Chapter 650: How Dare You Come Out (7K Make-up, 3K Make-up, Still Owe 13K)

"What's wrong?"

Min Zhiyan was taken aback; this was the first time he had seen such obvious emotional fluctuation on the face of my lord Shen.

For a moment, he could not help but feel surprised and uncertain.

Wasn't everything fine just a moment ago?

"Nothing."

Shen Yi remained silent for a long time, quickly adjusted his breathing, shook his head, and turned to leave the Earth God Temple.

If the hatred of patricide could still be endured, then with his father's residual soul still suppressed within a magical treasure, tortured for eternity, when Ziyang personally saw the person carrying that treasure, could he truly remain rational?

One must know that Ziyang did not go alone; many old friends of Hongze accompanied him.

Besides that, if Princess Ziling saw these Hongze living beings, she would naturally know that Lingyun Shiren had encountered trouble, and going to Hongze to investigate would become a matter of course.

Shen Yi had long anticipated that the days left for him were few, but when this day truly arrived, he still felt somewhat unsettled.

If the matter of killing an Immortal Official were exposed, it would be like treason, absolutely not something one person's strength could counter.

Now, both the Walker and the Immortal paths have reached the peak of the Seventh Realm; no matter where placed, this counts as a commendable strength.

But facing such a situation, it appears completely insufficient.

"..."

Meng Xiuwen sensed the abnormality, did not ask further, simply quietly quickened his pace, led the two back to the Jianyang Prefecture, entered Ye Lan's room, dragged Ye Jing out, and casually closed the door.

One must know that even in front of an Immortal Official, this my lord Shen dared to act and slay a cultivator from the Bai Yun Cave.

If even the other party finds something headache-inducing, counting through the entire Jianyang Prefecture, the only one who might be able to help is perhaps Ye Lan.

"What happened?"

Ye Lan glanced at the tightly closed door, then looked at the young man standing before her with hands at his sides; she roughly guessed what it was: "Speak freely."

As a titled General of the Demon-Slaying Bureau, solving troubles for subordinates is inherently one's duty.

Of course, the premise is that it must not be too excessive.

Ye Lan observed Shen Yi's silent expression, recalling that the last time the other party caused such a huge trouble, he ultimately maintained an attitude of needing no help from others, which also saved her quite a few things.

She rubbed her temples, sighed lightly in her heart... very well, being slightly excessive is also acceptable.

"Shen Yi wishes to ask the General for a favor."

Shen Yi slowly clasped his hands; he rarely asked others for help, so much so that he was somewhat unfamiliar: "If possible, I hope the General can protect my few old friends and ensure they return safely to Jianyang."

"Hmm?"

Ye Lan had already prepared to hear about a huge trouble; when the words faded, she looked up in some astonishment.

Is that all?

Such a small matter is worth the other party being so cautious.

For this He Mountain Dharma Lecture, it was not only us titled Generals who went; one could say the imperial court valued this immensely and sent many great figures from the Imperial Capital.

Under such circumstances, using the name of the Demon-Slaying Bureau to protect a few people is simply too easy.

"Is there anything else? Say it all at once." Ye Lan stood up and walked behind him.

"Nothing more."

Shen Yi released his palms and said seriously: "Once this matter ends, I owe you a favor."

No one noticed that a faint, life-risking madness rose in his eyes.

Princess Ziling absolutely cannot return to the Heavens, nor can she go to Hongze.

The remaining matters are not something that can be resolved by having a colleague or superior-subordinate relationship to get others to lend a hand.

For this He Mountain journey, at all costs, I must obtain the Walker's method to reach the Sixth Realm.

"..."

Ye Lan nodded lightly; of course she would not take this young man's promise too seriously, but she could also see that Shen Yi had truly not done much asking for help, so there was no need to reject his face.

"So who exactly is trying to harm your few old friends?" she asked, looking back with some curiosity.

Shen Yi met her gaze, did not respond, simply pointed a finger at the roof.

"The Heavens?"

Ye Lan raised her eyebrows slightly, obviously somewhat unprepared.

She was curious how a group of cultivators from remote, poor villages could offend those Immortals in the Heavens.

But that was merely feeling surprised.

