Chapter 457: The Spotlight Belongs to Sect Leader Shen (5K)

Chapter 457: The Spotlight Belongs to Sect Leader Shen (5K)



【In the 34,000th year, the grudges of countless demons and monsters were almost dispersed, leaving only a few with blank expressions, just like you, all sitting there like wooden statues.】

It was clear that time was still insufficient.

Shen Yi braced himself on the ground, panting heavily, revealing a rare disheveled appearance.

After losing the support of Li Xuanqing's insights, forcefully deducing this Heavenly Derivation Nine-Nine technique had inflicted unimaginable torment on his soul.

And it wasn't just Shen Yi.

Including the numerous demonic souls who had accompanied him on this journey, all of them nearly dissipated, even the Sixth Layer of Returning to Void Dragon Head General was lost in the Heavenly Derivation Nine-Nine.

Not enough.

Shen Yi wiped the corner of his lips and lifted his eyes.

He must invite another true Celestial Prodigy demon into the sect.

Otherwise, if the technique wasn't even partially mastered, he feared his mind would collapse.

【Remaining demonic lifespan: 115,000 years】

Shen Yi sat up, planning to rest for a while and, at the same time, familiarize himself with the newly acquired technique.

At the Returning to Void level, moving mountains and filling seas were mere trifles.

Yet, there were those who still delved into the so-called path of fist and palm.

There must be profound mysteries within.

He sat there for three days and nights.

His weary soul finally regained some strength.

He stood up, took out his Dao token, and received a message from Liu Qianyun.

"Sect Leader Shen, how are the preparations going? We're waiting for you at the Heavenly Sword Sect. How many people have come, do you need to go and greet them?"

"Hmm?"

Shen Yi put away the Dao token.

What did it matter how many people had come? He was currently of no use.

Thinking of this, he shook his head, opened the array, and swiftly exited.

...

On the Nanyang relief outside the Heavenly Sword Sect.

A constant stream of people came and went, their sword robes exuding a sharp and imposing aura compared to the clothing of other allied sects.

Ye Wenxuan stood on the Qingyue Sect's treasure ship, staring blankly at the Nanyang relief. "...

This might be her last time standing here.

She looked up at the three figures beside her, although their cultivation was far superior to hers, except for the previously mentioned Elder Zheng Qian, the remaining man and woman seemed to have not crossed the watershed.

Such a formation would be considered formidable anywhere.

But compared to the tasks recorded in the jade slip, it seemed somewhat inadequate.

"Are we really going?"

Ye Wenxuan remained silent for a long time, finally shaking her head, "Thank you for your kindness, Elder Zheng. But even without the Heavenly Sword Sect, I might not die. If I really get involved in this..."

"What's the rush?"

Zheng Qian interrupted her, looking into the distance, "The main force hasn't arrived yet."

With Shen Yi's meticulous mind, if he dared to agree, there must be a reason.

The previous incident with the Golden Fire Sparrow had already proven this.

"..."

Liu Qianyun didn't respond, exchanging glances with Yan Wencheng beside her.

Even with the meaning of a White Jade Capital Elder behind it, the Qingyue Sect couldn't openly intervene, nor could they afford to create disharmony with the Heavenly Sword Sect.

These three were able to come only because of their personal relationship with Shen Yi.

No one knew how long had passed.

Finally, a familiar purple-white rainbow appeared in the sky.

The three were curious and looked back, but they didn't notice the sudden change in Ye Wenxuan's expression.

"Greetings, Sect Leader Shen."

Zheng Qian and the other two bowed, then raised their eyebrows, "That's it? Just you?"

"What else?"

Shen Yi nodded slightly and stepped onto the treasure ship.

Zheng Qian, remembering what she had said about the "main force," felt a bit embarrassed, glanced back at Ye Wenxuan, and noticed the strangeness on her face. She introduced, "What are you staring at? Why haven't you greeted him? This is the Nanyang Sect Leader."

"..."

Ye Wenxuan swallowed, staring at Shen Yi's handsome face.

How could there be such a huge gap?

Her identity as an executive was acknowledged by the elders, while his so-called sect leader status was self-proclaimed.

Yet, no one treated her, Ye Wenxuan, as an executive.

On the contrary, these powerful Returning to Void cultivators could, in front of so many people, sincerely address him as Sect Leader Shen.

