Chapter 526: It Doesn't Know My Name

Chapter 526: It Doesn't Know My Name

Who would have thought that in the depths of the rippling Western Hong, there would stand a towering jade mountain, so tall that one would need to crane their neck to see its peak?

The mountain was clear and translucent, layered with intricate details, shimmering with a delicate luster, yet maintaining a sense of orderly grandeur as it supported layer upon layer of glazed pagodas. Even from a distance, one could sense the strict hierarchy that seemed to permeate the place.

Upon laying their eyes on this majestic mountain, all the cultivators and demons fell silent, forming neat lines as they proceeded forward.

Shen Yi casually glanced to his side and, noticing that no one was paying attention to him, subtly flicked his fingers hidden within his sleeves. He reactivated the shape-shifting art he had prepared specifically for infiltrating Southern Hong, making a few subtle adjustments to his appearance.

He didn't make any drastic changes, but his handsome face now took on a slightly colder demeanor, with a hint of frost at the corners of his lips, giving off an air of aloofness.

Shen Yi was quite adept at altering his appearance. In an instant, he transformed from a seemingly reserved young cultivator into a proud and distant wandering cultivator.

It was evident that this so-called Dragon Consort's birthday banquet was no less grand than the previous Seven Sons Assembly.

Even cultivators with a Three Cities realm, like Liu Xingshan, an elder at the top of a Celestial Sect, had to patiently queue up to approach the jade mountain.

Shen Yi's actions were not only in preparation for any unforeseen events but also because he had reassessed the level of danger involved.

Within that jade mountain, there was a high probability of the presence of an existence comparable to the Unity realm...be it the Dragon Consort herself or another entity.

Otherwise, how could they suppress the arrogance of this group of powerful beings?

Yulan, seemingly detached from Shen Yi at a distance, maintained a subtle connection, always ready to provide aid should any unexpected situation arise.

The long line of guests moved swiftly like a dragon.

At the foot of the Jade Mountain, a black-backed Flood Dragon in human form called out in a loud voice, "Giant Deer Sect, offering a hundred bottles of Xu Yang True Elixir and a Qing Wang jade hairpin to congratulate the Dragon Consort on her birthday! Please proceed to the sixty-sixth floor!"

As soon as the announcement was made, several black-backed Flood Dragon guards stepped forward to lead the way.

The Giant Deer Sect cultivators turned with smiles on their faces, clearly delighted, and bid farewell to their fellow companions with whom they had arrived.

Being granted access to a higher floor within the jade mountain was a clear indication of one's sect's standing in Western Hong.

Amidst the watchful eyes, a beautiful woman clad in a gorgeous blue feathered skirt walked gracefully forward. Even her fair, creamy skin drew attention, but her indifferent demeanor kept both demons and cultivators from daring to glance more than once.

Yulan ignored the black-backed Flood Dragon guards and headed straight for the jade mountain.

The guard's eyelids twitched as he sensed the faint heart flame aura emanating from her. After a moment of silence, he whispered to his colleague, "Ninety-ninth floor."

The Black-backed Flood Dragon clan and the Western Dragon Palace were not on good terms, and although he didn't know this woman's specific identity, her demeanor and profound strength indicated a high status within her clan.

She had come to the banquet alone and with such an aloof attitude; she must have had her own agenda.

It would be better to seat her closer to the Dragon Consort.

After all, even if the old ancestor of the Blue-feathered Phoenix clan were to come personally, they might not gain any advantage over the Dragon Consort.

With this in mind, the black-backed Flood Dragon guard turned his attention back to the task at hand and continued calling out the names of the guests.

Soon, a figure in ink-black robes quietly approached.

Just as this person was about to pass by without a word, the guard's eyelids twitched again, and he rapped his knuckles on the table, causing a loud knock.

Knock! Knock!

What are you doing?! Are you here to freeload?

"..."

Shen Yi sighed inwardly. It pained him to think that the precious treasures he had painstakingly collected would now be wasted on these demons. What a travesty!

He immersed his consciousness into the ring on his finger and scanned through Ke Laqi's collection before selecting an ordinary-looking bead necklace to place on the table.

The black-backed Flood Dragon guard silently examined the bead necklace, hesitating to announce it.

