Chapter 499: Clear Moon Dao Disciple Bai Yu

Tsk—

The noseless water elephant, as huge as a statue, convulsed all over, its belly heaving; in its smashed eye sockets lay unyielding resentment, and from its mouth spurted its final breath.

A great demon beast comparable to the Bai Yujing cultivators of two cities had finally lost all signs of life.

【Beast Bai Yujing Green-Eyed Water Elephant slain. Total lifespan: 362,000 years. Remaining lifespan: 143,000 years. Absorption complete.】

The Immortal Cave has never lacked life-and-death slaughter; countless cultivators and demons have perished here.

Yet having three of Bai Yujing's great demon generals die in a single battle, even counting every clash that ever occurred here, ranks among the most brutal.

"Hah..."

Chi Yang was probably the one who expended the least of all; from start to finish he merely controlled that iron token, coming away with not a scratch.

But at the moment those two lifelike spirit puppets turned into Bai Guang and surged into Shen Zongzhu's brow.

he appeared even more wretched than the heavily injured Liu Shiqian, breathing heavily, his eyes filled with even greater disbelief.

Earlier, his thoughts were fixed on the great demon general of the Long Gong; only after the three beasts were slain did he realize how absurd this matter truly was.

What sort of person is Chi Yang?

Qingyue Sect ranks among the Seven Sons of Yu Nanhong, its status so transcendent it needs no elaboration; he is also one of only six elders in Qingyue Sect.

Though the presence of several Zongzhu and many Daozi kept Chi Yang humble in his heart, the confidence of a strong man was never lacking.

Now he was told that a terrifying existence even stronger than himself was merely a dead object.

a spirit puppet that Shen Zongzhu could carry on his person.

Such terrifying means, even for an elder of Qingyue Sect with his vast experience, would still provoke a touch of absurdity and shock.

Of course, compared to the spirit puppets...

Chi Yang slowly turned his head, directing his gaze toward the youth sitting cross-legged in meditation.

Just now, the other party had slain that Bai Yujing fish demon with a single palm strike; this matter seemed even more shocking to the world.

One must know, that fish demon's strength was not watered down in the slightest.

Even before the Qing Luan Immortal Weapon when he exerted his full power, the fish demon did not fall behind in the slightest.

Why would such a battle-hardened general die so inexplicably?

What exactly did the fear in the other's eyes before death reveal?

Intense doubt surged in Elder Chi Yang's heart; he instinctively stepped forward toward Shen Yi, opening his mouth to ask something.

However, before the words could leave his lips, he noticed the warning glance thrown by Liu Shiqian.

"..."

Elder Liu was also hurriedly healing his injuries; now finally regaining some strength, he staggered to his feet from the ground.

He knew what Chi Yang wanted to ask.

But even though Liu Shiqian himself felt equally doubtful, he still prevented the other from speaking out.

The difference from Elder Chi Yang was this:

Liu Shiqian had truly been observing Shen Yi from the very beginning.

Earlier, at the Nanyang relief, he had first met this youth in the guise of a Dao token.

At that time, Shen Yi had not yet broken through to Killed Fanxu.

Tianjian Sect's Liu Xingshan had even put on a show, praising him with the words "bearing the dragon aspect."

Such words of friendship, purely issued to plot for the Dao-Aligning Sacred Land, naturally no one took to heart.

But Liu Shiqian truly thought this young man was excellent.

After all, having served as an elder for so many years and dealt with so many disciples of Xian Sects, how could he not see the trust and gratitude contained in the unified gazes those cultivators from the Nanyang Sacred Land cast toward Shen Yi?

They all came from the Sacred Land.

Yet the other party, with only a Soul Transformation realm cultivation, made that Killed Fanxu Layer Two cultivator... the woman named Ye Wenxuan, pale in comparison before him.

This is absolutely not something an ordinary person could achieve.

The other elders could certainly see it too.

It's just that this group's minds were entirely drawn to the Nanyang Sacred Land itself.

"Sigh."

