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Chapter 732: Returning to Shenxu Mountain
Chapter 732: Returning to Shenxu Mountain
The dharma manifestation dissipated like golden sand, vanishing with the morning light.
The majestic silhouette gradually faded into the sky.
Shen Yi did not slip away quietly as he usually would. Instead, he landed on the city wall, slowly turning to look inside the city.
In the vast expanse of heaven and earth, only this single dark figure remained. Though he appeared thin and insignificant compared to the bodhisattva’s dharma, he still captured everyone’s attention.
Shen Yi’s dislike of such occasions did not mean he was foolish enough to let the Bodhi Sect take credit.
If anyone else had been present, even the other Southern Generals, the people of the Divine Dynasty would have believed that the great demon was subdued by a bodhisattva.
But that did not include Shen Yi, who had already gained fame after the Songfeng Mansion.
Sure enough, as the people in the city regained their senses, a well-informed individual shouted, “General South Yang!”
Even though most did not know which department this general belonged to or which army he commanded, those four simple words were enough to spark jubilation.
The story of how he single-handedly cleared the demon army outside Songfeng Mansion had been compiled into tales and spread widely among the people.
Seeing that it was time, Shen Yi finally leaped into the courtyard.
As soon as he stepped into the courtyard, Zhi Kong Monk, who had witnessed the entire battle, approached with shining eyes.
From the initial fear to the awe when Shen Yi revealed his dharma manifestation, causing the black sea to retreat, Zhi Kong, as a Bodhi Sect ascetic, finally experienced the legendary power of a bodhisattva.
The radiant wheel that manifested in the heavens already showed hints of the Buddha’s form.
It made one involuntarily want to kneel and worship.
At that moment, he opened his mouth several times but could not utter a word.
“I have important matters to attend to, so I must ask you to stay here for a while longer, Master.”
Shen Yi stood with his hands hanging by his sides, interrupting the monk’s trance.
Honestly, even he felt lucky to have survived today’s crisis.
Despite his best efforts to guess the Southern Emperor’s intentions, any mistake in the process could have led to the destruction of the Great Southern Continent.
When he left, Shen Yi deliberately displayed an air of arrogance to test the great demon’s character.
The demon’s response was surprisingly humble.
Even if it dared not truly harm a Bodhi Sect venerable, it should have at least tried to save face. Instead, the Southern Emperor simply agreed.
Those who can endure what others cannot must have grand ambitions.
Such a great demon would likely not be content to become a mere tool for the Bodhi Sect.
After fleeing the Divine Continent for so many years, it had finally managed to make the people forget its past atrocities. It would not willingly tarnish its reputation again.
Fortunately, the gamble paid off.
Now, Shen Yi finally saw a glimmer of hope.
[Slain Third Grade Dark Sea Ape King, total lifespan 10,000 calamities, remaining Beastly Lifespan 7,200 calamities, absorbed]
[Slain Third Grade Houzhong White Ox, total lifespan 10,000 calamities, remaining Beastly Lifespan 8,800 calamities, absorbed]
[Slain Third Grade Linghua Sky Serpent, total lifespan 10,000 calamities, remaining Beastly Lifespan 8,900 calamities, absorbed]
[Remaining demon Beastly Lifespan: 25,100 calamities]
If nothing went wrong, these demon Beastly Lifespans would be enough to advance his cultivation to the 96th transformation, just one step away from the 99th transformation of the Third Grade.
After completing the 66th transformation, the basic framework of the bodhisattva dharma manifestation was already in place, and all that remained was to fill in the gaps.
However, the remaining 2,000 Beastly Lifespans would be difficult to gather.
There were not many Third Grade demons in the Divine Dynasty, and most came from the three great demon clans. After this battle, they were almost all dead. Finding dozens more would be no easy task.
As for those above the Third Grade, in the entire Great Southern Continent, Shen Yi only knew of the Southern Emperor and another great demon.
Perhaps he would have to look elsewhere.
But that was not the most pressing issue.
After resolving the demon disaster, the Southern Emperor would inevitably be held accountable, and he would also have to deal with the problems of the Three Immortals Sect.
“I will follow Lord Shen’s arrangements.”
Zhi Kong Monk had often heard that in times of great calamity, a great hero would rise.
But he had always considered it a beautiful wish until he saw Lord Shen.
Only then did he understand what it truly meant to be a "great hero."
Transcending the mundane, surpassing all common sense.
From battling a Seventh Rank ascetic to slaying three great demon lords, a journey that ordinary cultivators might not achieve in their entire lives, Lord Shen accomplished it in a mere fraction of the time it took them to nap.