She quickly withdrew her gaze: "Good."

Since she had agreed, then where they came from truly did not matter.

"Let's depart."

Da Nanzhou, a certain county town.

It was noon; the entire town was already packed with people, with shoulders forming a curtain, making it hard to find a quiet place.

This place was not an exception; taking the high mountain shrouded in white clouds at the end of the sight as the center, all surrounding towns were almost the same.

Immortals and mortals mixed, bustling and extraordinary, truly a scene of a prosperous age.

That mountain was originally nameless, having only received the name 'Crane' from its shape, but from now on, it would gain another name.

The place where the Master Master Qibao Bodhisattva transmitted the Dharma.

"Huff."

Ziyang forcefully patted his chest, smoothing the excitement in his heart.

The reason for his excitement actually had little to do with He Mountain; the Bodhisattva's status was too noble, too far from a wild demon like himself; the scriptures the other party lectured on, ordinary people would likely find indistinguishable from a heavenly book.

What truly made Ziyang care was that in this small county town, wherever one looked, the powerful cultivators with extraordinary auras came into view.

These people are clearly from prestigious orthodox lineages; who knows, one of them might have a direct master-disciple connection to the Immortal Court.

"Look more, talk more. Perhaps some Immortal will be willing to take you in and reshape your Dao body for you."

Zi Yang softly reminded the person beside him.

If it were for others, he still harbored a selfish motive, hoping that once these people gained opportunities, they would remember him, remember the old dragon of Dong Hong who died miserably, and lend a hand when the time came.

But for Xuan Qing, this former prospective brother-in-law, he was left only with a heart full of guilt, truly wishing the other well.

"Good."

Xuan Qing nodded lightly; as he saw more, that faint timidity in his eyes gradually faded away.

Since leaving Hong Ze and arriving in this brand-new world he should have stepped into long ago but had delayed for a full hundred thousand years, this former prodigy of Yu Nanhong finally began to slowly regain some of his former spirit.

How vast are heaven and earth, how profound are the supernatural arts of the world; his path has not been cut off, one could even say it has just begun, and everything can start anew.

The people Zi Yang brought this time were not many.

They were basically the group for whom the Earth God would find it difficult to locate suitable paths for them in the short term.

Xuan Qing had lost his Dao body; Ye Jiu and Ji Jingxi, on the other hand, had cultivation too high, having reached the Heavenly Realm. Serving as ordinary elders in other sects would be a waste of talent, yet to seek entry into a true Immortal lineage required waiting for an opportunity, something not achievable in a short time.

Coming to He Mountain this time was also to try their luck.

As for Zi Xian, she had already become a Xingyun Envoy; the two siblings working together had made Jianyang Prefecture enjoy favorable weather, filling the gaps that the Immortal Court could not attend to in such minute detail.

The five did not notice that among the crowd, two figures were silently watching them.

"Are these the old friends Lord Shen wants to protect?"

Meng Xiuwen crossed his arms, not finding it troublesome; their group of Demon Slayers was meant to hide within the crowd, cooperating with the imperial court to control order, nothing more than keeping an extra eye on a few people.

He was just somewhat surprised.

A remote, small place could actually produce so many promising talents, ones even he found quite excellent.

In Shenzhou, cultivation level really isn't that important.

The Immortal Court can rely on a single great seal to make mortals become Immortals on the spot; although many Xianzongda Sects cannot achieve a similar degree, as long as talent and comprehension are suitable and the sect values them, advancing a realm in a single day is nothing out of the ordinary.

"It is about to begin."

Ye Jing slowly placed her palm on the sword hilt.

Sure enough, the next moment, the entire county town... indeed this entire world, seemed to come to a standstill.

With the vision of this group of powerful cultivators, it was easy to part the clouds and see the true form of He Mountain's peak.

Even Hong Ze and the others, who had not come for the Bodhisattva, could not help their curiosity and looked together towards the distance.

They saw that on the flat mountain peak, under the arrangement of Puti Sect disciples, a golden lotus throne had already been set up.

Below the lotus throne, many meditation cushions were arranged in front and back.

There were only forty-nine in the front, while the back had more, but not exceeding five hundred, occupying all the space around the lotus throne.

