Chapter 545: The Third Unification Realm Guardian Stone

Chapter 545: The Third Unification Realm Guardian Stone

Deep into the night.

In a courtyard within Crimson Maple Valley.

Zilan Fairy and Yue Tiance sat across from each other, while the Valley Master and several elders quietly waited by their side.

It wasn't that the people from Dong Long Palace were of noble status, requiring only elders to be sent as messengers, but rather, in Crimson Maple Valley at this moment, compared to the disciples busy with pill concoction, these few with the strongest cultivation were even more dangerous.

This was why Zilan Fairy had called them over, claiming it was for a casual chat, but in reality, she was just unable to put her mind at ease.

"Didn't you inform Shen Daoyou?"

The downside of being kind-hearted is that it easily invites trouble, but the upside is that after experiencing countless troubles, one can remain calm in any situation.

This young lady, draped in a purple skirt, spoke in a gentle voice even though she was severely injured. From beginning to end, she never lost her temper. If not for her exquisite appearance and formidable cultivation, it would be hard to believe that she was a highly favored dragoness from a top-tier power.

"Reporting to Fairy, I've already invited him at his residence, but he politely declined."

The Crimson Maple Valley Master hurriedly stepped forward. To be honest, that Black Robe Senior seemed to be the weakest among the three, but in terms of temperament, he was even more arrogant than the young masters and young ladies from the Yue and Dong Long Palace families. Since entering the valley, he had mostly kept to himself and rarely conversed with others.

"Is that so..."

Zilan Fairy paused for a moment, feeling a bit of a headache: "What about that little girl?"

Shen Daoyou's abilities were still quite impressive, as he dared to venture alone in Western Hong. He must have a way to protect himself, and it was normal for him to refuse protection from others. Even if he encountered that bear demon, as long as he was still within Crimson Maple Valley, she and the others would surely sense it, and it wouldn't be too late to rush over then.

But it would be safer for that little girl to stay by her and Yue Tiance's side.

"I haven't seen her." The Crimson Maple Valley Master let out a bitter laugh. The reason he felt that Shen Daoyou was arrogant was because he couldn't even get past the door; he was dismissed while standing outside.

"Alright." Yue Tiance subconsciously wanted to make a few sarcastic remarks, but after glancing at Zilan Fairy, he tried to keep his tone calm: "I know you have a soft heart, but everyone has their own fate. Can you protect others for a lifetime? Let him be."

Besides, he didn't think that kid was worth befriending.

"If you see her, take care of it. If not, then forget it. Rest assured, I'll handle it soon." Zilan Fairy softly explained, as the other party also had important matters to attend to, and it was because of her that they were delayed.

"I've already informed Cloud River Sect, asking their old ancestor to temporarily protect for a while. Once Aunt sends someone over, it should be fine."

In this Hongze waterscape, there should be few things that Jade Mountain Dragon Consort couldn't handle.

"Alright, I'll go wash up a bit. You can help me keep an eye out for a while." Zilan Fairy stood up.

It was common knowledge that this Purple Beard White Dragon had a phobia of dirt, which was why he had left so many "Zilan Fairy Bathing Pictures" in Hongze. It was truly difficult for him to endure from the time he was injured a few days ago until now.

"Go with peace of mind." Yue Tiance revealed a gentle smile.

In truth, he had no interest in these trivial matters. Even if someone in Western Hong was killed, it had nothing to do with his Northern Hong Yue family.

But he had to put on this act of chivalry in front of Zilan to maintain their relatively good relationship and take it to the next level.

"Please, Fairy. The hot springs at the rear of the valley may not compare to Eastern Hong, but it's still a beautiful sight." The Crimson Maple Valley Master quickly turned to lead the way.

"I can go by myself."

Zilan Fairy lightly nodded her head, politely declining the offer, and then she stepped out of the courtyard.

She slightly stretched her body, intending to transform into her true form, but suddenly hesitated, retracted her arms, and looked in another direction.

She was still a bit worried. Should she go and take a look?

With this thought, she slightly changed her direction and headed towards Shen Yi's residence instead of the rear of the valley.

...

In another courtyard within Crimson Maple Valley.

