https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-524-Opening-Three-Cities-the-North-Palace-Vanguard-General/12554944/
Chapter 525: The Shattered Defense of the Master and Disciple, Shen Zongzhu's Birthday Celebration f
Chapter 525: The Shattered Defense of the Master and Disciple, Shen Zongzhu's Birthday Celebration for the Dragon Empress
At the inner gates of the Banshan Sect...
As the sky churned, a group of exhausted and wounded White Jade Capital experts appeared one after another.
Among them were two who had fallen into a semi-comatose state and needed to be supported by others.
They had undoubtedly just survived a fierce battle.
However, the remaining elders of the sect looked at Yan Chongzhang, who was at the forefront, with bewilderment.
Under the leadership of Daozi, the Banshan Sect had dispatched a large number of experts to exterminate the Dimming Youmang clan. Now, although they didn't look too presentable, at least everyone had returned alive.
Based on these elders' understanding of the Youmang clan, it was clear that the four Daozi from Nan Hong had contributed significantly to achieve such a great victory.
But... what about the rewards?
Wasn't the plan to capture the young master of the Dimming Youmang clan alive? Did the situation become too dire that they ended up killing him instead?
At this thought, everyone's hearts sank.
The saying 'beating the grass to startle the snake' came to mind. Once the news of the Banshan Sect's actions against the Youmang clan spread, the nearby demons and monsters would undoubtedly become more vigilant. If the Banshan Sect wanted to complete the task assigned by the Wuliang Dao Emperor Sect, they would likely have to pay an even greater price.
Oh well, they could only use this opportunity to establish a connection with this top-tier giant and hope for some benefit in return.
Just then, everyone suddenly noticed that the Great Elder's face had turned pale, indicating that something was amiss.
"I won't criticize you behind your back. Come with me; I want to report your actions to your face."
Yang Yunheng finally returned to the sect, suppressing his anger. He grabbed Yan Chongzhang's arm and rushed forward, looking less like a Xianzong Elder and more like a martial artist from the Jianghu.
"..."
Yan Chongzhang glanced helplessly at the old man and followed without struggling.
"Should we leave?" White Witch tentatively looked to the side.
Even someone as calm as Wei Yuanzhou felt embarrassed at this moment. He never imagined that their visit to Xi Hong for aid would create such a rift between the Banshan Sect's elders and Daozi.
If it weren't for the fact that they hadn't received a definite response to their request for aid, he would have wanted to leave immediately.
This situation was simply absurd.
The two most devoted members of the sect had quarreled in front of outsiders over a stranger they had only met recently.
If blame was to be assigned, it could only be attributed to Shen Zongzhu's exceptional talent.
It remained to be seen whether this exceptional talent would be recognized by the Banshan Sect's leader. If not, even if Yan Chongzhang was reluctant to break his promise, he would likely have no say in the matter of aiding Nan Hong.
With these thoughts in mind, Wei Yuanzhou helplessly looked towards the back mountain.
At the clear spring in the back mountain...
A slender old man in plain robes sat on the ground as if he had entered a state of meditation. There was no aura emanating from his body, and he resembled a lifeless stone.
Behind him, Yang Yunheng recounted their previous encounter, his anger rising as he spoke. When he couldn't contain it anymore, he stomped his foot, his beard and eyes flashing as he exclaimed, "How can the sect's matters be treated so frivolously! That Daozi, he didn't even discuss it with me!"
The Great Elder acknowledged that Shen Xiaoyou was extraordinary, and even he himself was quite impressed by the young man. However, he did not agree with risking the entire sect's existence on a gamble with that young man.
What was Yan Chongzhang thinking? If he was going to be so generous, why not give up his position as Daozi and let Shen Xiaoyou take his place?
"What are you thinking? What are your plans?"
The leader of the Banshan Sect opened his eyes, and it was as if a stone had suddenly come to life.
Without turning around, there was no emotion detectable in his voice.
