https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-748-The-True-Immortal-Who-Saves-the-World/13466297/
Chapter 747: What If I Insist on a Share?
Chapter 747: What If I Insist on a Share?
After speaking, Cloud Ethereal wore a gentle smile and quietly observed the young man before him.
“...”
Shen Yi did not rush to respond. Instead, he cast his gaze into the clear water in his cup.
These great figures of the Three Teachings always had hidden meanings in their words.
The other party’s attitude was extremely courteous, leaving no room for complaint, but the message conveyed was the same as that of the woman in the pink robe.
What did "come and go as you please" mean?
It was a privilege for guests, not for members of the Three Immortals Sect, and certainly not for disciples of the Ethereal Spirit Grotto.
If Shen Yi wished to stay in the Ethereal Spirit Grotto, he could, but only as a guest. There was no limit to his stay, and the Bodhi Sect’s people would not come here to cause trouble. It sounded good, at least solving his immediate survival issues.
However, once he agreed, Shen Yi would become a wandering cultivator, completely cut off from the affairs of the North Continent.
After all, once he left the Ethereal Spirit Grotto, the Three Immortals Sect would have no reason to protect him. If he planned to compete for anything, the sects would easily join forces to eliminate him, a mere outcast from the South Continent.
Moreover, Shen Yi had no right to practice cultivation methods in the Ethereal Spirit Grotto. The great Dao of the immortal sects would never be passed on to an outsider.
To gain this safe haven, the price was to stay here indefinitely, like a hermit. Once he stepped out, any problems would be his own, with no responsibility on the Three Immortals Sect.
The Sage Emperor truly lived up to his title. Even while in the midst of a wine feast, he could see through the outcome.
Thus, he used his final words to soothe Shen Yi’s reluctant heart.
To live a simple life, without participating in the great calamity, and to ensure a place for oneself at the end, regardless of the outcome.
“...”
Shen Yi closed his eyes and exhaled softly, “Sigh.”
This trip had broadened his horizons.
Since the beginning of the Great Dry, Shen Yi had often heard the phrase "suffering of all living beings", so he had always been cautious, taking no wrong steps. Fortunately, his luck had been good, and he had never witnessed the true hell on earth.
But this time, he saw it.
The ruined city, the desolate ruins, the scattered corpses—if the South Continent were to fall, it would likely look just like the North Continent now.
“Still not satisfied?”
Shen Yi’s silence and sigh seemed to hit a nerve with Spirit Essence. Her eyebrows furrowed, and she became somewhat abrasive: “Don’t think I don’t know what you’re thinking. Stop harboring delusions!”
“Our elders personally engaged in battle with the Divine Dynasty’s Guardian General, and our fellow disciples worked tirelessly, to bring about the favorable situation in the North Continent. You, a South Continent cultivator, have done nothing, and now you come here with a shameless face, wanting a share. On what grounds?”
“Giving you a grotto and protecting your life is not enough for you.”
“If your insect demon master had taught you the meaning of shame, you would either stay here quietly or go back to the South Continent!”
Listening to Spirit Essence’s harsh and biting words, Cloud Ethereal did not intervene, which was unusual.
He had played the good cop; it was time for someone to play the bad cop and make this South Continent cultivator understand the current situation.
Judging by the young man’s actions since he arrived at the Ethereal Spirit Grotto, he seemed to be a reserved and reasonable person. These words should be enough to silence him.
“...”
Under the watchful eyes of the two, Shen Yi remained silent for a long time, then suddenly smiled.
This smile made Cloud Ethereal subconsciously frown.
Shen Yi raised his eyes to the woman in the pink robe, his expression unchanged: “A decree from the North Continent called all of us out of seclusion, at a critical moment for our great sect.”
“The Bodhi Sect disbanded my sect.”
“That monk killed my master.”
“I fled for my life and finally arrived in the North Continent.”
“Now, it’s your sect’s turn.”
His clear voice echoed in the grotto, without any condemnation or weeping. Shen Yi’s face showed no sorrow, and there was even a faint smile on his lips.
These tragic experiences, in his mouth, were told with a terrifying calm.
“You!”
Spirit Essence opened her mouth, speechless.
Then she saw the young man put down his teacup, slowly stand up, and approach her, looking down at her from above.
The gentle and refined demeanor on his slightly blurred face had vanished, and his clear eyes now held a hint of ferocity.
“If I say...”
Shen Yi stared coldly at the girl, his smile tinged with a chill and a touch of mockery: “I must have a share, what then?”
Under his gaze, Spirit Essence shuddered, her mind a blank, unable to form a coherent response.
