Chapter 512: Sect Master of Nanyang, Long Gong Prince (6K2)

The faint scent of blood had not yet completely dissipated.

Elder Liu's roar seemed to still linger in everyone's ears until the cold wind brushed past, causing the cultivators in the square to shiver in unison, feeling a chill rise from the soles of their feet, up their spines, to the crown of their heads.

They instinctively raised their heads, looking up at the sky.

Shen Yi sat high upon the long steps; his voice was not loud, yet in this Tianyan Siji, it was enough for every cultivator to hear it with perfect clarity.

That thin letter stood straight, inserted in the holder on the long table.

Even after Liu Xingshan's demise, this letter remained unopened.

But no one would question any problem with this matter.

Not only did Liu Xingshan's excited reaction almost confirm his guilt, but Shen Zongzhu's status also mattered; he was the Sect Master, his word was law... to put it bluntly, even if Liu Xingshan were truly wronged, as long as the other six Sect Masters did not speak up today, absolutely no one else would dare stand up to save him.

Of course, the matter has already been settled.

Elder Liu was among the top-tier experts of the Seven Sons of Yu Nanhong, second only to the few Daozi and the six major Sect Masters; his high status was beyond doubt. His death should have been a major event that shook all of Yu Nanhong, yet now it was so silent, stirring not even a ripple.

Compared to the reason for his demise, the cultivators were more shocked by the process of his death.

Even if Liu Xingshan's state was not quite right, even if he had only opened two cities, after all... he was still that famous Elder of the Heavenly Sword Sect.

A single stomp of his foot could stir up huge waves in Yu Nanhong.

Facing such a powerful expert's life-and-death strike, even Su Hongxiu or Wei Yuanzhou would need to be fully focused, as a moment of carelessness carried the risk of stumbling.

But Shen Zongzhu did not even intend to rise.

He simply lifted his palm lightly, without summoning the Dao Palace, without opening the Bai Yu Jingxiancheng, and just slowly pressed down.

The surging qi coursing through Liu Xingshan's body instantly returned to calm.

The figure charging forward in rage was like a clay ox entering the sea, stirring not even a ripple, before shattering into a pile of flesh.

Suppressed and killed so simply!

How could this possibly be a technique a cultivator of Bai Yujing should possess?

The Daozi, who had originally been watching with the intent of seeing a spectacle, all fell silent, then simultaneously cast wary glances at the figure atop the long steps.

"..."

Wei Yuanzhou's eye twitched twice; this subtle change, on someone known for his steadiness, could already be considered a loss of composure.

He knew Shen Yi's progress was rapid, but regarding the terrifying scene before him, his feelings were no different from those of the other Daozi.

Because this was no longer something that could be explained by talent and comprehension.

Ancient texts spoke of legends of attaining immortality upon a sudden realization of the Dao, but legends were ultimately false, whereas Shen Zongzhu, who had ascended to Bai Yujing in less than a year and ruthlessly crushed peers of the same realm, was undeniably real.

Except for the reincarnation of an immortal, Wei Yuanzhou could think of no second possibility.

Even the palm that had just pressed down resembled the techniques of an immortal; otherwise, how could he have casually beheaded Liu Xingshan? He was a Bai Yujing Elder capable of opening three cities, not a fish on a chopping block.

He suddenly felt a bit of fear.

If his sister's strength had been a bit greater back then, truly causing trouble for Shen Zongzhu, and if she had not let him know, leaving no chance for remedy... then it would absolutely not be as simple as sealing her cultivation and imprisoning her.

Beside Wei Yuanzhou,

Su Hongxiu stood with hands by her sides, staring tightly at the place where Liu Xingshan perished. She closed her eyes, a solemn expression surging on her mature face, her nose twitching lightly as if smelling something.

It was the scent of a sword, like some sword body she did not know.

Besides that... there was a Dao Weapon.

If her senses were not mistaken, it should be a Hongmeng Tianbing.

At the instant Liu Xingshan's body shattered, these faint auras, though appearing for only a moment, were still captured by Su Hongxiu's keen perception.

It seemed like just a single palm strike, but it blended many things together.

Liu Xingshan did not die unjustly.

Su Hongxiu opened her eyes; she did not feel proud for having detected these things. Instead, the look in her gaze toward Shen Yi grew even more solemn and filled with awe.

