Chapter 513: Rest When Tired

Inside the Southern Long Gong, the relationship between the Long Wang and the Crown Prince was actually quite subtle.

First of all, this Crown Prince was undoubtedly the son most favored by the Southern Long Wang.

Whether it was his innate talent and bloodline, or his temperament, let alone his appearance, he was certainly the one that satisfied the Long Wang the most.

But there was actually an issue between the two that could not be ignored.

That was the obstacle posed by the Demon Race, especially great demons with noble bloodlines like the Yellow Fiend Poison Dragon, whose lifespans were so long they were somewhat terrifying.

The Crown Prince of the Southern Long Gong might have to serve for many more years.

As the saying goes, one mountain cannot hold two tigers.

A king not meeting another king was the best choice.

The Crown Prince of the Southern Long Gong rarely came to request an audience with his father the King, but whenever he came to this place, it was inevitably to ask the Long Wang to "relinquish power."

Only after obtaining the other party's consent could he act freely without worrying about his father the King developing some rift in his heart.

Therefore, when that character "Allow" echoed out from the deep abyss cave.

The Crown Prince of the Southern Long Gong slowly straightened his body, glanced at Ke Laosi kneeling beside him, and at Ke Shiliang who was restless, and said indifferently, "Get out and wait for my decree."

"..."

Ke Laosi raised his head, forcing out an expression of tearful gratitude.

As long as the Southern Long Gong was still willing to use him, he still had a chance to turn the tables.

Ke Shiliang, as a peer brother of the Crown Prince, facing such words that were almost scolding a servant, did not show the slightest dissatisfaction.

The Demon Race did not speak of age, seniority, or respect.

The other party was the Crown Prince; he was merely a lowly idle prince. It was not because the other party was older, but because the outcome had already been decided back when they were still dragon grandchildren.

The vast Southern Long Gong now had only six dragon sons, which was enough to show how fierce this elder brother was.

"Fifth obeys the decree."

Ke Shiliang respectfully bowed.

He slowly breathed a sigh of relief in his heart.

It was true that the eldest brother had a violent temper, but he also truly possessed strength. The fact that the other party was willing to step forward on behalf of the father the King to manage the overall situation might not be a good thing for the remaining three brothers comparable to the Dao-Integration realm, but for him and Little Four, these two "criminals," it was an unshakable backing.

With the eldest brother's support, the face he had lost at the hands of the Seven Sons of Yu Nanhong finally had a chance to be regained.

If the matter was handled well, the Crown Prince might even grant him a few more Bai Yu Jing great demon generals.

Thinking of the Bai Yu Jing great demon generals, Ke Shiliang's face inevitably swelled with a bit of malice.

Those were all veteran generals who had managed his fiefdom for him... cultivating and winning them over had consumed who knew how much effort, and now inexplicably only one remained; how could anyone accept that?!

If this grudge was not avenged, he would have no day to raise his head again in Yu Nanhong.

Thinking of this, Ke Shiliang walked out of the hall with a sinister air. Placed before his peers, he might be unremarkable, but if it were juniors... such as Su Hongxiu and Wei Yuanzhou of that day, he would make them know what the dignity of a Southern Long Gong prince was.

Clouds and mist swirled, the mountain ridge like a line.

Seven long rainbows suddenly retreated in the direction they had come, flowing back into the seven sect reliefs, announcing the end of the grand assembly.

In the sky, six shadowy figures rippled like water waves, then vanished on the spot.

The long steps layer by layer disappeared into hiding.

The youth dressed in a Nanyang white robe stood with hands at his sides amidst the clouds; even without those grandiose displays, he still drew everyone's gaze.

The scene of the other party waving his hand to behead Liu Xingshan earlier might make many cultivators present remember it for a lifetime.

This was a status forged by strength, far more stable than being forcibly propped up by others.

Even without counting the Seven Sons of Yu Nanhong.

Shen Yi himself was enough to occupy a place in Yu Nanhong and possess a great reputation.

Several Dao Sons stepped forward simultaneously, cupping their hands and bowing to that figure: "We pay our respects to Shen Zongzhu."

