Chapter 472: Xuanqing's Gift of Self (6K)

Chapter 472: Xuanqing's Gift of Self (6K)



In the Southern Flood region, within the Seven Sons Celestial Sect.

At this moment, there was a palpable sense of impending doom, as if a storm was about to ravage the city.

A demon from the eighth level of Returning to Emptiness, who would typically serve as a vanguard general in the Dragon Palace, had now caught the attention of numerous White Jade Capital cultivators.

They sat quietly in their cave residences.

Their thoughts began to drift, and their cultivation hearts, which had been dormant for an unknown number of years, now stirred with a hint of anticipation.

Behind each meditating figure was a past that left others in awe, and the disciples sang the praises of their renowned names.

However, beneath the fame, their cultivation hearts had withered, enduring countless years of torment.

"..."

A figure in a white robe with golden threads soared across the sky, not yet reaching the Lingyun bas-relief.

Wei Yuanzhou felt countless divine senses enveloping him, their malice almost unconcealed.

His face turned cold, and he slowly turned to look back.

In the instant their divine senses touched, the prying eyes diminished by ninety percent.

The remaining gazes were less malicious, carrying only a hint of curiosity.

Wei Yuanzhou calmly stepped into the light curtain.

As his figure disappeared, the Dao tokens began to whisper, each complaining to their trusted companions.

"He's a good person, while we are all evil."

"Without enduring hardships, how can we judge if Sect Leader Shen is qualified to lead the sacred land?"

"Is Senior Brother Yuanzhou trying to turn Shen Yi into another Senior Xuanqing?"

"Even before inheriting the Lingyun sacred land, he already considers himself the Sect Leader. How absurd! Why not manage all seven sects and have the Southern Hong Seven Sons take the surname Wei from now on!"

Obviously, these cultivators were deeply disappointed that they didn't get to witness Shen Yi's plea for help.

Not only did they miss out on such a golden opportunity, but Wei Yuanzhou's departure from the sect also gave others the impression that he was a supporter of the Nanyang Sect. It might even lead others to believe that the Lingyun Sect would protect the Nanyang Sect's interests.

With this, Shen Yi's chances of holding out until the Seven Sons Conference were almost certain.

The things they had hoped for seemed like a mirage, now out of reach.

However, these people's thoughts had no influence on Wei Yuanzhou.

He returned to the Lingyun Sect, calmly entered the Ancestor Hall, and stood before the statue with his hands clasped.

"Well, did he accept your favor?" The towering ancestor statue's eyes flashed.

Wei Yuanzhou bowed first, then straightened up and said sincerely, "This matter has nothing to do with me. It's all thanks to Sect Leader Shen's efforts."

"..."

Upon hearing these words, the ancestor statue paused for a moment, then said in surprise, "Are you saying he already has the strength to surpass that Sea-Striding General?"

This was enough to change the voice of a Fusion Realm grandmaster.

Even when facing his closest disciple, he couldn't help but reveal his thoughts on the matter.

"With his cultivation at the fifth layer of Returning to Emptiness, the fourth level of the Heavenly Palace, and his mastery of two Spirit Arts, one of which is a Spirit Array already at the Small Accomplishment stage, he has the qualifications of Senior Xuanqing," Wei Yuanzhou sighed.

"That's still a long way off," the ancestor statue chuckled. "Xuanqing only had the Heavenly Palace until he broke through the ninth layer of Returning to Emptiness. Even at the most challenging Perfection stage of Returning to Emptiness, he had already cultivated all first-rank Dao Pillars, forming a three-level Immortal Palace. It made us old fellows envious."

"He's from the Deep Abyss, while Senior Xuanqing was nurtured by the Nanyang Sect Leader," Wei Yuanzhou glanced up slightly, unafraid to offend Xuanqing, as he himself had received similar treatment.

As the Sect Leader's direct disciple, he enjoyed privileges far beyond those of other cultivators.

To call it a world of difference would not be an exaggeration.

"Forget it," the Lingyun Sect Leader had no intention of dwelling on this matter. After reaching the Fusion Realm, they rarely paid attention to the process, focusing more on the results.

The path of cultivation was ever-changing, and it was impossible to calculate it with human effort.

There was no such thing as a future Fusion Realm cultivator.

It was either yes or no.

