https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-574-Did-Qinghua-Ascend-to-Immortality-/12938330/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-576-Immortal-Technique-Perfection-Leaving-the-Sect-for-a-Hunt/12938342/
Chapter 575: The Calamity Strikes Again
Chapter 575: The Calamity Strikes Again
In Nan Hong, the Dragon Palace.
Figure after figure returned to the Jade Stone Hall, and the Cole Family Prince had already removed his lavish attire, replacing it with heavy armor.
He stood below the azure stone steps, his face somewhat gloomy.
Qi Zhaoyi concealed his schadenfreude and walked over to pat the Cole Family Prince's shoulder, "Brother, mourn and accept the changes. Your younger brother's death was unjust, but it has allowed us to see the true colors of the Seven Sons of Nan Hong. As for the Golden Light matter, don't be too anxious. This exalted immortal has endured for so many years, achieving the immortal realm through virtue. They wouldn't care about the trivial matters of Hong Ze."
"..."
The Cole Family Prince glanced at him with a forced smile.
It's easy to talk when you're not the one affected. This Virtue Immortal didn't emerge in Western Flood, and the appearance of such a prominent figure would naturally cause concern.
Which side does this immortal favor?
If they have connections with the Seven Sons of Nan Hong, once they ascend to the Immortal Court and receive their immortal title, a single word from them could make life difficult for the Nan Long Palace.
Setting that aside, let's talk about the banquet.
It was hard enough for him to have a brother reach the Celestial Realm, and his position as the crown prince was secure. Unlike Western Flood, this brother could be considered his right-hand man.
And now, he's gone. How could he not feel the pain?
"It's not your brother who died," the Cole Family Prince said, withdrawing his gaze and smiling coldly.
"Look at what you're saying... If my brother were truly dead, I'd be overjoyed," Qi Zhaoyi said without a hint of anger. The control Western Dragon Palace has over its territories is something these poison dragons wouldn't dare dream of.
"That's good."
In an instant, a deep and resonant voice echoed through the hall.
The next moment, accompanied by heavy footsteps, a majestic figure over ten zhang tall slowly stepped into the Jade Stone Hall.
It wore a thin ceremonial robe, exquisite in quality but extremely old, as if sealed away for many years, it had lost its original luster. Just like this dragon demon itself, it exuded a faint aura of decay.
However, as it passed through the crowd and approached the large throne, the entire throne seemed tailor-made for it. The height and width were just right, and even the armrests perfectly fit its palm size.
Without the need for a crown, the massive dragon horn on its head was already a treasure crown.
"Your son pays his respects to Father King!"
After a brief moment of daze, all the figures in the hall, except for Qi Zhaoyi, quickly knelt towards the main seat, including the Cole Family Prince in heavy armor.
The South Dragon King did not ask his children to rise but merely raised a finger to interrupt Qi Zhaoyi's bow.
A previously opened letter fell into the hands of the eldest of the Qi family.
"..."
Qi Zhaoyi looked at the seal unique to the Western Dragon Palace, forcibly broken on the envelope, and his eyelids twitched. He felt a mix of anger and reluctance to speak.
He silently took out the letter, assuming it was from his seventh brother. But after reading the handwriting above, his breath suddenly stopped, and the letter fell to the ground as his palms trembled violently.
Then, he raised his head in a fit of rage, his low growl reaching his throat. But when his gaze met the South Dragon King, he forced it back down, "How... How could this be?"
Had his seventh and fourth brothers disappeared just because he came to Nan Hong?
Among Qi Zhaoyi's brothers, the seventh was the only one who supported him, and the fourth was the only one who remained neutral. They were the few that Qi Zhaoyi could sway.
If not for the presence of outsiders, he would have suspected that this was a carefully planned scheme by his second brother or that woman.
This was not just losing his right-hand man; it was as if half his life had been taken.
"Mourn and accept the changes."
The Cole Family Prince glanced at the letter on the ground and spoke softly.