As a heavenly genius, being able to pick up and put down was the most basic requirement.

But the reason they actively stepped forward was not to take the opportunity to flatter this new sect master; in the slightly puzzled gazes of the guests, not a single disciple of the Qi Sect left, all quietly waiting in place.

Because there was still one matter that had not been finished.

And the quiet departure of the other six sect masters was an implicit agreement to leave this matter to Shen Zongzhu to handle.

This was also their response to Shen Yi deliberately revealing the blood talisman in his palm earlier.

Since they had recognized the identity of this Nanyang sect master.

Then life and death together... would begin to take effect.

"The envoy from the Southern Long Gong is still waiting outside; I wonder how we should respond? Please instruct, Nanyang Sect Master."

The Dao Son of Wushuang Sect took a step forward, his gaze slightly complex as he looked at that sect master who was much younger than himself.

He was not clear about the other sect masters, but at least his own master definitely still held the intention of testing Shen Zongzhu.

A qualified successor to a treasure land must not only be able to fight, but also have a brain.

The Seven Sons of Yu Nanhong were not unable to confront the Southern Long Gong head-on, but how to fight, why to fight, and what could be gained after the fight, all had many subtleties.

This matter was neither big nor small for a sect master, yet it was enough to reveal his methods of handling affairs.

In short.

If handled well, Shen Zongzhu could fully participate in the great affairs of the Qi Sect; if handled unsatisfactorily, then it was better to continue guarding the Nanyang treasure land and cultivating in peace.

The other Dao Sons, including Su Hongxiu, all remained silent, with no one speaking out to interfere with Shen Yi's thoughts.

Even at the moment the other party issued the decree, whether foolish or not, they would have to take huge risks to implement it.

This was the status a true sect master should have within the Seven Sons of Yu Nanhong.

However, what made the Dao Sons somewhat surprised was.

Shen Yi glanced lightly at the few of them: "What envoy?"

Hearing this, Bai Wu's lips twitched twice, and a trace of speechlessness appeared in his expression.

P-retending... pretending to be ignorant?

The Southern Long Gong has already come knocking; trying to bluff one's way out with this method seems somewhat unrealistic.

A prestigious Xian Sect cannot simply turn away the Long Gong's envoys and shut the great formation tight to play deaf... Come to think of it, the Nanyang Sect actually seems to have done exactly that, not having fully opened its sect formation until now.

Bai Wu was not the only one feeling helpless.

The Wushuang Sect Daozi who had asked the question earlier was clearly dissatisfied with this response but said nothing more; instead, he turned and pointed toward a certain direction: "Reporting to Shen Zongzhu, the Southern Long Gong envoys are right at..."

Before the words had fully left his lips, the Daozi's outstretched fingertip paused slightly.

He suddenly realized something.

The Seven Sons Assembly has already concluded; given the temperament of those demon soldiers and fierce generals in the Crown Prince's hall of the Southern Long Gong, holding the Crown Prince's decree in hand, it is truly no small feat they have endured until now—they should have arrived at the door long ago. Why is it so quiet?

"Understood."

Shen Yi nodded slightly, stepped forward, and swept past several people: "Wait for them to come; let them come to the Nanyang Sect to find me."

In truth, he only wanted to test the Meng Sect's attitude and did not truly intend to tear open his face with the Southern Long Gong.

As a hunter, provoking a prey into a full-scale counterattack when unnecessary is an extremely foolish act.

Moreover, with his current strength, if truly targeted by a great demon of the Dao-Integration realm, he would have absolutely no power of self-preservation.

Making great wealth quietly is the correct path.

Therefore, Shen Yi arranged for Wu Jun and Ke Thirteen to go over and stir those waters even more turbid.

Since these two demons crossed a heavenly tribulation and became the Hall Lords of the Eastern Hall and Northern Hall, their forms underwent massive changes; unless one investigated carefully, it would be difficult to discover their true nature as stone demons.

The sudden appearance of two such ferocious great demons in Yu Nanhong would be enough for the Southern Long Gong to investigate for quite some time.

