Primordial Era: I am a treasure trove, full of magical treasures.

The council hall of the Jiuli tribe.

Chi You sat high in the main seat, his bare upper body bulging with muscles, and at his waist hung the dark red Tiger Soul Blade, its blade faintly shimmering with blood. On the long table before him lay a huge animal hide map, marking the distribution of power among the major southwestern tribes—now, the flags marking the Nine Li tribes were planted in every corner of the southwestern region of the map.

The five great shamans sat on either side. Jiufeng sat in the first seat to Chiyou's left, toying with a bone token in her hand, her expression indifferent; Houyi held his enormous sunset bow, leaning against a pillar with his eyes closed in meditation; Xiangliu's nine heads each faced a different direction, occasionally flicking out their tongues and hissing; Fengbo and Yushi sat in a corner, conversing in hushed tones.

Standing to his left was an old monk in a gray robe—Maitreya.

Maitreya clasped his hands together, his face bearing his usual compassionate smile, but deep within his bright eyes lay a barely perceptible anxiety. He had just arrived from the Western Vulture Peak, bringing with him the latest instructions from Jieyin and Zhunti—urging Chiyou to send troops north to the Central Plains as soon as possible to engage in a decisive battle with Xuanyuan.

"Chief Chiyou," Maitreya's voice was gentle and earnest, "Now that the Jiuli army is strong and well-equipped, and with the assistance of the great shamans of the Wu tribe, it is the best time to march north and vie for the throne of the Human Emperor. The Sage asked me to tell you—if you are willing to send troops, the Western Sect is willing to do its utmost to help you, providing more magical treasures, elixirs, and cultivation techniques to lend you a hand."

Chi You did not answer immediately. He leaned back in his chair, his fingers tapping lightly on the armrest, producing a dull, rhythmic sound. His tiger-like eyes gleamed with an unfathomable light.

After a long silence, he slowly spoke, his voice low and slightly playful: "Master Maitreya, I have a question for you."

Maitreya was slightly taken aback, then bowed and said, "Please speak, leader."

Chi You leaned forward, his gaze piercing, staring directly into Maitreya's eyes: "The Western Sect said they would help me seize the throne of the Human Emperor. But since I raised my army, what has the Western Sect done besides giving me a Tiger Soul Blade and sending a few monks to secretly bewitch my subordinates?"

The smile on Maitreya's face froze slightly.

Chi You continued, "I conquered cities and territories, annexing tribes, relying on the flesh and blood of my Jiuli men and the strong support of my Wu tribe predecessors. And what about you Western Sect? Besides empty words and giving a few insignificant magical treasures, what practical effort have you put in?"

"Your actions are putting me in a difficult position."

Chi You stood up, walked to Maitreya, looked down at him, and said in a commanding tone, "Now, the Jiuli Kingdom holds sway over the southwest, with a strong army and abundant resources, at the height of its power. And you Western Sect, at this time, come to urge me to send troops, talking about 'giving your full support'—but I ask you, what do you have to offer as 'giving your full support'?"

Maitreya was speechless after hearing this, and fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead. He opened his mouth, wanting to argue, but found that he had no way to defend himself.

Chi You was right. Although the Western Religion claimed to support his bid for the throne of the Human Emperor, what they actually contributed was pitifully little. A Tiger Soul Blade, a few monks secretly influencing people, and some verbal promises—nothing more.

And the Wu tribe? Five great shamans and 100,000 shaman soldiers, given away without hesitation. The contrast is stark.

Maitreya took a deep breath, suppressing his panic, and tried to keep his voice steady: "Chief Chiyou has misunderstood. The Western Sect is not stingy with its efforts, it's just... the time is not right. The Sage said that as long as the leader is willing to send troops, the Western Sect will definitely provide full assistance without hesitation!"

"The time isn't right yet?" Chi You scoffed, turned and walked back to the main seat, sitting down again. "Then may I ask, Master, when will the 'time be right'? When I'm defeated by Xuanyuan, or when I'm besieged by the three sects?"

"This..." Maitreya's forehead was covered in even more sweat.

Chi You waved his hand, his tone turning cold: "Master Maitreya, go back. Tell the two sages—I, Chi You, am not a three-year-old child, I am not so easily fooled. The Western Sect wants the fortune of humanity, fine. But the prerequisite is—they must show sufficient sincerity."

Chi You's words struck Maitreya's heart like a heavy hammer.