The deeper one looks, the more one can know how terrifying this is.

Previously, she had wondered when Shen Yi would grow to a point where she would truly take interest in fighting him, but after this scene, the only thing left in her mind was how to win, how to deal with this palm strike.

Even if she opened the third city, could she win?

The instant this thought arose, Su Hongxiu could not help but pause.

She knew that when facing Liu Xingshan before, her thought had been that if she exerted her full strength, one sword strike could cut him down; now, because of Shen Yi, she had actually begun to doubt herself.

"There will always be a chance to fight."

Su Hongxiu slowly shifted her gaze; she could not look any longer, or she would only plunge herself into confusion, fear before the battle, and a flaw in her Dao heart.

"Why suddenly... start fighting..."

Baohua Xianzi instinctively cast a glance at her master; it was not because her mind was weak, but simply because she was younger than those Yu Nanhong Daozi by a generation, plus lacking experience.

More importantly, this matter involved Shen Yi, and she inexplicably felt her heart become chaotic.

"..."

The old woman holding a cane gently shook her head at Baohua Xianzi, signaling her disciple to be quiet, but though she appeared steady, a trace of envy flashing in her eyes was not fake.

Truly the number one human power in Yu Nanhong.

Such a young cultivator could possess strength that even made this old woman feel slightly surprised.

No wonder they had to elevate him to the position of Sect Master before he achieved the Dao.

For such a genius, let alone in Yu Nanhong, even if placed throughout Hongze, he would be an object fought over by major powers.

Among these major powers were even the Long Gong.

They should not mind, as they did when befriending Li Xuanqing many years ago, allowing a purple-bearded white dragon, known as a Xianzi, to secretly develop affection for him; those days were the most peaceful time between the Long Gong and human powers, neither disturbing the other, separated by water and land.

This divine couple, unknown to how many cultivators, spared them from peril, granting them an extremely precious time of cultivation.

Thinking of the four words "divine couple."

A mockery appeared on the old woman's lips, along with a chilling killing intent that no one could detect.

Some beasts, no matter how many beautiful phrases you use to embellish them or how many noble names you bestow, are born to be ridden!

Li Xuanqing, you've truly gone blind…

"This."

Baohua Xianzi noticed her master had slipped once more into that deep contemplation; her expression flickered slightly—her master was likely the only one present capable of letting his thoughts drift in such a moment.

Fortunately, there were other Grand Masters of the He Dao realm present.

The six sect lords quickly withdrew their gazes; their thoughts varied, but this was no time to discuss it at the Seven Sons Assembly.

Wei Yuanzhou's thoughts were actually quite normal.

Yu Nanhong may be remote, but it still maintains contact with the outside world; tales of immortals reincarnated are not unheard of… but let's not even speak of immortals—be blunt: what is the true relationship between Shen Yi and Brother Qin?

This young cultivator hails from Nanyang.

Yet no one could detect the slightest fear of the outside world in him; it seemed that the moment he stepped forward, he had already accepted this reality, with a goal crystal clear.

In a short time, not only did his cultivation soar, but he also forged an irreparable grudge with the Long Gong.

According to the quiet observations of the six sect lords over these days, this young man has done nothing else but either offend the Long Gong or be on his way to offending it.

Shen Yi's intentions were evident from the blood rune he deliberately revealed when he raised his palm just now.

Has Brother Qin not yet produced enough of a Dragon-Slaying Daoist? Now does he intend to do it again? Or perhaps—Brother Qin himself plans to return and help his disciple solidify this title?

The six sect lords lowered their eyes toward the figure seated upon the throne.

Upon that pale, handsome face lingered the same calm as Brother Qin had in his youth, leaving them momentarily dazed.

The Qingyue Sect Lord's eyes flickered with confusion: "..."

Why have you returned? Do you seek revenge?

But Hongze has no enemies of yours—your enemies come from the heavens.

Brother, do you wish to lead us all to death...? Well, death isn't impossible, but I fear that even in death, this anger will never be vented.

"Continue."

The Wushuang Sect Lord gently raised his palm; as his voice resonated, every mind instantly calmed.

Set aside the matter of Liu Xingshan for now.