Moreover, Wu Jun's performance actually exceeded Shen Yi's expectations.

The other party not only muddied the waters... it also seemed to have attracted most of that Dragon Crown Prince's fury.

It looks like this will buy him quite a bit of time.

"..."

Su Hongxiu silently watched Shen Yi's departing back, raising her eyebrows slightly.

Judging from the methods Shen Yi had displayed earlier, this matter of the water tribes was, nine times out of ten, his doing.

But his current reaction seems wrong in every way.

Thinking of this, she too looked in that direction, her gaze gradually becoming flickering and uncertain. When two armies clash, one does not cut down envoys; moreover, the Southern Long Gong has only come to ask questions and has not truly started fighting... yet she did not believe Shen Yi would be someone who followed rules.

Could that group of Southern Long Gong envoys already be dead?

Even Su Hongxiu, known for her heavy killing nature, felt her heart tremble slightly the moment this thought crossed her mind.

Are they mad? If this matter leaked out, let alone the Western Hong Long Gong, even the remaining two Dragon Palaces would probably be unable to resist striking.

This is not a matter of giving or not giving face; it is completely disregarding the Long Gong.

But looking at Shen Yi's calm back, Su Hongxiu could only suppress the shock and doubt in her heart, putting on an appearance of noticing nothing.

Wei Yuanzhou stepped forward and followed him.

"Shen Zongzhu, Yuanzhou has an unreasonable request."

He bowed meticulously toward Shen Yi and spoke concisely: "Wei Yuanling, a direct disciple of the Lingyun Sect, once offended Shen Zongzhu. Yuanzhou wishes to beg for a pardon decree on her behalf. I hope the Sect Master will be magnanimous and spare her once. If the Sect Master's lingering anger has not subsided, Yuanzhou is willing to make every effort to make amends."

This Lingyun Sect Daozi did not mention a single word about the help he had previously given Shen Zongzhu, and his attitude was sincere to the extreme.

But Shen Yi fell into silence.

He had felt strange earlier; he and this Daozi had never met, yet the other party had shown care for him openly and covertly.

So there was this layer of reason behind it.

So... who is Wei Yuanling?

"This."

Wei Yuanzhou keenly caught the fleeting doubt in Shen Yi's eyes; the whole person was stunned for a moment, then helplessly let out a bitter laugh.

Something he considered quite important, it turned out the other party had already forgotten long ago.

There really was a bit of the ethereal meaning of an immortal, a flavor of being unaffected by the mundane world; no wonder his cultivation progress could be so rapid.

Even setting aside the realm and strength, when Wei Yuanzhou looked at Shen Yi again, he unexpectedly felt a bit of self-abasement in his heart.

Perhaps valuing so-called rules so much only bound him, lacking much of that calmness.

"Yuanzhou understands."

Wei Yuanzhou stepped back half a pace and bowed again.

What his sister needed was not Shen Zongzhu's pardon decree, but true repentance. If she could not walk out of hatred and still felt that others bullied her, even if she walked out of the prison, she would be trapped in an even greater prison of the heart.

"Understood?"

Shen Yi came to his senses, raised the tip of his eyebrows, and wondered: Understood what?

Why are these Daozi one more mystical than the other?

Never mind; it has nothing to do with him either.

He now only wanted to return to the sect quickly to rest; the process of climbing the Heaven Path had truly made Shen Yi, rarely, regain that trace of exhaustion.

Not physical, but a lingering drowsiness between his soul and spirit.

It seemed he had truly not rested properly for a very long time.

Now that he had finally established a foothold in Yu Nanhong, sleeping quietly for a while should not be excessive.

"..."

Far away from the crowd, Baohua Xianzi finally waited for those Daozi to finish speaking about matters and, instinctively, wanted to chase after that familiar figure.

She had so, so many words she wanted to ask.

But just as Baohua Xianzi stepped out with her bare feet, she timidly drew them back.

She had indeed thought of him for a long time, but upon careful reflection, the two had never been close; she had only just now learned Shen Yi's true identity.

Aside from that.