"Since it has nothing to do with you, why did you make such a show earlier?" The ancestor statue sighed, gazing downward.

"They're just a bunch of petty people. What's there to fear?" Wei Yuanzhou raised an eyebrow and smiled. "Do I fear their stares? They wouldn't dare make a fuss in front of me."

While the master and disciple chatted, several figures returned from outside, each heading towards one of the six great sects.

They quickly entered a cave residence and hurriedly recounted everything they had witnessed.

Almost simultaneously, the Dao tokens of the six great sects were filled with the name Shen Yi.

Hearing about the Heavenly Palace and Spirit Arts, the figures in the cave residence began to show signs of change.

"..."

Those who had been closely monitoring the Nanyang Sect were now, for the first time, filled with confusion.

The information they had gathered from start to finish was right before their eyes, yet they couldn't make sense of it.

Each message seemed to describe a different cultivator, but now these spies were telling them that it was all one person! Absurd!

In the Clear Moon Sect, inside the Bamboo Pavilion.

Liu Shiqian looked at the two Dao tokens on the table. One was silent, while the other flashed continuously.

Elder Chi Yang picked up his own token and glanced at Liu Shiqian with a hint of mockery, "You're truly the talk of the town now. Even such a lively event, and no one wants to chat with you."

"However, Liu Shiqian did not respond, as if deep in thought."

"What's wrong?" Elder Chiyang's eyes lit up with curiosity, and he straightened his body slightly. "The young man you've been keeping an eye on has grown so rapidly that all seven of them are amazed. Are you suddenly acting all mysterious now?"

Upon hearing this, Liu Shiqian closed his eyes and said, "What if they realize it's impossible?"

"Of course, those who should calm down will calm down, and those who can't will have to retreat and cool off. Just pretend that the Nanyang sacred land never existed," Elder Chiyang said without needing to listen to the voice from the Dao token; he could already guess the thoughts of these fellow cultivators, as they all shared the same predicament.

"And the rest?" Liu Shiqian opened his eyes, his expression turning solemn.

"The rest..." Elder Chiyang's face slightly froze, and his tone also became somber. "Take a risk and gamble with their lives?"

To be honest, not every cultivator could achieve the calmness of an ancient well. Especially those who had once basked in glory, the various Heavens' Pride, none of them had not risked their lives to reach the White Jade Capital.

To take another gamble... it didn't seem like a big deal.

The six Sect Masters were deep in thought, as if after achieving Dao Fusion, they truly believed they had become immortals.

They spoke of going with the flow.

But if they were to create a situation where they fought among themselves, it wouldn't be easy to suppress.

...

Southern Yang Sect.

At some point, Shen Yi had returned to that mountain peak.

[Kill the Returning to Void Grey-Scaled Water Python, total lifespan of 198,000 years, remaining lifespan of 152,000 years, absorption complete]



[Remaining demonic lifespan: 379,000 years]



This was the first water-type demon Shen Yi encountered with the name "Heaven's Pride."

However, judging from its total lifespan, it was not even as strong as the Golden Sparrow Young Lord. It was indeed stronger than ordinary demons, but compared to its reputation, its bloodline seemed to be holding it back.

Fake?

Shen Yi pondered for a moment, then suddenly thought of another possibility.

Among demons, there were probably also those with wisdom, after all, he had encountered the type of demon that relied on its brain, like the Green Hill Fox.

Thinking of this, Shen Yi no longer hesitated. He first condensed the tranquilizing stone and then began to gather the demon's origin using its lifespan.

This demon had probably experienced a lot, and its will was relatively stable, which was the opposite of other demons.

At over 40,000 years old, it took five demonic origins to completely reshape it.

"Dao Hai pays his respects to my Lord."

The water python demon still looked like a young man in silver armor, and he respectfully bowed deeply to Shen Yi.

Shen Yi didn't rush to put it into the tranquilizing stone. After all, there was only one remaining second-grade tranquilizing stone, not enough for six Dao pillars, so there was no need to hurry.

He glanced at it, "Between the spirit array and the fist and palm technique, which are you better at?"

"Reporting to my Lord... I guess it's the fist and palm technique," Dao Hai hesitated and chose the latter.

As soon as he finished speaking, he was already absorbed into Shen Yi's panel.

The vast demonic lifespan was poured into the Heavenly Transformation Nine-Nine.

