Chapter 577: Has Lady Qinghua Become an Immortal? If So

The immortal carriage of the Seven Sons of Nanhong hung between heaven and earth like a blazing great sun, and beneath it lay the treasured land of the Qi Sect.

Many cultivators rode the clouds outward, casting their gazes toward the faintly visible figures within the rosy light.

The Sect Masters gathered together, heading to the Long Gong for the banquet.

They returned in only half a night, just as dawn first appeared—somewhat different from the Hongmen Banquet they had imagined, but the faintly shifting sky over Nanhong the previous night, and the suddenly turbulent breath of heaven and earth, all proclaimed that some colossal being had fallen.

The auras upon the seven Sect Masters were thick and powerful; one could say they were utterly unscathed, so the fallen being… was most likely some noble existence within the Long Gong.

But at this moment, the entire Nanhong waters were terrifyingly silent.

They did not even dare step forward and make a ruckus!

As this thought flashed through their minds, the cultivators swallowed, suddenly feeling an inexpressible excitement welling up from within their chests; though they bowed beneath the immortal carriage, they somehow felt their spines straighten considerably.

The Seven Sons emerge from the mountain, to hold the fort of Nanhong once more!

"We humbly welcome the Sect Masters back to the Sect—"

The orderly, drawn-out voices pierced through the mountain ranges and shot straight into the clouds, as if to part the boundless fog and let the flickering Southern Sun shine all the brighter.

"These youngsters seem quite happy."

Sect Master Lingyun shook his head; he expressed his approval of Shen Yi's earlier response.

As cultivators, how could they not know that the road ahead is filled most of all with the unexpected, and even the Western Long Gong had a Heavenly-realm dragon son perish—the turbulence of the situation was plain for all to see.

Perhaps it truly was that he himself had been too cowardly.

Wanting to rely on hiding away in a corner to shelter the lives of the Qi Sect also depended on whether others gave him the chance.

Shen Zongzhu's move might have seemed a bit risky, but it kept the initiative in his own hands.

It was time for him to properly recall that spirit of daring to stake his life in a fight, which had already been quietly lost.

"…"

Ye Jiu fell unusually silent, but no one paid him any mind—anyone who knew this Sect Master of the Heavenly Sword Sect knew he absolutely was not worrying about the Seven Sons' future.

It was simply that he had just exchanged a move with the South Long Wang, and his hands were itching more and more, yet he suffered from being unable to lure that old dragon into a fight to the death.

Just then, Ye Jiu suddenly raised his head and looked toward a certain direction.

A few traces of doubt welled up on his face.

At least at this moment, the Seven Sons' immortal carriage was the most dazzling thing in all of Nanhong, but in the direction Ye Jiu was looking, a streak of Jin Guang suddenly pierced the heavens, crossing Nanhong at a speed barely visible to the naked eye—like a golden curtain, or a giant blanket that blotted out the sky—stretching straight all the way to Western Nanhong.

Judging by its appearance, it showed a tendency to pierce through the entire Hongze.

Beneath this Jin Guang, the immortal carriage instantly paled in comparison.

The several Sect Masters all stared fixedly at the place where the Jin Guang had risen; the previously quiet waters also churned with waves in an instant, faintly revealing the South Long Wang's state of mind.

Ye Jiu slowly rose from his throne, his gaze sweeping over his many fellow disciples, with a hint of astonishment, and said as if confirming: "Ascending through merit and virtue?"

Ji Jingxi's red lips parted slightly; Qi Yansheng's expression was wooden.

Even these three Heavenly-realm powerhouses showed such expressions, let alone the other Sect Masters.

Only Shen Yi sat on his throne, raising his brows with a somewhat odd expression: "What do you mean, ascending through merit and virtue?"

Ji Jingxi gently exhaled a breath of clear air, gazing at that broad streak of Jin Guang, and murmured: "This guiding Jin Guang leads straight to the Immortal Court."

"Hidden right under our noses, there's still such an old thing?"