Whether it was an illusion or not, Baohua Xianzi faintly glimpsed, beneath that supremely noble Nan Yang white robe, a figure worn out with exhaustion—though lacking the former aura of looking down upon all beings, it somehow seemed more real.

"He seems very tired."

Hearing Baohua Xianzi's murmur, Su Yuchang gave her a disapproving look: "I told you your cultivation is low, and you still don't believe it—any cultivator who ascends to Bai Yujing has long since harmonized their essence and qi with heaven and earth; how could they suffer mortal fatigue?"

"Maybe I just misread it," Baohua Xianzi tugged at her lips, forcing a weak smile.

Yet she failed to notice that behind them, the old woman holding a cane gazed from afar, then fell silent with a sigh.

To perceive what ordinary people cannot see within that radiant, thousand-rayed form—this is no blessing; it only sinks one deeper.

The old woman felt she had no right to advise her disciple on such matters; she merely felt a heaviness in her heart… why again is it Nan Yang Sect?

The next moment, she shook her head, lightly waved her cane, summoning an invisible spiritual wind to push Baohua Xianzi forward, smiling faintly:

"Little Zhilan, if you want to go, then go—what's the harm in seeing him once?"

Even though her stance was not objective, she had to admit: in his current demeanor, this Shen Zongzhu had already surpassed Qin Qing of old.

For people like them, if they hesitate now, they may never again have the chance.

Of course, the so-called chance will most likely remain nothing more than a single meeting.

…

Among the clouds and mists of Yunxia Mountain Mansion, not far from the Seven Sons of Nan Hong.

Vast shadows of trees rippled like a green sea; beneath them sat several simple, ancient chairs and stools. Six figures did not sit together in a circle, but scattered apart—some drank tea, some drank wine, one elegantly played the qin, another squatted on the ground fiddling with pebbles.

Their gazes did not meet, yet the entire scene was strangely harmonious.

As if they had long since become one.

"Is it Brother Qin?"

The cold, elegant woman playing the qin suddenly paused her ivory fingers, glancing toward the empty chair nearest the great tree.

The chair was familiar—it was the very one from the long staircase before.

Compared to the grand, bustling gathering earlier, this seemingly disordered, quiet place better fit the name "Seven Sons Assembly."

"I don't know."

The Zongzhu of Tianjian Sect lifted his wine jug and exhaled a long breath of alcohol: "A few days ago, when I entered the water, I glimpsed him once through the water mirror—his methods and conduct were utterly unlike those of the Qin man."

"Difference is right," the Zongzhu of Wushuang finally arranged the pebbles into a shape he liked and looked up: "After what he went through, if he returned for revenge, how could he possibly remain as he was before?"

His words struck a chord in all their hearts.

At the very least, it was something to hold onto.

"So… should we invite him next time?" muttered the Zongzhu of Lingyue.

Yet all of them stopped what they were doing and turned to him with complex glances.

If he truly were Brother Qin, would he even need an invitation?

If not, then inviting a young prodigy to take part in matters of the He Dao realm—what meaning would that hold?

"Then tell me what we should do—if we truly want revenge, is it just the six of us?"

The Zongzhu of Lingyue, clearly flustered and ashamed, flushed with suppressed anger on his square face.

If anyone else heard these words, they would be stunned beyond measure.

Beings who could overturn the heavens and earth of Nan Hong with a flick of their fingers were speaking with such a lack of conviction.

"Let's wait and see."

The Zongzhu of Qingyue Sect let her fingertips return to the qin strings.

And so their gazes scattered once more, each returning to their own tasks.

It is said that Bai Yujing is dull and lifeless, and only those who inherit the He Dao sacred ground may attain true great freedom.

Yet only those who have truly reached this realm know that Bai Yujing is hardly dull—at least, they still have the freedom to do as they wish.

But bearing the lives of all beings within the sacred ground, becoming their Tian Dao—that is the unbreakable chain.

Heaven and earth are heartless; even He Dao cultivators who have transcended the great calamities of birth, aging, sickness, and death remain emotional.

Thus, they can only clumsily imitate heaven and earth, never becoming true heaven and earth.

(End of Chapter)