Chapter 495: Strength in Numbers

Chapter 495: Strength in Numbers

Under the protection of the Southern Flood Seven Sons, the vassal forces, which had been peaceful for a long time, suddenly found themselves in a bloody slaughter.

There was no reason, nor any purpose.

The group of aquatic demons quietly emerged from the water's surface.

The only commonality among the attacked vassal forces was that they were all under the jurisdiction of Elder Liu Shiqian.

It was only when the various stewards and outer sect elders of Clear Moon Sect arrived to support that the situation was barely brought under control.

Just as the remaining Southern Flood forces were anxiously speculating whether this fierce battle would continue to escalate, the water demons seemed to have received some order and retreated in unison, submerging back into the water.

Leaving behind a scene of scattered corpses and broken bones.

"..."

The outer sect elder of Clear Moon Sect hovered in the air, holding a spell formation. His brows furrowed, showing no sign of relief.

Instead, he instinctively turned his gaze towards a faintly discernible figure among the cultivators.

"Huff."

Liu Qianyun took a deep breath, calming her emotions.

But her fingertips still trembled slightly.

These demons seemed to have no purpose, not seeking to plunder anything, but their choice of targets was too obvious.

Now, as they suddenly withdrew, it was clear that the one behind them had already obtained what they wanted.

"Father..."

Liu Qianyun clenched her fingers and quietly slipped away from the crowd, heading towards a certain direction.

With only the cultivation of the Third Tier Return to Void, she was at the bottom of the hierarchy among these cultivators who were qualified to leave the sect. How could her actions escape the notice of others?

The others merely pretended not to see.

After all, they had not received any orders from the elders, indicating that Elder Liu had no intention of escalating the matter further.

What had happened?

At the same time, amidst the raging ocean, a solitary figure stood with hands behind their back, standing on a lone leaf boat.

The slightly stern face, with clear eyes, quietly gazed into the void ahead.

It seemed as if he was the only person in the scene.

But between the waves, there seemed to be an air of murderous intent.

However, no matter how fierce the waves were, they couldn't touch even a corner of his robe.

Liu Shiqian shook his head, "You've gone to great lengths to summon me, but I doubt you intend to scare me with these childish antics."

As his words fell, the water's surface suddenly fell silent.

The flowing waters seemed to freeze, turning into a piece of azure gem.

After a moment, a hoarse voice echoed from below the water, "Then what do you think I called you out here for?"

Liu Shiqian looked down and said calmly, "It's definitely not to kill me, at least not in this manner."

"Why?" The underwater voice laughed.

"Because you dare not," Liu Shiqian patted his sleeve, not even bothering to summon his treasure, "Without evidence, a mere watchdog like you wouldn't dare cause trouble for the Dragon Palace."

The usually stern and rigid Elder Liu, with just a few words, caused the underwater being to breathe heavily.

Everyone knew that among the thirteen dragon descendants, the fourth one, whether in terms of strength or character, was among the top ranks, enjoying a surge of popularity and outshining most of his brothers.

But only a few people knew that his popularity was due to the Southern Dragon Palace not considering him as a potential heir.

If he were in an immortal sect, he wouldn't even be considered a Daoist priest, at most a Guardian Daoist Elder.

To openly kill a Clear Moon Sect elder in front of the Southern Flood forces was not a decision he could make.

There was silence underwater for a long time.

Finally, laughter echoed again, "Then why did you come out?"

He couldn't do anything openly, but by causing some waves, he could make the stewards of Clear Moon Sect panic and even pay a heavy price.

And all these injuries were because of Liu Shiqian.

Sometimes, being too upright isn't a good thing; it makes one vulnerable to manipulation.

At least Elder Liu wouldn't stand idly by and let this happen.

On the contrary, Ke Lao Si didn't care about the lives of these water demons.

Taking the lives of demons to exchange for the lives of Clear Moon Sect disciples, he wouldn't feel a shred of pity or guilt.

"How about this, you tell me who killed my brother, explain the reasons, and I'll let you off," Ke Lao Si's voice carried a hint of teasing.

"..."

A hint of ridicule flashed in Liu Shiqian's eyes as he slowly exhaled, "Then you tell me who sent you that message."

In just a few sentences, Ke Lao Si fell silent for the third time.

He didn't really want to find out the identity of the Dragon Slayer from this old man's mouth, as the letter had already clearly explained everything. He just wanted to tease Liu Shiqian and vent his frustration over the "watchdog" mockery.

