The Legend of the Great Desolation: I Am the Fortress

Chapter 208 Asking the Senior Brother to Take Action
The heavens are vast.

High in the sky, the bright moon shone like a silver plate.

Lei Zhan turned to look at the withered grass, but listened quietly in tacit understanding.

He was aware of what the withered grass had mentioned.

If it weren't for the Old Man Yuan coming to take on a disciple, and if it weren't for the Heavenly Emperor coming to Hundred Tomb Mountain to steal the incense, given their personalities, they might have missed each other and never had another chance.

a long time.

"Let's not talk about this anymore." Kucao took Leizhan's hand and they strolled along the mountain peak.

Under the hazy moonlight, the lush flowers and plants appeared even more vibrant.

Lei Zhan looked at the woman in hemp clothing under the moonlight and said, "I haven't congratulated you yet. Now both my main body and my second primordial spirit are Pure Yang True Immortals."

"Even if you become a true immortal, won't you still need to come to my rescue in the end?" Kucao shook his head and laughed.

"I'll help you out? Only the arrival of the Source Ancestor will cause you some trouble. As for the Heavenly Emperor..."

The Lord of Heaven has been a laughing stock since the ancient world of Pangu. Few people take the successive Heavenly Emperors seriously.

For example, in the ancient world of Pangu, Xing Tian wielded his axe and shield and stormed the Heavenly Realm. Even the God of War Yang Jian and his sixth senior brother Sun Wukong once stormed the Heavenly Realm, causing them to lose face.

The main reason for this is that none of the past Heavenly Emperors were powerful beings at the level of True Gods or Dao Ancestors. Their cultivation was generally only at the level of Heavenly Gods or True Immortals.

Ultimately, it's nothing more than being on equal footing with the ruler of a great world.

If you give him face, he will become the ruler of the heavens.

If you don't give them face, they're just an ordinary celestial being.

"Pfft!" Kucao smiled. Born in the Heavenly Realm, she was naturally well aware of the Heavenly Emperor's awkward position.

Lei Zhan shook his head. "The Heavenly Court was originally meant to assist the operation of the Heavenly Dao in the Three Realms. The authority of the Heavenly Emperor was also indispensable, but unfortunately, the strength of each Heavenly Emperor was too weak. If they had the strength of a True God or Dao Ancestor, they wouldn't have fallen to this state."

“If he truly possessed the strength of a true god or Dao ancestor, no powerful being would generally agree to let him continue as the ruler of heaven and earth.” Kucao smiled slightly.

As true gods and ancestral figures, aside from the universally recognized leaders like the Three Sovereigns, the Three Pure Ones, and Tathagata of the human race, none of those powerful beings truly wanted anyone to stand above them.

"Let's not talk about them anymore." Lei Zhan shook his head and then stopped thinking about it. The Heavenly Emperor's desire to steal the fragrance was nothing more than a trivial matter to them.

"Speaking of which, I was able to successfully comprehend a great Dao thanks to your grace!" the withered grass fairy continued.

"Hmm? Could it be the Moon Palace Immortal Wine? And that purple-veined peach?" Lei Zhan asked.

After returning to Fangcun Mountain with his master, the immortal Juhua, Lei Zhan also sent an avatar to Baimu Mountain, among which was a purple-patterned peach.

Those were later obtained by Lei Zhan through his sixth senior brother, Sun Wukong. The purple-veined peaches themselves are incredibly delicious, and they also have the effect of helping cultivators comprehend the Dao of Water and Wood.

The withered grass is a plant spirit, and it will naturally reap considerable benefits from eating this precious purple-veined peach.

"Hmm." Fairy of withered grass nodded and said, "If I had drunk the Moon Palace Immortal Wine you brought back before my second primordial spirit underwent the Heavenly Tribulation, it would have greatly enhanced my understanding of the Dao of Water. Later, I also ate that peach of immortality... Otherwise, based solely on my own talent and comprehension, it would have taken me at least a very long time to fully comprehend a Great Dao."

“These two treasures do indeed have many wonderful uses.” Lei Zhan understood, and was not surprised.

Kucao was naturally gifted and had good comprehension. Even without knowing him, he was able to overcome the Heavenly Tribulation on his own and quickly grow into a Pure Yang True Immortal, which is enough to explain a lot.

“Dry grass.” Lei Zhan turned his head and looked over, his expression becoming serious.

"Huh?" Kucao was taken aback and looked at Leizhan as well.

"Mount Hundred Tombs..."

"Maybe Lan Cao will take over the management of Hundred Tomb Mountain next? She has now transcended tribulation and become a Celestial Immortal, so managing Hundred Tomb Mountain shouldn't be a problem for her."

Lei Zhan looked into the withered grass's eyes and said, word by word, "Just like how I entrusted the Zhaixing Mansion lineage to Hongxue and the others to maintain it..."

"Hmm? Let Lancao take care of it?" Kucao's thoughts shifted, and he immediately understood the underlying meaning.

It should be noted that Lei Zhan, the Lord of the Star-Picking Mansion, has made a move in front of so many powerful figures, and the entire Hundred Tomb Mountain is now completely marked by the Star-Picking Mansion.

Under the protection of the powerful Star-Picking Palace, there was no need to worry about petty villains like the Heavenly Emperor Xuanxiao coming to cause trouble.

"That way, you can focus on comprehending the Great Dao..." Lei Zhan hesitated for a moment, then said softly, "If you're willing, I can also bring you into the Fangcun Mountain lineage, where you can cultivate properly..."

