Chapter 462: The Brave Puppet Sect (5K4, thanks to Alliance Leader Lan Yao Jing Da Lao)

Chapter 462: The Brave Puppet Sect (5K4, thanks to Alliance Leader Lan Yao Jing Da Lao)



"Sect Master Shen, this time..."

Liu Qingyun handed over the stack of books, her expression complex.

It was clear that the Nan Hong Seven were serious this time.

This concerned the position of the sect master of Nanyang Baodi, a significant matter.

It couldn't be brushed off with excuses of personal relationships or other trivial reasons.

If they were to offer help again, even her father might be implicated, meddling in the succession of the sect master position. White Jade Jing monk would be doomed!

"I understand."

Shen Yi nodded and said softly, "Thank you for your help, Qingyue Zong."

He was just not good at socializing, but he understood the situation.

Since leaving the Nanyang Sect, he had received a lot of help from Qingyue Zong and Senior Xuan Qing.

"Thank you for your understanding, Sect Master."

Liu Qingyun pressed her lips together and then smiled. "But as we agreed before, sending someone over to discuss the matter still stands... Also, take this. It's from my father."

"He said that if you're too tired, don't push yourself too hard."

"As long as you live, everything will be fine."

As she spoke, Liu Qingyun slipped a decree into Shen Yi's sleeve and then bowed deeply. "Sect Master Shen, we bid you farewell!"

She turned and left Nanyang Baodi with the group of Qingyue Zong executives.

"...'

Shen Yi remained silent for a moment before walking back to the ancestor's hall. "Is the sect master of Qingyue Zong a woman?"

Li Xuanqing looked up, confused. "How do you know? Do you know Senior Aunt Ji?"

"Then it's fine."

Shen Yi shook his head and kept the decree.

He was just curious why there would be unsolicited kindness in this world, and it turned out to be thanks to Senior Xuanqing's connection.

"Uh."

Li Xuanqing withdrew his gaze, feeling that the sect master might have misunderstood something.

That Senior Aunt Ji was known for her aloofness. Aside from helping the Nanyang Sect, even if he, Xuanqing, died in front of her, she might not lift a finger to help.

The reason he was polite to her was not because they had a special relationship.

It was purely because he had been spanked by her when he was young, and it had left a psychological shadow.

...

In the inner hall of the Nanyang Sect.

Li Qingfeng flipped through the books on the table meticulously and then took out the gold-trimmed jade registry, matching each one.

As time passed, sweat beaded on his forehead. "These... Are these all Nanyang Sect's vassals? Are they sure they didn't get it wrong?"

Out of these 182 houses, more than half of them, if picked at random, would have a strong presence of the sixth layer of returning to nothingness or higher, capable of wiping out the entire Nanyang Sect with a wave of their hand.

"Do your job."

Shen Yi sat next to him, also flipping through the books.

Outside the hall, a group of Chen family returning to the virtual realm experts, including Yu Zu, had all been given Nanyang executive robes, as long as they were third-layer or above.

But it was still too few; in total, there were only about a dozen of them.

"Huh."

Li Qingfeng exhaled and glanced at Shen Yi. "It looks like there's a lot to do, but over 80% of them are asking to borrow things from us... However, I've never even heard of most of these items."

"Put them aside and pretend we never saw them."

Shen Yi casually tossed the books onto the table.

After all, these supporters had just been transferred from the Alliance Sect, and they were still using the Nanyang Seven's name outside, so not many people would dare to provoke them.

As for borrowing things... it was ridiculous!

Sect Master Shen's pockets were cleaner than his face. The last time Nie Jun came to ask about the pillar's treasure, he had taken everything to exchange for the Phoenix's blood essence and still owed Qingyue Sect a batch of refining heaven and phoenix pills.

"Then, for the remaining matters, aside from those trivial tasks, the others are a bit troublesome."

Li Qingfeng stared at Shen Yi. He knew how impressive the other party had been on his journey, but the time was still too short.

For one person to shoulder the responsibilities of an entire sect... tsk.

"Sect Master, do you think we should just shut down the sect's grand array and continue as we did before..."

"You have too much free time." Shen Yi patted him on the back of his head.

If they shut down the array now, wouldn't the old dog have died in vain? Senior Xuanqing went out for a walk; does he want to go out and lose face?

Li Qingfeng sighed and picked up a book. "This one should be the most urgent. The Puppet Sect has been infiltrated by demons, and it's been half a month already."

"We are willing to follow the Sect Master to exterminate the demons!"

