Chapter 744

"Haa-chi—"

Shen Shan Laozu fell from the sea of clouds. Though a Great Luo Immortal, he now panted heavily like a mere mortal. More than exhaustion, the primary cause was sheer terror.

Having cultivated in Da Nanzhou for so many years, he knew Nan Xumi almost as well as the back of his hand.

Yet he never knew when such a ferocious deity had emerged.

The scene of the Bodhisattvas being slaughtered to the last still echoed in Shen Shan Laozu's mind, refusing to fade. Forget about any thought of fellow-disciple camaraderie; that young man hadn't even changed his expression much.

Thinking of this, a chill of revulsion ran through his entire body.

Elder Yu Chi beside him was in a similar state. Having barely stabilized his emotions, he still couldn't resist glancing back once more.

Confirming that the figure in the black robe had not pursued, she clenched her five fingers tightly, only to find her body already weak and soft.

"They're all dead..."

Elder Yu Chi withdrew his gaze, his voice trembling slightly.

"One is still alive."

Shen Shan Laozu swallowed hard: "To escape from this one's grasp, even with Shenxu Laozu taking the fall, Taixu Danhuang would have enough to be proud of."

Indeed, after those four magical artifacts descended, this Great Luo Immortal's heart held nothing but despair.

To put it harshly, today's life was saved purely thanks to the treasure bestowed by Beizhou, plus the unexpected passing of the Southern Emperor. Only then did he barely snatch it back.

Had even one of those been missing, he would have already turned to dust and ashes just like that group of Bodhisattvas.

"What now?"

Thinking of this, Shen Shan Laozu was completely at a loss, so he could only turn his gaze toward the old woman beside him.

"What now?"

Elder Yu Chi gritted his teeth and said, unable to hide his frustration: "Do you think Da Nanzhou can still accommodate you?"

Having inadvertently witnessed so many things, once the Dragon-Taming and Tiger-Subduing Bodhisattva freed his hands, the first thing he would do would surely be to cut off the roots and eliminate the source.

Just thinking about facing that black-robed figure again made Elder Yu Chi feel a chill of fear. That overwhelming pressure, so powerful it left no room for resistance, was something she would likely never forget in her lifetime.

Let alone trying to compete with him for any incense offerings.

"You mean... flee to Beizhou?"

Shen Shan Laozu was stunned for a moment, a look of unwillingness surfacing on his face. Clearly, he was reluctant to give up this huge piece of meat in Da Nanzhou. But thinking of that Dragon-Taming and Tiger-Subduing Bodhisattva, he sighed with lingering fear and resigned himself: "Such a vast Da Nanzhou, let him eat it all by himself."

"That is not necessarily true."

Elder Yu Chi shifted his tone. Under the old man's puzzled gaze, he narrowed his eyes: "The imperial court... when did it gain the strength to repel the Southern Emperor? As for the few old monsters we know, even with the empowerment of imperial qi, could they match the Southern Emperor in a single round?"

"You mean there are still powerful ones in Da Nanzhou?"

Shen Shan Laozu frowned. Having stayed in Da Nanzhou for all these years, he had never heard of such an existence.

"A powerhouse comparable to the Nine-Nine Transformations? How could such a one appear so silently? He must eat and drink to cultivate, must undergo trials. No matter what, he would leave some traces... unless he was sent by the Divine Court."

"The Divine Court currently has no spare strength to care for a peaceful Da Nanzhou."

Elder Yu Chi shook his head: "I used to think it impossible too, but look at recently. Whether it's the Dragon-Taming and Tiger-Subduing Bodhisattva, Jin Chan, or Taixu Danhuang who managed to escape from under the Dragon's hand, they have all broken through realms one after another like bamboo shoots after a spring rain."

"Don't forget, last time outside the North Flowing River, the Dragon and Taixu were only Fourth-Rank cultivators."

"I once heard people say that whenever a great calamity strikes, there must be those destined to respond to the chaotic age. Back then, I didn't believe in such nonsense. After all, this so-called calamity was just arranged by us few old monsters and our disciples. Where could there be so much mystery?"

"But now... I am starting to believe it. These younger generations, in such a short time, have left us far behind, completely disregarding reason."

Perhaps it was the clarity that comes after surviving a disaster, but Elder Yu Chi's thoughts became even sharper.

"Could the Divine Court have a similar existence?" Shen Shan Laozu understood the other's meaning and asked in surprise.

"Yes."

Elder Yu Chi nodded confidently: "I once set up a scheme for my disciple Lady Tiandong, intending to make her famous throughout Da Nanzhou in Songfeng Prefecture. Later, someone else plucked the fruit. That person was named Nanyang. At roughly the same time, at the Fourth-Rank realm, he slew eight great demons of the same realm, along with dozens of Taiyi Demon Immortals. Not a single one survived."

"The experiences of these young people are simply terrifying to hear, far beyond anything our generation can compare to."

