Chapter 473: Are You Scared?

Chapter 473: Are You Scared?



"Senior Brother Nie..."

Li Qingfeng stood behind, staring at Nie Jun, almost biting his tongue.

"Sigh."

He watched as Sect Leader Shen had already activated the sect's formation array, and he instinctively sighed. Then, he quickly took out a jade slip, "Hurry up and come over! Follow the Sect Leader on his mission!"

At the same time.

The jade slips of numerous cultivators within the Nanyang Sacred Land lit up simultaneously.

The next moment, nearly twenty figures swiftly flew over.

Among them were the familiar Chen Clan Elder, the Qinghai Prefecture group, and seven slightly unfamiliar faces—the seven Reverting Void Seventh Layer Tribute Cultivators that Wen Qiujin had brought back.

This almost encompassed all the high-level combat power within the Nanyang Sect.

It barely matched the grandeur of other allied sects when they went on missions.

Looking at these powerful senior cultivators,

Li Qingfeng's worry in his eyes remained undiminished.

He knew that Da Qian was a forbidden topic for Sect Leader Shen, but the problem was, how could Peach Blossom Manor have the opportunity to make a move? Why did Senior Brother Nie have to bring this up at this time?

In the current situation of the Nanyang Sect, there was no one who would commit such a demonic cultivation act.

Even if they pretended not to know, it wouldn't have any impact.

The most urgent matter at hand was the Seven Sons Conference.

As long as Shen Yi solidified her position as the Sect Leader, she could casually notify the four vassals of the White Jade Capital, and no matter which one took action, they could annihilate Peach Blossom Manor.

On the contrary, acting rashly would be a case of twice the effort for half the result.

Those vassal forces had just barely calmed down, and Lingyun Sect's Wei Yuanzhou had played a role in suppressing them.

If they were to punish Peach Blossom Manor at this time,

It would inevitably give rise to various other thoughts in the eyes of others.

Not to mention the question of whether they had the strength to punish them.

Even if they did.

If the evidence was insufficient, it would mean that the Nanyang Sect was ungrateful and wantonly slaughtered their own supporters.

If they didn't handle it decisively, it would be even easier for others to see through the Nanyang Sect's empty foundation.

Even if we take a step back and say that Peach Blossom Manor firmly insisted that the search for Senior Brother Nie was a decision made by their subordinates, and they pushed out a few scapegoats, it would still be a deception.

Not only would it not achieve the desired effect, but it would also make Peach Blossom Manor become vigilant prematurely.

It was truly a thankless task.

As numerous figures continuously flew out of the Nanyang Sect,

Li Qingfeng slowly retracted his gaze, a hint of helplessness on his lips. But on second thought, if Sect Leader Shen didn't have this kind of personality, he and the others would still be hiding in Wutong Mountain, and their lives might not even be guaranteed. Where would they have the opportunity to experience the outside world?

Outside the Nanyang Sect.

The executives' faces varied, quietly spreading the news.

Upon learning that this trip was to hold Peach Blossom Manor accountable, even the seven Reverting Void Late Phase Tribute Cultivators under Wen Qiujin couldn't help but have a more solemn look in their eyes.

They had heard that the old Manor Lord had crossed the divide between the Reverting Void Late Phase and Perfection many years ago.

In their understanding, he was an image of a senior expert.

He had a certain reputation throughout Southern Hong.

To hold this senior cultivator accountable? That old Manor Lord might not even give them face.

The grand aura of the Nanyang Sect was obviously not hidden from the eyes and ears of the allied sects. Soon, it attracted the attention of many.

Seven cultivators equivalent to Outer Gate Elders had been dispatched.

What were they going to do? Currently, among the Southern Hong Seven Sons, the news about Shen Yi was the hottest topic. Before long, the commotion reached numerous caves.

"Oh, I thought he wouldn't leave his home for the next two months."

"What's our new Sect Leader up to now?"

"..."

As the news spread through the Dao tokens, those hearts that had barely calmed down suddenly became restless again.

Based on their understanding of the Nanyang Sect, these cultivators would likely need to muster the entire sect's strength to gather, and the formation was even grander than the last time they faced the Tide Sea General.

