Chapter 502: On the Eve of the Seven Sons Assembly

In this stretch of Hongze, the Long Gong is no different from the local tyrant.

As the Fifth Prince of the Southern Palace, though Ke Shiliang could not match those elder brothers of his who were comparable to Harmonization, in a real fight he would not lose to most Dao Children, and on top of that he held an exalted status.

Every move he made drew close attention from the Xian Sect.

The news of him leading demon soldiers and generals to surround the Cloud Soaring Pavilion had already spread like wildfire among the Qi Sect.

Unlike the incident at Xuan Yue City last time, the Long Gong could not even be bothered to keep up appearances.

Whether outer-sect elders or disciples, quite a few of them stormed out of the sect in righteous fury.

As the largest human faction in Yu Nanhong, they had their own pride—how could they swallow such an insult?

Unfortunately, the ones who could truly decide this matter had never spoken up.

No matter how angry the many Xian Sect disciples were, they could only force it back, and vent that fury elsewhere.

For instance, on the Nanyang Sect.

A dignified Xian Sect, faced with such a thing, still has not issued a decree—could it really be planning to hand its face over and let Ke Shiliang stomp it into the ground?

"If the Nanyang Sect won't act, are we supposed to sit by and do nothing?!"

"Even when beating a dog one must look at its owner—before the Cloud Soaring Pavilion returned to the Nanyang Sect, it was still our sect's vassal!"

"Fellow disciples, will you come with me?"

An enforcer drew his sword in fury and stepped onto the sect's treasure ship.

Just as the other cultivators were itching to leap into action, a wave of spiritual pressure descended from the horizon and pinned them in place.

"You, a mere enforcer—dare once more to bewitch the crowd and try to provoke a conflict between the sect and the Long Gong, and I will cripple your cultivation on the spot."

The voice of Elder Liu Xingshan of the Tianjian Sect rang out from above their heads.

Clearly, such a huge disturbance had already drawn the attention of the Qi Sect's Bai Yujing elders.

The disciples' faces flushed red, but the gap in cultivation was so vast that not even a fingertip would move.

It was obvious more than one gaze was hidden in the sky, all of them at the same Bai Yujing cultivation.

Yet no one was willing to say more, only casting rather odd glances at Liu Xingshan.

Just then, a distant figure lightly swept his sleeve, scattering that thick spiritual pressure, and chuckled softly: "Many thanks to Elder Liu for disciplining my sect's disciples on my behalf—it was Bai Wu's failure in supervision, and I will be sure to mind it in the future."

Along with his words—

A willowy youth in a gold-threaded white robe embroidered with a Qingyue moon strolled closer, a sincere smile tugging at his lips: "You are quite right. The Long Gong and our Nanhong Seven Sons have always lived in harmony, never raising arms against each other. With your kind help, we may yet enjoy ten thousand generations of peace—how could we let a small friction spoil such goodwill?"

"You—"

Liu Xingshan's face stiffened slightly, and he instinctively tucked his figure further behind the clouds before replying: "Qingyue Dao Child, do not speak nonsense. I did not mean that at all… it's just… it's simply that the time is not yet ripe."

"Indeed, only after you achieve Harmonization shall we have greater assurance." Bai Wu replied with a beaming smile, then frowned and shot the disciples a look: "Off back to the sect with you! If Elder Liu dares not slay demon dragons, do you think he still wouldn't dare cripple your cultivation?!"

With that, he could not be bothered to deal with Liu Xingshan any longer, and strode off into the light screen of the Qingyue relief.

"You—you!"

Liu Xingshan's hand trembled with rage, and after a moment he flung his sleeve in fury: "My loyalty to the sect is plain before heaven and earth—I simply do not wish to bandy words with you."

But soon, he saw two more figures hurrying back from afar.

It was none other than Elder Chiyang and Liu Shiqian, that pair of reclusive old friends.

Liu Xingshan's brow twitched faintly, and a rather ominous premonition stirred in his heart.

Those two were birds of a feather, tangled up with that Nanyang Sect fellow Shen Yi; this trip out must have been to lend aid at the Cloud Soaring Pavilion. Yet judging by their demeanor, they did not look as though they had just come through a great battle.

Could it be that even with Ke Shiliang stepping in personally, he still could not do anything to that Nanyang native?!