[First year, you begin to teach Dao Hai General Xuanqing's insights, hoping he can quickly understand this fist and palm spirit art]



Using his own lifespan to pass on the technique to the demon.

Shen Yi felt a bit uneasy inside.

However, the following events made his mood even more complicated.

[1,300 years, Dao Hai General has fully understood Xuanqing's insights and is on par with your own cultivation. Together, you begin to attempt to decipher the next stage of Heavenly Transformation Nine-Nine]



Seeing that Dao Hai General did not show signs of dissipation after coming into contact with the spirit art.

Shen Yi gradually put his mind at ease.

Perhaps it was because of the demon's companionship that the panel's feedback was not as intense as when he was practicing the Abyssal Immortal Armor Array.

[17,000 years, after moving away from Xuanqing's insights, you and Dao Hai General increasingly feel the difficulty of your task. You exert all your efforts to push him, hoping for some progress]



With their combined efforts, Shen Yi's doubts in his mind gradually became clearer.

His entire vision was filled with a pitch-black sky.

Although it was called Heavenly Transformation Nine-Nine, this technique obviously had not yet touched upon the level of the Dao; it was merely borrowing the name, in reality, it was a clumsy method of comprehending all laws before breaking them.

No wonder Xuanqing lost interest after entering the sect.

Coincidentally, neither Shen Yi nor Dao Hai General were cultivators nurtured in a greenhouse.

They had both experienced countless battles and had extremely rich combat experience.

As the demon's lifespan quickly passed.

[67,000 years, Dao Hai General helps you break through the barriers and pushes Heavenly Transformation Nine-Nine to a new level]



[Returning to Void (Spirit) - Heavenly Transformation Nine-Nine: Minor Accomplishment]



Shen Yi did not stand up but immersed himself in the profound sky, continuing to deduce.

Time passed, and the remaining demonic lifespan was exhausted.

Countless panel prompts flashed by, but they did not attract Shen Yi's attention.

He stood up unsteadily.

He stared at his palm, and as his five fingers slightly curled, it seemed as if he was holding the entire sky.

Heavenly Transformation Nine-Nine had already reached Minor Accomplishment, but Major Accomplishment seemed like a distant dream.

Demons were, after all, just demons. Forcing it to cultivate a human cultivation technique, with its lifespan, it could break through to Minor Accomplishment in its twilight years, but after deducing for 300,000 years, it had finally paid the price.

General Tao Hai sat there like a lifeless wooden statue, his eyes wild with madness, gazing up at the sky, and suddenly, a deep-seated fear welled up within him.

Shen Yi sighed and withdrew his gaze.

Fortunately, with the help of the demonic soul, it was more likely that he would have gone insane.

He summoned the demonic soul and infused it into the tranquilizing stone.

Whether his mind was clear or not didn't matter; as long as he could still fight, that was enough. If he couldn't fight anymore, he could still use it as a Dao Pillar.

"Hmm."

Shen Yi looked at the night sky and strode towards the Ancestor Hall.

With so many thoughts on his mind, he needed to find someone to clear his head.

"Has the Sect Master returned?"

Xuanqing had already distributed all the tribute brought back last time.

He stood up to greet Shen Yi, and when he met Shen Yi's deep gaze, he hesitated for a moment before teasing, "If there's something you want to see, just say it. Xuanqing is a wooden body, and there's nothing shameful about it."

"Go away."

Shen Yi rubbed his forehead, easing the aftereffects of the Heavenly Derivation Nine-Nine.

Unconsciously, he wanted to decipher the mysteries of the world and find the other's weaknesses, which had almost become an instinct.

But during the brief scan just now, Senior Xuanqing appeared completely normal, without a trace of spiritual energy... or any discernible weaknesses.

"Although it may be presumptuous for a disciple to say this."

"But truly, you've done an excellent job."

Xuanqing slowly lowered his gaze, indicating that he had also heard about the slaying of General Tao Hai.

It could be said that among the Southern Hong Seven Sons, anyone with a bit of status now knew about this matter.

At least, that was the case for now.

Shen Yi's position as the Sect Master was already half-secured.

Among the subordinate forces, the weaker ones dared not defy him, and the stronger ones could also see how terrifying his talent was.

The reason it was only half-secured was that, according to Xuanqing's understanding of fellow cultivators at the same level, there was a high probability of desperate actions.

