Chapter 705: A Hundred Pills, Ten Thousand Tribulations — The Master Master Shenxu First Awakens

The residence at Jianyang Prefecture.

Shen Yi had already returned to the courtyard, listening to General Wushan chatter endlessly as he finished recounting how that Lord Yang had come to call him to account.

"It's absurd — not a shred of evidence, and the moment he arrived he decided our nine western prefectures had been hiding the demon calamity and failing to report it, and yet you still think on their behalf… By the way, how did things go over there?"

The big, burly fatty spat on the ground, then suddenly asked with curiosity, "A demon calamity that made you personally make a trip — it can't be any small matter."

"It's already been dealt with."

Shen Yi stretched out both arms and gave a brief reply.

On the way back, he had already turned the entire batch of demon corpses into suppression stones and dispatched them out to all twenty-seven prefectures of Dananzhou.

Perhaps it was because those days of retreating to the wilds had been too leisurely, with too little killing, that nearly sixty percent of this group of demon immortals had lived past half their natural lifespans, with few young ones among them. As a result, almost all the demon-lifespan he had just earned had to be poured back in, leaving only a little over four hundred tribulations.

But Shen Yi was, unusually, not feeling any heartache; on his face there was even a rare ease.

After all, if he wanted to "hold several posts at once" without his cover being blown, he absolutely could not afford to be pinned down in one place.

Only when Dananzhou stayed free of trouble could Shen Yi spare the energy to maneuver between the three sects.

One had to understand that, compared with the Divine Dynasty, Master Shenxu Laozu and the Thousand-Armed Bodhisattva — once they sensed something amiss — would truly want his life.

As for the shortfall in his own cultivation… naturally, someone would come to make up for it.

Shen Yi lightly rubbed his fingers together, and his thoughts grew a little eager.

Last time, when he dealt with the matter of the Demon-Suppression Pagoda, the strong among them were only a handful of fifth-rank great demons, yet it had earned him five hundred tribulations' worth of Imperial Qi Golden Pills.

Then how much would this demon calamity be worth?

Even by the lowest reckoning, one fourth-rank demon immortal for a thousand tribulations wouldn't be too much, would it?

Shen Yi wasn't worried that the Zhan Yao Si would have problems with the reward — not that he trusted the Divine Dynasty, but mainly because Dananzhou now urgently needed a pillar to hold up the show. Therefore, the Imperial Qi bestowed would only be more, never less.

Moreover, under the ceaseless evolution of the Grand Void Jin Dan, his attainment in the Dao of alchemy was also steadily improving. Now, using alchemy to digest Imperial Qi, the loss would not exceed one-tenth.

Having thought it through, Shen Yi pushed open the door and went back inside.

He wanted to take this hard-won chance to rest and set himself to rights a little.

He had a premonition that, for a long time to come, he probably wouldn't have such idle days with nothing to do again.

Earlier, when he was at Songfeng Prefecture, Shen Yi had actually noticed that woman in the blue shirt and white skirt.

Her cultivation was extraordinary; the aura spilling out as she rose into the air was even no weaker than his own Great-Fruition Position of Subduing the Dragon and Taming the Tiger. Even if it hadn't reached three thousand tribulations, it must certainly have been extremely close.

An immortal-sect disciple stronger than Qingluan had actually already entered the Divine Dynasty and begun her so-called act of "saving the world."

This was no isolated case — it was a sign.

That group of Qunsan Sect followers had finally come down the mountain into the mortal world, truly lifting the curtain on the opening of this age of chaos.

Everyone had to accumulate Great Ming Wang, and that meant there had to be enough demon calamities for them to save.

The "nurturing the foe to make oneself look important" that Shen Yi had worried about at the very start had now completely become an undisguised reality.

He was not a man given to false self-deprecation.

Among fourth-rank realms, it was hard for him to find any more opponents.

But the true disciples of the immortal sects — especially the outstanding ones among them — even if they were of the same fourth-rank realm as that group of demon immortals at Songfeng Prefecture, were certainly not the same kind of being.

