Chapter 569: Returning to Nanyang, the Dragon Palace's Summons

Chapter 569: Returning to Nanyang, the Dragon Palace's Summons

The mountain peaks soared into the clouds, resembling a white jade platform that stretched wide. Upon it stood the Nanyang relief, its grandeur suspended in the air.

There were seven such places, all located in the secluded corner of Nanhong.

Numerous cultivators hurried back and forth, their expressions more solemn than before, lacking the previous sense of ease.

By now, anyone could sense the shift in the atmosphere, but the Southern Dragon Palace had yet to openly clash with the Seven Sons.

However, aside from the Immortal Sects, the vassal forces, regardless of their means of survival, felt the increasing hardships. The Dragon Palace's demon soldiers beneath the water became harder to deal with, and accidents among their disciples occurred more frequently.

It was evident that the Southern Dragon Palace not only intended to cut off the support to the Seven Sons but also aimed to block the eyes and ears of the Immortal Sects.

They were truly forcing the Seven Sects of Nanhong back into the corner!

The news brought back by the disciples upon their return to the sect wasn't entirely positive. Although there had been gains, they still hadn't invited a powerful figure from Xihong who could decisively influence the situation. Instead, it revealed the attitude of the Western Dragon Palace.

Rumors spread that the group of Jade Horned Silver Dragons in the west had dared to collude with the Ten Thousand Phenomena Pavilion, setting up an ambush to kill the Nanhong disciples. It seemed they were determined to settle the score.

If the two Dragon Palaces joined forces and launched an attack, even if the Nanhong Seven Sons only defended one location, they would undoubtedly pay a heavy price.

The Southern Dragon Palace's strategy, akin to boiling a frog in warm water and slicing flesh with a dull blade, was clear even to ordinary elders and disciples. How could the sect leader and the disciples not understand?

They would definitely take action; they were just waiting for the right moment.

Waiting...

Many cultivators looked up and saw the Qingyue Sect Leader's treasure ship gliding through the sky. At the front of the ship, two figures stood side by side.

Besides the Qingyue Sect Leader, there was another figure, the Nanyang Sect Leader, whose mysterious presence had won the sincere respect of many disciples.

"We're back!"

In that moment, regardless of their status, all the cultivators who witnessed the treasure ship bowed and greeted the sect leader's return.

As the treasure ship glided away, they stood up one by one, their gazes filled with various thoughts.

With the two leaders returning from Xihong, the seven great sect leaders had gathered. Facing the Southern Dragon Palace's aggressive stance, they would undoubtedly need to take a stand.

Whether it would lead to negotiations or the restoration of the Immortal Sects' authority, an answer might come soon.

"..."

Inside the Tianjian Sect Hall, the hall doors were tightly shut.

The disciples, who usually led the sect, now stood quietly on both sides, listening to Ji Shishu's account of his experiences at Jade Mountain.

"A Tianjing Dragon Son has fallen?" The Bihai Sect Leader looked on in surprise, then fell into deep thought. "In a few months, the eldest of the Qi family will surely be recalled."

To be honest, if not for the sudden madness of the Southern Dragon Palace, the Seven Sons had no intention of returning to the mountains.

Their already insufficient foundation had diminished instead of growing over the past hundred thousand years, making them even more fragile.

The main reason... was the purpose of their return to the mountains.

To become the top power in Hongze again?

Even with the remaining strength of the Nanhong Seven Sons, if they were willing to stand up, they wouldn't lose to the Western Dragon Palace and the Yue family, even if they couldn't match the Eastern Dragon Palace and the Wuliang Dao Huang Sect.

As long as they were ruthless enough and dared to fight, they could secure a few pieces of the He Dao treasure land in Beihong or Donghong for their disciples and vassal forces to recuperate, which would be countless times better than their current situation.

But the problem was that the one who had "confined" the Nanhong Seven Sons was the Eastern Dragon King.

That Dragon King, under the pretense of Ziling, had protected the Seven Sons from the Immortals, preventing their wrath from falling upon the remaining six sects.