The Chen family's elders, who were uninjured, all stepped forward. They were all at the fourth layer of the returning to nothingness realm.

They had only recently joined the Nanyang Sect, but they had already seen the current situation clearly.

The opportunity to follow a dragon and gain its success was not to be missed.

This was a rare opportunity for the Chen family, accumulated through generations of virtue.

Not to mention that aside from the Nanyang Sect, no one else would be willing to take them in now.

"Bring a few elders with experience."

Shen Yi put away the book and stood up to leave the hall.

In terms of fighting ability, if he couldn't handle it himself, sending more people would be pointless.

However, since they were outside cultivators, they would likely be more skilled in handling such situations.

"The rest of you can be assigned some miscellaneous tasks. Try not to cause any casualties."

Currently, the sect had too few people and couldn't afford to take risks.

Shen Yi didn't want to return from his trip and find everyone dead.

Soon, three Chen family elders followed him.

Li Qingfeng looked at the remaining ten people who were looking at each other in dismay and shook his head. "Do you not understand?"

Upon hearing this, everyone nodded in dismay.

It didn't make sense for the subordinates to do the lifesaving tasks while the sect master went out to take risks.

"You'll get used to it."

Li Qingfeng stood up slowly and explained, "This is why at least 90% of the people in the inner sect are willing to die for him."

"However."

Li Qingfeng's tone changed as he smiled and said, "Our sect master is kind, but when he takes action, he is decisive. I hope you won't have the chance to see that side of him."

The Chen family's faces changed slightly.

In fact, they had already seen it.

That surging and fiery sea of flames still lingered in their eyes.

"Get to work."

Li Qingfeng had no intention of taking over. He was just a small follower of Shen Yi at the moment.

Outside the Nanyang Sect.

Shen Yi had not changed into the white robe of the Nanyang Sect, still wearing a dark shirt.

Part of the reason was that he didn't want to attract too much attention, and besides, the Sect Master preferred to handle everything personally, which might make others look down on the Nanyang Sect if it got out.

Although he had never cared about such vain glory.

But the Nanyang Sect needed it right now.

So, he could only be stern and ruthless, intending to reclaim these 182 houses out of desperation.

Three Chen family elders, at the fourth layer of the Returning to Nothingness realm, followed behind him, now clad in Nanyang executive robes, exuding a fair bit of momentum.

"Sect Master, they seem to be avoiding us."

One of the clan elders looked perplexed as he glanced forward.

Indeed, whether it was the Nan Hong Seven's disciples or outer sect elders, as soon as they caught sight of Shen Yi, they turned and walked away like mice seeing a cat, without the slightest hesitation.

"......"

Shen Yi paid no heed and continued forward, following the route recorded in the book.

These people valued their status and naturally wouldn't want to bow and pay respects to a junior like a sect master. So, they simply chose to avoid him.

But that was fine, as it saved a lot of trouble.

Shen Yi lowered his eyes to the book in his hand.

According to the gilt-edged registry, the Puppet Sect was considered a mid-tier existence among these 182 houses.

Although their cultivation wasn't high.

Their puppet-making skills were exceptional, and even when facing a sixth-layer demon of the Returning to Nothingness realm, they wouldn't be intimidated.

Initially, they hadn't asked for help but only wanted to borrow some heavenly treasures to repair their spirit puppets. However, they hadn't received a response for a long time.

Shen Yi wondered what the situation was like now.

The journey wasn't too far, and without any magical artifacts for transportation, it had only taken three days.

Soon, Shen Yi arrived at the majestic sect ahead.

"Whoosh."

The Chen family elders almost simultaneously exhaled in relief.

Although they now wore the Nanyang executive robes, when facing a sect that was evidently stronger than the Chen family, they still felt apprehensive.

After all, they weren't from an immortal sect and didn't have that innate sense of superiority.

Especially when they sensed the powerful auras gathered within the sect, this feeling only deepened.

"Sect Master, this doesn't seem like a sect that's been invaded by demons."

The Chen family elder looked at Shen Yi with confusion. If it had been invaded by demons, why was it so peaceful, and how could these strong cultivators remain so calm?

"Let's go in and take a look."

Shen Yi didn't want to have come all this way for nothing, but he also didn't want to force them to see a scene of carnage.

At the same time.

In the deepest part of the Puppet Sect, on a high platform.

A large crowd was divided into three factions, occupying the entire platform. The gray-robed faction on the far right, accompanied by various puppets, was clearly the sect's owner.

