Chapter 499: A Show of Force (Part 2)

Chapter 499: A Show of Force (Part 2)



Yan Family, Xuanyue City, Yunxiaoge, and Xuanhaizhai.

These were the four top-tier subordinate forces under the Nanyang Sect, and any one of them could cause quite a stir in Nanhong.

Now, with the four forces gathered together, there was a slight air of desolation.

Especially the cultivators from Yunxiaoge and Xuanhaizhai, up until this moment, they still had no idea how they had offended the prince and dragon grandson of the South Dragon Palace.

Without the protection of the Nanhong Seven, they had been extremely well-behaved.

It was simply an unwarranted disaster.

It was impossible for them not to feel resentful, but the timely support from the Yan Family, Xuanyue City, and Yan Xianqing had temporarily soothed their emotions. Moreover, in this situation, if they started infighting, they would only end up dead and buried.

However, regardless of their unity, facing such a huge calamity, their only hope seemed to lie with the seemingly unreliable Nanyang Immortal Sect behind them.

The master of Yunxiaoge was the most agitated of them all.

After all, it was his territory that was being besieged.

Just based on the fact that the Nanyang Immortal Sect had not shown up yet, coupled with the arrogant attitude of the Fifth Prince of the Dragon Palace, who completely disregarded the faces of the Nanhong Seven, he could roughly guess what would happen to Yunxiaoge.

Apparently, the Nanyang Sect had done something out of line and was caught red-handed by the Dragon Palace. His force just happened to be collateral damage.

If he were the master of the Nanyang Sect, at such a critical juncture, right before the Seven Elders Assembly, he would most likely choose to sacrifice these subordinate forces.

By barely stabilizing their foundation, although they would lose a lot of assistance, as long as they could become a proper sect master and gain recognition from the other allied sects, rising again would only be a matter of time.

For the Nanyang Sect, that would be the wisest choice for the unknown Shen Zongzhu.

But for these subordinate forces, the Nanyang Sect was being utterly despicable! They had the guts to stir up trouble but only pushed their subordinates to bear the brunt of it!

Therefore, the master of Yunxiaoge found it even more incomprehensible that Yin Qizhang and Yan Xianqing had come to their aid.

Especially Yin Qizhang, this old city master who always had the people in his heart, seemed to be just like Yunxiaoge and Xuanhaizhai, completely unaware of the situation and he didn't seem to have a particularly close relationship with the Nanyang Sect either.

Until he saw the elder from Qingyue Sect step forward.

The master of Yunxiaoge's attitude finally changed slightly: "..."

It seemed like the Nanyang Sect had not given up on them after all.

However, the rumors that they were coveted by the allied sects seemed to be somewhat inconsistent with the facts. At least, that Elder Liu Sequan seemed more like a loyal follower of the Nanyang Sect rather than a senior from Qingyue Sect.

He didn't even give them a way out.

As Wei Yuanzhou from Lingyun Sect stepped forward, the master of Yunxiaoge was finally stunned into silence.

There were differences between disciples.

Some were still under the protection of their sect masters and were working hard to grow, holding very little power. Some, however, had gained the ability to stand on their own and could almost be considered as deputy sect masters.

Bai Wu belonged to the former, while Wei Yuanzhou was obviously the latter.

The words of this 'Floating Cloud Immortal' could be equated to the will of Lingyun Sect!

How could he be willing to stand up for the Nanyang Sect?

"...'

Ke Laosi's gaze turned sinister as he stared at Wei Yuanzhou, but he didn't retort to the statement, 'What are you?'

Among the eight White Jade Capital Great Demons, only two were under the command of the Four Dragon Grandsons.

They glared furiously at Wei Yuanzhou, but under his casual glance, their bodies trembled involuntarily.

This disciple of Lingyun Sect, whether it was the power he held or his own strength, was not inferior to the Four Dragon Grandsons.

Now that the Four Dragon Grandsons had suffered heavy damage, they had already lost the ability to rival Wei Yuanzhou.

Three of the White Jade Capital Great Demons had died in the Immortal Cave.

Don't be fooled by the Dragon Grandsons' seemingly calm appearance earlier, the pressure they were facing was well-known to all the dragons in the Dragon Palace.

If they couldn't rely on the Fifth Prince this time to make the Nanhong Seven pay an even heavier price, and find a reasonable excuse for the deaths of these three Great Demons...

The Four Dragon Grandsons wouldn't just be unable to ask for more troops from the Dragon King, they would also likely face a rapid decline in their already unique status, along with counterattacks from the other Dragon Grandsons.

