Chapter 514: A young man's spirit is bound to fail, yet the world never lacks for young men

Nanyang Sect, inner gate, a small bamboo courtyard readied in advance.

On the bed, a young man in a Nanyang white robe had his eyes slightly closed, his breathing long and steady.

His eyes did not dare close fully, owing to a natural caution, while the long breathing signified the exhaustion of his soul.

On his fair-featured face, the cold sternness had finally lessened a little, and a rare gentleness had appeared between his handsome features.

As if recalling the pancakes by the roadside in Bai Yun County, a bowl of chive-noodle soup at the parade ground of the Zhen Mo Si in Qingzhou, a lamb broth split into two portions and eaten a thousand li apart, and the throat-burning medicinal wine in a broken-down temple on Taishan.

Further back—

Shen Yi's expression suddenly turned indifferent; his fingertips twitched, and he instinctively reached toward the crook of his arm.

A blade had once rested there, but now his hand found only empty air.

His long, steady breathing quickened for no apparent reason; a pair of clear eyes opened, a cold sharpness glinting within them.

"My story is finished."

Before the window where golden light spilled in, Li Xuanqing turned his head, showing a candid smile, then said with some curiosity, "But you seem to be made entirely of stories."

"..."

Shen Yi raised an eyebrow and let his body relax once more.

He shifted his gaze away, a touch of impatience in the motion.

For beside Senior Xuanqing there also stood, quietly, an old woman; the two of them stood shoulder to shoulder, gazing into the sunset.

No one would wish for a bowl of such a thing as their breakfast, and he was no exception.

"Since Shen Zongzhu has woken, we'll be taking our leave."

Only at this moment did Baohua Zongzhu finally understand why this Shen Zongzhu was worth Xuanqing's special invitation for her to come and keep watch over him for merely a short nap; it was plain to see that the young man truly lacked any sense of security.

"Your disciple takes his leave." Xuanqing bowed with meticulous propriety, then pushed open the wooden door.

Telling Shen Yi his own story plainly was a sign of respect for the sect leader's strength, and the fulfillment of a promise made to him earlier.

Telling it while the other man slept was a wish not to let this grudge drag on any longer—especially now, when in the present-day Nanyang Sect, all the pressure rested on Shen Zongzhu's shoulders alone.

"Wait."

Shen Yi sat up with a trace of reluctance, leaned against the wall, and called out to the two of them.

He casually rubbed his temple, glanced over sidelong, his voice carrying a hint of laziness, yet his gaze finally turned serious: "Tell it again from the beginning."

"..."

The two, who had already stepped across the doorway, slowly came to a halt and turned back with some puzzlement.

Baohua Zongzhu's gaze flickered; as a titan of the Dao Merging realm, she actually felt as though she could not see through this young man.

The other was clearly exhausted to the limit, had only just barely managed to relax for a moment, and now, the instant he opened his eyes, he was already trying to shoulder matters again.

She could roughly guess that, given Xuanqing's temperament, his high regard for Shen Zongzhu meant he would surely offer him much help; but the meaning behind Xuanqing's earlier behavior, if reduced to four characters, was simply: wipe the slate clean.

The present situation was… Shen Zongzhu was unwilling to wipe the slate clean.

Thinking of this, Baohua Zongzhu, with a helpless smile, looked toward Xuanqing: "Now I understand why he is the sect leader."

Li Xuanqing stared silently at Shen Yi on the bed.

After a long while.

He suddenly laughed and said, "Would you be willing to tell us your story?"

Do not do unto others what you would not have done unto yourself.

Xuanqing was certain that, from his understanding of Shen Yi, the man was absolutely not someone willing to share his burdens with those close to him.

But what Xuanqing had not expected was—

Shen Yi slowly and unhurriedly sat fully upright, pulled on his long boots, then gently ground the boot-tip against the floor tiles, raised his eyes, and said flatly, "My stories are all buried underground now."

In the calmest tone, he uttered a single simple sentence, yet within it lurked a killing intent that even made Baohua Zongzhu's eyelid twitch.

This sentence did not sound at all like something the sect leader of a Xian Sect ought to say.

