Chapter 785: Seeking One's Own Death

Within the clear azure sky, streaks of flowing light shot like shuttles, tearing the heavens apart in an instant.

Three thousand immortal houses poured out of Beizhou in full force, shaking heaven and earth!

And in the Tianyan Siji marshlands, atop a withered tree standing in the water, a monk in white robes sat cross-legged barefoot. His Bai Xi, clean hands slowly rolled prayer beads, his demeanor seemingly calm and at peace, but his thumb pressed slightly harder, pinching an indentation into the bead.

He raised his head, and the streaks of light reflected in his deep, dark pupils.

The Sanxian Sect had not deployed such a formation in many years. They poured out in full force like locusts, surging toward the other continents, radiating a greedy, vicious aura, as if they meant to scrape a layer off the other continents' very soil.

Clearly, Beizhou alone could no longer satisfy the appetites of these immortal houses.

They were stirring restlessly, beginning to set their sights on those places sheltered by the Buddhist light of Mount Nan Xumi.

This tribulation had already escalated to a degree none had ever anticipated.

But all of this had nothing to do with the Great Freedom World-Purifying Bodhisattva. After all, Da Nanzhou had yet to breach the Divine Dynasty's defenses, and South Nan Xumi had still not truly entered this great tribulation.

The reason things had fallen into such an awkward situation lay entirely with him alone.

Therefore, he had to give South Nan Xumi an explanation.

The World-Purifying Zunzhe had originally believed that after capturing that Taixu Zhenjun, all mysteries would be laid bare. But he had not expected that this arrangement had not only buried all the Bodhisattvas who had followed him to Beizhou, but also cost him a handy monk's staff.

Compared to anger, he felt more bewildered.

The Zunzhe did not understand the affairs of Beizhou, but he was the Bodhisattva in charge of worldly affairs for South Nan Xumi. No one knew Da Nanzhou better than he, and this Taixu Zhenjun had indeed originated from Da Nanzhou.

That soil firmly controlled by Mount Nan Xumi—mere disciples like those of Mount Tianwu and Elder Yu Chi, who could never even make a showing in Beizhou, were able to found mountains and proclaim themselves ancestors in Da Nanzhou, presenting themselves as representatives of the Sanxian Sect.

With such shallow foundations, there was simply no way to cultivate an immortal house possessing such methods.

And that Taixu Zhenjun had only been in Beizhou for how long? Add to that his lowly origins, unknown to anyone, and through many schemes he had finally managed to enter Lingxu Cave, an immortal lineage equally unremarkable. In such a short time, he could not possibly have learned any profound great dharma.

"First disciple of the Sanxian Sect…"

The World-Purifying Zunzhe murmured. With his cultivation, he could naturally hear clearly the lofty discussions of those streaks of light at the horizon.

The corner of his lips lifted slightly, tinged with faint mockery.

If nothing had happened in Da Nanzhou, then with the methods that Subduing Dragon and Taming Tiger Bodhisattva had displayed, he should have nearly become South Nan Xumi's first disciple by now.

In a single continent, two such utterly enigmatic yet unbelievably outstanding beings had appeared at the same time. Yet both of them had survived that upheaval, and then, as if by prior agreement, had both gone into hiding under assumed names.

Thinking of this, the World-Purifying Zunzhe drew in a deep breath.

The cause that had trapped him in this bitter situation seemed about to be found.

Insects of beings dare to dream of trifling with great sects. Gaining a momentary advantage will ultimately demand a price.

……

Beizhou, Mount Qingguang.

Before the gate of the Daoist abbey, a figure stepped out slowly. Before departing, he turned and bowed toward the interior of the abbey: "Please rest assured, Hongze Daxian. This junior will not fail your trust."

"Go, and convey my regards to the Sovereign Lord on my behalf." A leisurely response drifted out from within the abbey.

"This junior takes his leave."

Qixian straightened his posture once more, then walked down the long steps.

He tried hard to steady his emotions. Even now he still could not accept this reality—leaving a perfectly good sacred ground to enjoy, and instead going to fight desperately against the monks of the Puti Sect.

That treacherous Taixu villain had put on a fearless front, curried fame and praise, and won the admiration of the disciples. But what had he himself gained?

To put it bluntly, he was an emissary under the Sovereign Lord, not a proper disciple of any immortal lineage. No matter how many of those people died, what did it have to do with him, Qixian?

Fortunately, not every elder in Beizhou had been hoodwinked by that old thief Elder Chi Yun like Taixu Zhenjun had done.

At the very least, Master Qingguang, whose disciple had died at the other's hands, still saw things extremely clearly.

He could not make this trip to Dongzhou for nothing; he had to gain something from it.

Precisely for this reason, Qixian had come to visit Mount Qingguang. As he had expected, Master Qingguang was indeed very interested in Shen Yi's subsequent movements and actions.

If he could join hands with this Daxian to ensure that boy never returned, that would naturally be best. If not, at the very least he would have befriended Mount Qingguang, a powerful immortal lineage that had withdrawn from the great tribulation. With their aid, his chances of seizing the position of Immortal Sovereign would increase considerably.