While this item was incredibly rare and precious to the outside world, and one would have to pay a hefty price to obtain it, the problem was...anyone with eyes could tell at a glance that it belonged to the Dragon Palace. Presenting a gift from the Dragon Palace to the Dragon Consort?!

Wasn't that a bit too stupid?

The Flood Dragon guard glanced at the cultivator's face, noticing the hint of reluctance and pain in his eyes, and then at his attire. He couldn't help but feel both annoyed and amused.

Where did this country bumpkin come from, and how did he manage to attain such formidable cultivation? He wasn't far behind the famous scions of the major sects.

The guard seemed to realize something. A wandering cultivator with limited knowledge might not know what gifts to bring, so he instinctively thought of collecting items from the Dragon Palace. While it showed a lack of understanding of social graces, his sincerity was evident.

This cultivator was clearly here to pledge allegiance to the Dragon Consort.

"Take him to the ninety-ninth floor."

With that decision made, the black-backed Flood Dragon guard whispered his instructions once more.

Shen Yi's hearing was exceptionally keen, and he committed the floor number to memory, his eyes now reflecting an even deeper sense of reluctance.

Damn, I gave too much.

He slightly raised his gaze to look at the jade mountain before him, knowing that he would have to find a way to recoup his losses.

...

The translucent dome, the intricately designed lights.

Even the white tiles underfoot were adorned with different patterns, forming a grand mural when pieced together.

Within the hall, beautiful dancers moved gracefully, their dresses fluttering gently, their beauty refined rather than seductive. Although their cultivation levels were not exceptionally high, they exuded an air of elegance.

It was clear that the owner of this palace was not a mere brute who only knew how to fight.

Even the seating arrangements were carefully considered.

For example, the Daoist nun from the Azure Ocean Sect was seated relatively close to the front, indicating that the sect she sought aid from was likely led by a Supreme Unity realm master, thus enjoying a very intimate relationship.

Yulan, who was mistaken for a member of the Luliqing Phoenix Clan, was seated in a similar area.

In contrast, Shen Yi was quietly led to a corner by the black Flood Dragon attendant, who simply said, "Please," before turning to leave.

"..."

Shen Yi sat down cross-legged, feeling a bit uncomfortable with the obvious social hierarchy but relatively satisfied.

After all, aside from cultivators, the demons and monsters allowed inside this grand hall must also be of significant background.

This seating position was just right for him to quietly observe everyone unnoticed.

Of course, another reason for his satisfaction was that he genuinely did not want anyone to approach him. After all, he still didn't know the Dragon Consort's name, age, or how much lifespan she had left.

Since he had arrived relatively late, the cultivators who had come earlier had already started conversing with each other.

Shen Yi pretended to admire the dancing beauties, but his mind was elsewhere. Before he could listen in on their conversations, he noticed a strange atmosphere in the air.

This was also related to the chaotic situation in Western Hong.

With so many top-tier forces gathered in one place, there were bound to be conflicting interests, leading to conversations filled with subtle jabs and innuendos.

The only cultivators who seemed to be able to stay out of these political games were Shen Yi and the Daoist nun from the Bihai Sect.

Shen Yi didn't mind, as he was new to this place, and listening in on the gossip might provide him with useful information for future decisions, or even allow him to take advantage of the situation.

However, the Bihai Sect Daoist nun showed no interest at all, keeping her eyes lowered as she quietly sipped her divine wine.

But the next moment, she slightly raised her eyes, "...'

Just then, a sea serpent demon, seemingly unwilling to let the awkward atmosphere persist, forcibly changed the topic to something unrelated to Western Hong.

"Do you know why the eldest of the Qi family left Western Hong and where he went?"

Upon hearing this, everyone became interested and looked over, as it was the Dragon Consort's birthday banquet, and the eldest of the Qi family was notably absent. With his reputation for being henpecked, was he not afraid of offending the Dragon Consort?

The sea serpent demon smiled faintly, "The eldest of the Qi family led his troops into Southern Hong because of the Southern Hong Seven."

The mention of the "Southern Hong Seven" echoed through the hall, and many cultivators and demons revealed confused expressions. Only those from the major factions seated near the front whispered to each other, seemingly having some understanding of the situation.