It was more demonic than a demonic cultivator.

Li Xuanqing too was frozen on the spot, and after a moment finally let out a bitter laugh: "It was merely a young man venting a momentary pique—something he could never truly win in the end."

Using the words "young man" to describe a cultivator whose lifespan had exceeded ten thousand years sounded somewhat inappropriate.

In truth, for prodigies, most of their time was spent on dull, tedious cultivation, and they rarely suffered setbacks; therefore, for a streak of youthful spirit to remain forever in their hearts was perfectly normal.

Li Xuanqing stepped back half a pace and closed the wooden door once more.

Under Baohua Zongzhu's gaze, tinged with reminiscence, he turned to face Shen Yi: "All the world knows that Xuanqing is the foremost prodigy of Hongze; among all the deeds of his life, the one most beneficial to the living beings of Hongze was taking Princess Ziling of the Eastern Dragon Palace as his Dao companion, which granted Hongze several thousand years of peace."

"Afterward, she had the chance to ascend to the Heavenly Court."

"I was unwilling; I wanted to keep her, so I staked the entire Nanyang Sect on it."

When Li Xuanqing spoke to this point, Baohua Zongzhu suddenly tightened her grip on her staff and shifted her gaze elsewhere.

Clearly, this account was missing a great deal.

At the very least, from what Shen Yi had heard so far, he did not see how this matter had anything to do with youthful spirit, nor did he think Xuanqing the sort of person who, out of jealousy toward his Dao companion, would stop at nothing to destroy her.

"They exhausted all the precious gold and jade of Hongze, every kind of rare and costly treasure, all for the sake of making that Xianzi appear more beautiful."

Baohua Zongzhu suddenly took over the words, fixing her eyes on the empty air as she said flatly:

"They had over a hundred cultivators polish her scales and claws, weave her whiskers, and nurture her horns."

At this point, Baohua Zongzhu suddenly showed a mocking smile: "With those extravagant things, they forged for her a saddle unmatched by any other in all of Hongze, and sent her off to ascend… to become a Xianren's mount."

The Dao companion of a generation's prodigy, beneath the envious blessings of the crowd, finally gained the chance to become a beast of burden beneath a Xianren.

Every faction in Hongze fell silent over this matter, no longer mentioning Xuanqing's name.

Under such circumstances, the young man finally grew angry.

He would ascend the Tianmen, he would enter the Xian Register, he would leave a green name in the Heavenly Court for ten thousand ten thousand years.

He was unwilling, in his future comings and goings through the Tianmen, to see his own Dao companion beneath another.

Thus, on that night, Xuan Qing had planned everything out, comforted the sobbing Zi Ling Xianzi, then bid farewell to his master, intending to abandon the Dao-Union Sacred Land, take the Xianzi away from Hongze, and seek another path to Yuan Tongtian.

If the plan had been executed properly, Hongze would have believed they had offered up a magnificent purple-bearded white dragon, the Seven Sons would have thought Xuan Qing had been defeated and fled far away, and aside from the possibility that the immortals in the sky might notice a missing purple-bearded white dragon while selecting mounts, nothing else would have happened.

"So how did it fail?" Shen Yi stood up.

Baohua Xianzi suddenly fell silent, looking at Xuan Qing beside her whose fingertips trembled slightly, a trace of heartache flowing from her eyes.

The greatest blow to a youth's spirit.

Was that the white dragon suddenly felt that becoming his Dao companion was actually inferior to ascending to become an immortal's mount, so it reneged at the very last moment.

It was equivalent to completely negating everything Xuan Qing had done.

"He said, 'A slight punishment; I take one strike from him, and the matter ends there.'" Xuan Qing finally spoke, mentioning the immortal who guarded Hongze.

"Before he raised his palm, I had ninety percent certainty."

"The instant his palm came down, I had not even one percent left."

"I desperately stabilized my mind, only to force a calm appearance of facing death, so as not to die too shamefully; I have never lost in my life, but I am not a petty person who cannot accept defeat."

Xuan Qing's voice suddenly grew hoarse.