“However…” Zhi Kong Monk lifted his head, recalling something, “Although the people of the Divine Dynasty now know that the demon slayer was not the Bodhi Sect, doesn’t this mean that the Bodhi Sect will learn that you are General South Yang?”
If the Great Liberation World Purification Bodhisattva were to discover that the reason the Southern Continent had never been breached was due to internal issues, the consequences would be unimaginable.
“I said, they won’t be taking any messages from here.”
Shen Yi, however, smiled faintly, his tone filled with confidence.
His confidence was not unfounded.
After today, the Great Southern Continent would have seven Third-Grade Zhen Stones guarding it, along with countless other Zhen Stones. Unless the Great Liberation World Purification Bodhisattva personally arrived, no one would be able to send any news from the Divine Dynasty to the outside world.
With that, he stepped directly into the room.
If he couldn’t ascend to the ninth level for now, he would first create an army of Zhen Stones that could rival the heavens.
Seven Great Demon Kings, plus himself and the Southern Generals, with the boundless Imperial Qi to support them, could at least hope to hold back the Southern Emperor, if not defeat him.
Unless the Great Liberation Bodhisattva took personal action.
Otherwise, he was determined to defend the Great Southern Continent.
With this thought, Shen Yi closed his eyes and focused. In an instant, six thousand two hundred cycles of Beastly Lifespan flowed rapidly, infusing the Zhen Stones with flesh and blood. Four more terrifying figures of Great Demon Kings quietly appeared within the Myriad Demons Hall.
“Guard the Southern Continent well. I will return.”
“Lord, we will obey your command!”
…
A chasm stretching for tens of thousands of miles brutally tore the earth in half.
When this scene came into view for the few people in the sky, their pupils constricted, and their fingers trembled slightly.
The young man had indeed stayed in Jianyang Prefecture because he had received the news in advance.
Even Yue Lan, who was closest to him, knew nothing of it.
Now it was clear that the remaining Great Demon Kings had truly come to Jianyang Prefecture, while they, these old fools, had stood idly by in Songfeng Prefecture, watching the drama unfold all night.
“I am incompetent!”
Yan Lanting suddenly growled, his eyes reddening with bloodshot veins.
He had lured that young man to his side with the promise of “all will be well,” but when real trouble struck, whether it was the Demon Quelling Tower, the Bodhi Sect’s scripture transmission, the attack on Songfeng Prefecture, or today’s disaster in Jianyang Prefecture, where had he been?
Each time, it was that young man who had stood alone and faced the danger!
Yang Mingli’s dry lips moved, but he couldn’t utter a single word.
Feng Xi, watching Yue Lan’s silent and distant figure, clenched her teeth and glared at the two men. “If the Southern Continent is breached, every moment you linger here is another city’s life lost!”
Despite her own worry for Jianyang’s safety, there was no time for sorrow in this situation.
The group set off again, following the glaring chasm.
As they approached, they saw Yue Lan’s figure hovering in the air, frozen in shock.
Yan Lanting’s gaze fell on the terrifying chasm, which abruptly stopped just before Jianyang Prefecture, as if cut off by an invisible hand.
And in their line of sight, the majestic prefecture city still stood, its weathered walls towering and unharmed!
“This…”
Yang Mingli finally managed to speak, his eyes darting in disbelief.
“Let’s go into the city!”
Yan Lanting, momentarily stunned, quickly moved forward again, heading toward the city.
Before they even landed, the air was filled with the noisy voices of the citizens, almost every sentence mentioning “General Jianyang.”
“The city wasn’t breached. It was held.”
Feng Xi turned in surprise, looking at the towering walls.
Even after nearly ten days, the citizens still eagerly discussed the events, vividly reconstructing the scene in the minds of the group.
Three colossal demons, as vast as mountains and seas, had suddenly appeared outside the city.
A black ocean had swept across the sky.
Just as all life seemed doomed, a young man in black had quietly stood on the city walls. A ten-thousand-foot beam of light tore through the black sea, illuminating the sky, and a massive golden figure, wielding divine and buddhist magical tools, had pressed them down upon the demons one by one.
The demons, who had come with the power to destroy the world, were swiftly and effortlessly subdued.
And the one who wielded such divine power was not a deity, immortal, or disciple of a great sect, but the general appointed by the Divine Dynasty’s emperor to guard the Great Southern Continent, known as General Jianyang.
“Three Great Demon Kings, all slain by him single-handedly?”
Feng Xi swallowed hard. While the citizens’ words were certainly exaggerated, the core of the story was undoubtedly true.
Not only did he stop them, but he did so with such ease that even the city walls remained unscathed.
“…”
Yan Lanting lowered his gaze slightly. He knew that Shen Yi had once slain the Thousand-Armed Bodhisattva and that the Old Ancestor of Shenxu had also fallen to him, as Zhi Kong had told him.
