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Chapter 694: A Named General? Let's Start with Twenty to Test the Waters
Chapter 694: A Named General? Let's Start with Twenty to Test the Waters
Inside the room, Yan Lanting strolled with his hands behind his back and slowly approached the bed.
Just as Wu Shan was about to struggle to get up and pay his respects, he saw the old man shake his head, raise his eyebrows, and say indifferently, "Uncle Wu, just lie down."
At these words, the fat man's face suddenly turned red and hot, remembering the words he had left in a fit of anger, thinking that Uncle Wu had left on a tragic and irreversible journey. Who would have thought that someone would bring him back.
"Nonsense, nonsense, please don't take it to heart..."
Wu Shan raised his hand, wishing he could slap himself twice.
However, before his palm could fall, another rough and large hand had already landed on his forehead, and the warmth emanating from the palm made the fat man pause.
The old man, Yan, was not healing his injuries, nor was there any profound mystery in his touch. He simply rubbed Wu Shan's forehead gently.
It was like an ordinary elder treating a younger generation with care.
"I've wronged you."
Yan Lanting retracted his palm and casually pulled over a stool to sit down. The fierce look in his eyes had vanished, replaced by a hint of absent-mindedness.
The disagreement between him and Yang Mingli had been going on for more than just a day or two.
Regarding this matter, Yan Lanting had always believed that he was right, and the reason was simple. With Yang's approach, he couldn't see any hope.
Since there was no hope, even if the other path meant risking nine deaths, there was still a glimmer of life, wasn't there? But today, Yan Lanting's thoughts had begun to waver.
This choice, which even a child could make, had been viewed from the perspective of the court from start to finish. However, for the younger generation of cultivators below, they were not in a situation where they had to die.
Even if the great calamity truly unfolded, these younger cultivators still had many options.
It was he who had pushed them into the fire pit with his own hands, forcing this group of people to sacrifice themselves for the Divine Court.
If these younger cultivators were the slippery type, Yan Lanting would never have shown an ounce of softness. Since they had joined the Dismantling Demon Bureau, they should serve the court loyally. That was why he had specifically chosen Wu Shan at the time.
But the problem now was that even Wu Shan, who appeared cautious and timid on the surface, with his sole focus on self-preservation, had stepped out without hesitation when faced with such a dire situation, cursing all the while.
Not to mention the newly appointed Nanyang, who had given him too many pleasant surprises.
A child who is sensible and capable, who wouldn't like and feel for them? Once you care for them, how can you bear to continue pushing this group towards the edge of the cliff?
"Wronged..."
Wu Shan fell silent for a moment, then suddenly smiled bitterly.
What wrong had he suffered? He had made it this far solely due to luck. If it weren't for the Dismantling Demon Bureau taking him in, where would he have obtained the Taiyi True Immortal Fruition?
If we're talking about being wronged, it was that young man with a bright future ahead of him, who had a direct path to the Celestial Court, but had to sacrifice all of that to save his own life. That was truly being wronged.
"How is he doing?"
Clearly, Wu Shan was the one severely injured, but Yan Lanting asked about someone else, obviously having long noticed the relationship between the two.
Wu Shan, the veteran of the Dismantling Demon Bureau, had experienced countless storms and waves. How could he be scared into such a state by a Luohan with similar cultivation? Was it because of the Ten Thousand Rod Demon-binding Array?
Judging from his hesitant expression, he must have already encountered true deities and immortals.
But in the end, Nanyang successfully brought him back.
"He..."
Wu Shan subconsciously opened his mouth, but the word "fine" just wouldn't come out.
After all, there were no outsiders present anymore. If he didn't reveal the whole story, he knew he would never have the courage to do so in the future.
In that case, the Bodhi Sect would have successfully planted a high-ranking and increasingly valued chess piece within the Divine Court.
The impact and harm would be so great that he, Wu Shan, would never be able to bear the responsibility, even if he died a million times.
On one side was his savior, and on the other, the millions of people in the Divine Court. His cultivation had all come from the common folk.
Suddenly, the fat man's facial features twitched.
"I'm fine."
Shen Yi slowly walked into the room and stood behind the old man, Yan.
Seeing this, Wu Shan finally breathed a sigh of relief and silently laid back down on the bed, leaving the two of them to discuss the matter at their own pace.
However, to his surprise, the old man, Yan, didn't turn around to look at Shen Yi. He continued to sit in silence, and after a long while, he sighed, "That's good."
Before his words had even finished, Wu Shan suddenly turned his head.
Huh? He believed it just like that?!
Ignoring Wu Shan's astonishment, Yan Lanting thought for a moment and asked, "Have you ever regretted joining the Dismantling Demon Bureau?"
The question implied that the Dismantling Demon Bureau was an ordinary power that one could easily leave.
"..."
Wu Shan froze, then suddenly realized what the old man meant.
Once you joined the Dismantling Demon Bureau, you were a part of the court for life.