Shen Yi sat cross-legged in the room, with demon souls gathering from all directions.

With his temperament, it was impossible for him to place all his hopes on the demons voluntarily coming to him. No matter how useless they were, it was better than sitting idly.

Unfortunately, he wasn't familiar enough with Western Hong, and until now, he had gained nothing.

"Huff."

Shen Yi reopened his eyes, and at that moment, he saw An Yi, rarely tugging at her sleeve, prompting him to look over: "Hmm?"

The little one silently pointed outside.

It was clear that her indifference was limited to situations where she felt safe with Shen Yi. If she sensed even the slightest danger, she would honestly act as a guardian stone.

Following An Yi's reminder, a chilling laughter also echoed in Shen Yi's mind.

"With your cultivation, you dare to meddle in everything. Do you really think that Dong Long Palace will clean up your mess?"

Just as the words were about to end, a black gale suddenly rose, enveloping Shen Yi!

The Black Bear Demon had prepared to face the cultivator's crazy counterattack. It could sense that this Black Robe youth was much stronger than the stinky fish and shrimp of Crimson Maple Valley. Moreover, with the presence of someone from Dong Long Palace nearby, despite the significant difference in cultivation, it didn't dare to be careless.

However, to the bear demon's surprise, Shen Yi seemed to be scared witless. Not only did he not summon a Dao soldier or magical treasure, but his expression also didn't change at all. He was easily wrapped up by the black gale.

"Someone like that is actually worthy of being invited as an ally?" The bear demon disdainfully spat, finding it a convenient excuse to leave.

It casually tossed the prepared letter onto the table and, with a gust of black wind, quietly left Crimson Maple Valley.

The entire room remained intact, and even the main door was still tightly shut.

After a long while, a figure in a purple skirt finally arrived, standing outside the courtyard. She cupped her hands and said, "I apologize for disturbing you, Shen Daoyou. I'm Zilan, and I've come to pay a visit. May I have the honor of meeting you?"

Time passed slowly, but there was no response from within the courtyard.

Zilan's delicate eyebrows furrowed slightly, and she felt a hint of unease in her heart. After a moment of hesitation, she put aside the issue of politeness and began to sense the surroundings of the courtyard.

In an instant, a faintly familiar aura emerged.

Her face changed abruptly.

Zilan no longer hesitated and strode forward, slapping open the door with a palm. The empty room came into view before her eyes.

She clenched her teeth, and anger welled up inside her.

Where was the jade scale she had given? Where was the means of self-preservation? Judging from the faint aura she had sensed earlier, that bear demon hadn't even exerted its full strength.

"I..."

Zilan took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down. Her gaze quickly swept across the room and landed on the letter on the table.

Only then did she feel a slight relief, at least there was still room for negotiation.

...

In the west of Hong, a large demon was hiding in the damp ground.

A black wind swept in and entered the chaotic cave mansion.

Two bear demons had been waiting there for a long time. Seeing this, they were delighted and cautiously surrounded the newcomer.

What they didn't expect was that their father actually strolled in from outside in a leisurely manner.

"Father, has your cultivation improved again?"

"Improved my ass!" The tall bear demon sneered. Crossing that threshold was no easy feat. "Are you sure this is the ally Zilan invited?"

As he spoke, he casually dispelled the black wind, revealing a tall and slender figure standing with his hands behind his back.

The other two bear demons followed his gaze: "It's him... What's wrong?"

"It's hard for me to believe that Zilan would change her decision because of a cultivator like this," the tall bear demon couldn't help but scoff again.

"..." The shorter bear demon gave an awkward laugh. Judging from their father's expression, this cultivator's performance might have been too disappointing: "Zilan won't care about these things. As long as he can help you cross this threshold, that's all that matters."

"That's true. Tie him up." The tall bear demon waved his hand indifferently.

At this moment, the last bear demon scolded, "What are you staring at? You're about to face death, and you don't even realize it."

"You'd better pray that you can truly help my father. If that stinky Zilan doesn't care about you, just wait and see what happens."

The other two large demons turned their gazes towards the youth.

To their surprise, he was carefully examining them.