Even though the matter involved the Wuliang Dao Emperor Sect, the leader of the Banshan Sect remained calm. He only wanted to know what his personally cultivated disciple had discovered that could have led him to make such a ridiculous decision.
To be honest, due to experiencing too many strange and mysterious events, he had become somewhat numb. His expectations for the young monk from Nan Hong were even lower than those of the Great Elder, Yang Yunheng.
The reason for his calmness was purely because of his trust in his disciple.
"Come, tell me!" Yang Yunheng took two steps back and stood with his arms crossed.
Yan Chongzhang did not argue with the old man, even though his attitude was poor and not at all like how an elder should address a Daozi.
He knew that his actions were difficult for others to understand. Any cultivator with the sect's interests at heart would be furious.
Moreover, he was about to do something even more outrageous, something that would make everyone think he had gone insane.
Yan Chongzhang took a deep breath and suddenly took a step back, bowing and holding his fist over his head, "I want... to ask Shen Xiaoyou to replace me as the Daozi of the Banshan Sect."
"..."
This time, even the leader of the Banshan Sect fell silent for a long time. He slowly turned around and asked, "Shen Xiaoyou? You don't even know his name."
Taking in Yan Chongzhang's serious expression, the elder in plain robes sighed, "And your reason for this?"
"Huh."
As Yang Yunheng fell into a daze, Yan Chongzhang stood up straight and said with self-mockery, "That mountain is the foundation of our sect, but it belongs to Shen Xiaoyou. I'm afraid he will take away the Wuming Mountain..."
A Grand Master of the Unity Realm embodies the sect's heaven and earth, and they should be as indifferent as the real heaven and earth. Even though the Banshan Sect was a bit different, preferring to call themselves martial artists and having a more vibrant atmosphere, they would still be influenced to some extent, rarely showing strong emotional fluctuations.
Elder Maiyi forced down his anger, his hand hovering in the air before slowly lowering it back down.
"He's already cultivated the Shen Yue Fa..." Yan Chongzhang replied bitterly.
Upon hearing this, the tip of the Banshan Zongzhu's finger twitched, and he raised his eyes to look into the distance, finally understanding why his disciple was acting this way.
This was the behavior of someone deeply struck and spiritually damaged.
With this realization, the Banshan Zongzhu's expression finally softened, and a thick and mellow aura slowly emerged from his body—the pinnacle of the Shen Yue Fa.
He gently consoled, "So what if he's cultivated it? At my level, it's just an ordinary technique. It doesn't prove anything. Besides, haven't you cultivated it too? He's just a little faster at the entry level."
Of course, he was being a bit disingenuous. After all, these details clearly highlighted the vast gap in talent.
But compared to an outsider, Elder Maiyi was more concerned about his disciple developing any psychological blocks.
He stood up, forcing a faint smile, and reached out to pat Yan Chongzhang's thick shoulders.
"It's... it's not just the entry level. His mastery of the Shen Yue Fa has already reached the same level as yours," Yan Chongzhang mumbled, lifting his head embarrassedly and offering a further explanation.
Before he could finish, Yan Daozi suddenly felt the hand on his shoulder pause and then clench tightly, making a creaking sound.
The Banshan Zongzhu turned silent and stared into the distance, toward the direction of Wuming Mountain.
His profound eyes filled with a complex expression, which soon turned into a hint of resentment.
If breaking through the first layer of secrets in three days was due to that young monk named Shen using some kind of trick, then cultivating the Shen Yue Fa to perfection in such a short time...
If this had nothing to do with Wuming Mountain, he, Zhang, would eat the mountain!
Years of companionship ultimately couldn't compete with a twist of fate!
He quickly retracted his hand and turned away, regaining his calm demeanor. "So what if that's the case? Why are you in such a hurry? Why am I asking you why you're in a hurry? I've always taught you to be calm, but you've thrown that out the window?"
"The mountain is still here. It's still with the Banshan Sect."
"He asked us to come and see... we didn't ask him!" By the end of his sentence, the Banshan Zongzhu's face twitched.