If she had opened the array herself...

Would the one receiving respect now be Sect Leader Ye?

"Look at you, call him."

Zheng Qian rolled her eyes and poked her forehead with her fingertip.

Shen Yi glanced at her, shaking his head, "This is an old acquaintance, no need for formalities."

Then, he nodded at Ye Wenxuan, "Sit down, tell me the situation."

Although her actions when she first left the Nanyang Sect were indeed unlikable, no matter what, she had once given the Nanyang Treasure Land a precious period of development.

For all living beings who have survived until now, including Shen Yi, this was an unpayable debt of gratitude.

"I..."

Ye Wenxuan took two steps back and sat down, her mind in turmoil.

She really hadn't expected it.

The awaited aid from these allied sect elders turned out to be Shen Yi.

What surprised her even more was his relatively gentle attitude, not taking out his frustration on her because of past events.

"I'm also not very clear... I've been doing odd jobs in the Executive Hall... for you."

Ye Wenxuan had originally thought that if she rose in status one day, she would make the Nanyang Sect people look at her with new respect and let them know what the correct choice was.

That was why she had been dazed due to her embarrassment earlier.

But she suddenly realized that honestly admitting to being a menial laborer didn't seem so difficult after all.

As she spoke, Ye Wenxuan handed over the jade slip.

"Why is it called 'Rebellion'?"

Shen Yi took the jade slip, glanced at it, found the content too simple, and passed it to the others.

"It's quite normal, this isn't a task that should be handled by an executive. Usually, it's the responsibility of the outer gate elders."

Zheng Qian continued, "Heavenly Sword Sect entrusting this matter to her is essentially a sign for her to leave."

It was only after Shen Yi mentioned an old acquaintance that she realized Ye Wenxuan was actually a native of Nanyang.

Since that was the case, it was worth saying a few more words.

"You might not understand since you've just come out, but the jurisdiction of the Southern Hong Seven Sons isn't limited to just seven allied sects. The reason behind this is the Fusion Dao Land."

"Sitting and waiting for the mountains to be emptied is not the right path. If something unexpected happens to one of the seven Fusion Dao Lands, it's equivalent to losing a Great Sage of the Fusion Dao Realm... for instance, the Southern Yang Sect."

"So we've also been committed to nurturing other powers, not incorporating them into the Fusion Dao Land, but allowing them to expand their territories outside. Many of the former supporters of the Southern Yang Sect have now become major forces with White Jade Capital cultivators stationed within."

"Of course..."

Zheng Qian smiled awkwardly, "They might not necessarily listen to you now."

That group of supporters was nominally part of the Southern Yang Sect, but in reality, over the past 100,000 years, they had already been taken over by other allied sects.

M

"Let's go back to the topic. These subordinates of the Southern Hong Seven Sons rarely cause any trouble. Those that have shown some potential are directly managed by the elders, like this Chen family. Their family head is a powerful cultivator at the Fourth Layer of Returning to Void, but he seems to have fallen recently."

"This year's tribute hasn't been submitted yet, and there hasn't been any news. This is considered an act of rebellion."

When mentioning the word 'tribute', Zheng Qian showed no hint of embarrassment.

In Southern Hong, there were numerous powers that wanted to pay tribute but lacked the qualifications.

The seven sects would only protect those they had cultivated, to prevent demons from taking advantage of the situation.

"To know the specific situation, we'll have to go and see for ourselves."

"However, I must remind you that this involves the face of the seven sects. If the situation is unfavorable, it's best for us to avoid getting involved. Not doing anything is better than making a mistake."

"I understand."

Shen Yi felt as if she had returned to Bai Yun County in a dream.

After going through so much, she was back to collecting protection money, her old line of work.

...

Southern Hong, Chen Family.

Inside the majestic main hall, an empty coffin was placed.

The hall was filled with family members, all dressed in mourning attire.

They surrounded a youth with a gaunt face, silently gazing towards the door.

Outside the hall, a tall and straight figure stood with hands behind his back. His face bore a 70% resemblance to the gaunt youth, but his eyebrows and eyes exuded a brilliant light, making him look like a graceful and elegant gentleman.

"Your father's coffin hasn't even been buried, yet you're in such a hurry?"