At the same time—

Inside the Ancestral Hall of the Qingyue Sect—

Xuan Qing sat cross-legged on a meditation cushion, and before him stood a cool, aloof figure with hands clasped behind her back—her bearing and temperament identical to that of the ancestor statue.

"Uncle-Master Ji refuses to help me?"

"She refuses." the woman said flatly.

"Why?" Xuan Qing suddenly clenched his fists, with the vague hint of rising to leave.

"Because I do not wish for this new sect master to grow up like you—believing that someone will always catch his fall, and from then on running wild without a care… oh, I forgot, you have always thought it was your own destiny shielding you, that every time you just happened to turn danger into safety, never once lost, and you took pride in it—even after Senior Brother Qin fell, you still thought so, didn't you?"

As a Harmonization-stage colossus, Sect Master Ji rarely spoke so many words at once.

She had always been known for a gentleness and tranquility like the Qingyue moon, but now the corner of her lips curved like a crescent, carrying a faint, cutting mockery.

"Xuan Qing already knows his fault." Li Xuanqing rose to his feet, wanting to bow again, but was held up by spiritual pressure; a note of urgency crept into his voice: "Shen Yi is not the same as me."

"In what way is he different?" The Qingyue Sect Master finally turned around: "He is even more suited to the name of heaven's pride than you, and his talent for stirring up trouble far surpasses yours back then."

"Xuanqing, your uncle-master is truly afraid. Back then, how delighted we were when we looked at you—that is exactly how worried we are now."

The Qingyue Sect Master looked over with a complicated expression, the mockery fading from her lips: "You should understand in your heart that our not forcibly seizing the Nanyang treasure land has already been the greatest leniency we could show you. That place represents a new Harmonization-stage cultivator—we are willing to give you all a chance, but this road, you must walk yourselves."

If the little temple of Hongze cannot contain this great Buddha, then prove it before everyone.

If he turns out to be another Xuanqing, then Shen Yi's terrifyingly extreme talent will only bring an even greater calamity upon the Nanhong Seven Sons… to the point of total annihilation.

One must remember, that immortal may not have forgotten Nanyang yet.

"Xuanqing understands."

Li Xuanqing was silent for a moment, then finally turned and walked toward the hall's exit.

"It would be good if you truly understood—but you're off to see those old flames of yours again, aren't you." The Qingyue Sect Master, rarely for her, raised a brow; watching Xuanqing step out of the great hall as if he had heard nothing, she finally sighed.

"No need to go looking. At least up to now, he is far stronger than you."

"At least three of the seven Dao Children are willing to step out for him—not like you, when the other six all wanted nothing more than to kill you, to mend their Dao hearts."

The Qingyue Sect Master took out her Dao tablet, and within it rang the message Bai Wu had sent earlier.

From the moment Xuanqing entered, her silence—and her not stopping Bai Wu from leaving the sect—had already been a statement in itself.

"Many thanks, Uncle-Master Ji." Xuanqing froze for a beat, then finally bowed deeply.

In his heart, however, he felt a touch of helplessness. Shen Zongzhu's conduct left nothing to fault, but his way of doing things was truly a headache.

He never communicated with anyone, always came and went alone, and handled big matters by himself in secret.

Like this time — arrangements had long been made, yet not a word of word was given, needlessly making him make an extra trip and earning him a thorough scolding from Uncle-Master Ji.

"If you want to find your old flame, then go ahead and find her. Anyway, someone has already come on her own initiative — I've had Bai Wu receive them and invited them to stay a while at Qingyue Sect." Sect Master Ji added blandly.

Hearing this, Xuan Qing's whole body stiffened for a moment.

He immediately turned and wanted to stride quickly away from the place.

In the midst of the two men's conversation—

Outside Qingyue Sect, accompanied by the Su Hongxiu sisters, a white-haired, waist-length old woman holding a Baohua walking stick stood at a slow pace, with a breathtakingly beautiful barefoot Miss carefully supporting her at her side.

"Your coming all this way to attend the Seven Sons Assembly is truly too courteous of you. When you have the time, please do come sit awhile at Heavenly Sword Sect." Facing this venerable old woman, even Su Hongxiu's voice had grown much gentler.

Baohua Sect Master — a titan of the Dao Merging realm.

