Chapter 515: The Unfamiliar Hongze, the Familiar Sect

Chapter 515: The Unfamiliar Hongze, the Familiar Sect

Shen Yi did not intend to kill, but his nature was like a lion hunting a rabbit, and he was always cautious.

Du Weiguang and the other two who had made their move earlier managed to keep their lives, but if they were in another sect, it would be equivalent to being crippled.

However, after they were sent into the main hall.

The group of White Jade Capital cultivators from the Mountain Movers Sect did not seem overly worried.

After all, practicing the Spirit Body Art inevitably involved close combat, and during their usual sparring sessions, they were more prone to injuries than other Immortal Sects. If they didn't have some healing methods, the entire sect's disciples would have likely been wiped out long ago.

Of course, in addition to that.

The body tempering power displayed by Shen Yi was also a significant reason for their current calmness.

As far as they knew, not only the Seven Sons, but even the entire Southern Flood did not have a sect that specialized in body tempering.

In other words, this young cultivator most likely relied on his own exploration and gained the Spirit Body cultivation that could overwhelm these direct disciples of the Mountain Movers Sect.

If they provided this cultivator with mature cultivation methods and combined it with the abundant heavenly materials and treasures of the Mountain Movers Sect, his achievements would be immeasurable.

The Daoist disciples of the Southern Flood Seven Sons would definitely not switch to another sect, after all, where in the world could one find a greater temptation than the Unification Realm Sacred Land?

But the problem was... if he remembered correctly, when Wei Yuanzhou introduced the ink-clad youth earlier, this youth didn't seem to be a Daoist disciple. This was a different matter.

The Mountain Movers Sect was very confident that they could offer a higher price than any of the Southern Flood Seven Sons to recruit this cultivator.

Thinking of this, Yang Yunheng's attitude became noticeably more amicable.

He cupped his hands towards Wei Yuanzhou, "I understand why Lingyun Daoist Priest is doing this, but our sect's Daoist disciple is indeed not currently in the sect."

With Yang Yunheng's status and position, explaining this much was equivalent to giving a reason and a way out, which was already a great face-saving gesture for Wei Yuanzhou.

Unless they were newcomers who were unaware of the situation, no one would continue to ask about the previous deliberate cold-shouldering.

After all, although the Mountain Movers Sect was not as powerful as the combined might of the Southern Flood Seven Sons, they were not their subordinates. Moreover, with the geographical distance and the Southern Flood Seven Sons themselves not daring to openly act, there was no need for them to appear overly subservient.

Even a powerful dragon would not oppress the local snakes, especially one that was about to turn into a fossil.

A hundred thousand years was enough to change many things.

The current situation in Hongze was already quite different from the past.

The Southern Flood Seven Sons were like retired elders of the cultivation world, and although they still had some influence, without a conflict of interests, no one would mind praising them. But if they tried to force the elders to back down, the only result would be making themselves look bad.

As for fearing that they would flip the table...

Don't forget that the decision to send Zileng Immortal Maiden to the Heavenly Court was a result of the Hongze Immortal and the Northern Dragon Palace's joint discussion. Even the Eastern Palace, where Zileng Immortal Maiden originated, did not have much say in the matter, which was why the Immortal Maiden had initially gone to Xuan Qing to cry.

In other words, both the Hongze Immortal and the Northern Dragon Palace wanted to use this opportunity to gain some benefits in the Heavenly Court.

The Southern Flood Seven Sons almost ruined this matter.

If they did not restrain themselves, regardless of others, the Northern Dragon Palace, as the most powerful force, would not mind taking action again to teach them a lesson.

"..."

Bai Wu shifted her gaze and struggled to hold back her laughter. Yang Yunheng's attitude towards Shen Zongzhu and the rest of them was like two different people, but instead of feeling angry, he was trying to control his emotions.

With his keen mind, he could easily see through the thoughts of these Mountain Movers Sect elders.

As expected, as soon as Shen Yi left Southern Flood, he attracted the attention of the outside forces, like a dragon emerging from a deep pool. Even a casual display of his prowess was enough for others to discover his extraordinary qualities.

But... Shen Yi was indeed not a Daoist disciple, but he was a Sect Master.

