Chapter 129: Heading to the Zhou Family Estate

"Oh?"

The Sacred Demon looked at Zhou Tian in surprise. Wiping the slate clean of all grievances was no simple promise. Ever since he had moved against Zhou Tian, the matter had transcended a personal feud; it had become an affront by the Sacred Demon against the Zhou Clan itself.

For a major power like the Zhou Clan, matters of face were of paramount importance. Their pursuit of the Sacred Demon was not merely to avenge Zhou Tian, but to uphold the majesty and authority of their house. To call it all off was far more complex than just a word from Zhou Tian.

"If you can truly manage that, then it is acceptable."

The Sacred Demon pondered for a moment before answering. It remained a simple truth: given the choice, no one wants to die. He had offended the Zhou Clan for the sake of his own ambitions—an act of desperation. Having been trapped at the Heavenly King Realm for countless eons, he was on the verge of madness.

The Zhou Clan was currently preoccupied with other matters, leaving their high-end combat power tied up. But once that period passed and they were free to act, if he had not yet reached the Dao Master realm, his death would be certain. Even if he did attain the Dao Master realm, he could at best barely escape with his life. While the Zhou Clan would certainly not deploy a Heavenly Venerate to hunt him down, he was in no position to provoke two Dao Masters. If he could truly put this affair behind him, that would be for the best.

"As long as you release those two, our grievances will be settled here and now. I will explain it to the family," Zhou Tian promised.

The Sacred Demon chuckled and shook his head. "I have lived for countless eons; what kind of schemes have I not seen? Even blood oaths sworn upon one's own Dao heart can be circumvented with the right methods, let alone a mere verbal agreement from you."

"Then what do you propose?" Zhou Tian asked.

"I want you to take me to your Zhou Clan’s stronghold. I will become one of your clan's retainers."

Zhou Tian looked at the Sacred Demon in astonishment. A retainer for the Zhou Clan? The Sacred Demon’s train of thought was truly peculiar.

He understood the concept of a retainer. "Tianqin" was merely the title the Zhou Clan used in the Futian Prefecture for the sake of administrative convenience; in the Star Realm, they were known simply as the Zhou Clan. The ministers of Tianqin existed as vassal families, bound together by the ties of the Tianqin organization.

In the vast Star Realm, where countless factions vied for power, no single force could dominate alone; alliances and maneuvers were necessary. Retainers existed specifically to recruit lone experts—one side needed influence, and the other needed martial strength. It was common for people to seek out major factions to serve as retainers, but what was the Sacred Demon’s logic? If you can't beat them, join them?

"Didn't you strike at me because you made a deal with someone else? Now that you want to become a retainer of my Zhou Clan, what about that deal?" Zhou Tian was puzzled.

"He never said I couldn't join you. Don't worry about me; I am bound by an oath to that person, and I will naturally fulfill my obligations, but he cannot dictate my actions," the Sacred Demon explained.

"But didn't you say—"

"I have seen ways to escape an oath. One can avoid a Dao heart blood oath by committing suicide, but he certainly won't do that." The Sacred Demon smiled indifferently, dismissing it as a minor detail.

Zhou Tian: "..."

"Fine. But once you become a retainer, you cannot act as an enemy of the Zhou Clan again. You know the cost if you do." If one were a commoner, offending the Zhou Clan would lead to a hunt, but the clan wouldn't waste excessive resources. However, if a retainer betrayed them, they were finished. A hunt led by a Heavenly Venerate was something no one could withstand; that was the rule.

Zhou Tian felt a sense of absurdity. He had just recruited a powerful combatant to his family, even though this very person had just tried to kill him.

"I am well aware. You only need to cooperate with me."

Under normal circumstances, the Sacred Demon would never have entertained such an idea; he had already prepared himself to flee to the ends of the earth. Even though he had backing, they could not openly protect him. It was only by chance that he encountered Zhou Tian, providing a glimmer of hope. Otherwise, simply showing up at the Zhou Clan's doorstep to ask to be a retainer would likely result in having his head beaten in.

"Very well. In that case, let us head back. It has been a long time since I returned. Do you know where my Zhou Clan's stronghold in the God-Forsaken Land is located?" Zhou Tian nodded. The stronghold was his home turf; he would hardly object to the Sacred Demon’s request to go there.

"I naturally know. To display their so-called majesty, the intense aura is something I can clearly feel even from here," the Sacred Demon said with a strange tone.

Very well, you are the expert, you are the powerful one, Zhou Tian thought, unsure of what else to say.

The Sacred Demon waved his hand, and the two—Ling Yu and Mu Su, who felt as if they had just been granted a new lease on life—were whisked away to some unknown location.

"Just a few protective measures. If all goes well, your two friends will appear unharmed, perhaps even slightly stronger. If things go poorly... then I apologize," the Sacred Demon said before Zhou Tian could even speak.

Zhou Tian had nothing to say, silently lamenting that this old man was quite cautious.

The Sacred Demon reached out and tapped the void. Golden ripples spread, and a piercing cry echoed through the wilderness. A massive divine bird suddenly appeared in the sky, with a phoenix head and the roar of a dragon. Its wings were like clouds hanging from the heavens, and its tail bore nine brilliant feathers, each of a different color. Its claws were sharp enough to tear through space itself.

"Let's go," the Sacred Demon said calmly. Before Zhou Tian could react, space shifted, and they appeared inside a magnificent palace.

"This is within the belly of the Phoenix Feather. It is not a short distance; it will take two or three days. Wait here." The palace was shimmering and opulent, constructed entirely from rare and precious materials. The Sacred Demon sat on a central chair and spoke to Zhou Tian.

Zhou Tian nodded and found a chair to sit on, positioned diagonally in front of the Sacred Demon.

The Sacred Demon began to meditate, forming mysterious hand seals. Behind him, a Buddha appeared, sitting upon a glazed golden lotus, fingers pinching a flower, eyes slightly closed.

This piqued Zhou Tian's curiosity. What kind of cultivation technique was the Sacred Demon practicing to manifest such a Buddhist vision? Yet, a moment later, the golden-bodied Buddha turned black, as did the lotus beneath him. It lost all semblance of compassion, instead radiating the aura of a great demon.

The shadow behind the Sacred Demon continued to flicker between these two states, echoing with a profound and mysterious aura.

"Er..." Zhou Tian made a sound. The Sacred Demon opened his eyes, a flicker of mania present in his gaze, which vanished as quickly as it appeared.

"Are you related to the Luotian Temple?" Zhou Tian asked. Since they were now in a cooperative arrangement, each with their own needs, he felt no further need to be overly cautious.

"Did your father never tell you?" The Sacred Demon closed his eyes again. The Buddha appeared once more behind him; this was not his primary cultivation method, but a special technique of nourishment that did not require his full focus.