Chapter 756: Establishing the Shrine of True Person Taixu, Planting the Flag in Beizhou

"Little Immortal Master, we meet again."

The youth with rosy lips and white teeth raised his palm in a salute and said politely to Shen Yi, "I am Bai He, the attendant of True Person Qingguang."

To say they had met was a stretch; after all, when it went to Shenxu Mountain to deliver the decree, the Taixu Danhuang never appeared from start to finish.

When the Crane Attendant arrived in Da Nanzhou, it didn't even bother to glance properly at that group of cultivators, yet now that it had reached Beizhou, even though Shen Yi had not truly entered Lingxu Cave and only had a hint of it, it addressed him as Immortal Master.

Shen Yi politely returned the salute, likewise sizing up this attendant.

Now that his cultivation had improved, he could finally see the depth of this White Crane; his realm, having reached the extreme of the Nine-Nine Transformations, was in no way inferior to True Person Master Yun Miao.

In that light, it was not surprising that Shenxu Laozu was not recognized by Beizhou, rather than being deliberately targeted.

Even a great demon of such a realm as the Crane Attendant could not become a disciple of a Jin Xian, let alone a silkworm that had yet to complete the Six-Six Transformation.

If he had followed True Person Master Yun Miao's arrangement and stayed behind, bearing the title of demon disciple, not to mention that the Bodhisattva seat was a cultivation level that could not be seen, even if it were replaced with a strength that could be displayed openly, the best outcome would likely have been to become an attendant to some Jin Xian, just like the Crane Attendant.

"Little Immortal Master, please mourn."

After exchanging a few pleasantries, the Crane Attendant's expression suddenly turned somewhat emotional.

"..."

Hearing this, Shen Yi was stunned for a moment, then the warmth on his face slowly faded; he shifted his gaze and said indifferently, "Immortal Attendant need not blame yourself; my Shenxu Mountain simply lacked the skill."

"Uh."

Embarrassment welled up in the Crane Attendant's eyes; it had come on the order of You Yao to test the waters, to see if this person had any reaction to the death of Sister Ling Su, but it never expected to have the matter dragged onto itself.

It must be remembered that it was the one who went to Da Nanzhou to deliver the treasure, causing many cultivators to enter the tribulation and fight for it, which led to the subsequent extermination of the Shenxu Mountain sect.

"It was also that the Puti Sect acted too cruelly, and grew increasingly audacious; now they even dare to enter my Beizhou to commit violence, causing True Person Sister Ling Su to meet with disaster." The Crane Attendant directly changed the subject while carefully observing the young man's expression.

Hearing this, Shen Yi's face instantly changed.

However, it was not out of sorrow upon learning of Sister Ling Su's trouble; what overflowed from his eyes was pure killing intent: "They have come?"

"..."

The Crane Attendant fell silent for a moment; in fact, this was the normal reaction, after all, the other party occupied Sister Ling Su's dojo, and they had known each other for only a short time; if he truly showed a look of heart-wrenching grief, that would only appear hypocritical and deliberate.

It cleared its throat: "Whether it is from Nan Xumi is not yet certain, but it is definitely the work of a Bodhisattva; however, Little Immortal Master need not be anxious; the elders of the sect have already issued a decree, and there should be a result very soon."

Having said that, the Crane Attendant found a random excuse, clasped its hands, and took its leave.

It had originally gone to Da Nanzhou on the decree of True Person Qingguang; now that trouble had arisen, the True Person had not spoken, and as a mere attendant, besides offering a few words of comfort, it could give no promises; staying any longer would only make it feel ashamed.

After bidding farewell to Shen Yi, the Crane Attendant spread its wings and returned to the peak of Tashan, shaking its head at You Yao: "I could not discern anything."

However, it did not draw a conclusion based solely on this brief exchange; after all, this Taixu Danhuang was not one of those cultivators in the various veins of Beizhou who rarely traveled; being able to flee all the way to Beizhou meant it possessed some depth of cunning.

