Chapter 572: Return to Nanyang, The Long Gong Comes to Invite

The mountain peak is steep, piercing the clouds; its platform, shaped like Bai Yu, is broad, with a Nanyang relief suspended upon it.

There are seven such places in total, all tucked away in a corner of Nanhong.

Countless cultivators come and go in haste; compared to before, their expressions show less composure and more seriousness.

To this day, even though everyone can see the shift in atmosphere, the Southern Long Gong has still not engaged the Seven Sons in any direct conflict.

However, aside from the Xian Sect, all those vassal factions, regardless of their livelihood, have sensed that the times are growing increasingly difficult; the dragon palace demon soldiers beneath the waters are becoming harder to deal with, and accidents befalling their disciples are occurring with growing frequency.

Clearly, the Southern Long Gong intends not only to cut off the Seven Sons' sustenance but also to blind these Xian Sects.

To force the Nanhongqi Sect truly back into the corner!

The news the Daozi brought back upon returning to their sects was not good; though they gained something, they still failed to invite a powerhouse from Xihong sufficient to decide the situation, and instead made the attitude of the Western Long Gong clear.

It is said that those jade-horned silver dragons in the west actually dared to collude with the Wanxiang Pavilion to set a trap and ambush the Nanhong Daozi, acting with a resolve to fight to the death.

If the two Dragon Palaces join forces to attack, even if the Nanhong Seven Sons merely defend a single location, they will inevitably pay a heavy price.

The Southern Long Gong's method of slowly boiling a frog and cutting flesh with a dull blade is clear even to ordinary elders and disciples like them; how could the Shen Zongzhu and the Daozi not understand?

They will definitely take action; they are merely waiting for the right moment.

Waiting for—

Many cultivators looked up and saw the treasure ship of the Qingyue Sect's Shen Zongzhu sweeping across the sky, with two figures standing side by side at the bow.

Besides the Qingyue Shen Zongzhu, there was another beside her: the Nanyang Shen Zongzhu, who had inexplicably won the heartfelt submission of many Daozi.

"They have returned!"

In an instant, regardless of status, all cultivators who saw this treasure ship bowed deeply to welcome the Shen Zongzhu's return.

As the treasure ship swept away.

They rose one by one, exchanging glances with various thoughts in mind.

Now that these two have returned from Xihong, the seven great leaders of the Qi Sect are gathered; facing the Southern Long Gong's aggressive pressure, they must surely present a stance.

Whether it will be negotiation or a restoration of the Xian Sect's dignity, the answer may come very soon.

"..."

Inside the main hall of the Tianjian Sect, the hall doors were tightly closed.

The Daozi, who were normally the leaders of the sect, now stood quietly on both sides, listening as Junior Uncle Ji recounted his experiences at Yushan.

"A Dragon Son of the Heaven Realm has perished?" Venerable Bihai, the Bihai Shen Zongzhu, looked over in surprise, then pondered, "Then within a few months, the eldest of the Qi family will surely be summoned back."

To be honest, unless the Southern Long Gong suddenly went mad, the Seven Sons actually had no intention of emerging from seclusion again.

Their already insufficient foundation had not increased but decreased over the past hundred thousand years, becoming even thinner.

The main question was... what was the purpose of emerging?

To return to being the top power in Hongze?

Even with the remaining strength of the Nanhong Seven Sons, if they were willing to stand up, they might not match great powers like the Eastern Long Gong or the Liangdaohuang Sect, but they would certainly not lose to the likes of the Western Long Gong or the Yue family.

As long as one's heart is ruthless enough, daring to fight and struggle.

Seizing several treasure lands suitable for Dao-Integration in Beihong or Donghong to allow their disciples, followers, and vassal factions to recuperate would be infinitely better than the current situation.

But the problem was that it was actually the Eastern Long Wang who had originally "confined" the Nanhong Seven Sons.

That Long Wang, using Princess Ziling's name, protected the Seven Sons from the immortals, preventing the wrath of the immortal might from falling upon the remaining six sects.

After all, the immortals of Hongze could not be sure whether Princess Ziling, who had ascended to the heavens, still cared for this group of clansmen in Hongze... She probably did care; after all, the heavens were too lonely, and over time, one could not help but miss the former family bonds.

