Chapter 689: The Compassion of Buddha

Chapter 689: The Compassion of Buddha

While the Jade Pool Immortal Gate was in an uproar, the grand residence in Jianyang Commandery remained quiet and serene.

Sitting in the courtyard, Shen Yi appeared to be lost in thought, but in reality, he was using all his might to conceal his aura. Ever since his return to the Divine State, he had been helping the five Palace Masters of the Ten Thousand Demon Palace seize that immortal seal.

Now, the translucent and lustrous grand seal lay quietly within the ring on his finger.

Shen Yi retracted his divine sense and calmed his mind.

The matter with Hongze could finally come to a close. According to Qinghua's telepathic message, the Celestial Court's Heavenly Official had arrived and, following the procedures, conducted an investigation. With the abundant evidence collected in advance by the Eastern Dragon Palace, the whole process could be described as incredibly smooth.

After ruling as the Emperor Shiren for so long, he had become too complacent and didn't even consider the need for secrecy.

Moreover, since he had once attacked the Meritorious Immortal, this matter might even implicate the Jade Pool Immortal Gate. As for what would happen next, that would be up to the Celestial Court, and had nothing to do with Hongze.

Ever since his transmigration, Shen Yi's only wish was to secure his place in the world and be free from the worries of life and death.

From the moment he slew the Qingluan, he had given these things to the common people of Hongze, but he had excluded himself.

"..."

These grudges didn't simply disappear; they had merely shifted from Hongze to him, the Peak Master of Shenxu Mountain.

Whether it was Tianwu Mountain or the Shenxu Ancestor, neither would let him off easily.

Shen Yi opened his eyes, gazing silently at the blue sky above, then sighed helplessly.

Perhaps he was a little foolish when it came to cultivation, but he wasn't stupid. He could also discern some of the things that others could see.

This world was about to descend into chaos, with countless cultivators entering the cataclysm.

He had been forced to become entangled in this great calamity, yet he felt out of place among the others.

First, he didn't even know the specifics of this cataclysmic struggle. Second, while others had the support of their sects, he had to remain vigilant against the Shenxu Ancestor waking up at any moment and swallowing him and the Heaven's Elixir whole.

Aside from internal worries, external threats were equally severe.

There was no need to mention Tianwu Mountain; for that immortal legacy to rise again, it would undoubtedly have to trample over Shen Yi's bones.

Moreover, as the saying goes, the bird that sticks out gets shot.

Although the battle with Qingluan was satisfying, it had been witnessed by so many people. Once the news spread, the Pride of the Three Religions from other immortal gates would undoubtedly view him as a thorn in their side.

Not to mention the Bodhi Sect...

Shen Yi pressed his lips together, and a figure with a thousand arms appeared in his mind, along with the black dog being strangled by its neck by that person.

If his guess was correct, he should probably thank Master Zhikong for his tight-lipped nature, allowing him to still sit peacefully in the courtyard of his residence.

As for those True Gods, Shen Yi now had some understanding of them.

They were indeed impartial, but it was also true that they had no stance... or perhaps their stance was to remain neutral, not favoring anyone. Most likely, they wouldn't get involved in this matter.

After much consideration, it seemed that the only one he could rely on now was the Imperial Court.

At this thought, Shen Yi turned his head to look behind him.

"How's your injury?" Ye Lan approached with slow steps, asking with concern. She couldn't see the struggle between the five Palace Masters and the Demon Seal Leopard Spirit, and she assumed that this young senior disciple had suffered hidden injuries during his battle with Qingluan and was now adjusting his qi to recover.

"It's fine now."

Shen Yi sighed inwardly and slowly withdrew his gaze.

Even when Ye Lan returned, she had specifically reminded him to avoid revealing the identity of the Heaven's Elixir from Shenxu Mountain.

The reason was simple.

The Slaughter Demon Bureau existed because the Imperial Court could provide precious resources that cultivators couldn't obtain elsewhere, and this was their source of confidence.

But now, anyone in their right mind would believe that the Peak Master of Dan Peak, who was so 'valued' by the Shenxu Ancestor, wouldn't lack resources.

In the current tense situation, any of the Pride of the Three Religions would become a thorn in the Imperial Court's side in the future!

And so, the question arose.

Why did Shen Yi want to join the Slaughter Demon Bureau?