After confirming that the information matched what he had heard from Ten Thousand Phenomena Pavilion, Shen Yi sighed slightly. He didn't necessarily want to encounter extremely powerful demons, as his own strength was limited. If he met a tough opponent, the outcome would be hard to predict.

However, the strength of these three bear demons didn't quite match Shen Yi's understanding of the deep foundation of the Western Dragon Palace.

Even the strongest among them hadn't truly stepped into the Unification Realm.

With this in mind, Shen Yi patted his sleeve robe and finally withdrew his gaze, saying indifferently, "Help them."

Upon hearing this, the bear demon who had previously threatened them was amused. He took a few steps forward and grabbed the shoulder of the young cultivator, "You're still boasting, not..."

Before he could finish, a cry echoed within the cave mansion.

The fat body of the bear demon suddenly rose into the air, its head clutched by a large dragon claw.

Under the elegant dark golden robe, the majestic figure stood like a towering mountain inside the cave.

The other two bear demons were stunned for a moment, and then they sensed the appearance of an aura.

At the entrance of the cave mansion, two figures, one tall and one short, wearing similar robes, walked in leisurely, blocking the path of the three bear demons.

From their attire, it was clear that they were from the same sect.

However, after careful thought, the tall bear demon couldn't guess their identities.

He bared his teeth, and his voice deepened, "Let go of my son. Don't cause trouble for yourself."

As he spoke, a dense demonic power surged forth without restraint, declaring the bear demon's strength, which was almost at the Unification Realm!

Facing such a threat, both Ke Shi San and An Yi seemed completely unaware.

The sharp dragon claw clenched tightly, crushing the head of the bear demon with a bang.

An Yi walked towards the other bear demon, slightly extending her palm and placing it on its body. The robust body exploded forward!

Boom—

The remaining tall bear demon hadn't fully reacted to this change yet, his eyes still dazed, when he was forced to face the figure that slammed into him like a small mountain.

It gathered all its demonic power, raising its arms high, and unleashed a ferocious black gale, attempting to catch its son.

However, the moment its paw touched that body, its facial features instantly contorted in agony. Its once-proud, vast demonic power now seemed insignificant before this approaching figure, like a stream facing the vast ocean.

This was truly a demonic power comparable to the Unification Realm!

Although it was just a hair's breadth away from that realm, it felt like a chasm separated them.

The black gale instantly dissipated, and the tall bear demon's arms shattered like brittle bamboo, followed by its chest and entire body flying uncontrollably out of control, causing its entire cave mansion to collapse.

With its cultivation, it was already in such a sorry state, let alone the son in its embrace, whose internal organs had been shattered long ago, leaving no signs of life.

"You... you..."

The tall bear demon collapsed on the ground, kicking off the corpse on its body with all its might and wriggling backwards.

To avoid trouble, Long Ye had long ago instructed Qi Da on the distribution of Western Flood's forces, especially those with Unification Realm cultivators. They were well aware of these factions, and none of them included the people before them.

For some reason, a recent rumor suddenly flashed through the bear demon's mind.

Its eyes filled with shock.

There was indeed such a group of ferocious beings, and they had inexplicably targeted it.

Thinking of this, it instinctively looked at the youth in the black robe... No wonder Zi Lan had invited him; this young man had such a terrifying background!

"Seniors, listen to me—" The bear demon gasped, enduring the excruciating pain and struggling to speak: "I... I'm originally under the command of Qi Da of the Western Dragon Palace... I'm willing to join you, seniors, I only ask for a way to survive!"

A massive shadow enveloped the bear demon's body, and under its stunned gaze, the towering figure gently nodded: "Welcome."

Hearing this, the bear demon's face instantly lit up with the joy of escaping death. It hurriedly said, "Thank you, seniors, thank you..."

"Don't mention it."

As the words sounded, Ke Shisan lifted his right foot and coldly crushed the bear demon's skull.

[Killing the Iron Mountain Bear Demon of White Jade Capital, total lifespan of 390,000 years, remaining lifespan of 120,000 years, absorption complete]



[Remaining Demon Beast Lifespan: 239,000 years]



"Let it enter your East Chamber."

