Chapter 662: An Embarrassing Task for Him?
Chapter 662: An Embarrassing Task for Him?
He departed in the midst of a scorching summer, only to return amidst the bitter cold of winter.
The entire Juyang Prefecture was blanketed in thick snow, casting a chill over the grand mansion.
As Ye Lan's heart was set on the Southern Continent, she managed to return a few days earlier than her departure, and upon arrival, she immediately set off to handle matters with Ye Jing.
After all, as a titled general of the Demon Slayer Bureau, in this chaotic situation with initial signs of turmoil, she had been away for half a year. It was only right to provide an explanation to the court.
Shen Yi walked back to the courtyard alone, entered the house, and sat on the edge of the bed.
This trip had yielded substantial gains. Not only did she establish a legitimate foothold in the Divine Continent, but she also acquired the Void Dao Fruit, one of the Tri-Religion True Arts. It could be said that she had firmly solidified her position.
However, there was a price to pay.
He glanced out the window at the heavy snowfall, calmly organizing his thoughts.
First was the matter of the Celestial Immortal. After returning, Qinghua had, due to the items obtained from White Feather Immortal, consecutively ascended two stages, becoming a Fifth Rank Celestial General from the Fifth Rank.
To be honest, Shen Yi rarely envied others, except for Qinghua.
The things that others struggled to obtain, for her, were as simple as eating and drinking water.
The other party had relied on the kindness of feeding pills to ascend to the Seventh Rank, and then, with the power of merit, became a Seventh Rank Immortal. She directly surpassed several Dao Realms in Hongze, and in a short time, she had become an existence comparable to the Taiyi Immortal family.
This rate of advancement even made Shen Yi feel a hint of pressure...
However, precisely because of this, anyone with a sound mind could see how absurd this situation was.
Extraordinary events must have a demonic cause.
That Qingluan Celestial General, most likely, still had her suspicions.
For others, promotion was undoubtedly a good thing, but don't forget that Qinghua was a martial general, not a civil official.
With only the Immortal Seal, and without any other means, her shallow foundation was apparent. Qingluan Immortal General didn't need to specifically target her; she just needed to perform her duties normally, and that would be enough to give her a headache.
Moreover, this rate of promotion would inevitably arouse jealousy and resentment among her colleagues.
If it were another Celestial General, others might even speculate about Qinghua's relationship with Qingluan Immortal General, and they would be more restrained.
But one was a merit-based immortal, and the other was notoriously reclusive. In between, there was also the matter of Zi Ling, which was common knowledge.
"Hmm."
Shen Yi was accustomed to various sinister methods, but rarely encountered such open and aboveboard schemes.
It was a grand and straightforward approach, leaving no room for choice.
If Qinghua encountered any trouble, he would not be able to remain a bystander. But as he intervened more frequently, he would gradually expose himself before Qingluan Immortal General.
At that time, how could his Hongze background possibly escape the scrutiny of a Fourth Rank Celestial General who genuinely wanted to investigate?
This would be a direct confrontation between the two.
As Shen Yi's interactions with Qinghua increased, his understanding of this Celestial General deepened.
It was worth noting that even without considering her status in the Celestial Court, although they were both disciples under the Great Dharmaraja, she was a legitimate disciple, and aside from the Immortal Seal, she was already comparable to a Fourth Rank Taiyi Heavenly Immortal. Even if he obtained the Void Dao Fruit and became a Taiyi Immortal, he would still be one level lower than her.
Moreover, that Immortal Seal couldn't be ignored.
Shen Yi himself possessed the White Rhinoceros Seal and was well aware of the immense pressure it exerted on ordinary cultivators, even those of the same rank.
In terms of strength, he was far inferior, and in terms of background... he didn't think Divine Void Mountain would truly consider him as a direct disciple.
He had to either abandon Qinghua and the Golden Body Dharma, turning a blind eye to the Immortal Court, or prepare for a confrontation with this Celestial General.
When faced with such a dilemma, Shen Yi rarely hesitated.
Furthermore, on that day, when he inquired about Ye Lan's calamity, the glance she cast towards Divine Void Mountain also made him feel slightly uneasy.
"This is too little."
Shen Yi opened the panel and looked at the various prompts.
[Slain Fifth Rank White Feathered Golden Crane, total lifespan of fifty-seven tribulations, remaining lifespan of thirty-two tribulations, absorption complete]
[Slain Sixth Rank Silver Scaled Gray Python, total lifespan of twenty-three tribulations, remaining lifespan of four tribulations, absorption complete]
...
[Remaining Demonic Beast Lifespan: one hundred and two tribulations]
The power of the White Rainbow Three Immortals was not insignificant. Just one of them had an entourage of Sixth Rank Great Demons.
With over a dozen of them combined, they contributed nearly sixty tribulations, adding to the White Feathered Immortal and the remaining ones, finally pushing the remaining demonic lifespan back into the triple digits.