He swallowed desperately, trying to ensure the strangeness in his expression did not become too obvious: "My master still came, intending to take that strike for me, so that strike changed, shifting to attack the heart instead, and thus my master went mad, using the method to refine the sacred land."

"Only when I returned to Nanyang Sect in a state of soullessness did I realize I truly could not afford to lose... I truly could not afford to lose."

This "slight punishment" punished him for a hundred thousand years.

Even though it was not intentional, he had therefore bid farewell to the sect in advance, warned his master, and was willing to accept the loss of the gamble.

But there were always those unwilling to let him lose, wanting to stabilize his Dao heart for him.

It's just that this master and disciple pair never imagined that the price they would have to pay after losing was not something they could decide.

They all thought at worst it was just a life.

Yet the immortal took away the entire Nanyang Sect; that heart-attacking palm could actually cause a giant of the Dao-Union realm to fall into madness.

The Nanyang Sect Master had prepared to die in place of his disciple, but he never expected a dignified immortal to first force him into demonic cultivation, making him, amidst endless pain, personally refine the living beings he had protected, and in those roaring with eyes about to burst, watch helplessly as Nanyang Sect was utterly destroyed, before finally dying.

"..."

Shen Yi pondered for a long time, finally unraveling the previous confusion.

After all, that kind old man inside the Hidden Arts Pavilion did not look like someone who would, for his own selfish desires, offer up the lives of the beings in the sacred land.

So that was the situation.

"Good, I understand."

Shen Yi lightly nodded his chin, then stepped past the two, walked out of the room, and lazily stretched his arms.

He gave no promise, and did not even comfort the other party.

Baohua Xianzi was stunned for a moment, not quite understanding this Shen Zongzhu's reaction; whether it was scolding Xuan Qing for his stupidity and childishness, brewing a great disaster for a moment of anger, or despising the purple-bearded white dragon for its flip-flopping, it was clearly she who had come to beg Xuan Qing, yet she had then unhesitatingly betrayed him.

Even anger at the immortal's despicable methods.

Would have been easier for people to accept than Shen Yi's current calm appearance; he seemed to have done it merely to hear a story, making it hard to tell if he was even listening.

Baohua Xianzi withdrew her gaze, but suddenly realized Xuan Qing was still frozen in place.

She couldn't help but feel somewhat helpless: "Why can't you move past it? Do you need him to scold you twice before your heart feels at ease?"

"..."

Xuan Qing did not respond, only taking a deep breath.

If he remembered correctly, he had heard a similar response not long ago.

The result was that hundreds and thousands of great demons of the Water Clan died, seven great demon generals of Bai Yujing fell, and even the envoy sent to demand accountability went missing.

He knew... so he would take action.

But how to act?

Xuan Qing felt what he had just said was clear enough; a palm casually struck by the Hongze immortal was, for them mere mortals, a sky forever beyond their reach.

A youth will always go from spirited and high-spirited to gradually becoming steady.

But Nanyang Sect truly could not bear the cost of a second youth maturing and becoming steady.

"..."

Baohua Xianzi slowly extended her hand, wanting to comfort Xuan Qing's emotions.

But just as she reached halfway, her expression changed slightly; she lowered her eyes to look at the white flower at her waist, and her gaze slowly settled into calmness.

In an instant, the momentum on Baohua Xianzi's body instantly became completely different from before; even though the aura of the Dao-Union realm was deliberately suppressed greatly, it still made Shen Yi outside the door look back with slight surprise.

"The Xigong has entered." She raised her eyes again.

This short sentence instantly brought Xuan Qing back from his reminiscence, his expression becoming much solemn.

As a major sect at the border of the Two Hongs, the Baohua Sect's sense of smell is extremely sensitive.

If the news could reach Baohua Xianzi, it meant it was absolutely not as simple as a troop patrol; they must have displayed a very obvious posture.

The Ke family of the Southern Dragon Palace is still entangled with the Seven Sons.

At this time, the Qi family of the Western Dragon Palace, which is stronger, suddenly made this move.

It is hard not to associate some relationship between the two.

"Ke Shilin?"

Actually, not many have the qualification to associate with the Western Dragon Palace; aside from the Southern Dragon King, only that Crown Prince Ke remains.