Qixian had completely forgotten the words the Dongji Sovereign Lord had spoken about him lacking the ability to provoke Shen Yi. Of course, even if he had remembered, he would not have accepted it.

Walking down to the great hall at the foot of the mountain, he glanced casually and frowned slightly.

He saw an old woman just then walking out of the hall's entrance.

Perhaps because of Shen Yi, Qixian now found the entirety of Da Nanzhou rather displeasing. He indifferently withdrew his gaze: "Ill omen."

"……"

Yu Chi Laozu lowered her eyes and bowed, only raising her head again after a long while.

Until Qixian transformed into a streak of light and swept away, she watched him depart toward the direction of Mount Lingxu.

The old woman murmured softly: "Indeed an ill omen."

Back then, Master Shu Yu and Shen Shan had harbored ill intentions toward Taixu Danhuang, so those two had died. That lofty Senior Sister Youyao had slammed her down into this great hall with a single palm strike, telling her to watch carefully… and then Youyao too had died.

Now this Venerable Qixian was already the third.

Yu Chi could not quite understand. The fortune of destiny upon Taixu Danhuang, that Tribulation-Borne One, was already this obvious—were all these renowned powerful figures blind?

"Time to leave."

The old woman touched the ring on her finger. She had long since obtained part of the great dharma after joining Mount Qingguang. It just so happened that all the disciples had left Beizhou. Slipping away now would not draw attention. She would simply find some Xianshan to live in seclusion, and emerge again after the tribulation.

After experiencing all these events, Yu Chi had finally seen the light.

Compared to any dharma arts, divine abilities, master's lineage, or realm, the true path of cultivation and longevity lay in seeing oneself clearly.

The wind is strong—run!

……

Above the great tree at Banluo Cliff.

Lingxuzi looked on indifferently at the young man before him. That speech the other had given on the immortal dais had been a solid slap across his, the master's, face.

What did he mean by "the hatred of killing my master is not dared to be forgotten"?

He was still sitting perfectly fine up in the clouds!

A servant serving two masters — what a shameless creature!

This incident completely dispelled all of Lingxuzi's previous thoughts; there was no longer any notion of taking on a new disciple.

If you can't forget that worm demon, then just scuttle back to Da Nanzhou!

Although Lingxuzi had never truly regarded Shen Yi as a disciple, he was the elder; the other party could not treat him with the same attitude, let alone in front of a crowd of fellow junior disciples.

If Lingxu Cave didn't still need this person to hold down the Dao arena, he would have expelled this brainless thing from the sect without hesitation.

Leaving a perfectly good situation unconsolidated, insisting on making such a spectacle — if it ruined Lingxu Cave's future, he would make this unfilial disciple pay dearly!

"As your master, I'll remind you once more: this trip to Dongzhou is merely going with the tide. Behave yourself for me. If you cause any trouble, don't blame your master for invoking sect law to punish you."

"Once we elders have finished our deliberations, we will likewise head to Dongzhou. Don't think there's no one who can keep you in check."

"Understood?"

Anger smoldered in Lingxuzi's heart. Coupled with the fact that many fellow disciples had already agreed upon a gentleman's pact, guaranteeing that the Beizhou Dao arena would remain unchanged for now and no longer required Shen Yi to devote himself wholeheartedly to watching over it — as long as the man stayed alive, that was enough — his words had become far more caustic.

"This disciple understands."

Shen Yi's expression was calm; he harbored no dissatisfaction over the other's shift in attitude.

He still needed the identity of the Sanxian Sect for now — that was all.

"If there are no other instructions, this disciple will take his leave first."

"Go." Lingxuzi waved his sleeve impatiently.

Shen Yi gave a slight nod of his chin, turned and returned to the cliff. These past few days, he had once again familiarized himself with the Wuwei Sword and that Zen staff, as well as his two Dharma Bodies.

One could say full preparations had been made.

But even so, if he were to face a long-established Great Freedom Bodhisattva, Shen Yi still had no idea what his odds of victory were.

Among so many Great Freedom Bodhisattvas in South Nan Xumi, the World-Purifying World-Honored One could stand out from among them and take charge of the mortal affairs of Da Nanzhou on behalf of the True Buddha — his abilities naturally needed no further explanation.

But having no certainty was one thing; Shen Yi could not possibly let himself be trapped alive in Beizhou just because of this one person. He had to go out eventually.

"Yan Shidi Taixu, your elder brother has come again."

Just at this moment, however, Qixian had long been waiting at Half-Falling Cliff.

Only this time, compared to his previous feigned affability, he couldn't even be bothered to put up a pretense now, looking over with a forced, insincere smile.

Since this Taixu Zhenjun had already rejected his proposal, that was tantamount to a declaration of war.

Coupled with the great face he had lost because of this man when all the immortals gathered, he wanted even more to seize every chance to disgust the other party.