In front, five people sat, leaving an empty chair.

The man stood up; compared to the other five elders, he was much younger, only middle-aged, but his status was by no means inferior to theirs.

With a solemn expression, he shouted to the crowd, "I, Yang Lin, representing the Puppet Sect, would like to thank the Zhao family and the Qinghai Mansion for coming to our aid. However, the demons have yet to be eradicated, and I have taken the liberty of inviting both of you here, not for idle chat, but to discuss something more important."

Upon hearing this, the Zhao family and the Qinghai Mansion disciples turned their gazes towards him, but their expressions remained unchanged, as if they had expected this.

"I believe that both ally sects have received the news that the Nan Hong Seven have abandoned us."

Yang Lin closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

But he was interrupted by the elder from Qinghai Mansion: "The news we received is not quite the same. It's not abandonment; they are simply returning us to the Nanyang Immortal Sect."

"Nanyang Immortal Sect?"

Yang Lin opened his eyes, raised his eyebrows, and suppressed his displeasure. "Where is this Nanyang Immortal Sect? That was a hundred thousand years ago. Were you or I even born then? Have you ever seen the Nanyang Immortal Sect with your own eyes?"

With just one sentence, he silenced the Qinghai Mansion elder.

The strongest among them was only at the sixth layer of the Returning to Nothingness realm, so how could they have lived for such a long time?

The rest fell silent as well.

Yang Lin retracted his gaze, his eyes narrowing. "It's better to rely on ourselves than others. Now that the Nan Hong Seven no longer intend to protect us, we can't just sit here and wait for death. I suggest that our three sects join forces and find a way to survive in this land of Nanhong."

Before he finished speaking.

The expressions of the crowd finally changed.

They had guessed that the Puppet Sect would bring up this matter, and they knew that the Nan Hong Seven had ignored them during this demon invasion. Naturally, they were resentful.

But they never expected Yang Lin to be so bold as to say it out loud.

After all, their sects had been supported by the Nanyang Sect for generations.

Wasn't this suggestion a bit too hasty?

They glanced at the five elders sitting in front, who were staring at the ground with conflicted expressions. They didn't stand up to refute Yang Lin's words.

The Qinghai Mansion elder pondered for a moment, guessing the reason.

This time, the Puppet Sect's town sect spirit puppet had been damaged, and it was Yang Lin who had found the heavenly treasures needed for repairs, allowing the puppet to hold out until their arrival.

He had the most say at the moment.

With this in mind, the Qinghai Mansion elder spoke slowly, "We came here to help the Puppet Sect repel the demons, and we haven't considered what will happen afterward. I advise Fellow Daoist Yang to focus on the present."

"What's the use of driving away the demons this time?" Yang Lin suddenly raised his voice. "Can't you see? Without the protection of the Nan Hong Seven, demon invasions like this will only become more frequent! Are you still pinning your hopes on the so-called Nanyang Immortal Sect and paying that exorbitant tribute?"

As he spoke, he waved his sleeve, his face reddening with anger. "Let me tell you what I've heard about the Nan Hong Seven. That so-called Nanyang Sect is nothing but a group of natives cultivating in a blessed land, with only a handful of cultivators at the early stages of the Returning to Nothingness realm, and they've even angered the Alliance Sect!"

"Would you be willing to pay tribute to such an existence?"

With his mention of angering the Alliance Sect, the crowd fell silent once more.

Yang Lin stood tall, his gaze slowly sweeping across everyone's faces, but not a single person dared to meet his eyes.

Finally, he breathed a sigh of relief.

Just then, a detached voice rang out from above.

"The Nanyang Sect has arrived. Who is in charge here?"

Following the voice, everyone instinctively looked up towards the sky.

There stood three white-haired elders, their black robes fluttering slightly, with glaring silver thread embroidery depicting the Nanyang symbol.

Behind the three executors was a slender figure in dark robes, calmly descending as he overlooked the scene below, seemingly oblivious to the previous conversation.

"Hmph!"

Yang Lin's eyelids twitched. Just as he had carefully crafted an atmosphere, the arrival of these people instantly shattered it.

As expected, led by Qinghai Mansion, including the members of the Puppet Sect, everyone stood up involuntarily, intending to pay their respects to the figures above.

"Stand up! Do not kneel!"

Yang Lin's face twisted with rage as he spun around, clenching his fists tightly. "Don't you understand the situation? We've been waiting for half a month, and all they send are a few Nascent Soul stage cultivators. What are they here for? To be fodder for the demons, or to collect their last tribute while we're unaware?"

