https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-754-Establishing-the-Ethereal-True-Lord-Shrine-and-Planting-the-Flag-in-the-North-Continent/13466305/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-756-The-Struggle-for-Kaoyuan-Prefecture/13466307/
Chapter 755: My Water Runs Deep
Chapter 755: My Water Runs Deep
Kaiyuan Manor.
A middle-aged Taoist sat straight and poured a cup of hot tea for his mischievous junior brother. "Out with it. What brings you here when you have nothing better to do?"
"Senior Brother Hao Ming, don’t tell me you haven’t heard about the recent chaos caused by the Bodhi Sect. Máo Fēng and the others from Crimson Cloud Cave, as well as Senior Sister Ling Su from Spiritual Void Cave, have all fallen victim to the monks."
Hua Ming, the youngest disciple recently taken in by their master, had yet to break through to the Third Rank and thus couldn’t participate in the Great Calamity. However, he was quite interested in the struggles over incense offerings.
Being outside the calamity, he enjoyed the spectacle without any qualms.
His face was full of excitement.
"So what if I know?" Real Master Hao Ming replied indifferently. He not only knew about it but had also received a decree from the sect. He watched helplessly as many of his esteemed senior brothers and sisters left the Northern Continent.
But what did that have to do with him, an ordinary disciple?
"Why are you pretending to be ignorant, Senior Brother?"
Hua Ming stood up, clearly annoyed, and pointed to the side. "Even I heard it. They’ve set up a Divine Shrine next door, called the Grand Emptiness True Immortal Shrine."
"Don’t forget, Heavenly Tower Mountain is Senior Sister Ling Su’s Taoist Ground. Now that something’s happened to her, how did this place suddenly get a new owner?"
"I’ve never heard of Taoist Grounds being inherited, and from what I know, this so-called Grand Emptiness True Immortal isn’t even a cultivator from our Northern Continent."
Hua Ming spoke rapidly, then took a sip of tea to clear his throat.
"What do you want to say?" Real Master Hao Ming looked at his junior brother calmly.
"What do I want to say?" Hua Ming sneered, then said helplessly, "This is such a good opportunity, and you’re just going to let it slip by?"
Real Master Hao Ming shook his head and refilled the teacup. "Have you forgotten that there’s also Real Master Shu Yu in Kaiyuan Manor? If Qingguang Cave doesn’t speak up, it’s not my place to do so."
The establishment of the Grand Emptiness True Immortal Shrine would certainly attract a lot of attention, but it certainly wouldn’t include him.
"Hehe!"
Hua Ming not only wasn’t worried but laughed. "Senior Brother, you’re not as quick-witted as me. Think about it, who’s in charge of investigating the Bodhi Sect?"
"Ling Su was killed by the monks, and Senior Sister You Yao is still handling the investigation. Before she’s finished, how can Real Master Shu Yu, as her junior brother, have the heart to take over Heavenly Tower Mountain, left by Ling Su? He wouldn’t want to tarnish his senior sister’s reputation, would he?"
Real Master Hao Ming’s hand paused as he poured the tea.
This mission for You Yao was as much about avenging Ling Su and the other fellow disciples as it was about her own standing in the sect. If she succeeded, her status would undoubtedly rise even higher.
This time, she sought reputation, not profit.
So before the vendetta was avenged, she wouldn’t allow her subordinates to meddle with Ling Su’s “legacy.”
No wonder Real Master Shu Yu had been silent all these days since the Grand Emptiness True Immortal Shrine was established. The issue was right here.
"Don’t blame me for not reminding you, Senior Brother. This turmoil isn’t going to be resolved overnight. Both our sect and the Bodhi Sect are major forces. No one knows how long this conflict will last. The elders won’t really expect Senior Sister You Yao to handle everything alone. She just needs to catch a few monks and give an account for the deaths of her fellow disciples, and that will be enough."
"It might take a few weeks. You need to seize this opportunity."
With that, Hua Ming chuckled and patted his belly. "Even if you don’t care, I’m still hungry. Instead of letting Heavenly Tower Mountain go to an outsider, why not let me taste the Imperial Qi?"
"..."
Real Master Hao Ming glanced at him, surprised to see this seemingly frivolous junior brother could be so clear-headed at times.
He hesitated for a moment. "What do you suggest we do?"
"I think the people in this Taoist Ground have been living in peace for too long. Why not take a bit of Imperial Qi now and send the great demon out for a stroll?"