Ye Lan had once been the Peak Master of Dan Peak, but her entire lineage had been exterminated, and she had been ostracized by her fellow disciples. She couldn't even keep the Dan Peak left by her master, so joining the Slaughter Demon Bureau was a reasonable choice.

But what about the Heaven's Elixir?

A second-generation disciple of Shenxu Mountain, with the entire sect backing him under the Ancestor's direct command, treating him like an heir apparent, and this Heaven's Elixir cultivator had lived up to expectations, fighting for his sect and slaying Tianwu Qingluan in Hongze, establishing a fearsome reputation.

Why would such a person inexplicably insist on serving the Imperial Court and opposing the Three Religions?

Who would believe it if he said it out loud? Even Shen Yi himself didn't believe it.

Of course, Elder Yan could probably be trusted, but what if this General of the Southern Garrison fell or if the situation exceeded his control?

Could the other officials of the Imperial Court be trusted? Only the Three Religions and the Divine Dynasty could cause such chaos.

Shen Yi now found himself in this awkward situation, seemingly connected to everyone yet unable to truly rely on anyone.

"Then I can only rely on myself."

He sighed inwardly, slowly standing up, and in his mind, Qinghua's voice sounded.

"Master, why not simply leave the Slaughter Demon Bureau?"

Now that she was an immortal general, she could see more and could offer some advice to her master.

Since no one could be trusted, it would be better to withdraw for now and observe the changes, avoiding getting entangled in the matter.

With an immortal general as an informant above and the protection of Shenxu Mountain, along with his strength that suppressed fourth-tier cultivators, it shouldn't be difficult to ensure his own safety.

"..."

Shen Yi fell silent for a moment, inexplicably recalling the Thousand-Armed Bodhisattva's descent upon Xishan Commandery, when Elder Yan had arrived severely injured, supporting himself to pat Shen Yi's shoulder and saying with a smile, "I'll handle everything."

Qinghua quickly understood her master's intention and changed her tone, "Or perhaps there's another way."

With her master's divine aura, his thoughts would surely be more comprehensive than hers. Otherwise, how could he have achieved the Golden Carp Transcending to Dragon, earning the name of the Great Void Dan Emperor?

Fishing in troubled waters...

Shen Yi replied calmly through his divine sense.

Although these identities were awkward, if utilized well, they could provide numerous opportunities for protection.

"How do you plan to do that?" Qinghua asked curiously.

"How am I supposed to know?" Shen Yi silently rolled his eyes. Was he supposed to be a divine fortune teller? At this point, he could only take things one step at a time.

"I understand, Master!" Qinghua quickly closed his mouth, knowing that the will of heaven was unpredictable, and it was not for a small demon like him to dare guess his master's thoughts. If he spoke out of turn and caused trouble, he would be beyond salvation.

"First, bring those corpses of great demons here."

Shen Yi also felt a bit guilty towards Wushan. It wouldn't be right to leave all these tasks to him every time she left the Divine Dynasty.

Without further ado, she began to recreate several fifth-tier arboreal demons to help govern the three commanderies. This would make future tasks more convenient.

Speak of the devil, and he shall appear.

Just as Shen Yi severed her connection with Qinghua, she turned around and saw a robust figure, with a broad chest and thick arms, entering the backyard.

Wushan walked in, holding a dossier in one hand and a telepathic jade tablet in the other, his expression blank. Due to Shen Yi's previous concealment of her aura, he was surprised to see them both.

The stout man paused, his face neither happy nor angry, but he let out a cold laugh, "I thought it was someone else. I didn't expect the two of you to return without even sending a message. If I didn't know better, I'd think you two had eloped."

"..."

Ye Lan furrowed her brows and explained, "Nanyang encountered cultivation mishaps and is still adjusting his qi. It wasn't intentional."

Upon hearing this, Wushan's steps momentarily hesitated. After a brief silence, he sighed softly and turned to Shen Yi, "My apologies. I have a bad habit of speaking without thinking. I mean no ill will."

As he spoke, his face paled slightly, and he casually rubbed his chest. "I've been busy with many matters, but none are too serious. It's just some rogue demons and solitary cultivators causing trouble. Occasionally, a powerful one appears, but I've almost resolved them all. Don't worry, focus on your cultivation, and take over as soon as you're ready."

Last time, near the Demon-Subduing Pagoda, he had a confrontation with that old monk, and the Arhat's golden light left hidden injuries within his body. Due to his busy schedule, he hadn't had a chance to recuperate, and these injuries hadn't been completely suppressed. Instead, they had worsened, and he could only exert less than forty percent of his strength.