"Hmm."

True Person You Yao nodded, just as she was preparing to observe for a while longer; at that moment, a jade slip that appeared out of nowhere interrupted her thoughts.

She casually took the jade slip; having only read halfway, beneath the treasure crown, that Bai Xi face had already fallen into coldness: "Trouble has arisen; this time six died, and all were killed in a single strike, with no ability to fight back."

Before the words had even finished, even those with profound cultivation like the Crane Attendant and True Person Master Yun Miao, who were only one step away from second-rank, had their breathing suddenly quicken.

If the deaths of the few from Elder Chi Yun Cave and Sister Ling Su previously could be attributed to being caught off guard by a trap, then this time, with all cultivators in Beizhou prepared and even the sect's great array deployed, yet suffering such heavy casualties, the problem was far more serious.

Moreover, they died so decisively.

This is not something a third-rank cultivator could accomplish...

Thinking of this, the Crane Attendant glanced at Shen Yi, who had been distributing relief to refugees at the foot of the mountain, and couldn't help but let out a bitter smile; this time, it had truly guessed the wrong place.

"Let us go; follow me to report to the elders."

You Yao's face looked grim; she had considered that perhaps the Puti Sect truly intended to interfere in Beizhou's affairs, but she did not expect these monks to make no attempt at testing, arriving instead with a ferocious momentum.

Having said that, she led the Crane Attendant and left Tashan directly.

True Person Master Yun Miao watched the two depart; only after a long while did he adjust his mood. He had barely made a decision, planning to enter the tribulation to get a share, but never expected to encounter such a thing just after descending the mountain; he could only sigh that his fate was bitter.

He likewise turned around and returned to Banluo Cliff with a troubled mind.

Fortunately, You Yao was still holding the line in front.

Thinking of this, True Person Master Yun Miao suddenly recalled that the other party had lingered at Tashan for many days; could it have been hinting at something to him?

He frowned and waved his hand to summon a disciple: "You go to Tashan and explain to that Taixu Danhuang, saying..."

"True Person Sister Ling Su has met with foul play; the dojo at Tashan was originally promised to her by our fellow disciples; now that she is no longer here, this matter is no longer valid. This seat must also devote all effort to investigating the Puti Sect and truly has no spare strength to attend to other matters. With chaos arising in Beizhou, safety is paramount; tell the Danhuang to return first."

"Disciple obeys."

A disciple of Lingxu Cave, following the order, summoned a magical tool and flew away.

True Person Master Yun Miao silently withdrew his gaze; he still did not know how to speak to that Danhuang about the things he had yielded at Qingguang Cave; now, borrowing the pretext of Sister Ling Su, even if the other party was unwise, he should take this opportunity to step down.

In any case, under such circumstances, it was absolutely impossible to offend You Yao for the time being.

If that woman threw down her work and refused to manage it, then the matter of dealing with the Puti Sect would all fall upon him.

"Sigh."

Having thought this through, True Person Master Yun Miao let out a long sigh; the Sect Master had not yet returned, and the other junior brothers were each seeking their own paths outside; now the youngest junior sister had met with trouble, and this vast Lingxu Cave had only him, the eldest senior brother, holding it up, which felt somewhat like a single tree unable to support the sky.

He must be extremely cautious to preserve this family legacy.

Several days passed.

True Person Master Yun Miao finally received the decree from the sect.

He could not wait to open it and look; his expression gradually shifted from gloomy to delighted.

The elders who had reached the realm of Slain Hunyuan Great Luo Jinxian were obviously stirred to anger by this matter; originally ignoring worldly affairs, they had finally taken action.

Not only did they order the disciples to continue investigating Beizhou, but they also personally selected many talented fellow disciples to set out for the other three continents, with no need to worry about face; occupy as much incense as possible!

Since those monks had struck first, it just so happened that the elites of the Sanxian Sect were still hungry.