The entire Seven Sons Assembly proceeded smoothly, following the established schedule.

More than a dozen elders of Bai Yujing rose, stepped upon auspicious clouds, ascended into the sky, and held jade tablets as they loudly proclaimed the imperial edict.

As those obscure, arcane verses issued from their lips, the white clouds coalesced into giant cranes that took flight, spreading in all directions; thus, the name of this new lord of the Seven Sons of Yu Nanhong would spread fastest across Yu Nanhong—and beyond.

Whether in Gaoshan or Wang Yang, countless beings would learn of this event capable of shaking the balance of Yu Nanhong.

Seven beams of white rainbow light blazed forth; the spirit mountains trembled, celestial swords leapt skyward, the azure waves surged more violently, and amid swirling white clouds, Qingyue dimmed its radiance.

Against their glow, the vast, suspended sun hung high, shining even more brilliantly, its gentle radiance enveloping this rare and wondrous sight.

The guests rose and bowed.

The disciples of the Xian Sect marched in unison, gripping their swords with both hands, kneeling on one knee toward the figure above.

"..."

On the long steps, Shen Yi sat quietly as before; today he was no longer the humble cultivator newly arrived in Hongze—his flowing Nanyang white robe represented the entire Nanyang Sect and its one hundred and eighty-eight vassal houses.

And now, the lives of all these people hung upon him.

Of course, that's what one says.

But it was still boring.

Shen Yi closed his eyes, recalling the sensation of slicing with the Ink Blade; a dao weapon was entirely different from ordinary magical artifacts—it looked merely like a knife, yet it was the collective empowerment of the entire Xiancheng upon the cultivator.

After all, this was his first time summoning Xiancheng.

After unleashing Wu Sheng Palm, Shen Yi voluntarily withdrew the illusionary effect of Tian Yan Si Jiu, wanting to test how his expenditure of so much demonic lifespan had altered him compared to peers of the same realm after ascending to Bai Yujing.

But the result disappointed him.

It wasn't that the Ink Blade or Xuan Armor had any flaw—mainly, Liu Xingshan's condition was off; his aura and mental state both bore signs of severe injury, rendering him unable to unleash his true power.

This made Shen Yi's victory absurdly easy, utterly failing to reveal any difference between dao weapons.

Never mind—there will be other chances.

Shen Yi opened his eyes, sweeping his gaze over the several dao heirs below, then glanced briefly toward a certain direction.

The white crane spread its wings and vanished into the clouds.

Beyond the Seven Sons of Yu Nanhong, jagged floating isles stood, where three figures stood with arms crossed, silently watching the white crane depart.

The leader was a snake-jiao.

It wore splendid robes, flicked its tongue, its vertical pupils radiating chilling frost, its voice calm: "Let's give them one last shred of face."

Even though the Long Gong is ninety percent certain this incursion into the aquatic clans is tied to the Seven Sons of Yu Nanhong,

there is still no proof.

So there's no need to disrupt the Seven Sons Assembly.

But...

Today is the day.

The snake-jiao held the Long Gong Crown Prince's imperial decree; it had come here precisely to demand justice for the Fifth Prince and the Fourth Dragon Prince.

The Seven Sons of Yu Nanhong using the Assembly as an excuse to delay time was, in its view, meaningless—every being in Yu Nanhong knew what their Crown Prince was like.

Either ignore it entirely—or if he appears, he comes as the half-ruler of Yu Nanhong to demand accountability.

How could he possibly accept returning empty-handed?

"This general also wishes to see how they intend to cover this up," the demon general behind him snarled.

The lives of so many fierce aquatic generals cannot be brushed off with a single word.

The so-called principle of offering courtesy before force: if the Seven Sons of Southern Hong refuse the step the Long Gong has provided, they naturally have other ways to handle it.

In the eyes of these demon generals, this is actually a very good opportunity.

With the Southern Dragon King still present, the Western Long Gong will absolutely offer full support. While the Seven Sons' Assembly has just concluded and the attention of all major and minor forces in Southern Hong is gathered here, why not engage in a true battle with steel and flesh?

Even if they cannot annihilate the Seven Sons in one stroke, with the combined strength of the two Dragon Palaces, they can at least inflict severe damage on these cultivators, strip them of all face, cause their subordinate forces to crumble, and ensure they have no chance of recovery for tens of thousands of years.