The gaunt youth was the eldest son of the Chen family. A fierce look flashed through his eyes, and his hands clenched and unclenched. The surrounding atmosphere seemed to be on the verge of rioting.

The family head had fallen, and it was only after the funeral that the time for succession would come.

However, this empty coffin had been blocked by his younger brother for an entire month.

The losses were severe. Seven elders at the Fourth Layer of Returning to Void were heavily injured, and two of them had died due to the opponent's ruthless attack, with no hope of recovery.

"Do I look like I'm in a hurry?"

The man outside finally turned around and smiled gracefully.

He took out a wine jar from his storage artifact, held the mouth of the jar, and raised it towards the crowd, "This jar is in honor of Chen Ziqi, who was driven out of the Chen family by his brother, yet he managed to survive until today."

After speaking, the youth drained the jar in one gulp.

He threw the jar to the ground and then stepped into the hall.

The sound of shattering glass echoed.

The crowd in mourning attire all took a step back, their eyes revealing a hint of complexity.

Having a son like a dragon should have been a joyous occasion for the family's prosperity.

But the problem was that they had two dragon sons. The sick dragon had chosen the most inappropriate time to return.

Only Chen Zilong was left standing in front of the coffin, his gaunt face filled with murderous intent.

"This jar is in honor of Chen Ziqi, who, at this moment, is expanding the Chen family's territory and deserves the utmost credit."

Chen Ziqi drank another jar of wine.

He wiped the corners of his mouth with his sleeve.

Walking slowly towards Chen Zilong, he took out the last jar of wine and handed it over, "This jar is for you to honor me, acknowledging that I am more suitable to be the family head than you."

"Otherwise..."

Chen Ziqi's voice was gentle as he uttered the last word, "Die."

After speaking, he slowly released his hand.

The wine jar fell, like a death knell.

To survive, Chen Zilong had to catch the jar before it hit the ground.

For a cultivator at the Returning to Void realm, this was not a difficult task.

The crowd in mourning attire seemed to see what was about to happen, and they all sighed and made a respectful gesture.

If the family head were still alive, there might have been a chance.

But since his death was unclear, the two of them could only rely on their own means.

It was evident that Chen Ziqi's ability to block the crowd in the hall for a month had demonstrated his strength.

But what no one expected was...

For the third time, the sound of a shattering wine jar echoed in the hall.

Chen Zilong looked indifferently at the wine splattered on the ground and then shifted his gaze to his younger brother. Closing his eyes, he hid the murderous intent in his eyes and said softly, "The territory you conquered is not needed by the Chen family. No matter how strong you are, the Chen family will not acknowledge you."

"You take your own path, and I'll take mine. Our small Chen family cannot accommodate a big Buddha like you."

"Please."

As Chen Zilong spoke, he slowly raised his hand, gesturing for Chen Ziqi to leave.

Seeing this response, Chen Ziqi remained silent for a moment, and then a smile finally appeared on his lips, "You chose this, so don't blame me."

As he spoke, the long robe on his body stirred without any wind.

"Today, this coffin is just right for burying you."

In an instant, a rippling wave of a Dao Palace emerged from his forehead, blocking the view outside the grand hall. It stood four stories tall, overflowing with two wisps of spirit energy.

The Two Levels of Immortal Palace, even among the Southern Hong Seven Sons, was nearly at the threshold of becoming a direct disciple.

"I only regret not killing you with my own hands."

Chen Zilong self-mockingly chuckled, suddenly clenching his palms tightly. However, in front of his younger brother, no matter how much ferocity filled his withered face, it seemed utterly unconvincing.

"Then I should thank you."

Chen Ziqi suddenly pinched his fingers to activate a spell, but halfway through, he frowned and turned around, looking outside the grand hall.

Amidst the faint footsteps.

A handsome youth in a black robe strolled in, followed by four cultivators with refined auras.

He sauntered into the hall, ignoring everyone.

Walking up to the brothers.

"..."

Instinctively, Chen Ziqi stepped aside, then watched as the youth passed him and sat down on the chair that the brothers had been fighting over for years.

Shen Yi gently patted the hem of his robe and leaned back in the chair, supporting his chin with one hand, his gaze calmly sweeping over those below.

Then, his indifferent voice echoed through the hall, "What's the matter? Tell me about it."

Since it was about collecting protection money, Shen Yi's experience was quite extensive.