"Let Xuanqing offer another gift to the Sect Master."

As he spoke, the wooden man slowly closed his eyes.

The next moment, a dense purple Qi emanated from his body, so rich that it even surpassed the total amount of Primordial Purple Qi Shen Yi currently possessed.

"This object is Xuanqing's heartache. After that, I never heard the Immortal Music celebrating for Xuanqing again."

"Please take it with you, Sect Master."

Xuanqing stumbled back to the meditation cushion, and the vitality in his wooden body suddenly diminished.

"..."

Shen Yi silently watched the wooden man's back.

After a long while, he said indifferently, "Why don't you continue telling me the story you didn't finish last time?"

Xuanqing stared at the Ancestor Statue and suddenly smiled carefree, "The past is in the past; why bring it up? Xuanqing has already forgotten... I want to sit for a while."

"Okay."

Shen Yi nodded slightly, and the Boundless Demon Imperial Palace emerged from his forehead, casting a crimson glow over the night sky.

The dense purple Qi slowly transformed into four streams, flowing towards the four layers of the Heavenly Palace.

The next instant, the Primordial Purple Qi in each layer of the Heavenly Palace surged, nearly doubling in intensity! With such a substantial boost, combined with the recent breakthrough in the Heavenly Derivation Nine-Nine, there seemed to be a sign that he could cross another watershed.

Shen Yi put away the Dao Palace and didn't disturb Xuanqing further.

After all, even if he listened, it would only be for the sake of listening.

There would always be another chance.

As Shen Yi left the Ancestor Hall, Xuanqing reopened his eyes and looked at the Ancestor Statue, suddenly feeling a bit sentimental. "Apart from you, he's the first person who wants to hear my story. Are all of you Sect Masters so fond of courting trouble?"

"But after you heard it, the Southern Yang Sect was no more..."

...

Outside the Ancestor Hall.

Shen Yi casually picked a spot and flipped through the pile of books, looking for any remaining methods to obtain the lifespan of demons and monsters.

Looking at the empty demon and monster lifespans on the panel, he always felt a lack of security.

Xuanqing's sudden gift.

Actually, it already explained a lot.

In fact, just thinking about it, one could understand that under the allure of such a precious Converged Dao Site, becoming the Sect Master's personal disciple was not an easy feat. And to safely ascend to the White Jade Capital and inherit the Converged Dao Site, one had to tread a perilous path.

How dangerous was this path?

How many fellow disciples wanted to see him dead?

For just one sacred land and one path to immortality, why should it belong to him? If it were based on strength, then everyone in the White Jade Capital would have to engage in a life-and-death battle to prove their superiority.

Xuanqing had obviously experienced this once, which was why he made this move.

Just then, led by Li Qingfeng, several people rushed over.

"Sect Master, they're back."

Li Qingfeng's face was filled with smiles, a change from his usual demeanor.

As he stepped aside, Shen Yi looked up and saw a familiar figure among the executives: "You went out?"

"I wanted to do something."

Nie Jun responded softly, his brows and eyes revealing a hint of fatigue.

Xuanjian Zhenren, once renowned for his ruthlessness, had maintained his cultivation path unwavering even after witnessing so many powerful cultivators in the Southern Yang Sacred Land.

He had been lacking in many aspects before.

Now that Shen Yi had helped him make up for those deficiencies, all he needed was time.

A cultivator who could reach the top three in the entire world, how could he be weaker than the Heaven's Pride of other sects?

"I gave up on a third-grade Dao Pillar and changed it to a fourth-grade one. Now, it has taken shape, but I lack the materials to refine it."

"..."

Shen Yi pondered for a moment and shook his head. "Give up once more, at least a second-grade one. Whatever you lack, go and ask Wen Qiujin for it. Consider it as me borrowing from him."

The Southern Yang Sect didn't lack a second-level Returning to Emptiness errand-running executive.

"Isn't this too much of a stretch?" Nie Jun slowly raised his head, a hint of hesitation flashing in his eyes.

After personally witnessing the existence of the Heavenly Palace, how could he be content with just casting a single ordinary Dao Palace?

But those extremely expensive materials were far beyond Nie Jun's wildest dreams.

He needed to possess the strength first before he had the qualifications to compete for those materials with others.