Xuan Qing turned slightly: "Who is leading the Qi family's troops?"

Baohua Xianzi answered bluntly: "Quite a few have come, but the leader is still the Qi family's eldest; she has been quite discordant with the Dragon Consort recently. It is said the Dragon Consort has already sidelined her, and even matters within the demon army and incoming messages must all be reviewed by her first. Her natal family's power is great, forcing her to the point of suffocation; I never expected she would still have the mind to meddle in Southern Hong's affairs."

The Qi family differs from the Ke family; the Crown Prince is someone else, so she is referred to as Qi Eldest rather than Crown Prince.

Of course, this matter also has variables.

It still depends on what attitude her Dragon Consort's natal family takes.

"Tsk."

Hearing this, Xuan Qing suddenly remembered something and turned to Shen Yi, his expression complex: "Zongzhu, hold off for now. There's no need to stand at the storm's center."

This remark sounded strange.

But given Xuan Qing's recent understanding of Shen Yi, if he didn't warn him ahead of time, the man might very well inexplicably offend the Qi family again.

The Seven Sons of Yu Nanhong—there are seven of them!

And Nan Yang Sect is still the most downtrodden of them all; the other six Zongzhu do nothing all day, while this youngest one is so overwhelmed he can't even afford a full night's sleep—what kind of nonsense is this?

"Mm."

Shen Yi didn't turn around, merely murmured a soft "mm," but his expression grew peculiar.

This matter sounded vaguely familiar to him.

Xuan Qing's warning… seems a bit late.

…

The Seven Sons of Yu Nanhong have granted Lady Baohua Sect such generous favors, treating it as a half-ally, not only due to Xuan Qing's connection, but also because of its unique geographical position.

For instance, right now.

As soon as Xi Long Palace made a move, the seven Zongzhu gathered together.

Such a display clearly indicates the gravity of the matter.

The situation within Yu Nanhong has remained unchanged for too many years, primarily because the Seven Sons of Yu Nanhong's strength, even after Nan Yang Sect's downfall, still firmly suppressed Xi Long Palace.

Yet under these circumstances, due to past reasons, the Seven Sons of Yu Nanhong could only act discreetly, avoiding conflict and striving to minimize their presence.

The strong dwell in seclusion; the weak act without restraint.

Such a bizarre situation rarely produces conflict; this peace should have continued indefinitely.

But the Ke family couldn't hold back any longer—they contacted Xi Long Palace, clearly preparing for a major move.

The Seven Sons of Yu Nanhong have long tolerated the Dragon Palace's occupation of most cultivation resources; now the Dragon Palace dares to push further. Since their intent isn't profit, their goal is obvious.

They even intend to strip the Seven Sons of their remaining status.

Who knows what madness the Dragon Prince of Nangong is suffering? Has he grown too comfortable in his idle life and now seeks excitement?

Still, preparing early is always better than being caught unprepared.

"Thank you, Zongzhu Shen and Sister Ji."

The Wushuang Zongzhu's expression remained calm, but his voice carried unmistakable discomfort.

The Seven Sects are bound by shared interests; among Zongzhu, relationships are typically those of senior-junior siblings, or uncle-nephew and aunt-niece.

Suddenly, a youth so young appeared—no one knew how to address him.

"I'm fine. Let's see what Zongzhu Shen decides."

The cold, white-clad woman turned her gaze toward Shen Yi beside her, her eyes sweeping over his dark robe, flickering with a touch of nostalgia—this low-key demeanor was utterly unlike the youth at the Seven Sons' gathering.

"..."

Shen Yi silently scanned the six men before him. Setting aside ancestral portraits and celestial projections, they looked no different from ordinary cultivators.

Let me decide?

What's there to decide? Their desire to get rid of me is written plainly on their faces.

Today's matter was simple enough.

Since Xi Long Palace crossed the line, the Seven Sons of Yu Nanhong must respond.

Though human cultivators aren't as tightly knit as the Dragon Palaces, on major issues, they still maintain unity.

But for requesting aid, sending a Daozi would suffice.

If still uneasy, send a true Hedao giant to escort them.

