Chapter 426: Shen Yi's New

The middle-aged man who called himself of the Heavenly Sword Sect finished speaking.

The remaining few Dao tokens swayed slightly, and then two more illusory figures manifested from within them.

"We can also promise you the same treatment."

On the contrary, the crescent-moon Dao token that had first welcomed Shen Yi and the others, upon seeing this scene, fell silent once more without a word.

Such an abnormal scene.

Caused the many cultivators who had just stepped out of General Nanyang Sect to all feel somewhat dazed.

To them, the world outside was already incomparably unfamiliar; they had not expected that the moment they came out, they would receive such a red-hot "scramble."

As if they truly bore the aspect of dragons, with boundless futures ahead.

Master Zhu Jue glanced at Jiang Qiulan beside him, only to find that the other party showed not even a flicker of emotion.

If there was anyone who felt something was off.

Then it was most likely him.

Master Zhu Jue still had some self-awareness; he was nothing but a Wu Xian, and Jiang Qiulan had yet to break through to Soul Transformation.

Within General Nanyang Sect, they might barely count as someone of note.

But outside… had he not seen that Shen Shan Laozu of Mount Wutong still stood there like a quail?

He truly could not fathom what qualification he had to enter the sight of such great figures.

"……"

After waiting a long while, no response came.

The middle-aged man of the Heavenly Sword Sect looked down once more, his brow furrowing almost imperceptibly.

A group of living beings who had narrowly escaped from a land where the inheritance had been severed.

The strongest among them was only barely at the Return-to-Void stage, and among the rest there were even ordinary Qi Refining cultivators; moreover, their knowledge was shallow and their means meager—to be allowed into the inner gate for cultivation was already an immense favor.

Could it be they were still not satisfied?

He observed carefully for a moment and found that nearly everyone had quietly turned to look at the white-robed youth at the Transformation of Spirit Realm.

Glancing again at that white robe, the middle-aged man could not bear to watch, his expression darkening slightly.

How could that ceremonial robe representing the Shen Zongzhu's status be something that fellow was fit to sully?

"……"

He deliberated for a moment, then looked at Shen Yi: "Your talent is exceptional; I can make an exception and grant you the post of Steward. In my Heavenly Sword Sect, to hold such a position, one must at least be a Return-to-Void cultivator of the third layer or above. How about it?"

He had thought the other party would be moved to grateful tears.

Unexpectedly, after hearing these words, Shen Yi slowly withdrew his gaze.

He had no advantages; in both lives he had been a nobody.

But it was precisely because he was a nobody that he was so sensitive to these matters… it was obvious that this was no bestowal at all, but rather more like the other party wanted something from him.

One point made this especially clear…

The very first words spoken by that crescent-moon Dao token had clearly treated them and the others as Meng Sect of equal standing.

And after those words fell.

The so-called Heavenly Sword Sect had clearly grown somewhat anxious, directly cutting off that person's speech.

Shen Yi was not entirely sure what on him was worth coveting.

Even if it were the Dao tokens.

Given these people's strength, they could simply snatch them by force — why bother finding an excuse?

If this were a transaction, one would at least need to know what was in one's own hands, and how much it was worth.

Before Shen Yi could respond.

A crisp voice, trembling slightly, had already rung out one step ahead.

"May I ask, Senior, I am only a step away from the second layer of Return-to-Void — may I be granted the exception of becoming a Steward?"

Ye Wenxuan mustered her courage and stepped forward.

Hearing this, the Heavenly Sword Sect elder slowly closed his eyes, as if weighing something; someone had to make the first move. Only after a moment did he utter a brief sound.

"Mm."

Hearing this, Ye Wenxuan seemed to have received some immortal's divine decree; her face lit up with great joy, and without hesitation she dropped to her knees and bowed: "Disciple Ye Wenxuan is willing to enter the Heavenly Sword Upper Sect!"

She was not foolish.

These six Dao tokens were clearly the Meng Sect of General Nanyang.

But what was the situation in General Nanyang? It had long been ravaged clean by demons and monsters, spiritual energy was scarce, and there was not a single senior there.

To put it loosely, it was no different from being dead.

Yet above the Dao tokens, the mere aura emanating from a single illusory figure was something she had never seen, and would not even dare imagine.