What truly delighted True Person Master Yun Miao was that he and Senior Sister You Yao, perhaps because they were responsible for investigating the Puti Sect, were therefore not on the list.

The departure of so many elites would inevitably cause Beizhou, which had already been completely carved up, to once again open up many positions.

Those fellow disciples who could previously contend with You Yao, no one knew when they would return after this departure.

Following You Yao's actions would surely leave one stuffed to the point of bursting.

Such joyful news quickly washed away True Person Yun Miao's sorrow over the junior sister's demise.

A smile finally appeared on his face.

When wind and clouds shift, a true dragon must rise to the heavens; obviously, after sitting in idle meditation for so long, he had finally waited for this change, and it was destined for him to achieve the Dao!

Just then, the disciple who had gone to deliver the message returned in haste.

"Reporting to Master, the disciple has already clarified matters with that Taixu Danhuang." He knelt on one knee and clasped his fists, saying.

"Clarifying is good; why did he not return with you?"

Now that True Person Yun Miao was in high spirits, his voice was also much gentler.

"He... he..."

The disciple's face was full of bitterness as he timidly raised his head.

True Person Yun Miao sensed something was wrong, raised an eyebrow, and dropped his smile: "What happened to him? Speak quickly!"

"He has established a shrine!"

The disciple struck his head forcefully against the ground, trembling as he said: "Taixu Danhuang ordered the statue of Junior Uncle Ling Su to be removed and erected a shrine to Taixu Zhenjun on Tashan!"

Before the words had even finished, True Person Yun Miao had sprung to his feet, reaching out a hand, so angry that his fingertips were trembling: "How dare he..."

Would such actions by the other party cause Master Qingguang to misunderstand him as untrustworthy, or cause You Yao to feel dissatisfied? These were matters requiring careful consideration.

Moreover, how could this child, an outsider from Da Nanzhou, make such a decision privately without consulting him?

Establishing a shrine was no different from planting a flag.

Once established, it would declare this place as his own cultivation ground; yet the other party possessed neither strength nor background, yet dared to do this, clearly just borrowing the tiger's skin of Lingxu Cave.

"He truly thinks himself a disciple of Lingxu Cave, believing that this Seat would protect him!"

"Go spread the news that the matter of Tashan has nothing to do with our Lingxu Cave."

If it were before, True Person Yun Miao might have offered gentle advice, but now, with the change approaching, there could be no room for even the slightest error.

Ling Su indeed did not misjudge; this child was, deep down, still that rule-breaking insect demon disciple, truly inhuman!

Since the other party disregarded his Yun Miao's future and life, he naturally no longer needed to indulge this person.

"So bold and reckless; I wonder when he will die."

True Person Yun Miao took a few deep breaths, gritted his teeth, and suddenly waved his sleeve.

If he hadn't been so stubborn back then and turned to leave immediately, now that the two sects were in conflict, Master Qingguang's thoughts would no longer focus on such trivial matters; so let him go, he must crash into death and the destruction of his Dao before he realizes how hard this iron wall of Beizhou truly is.

Kaiyuan Prefecture, Tashan.

Many disciples of Lingxu Cave stood atop the mountain, all staring at the newly erected Xian Sect shrine with complex expressions.

In the eyes of the common people, the source of the water and grain that had appeared out of nowhere during this time had finally been revealed.

However, it was not the most familiar True Person Ling Su, but rather the Taixu Zhenjun who had previously waved his hand to slay the tiger demon.

But in the eyes of these Lingxu Cave disciples, this Xian Sect shrine was undoubtedly a death warrant.

It must be known that since True Person Ling Su had already perished, the ownership of Tashan had become somewhat ambiguous; under such sensitive circumstances, establishing a shrine so hastily would inevitably provoke the dissatisfaction of many.

Setting aside other matters, this Kaiyuan Prefecture was divided into three parts, and Tashan was merely the smallest of them, yet however small, it was still a cultivation ground.