But it was clear that Liu Shiqian had already guessed everything.

The slightly forced playful tone in Ke Lao Si's laughter finally faded, and he said solemnly, "I never thought that Elder Liu would be so sharp-tongued."

He didn't want to waste any more time.

"Immortal Cave, three days. If you come out alive, I'll let it go. If you die, I won't pursue it further."

The so-called Immortal Cave was a secret realm in the Southern Flood.

It had long been explored by cultivators countless times and had already been abandoned. The only peculiarity was that once you entered this cave, you were completely cut off from the outside world, making it an ideal place to kill and hide the body.

Over time, it became a customary agreement.

Stepping into the Immortal Cave was equivalent to signing a life-and-death contract.

"Let it go... Hmph, you dare to represent the Dragon Palace."

Liu Shiqian shook his head and said calmly, "I won't refuse this. I'll go to the Immortal Cave." Without haste, he turned and the leaf boat beneath his feet swiftly glided towards a certain direction.

Those who were familiar with him would notice that Elder Liu was not the type to engage in verbal sparring, although he was indeed skilled in it.

Another sentence caused ripples underwater, angering Ke Lao Si while also indicating a change in Liu Shiqian's mood.

He gazed into the distance.

Suddenly, a jade slip flashed.

According to reason, Elders should have their Dao tokens on them, but he didn't bring it out.

The matter of killing Ke Shisan could be big or small.

If there was evidence and reason, then it wouldn't be a problem, but unfortunately, Ke Shisan had never provoked the Clear Moon Sect from start to finish, and even at the time, it was Sect Leader Shen who made the first move... If the Dragon Palace wanted to quibble, Ke Shisan merely borrowed the large formation of an affiliated power, and with the Dragon Palace's overwhelming influence, it wouldn't be a capital offense no matter what.

Liu Shiqian sighed, lightly crushing the jade slip in his hand.

He descended from the solitary boat.

His figure appeared in front of a stone cave that resembled the gaping maw of a ferocious beast, and then he stepped inside.

His vision began to change.

When a whiff of decayed air entered his nose, Liu Shiqian looked up and saw three colossal statues sitting cross-legged in the dimly lit hall, each as large as a small mountain.

One had a fat, sharp-toothed fish head with a pointed tooth, the other was a three-headed monster snake with vertical pupils, and the last was a scaly, long-nosed elephant head.

As Liu Shiqian stood still, the long-nosed water elephant covered in scales slowly opened its eyes, and its wet body began to move, revealing that it was not a statue but a living creature.

It was common knowledge that under the Dragon Son, there were at least five Demon Armies.

The strength of their leaders was no less than that of Immortal Sect Elders.

Besides the six princes of the Southern Dragon Palace, this Dragon Son, Ke Lao Si, was the only one with five Demon Armies.

What surprised Liu Shiqian was that to deal with him, the other party was willing to dispatch three generals leading an army at once, no wonder they dared to make such a bold claim of three days.

"You've come?"

The long-nosed water elephant slowly stood up, effortlessly lifting the roof of the hall to reveal the equally dim sky above.

Liu Shiqian extended his index finger and lightly touched his brow.

A long rainbow leaped out, starting with green, then mixed with purple and white, suddenly connecting to the sky.

Upon closer inspection, there were approximately five Heavenly Palaces, proving why he was able to attain the position of Elder.

Behind the clouds.

The Dragon Han Great City and the Crimson Bright Metropolis appeared one after the other, and two heavy doors were pushed open by invisible hands, followed by a burst of green light that bathed Liu Shiqian.

When the green light dissipated,

On Liu Shiqian's thin body, a black robe appeared, and on his back was a white crescent moon that was blindingly bright.

In his open palm, a crescent moon saber appeared.

The two Phoenix Heavenly Soldiers made this dim hall seem like an immortal realm.

However, the three great demons' expressions didn't change at all, and they said indifferently, "Since you've come, then don't leave."

...

Above the vast ocean.

Elder Chi Yang's expression was solemn as he looked at the flickering jade slip in his hand, "This old thing has lost his temper again."

Unable to contact him, Chi Yang should have felt fortunate.

After all, Chi Yang wasn't sure what kind of sin it would be if he led Sect Leader Shen to his death.

But at this moment, he couldn't bring himself to be happy.

It seemed like he had completely withdrawn from the whole matter, and although he believed that Old Liu could definitely handle this, he couldn't shake the anxiety in his heart.

