Chapter 795: My Water Is Deep

Kaiyuan Prefecture.

A middle-aged Daoist sat upright, pouring hot tea for his impulsive younger brother: “Speak. What brings you here with nothing else to do?”

“Senior Brother Hao Ming, don’t pretend you don’t know—recently, the Bodhi Sect has been stirring chaos. Mao Feng of Chiyun Cave and Sister Ling Su of Lingxu Cave have all fallen to the monks’ hands.”

Hua Ming was the Master’s newly accepted youngest disciple, still below the Third Rank, unable to participate in the great tribulation, yet deeply intrigued by these struggles over incense offerings.

Standing outside the turmoil, he relished the spectacle.

He was now beaming with excitement.

“I know. So what?” Hao Ming True Person replied coolly. He not only knew of the matter—he had received the sect’s divine edict, watching helplessly as many senior brothers and sisters he once looked up to departed from the Northern Zhou.

But what did any of that have to do with a mediocrity like him?

“Senior Brother, stop pretending ignorance.”

Hua Ming rose, indignant, pointing to the side: “Even I heard it—next door, a celestial shrine has been erected: the Grand Void True Lord Shrine.”

“Don’t forget, Tian Ta Mountain was Sister Ling Su’s sacred ground. Now that she’s dead, how did this land suddenly gain a new master?”

“I’ve never heard of sacred grounds being inherited. Besides, as far as I know, this so-called Grand Void True Lord isn’t even a cultivator from our Northern Zhou.”

Hua Ming spoke in a rapid-fire rush, then lifted his teacup to moisten his throat.

“What exactly are you getting at?” Hao Ming True Person watched his junior brother without expression.

“What am I getting at?” Hua Ming smirked, sighing. “Such a perfect opportunity, and Senior Brother just lets it slip away?”

Hearing this, Hao Ming True Person shook his head and refilled the cup: “Have you forgotten that Kaiyuan Prefecture still has Shu Yu True Person? Without Qingguang Cave’s word, when would it be my place to speak?”

The Grand Void True Lord erecting a shrine would draw many eyes—but certainly not his.

“Heh!”

Hua Ming didn’t rush—he laughed instead: “Senior Brother, you’re slower on the uptake than I am. Think: who’s in charge of investigating the Bodhi Sect?”

“Ling Su was killed by monks. Sister You Yao is still handling the case. Before she finishes, how could Shu Yu True Person—her younger brother—dare seize Ling Su’s Tian Ta Mountain? Wouldn’t that tarnish her reputation?”

At this, Hao Ming True Person’s tea-pouring hand paused slightly.

You Yao’s mission was, in truth, avenging Ling Su and several other disciples. If she succeeded, her standing in the sect would leap forward dramatically.

This time, she sought fame, not profit.

Thus, before her vengeance was complete, she would never allow her subordinates to meddle in Ling Su’s “legacy.”

No wonder Shu Yu Senior Brother had remained silent all these days—the reason lay here.

“Don’t blame your junior for not warning you—this unrest won’t end overnight. Our sect and the Bodhi Sect are both great celestial sects. Now that conflict has erupted, who knows how long it’ll last? The elders won’t truly expect You Yao to handle everything alone. She only needs to capture two or three monks to give the dead disciples a proper reckoning, and that’ll be enough.”

“It might take ten days, maybe half a month. You must seize this chance firmly.”

Here, Hua Ming added with a jesting tone, patting his belly: “Even if Senior Brother doesn’t care, your junior is still hungry. Better to let me taste the imperial qi than hand Tian Ta Mountain over to some outsider.”

“...”

Hao Ming True Person glanced over, surprised that this seemingly frivolous junior could be so sharp.

He hesitated: “How do you propose we proceed?”

“I see the people in your sacred ground have grown too comfortable. Why not seize a bit of imperial qi now, and let the great beast wander further out?”

Hua Ming was clearly energized: “Test his depth.”

“If he’s weak, destroy his Grand Void True Lord shrine. Celestial shrines aren’t something you can rebuild easily. Once destroyed, the people of Tian Ta Mountain will lose all faith in him—then we move in, and the matter is settled.”