"If there truly is a calamity and its associated fortune, and both our sects have produced such shocking figures, then logically, the Divine Court should also have someone capable of countering them."

"If it was him who struck and repelled the Southern Emperor... that Dragon-Taming and Tiger-Subduing Bodhisattva might regret today's rashness. Da Nanzhou might not be broken after all."

Elder Yu Chi let out a long breath and smiled bitterly: "However, regardless, this great calamity belongs to them. If we try to interfere, it would be no different from seeking death. Better to return quickly to Beizhou and preserve this old life."

"How did it come to this..."

Shen Shan Laozu stood in place, somewhat dazed.

Recalling not long ago, he and the others had been unwilling to descend personally, thinking that arranging a few disciples would suffice to sit high on the platform and wait for the harvest.

How little time had passed? Now, with their supreme cultivation realms, they had fallen to the point where their lives were in danger, were driven out, and didn't even have the qualification to participate.

So this was the true face of the great calamity, far from the grand spectacle they had once imagined.

No one could escape.

Outside the lush mountains and forests, amidst the white clouds and high cliffs.

Shen Yi sat quietly against the bare cliff face, eyes closed in feigned sleep, enjoying the hard-won peace.

On his left and right sides, on one side the fleshy lump of the Little Tai Sui slowly writhed, while on the other, the silkworm rapidly flapped its six translucent wings.

"My Lord, you say we've been busy back and forth, but what exactly are we doing this for?"

The Southern Emperor lay at the other's feet. Since becoming the Stabilizing Stone, this former Number One Demon Emperor of Da Nanzhou had obviously become much more low-key and humble.

Besides the utility of its demon origin, the final battle it experienced in life had also given it a deeper understanding of this seemingly quiet and reserved young man.

If one had to use a word to describe him, the Southern Emperor could only say: terrifying.

At the realm of Six-Six Transformations, facing this Great Demon of Nine-Nine Transformations, he had actually given it a feeling of despair.

The cultivation method the other practiced and the magical treasures he mastered were secondary. The main reasons were the owner's own rich combat experience, and that keen perception and decisiveness born of making a habit of risking one's life.

But for such a ruthless and violent figure, after ascending to the peak of Nine-Nine Transformations, he had deliberately let the cultivators of the Sanxian Sect go. This was what confused the Southern Emperor the most.

"Why?"

Shen Yi lazily pried open his eyelids, pondered for a moment, and gave a self-mocking smile, saying, "Of course, it is to save my life."

Having cultivated for only a little over ten years, he was still that ordinary person from the beginning; the decisiveness and resoluteness when making a decision, and the fear after the deed was done, the two were not contradictory.

Killing the Southern Emperor and a host of Demon Lords was equivalent to cutting off all retreat routes for Nan Xumi.

In other words, from now on, not a single great demon could be found to charge and fight for the two sects, tearing open the defenses of Da Nanzhou.

To swallow Da Nanzhou, one could only wait until the affairs of the other three continents were concluded, and then let the demons and monsters from there slowly encroach southward... It sounded like merely waiting for a period of time, which counted for nothing to those gods, Buddhas, and Immortal Venerables sitting high above.

But in reality, if that situation truly came to pass, Nan Xumi would completely lose its initiative; the exclusive fat meat it once monopolized would have to be shared with the Sanxian Sect.

For such a grave mistake, that Great Self-Reliant Pure Jing Jing Shi Pusa would inevitably investigate strictly.

Once several Bodhisattvas gathered together and discussed the matter with many voices, asking whose fault the problem lay with... the answer would be obvious.

Therefore, Shen Yi absolutely could not tolerate this scene from happening.

These Bodhisattvas must die right here.

Even so, the trouble would not be truly resolved; the Great Self-Reliant Pure Jing Jing Shi Pusa would still investigate, only the progress would be slightly slower.

Moreover, after killing Jin Chan, a disciple of the Future Buddha, his crime would become even more severe.

However, Shen Yi was no longer itchy from many mosquitoes; with many debts, there was no worry. Since it was already a death sentence, it didn't matter if it became even more severe.

Being able to drag out some time for maneuvering was the most critical thing.

"The identity of the Dragon-Suppressing and Tiger-Taming Bodhisattva cannot be used for the time being."

Shen Yi gently rubbed his temples.

Even if he had eight mouths and his acting skills were excellent, it would be hard to explain how the Bodhisattvas were all dead while Da Nanzhou had not fallen.

In this situation, the identity of the Sanxian Sect must be preserved; the only thing that could keep one's life under a great sect was another great sect.

This was also why he had gone to such great lengths to let those two Shenxu Laozu escape.

A newly promoted disciple from Da Nanzhou traveling to Beizhou to seek refuge in the Sanxian Sect; relying solely on one person's words, it would be hard to make others believe, let alone truly infiltrate the interior.

At such a time, human witnesses were needed.

One needed to borrow the mouths of others to explain clearly what had happened in Da Nanzhou.