Seeing the task completed, Shen Yi waved his hand and stored Ke Shisan in his Sea of Consciousness. Compared to the Yin-Yang Pendant, he used the Golden-Patterned Profound Blade more often.

The three bear demons combined contributed 320,000 years of Demon Beast lifespan, proving that they were indeed under the care of Old Man Qi, and their cultivation speed was much faster than that of ordinary wild demons.

For the current Shen Yi, the most effective way to consume Demon Beast lifespan was the secret stash in Wuliang Mountain.

Not only was it not a sure thing that it was an immortal technique, but even if it was, with over 200,000 years of Demon Beast lifespan, he could learn seven or eight books.

This trip to Western Flood was indeed worth it, and he suddenly felt much richer.

Shen Yi gathered a Guardian Stone and began refining the Demon Beast Origin, reshaping the soul of the Iron Mountain Bear Demon.

Perhaps even this bear demon didn't expect that what would help it cross that threshold would be the lives of its two sons.

The three corpses turned into a river of blood and poured into the Guardian Stone.

Successfully pushing it to a brand new level!

The resources spent by the Qi family over the years finally bore fruit at this moment!

Not every demon soul could be as cost-effective as An Yi's; to control a Unification Realm Guardian Stone, the required strength of the demon soul was extremely terrifying.

Even this bear demon, who was just a hair's breadth away from the Unification Realm, required over twenty Demon Beast Origins to reshape its soul. Shen Yi added more than ten Origins to revive the Guardian Stone before him!

"..."

Even after obtaining two stronger Chamber Lords, Shen Yi's expression still stirred slightly.

The third Unification Realm Guardian Stone meant that with his own strength, he had already surpassed the Mountain-Busting Sect, a top Western Flood force.

"Xiong Lu, pay respects to my master!"

After sensing the tremendous changes within his body, Xiong Lu looked at the figures before him and finally realized who the most terrifying one was.

Especially the petite figure that had killed his cub with a single palm and also severely injured him, now stood obediently behind the youth in the black robe, appearing harmless like a servant girl.

A Unification Realm cultivator displaying such a posture was truly shocking! Those two "seniors" who struck fear into his heart were not guardians of the Dao at all; they were just like him, beings suppressed and enslaved.

No wonder his master had been so calm; they had clearly come for him, Xiong Lu...

...

In the quiet courtyard of Crimson Maple Valley, even Yue Tiance sensed the anger beneath Zi Lan Immortal's serene expression. For a moment, he didn't know what to do and could only comfort her: "He brought this upon himself; it has nothing to do with you."

"Tiance, I'll trouble you this time, but I don't want to discuss whose responsibility this is for now," Zi Lan Immortal forced a slightly strained smile. Regardless of Shen Daoyou's strength, he was the one who had invited him, and he had been abducted by the demon beast.

Instead of blaming herself, she blamed the demon beast; it was unreasonable to blame a passing-by cultivator.

Moreover, at this moment, the most urgent task was to rescue him, and nothing else mattered.

"..."

Although the girl's attitude was gentle, Yue Tiance knew he had said the wrong thing, and couldn't help but feel a little annoyed.

This annoyance was then directed at the young man with the surname Shen.

With such arrogance, he only had this level of skill... At such a close distance, even the Crimson Maple Valley Lord could have made some noise, yet this kid was taken away without a sound.

He still had to find a way to protect him; what the hell was this all about!

"I've already sent a message to the Cloud River Sect, asking that senior to come as soon as possible. I'll have to trouble you again later to look after the Crimson Maple Valley and make sure those demon beasts don't cause any more trouble."

Zilan Immortal quickly adjusted her emotions and changed the topic. Yue Tiance was trying to help, so how could she blame him for speaking harshly?

"Do I need to accompany you?" Yue Tiance sighed, wanting to persist a little longer.

"This is the reply I received from my aunt. Take a look." Zilan Immortal handed him a jade slip.

Yue Tiance took it and saw a few unfamiliar names.

The Ten Thousand Phenomena Pavilion's destruction... Qi Family's Seventh Master's visit... The Ten Thousand Demon Hall?