The compassionate smile that usually graced Maitreya's gaunt face finally crumbled. He opened his mouth, wanting to say something to salvage the situation, but found that Chi You's gaze was like two sharp blades, piercing straight into his heart, leaving all his prepared words stuck in his throat.

Chi You, however, seemed oblivious to Maitreya's embarrassment. He picked up the enormous stone bowl in front of him, tilted his head back, gulped down a mouthful of strong liquor, wiped his mouth, and continued, "Master Maitreya, go back and tell the two sages—I, Chi You, am a rough man, I don't understand any of these intricacies. I only know that whoever is good to me, I will be good to them."

Maitreya's face alternated between pale and flushed, and the knuckles of his clasped hands turned white from the force of his grip. He took a deep breath and tried to keep his voice steady: "I understand what Chief Chiyou means. I will return to Mount Ling now and report the chief's intentions to the two sages truthfully."

"Go, go," Chi You waved his hand impatiently, as if shooing away a fly. "And tell the two sages—my patience is limited. If the Western Religion doesn't show sincerity soon, you'll put me in a difficult position!"

Chi You's meaning is very simple: since the West wants both, wants both humanity and fortune, and is not willing to take any risks, how could he possibly have such a good thing?

Maitreya was startled and quickly bowed, saying, "This humble monk will certainly convey the leader's words." After saying that, he dared not linger any longer, turned around and quickly walked out of the council hall.

Watching Maitreya's hasty departure, Chi You's lips curled into a cold smile.

He certainly wouldn't actually seek other partners. These words were merely spoken on Xuanbao's instructions, deliberately intended for Maitreya's ears. The purpose was simple—to force the Western Sect to bleed.

Jiufeng put down the bone token in her hand and said calmly, "Brother Chiyou, your words are likely to infuriate those two old foxes in the West."

"So what if I'm angry?" Chi You grinned, revealing a set of white teeth. "Anyway, they wouldn't dare do anything to me. Now, my Jiuli tribe controls the southwest, with a strong and well-equipped army. If they want the human fortune, they can only rely on me. If I don't take this opportunity to squeeze them dry, I'll be doing myself a disservice."

Jiufeng shook her head and said nothing more. Although she felt that Chi You's actions were somewhat risky, since it was at the behest of the Witch Lord, she had nothing to worry about.

"Alright, let's not talk about those bald monks anymore." Chi You stood up and walked to the huge animal hide map. His gaze fell on the area marked as the Central Plains on the map. "Big Sister Jiufeng, what do you think... how is things on Xuanyuan's side now?"

Jiufeng walked up to the map and pointed to the location of the Youxiong clan: "According to the scouts, the disciples of the three sects have gathered at the Youxiong clan. The Human Sect has brought several hundred people, the Earth Sect has brought more than two hundred, and the Heaven Sect has brought more than one hundred. Leading them are Daoist Duobao, Guangchengzi, and Grand Master Xuandu—all of them are Great Luo Golden Immortals under the sages."

"Tsk tsk tsk..." Chi You clicked his tongue, "The Three Pure Ones are certainly willing to spend money. They can send out so many disciples just like that."

"The struggle for the Human Emperor concerns the fate of humanity, so the Three Pure Ones will naturally not take it lightly," Jiufeng said calmly. "Moreover... this is also a rare opportunity for their disciples to gain experience. They can accumulate merit and broaden their horizons, so why not?"

Chi You nodded, his gaze sweeping across the map, and suddenly asked, "Big Sister Jiu Feng, when do you think we should clash with Xuanyuan?"

Jiufeng didn't answer directly, but instead asked, "What do you think?"

Chi You was silent for a moment, then slowly said, "I think... it's not the right time yet."

"Oh?" Jiufeng raised an eyebrow, somewhat curious about what insights this behemoth Chi You would offer. "Why?"

Chi You pointed to the map and analyzed seriously, "Although Xuanyuan is young, he is currently protected by disciples from three sects. If we fight head-on, we may not be able to gain the upper hand. Moreover, our advantage lies in our superior military strength, while Xuanyuan's advantage lies in the number of experts. If we start a full-scale war now, even if we win, it will inevitably be a pyrrhic victory—in which case the Western Sect and those forces secretly watching will only benefit."

After listening to Chi You's analysis, Jiu Feng's eyes flashed with a hint of surprise and admiration. She had originally thought that Chi You was just a brave and fierce brute, but she did not expect that he could say such a thing—not only did he see the current situation clearly, but he could also think about longer-term issues.

"Brother Chi You, your words have certainly impressed me," Jiu Feng praised without reservation. "It seems that the Witch Lord's choice of you as a pawn was indeed justified."

