Chapter 754

Lingxu Cave, half-lost on the cliff.

Zhenjun Master Yun Miao walked forward slowly and called out to the figure ahead: "Danhuang, brother, weren't you supposed to be guarding Tian Tower Mountain? Why have you returned?"

Shen Yi, who had just landed, paused slightly, then bowed and explained: "I heard from your disciples that Master Sister Ling Su has been emotionally unsettled lately and went out to clear her mind. After much thought, I fear it may be because of me, so I've decided to return to my cave and cultivate for a while."

"… "

Zhenjun Master Yun Miao's expression stiffened slightly—could something this simple really require so much deliberation to comprehend?

But upon reflection, since Nanzhou had yet to fall, the man had never even touched the matter of dividing incense offerings; it was natural he didn't understand the underlying currents.

Yet to think of avoiding suspicion only now—wasn't that far too late?

Zhenjun Master Yun Miao sighed and forced a smile: "Brother Danhuang, you overthink it. Precisely because she went out to clear her mind, you must remain at Tian Tower Mountain to watch over it."

He shook his head: "You've just come to Beizhou and don't yet understand. This vast land is entirely our Sanxian Sect's domain, but beneath the Three Sect Masters and the Five Imperial Lords, the immortal lineages are countless—Lingxu Cave is merely one among them."

"Though we call each other fellow disciples…"

Zhenjun Master Yun Miao recalled the replies he'd received from that group earlier, and his smile grew tinged with sarcasm: "But between cave and cave, harmony and kinship are far from what you imagine—even if not as bitter as your rivalry with Puti Sect back in Nanzhou, it's not far off."

"Like certain elders who gave the orders themselves, yet have never once shown their face to you since."

Sister Ling Su's departure had clearly struck Zhenjun Master Yun Miao hard.

At this moment, aside from wanting to win over Shen Yi, these words carried no small measure of resentment.

"But rest assured, brother knows you've suffered much injustice. Before our master returns, I won't stand idly by while others bully you."

"Thank you, Zhenjun Master Yun Miao, for your guidance."

Shen Yi lowered his gaze slightly, as if remembering again the annihilation of his immortal sect and his master's death at the hands of that monk. After a long silence, he sighed softly: "Then I'll return to Tian Tower Mountain. But please, brother, convey this to Master Sister Ling Su."

"I came to Beizhou not only to flee for my life, but solely to demand justice for Shenxu Mountain. Even if I seek a domain, I'll find it myself. When Sister Ling Su returns, Tian Tower Mountain will still be hers."

"… "

Zhenjun Master Yun Miao nodded without comment.

Given how fiercely this boy had walked away last time without looking back, this statement was likely true—for now.

But once he truly tasted the benefits of a domain, savored the flavor of imperial qi, he'd likely think very differently when asked to surrender Tian Tower Mountain.

"Brother, I take my leave."

Shen Yi turned and re-entered Tai Xu, flanked by Nanhuang and the other Stone Guardians.

This return was to gauge the attitude of this senior brother of Lingxu Cave.

From the look Sister Ling Su had given Master Yun Miao last time, Shen Yi was certain he would never reveal the cave's plans to harm him—and now, it proved true.

Thus, his path to integrating into Beizhou was halfway opened.

Shen Yi's greatest current troubles were undoubtedly the Puti Sect's reckoning and how to cross the second-rank path—both controlled by two great sects.

The former and the latter were in fact the same thing.

That is: how to truly join Sanxian Sect and gain sufficient status to receive the True Transmission.

Securing Tian Tower Mountain was the beginning of this change.

Now, at last, he had a decent start. The rest would be settled by strength.

In Beizhou, where there were too many monks and too little porridge, these self-important true disciples of great sects would not watch passively as an outsider seized a domain.

…

The sun and moon rose and set again; it was now the second month.

Zhenjun Master Yun Miao still sat on the cliff, breathing and meditating, though he occasionally glanced toward Sister Ling Su's cave—clearly, his mind was not on cultivation.

He always claimed he needed perfect preparation before acting, to mask his reluctance to leave the mountain.

But his youngest sister's departure had cleanly torn away his pretense.

The senior brother still sat here, yet a sister of his lineage went to court other disciples—if this spread, Zhenjun Master Yun Miao's face in Lingxu Cave would be utterly destroyed.

"Could it truly be that I can wait no longer?"

Sensing the turmoil in his Dao heart, unable to enter stillness, Zhenjun Master Yun Miao finally abandoned his pretense of meditation, rose abruptly, and began pacing restlessly in place.

During these two months, disciples frequently returned to report.

The Tai Xu Danhuang, stationed within Tian Tower Mountain, had shown no unusual behavior—merely becoming less stingy in relief efforts and ordering disciples to rebuild shelters for the refugees.

