Chapter 497: Many Hands Make Light Work

Under the protection of Yu Nanhong's Seven Sons, the vassal factions, which had been peaceful for a long time, suddenly fell into a slaughter with blood spraying everywhere.

There was no reason, and no purpose.

That group of aquatic demons quietly stepped out of the water.

The only thing these attacked vassal factions had in common was that they were all under the jurisdiction of Elder Liu Shiqian.

It was not until the many stewards and outer-gate elders of Daoqingyue Sect arrived to provide support that the situation was barely brought under control.

Just as the rest of Yu Nanhong's factions were panicking, secretly wondering whether this fierce battle would continue to escalate.

The water demons, however, seemed to have received some order, and retreated in unison, sinking back beneath the water.

Leaving behind only Shen Yidi of corpses and shattered bones.

"..."

The outer-gate elder of Qingyue Sect hovered in the air, operating the formation; he knit his brow tightly, showing no sign of joy.

Instead, he instinctively turned his gaze toward a tiny, insignificant graceful figure among the cultivators.

"Hah."

Liu Qianyun took a deep breath, steadying her emotions.

But her fingertips still trembled slightly despite herself.

This group of demons seemed to have no purpose, not coming to plunder anything, yet the targets they chose to attack were all too obvious.

Now that they had withdrawn for no apparent reason, it was clear that the one behind them had already obtained what it wanted.

"Father..."

Liu Qianyun clenched her five fingers, quietly slipped out of the crowd, and hurried off in a certain direction.

A mere Killed Fanxu third-layer cultivation.

Before these cultivators who were qualified to leave the sect, she was at the very bottom; how could her movements escape the eyes of those around her.

Everyone merely pretended not to see.

After all, they had not received any decree from the elder, which meant Elder Liu had no intention of letting the matter blow up completely.

What exactly had happened?

Meanwhile.

Amid the surging Wang Yang, a slender figure stood with hands behind his back, riding a solitary leaf-like boat.

That slightly stern face, with clear eyes, quietly swept toward the emptiness ahead.

It seemed only he was present in the field.

But within the rising waves, killing intent seemed to fill every inch.

Yet no matter how fierce the waves, not a single drop could touch the hem of his robe.

Liu Shiqian shook his head: "You went to great pains to lure me out; surely you didn't mean to frighten this old man with these childish tricks."

As his words fell, the water surface suddenly fell into Tianyan Siji.

The waters that had been flowing moments ago seemed to freeze in an instant, transforming into a sapphire-blue gem.

A moment later, a hoarse voice rose from beneath the water: "Then what do you think I called you out for?"

Liu Shiqian lowered his gaze and said lightly: "In any case, not to kill this old man—at least not like this."

"Why not?" the underwater voice laughed.

"Because you don't dare." Liu Shiqian flicked his sleeve, too lazy to even summon a magic treasure: "Without evidence, you, a mere watchdog, wouldn't dare bring trouble upon Long Gong."

The usually stern and rigid Elder Liu needed only one sentence to make the presence beneath the water start breathing heavily.

Everyone in the world knew that among the thirteen Dragon Grandsons, the fourth ranked at the top in both strength and temperament, riding high on his momentum, crushing most of his brothers.

But only a few knew that the reason he could enjoy such prominence was that South Long Gong had never regarded him as a successor at all.

Translated into Xian Sect terms, he couldn't even be considered a Dao Child—at most a Dao-Protecting Elder.

Attacking and killing a Qingyue Sect elder in front of all of Yu Nanhong was not a decision he could make.

Silence reigned beneath the water for a long while.

Finally, laughter rose again: "Then why did you come out?"

It truly could not do anything openly, but it only needed to stir up a little trouble to leave the stewards of Qingyue Sect overwhelmed, even forcing them to pay a heavy price.

And all this damage would be because of Liu Shiqian.

Sometimes, having too straight a spine isn't a good thing either; it makes one easy to be taken advantage of.

At the very least, this Elder Liu certainly would not stand by and watch such a thing happen.

On the contrary, Ke Fourth cared nothing for the lives of those aquatic demons.

Trading the lives of demons for the lives of Qingyue Sect disciples—he wouldn't feel the slightest heartache, nor any guilt or self-reproach.

"How about this: tell me who exactly killed my brother, explain the reason, and since debts have their debtors, I'll let you off the hook." A hint of playfulness crept into Ke Fourth's voice.

"..."

A trace more mockery flickered in Liu Shiqian's eyes as he slowly exhaled: "Then how about this—you tell me who sent you that letter."

Just a few short sentences.

And Ke Fourth fell silent for the third time.