However, Qi Zhaoyi was in no mood for banter. Recalling that all the great demons who had pledged allegiance to him had lost contact, he shivered. It was clear he had been ambushed. If he didn't return soon, he might face suppression upon reaching the Western Dragon Palace.
"Please forgive me, South Dragon King. Zhaoyi... Zhaoyi must take his leave."
Qi Zhaoyi trembled as he cupped his fists, never expecting his brothers or that woman to be so ruthless, not even sparing their own kin.
Forget about the crown prince position; only his father could protect him now.
"Wait."
The South Dragon King, with his concise words, lifted his head and then took out several more letters, placing them gently on the collapsed and bloodstained stone table.
Seeing this, the Cole Family Prince suddenly clenched his fists. He knew his father had awakened some time ago for some reason, but he never expected that after agreeing to hand over power, his father had already made contact with the Western Dragon Palace.
And he was completely unaware of these matters.
"You're mistaken. Western Flood is facing external threats, not internal chaos," the South Dragon King calmly stopped Qi Zhaoyi. Before the latter could respond, he continued, "Of course, your father does want you to return, but I've fought for an opportunity for you."
"..."
Qi Zhaoyi slowly turned around, astonished, "What opportunity?"
The South Dragon King calmly looked down, "This external threat is called the Ten Thousand Demon Hall. They have the ambition to gather ten thousand demons under their command. Your two brothers died because of a conflict over the allegiance of a great demon. This led to your father's intervention, and he has been searching Western Flood with all his might, but to no avail so far.
"This!"
Qi Zhaoyi suddenly turned to look at the Cole Family Prince beside him. This familiar name, they had discussed it more than once, but in his mouth, the Ten Thousand Demon Hall was merely a facade.
The Cole Family Prince also looked up in surprise.
The two arrogant and bizarre great demons he had seen before, could they really have the ability to involve the Western Dragon King?
"May I ask the South Dragon King, what can Zhaoyi do?" Qi Zhaoyi asked after a brief daze, lowering his posture even further.
"Stay in my Southern Dragon Palace, and bring the great demons your father sent to you, the Seven Sons of War. After the matter is settled, the Southern Dragon Palace will be your strongest support in securing the position of Crown Prince." The South Dragon King spoke calmly.
"Which great demons are they?" Qi Zhaoyi furrowed his brows.
"All the famous and influential great demons in the Western Flood, including that Cold Mountain Ancestor."
"..."
Upon hearing this, Qi Zhaoyi did not show any joy but instead, his expression gradually turned solemn, "These great demons don't seem to have any affiliation with my Western Dragon Palace."
The South Dragon King nodded, "Indeed, so they were brought to Nan Hong by your father."
Instead of leaving these great demons in the Western Flood for the Ten Thousand Demon Hall to defeat and subdue one by one, it was better to gather these demons together and keep an eye on them. Even if they were truly subdued by others, at least they would create more of a stir.
"Father!"
The Cole Family Prince suddenly raised his head, his keen senses picking up on something amiss.
The Ten Thousand Demon Hall had a habit of subduing great demons, and the Western Dragon Palace couldn't find any trace of them. Now that all these great demons had come to Nan Hong... wouldn't the Ten Thousand Demon Hall come as well?
Clearly, this was a conflict between the Western Dragon Palace and the Ten Thousand Demon Hall, but they were bringing the fight to Nan Hong!
This was not sending help but using Nan Hong as bait to lure out the Ten Thousand Demon Hall and minimize the losses of the Western Flood.
If a conflict arose, it would also give the Western Dragon Palace more room to maneuver.
The South Dragon King paid no heed to his eldest son and continued to stare at Qi Zhaoyi, "I agree, and not only that, I can grant you the authority to allow these great demons to roam freely in Nan Hong. As for how many you can subdue, that depends on your own abilities."
Qi Zhaoyi's breathing suddenly became heavy.
Putting aside everything else, the Cold Mountain Ancestor was the most powerful demon on land in the Western Flood, and his cultivation realm was no less than his own.
If he could gain his assistance, along with the full support of the Southern Dragon Palace, then the deaths of the two brothers seemed insignificant.
