Chapter 581

"Old man pays homage to Shen Zongzhu."

Only after Baohua Sect had fully relocated all its cultivators into the He Dao sacred land did its sect leader formally bow again.

Among He Dao cultivators, there are still differences in strength; after witnessing what had just transpired, she bestowed upon Shen Yi the same respect she would give to true Tian-jing masters like Ye Jiu and Ji Jingxi.

No wonder the Seven Sons still had strength left to support Baohua Sect.

Even after Nanlong Palace summoned Qi Family's eldest, the number of Tian-jing masters was still one short.

No wonder Nanlong Palace had gone mad like this.

Even if it were myself, upon learning that the enemy had such a rapidly growing young prodigy, I too would be unable to sleep or eat.

How long their necks remain attached depends on when this young man awakens—how could those proud dragon clans accept such a thing?

Upon seeing Shen Yi, the Baohua Sect leader's many doubts instantly cleared.

She quickly explained to Shen Yi the current situation in Nan Hong.

The two sect leaders of Banshan Sect added from the side: "Shen Zongzhu, to resolve this matter smoothly, you must make a decisive choice soon."

For the old Huang, Shen Yi's displayed strength, though terrifying, was still within his expectations… more accurately, after all that had happened previously, even if Shen Zongzhu now dove into the water and killed the Nanlong King, he might still find it reasonable, despite being stunned.

But some things cannot be solved by strength alone.

Shen Zongzhu's current strength is still insufficient.

Though Tian-jing masters lord over the world, to rely solely on one's own power to protect all of Nan Hong is sheer fantasy.

Those minor vassal factions, when facing He Dao great demons, cannot even hold out for ten breaths—let alone resist—unless the great demon is not yet hungry.

Perhaps if all seven of Nan Hong's sons combined their strength, they could manage it.

But those sect leaders are currently entangled by Nanlong Palace and cannot spare any hands.

At this moment, the number of demons, and from which direction they will strike first, are all unknowns—no matter how strong Shen Zongzhu is, he cannot be everywhere at once.

Indeed, the Baohua Sect leader clearly noticed Shen Zongzhu hesitating for a moment.

No matter who faced this, they would find it extremely difficult.

"Understood."

After a brief pause, Shen Yi gave a slight nod in assent.

He had anticipated Xilong Palace's intervention, but never imagined they would send all those great demons to Nan Hong precisely when he was most short of Zhen Shi…

Of course, he knew what these Jade-Horned Silver Dragons were thinking—luring out Wan Yao Dian was indeed a clever tactic.

But the problem is, only An Yi and Yu Lan, the two sect leaders bearing Dragon Blood Talismans, can be detected by Xilong Palace—and right now, both Zhen Shi are placed within Nanyang Sacred Land, used to prevent accidents, and will not emerge.

Moreover, resolving this demonic calamity boils down to sheer numbers.

As for quality, even the strongest Ke Shisan is merely a mid-Tian-jing, far inferior to Long Wang-level experts.

But in numbers… Shen Yi has never feared anyone.

Thinking thus, he raised his palm to take leave: "I rely on you two to guard this place for now—send word to Nanyang Sect if anything happens."

As long as the message reaches Nanyang Sacred Land, where the two sect leaders are stationed, Shen Yi will receive it instantly.

"Rest assured, Shen Zongzhu—we swear to fulfill our duty and protect this sect at all costs," the Banshan Sect leader vowed with a solemn bow.

"… "

Shen Yi did not mean this—he wanted these two to simply keep watch over those great demons and prevent them from fleeing.

These are all precious materials for my breakthrough to Tian-jing.

But he said nothing, turned on his heel, and as his ink-black robe rippled slightly, he and the two massive demon corpses were swallowed whole by black clouds, vanishing swiftly into the horizon.

Under cover of the black clouds, Shen Yi skillfully condensed two Zhen Shi.

These ape and avian demons, familiar enough to match Banshan Sect Leader's level, were no ordinary beasts—they were both mid-Di-jing great demons, merely crushed by divine arts.

Together, they provided over 300,000 years of demonic lifespan; to reshape two demonic souls, he might still fall short by roughly 300,000 years.

Fortunately, Shen Yi was now wealthy beyond measure and did not care for such minor losses.

【Remaining demonic lifespan: 3,110,000 years】

Corpses turned to rivers of blood; the Zhen Shi suddenly opened their eyes.

"An Yi."

Shen Yi slightly lifted his gaze; within Nanyang Sacred Land, the petite stone form of An Yi received the message, and Wan Yao Xi Dian swiftly opened, establishing a connection with the two great demon Zhen Shi.