Baohua Sect lay at the border between Yu Nanhong and Western Hong. By rights, it ought to befriend the powers of Western Hong to jointly resist the Western Long Gong, but because of certain special ties, it was instead on better terms with the Seven Sons of Yu Nanhong.

"Just having a casual look." The old woman swept her gaze across the surroundings with a touch of emotion — it had truly been a long time since she last came here.

Immediately after, a streak of flowing light appeared in her line of sight, fleeing toward the distance.

She was slightly taken aback.

With the strength of the Dao Merging realm, she could very easily make out the wooden figure within the flowing light, as well as that familiar aura she had been longing for day and night.

After a long silence, the old woman suddenly showed a faint smile: "How wonderful."

Although the other party still would not spare her even the slightest glance, at least she had once again set eyes on that back.

"What's so wonderful?"

Su Yuchang asked in a low, curious voice.

"I don't know either." Baohua Xianzi likewise lowered her voice, but clearly her mind was not on the present place.

"I heard you've recently begun taking charge of sect affairs — why not first focus on your cultivation? Your realm is really too low." Su Yuchang's outspokenness showed that the two of them were indeed on good terms.

"I'll grasp both at once — after all, I'm far younger in years than any of you."

Baohua Xianzi glanced at the Master beside her, and with a touch of nervousness, brushed past the topic.

She couldn't very well say in front of her Master that she was only doing this so the sect's stewards would help her find a person. Including this trip to attend the Seven Sons Assembly — that too was because she wanted to sneak out and see whether the Meng Sect over here had turned up any news.

A young male cultivator with the strength of the fifth layer of Return-to-Void, and a face so handsome — by rights, how could he possibly be a nobody? It was truly infuriating. Why was there not the slightest gain at all?

"What's happened?"

The old woman withdrew her gaze and looked up toward the sky. She had long since sensed the presence of the many Bai Yujing cultivators; she had simply not been in the mood to inquire earlier.

Now that she had also seen Xuan Qing—

If the Seven Sons of Yu Nanhong were in any trouble, she would not mind lending a hand.

"A trifling matter — no need to trouble yourself." Su Hongxiu gave a slight nod of her chin.

As her words fell, one figure after another appeared in the heavens in succession, and they cupped their hands in earnest salute toward Baohua Sect Master: "We juniors pay our respects to Baohua Sect Master."

All of them were Elders or personal disciples occupying high positions.

The surface courtesies were certainly not lacking.

Yet as the crowd exchanged covert glances, ripples stirred in their hearts.

Many of them had already received the transmission and learned what had taken place at the Cloud Heaven Pavilion.

That Shen Zongzhu's current power seemed to be worlds apart from what they had understood.

A young cultivator who had only just left his sect a few months ago — what kind of sleight of hand would it take to assemble such a lineup?

It was simply terrifying upon reflection.

With the support of the three Dao Sons, this ownerless Dao Merging treasure-land — the other party seemed to have already secured the greater part of it.

All that remained was, before any mishap occurred, to reach the Bai Yujing realm as quickly as possible.

Although equally arduous, compared with the previous situation, this could already be called perfect.

The hearts of many Bai Yujing cultivators had already begun to entertain thoughts of backing out.

Then they recalled the earlier exchange between Liu Xingshan and Dao Son Bai Wu.

Could it be that there was another version of events behind the matter of the Cloud Heaven Pavilion?

The more one looked, the more it seemed like taking sides.

A group of radical Dao Sons, planning to band together to reform the sect's ways, and, borrowing Shen Zongzhu's honored status, intending to change the previous attitude between the Xian Sect and the Long Gong in their dealings?

This matter was no trifling thing as Su Hongxiu had called it.

Yet they did not dare say more — after all… many Bai Yujing cultivators, up to this very moment, had not even truly laid eyes on that Shen Zongzhu.

And they were equally curious about what he was doing right now.

……

Yu Nanhong, on a small island not far from the Cloud Heaven Pavilion.

Yan Xianqing held the formation disk with a touch of helplessness. He had imagined that when Shen Zongzhu put this thing to use, it would certainly be extremely perilous — he had even prepared himself to perish alongside Shen Zongzhu.

But he truly had not expected it to be dangerous to such a degree.

The other party had actually asked him to quietly go and scout the directions in which those demon soldiers and demon generals had departed, as well as the locations where they were stationed.