He had worked so hard to send Princess Ziling up there; naturally, he could not risk falling out with her over mere six sects, even if there was only a sliver of possibility.

This is how the current situation came to be.

If the Nanhong Seven Sons were to go out actively, it would break this agreement; at that time, regardless of how Hongze's Hongze Daxian would react, those dog-legged flatterers who sought every way to curry favor with the immortals would certainly not mind attacking this group of Nanhong cultivators to make the Hongze Daxian smile.

Thus, the current state is actually the last shred of face left for the entire Hongze power structure for the Seven Sons, and this "gentle treatment" is largely due to the Eastern Long Gong.

Since the eldest of the Qi family is to be summoned back, as long as they hold steady until then, this conflict in Nanhong seems destined to end in such a farcical manner.

After all, no matter how mad the Crown Prince of the Ke family becomes, he would absolutely not believe that his Southern Long Gong alone could truly contend with the Seven Sons.

That old Long Wang, if he left the Dragon Cave, would lack the strength to suppress the multitude of heroes.

"..."

Even the remaining Shen Zongzhu were slightly dazed as they withdrew their gazes.

The Shen Zongzhu of Lingyun and Wushuang Sects sighed almost imperceptibly.

The Shen Zongzhu of Lingyue remained silent.

But the Shen Zongzhu of the Tianjian Sect, though also withdrawing his gaze, had a faint trace of disappointment flash in his eyes.

As the sword of the Nanhong Seven Sons, his mission upon receiving the treasure land was to cut down all blockers for the Nanhong Seven Sons, allowing the Nanyang Great Sun to shine safely upon this land and water.

Now, this sword has become sharper, yet it seems there will be no more opportunity to draw it from its sheath.

For Ye Jiu, this was undoubtedly a kind of sorrow.

"I have a few matters to attend to; I must return to my sect first."

Shen Yi slowly rose; he was somewhat unaccustomed to this act of sitting together and chatting. For these Shen Zongzhu with their long lifespans, even sitting idly for decades was but a snap of the fingers, but for Shen Yi, it was truly somewhat boring.

He took out a jade slip and placed it on the table beside Ye Jiu.

Immediately after, he clasped his hands in farewell and stepped out of the main hall.

"Why, after going out, do you return still so distant?"

Deng Xiangjun looked curiously at Ji Jingxi; Shen Yi had left in a rush earlier, only to return together with Lin Shimei Ji, so he had assumed their relationship was quite good.

Before the other could answer, he looked at the jade slip on the table: "And what is this?"

Ye Jiu picked it up, glanced at it, then frowned: "A communication treasure to contact the Banshan Shen Zongzhu? What, does the Banshan Sect truly intend to follow us to fight the Long Gong to the death?"

Speaking of this, he could not help but laugh himself.

Following the Nanhong Seven Sons means having only the part of being beaten, with no chance to eat meat.

However, Ji Jingxi glanced sideways and said, "That Fellow Daoist Huang stated that all cultivators in the two great treasures of Banshan, including himself and the Branch Sect Master, are at Shen Zongzhu's disposal."

"..."

At these words, the great hall quickly fell silent.

Ye Jiu's smile had not yet faded; when he looked at the jade slip in his hand again, he suddenly felt it was somewhat scalding.

The Banshan Sect Master, standing before him, certainly did not count as a powerful expert.

But the act of entrusting one's entire life and fortune to another person contained a trust so profound that even he felt his heart tremble.

Even if Shen Yi were that Fellow Daoist Huang's long-lost father, it would be impossible to make a Sect Master make such a decision.

The Lingyun Sect Master and Bihai Sect Master, whose cultivation was lower and who had little interaction with Shen Yi, were now even more stunned.

Do not forget, Lin Shimei Ji did not say they were at the disposal of the Seven Sons of Southern Hong, but specifically mentioned Shen Yi, indicating this matter has nothing to do with the Seven Sons; it is simply the face of the Nanyang Sect Master.

How... how could a cultivator from another sect be more trustworthy regarding Shen Yi than they, the people of the Meng Sect?

"Huff."

Ye Jiu let out a long breath, raised that jade slip, and tentatively asked, "Then shall we fight?"

The other Sect Masters looked over with strange expressions.