He didn't truly want to learn the identity of the Dragon-Slayer from this old man's mouth; after all, that letter had already laid everything out plainly. He simply wanted to toy with Liu Shiqian a bit, to vent his anger over that "watchdog" mockery from earlier.

But it was obvious that Liu Shiqian had long since guessed everything.

The deliberately playful tone finally faded from Ke Fourth's laughter, and he said in a heavy voice: "I didn't expect Elder Liu to be so sharp-tongued."

He was unwilling to waste more words.

"Immortal's Cave. Three days. If you come out alive, this matter is dropped; if you die, I will pursue it no further."

The so-called Immortal's Cave is a secret realm in Yu Nanhong.

It has long been explored by cultivators thousands of times and long since abandoned; its only peculiarity is that once one enters this cave, one is completely cut off from the outside world, making it an ideal place for killing and hiding corpses.

After a long stretch of time, through common practice it became an unspoken rule.

Stepping into the Immortal's Cave was tantamount to signing a life-and-death pact.

"No longer pursuing the matter… pfft, you're fit to represent the Long Gong?"

Liu Shiqian shook his head, murmured softly in the calmest tone, but did not refuse the matter; instead, unhurriedly turning around, his lone boat suddenly shot forth, heading toward a certain place.

Those familiar with him would be able to tell.

Elder Liu was not the kind of cultivator who liked to gain the upper hand through verbal sparring, even though he truly was very skilled at it.

Another single sentence sent ripples through the water beneath; while infuriating Ke the Fourth, it also signified that Liu Shiqian's mood had shifted slightly.

He gazed far ahead.

Suddenly the jade slip flickered.

Logically speaking, elders all carry a Dao token on their person, yet he had not brought it out.

The matter of slaying Ke Thirteen could be big or small.

If there were reason and evidence, it would amount to nothing, but the pity was that Ke Thirteen had never provoked the Qingyue Sect from start to finish; in fact, even the one who struck first at the time was Shen Zongzhu… If the Long Gong wished to argue sophistically, Ke Thirteen had merely borrowed a grand formation from a vassal power; given the Long Gong's overwhelming influence, by no stretch could his crime warrant death.

Liu Shiqian sighed and gently crushed the jade slip.

He leapt down from the lone boat.

His figure appeared before a stone cavern resembling the gaping maw of a fierce beast, then he stepped inside.

His line of sight began to shift.

Until a whiff of decayed air crept into his mouth and nose.

Liu Shiqian raised his head and looked; in the dim great hall, three mountain-like colossal statues sat cross-legged.

One bore the head of a fat, tusked fish, another a three-headed serpent with slit pupils, and the third a long-trunked elephant head with mottled scales.

Once Liu Shiqian had taken his stand.

The long-trunked water elephant covered in scales slowly opened its eyes; its damp body began to move, only then making one realize it was not a statue but a living creature.

As everyone knew, beneath a Dragon Son there were at least five demon armies.

The strength of each of their commanders was no less than that of a Xian Sect elder.

And apart from the six princes of the South Long Gong, Ke the Fourth, that dragon grandson, was the only one who possessed five demon armies.

What surprised Liu Shiqian somewhat was—

That to deal with him, the other side had been willing to dispatch three great generals each leading an army in one go; no wonder they dared to set a three-day deadline.

"You've come?"

The long-trunked water elephant rose unhurriedly, and with effortless ease raised a hand to tear off the roof of the great hall, revealing an equally dim sky.

"I've come." Liu Shiqian extended his index finger and gently tapped his brow.

A long rainbow leapt forth, beginning in azure, mingled with purple and white in the middle, and in a flash connected to the horizon.

On closer inspection, there were roughly five Heavenly Palaces, proving why he had been able to ascend to the position of elder.

Behind the clouds.

The great cities of Long Han and Chiming appeared one after another; two heavy gates were pushed open by an invisible hand, and azure light burst forth, bathing Liu Shiqian within it.

When the azure light faded.

Upon Liu Shiqian's slender frame there appeared an additional pitch-black great robe, with a crescent moon white enough to dazzle the eye upon its back.

In his flatly outstretched palm appeared a crescent-moon greatsword.

The two Qingluan immortal weapons made the dim great hall seem like a fairy realm.

Yet the expressions of the three great demons did not change in the slightest, and they said coolly: "Since you've come, then don't leave."

……

Upon the Wang Yang.

Elder Chiyang's expression turns solemn as he looks at the flickering jade slip in his hand: "That old thing, throwing his stubborn temper again."

Being unable to make contact should have been cause for celebration.

After all, Elder Chiyang wasn't entirely sure just how great a sin it would be if he brought Shen Zongzhu over to die.