Yan Chongzhang silently watched his master's back and whispered, "Master, I don't think I'm in a hurry."
As soon as he finished speaking, he saw his master's hand, which was behind his back, clench into a fist again!
The Banshan Zongzhu turned and glanced coldly at him. "You've seen the mountain too. How could you remain calm after discovering its mysteries?"
"If you're still like this when he returns, and you cause people to underestimate the Banshan Sect, resulting in us being unable to keep that young monk, don't blame me for reminding you of the subtleties of my palm technique!"
The Banshan Zongzhu coldly snorted, "Hmph, besides, that mountain belongs to him..."
He sat down cross-legged again, his expression calm and assured. "You all go and prepare. In a few days at most, he'll definitely be back."
With bait in hand, there was no reason to worry about not hooking the fish.
This disciple was still too young and needed more tempering.
...
In the vast expanse of Xi Hong's oceans...
Shen Yi stepped on his sword and traveled, closing his eyes to recall the map given to him by the Banshan Sect.
With his terrifying memory, he wouldn't miss or confuse any details.
However, the more he recalled, the more Shen Yi's brows furrowed.
The Banshan Sect was quite large, and the beings that caught their attention and were worth recording were at least powerful demons with White Jade Capital as their backing.
This was a good thing.
But the situation in all of Xi Hong exceeded Shen Yi's expectations.
The Banshan Sect had meticulously noted the intricate relationships behind each group of demons, causing the entire map to resemble a dense web. Upon closer inspection, each group was either backed by the Dragon Palace or protected by a Unity Realm demon.
Some even had connections to immortal sects.
This was fundamentally different from the clear division between cultivators and demons in Nan Hong, like a chaotic mixture.
It made it difficult for Shen Yi to discern whether the places he intended to visit were dangerous or not.
This wasn't Nan Hong, where he had the Unity Treasure Land to take refuge in and several Unity Realm sect leaders to help deter others. If something unexpected happened here, he had almost no backup plan or escape route.
"My lord, there's a water demon presence ahead," Yulan, who had been quietly following Shen Yi, whispered before quietly returning to the Myriad Demon Hall.
As a fire-attribute bird demon, she was naturally more sensitive to water demons.
This South Hall Master wasn't like Ke Shisan and Wu Jun, who had connections with the Dragon Palace. She could temporarily accompany Shen Yi, and the demonic aura she exuded also helped him disguise his identity.
As if to validate Yulan's words, the distant waters suddenly churned, and a majestic Black-Backed Flood Dragon emerged, creating waves dozens of feet high.
It wore a horse bit-like piece of cold metal, and its wet black scales shone brilliantly. On its dragon spine stood a tall figure holding the reins.
The figure was clad in silver-white armor and a long cape, with two horns growing from his head, indicating he was a demon cultivator, likely at the ninth layer of the Returning Void realm.
"Please, fellow Daoist."
As he spoke, Qi Laojiu casually waved his hand, and the water surface quickly parted, forming a long bridge leading to the depths of the sea.
"..."
Upon hearing the words "celebrating the birthday," Shen Yi's hand, which had slightly lifted, paused momentarily before lowering back down. He then nodded slightly, as if nothing had happened.
It seemed that he had inadvertently stumbled into some matter concerning the Dragon Palace.
Birthday celebrations, especially for demons... Although he had experienced one after leaving the Nanyuan Treasure Land, Shen Yi actually quite enjoyed them.
Although he wasn't arrogant enough to think that he could hold a banquet in the West Dragon Palace, if he could get to know some of the demons who had come to celebrate the birthday and return together... it would certainly be better than barging alone into the depths of the demon cave, where the dangers were unknown.
At the same time.
Qi Laojiu was also observing Shen Yi's expression.
As the Dragon Grandson of the Western Palace, those he was sent to receive were all well-known figures in Xi Hong. As for this young man, judging from his attire, the magic weapon he used, and his cultivation, he seemed rather shabby.
