[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-immortality-begins-with-slaying-demons":3,"chapter-immortality-begins-with-slaying-demons-immortality-begins-with-slaying-demons-chapter-782":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Immortality Begins with Slaying Demons",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2318670,4533,"Chapter 782: When in Dire Straits, Cultivate One","immortality-begins-with-slaying-demons-chapter-782",782,"\u003Cp>“Hachi—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Shan Laozu fell from the clouds, a great Luo Immortal, yet now gasped like an ordinary mortal—not so much from exhaustion as from sheer terror.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having cultivated in Dananzhou for so many years, he thought he knew Nan Xumí inside and out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet he never imagined such a monstrous deity had emerged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The scene of those Bodhisattvas being slaughtered still haunted Shen Shan Laozu’s mind—he could not even summon thoughts of fellow disciples; the young man hadn’t so much as changed expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The thought sent a chill through his entire body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Chi Laozu beside him was much the same; after finally steadying his composure, he couldn’t help but glance back once more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing the black robe had not followed, she clenched her fingers tightly, only to find her body already weak and trembling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“They’re all dead…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Chi Laozu withdrew his gaze, voice trembling slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“One survived.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Shan Laozu swallowed hard: “To escape this one’s grasp—even with Shen Xu Laozu taking his place—that Tai Xu Danhuang has reason to be proud.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Indeed, after the four magic treasures fell, this Luo Immortal’s heart had been filled only with despair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Put bluntly, his life today was saved solely by the treasure granted by Beizhou, plus the accidental intervention of the Southern Emperor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Had any one of those been missing, he would already be dust, like those Bodhisattvas.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What do we do now?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this thought, Shen Shan Laozu’s mind went blank; he turned his gaze to the old woman beside him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What do we do?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Chi Laozu gritted her teeth, scolding: “Do you think Dananzhou still has room for you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two had inadvertently witnessed too much; when the Dragon-Taming, Tiger-Subduing Bodhisattva finally freed himself, his first act would surely be to eradicate all witnesses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Merely imagining facing that black robe again filled Yu Chi Laozu with dread—such overwhelming pressure, leaving no will to resist, she doubted she’d ever forget it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not to mention competing with him for worship.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You mean… flee to Beizhou?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Shan Laozu froze, a look of resentment flashing across his face—he clearly hated to abandon Dananzhou’s rich bounty—but remembering the Dragon-Taming, Tiger-Subduing Bodhisattva, he sighed in resignation: “Let him devour all of Dananzhou.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Not necessarily.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Chi Laozu shifted tone; under the old man’s puzzled gaze, her eyes narrowed: “When did the imperial court gain the strength to repel the Southern Emperor? Of the few old ones we know—even with imperial aura Jiachi —could any stand against him for a single blow?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You mean Dananzhou still has other strong ones?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Shan Laozu frowned; he’d lived in Dananzhou for years and never heard of such a being.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How could a being comparable to the Nine-Nine Transformations appear without a trace? He must eat, drink, train—there must be some sign… unless he was sent by the Divine Court.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Divine Court has no spare strength to care for a tranquil Dananzhou.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Chi Laozu shook her head: “I once thought it impossible—but look at recent events: the Dragon-Taming, Tiger-Subduing Bodhisattva, the Golden Toad, even the Tai Xu Danhuang who escaped the Dragon-Taming’s grasp—all have broken through like mushrooms after rain.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t forget, just recently on the Beiliu River, the Dragon-Taming and Tai Xu were both fourth-rank cultivators.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I once heard it said: whenever a great calamity comes, those destined to face it emerge. I never believed it—after all, this so-called calamity was just a scheme we old ones arranged through our disciples. How could it be so profound?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But now… I’m starting to believe it. These young ones have left us far behind in mere days, with no logic, no reason.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps because he had survived, Yu Chi Laozu’s thoughts grew clearer than ever.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Could the Divine Court have similar figures?” Shen Shan Laozu, understanding her implication, asked in surprise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Chi Laozu nodded firmly: “I once arranged a plan for my disciple Tian Dong, intending to make him famous in Songfeng Prefecture and dominate Dananzhou—but someone else took the fruit. That man, called Nan Yang, also broke through at fourth rank around the same time, slaying eight great demons of his own rank, plus dozens of Taiyi Demon Immortals—all dead.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“These young ones’ exploits are terrifying—nothing like our generation could match.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If there truly is calamity’s fortune, and both our sects have produced such astonishing figures, then logically, the Divine Court should have someone capable of standing against them.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If he was the one who repelled the Southern Emperor… the Dragon-Taming, Tiger-Subduing Bodhisattva might regret his impulsiveness today. Dananzhou might not fall after all.