Having reached the realm of White Jade Capital, a friend who could confide in without reservation was truly a rare treasure.

Chi Yang only had one such old friend, and the other party was the same.

"Why don't you go back first?"

Chi Yang adjusted his emotions and turned back with a forced smile, "I'll look some more."

Until this moment, he suddenly didn't want to bring along a burden or exchange pleasantries with the other party.

"I'll go."

Shen Yi didn't seem to notice Elder Chi Yang's hidden worry.

He slowly closed his eyes.

With a slight movement of his mind, he communicated with Ke Shisan in his brow.

"If the Dragon Palace discovers your death, what do you think Ke Lao Si will do to avenge you?"

"Uh... Ah... Uh..."

The Foundation Stone seemed to be in a daze as it responded, "If it doesn't have evidence, it probably won't do anything too obvious. It will probably invite Elder Liu to the Immortal Cave."

"I understand."

Shen Yi nodded slightly and reopened his eyes, "Let's go and see."

"Huh?" Chi Yang was taken aback. What did he mean? Did he find something?

No, Sect Leader Shen had connections even underwater?

And... he was determined to get involved in this matter! But now, Chi Yang suddenly held back his words of advice, even if it would bring great disaster; he really wanted to see where Old Liu was right now.

Letting Ke Shisan continue to rest, Shen Yi, guided by the soul of the Winged Silkworm, took Elder Chi Yang straight to the Immortal Cave.

...

Outside the Immortal Cave.

As the two figures landed, they saw two late-stage Return to Void water demons, wearing exquisite fish-scale armor, standing with their arms crossed at the entrance of the cave.

"Water tribe matters, outsiders..."

Before they finished speaking, the two great demons seemed to recognize the identity of the visitors, and they were taken aback.

They hadn't mentioned the Southern Dragon Palace's identity, and they didn't want to make a fuss, but if someone from the Southern Hong Seven Sons had come, there was no need to pretend.

"So it's the Clear Moon Sect Elder himself."

The water demons glanced at the cave behind them, then turned their gaze to the old man with white hair and a youthful face, and also swept a glance at the young man beside him.

The two demons bowed and said, "Elder Chi Yang, we, the younger generation, speak out of turn. We advise you not to get involved, as this has nothing to do with you. Cultivation is not easy, so don't throw away your life, and don't be like Elder Liu, who arbitrarily brings trouble to the Clear Moon Sect."

"Please leave."

After saying this, the two demons extended their hands in a gesture of seeing off guests.

"..."

Elder Chi Yang suddenly clenched his five fingers. Old Liu was indeed here.

As he had guessed, this old donkey had provoked the Dragon Palace, and from the situation, it might even be one of the Dragon Sons.

In the end, they decided to settle it privately.

Looking at the calm and composed expressions of the two demons, the situation was likely not favorable.

"This should be Sect Leader Shen, right?"

The water demon looked at Shen Yi again, with a playful smile, "You can go in, after all, Elder Liu treated you well. But we also advise you that it's not your turn yet, so it's better not to let Elder Liu die with his eyes closed."

"Sect Leader Shen, you should go first." Chi Yang seemed to have made a decision.

Just then, he saw the black-shirted youth taking steps forward, as if he hadn't noticed the two demons and walked straight into the cave.

As he passed by the two demons...

It was as if a gentle breeze brushed past, lifting the hem of his sleeves.

Crack! A muffled sound echoed, and the two demons' skulls collided, shattering into pieces with blood and bone fragments flying everywhere.

Shen Yi gently wiped the bloodstains on his palms, and his figure disappeared into the depths of the cave.

"Ah?"

Chi Yang was stunned for a moment. Just a moment ago, the two demons were laughing, but in an instant, they became lifeless corpses.

Even Sect Leader Shen's body didn't show any signs of energy fluctuations.

With such skill, it was clear that he was not just a late-stage Return to Void cultivator as he appeared.

"Screw the rules."

Chi Yang cursed and took long strides into the cave.

At that moment...

Inside the cave, heavy breathing echoed like thunder.

Obviously, the three large demons had consumed a significant amount of energy.

But the result of this consumption was quite pleasing.

The slender figure leaned on the Crescent Moon Saber, quietly resting in the corner, his black robe already torn, transforming into green light and returning to Dragon Han City. The tightly closed city gates seemed unshakable, as if they had also cut off the middle-aged cultivator's path to survival.