Currently, the only one who could openly influence the Seven Sons Conference was Shen Yi herself.

Could there be someone so foolish in this world?

...

In Southern Hong, there was a Peach Blossom Mountain.

When the morning light turned pale, the peach blossoms on the mountain bloomed beautifully, ignoring the change of seasons.

It was called a manor, but it occupied an extremely vast area.

At this moment, amidst the dense clouds, a hideous lion head appeared and disappeared intermittently, and a massive body released a green glow in the sky.

Three Green Lion Spirit Puppets arrived at Peach Blossom Mountain.

On top of the Spirit Puppets, Shen Yi wore a black robe, stepping on a flying sword with dark light, quietly overlooking the area below.

No words were needed.

After the Water Moon Trading Alliance incident, half of Southern Hong knew that the Green Lion Spirit Puppet belonged to which sect.

The Nanyang Immortal Sect has arrived!

Soon, several figures emerged from the peach blossoms, rising into the sky and responding loudly, "Peach Blossom Manor welcomes the inspection of the Main Sect! Please come in, esteemed immortals!"

Upon hearing the words "Main Sect,"

The few Water Moon Trading Alliance Tribute Cultivators quietly breathed a sigh of relief.

At least this attitude was much more determined than Wen Mengzhu's initial response.

The Qinghai Prefecture cultivators didn't feel anything unusual.

After all, the last time they came, Peach Blossom Manor had proactively offered tribute.

Therefore, when they heard Nie Jun's words, they were so shocked that even now, they were half-believing and half-doubting.

Such obedient vassals were a great help to Sect Leader Shen, especially in such a complex situation.

"..."

Nie Jun silently stared at the area below, glancing sideways at Shen Yi.

But he didn't see anything unusual in her expression.

Shen Yi lightly nodded, her face showing no signs of happiness or anger. Then, she rode the flying sword with dark light towards the manor.

Led by the Peach Blossom Manor cultivators,

Everyone soon saw a vast but not luxurious manor amidst the peach blossoms, resembling a rural village with a sense of secluded beauty.

"Please, this way, esteemed immortals."

Several Peach Blossom Manor disciples respectfully led the group into a grand hall.

Inside the hall, several figures were already present.

Apparently, in addition to the Nanyang Sect, there were other guests in Peach Blossom Manor.

"I am Zhong Guangde, the Young Manor Lord of this place. Please forgive me for not welcoming you from afar, esteemed immortals."

A middle-aged man in a white shirt quickly walked forward, bowing to the Nanyang Sect group, his face still carrying a smile even in the face of their unfriendly demeanor.

As he spoke, he also introduced the people behind him, "These are the esteemed immortals from the Heavenly Sword Sect, Clear Moon Sect, and Double Unmatched Sect. They came to the manor to admire the peach blossoms. It's a coincidence that so many immortals are gathered here today, which has truly surprised Guangde."

Before he could finish his polite greetings,

The few cultivators with refined auras behind him, upon seeing the black-robed figure, momentarily froze, and then two of them, wearing the long robes of executives from the Clear Moon Sect and Double Unmatched Sect, directly knelt on one knee.

"Disciple pays respects to the Nanyang Sect Leader!"

The elder from the Heavenly Sword Sect, wearing the Outer Gate Elder's robe, clearly held a higher position.

The cultivator's realm was also at the seventh level of Returning to Emptiness.

He did not kneel but bowed slightly, his hands clasped in reverence, "Xie Chaoyu of the Heavenly Sword Sect pays respects to the Southern Yang Sect Master."

Among the Southern Flood Seven Sons, there weren't many established etiquettes for disciples meeting the sect master.

Many disciples, from birth to the end of their lifespans, might never have the chance to meet the sect master once. Even the statue in the Ancestor Hall would only open its eyes when facing true elders and direct disciples.

After achieving Dao Fusion, one becomes like a heavenly being within the sacred land.

Divine and mortal, how could a mere mortal easily glimpse the true body of a heavenly being?

This Sect Master Shen was indeed one of a kind.

Seeing the attitudes of the immortal sect cultivators, Zhong Guangde was visibly taken aback. Then, to the astonishment of the Southern Yang Sect crowd, he knelt down without hesitation, performing a grand kneeling bow.