The crowd hesitated.

The Chen family elders furrowed their brows, trying to maintain their composure.

They were merely borrowing the tiger's might.

One sentence was not enough to hold these people back, and the effect of the executor's robe was diminishing.

Noticing that the crowd didn't bow, the Chen family elder with the thinnest skin subconsciously looked at Shen Yi.

The situation was bizarre beyond belief.

Their Chen family had also been under the protection of the Nan Hong Seven.

If roles were reversed, even with a change in mindset, they wouldn't have acted so quickly or openly.

If they only sought self-preservation, there was no need to offend a Xian sect with a blessed land. A skinny camel is still bigger than a horse.

This... seemed more like a deliberate attempt to embarrass Sect Master Shen.

"Uh."

The next moment, the Chen family elder saw Shen Yi calmly descending towards the platform, and he quickly followed suit.

No matter what, as long as the Sect Master didn't speak, they could only stand firm.

"You..."

Yang Lin stared at the young man who had suddenly appeared on the platform, his expression grim. He wondered how Shen Yi could remain so calm, simply walking towards him.

As Shen Yi approached, the surrounding crowd gradually lowered their heads.

Yang Lin couldn't imagine what would happen if Shen Yi were to speak. His earlier efforts would likely be in vain.

"Stop right there! Who gave you permission to trespass in my Puppet Sect?"

As he spoke, Yang Lin clapped his hands, and behind him, an eight-zhang tall tiger-shaped spirit puppet emerged. Its body glowed with crimson light, and its vicious face seemed alive, making it hard to believe it was an inanimate object.

This was the Puppet Sect's town sect treasure.

A Bloodclaw Puppet comparable to the Nascent Soul stage.

The spirit puppet had just been repaired and still bore a few new wounds, which was why the other Puppet Sect cultivators dared to be so bold.

"If you take another step, don't blame me for being impolite."

Yang Lin feigned composure, glancing at a certain spot subconsciously.

Having come this far, there was no turning back.

With this in mind, his eyes narrowed with malice, and he quickly performed a set of hand seals. The Bloodclaw Puppet behind him roared, its body surging with crimson light.

The massive and muscular figure leaped forward, landing in front of Shen Yi with a thunderous boom.

Its blood-red eyes reflected the same expression as Yang Lin.

It looked down at the slender figure below with contempt.

This move nearly scared everyone witless, and even the elders of the Puppet Sect rushed forward, exclaiming, "Yang Lin, why are you pushing things so far? Stop now!"

"I don't want to push things too far, I just want him to leave the Puppet Sect peacefully."

Yang Lin's hoarse voice came from the Bloodclaw Puppet's mouth.

The Chen family elders, facing such a terrifying spirit puppet, twitched their brows but stood firm behind Shen Yi.

They had witnessed even more terrifying scenes.

As expected, Shen Yi didn't stop walking and seemed to neither hear Yang Lin's words nor see the menacing Bloodclaw Puppet.

Just as Shen Yi stepped in front of the Bloodclaw Puppet...

He remained as calm as ever, not even lifting a finger.

Yet, a deafening boom rang out in everyone's ears!

Crack!

The massive Bloodclaw Puppet shattered into pieces and flew backward!

The crimson light dissipated, and the precious materials used to craft it turned to dust in an instant.

Under the terrifying force, the remaining puppet fragments buried Yang Lin, and blood seeped from the cracks, staining the stone platform red.

The puppet's remains twitched a couple of times before going still, and the person within met his end.

Only then did the horrifying boom subside.

"..."

Shen Yi walked past the stunned members of the Puppet Sect without a glance, casually pulled a chair, and sat down at the very front, dusting off his clothes as he leaned back.

"Ah!"

The crowd gasped for breath, their eyes fixed on the calm figure.

In an instant, they knelt on the ground involuntarily, exclaiming, "We welcome the immortal from the Nanyang Sect, gracing the Puppet Sect with your presence. Please forgive us for not welcoming you properly!"

Shen Yi casually glanced forward and spoke in a flat tone, "No need to kneel, let's talk."

The Chen family elders stood behind the chair, watching the heads of the crowd bobbing up and down, and they suddenly felt that this scene was familiar.

Most people were quite normal.

It was just that Yang Lin... Was he always this brave? Shen Yi sat quietly, his eyes inadvertently glancing at a certain spot, a hint of coldness appearing on his lips.

With everything out in the open, the hidden arrows were still being shot.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end