To have poached a disciple from the Southern Yang Sect Master, Bai Wu was curious if these old fogies, upon learning the truth, would want to dig a hole and bury their heads in shame.

"May I ask when your sect's Daoist disciple will return? Is there a specific date?"

Wei Yuanzhou lightly nodded, as this was all he wanted to hear. The Mountain Movers Sect was unwilling to help, and the Southern Flood Seven Sons were not the type to stubbornly persist.

To put it bluntly, the worst-case scenario would be that the Seven Sons would seal their sect and never leave, no matter how great the flood outside was.

Having already prepared to leave, he asked the question as a formality and stood in place, waiting for a response.

However, unexpectedly, the group of powerful elders from the Mountain Movers Sect all fell silent for a moment.

Including Yang Yunheng, their expressions became somewhat complicated, perhaps not a bad thing, but they didn't want to elaborate.

"It's unclear, let's see. Maybe it'll be today or tomorrow, or it might take a long time," the Grand Elder slowly shook his head.

Upon hearing this, even Su Hongxiu showed a hint of surprise.

They were all from Immortal Sects and happened to be Daoist disciples.

They were very familiar with such matters.

If a Daoist disciple had already grown up, they were equivalent to half a Sect Master. Such an important figure leaving the sect would undoubtedly be a significant event, attracting the attention of the entire sect.

For example, when they left Southern Flood, they were even guarded by a Unification Realm Sect Master.

With Yang Yunheng's status as a Grand Elder, how could he say such unreliable words... It even gave people the impression that the Mountain Movers Sect's Daoist disciple didn't even have the authority to decide his itinerary.

"It's not just the Mountain Movers Sect... I feel embarrassed," Yang Yunheng added, "Even if the Daoist disciples go to other sects to discuss matters, the situation shouldn't be much different."

Upon hearing this, Wei Yuanzhou couldn't help but frown.

He quietly glanced at Bai Wu.

He signaled her to contact the other three Daoist disciples to find out about the situation there.

At this moment.

The powerful elders of the Mountain Movers Sect all looked in one direction.

"Roar!"

The next moment, a sharp beast roar exploded in the air, carrying a furious howl like a resounding bell. For a demon to be so audacious within the Mountain Movers Sect, its attitude seemed strange compared to its mere Return to Void 12th layer cultivation.

In the clear sky, one figure after another appeared.

Over ten more White Jade Capital experts emerged.

Together with those in the main hall earlier, if you didn't count the Unification Realm giants, even the combined strength of the strongest Heavenly Sword Sect and Wushuang Sect among the Southern Flood Seven Sons seemed slightly inferior.

In front of so many powerful cultivators, this demon, resembling a giant lion with black fur, continued to roar.

The reason for its boldness was that it didn't have a single injury on its body. Not only was there no blood, but even its fur was sleek and shiny, as if it hadn't been captured but was being escorted back to the Mountain Movers Sect.

A middle-aged man with a resolute expression wore a black and white tight-fitting outfit, his physique was only considered robust and powerful, not overly exaggerated.

But with his palms gripping the demon's flesh, he held its dozens of zhang-long body aloft above his head. The huge size difference made it seem as if he was carrying a mountain on his body! Moreover, without harming the demon, he merely relied on his two flesh palms to restrain it, leaving it struggling helplessly, only able to roar and howl.

"We humbly welcome the Daoist Priest back to the sect!"

Led by Yang Yunheng, numerous Mountain Movers Sect cultivators bowed in unison, all with expressions of sincere respect.

Among all the Immortal Sects, regardless of which one, there was an irreconcilable conflict between the elders and the Daoist Priests, and that was the conflict over the Unification Realm Sacred Land.

For such a massive sect as the Mountain Movers Sect, from direct disciples to the senior elders, to show such respect, there was basically only one reason.

That was that this Mountain Movers Sect Daoist Priest could fight, and he was very capable in battle!

"How do you feel?"

Bai Wu retracted her gaze and very consciously withdrew herself, turning to look at the two Daoist Priests beside her.

Wei Yuanzhou pondered for a moment, then shook his head.

He acknowledged his inferiority very calmly.