Even if Shen Yi knew he harbored ill intentions, who asked Taixu Zhenjun to be the chief disciple of the Sanxian Sect? Could it be that when facing the Puti Sect's oppression, he would not only fail to unite with his fellow disciples, but actually reject an ally at the door?

"Your elder brother also plans to set out for Dongzhou — how about traveling together?"

"…" Shen Yi glanced over with an odd look in his eyes.

"What, Yan Shidi looks down on me?" Perfected Qixian raised his brow and made a snide remark. The reason he wanted to stick by Shen Yi's side, apart from the matter he had promised Master Qingguang, was that he had other ideas in mind as well.

With such a grand display of Sanxian Sect disciples leaving Beizhou, the Puti Sect would certainly not sit idly by. No matter how high their cultivation, they could not guarantee they wouldn't encounter a tribulation.

But with this "chief disciple" bearing the brunt up ahead, even if they truly encountered a powerful cultivator, that person would have to deal with him first.

"Do as you please."

Shen Yi shook his head; he had no intention of refusing.

After advancing to the second grade, the Taixu realm had lost its once-formidable protective effect. To a Jin Xian or a Great Freedom Bodhisattva, this thing was worse than a thin veil.

Even Lingxuzi could easily see through it and tear it apart.

Traveling within it would stir up ripples of aura, which would instead have the effect of fooling only oneself.

Shen Yi summoned an auspicious cloud and swept straight into the open sky.

Qixian, without the slightest courtesy, likewise rode a cloud and followed. Two streaks of flowing light left Beizhou at a speed barely visible to the naked eye.

"With Yan Shidi's cultivation, to think you were once so tragically wiped out, even your master slain, and you yourself could only flee in disgrace to Beizhou for refuge. Tsk, I really wonder what kind of heaven-defying talent that Subduing Dragon and Tiger Bodhisattva must be."

Clearly, after suffering setbacks several times in a row, Qixian had also expended considerable effort to carefully investigate Shen Yi's affairs.

Although they had left Sanxian Sect territory, having just departed Beizhou, they weren't likely to encounter any trouble. He followed along quite leisurely behind, taking advantage of the uneventful journey to vent some of the resentment in his heart.

Yet what somewhat surprised Qixian was that upon hearing the name of his enemy, Shen Yi showed absolutely no reaction — where was the manner he had displayed when this matter was mentioned in the immortal hall earlier?

"Has Yan Shidi been bitten by a snake once, such that even now he remains traumatized?"

Watching the young man standing with his hands at his sides, seriously surveying his surroundings, Qixian couldn't help but let out a snort of derision. He was, after all, a cultivator who had reached the extreme of the Nine-Nine Transformations. Back in Beizhou, he had cut quite a figure and even earned himself a fierce, decisive reputation — who would have thought that the moment he stepped out, his timidity would show.

In the end, just a Da Nanzhou cultivator — petty and small-minded in every way, utterly lacking the bearing of a great sect.

And he dares call himself the chief disciple?

"…"

Shen Yi finally turned his head, stared at Qixian, and said seriously: "Keep it down."

"Since Yan Shidi is so afraid, how about this — think again about what your elder brother proposed last time. As long as you agree, I'll have the Emperor Lord step in, find that enemy of yours, and make him kowtow and beg your forgiveness."

Qixian smacked his lips and laughed: "On this journey, there's no need for Yan Shidi to lift a finger — your elder brother will handle everything alone. With the Emperor Lord's protection, I guarantee you'll leave Beizhou and return safe and sound, just as you went."

"Well?"

Listening to the chatter by his ear, Shen Yi looked back down. After a long while, he let out a soft sigh: "Alright."

"Wh-what?"

Qixian's original intent had merely been to disgust the other party. Hearing this response now, for a moment he could hardly believe his own ears.

Back then, in front of the Emperor Lord, this man had refused so resolutely.

And now, having just left Beizhou, he had inexplicably relented…

Could he be toying with me?

He knit his brows, wanting to press further, yet afraid of being mocked. For a moment he hesitated, frozen in place.

Shen Yi continued to quietly gaze downward and gave a slight nod of his chin: "Go on, then. Handle him."

Qixian was stunned for a moment, then followed the other's gaze. The moment he looked, his entire body instantly tensed up.

Only to see, in the middle of the vast marsh, atop that withered tree, a figure in white robes sat cross-legged.

The terrifying part of this matter lay in two places.

First, had Shen Yi not warned him, he would not have detected this person's existence at all; and second, why would there be a Monk waiting here in a place so close to Beizhou!

And just as Qixian stood dumbfounded, the Monk had already looked over toward the clouds.

Under the gaze of those eyes, Qixian—a third-rank perfect-stage Daluo immortal—actually felt a pressure thicker than what he had faced earlier from the old thief Elder Chi Yun in the Immortal Hall.

Amid the flowing light that filled the sky, this Monk cared only about one place.

Clearly, the other party, standing in the middle of the marsh, had been waiting precisely for the two of them.

"Just how many people have you provoked out there!"

The next moment, Qixian could no longer hold back and let out a sharp roar.

(End of this chapter)