He had almost certainly tasted imperial qi and now sought to make the refugees forget the former Sister Ling Su Zhenjun through such actions.

Sister Ling Su's prolonged absence left Zhenjun Master Yun Miao indifferent to such trivialities; what truly unsettled him was that this outsider from Nanzhou was gradually gaining ground on a domain, while he, the senior brother of this lineage, had gained nothing.

His steps halted briefly; he clenched his fist tightly.

After a moment, Zhenjun Master Yun Miao made his decision, summoned his artifact, and shot toward Qingguang Cave.

A cultivator who had reached the pinnacle of ninety-nine transformations, if he intended to enter the tribulation, could not be content—as Sister Ling Su had been—with merely seizing Tian Tower Mountain.

He must claim at least an entire prefecture, even compete with numerous prodigies for the final position.

For such a major matter, it was always wise to first sound out his uncle.

A splendid immortal carriage rose on clouds, the land below blurring into indistinctness.

Within days, a white crane flew ahead, flapping its wings, guiding the carriage into a beautiful Xianshan.

"Zhenjun Master Yun Miao has come in person—is there an urgent matter? This way, please."

The crane transformed into a boy, leading Zhenjun Master Yun Miao into a hall thick with blue mist.

Inside, only a few disciples remained—all direct disciples of Qingguang, the Slain Hunyuan Jin Xian.

"Master Yun Miao of Lingxu Cave, greetings, Sister Youyao."

On the secondary seat sat a young woman, lounging lazily, not in a Dao robe but a black dress that accentuated her pale, smooth skin. She wore a jeweled crown, making her face too dazzling to gaze upon directly.

Zhenjun Master Yun Miao bowed to the woman first, then took his seat under the crane boy's guidance.

"Zhenjun Master Yun Miao is a rare guest—we've nearly forgotten when we last saw you."

Several fellow disciples teased lightly.

Seeing Shen Yi heard this and felt slightly uncomfortable, but merely offered a gentle smile.

"..."

The crane child stood quietly at the palace entrance, listening to the few exchange pleasantries, casually glanced at Seeing Shen Yi, and saw the other party gradually becoming unable to sit still.

"What you all do not know is that Seeing Shen Yi has come today actually to ask one thing."

"I observe that calamities have arisen in the world today, and the winds and clouds are changing; you all have personally entered the calamity and found good paths, but... I have cultivated for many years, my realm has hit a bottleneck, and there has been no turning point to this day; I wish to descend the mountain to travel, I do not know if you all have any advice?"

After Seeing Shen Yi True Person had tactfully explained the purpose of his coming.

The crane child slowly withdrew his gaze and sighed with a smile.

Last time it already felt that the eldest senior brother of Lingxu Cave was too slick; now it seems the other party perhaps stayed on the mountain too long, only watching the winds and clouds change, and failed to recognize even the most basic situation.

He still thought that entering the calamity to fight for incense was like treating guests to a meal, calling everyone over, just moving lips, and being able to make others divide the delicacies on the plate.

Indeed, after the words fell, the entire great hall suddenly became quiet.

The few disciples who were just smiling and exchanging pleasantries now all turned their gazes elsewhere, as if they completely failed to understand.

"You all..."

Seeing this, Seeing Shen Yi True Person felt somewhat embarrassed.

In his view, truly speaking of strength, even if he compared himself to You Yao, the eldest senior sister of Qingguang Cave, the outcome would be unknown.

Possessing such a realm and still personally rushing over to discuss with everyone was to avoid hurting harmony.

He never expected this group to be so disrespectful.

"Senior brother Seeing Shen Yi."

Seeing the atmosphere was too awkward, a disciple in a green robe finally took up the thread of conversation and said politely with a smile: "Previously Lingxu Cave put on a look of not fighting or grabbing, we believed it, so we discussed setting aside Tashan as compensation."

"Now you have also taken Tashan, and now you come to say this, isn't it somewhat unreasonable?"

He admitted Seeing Shen Yi True Person's realm was profound, but dared not enter the calamity, unwilling to truly fight and kill, relying only on the reputation of the extreme of the ninety-nine transformations, yet wanting to enjoy ten-thousand-generation incense, was perhaps thinking too much.

"Junior brother Master Shu Yu..."

Seeing Shen Yi True Person frowned and wanted to refute, but was interrupted by the other party.

"Look, our Qingguang Cave's newly entered junior brothers and sisters haven't even found a place yet, while first letting your junior sister Ling Su sit firmly on Tashan without effort."

Master Shu Yu True Person extended his thumb and pointed to the last two seats.

Elder Yu Chi and Shen Shan Laozu hurriedly forced out smiles; the two had just arrived at Beizhou, had barely managed to enter Qingguang Cave, and being able to keep their lives was already lucky; they never thought to participate in these disputes among Beizhou cultivators.