"Junior cultivator was unaware of the Sect Master's personal visit, a crime deserving death!"

"..."

This action left not only the Qinghai Prefecture cultivators but also the Water Moon Trading Alliance's offerings dumbfounded.

If he didn't mistake, this humble, self-proclaimed 'little cultivator' was at least tens of thousands of years old and an eighth-level Returning to Emptiness expert.

How...how could he lack even a trace of immortal bearing?

"Hmm."

Nie Jun closed his eyes and slowly loosened his grip on the sword hilt.

He just didn't like involving himself in mundane affairs, but that didn't mean he couldn't understand the situation.

A force of such magnitude, with unwavering loyalty, was undoubtedly a significant asset to Sect Master Shen at this time.

At this moment, even Nie Jun began to doubt if he had done something wrong.

Was it...really necessary?

Would keeping this matter hidden in his heart be the greatest help to Shen Yi?

"Stand up."

Shen Yi remained calm, stepping over the crowd and sitting down in the main seat.

Several allied sect cultivators quickly straightened their bodies.

Zhong Guangde promptly stood up, shooing away the maidservant and personally preparing tea for Shen Yi.

He also shot a fawning smile towards the main seat.

Just then, the atmosphere in the simple grand hall suddenly turned slightly tense.

Shen Yi calmly looked at Zhong Guangde, and in the palm of his hand, which was flat on the table, a storage artifact appeared without anyone noticing.

"This..."

The young master slowly put down his teacup.

His face showed a hint of confusion, "It looks familiar. Isn't this the tribute I prepared for the Sect Master earlier... No, it seems a bit smaller. Tch! These damn things!"

Anger flashed across his face, and he shouted towards the door, "Investigate this! You dare to swallow the tribute I prepared for the Sect Master. You've really lived long enough!"

The disciples outside had strange expressions, and they quickly retreated into the distance.

The allied sect cultivators quietly observed the storage artifact, instinctively averting their gazes, and then, without any agreement, they hid their palms behind their backs and took out communication jade slips.

The Southern Yang Sect executives wore helpless expressions, glancing lightly at Nie Jun.

Who would have thought that after such a warm reception from the Peach Blossom Manor, it would still be outdone by a few words from this first-level Returning to Emptiness junior cultivator.

If this matter were to be made public, no one would be able to save face.

Especially with the allied sects present here.

Fortunately, the Peach Blossom Manor didn't make them wait long.

Soon, several disciples with pale faces were brought in. They shot venomous glares at Nie Jun, then knelt down before Shen Yi in fear, repeatedly kowtowing.

"We were deluded and neglected the Sect Master. We deserve to die!"

"You deserve to die!"

Zhong Guangde's face twisted in anger, and he strode forward, spiritual light gathering in his palm.

Finally, he exuded the aura of an eighth-level Returning to Emptiness expert.

He raised his palm and struck towards the disciples' foreheads without the slightest hesitation.

Just then, a faint clapping sound echoed in the hall.

Zhong Guangde instinctively turned to look back.

He saw Shen Yi calmly watching him, and next to the original storage artifact, there was now a slightly larger storage bag.

"..."

The spiritual light in Zhong Guangde's palm slowly dissipated.

The twisted expression on his face also vanished.

He stood in silence, gazing at Shen Yi, and after a long while, he let out a faint sigh.

As the young master of the Peach Blossom Manor, he had been the one handling all the social exchanges over the years.

But even now, he still didn't quite understand what this young sect master truly wanted.

Face? He had already given him enough.

Heavenly resources? After the matter was resolved, the other party could just ask for them.

Why...why wouldn't he give a way out that would benefit both sides?

No one was a fool; everyone could guess why the Southern Yang Sect had come.

When Shen Yi threw out the second storage bag, it was clear that he didn't plan to let this go and intended to handle it openly.

"Sect Master Shen, the peach blossoms here are beautiful. Why not stay a few more days? Guangde will definitely give you an explanation."

Zhong Guangde bowed again, but when he raised his head, he still met those calm, black eyes.

After sitting down, Shen Yi didn't say another word.

He quietly watched the scene before him, as if observing a comical monkey show.

And Zhong Guangde was that monkey, jumping around.