They pondered for a moment, but regarding that famous force from ten thousand years ago, their memories were not very clear.

Ever since that incident, not only the Seven, but the entire Southern Hong seemed to have disappeared from the Hongze, vanishing without a trace.

The Bihai Sect Daoist nun closed her eyes, her expression calm.

Even though these cultivators and demons spoke about their sects without much respect and even with a hint of mockery, as a Daoist nun, she had the patience to endure it.

Moreover, given the current situation of the Nan'yang Seven, it was understandable that others would talk about them like this.

"Drink," a young man in luxurious clothes sitting next to the Bihai Sect Daoist nun said casually as he raised his cup, offering a silent word of comfort.

They were also one of the major powers in Western Hong, known as the Yunhe Sect. Although they did not possess a second Unity realm treasure land, their sect master was extremely powerful, and they were one of the main targets of the Southern Sect's plea for aid.

"I understand," the Bihai Sect Daoist nun replied calmly as she raised her wine cup.

She had come to seek aid and not to cause trouble. Moreover, since the Yunhe Sect had brought her here, it was a sign to the Southern Hong Seven that they truly had matters to attend to, and the probability of them heading to Southern Hong to provide aid after handling their business was quite high.

However, just as she was about to bring the wine cup to her lips, the Bihai Sect Daoist nun's eyes suddenly turned a bit colder.

"Of course, today is the Dragon Consort's birthday, so let's not talk about these bloody battles. Besides, there's no need to discuss them anyway."

With the Western Dragon Palace already intervening in the matter, according to the sea serpent demon, the destruction of the Southern Hong Seven was only a matter of time.

Ten thousand years ago, under the leadership of that Qin sect master, along with six other equally powerful Unity realm sect masters, a total of seven top experts, their might in the Hongze was unparalleled.

But after that incident, the peace between cultivators and demons was suddenly shattered. Aside from the bloody battles and massacres, major factions frequently devoured smaller ones, and the demon race also took the opportunity to consume many treasured collections of various sects.

In the life-and-death battles, it was easier for heroes to emerge.

Even the Western Dragon Palace now possessed more than seven Unity realm demons, not to mention the entire Southern Dragon Palace. With the Seven lacking their strongest, Qin sect master, unless another force intervened, their fate was almost sealed.

"What I want to talk about is a joke I heard."

Seeing that he had piqued everyone's interest, the sea serpent demon stood up, trying to suppress his laughter as he lowered his head, "That so-called Southern Hong Seven actually had the leisure to hold a grand 'Seven Sons Assembly,' not wanting to be the phoenix's tail but instead choosing to be the rooster's head, leading the loose soldiers of Southern Hong. It's laughable that they wanted to relive their past glory."

Upon hearing this, many demons burst into laughter, "Aside from those six Unity realm cultivators, are there any others in Southern Hong? How dare they call it an assembly?"

For Shen Yi, who had once fought for his life in Qingzhou with a group of Demon-Subduing Generals and the Howling Moon Wolf King, he knew how crucial this information gap was. The less the opponent knew, the more advantageous it was for South Hong.

"... "

The Daoist from Yunhe Sect listened to the surrounding laughter, his eyes filled with worry as he glanced at the young woman beside him.

As expected, the Daoist from Bihai Sect's face turned cold, and the wine cup she had raised to her lips remained suspended in the air.

He sighed helplessly and stood up as well. "Whether or not there are any other Unity realm cultivators has nothing to do with us in West Hong. Moreover, the South Hong Seven are still our seniors, and their foundation is incredibly deep. Let's not get involved in their business and avoid bringing trouble upon ourselves. Let's change the topic."

Hearing someone trying to stop the conversation, everyone subconsciously looked over. When they recognized his identity, although they didn't know the reason, they quickly stopped laughing out of respect for Yunhe Sect.

Even a few sects that were not on good terms with Yunhe Sect would not cause trouble over such a minor issue.

As the hall fell silent, the sea serpent demon felt awkward. He bowed his head to take a sip of wine and explained, "Hey, they wouldn't possibly leave South Hong. What's there to be afraid of... Besides, I'm not trying to bad-mouth the South Hong Seven. I just find it funny that the Nan'yang Sect, which has been destroyed for many years, is still trying to relive its past glory."