The old man, Yan, was still in seclusion.

Fortunately, these two had finally returned.

Otherwise, continuing like this might have affected their cultivation.

"Phew."

Hearing Wushan's apology, Ye Lan breathed a slight sigh of relief. She glanced at Shen Yi and thought to herself that this young senior martial uncle was not as gentle and refined as he appeared. When he decided to take action, he did so without hesitation, and rarely would anyone survive his attacks.

Such ferocity was rarely seen in the world.

In the past, it wouldn't have been an issue as Wushan, a fourth-tier Taiyi True Immortal, could easily suppress Shen Yi.

But now, without Qingluan, she genuinely worried that Wushan's loose tongue might inadvertently cause trouble.

This senior, despite his harsh words, had good intentions. Even though he wanted to distance himself, when they left the Divine Dynasty, he still took charge of the six commanderies.

"..."

Shen Yi noticed Wushan's change in expression and examined him up and down but said nothing more. She cupped her hands respectfully, "This matter was sudden, and I appreciate your help, Senior. I have some knowledge of Dan medicine techniques, and I will prepare some Dan pills to send to you later."

Practicing the Great Void Dan Path not only enhanced her resistance to tribulations but also rapidly improved her alchemy mastery while refining her golden pill in the furnace.

"You have a conscience, kid."

Wushan raised his eyebrows and finally huffed in exasperation.

Of course, he didn't have high hopes for the Dan pills Shen Yi mentioned. Even though Shen Yi was the Peak Master of the Dan Peak in the Immortal Gate, his young age made it extremely unlikely that he could refine a fourth-tier immortal elixir suitable for Wushan's cultivation level.

However, the thought was there, and it wasn't a wasted effort.

"Let's go."

Without waiting for a response, Wushan placed the jade tablet and dossier on the table and strode out of the backyard without delay.

Managing nine commanderies without any issues was indeed a stroke of good luck.

Just then, a streak of light rushed into the Shen residence, and the demon-slaying official didn't even have time to greet the other two Seal Generals. He rushed straight to Wushan's side.

"Sir, there's trouble at home!"

"..."

Wushan's face changed slightly.

He was never one to act recklessly, and his attention to the affairs of others' six commanderies, even setting up his office in Jianyang, was well-calculated.

Whether considering the number of people he had offended or the strength of the Seal Generals stationed locally, it made no sense for the heretics to target the three commanderies under his jurisdiction. It would be like trying to gain half the result with twice the effort, completely illogical.

After all, even though outsiders might not know about the Slaughter Demon Bureau, those who caused trouble and reached a level where even the demon-slayers couldn't control them should be aware that the Imperial Court had a Huangshan Taoist, a fourth-tier Taiyi True Immortal, cultivating in Jinguang Commandery.

"Take a look at this first."

The demon-slaying official took out a letter and handed it over.

Wushan's eyes scanned the words on the letter, his face growing darker. Finally, a face was imprinted on the paper using immortal power.

The moment he saw the old monk's face, he clenched the letter tightly, finally understanding why they had chosen to start with Jinguang Commandery.

"Dare to come and seek death again!"

Wushan exhaled heavily, and in an instant, he stepped onto a auspicious cloud and rushed out of Jianyang Commandery.

After he left, the demon-slaying officer turned back to the two in the courtyard and gave a helpless bow.

"This lowly one has met the two generals."

His face was filled with hesitation, and after a long pause, he finally approached Shen Yi and asked softly, "Dare I ask, General Nanyang, did you truly eradicate all the demons during your last trip to the Demon-Suppressing Tower?"

With his status, he was questioning a titled general.

Although the Slaughter Demon Bureau was not as strict as the Imperial Court, such an act was still extremely rare, and it was enough to see the resentment in his heart.

"..." Ye Lan raised her brows in confusion. Was this matter related to the Demon-Suppressing Tower?

"Mhm." Shen Yi didn't hesitate and nodded firmly.

For other matters, he might have hesitated, but when it came to the lifespan of demons, saying that none were left meant there were definitely no omissions.

Seeing this, the demon-slaying officer clenched his teeth. "That's good then."

As he turned to leave, he was stopped by Shen Yi's soft voice, "Tell me the specifics."

The demon-slaying officer clenched his fist and finally sighed, "Sigh, some time ago, a powerful demon broke free from the Demon-Suppressing Tower and invaded the Jinguang Commandery under the pretext of avenging the common people. It was a sudden attack."