After all, even the Hongze Immortal couldn't be sure if Ziling, who had ascended to heaven, still cared about the clan in Hongze... She probably did, as heaven was too lonely, and over time, she couldn't help but yearn for the familial bonds she once had.

He had worked hard to send Ziling to heaven, so it was impossible for him to risk offending her, even with the slightest possibility, just for the sake of six sects.

This was the reason for the current situation.

If the Nanhong Seven Sons took the initiative to leave, they would be breaking this agreement. At that time, not only would the Hongze Immortal react, but those who had been flattering the Immortals would also not hesitate to take action against the Nanhong cultivators to please the Immortal.

Therefore, the current state of affairs was, in fact, the last shred of face left for the Hongze forces, and this "gentle treatment" was mostly due to the Eastern Dragon Palace's influence.

Since the eldest of the Qi family was going to be recalled, as long as they could hold on until then, this dispute in Nanhong seemed to be coming to a rather anticlimactic end.

After all, even if the Ko family's crown prince went crazy, he would never believe that the Southern Dragon Palace alone could truly rival the Seven Sons.

That old dragon king, without the support of the Dragon Cavern, lacked the power to suppress the heroes.

"..."

Even the remaining sect leaders slightly dazed as they withdrew their gazes.

The Lingyun and Wushuang Sect Leaders subtly sighed in relief.

The Lingyue Sect Leader remained silent.

But the Tianjian Sect Leader, though he also withdrew his gaze, still had a faint trace of disappointment in his eyes.

As one of the Nanhong Seven Sons, he had taken on the mission of the treasure land, to cut down all obstacles for the Nanyang Great Sun to shine peacefully over this land and water.

Now, this sword had become sharper, yet it seemed it would never leave its sheath again.

For Yejiu, this was undoubtedly a tragedy.

"I have some matters to attend to and need to return to the sect first."

Shen Yi slowly stood up, feeling a bit uncomfortable with the idea of sitting together and chatting. For these sect leaders with their long lifespans, even if they sat idly for decades, it would be but a fleeting moment. But for Shen Yi, it was genuinely boring.

He took out a jade slip and placed it on the table next to Yejiu.

Then, with a bow, he bid farewell and departed from the hall.

"Why did he leave for a while and come back so distant?"

Deng Yuhu curiously looked at Ji Jingxi, as Shen Yi had left in a hurry but returned with Ji Shimei. He had thought their relationship was good.

Without waiting for a response, he turned his gaze to the jade slip on the table, "What is this?"

Ye Jiu picked it up and glanced at it, then furrowed his brows, "The communication treasure of the Master of Banshan Sect? So, does Banshan Sect really plan to follow us and fight to the death with the Dragon Palace?"

As he spoke, he couldn't help but chuckle.

Following the Southern Seven Sons, they were only there to take a beating and had no chance to reap the benefits.

However, Ji Jingxi glanced sideways, "That Huang Daoyou said that all the cultivators in the two great treasure lands of Banshan, including himself and the Sub-Sect Master, would be at the disposal of Shen Zongzhu."

"..."

With these words, the great hall quickly fell silent.

Ye Jiu's smile hadn't faded when he looked at the jade slip in his hand and suddenly felt it was a little hot.

The Master of Banshan Sect was not considered a powerhouse in his eyes.

But this act of entrusting one's life and possessions to others contained a level of trust that even made him feel his heart palpitate.

Even if Shen Yi was the long-lost father of Huang Daoyou, it was impossible for a Sect Master to make such a decision.

The Lingyun Sect Master and the Bihai Sect Master, whose cultivation was slightly lower and had little interaction with Shen Yi, were even more astonished.

Don't forget, Ji Shimei didn't say that they were at the disposal of the Southern Seven Sons, but specifically mentioned Shen Yi, indicating that this matter had nothing to do with the Seven Sons and was solely for the face of the Nanyang Sect Master.

How... How could a cultivator from another sect be more trustworthy to Shen Yi than they, the allies of his sect?

"Hmm."

Ye Jiu exhaled, holding up the jade slip and tentatively asking, "So, shall we fight?"