There was nothing shameful about it. The Lingyun Sect disciples were not even half as strong as the Mountain Movers Sect, and as Daoist Priests who had fought for their lives, their opponent's required strength was definitely stronger.

Su Hongxiu, on the other hand, didn't even bother to respond.

If it were in the past, this Mountain Movers Sect Daoist Priest might have been able to provoke her fighting spirit, but now her mind was focused on studying Shen Yi.

Compared to Sect Master Shen, this Mountain Movers Sect Daoist Priest's strength might be even higher, but it was all written on his face, allowing others to see through him at a glance, which was really quite uninteresting.

As for the outcome of the battle...that would only be known after the fight.

Fighting for life and death was full of variables, and it wasn't something that could be deduced at a glance.

In comparison, she was more interested in Shen Yi's changes.

At the moment the demon appeared.

Sect Master Shen clearly had less of his usual laziness, while everyone else's attention was on the Mountain Movers Sect Daoist Priest, only his gaze remained fixed on the black-maned lion.

"Is it really that interesting?"

Su Hongxiu pondered for a moment in her heart. Although she was known for her heavy killing intent, she also knew that killing was just a means to achieve her goals, and she didn't enjoy the process itself.

But Sect Master Shen seemed different... He could ignore the riches in Ke Laoqi's palace, and it seemed that he simply wanted to stab the spear into the demon's neck, and he seemed to enjoy doing it.

It was indeed hard to evaluate.

"Hmm."

Shen Yi adjusted his breathing. With his rich experience, he could tell at a glance the extraordinary qualities of this lion, which seemed quite spiritual.

If they could find its clan and gather the power of the entire clan to nurture a demon, perhaps there would be hope for opening the third city.

However, this demon was obviously the Mountain Movers Sect's catch, and there was only one, so it didn't make Shen Yi too excited... Later, he would have the opportunity to ask that Daoist Priest about it.

"You've all worked hard during this time. Go and rest." Yan Chongzhang nodded to the person beside him, holding the lion and leaping to the vicinity of the guest tower, causing the entire mountain peak to shake.

He glanced at Yang Yunheng.

The senior elder promptly introduced, "These are the Daoist Priests from the Southern Hong Lingyun Sect, the Heavenly Sword Sect, and the Qingyue Sect, and this young talent is the one who came with the Daoist Priests."

Upon hearing this, Yan Chongzhang flipped the giant lion onto the ground with his backhand, as if smashing down a small mountain.

He then bowed to the group and said with a slight apology, "Sorry, Chongzhang has been busy during this time, making you all wait. After I finish handling my matters, I'll immediately set up a banquet to accompany you all for a few drinks."

"You're too kind, Daoist friend." Wei Yuanzhou slightly raised his palm, indicating for the other party to handle their affairs first.

He didn't mention the previous conflict with the Mountain Movers Sect at all, and it was clear that regardless of the other elders' thoughts, this Mountain Movers Sect Daoist Priest was genuinely busy, and the fatigue in his eyes was not fake.

Only the sect master and the Daoist Priest could represent the attitude of a sect, and whatever actions the others took were just minor disturbances.

"Then we'll trouble you all to wait a little longer."

Yan Chongzhang didn't waste any time and slightly tidied up the fatigue between his expressions. Then, he took out a golden scroll from his bosom.

The next moment, he slowly unfurled it.

In between, spiritual light gathered and surged straight towards the sky, clearly conveying something.

Su Hongxiu and the other Daoist Priests curiously looked on. A Daoist Priest looking for someone in their own sect wouldn't need to use a golden scroll.

Calling out to a cultivator outside the sect's sacred land through a golden scroll? Such a method was rarely seen in Southern Hong.

Wei Yuanzhou was also puzzled. The Mountain Movers Sect Daoist Priest, with the posture he displayed, actually gave off a subtle feeling of being inferior.

Who exactly was the other party?

Logically speaking, Shen Yi was the person with the least experience in the room, and he wasn't very interested in things other than demons.

But at this moment, he was seriously looking up at the sky, and his clear eyes gradually began to shine.

In the instant the spiritual light of the golden scroll dissipated.

A layer of golden light suddenly covered the clouds in the sky, and then strands of light began to weave together.

