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Chapter 713: Regarding the Elder's Seclusion and the Discovery of an "Alternative"
Chapter 713: Regarding the Elder's Seclusion and the Discovery of an "Alternative"
In the Junyang Manor, at Shen Residence.
Aside from Wushan, there was another rare figure in the courtyard—none other than Yang Mingli, the General of the Southern Front.
He sat beneath a large tree, his eyes closed as he nurtured his divine energy. Although his body remained untouched by the dust, the thick layer of fallen leaves around him indicated that he had been staying in the residence for quite some time.
"It's been three months already!"
"General Feng has returned for so long, why hasn't General Nanyang returned yet?"
Wushan thought that if he were an ordinary person, he would probably be so anxious that his mouth would be full of blisters by now.
For cultivators, a few months were barely enough for seclusion.
However, the issue was that General Nanyang had gone to the capital to receive rewards, holding such a substantial amount of human imperial qi. According to common sense, he should have immediately returned to the safest place to properly digest these gains.
There was no reason to linger outside for so long.
"..."
Yang Mingli slowly opened his eyes, not having been in a hurry before because he knew that General Nanyang held the Third Grade Monster Slayer Order.
With such strength, unless one was intentionally seeking death, they could go anywhere in the world.
Moreover, this was within the territory of the Divine Court.
Even if they encountered a Buddhist figure or a Great Arhat, as long as they focused on escaping, there was a high chance of survival.
Even if one took a step back and assumed that they had bad luck and encountered a calamity, it was unlikely that no news would be transmitted at all.
But after waiting for so long, there was still no news, leaving Yang Mingli's heart gradually filled with unease.
It wasn't just General Nanyang who had gone missing, but also the young girl Yan Lan.
There were only three titled generals in the nine prefectures of the west, and now one of them was missing. It was hard not to suspect that something had happened to Yan Lan, and General Nanyang, upon receiving the news, had impulsively left the Divine Court to help...
The world was vast, with countless powerful figures.
If they had gone outside, it would be hard to say what had happened, especially since the other party possessed over 30,000 calamities' worth of imperial qi pellets, which was enough to attract calamity.
"I've already sent General Feng Xi and several titled generals to search for news. Let's wait a few more days."
Fortunately, the current situation had become so chaotic that even Yang Mingli couldn't understand it. Outside the Divine Court, life and death were uncertain, but this piece of fat, surprisingly, had no one willing to take a bite.
For nearly half a year, the entire Great Southern Continent had not experienced any demon disasters...
It was even quieter and more peaceful than before the calamity.
This allowed the Demon-Slaying Bureau's officers to have some free time to search for news.
"..."
Wushan sighed heavily. If he didn't have to look after the nine prefectures, he would have gone out searching long ago.
He had always been used to going solo, but now that he knew General Nanyang was missing, even standing next to General Yang, he inexplicably felt insecure.
He must have seen a ghost.
Compared to the Great Arhat beside him, Wushan felt as if General Nanyang was using his own power to protect the Great Southern Continent.
But at this moment, he could only forcefully suppress his thoughts and squat by the threshold, waiting.
As time passed, a stream of light gradually approached.
However, just like before, regardless of who it was, upon landing, they would bow to Yang Mingli, then raise their eyes and shake their heads helplessly.
From the Great Southern Continent to the Divine Court, along the official road, and through countless cities, not a single person had seen General Nanyang's figure.
Finally, Feng Xi descended from the sky: "He left much earlier than me, so something unexpected must have happened."
The beautiful woman's face was filled with self-blame. If she had known this, why rush? It would have been better to let him accompany her.
"What kind of accident?"
Just then, a figure slowly approached from outside the door.
Yan Lanting silently scanned the crowd, her sharp senses immediately noticing the absence of two figures. In an instant, the old man's gaze became piercing.
The intense change in atmosphere at Junyang Manor finally woke up the General of the Southern Front who was in seclusion.
The family split had initially caused disharmony within the Demon-Slaying Bureau of the Great Southern Continent.
Now, upon emerging from seclusion, everyone else was fine, but the two titled generals who had followed him from the start had disappeared. How could he not think more of it?
"What do you mean by that look?"
Yang Mingli frowned and turned back, his already restless heart now burning with impatience: "Do you think I'm trying to harm my colleague?"
"Given your despicable character, you're capable of doing such a thing." Yan Lanting didn't back down and stared back at him.
After so many years, he knew his character wasn't good, so he had always tolerated the other party. Even when facing exclusion, he would, at most, pretend to be indifferent and distance himself from the crowd, going solo.
But at this moment, with the two titled generals present, Yan Lanting's firm attitude was almost like cursing at them on the spot.
