Chapter 680: Full and Drunk, Beat Five

Boom—

In the night, a golden light shot up from beneath Jiming Mountain like a pillar holding up the sky, illuminating the entire firmament.

Dense, extreme immortal qi spread out in ripples from around this golden light, shattering countless desolate mountain peaks.

By the time the dust settled and the immortal qi scattered,

the golden light slowly gathered, revealing that towering Golden Body that suppresses prisons.

The object held in its palm was precisely the magnificent Great Seal bestowed by the Immortal Court; under full activation, the demons charging the pass from all directions in the night were instantly turned into corpses covering Manshan and Xianshan.

Only such divine might could reveal the terror of the Immortal Seal!

"..."

You Yunshan, leading a host of soldiers and generals, stood atop Jiming Mountain; while shocked by the scene before him, he could not help but feel a certain solemnity.

Do not think that General General General Ganqing, guarding this pass alone and blocking ten thousand demons outside the gate with a wave of his hand, makes it seem easy.

But the immortal power within that Great Seal is not infinite; each seal represents a certain location in this realm, and General General General Ganqing is drawing upon the spiritual qi from there.

If the spiritual qi of that place is drained dry, it will also require time to slowly recover.

This is the first point.

The second is that, although the demon tide before them looks terrifying, no famous great demons have appeared, clearly indicating this is merely a probe.

And it is highly methodical.

Each wave of demons driven forward increases in strength step by step, exhausting the Immortal Court's power while also probing the limits of our group.

"A sixth-grade demon evil has already appeared."

You Yunshan glanced sideways at Shi Yong beside him; although the matter of Venerable Bihai last time had made him feel some dissatisfaction toward this colleague, when a real situation arose, he could only consult with the one surnamed Shi.

General General General Ganqing possesses a fifth-grade Immortal Seal, but his experience descending to the mortal world still lacks much.

For instance, right now.

The appearance of sixth-grade demons actually explains a great deal.

Such strength is already no match for his two immortal generals; even placed within the Heavenly Court, they are not something that can be casually discarded.

Yet, under unclear circumstances, they were forced to risk charging the pass, which is enough to show how ruthless the great demon kings behind them are, and how determined they are to completely break through Jiming Mountain!

They are coming for real.

But General General General Ganqing seems completely unaware, each time mobilizing the most immortal power to ensure not a single demon escapes, rather than choosing the less costly method of intimidation to drive them back.

It looks terrifying, but in reality, he has already fallen into the demons' scheme.

"As subordinates, we must simply follow orders; do not interfere with the general's decisions."

Shi Yong's face was calm; staring straight ahead, he spoke a cold sentence.

Hearing this, You Yunshan could finally hold back no more, gritting his teeth hard: "I know General General General Ganqing and Lady Qinghua may have some misunderstandings, and I can roughly guess your thoughts, but do not forget, if General General General Ganqing truly meets with disaster, your own life will also be hard to save!"

Right now, he truly wished he could punch this colleague in the face.

Wanting merit, yet not doing the job properly, spending every day with twisted thoughts—truly infuriating!

Besides... Shi Yong should not even touch his conscience; except for this period following General General General Ganqing, where else has the other person enjoyed such leisurely days?

The general goes forward to fight for his life, while subordinates watch the battle from behind; such a situation, viewed over these years in the Immortal Court, is extremely rare.

Even I can guess Shi Yong's thoughts; how could General General General Ganqing not have thought of it? Even last time at Venerable Bihai, if the master of Shenxu Shanfeng had not passed by, the general would almost have been killed by this petty man.

But when has General General General Ganqing ever deliberately made things difficult for Shi Yong?

Upon hearing these words, the other heavenly soldiers narrowed their eyes slightly and looked toward this place: "..."

Under the gaze of so many eyes, Shi Yong stood calmly, his expression not changing in the slightest: "I said, this Shi merely follows orders; do you have objections to General General General Ganqing's commands?"

Last time, the duck within reach flew away; this matter has made him regretful for a long time, and afterwards he watched helplessly as his master Qinghua bestowed that fifth-grade Immortal Seal upon this Pi Ma Wen.

That was supposed to be his thing!

It is indeed following orders; only that this Shi person follows the orders of master Qinghua, and the content is not to assist the righteous god in subduing demons, but to monitor this immortal general General General Ganqing.

To speak harshly, if something truly happens, he can simply leave; as long as he brings the news back to the Immortal Court, he will not only be innocent but meritorious, and is not of the same kind as this group of hard-luck folks.

He would rather this Pi Ma Wen be even more reckless.

He actually wants to see if some senior expert will "pass by" again this time.

Shi Yong's words and actions obviously provoked the anger of the crowd.

The heavenly soldiers and generals all stared at him with cold eyes, yet could do nothing to him.

"General, please rest for a while."