This was because the Ninth Bureau of the Division of Immortals was an existence that couldn't be exposed to outsiders... But all that was in the past. Given the current relationship between the Three Teachings, the Celestial Court, and the Divine Court, which was like fire and water, what difference would it make if it was exposed or not?
Although the rules still existed, with the old man's authority as the General of the Southern Capital, he could turn a blind eye and let a Named General under his command go without much trouble.
If this were the case, the entire matter would be resolved.
The young man in the ink-black robe would no longer need to be a Nanyang General, and could return to the Three Teachings. Whether it was Shenxu Peak or Putidao, the prospects were better than staying in Shenzhou.
And the court would no longer need to fear a meritorious minister.
Shen Yi pondered for a moment, then lifted his head and said seriously, "A little bit."
The old man stood quietly with his eyes closed.
Wushan, on the other hand, had a complicated expression and managed a smile towards Shen Yi.
But then, he saw the other man shake his head slightly and continue, "But not much."
Yan Lanting suddenly opened his eyes and turned around, staring intently at Shen Yi, while Wushan stood there in shock. In the current situation, who would voluntarily choose to stay in Shenzhou? Putidao dared to assassinate a Named General this time; next time, they might dare to intercept the General of the Southern Capital.
Although Nanyang was powerful, it was only within the scope of the Fourth Grade. Compared to the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas in Putidao, it was nothing.
Despite Shen Yi being his lifesaver, Wushan couldn't help but suspect that Shen Yi had returned with a decree from the Buddha, given this unusual choice.
"..."
Faced with the gazes of the two men, Shen Yi's expression remained unchanged, and he chose not to explain.
He regretted that this identity had now become a limitation for him.
As people venture further, they often gain more choices and a broader world, and past troubles and grudges no longer matter. They might regret a decision made in the past that affected their present selves.
Shen Yi was no exception.
But he hadn't forgotten that the decision he regretted was the only path he could have chosen at the time.
It's not right to criticize the pot after a satisfying meal.
"You—"
Yan Lanting stared directly at the young man's clear black eyes. Obviously, even a high-ranking General of the Southern Capital would be entangled in the same dilemma as Wushan.
He had met this young man during the ape demon incident and found him to his liking.
Since then, Shen Yi had never disappointed him and had even brought glory to Yan Lanting during the Zhenyao Tower incident.
However, when facing the methods of the gods, Buddhas, and immortals, many things couldn't be resisted solely with one's true intentions.
"Just do your best."
Yan Lanting changed his tone, stood up again, and put his hands behind his back. "Don't feel indebted. As long as you can live up to the court's salary and your conscience... If the time comes to leave, remember to send a message to the old man and explain the situation."
After saying this, the old man left the room. The body that had been severely injured and barely held up was now inexplicably hunched over again.
The court's salary was substantial, but it couldn't buy the life of a Taiyi True Immortal.
According to this reasoning, if Wushan encountered another incident like the Golden Light Manor, he could simply withdraw without hesitation.
This only proved that the most powerful General of the Southern Capital, when faced with his most promising subordinate, would be ruined by the Three Teachings with just a slight effort. As a result, he no longer had any expectations for Shenzhou's future.
There was no right or wrong in the choices made by him and Yang Mingli; they were both dead ends.
Moreover, this also provided Shen Yi with a way out. If Putidao issued an order later on, he could choose to leave.
If he didn't leave and continued to harm Shenzhou, then don't blame Yan Lanting for not showing colleague loyalty.
"Ai!"
Wushan clenched his palm tightly. "I've really put you two in a terrible situation!"
Setting aside Shen Yi, even though Yan Lanting had said something, he still kept Shen Yi by his side. If something major happened later because of this, and Shen Yi, as the General of the Southern Capital, knew but didn't report it, once the news reached the imperial capital, his life would truly be at stake!
"First, go back to my place to recover."
Shen Yi didn't respond to this and simply took Wushan with him, stepping into Taihu.
His greatest taboo was having his life controlled by others.
Yet, the Three Immortals Teaching and Putidao had both made the same choice.
Not a single mistake, a song, a hair, an inner, a container, one, six, nine, a book, a look!
From this point on, Shen Yi could no longer wholeheartedly devote himself to the Three Teachings. Moreover, he wanted to win.
At the very least, he wanted to break the two chains on his body and wrap them around the necks of those two high and mighty gods, Buddhas, and immortals!
...
Jianyang Manor, Shen Residence.
Yelan finally saw the figure she had been longing for. When her gaze shifted from Shen Yi to Wushan beside him, she was more surprised by Wushan's attitude than his injuries.
"It's not... Sir Nanyang... Can you be reasonable?"
"You brought me directly to Jianyang. What about my three manors?"
It was clearly a questioning tone, but Wushan's face was filled with bitterness, and he didn't dare raise his voice.
Yelan was stunned for a moment but quickly regained her composure and understood.
Indeed, she had also followed Shen Yi on several occasions, and as a result, she had gone from being his superior to his assistant.
"Focus on recovering, and leave the rest to me. I'll handle any potential future troubles."