Initially, Shen Yi had almost completely eliminated Hongze, and even after leaving, he only took away over two hundred tribulations.
He felt it was insufficient, mainly because he was comparing it to the tribulations required for the Dao Fruit.
The Void Dao Fruit, ranked tenth among the Taiyi Seventy-Two Dao Fruits, required one hundred and ninety-three tribulations to obtain.
"Never mind, take your time."
Shen Yi closed her eyes, first infusing the Demonic Beast Lifespan into the Heavenly Immortal Technique.
【Sixth Rank Freedom Transformation Art: Uninitiated】
This technique was one she had already thoroughly analyzed with Ye Lan's help, and now she only needed to consume the normal tribulations and truly experience it.
Compared to the arduous cultivation of the Bodhimanda Sect, the Tri-Immortal Sect's technique was evidently more complex.
Shen Yi's face paled slightly.
Fortunately, after enduring the harsh cultivation, her willpower had also significantly strengthened.
Even with her spirit in constant turmoil, her mind remained as steady as a rock, unaffected by external disturbances.
The formidable aspect of the Tri-Religion True Art was fully demonstrated at this moment.
The Jade Dragon Sect's wild art was instantly assimilated.
The Cavernous Tree within her body transformed from tangible to intangible, subtly aligning with the Freedom Path. When it descended, although it was still the same Cavernous Tree, it seemed ready to take flight at any moment, no longer confined to one place.
Another six transformations later, the dense branches and leaves were adorned with silver light, like a full moon, complementing the Golden Lotus and Dragon Tiger Fruit below, akin to the rising of the sun and moon together.
Thus, the True Immortal Six Lifespan and the Heavenly Immortal Six Lifespan, totaling twelve tribulations, were all complete.
The dense silver radiance was extremely rich, forming a stark contrast with the faint golden light on the Lotus Platform during the Nine Tribulations, when she was forced to pluck the Void Fruit.
【Sixth Rank Freedom Transformation Art: Perfection】
【Remaining Demonic Beast Lifespan: Ninety-Eight Tribulations】
Shen Yi closed her eyes and looked within.
Amidst the rippling silver light, the high-hanging branches seemed somewhat empty, clearly missing something.
After experiencing the power of over a hundred tribulations, the strength gained from merely six tribulations was not very noticeable. However, the crucial aspect was that through this Freedom Transformation Art, Shen Yi gradually began to comprehend the Great Void's intent.
She did not stand up but instead, once again, mobilized the Demonic Beast Lifespan and began attempting to pluck this Void Fruit.
...
In a serene hall within the Juyang Prefecture office.
A middle-aged man sat leaning against the wall, his figure slightly thin within the dark red robe. He supported his face with one hand, appearing to be in a state of meditation.
Below him, several people stood scattered, their attire and appearances varying despite being in the office, clearly not ordinary officials.
As Ye Lan stepped into the hall, everyone glanced at her, and one person whispered, "Something's happened."
"..."
Ye Lan's expression changed slightly. The reason she had rushed back was because she felt that the matter of the Seven Treasures Bodhisattva's sermon was not as simple as it seemed on the surface.
If it was due to encountering a bottleneck and urgently needing the Imperial Qi to break through, then the gains from this sermon, let alone breaking through, might not even make up for the four rounds of treasures that the court had confiscated from the other party.
A loss indeed.
Sure enough, those people had follow-up actions.
"You're mistaken; it's not the Bodhimanda Sect." The person who spoke shook his head and sighed helplessly.
Upon hearing this, a hint of confusion appeared in Ye Lan's eyes, but she first looked towards the main seat in the hall and bowed to the middle-aged man in the dark red robe.
The Demon Slayer Bureau's rank divisions were strict.
From the lowest-ranking Demon Slayer to the Demon Slayer Officer in charge of a prefecture, and then to the Seal Generals like Ye Lan, they all belonged to the Great Southern Continent's Demon Slayer Bureau.
Above them were the three Southern Governor Generals who oversaw the entire Great Southern Continent's Demon Slayer Bureau.
The man before her was one of them, named Yang Mingli.
The last time the Seven Treasures Bodhisattva preached on Crane Mountain, he had disappeared into the clouds, and he was one of the several figures who pursued him.
"This time, it's the Tri-Immortal Sect."
Yang Mingli opened his eyes, his expression unreadable: "A demonic beast has entered the Great Southern Continent, unleashing a killing spree. Three prefecture offices have been destroyed, and over half of the Demon Slayers have been injured or killed. Three Demon Slayer Officers gave their lives to stop it, but all perished."
"Juyang Prefecture, that's where it came from."
His calm words caused those present to feel ashamed.
Allowing a demonic beast to wreak such havoc was undoubtedly a failure on their part as Seal Generals.
"Where's the Earth God?"
Ye Lan did not rush to blame herself but instead furrowed her brows.