Liu Shiqian closed his eyes and let out a light sigh.

He had thought Shen Yi was excellent, but never imagined he could be this "excellent."

In a mere few months, the other party, right under his very eyes, had soared like an immortal reincarnated, directly from late-stage Soul Transformation all the way to near-perfect Killed Fanxu realm, even displaying strength so exaggerated it made Liu Shiqian feel shocked.

Did Qin Zongzhu return?

Liu Shiqian opened his eyes again; could it be that this former strongest pillar of the Seven Sons of Yu Nanhong, upon sensing something amiss, had left behind some stratagem requiring a hundred thousand years to incubate and hatch, only to finally return?

Or was this the convergence of the Nanyang Sacred Land's own fortune, attempting self-preservation, which gave rise to the Shen Zongzhu before him?

As a Bai Yujing cultivator who rose through relentless slaughter,

Liu Shiqian knew fate, knew fortune, yet never believed in them.

These things do exist, but they rarely deliberately favor any single person; otherwise, why have most of those geniuses protected by the Hongmeng Purple Qi perished on their path to rise?

But now, he suddenly believed a little.

Otherwise, it would be truly hard to explain why that figure wrapped in black robes had brought him shock after shock.

Of course, setting aside strength for now.

Elder Liu finally understood why those cultivators inside the Nanyang Sacred Land had shown Shen Zongzhu such admiration.

When he himself had already prepared for death, this figure, with steady steps, neither hurried nor slow, blocked the way in between; this scene was truly unforgettable.

He stepped toward Shen Yi, clasped his hands, and said, "Shiqian asks Shen Zongzhu: is that edict still on your person?"

"Hmm?"

Shen Yi lifted his gaze slightly, then decisively drew a yellow paper letter from his sleeve.

Such a life-saving item was naturally kept in the most easily reachable place.

Fortunately, there had never been an opportunity to use it.

He raised his hand and handed the decree over: "Here."

Liu Shiqian took the decree, flicked it with a finger, turning it to flying ash, then immediately clasped his hands in a bow again, saying: "There is no need for such things in the future; whatever Shen Zongzhu commands, just speak directly."

"Elder Liu is too polite."

Shen Yi shook his head; to put it bluntly, when he first left the Nan Yang treasure land, if Elder Liu had not sent someone to guide him, he might still be hiding in the sect pondering where to find fire-attribute bird demon spirit blood.

Sending charcoal in the snow is nothing compared to adding flowers to brocade.

"Let us go quickly."

Liu Shiqian did not stand on ceremony; the important reason for his taciturnity was that he was not good at speaking, and saying a few more words would inevitably offend Shen Zongzhu.

Old Ke Si said three days, but in reality, at most one day, the other party would send subordinates to investigate.

This dragon grandson was not one to stick rigidly to rules, otherwise he could not have attained his current status with such a background.

Moreover, Chi Yang's intervention was inherently somewhat against the rules.

"Wait."

Shen Yi stood up, quickly stored the scattered corpses of the three demons on the ground into his ring, then walked out of the Immortal Cave, storing the previous two demons together as well, leaving not even a bone fragment behind.

Previously, he was in a rush to save people and had little mind for it.

Now that the matter was done, things could not be wasted.

"..."

Liu Shiqian and Elder Chi Yang looked at each other in silence.

For cultivators, demons were naturally useful in every aspect—fur, scales, flesh, blood, bones, and cores—but it was hardly necessary to be this meticulous...

However, with a shift in thought, the pupils of both men contracted slightly.

They suddenly remembered the previous spiritual puppet; it seemed to have the same demon appearance. Could it be that this was not a puppet-making technique, but rather the sacrifice and refinement of living beings' flesh and blood?

This was an evil art.

Even the Dao sons of various sects, if they dared to involve themselves in such methods, might have their status stripped away.

After all, human hearts are hard to fathom; if one dares to use demons for practice today, perhaps later they would use fellow disciples to sacrifice to the flag; who could refuse the temptation of completely controlling another living being.