Even if the Banshan Sect's action was indeed shocking, even adding these two Earth Realm cultivators, it would at most allow the Seven Sons to be a bit more composed when facing the Long Gong's underhanded tricks, but it would not be enough to play a decisive role.

"I was just asking casually."

Ye Jiu withdrew that jade slip; compared to the Banshan Sect, the greater reason he asked this question actually lay with Shen Yi himself.

To earn the trust of a Dao-Integration Realm cultivator so deeply, this young man must possess something extraordinary.

Moreover, why did the other party give the jade slip specifically to him, and not to the other Sect Masters?

Perhaps this Shen Zongzhu's thoughts are closer to his own?

Nanyang Nanyang Baodi.

Li Qingfeng and Li Xuanqing had long been standing before the Ancestral Master Hall to welcome him; without even needing to use their eyes, after reaching Dao-Integration, the moment that black robe stepped into the Nanyang Baodi, the entire heaven and earth seemed to celebrate it.

"You have returned."

Li Xuanqing, feeling the changes in the qi of heaven and earth, respectfully performed the disciple's bow toward the sky.

Although the two of them were slightly lower in realm, they respectively bore the responsibilities of the Dao Son and the Grand Elder, managing the entire Nanyang Baodi in perfect order.

"So busy... I was also thinking of reporting to the Sect Master about the care the other Meng Sects have shown us these days."

Although Li Qingfeng could not perceive the changes in qi, he could judge from the actions of Senior Li Xuanqing that the Sect Master had already departed.

The current Nanyang Sect does not yet have the strength to protect its vassals; even self-preservation relies on the help of the Meng Sects.

He still remembered when the Sect Master had just returned to the Void, he could still take him out of the sect to "attend a banquet"; as the other party's realm grew higher and higher, it seemed no one in the entire Nanyang Baodi could keep up with the Sect Master's pace.

However, it seemed that apart from the Sect Master, everyone else's days were becoming increasingly peaceful.

In the Hongze Water and Land, peace is a luxury for every cultivator; everyone knows how this peace was obtained.

"The Sect Master knows clearly in his heart and will absolutely not treat the Meng Sects unfairly."

Li Xuanqing turned and returned to the Ancestral Master Hall; he might be the one among the Seven Sons cultivators who understood Shen Yi best; the other party even held the thought of making enemies with Immortals for his sake; the small amount of things the Junior Uncles are paying now will probably be the most profitable transaction of their lives.

"..."

Shen Yi arrived at that most familiar mountain peak and paused slightly in astonishment.

He saw that the originally empty mountain top had, at some unknown time, gained a magnificent treasure hall; the surroundings were quiet and empty, and wisps of green smoke drifted within the hall, bringing peace to the mind and spirit.

Only a few incense-offering disciples, upon seeing Shen Yi, forcibly suppressed their excitement, respectfully bowed, and then dared not disturb further, exiting the cultivation hall in an orderly manner.

Compared to these disciples, the figure in the last plain black robe showed no great shock at seeing what was rumored to exist on her face; instead, it held deep nostalgia.

"Not cultivating, but coming here to add incense?"

Shen Yi, rarely, stopped his hurried pace and stayed for a short moment.

"Reporting..."

The woman in the black robe respectfully clasped her hands; before her words were finished, she saw Shen Yi raise his eyebrows slightly.

She pressed her lips together, a few more warm smiles appearing in her eyes; then she slowly lowered both palms; although there was still some awkwardness in the details of her expression, the way she stood with her hands by her sides still possessed the free and easy manner of their first meeting at Xitai Mountain.

"I am cultivating diligently, but when I miss you, I cannot help but come over to see."

Although she was a Soul Transformation Realm disciple, facing a Sect Master at the peak of the Earth Realm, there was a chasm between heaven and earth between them; but as long as Shen Yi allowed it, she was still that Jiang Qiulan who spoke little but never feared to express her heart directly.

"..."

Shen Yi pondered for an instant, then took a golden bracelet from his wrist.

Seeing this, the Miss stepped back slightly, then shook her head; she did not say any words of refusal, but holding a smile, hesitated for a moment, and asked the question she particularly wanted to ask but had long had no chance to ask.

She looked at him seriously: "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." Shen Yi lightly nodded his chin.

