Chapter 508: Hall of Ten Thousand Demons (2K7)

Not here?

These executives quickly relayed the news to the person behind them.

Within the remaining six sects, many people looked up with shocked expressions.

Among them was naturally Bai Wu, who had the most timely information; he stammered as he put down his Dao token: "Tr- truly not here?"

If before it was merely a faint association.

Now that Shen Yi is not at General Nanyang Sect, his suspicion is truly very high.

But Bai Wu truly could not figure it out: this Shen Zongzhu, a newcomer, had already found it extremely difficult to know elders like Liu Shiqian and Chi Yang of the Qingyue Sect, let alone finally get powerful Dao sons like Su Hongxiu and Wei Yuanzhou to speak up for him; his methods were simply astonishing.

Now, the other party even bypassed the Seven Sons of Nanhong, sought other helpers, and risked offending the Long Gong to death, ruthlessly slaughtering a large batch of water-dwelling demons and monsters for him.

Just to vent a grudge?!

Bai Wu never even thought that this matter was done by Shen Yi himself.

The former was already terrifying enough; if it were the latter, it would completely exceed his understanding.

"Strange."

Bai Wu sat up, realizing he suddenly had some interest in the Seven Sons Assembly.

He hadn't had the chance to see it last time at the Cloudy Pavilion; now he really wanted to see with his own eyes what kind of person this Shen Zongzhu, whose reputation was so high, actually was.

Bai Wu's thoughts could represent the minds of most powerful cultivators of the Xian Sect.

After all, Shen Yi had left the General Nanyang treasure land only a short while ago; for most people, their impression of him remained that of a young cultivator who was lucky enough to pick up a Dao-merging treasure land but had no chance to defend it.

But for ordinary cultivators of the Xian Sect.

After the envoy from the Southern Long Gong arrived, they fell into a brief shock, followed immediately by a surge of excitement rising in their hearts.

Finally, they have made a move!

Although they did not know which senior elder did it, Ke Shiliang's troops surrounding the Cloudy Pavilion had added a lot of gloom to their hearts; especially after Elder Liu intervened to suppress it, this gloom carried some incomprehension toward the elders.

Now it is finally swept away; how exhilarating!

If not for this, the upcoming Seven Sons Assembly would be nothing but a joke; how could a sect like General Nanyang, a vassal power that could be surrounded by troops at the whim of the Southern Long Gong, select a sect master worthy of the people's trust?

As for how to deal with the envoy from the Southern Long Gong, that is something the elders and Dao sons should consider.

As disciples, they only need to unsheathe their swords without hesitation when it is time to act.

Inside the Heavenly Sword Sect.

That shadow looked with interest at his only disciple: "What are you thinking?"

He rarely saw Hongxiu lose herself in thought over anyone or anything other than her younger sister; otherwise, she would not have tempered such a formidable Reincarnation Sword Body.

Combined with her previous conversation with Liu Xingshan, it was easy to hear.

This time, risking the opening of only two cities, achieving a narrow victory, and intervening again to reprimand Liu Xingshan, it was not for Su Yushang, but for the General Nanyang treasure land.

"Thinking about where he is," Su Hongxiu raised her eyes lightly.

She did not believe Shen Yi could do it, so she was somewhat eager to see him.

"Having thoughts?" In front of many elders, the shadow in the sky asked without any concealment.

Pretentiousness and subtle emotions are the thoughts of young men and women.

But they are swords; sharp swords should be direct.

Indeed, Su Hongxiu did not feel any embarrassment; she said openly: "His personality suits my taste, but he is still ten thousand Heavenly Sword Mountains away from what Master described."

Compared to romantic love, if this matter is true, she would rather test the third Dao weapon she took from the Upper Imperial City on Shen Yi.

"Indeed, you are still so boring," the shadow in the sky sighed, then slowly dispersed. The successors of General Nanyang Sect have always had many love debts; starting with Senior Brother Qin, then to Junior Nephew Xuanqing; it seems this new successor is somewhat different from the previous two.

Never mind; it is also time to seriously examine that Shen Zongzhu once.

After all... after the Seven Sons Assembly, the other party will be a being equal in name to us old ones.

Thinking of this, the Heavenly Sword Sect Master could not help but smile in disbelief.

And within General Nanyang Sect.

Li Qingfeng was still perfunctorily dealing with those Qunmeng Sect executives, while preparing various matters for the Seven Sons Assembly.

No one noticed that, far away.

Li Xuanqing stood with his hands hanging by his sides, carrying a bit of expectation and nervousness, raising his eyes to look at the sky, waiting intently for the return of the Sect Master.

In his Dao token, the message he originally left for Shen Yi had only a simple reply.

"I know."

He knew, so those water-dwelling creatures were dead.

