Eternal Tale
Chapter 303: A conversation on the mountain peak

"Moo~~"

"Brother Ox, they don't seem to have good intentions. Their presence is overwhelming."

Little Red narrowed his eyes slightly and hid beneath the belly of the big black ox. "Brother Xun, do you think they've come to capture us?"

"If that were their goal, their vision would be far too short-sighted. No need to overthink it." Chen Xun remained calm, one hand resting behind his back. His bandit disguise had faded away, revealing his true appearance. "May I ask what brings you all here, fellow cultivators?"

His voice resonated across the heavens and earth, even causing the ambient spiritual energy to tremble in response. The sheer force of his vitality sent a shockwave through the iron-blooded cultivators aboard the warships, their expressions shifting. Such an immense life force!

Yet when they caught sight of the black mountain, even those seasoned in battle felt their scalps tingle.

At the mountain’s base, a sea of blood had formed, littered with the corpses of the corrupted beasts. It seemed they had been annihilated in a single strike, without even a chance to struggle.

All eyes turned to Baili Zhong Hu. Only a figure of his stature could possibly hold the situation under control.

The ten warships of the fleet came to an abrupt halt, lingering at the distant horizon without advancing further. Then, from one of the vessels, a towering figure stepped into the air.

"Fellow Daoist, I am Baili Zhong Hu, current Commander of the Battle Realm Camp. I have come to meet you in person."

Clad in black battle armor, he took a single step forward, causing space itself to ripple. His aura was unimaginably powerful. "I hope you do not take offense."

Chen Xun raised an eyebrow in surprise; it was him.

So, the person the monk spoke of had such a formidable background. However, this was rather fortunate; he had encountered the very man he sought.

His gaze was drawn toward the black armor Baili Zhong Hu wore—ancient, desolate, steeped in countless stories, with faint traces of bloodstains still visible.

That armor alone was at least a mid-tier defensive artifact. He wondered if it could withstand the impact of a Nascent Soul cultivator’s strike.

Chen Xun's expression grew serious as he looked at Baili Zhong Hu. For a brief moment, it felt as if a vast army was charging at him. He silently praised the man's overwhelming presence.

Among all the cultivators he had encountered, this one possessed the most domineering aura—one whose words could decide the life and death of tens of thousands. It was not something a mere wandering cultivator like himself could compare to.

"I am Chen Xun."

He clasped his hands together with a faint smile, entirely unfazed by the oppressive presence. "I have been waiting here for the Battle Realm Camp for some time, but I did not expect the Commander himself to arrive."

Baili Zhong Hu paused midair, scrutinizing Chen Xun. Neither of them used spiritual sense to probe the other, relying solely on external observation.

His gaze grew solemn as he took in the scene beneath them. The mountain of corpses—entirely corrupted beasts. The black skeletal remains... that was the body of a Nascent Soul-stage corrupted beast.

Yet, despite standing amidst this sea of death, this man exuded no murderous intent. It was as if he had cultivated some art that expelled malice and hostility, rendering him immune to the domain’s chilling aura.

What stood out the most was Chen Xun’s deep, obsidian eyes—calm and boundless, like a star-studded night sky. Serene, was unfathomable, impossible to read.

"This man… there is something off about him. His appearance must not be taken at face value."

A sudden tremor ran through Baili Zhong Hu's heart. As he locked eyes with Chen Xun, for an instant, he felt as if he were being watched by an ancient, peerless beast.

"Since when did the Great Li Realm produce such a figure?"

With thoughts racing, he spoke gravely, "Daoist Chen, would you be willing to come up the mountain for a discussion?"

Chen Xun nodded. "Of course. After you, Commander."

As his words fell,

A table and chairs, crafted from Crane Spirit Wood, were carried over by the big black ox.

On the peak of this mountain of corrupted beasts' remains, Chen Xun and Baili Zhong Hu sat across from each other.

This scene made the onlookers gulp in silence.

Had an ordinary cultivator stepped foot here, they would have been driven mad by sheer terror.