But this monkey, after all, had the cultivation of an eighth-level Returning to Emptiness expert, and the Peach Blossom Manor wasn't a small force that anyone could provoke in the Southern Flood region.

"Sect Master Shen, why don't we speak frankly?"

Zhong Guangde withdrew his smile and fawning attitude, standing with his hands at his sides.

In an instant, the atmosphere in the entire hall became tense.

The Southern Yang Sect crowd, though they felt it wasn't worth it, all stepped forward together, and a vast aura instantly enveloped the area.

They hadn't cultivated any combined strike technique.

But in just a breath, they had subtly placed Zhong Guangde in an inescapable position.

"Sect Master Shen...why is this?"

Xie Chaoyu of the Heavenly Sword Sect forced a smile. According to the rules, even an outer gate elder didn't have the right to speak in the sect master's presence.

But setting aside face, he clearly didn't treat Shen Yi as a true sect master.

After all, the Seven Sons Conference hadn't officially begun, and the dust hadn't settled yet.

However, not only did Shen Yi not give face to the allied sects, but he also directly ignored them.

He slowly stood up, took the slightly smaller storage artifact, and threw it at Zhong Guangde, saying indifferently, "First, take me to see what you bought with your lives."

Upon hearing these words, the allied sect cultivators' faces changed.

The executives of the Clear Moon Sect and the Double Unmatched Sect had already instinctively grabbed their communication jade slips.

Through their simple descriptions, Shen Yi's inquiry into the Peach Blossom Manor quickly spread among the allied sects.

At the same time,

Among the Southern Flood Seven Sons, the communication between the Dao tokens became more frequent.

"He plans to take action against the Peach Blossom Manor?"

"Heh, our Sect Master Shen, has he forgotten who those cultivators of the Peach Blossom Manor are pledged to?"

In the face of the four vassal states of Baiyu Jing not yet declaring their stance, the strength of Peach Blossom Manor was more than enough to be considered the left and right arms of the Nanyang Sect.

Before the Seven Sons Conference, they were going to sever one of their arms themselves? Forcing them to break free from the jurisdiction of the Nanyang Sect?

Is this something a normal person would do?

"..."

Wei Yuanzhou listened to the reply from the Dao token.

He slightly furrowed his brows.

This was an internal matter of the main sect disciplining its vassal states, and outsiders couldn't interfere.

Even he wouldn't dare to intervene at this time, for a simple reason. If they were to handle the Nanyang Sect's internal affairs through the allied sect, it would be an insult to Shen Yi.

Meanwhile, Liu Shiqian looked at the girl across from him, "You seem to have something on your mind?"

"No, no."

Liu Qianyun shook her head repeatedly, her hand hidden behind her back almost tearing through the sleeve.

She had secretly given the Dao decree to Shen Yi, hoping that he would have something to protect himself during times of crisis, but not in front of all the Southern Hong Seven Sons.

She had a feeling that her father was about to face trouble...

Just as the Southern Hong Seven Sons started to get rowdy again.

Inside Peach Blossom Manor.

A cold light flickered in Zhong Guangde's eyes as he stared at the tall and slender figure in the black robe. After a long silence, the corners of his lips slowly curved upwards, "I'm sorry, I don't quite understand what you're saying."

Speaking such words as a vassal state to the main sect was undoubtedly a rebellious act, tearing apart their relationship.

The allied sect cultivators had a strange smile on their faces. They were curious to see what Shen Zongzhu would do if Peach Blossom Manor no longer acknowledged the main sect.

Being confrontational required strength to back it up.

The Nanyang Sect didn't gain its 182 vassal states through mere words.

"..."

Shen Yi retracted his gaze and calmly walked towards the hall's exit.

The Nanyang Sect cultivators were tense but quickly followed him.

Seeing this, Zhong Guangde stood with his hands behind his back in the hall, a hint of malice in his eyes.

He also took a step forward and slowly walked out of the hall.

The disciples who were being held captive had their silver ropes fall off, and they stood up. In the midst of the lush peach blossoms, numerous figures emerged from all directions, high and low, all staring at the Nanyang Sect cultivators.

In an instant, a killing intent spread throughout the entire Peach Blossom Manor, which resembled a rural farm.