The other Sect Masters looked on with peculiar expressions.

Although Banshan Sect's actions were indeed startling, even if these two Earth Realm cultivators were included, they could only help the Seven Sons remain calm in the face of the Dragon Palace's sinister moves, but it wouldn't be decisive.

"I was just asking casually."

Ye Jiu put away the jade slip. Compared to Banshan Sect, the real reason he asked this question was mainly because of Shen Yi himself.

For an Immortal Channeling cultivator to have such trust, this young man must have something extraordinary about him.

Moreover, why did the other party give the jade slip specifically to him and not the other Sect Masters?

Perhaps this Shen Zongzhu's thoughts were closer to his own?

...

Nanyang Sacred Land.

Li Qingfeng and Xuan Qing had long been standing in front of the Ancestral Hall to welcome him. Without even needing to look, after reaching the Immortal Channeling Realm, the moment he stepped into the treasure land in his dark robe, the entire world seemed to celebrate.

"I'm back."

Xuan Qing felt the changes in the world's energy and respectfully performed the disciple's salute towards the sky.

Although their cultivation was slightly lower, they each took on the responsibilities of a Daoist Priest and the Great Elder, managing the entire treasure land with impeccable order.

"So busy, I also wanted to report to the Sect Master about the care we've received from our allied sects during this time."

Although Li Qingfeng couldn't perceive the changes in energy, he could still judge from Xuan Qing's actions that the Sect Master had already left.

Currently, the Nanyang Sect didn't have the strength to protect its vassals and could only rely on its allies for self-preservation.

He still remembered when the Sect Master had just returned to the Void Realm; he could even bring him out of the sect to attend banquets. As the Sect Master's cultivation grew, it seemed that no one in the entire treasure land could keep up with his pace.

However, it seemed that everyone except the Sect Master was living increasingly peaceful lives.

In Hongze, peace was a luxury for every cultivator, and everyone knew how this peace was achieved.

"The Sect Master is clear-minded and will never mistreat our allies."

Xuan Qing turned and returned to the Ancestral Hall. Perhaps he was the one among the Seven Sons who understood Shen Yi the most. The other party even had the thought of fighting for him against an Immortal. The contributions of his masters now would probably be the most profitable deal of their lives.

"..."

Shen Yi arrived at the most familiar peak and paused slightly.

To his surprise, the originally empty mountaintop now had a majestic treasure hall, surrounded by a serene and empty space. Wisps of blue smoke floated inside the hall, calming one's mind.

Only a few incense-offering disciples were present, and upon seeing Shen Yi, they forcibly suppressed their excitement, respectfully saluted, and then quickly left the cultivation hall without disturbing him.

Compared to these disciples, the last figure in a plain dark robe had a face that didn't show much of the awe-inspiring presence mentioned in the rumors but instead exuded a warm smile.

"Not cultivating but coming here to offer incense?"

Shen Yi rarely stopped his hurried steps and paused for a moment.

"Reporting..."

The woman in dark robes respectfully cupped her hands, and before she could finish speaking, she saw Shen Yi slightly raise his eyebrows.

She pursed her lips, and her eyes showed a warm smile, then slowly lowered her palms. Although her expression still had some restraint, her standing posture with hands at her sides retained the carefree demeanor from their first meeting at Xitai Mountain.

"I've been diligently cultivating, but when I think of you, I can't help but come and see."

Although she was a Core Formation Stage disciple, facing the Earth Realm Great Perfection Sect Master, they were separated by a vast gap. But as long as Shen Yi allowed it, she was still that silent and reticent Jiang Qiuluan who never feared expressing her thoughts.

"..."

Shen Yi paused for a moment and took off a golden bracelet from his wrist.

Seeing this, the girl took a step back and shook her head, not saying any words of refusal, but instead holding back a smile and hesitating for a moment before asking the question she had been wanting to ask but hadn't had the chance to.

She looked at him seriously, "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Shen Yi nodded slightly.

"That's good," Jiang Qiuluan breathed a sigh of relief, then performed another salute and quickly descended the mountain with light steps.