"Zhaoyi will follow Uncle Cole's arrangements and do his best!"
Qi Zhaoyi knelt down without hesitation and banged his head on the stone steps several times.
He couldn't possibly believe all of the South Dragon King's words, but in his current situation, he had clearly offended no one, yet he had inexplicably become a loner. Unless he gave up the competition for the position of Crown Prince, it seemed there was no other way out.
Now that a lifeline was presented before him, no matter how humiliating, he had to grasp it tightly!
"Go."
The South Dragon King waved his hand, and his face softened slightly.
After Qi Zhaoyi left the hall obediently, the South Dragon King turned to his own son, and the warmth in his eyes instantly turned cold, "What do you want to say?"
The Cole Family Prince quickly stood up and clenched his fists, "Father, it's easy to invite a god but difficult to send one away. You brought these great demons to my Nan Hong, and now you're letting them eat and drink as they please? Does that mean we fight for them, and they get all the benefits?"
"Also, what does the Western Dragon Palace think of us? Are we their sacrificial pawns or their guard dogs?"
"If that's the case, it's better to coexist peacefully with the Seven Sons of Nan Hong..."
As the Cole Family Prince spoke, he noticed the disappointment in his father's eyes growing more intense, and he fell silent.
"While you're still dreaming of becoming a king and ruling over all, I'm considering how to preserve my life and your worthless lives."
The South Dragon King withdrew his gaze and spoke indifferently, "I'm thinking about how to ensure our survival."
The Ten Thousand Demon Hall, the Virtue Immortal, the mysterious manipulation of Nan Hong's aura, and the sudden rise of the Seven Sons of Nan Hong—these were all matters of life and death.
He found it laughable that in the eyes of the crown prince he had chosen, the Southern Dragon Palace still had a choice, as if they held the upper hand.
It seemed they had become too complacent.
"If we're going to fight, we must fight to the death."
"Being a dog for others is better than dying."
The South Dragon King slowly stood up, "Those aren't food, but the eyes and ears of the Seven Sons of Nan Hong."
For example, why did the Qi family's eldest son receive news as soon as he arrived, and why couldn't the Dragon Palace approach the Seven Sects? It was because there were those vassal forces keeping an eye on the borders.
"Bringing in a pack of hungry wolves, removing the eyes and ears of the Seven Sons, so they can't see or spread the news. Only then can we invite true experts from the Western Dragon Palace and have a glimmer of hope." The South Dragon King narrowed his eyes.
The Western Dragon Palace and the Southern Dragon Palace had a good relationship, but now, they not only had to guard against the Ten Thousand Demon Hall but also had to be wary of the purple-bearded white dragons in the east.
Only by handling the matter flawlessly, ensuring no mistakes, and quickly resolving the conflict while bearing most of the risks for the Western Dragon Palace, could they obtain sufficient help to permanently eliminate future troubles.
"Why don't we do it ourselves?" The Cole Family Prince still hesitated, for if they were to once again stir up a slaughter apocalyptic, these human treasure herbs could even push him to the late stage of the Celestial Realm, the realm he had always dreamed of.
"We need to keep an eye on those people. Remember to put away your useless face. When they come out, we'll retreat to the Dragon Palace, and when they return, we'll continue our ruckus. Even if we have to be dogs, we'll be cunning ones."
"Even if they beat us to the Dragon Cavern's door, we must hide honestly. Only after winning will the face you care about stop being so ridiculous and absurd."
"..."
The Cole Family Prince stood there as if struck by lightning, struggling to imagine that these humiliating words came from the mouth of his dignified and majestic Father King.
It was no wonder that this old man could remain calm during the last slaughter apocalyptic.
He really couldn't imagine what it would take to lure this old man out of the Dragon Cavern and engage in a life-and-death battle.
Aside from waiting for this old man's natural death, it seemed he had no other chance to inherit the Dragon Cavern.
...
The sacred ground of Nanyang.
Even as the seven sects were immersed in a euphoric atmosphere, Shen Yi returned alone to the quiet hall.