"..."

The remaining four stood below, quietly exchanging glances.

Zheng Qian retracted her gaze, raising her eyebrows, and whispered, "Is he really from the Nanyang Sect? His attitude is even more stable than your father's."

Liu Qianyun's eyes also filled with doubt.

She had seen Shen Yi's gentle side and his ruthless side, but she still couldn't imagine that there was an aura she couldn't guess.

"He used to be the captain of Baiyun County... Qingzhou General... Da Qian Inspector... The Demon Emperor of the Thousand Demon Cave..."

Ye Wenxuan sighed inwardly, suddenly feeling like she was reciting a menu.

Including Yan Wencheng, the remaining three fell silent.

Although they hadn't heard of these forces, the experience sounded incredibly rich, especially the last one, which left them feeling dazed.

Beneath these titles, was it really just one person?

"..."

Chen Ziqi stared intently at the man above.

He had come back to reclaim his dignity, not to complain to the heavenly officials.

What made him even more dissatisfied was.

That he had instinctively taken a step back in front of this Return to Void Third Layer cultivator.

Perhaps it was because the remaining few were wearing the Qingyue Sect's robes.

The time had been dragged out for too long, and they had become too complacent, or they had waited for the Southern Hong Seven Sons to arrive.

If it were after he had ascended to the palace.

He wouldn't mind exchanging pleasantries with these "immortals."

But not today.

The limelight in this hall belonged to him alone.

"Qingyue Sect Immortal, this is a family matter of my Chen family. After Ziqi finishes handling it, this year's tribute will surely be doubled, and I invite you to rest first after your long journey."

Chen Ziqi clasped his hands together.

Even when facing the Southern Hong Seven Sons cultivators, his words were neither servile nor arrogant.

With his posture and the talent displayed by the Dao Palace, even an outer gate elder would look upon him with higher regard.

For instance, Zheng Qian nodded in satisfaction.

However, Shen Yi merely glanced at him casually, "I didn't ask about that. I told you to speak about the matter."

There was no hint of sarcasm in his tone.

But it made Chen Ziqi's face turn red, a junior cultivator, relying on his identity to bully others.

If he weren't a disciple of an immortal sect, with this cultivation, how dare he point fingers at me?!

"Immortal, Ziqi will finish handling family matters first, then come and discuss it with you."

Chen Ziqi suddenly retracted his palms, his gaze once again falling on his brother, and his entire aura suddenly erupted!

The Dao Palace, with its vast ocean, simultaneously exuded a terrifying sense of oppression.

Even Zheng Qian's complexion changed slightly.

This small, secluded force, with its meager resources, actually had a cultivator on par with her.

Such talent was enough to be proud of.

Thinking of this, she looked at Shen Yi, wanting to see what he meant.

In this hall, the only one who could stop Chen Ziqi was probably just her and Shen Yi; even the old dog, Shi Kui, couldn't do it.

However, Sect Leader Shen's attitude was too arrogant. It would be inappropriate to take action now. If it turned into a fight, it would be embarrassing.

But Shen Yi seemed to not notice her questioning gaze.

He remained leaning back in the chair.

Suddenly, the atmosphere in the hall became silent for a moment, as if everything had come to a standstill.

When things returned to normal.

Almost everyone held their breath.

The black-robed man on the chair slightly waved his sleeves, and the handsome youth's eyes remained unchanged.

The only difference in the hall.

Was Chen Ziqi, who was half-kneeling on the ground, his entire chest caved in.

His mouth was filled with dark red blood, his eyes wide open, staring in disbelief at the figure above, "You... you..."

"Can you speak now?" Shen Yi raised his eyebrows, looking down at him.

"Why is the immortal standing up for him... I don't understand..." Chen Ziqi's face was filled with pain and resentment, along with a hint of fear. He spoke with blood in his mouth, "When I was kicked out of the family, who stood up for me? Who cared about me..."

"Sigh."

Finally, a ripple appeared in Shen Yi's eyes, and he pressed his palms together, saying indifferently, "I didn't ask about that. I asked you to talk about the aquatic clan aura on your body."

"Can we start talking now?"

His voice echoed in everyone's ears, causing everyone's faces to change.

Chen Ziqi stopped his angry complaint, his expression slightly frozen, and then he stared at him with apprehension.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end