She did not know what that surnamed Shen fellow was still hesitating about.

Could it be he still insisted on clinging to that broken-down General Nanyang Sect? Simply absurd.

"This Seat has already waited for you for quite some time."

The Heavenly Sword Sect elder did not look at Ye Wenxuan, but continued to stare at Shen Yi.

"Having just arrived, I am unfamiliar with the situation; for now I have no intention of joining a sect."

Shen Yi raised his gaze, neither servile nor overbearing.

"……"

The Heavenly Sword Sect elder was silent for a moment, staring coldly at the youth. Upon seeing that those behind him harbored no complaint whatsoever, he said meaningfully: "Very well."

Having spoken, the illusory figure vanished, and the Dao token engraved with a longsword shot straight off into the distance.

Ye Wenxuan, seeing this, hurriedly rose and rode a cloud to follow, afraid of losing her bright future.

The other Dao tokens also scattered one by one.

Only the crescent moon Dao token remained, its stern voice forced into a gentler tone: "We are all the Seven Disciples of Southern Hong. If you need help, use the Dao token to send a message to the Qingyue Sect."

"Thank you, elder." Shen Yi clasped his hands in a bow.

The crescent moon Dao token chuckled: "No need to call me elder... by the rules, I should address you as Sect Master Shen of General Nanyang."

Shen Yi's impression of the Qingyue Sect was not bad; seizing the opportunity, he asked one more question: "May I ask where the cultivators of the General Nanyang Sect have gone?"

Upon hearing this, the Dao token suddenly froze.

It then turned toward the wooden figure at the cliff's edge.

Only after a moment did it sigh: "Do not ask. It is unnecessary."

Having spoken, seemingly worried that Shen Yi would press for details, it shot straight up into the air and flew away.

The words had not yet faded.

A terrifying aura slowly spread across the General Nanyang platform; even with Shen Yi's cultivation of the Minor Succession stage of the True Body of the Celestial Phoenix, he was forced to stagger back several steps.

The wooden figure, covered entirely in vines, opened its eyes, its very eyeballs resembling wooden beads carved by a knife.

With a creaking sound, it rose to its feet.

It walked step by step toward the crowd, finally stopping before Shen Yi, who held the Dao token.

Its voice was hoarse and grating, carrying a hint of wooden dullness: "I am a direct disciple of the General Nanyang Sect. I want to go home."

"Uh."

Everyone exchanged glances; even Nie Jun's entire body tensed.

Shen Yi gripped the Dao token tight, snapping out of his excitement from just slaying the Old Dog; the world outside seemed far more terrifying than he had imagined.

He stared at this strange person, yet heard the other continue.

"Can you take me... home..."

The wooden figure skillfully stepped into the center of the formation; on that stiff wooden face, a trace of expectation and pleading actually emerged.

"..."

Shen Yi pondered for a moment.

A Sect Master of the Transformation of Spirit Realm having such a formidable direct disciple felt somehow strange.

He thought for a moment, then beckoned to the other: "Follow me."

As Shen Yi spoke, he stepped forward to the cliff's edge.

The wooden figure, though reluctant, obediently walked to stand behind him.

"What is your name?"

Shen Yi did not intend to interrogate the other; it was just that bringing such an uncontrollable, formidable existence back to the dilapidated General Nanyang Sect required taking a huge risk.

"Name... Li Xuanqing." The wooden figure replied honestly.

"What is your cultivation?" Shen Yi asked, glancing curiously to the side; Nie Jun, Ling Xi, and others also instinctively looked over, as they too wanted to know what realm one must be in to emit such a formidable aura.

The wooden figure pondered for a moment, then spoke slowly: "I once ascended to Bai Yujing. Later, to survive, I reshaped myself into a wooden body. My realm fell; perhaps three or four floors, or maybe eight or nine. I haven't fought, so I'm not entirely sure."

Shen Yi slowly clenched his fist, his expression unchanged.

Was this gap too large? And what exactly was Bai Yujing?

However, judging from the crescent moon Dao token just now, it seemed to trust this wooden figure completely; of course, the so-called Qingyue Sect could not be fully trusted.

But now that he had just stepped out of the General Nanyang Sect, he indeed urgently needed a guide.

(End of this chapter)