Do not think these are just ordinary meditation cushions; the value of each far exceeds those so-called heavenly treasures and earthly gems.

To occupy one of them requires not only unimaginable wealth but also sufficient background and strength to support it.

To put it bluntly, even the very last one, to take a seat, must belong to a great sect with a master-disciple lineage in the heavens.

Among Hong Ze's group, even the most proud and arrogant Ye Jiu would not think he had a chance to sit below that lotus throne.

However, for them, this was also an opportunity to broaden their horizons.

When seeking opportunities, one must first figure out which sects count as opportunities.

The clouds suddenly moved gently.

On the lotus throne, at some unknown time, a figure appeared whose gender was indistinguishable; his attire was simple, a plain grey long robe, and compared to those ascetic monks, the only advantage was that he did not need to bare his right shoulder.

He sat cross-legged.

The moment he pressed his palms together and raised his eyes slightly, seven bursts of Jin Guang suddenly surged forth behind him, like seven great suns, instantly turning the sky into a pale yellow hue.

Buddha light shines everywhere!

In an instant, this Master Master Qibao Bodhisattva did not speak, yet a chanting sound like a great bronze bell resonated outward; it was syllables of unknown specific meaning that inexplicably caused the excitement in everyone's hearts to quietly fade, making them much calmer and more peaceful.

"This cultivation level has already reached a degree that no one can comprehend."

Ye Jiu's face showed complexity; he had been the sharp sword of Yu Nanhong for countless years, yet this Bodhisattva, with just a single syllable, erased all his sharpness.

"Nonsense... do you know what it means to be comparable to third-rank?"

Zi Yang stared tightly at He Mountain; if it weren't for accidentally encountering the Bodhisattva expounding the Dharma, a group of scattered cultivators and wild demons like themselves would never in a lifetime hope to glimpse the true form of a third-rank Immortal official.

Those are existences who hold the laws of heaven and earth.

A single word or action of theirs affects not the lives of living beings, but the operation of this entire world.

Even if they are not officials of the Immortal Court, placed within the Daosan Sect, they would be at the level of a sect ancestor.

When the Buddha sound penetrated their ears, figures finally rose into the air beneath He Mountain.

Even though they were honored as Zongzhu of various sects, no one would summon an Immortal carriage or magical treasure; they even dared only to fly to the mountain's midsection, then immediately descended to climb the mountain steps on foot, sitting quietly on their own meditation cushions, daring not to overstep by even a hair.

This was respect for the Puti Sect Venerable.

However, the appearance of each of these humble ones caused the cultivators of similarly high realms in the town to emit waves of exclamations.

"Quick! Write it all down."

Zi Yang dared not delay even a moment, reminding the others to record the sects and master-disciple lineages of these senior experts, as well as the skills by which they were famous, down to the smallest details and even minor quirks, refusing to let anything slip.

What is an opportunity? This is an opportunity!

"Tsk."

In the distance, Meng Xiuwen nodded appreciatively.

If he had possessed such thoughts in his youth, he would not have ended up falling into the pit of the Demon Slayers Bureau.

With talent, perseverance, and the thick skin to endure, how could one not succeed?

【118】 He was now even more curious about the small place where Lord Shen came from; what kind of land of spiritual beauty and talent could raise such a group of people?

He was now even more curious about the small place where Lord Shen was from; what kind of spiritually rich and blessed land could have raised such a group of people?

Finally, nearly five hundred meditation cushions were all occupied.

By now, very few figures were leaping up from the foot of the mountain; on the contrary, radiant flashes of splendor began to glimmer across the heavens!

Accompanied by celestial music, figures gradually emerged from the clouds, heading toward Heshan.

"Immortal officials arrive to observe the ceremony!"

The towns gradually began to boil with excitement. Today, not only could they see those lofty Bodhisattvas and Venerables, the many seniors and titans, but they could also catch a glimpse of the true bearing of those genuine immortals.

The names shouted from the crowd grew ever louder.

Ziyang and the others no longer bothered to record, and instead relaxed as they watched the spectacle.

Among these immortal officials, there were even those of the sixth-rank—true, proper immortals—already far beyond their reach, with no possibility of contact whatsoever.

Moreover, these people were actually seated at the very end among those forty-nine meditation cushions.

