Chapter 677: Just Loves Being Forced

The matter was not yet over.

There was no need for Jiang Mei to remind them; even the Zhao brothers, who had only just been transferred here, reacted swiftly, stepping aside to loosely surround Master Zhikong in the center.

Since they had already made a move and caused the fall of a Puti Sect Luo Han, how could they possibly let another one leave.

Even if they did not take his life, they had to at least keep the man within the imperial court.

"..."

Master Zhikong awoke from his daze and turned his head to look at the few people.

He fell silent.

Earlier, Shen Xianyou had already given one chance; it was his martial uncle who had taken the initiative to reveal his Luo Han fruit position, cutting off any path of retreat.

As an old acquaintance, the other party had been more than considerate; how could he now make things difficult for him.

Thinking of this, Master Zhikong lowered his head, pressed his palms together, slowly closed his eyes, and assumed a posture of submitting to whatever fate came.

"My apologies."

Seeing this, Jiang Mei took out her silver hook, about to pierce the monk's shoulder blades.

However, the moment she took a step, her wrist was seized by someone.

Jiang Mei turned her gaze sideways in confusion, and Master Zhikong also opened his eyes in bewilderment.

"Go, and be careful on the road."

Shen Yi did not exchange any further pleasantries that would expose the relationship between the two, merely offering a gentle reminder.

Just as Jiang Mei and the others did not trust him, this titled general, he likewise did not particularly trust these subordinates he was meeting for the first time.

"I..."

Master Zhikong suddenly swallowed, his expression somewhat moved.

Counting the matter of his two martial brothers ambushing the other party earlier, this was already the second time the Puti Sect had made a move against Shen Xianyou.

That chance encounter back then had actually saved his life twice.

The monk deliberated for a long time, then finally shook his head and said, "This time is different from before. Master Hui Zhen holds considerable standing within the sect. His fall will certainly be investigated to the end. If they know I am still alive, they will surely..."

At these words, even the three demon-slayers wore strange expressions.

The Nanyang general, who had just struck with such ruthless, decisive, almost inhuman force, was actually ordering this monk released—and before they could even get a word of dissuasion in, it was the monk himself who refused to leave?!

What surprised them even more was that even though Master Zhikong had made things so clear, Shen Yi's face showed not the slightest change; he lightly nodded his chin and said, "It's fine. I know what I'm doing."

That copy of the Dragon-Tiger Great Scripture back then had helped him deal with his greatest hidden threat after leaving Nanyang—that purple-maned white dragon.

Moreover, up to now, Shen Yi still had not encountered any trouble for slaying those two Vajra Warriors; that reason alone was enough.

"..."

Master Zhikong stood quietly in place, looking once more at the young man before him.

Beneath that violent, ferocious, thunder-like force, there was still a heart of benevolence.

Compared to Master Hui Zhen, the young man before him, who had never once set foot in the Puti Sect, was instead more like a true Luo Han.

The monk pressed his palms even tighter together, bowing deeply toward the front, as though devoutly paying homage to a Golden Body in a Buddhist hall.

After the ceremony, Zhikong said no more, turned, and headed down the mountain, his figure gradually disappearing along the rugged, broken mountain path.

Only Jiang Mei and the others were left exchanging glances, tentatively saying, "General, should we leave some kind of mark on him? If something unexpected happens, we can be prepared in advance."

"..."

Shen Yi glanced at her and said nothing.

Jiang Mei also caught on at once: if he had truly harbored suspicion, given the fierce bearing this my lord had just displayed, the monk would not even have had the chance to stand there in a daze—his skull would have exploded along with that flood dragon.

To put it even more bluntly.

Given the Buddhist seal Master Hui Zhen had just struck out, the Nanyang general need not have lifted a finger at all; he only had to dodge accordingly and refrain from lending a hand, and he could have taken the opportunity to rid himself of this troublesome old friend.

"This subordinate understands."

Jiang Mei drew a deep breath and clasped her fist tightly.

Beyond that terrifying strength, she had also gained a deeper understanding of this newly appointed titled general's character.

"Let's head back."

Shen Yi gave a soft reminder; as for the cleanup, naturally a titled general need not handle it personally.

He transformed into a streak of light and shot toward the nearest county town.

Taking the opportunity to tally the gains of this trip.

【Slain Fifth-Rank Cloud Ox, total lifespan ninety-three kalpas, remaining lifespan sixty-two kalpas, absorption complete】

【Slain Sixth-Rank Flower-Winged Blackback Blackback Jiaolong, total lifespan twenty-eight kalpas, remaining lifespan nine kalpas, absorption complete】

Shen Yi had once slain another Fifth-Rank Taiyi Demon Immortal at Venerable Bihai's place—a White-Feathered Golden Crane—with a total lifespan of barely over fifty kalpas.

By comparison, this Cloud Ox from the Puti Sect had nearly double the total lifespan, clearly having consumed quite a few lifespan-extending treasures.

No wonder one was called a demon while the other was an Luo Han worshipped by people—having a great tree to lean on really made a difference.