Upon hearing this, everyone's interest was piqued once again.

"I know you mean well, Yang Daoist, but we're all insiders here. Gossiping won't spread outside, so why ruin the mood?"

A robust and muscular tiger demon sitting at the very front of the hall spoke up. His body was covered in white fur with black stripes like ink, giving him a very clean appearance. His cultivation was also quite profound, and although he might not be as strong as the Luliqing Phoenix, he was at least on par with the previous Young Master of the You Mang Clan.

Leaning forward lazily, the tiger demon glanced at the sea serpent demon with indifference. "Go on."

"... "

The Yunhe Sect Daoist fell silent for a moment before sighing and sitting back down.

This white tiger demon might not seem like much, but that was because the power backing him was extremely strong, so there was no need to send someone of the same level as the Daoist.

With the white tiger demon's permission, a smile returned to the sea serpent's face. "It's true that the South Hong Seven have a lot of influence, and it's not appropriate to make fun of them. But the reason I brought up the Seven Sons Assembly is because of this assembly... Hmph..."

At this point, he burst out laughing. "They elected a Bai Yujing cultivator as their seventh sect master! Bai Yujing... Sect Master... So, I suspect that South Hong hasn't had any new Unity realm cultivators in a long time. Otherwise, how could they have fallen so low? Maybe if I went to South Hong, I could become the master of a Immortal Sect too."

"Bai Yujing as the sect master?"

Everyone in the hall who was allowed to sit in the front was a Bai Yujing cultivator. Hearing this, they were all momentarily stunned.

After all, the term "Immortal Sect" was not used lightly.

The prerequisite was having an immortal cultivator.

In Hongze, only Unity realm cultivators could barely be considered Earth Immortals, distinguishing them from true immortals.

Hearing this news, even the elders of Yunhe Sect looked at the young woman with a hint of doubt.

When the South Hong Seven came to ask for help, they certainly didn't mention that they had fallen so far.

"This is definitely true. I remember that arrogant cultivator. His name was... Shen... Shen..." The sea serpent demon scratched his head, then laughed. "Apologies, everyone, I can't remember his name!"

Bang!

Just then, a dull sound reverberated through the hall, capturing everyone's attention.

They saw the young woman with an extraordinary aura who had come with Yunhe Sect.

At that moment, her hand was resting quietly on the table.

She lifted her eyes indifferently, gazing at the sea serpent demon, and slowly withdrew her jade-like hand, allowing the divine wine to drip from her fingertips onto the table, leaving only shards of the wine cup.

This incident had seriously affected her mission to seek aid.

Moreover...

As a Daoist from the South Hong Seven, she couldn't tolerate someone trampling on the dignity of their sect master right before their eyes.

"Friend?" The sea serpent demon was taken aback, then laughed. "What's wrong? Did I offend you somehow?"

"... "

The Bihai Sect Daoist took a deep breath, a chill forming at the corners of her lips. She stood up slowly, ignoring the anxious look from the Yunhe Sect Daoist. With a swift and decisive movement, she extended her hand and said, "That's not it. It's just that as fellow Immortal Sect cultivators, we can't stand idly by while a demon spews nonsense here."

As she spoke, she gently tore open a microscopic cut on her fingertip, and a drop of scarlet blood slowly fell to the center of the hall, standing out starkly.

Facing such a declaration of life-or-death combat.

The sea serpent demon was clearly caught off guard. After a few breaths, he frowned, as if he had just heard the most ridiculous joke in the world. "Fellow... fellow Immortal Sect cultivators?"

The remaining people in the hall also looked over with strange expressions.

The sea serpent demon shook his head, a hint of mockery entering his voice. "Friend, you don't seem to be from West Hong, are you? Could it be that you're... "

His tone turned cold, and his eyes glinted with cruelty. "From South Hong?"

In West Hong, or even in Hongze, there was no such thing as "fellow Immortal Sect cultivators." Many Immortal Sects had relationships that were less harmonious than those with certain demon clans.

Such old-fashioned words immediately brought to mind that secluded land that had been disconnected from Hongze for a full 100,000 years.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end