But at this moment, he truly could not feel happy about it.

It was as if he had completely withdrawn himself from the whole affair, and he trusted Old Liu to handle it properly, but why did his chest feel so stifled?

For one who has reached the realm of Bai Yujing, a friend with whom one can open one's heart in true ease is truly the rarest thing.

Chiyang had only one such old friend, and the other felt the same way.

"Why don't you go back first."

Chiyang adjusted his mood, turned his head, and forced out a strained smile: "I'll keep looking."

Until this moment, he suddenly no longer wished to drag along a burden, nor to exchange pleasantries and small talk with the other.

"Let me do it."

Shen Yi seemed not to have noticed the worry Elder Chiyang was desperately hiding.

He merely slowly closed his eyes.

His mind stirred slightly, and he began communicating with Ke Thirteen within his brow.

"If the Long Gong discovers news of your death, and Ke the Fourth wants to avenge you, what would he roughly do?"

"Uh… ah… uh…"

Zhenshi responded somewhat dully: "If it has no evidence, it probably won't act too overtly; it should lure Elder Liu to the Immortal's Cave."

"Understood."

Shen Yi nodded lightly, reopened his eyes: "Let's go, take a look."

"Hmm?" Chi Yang paused for a moment, what does this mean, did they find it?

No, does Shen Zongzhu have connections and contacts underwater as well?

And... the other party is determined to get involved in this matter, right!

But now, Chi Yang suddenly stopped his words of remonstrance; even if it truly would bring great disaster, he really wanted to see where Old Liu was right now.

Let Ke Shisan continue to rest; guided by the divine soul of the flesh-winged silkworm, Shen Yi led Elder Chi Yang straight toward the Immortal Cave.

Outside the Immortal Cave.

As the two figures had just descended, they saw two water demons of the late Killed Fanxu stage, clad in exquisite fish-scale armor, standing with arms crossed, guarding the cave entrance.

"Water clan business, idlers..."

Before the words finished, the two great demons seemed to recognize the identity of the newcomers, stunned for a moment.

They had not mentioned the Southern Long Gong's identity just now, still unwilling to make a fuss about this matter, but if people from the Southern Hong Seven Sons had come, there was no need to disguise anymore.

"So it is Elder of Qingyue Sect personally arriving."

The water demon glanced at the cave behind them, then redirected its gaze to the old man with crane hair and a child's face, and also swept a glance at the young man beside him.

The two demons clasped their hands and said: "Elder Chi Yang, we juniors speak out of turn, but we advise you: do not get involved; this has nothing to do with you. Cultivation is not easy; do not recklessly lose your life, and do not cause great disaster to Qingyue Sect like Elder Liu did."

"Please return."

Having spoken, the two demons extended their hands, making a gesture to dismiss them.

"..."

Elder Chi Yang suddenly clenched his five fingers; Old Liu was indeed here.

Just as he guessed, this old donkey had run into the Long Gong; judging by the situation, it could even be some Dragon Son.

Finally decided to settle it privately.

Looking at the calm and composed appearance of these two demons, the situation was likely not good.

"This one should be Shen Zongzhu, right?"

The water demon looked at Shen Yi again, smiling with amusement: "You may enter, after all Elder Liu treated you quite well, but we must also advise: it is not your turn yet; it is better not to let Elder Liu die with his eyes open."

"Shen Zongzhu, you return first." Chi Yang seemed to have made some decision.

Just then, he saw the young man in black robes beside him take a step, as if he had not seen the two demons, walking straight into the cave.

At the moment he passed the two demons.

It was as if a gentle breeze brushed past, lifting his sleeves.

Crack! Only a dull explosion was heard.

The heads of the two demons instantly collided, bones shattered and blood splattered.

Shen Yi lightly wiped the bloodstains from his palms, his back disappearing into the depths of the cave.

"Ah?"

Chi Yang was stunned for an instant; a second ago the two demons were still smiling, and in an instant they had become warm corpses.

And on Shen Zongzhu's body, there was not even a fluctuation of aura.

With just this skill, the other party absolutely could not be merely at the late Killed Fanxu cultivation level as he appeared on the surface.

"Go to hell with your rules."

Chi Yang cursed, and likewise strode forward into the cave.

Just then.

Inside the Immortal Cave, heavy breathing echoed like thunder.

Clearly, the three huge demons had not consumed little.

But the result obtained from this consumption was quite gratifying.

That slender figure leaned against the corner, propped up by a crescent-blade greatsword; the black moon robe on his body had already shattered, turning into green light and returning to the Long Han Dacheng; the tightly closed city gates were so immovable, as if they had also cut off this middle-aged cultivator's path to life.