Thinking of this, a thick layer of anticipation could not help but creep into the expressions of the few. What manner of person could possibly be qualified to take the foremost seat beneath the Bodhisattva's lotus platform?

At last, a wisp of incomparably resplendent Jin Guang descended upon the world.

Two figures landed side by side on the first row of cushions. The one in front was a young Miss of extraordinary immortal bearing; behind her stood a burly, powerfully built man with a thick mane of golden hair.

Once the two were truly seen, the towns instead fell silent.

The strangest thing of all was that everyone knew the two held high status, yet no one could recognize them.

At that very same moment.

The anticipation and smiles on Ziyang and Senior Zi Xian's faces instantly froze; even their features began to twitch slightly. The two stared wide-eyed, gasping for heavy breaths, their eyes filled with panic and helplessness.

Especially upon seeing the pretty little gourd swaying gently at the young Miss's waist.

Ziyang's neck stiffened, veins bulging, his skin trembling, bloodshot threads spreading through his eyes. A wisp of purple beard poked out from his jaw, and fine scales began spreading from beside his ears toward his face.

Behind the brother and sister, a wooden figure, looking rather shabby, quietly gazed at that graceful silhouette.

She was the woman he had, for a hundred thousand years, wished he could devour alive, flesh and bone.

A hundred thousand years, and he could only stand at the foot of the mountain as a bystander, while she was already able to stand before the Bodhisattva, calm and composed.

If so... the choice made back then truly was not bad.

"Throughout all of Hongze, only she is worthy of this." Ye Jiu sighed softly, gently offering counsel to his own martial nephew.

Old friends meet again; things remain, but people have changed.

"It's time to go."

Xuanqing did not show excessive emotion. After a brief daze, he reached out and pressed Ziyang's shoulder: "Don't cause trouble for Shen Zongzhu."

This trip was not a stroke of fortune, but a great catastrophe.

A great catastrophe that would implicate all of Hongze.

Having once experienced a similar event, Xuanqing had finally learned what it meant to let go, for now.

"Y-yes... it's time to go... let's go... quickly, go!"

Ziyang bit through his lip, covered his face with his hand, and turned in panic, wanting to flee.

The five quickly pushed through the crowd, heading toward the outskirts of the town, with only that woman's familiar, gentle voice lingering in their ears.

"Under the command of General Qingluan Xuanwei, Princess Ziling, together with my colleagues, come in our master's stead to observe the ceremony and pay homage to the Master Master Qibao Bodhisattva."

Once these words were spoken, the cultivators in the towns finally broke their silence, and exclamations of awe rose once more.

So that was it—no wonder she could occupy such a position; she had actually come representing that legendary immortal general!

These exclamations were like sharp blades piercing the heart, stabbing viciously into the bodies of the Hongze few.

The more glorious that woman became, the more it proved how correct the decision she had made back then was, while the Hongze cultivators standing on the opposite side of her were like a joke.

The two greatest jokes among them were none other than Ziyang and Xuanqing.

Being born in this small backwater, one could only truly soar by taking the very path she had taken.

"..."

Ji Jingxi could not help but glance back.

Her pupils then contracted slightly.

She saw that from the long-silent foot of the mountain, two more figures had actually stepped onto the clouds and risen.

"Under the seat of the Sanxian Sect's Daluo Immortal Venerable Shenxu Laozu, third-generation disciple Ye Lan, together with my fellow junior brothers, come to observe the ceremony."

Her faint voice echoed around the mountain range. In truth, she needed no introduction at all. The instant the woman in the clouds touched the ground, the surrounding towns, centered on Heshan, had already exploded.

"It's Ancestor Ye Lan!"

"She hasn't shown herself in the cultivation world for many years now. Has she emerged from seclusion with further progress in her cultivation? Or is she simply bringing her junior brothers out to see the world?"

The master of the foremost seat, awaited by all, ultimately proved to be worthy of the name.

Shenxu Laozu, the Daluo Immortal Venerable—both belonged to the third-rank.

And this Ancestor Ye Lan had once been the most brilliant among his third-generation disciples of all branches; it was only later, for reasons unknown, that she suddenly vanished from all news.

