https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-742-When-in-Poverty-Cultivate-Virtue-Alone/13466291/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-744-The-Imperial-Family-Has-No-Spare-Resources/13466293/
Chapter 743: Farewell to Nanyang, the Road of Escape
Chapter 743: Farewell to Nanyang, the Road of Escape
It was already late at night.
However, the city of Jade Mansion was brightly lit, with crowds of people bustling through the streets and alleys.
Even though the citizens of the Divine Dynasty were more knowledgeable and sophisticated than those in remote regions, they were still mere mortals.
For ordinary people, it was difficult to gauge the exact power of a demon. The most immediate and brutal impression was the size of the creature.
The Southern Emperor's demon body was simply too massive, so vast that one could not see its boundaries, and it seemed as if its mere descent would turn the entire city of Jade Mansion into ruins in an instant.
Thus, even after several days, the people were still immersed in the shock and excitement of their narrow escape.
Such a colossal demon had ultimately been pierced through by a divine sword formed from surging heavenly fire.
Those who had not witnessed it firsthand could hardly imagine the profound impact of that scene.
The name of Nanyang had been exalted to that of a true deity through word of mouth, and it was only a matter of time before temples were erected in his honor.
In contrast to the noisy chaos outside, the grand hall of the governor's residence was eerily silent.
The three Southern Protector Generals sat in silence, devoid of their usual imposing presence.
Yang Mingli mindlessly flipped through the documents on the table, his gaze unfocused, clearly not taking in a single word.
To his side, Yan Lanting sat in his chair, slumped forward, repeatedly rubbing his old face with his hands, looking more like a farmer squatting by a field than a Southern Protector General.
As for Feng Xi, she leaned back with her eyes closed, her expressionless face showing faint signs of aging.
"..."
Wu Shan quietly entered the hall, replacing the untouched, cold tea with fresh cups.
He looked at the three dispirited officials, his lips moving but not uttering a word of comfort.
The demon disaster of that day still echoed in his mind.
But what had truly reduced these three to their current state was not the terror of the Southern Emperor. After all, the three Southern Protector Generals were not inexperienced young men; they were well aware of the gap between themselves and the Southern Emperor, and they were not so easily discouraged.
The real reason was the Southern Emperor's shout of "Bodhisattva."
It revealed why their own General Nanyang had been able to receive so much information in advance and why he possessed the strength to dominate Nanyang.
Because he was a member of the Bodhi Sect, and a revered Bodhisattva at that.
To be precise...
He was an agent of the Demon-Slaying Bureau who had infiltrated the great sect at great risk to save Nanyang.
As for when it happened...
Wu Shan gritted his teeth, recalling the Bodhisattva who had arrived just in time when the Bodhi Sect had ambushed him.
In such a situation, he had still managed to awaken safely within the Divine Dynasty.
Perhaps from that moment on, General Nanyang had already joined the Bodhi Sect.
News of his battle with the Southern Emperor would soon spread... Wu Shan, though not well-versed in the great sects, could imagine how they would treat a "traitor."
This was precisely what the three Southern Protector Generals were worried about.
If General Nanyang did not return safely, they would likely never be able to forgive themselves.
"Ah."
Wu Shan turned and slowly walked out of the hall.
On the steps, Yue Lan's hand rested on the hilt of her sword, her gaze fixed on the sky, motionless like a stone statue.
"If I hadn't left the Divine Dynasty back then, it would have been better", Wu Shan said beside her, his voice low with guilt.
"..."
Yue Lan remained silent for a long time, not turning to look at him, but she spoke softly, "He never mentioned these things."
Hearing this, Wu Shan was taken aback.
General Nanyang had done so much, yet never spoken a word to anyone.
Even before the Southern Emperor arrived, he had gently patted Wu Shan's shoulder, showing that he had always remembered the grudge between them.
When he finally slew the Southern Emperor, those somewhat arrogant words were also a fulfillment of Wu Shan's wish.
Such a person would never blame him.
Thinking of this, Wu Shan raised his gaze, looking toward the horizon. Just then, a streak of light flashed across his eyes.
The burly, heavyset man trembled with excitement, exclaiming, "He's back!"
Before his words had even finished, three figures darted out from the hall behind him, their movements swift, all traces of their earlier despondency gone.
The streak of light landed, revealing a familiar figure in a black robe.