"Wei Yuanzhou, I don't want to repeat what I said before."

Ke Shiliang's dragon body coiled quietly in the air, but his voice had clearly turned serious and stern, unlike when he was talking to Bai Wu earlier.

"What's going on?"

Chiyang stared at the disciple of Lingyun Sect in surprise. With his extraordinary bearing, he already had the demeanor of a sect master. Then he glanced at his own disciple.

There were indeed differences between disciples.

But perhaps they each had their strengths and weaknesses.

At least Elder Chiyang didn't see too much surprise in Bai Wu's eyes, it seemed like he had expected Wei Yuanzhou to step forward.

"Wei Yuanling is still as stubborn as always." Bai Wu sighed helplessly.

With his means of gathering information, how could he not know what Wei Yuanling had done back then? But he never expected that Wei Yuanzhou would really be willing to pay such a huge price for this trivial matter.

However...that was all he could do.

Wei Yuanzhou probably didn't know that Shen Zongzhu had already been sold out by the insider of the Nanhong Seven.

Whether it was Ke Shiliang or Ke Laosi, they would definitely not back down today.

At least not for Wei Yuanzhou's sake.

And Shen Zongzhu had nothing else to rely on.

"There's no need to repeat it, I heard you." Wei Yuanzhou stood with his hands behind his back, looking at Ke Shiliang from a distance, without any superfluous words. The rainbow between his brows shot straight into the sky.

In the clear sky, three huge city illusions appeared one after another.

Longhan, Chimming, and Shanghuang.

These were the realms of Nanhong, which were almost at the peak below the Joined Dao Realm giants.

No one would doubt that he couldn't open these three cities.

"If you want to fight, then let's begin."

Wei Yuanzhou's eyes were clear, and his words were distinct.

He had once said that when it came to apologizing, he would spare no cost.

That was actually a lie.

As a disciple of Lingyun Sect, he couldn't afford to make things too outrageous...Therefore, he had come alone today and did not bring any elders from Lingyun Sect with him.

"I'm starting to find this a little hard to understand.

However, as far as he remembered, he didn't think Yin Qizhang had ever met Shen Zongzhu.

"Get ready to fight."

With Wei Yuanzhou's help, there was finally a glimmer of hope.

Liu Shiqian wasted no time and summoned his rainbow as well.

In an instant, the entire sky seemed to transform into the City of Ten Thousand Immortals, filled with dazzling lights of various colors.

"Have you all gone mad? Am I the only sane one here?"

Bai Wu sighed and turned to look back.

He saw Chi Yang, the elder, smiling awkwardly with a rainbow connecting his brows to the heavens, just like the others.

"...Can't you trust my judgment for once?" Bai Wu's lips twitched as he spoke.

His opinion remained unchanged. Among the Nanhong Seven, only Wei Yuanzhou was this reckless, and it seemed like it wasn't enough.

This sudden change seemed to catch Ke Shiliang off guard, not out of fear, but because the situation had turned unexpectedly stiff. After all, with Wei Yuanzhou's support, they still had the upper hand.

It had just been too long since he had seen the Nanhong Seven display such stubbornness, and he needed a moment to adjust.

"Although our strengths are similar, I am much older than you. Let me remind you to think before you speak and not be too reckless. Even if you haven't achieved the Joined Dao Realm, and even if you do, do you think my brothers will be afraid of you?"

Ke Shiliang raised his dragon head and said in a deep voice, "Earlier, how dare you ask who he is? He is the dragon grandson of the South Palace, with the blood of the Dragon King flowing in his veins. Take back what you said, or I'll pretend I didn't hear it."

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone present had strange expressions on their faces.

They hadn't even started fighting, and he was already bringing up his grandfather, the Dragon King, to intimidate them.

Had these dragon princes and grandsons become too comfortable and lost their courage?

However, this tactic seemed to work.

At least, Wei Yuanzhou didn't respond, only looking up in silence.

Following his gaze, the others also looked up curiously.

Before their eyes could find anything, a detached voice reached their ears.

"What do you think you are?"

"Hmm?"

"I'm asking you, do you have a problem with that?"

With three consecutive questions, the atmosphere became tense and silent.

As her long robe fluttered slightly, a tall woman appeared, standing proudly. Her black hair was tied back, and her sleeves revealed her white and slender arms, sharp as swords.

She looked mature, but her eyes held the vigor and pride of youth.

It was Tianjian Daoist, Su Hongxiu.

She and Wei Yuanzhou stood back to back, surrounding the three thousand demon soldiers, the eight great demon generals, and the two 500-foot-long dragons.