But those two were only Bodhisattva Immortals who had achieved the third transformation.
The terrifying ape face and black sea mentioned by the citizens suddenly reminded him of one of the three great demons who had fled to the wilderness, the Youshi Ape King.
This was a fearsome demon that had already reached the pinnacle of the Sixfold Transformation before fleeing far away.
"Why don't we just go and ask what happened!"
Yang Mingli's face lit up, and even the air of weariness that had enveloped him seemed to quietly dissipate.
Initially, he had planned to promote the young man to counter the prodigious talents of the great sects, believing that he was a ray of hope for the Great Southern Continent. But as a series of events unfolded, he now realized that this was not just a ray of hope, but a blazing sun!
The three men hurried toward Shen Yi's residence.
They saw that Yan Lanting had already entered the compound, accompanied by the Zhi Kong Monk.
"Your humble monk greets the esteemed gentlemen."
Before anyone could speak, Zhi Kong preemptively said, "The South Yang General anticipated that the gentlemen would come, so he sent me to wait here. Please do not worry; although the demon menace has not been completely eradicated, there is now a glimmer of hope."
"As for the South Yang General, he has some personal matters to attend to and will return soon."
"Please rest assured and continue to safeguard the Southern Continent."
These few simple words confirmed the suspicions of the three Southern Generals.
Despite being of the same rank, and having served as Southern Generals for many years, they did not protest when faced with Shen Yi's indirect but commanding arrangements.
Yang Mingli even smiled and waved, "No problem, no problem! We will certainly do our best and await the South Yang General's return."
Although the demon menace had not been fully resolved, and the Southern Emperor still loomed as a great threat, the Great Southern Continent had at least survived another crisis.
As for the Southern Emperor, as long as everyone worked together, they could surely find a way.
At this moment, Feng Xi noticed something amiss.
The pale-faced girl, who had just managed to smile, suddenly lost her smile and even stopped breathing when she heard Zhi Kong's words.
"Follow me."
Feng Xi suppressed her agitation, led Yan Lanting to a secluded spot, and cast a soundproofing barrier. "I know that Shen Yi is cautious and doesn't want others to get involved in his affairs, but in this situation, we can't have any second thoughts. If there's anything we can do to help him..."
The beautiful woman paused, staring intently into Yan Lanting's eyes, and said earnestly, "We are willing to risk our lives."
"So, can you tell me what happened? Where did he go?"
"..."
Yan Lanting clenched the demon-slaying order in her hand, but the warm Imperial Qi within it no longer provided her any sense of security.
"The North Continent... has sent people... The Old Ancestor of Shenxu has fallen..."
Before she could finish, Feng Xi's face turned ashen.
She had never imagined that what Zhi Kong had described as a minor matter was actually a catastrophic event.
"I need to return to the sect. The Great Southern Continent is in your hands."
Yan Lanting released the demon-slaying order, no longer hesitating, and turned to leave the city.
She had been the one to introduce Shen Yi to the Three Immortals Sect, and now, even if she could not help, she had to be there.
...
At the same time.
Shenxu Mountain.
Led by Qianfeng Daoist, all the Peak Masters were present in the hall, but they did not look like the leaders of their respective peaks. Instead, they all seemed like diligent servants, carefully attending to the strange figures in the hall.
Tianwu Ancestor, Yuchi Ancestor, Shenshan Ancestor...
Six great figures, plus the Old Ancestor of Shenxu, gathered almost all the immortal sects of the Great Southern Continent.
"How long has it been? When will that old sleepyhead of yours wake up?"
Tianwu Ancestor glanced at the spirit tea Qianfeng Daoist had politely served, his eyes filled with impatience.
He even pointed out the true nature of the Old Ancestor of Shenxu in front of so many fellow cultivators and disciples, showing no regard for propriety.
The other ancestors, though they did not agree, only smiled faintly.
"..."
In the past, Qianfeng Daoist would have been furious, but now, knowing the true nature of his ancestor, he managed to suppress his embarrassment and quickly composed himself. "I have already asked my master, but I have not received a response. However, I believe it should be soon. Please bear with us a little longer, Elders."
"Who is your elder? I do not wish to be the elder brother of that old worm. Don't try to establish such a relationship."
Tianwu Ancestor sneered. "If he doesn't come out soon, I will destroy Shenxu Mountain."
Upon hearing this, not only Qianfeng Daoist but also the other Peak Masters looked bitter and lowered their heads.
Suddenly, Qianfeng Daoist paused, as if receiving some message.
He put down his spirit tea and said softly, "Elders, my master has awoken."
(End of Chapter)
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