She was already very familiar with the rumors about Shen Yi, to the point of reciting them fluently.

Now, she couldn't help him with this tall mountain anymore, but at least she wouldn't become a stumbling block on his path. After all, Shen Yi was no longer the Demon-Subduing General of Qingzhou but the pillar of the entire Nanyang Sacred Land.

Accompanying him on this journey was a rather enjoyable experience.

Moreover, compared to the golden bracelet that was clearly taken from a woman's wrist, she still preferred the demon core of the Blood Ox Demon she had.

"Hmm."

Shen Yi stood quietly for a moment, a rare sight as he shook his head and smiled, then took a step and entered the grand hall.

If he wanted these people to continue living peacefully in Hongze, he still had a long way to go.

Thinking of this, Shen Yi calmed his mind and sat cross-legged on a meditation cushion in the hall.

First, he inspected the harvest of the various Hall Masters on this trip, and under the nervous gaze of Ke Shisan, he still chose to turn these corpses into a river of blood and poured it into the other's Pillar Stone body.

Although there was a significant gap between the Jade Horned Silver Dragon and the Yellow Plague Venom Dragon, and some bloodlines would be wasted to some extent, as Shen Yi's cultivation realm improved, he also discovered that in battles between cultivators, quality was far more important than quantity.

Ke Shisan was the Hall Master with the highest potential.

If the four Dragon Palaces could be gathered to cast the Pillar Stone, perhaps when facing an Immortal, the other party could also play a decent role.

The vast river of blood gushed into his glabella.

Shen Yi simultaneously condensed the origin of the Demon's bloodline to nurture this first Hall Master.

Similar to Yu Lan, even with nearly three hundred thousand years of Demon lifespan poured in, it still couldn't elevate Ke Shisan to the Immortal rank; it only elevated his Demon Soul to the Dao Fusion Realm.

Even with the disparity in bloodlines, there was still a significant loss.

But Qi Zhaoyang's strength was too formidable, surpassing even An Tingfeng, and with Qi Zhaoping and other Demon Generals with Dragon blood, the aura on Ke Shisan's body gradually began to surge.

Soon, he surpassed Yue Tianji, then covered Yu Lan, until he was on par with An Yi... Finally, the speed of his aura's growth slowed down.

"Hmm—"

Accompanied by a powerful dragon breath, Ke Shisan finally opened his eyes, looking provocatively at An Yi.

However, he soon found it uninteresting because the petite Western Hall Master, although her face was calm, her eyes silently stared at the golden bracelet on her master's wrist, biting her lips, deep in thought, but she didn't spare him a second glance.

"Xuan Jian is grateful for the master's generous reward!"

Ke Shisan became the strongest Hall Master, his joy evident.

Shen Yi glanced at him; with so many corpses, he still couldn't completely close the gap in quality with An Yi, and it was unclear what he was proud of after wasting so much.

However, on the Pillar Stones of An Yi and Yu Lan, there was now an additional blood talisman with slight differences.

That was the mark left by the slain Dragon Prince.

Before they could completely fear no retaliation from the Western Dragon Palace, it was better for these two Hall Masters to minimize their appearances for now. Ke Shisan's breakthrough to the Heaven Realm also made up for his own deficiency in strength.

At this moment—

Shen Yi sensed something amiss and closed his eyes to examine the five Immortal cities covered by the Ten Thousand Demon Hall.

Three of them had changes in the light at the city gates.

At some point, a dazzling red light had tainted the originally pure golden light, as if a sinister aura had stained the Dao weapon with blood.

Shen Yi frowned slightly.

Something was wrong; if it was because of excessive slaughter, how could it be that it just happened to be the Immortal cities corresponding to the three Heaven Realm Hall Masters?

Could this Dao weapon continue to improve?

In addition, Shen Yi looked at the empty Ten Thousand Demon Hall. Previously, the Earth Realm's Di Ming You Mang was given to Wu Jun, and later, several Dao Fusion Realm Bear Demons and Bat Demons were given to An Yi.