Simultaneously, the crimson hue within the brilliant Jin Guang of Xiancheng grew even denser; under the flickering crimson light, even the majestic Xiancheng seemed to gain an added aura of ferocity.

The spirit is the most vital thing for a cultivator; the Yin-Yang Jade Pendant possesses both soul-severing and spirit-protecting effects—prioritizing its enhancement is the most prudent choice.

Beyond the changes to the Xiancheng Dao Bing, Shen Yi took a deep breath and faintly sensed that, under An Yi's bloodline pull, the aura of the thing gestating within Xi Dian had grown markedly clearer.

Only by birthing a divine art from the bloodlines of countless demons can one ascend to the Tian-jing level.

The next instant, the two Zhen Shi burst from the black clouds, darting off in opposite directions!

…

Beyond the waters of Nan Hong's Seven Sons, the sound of war drums never ceased.

Inside the massive dragon carriage, the Nanlong King closed his eyes to rest, while his two eldest dragon sons sat on either side.

Qi Zhaoyi held a conch shell, directing the dragon palace demon troops he had brought, swiftly moving through the water to deliver letters to the hands of the Xihong great demons—including the complete distribution map of all Nan Hong Seven Sons' vassals.

Years of mutual standoff had made these two bitter enemies know each other better than anyone else.

"My Lord, the letters have been delivered…"

From the conch came the urgent voice of a demon soldier—but before he could finish, a sickening crunching sound erupted.

Crunch. Crunch.

"You vile beast! I am a deputy general of Xilong Palace! Release me at once! Aaah—"

"Let go! Please… let go! My Lord!!"

As the demon soldier's terrified screams faded into silence, only wild laughter remained on the other end of the conch.

Qi Zhaoyi's expression was calm, his chest rising and falling slightly; he set down the conch, cutting off that shrill laughter.

These demons were driven out of Xi Hong by my father's forces; it's natural they harbor resentment toward Xi Hong's dragon soldiers. Though somewhat embarrassing, this is not the time to settle scores.

All we need do is deliver the "menu" to these great demons, so they know where to feed.

Once we've completely eradicated the Seven Sons of Nan Hong's spies, we'll control all intelligence across their land and water—then we, the Celestial Realm great demons, won't need to linger here constantly.

We can take our time deciding how to subdue these great demons later.

Of course, there are exceptions.

Qi Zhaoyi waved his hand lightly; two demon soldiers pulled back the heavy curtain of the dragon carriage, revealing a slender figure outside.

The newcomer's skin was pale, covered entirely in frost; his face looked youthful, yet his beard trailed down to his knees. His tattered robes hung like rotting cloth, as if he'd just been dragged from a frozen abyss.

"Shen Shan Laozu, I offer my respects."

Qi Zhaoyi rose and bowed respectfully toward the man.

"Your father led your brothers to disturb my cultivation, destroyed my Cold Mountain, forced me to flee all the way here—and now you come playing the good cop? How laughable."

Shen Shan Laozu stepped slowly into the dragon carriage, his gaze sweeping over the towering figure at the very back. With the Southern Long Wang present, he did not dare act too boldly.

"This…"

Qi Zhaoyi paused, then smiled: "Laozu, you misunderstand. The situation arose suddenly—it was all for your own good. After feasting during the Killing Calamity, you closed yourself off in seclusion and never learned that Xi Hong now has a Wan Yao Dian, which enslaves all great demon clans, especially those with high cultivation."

"Of course, our Xi Long Gong has its own interests too. If a powerhouse like Shen Shan Laozu were caught off-guard, ambushed and captured by the Wan Yao Dian, it would be disastrous for us—your strength makes even us wary."

"There was no time to explain, so we resorted to this tactic. My father sent me to meet you in Nan Hong, so we could watch each other's backs."

After these few words from the eldest son of the Xi Long Gong, Shen Shan Laozu's expression softened slightly; even if he were reclusive, he still had a few disciples and apprentices running errands.

He had heard rumors of the Wan Yao Dian, which had already shaken the demon forces of Xi Hong.

"Flowery words—I've heard enough."

Shen Shan Laozu shook his head coldly: "You want me to serve as your vanguard against those three cultivators? You must think me a fool."

Many years ago, regardless of external causes, those three were equals to the many powers of Bei Hong.

Especially Ye Jiu—today, Shen Shan Laozu still feared his blade.

Even if the Southern Long Wang himself joined me, making four against three, our chances remain slim, given those three hold the advantage of their sacred grounds.