"The demon disaster hasn't been resolved?" Ye Lan's hand rested on her sword hilt.

"It's even more serious than that." The demon-slaying officer waved his sleeve, and with his divine power, he conjured a water screen in the air, "Take a look for yourselves."

In the water screen, a majestic city appeared, surrounded by rippling water.

"The surrounding counties were untouched, and these demons appeared out of thin air outside the city of Jinguang Commandery. In my life, I've never seen such a strange occurrence."

As the demon-slaying officer spoke, a massive horde of demons suddenly surged out from the water screen.

Before the city government could react and mobilize its troops, the demon-slayers rushed out, and the high walls were forcibly trampled by the demon horde. The terrified screams of the common people filled the air.

"Even if General Wushan wasn't in the commandery, as long as the governor mobilized the Imperial Qi, the troops would form an array. Even if they couldn't defeat these powerful demons, they could at least hold them off until the general returned."

The Divine Dynasty didn't solely rely on the Slaughter Demon Bureau. Although they might lack agility, their strength in facing enemies head-on was not something ordinary demons could contend with.

"But at that moment..."

The demon-slaying officer's eyes flashed with helplessness.

In the water screen, a figure with a staff suddenly appeared, swiftly sweeping the demons out of the city in front of the people of Jinguang Commandery. Then, he was quickly overwhelmed by the horde.

Following this, an old monk slowly walked towards the collapsed city wall.

He sat cross-legged, palms pressed together, and his body suddenly inflated, quickly becoming as tall as a mountain. With his eyes closed, he used his own flesh and blood as a new wall.

This was the ability of the Arhat Body.

However, the old monk's manifested body didn't emit dazzling golden light; instead, his withered body simply became more majestic and towering.

The next moment, the horde of demons pounced, tearing his clothes and flesh with their sharp teeth.

They devoured him like wild dogs, quickly reducing him to a skeleton, with tattered skin and flesh fluttering like flags on the white bones.

On the monk's half-remaining face, there was only serenity and a calm acceptance of death.

"This old monk is powerless to subdue the demons. I can only offer this useless body to feed you, demons, in place of the common people. Please leave, and do not disturb the mortal realm again."

"Buddha, compassion..."

As a deep chant echoed, his tightly clasped palms slowly opened, revealing a delicate statue within, shimmering with golden light.

The statue's thousand arms stretched out, and the Bodhisattva calmly looked down upon the mortal realm.

Under the gaze of the Bodhisattva, fear suddenly surged in the eyes of the demons, and they retreated like a receding tide.

Only the empty skeleton remained, standing like an indestructible wall amidst the collapsed ruins.

"Suddenly, a large group of Bodhi followers appeared in Jinguang Commandery, praying for the Bodhi. If this continues, in less than three months, even if we want to expel the Bodhi followers, the Imperial Qi of Jinguang Commandery will directly collapse!"

The demon-slaying officer tugged at his hair in frustration.

Any cultivator with some knowledge would know that if these were truly demons that had broken free, how could they have the audacity to invade the Divine Dynasty after satisfying their hunger? How could they be scared away by a small statue?

But now, in front of the Bone City Wall, the Imperial Court's words seemed powerless.

Even the previously announced matter of the Demon-Suppressing Tower became a lie. If the demons were truly eradicated, where did these demons come from?

"With his abilities as a high-tier Arhat, concealing the Imperial Qi and bringing in a group of demons is not difficult."

"To go through such trouble to put on such a show, aren't they disgusted with themselves?"

Ye Lan stared at the water screen, feeling a sense of powerlessness. With such abilities, not to mention Wushan, even the old master Yan Lanting, could he really ignore public opinion and forcefully drive out these monks, or even slaughter them all?

If Wushan had been in Jinguang Commandery at the time, he could have swiftly resolved the demon horde with his swift and decisive actions, and crushed the monk's stage.

But because of the two of them...

Ye Lan glanced at the youth beside her. According to Wushan's previous division, the matter of Jinguang Commandery was naturally unrelated to the two of them.

But based on her understanding of Master Shen, it was highly unlikely that he would do something like this.

"..."

Shen Yi remained silent, his gaze fixed on Jinguang Commandery.

After a moment, he withdrew his gaze and spoke softly, "Keep an eye on this place for me. I'll go take a look."

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end