However, no one made a move.

The reason was simple. The complexity of Peach Blossom Manor was not something a newcomer could easily understand.

Yet, none of the many gazes noticed the demon souls rushing back from all directions.

As Shen Yi walked deeper into the peach forest.

Even Nie Jun was taken aback. It seemed that Shen Yi was more familiar with Peach Blossom Manor than they were.

Zhong Guangde and the allied sect cultivators' faces gradually turned ugly, filled with disbelief.

They watched as Shen Yi approached a smooth, mirror-like mountain wall.

"Do you want to open it yourself, or should I?"

Shen Yi stopped in his tracks, standing above a clear spring, his black robe fluttering slightly as he gazed at the mountain wall.

The densely packed Peach Blossom Manor cultivators had already filled the surrounding mountains.

The allied sect cultivators who had come to watch the commotion now had a hint of retreat in their eyes. It was clear that Shen Zongzhu had come prepared, and they wondered how much information he had obtained.

"Huh."

Zhong Guangde closed his eyes, and a black light flickered in his brow. Suddenly, an eight-story tall dark Dao Palace occupied the sky.

Indeed, he was the heir of a renowned major power.

The layers of the spirit palace exuded a powerful pressure, and even the immortal sect cultivators would have to admire his talent.

Although he wasn't a direct disciple like Li Yu, who had the opportunity to succeed the elder's position, he still had the chance to receive personal instruction from the elder.

"Shen Zongzhu, I advise you to stop here."

He opened his eyes, and his deep voice echoed in the sky, "Think about the Nanyang Sect's current predicament, and then look at the strength of Peach Blossom Manor. Don't let your fame cloud your mind, and don't be blinded by the words of petty people. It's not too late to end it here."

"We should be the closest power to the Nanyang Sect."

"Moreover, you can't afford the price of taking another step forward."

As his words fell, three more eight-story tall Dao Palaces appeared at the foot of the mountain, and several figures rose into the air.

The dense pressure instantly overwhelmed the Nanyang Sect cultivators.

"..."

Shen Yi lightly nodded, and all the other party's words amounted to was a single sentence.

He had to do it himself.

The next moment, a massive figure made of green jade suddenly appeared.

Accompanied by arrogant laughter, the giant green rhinoceros strode through the sky and fiercely charged towards the mountain wall!

Smash it!

Crack!

The mirror-like stone wall suddenly cracked, a sign of the formation's destruction.

"Stop him!"

Zhong Guangde pinched a spell, and a loud shout echoed.

A figure suddenly appeared in the air, seemingly using a Spirit Body Technique, and fiercely attacked the green rhinoceros from behind.

However, just as he flew halfway.

His entire body was smashed to the ground, causing the mountain spring to dry up and the mountains to collapse.

When the dust settled.

A silver-armored figure appeared, his expression cold, eyes filled with deep fear. He grabbed the cultivator's neck.

"I'm so scared... I'm really scared!"

He muttered, then suddenly punched the cultivator's head, staining his fist with blood.

"How dare you look up at the sky?"

Another punch shattered the cultivator's eyes.

The silver-armored figure's actions carried a hint of the Heavenly Derivation Nine-Nine.

"Aren't you afraid? Why aren't you afraid!"

In full view of everyone, the silver-armored figure frantically pounded the cultivator's body, viciously smashing him into the mountains.

Zhong Guangde was taken aback for a moment.

The green rhinoceros had already shattered the stone wall, revealing the teleportation formation below.

It charged in.

Finally, Shen Yi took a step forward and walked through the air, his body entering the formation.

In an instant, Zhong Guangde's face turned slightly pale.

Unconsciously, he wanted to step forward.

Just as he made a move, a bloodied and mangled body flew back and hit him.

After finally pushing the body away, he saw a distorted yet expressionless face in his line of sight.

"You... aren't you afraid?"

A hoarse voice echoed in his ears.

Zhong Guangde suddenly trembled and instinctively backed away!

"Heh."

The Nanyang Sect executives swallowed their saliva.

This spirit puppet looked more and more familiar the more they looked at it, and it seemed even more ferocious than the green rhinoceros from before.

They quickly walked through the air and also entered the stone wall.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end