Even if we won at great cost, as an outsider, how could I possibly seize any spoils from under the Long Gong's nose?

If I were foolish enough to make such a deal, I wouldn't be alive today.

"Tsk! Laozu, you overthink!"

Qi Zhaoyi waved his hand earnestly: "I invited you here today not only to warn you not to return to Xi Hong or let the Seven Sons discover your presence, avoiding danger—but primarily to apologize."

He produced a map, much smaller than those given to other demons, bearing only the locations of Nan Yang Sect's vassals.

"This is the grand feast prepared for you by Nan Hong."

"With us guarding those three Celestial Realm cultivators, Laozu may feast freely, at your leisure."

"…."

Hearing this, Shen Shan Laozu hesitated for a moment.

Such unrestrained feasting had only happened once before—during the last Killing Calamity—and had forged his current strength.

That previous Calamity began when the Eastern Long Gong and Nan Hong's Seven Sons offended the Immortals, weakening them temporarily; other factions, eager to curry favor with the Immortals or simply covet their lands, joined forces to slaughter the vassal sects that had once relied on those two giants.

The slaughter grew wild, spiraling into a massive war engulfing all Four Hongs.

Under such circumstances,

he had to fight desperately against other cultivators or demons just to survive.

Now, the Southern Long Gong and this Qi family heir are guarding his back, letting him feast freely—he didn't believe there was no trap here.

But he'd come already, and was wounded under the Western Long Wang's hand—he truly needed to replenish his strength.

Even if he ate his fill, he wouldn't fight alongside these dragon folk. If things turned sour, he'd simply renounce all ties and head north to digest his gains.

"Then I shall not refuse your kindness."

Shen Shan Laozu reached out and took the map, nodded slightly, then turned and left the dragon carriage.

Once he was fully gone,

the Southern Long Wang finally opened his eyes and gave his assessment: "This demon is much stronger. Ten percent chance of victory."

Though he didn't name the other person, both dragon princes knew he was comparing Shen Shan Laozu to Shen Yi.

"Ko Shu is right, but I still wonder—could the Nan Yang Sect Lord truly be so foolish?"

Qi Zhaoyi knew little of Nan Hong's Seven Sons, but he still couldn't believe a prodigy with such talent—who could secure victory simply by cultivating in peace—would risk himself over this.

Even if the boy were willing, would these sect lords really stand by and watch?

"Hah."

The Crown Prince of the Ko family, wearing heavy armor, slowly drew out a Juan Sect scroll and flipped through it idly: "Whenever Nan Yang Sect is involved—remember, every single time—he shows up. Without exception."

The Crown Prince of the Ko family stared at the scroll in his hand: "So I say: good men don't live long. The more you try to manage, the faster you die."

Though both sides pretended to ignore the Shen Zongzhu's existence, they were both watching him closely.

"Besides, even if he doesn't show up, if Shen Shan Laozu feasts and grows stronger, isn't that good for you?"

The Crown Prince of the Ko family glanced at him with displeasure; in his eyes, all these human-body medicinal treasures belonged to him—and now he'd fed an outsider.

"Hah! All thanks to Ko Shu's kindness—I, Zhaoyi, will forever remember this debt."

Qi Zhaoyi bowed deeply to the Southern Long Wang.

Indeed, how could the Wan Yao Dian possibly overlook a cultivator of Shen Shan Laozu's strength? And across the Western and Southern Hongs, only the Xi Long Gong could protect him.

Compared to those unfamiliar brothers, if Shen Shan Laozu were to accept recruitment, Qi Zhaoyi was the best choice.

"For now, let's just watch the show."

Qi Zhaoyi sat back down, gazing lazily into the distance.

He truly enjoyed this feeling.

He was right here, yet those three formidable cultivators, famous for ages, dared not take a single step forward.

After all, they were the once-renowned Seven Sages of Nanhong; to tread upon their heads, this feeling was truly too pleasant.

Especially that Ye Jiu; at the banquet earlier, he had been so audacious as to shove him, yet now, why had he gone silent?

Qi Zhaoyi was truly curious what expressions they would reveal once these cultivators knew what was about to happen; he murmured, "You possess Heaven Realm cultivation, yet after consuming years of offerings and tributes, what exactly can you protect?"

"This is merely collecting a bit of interest."

The Ke family Crown Prince exhaled lightly; previously he had felt his father was overly cowardly, but now he realized that killing the heart was the most satisfying revenge.

Sure enough, just as that Clear Moon Treasure Ship swept across the sky and landed among the Nanhongqi Sect.

The three figures guarding the Qi Sect almost simultaneously changed color.