“Hmph.”
Shen Yi didn’t give the woman a chance to speak, casually brushing past her and striding out of the cave.
In an instant, his eyes grew serious.
No matter what, even if he had to abandon this place, he had to maintain his identity in the San Xian Jiao. In the tightly-knit North Continent, if he were labeled as an outsider, even with exceptional abilities, he wouldn’t stand a chance.
“...”
Cloud Ethereal’s eyelids twitched involuntarily.
He hadn’t expected this seemingly gentle young man to have such a strong and resolute character.
If this person left the door and those words reached the ears of other disciples, not only would he fail to solve the problem for Elder Qingguang, but he would also be suspected of deliberately damaging the other’s reputation!
Qingguang Cave might not want to take responsibility, but others wouldn’t know that.
This young man from the South Continent hadn’t come to see Elder Qingguang but had come to the Ethereal Spirit Cave first. If this news spread, how could a junior like him dare to confront Elder Qingguang with just a few words from Crane Child?
The most likely outcome would be Elder Qingguang directly disciplining these two unruly juniors to resolve the “misunderstanding.”
Thinking of this, he finally couldn’t hold back and raised his hand. “Wait! Junior Brother, hold on!”
The title “Junior Brother” didn’t mean he was admitting Shen Yi into the Ethereal Spirit Cave. Given the numerous factions within the San Xian Jiao, disciples often addressed each other as brothers and sisters, but it at least acknowledged the Ethereal Spirit lineage.
“...”
Shen Yi acted as if he hadn’t heard and left the cave decisively.
Seeing this, Cloud Ethereal became anxious. He waved his sleeve, and a gentle wave of Disaster Force enveloped the young man, holding him in place.
“Junior Brother, hear me out.”
“We North Continent disciples are far from the Bodhi Sect and truly don’t understand the intense situation in the other three continents. How can we treat you poorly for your service to the sect? Sister Lingxu rarely leaves the mountain and doesn’t understand the rules. She has no right to speak on behalf of the elders. Please don’t take it to heart.”
Shen Yi stood silently, not turning around.
His eyes remained as calm as an ancient well, but anyone could see the deep-seated grievance in his demeanor, a clear sign of his unwillingness to continue this entanglement.
Cloud Ethereal quickly approached, releasing the Disaster Force, and said apologetically, “Our Master hasn’t returned yet, but you can stay here for now. Rest assured, I will take full responsibility for compensating you.”
To ensure Shen Yi believed him, he took out a jade slip, inscribed a message with a flick of his finger, and then used the Disaster Force to transform it into a spiritual bird, which quickly disappeared into the clouds.
Clearly, the Grandmaster of the Emptiness Heavens wasn’t someone to be pushed around. On the contrary, he was very decisive.
To pacify such a person, he had to offer something substantial.
Shen Yi’s sect had suffered heavy losses, practically wiped out. He had fled here, seeking nothing more than a share of what belonged to him in the North Continent.
Today, he would put aside his pride and secure a piece of land for the Dan Emperor.
Even if there was no immediate result, as long as his fellow disciples showed some flexibility and gave him some hope, it would be a good start.
“Follow my advice and stay in the Ethereal Spirit Cave.”
Cloud Ethereal forced a smile, patted the young man’s shoulder, and then turned to glare at Lingxu. “Choose a cave on the cliff near us.”
Being close to the personal disciples was almost equivalent to being accepted into the Ethereal Spirit Cave, pending the Master’s approval.
The benefits and prospects were all clearly laid out, nothing was lacking.
“...”
Shen Yi glanced at Cloud Ethereal, remaining silent.
A moment later, he bowed, turned, and re-entered the cave.
Seeing this, Cloud Ethereal stood in place, slowly retracting his smile, his face darkening as he led Lingxu back to Half-Fallen Cliff.
As soon as they landed, Lingxu burst out in anger, “Why did you act so impulsively, not only accepting him but also using the Ethereal Spirit Cave’s name to seek benefits for him... Even if his master is dead, it has nothing to do with us. Why should we bear the responsibility!”
“What would you have me do?”
Cloud Ethereal looked at her coldly. “Let him leave? And let Elder Qingguang lose face and personally come to the Ethereal Spirit Cave to demand an explanation?”
“That’s not...” Lingxu was taken aback.
Cloud Ethereal sighed, raising his hand to interrupt her, and reassured her, “When our Master returns, report this person’s background to him honestly. If Master refuses to accept him, then it’s none of our concern.”
“I understand.”
Hearing this, Lingxu realized there was still a chance and gritted her teeth to endure it.