Finally, it transformed into a lifelike landscape painting spanning the heavens and earth.

In the grand hall of the painting, there was a golden silk cushion, and on the cushion sat an indistinct figure of spiritual light.

He sat within the landscape, but it seemed as if he was not part of the five elements.

Everything around him, whether it was the commoners, the officials, the fat monks, or the thin Daoists, although they were all vividly portrayed, they were never on the same level as him.

"What is this?"

Even the most experienced Wei Yuanzhou was surprised at this moment.

Yan Chongzhang stared at the sky screen and explained softly, "The Boundless Dao Emperor Sect."

"Immortal Art?" Although Bai Wu's cultivation wasn't outstanding, she was still a Daoist Priest, and she could tell at a glance that this wasn't a pure Daoist palace. The cultivator should not be in this place but had used some means to manifest a part of the Daoist palace within the Mountain Movers Sect.

When he mentioned those two words, his voice even trembled slightly.

"It's not that serious." Yan Chongzhang smiled helplessly and continued, "It's not at that level yet. This is the Daoist Art they have comprehended, which is between Spirit Art and Immortal Art."

As he spoke, he suddenly fell silent.

The figure of spiritual light on the cushion slowly opened his eyes and cast his gaze downwards.

"This is what your sect needs." Yan Chongzhang pointed to the black-maned giant lion beside him without showing any disrespect.

In the instant the Boundless Dao Emperor Sect appeared, this demon, which had been roaring non-stop, suddenly prostrated itself on the ground, its body trembling.

It had long heard that the Boundless Dao Emperor Sect was searching for various spiritual birds and exotic beasts, and this endeavor even encompassed half of Hongze, with only Southern Hong escaping the calamity.

As soon as they move, their entire clan will be annihilated, leaving only the most talented one alive.

Many demon clans have fled to Nanhong upon hearing the news, but only a few managed to escape successfully. Their luck was obviously not as good, and they wondered what cruel methods they would face after being brought to the Boundless Dao Emperor Sect.

"No."

The spiritual light figure on the meditation cushion finally spoke up, focusing solely on Yan Chongzhang and paying no attention to the several Nanhong Daoists beside him.

"What do you mean?" Yan Chongzhang was taken aback.

"This is not what we're looking for." The spiritual light figure shook his head indifferently, "You're a Ban Shan Zong Daoist, and you should be more diligent. This... is too inferior."

As he finished speaking, a beggar in the landscape painting suddenly stood up, took out a short sword of dark green from his dirty sleeve, and casually threw it down.

Plop.

A streak of cyan light descended from the sky, piercing the black-haired giant lion's head without a sound, silently taking away its vitality.

The cyan light remained unstained by the scarlet, still pure and clean, and swiftly returned to the beggar's sleeve.

The beggar sat back down on the street, holding the broken bowl in his hands.

"..."

Wei Yuanzhou's eyelids twitched; the cyan light was emitting the aura of a Daoist soldier. Without even being present, this person had used such an unusual method to deliver the Daoist soldier, surpassing Wei Yuanzhou's understanding as a Lingyun Daoist.

"What are the chances of success?" Bai Wu habitually fanned the flames.

This time, however, Wei Yuanzhou glared at him coldly.

"It's not that bad. It's just a piece of Primordial Heaven Armament; everyone has one." Bai Wu retracted his gaze, feeling disappointed, and turned to look at Su Hongxiu.

"So flashy." Su Hongxiu glanced up indifferently, staring at the Boundless Dao Emperor Palace in the sky, her fingertips trembling with anticipation.

In a life-and-death struggle, it's not about who has the more impressive display.

It's about who can actually thrust their Daoist soldier into the opponent's body.

Upon hearing this, Bai Wu showed surprise on his face.

Given Su Hongxiu's personality, the fact that she commented on the opponent before taking action already showed how much pressure she was under.

"Hmm."

Yan Chongzhang remained silent for a long time, slowly clenching his fists, and turned around, "I understand. I'll go and look for it again. You can leave now."

For the Ban Shan Zong, establishing a connection with the top Northern Flood force, the Boundless Dao Emperor Sect, would undoubtedly be a beneficial thing.