When a fierce tiger lies beside the bed, how can one allow others to sleep soundly?

Even if the Seven Sons of Southern Hong appear calm, they remain a major power not to be underestimated, making it so that these fierce generals of the Long Gong often feel constrained when carrying out their tasks.

"If you do not follow the rules, an explanation must be provided." The remaining demon general, who appeared somewhat gloomy, slowly raised his head and looked toward the direction where seven white rainbows converged.

"What explanation do you want?"

Just then, a hoarse voice came from behind him.

The demon general's entire body suddenly tensed; he instinctively turned to look, but before he could speak, he heard mocking words come from the other side.

"Your rules? Do they even deserve to be called rules?"

"..."

The leading snake-dragon clenched its sharp claws. In the span of a single breath, it already vaguely felt sweat drenching its back. As a great demon general of Bai Yu Jing deeply trusted by the Crown Prince, it had completely failed to notice anyone approaching.

Its peripheral vision quickly swept to the side.

In the next moment, those pupils filled with chilling chills slowly dilated.

Behind the three of them stood a towering figure several zhang tall, calm and still. Its massive dragon horns were awe-inspiring to behold; its sharp jaw was covered in dense dragon whiskers. Its body was so muscular it seemed on the verge of bursting, with chest and abdominal muscles as thick as green bricks.

The entire form resembled a towering mountain, its whole body covered in rough golden scales.

Standing there with hands hanging loosely, looking on indifferently, it still gave off an endless sense of oppression, terrifying enough to make one feel unable to breathe.

The snake-dragon looked toward the other side again.

Another figure, equally majestic as a mountain, slowly strode over. Its body was black-gold; its arms, protruding from its carapace, were as thick as giant trees, and even its skin surface was as rough as blocks of rock. On that fierce face, a hint of amused smile lingered.

These two uninvited guests appeared strangely abnormal.

It was not only the terrifying aura radiating from their bodies, but also their ancient demon forms, clearly having survived for hundreds of thousands of years, yet completely lacking any loss of vitality.

"Where did these old monsters come from?"

The snake-dragon swallowed hard and unconsciously stepped backward.

Logically speaking, a great demon capable of living this long should possess strength comparable to the Fusion Dao realm, just like the Crown Prince.

But these two demons clearly did not have such high cultivation; yet, judging solely by their demon forms, they seemed to have developed to the absolute limit. Moreover, the nobility of their bloodlines... to speak a disrespectful word, the feeling they gave the snake-dragon was actually even more shocking than that of the Crown Prince.

"Who exactly are you, to dare meddle in the affairs of the Long Gong?!" the snake-dragon asked, forcing calmness.

Before the two strange great demons could reply, the gloomy demon general seemed to have seen something unbelievable. He stared tightly at the eyebrows and eyes of that yellow dragon, feeling increasingly familiar the longer he looked, until finally he spat out words he himself barely believed.

"Thirteen... Thirteen Master?"

"..."

Ke Shisan glanced sideways, then slowly raised his hand, his five sharp dragon claws slowly spreading open.

In an instant, immense demon power erupted, wrapping around the demon general's body and, amidst his panicked roar, swept him backward to his side.

Ke Shisan's dragon claws firmly gripped the demon general's head, lifting him into mid-air, his eyes filled with nothing but indifference.

He said lightly, "You should address this one as the Lord of the Eastern Hall... pay more attention in your next life."

Before the words had fully faded, the demon general's head already exploded in Ke Shisan's palm. Thick blood plasma dripped down his fingertips, which he casually flicked away.

"You!"

The other demon general stared blankly at the scene, then without hesitation launched himself violently toward the side.

However, before he could withdraw from the floating island, his vision was entirely filled by a streak of pitch-black dark light.

Boom!

Wu Jun brutally slammed his shoulder into him. He should have smashed the demon general back onto the floating island, but unexpectedly, under the pouring of that terrifying, indescribable vast power, the demon general's entire skeleton shattered, and his demon form directly exploded into minced meat!

"..." Ke Shisan silently glanced at him.

"..." Wu Jun paused for a moment, then helplessly patted the bloodstains on his shoulder: "I will take responsibility for collecting the corpse."