She could almost imagine the ridicule she would face if this insect demon disciple became her junior brother.
“Rumors are just rumors. When you meet someone, they’re rarely as excellent as described. I see he’s only just entered the Third Grade. He’s not even as strong as me... So, that vaunted Dragon Subduing and Tiger Taming Bodhisattva might not be that impressive after all.”
“……”
Ethereal Cloud pondered for a moment and nodded lightly.
If even a cultivator of that realm could escape from his hands, then the true abilities of the Bodhisattva could be glimpsed.
Perhaps his way out lies in the Southern Continent?
Meanwhile.
Inside a mountain cave, Shen Yi sat at a table and took out a jade slip.
He pondered as he recorded a message.
While those two were observing him, Shen Yi was also observing them. For instance, the Daoist in the crimson cloud robe, with just a slight move, displayed the ultimate level of the Nine-Nine Transformations.
He still needed to gradually understand these great sects.
Shen Yi had actually visited Mount Sumeru once, though he didn't stay long.
But like the peak where the Bodhisattva of Pure World Liberation resides, there are many similar peaks in Mount Sumeru, with a foundation that truly makes one shudder.
To gather three such Mount Sumerus would be needed to match the San Xian Jiao of the Northern Continent.
Even a random disciple under a Golden Immortal could possess strength comparable to the Southern Emperor, which is not surprising.
The Human Emperor had said that the Lingxu Cave was not a particularly outstanding lineage within the San Xian Jiao. The difficulty of standing firm in the Northern Continent is indeed daunting.
“……”
Shen Yi finished recording the current situation and then summoned the Ancestor of Shen Xu, instructing him to enter the Ethereal Void Realm to deliver the jade slip back to the imperial city.
The one he left in the imperial city was Yue Lan.
The two knew each other well, and Shen Yi trusted her. It was convenient to leave her by the side of the Human Emperor. Before the situation stabilized, the Divine Dynasty could also protect Yue Lan's life, achieving two goals at once.
As for Master Wisdom Void, who left the Southern Continent with him, he did not stay in the imperial city.
This former ascetic of the Bodhi Sect, even after enduring the torment of the Thousand-Armed Bodhisattva, still did not abandon the bit of kindness in his heart.
In his words, though he only has the cultivation of the Sixth Rank, as long as he enters the world, he can do something for the masses. Even if it's just picking up a few bricks or helping to rebuild a few villages, it's better than sitting idly within high walls.
Of course, he would not return to the Southern Continent.
Shen Yi did not try to persuade him further. Looking at the world, there was a vague trend of good and evil becoming indistinguishable. Anything anyone did seemed inseparable from Imperial Qi.
Only this ascetic, who could once be stopped by an old woman with a broken wooden door, still had such a clear heart.
“Let’s focus on myself first.”
Shen Yi shook his head helplessly. Although the process was not smooth, he had finally achieved his goal.
With the identity of the San Xian Jiao, it would be much easier to act in the Northern Continent in the future.
He closed his eyes and entered a state of inner vision.
The golden light of the Bodhisattva's Fruit had reached its perfect state, and the characters that once appeared on it had not resurfaced for a long time.
On the other side, the Divine Spirit Wind still maintained its initial form, far from reaching perfection.
However, with the Northern Continent in such chaos, earning some Beastly Lifespan should not be difficult.
But with just this strength, it would still be too hard to stand out.
Shen Yi had long seen the true face of the Northern Continent.
With three sect leaders in place, the land was filled with fellow disciples, and one lineage led to another.
In such a place, no matter how high one's cultivation, it couldn't surpass the sect leaders. Therefore, background and roots were more important than strength.
He couldn't rush things; he would wait for Ethereal Cloud to return first.
……
Several more days passed.
A new cave was opened on Half-Fallen Cliff.
“Little Brother Dan Emperor, see if there is anything else you need.” Ethereal Cloud stood with his hands behind his back.
“Thank you, both of you.” Shen Yi shook his head; he was not particular about these external things.
Lingsu stood beside him with a cold face, as if someone owed her money.
“Good.”
Ethereal Cloud smiled. As long as he could temporarily stabilize the Grandmaster of the Emptiness Heavens, a mere cave was nothing.
At that moment, a spirit bird returned from the sky, carrying a jade slip.
He raised an eyebrow and waved his sleeve to catch it. “Perfect, there is news about my junior brother.”
Saying this, Ethereal Cloud directly immersed his consciousness into the jade slip.
As he read the reply, the smile on his face gradually faded, replaced by a gloomy and somewhat awkward expression.
(End of Chapter)
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