After witnessing such slaughter with their own eyes, those two would inevitably flee to the safest place in their hearts to seek protection.

If everything went smoothly, Shen Mou's life would be temporarily saved; as for how long it could be saved, it depended on when the people of Nan Xumi found him, and when he himself could break through to the second rank.

As long as he broke through to the second rank and ascended to Great Self-Reliance, he would be deathless and indestructible...

"My Lord, shall we set off for Beizhou now?"

Shenxu Laozu had followed Shen Yi longer and clearly saw the situation more clearly.

The other party had destroyed Nan Xumi's grand plan and killed a disciple of the Future Buddha; not to mention being hunted down by a Great Self-Reliant Bodhisattva, even if a True Buddha personally intervened to suppress him, it would not be excessive.

The vast Da Nanzhou simply had no place for the master to hide.

"Not in a hurry yet."

Shen Yi slowly stood up, stretched his body, and ended this brief rest: "I plan to go to the Imperial City first."

Bursting into other places like a headless fly would easily cause problems.

Before this, necessary understanding was unavoidable; just like when sending Lady Qinghua to heaven back then, it was best to possess a channel of information to foresee many troubles in advance.

And when it came to controlling information across the entire four continents, who could compare to the Lord of the Red Dust?

Shen Yi no longer held any hope for the rewards of the Divine Dynasty.

This bankrupt family of three fallen continents was now predictably destitute; even smashing pots and selling iron might not gather enough Imperial Qi Golden Pills to match his merits.

But if, in view of these merits, they could act as an information and logistics support for him, that would be quite good.

Besides that...

Shen Yi pressed his lips together.

After resolving the affairs of Da Nanzhou, he was no longer that small demon-slayer who knew nothing.

Jin Chan's words earlier, though seemingly ruthless, actually provided a very important piece of information.

Seven days, nine prefectures destroyed, thirty percent of the population left alive.

The most important among them was this "thirty percent"; given Jin Chan's character, this was naturally not out of his kindness or benevolence.

This number should be the limit acceptable to the two sects.

If there were no restrictions, truly killing the people of the Divine Dynasty until not even a chicken or dog remained, then who would provide the Imperial Qi? Even after the Great Calamity ended, with ample time for the common people to recover and rest, at least one must leave a seed.

In other words, even in the worst-case scenario, with the Divine Dynasty covered in bones and living beings suffering, at least thirty percent could be left.

Shen Yi was not praising the three sects for leaving room for maneuver; he had simply suddenly remembered the Human Emperor, whom he had only met once.

All current affairs can be said to have started from the Human Emperor establishing the Immortal Department.

But now it seems, this Immortal Department holds absolutely no meaning.

The strongest among them were merely at the level of the Great Luo Immortals, and even those were the most hopeless batch within that realm; once they entered the second rank and thereby attained Great Self-Reliance, having already jumped out of the two realms, who would be willing to serve the mortal imperial court?

With only a group of Great Luo Immortals with no future prospects under his control, the bold words the Human Emperor once shouted about suppressing the Immortal Court seemed somewhat ridiculous and laughable.

As long as that former restorer of the dynasty was not a madman with a mental disorder, it could only mean one thing... the Human Emperor had another purpose.

The Demon-Slaying Bureau was controlled by a group of third-rank experts; this realm, combined with the Demon-Slaying Order, was quite intriguing.

Because it happened to be stuck at a level that could not resist the three sects, yet could pull those gods, Buddhas, and Immortal Venerables down from their thrones, preventing the three sects from accomplishing everything with just a group of young disciples.

But what was the use of doing this?

Once the gods, Buddhas, and Immortal Venerables descended, after successfully conquering the four continents and slaughtering to a limit, the remaining outcome would most likely be internal strife, fighting for the incense offerings under heaven.

As for how far the fighting would go... Shen Yi could not make any prediction.

So-called bystanders see clearly; just like those Shenxu Laozu back then, each thought they would not encounter trouble, but once personally involved, perhaps a disciple would die, perhaps a fellow sect member would be killed; by the time everyone was fighting with bloodshot eyes, even those with bright futures might not hesitate to burst into rage.

As for the Divine Dynasty, since it had already reached the extreme of misery and could not withstand even the slightest damage, it could now remain outside the conflict, and even receive protection from the two sects.

"Hiss."

At this thought, a chill suddenly surged through Shen Yi's heart.

He suddenly realized a possibility.

That was, the Human Emperor had been prepared to sacrifice seventy percent of all living beings from the very beginning.

The mere thought made one feel the coldness within it deeply.

But what was the purpose of paying such a huge price?

What reward, so full of temptation, could be worth a Human Emperor using his own Shenzhou as a weight on the scale?

"..."

Shen Yi was usually not very interested in matters that did not involve him.

But now, he truly wanted to see the Human Emperor once more.

To see for himself whether the other was truly an arrogant madman.

If not.

Then he would see that "purpose" with his own eyes.

(End of this chapter)