Yue Lan was already approaching, her eyes fixed on the handsome face. She had watched him transform from her subordinate to a junior brother, then to a senior uncle, and finally to her supreme master.
In such a short time, their relationship had changed so many times.
For a moment, she did not know what to call him, her breathing quickening, and she asked the most important question on everyone's mind, "Are you alright?"
“……”
Shen Yi had just returned, and he was immediately met with several intense gazes.
He raised an eyebrow slightly, feeling somewhat uncomfortable. It had been a long time since he left Hongze that he experienced such a feeling.
Thinking about it, Shen Yi nodded. "For now, everything is fine."
At the moment Shen Yi spoke these words, the tension in everyone’s hearts eased somewhat.
"If someone were to send word back to Mount Sumeru, what would you do?" Yan Lanting asked, still uneasy. The Bodhi Sect was not foolish; with the prolonged attack on Southern Province, they would certainly investigate.
"I’ve killed everyone who knew about it. It should buy me some time to leave Southern Province."
Shen Yi stepped toward the hall. The matter in Southern Province was now concluded, and there was no need to keep anything from them, which would only make them worry unnecessarily.
“……”
The three Southern Protector Generals’ expressions of relief instantly froze.
They stared at Shen Yi’s back with complex expressions, finding it hard to fathom the mental state that could utter such terrifying words so calmly.
After all, as a Bodhisattva, the people he came with were likely other Bodhisattvas.
These great venerables, who towered above the mundane world, were so casually mentioned in a single sentence that they didn’t even deserve to be named.
"Are you leaving Southern Province?"
The one who recovered first was Yue Lan, the cultivator with the lowest rank. She had spent the most time with Shen Yi and was somewhat accustomed to his way of doing things.
Though she had anticipated that Shen Yi’s actions would make it impossible for him to stay in Southern Province, a trace of reluctance still appeared in her eyes when the moment arrived.
"First, we need to go to the capital. You have to come with me."
Shen Yi gave her no room for choice.
After all, for what he had done, Mount Sumeru would at least send the Bodhisattva of Great Liberation to investigate. Yue Lan and Master Zhikong, who knew the entire process, would be the first targets of Mount Sumeru.
Unlike the Southern Protector Generals, who had their cultivation and the Demon-Slaying Edict to protect them, and could even summon Imperial Qi in a pinch, Yue Lan and the others would have no means to resist if captured.
They would likely not even have the ability to beg for death.
For his own sake and for their safety, Shen Yi could not let them stay in Southern Province.
"Also, send a message to the mountain, telling them to relocate. They should all go into hiding and not get involved in any more affairs."
Feng Xi stepped forward, her lips pursed. From Shen Yi’s attempts to erase all traces, she sensed that the situation might be worse than he let on.
"Southern Province should be safe for now. There’s no need to worry; just focus on your duties."
Shen Yi turned to the beautiful woman and offered some reassurance.
Regardless of their strength, these three Great Emptiness Immortals had shown respect by supporting the Southern Emperor instead of fleeing, which was worthy of his admiration.
"Our concern isn’t just about Southern Province..." Feng Xi sighed. The Bodhisattvas who had descended from the mountain and the great demons that had appeared had all been wiped out. The Twenty-Seven Prefectures had not seen such a disaster in a long time.
Compared to the other three continents, the Great Southern Continent could now be called a paradise.
She shook her head and said, "Since we were colleagues for a short time, let me see you off one more time. It will save you a lot of trouble once you reach the capital."
If they didn’t see him leave safely, she and the two old men would not be able to rest easy.
"Thank you, Elder."
Shen Yi pondered for a moment and nodded in agreement.
He would leave a batch of Zhen Stones in the Twenty-Seven Prefectures. The three Southern Protector Generals had just suffered serious injuries, so it was unnecessary to force them to stay in Southern Province.
"Wait! I have one more question."
Yang Mingli finally found a chance to speak. Under the puzzled gazes of the others, he licked his dry lips. "Can I ask what your title is in the Bodhi Sect?"
“……”
Shen Yi looked at him, understanding what he was getting at. He smiled helplessly. "Dragon Subduer Tiger Tamer."
"Hisss—"
Hearing these four words, Yang Mingli gritted his teeth and pulled out a scroll from his sleeve.
It all matched! Everything matched!
He had always found recent events strange. His years of experience had led him to misjudge every major event, making him doubt his own sanity.