“If he’s strong, we simply apologize and retrieve the great beast. No loss. We can plan further.”

Hao Ming True Person listened in silence, then closed his eyes.

Only his fingers, absently rubbing the teacup, betrayed his interest.

Roar!

With a long howl,

a massive white-furred ape suddenly stepped into Kaiyuan Prefecture, as if entering an empty land, charging forward without pause.

The refugees, barely surviving from lack of water and food, had long lost the strength to flee. Aside from instinctive wails, they knelt devoutly, chanting Hao Ming Zhenjun’s sacred name.

Then they were crushed underfoot into pulp.

Such things had become routine in the Northern Zhou.

The few who survived trembled, eyes wide, watching the companion who had just been chatting with them—about opening a small shop in town once the immortals quelled the beast—turn instantly into a puddle of shredded flesh.

He shuddered for a long while, then, with his last strength, rolled up amid the trembling earth and prostrated himself violently, his chanting broken and hoarse, yet still striving to be louder.

Heaven is so high—he must shout louder, so the True Lord might hear the world’s suffering.

Fortunately, the white ape soon departed, leaving behind only scattered corpses, widespread wailing, and the lingering chants.

“...”

The white ape’s gaze sharpened. Tian Ta Mountain was easy to find—no need to orient himself.

Wherever people looked most human—that was it.

Houses to live in, water and grain to eat—such ordinary things had become a marvel in today’s Northern Zhou.

The refugees here caught glimpses of the demon’s silhouette. Though terrified, they were at least fed and strong enough to flee. They did not kneel to die—they gathered toward the tallest peak.

On the peak stood a hastily built celestial shrine—neither grand nor beautiful, even crude.

Hard to imagine such a humble shrine could protect anything from a beast as ferocious as this.

The white ape bared its fangs.

Its gaze fixed on the shrine.

To claim a sacred ground in the Northern Zhou, one does not rely on building shrines or temples—but on the strength and prestige to ensure the shrine endures forever. This outsider had made things far too simple.

“Roar!”

The white ape roared again, then stomped the ground, its massive form leaping into the air, hurtling straight toward the shrine.

Wild demonic energy surged like a tidal wave. Before its fist even struck, the tiny shrine trembled violently.

The refugees stared blankly at the blood-red sky.

They knew better than anyone what was coming—and yet, powerless to change it.

The world was like this: they were mud, trampled endlessly, forced to endure. If they survived, they waited for the next immortal’s arrival.

The next instant, the torrent of demonic energy vanished as if swallowed by the sea.

The crimson clouds in the sky slowly faded.

The towering demon hung motionless in midair.

It was close—just one more push, and it could crush the shrine.

But between them, a figure in pure white robes hung silently above.

Many had seen this figure before—this immortal loved to wander among their filth, aimlessly pacing, unafraid of soiling his pristine robes.

Since his arrival, the immortals had grown more considerate: they built houses for them, ensured steady water and grain, so they no longer fought like beasts for scraps on the ground.

But because this immortal lived so close to the mortal world, visible among the refugees, his sudden ascent into the heavens now made his ethereal form feel strangely unfamiliar.

“...”

Shen Yi regarded the struggling white ape calmly, extending his palm slightly. The Grand Void force formed an invisible hand, gripping the demon’s throat.

“Chir!”

The white ape frantically summoned its demonic energy, trying to break free.

Yet it could not escape.

It finally gave up resistance—but did not beg. It continued to feign ferocity.

Hao Ming True Person’s task was done. This pool of water was not shallow—it was beyond the reach of a demon lord just entering the Third Transformation.

But it wasn’t deep either.

The man might be exceptionally gifted, his path stable, displaying power far beyond Third Transformation—but clearly he had not yet crossed into the next stage, and was still far below Hao Ming True Person.

In other words, today, the man could not touch him.

If so, there was no need to panic.

True enough—two streaks of light shot across the sky moments later. Before they arrived, apologies came first.