Whether it was the dharma treasures bestowed by the Sanxian Sect, or the divine abilities granted to disciples by the Puti Sect — just like the four arms the Thousand-Armed Bodhisattva used to bind himself — these things could all let them stand out among those of the same realm.

To put it bluntly, if the ones who had attacked Songfeng Prefecture had been eight true disciples of the immortal sects like that woman in the blue shirt and white skirt, Shen Yi felt he wouldn't have had even a ten-percent chance of victory.

What's more… within those great sects, there were still existences like the Great Luo Immortal Venerables and Bodhisattvas.

Shen Yi had noticed that, up to now, those third-rank experts of the great sects seemed to have no intention of making a move; the most outrageous was still nothing more than the Seven-Treasure Bodhisattva who had once preached the Dharma at Crane Mountain.

But even this Bodhisattva, from beginning to end, had only wanted to finish expounding the true scriptures, and had shown no intention of truly stepping forward to fight the Divine Dynasty to the death.

But on second thought, it was only normal.

Entering this mortal calamity, though the gains were enormous, one had to stake one's life to fight for them.

At their level, no matter how it ended, they were all existences who would be dividing up the benefits — the only difference was more or less — and there really was no need to take that risk.

He guessed that the Zhan Yao Si and the Divine Dynasty, including the three General Who Pacify the South, were all thinking the same way.

Shen Yi, however, saw things differently.

Because of the tribulation-force brand and the Four-Armed divine ability on his body, between himself and Master Shenxu Laozu and the Thousand-Armed Bodhisattva, in the end only one of them could survive.

If he won, it would mean a third-rank expert of the great sects had fallen.

Once a person was dead, the situation would change.

"Just how am I supposed to get up there, in the end."

Shen Yi returned to the bedside, leaned quietly against the wall, and once more reviewed his own Great-Fruition Dao Fruit and Position.

He was clearly already standing at the peak of the fourth-rank realm, yet the road ahead still offered no hope — this feeling was truly a little hard to bear.

……

In the courtyard.

With the help of immortal pills, General Wushan's injuries were already seven or eight parts healed.

The man looked full of vigor in his entirety.

He glanced at the worried Ye Lan and advised with a smile, "Don't worry. Look at our General Nanyang like this, and he's rushed back so quickly — it shouldn't be anything major, and certainly not the sort of thing where he'd be wounded and still hide it from us. Going back to his room is most likely just to rest a bit."

General Wushan had, after all, once seen what Shen Yi looked like when he was injured.

In that state, the man had still brazenly gone on sitting outside the Demon-Suppression Pagoda, utterly indifferent to the outside world — he was not the sort of squeamish person who, having taken a little injury, would still try to hide it from others.

"Let's hope so."

Ye Lan forced out a smile, but in her heart she felt an inexplicable strangeness.

Clearly the chaotic situation across the realm was growing ever more serious, yet she herself had fallen into a situation more relaxed and easy than before — across the entire nine western prefectures, there wasn't so much as a single demon calamity.

This enormous contrast gave her a sense of not knowing what to do with herself.

Apart from that young Martial Uncle inside the room, Ye Lan could find no other explanation for such an uncanny situation.

"Rest a few more days, and it'll be about time to head back."

General Wushan stretched as well, never expecting the slap in the face to come so quickly.

In just three days, a streak of light tore across the sky of Jianyang Prefecture — the visitor was none other than that black-bearded man.

"General Nanyang has rendered meritorious service in governing the demon calamity; please come forth to receive your reward!"

He spread his large hand, and in his palm appeared a Divine Dynasty Jade Token. This token was issued by the Immortal Department, second only to the Human Sovereign's Sacred Edict.

"Oh?"

General Wushan rose from the stone bench with some surprise, momentarily unable to react.

When has Zhan Yao Si, this shady back-alley office, ever put on such a formal show? What the hell is going on today?

Xie Chaoyu stood with her hands at her sides, a hint of helplessness at the corner of her lips.