The more Demon bloodlines in the hall, and the higher their cultivation, the more Shen Yi felt a strange sensation, as if these Demon bloodlines were nurturing something under the Hall Masters' guidance.

"Innate Divine Ability?"

Shen Yi pondered for a moment and suddenly thought of the difference between the Earth Realm and the Heaven Realm.

Using Dao techniques to deduce Divine Abilities, like the moonlight used by Senior Ji earlier, was one of her Divine Abilities and a sign of entering the Heaven Realm.

Not to mention, just by grasping a bit of aura, one could forcibly deprive the Qingfeng Clan Leader of part of his divine soul; such a method was both bizarre and terrifying.

What cultivator wouldn't leave behind an aura when acting, and who could tolerate their divine soul being mysteriously incomplete?

Could it be that his Divine Ability was in this Ten Thousand Demon Hall?

"Never mind, at least there's a direction to explore."

Shen Yi opened his eyes and grabbed Yue Tianji and Ke Shisan, pulling them into the control panel.

Since there was nothing new to condense, these four million years of Demon lifespan could only be enjoyed by the two Hall Masters alongside him.

Even if Immortal Techniques consumed lifespan, with such a terrifying number, Shen Yi was determined to obtain the Ten Thousand Tribulation Blood God Technique and the Divine Mountain Tranquil Sky Technique.

As the Demon lifespan was poured in,

The grand hall fell silent again, with only the figure in the ink-black robe sitting idly, accompanied by wisps of blue smoke.

...

The Qing Yue Treasure Ship had returned several days ago.

The anxious cultivators of the seven sects, including the various elders, had not received the news they wanted.

The sect leaders had clearly discussed it, but they didn't come up with a clear plan.

Petitions for aid from affiliated forces poured in like snowflakes to the seven sects.

Under the guidance of the Daoists, the Southern Flood sent countless cultivators for support, but from start to finish, they never mentioned how to quell this conflict or whether they should continue to compete with the Southern Dragon Palace.

"Wait?"

Liu Shiqian looked at the White Witch; after Wu Jun brought him back to the Southern Flood, aside from the Elder of Chiyang, he hadn't told anyone about his entry into the Dao Fusion Realm.

With his current strength, handling these trivial matters was effortless.

But with numerous disciples and elders constantly taking risks outside, it was never a good thing.

"Wait for Elder Qi to return, and all will be well."

The White Witch sighed and said, "It's frustrating, but even we, with our youthful arrogance, can't find a legitimate reason to start a fight."

"Even if we defeat the Southern Dragon Palace, it will only provoke the other Floods, leading to wave after wave of suppression."

"Perhaps there are one or two Sect Leaders who want to fight, but most would rather return to the way things were before."

"Let's hope so," said Liu Shiqian, recalling what he had seen and heard in the Western Flood. He had a feeling that things might not unfold as most Sect Leaders imagined. As Hongze became more chaotic, how could the Southern Seven Sons extricate themselves from this mess?

It would be better to take the initiative...

As this thought flashed through his mind, Liu Shiqian broke out in a cold sweat.

How had he developed such an idea after spending time at the Ten Thousand Demon Hall?

But who wouldn't want to face the Dragon Palace with the same disdainful attitude as that Dark Gold Robed Elder when dealing with the Dragon Palace?

It's just that my strength is insufficient.

As they spoke, both of them suddenly noticed something amiss and frowned, looking outside the Sect.

The next moment, a wave of water-scented demonic energy rolled over the Seven Sects.

"By the decree of the Southern Dragon Palace's Crown Prince, we have come to question you!"

A terrifying voice, like the roar of a ferocious beast, echoed in the sky.

Above the Southern Seven Sects, dark clouds loomed, and within them were enormous water demons, each with a hideous appearance and massive size. Among them, a Yellow Dragon with all-over spikes coiled, while a Red Dragon lashed its tail.

Amidst this terrifying display, two long dragons transformed into human forms, holding decrees and appearing in the sight of numerous cultivators.

They were the sons and grandsons of the Southern Dragon Palace, and they were all familiar faces.

