This sort of bluntness wasn't something Jiang Chen particularly appreciated, but there was no denying that the demons turning on each other was something he was more than happy to watch.
A faint smile played across his lips as he asked, "Xuepu, you want me to grant you protection, is that it?"
Old Ancestor Xuepu chuckled. "You're a smart man. Talking with smart people saves time. To spare you all manner of probing questions, I'll just say it plainly. If you grant me sanctuary, I can help you deal with the Heavenly Demon lineage. As it happens, right now there's an opportunity to kill one of their old ancestors!"
Jiang Chen nodded. "Very good. You're honest. The ones hunting you are already heading this direction."
Old Ancestor Xuepu smiled leisurely. "Then you'd best be ready for the kill."
Jiang Chen studied Old Ancestor Xuepu with a deep look and returned an unhurried smile. "Put on a convincing performance—sell it thoroughly. That's the only way to fool our opponents."
Old Ancestor Xuepu snickered and nodded.
Jiang Chen returned to Dongyan Island and summoned the Four True Spirits. "Get ready. A cultivator from the Heavenly Demon lineage is delivering himself to us. If it's one or two of them, we'll make sure they never return."
"Chen Shao, that old blood demon ancestor—could he be playing tricks?" Xia Tianze raised the question.
Jiang Chen smiled. "If he tries anything, it won't escape my notice. But to be safe, we should still exercise caution."
Jiang Chen began making arrangements. The defenses on Dongyan Island remained as they were.
Meanwhile, Jiang Chen led the Four True Spirits outward in a stealthy arc, setting up an ambush in the shadows.
With the Purity Treasure Robe as concealment, the Four True Spirits could erase their presence and hide their forms, clinging to Jiang Chen's person. The setup was airtight—perfectly seamless.
Even if Old Ancestor Xuepu wanted to play tricks, he'd have no opportunity to do so.
Old Ancestor Xuepu's face was deathly pale as he leaned weakly against a secluded thicket. Not long after, two Heavenly Demon ancestors caught up.
The Fourth Ancestor and the Fifth Ancestor.
These two weren't the strongest among the Heavenly Demon lineage's ancestors, nor were they the weakest—they occupied the middle tier.
Now that they had devoured the bloodlines of other demon clans, their strength hadn't yet surged dramatically simply because they hadn't finished refining the stolen power. Given time, their strength would skyrocket—they might even break through to the upper tiers of the Divine Dao.
For traitors like Old Ancestor Xuepu, the Heavenly Demon lineage would absolutely never let them go.
As they drew near, the Fourth Ancestor and Fifth Ancestor both slowed their pace. The Fifth Ancestor murmured, "That old fox Xuepu is cunning indeed, fleeing in this direction. Is he trying to make us hesitate? But once he's come here, there's nowhere else to run. Would the humans really grant him passage?"
The Fourth Ancestor's expression was grave. "Old Fifth, if the humans do grant him passage, we're in real trouble."
"Trouble? Are we supposed to fear that old blood demon's revenge? Don't worry—with his meager power, once we finish our breakthrough, he won't even be worth looking at." The Fifth Ancestor spoke with a breezy, dismissive air, his tone light and utterly unconcerned.
The Fourth Ancestor was speechless. This brother really was thick-headed.
"Old Fifth, have you considered what happens if that old fox hands over our Heavenly Demon lineage's secrets to the humans as payment for passage? Our secrets would be exposed. The humans would learn we've turned on each other inside, and they'll launch a frenzied attack. We've lost numbers, our strength hasn't surged yet—we're at our most vulnerable. It would be an absolute nightmare."
The moment these words left his mouth, the Fifth Ancestor looked as though someone had seized him by the throat.
For the Heavenly Demon lineage, this was indeed terrible news.
"Old Fifth, look over there." The Fourth Ancestor's voice suddenly took on an odd note as he patted his brother's shoulder and pointed ahead.