Lei Zhan was reluctant to make this suggestion. After all, even a plant spirit like withered grass, once it took human form, longed for a carefree and unrestrained life. Choosing to stay on Fangcun Mountain would ultimately confine it to a vast world.

But now, the old man is likely focusing most of his attention on himself, and even on his family and friends. It's highly probable that the withered grass is just the beginning.

One reason why they hadn't extended this invitation before was that neither Lei Zhan nor Ku Cao had fully confirmed their relationship as Daoist partners. Maintaining the status quo would actually be safer for Ku Cao.

But now that Elder Yuan has appeared, and his words are tinged with probing, Lei Zhan readily agrees to confirm his relationship with Ku Cao. However, if Ku Cao continues as before, things could become extremely dangerous.

It should be noted that while mind enslavement comes at a price, even the Old Man of Source rarely chooses to enslave low-level cultivators.

However, for a rising top power like Lei Zhan in the Three Realms, even if it required paying a price, given Lei Zhan's understanding of the Old Man of Source, it was highly likely that the Old Man wouldn't let him go. A thousand thoughts flashed through Lei Zhan's mind, but he kept them buried deep within. He wouldn't choose to alert the enemy or easily reveal this secret to others.

"Fangcun Mountain?" A bright smile appeared on the withered grass's face. "Go to Fangcun Mountain? What would you do if you joined the Fangcun Mountain sect?"

"If we were to meet...aren't you afraid of the consequences?"

afraid?
Lei Zhan was taken aback. However, the thought of the scene if the two women were to really clash was indeed giving him a headache.

They walked hand in hand, neither of them speaking.

at last.

The summit of this unnamed mountain.

Lei Zhan and Ku Cao sat atop the mountain, looking down and seeing most of the scenery in the Hundred Tomb Mountain at a glance.

A melodious voice rang out from the mountaintop. The voice was very soft, as if the wind on the mountaintop was blowing gently, and the voice drifted away with the wind.

“I was born here, and I grew up here. Just like the flowers and grasses in this mountain, their roots will continue to extend downwards, which makes them more and more vibrant. But once they leave their root system, it will be difficult for them to survive.” After saying this, the withered grass continued, “And this Hundred Tomb Mountain is my root system.”

The withered grass looked up at the bright moon high in the sky, and then said, "Since my birth, no other flowers or grasses have grown around me. I have stubbornly grown, and faced the ravages of wind and rain all by myself. So..."

"Hmm?" Lei Zhan had a vague premonition.

Kucao turned to look at Leizhan, his bright eyes revealing a hint of determination. "I do not wish to be anyone's vassal. Just as I do not wish to become a disciple of the Source Dao Ancestor."

Even if that person is the one I love!

“This…” Lei Zhan looked at the withered grass that showed a resolute expression, pondered for a moment, and then nodded and said, “If you are determined to stay in Hundred Tomb Mountain… then stay. However… you still have to come with me to Fangcun Mountain.”

"Hmm? Do you still want me to go to Fangcun Mountain?" Kucao asked curiously.

Even Kucao had heard of Fangcun Mountain. This place was the Daoist temple of Bodhi Patriarch, one of the most powerful Daoist ancestors in the Three Realms.

Meanwhile, her beloved's other Daoist companion, who was also her 'sister,' was cultivating in seclusion in this Fangcun Mountain.

“Yes, I’m going back to Fangcun Mountain to see someone,” Lei Zhan said with a smile.

"To meet someone?" Curiosity gleamed in the withered grass's eyes.

……

At the foot of Fangcun Mountain.

In the mountains and forests.

"Hey yo! Hey yo!"

"One, two, three..."

"Get down!"

Rumble~~~
As soon as he finished speaking, a huge tree that would take six or seven people to encircle was felled in just a few strokes by the seemingly ordinary woodcutter.

"The way our eldest brother chops wood is becoming more and more unpredictable!"

As a hearty laugh rang out, a figure dressed in a black robe slowly walked in from outside the forest.

"Hmm?" The woodcutter found a dry spot on his sweat-soaked clothes and wiped the large beads of sweat from his forehead.

He casually wiped his sweat and said with a smile:

"It's Junior Brother? Didn't you say yesterday that you were going to experience the mortal world? Why are you here today?"

The figure that arrived deep in the mountains and forests was none other than a clone of Lei Zhan's true form.

"I haven't even had a chance to begin my trials in this mortal world, and I've already encountered something utterly perplexing," Lei Zhan said helplessly. "I have absolutely no confidence in this matter. That's why I came here to ask my senior brother for help!"

"Help? You need my help?" The woodcutter was puzzled. "Junior Brother is now a powerful being at the True God/Dao Ancestor level. Even his mental strength is at the fourth level, right? What is it that you need my help with?"

"It's related to mental strength." Lei Zhan's smile faded, and he became much more serious. "After thinking it over, I realized that in the entire Three Realms, only Senior Brother has the strongest mental strength. So I came directly to ask Senior Brother for help."

"Oh? It's related to mental strength?" The woodcutter became genuinely curious. He put down the axe he was using to chop wood and sat directly on the trunk of the large tree that had just been felled.

"Come, sit down and tell me slowly," the woodcutter said with a smile, patting the tree trunk beside him.

"Hmm." Lei Zhan nodded and sat down next to the woodcutter.

“I once received some opportunities left behind by the Chaos Race, and my senior brother knows about this as well,” Lei said.

"In the endless chaos, there are strange and terrifying cultivators of mental power; the powerful ones can even control souls."

"So, I'd like to ask my senior brother to help me see if I can use my mental power to detect whether a person's soul has been controlled..."

(End of this chapter)