The red-hued one was the fourth-ranked dragon grandson who originally guarded the waters near the Seven Sons.

The older one was the Kelu Family's Fifth Prince, who had lost nearly all his demon generals.

The last time they put on such a show was to blockade the Nanyang Sect's vassals. They eventually retreated with the help of several Daoist Priests, suffering heavy losses.

Now they had returned, and their arrogance had only grown.

Their confidence seemed to come from the decree they held.

The Kelu Family's Crown Prince rarely issued decrees, and the last two were both related to the Nanyang Sect.

"Your Highness, the Crown Prince, asks..."

The two dragon sons and grandsons looked down at the Immortal Sects below, taking in the cultivators with murderous intent, but they remained calm and their expressions became increasingly indifferent.

The next moment, a sharp, mocking question echoed in the air.

"The banquet is prepared. Will Nanyang dare to attend?"

The words quickly faded, reaching the ears of every cultivator. Those residing in their caves took out their treasures and flew out, riding the clouds.

For a moment, the entire Southern Seven Sons were stirred up.

This was not an invitation to a banquet; it was clearly filled with provocation.

Under the pressure of this period, these Immortal Sects cultivators were already filled with anger, and now that someone had come knocking on their door, they couldn't hold back any longer.

However, without the Sect Leader's command, they could only stare fiercely at the sky.

Under a large tree, several figures slowly stood up. Ye Jiu couldn't help but raise his lips in a smile, his eyes cold.

"Is it possible that they know about what happened in the Western Flood... and want to drag us into this chaos while the Qi Family hasn't yet retreated?"

Upon seeing this, the Lingyun Sect Leader hesitated for a moment but couldn't help but advise, "Let it go. We've been fellow disciples for countless years, and even now, our ideas diverge."

Ye Jiu glanced sideways without speaking, but his words made the Lingyun Sect Leader feel a chill.

"Enough. After so many years as fellow disciples, we're not going to start an internal conflict and embarrass ourselves."

The Ling Yue Sect Leader stepped between them, blocking their gaze. "I'll handle it."

Even fellow disciples who had been through life and death together might have differing opinions after enduring countless years of hardship.

No one truly feared the Southern Dragon Palace, but some were unwilling to take further risks.

As the words died down, several Sect Leaders were stunned, and Ji Jingxi, who had been silent the whole time, slowly raised her head.

The numerous cultivators of the Southern Seven Sons all turned their gazes in the same direction.

The Nanyang Sacred Land's formation suddenly flickered.

A figure walked out.

He looked young and immature, with low cultivation, only at the Core Formation Stage.

Amidst this scene, he seemed insignificant.

But facing the sky full of water demon tribes...

This youth-like cultivator appeared calm.

He slowly walked towards the White Jade Platform, standing with his hands behind his back, facing the two dragon sons and grandsons with their arrogant expressions.

Under the watchful eyes of everyone, Li Qingfeng nodded slightly. "My Sect Leader is aware. Wait there."

His calm words carried none of the ferocity of the water demons, but it left all the cultivators and demons stunned and uncertain.

"Hmph!"

The Kelu Family's Fifth Prince suddenly laughed. "What do you mean by 'wait'? You little one, why don't you help your Sect Leader, who dares not show his face, and make the situation clearer?"

The other cultivators also snapped out of their daze... They all knew the purpose of this banquet, and the death of the Kelu Family's dragon grandson needed an explanation.

Was Shen Zongzhu sending a disciple to represent him because he was afraid of being discovered?

"Oh well."

Li Qingfeng had already turned to walk towards the formation.

Hearing these words, he sighed softly.

He looked back at the sky and said, "Waiting means preparing the banquet and waiting for my Sect Leader to have free time. Naturally, he will attend the banquet."

"Nonsense!"

The fourth dragon grandson sneered. "What if he's always busy?"

Upon hearing this, Li Qingfeng straightened his clothes, and a hint of disdain finally appeared in his youthful eyes.

He said indifferently, "Then you'll have to keep waiting."

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end