Ye Jiu sucked in a breath; before his words had even faded, he was glared at by Qi Yansheng—this Sect Master of Spirit Peak hadn't said a single word to Ye Jiu even in the Long Gong, but now said sternly: "Watch your mouth."

To be able to elicit a response from the Immortal Court in such a manner, how much suffering must this eminent one have endured.

Where in Nanhong were there so many sufferings to gather into this supreme merit Jin Guang—thinking it over, it could only be the countless souls left behind by that hundred-thousand-year killing calamity.

Among those souls were even those former fellow disciples of the Southern Sun Sect.

In other words, this person was a benefactor of the Seven Sons.

"…"

Ye Jiu also caught on, suppressing the unwillingness in his heart, sighing, and meticulously cupping his hands in salute toward the place where the Jin Guang had risen: "You are magnanimous, my mouth is cheap, please don't take offense."

For cultivators, to become an immortal and found a lineage—becoming an immortal even ranks before founding a lineage.

They had all cultivated for these long ages; watching someone complete this feat right before them, it was understandable that their feelings were somewhat complicated.

"So, the Hongze now has two immortals?"

Shen Yi asked again, and only then did everyone notice he was still leaning back in his seat; Ji Jingxi pressed her lips together and, almost imperceptibly, tugged him up.

If he wouldn't bow, fine, but basic respect was still required.

Seeing this, Ye Jiu opened his mouth and laughed soundlessly—he truly liked this little Sect Master of Shen Sect; if this future immortal weren't a benefactor of the Seven Sons, he wouldn't have bothered with courtesy either.

Ever since the Southern Sun Sect's destruction, which of their fellow disciples hadn't harbored the thought of slaying an immortal with their own hands—it was just that their strength was too weak, and they could only think about it.

All cultivators by origin—bow to nothing!

"Well, it's not quite that either; actually, we only heard this through the grapevine." Ye Jiu picked up the thread, sighing slightly: "They all say that after Harmonization with the Dao, one gains the qualification to ascend to the Immortal Court and partake of immortal stipends, but in reality it's just talk."

"Either one's natural talent is astonishing, like yours—if you weren't in the Hongze, then after your Harmonization, there should have been some senior with Yuan Tongtian connections to introduce you to an immortal official and lead you up to the heavens."

"Or one's background is deep—after all, these seniors with heaven-reaching connections also have their own sons, nephews, and juniors; once they've been cultivated to the requisite cultivation, they can be sent up if possible."

"As for us mortals."

Speaking to here, Ye Jiu resentfully glanced toward Northern Nanhong: "There are also people deliberately holding us down, so we can only wander the mortal world, try to make a name for ourselves, advance our cultivation, and hope that one day we'll also have the chance to ascend to the Immortal Court; if fate is unkind, at least we can stay below and become a Shenxu Laozu, earning the empty praise of being called an earthly immortal."

Ye Jiu pointed at the Jin Guang in the sky: "As for this path, it's extremely, extremely difficult—they don't really cultivate at all, they're not on the same path as us; they rely on some strange and unusual methods to draw the Immortal Court's attention."

"But he still has to follow this guiding Jin Guang up to the Immortal Court before a specific immortal rank will be arranged for him; right now, in terms of actual strength, he might not even match any random disciple under your gate."

"I can understand where the suffering comes from—this hundred-thousand-year Hongze really hasn't been peaceful; what puzzles me is how he managed, in just a hundred thousand years, to dissolve all that killing and grievance."

Hearing this, Shen Yi fell silent and gazed toward the place where the Jin Guang was.

A hundred thousand years? Where did it take that long.

When he had made his choice back then between the Dao Infant and the Yin Spirit, it seemed he had chosen the wrong path.

Lady Qinghua, you really deserved to die.

……

"Hmm?"

Within the secret realm of the back mountain of the Peach Blossom Villa, a vassal of the General Nanyang Sect.

A massive figure clad in dark gold sat against the mountain, its dark gold feathered cape swaying slightly, looking infinitely majestic.

But in the next moment, it opened its eyes, and the pupils that should have been terrifying held a few degrees of dazed confusion.