"That's good." Jiang Qiulan let out a sigh of relief, then performed another bow, and walked down the mountain with light steps.

Regarding the rumors about Shen Yi, she had long been so familiar with them that she could recite them backwards.

Now she can no longer help this Gaoshan in any way, but at least she cannot become a stumbling block on the other party's path forward; after all, Shen Yi is no longer the Demon-Suppressing General of Outside Qingzhou, but the sky of the entire Southern Hong Nanyang Baodi.

Being able to walk a section of the road with him was already a very nice experience.

Moreover, compared to that golden bracelet which looked as if it had been taken from a woman's wrist, she still preferred her own Blood-Transforming Ox Demon's demon core.

"Huff."

Shen Yi stood quietly for a while, rarely shook his head and smiled, then stepped into the hall.

To make these people continue to live peacefully in the Hongze Water and Land, the road he must walk is still very long.

Thinking of this, Shen Yi gathered his mind and spirit, sat cross-legged on the cushion in the hall.

First, he checked the gains of this journey by the several Hall Masters; under the nervous gaze of Ke Shisan, he still chose to turn these corpses into a river of blood and pour them into the other party's body of the Stabilizing Stone.

Although there is a significant gap between the Jade-Horned Silver Dragon and the Yellow Fiend Poison Dragon, causing some loss of bloodline essence, as Shen Yi's realm advanced, he discovered that in cultivator duels, quality far outweighs quantity.

Ke Shisan was the one with the highest potential ceiling among the Branch Hall Masters.

If the combined strength of the Four Hong Dragon Palaces could be used to cast a stabilizing stone for him, perhaps when facing an Immortal, he would indeed be able to play a notable role.

The vast River of Blood surged entirely into his brow.

Shen Yi simultaneously condensed the primordial essence of demons and monsters to nourish this first Hall Master.

Similar to Yu Lan, even with nearly three hundred thousand years of demon lifespan poured into him, it did not elevate Ke Shisan to the Immortal grade; it only raised his demon soul to the Dao-Integration realm.

Even though the difference in bloodlines caused considerable loss.

Yet Qi Zhaoping's strength was too formidable, surpassing An Tingfeng by a margin, and with Qi Zhaoping and other demon generals possessing dragon blood, the aura on Ke Shisan's body gradually began to surge.

Soon it surpassed Long Yuetian, then overtook Yu Lan, until it matched An Yi... the speed of the aura's growth finally slowed down.

"Haa—"

Accompanied by a mighty dragon breath, Ke Shisan finally opened his eyes and looked at An Yi in a provocative manner.

However, he soon found it boring, because that petite West Hall Master, though her small face remained calm, had eyes silently fixed on the golden bracelet on her master's wrist, biting her lip, wondering what to think, and in any case, she hadn't even glanced at him.

"Xuan Jian is grateful for my Lord's generous reward!"

Having leaped to become the strongest Hall Master, Ke Shisan could barely conceal his joy.

Shen Yi glanced at him; so many corpses still failed to create a qualitative gap between him and An Yi, wasting so much, and he didn't know what he was so proud of.

However, on the stabilizing stones of An Yi and Yu Lan, a slightly different blood talisman had now appeared.

That was the trace left by slaying a Dragon Son.

Before completely fearing no retaliation from the West Long Gong, these two Hall Masters should try to appear less frequently; Ke Shisan breaking through to the Heaven realm could be considered making up for the gap in his own strength.

Just at this moment.

Shen Yi, however, sensed something amiss; he closed his eyes and investigated the five Immortal Cities covered by the Wan Yao Dian.

He saw that in three of them, the light at the city gates had changed.

At some unknown time, a strand of glaring red light had stained the originally pure golden radiance, as if the martial soldiers were too fierce and had been drenched in blood.

Shen Yi frowned slightly.

Incorrect; if it were due to excessive killing, how could it happen to be exactly the three Immortal Cities corresponding to the three Heaven-realm Hall Masters?

Could these martial soldiers be capable of further advancement?

Besides this, Shen Yi looked at the empty Wan Yao Dian; the previous Earth-Nether Dark Python had been given to Wu Jun, and later several Dao-Integration realm bear demons and bat demons were given to An Yi.