"I have not failed the mission."

Yan Xianqing sighed and walked toward the figure in ink-black robes on the shore.

Stirred by the sea breeze, Shen Yi stood with his hands at his sides, his hair swaying gently. His Bai Xi, handsome face still wore that same calm — yet compared with the rash ferocity of their last meeting, his eyes now seemed to carry a few degrees more steadiness.

Were he not so very young in years, he truly looked every inch the lord of the Xian Sect.

"Any omissions?" Shen Yi turned his gaze back and took the jade slip the other offered.

"Omissions are certainly there — after all, my cultivation is lower than theirs… What exactly are you trying to do?" Yan Xianqing still could not help asking aloud.

The opponent left nothing to chance, resolving the calamity of the Yunxiao Pavilion without even showing his face.

Yet he inexplicably arrived after the matter concluded, coupled with this bizarre command.

Yan Xianqing's heart suddenly trembled: "You don't mean to take me into the water to teach them a lesson, do you?"

As his words faded, he saw Shen Yi shake his head, and a sigh of relief immediately filled his heart... Good, good.

In the next instant, the youth's voice rang in the old man Yan's ear.

"I won't take you."

"..." Yan Xianqing stood stunned like a wooden chicken, re-examining Shen Yi from head to toe.

Indeed, all that steadiness and calmness was fake; the Sect Master was still the ruthless figure who had brought Elder Liu to the Yan family last time and slaughtered Ke Shisan at the slightest disagreement.

How could a cultivator like this possibly allow the Long Gong to come knocking and then escape unscathed?

But the only thing Yan Xianqing couldn't understand was that while the aura on Sect Master Shen was far more vigorous, he had clearly not yet broken through to the perfect realm of Return to Emptiness.

Even if the opponent possessed extraordinary talent and his Dao Palace was filled with Primordial Purple Qi, he would still be no match for the demons of Bai Yujing.

After all, the jade slip the Sect Master had him investigate and collect contained information on those eight great demon generals.

"Enough, go."

Hearing the Sect Master's words, Yan Xianqing was still hesitating, wondering if it was an excuse; he gritted his teeth, preparing to declare he was not such a coward and intended to follow, only to see Shen Yi's figure rapidly vanish beneath the water's surface.

"R-really not taking me?"

He stood completely stunned in place.

What exactly was Sect Master Shen doing? Looking for a fight or looking for death?

At the same time, beneath the slightly turbid waves.

Shen Yi casually formed a hand seal.

【Nanyang Breath-Hiding Technique (Precious): Perfect】

Wasting the final two thousand-plus years of his lifespan entirely on this cultivation method was preparation for exactly this moment.

Previously, within the illusionary realm of the Scripture Pavilion, his strength had not changed too noticeably; he had merely, with the help of that Sect Master Qin, stuffed the entire Nanyang Sect's cultivation methods into his mind.

In other words, if Shen Yi could endure the solitude, he could now sit amidst the white mist and repeatedly chant: "Xuan Qing, you have come?"

Whatever the other party wanted, Shen Yi could quickly pick it out.

Besides the cultivation methods, there was also a treasure pearl used to contain them.

Shen Yi closed his eyes, seeing that emerald-green pearl suspended before his Dao Palace within his sea of consciousness; aside from its storage effect, it seemed inherently profound as well.

But its specific effects were unknown.

After all, that old man was truly gone now; even the last faint illusory form had dissipated into nothingness, leaving not a single lingering thought for Senior Xuan Qing.

"The thing I regret most is taking on this disciple."

"But it was also the happiest thing in my life, after all, being a Sect Master is truly boring."

Even having witnessed the events of that night with his own eyes.

Shen Yi still wasn't quite clear on exactly what had happened; he only knew that in the eyes of Sect Master Qin, a giant of the Dao-Integration realm, he saw deep fear and sorrow.

It seemed the matter had not ended.

"Take one step at a time."

Shen Yi lowered his gaze to the waters below; he was truly in desperate need of lifespan right now.

And his greatest advantage right now was that he could carry four great demon-suppressing stones of Bai Yujing, each comparable to opening two cities, and appear silently anywhere.

So before the Assembly of Seven Sons, he would eat his fill in one go.

(End of this chapter)