"Your aunt really has a hold on the Western Dragon Palace, to be able to obtain news about the Dragon Son so quickly." Yue Tiance didn't understand the meaning behind this, so he could only smile and agree.

"This Ten Thousand Demon Hall is the force that has recently caused quite a stir in the Western Flood. They seem to target the younger generations of great clans. Even the Boundless Dao Emperor Sect couldn't escape their notice. It's better for you to stay away from them."

Zilan Immortal's eyebrows furrowed with worry, and she shook her head, "They seem to particularly target the younger generations of great clans. Even the Boundless Dao Emperor Sect couldn't escape their notice. It's better for you to stay away from them."

"Do you suspect that this Bear Demon is from the Ten Thousand Demon Hall?" Yue Tiance's expression turned grave, and he suddenly remembered something, "You talk as if you're not from a great clan yourself. How dare you go there?"

"That's why I asked the Cloud River Sect's senior to come. I'm worried that if we provoke the Ten Thousand Demon Hall, I alone won't be able to protect Shen Daoyou."

Zilan Immortal stood up, her eyes filled with anxiety as she looked towards the horizon. She took a deep breath, "Since I invited Shen Daoyou here, I must ensure he leaves safely."

"I'm speechless! What does this have to do with you that it's worth taking such a risk? If he had come honestly earlier, none of this would have happened. Even if the Ten Thousand Demon Hall had killed him, you wouldn't have felt guilty. Our two families could have joined forces to avenge him. There was no need for this..."

Yue Tiance finally lost his temper and cursed, startling the Crimson Maple Valley cultivators nearby.

Zilan Immortal looked at him in surprise, about to say something, but her body paused slightly, and then she looked towards the courtyard.

"..."

Shen Yi calmly observed the large group of people in his courtyard and raised an eyebrow.

The reason he had returned was that he remembered the letter Bear Demon had left on the table. He wanted to retrieve it to avoid any misunderstandings and casually find an excuse to leave.

After all, although he didn't want to have anything to do with the Eastern Dragon Palace, the Dragon Consort had good intentions. There was no need to cause unnecessary trouble for others.

Unexpectedly, he was still a little slow.

"You..." Zilan Immortal reached out and stopped Yue Tiance, hesitating as she asked, "Why did you come back?"

Looking at Shen Daoyou's clean and tidy appearance, he didn't seem like someone who had been abducted.

"Just taking a walk." Shen Yi nodded casually.

Hearing this, Zilan Immortal's expression became complicated. She couldn't understand how someone could lie so calmly.

Under Shen Daoyou's clean black robe, the blood essence he exuded had become much denser, and it was fresh.

What puzzled her was how he had managed to escape the control of the Ten Thousand Demon Hall.

The strength displayed by that force was not something a White Jade Capital cultivator could contend with... Not to mention that Bear Demon, who could easily kill Shen Daoyou.

Could it be that she had misjudged him, and Shen Daoyou had other means?

Zilan Immortal shook her head. Since Shen Daoyou didn't want to say more, she wasn't the type to pry.

The girl gently rubbed her eyebrows and smiled helplessly, "As long as you're fine."

Yue Tiance remained silent, and his gaze at Shen Yi carried a hint of malice. His hands, hidden within his sleeves, were in a defensive posture, and he slightly adjusted his stance to protect Zilan.

He didn't have the acute senses of the White Dragon clan, but something abnormal was definitely amiss.

Yue Tiance wouldn't easily trust a stranger, especially since he already had a poor impression of Shen Yi.

If he wasn't worried about angering Zilan, he would have already taken action.

In this slightly tense atmosphere, the distant horizon suddenly filled with continuous clouds, which stood out in the night sky.

On the clouds, a group of robust figures stood, led by an elderly man in luxurious clothing, emanating a vast aura that was almost overwhelming.

Behind him were Cloud River Sect disciples, accompanied by Lin Daozi of the Blue Sea Sect, surrounded by great cultivators in Elder robes.

For an Immortal Sect to send out all its disciples, it wasn't just out of fear of a top-tier power, but also because the Eastern Dragon Palace was truly worthy of respect.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end