It would not sound good if it got out.

Moreover, the Xian Sect did not lack superior cultivation methods; why suffer to cultivate such skills.

However, even Liu Shiqian, known for his old-fashioned nature, quickly withdrew his gaze at that moment, pretending entirely that he had seen nothing.

He was an Elder of the Tangtangxian Sect; why would he go out of his way to speak up for demons.

Shen Yi was not a Dao son; he was a Sect Master, with no one above him, so who could discipline him.

Let Shen Zongzhu use such methods to "invite" Qin Zongzhu back again?

"Alright, let us return."

Shen Yi was also unwilling to stay long; though he seemed to have only used one move, the Unborn Palm, he had in fact exhausted the foundation within his body.

The two guardian stones were also heavily injured and still needed time to nourish.

If they were tricked by demons at this moment, it would truly be a case of gaining nothing and losing much.

Elder Chi Yang decisively summoned the Qingyue Treasure Ship and, at the fastest speed, carried the two men towards the direction of the Seven Sons of Yu Nanhong.

Halfway through the journey, he suddenly stopped.

"..."

They saw a figure, weeping with tears like pear blossoms, dart out from the clouds ahead of the Treasure Ship.

"Who allowed you to act alone outside the sect?"

Even with his severe injuries, Liu Shiqian furrowed his brows at that moment, still projecting the authority of an Elder.

Sect rules stated that officials below the Late Killed Fanxu realm must travel in groups of at least three when going out on missions; otherwise, they absolutely could not leave the Qingyue Sect even a single step.

"I..."

Liu Qianyun stared blankly at the Treasure Ship; upon seeing her father's wretched appearance, her eyes reddened further, yet the heavy stone in her heart fell away.

For cultivators, being injured was a common occurrence.

As long as the root was not damaged, with the Xian Sect's foundation, one could recover to the original state very quickly.

Fortunately, nothing major had happened.

Liu Qianyun rubbed her eyes, then took a new look at the three people on the ship.

She saw a familiar figure.

Shen Yi sat cross-legged, eyes closed in meditation, his black robe rustling loudly in the clouds.

But what surprised Liu Qianyun was that whether it was her father or Elder Chi Yang, both were a step behind the other party, forming an escort formation; this was treatment reserved only for a Sect Master.

Her father was one thing; everyone knew he followed the rules.

But Elder Chi Yang... did he actually recognize Shen Yi's identity as Sect Master? And there was no sign of discomfort on his face, as if it were natural.

"Enough, the little girl was just worried about you; I will make the decision on this matter and waive the punishment."

Elder Chi Yang smiled and smoothed things over, waving his hand and saying: "Come up quickly, do not let this happen again; if it were not for Shen Zongzhu's help, your father would have had difficulty protecting himself, let alone protecting you."

"..." Liu Shiqian helplessly glanced at this old thing, but did not say anything more.

"Thank you, Elder Chi Yang."

Liu Qianyun hurriedly bowed, then looked timidly at Shen Yi; she could understand every word Elder Chi Yang said, but put together, it was somewhat confusing.

What exactly was the matter that even her father could not resolve, yet Shen Yi could intervene?

"Thank you, Shen... Zongzhu."

Liu Qianyun pressed her lips together, bowed even more sincerely than before, and only then stepped onto the treasure ship, remaining quietly at the rear.

She stared silently at the other's back.

Suddenly, a sense of daze washed over her; it was still that same ink-black robe, seemingly unchanged from months ago, yet the entourage behind the other had become increasingly terrifying.

The Qingyue Treasure Ship passed the Nanyang Relief, returning Shen Yi to the sect.

Only then did it slow down, heading toward the Qingyue Sect.

Once back within the domain of the Seven Sons of Yu Nanhong, even matters involving the beheading of a Dragon Grandson seemed no longer cause for worry.

Besides, they could not afford to appear overly anxious.

They must avoid letting certain people detect any clues.

Just as the treasure ship swept into the Qingyue Relief, it stopped once again.

"..."