The snake-dragon sniffed the blood scent at his nose, silently watching these two great demons.

Before he had even made a move, these two were already discussing corpse collection.

Could this ancient golden dragon really have a connection with Thirteen Dragon Grandson?

And the title he claimed for himself, Lord of the Eastern Hall... what hall was that?

Why had he never heard of such a power in Southern Hong? Could they be outsiders?

But none of that mattered.

What mattered most now was his own life.

"You two, this general has come by order of the Crown Prince of the Southern Long Gong to inquire of the Seven Sons of Southern Hong about the calamity befalling our Water Clan. Moreover, when two armies clash, envoys are not slain. If you two insist on your own path and break the rules, great disaster will surely befall you."

The snake-dragon without hesitation held up that imperial edict, as if clutching a lifeline.

But that edict, which made all forces in Southern Hong quite wary, caused that black-turtle great demon to laugh aloud.

"Tsk."

Wu Jun walked step by step toward the snake-dragon, suddenly reached out to grab the other's neck, then pointed at his own face: "Do you know me?"

"Hah!" The snake-dragon was still immersed in the monster's shocking demon form; that seemingly casually swung palm actually gave him a feeling of having nowhere to escape.

Hearing the question now, he instinctively replied, "No."

"Then that settles it."

The smile on Wu Jun's face slowly faded, becoming as cold as Ke Shisan's: "So, on what basis do you think this one would care about your rules?"

In an instant, dense dark light flowed over the snake-dragon's body like ink, wrapping him entirely at a speed visible to the naked eye.

"Hah! Hah!"

The snake-jiao still clutched that magical edict, holding it high, eyes wide, breathing heavily: "My Crown Prince is a true dragon comparable to the Dao-Integration Realm!"

No sooner had it spoken than a dull thud suddenly came from its body.

A massive claw had pierced straight through its entire abdomen from behind.

Immediately, that dragon claw tightened, crushing its internal organs.

Ke Shisi slowly withdrew his right claw.

The snake-jiao stumbled and fell, its body wrapped in dark light; it clutched its lower belly tightly, staring in disbelief at the two towering figures.

Yet no chance was left for it to say more.

Wu Jun had already lifted his foot and stomped down ruthlessly!

While crushing the snake-jiao's body, he also trampled that magical edict beneath his foot.

He lowered his gaze, did not lift his foot, but instead casually ground it down a few more times, a mocking smile appearing on his face: "I know you can see."

Wu Jun ground the edict to pieces bit by bit, his voice laced with provocation: "Unconvinced?"

He raised two fingers and lightly tapped his own temple, his expression growing increasingly arrogant: "This Hall Master awaits your coming. Hah. The Crown Prince... merely a crawling worm of Yu Nanhong."

"As for now, you may leave."

Wu Jun withdrew his gaze and completely crushed that edict into dust.

And far below in the water.

Within the golden and resplendent Crown Prince's Hall.

An old dragon, wearing a crown with hanging jade beads and dressed in magnificent robes, leaned against the throne, appearing as quiet as one in slumber; yet through the hanging beads, one could see his expressionless face, now darkened to the extreme.

He stared silently into the void.

After a long while, he finally closed his eyes.

A chill that chilled one to the very marrow curled at the corner of his lips, and his sigh echoed throughout the entire hall.

Had the Southern Long Gong been too silent for too long?

Now not only the Seven Disciples of Yu Nanhong, but even those chaotic factions dared to come in and trample?

If so, then let us try.

Let us try whether the Southern Long Gong has truly fallen to a state where everyone can bully it.

In an instant, the figure of the Southern Long Gong's Crown Prince vanished from between the thrones.

When he reappeared, he had arrived inside the green-brick hall at the deepest part of the waters, standing before that rough yellow dragon statue, and clasped his hands in salute toward the abyssal cave entrance: "Father King, your son has come to see you."

Within the abyssal cave where Ke Laosi had knelt on the ground and begged for an unknown length of time with no response whatsoever, a trace of life finally appeared.

An ancient, deep voice drifted out along the water waves.

"Granted."

Within that single simple word lay boundless majesty.

From within the abyss, a pair of eyes shimmering with Jin Guang slowly lit up, their ink-green pupils resembling the most venomous things in the world.

(End of this chapter)