She knew it — when has her own martial uncle ever handled small matters? Even when the Immortal Court bestowed horses upon Bai Yun Cave, he could turn it into a case of ransacking the household and exterminating the clan.

But even though she had long been prepared in her heart, upon seeing Shen Yi walk out from inside the room, and that black-bearded man finish reading the jade token, respectfully spread out a velvet-yellow silk cloth on the table, and then carefully arrange a whole table full of Grand Qi Pills, Xie Chaoyu's heart still skipped a beat, her face blank with shock.

A hundred Grand Qi Pills, totaling ten thousand tribulations!

If there were good seedlings, these pills alone would be enough to pile up ten fourth-rank Taiyi Zhenxian.

After so many years as a titled general, and even leveraging the convenience of her identity as the Shanfeng Lord of Master Shenxu Mountain, Xie Chaoyu had earned more than most of her colleagues, yet her entire savings amounted to no more than a thousand tribulations.

"……"

General Wushan flopped back onto the stone bench with a thud, his legs going slightly weak — not because he was startled by such a generous reward… well, alright, he really had never seen so many golden pills in one go either.

But the more important reason was that, as a veteran of Zhan Yao Si, he knew better than anyone what terrifyingly dangerous demon calamity lay behind such a massive reward.

Recalling Shen Yi's calm and unhurried demeanor upon his return, the degree of terror surged several times over.

Only, what was terrifying was not the great demon, but the young general standing before his own eyes.

The next moment, the black-bearded man's slightly awkward words once again left Xie Chaoyu and General Wushan both stunned on the spot: "Apologies, the reward is twelve thousand tribulations of Grand Qi Golden Pills, but Dananzhou's reserves are insufficient, so it must be transferred from the Imperial Capital, therefore…"

"Therefore, two thousand tribulations are owed to you for now."

After the man finished speaking, his face had flushed quite red.

From the founding of Zhan Yao Si to now, this was probably the first time arrears in payment had ever occurred. General Nanyang had once again broadened his own horizons.

"It's fine."

Shen Yi casually collected the golden pills — this Grand Qi was, for now, enough for him to test the ideas in his heart.

"Oh right, there's also your thousand tribulations, which can only be owed for now." The black-bearded man looked toward Xie Chaoyu again.

"There's mine too?"

Xie Chaoyu came back to her senses, suddenly realizing something.

Shen Yi had been keeping his doors closed, and had specifically kept General Wushan in the courtyard to recover from his injuries, so all the demon-slaying affairs of the nine prefectures to the west had fallen entirely onto her.

Although those demon calamities had all been resolved inexplicably, the corresponding merits were all recorded in the register and would not be swallowed up.

"……"

She had clearly said she wouldn't pay it back, yet wasn't this still finding an excuse to pay it back?

Xie Chaoyu's expression turned somewhat complicated as she looked toward Shen Yi. She recalled the ten golden pills she had given him earlier at Master Shenxu Mountain, helplessness mingled with a few hints of amusement.

She really hadn't seen it coming — this martial uncle of hers actually cared quite a bit about face.

She just didn't know what the point of this superfluous move was.

"It's fine, I'm not in a rush."

Xie Chaoyu withdrew her gaze and waved lightly. Her bottleneck had already loosened considerably; she was only one step away from fully comprehending the Great Grade Grand Void Sword Fruit. Once she truly crossed this threshold, it wouldn't be too late to take the Grand Qi and break through.

"Then I won't disturb you any longer."

The black-bearded man sighed emotionally as he swept his gaze around. When he had come over earlier, he had taken a few extra looks — these nine prefectures to the west truly looked like a pure land amid troubled times.

Clearly so many things had happened, yet not even the slightest disturbance could be seen.

He wondered when his own jurisdiction could have such a state of peace and tranquility.

After seeing off this titled general, Shen Yi did not exchange excessive pleasantries with the two of them. After a brief greeting, he strode off to find another quiet courtyard, then took out his alchemy furnace and medicinal ingredients, and began digesting his Grand Qi reward.