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Chi Laozu exhaled slowly, smiling bitterly: “But regardless, this great calamity belongs to them. For us to interfere is suicide. We must return to Beizhou quickly—our lives come first.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How did it come to this…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Shan Laozu stood frozen, dazed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not long ago, they had refused to act personally, believing merely dispatching disciples would let them sit back and reap rewards.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How little time had passed—and now, despite their supreme cultivation, they were reduced to fleeing for their lives, stripped of even the right to participate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This, then, was the true face of the great calamity—not the grand play they had imagined.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No one could escape.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Outside the lush forest, atop the white cloud-cliff.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Yi sat quietly against the barren cliff, eyes closed, feigning sleep, savoring the hard-won peace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On either side of him, the fleshy little Tai Sui wriggled slowly, while the silkworm rapidly beat its semi-transparent six wings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My lord, what are we even working so hard for?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Southern Emperor lay at his feet; since becoming the Zhenshi , this former first demon emperor of Dananzhou had grown far more humble and subdued.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beyond the effect of his demonic essence, his final battle before death had given him deeper insight into this seemingly quiet, reserved young man.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he had to use one word to describe him, the Southern Emperor could only say: terrifying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the Six-Six Transformations realm, he had faced the Southern Emperor’s Nine-Nine Transformations—and still made him feel despair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His cultivation technique and magic treasures mattered less; what truly mattered was his vast battle experience, his instinctive, habitual readiness to fight to the death, and his ruthless decisiveness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet such a ruthless, bloodthirsty being, after reaching the peak of Nine-Nine Transformations, deliberately let the Three Immortal Sect’s cultivators escape—that was what puzzled the Southern Emperor most.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Yi lazily opened his eyes, paused, then chuckled bitterly: “Of course, to save my life.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had cultivated for only a dozen years—he was still the same ordinary man: decisive when acting, terrified afterward—these two states did not conflict.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Killing the Southern Emperor and all the demon lords meant cutting off all escape routes for Nan Xumí.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In other words, from now on, no great demon could be sent to charge the front lines, to break Dananzhou’s defenses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To swallow Dananzhou, they’d have to wait until affairs in the other three continents ended, and the demons from there slowly encroached southward… it sounded like merely waiting, nothing to the divine and immortal lords.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But in truth, if that happened, Nan Xumí would lose all initiative; the rich bounty they once monopolized would have to be shared with the Three Immortal Sect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Such a grave mistake would surely trigger a thorough investigation by the Great Freedom, Pure World Bodhisattva.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When several Bodhisattvas gathered to discuss it, their chatter would quickly reveal the culprit—clear as day.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So Shen Yi could not allow this to happen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These Bodhisattvas must die here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even so, the trouble wasn’t truly resolved—the Great Freedom, Pure World Bodhisattva would still investigate, only more slowly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, after killing the Golden Toad, a disciple of the Future Buddha, his crimes would grow even heavier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Shen Yi was used to it: too many mosquitoes don’t itch, too much debt doesn’t worry him—he was already doomed; a little more wouldn’t matter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What mattered most was buying time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Dragon-Taming, Tiger-Subduing Bodhisattva identity can’t be used anymore.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Yi gently rubbed his temples.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even with eight mouths and the best acting, he couldn’t explain how the Bodhisattvas were all dead while Dananzhou remained intact.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Under these circumstances, his identity as a member of the Three Immortal Sect must be preserved; only another great sect could protect his life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’s why he went through such trouble letting those two old masters escape.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A newly arrived disciple from Dananzhou claiming to join Beizhou’s Three Immortal Sect—no one would believe him alone, let alone let him infiltrate deeply.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this point, witnesses were needed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Someone else had to tell the story of what happened in Dananzhou.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After witnessing such slaughter, those two would surely flee to the safest place they knew for protection.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If all went well, Shen Mou’s life was temporarily spared—how long it lasted depended on when Nan Xumí found him, and when he could break through to second rank.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once he broke through to second rank, reached Great Freedom, he would become immortal…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My lord, shall we depart for Beizhou now?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Xu Laozu had followed Shen Yi longer and clearly understood the situation better.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had shattered Nan Xumí’s grand plan and killed a disciple of the Future Buddha—being hunted by the Great Freedom Bodhisattva was mild; even a true Buddha personally crushing him wouldn’t be excessive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dananzhou offered him no refuge whatsoever.