Apart from these two big ones, the demon soldiers and demon generals that had died across the mountains from the Heart Fire had also offered Shen Yi roughly twenty-plus kalpas of lifespan.

【Remaining demon lifespan: ninety-eight kalpas】

One sweep had netted nearly a hundred kalpas of demon lifespan; though compared to the vast amount needed to advance a Dao Fruit or fruit position toward Fourth Rank, it was still somewhat insufficient.

But this trip had broadened Shen Yi's horizons.

The lands under the Divine Dynasty did indeed have few demons and monsters, but outside there were still many demon kings of such stature—only one did not know where they were hidden within this vast world.

But if demons and evils could evade the eyes and ears of others, how could they evade the canopy of heaven overhead.

Lady Qinghua now worked under a Fourth-Rank Immortal General, so she naturally had channels for information.

If he could find the time, he might well go and try this avenue.

However, before going out, he had to think things through clearly.

Outside isn't like the Divine Dynasty — there's no suppression from that omnipresent imperial Qi. What counts is real, hard realm and real methods. You need to be prepared.

……

Xishan Prefecture.

A burly, thick-set fat man rode auspicious clouds, a hint of helplessness on his face, yet not daring to slow his movements in the slightest.

Although General Wushan verbally drew a clear line, when things truly came to a head, he still knew which side weighed heavier.

It involved the Puti Sect, and there was even a chance it was a true Luo Han.

Sending a newly promoted titled general — who probably hadn't even begun refining the imperial Qi Jin Dan bestowed by the imperial court — to handle it was truly asking too much of the man.

"Damn it all — dare to meddle in the Divine Dynasty's affairs, and sooner or later I'll tear the roof right off your temple."

Wushan rubbed his wrist hard; he could only vent his frustration with his mouth.

What manner of beings were the Three Sects? The Celestial Court they formed was the true, proper sovereign of this heaven and earth.

Among them, the Zhengshen Sect represented the order of the Great Dao, while the Sanxian Sect and the Puti Sect served in supporting roles.

One could say over sixty percent of the Celestial Court's immortal officials were funneled in through these two sects — branch linked to branch, like a tangled skein of hemp, long since impossible to sort out.

On the surface, the Celestial Court and the two sects were kept separate, but only when actually handling affairs could one understand just how much weight the disciples of these Qunsan Sect could throw around.

"Sigh."

Wushan understood in his heart that what had happened in Xishan Prefecture was absolutely no isolated case. From now on, similar incidents would only grow more frequent — and more troublesome.

And until those two little things had fully grown, he would most likely be stuck playing the role of cleaning up their messes for years to come.

The thought of it turned his gut green with regret.

Back then, why had he — just to avoid the standoff between the two General Who Pacifies the South — volunteered to go deliver the imperial court's rewards? And just like that, he'd left an impression and gotten himself roped in as a laborer.

At last he reached the place, and Wushan descended toward the county town below.

But the moment he landed, he noticed something off. The entire county town was ablaze with lights; common folk stood in the streets, faces stricken with terror, gazing toward the far edge of the sky.

They could not see what had happened beyond the clouds, only feeling the earlier quaking — like an earth dragon turning over in its sleep.

"Hiss!"

How could Wushan fail to piece together what had happened.

That little girl called Jiang Mei — after contacting him, hadn't obeyed the order and had still clashed with the other side?!

Judging by the situation, the clash was no small matter. With that Miss's cultivation at the sixth rank, to affect this county town, she had most likely already begun fighting for her life.

"Then why the hell did you invite me here — to help your General of Nanyang take the blame?!"

Wushan, anxious and furious, spat out a curse and waved his hand to summon the auspicious clouds once more. Lives were at stake; he had no time for a tantrum.

But before he could take flight, he saw four streaks of flowing light sweep in from the horizon.

"……"

Wushan stood within the county hall, his brow tightly knit.

When the flowing light landed and revealed four figures, he read the state of the arrivals — and a few doubts inevitably rose in his heart.

The one at the head was precisely that young General of Nanyang. The three behind him were demon-slayers from Xishan Prefecture.

The strange part was that none of the four bore any marks of having fought.

Nanyang could be excused — he was, after all, a titled general. But even those two newcomers, who looked so alike, were also spotlessly clean.

"What's the situation? The Puti Sect didn't step in?"

Wushan was rather impatient at this moment; he couldn't be bothered with pleasantries, and felt no awkwardness about it.

He had come to help — Nanyang should be thanking him.

He went straight to Jiang Mei and asked.

The moment those words left his mouth, the expressions of the three demon-slayers instantly turned a touch odd. They exchanged glances, and even Jiang Mei kept silent, standing obediently behind Shen Yi.

She had already overstepped her bounds once; of course she could not now bypass her own lord again to discuss matters with General Wushan.

After personally witnessing what had just happened, Jiang Mei and the others had clearly and completely set themselves in their proper places.

"You come handle the handover — I'm not familiar with it."

Shen Yi paid no heed to such formalities. He gave Wushan a slight nod, then softly instructed Jiang Mei before striding toward the side hall.

"Yes!"