"Are you sure there are this many?"

Ji Jingxi gritted her pearl teeth, and moonlight surged throughout her body.

The time was so urgent that it did not even leave much time for those vassal factions to evacuate.

Even though they had prepared to pay a partial price, even the most steady Qi Yansheng had not expected this price to be so devastating, involving all living beings in Nanhong.

They had once joked that if all else failed, they would close the sect and not emerge, regardless of the storms outside, having nothing to do with the Seven Sages.

Who would have thought it would become a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Yet when truly reduced to this, Ji Jingxi swept her gaze over the faces of many senior brothers, only to find that not a single one could sit still.

"Please, senior brothers, follow me out; save as many as you can."

Ji Jingxi slowly rose, looking at the several Earth Realm Shen Zongzhu, finally ceasing to play the role of the obedient junior sister: "Even if given ten guts, those old dragons would not dare to truly kill their way over."

"As for my position, go invite Shen Zongzhu to fill it; with him and senior brothers Qi and Ye guarding this place, it will be enough to deter those three dragon demons."

She hesitated not a bit, as if she had already thought it through clearly.

That group of Xihong great demons had long passed the Baohua Sect; by now they likely covered every corner of Nanhong; if they delayed any longer, it would already be too late.

"Can he do it?" Qi Yansheng glanced sideways; this position determined the life and death of the Seven Sages of Nanhong. What Ji Jingxi was responsible for was the eldest of the Qi family, a proper mid-stage Heaven Realm dragon demon, and one from the prestigious Western Long Gong; its foundation was absolutely incomparable to ordinary demons.

Seeing his junior sister nod seriously, he withdrew his gaze and spoke no more: "Everyone be careful; go invite Shen Zongzhu."

As Deng Xiangjun swiftly swept to the Nanyang Nanyang Baodi, the one who greeted him was still that same immature youth from last time.

"Shen Zongzhu is not here; if there is any matter, please inform Wushuang Shen Zongzhu, and this disciple will report back in time."

"..."

Upon hearing these words, all six figures in the sky fell into silence.

Even Ji Jingxi's eyelids twitched slightly, and her beautiful face gradually became filled with helplessness... Since meeting Shen Zongzhu, the future of the entire Seven Sages of Nanhong had suddenly become a rugged mountain range, rising and falling, with great ups and downs.

One moment it seemed they were about to step out of Hongze, becoming a true great sect of the world, directly connecting to the Immortal Court.

The next moment, it made one feel as if the entire sky had turned dim.

"I feel a bit dizzy."

Ji Jingxi gently touched her forehead, suddenly feeling somewhat dazed.

She felt the Long Gong actually did not need to design any traps or schemes; Shen Zongzhu himself would jump into the pit.

Ji Jingxi took a deep breath: "Go find him quickly... go quickly..."

The several Earth Realm Shen Zongzhu immediately turned, each retrieving a magical treasure, and swept off in different directions.

After seeing the change in expression on these Shen Zongzhu.

Inside the dragon carriage, even the corner of the Southern Long Wang's lips revealed a faint smile.

Even with the most cautious personality, having one's second son pinned to a table like a dead pig in front of one's face and then slaughtered with a single knife, how could one's heart not be enraged?

Now, it too would make these few experience the same taste.

"Uncle Ke truly knows how to destroy the Dao hearts of these cultivators."

Qi Zhaoyi offered a timely compliment, yet just then, the conch shell beside his hand trembled lightly again.

The eldest son of the Western Long Gong frowned slightly, unwillingly taking the conch; he did not know which demon general had met harm again, but he truly did not want to listen to its noise, disturbing his mind: "Escape if you can; if you cannot escape, consider it dying for our Western Long Gong..."

Just then, chaotic cries came from the other end of the conch.

"Dragon Lord!"

"That group of great demons, they started killing each other!"

Before the words had fully fallen, the three old dragons suddenly looked at each other, each seeing absurdity and disbelief in the other's eyes.

These damn fools, leaving the vast Nanhong treasure herbs untouched, rushing over here to fight to the death?

"Do the demons of your Xihong all have problems with their brains?!" The Ke family Crown Prince exclaimed in shock.

"Who knows what they are thinking." Qi Zhaoyi took several deep breaths and hurriedly said, "Is it unequal division of the spoils?"

"No..."

That demon general said blankly, "They... they seem to have turned traitor..."

The words stopped abruptly; inside the dragon carriage, only the sound of the other demon general's body and the conch being crushed together slowly echoed.

It made one's heart chill inexplicably.

(End of this chapter)