Would the two senior elders of the nearby sects let this piece of fat meat slip away with their eyes wide open?

"My Lord, I believe that True Person Yun Miao cannot truly be counted as a reliable backer."

Since the Southern Emperor had completely submitted, his speech had become increasingly tactful.

Although it had only seen True Person Yun Miao a few times alongside Shen Yi, just from the matter of Ling Su, it could be seen that this person was inherently weak in character; let alone supporting them, it would be fortunate if he didn't drag them down.

"..."

Shen Yi walked quietly among the refugees.

In fact, compared to two months ago, the people near Tashan could no longer be considered refugees.

The newly built houses were not as beautiful and exquisite as those once found in Kaiyuan Prefecture city, but at least sheltering from wind and rain was no problem; the Jade Pure Vase had transformed into a well where water could be taken freely, many had already cleared the ruins nearby to reclaim and cultivate the land, and although there was no harvest yet and they currently relied on the alms of the Immortals, the situation would only improve with time.

Such actions were obviously unfavorable for seizing Imperial Qi in the short term, and an Xian Sect shrine established under such circumstances could not possibly achieve effects lasting a thousand generations.

But it was very beneficial for Shen Yi's mood.

The missing hundred or so tribulations of Imperial Qi were not of great use anyway.

"I never intended to rely on him."

If the Southern Emperor could see this, Shen Yi naturally had expected it long ago; just based on the matter of establishing a shrine, given True Person Yun Miao's personality, he probably wished to immediately disassociate himself from the affair.

But this was actually a good thing.

A senior brother who possessed strength but lacked courage would find it difficult to support a lineage amidst such a great calamity.

Even though Shen Yi had been staying at Tashan recently, simply observing the posture of superiority and inferiority between Yun Miao and the black-robed woman of similar cultivation when the crane boy arrived earlier allowed him to infer many things.

If Lingxu Cave was as the Human Emperor described, neither high enough nor low enough, then True Person Yun Miao, who inherited the Lingxu lineage, would likely have already turned Lingxu Cave into a laughingstock in the eyes of others.

Only by throwing oneself into such an Immortal lineage would one have a chance to rise to prominence.

In any other Immortal lineage, one did not need to be too outstanding; as long as the eldest disciple was usable, which Jin Xian would abandon a personal disciple raised since childhood to choose to trust an outsider from Da Nanzhou?

Thinking of this, Shen Yi's gaze sharpened slightly.

Before Lingxu Zi returned, he must achieve something.

"Have you investigated clearly?"

"Reporting to my Lord, all has been clarified."

Shenxu Laozu was not very capable in action, but relying on the Realm of Taixu, gathering intelligence was quite convenient.

It had long ago, from the mouths of those Lingxu Cave disciples, investigated the surrounding environment thoroughly.

"On the left is the cultivation ground of True Person Haoming; this person's cultivation, transformed by Huang Liuliu, is merely mediocre within the Sanxian Sect. On the right is more troublesome; it is heard to be the cultivation ground of True Person Shu Yu of Qingguang Cave. Originally, Tashan should have been under his jurisdiction, but Ling Su snatched the opportunity first; this person's cultivation is also not particularly high."

"The trouble is, he is the junior brother of True Person Youyao. Youyao is the eldest disciple of Master Qingguang's Cave, a ruthless character who monopolizes four prefectures and is truly not to be trifled with."

"..."

Shen Yi raised his eyes slightly, cold light surging within them.

Whether he is hard to provoke can only be known by provoking him.

The Monks from Sumeru Mountain have already arrived in Beizhou. Though it is unknown if it is that Bodhisattva of World Purification, Shen Yi's time is already running short.

Without the protection of a Jin Xian, Shen Yi has no confidence in surviving the hands of the Great Selfless Bodhisattva.

Let Kaiyuan Prefecture serve as a gift for True Person Lingxu.

(End of this chapter)