Hua Ming was clearly excited. "We can test his strength."
"If he’s weak, we can take the opportunity to destroy the Grand Emptiness True Immortal Shrine. A Divine Shrine isn’t something you can rebuild easily. Once it’s destroyed, the people of Heavenly Tower Mountain will lose all faith in him, and we can move in smoothly."
"Of course, if he’s strong, we can just apologize and bring the demon back. We won’t lose anything, and we can plan our next move."
Real Master Hao Ming listened quietly, then closed his eyes.
Only the hand that kept caressing the teacup betrayed a hint of excitement.
...
Roar!
With a long howl, the giant ape covered in white fur abruptly burst into Kaiyuan Manor, as if entering a deserted land, racing wildly without stopping.
The many refugees, who had finally caught their breath, were already too weak from lack of water and food to flee. Apart from instinctive wails, they all knelt devoutly on the ground, chanting the revered name of True Lord Hao Ming.
Then they were trampled into pulp.
This had become a common occurrence in the Northern Continent.
The few lucky survivors, their faces trembling, stared wide-eyed at their companions, who had just been discussing plans to start small businesses in the city after the immortals pacified the demon threat, now reduced to a mess of flesh and bone in an instant.
He trembled for a long while, then suddenly mustered his last bit of strength, leaping to his feet amidst the earth-shaking chaos. He knelt and bowed frantically, his voice breaking, yet still feeling it wasn't loud enough.
The sky was so high; it needed to be even louder for the True Lord to hear the world's suffering.
Fortunately, the white ape soon left the area, leaving behind a ground littered with shattered bodies, a field of wailing, and the lingering chants that wouldn't fade.
...
The white ape's gaze sharpened. Finding Heavenly Tower Mountain wasn't difficult; it didn't even require direction.
A single glance revealed where humans were living most like humans.
Having shelter and food to fill their bellies was a normal thing, but in today's Northern Continent, it had become a kind of marvel.
The refugees glimpsed the outline of the demon, though equally terrified, they had at least eaten and drunk enough to have the strength to flee. They didn't kneel and wait to die but instead gathered toward the tallest peak.
At the peak, a hastily built Divine Shrine stood. It wasn't grand or magnificent, even a bit crude.
It was hard to imagine that such a shrine could protect anything from such fierce demons.
The white ape bared its sharp fangs.
Its eyes also fell on the shrine.
To establish a Taoist ground in the Northern Continent, it had never been about building shrines and temples, but about the power and prestige to ensure the shrine stood forever. The outsider had clearly underestimated the situation.
"Roar!"
The white ape roared again, then stomped the ground heavily. Its massive form soared through the air, directly heading for the shrine.
The rampant demon energy surged like a tidal wave, and even before its fist reached the peak, the small shrine was already shaking violently.
The refugees stared dazedly at the blood-red sky.
They knew better than anyone what would happen next, yet they were powerless to change anything.
The world had become like this; their group was trampled like mud, only enduring, and if they were lucky enough to survive, they would wait for the next immortal to arrive.
In the next moment, the surging demon energy vanished like a mud ox entering the sea.
The red clouds in the sky gradually faded.
The towering demon hung stiffly in mid-air.
It was already very close to the shrine, needing only a bit more effort to crush it with a single blow.
But between the two, a figure in spotless white quietly suspended in the air.
Many had seen this figure before, as it often wandered among the refugees, aimlessly walking around, not minding if its pristine robes got dirty.
Since this immortal appeared, the immortals had become more considerate, building shelters for them and ensuring their daily supplies of water and food were no longer scarce, so they no longer had to scramble like animals for scraps.
However, because this immortal was so close to the mortal world, living in the sight of the refugees, now that it hovered high in the sky, its ethereal and mysterious form seemed somewhat unfamiliar.
...
Shen Yi calmly watched the struggling white ape, slightly extending his palm. The Great Void Power transformed into an invisible hand, gripping the demon's neck.
"Rip!"
The white ape frantically mobilized its demon energy, hoping to break free from the restraint.
But it was in vain.
It finally gave up resisting but didn't beg for mercy, continuing to play the role of a fierce demon.
It had completed the task given by True Lord Hao Ming. This pond of water wasn't as shallow as it seemed, at least not for a demon lord who had just entered the Triple Transformation stage.
But to say it was deep, that wasn't entirely true.