Since many colleagues were standing here, it meant the demonic beast had been subdued, and she naturally wanted to ask the reason first.
As the lowest-ranked Immortal Official in the Immortal Court, the Earth God's strength was not high, but he could perceive the changes in a region clearly and promptly inform the court.
This was one way the Immortal Court and the Human Emperor jointly governed the Divine Continent.
If it were just one prefecture, it would be fine, but with three prefectures affected, the Demon Slayer Bureau's late response was clearly inappropriate.
"That's the problem."
Yang Mingli slightly straightened his body, appearing middle-aged, but his movements and demeanor exuded old age, filled with the aura of dusk.
He slowly swept his hazy eyes over the crowd below, "Our Earth God seems to have all dozed off together. But after capturing this demonic beast, within half a day, they sent us its root."
"It has a master?" Ye Lan instantly realized.
With the Imperial Qi suppressing them, few demonic beasts without Immortal guidance could cultivate to such a calamitous level. But those who dared to cause trouble and still show their faces were even fewer.
"Tri-Immortal Sect, Qingmei Ancestor's mount." A colleague clenched his palm, his expression darkening.
But these words did not dispel Ye Lan's concerns. She did know Qingmei Daoist, and had recently interacted with her due to the Jade Dragon Sect's matters.
However, a casual Taiyi Immortal's face wasn't big enough to have General Yang bring a group of Title Generals here.
Among the eight people present, at least six could easily capture the beast, let alone a mere mount.
"Three suspicions."
Yang Mingli raised a finger, "Why did the Earth God turn a blind eye? Why is a Taiyi Immortal's mount stronger than herself? And why, when her mount caused trouble, did her master come forward instead?"
Each of his questions made the others' faces turn a shade paler.
Qingmei Daoist's master was the Jade Pond Ancestor, a cultivator who had reached the Great Enlightenment Immortal realm. Among his numerous disciples, some were renowned, such as those holding official positions in the Immortal Court, like Hongjing and others.
Such a figure personally sent a letter to spare the beast's life and bring it back to the sect for punishment. This even made Qingmei offer many apologies, which were promptly sent to the court.
"I can't understand these three questions, so my heart feels a bit chaotic."
Yang Mingli retracted his hand, "Of course, the court will handle these matters. We just need to do our job. Since the court hasn't returned the apologies, after discussing with the three of us, we plan to... send this beast back."
"However, we can't do it in the name of the Divine Court. We should consider these matters of face. You are the Peak Master of Shenxu Mountain, a member of the Tri-Immortal Sect, and can be considered a peer. Just clean it up and set off."
"..."
Finally, Ye Lan understood why so many colleagues were waiting for her here.
Her previous reputation had indeed been used to help the Demon Slayer Bureau.
For example, this time, if the court sent people to escort the beast, it would be called sending it back willingly. But since she was a member of the Tri-Immortal Sect in name, if she took the beast back, it would be considered the sect retrieving it.
She lowered her gaze to the ground, feeling inexplicably uneasy.
It wasn't because she couldn't let go of this face, but because of something else.
"Did General Yan agree?" Ye Lan took a deep breath and looked back.
"I knew you'd bring him up. He indeed disagreed, but the minority obeys the majority." Yang Mingli stood up and walked to Ye Lan's side, whispering, "Since you joined the Demon Slayer Bureau, you should understand that the overall situation is the priority."
"No one feels comfortable... but I've already smelled something amiss. Something's wrong, and the Divine Continent is about to explode, at least not from the Southern Continent."
The Immortal Court had yet to respond to the Seven Treasures Bodhisattva's teachings.
Now, the Earth God had taken such an action.
This wasn't something a court that wanted to co-rule the Divine Continent with the Human Emperor should do.
"But I'm no longer the Peak Master of Shenxu Mountain."
Ye Lan paused, and everyone looked at her.
"What's wrong?" Yang Mingli frowned, looking at her. He had always suggested that the Demon Slayer Bureau take action to help Ye Lan secure her position in the Tri-Immortal Sect and even advance further, but she had refused many times.
"The current Pill Peak Peak Master is Juyang Prefecture's Demon Slayer Officer, Shen Yi." Ye Lan didn't intend to explain further, summarizing it in a sentence.
"..."
Yang Mingli and the Title Generals were clearly hearing this strange name for the first time.
Seeing that Ye Lan stopped there and didn't want to elaborate, he paused, not asking further. At least this identity remained in the Demon Slayer Bureau.
"Then you go and explain to him, remember, come back early."
"I understand."
Ye Lan nodded, but felt her mouth and throat drying up.
Qingmei was an Ancestor-level figure, and to connect with her, one would need a similar status. This trip to Shenxu Mountain was originally to help Shen Yi, but she never expected to encounter such a situation.
Thinking of that youth's personality, she truly didn't know how to broach the subject.
(End of Chapter)
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