"Senior brother, please give a definite answer; if you intend to fight, then our previous discussions will no longer count." Master Shu Yu True Person still maintained that polite appearance, yet with one sentence left the other party speechless.

Seeing Shen Yi True Person's face already showed anger: "Tashan is not currently under the care of my junior sister Ling Su, but rather by Taixu Danhuang of that Nananzhou; do not forget, this cultivator traveled ten thousand li to come to Beizhou, which is not unrelated to your Qingguang Cave."

He kindly came to discuss, yet not only did he get no benefit, but he was expected to hand over the Tashan in his hands?

"I don't care about that; that is your Lingxu Cave's family matter." Master Shu Yu True Person shrugged.

"My family matter? If it weren't for your master's crane child coming over back then..."

Even a clay figure has a bit of temper; Seeing Shen Yi True Person suddenly stood up and was about to explode on the spot.

Just then, a cold gaze fell upon him, causing his whole body to freeze; he instinctively turned his head to look.

He saw that the lazy woman leaning back had opened her eyes at some unknown time.

"..."

Clearly they were cultivators of the same realm, yet Seeing Shen Yi True Person felt a thread of pressure in that gaze.

Even though both were eldest disciples of their respective lineages, the difference between him and You Yao was that the other party was among the earliest batch of cultivators to enter the calamity, long ago using strength to carve out a huge reputation, and a dojo covering four entire prefectures, and to this day no one has dared to challenge.

To be honest, Seeing Shen Yi's expectation was about this; to possess a dojo covering four prefectures would be enough for him to enjoy.

"If you wish to enter the calamity, be honest."

You Yao True Person withdrew her gaze, seeming too lazy to waste words with him, and said faintly: "I have no advice here, nor do I have the habit of giving incense to others for free; if you are willing, then follow me to fight; when the great calamity ends, of these dojos, you take two tenths."

"If you lack that courage, then return to your Lingxu Cave and guard your Tashan."

"You!"

Facing these utterly impolite words, Seeing Shen Yi True Person's face instantly darkened.

He had always considered himself of the same generation as the other party, but now this woman's attitude clearly showed she did not truly take him seriously.

Seeing Shen Yi originally planned to sweep his sleeve and leave, but just as he turned, his steps could not move forward.

Working together, he would only take two tenths, and still have to return Tashan; these conditions sounded almost like an insult.

But thinking carefully, the other party had already carved out a huge Great Ming Wang, correspondingly shouldering the risks, while he only needed to follow the other party's actions.

Even taking ten thousand steps back, You Yao already had four prefectures of land; even if it were only two tenths of that, it was far larger than Tashan.

What he lost was merely some face.

As for that Tashan, Ling Su already looked as if she had given up, and that Taixu Danhuang could not even be counted as a disciple of Lingxu Cave; why not make the other party endure a little grievance first.

"I, Seeing Shen Yi, still have that courage." Seeing Shen Yi True Person turned around again.

"Heh heh."

Master Shu Yu True Person couldn't help but laugh, stood up, walked over to Elder Yu Chi and Shen Shan Laozu, and meaningfully patted both their shoulders: "Junior brother and junior sister, hurry and thank senior brother Seeing Shen Yi; he came specially to deliver you both a great future."

Shen Shan Laozu instinctively forced out a smile.

Elder Yu Chi fell into silence, and quietly tugged the other person.

Master Shu Yu True Person originally wanted to use these two to disgust Seeing Shen Yi, but never expected such a reaction; he couldn't help but raise an eyebrow: "What, are you dissatisfied with that Tashan?"

Hearing this, Shen Shan Laozu was already somewhat anxious; he had just escaped with his life, being able to enter Qingguang Cave was already fortunate, and now he could even be allocated a dojo; such a heaven-sent good thing, what was there to hesitate about.

"Thank you, senior brother, for your kindness; but we two have just arrived at Beizhou and have made no contributions, so how could we occupy that Taixu Danhuang's dojo."

Elder Yu Chi humbly lowered his head and politely declined the matter.

Back when in Da Nanzhou, she had already thought very clearly: when the great calamity arises, those destined for the calamity are born in accordance with the natural flow.

Taixu Danhuang is one of them.

A slight comparison — they had also only just arrived in Beizhou a few months ago.

The two of them were nominally disciples of the sect, but in truth held no status at all; yet that Taixu Danhuang, riding on the name of a junior among the insect demons, already possessed a dao arena of his own.

That alone was enough to prove a great many things.

They had only just barely escaped from the hands of the Taming Dragon and Subduing Tiger Bodhisattva; Elder Yu Chi would have to be stuffed full before he'd go provoke another one. This was no blessing at all — it was plainly a death sentence.

(End of chapter)