turned and returned to the courtyard of the second guest house.
Soon, it returned, together with another golden-crowned eagle that was much bigger than it. This eagle was not only taller than Little Gold at standing height, but had a much longer wingspan too. Its golden crown blazed like golden fire. This was none other than Big Gold, who had achieved Great Consummation of the Qi-Gathering just a month ago.
“Young Master, Little Gold said… you just killed a Connate adept?” Big Gold had been focused on practicing earlier and had not noticed the commotion. It had only found out when Little Gold had returned to inform him of it.
“Mm,” answered Zhou Donghuang with a nod.
“Young Master, Little Gold and I were not originally from the Lost Forest,” said Big Gold, its eyes shimmering. “We were born in the mountain ranges outside of the Northern border of Yunyang country. That region lies outside of the Yunyang border.”
“I remember, one day, Little Gold and I had stumbled upon a steep cliff out of curiosity. We discovered that the cliff was enveloped by a faint golden glow… out of curiosity, we landed onto that cliff. Right then, when we were enveloped by the golden hue all around us, Little Gold and I achieved intelligence. After that, we felt a terrifying scent radiating from a hole in the cliff… that was the scent of a flying demon that was far stronger than us. We left quickly.”
“After leaving the cliff, we turned back and saw a brown eagle with a wingspan more than ten meters glaring at us from a distance. In demon tongue, it told us to scram! Eagles like us can only reach such a size by achieving the Connate stage.”
Big Gold paused before continuing, “After that, Little Gold and I were afraid that the brown eagle would cause trouble for us, so we left the area and went to the Lost Forest. By stealing qi-gathering elixirs from the humans, we then slowly became the kings of the forest. After leaving that area, we did some investigation… that brown eagle was a red goshawk that typically had little natural talent. Under normal circumstances red goshawks can only reach level-five of the Qi-Gathering in their lives.
“But this red goshawk had achieved the Connate stage, becoming a Connate demon! Hence, we both suspect… it had found that treasured land, and by utilizing the golden glow from the land, it managed to grow to such a stage. We clearly remember… when we were enveloped by the golden glow, we could easily achieve intelligence and raise our level of practice in a short time.”
Big Gold turned to look at Zhou Donghuang, its eyes shimmering. “Young Master, Little Gold and I were planning to defeat that red goshawk together once we became Connate demons and steal that treasured land. But to achieve the Connate stage, even with Young Master’s qi-gathering elixirs and techniques, will require quite some time. By then, who knows how strong that red goshawk will have become by using the power of the land.
“Today, Little Gold said… you managed to kill the Connate adept from a distance, even before he walked through the door. Clearly, with the power of that spear sphere, Young Master is stronger than a typical Connate adept. So, we want to bring you to that treasured land to see if we can defeat that red goshawk… if we fail, we’ll just return again when we are stronger. But if we defeat him, we’ll take the land for ourselves!” Big Gold’s eyes shone brightly as if it could not wait to head over to kill that Connate demon and take the land with the golden glow.
“That red goshawk is of low status among us eagles, its talent is hardly a tenth of us golden-crowned eagles… but with that treasured land, it somehow became a Connate demon.” Little Gold’s eyes were flashing too as he added, “If we can take that land for ourselves, we can definitely gain much more than it!”
Hearing their words, Zhou Donghuang hugged Yun Lu as he went into deep thought.
Although Yun Lu did not know that her brother was talking to the two eagles, nor understand their conversation, but she could see that her brother was thinking seriously and quietened down.
After a while, Zhou Donghuang’s eyes opened slightly. Cliff? Golden glow?
“That place which was enveloped in the golden glow… did you hear any Sanskrit?” Zhou Donghuang asked as he looked at the two golden-crowned eagles.
“Sanskrit?” The two eagles turned to each other, clearly filled with confusion. They had no idea what ‘Sanskrit’ was.
“Just tell me… did you hear anything when you were there?” Seeing their confusion, Zhou Donghuang asked further.
“Sounds?” The eagles quietened down as they tried to recall.
Soon, Big Gold looked at Zhou Donghuang excitedly as it said, “Young Master, now that you mention it, I remember… when I achieved intelligence, I did hear some sounds. Although I could not understand what the words meant, they seemed to give me a thorough cleansing in the depths of my soul.”
“Indeed, it was so,” agreed Little Gold. He recalled it as well.
“Looks like I guessed correctly,” said Zhou Donghuang. His voice was calm, but his eyes were shimmering excitedly.
“Young Master, you know the secret of that treasured land?” Hearing this, both the eagles’ eyes lit up.
“If I am correct, that is the place where a Primal Core monk had attained nirvana. After he had attained nirvana, he left behind some Buddhist essence… the golden glow that you speak of is the glow emanating from this Buddhist essence. The glow of a Buddhist essence left behind by a monk from above the Primal Core stage can indeed allow you to gain intelligence before you reach the Connate stage and help you to increase your level of practice.”
In his previous life, Zhou Donghuang had traversed the galaxies and had gathered vast knowledge. Hearing their story, he had guessed that the treasured land they spoke of was none other than the site where a monk had attained nirvana.
“Monk?” Big Gold and Little Gold had never heard of monks before. “Young Master, I know that there are martial artists among humans… but what are monks?”
“Young Master, what is the difference between a martial artist and a monk?”
The two eagles were filled with questions.
“A monk is actually also a martial artist, but because they are trained in a different path from the traditional one, one that is more related to Buddhism, so they are known as monks. Martial artists train their Primal Core after achieving the Connate stage; monks train their Buddhist essence after the Connate stage. As for demons, after the Connate stage, you train your inner core.”
With that, Zhou Donghuang carried Yun Lu as he stood up. Putting her down, he smiled and said, “Xiao Lu, Brother needs to take a trip out with Big Gold and Little Gold here… if Mother or Sister Zixi ask about me, help me tell them. I will be back soon.”
After petting her on the head, Zhou Donghuang called to Big Gold as he leaped onto its back as they disappeared into the skies.
Whoosh! Little Gold followed closely.
Right then, both Big Gold and Little Gold were all filled with emotion. After all, they had been pining for that treasured land for so long but had not managed to snatch it.
“Horrible brother, you don’t even bring Xiao Lu when you go out to play.” The little girl tilted her head to her sky. As she watched Little Gold disappear in the clouds, her face was filled with unhappiness.