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Not yet.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Yi slowly rose, stretched his body, ending the brief rest: “I plan to visit the imperial capital first.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rushing blindly elsewhere would invite trouble.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before that, necessary understanding was unavoidable—just as when I sent Qing Hua to Heaven, I needed a reliable information channel to foresee trouble.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And who better controlled information across all four continents than the Lord of Mortal Affairs?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Yi no longer hoped for rewards from the Divine Court.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This fallen, three-continent ruin was plainly poor—crack open every pot and pan, they couldn’t possibly produce a golden pill worthy of his achievements.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But if they’d grant him an intelligence network as thanks for his deeds, that would be quite useful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beyond that…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Yi pressed his lips together.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having resolved Dananzhou’s affairs, he was no longer the ignorant little demon-slayer he once was.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jin Chan’s earlier words, though seemingly heartless, provided a crucial piece of information.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seven days, destroy nine provinces, spare three-tenths of the population.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The most important part is this “three-tenths”—given Jin Chan’s nature, this was certainly not out of kindness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This number must be the limit both sects can accept.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If left unrestricted, slaughtering every last soul of the Divine Dynasty would leave no one to supply imperial qi—even after the great calamity ends, with ample time for the people to recover, there must still be seeds left to preserve.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In other words, even in the worst-case scenario, where the Divine Dynasty lies littered with corpses and all life is laid waste, at least three-tenths must remain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Yi was not praising the Three Sects for leaving room; he had simply remembered the Emperor of Mortals, whom he had met only once.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All events today can be said to have begun with the Emperor of Mortals establishing the Immortal Bureau.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now it appears, this Immortal Bureau holds no meaning whatsoever.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its strongest members are merely at the Great Luo Immortal level—and even then, the least promising among them. Once they reach Second Rank, they gain complete freedom, having already transcended the Two Realms—who would willingly serve the mortal court?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Under such circumstances, with only a band of hopeless Great Luo Immortals under his command, the Emperor of Mortals’ former boast of subduing the Immortal Court now seemed absurd and laughable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unless that once-reviving monarch was a madman, the only possible conclusion is… the Emperor of Mortals has another purpose.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Demon-Slaying Office is controlled by a group of Third Rank masters; this level, combined with the Demon-Slaying Edict, is deeply intriguing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For it sits precisely at the threshold—too weak to resist the Three Sects, yet strong enough to drag down those gods, buddhas, and immortal nobles, preventing the Three Sects from accomplishing their goals with nothing but young disciples.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But what is the point of this?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When gods, buddhas, and immortal nobles descend, after successfully breaching the Four Continents and reaching the limit of slaughter, what remains will most likely be infighting—competing for the world’s incense offerings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for how far the fighting might go… Shen Yi could not possibly predict.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the saying goes, bystanders see clearly—just like those ancient ancestors, each believed they would escape unscathed, but once personally involved, perhaps their disciples died, perhaps their sectmates were slain; once all eyes turned red, even those with great futures might not resist the urge to rage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for the Divine Dynasty, having already reached utter despair and unable to bear even the slightest damage, it now finds itself detached from the conflict—and may even receive protection from both sects.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hss.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this thought, a chill suddenly surged through Shen Yi’s heart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had just realized a possibility.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That the Emperor of Mortals had, from the very beginning, prepared to sacrifice seven-tenths of the populace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Merely this notion filled one with profound coldness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But what purpose could justify such a terrible cost?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What kind of irresistible reward could possibly make an Emperor of Mortals wager his entire Shenzhou as a counterweight?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Yi usually had little interest in matters that did not concern him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now, he truly wished to see the Emperor of Mortals once more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To see whether the man was truly a reckless, arrogant madman.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he was not.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then Shen Yi would see with his own eyes what that “purpose” truly was.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",2285,"2026-06-20T15:00:39.179Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","9ea31763985957f5f593ff27fa6efb6703e392c579e42e6a25441c0906142fd1","immortality-begins-with-slaying-demons-chapter-783","immortality-begins-with-slaying-demons-chapter-781",840,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fimmortality-begins-with-slaying-demons-cover.jpg"]