The more demons and monsters in the hall, and the stronger their realms, the more Shen Yi felt a strange sensation; under the guidance of the Hall Masters, their demon and monster bloodlines seemed to be nurturing something.

"Innate Divine Ability?"

Shen Yi pondered for a moment, suddenly recalling the difference between the Earth realm and the Heaven realm.

Using the Dao to deduce divine abilities; for instance, the Moonlight previously used by Senior Ji was one of her divine abilities, and also a manifestation of entering the Heaven realm.

Setting other things aside, merely grasping a trace of aura allowed her to forcibly strip away part of the Green Phoenix Clan Leader's divine soul; such a method was both eerie and terrifying.

Which cultivator, when acting, would not leave behind an aura, only to have their divine soul mysteriously incomplete? Who could bear that?

Could it be that his own divine ability lies within this Wan Yao Dian?

"Enough, at least there is a train of thought now."

Shen Yi opened his eyes and pulled both Long Yuetian and Ke Shisan into the panel.

Since there was nothing new to condense, this four million years of demon and monster lifespan could only be enjoyed by the two Hall Masters accompanying him.

Even if Immortal arts consume lifespan heavily, under such terrifying quantities, Shen Yi was determined to obtain the Blood God Great Art and the Divine Mountain Suppressing the Blue Sky.

With the infusion of demon and monster lifespan.

The great hall fell silent once more; the figure in the black robe sat in meditation, accompanied only by curling green smoke.

The Clear Moon Treasure Ship had returned several days ago.

The anxious cultivators of the Qi Sect, including the various Elders, had failed to obtain the desired news.

The several Shen Zongzhus had clearly discussed it, yet produced no clear plan.

Requests for aid from subordinate forces floated into the Qi Sect like snowflakes.

Under the arrangements of the Dao Sons, the Yu Nanhong Seven Sons dispatched countless cultivators to provide support, but from beginning to end, they never mentioned how to quell this conflict, or whether they were to continue struggling against the South Long Gong like this.

"Wait?"

Liu Shiqian looked at Bai Wu; after being brought back to Yu Nanhong by Wu Jun, except for Elder Chi Yang, he had not told anyone about his ascension to the Dao-Integration realm.

For his current strength, handling these trivial matters was naturally a piece of cake.

But for the many disciples and Elders, constantly risking themselves while traveling outside was never a good thing.

"Wait for Boss Qi to return, and all will be settled."

Bai Wu sighed; it was certainly frustrating, but even they, the young and spirited Dao Sons, truly could not find a reason to fight.

Even if they defeated the South Long Gong, it would only arouse the fear of the other Hongs, then invite wave after wave of suppression.

Perhaps two or three Shen Zongzhus wanted to fight, but most hoped to return to the previous situation.

"Let's hope so."

Liu Shiqian recalled what he had seen and heard in the West Hong; he felt the matter might not develop as most Shen Zongzhus imagined, the Hong waters were becoming increasingly chaotic, and how could the Yu Nanhong Seven Sons manage to extricate themselves?

It would be better to strike first...

The instant this thought sprang to his mind, Liu Shiqian broke out in a cold sweat.

How had staying with the Wan Yao Dian for a while turned him into someone with such thoughts?

Yet, who would not hope that when facing the Dragon Palaces, their own side could display that same disdainful posture as that senior in the dark golden dharma robe?

It is simply a lack of strength.

As the two conversed, they suddenly noticed something amiss and both frowned, looking toward the outside of the Chaozhu Sect.

In the next moment, demonic qi carrying the stench of water rolled forth, sweeping over the seven Qi Sects.

"By the decree of the Crown Prince of my Nanlong Palace, we have come to ask questions!"

A terrifying voice, like a ferocious beast roaring, echoed across the sky.

Outside the Nanhongqi Sect, dark clouds hung heavy in the sky; within the clouds were water demons of immense size, each with a ferocious visage and colossal form. Among them coiled a yellow dragon covered in spikes, while a red dragon whipped its tail.

Amidst such a terrifying display,

the two long dragons transformed into human form, holding the decree in their hands, and appeared before the eyes of the many cultivators.

They were the dragon sons and dragon grandsons of the Nanlong Palace, and all were old acquaintances.

The crimson one was the fourth-ranked dragon grandson who had originally guarded the waters near the Seven Sons.