"Fine, fine, fine! You ungrateful old fool!"
Yang Mingli had anticipated the troubles in the Nine Prefectures to the west and had proactively left Songfeng Manor to provide assistance. Upon learning of Nanyang's disappearance, he was even more concerned about Wu Shan's well-being, so he had come to Junyang Manor to take charge.
The man with the surname Yan closed his eyes, claiming to be recuperating, but in reality, he had turned a blind eye to the affairs of the Great Southern Continent. As soon as he emerged, he started badmouthing others.
How dare he!
"Don't think I won't beat you half to death just because you're injured! If I don't, my cultivation would be for nothing!"
Yang Mingli abruptly stood up, rolled up his wide sleeves, and his fingertips had already formed a hand seal.
"And you think you can do anything with your inability to transcend the Triply Transcendence?"
Yan Lanting scoffed. Usually, he kept to himself, but when he spoke, his words struck right at the heart.
If it were any other cultivator, they wouldn't dare to attempt the Triply Transcendence before completing the previous stage. Even if they intentionally stopped cultivating, they wouldn't dare to cross the Number of Three. Once they grasped the thirty-four threads of the Dao Order, it meant their path was blocked, and there would be no hope of breaking through.
But Feng Xi and Yang Mingli were different. As Generals of the Southern Front, they had to oversee the entire Great Southern Continent, unlike those leisurely cultivators who had ample time to progress slowly. For them, even the slightest improvement couldn't be missed, or else, if something unexpected happened, the common people would suffer.
In other words, their path was a sacrifice for the people of the Divine Court.
Upon hearing this, Yang Mingli's face turned pale, then flushed with anger. Under his intense emotional turmoil, the surrounding spiritual energy of the universe instantly went into chaos.
"Enough!"
Although Feng Xi was also hurt by the words, seeing this internal conflict, she suppressed her discomfort and sternly shouted.
However, both Generals of the Southern Front were now enraged, and her words couldn't stop them.
"..."
Yan Lanting stood with his hands hanging, and the already chaotic spiritual energy of the universe now seemed to emit a faint explosion sound.
The standoff between the Great Grandmasters was enough to suffocate the surrounding titled Generals with the mere overflow of their aura.
Just as they were about to inexplicably start a battle, the others had no intention of persuading them further. Instead, they mobilized their Disaster Force, preparing to retreat first.
At that moment, a slightly puzzled voice came from outside the courtyard.
"What's going on here?"
Shen Yi stood quietly outside the courtyard, looking at her residence in confusion.
In the small courtyard, almost all colleagues from the Demon-Slaying Bureau of the Great Southern Continent had gathered.
"Where have you been?"
After a brief moment of surprise, Feng Xi finally relaxed her tense nerves.
As long as she was safe, that was all that mattered.
As for the other two old men, let them fight as they pleased. It would be best if one of them was beaten to death to vent her anger!
Day after day, they did nothing but bicker and make a racket!
"I encountered some issues on the way and was delayed for a while," Shen Yi explained without going into details. After all, the Thousand-Armed Bodhisattva wasn't as straightforward as the Scripture, and there was no evidence of them causing harm to the Divine Court. It might not bring any merit... Moreover, the Divine Court probably couldn't offer much reward, and it might even affect her future plans.
"..."
Hearing this, Yan Lanting fell silent for a moment, realizing he had misunderstood Yang Mingli. Feeling a bit embarrassed, he released the hand seal.
But for a while, he couldn't bring himself to apologize.
He casually glanced at Yang Mingli, and the next moment, a hint of surprise flashed in Yan Lanting's eyes.
To his surprise, Yang Mingli had already retracted his aura and sat back down on the stone bench, closing his eyes to rest as if nothing had happened.
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When did this old guy become so easy to talk to?
As the tense atmosphere suddenly eased, the titled Generals found it somewhat unbelievable but quickly tried to smooth things over.
"Is the issue resolved? Is there anything we can help with?" Feng Xi asked, looking at Shen Yi.
"It's fine," Shen Yi nodded slightly. Although the risk was significant, the outcome was good. One of the two chains on her body was finally removed, and she had gained quite a bit.
"That's good."
Seeing this, Feng Xi turned her attention back to the crowd, "Since you're all here, and we didn't have time to chat properly after returning, let's take this opportunity to share our thoughts."
Although serving the Divine Court and receiving its salary was a natural duty, this situation was somewhat different.
The Emperor's actions could be considered deceitful... After all, guarding the Divine Court and plotting against it were two completely different concepts.