Chi You was a little embarrassed by her praise. He scratched his head and grinned, "Sister Jiufeng, you flatter me. Although I am rough, I am not without brains. I will naturally do my best to do what Father God has entrusted to me."

"So what do you plan to do?" Jiufeng asked.

Chi You didn't answer immediately. Instead, he walked to the map and scanned it back and forth with his eyes. After a long while, he spoke slowly, his voice low and laced with a hint of cunning:

"The Father God said that we should swindle all the people from the West, as many as we can. Since that's the case, then I'll make them think that if they just put in a little more effort, they can get what they want from me."

He turned to look at Jiu Feng, a dangerous glint in his eyes: "Big Sister Jiu Feng, tell me... if I send someone to deliver a letter to Xuan Yuan now, saying I want to negotiate with him and divide up spheres of influence—what will the Western Church think?"

Jiufeng was slightly taken aback, then understood Chi You's intention: "You want to... create a false impression, to make the Western Sect think that you want to reconcile with Xuanyuan, thereby forcing them to increase their investment?"

"Excellent!" Chi You slapped his thigh, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "What does the Western Sect fear most? They fear me and Xuanyuan reconciling! Once our two sides shake hands and make peace, all their previous investments will be wasted! Therefore, they will definitely try every means to prevent me from contacting Xuanyuan, and the best way to prevent it is to give me more benefits so that I can continue fighting!"

Jiufeng was silent for a moment, then slowly nodded: "This plan is feasible. But there's one problem—will Xuanyuan cooperate with you?"

"That's where Father God needs to step in," Chi You chuckled. "As long as Father God gives a word to Xuanyuan and gets him to cooperate with me in putting on a show, even if the Western Sect is cunning, they won't see through our trick!"

Jiufeng nodded thoughtfully: "I understand. I will report your plan to the Witch Lord and ask him to make a decision."

"Then I'll leave it to Sister Jiufeng!" Chi You cupped his hands in greeting, his face full of smug satisfaction.

Several days later, deep in the Ling Mountain.

Maitreya stood before Jieyin and Zhunti, head bowed, his face somewhat grim. He repeated Chiyou's words verbatim, daring not to conceal anything.

"...Chi You said that if the Western Sect fails to show sincerity in the long run, he would not mind considering whether to change partners." Maitreya's voice grew softer and softer until it was almost inaudible.

Jieyin closed his eyes and remained silent, slowly moving his prayer beads, but the speed was faster than usual, revealing his inner turmoil. Zhunti, on the other hand, had a livid face, his Bodhi beads clenched so tightly they creaked.

"Arrogance!" Zhunti slammed his fist on the table, causing the entire secret chamber to tremble. "That Chi You is nothing but a brute of mixed human and witch blood, yet he dares to so scorn my Western Sect! If I had known this would happen, I should have..."

"Junior brother," Jieyin opened his eyes, interrupting Zhunti, "calm down."

"Chi You is right. Since our Western Sect decided to support him, apart from that Tiger Soul Blade and some verbal promises, we haven't given him much substantial support." Jieyin slowly stood up, walked to the window, and looked into the distance. "But what about the Witch Clan? Five Great Witches and 100,000 Witch Soldiers, given to them without hesitation. Compared to them, it's understandable that Chi You is dissatisfied."

Zhunti took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing his anger, but his face was still grim: "Senior brother! That Chi You is clearly threatening us! We are saints, and he, relying on the support of the Wu Clan, doesn't take our Western Sect seriously at all!"

"I know, but so what?" Jieyin's voice remained calm, but a barely perceptible glint of cold light flashed deep within his seemingly still eyes. "The Wu Clan, for some unknown reason, is helping Chi You, but there must be a trick to it."

The interruption calmed Zhunti down from his initial rage, and upon reflection, he realized it was true. "Senior brother is right, Xuanbao has always maintained good relations with the Wu clan. Could something be going on here?"

"Alas! We have no other choice now. Even though we know the road ahead is fraught with danger, the only path before us is to keep going. As for whether we can succeed, that depends on our own efforts."

Zhunti was taken aback: "Senior brother means..."

"We should continue to increase our investment in the study of Chiyou, but we can't be the only ones doing so."

Having spent countless lifetimes with Jieyin, and being closer than brothers, the two naturally understood each other's meaning from the sound of the music.

My senior brother is absolutely right. "I doubt Rahu will stand idly by either, after all, his situation is even worse than ours right now."