Lady Qinghua said in panic, "Master, what mistake did Qinghua make? Qinghua will never do it again!"

"It's nothing."

A sigh echoed in her mind.

Shen Yi fell silent for a long time, suddenly experiencing the feeling others usually had when looking at him: "How did you do it?"

He was now truly curious about how the other party had attracted the attention of the Immortal Court in such a short time.

Hearing this, Qinghua pondered for a moment, her confusion deepening: "Wasn't it taught by Master? The Golden Body Prison-Suppressing Dharma Image..."

Immediately, she began to explain the recent events to Shen Yi in detail.

Originally, when Shen Yi left her at the Peach Blossom Villa, he only wanted her to dissolve those innocent, wrongly killed mortal vengeful souls.

For Qinghua, who had once digested endless impure thoughts in the General Nanyang sacred land, this matter was truly simple.

The problem lay in the method the master and servant had discussed at that time.

That is, using the souls of demons and monsters as a prison to forcibly suppress the impure thoughts.

Qinghua habitually used the same method, and then discovered something was wrong.

After she condensed the vengeful souls within the Peach Blossom Villa into something resembling a "demon soul," they began to actively wander outside, starting to digest the souls of those who perished in the calamity of death, buried in the waters of Yu Nanhong and even farther away.

One became ten, ten became a hundred... things quickly got out of control.

Rather than saying she was dissolving resentment, it was more like raising poison insects; the entire process had nothing to do with her, it was completely the cultivators who had died once, in the form of vengeful souls, engaging in a second life-and-death struggle in a place invisible to the naked eye.

Only the victor had the qualification to merge into the Prison-Suppressing Golden Body, transforming into the purest soul-thought.

Among the difficult things in the world, none are harder than time reversing.

Qinghua gave these lost souls a chance to have all grievances erased; the victor avenges, the defeated... the defeated lose even their vengeful souls, so naturally the grudge is erased.

This is true great merit.

Even if others wanted to take this path, they would have to ferry the lost souls one by one.

With the support of the strange method of the Prison-Suppressing Golden Body, which carried a bit of demonic aura, the hundred-thousand-year calamity of Hongze finally, within a short time, became a tonic for a single person.

"..."

Shen Yi's silence was deafening.

This should have been his opportunity.

After all, that method was one of the few things he had figured out on his own.

What the hell is this so-called immortal technique; this is the true method of ascending to immortality!

He, Shen Mou, created this method; he should have the qualification to become an immortal!

"Forget it, you go first."

Shen Yi sighed with regret; some things, once missed, are missed; often, choice is more important than effort, even more important than the panel.

Very well, at least from now on he would have someone above him.

Might as well think more openly... damn it, I can't think openly.

"Master—"

Qinghua always felt Master was a bit strange today, but since the matter was urgent, she said softly, "Qinghua cannot leave; I am being watched."

The Jin Guang in the sky gradually dimmed; although this path was deeply carved into her mind, this sky, gradually returning to normal, seemed to be announcing something.

Even the cultivators of the Four Hongs with names and surnames showed confusion on their faces; until now, they still had not seen the figure of the Merit Immortal within the curtain of Jin Guang.

"Hmm?"

On the Immortal Carriage, Shen Yi suddenly frowned, disregarding the presence of several Zongzhu nearby, and directly took control of Qinghua's body.

When he opened his eyes again, the Peach Blossom Villa in his line of sight was much clearer; he slowly stood up. Having not performed a similar action for too long, this perspective of over ten zhang made Shen Yi feel somewhat unaccustomed, and this body was also excessively weak.

In the instant of entering the Golden Body Dharma Image.

Shen Yi immediately felt what kind of terrifying sensation Qinghua's "being watched" was.

It was as if bone-chilling frost covered his entire body, or as if steel knives were pressed against his lower back; if he took another step, he would be completely chopped into fragments.

"Hoo."

Shen Yi adjusted his breathing, as if guessing something, and struggled to lift his head to look at the sky.