Yang Mingli flipped to the first page of the book and pointed shakily at the three names at the top.
"Great King Subduing Dragons and Tigers is you, Southern Protector General is you… If I’m not mistaken, this Grandmaster of the Emptiness Heavens should also be you, right?"
The Grandmaster of the Emptiness Heavens hailed from Shen Xu Mountain, a prodigy unmatched in generations.
It was well-known that Yue Lan and Shen Yi had long joined Shen Xu Mountain. The commanding tone in which the latter had issued orders just now was clearly that of the leader of the sect.
Such a young prodigy could not possibly be the insect demon, Old Ancestor of Shen Xu. Therefore, the identity of the person in front of them was already clear.
"So, the first three prodigies that I asked the Demon-Slaying Bureau to investigate are all from our side…"
By this point, Yang Mingli was already feeling parched and breathless.
Seeing the old man’s agitated state, Shen Yi glanced at the names on the subsequent pages of the book. "Pretty much."
To be honest, he felt a bit sympathetic towards Yang Mingli.
After all, Yang Mingli was the first to deduce most of his identity. From the sudden inquiry about the Bodhisattva’s title, it was clear that even if he didn’t admit it, the other party had already guessed most of it.
For a man of his intellect to suffer repeated setbacks in judgment due to him… it was undoubtedly a severe blow to his confidence.
"See? It’s not my fault!"
Receiving a confirming response, Yang Mingli glared at Yan Lanting beside him, his beard bristling.
"…"
Yan Lanting had no interest in engaging with him. When he looked at Shen Yi again, he found the young man even more terrifying.
It turned out that from the beginning, there were no two unparalleled prodigies who had separately slain eight young elites from the two sects.
Outside the Northern Flowing River, the other party had single-handedly taken out sixteen people, including Tianwu Xuanwu, and even toyed with the Third Grade who had been watching from the sidelines.
Of course, they had all been duped as well, believing the lie that the two had fought to exhaustion, allowing Nanyang to profit from their conflict.
"I don’t know what you’re excited about."
Feng Xi rolled her eyes at Yang Mingli. If it weren’t for Yan Lanting’s strong defense, and instead, Yang had carried out his plan to punish Nanyang… the Twenty-Seven Prefectures would likely have been plunged into chaos and suffering.
"…"
Shen Yi watched the bickering group in silence, suddenly feeling a sense of nostalgia for the Great Qian Dynasty.
Back then, after the demonic disaster in Qingzhou was resolved, the old man Chen Qiankun suddenly transformed into a mischievous old child.
He quite liked that feeling; it was oddly relaxing.
Unfortunately, it wasn’t the time to relax. Once he secured his own safety, he could find time to visit Qingzhou again.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I take my leave." Shen Yi slowly clasped his hands in a salute.
The previously noisy group suddenly fell silent.
The two old men remained silent, eventually sighing deeply and returning the salute, softly saying, "Thank heavens you’re here… farewell."
The troubles of Southern Province hadn’t been resolved; they had merely shifted from the people of the Twenty-Seven Prefectures to the shoulders of one person.
They could offer no significant help, but they could do their part by safeguarding the peace and tranquility that Nanyang had sacrificed so much to secure.
…
Several days later.
A Fire Dragon Chariot rose from the Jade Mansion, streaking northward. The roaring dragon soul emitted a high-pitched howl, covering thousands of miles in the blink of an eye, and swiftly left Southern Province.
There were only a few people in the chariot.
Feng Xi had prepared a memorial, detailing everything that had happened in Southern Province, with the seals of the three Southern Protector Generals.
This was the only thing Southern Province could offer Shen Yi.
With this memorial, the other party should be able to claim any reward they desired from the Human Emperor.
Yue Lan and Zhi Kong Monk were seated on either side of Shen Yi. Shen Xu Mountain had made all the necessary arrangements; Qian Feng Dao Ren would lead the disciples from the eight main peaks and hundreds of outer peaks to evacuate Southern Province before Mount Sumeru could react.
Apart from the name Nanyang, Shen Yi left no trace on the Great Southern Continent.
He closed his eyes and dozed, feeling the Fire Dragon Chariot beneath him.
It was a fine magical artifact, but it couldn’t be used so freely outside the Divine Dynasty.
After an unknown amount of time,
As the chariot suddenly came to a halt, Shen Yi opened his eyes and looked at the faint outline of the Imperial City ahead.
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