And yet, these two sat atop a sea of corpses, discussing matters as if nothing were amiss.

Baili Zhong Hu sat down and gave a slight nod toward the big black ox and Little Red. These were spirit beasts of the Great Li Realm, and his gaze seemed to carry a trace of unusual fondness.

"Moo moo~~"

"Woof!”

The big black ox and Little Red awkwardly cupped their hooves and paws in greeting before crouching down beside Chen Xun, one on his left and the other on his right.

Little Red's eyes darted around nervously, not daring to look directly at the Commander. His heart was still pounding—only Brother Xun could give him a sense of security.

The big black ox, on the other hand, kept its eyes fixed on Baili Zhong Hu, maintaining a simple and honest expression.

However, in its mind, it was already considering an escape plan—if negotiations went south, they'd teleport away immediately and deal with things later. No one could stop them.

At that moment, the world fell into silence.

Chen Xun took out some health-nourishing tea, steam rising from the cup. "Commander, to be frank, the reason we were hunting corrupted beasts here was to wait for you. But I didn't expect you to be Baili Zhong Hu."

"Oh?"

"Commander, do you happen to know Baili Feng Yao?"

Chen Xun's gaze sharpened slightly, his tone calm. He then added, "We are not his enemies, but he once asked me to deliver a message to you."

As soon as those words fell, Baili Zhong Hu’s aura shifted. His tiger-like eyes turned sharp, yet there was also a flicker of reminiscence within them.

With a steady voice, he declared, "Feng Yao is my ninth brother. With his talent and vision, the next Commander should have been him."

Though he said this, deep down, he was skeptical and wanted to hear more.

No one knew his ninth brother better than he did. Baili Feng Yao’s pride was unparalleled; not just anyone could have earned his acquaintance, let alone received a request to pass on a message for him.

Holy crap!

Chen Xun and his group were internally shaken, but their expressions remained exceptionally calm as if they had known this all along.

"He said… 'The old monk broke his promise.'"

Chen Xun coughed lightly, pressed his palms together in imitation of the monk, and solemnly recited the message. "Commander, that’s all he asked me to tell you."

Silence.

A profound stillness settled over the mountaintop.

The wind ceased its howling. Even the sound of breathing seemed to disappear.

Baili Zhong Hu placed a hand on the stone table, his fist tightening slightly, brows furrowing. He believed Chen Xun now.

This phrase was a secret between him and his ninth brother—it was indeed something Baili Feng Yao had said.

His gaze rested on Chen Xun. If Feng Yao had trusted this man with such words, it meant he held him in exceptionally high regard.

At the same time, Baili Zhong Hu understood the deeper meaning behind the message—his brother was asking him to take care of these people on the battlefield.

"So… he is still trapped by his obsessions, unable to let go even now."

"Yes," Chen Xun nodded. "The monk was defeated in the Ten Provinces Dao Debate."

"My ninth brother overthinks things." Baili Zhong Hu's voice was cold, carrying a hint of frustration. "I once advised him—rather than agonizing over ideals, he should focus on cultivating himself, slaughter every Buddhist cultivator in the Great Li Realm, and then rebuild the Dao anew, with the Ten Provinces at his command."

With his talent, if he devoted himself entirely to cultivation, who in this world could stand against him?

"Perhaps that’s precisely why he is Baili Feng Yao."

"If he had done as you suggested, the Baili Clan’s reputation would have been ruined, and he would have been dragged into a never-ending vortex of conflict."

Chen Xun sighed softly. A truly broad-minded heart could not carve its path through sheer slaughter alone. "People are different. The monk is a man of great wisdom."

Baili Zhong Hu's gaze dimmed, and a quiet sigh echoed across the mountaintop.

That was precisely why he admired his ninth brother so much.

Baili Feng Yao wanted to change people’s hearts—not simply erase paths for others.

His gaze turned curious as he studied Chen Xun.

What kind of connection did his ninth brother have with this man?

He couldn’t shake the feeling that they seemed like long-lost acquaintances, as if they had known each other for a very long time.