In the next moment, even with his current knowledge and experience, he couldn't help but tighten his whole body.

He saw that within the vast sky, that terrifying Bai Xi had completely awakened; its feet stepped on the lands of the Four Hongs, its broad head lowered, and that huge eye pupil seemed capable of containing heaven and earth.

At this moment, that eye pupil was less than a thousand zhang away from Shen Yi.

Inside the pupil, there was only this dark gold body of over ten zhang.

Bai Xi was silent as a dead object, without even breathing; it simply slowly pressed its head down, as if the waters of the Four Hongs had overturned onto Shen Yi, forcibly pressing him back down into a seated position.

The expression of the Prison-Suppressing Golden Body became increasingly indifferent, just like the elegant Young Master in white robes as pure as snow within its body, gritting his teeth, his pair of eyes filled with unspeakable ferocity, yet having absolutely no way out.

Merit Immortal, Merit Immortal; once you ascend to the Immortal Court, you are an Immortal.

Before that, sit down!

Bai Xi did not speak, yet Shen Yi's heart strangely had this feeling.

He gazed directly at that huge eye, exhaled a long breath, and finally closed his eyes.

After all, he was a person who had served as a constable in Bo Yun County; such a simple principle was actually easy to figure out.

Hongze was the jurisdiction of that Immortal, a fiefdom ordered by the Immortal Court for him to guard.

Then, under such circumstances, what does it mean that Nanhong has produced a Merit Immortal formed by dissolving resentment and killing intent?

Under your watch, where did this great calamity of killing come from, where did so much resentment come from?!

It is just as if a great benefactor who opened a shed to distribute porridge appeared in the county magistrate's city, saving countless starving people, avoiding corpses everywhere, his virtuous name spreading far and wide to the imperial court.

And this county town was originally a prosperous land.

If the imperial court learns of this virtuous name, would they not praise you, this county magistrate, for managing so well?

Shen Yi saw a trace of fear in the white rhino's eyes for the first time; a treasure certainly has no emotions, so this fear must come from the master behind it.

He, with a cultivation of perfect Earth Realm, had made a true Immortal feel fear.

Speaking of it, it seems quite worth bragging about.

A rare trace of helplessness showed on Shen Yi's lips; he recognized the reality that the Golden Body was imprisoned here, the matter could not be done, struggle was useless.

But even if he was unfamiliar with the Immortal Court, he did not believe that Hongze Daxian would dare to strike a Merit Immortal who had attracted the attention of those above.

The matter was indeed as Shen Yi had predicted.

After seeing the Golden Body sit back down, the white rhino stopped lowering its head, returned to the sky, and fell into sleep... even though it had fallen asleep, it still kept one eye open, staring at Taoyuan Villa.

That Immortal must not have yet decided how to treat this future "colleague."

Above the Nanhongqi Sect, between the Immortal carriages.

Ye Jiu rubbed his neck, withdrew his gaze: "Could it be that damn thing causing trouble again? What is this Merit Immortal waiting for? Shouldn't he quickly ascend to heaven while Jin Guang has not yet scattered? Is he waiting for the Immortal Court to forget him? Strange!"

Hongze is not a great place; even the merit gathered from a hundred thousand years of killing calamity is not a big matter for the Immortal Court.

If one wants to enjoy a good Immortal salary, one must certainly strike while the iron is hot.

The other sect leaders also slowly furrowed their brows: "It is indeed a bit strange."

Before everyone, Shen Yi's eyes regained their divine light; he quietly watched the Jin Guang in the sky completely dissipate and murmured in that unfluctuating voice: "Strange?"

"It seems there is a little."

Shen Yi took a deep breath, concealing the turmoil in his deep eyes.

Cutting off someone's money is like killing their parents; let alone cutting off someone's Immortal path. Although they have not yet met, this grudge is huge.

"Hmm?"

Ye Jiu looked over with some confusion; for some reason, Shen Zongzhu, who had been calm and composed even when actually killing people before, now had a touch of chilling killing intent in his voice that made him hear it.

(End of this chapter)