Either he was an extremely talented solitary cultivator, or he was the grand ancestor of a sect that wasn't very large, who had altered his appearance using some means.
Seeing the youth's silent and aloof demeanor, he also seemed a bit inexperienced and proud.
Qi Laojiu was qualified to make this assessment.
Because a cultivator who had ascended to the White Jade Capital might be an extremely extraordinary existence elsewhere, but in front of the West Dragon Palace, they were actually not that remarkable.
It was likely that he had heard about the Dragon Empress' birthday celebration from somewhere and wanted to join in on the fun. Perhaps he didn't even have an invitation.
"Fellow Daoist?" Qi Laojiu called out again.
Shen Yi hesitated for a moment, sensing the three Hall Masters of the Ten Thousand Demon Hall and the powerful Yulan guarding the Spirit Binding Stone within, and his heart grew bolder.
Finally, he raised his eyes and casually said, "Thank you."
If he didn't dare to go there, then he might as well return to Nan Hong.
"You're welcome, fellow Daoist."
Qi Laojiu waved his hand again, and a wave surged up, lifting Shen Yi onto his feet. The gentle current guided him as he stepped onto the water and walked forward.
Until he had completely entered the waters.
Shen Yi turned back and saw that Qi Laojiu had not followed, so he summoned Yulan again, signaling her to move separately and scout ahead. If there really was any situation, she could also inform him in advance.
After making these preparations, he finally turned his attention to the depths below the water.
The water bridge that Qi Laojiu had released seemed to be connected to another place.
After entering a rather deep area.
Shen Yi saw numerous figures walking together. They all stood on the river waves, chatting and laughing as they headed in the same direction.
There were cultivators and demons among them.
Shen Yi raised an eyebrow, feeling a bit uncomfortable, and it was precisely because of this that his sharp eyes caught a "fellow."
She was a girl in plain clothes, with an outstanding appearance and a remarkable aura. She had no identifying marks on her.
She was obviously following some sect, her eyes lowered slightly, concealing her displeasure.
Shen Yi averted his gaze and did not intend to acknowledge her.
It was mainly because they were not very familiar with each other.
They had only traveled together for a while after leaving Nan Hong.
If he remembered correctly, she was a Daoist from the Green Sea Sect, but he wasn't quite sure what her name was.
For Shen Yi, the most important thing at the moment was only one thing.
That was to figure out whose birthday banquet it was, after all, he had made an enemy of the West Dragon Palace in Xi Hong, and although Bao Hua Xianzi was somewhat reasonable, the Bao Hua Zong elder with whom he had communicated via jade slip earlier was obviously connected to the West Dragon Palace. If he had sold out some information to the Dragon Palace...
However, there was no need to scare himself, it was unlikely to be such a coincidence.
With this in mind, Shen Yi began to listen carefully to the conversations around him.
But as soon as he heard the first sentence, he instinctively raised his eyes.
"Do you think the Dragon Emperor will come back for the Dragon Empress' birthday?"
"Come back? He dares."
"I heard that he has already found an excuse to go to Nan Hong and is lying low there."
It is said that here, in the territory of the West Dragon Palace, the cultivators lowered their voices, but they obviously weren't afraid of this matter being overheard by others.
It was enough to see that the matter of Qi Laojiu being afraid of his wife was not a secret in Xi Hong.
"..."
Shen Yi walked on the water, his expression unchanged, but his eyes flickered with a complex emotion.
It was quite a coincidence, but at least the Dragon Emperor, who was comparable to the Unity Realm, was not present. As for the Dragon Empress, to put it bluntly, even if she really knew that he had killed that snake demon in the Xiao Family Fortress, she should still be grateful to him.
Joking aside.
Shen Yi also understood why the Daoist from the Green Sea Sect had looked so unhappy earlier.
The eldest son of the Qi family, the head of the family, was leading troops to Nan Hong to deal with the Seven Sons. As a Daoist of the sect, he still had to waste time celebrating his wife's birthday. No one could stand that.
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
