Chapter 357: I Don

The Imperial City, Wumiao.

Wu Dao'an stood awkwardly in the grand hall.

Beside him, Aqing sat on the ground in a rare state of dejection, arms wrapped around her knees, shoulders trembling slightly.

Xu Wanyun crouched beside her, gently soothing her emotions.

Yet this woman, though outwardly composed, was equally dazed in her eyes.

Two women who had spent years sheltered at home, now feeling their wings had grown strong, stepped forward for the first time to make a decision for the family.

And were brutally slapped down by reality.

It was proven that the Xu family was still far from ready to leave their hiding place and walk openly in the world.

And their words ultimately influenced the Fifth Ancestor's judgment.

The clan elders led the family once again onto this familiar yet alien land, only to be captured en masse by their mortal enemies before even reaching Daqian.

The entire sequence of events unfolded as smoothly as if Daqian and Xuanguang Cave had conspired together.

At this moment, Aqing was less in grief.

Than sunk in deep self-reproach and worry for her clan.

"Auntie…" she clutched Xu Wanyun's calf tightly.

"Kill!"

Upon the altar, the wrathful Arhat manifestation stomped mercilessly upon a cultivator clad in black-and-white Daoist robes, the man already on the brink of death.

"Kill them all! Don't cry! Kill them all!"

"Old Ancestor, please calm down."

Wu Dao'an helplessly looked behind him—this situation had long escaped his control.

Daqian had exhausted every means to contact Shen Yi.

But the man had vanished as if erased.

Nearly all the Yin Spirit cultivators within the Wumiao had been deployed, taking away every Golden Body manifestation.

They had adopted a do-or-die stance.

Yet so far, they had not even secured the right to negotiate normally with Xuanguang Cave.

Xuanguang Cave's intent was clear.

First break open that great array, deal with the Xu family, then settle accounts with Daqian.

"Hmph… this is an ally…"

An Xuanguang Cave cultivator spat out a clot of blood, snarling at the crowd: "You'll see—this isn't over! My Xuanguang Cave protected you for years, and this is how you repay us?"

The Wumiao's Old Ancestor yanked him upright, shoved him into his mouth, and bit down on his waist: "Eat you! Eat you!"

"Old Ancestor!"

Wu Dao'an could no longer hold back—he quickly formed a hand seal, trying to awaken the Old Ancestor.

The Xu family still remained in Xuanguang Cave's hands.

This cultivator was still a bargaining chip; he couldn't be killed so easily.

At that moment, the Wumiao's Old Ancestor suddenly stopped chewing, ignoring the cultivator slipping from his mouth, staring blankly at the horizon.

Wu Dao'an froze.

He held no Golden Scroll and felt no change.

But whatever could draw the attention of this dazed Old Ancestor was likely a disturbance in the incense and prayer power.

"Incense and prayer power… could it be…"

Inside the Wumiao's Courtyard A.

Shen Yi stood at the doorway, feeding the demonic essence into the newly formed demon soul.

The spirit of the Phantom-Tail Demon Emperor gradually solidified.

Yet beneath his master's calm gaze, it felt a chill, so much so that it forgot to offer thanks.

After the fourth demonic essence entered.

【Demon Emperor: Youwei Demon Emperor】

The word "Remnant" on the panel finally vanished.

Shen Yi channeled demonic lifespan, pouring all remaining thirty-seven thousand years into the panel.

【Year One: You partnered with Lady Qinghua for years, effortlessly imprisoning the Youwei Demon Emperor within the Demon Prison】

Shen Yi held all of Daqian's incense and prayer power.

Now, for the first time, he absorbed it all without reservation into the Jin Zhu within his body.

Under the immense boost of demonic lifespan, the sea of white mist coalescing in the sky vanished at a visible rate.

Thirty-seven thousand years!

When the sky cleared, stretching ten thousand li without a single cloud.

The demonic lifespan was exhausted.

【Soul Transformation. Golden Body Prison-Sealing Manifestation (Rare): Perfected】

Shen Yi no longer concealed himself—he turned and walked toward the Wumiao.