The elder one was the Fifth Prince of the Ke family, who had lost nearly all of his subordinate demon generals.

The last time they made such a display, they had blockaded the vassals of the Nanyang Sect, only to leave in disgrace with heavy losses after receiving aid from several Dao Disciples.

Now they had returned with renewed vigor, their arrogance even more brazen.

Their confidence clearly stemmed from the decree in their hands.

The Crown Prince of the Ke family rarely issued decrees; the two most recent ones both concerned the Nanyang Sect.

"The Crown Prince asks,"

the two dragon sons and dragon grandsons looked down upon the Xian Sect below, taking in the crowd of cultivators filled with murderous intent, yet they showed not a shred of panic; instead, their expressions grew even more indifferent.

In the next moment, a sharp, mocking question echoed through the air.

"The banquet is prepared. Does Nanyang dare to attend?"

The words quickly faded, falling into the ears of every cultivator. Those figures dwelling in their cave dwellings immediately retrieved their magical treasures and soared forth upon clouds.

In an instant, the entire Nanhongqi Sect became agitated.

This was hardly the posture of inviting someone to a banquet; it was clearly brimming with provocation.

Under the pressure of recent times, these Xian Sect cultivators were already seething with anger; now that someone had come to their very doorstep, how could they hold back?

However, without an order from Shen Zongzhu, they could only glare fiercely at the sky.

Beneath a large tree somewhere, several figures slowly straightened up. Ye Jiu could not help but lift the corners of his lips, his smile filled with chilling coldness.

"Is it possible they know what happened in Xihong... and wish to drag us into this chaotic situation while the Qi family has not yet withdrawn their troops?"

Seeing this, Lingyun Zongzhu hesitated for a moment but could not resist offering a word of advice.

Ye Jiu turned his gaze, saying nothing, yet causing a chill to surge through Lingyun Zongzhu's entire body.

"Enough. We are fellow disciples of many years; starting an internal feud now is nothing but shameful."

Lingyue Zongzhu stepped to the middle, blocking the two from facing each other: "I will handle it."

Even for fellow disciples who shared life and death, after enduring hardship for a hundred thousand years, their thoughts could diverge.

No one truly feared the Nanlong Palace, but some were unwilling to take further risks.

Before the words had fully faded, several Zongzhus simultaneously froze. Ji Jingxi, who had remained silent from beginning to end, slowly raised her head.

The many cultivators of the Nanhongqi Sect all turned their gazes toward the same spot.

They saw the formation of the Nanyang treasure land flicker suddenly.

Immediately, a figure walked out.

That person looked somewhat youthful and immature, and his cultivation was extremely low—merely a disciple of the Transformation of Spirit Realm.

In such a scene, he appeared utterly insignificant.

Yet, facing the sky filled with great water demons,

this cultivator in the guise of a youth appeared so calm.

He walked slowly to the edge of the Bai Yu platform, stood with his hands behind his back, and locked eyes with the two dragon sons and dragon grandsons, whose faces were full of arrogance.

Before the eyes of all, Li Qingfeng nodded slightly: "My Shen Zongzhu has been informed. Wait."

His calm voice lacked the ferocity of these water demons entirely, yet it left all cultivators and demons frozen in place, somewhat bewildered and uncertain.

"Hah!"

The Fifth Prince of the Ke family suddenly laughed: "What does 'wait' mean? You little brat, you might as well speak more clearly on behalf of your Shen Zongzhu, who dares not show his face."

The other cultivators also came to their senses... They all knew what this banquet was for; there must be an explanation for the death of the Ke family's dragon grandson.

Did Shen Zongzhu send a disciple to appear because he feared others would detect some sign?

"Sigh."

Li Qingfeng had already turned to walk back toward the formation.

Hearing those words, he sighed slightly.

He turned his head to look at the sky and said, word by word: "The meaning of 'wait' is this: prepare the banquet and wait. Once my Shen Zongzhu finds the time, he will naturally come to attend."

"Ridiculous!"

The Fourth Dragon Grandson sneered: "And what if he never finds the time?"

Upon hearing this, Li Qingfeng adjusted his robes, and a hint of contempt finally appeared in his youthful brows and eyes.

He said calmly: "Then you must wait forever."

(End of this chapter)