Liu Shiqian shifted his gaze to the side, while Liu Qianyun timidly kept her head bowed.

Chi Yang forced a slightly awkward smile: "Ha."

"Certain people" wore a snow-white robe with golden threads, the Qingyue patterns upon it signifying his identity.

The Qingyue Daozi, Bai Wu, was a youth who appeared somewhat effeminate; he lacked the uprightness of Wei Yuanzhou, nor did he possess the unyielding backbone of Su Hongxiu.

He appeared extremely peaceful, giving the impression of being very easy to talk to.

His thin lips parted slightly, his voice infinitely gentle: "Elders, could you tell Bai Wu what you went to do? Of course, I am merely asking; if you two mind, you need not say."

"Chi Yang greets the Daozi."

Chi Yang nodded cheerfully, secretly transmitting a message to Liu Shiqian via his Dao Token: "This sissy is still so yin-yang, truly damn annoying. Why grant him the title of Daozi? He should be granted the title of Baohua Xianzi."

"Reasonable." Liu Shiqian replied via Dao Token, his expression unchanged.

"What to do? You go?" Elder Chi Yang winked and raised his eyebrows.

"Shiqian greets the Daozi."

Liu Shiqian nodded, forced his body to stand, performed the salute meticulously, then said calmly: "I mind."

He was a man who strictly adhered to rules.

But there was no rule within the sect requiring Elders to report every matter to the Daozi.

Besides, the matter between Ke Lao Si and the Qingyue Sect had been settled; there were no more grudges, so there was no need to say anything further, lest the Daozi develop suspicions.

"..."

Bai Wu was choked for a moment.

He stared at the two old men, remained silent for a long time, and finally waved his sleeve, taking out his own Dao Token and shaking it: "Truly strange, this thing of mine seems broken; your two Dao Tokens are lighting up constantly, yet here I hear not a sound."

Having spoken, he turned and walked away, smiling lightly: "Daozi or no Daozi, I shall go ask Shen Zongzhu to replace the Daozi with one who pleases you two Elders."

"Tsk tsk." Elder Chi Yang rolled his eyes.

Every time it was this same act; in his view, the Qingyue Sect would sooner or later fall.

He ordered Liu Qianyun to withdraw first.

Only then did the two Elders retract the Qingyue Treasure Ship and ride clouds toward the bamboo tower.

Just then, a sinister voice came again from the sky.

"Oh, right, I forgot to mention earlier; if you two mind, then should anything happen, do not come looking for me."

After the voice faded, Chi Yang spat in frustration: "Who would want to find you."

"..."

However, Liu Shiqian slowly stopped, looking up toward the sky.

It was true that the Daozi's words made people uncomfortable, but his heart was good; the meaning of this sentence... was clearly a reminder to them, as if he had foreseen something bad.

It also implied that they could seek him out when the time came.

What bad thing could it be?

Liu Shiqian slowly exhaled, looking toward the outside of the sect.

The White Daozi was not very diligent in cultivation; although he possessed the talent and foundation to see the Four Cities, opening the Third City was still extremely difficult for him.

However, he was particularly interested in gathering information and discussing gossip.

This was why the two of them had been unwilling to waste words with him earlier; regarding this matter, the other surely knew before coming to find them, yet he still pretended to ask questions here.

This sudden reminder was certainly not without basis.

Could it be...

That the traitor inside has really delivered the evidence to the Long Gong?

That doesn't make sense; if that were the case, Ke Lao Si should not have sought them out, but rather gone directly to the Nanyang Sect openly.

"Daozi, please wait."

Liu Shiqian raised his hand slightly.

The clouds parted, revealing a figure with hands clasped behind his back, facing away from the two; he had deliberately created the illusion that his voice was drifting further away just now.

"What, do you not mind now?"

Bai Wu raised an eyebrow, glanced down sideways, and clicked his tongue: "But I still have to go find Shen Zongzhu to replace the Daozi, lest I soil your eyes; I seem to have no time to listen to your nonsense."

(End of this chapter)