You Yunshan strode forward to welcome that Golden Body, speaking softly: "Jiming Mountain has five great demon kings of the five caves, calling themselves the Five Sages of Qingyun; all are renowned experts for a long time. Add to that their cunning and deceit, and even if a righteous god personally acted, they could not be completely exterminated; they are the main point, whereas these small demons are secondary; there is no need to be so cautious..."

"If the general truly feels uneasy, these small demons can be handled by us."

"It is fine."

Lady Qinghua shook her head, politely declining this immortal general's good intention.

These days of guarding, though somewhat arduous, have also yielded very rich harvests.

Bringing nearly three hundred tribulations of demon lifespan to the master.

As for future risks... the master is almost here.

Thinking of this, a barely perceptible smile appeared on Lady Qinghua's face; she raised her head to gaze far into the sky.

In the next moment, the smile on her face instantly vanished, and cold light surged in her flowing golden eyes.

In the empty ruins, a purple green bamboo had appeared at some unknown time; under that terrifying height connecting heaven and earth, disappearing into the clouds, even its body appeared slender, swaying slightly like a long snake rising into the air.

"..."

Seeing this, You Yunshan's heart tightened.

These days of guarding had made them accustomed to demon evils surging in waves like a tide; although they had anticipated disaster, they had also formed a habit, never thinking that after a wave of demons was completely annihilated, just as everyone relaxed their vigilance, they would encounter the true demon king of this place.

"I merely wanted to go out and take a look; this old one was originally born in the immortal mountains of the outside world, growing by gathering the spiritual qi of heaven and earth; in terms of roots, I do not know how many times more noble than you."

Doing something too extreme invites retribution.

At the waist of the purple bamboo, a slender fork split off, upon which sat a robed old man, swaying drunkenly, clutching a gourd with a flushed face.

He turned the gourd upside down, shook it hard, looked back with a touch of melancholy, and slowly revealed a sinister smile: "Now, your retribution has come."

As the old man's laughter spread, the purple bamboo, which had vanished into the clouds, slowly bent downward, like a sharp blade, directly aimed at the peak of Jiming Mountain.

"May the Immortal General reveal his name? When I return to the mortal world, I'll have something worthy of boasting about."

He rose unsteadily, tilted his index finger, and pointed it toward the mountain peak.

In an instant, the bent purple bamboo shot forth like a spirit snake emerging from its den, exploding into countless shards of bamboo, as if the purple qi surged from the east, swords unleashed for ten thousand li!

At the moment the sword's cry pierced the heavens, the celestial soldiers and generals finally confirmed his identity—not merely a resemblance.

The Five Sages of Qingyun: Pine, Bamboo, Locust, Willow, Poplar. This old man is the purple bamboo that pierced heaven, born of earth and sky, reached the Taiyi Immortal Realm!

Countless purple swords rained down like falling stars, bombarding the entire mountaintop.

Yet Jiming Mountain suffered not a single scratch; the purple light sank as if into an invisible surface, stirring only ripples.

Within Lady Qinghua's golden giant palm, the immortal seal appeared minuscule, yet drew every eye.

From a fifth-rank immortal seal, setting aside tactics, merely in terms of depth, it could rival a Taiyi Immortal of five hundred aeons.

Even if he had expended much recently, he could not withstand a mere purple bamboo.

Both sides knew this well.

The Bamboo Sage still wore a sinister smile, pressed his sword fingers together again, causing the celestial purple bamboo to tremble faintly, poised but not unleashed.

Lady Qinghua summoned the immortal seal, shielding the soldiers and generals, and gazed back coldly.

In the sky, Shi Yong activated the pre-prepared array; at the very moment the purple bamboo descended, he had already withdrawn from the crowd—though not yet fully escaped.

Seeing this, though many comrades were furious enough to grind their teeth, Lady Qinghua slowly withdrew her gaze and waved her hand to activate the great array left by the True Gods here.

After all, this was a checkpoint guarding the Eight Poles Valley; though swept clean many times, many demons still lingered—how could the True Gods have left no preparations?

Yet this great array seals both demons and one's own.

One may enter, but cannot leave.

Thus, the instant Lady Qinghua's action took effect, even the Bamboo Sage's face showed surprise: "You wish to fight me to the death?"

"Take a few celestial soldiers and deliver the message to the True Gods."

Lady Qinghua left only one gap, glancing sideways toward nearby Youyun Mountain.

"I can remain here to oversee the immortal array," Youyun Mountain hesitated, speaking in a consultative tone: "The Celestial Court's methods are beyond what these demon rebels can imagine. With five hundred celestial soldiers combined, subduing this demon is no challenge. As for delivering the message… let him go."

He meant the one in the sky: Shi Yong.

Upon hearing this,

Shi Yong promptly bowed: "General, I shall—"

Before he finished speaking, he realized an immortal force had completely sealed and immobilized him; his face turned pale, panic rising: "Bi Matun, what are you doing?!"

"If he leaves here, he may not deliver the message."

Lady Qinghua did not turn back, as if she hadn't heard the insult, and merely said calmly: "Besides, he was left here to watch me. Better to keep him inside, where he can see more clearly."

"…."