Perhaps Liu Shiqian could defeat any one of these three demons alone.

But when they joined hands, plus their years of coordination, their strength was not simply additive.

Normally, three days passed in the snap of a finger, but now they seemed so long.

Now less than two hours had passed, and the outcome had already been decided.

"Hah."

Liu Shiqian silently looked at the third city, faintly visible behind the clouds.

Pity he was not a cultivator blessed by fortune.

Matters like breaking through during battle rarely happened to cultivators like him who advanced steadily step by step; starting from the first Green Phoenix Immortal Palace, he had been down-to-earth; when lucky, he could perceive a Tiangong, but ordinary Spirit Palaces were not few.

After entering Bai Yu Jing, he barely saw three cities.

But the doors that could not be opened before, now there was no need to dream of anything more.

"Tch."

Liu Shiqian spat out a mouthful of blood foam.

He straightened his body again, and the nearly shattered crescent-blade greatsword in his hand pointed forward once more.

The three demons showed smiles on their faces, just about to speak, but suddenly a few traces of mockery appeared in their eyes.

A Bai Xi hand was seen, gently pressing onto the back of the blade.

Then that person walked forward; the slightly swaying black robe obscured Liu Shiqian's vision, blocking the path in front of the three huge demons.

"You really got beaten like this?"

Chi Yang, who rushed in a step late, grabbed Liu Shiqian's body, saying with frustration: "Are you sick in the head? Going to preach righteousness and rules to demons?"

"Why have you come?"

Liu Shiqian frowned slightly, wiping the blood that wouldn't stop flowing from his nose with the back of his hand.

He looked at Chi Yang with a hint of reproach.

Elder Chi Yang understood his old friend's meaning and cried out in distress, "It wasn't me who brought him; it was Shen Zongzhu who brought me."

Liu Shiqian said no more, simply gripping his blade tightly once again.

With some emotion, he looked at the silhouette before him; the other's shoulders, wrapped in the black robe, were not particularly broad.

But this aura truly did not fall short of the other Daozi.

Though he was not good with words, his judgment of people remained as accurate as ever.

"Block the demons and let the Sect Master go first."

Liu Shiqian stopped being polite with his old friend, and the clear radiance bloomed once more upon his Crescent Blade.

The long-nosed water beast slowly raised its arms, staring at Elder Chi Yang: "If you had come earlier, perhaps there would still be a sliver of hope... As for now, it is a bit late."

Liu Shiqian's strength was now less than forty percent of what it once was.

Even with Chi Yang added, they could not turn the tide.

As for that youth in the black robe, he was not even considered by them.

"Ganging up on the few, look how proud you are." Chi Yang sneered, his fingertip also pressing against his brow; a long rainbow, slightly inferior to Liu Shiqian's, connected heaven and earth, summoning the phantoms of Long Han and the Great City of Chiming.

"We who serve in the Long Gong never mind ganging up on the few; in fact, we particularly enjoy it."

The three-headed snake demon was not angry at all; instead, it let out a series of gloomy laughs.

Then, one of the three heads slowly turned to look at that black-robed figure: "Shen Zongzhu, what do you say? Are you tired of living today, coming to us of your own accord to add a great merit for my brothers? Or do you want to count yourself in as well? That makes three, so we can go one-on-one?"

Before the eyes of all.

On Bai Xi's handsome face, Shen Yi suddenly showed a hint of a smile: "No need."

"Oh?" The snake demon flicked its tongue in a teasing manner.

Yet the youth raised his head, the smile fading, and said seriously, "I also like ganging up on the few."

As his words fell, two streaks of spiritual light shot out.

Transforming into bodies equally immense, they silently appeared behind the three great demons.

The flesh-winged silkworm, its body a hundred zhang tall, raised itself; its wings, nearly blocking out the sky and sun, whipped up sand and dust, as if a terrifying giant had awakened once more.

The giant turtle, its body surging like flowing gold, crouched on the ground, gently rubbing the water beast's bald head with its front claws, then wildly slapping it, laughing shrilly: "More people? Is it enough? Ask you if it's enough! Speak!"

"Are you mute?"

"This Venerable One commands you to speak!"

The tall elephant demon appeared weak before the giant turtle; its head being forcefully slapped, it silently bent its body.

The situation seemed a bit off.

The other two great demons instantly became alert, no longer as relaxed as before.

"..."

Liu Shiqian and Chi Yang exchanged a glance.

The appearance of these two Shi Gui looked familiar, yet completely different from what they remembered.

That dense aura made the two feel even more unfamiliar.

(End of this chapter)