He had been waiting for this day and could barely wait any longer.

As early as when he had detected that wisp of golden thread within the Subduing Dragon and Tiger Great Grade Fruit Position, Shen Yi had understood one thing.

Between third-rank and fourth-rank, it was absolutely not a simple difference in "quantity."

Those gods, buddhas, and immortal venerables had found a certain special something within tribulation power — that was the element that could help one ascend to third-rank.

In other words, even if he digested every last bit of these Grand Qi Jin Dan without the slightest loss.

Shen Yi might become the first Taiyi Zhenxian in all heaven and earth to surpass ten thousand tribulations, but he would still only be a Taiyi Zhenxian, having nothing whatsoever to do with a Da Luo Immortal Venerable.

"Then let's try it."

Shen Yi adjusted his breathing. During this period, he had already sensed the wisp of golden thread left behind by the Thousand-Armed Bodhisattva countless times; its aura was nearly imprinted in his mind.

What he needed to do now was to find something similar within tribulation power.

For his current attainments in the Dao of Alchemy, refining these low-grade pills that bore tribulation power was already as simple as eating and drinking; running ten furnaces at once posed no problem.

He didn't need to think about it at all.

As the furnace fire rose, Shen Yi slowly closed his eyes. With a flick of his fingertips, one ingredient after another fell into the alchemy furnace together with the Grand Qi golden pills.

Time slowly passed. The instant the alchemy furnace trembled, the thousand tribulations of golden pills had already fully merged into the elixir.

Just as expected, the loss was around ten percent.

The next moment, Shen Yi actually opened his panel, swallowed the elixir, and refined the next batch of tribulation pills all at the same time.

Three things at once with a single mind.

The remaining four hundred tribulations of demon-rebel lifespan slowly poured into the Grand Void Dao Method, using deduction to digest the medicinal efficacy.

【First Tribulation: You consumed the Thousand Tribulation Grand Elixir. Both your divine soul and physical shell were wrapped in tribulation power. You quietly digested this trace of medicinal efficacy…】

Shen Yi seemed to have vanished into the vast yellow mist; he had swallowed similar Tribulation Pills many times before and knew what would happen next.

This yellow mist would soon be completely absorbed by him.

Only this time, he wanted to stay a little longer.

Shen Yi steadied his mind, actively resisting the absorption of the medicinal power, and, following the aura in his mind, began to search within this boundless great mist.

However, this process ended quickly.

As warmth surged through his body and all of it sank into the Grand Void Jin Dan, Shen Yi opened his eyes speechlessly: "..."

The deduction was complete, and the cultivation of the Grand Void Jin Dan had successfully reached over four thousand five hundred tribulations.

Although his realm had made substantial progress, Shen Yi could not quite smile; this matter seemed far more difficult than he had imagined.

Fortunately, there were plenty of Imperial Qi Golden Pills.

Shen Yi waved his hand slightly, and another batch of pills was produced; he quickly swallowed them and started the deduction again.

Before long, an identical situation was replicated in the courtyard.

A hint of confusion appeared in the youth's pitch-black eyes.

Over five thousand five hundred tribulations.

Open the furnace again, swallow the pills again.

Over six thousand five hundred tribulations.

"..."

Shen Yi looked at the pill in his palm and the thick tribulation power surging within his body; sweat suddenly beaded on his forehead.

Such a shocking and terrifying realm had finally attracted trouble!

Though he was clearly within the residence of the Jianyang Prefecture, his divine soul was strangely being pulled by the Grand Void realm.

Even the sound of swallowing echoed in his ears, filled with a trace of laziness as if waking from a great dream, as well as rapturous joy and greed at seeing delicacies.

"Heavenly Pill... Heavenly Pill!"

As the hoarse voice came, Shen Yi felt a chill run through his body, and the hand holding the pill clenched tightly.

Clearly, the change in the Grand Void Jin Dan had finally awakened Master Shenxu Laozu!

(End of this chapter)