“Friend, a misunderstanding!”

Hao Ming Zhenjun arrived with his junior, wearing a helpless smile. He bowed to Shen Yi, then glared at the white ape, scolding: “Brother, I’ve hit a cultivation bottleneck. This beast was sent by me to gather a bit of imperial qi—but its savage nature flared, and it crossed the line.”

“I beg your forgiveness. Let me take it back—I’ll discipline it properly.”

“...”

Hua Ming stood behind his senior, secretly rolling his eyes.

He was disappointed they hadn’t seized Tian Ta Mountain outright.

This southern cultivator truly had some skill.

Now that they’d tested his depth, taking the land wouldn’t be hard—but he feared You Yao’s progress might accelerate too quickly, triggering unforeseen changes.

Thinking of this, Hua Ming grew restless, and looked with growing distaste at the silent young cultivator across from him: “You cultivator, don’t take advantage. My senior has apologized—release the ape at once.”

“Silence.”

Hao Ming True Person frowned at him, then smiled again, bowing to Shen Yi: “Friend, you are magnanimous. I understand propriety. After I punish this beast, I’ll send disciples with an apology gift. That’s the least I can do.”

Perhaps, having been mediocre for too long, he acted cautiously.

With Hao Ming True Person’s cultivation and background, he needn’t have been so courteous to this southern cultivator. Many things—like returning the beast with a gift—were northern customs, unnecessary here.

But he didn’t want trouble. He’d simply follow the usual protocol.

He had yielded much—if the other still clung to grievances, he’d be unreasonable.

Saying this, Hao Ming True Person turned back to the white ape and barked: “Beast, come back here!”

The white ape bowed its head in apology, then stepped forward as if to rush toward him—but its body barely moved, and a flicker of surprise crossed its face.

It turned back in confusion, only to see the young man in white robes still hovering silently, the invisible hand gripping its throat showing no sign of release.

“Fellow cultivator?”

True Person Haoming also sensed something amiss, frowning deeply as he turned to Shen Yi.

“Your apology.”

Shen Yi met his gaze calmly, then suddenly smiled: “How much is it worth?”

Before the words had fully left his mouth, the white ape sensed an immense danger and instinctively let out a deafening roar.

The Grand Void force gripping its neck suddenly contracted, cruelly sinking into its flesh—and the next moment, a dull crack of bone echoed through the air.

Not just its neck, but all four limbs were severed at once by Grand Void force; the once fearsome great demon was instantly reduced to a pile of shattered remains!

Even as it died, the white ape’s face still bore an expression of utter disbelief.

True Person Haoming and his junior’s expressions mirrored the white ape’s—they both froze in place without a word.

The young man’s calm voice was so jarring that even this usually mild-mannered True Person’s face slowly flushed red; he had never imagined this youth could be so aggressively confrontational.

“You dare kill our ape demon!” Hua Ming could no longer hold back—he leaped forward, roaring: “A fallen clan, who gave you the nerve?!”

Shen Yi raised his palm again.

Such a minor gesture caused Hua Ming’s face to freeze, and he instinctively stepped back behind his senior.

Even if no one in the entire Northern Continent would dare initiate the taboo of killing a fellow sect member, let alone an outsider attacking a disciple of the Immortal Vein.

But this man’s earlier actions had already proven him a lawless madman—how could Hua Ming risk his own life on a tantrum?

“… ”

True Person Haoming lifted his head and took a deep breath.

He knew full well he had no senior brothers or sisters to protect him; he had spent nearly his entire fortune to subdue this ape demon.

Now it lay dead before his eyes—not only was the loss devastating, but where could he find another great demon to serve him?

His face darkened as he stared ahead: “Fellow cultivator, you started the first act—don’t blame us for repaying it in kind.”

Rules exist precisely because anyone who breaks them will be made to suffer exile from the Northern Continent.

Today you slew my ape demon—next time, when this Grand Void True Lord comes to harvest the imperial aura, perhaps a True Person Haoming will descend from the heavens to slay that demon for you.

“Just wait!”

(End of Chapter)