Shen Yi wasn't the sect leader, and Nie Jun had never enjoyed any benefits from the Southern Yang Sect. He had risen from humble beginnings on his own, and thus, he owed nothing to anyone.

"As for the sect leader's words, just follow them, little disciple!" Li Qingfeng hurriedly kicked his senior brother.

He had been staying in the Law Concealment Pavilion all day and had no idea how glorious Shen Yi was now.

Nie Jun glanced at Li Qingfeng.

This scared the young man so much that he shuddered all over. "What? I'm now... I'm now..."

Li Qingfeng held his breath for a long time, but he couldn't say a word. He was doing the work of a sect elder, but in reality, he wasn't even considered an inner disciple.

"Thank you, sect leader."

Nie Jun withdrew his gaze and bowed to Shen Yi again.

But the hesitation in his eyes didn't fade, as if it wasn't just about cultivation.

"We went to Peach Blossom Manor, and this is the tribute they gave us."

Finally, Nie Jun brought up the main issue and placed two storage bags in front of Shen Yi.

At this point, the executives beside him straightened their backs with pride. It was their first time going out on a mission, and they had managed to collect the tribute in advance.

Moreover, it was from a powerful force like Peach Blossom Manor, only one level below the four top families.

"If the sect leader has no other instructions, I'd like to go back and take a look at the Dao Pillar."

Nie Jun bowed respectfully and was about to leave when he was stopped again.

"Is there anything else?" Shen Yi fiddled with the two storage artifacts and said indifferently.

The executives who were about to leave looked puzzled but stood still again.

Only Nie Jun slowly clenched the Xuan Sword at his waist.

He remained silent for a long time, his eyes sharp, and then he turned around and walked towards Shen Yi. He squatted down, gently separated the two storage artifacts, and pointed at them one by one, "This is the tribute... and this is the money they paid for lives."

"Whose lives?"

Shen Yi calmly stood up and patted his robe.

Since earlier, he had noticed the issue with Nie Jun's mental state. The other's sharp sword seemed to have mysteriously sheathed itself.

"..."

Nie Jun let out a long breath. "Someone has seen the situation inside the Southern Yang Sacred Land and knows about the existence of places like Da Qian. Peach Blossom Manor needs a lot of lives, countless lives, so they came to me, hoping that I could deliver some to them. This is just the first batch."

"I want to take action, but I can't beat them."

Nie Jun's voice suddenly became dejected.

Li Qingfeng looked at him in surprise. Everyone knew Nie Jun's character; he didn't care about winning or losing.

If he hadn't been beaten half to death back then, he wouldn't have become a disciple of Wutong Mountain.

And he definitely wouldn't have accepted their things.

Saying that he couldn't beat them... it was probably more about not wanting to cause trouble for Sect Leader Shen.

"The Seven Sons Conference is still two months away. I want to wait until this matter is over before reporting to the sect leader again." Nie Jun smiled self-mockingly, almost crushing the sword in his grip.

He had finally become the kind of person he despised the most.

Considering the big picture and caring about those petty things.

Even his master couldn't change his nature, but after following Shen Yi, it seemed to be gradually changing.

As Nie Jun's words fell.

The executives from Qinghai Prefecture and the Chen family all looked a bit troubled.

Although they didn't know what Peach Blossom Manor was up to, the fact that they had sought out Nie Jun, who seemed to have the lowest cultivation, indicated that they didn't want the Southern Yang Sect to know about this matter.

They believed that with Nie Jun's strength, he couldn't possibly have any contact with the real big shots of the Southern Yang Sect.

Regardless, this matter involved the lives of mortals.

If it got out, it would damage the reputation of the Immortal Sect.

But Nie Jun's consideration was understandable to them. At least during these two months, Shen Yi needed stability, and it was best if the Southern Yang Sect didn't have to get involved.

Everything should prioritize the Seven Sons Conference.

However, they didn't notice that Li Qingfeng's face had suddenly turned pale. "Heh!"

With his understanding of Shen Yi.

It's over, something big is going to happen! Just as Li Qingfeng had expected.

Without keeping them waiting for long, Shen Yi casually glanced at Nie Jun.

Then, he flicked his fingers at his waist, and the dark light flying sword pendant transformed into a stream of light and landed at his feet.

His calm voice echoed in the surroundings.

"Lead the way."

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end