However, for a Daoist, having to lower oneself before a nameless cultivator is undoubtedly humiliating.

"Be more diligent."

The spiritual light figure did not get angry but instead offered another reminder in a condescending tone.

Immediately, the entire landscape painting quietly dissipated.

Yan Chongzhang snapped the golden book shut.

It was only at this moment that Yang Yunheng smiled helplessly and looked at Bai Wu, "That's not an ordinary Primordial Heaven Armament; it's the Green Fire Lotus Sword, which is ranked within the top seventy in the Armament Record."

"What is the Armament Record?" Bai Wu's words revealed the current predicament of Nanhong; it wasn't that he was stupid, but he felt there was no need to hide it anymore.

For the Nanhong Seven Sons, who understood the situation mainly through ancient books, Hongze was becoming increasingly unfamiliar.

"The Armament Record only includes one hundred Daoist soldiers. Up to this day, the most basic requirement for inclusion is being a Primordial Heaven Armament. Some occupy three positions, while others may never make it onto the list in their entire lives."

As Yang Yunheng spoke, he couldn't help but feel proud, "Our sect's Daoist soldier is also on the list, and it's even ranked higher than the Green Fire Lotus Sword."

"Why is that?" Bai Wu raised his eyebrows, leaving his sentence unfinished.

But the meaning was clear; since their Daoist soldier was ranked higher than the opponent's, why be so humble?

"You!"

Yang Yunheng glared at him. Why? Of course, it was because of the Green Fire Lotus Sword, which was just one of the Daoist soldiers of the Boundless Dao Emperor Sect, while their own Daoist soldier was their strongest one.

Su Hongxiu retracted her gaze.

It was obvious that the so-called Armament Record was not meant for Nanhong cultivators.

She was curious to know where her three Primordial Heaven Armaments would rank.

"..."

Shen Yi continued to stare at the sky, and while he was interested in the Armament Record, the Boundless Dao Emperor Palace also reminded him of something.

His Demon Palace had been using the Demon Spirit Pillar to break through, and he hadn't cultivated any insights in a long time, causing the Boundless Demon Emperor Palace to seem like an unreachable goal, despite it being the same cultivation method.

An almost immortal cultivation method... I wonder if I can learn it?

He shook his head, glanced at the black-haired giant lion's corpse on the ground, and a hint of regret flashed in his eyes.

Shen Yi truly disliked wasting food.

Especially when it was wasted right in front of him.

He suddenly remembered something; the Golden Young Master and the Qingxi brothers he had met in Nanhong were also fleeing with their clan, and he wondered if it had anything to do with the Boundless Dao Emperor Sect's actions.

If so, that would be troublesome.

Shen Yi took a deep breath; not only did he have to fight the demons, but he also had to compete with a seemingly formidable force for the Demon Race Celestial Prodigy. Fortunately, he had left Nanhong early, or else he might not even have a scrap of food left.

"Fellow Daoists, if you have something to say, please be direct. I'd like to go to Mountain Watching to relax." Yan Chongzhang finally suppressed his thoughts and smiled at everyone.

"..."

On the contrary, Wei Yuanzhou didn't know how to bring up the matter.

They all wanted the help of the Ban Shan Zong.

Could the Nanhong Seven Sons and the Boundless Dao Emperor Sect really be compared?

If Senior Xuan Qing hadn't encountered trouble, and Nanhong hadn't wasted these ten thousand years, both might have been top-tier forces on par with each other... But now, it was clear that a gap had emerged.

Forcing the Ban Shan Zong to choose would only make them seem unsure of themselves.

"I'll try to finish my business as soon as possible." Yan Chongzhang seemed to understand Wei Yuanzhou's concerns and gave him a promise.

"Thank you, fellow Daoist." Wei Yuanzhou returned the salute.

Yang Yunheng stood silently beside them, seemingly wanting to say something to Yan Chongzhang, but he couldn't find the right opportunity.

At this moment, the Ban Shan Zong Daoist smiled, "If you're not in a hurry to leave, would you be interested in accompanying me to take a look at that Treasure Mountain?"

Before he could finish speaking, Yang Yunheng's face changed dramatically.

He wanted to stop him, but it was already too late.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end