Perhaps Liu Shiqian could defeat any one of these three demons alone.

But when they joined forces, along with their years of coordination, their strength was not simply the sum of their individual powers.

Usually, three days would pass in the blink of an eye, but now it felt like an eternity.

Not even two hours had passed, and the outcome was already decided.

"Huff."

Liu Shiqian silently looked towards the third city behind the clouds, faintly visible.

Unfortunately, he was not a cultivator blessed with good fortune.

It was rare for someone like him, who had always been steady and cautious, to experience a breakthrough in the midst of battle. From the first Phoenix Heavenly Palace, he had been down-to-earth, and with good luck, he could comprehend the Heavenly Palace, but he had also encountered many ordinary Spirit Palaces.

After entering White Jade Capital, he had barely managed to see three cities.

But the door that he couldn't open before was now beyond his reach.

"Tsk."

Liu Shiqian spat out a mouthful of blood.

Straightening his body, he held the near-broken Crescent Moon Saber and pointed it forward again.

The three demons showed a smile, about to speak, but their eyes suddenly held a hint of mockery.

A pale hand gently pressed against the back of the saber.

Then, the person walked forward, and the swaying black shirt blocked Liu Shiqian's view, standing in front of the three massive demons.

"You really let them beat you up like this?"

Chi Yang, who had rushed in a step late, supported Liu Shiqian's body and scolded him, "Are you crazy? Why are you talking about principles and rules with demons?"

"How did you get here?"

Liu Shiqian frowned slightly and wiped the blood flowing from his nose with the back of his hand.

He glanced reproachfully at Chi Yang.

Chi Yang understood his old friend's meaning and sighed, "It wasn't me who brought him here, it was Sect Leader Shen who brought me."

Liu Shiqian didn't say more but tightened his grip on the saber.

With a hint of emotion, he looked at the figure in front of him; his shoulders, covered by the black shirt, were not particularly broad.

But his demeanor was already comparable to the other Daoist priests.

Although he wasn't good with words, he was still accurate in judging people.

"Block the demons and let the Sect Leader leave first."

Liu Shiqian was no longer polite to his old friend, and the Crescent Moon Saber in his hand once again emitted a clear glow.

The trunked water elephant slowly raised its arms, staring at Chi Yang, "If you had come earlier, there might have been a glimmer of hope... but now, it's too late."

Liu Shiqian's strength was already greatly diminished.

Even with Chi Yang's help, they couldn't turn the tables.

As for the black-shirted youth, the demons didn't even consider him a threat.

"You're proud of bullying with numbers, huh?" Chi Yang sneered and placed his hand on his forehead, summoning a rainbow that was slightly inferior to Liu Shiqian's, connecting heaven and earth, and also manifesting the illusory forms of Dragon Han City and Crimson Bright Metropolis.

"We who serve in the Dragon Palace never mind bullying with numbers, and we especially enjoy it."

The three-headed serpent demon didn't show any anger but instead laughed with a deep and sinister tone.

Then, one of the three heads slowly turned towards Sect Leader Shen, "Sect Leader Shen, what do you say? Are you bored of living, so you came here to offer yourself? Or do you want to count yourself in, making it three against three?"

Under everyone's gaze...

A smile appeared on Sect Leader Shen's fair and handsome face, "No need."

"Oh?" The serpent demon mocked, spitting out its tongue.

But the youth raised his head, and his smile faded as he spoke seriously, "I also enjoy bullying with numbers."

As his words fell, two spirit lights flashed out, transforming into equally massive bodies, silently appearing behind the three demons.

The winged silkworm, towering at a hundred zhang, lifted its body, and its nearly sun-blocking wings stirred up sandstorms, like a terrifying giant awakening.

The giant golden tortoise, its body shimmering like flowing gold, crawled on the ground, gently caressing the water elephant's bald head with its front claws, and then it wildly slapped the elephant, cackling, "Bullying with numbers? Is it enough? I'll ask you again, is it enough? Speak!"

"Are you mute?"

"This lord commands you to speak!"

The large elephant demon appeared weak in front of the giant tortoise, its head being forcefully slapped, and it remained silent, hunching its body.

The situation seemed a bit odd.

The other two demons also became instantly alert, no longer as relaxed as before.

"..."

Liu Shiqian and Chi Yang exchanged glances.

The appearance of these two stone puppets was familiar, yet completely different from their memories.

The dense aura made the two of them feel like strangers.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end