Where in the world is there a more reliable sect master? Even though the other party has not yet successfully merged with the Dao, he has already used those slightly thin shoulders to prematurely hold up a piece of the sky for the General Nanyang treasure land.

It was as if Master had returned.

So everything will surely be fine; after all, this is just a group of crawfish from the water, not immortals from the sky.

Between the boundless mountain ranges.

A purple rainbow bridge connected heaven and earth, stretching straight into the back of the clouds, as if endless.

A figure in black ink robes stood with hands clasped behind his back among the mountains, gazing far up at the sky.

And between the two.

The Boundless Demon Emperor, formed from gathered crimson blood, was struggling to climb toward the other end of the rainbow bridge.

Its back was hunched, its steps stumbling.

Its body rapidly melted under the scorching heat of the rainbow bridge, then rapidly recovered through the panel's massive consumption of lifespan.

This ebb and flow brought not only endless pain but also the gradually narrowing distance between it and the thick sky curtain.

Recorded in the books stored in the treasure pearl.

The process of walking the end of this Hongqiao is called the Heaven-Scaling Path, and it can only be considered a small threshold.

Its purpose is to let cultivators simply experience the five tribulations of birth, aging, illness, death, and suffering, so that when the time comes to open the city, they won't be at a loss.

The Boundless Demon Emperor is the embodiment of Shen Yi's entire cultivation.

For a cultivator, this is the very foundation of their life; any damage to it would require long years—even an entire lifetime—to repair, let alone such brutal abuse.

But for Shen Yi.

If a thousand years isn't enough, then ten thousand; if still not enough, then hundreds of thousands.

Anyway, having come this far, backing down is impossible.

He did indeed get his wish and stepped past the Tribulation of Birth, but at this moment, the entire process of the Heaven-Scaling Path had taken on a somewhat different flavor.

The Hongqiao was no longer trying to let Shen Yi experience the five tribulations, but was doing its utmost to fling him off.

When one stubborn fool meets another stubborn fool.

The result was a massive drain on the demon's lifespan.

The crimson figure didn't even notice his ankles were gone, stumbling once more, but in the blink of an eye his feet were restored as before, not a flicker of emotion on his face.

As for the pain… he had long since roared himself hoarse.

Finally, on this long bridge, Shen Yi's divine soul merged as one with the Boundless Demon Emperor.

He unhurriedly stepped onto the clouds.

In an instant, the searing heat beneath his feet vanished, replaced by a warmth that made one feel utterly relaxed all over.

"…"

Shen Yi opened his mouth and laughed soundlessly.

Saying he had overcome heaven was a bit too conceited; it was more like some other family's child, stubbornly insisting on breaking down the door, declaring he belonged in this house, and the adults inside, watching the door about to be smashed in, could only helplessly let him in.

How to put it—anyway, he didn't lose.

"Then, let me take a look."

The crimson figure raised his head and looked beyond the clouds.

As his gaze swept across, the auspicious clouds filling the sky stirred without wind and quietly parted, as if in deference to him.

And behind those layered clouds.

Five towering great cities appeared before his eyes in startling clarity.

Throughout all of Yu Nanhong, cultivators who had seen all five great cities could be counted on one hand—this represented the upper limit of cultivation.

Long Han, Chiming, Shanghuang, Kaihuang, Yankang.

The inscriptions on the five plaques all contained obscure and unfathomable Daoist meaning, as if forming a cycle, endlessly repeating.

In ancient texts, these five great cities had another rather domineering name.

Heavenly Tribulation!

Only by passing the heavenly tribulation can one be called an immortal.

"…"

Shen Yi stared slightly dazed as he looked past the five great cities.

Beyond them, he faintly made out a majestic Heavenly Gate, indistinct, as if shadows of figures flickered within—dreamlike, fragile, shattering at a touch.

"Hiss."

Shen Yi suddenly felt his eyes sting.

He promptly withdrew his gaze.

Letting a mortal glimpse what lies beyond Bai Yujing is already an immense gift; to probe further is beyond his current strength.

Just then, Shen Yi glanced around somewhat guiltily.

He then opened his panel.

Back when he first broke through a million years of demon lifespan, the words "can be condensed" had appeared behind it.

He just hadn't understood at the time what it meant.

Now, having seen the five great cities with his own eyes, he had gained some small insight.

【Wan Yao Dian. East: Give birth to demons】

【Wan Yao Dian. South: Witness their aging】

【Wan Yao Dian. West: Temper their bodies】

【Wan Yao Dian. North: Bury their demon souls】

【Wan Yao Dian. Center: Serve forever, enjoy endless blessings and fortune】

This doesn't seem like changing the exam questions—it's planning to change the entire exam hall.

Shen Yi looked at his remaining demon lifespan, then cast his gaze back toward the five cities before him: "Tch."

He couldn't shake the feeling that his path of cultivation was about to go awry again.

(End of this chapter)