Behind him, a majestic dark-golden manifestation, ten zhang and eight chi tall, bore a golden dragon on its left arm and a dark flood-dragon on its right, like a mountain peak.

It hung suspended in the heavens, casting its shadow over the Daqian Imperial City.

Then it vanished instantly into the clouds.

"Old Ancestor—he's returned?"

Wu Dao'an, watching the Old Ancestor's blank, upturned gaze, felt a surge of profound joy.

Although he also did not know what Shen Yi could do after returning.

After all, the Shenxu Laozu the other party killed last time was merely a Soul Transformation mid-stage existence; when facing the wrath of the entire Xuan Guang Cave, perhaps he was as helpless as himself.

But as long as he heard news of Shen Yi.

Wu Dao'an felt inexplicably at ease.

"Who is... he?"

Shenxu Laozu slowly lowered his head, his face full of suspicion.

"I..." Wu Dao'an was choked, waving his hand irritably: "Asking you is a waste of time."

Looking at the two women's pitiful appearance as they struggled to hold back tears, he clenched his fist hard, while a trace of sorrow also surged in his heart.

Only by truly angering Xuan Guang Cave.

Would one discover an extremely tragic fact.

Great Qian not only lacked the strength to protect others, but itself had long been regarded as fish and meat on a platter for anyone to slaughter.

Just then, Wu Dao'an saw a straight figure walk in from outside the door, then pass him, and walk to the front of the altar.

The youth was too quiet, so much so that the old man almost failed to react.

Until the other party spoke.

"Give him to me."

Shen Yi stood with his hands hanging by his sides, looking at the man in the black-and-white long robe on the altar.

Shenxu Laozu was stunned; his brain did not support him in making overly complex thoughts, so he instinctively kicked him off the altar.

"Who are you!"

The Xuan Guang Cave cultivator struggled to stand up, but was stepped back down by the indifferent-looking youth.

"Rebellion! You Great Qian are rebelling!"

Hearing that person's sharp roar, A Qing and Xu Wanyun raised their heads in a daze, staring at that tall back; it was not particularly bulky, yet appeared so towering.

"Shen Yi, quickly capture him and take him away, and there is also the talk..."

Wu Dao'an hurriedly spoke to remind him.

But he saw Shen Yi slightly lift his boot, then casually step and crush that person's head.

Boom—

The cultivator's head instantly dissipated into scattered spiritual energy.

Wu Dao'an stood with his mouth open: "Judg..."

Shen Yi turned his body and walked out the door again, saying softly: "Lead the way."

He did not feel there was any need to negotiate with a dead man.

A Qing stumbled up from the ground and followed silently.

Xu Wanyun hurriedly supported the other party.

"What are you looking at! Hurry and follow!"

Wu Dao'an glanced at Shenxu Laozu and waved his hand hard.

Damn it all.

Anyway, he was already completely dazed; now he just needed to follow Shen Yi.

"Kill! Kill! Kill!"

Shenxu Laozu soared into the sky with a boom, smashing the towering roof beams.

Under Wu Dao'an's guidance, the group hurriedly rushed toward the outside of Great Qian.

"The situation is like this."

Wu Dao'an summoned his Yin Spirit to barely keep up with Shen Yi's pace: "This time, a black-robed great cultivator has come... you can understand him as the head of Xuan Guang Cave. Except for Zhang Xuanyan, who joined by special exception, all are Soul Transformation late-stage cultivators. As for who exactly has come, I am not entirely clear."

"If it is Zhang Xuanyan, with you here, they should not dare to move against the Xu family for the time being."

"If it is the other three." Wu Dao'an took a deep breath and said solemnly: "With disciples of Mount Wutong nearby, we can pay any price to ensure the Xu family's safety."

Great Qian perhaps did not value the Xu family that much.

But this was the first promise Shen Yi made to others.

The other party, as the actual leader of the Wumiao.

He is the backbone of Great Qian; his dignity must be higher than everything!

Upon hearing this, A Qing and Xu Wanyun remained silent, but forcefully rubbed their eye sockets.

Everything of theirs was there.

And now, Shen Yi was going to take them to bring their clan members back safely.

(End of this chapter)