Jiang Mei cupped her fist in acknowledgment, then stepped out from the group.

This scene, falling into Wushan's eyes, caused a subtle shift in the burly fat man's expression. He was not as simple and dull as he appeared; on the contrary, he had earned from the General Who Pacifies the South the reputation of being "slippery" — his mind was far more delicate than that of an ordinary person.

Jiang Mei having her subordinate send word to him clearly meant she didn't trust the newly appointed Nanyang.

Although it broke some rules, it was understandable.

But now this woman's behavior was plainly at odds with her earlier actions.

What on earth had happened on this demon-subduing mission?

Then, as Jiang Mei began to speak, Wushan stood rooted to the spot as if struck by lightning.

"We followed my lord of Nanyang to the Demon Mountain on business. The Puti Sect's Dragon-Tiger Luo Han, Monk Hui Zhen, was overbearing and rude. Even after my lord had spoken up to warn him, he still chose to interfere with force — to the point of laying hands on my lord."

"General Nanyang had no choice but to act, and was forced to slay him."

"The horde of demons and Monk Hui Zhen have all been executed."

By the time Jiang Mei finished her orderly account, Wushan's eyelid had begun to twitch violently.

Forced… to slay him?

Why did those words sound so familiar?

He was oddly reminded of the memorial written in General Yan's own hand — it seemed to contain similar content.

Back then he'd thought the lad was taking the fall for Yan Lao. Now it seemed everyone might have guessed wrong.

Wait—

Why so much "forced"? Why is it always "forced" whenever this kid goes out?

Are there really so many fools who insist on forcing him to kill himself?

"Huh."

Wushan suddenly slapped his forehead—he had been desperate to keep these two brats from ever contacting him again, but now that they'd handled it themselves, his head throbbed as if splitting open.

He steadied his ragged breath, then raised his head; his eyes now glowed with icy frost, utterly devoid of his usual slickness: "No survivors, right?"

Jiang Mei cleared her throat: "One survived—he's Master Hui Zhen's disciple."

"What nonsense! When you do something like this, how could you let someone escape?!" Wushan narrowed his eyes, teeth gritted, looking as if he despised their incompetence.

Before he could rebuke them further, he strode forward abruptly: "Which way did they run?"

The Zhao brothers, who had been silent until now, rushed forward and grabbed him: "They didn't run away… the Nan Yang General let them go."

"..."

Wushan was utterly stunned; he slowly turned to look in the direction Shen Yi had left.

After a long silence, he violently wrenched his hands free, trembling with rage, glaring at Jiang Mei: "Is this how he governs the Three Prefectures? He's young, just joined Zhan Yao Si—so are you! You're young too, just joined Zhan Yao Si, and you've got no brains?!"

"I—"

Jiang Mei had never seen General Wushan lose his temper like this; under his relentless accusations, she lowered her head, too afraid to speak.

Wushan extended his index finger, pointing it at the woman's nose, ready to curse again.

Before he could speak, he suddenly turned his head.

There, beneath the tree shade, stood a young man in dark robes, hands at his sides, his Bai Xi face calm, glancing at them with quiet indifference before looking away and saying casually: "Once the handover's done, get some rest—you're all exhausted."

"Yes! Thank you, my lord."

Jiang Mei saw right through it—her lord was shielding his own. Her heart trembled slightly, moved; she bowed respectfully, then quickly led the two terrified Zhao brothers out of the courtyard.

"Hah, quite right, quite right—you're his man. I have no right to criticize."

Wushan clenched his fist, then let out a bitter laugh, waving his hand abruptly: "If the Nan Yang General handles things so well, don't bother informing me next time—I'm not worthy to hear!"

Let old Yan handle this headache himself—he wanted to see whether the General Who Pacifies the South would still protect this boy after learning what Nan Yang had done, just like last time.

"Wushan takes his leave!"

With those words, Wushan strode out of the courtyard without looking back.

"..."

Shen Yi watched quietly as the senior departed; after a long while, he shook his head gently.

Colleagues who complain loudly but wear their emotions on their faces are at least easier to deal with than those who stab you in the back.

He hadn't done anything wrong—his only mistake was still not understanding why General Yan had taken over the Nine Prefectures.

Beyond eliminating demons, Shen Yi had no interest in these messy affairs; he turned and walked back inside to process the gains from this mission.

"Look what he's done."

After leaving the county office, Wushan pulled out a jade slip and, upon receiving the old man's reply, rattled off everything that had just happened.

He expected a scolding—or at least a sigh.

To his shock, the old man's voice remained perfectly calm.

"If you know it's a good thing, why are you still dawdling?"

"He's just been promoted; he doesn't understand these trivial matters. Since you're in Xishan, help him clean up the mess—don't skip a single procedure."

"Huh?!" Wushan couldn't believe his ears. "Old man, that's a Puti Sect Luo Han! You want me to announce it to the world?!"

"And?" The old man's voice drifted from the jade slip: "When they come knocking, I'll deal with them. What are you afraid of?"

"I..." Wushan's eyes widened; he stood frozen in place.

(End of Chapter)