"This is my father's mourning..." Before Ke Shiliang could finish his sentence, he was interrupted.

"One stick of incense. Either scram or die."

Su Hongxiu was clearly less polite than Wei Yuanzhou. Impatience flashed in her eyes, and she didn't like to waste words.

This might be the first time the Nanhong Seven had shown their mettle to the Dragon Palace since the decline of the Nanyang Sect.

The attitude of these young Daoists would determine how the Immortal Sect would deal with the Dragon Palace in the future.

Even Ke Shiliang felt a sense of unease despite his status.

"Gulping."

Yan Xianqing suddenly heard himself swallowing his saliva.

It seemed to echo in the silence.

He quietly glanced around and noticed that everyone else was unconsciously swallowing as well.

When everyone was trying to downplay the situation, Tianjian Daoist seemed to want to make it even bigger. She not only wanted to kill Ke Shiliang, but she also seemed eager to take on the entire Dragon Palace with the Nanhong Seven.

The cultivators from Yunxiaoge and Xuanhaizhai fell silent.

Not only had Shen Zongzhu made arrangements, but the scale of this display was far beyond their imagination.

It even made people feel like the Nanyang Sect had never declined at all.

"You!" Ke Laosi finally lost his composure, his eyes turning bloodshot.

His fifth uncle could bear the loss of his son, but he wanted to use this opportunity to make a comeback. Thinking of this, he growled, "You're going too far!"

However, Ke Shiliang suddenly calmed down.

The three Daoists represented Qingyue Sect, Tianjian Sect, and Lingyun Sect.

And this matter also involved the Nanyang Sect.

Four out of the Nanhong Seven had shown up.

Forget about the death of his son, even if he died himself, the South Dragon Palace would have to consider whether to consult the West Dragon Palace.

How long had it been since the Nanyang Sect resurfaced? How dare the natives of those treasure lands receive such strong support from the Nanhong Seven?

Or perhaps, the Nanyang Sect was just an excuse.

Maybe the Nanhong Seven's attitude towards the Dragon Palace had truly changed, and after a long silence, they wanted to regain their influence in Nanhong?

If it was the latter, then things would become tricky.

Ke Shiliang momentarily forgot about Ke Shisan's death, as he had other sons anyway.

As a prince, he had many other things to consider.

Of course...the most important reason was that he had come to negotiate, without enough backup, and if a fight broke out, he would undoubtedly die today.

As for what consequences the Nanhong Seven would face after his death, it didn't seem to concern him.

"Give me an explanation."

Ke Shiliang ignored the crazy woman in the sky and turned to look at Wei Yuanzhou in the distance.

Compared to her, he found this Lingyun Sect Daoist much more amicable and reasonable.

"The Nanhong Seven are not unreasonable."

Wei Yuanzhou raised an eyebrow. Someone had to play the bad cop to balance things out.

Su Hongxiu had a strong desire to kill, but she wasn't foolish.

Most of the time, these Daoists only needed a glance to understand each other's thoughts.

"But this is not how you reason."

Wei Yuanzhou casually pointed to the nearby demon soldiers, "If you want to pay your respects to Shen Zongzhu, then follow the rules. Let your brothers send an invitation, prepare a banquet, and when Shen Zongzhu has the time, he will attend and give you an explanation.

"That's not..." Bai Wu's lips twitched again.

When did he ever say he would get involved in this matter? Unlike these two carefree individuals, he was strictly disciplined by the Qingyue Sect, and he didn't have the authority to make such decisions.

Moreover, Bai Wu was truly puzzled.

It was understandable for Wei Yuanzhou to take action, given his eccentric nature, and Wei Yuanling's situation could serve as a somewhat plausible excuse.

But what had gotten into Su Hongxiu?

This woman wasn't usually one to meddle in others' business.

Even Bai Wu couldn't comprehend her actions, let alone the others. Everyone else stood there dumbfounded, including Yan Xianqing, who was closest to Shen Zongzhu.

Among them all, Yan Xianqing was the most familiar with Shen Zongzhu, yet even he was stunned by the influence Shen Zongzhu seemed to wield.

All it took was a decree to summon three disciples from other sects.

Unknowingly, Shen Zongzhu had gained such a formidable reputation.

"I understand now," Ke Shiliang nodded, then turned to look behind him. "Retreat."

After giving the order, he turned back and added, "I will prepare the invitation and the banquet, and I hope that Sect Master Shen won't ignore it and make us a laughingstock in Nanhong."