To put it bluntly, this group of people joining the Demon-Slaying Bureau might have brought some trouble upon themselves.
But as long as they were strong enough, there would always be a solution to their problems, and that was a glimmer of hope.
But above the Heavens, the Celestial Court had stood atop the heads of all living beings since the beginning of the universe.
Regardless of whether they were cultivators or mortals, none could have ever imagined what the world would be like without the Celestial Court's influence if it were to disappear from the heavens.
"..."
Upon hearing this, the generals who had been smiling moments ago suddenly fell silent.
Some lowered their eyes, silently taking out their iron plaques from their bodies. Unlike the Demon-Slaying Order of the General of the Southern Front, these plaques were not entirely made of yellow jade, but they were still adorned with wisps of yellow mist, and most notably, the word "Celestial" on them had quietly healed.
The Demon-Slaying Order had become the Celestial-Slaying Order.
Moreover, it wasn't just one Celestial being, but the entire Celestial Court.
From this moment on, it was truly a defiance of the heavens.
The True Deities who had guarded the Cosmic Order since the beginning of the universe, their actions were for the sake of the greatest Demon among the humans.
A mad emperor, was it still necessary to follow him?
Don't be fooled by the presence of the generals here; in reality, many of the Demon-Slayers had already quietly disappeared. The Demon-Slaying officials had only reported the disappearances, but there had been no substantial pursuit or capture efforts, indicating that they had also tacitly accepted this matter.
If the people within the court didn't pay attention, the next batch to "disappear" would likely be the Demon-Slaying officials.
If it were any other continent, they would have undoubtedly executed the traitors to set an example.
But the Great Southern Continent was different. The recent peace and tranquility hadn't put enough pressure on the Demon-Slaying Bureau, leaving some room for the lower-ranked officials to make their own choices.
"Regardless, I've gotten used to living here. I can't just stand by and watch as the Southern Continent is invaded by demons."
What everyone didn't expect was that the first to speak up was the fat man who had been forced to come here by the General of Nanyang.
The fat man, with his five big and three thick, gently caressed his iron plaque and then hung it on his waist.
After encountering the Thousand-Armed Bodhisattva, his life in Wushan had been saved. Every extra day he lived was a gain, and being able to follow the General of Nanyang made him feel more at ease.
After hanging up his plaque, he looked up at Shen Yi and smiled.
"..."
As he witnessed this scene, Yan Lanting raised his eyebrows.
If he remembered correctly, this fat man, whom he had forcefully brought here, was very dissatisfied, even cursing at him through a jade slip.
Even though he had been saved by Nanyang before, which had eased his dissatisfaction, after experiencing life and death, his cautious personality should have made him more timid, not more courageous.
What was this display of absolute loyalty?
Moreover, it seemed that their loyalty was not directed at him, the General of the Southern Front.
"There's some truth to that."
As Wushan spoke, several other generals among the titled generals fell into deep thought, and finally, they could only smile helplessly.
Regardless of their intentions for joining the Demon-Slaying Bureau, they had guarded these twenty-seven prefectures for many years.
The heavens' intention to swallow the Divine Court was already blatantly obvious.
Even if they left this place, could they truly achieve the tranquility of an ancient well, retreating into the deep mountains and retiring from the world, watching the mundane realm become a land of carnage?
If they were truly such cold and detached individuals, they wouldn't have chosen to join in the first place.
One by one, the titled generals hung up their plaques, no longer hiding in the shadows like before, but openly displaying their identities as members of the Demon-Slaying Bureau.
Feng Xi smiled lightly and glanced at Yang Mingli in the distance.
"What are you looking at?"
Yang Mingli raised his eyelids and casually asked, "Does the General of Nanyang have any instructions?"
The fact that he had received the news of the attack by the three great demons on Songfeng Prefecture in advance, and was able to retrieve the sutra before anyone else reacted, leaving the Divine Court, all indicated that the General of Nanyang's control over the entire situation had already surpassed that of these old fellows.
However, he didn't know how shocked Yan Lanting was by his words.
"..."
Old Master Yan seemed to be sitting calmly, but in reality, the hand on his knee was clenched tightly.
In the past, this old fellow would rather split the family than give up control, fearing that others would have different opinions.
But now, he was so easily letting go of this power and handing it over to a junior.
Was this just empty talk?
Thinking of this, Yan Lanting silently looked at the others.
To his surprise, almost all his colleagues, including Feng Xi, were seriously looking at Shen Yi, as if they were genuinely waiting for his instructions!
He pinched his eyebrows, concealing his confusion.
How long had it been since he last closed himself off from the world? How had the Great Southern Continent changed so much?
(End of Chapter)
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