The other party might have extraordinary talent and a stable path, showing far greater strength than the Triple Transformation stage, but it clearly hadn't truly crossed the next threshold, still far from True Lord Hao Ming.
In other words, the other party definitely couldn't touch it today.
Since that was the case, there was no need to panic.
Sure enough, two streaks of light shot through the sky, and even before they arrived, an apologetic voice echoed.
"Daoist friend, it was a misunderstanding!"
True Master Hao Ming arrived with his junior brother, a helpless smile on his face. He first bowed to Shen Yi, then gave the White Ape an annoyed glance and scolded, "Brother, I've hit a bottleneck in my cultivation. This brute was acting on my orders to fetch some Imperial Qi, but it hadn't completely tamed its ferocity and overstepped its bounds."
"I hope you can understand and let me take this brute back. I will make sure to discipline it properly."
"……"
Hua Ming stood behind his senior brother, secretly rolling his eyes.
He was clearly disappointed that they hadn't been able to swiftly secure Heavenly Tower Mountain. The Xiushi of the Southern Continent had some real skills.
Now that they had gauged his strength, taking this place wouldn't be difficult, but he was worried that Senior Sister You Yao's progress might be too fast, leading to unforeseen changes.
Thinking of this, Hua Ming felt increasingly restless. He looked at the silent young Xiushi and felt a growing dislike, "Xiushi, don't be unreasonable. My senior brother has already apologized, so let the ape go."
"Enough."
True Master Hao Ming frowned and glanced at him, then smiled again and bowed to the other side, "Daoist friend, you are magnanimous, and I, too, know proper etiquette. Once I punish this beast, I will send my disciples with an apology to show my sincerity."
Perhaps it was due to years of being cautious.
With True Master Hao Ming's cultivation and background, he didn't need to be so polite to a Southern Continent Xiushi. Many things, like offering an apology to retrieve a great beast, were Northern Continent customs that didn't necessarily apply here.
But he didn't want to cause trouble, so he decided to follow the usual procedures.
He had made many concessions, and if the other side still pressed the issue, it would be quite unreasonable.
With that, True Master Hao Ming turned to the White Ape and shouted, "Beast, get back here!"
The White Ape bowed in submission and took a step towards him, but as it moved, a strange look crossed its face.
It turned back, confused, to see the white-robed youth still standing calmly. The invisible hand that had been gripping its neck hadn't let go at all.
"Daoist friend?"
True Master Hao Ming also noticed something amiss and frowned, looking at Shen Yi.
"Your apology."
Shen Yi met his gaze calmly and suddenly smiled, "What is it worth?"
Before the words were even out of his mouth, the White Ape sensed an immense danger and began to roar in panic.
The Grand Emptiness Power that had been choking it suddenly tightened, cruelly sinking into its flesh. In the next moment, the dull sound of bones breaking echoed.
Not just its neck, but its limbs were also severed by the Grand Emptiness Power. The once ferocious great beast was instantly reduced to a pile of broken flesh and bones!
Even as it died, the White Ape's face still bore an expression of disbelief.
True Master Hao Ming and his junior brother had similar reactions, both frozen in place.
The young man's calm voice was so grating that the usually mild-tempered True Master Hao Ming's face began to turn red. He hadn't expected this young man to be so aggressive.
"You dare to kill our ape!" Hua Ming couldn't hold back any longer and shouted angrily, "Who gave you the nerve, you broke-down nobody!"
Shen Yi raised his hand again.
This small gesture was enough to make Hua Ming's face freeze, and he instinctively retreated behind his senior brother.
Even in the entire Northern Continent, no one dared to start a precedent of killing a fellow disciple, let alone a newcomer attacking a Xian lineage disciple.
But this person's previous actions had already proven that he was a reckless madman. Hua Ming didn't dare to risk his life in a fit of anger.
"……"
True Master Hao Ming raised his head and took a deep breath.
He had no senior brothers or sisters to protect him. He had spent a significant portion of his resources to subdue this ape.
Now, it had died right before his eyes, and not only was the loss severe, but where could he find another great beast to do his bidding?
With a dark expression, he looked forward, "Daoist friend, if you start this, don't blame us for finishing it."
The reason rules are rules is that anyone who doesn't follow them will be made to leave the Northern Continent.
Today, you killed my ape. The next time the Grand Emptiness True Master comes to collect Imperial Qi, I, Hao Ming True Master, will come from the heavens and deal with that beast for you.
"Just wait!"
(End of Chapter)
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