"..."

From start to finish, Su Hongxiu didn't utter another word, and her restless fingers finally came to a halt.

A stick of incense burned.

In an instant, a dense white light filled everyone's vision.

Their senses were obscured by the radiant light.

When the light faded, all the demon soldiers and generals, including Ke Shiliang, had instinctively retreated into the sea, leaving behind only a few dozen fresh corpses floating on the dark red surface, making the waters appear gloomy.

Even Wei Yuanzhou raised his eyebrows at this sight.

This Tianjian Daoist had actually obtained the Primordial Celestial Soldier in advance and was fully prepared for a fight.

She really wanted to teach them a lesson, didn't she?

Although Ke Laosi's cultivation was not as high as Su Hongxiu's at her peak, he shouldn't have been far off. However, instead of fighting back, he chose to flee with his two remaining demon generals the moment Su Hongxiu made her move.

In a one-on-one fight, he might have had a chance against Su Hongxiu.

But he wouldn't have been able to defeat her.

And his two remaining subordinates would have certainly perished here.

The Dragon Palace demon soldiers came and left in a hurry, their retreat so swift that it caught everyone off guard.

In just a few breaths, the overwhelming demonic aura had completely dissipated.

The azure ocean returned to its former tranquility.

"Is that it?" The master of Yunxiaoge stared blankly at the spot where the dragon princes had been.

The incident that had kept them on edge turned out to be anticlimactic, as they didn't even get to see the Sect Master Shen they had been worried about.

No wonder Yan Xianqing and the master of Xuanyue City were so willing to rush over. They must have taken advantage of this opportunity to reconnect with a powerful ally.

As everyone was still reeling from the shock, the golden-silk-robed figure in the sky finally moved, appearing slightly awkward.

"Are you not worried that Ke Laosi will fight you to the death?" Wei Yuanzhou shook his head helplessly, looking at the woman.

"I was just venting my frustration after suffering a loss," Su Hongxiu explained briefly, and with a flick of her sleeve, a dense purple light returned to the sky and disappeared into the Immortal City Gate.

Her intention to pick a fight was genuine, but so was her killing intent.

Perhaps she was just irritated by that old dragon, and since she intended to leave anyway, she wanted to mock Shen Yi before departing. That fellow, who was just as decisive as her, wouldn't hide forever.

He just needed more time.

"I'll send a message to the Nanyang Sect. Once the Seven Elders Assembly arrives, everything will be fine," Wei Yuanzhou said softly. Although he didn't know why Su Hongxiu had come, it was probably for the same reason as him—because of that young Sect Master. "You should also control your emotions. It seems that Master Zhang helped you recover so quickly. He probably didn't intend for you to come out and cause trouble."

"You sure talk a lot. Do you really think you're the leader of the Daoists?" Su Hongxiu directly transformed into a stream of light and disappeared without another word.

"..."

Wei Yuanzhou seemed accustomed to her arrogance and didn't say anything more. He just shook his head slightly, looking a bit embarrassed.

"Tsk."

Bai Wu stared at Wei Yuanzhou with great interest, as if he found the situation extremely amusing. He opened his mouth and let out a clicking sound, seemingly finding the whole thing hilarious.

Some people had stood here for a long time, hoping to exchange a few more words, but they didn't get the chance. It seemed like nothing out of the ordinary, given Tianjian Daoist's well-known personality.

However, compared to them, Su Hongxiu had rushed here from thousands of miles away without a word. This visible difference made Wei Yuanzhou seem a bit pathetic, and it was truly thought-provoking... Hahaha!

"I don't understand what you're laughing at," Chi Yang and Liu Shiqian exchanged helpless glances. As fellow Daoists, why was their companion so unambitious?

They wondered where his priorities lay.

"But it's a good thing. At least we've bought some time for Sect Master Shen, and he can be at ease for a while," Chi Yang said with emotion.

"..." Liu Shiqian didn't respond, but a faint worry appeared between his eyebrows.

At the moment, he wasn't too concerned about the Dragon Palace. Instead, he was worried about another matter.

After all, that Sect Master Shen had offended the princes of the Dragon Palace one after another with his formidable strength within just a few months...

As Liu Shiqian's thoughts wandered, in the Nanyang Sect, at the top floor of the Pavilion of Hidden Laws, the youth in an ink-colored robe quietly opened his eyes. He took out a jade talisman and listened to the message Xuanqing had left for him.

His handsome face remained calm and unmoved.

Only his pitch-black and profound eyes gradually revealed a dangerous glint.

"..."

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end