The Immortal General's words fell into the ears of all, leaving the celestial soldiers and generals utterly silent.

They realized—he knew everything all along, and simply chose not to speak.

Shi Yong's face darkened; his curses died in his throat—not because he couldn't spit them out, but under these circumstances, General General Ganqing would never let him leave.

If so, better to watch closely—what other tricks might he still hide?

Who is he putting on this calm act for? Today, this Bi Matun must either die here, or expose his true nature before General Qingluan—there is no third path!

"Go!"

Youyun Mountain roared, selecting three or five trusted subordinates, swung his weapon, and thrust them out beyond the array, while remaining himself atop Jiming Mountain's peak.

At the very moment the narrow gap sealed shut, a furious wind erupted beneath Jiming Mountain.

Thick, terrifying roots burst from the earth, nearly lifting the entire mountain range; towering, shadowy trees surged upward, blotting out sky and sun, filling the area with oppressive pressure.

Aside from the Bamboo Sage, who had appeared to draw attention, the other four Sages had already arrived silently—yet they hadn't expected Lady Qinghua to be so ruthless; their original plan to flee first, then strike from within, collapsed instantly.

Enraged, the four great demons immediately surrounded Jiming Mountain.

"Form the array!"

The celestial soldiers were not surprised by the presence of these four demons; if they intended to break the pass, they would spare no effort.

Youyun Mountain roared, and roughly five hundred celestial soldiers gripped their spears tightly; their potent immortal power surged forth in a ferocious, beastly form—a crouching tiger.

They were not boasting: with such numbers, this immortal array alone could easily hold back one Taiyi Demon Immortal.

Even if General General General Ganqing had expended much, wielding the immortal seal, he could still defeat one of them single-handedly.

Combined with the blessing of the True Gods' great array, he could slay another.

But counting it all, they were still two short.

Realizing this, Youyun Mountain and the celestial soldiers looked helplessly at General General General Ganqing, knowing their entrapment was not his fault, but the order of General Qingluan; when they turned back, their eyes already held a glimmer of death's resolve!

"Kill!"

With a roar, the tiger surged forth.

Around Jiming Mountain, the four colossal trees—Pine, Locust, Willow, Poplar—no longer resembled plants; they looked more like monstrous deities, their green and emerald hues stained crimson.

Willow Sage struck first; countless willow branches descended like a heavenly net, raining sweet dew—but upon contact with the immortal tiger, they instantly turned to corrosive fluid, exuding boundless spirits of grievance and hatred, devouring the charging tiger until its flesh split and skin tore.

Immediately after, a thick locust branch, like a spear, pierced through the heavenly net, its tip razor-sharp, aimed directly at Lady Qinghua's Golden Body manifestation.

"…."

Lady Qinghua clenched the immortal seal tightly, ready to unleash immortal power to meet the threat.

Yet the locust branch halted abruptly, frozen midair.

As the ink-black robe swayed, a youth with Bai Xi skin emerged from the void. His palm calmly pressed onto the locust branch, and immediately his five fingers exerted force, the fingertips plunging deep into it.

Even a tree demon, once it has become a spirit, possesses the sensation of pain.

Beyond the Heaven-Net and Earth-Web, a low cry like thunder suddenly rang out.

Amidst the thunderous sound, Shen Yi hung silently before the crowd. In the next moment, Jin Guang rose from the skin beneath his robes; as he swung his arm, it was as if ants had climbed Gaoshan.

In the youth's palm, that locust branch moved inch by inch toward the mountain peak, then, like the sky collapsing and the earth cracking, a shadow so vast it defied description was ripped alive from the mountain body!

Boom—boom—boom!

The Heaven-Net and Earth-Web, woven from willow branches, hastily scattered to avoid it.

Everyone looked up in shock and saw the great demon king of the locust tree, which had been directly uprooted by a person and flung straight into the sky, until it crashed down with a boom. Around Jixing Mountain, only continuous roaring remained.

After a brief moment of daze, Shi Yong finally saw the face of the newcomer, and immediately a manic joy surged across his features.

He really came! And it was him!

Once was one thing, but this time, how will that Bi Ma Wen hide?!

"Huff."

You Yunshan and the many heavenly soldiers likewise showed joy on their faces.

The Peak Lord of Shenxu Mountain has come in person. Even compared to the second-generation disciples of other immortal sects, the other party is far too young, but the profound foundation represented solely by his status as Peak Lord is enough to fill the remaining two positions!

The instant this thought crossed their minds, they saw the youth in the ink-black robe take a step forward.

Shen Yi looked down at the crowd of demons below the mountain and gently rubbed his wrist.

At the same time, General Qian Qing silently withdrew the immortal seal.

Such a strange act by an immortal general made even You Yunshan pause in daze; only then did he suddenly look up again at Shen Yi, a thought of disbelief surging in his mind.

This Peak Lord of Shenxu Mountain did not come to fill a spot.

The Five Sages of Qingyun... are all his alone.

(End of this chapter)