From any perspective, there's no reason for Shen Yi to appear—he's too high in status, yet too low in power.

"..."

The six Zongzhu exchanged silent glances.

Given Shen Yi's nature, he'd inevitably stir up trouble. If Xi Palace and Nan Palace joined forces, this wouldn't be trivial—before making full preparations, it'd be better to remove this young master first.

And perhaps give him a chance to relax and clear his mind.

"Then it's settled: each of you will escort three Daozi—good practice for them."

The Lingyue Zongzhu slowly rose and bowed to the two: "Travel safely."

"No need to worry."

Shen Yi could only return the bow.

Honestly, these Hedao elders had already shown him enough respect.

If even a few Daozi couldn't handle this, adding Shen Yi wouldn't make much difference.

The Ji Zongzhu claimed she was protecting the Daozi, but she was clearly also watching over him.

"Then let's depart."

Ji Jingxi rose and walked out.

Outside the hall, six Daozi had already formed two lines.

Merely seeing the three waiting for him, Shen Yi could tell how half-hearted Wushuang Zongzhu's earlier question had been.

Su Hongxiu, Bai Wu, Wei Yuanzhou.

Bai Wu was even Ji Zongzhu's own disciple—yet assigned to his side. Could it be any more obvious?

"Does Zongzhu not approve of him?"

Su Hongxiu glanced at Bai Wu. If Shen Yi had any complaints, they likely weren't about her or Wei Yuanzhou.

"Next time you look for reasons, could you start by looking at yourself?" Bai Wu smirked back. "Contacting the Xi Hong faction—your presence makes no difference."

He glanced quietly at his master beside him, feeling much more confident: "Oh, there is a difference; at least it won't offend anyone."

Before they even departed, the atmosphere grew somewhat strange.

Shen Yi glanced at the two of them and suddenly felt an urge to swap places with Sect Master Ji.

"Bai Wu can be a bit annoying with his mouth, but he is more convenient for me to contact. If anything happens, I can arrive quickly. Sect Master Shen, please be slightly lenient with him." Ji Jingxi nodded with a hint of apology.

She didn't quite understand why she had taught such a disciple.

"As for the specific matters, I have already instructed Wei Yuanzhou. Sect Master Shen can consult with him more during the journey; there shouldn't be any trouble."

In fact, for matters like this, a Sect Master rarely needs to appear in person; otherwise, it would make the other powers look down on the Seven Disciples of Southern Hong.

Given Wei Yuanzhou's personality, he would most likely handle it well.

With the Demon Army of the Western Dragon Palace pressing into Southern Hong, the pressure on the various powers of Southern Hong has temporarily eased, but the future troubles are endless. As long as they aren't truly brainless, they certainly won't make things difficult for this group of Dao Disciples.

"If there is nothing else, let us depart."

Ji Jingxi produced a magnificent treasure ship and stepped onto it along with the other three Dao Disciples.

"There is still something." Shen Yi suddenly called out to stop the other party.

Sect Master Ji looked down in confusion.

"Lend me a ship." Shen Yi looked back openly; the spiritual puppet Green Lion of the Southern Yang Sect was nowhere near the quality of a proper treasure from the Xian Sect.

Since they were going on a long journey, why make things difficult for oneself?

"..."

Ji Jingxi pondered for a moment, unable to stop the corners of her lips from rising slightly.

This Sect Master Shen, after resting for a while, seemed a bit more interesting than before.

She extended her hand slightly: "Why not travel together?"

"It would be rude to refuse."

Shen Yi didn't mind showing his lack of experience; he directly led the speechless Su Hongxiu and the others onto the ship with decisive efficiency.

Seeing this, Ji Jingxi shook her head gently.

To be honest, a Dao Union Realm cultivator isn't as unattainable as others think; the senior and junior brothers and sisters actually found it quite a headache how to treat Shen Yi.

Now it seems the other party isn't as difficult to get along with as imagined.

The magnificent Clear Moon Treasure Ship rose slowly, then immediately transformed into a streak of light. When it appeared again, it had already left the sacred lands of the Xian Sect, diving into the endless sea of clouds, speeding straight westward!

(End of this chapter)