Under the gaze of the crowd, Ye Lan slowly walked up to that first meditation cushion, yet did not sit down.

She cast a light glance at the young Miss in the purple-Bai Long skirt beside her: "..."

Princess Ziling, who had originally been gazing toward a certain town below the mountain, was caught by that glance and immediately realized something.

The corner of her lip twitched almost imperceptibly. She swiftly rose to her feet, yielded the second cushion, and respectfully smiled toward the silent young man in dark robes: "Senior, please."

The young man seemed rather aloof and proud, unwilling even to return a smile. He merely lifted the hem of his robe slightly and sat down directly.

Faced with such a cold, rigid attitude, the smile on Princess Ziling's face grew even more strained.

In terms of backing, the other's superior was the Daluo Immortal Venerable, far surpassing her own master. In terms of status, the two before her were genuine disciples of an Immortal Venerable, while she was merely a mount.

Even if slapped in the face, she could only endure it.

Moreover...

Princess Ziling settled for the next best thing, sitting down on the cushion behind.

He glanced once more toward the foot of the mountain.

She was no longer the Dao-merged purple-maned white dragon she once had been. Under the many rewards bestowed by General Qingluan, her cultivation had undergone earth-shaking changes.

With her current strength, her perception of killing intent was extremely acute.

All the more so for killing intent that sharp—beneath it lurked an aura identical to her own.

She had already seen what that person looked like. Truly… so many old acquaintances.

Princess Ziling's face showed a trace of reminiscence, and a smile resurfaced on her features.

As the saying goes, returning home in glory.

Yet she did not enjoy such hollow things. On the contrary, she only hoped this group would never come out for the rest of their lives—best if they all died in that stinking, foul-smelling pond.

Princess Ziling quietly clenched her teeth, adding a few shades of coldness to that sweet smile.

Lingyun Shiren, you deserve to die.

How could you let them out? Or is it that you're already dead?

Enough. Beneath the Bodhisattva's feet, I dare not commit the sin of killing.

Let this group leave on their own, lest their heads hit the ground and soil the Bodhisattva's eyes.

It's time I went back to look at that stinking pond myself—see if it's grown even more foul.

Just a few feet away from Princess Ziling—

Shen Yi sat cross-legged, calmly watching the figure on the lotus platform ahead.

Whether it was the seating order or anything else, none of it seemed to stir even the slightest reaction from this noble Bodhisattva.

He simply waited quietly for everyone to gather, then began to expound his Dharma.

As for whether those below listened or not, or what filth they hid in their hearts, it had nothing to do with him.

"…"

Shen Yi closed his eyes. Ever since that time he had borrowed the Golden Body to meet this woman, he had known full well that this purple-maned white dragon had risen to her present position by reading faces and moods, and through a terrifyingly delicate mind.

The other party had absolutely already detected the presence of Ziyang and the others.

And at the same time—

Shen Yi also sensed this white dragon's strength… a being on the same level as Meng Xiuwen.

A hundred thousand years in the Immortal Court had truly nurtured this woman to a height mortal cultivators could scarcely hope to match.

Ziyang, who once stood at the same realm or even higher, still languished to this day in the Heavenly realm, while she had already stepped effortlessly into the Heavenly Immortal realm.

And what was even more terrifying was the golden-haired burly man beside her.

The perception this one gave Shen Yi was strange—not as overwhelmingly powerful as Ye Lan, so probably not fifth-rank, yet utterly unlike a sixth-rank cultivator like Meng Xiuwen.

To keep him here in the mortal world… with his current strength alone, it was far from enough.

Thinking of this, Shen Yi opened his eyes again and began to observe his surroundings.

The Bodhisattva's Dharma exposition seemed to have only him present, but in truth Puti Sect disciples were everywhere around.

And he only needed to encounter one—encounter that person who could complete the path of the sixth rank.

"You promised me—stay obediently by my side."

Ye Lan slightly turned her gaze, sending her voice into his ear.

She had helped Shen Yi protect that group of old friends, but in exchange, this boy had to rein in his temper on this trip.

After all, the matters on the other party's body were trivial.

Today's Dharma exposition itself was the truly great matter that had even the imperial court furious.