Shen Yi led Wushan into the courtyard and seated him on a stone bench. He then gestured towards the nearby room, indicating for Wushan to stay there first.
"What future troubles?" Wushan asked, standing up abruptly. "Do those monks still have backup?"
Shen Yi ignored him and turned to Yelan, "How have things been recently?"
Yelan furrowed her brows in thought for a moment before replying, "Now that you mention it, something does feel amiss. Although they're not major issues, there have been frequent demon calamities in the area, and they're all new faces."
"I understand," Shen Yi nodded slightly. He had received similar news while refining the elixir for Wushan at the Golden Light Manor.
It made sense when he thought about it. To create chaos in the world, apart from undermining the Shenchao from within, how could they possibly leave out those most useful demons?
Once, the Celestial Court and the Shenchao ruled together, with the support of the Three Teachings, making Shenzhou a solid and unified land.
Among them, the Righteous Deities only dealt with demons and evildoers who violated the heavenly laws.
The scarcity of Righteous Deities was one reason, otherwise, the other two teachings wouldn't have had the opportunity to rise.
However, apart from that, these incarnations of the Great Dao were not originally on the side of humans. They were only responsible for maintaining the order of heaven and earth. The 'evil' in demons and evildoers referred to those cultivators who violated the heavenly laws.
Thus, the main reason for the lack of demons in Shenzhou was the overwhelming Imperial Qi and the deterrence of the other two teachings.
Now that the two teachings were preparing to overthrow the Shenchao, during the internal turmoil, the demon hordes finally had a chance to rise again, and they wouldn't miss this opportunity.
The previous wolf demon was a perfect example.
The old monk nonchalantly revealed the demon's background, not at all like a demon who had betrayed its old master and joined the Great Teaching.
Instead, it seemed more like the old master was planning to make a move and had sent a subordinate to scout the situation.
"Do you know that Nan Huang?" Shen Yi asked, remembering how Wushan's expression had changed when he heard that name.
"Huh?" Wushan clenched his fists tightly and asked, "Why are you asking about him?"
He licked his dry lips, composed himself, and said with a dry laugh, "I do know about it. It was once a very famous great demon, who had a grudge with a Great Luohan Immortal Sage. They fought for many years, and in the end, it suffered a loss and retreated to beyond Shenzhou... But it doesn't know me."
He had thought that with the accumulation of resources over the years, one day he would be able to seek revenge on this demon.
But he never expected that on his trip to Shenchao, he almost got killed by a Demon General under the demon's command.
Wushan no longer had any expectations of revenge.
All those triumphant speeches he had prepared during sleepless nights over the years, he might as well fart and keep them buried under the covers.
"Wait..." Wushan retracted his dry smile, connecting the words of the wolf demon and Yelan, and suddenly realized something, "You mean it's back?!"
"Just a guess," Shen Yi replied, turning and walking towards the room.
"Then I must return too!" Wushan was so anxious that he was grinding his teeth. Only those who had witnessed the ravages of the demon horde knew how terrifying Nan Huang truly was.
This demon and its sworn brothers, along with the swarm of demons like locusts, were defeated by the joint efforts of the three great Immortal Sects and the deterrence of the Celestial Court.
Even so, in their rage, they slaughtered a million cultivators and still managed to retreat unscathed.
This was enough to prove their formidable strength.
And now, they were making a comeback...
"Listen to him," Yelan whispered.
"..." Wushan's eyelids twitched. He could understand why Yelan trusted Nanyang so much. After experiencing this incident, he also had a similar feeling.
But the problem was, trust was one thing, but facts were another.
After all, Nanyang was still at the Fourth Grade, and if it were a Taiyi True Immortal or a Great Luohan, they could protect the entire Nine Provinces with their own power. Then, the Dismantling Demon Bureau would be overfed and wasting Imperial Qi to nurture a large number of Named Generals.
Not only them, but even the three Generals of the Southern Capital couldn't possibly manage everything.
Shen Yi slowly closed the door, listening to the voices behind him.
Wushan's concerns were not unfounded. Even though Shen Yi was now at the Fourth Grade in both Path Fruition and Fruition Rank, with the addition of the Xianyin, he couldn't even cover a third of the Great Nan Zhou.
But if he couldn't do it, what about adding another twenty or even several dozen Named Generals?
Shen Yi examined the wolf demon's corpse in the ring, along with the five tree demons sent by Qing Hua, and the more than ten Fifth Grade demon corpses they had collected while following the Righteous Deities on their sweep.
To turn all these corpses into Pillar Stones, he only needed the lifespan of seven or eight hundred demons.
Although it seemed like a lot, Qing Hua had already returned to Bajigu and was about to take over the Fourth Grade Xianyin. With just two or three Demon Dens, they could gather enough.
In exchange, they would have an impregnable Nine Provinces and an endless supply of demon lifespans!
His Demon Hall of Ten Thousand couldn't stay in Hong Ze forever; it was time to bring it to Shenzhou.
It was time to give the Three Teachings a little shock with the Pillar Stones.
(End of Chapter)
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