To other cultivators, this was a restoration of the Seven Sons of Nan Hong's former authority, but in his eyes, it was merely the slaying of a Celestial Realm Dragon Demon. With the Dragon Prince still alive, there wasn't much difference from before.
These flashy things couldn't kill people.
Shen Yi sat cross-legged, calming the tumultuous emotions from earlier.
As for Qinghua Consort's situation, there was no immediate solution, but on the bright side, it had at least drawn most of the Immortal's attention. Moreover, although the Immortal position wasn't his, the demon soul that had originally seized the Yin body was Qinghua's.
However, he could take over that Golden Body at any time, and upon careful consideration, it didn't seem to make much difference.
There was also a chance to get a glimpse of the true nature of the Immortal Court ahead of time, and perhaps he could use it to aid his cultivation.
"Besides, an Immortal position that can be casually bestowed can also be easily taken back. It's not worth much; it's more reassuring to rely on one's own cultivation."
Shen Yi raised an eyebrow and, as usual, took out the dragon corpse.
After this feast, he had gained a deeper understanding of Celestial Realm cultivators. For instance, among the chamber lords, the strongest, Ke Shisan, was still much weaker than the Cole Family Prince, clearly still at the initial stage of the Celestial Realm.
This was why Shen Yi was so determined to slay this demon.
As long as Ke Shisan broke through to the middle stage of the Celestial Realm, within the Nan Hong region, aside from the South Dragon King or the combined efforts of the two eldest princes of the Cole and Qi families, no one would be able to threaten his life.
"However, relying on the Binding Stone isn't a long-term solution."
Shen Yi sighed softly, summoning Ke Shisan and infusing him with the Blood River while deep in thought.
With the support of two Immortal Techniques and five Dao Armaments, his current strength was comparable to that of a cultivator at the initial stage of the Celestial Realm, and his foundation was relatively solid, not something a newly-advanced water product like the Second Prince could match.
If he could further cultivate the two Immortal Techniques, he might even reach the middle stage of the Celestial Realm.
But the most troublesome aspect was still his own realm.
Shen Yi had an idea, guessing that it was still related to the Ten Thousand Demon Hall, but when it came to Divine Abilities, only a Binding Stone of a Fusion Realm demon could bring about noticeable changes.
Where could he find so many Fusion Realm demons?
The rapid emergence of the Ten Thousand Demon Hall showed that they weren't fools. After a couple of them were killed, they would realize something was wrong and flee; they wouldn't just deliver themselves to his doorstep.
"..."
Shen Yi shook his head and turned his gaze to Ke Shisan before him.
This Eastern Hall Master had absorbed all of the Blood River and consumed seven demon origins, yet he still kept his eyes tightly shut.
"If you like playing dead, you can go to the Dao Palace and do it there. I'll find another Hall Master," Shen Yi said indifferently.
"Hehe... Xuan Jian expresses his gratitude to the Master." Ke Shisan opened his eyes awkwardly, and in an instant, a brand new, thick aura spread from his body. With the help of the Second Prince's Celestial Realm Dragon Demon, he effortlessly passed through the threshold he had been just one step away from.
The young Dragon Prince, who had only been at the Return to Void Realm, had, in a short time, become a terrifying existence on par with the two eldest princes of the Cole and Qi families.
However, there was no joy on the Eastern Hall Master's face; instead, it was filled with fear.
With the master temporarily solving the troubles of the Nan Long Palace and slaying so many great demons, who knew how rich he had become.
Given his wealth and free time, based on Ke Shisan's understanding of the master, the latter would most likely not choose to wander around but instead...
The next moment, Yue Tianji and Ke Shisan were forcibly pulled into the panel! Shen Yi closed his eyes, and the vast lifespans of the demons and demonic beasts crazily poured into the Divine Mountain Calming Heaven Art.
[Year 1: With two Hall Masters by your side, you carefully sense the treasure mountain within your body. You become more and more like a true Divine Mountain, and this Azure Sky has completely accepted your existence. Now, you can't help but harbor ill intentions towards it.]
(End of Chapter)
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