"…"

Shen Yi said nothing, turning his gaze back to the lotus platform ahead.

The Bodhisattva finally opened his golden mouth, and in an instant, the resonant Buddhist voice once again filled heaven and earth. Not only could the cultivators among the cushions hear it, but even the ordinary mortals below the mountain—those who were not cultivators—could hear every word with perfect clarity.

In an instant, Ye Lan's expression shifted slightly.

A Dharma exposition that distinguishes not good from evil, not loyal from treacherous, not even immortal from mortal—where in this world is there such a logic for transmitting the Dharma?

At the same time, Shen Yi was also slightly stunned.

The reason he was dazed was simple: what the Bodhisattva was expounding, he actually understood.

It was… the Three Kalpas Lotus Platform Dharma.

……

In the town at the foot of the mountain—

The few who had fled in haste all paused their steps slightly.

Led by Ji Jingxi, they had all seen everything that happened at the mountaintop—that lofty woman had actually been forced to step back and choose a cushion one rank lower.

This was no great matter in itself; after all, there are always mountains beyond mountains, and heavens beyond heavens.

Princess Ziling did not need to be stronger than every other living being under heaven; she only needed to be stronger than the people of Hongze, and that was enough.

What truly shocked the few of them was that the other party's cushion had been yielded to a person from Hongze.

That was Shen Zongzhu!

The instant they saw Shen Yi sit down quietly, even Xuan Qing fell into a brief daze.

This young man, first met beyond Nanyang, the moment he sat down, once again straightened the spine of Hongze.

He was the Lord of Hongze—not some immortal's mount, nor anyone's running dog.

"Go!"

Ziyang growled in a low voice. Though it was the same word as before, the feeling contained within it was entirely different.

Even if he spent his whole life as a wild demon of the Heavenly realm, he could never bring himself to stab a Dao-companion in the back, frame his own father, imprison his father's soul—such filthy, despicable deeds.

"Wait… the ones they offended—could it really be that person?"

Meng Xiuwen clicked his tongue; he had been watching this group the whole time, and the moment Princess Ziling showed herself, their reaction had already said everything.

It wasn't fear of anything — after all, the imperial court was watching here, nothing major could go wrong.

He was simply quite surprised that a group of cultivators who hadn't even entered the Taiyi Zhenxian realm could be connected to a fifth-rank immortal general's mount.

And if it really were so, even Ye Lan would have quite a bit of trouble dealing with it.

So-called out on the road, your status is whatever you make it yourself.

The identity as a third-generation disciple under the Great Luo Immortal Elder was real, but the problems that arose in between were also real — otherwise Ye Lan would have to be out of her mind to join Zhan Yao Si.

Their branch of the lineage had only one seedling left.

That's right, just one seedling — even Ye Jing, her own younger sister, Ye Lan had not allowed to join this lineage succession.

"Escort them out, don't let them wander off — once they leave this place, things won't be so easy to say."

Meng Xiuwen hurried to follow, while Ye Jing obediently trailed behind.

At this moment, across all of Dananzhou, there was no place safer than the area around Heshan.

Yet the instant the two of them stepped forward, the Bodhisattva's Buddhist chant came echoing over almost simultaneously.

Listening to those sutras, clear beyond all clarity.

The two Demon Slayers turned around at the same time — even with Ye Jing's shallow experience, she sensed something was off.

She stared blankly at Heshan.

What the Bodhisattva was preaching must certainly be a cultivation method, and the Puti Sect's cultivation methods could almost all be empowered with imperial qi.

Such a profound and mysterious technique was now being transmitted to everyone without any threshold whatsoever.

Listening to it, it sounded like a fine act of saving all sentient beings.

But Ye Jing felt an inexplicable chill in her heart — even if this Bodhisattva had hit a bottleneck and needed a massive amount of human-world imperial qi to weather her heart tribulation, she couldn't just be so reckless and run amok, could she?

If villains got their hands on the technique and harbored evil intentions, by then forget one prefecture with three Demon Slayers — even multiplied by dozens of times, they might not be able to keep things in check.

Meng Xiuwen's face tightened, his gaze fixed dead on the figure atop the lotus platform, feeling as if his very mind were spinning.

"Demon monk—"

(End of this chapter)