Attaining Immortality, Starting From Slaying Demons

Gone?

These stewards quickly relayed the message to the person behind them.

Within the remaining six sects, many cultivators looked up in shock.

Included among them was Bai Wu, known for his intelligence, who hesitantly put down his Dao Plate, "He really isn't there?"

If previously it was mere speculation,

now that Shen Yi wasn't at the Nanyang Sect, his suspicion indeed became significant.

But Bai Wu truly couldn't understand, Shen, as a new Sect Master, had managed to make acquaintances with Liu Shiqian and Chi Yang, elders of the Pure Moon Sect, which was already incredibly difficult, let alone finally convincing strong Daozi like Su Hongxiu and Wei Yuanzhou to stand up for him—his methods were astonishing.

Now, he had even bypassed the Seven Sons of South Hong, finding other allies, taking the risk of offending the Dragon Palace, and ruthlessly slaughtered a large group of aquatic demons.

Just to vent his anger?!

Bai Wu hadn't even considered that Shen Yi might have done this himself.

The former was already frightening enough; if it was the latter, that was completely beyond his comprehension.

"How strange."

Bai Wu sat up, suddenly finding himself interested in the Seven Sons Grand Assembly.

Last time in Yunxiao Pavilion, he didn't get the chance to see him; now he truly wanted to see for himself what this widely talked-about Shen Yi was like.

Bai Wu's thoughts could represent the thinking of many powerful cultivators in the Immortal Sects.

After all, Shen Yi had not left Nanyang Treasure Land long ago, and to most people, he still seemed like a young cultivator who was lucky to have found the He Dao Bao Di, unlikely to hold onto it.

But to ordinary Immortal Sect cultivators,

after the envoy from the Southern Dragon Palace visited, they were briefly stunned, then a wave of excitement surged in their hearts.

They had finally made a move!

While they didn't know which senior it was, Ke Shiliang leading troops to besiege Yunxiao Pavilion had added much resentment in their hearts, especially after Elder Liu intervened, which added a layer of confusion towards the elders.

Now, it was finally swept clean— how splendid!

If not for this, the upcoming Seven Sons Grand Assembly would have seemed like a joke; a Sect Master from the Nanyang Sect, which could be easily besieged by troops from the Southern Dragon Palace, how could he command respect?

As for how to deal with the envoy from the Southern Dragon Palace, that was for the elders and Daozi to consider.

As disciples, they just needed to unsheathe their swords unhesitatingly when the time came.

Within the Heavenly Sword Sect.

The shadow looked at his only disciple with interest: "What are you thinking about?"

He rarely saw Hong Xiu lost in thought over someone or something besides her sister, otherwise, she wouldn't have tempered such a formidable Reincarnation Sword Body.

Plus, from her earlier conversation with Liu Xingshan, it was easy to tell.

She took the risk of opening just two cities, narrowly won, and acted again to discipline Liu Qingshan, not for Su Yushang, but for Nanyang Treasure Land.

"Thinking about where he is," Su Hongxiu said calmly, looking up.

She didn't believe Shen Yi could do it, so she was somewhat eager to meet him.

"Getting sentimental?" the silhouette in the sky asked bluntly in front of many elders.

Feigned sophistication and veiled sentiment were the concerns of adolescent boys and girls.

But they were swords—direct and forthright should be their way.

As expected, Su Hongxiu felt no embarrassment, and straightforwardly said, "His personality quite suits my taste, but it's still a hundred thousand Heavenly Sword mountains away from what Master mentioned."

Compared to sentiments of love, if it were true, she'd rather test on Shen Yi the third Dao Soldier she acquired from the Imperial City.

"As I thought, you're still that uninteresting," sighed the silhouette in the sky, then slowly dissipated. The heirs of Nanyang Sect always had numerous romantic entanglements, starting from Senior Qin, then to Xuan Qing junior nephew. It seems this new heir was somewhat different from the previous two.

Well, it was time to seriously assess this Sect Master Shen.

After all… after the Seven Sons Grand Assembly, the other party would be an existence equal to their own elderly selves.

At that thought, the Heavenly Sword Sect Master smiled wryly.

Meanwhile, at the Nanyang Sect.

Li Qingfeng was still dealing with the stewards of the Alliance Sect while preparing for the various matters of the Seven Sons Grand Assembly.

Unnoticed by anyone, far away,

Li Xuanqing stood silently holding his Dao Plate, his eyes raised to the sky, watching intently for the return of the Sect Master.

In his Dao Plate, the message he had left for Shen Yi earlier had only one simple reply.

"I know."

He knew, so the horde of aquatic demons had perished.

Where else could one find a more reliable Sect Master? Even before successfully achieving Union Dao, he was already shouldering the burden of Nanyang Treasure Land with his somewhat slender shoulders.

It was like Master had come back.

So surely nothing would go wrong, after all, these were just mere shrimps from the water, not Immortals from the heavens.

...

Among the boundless mountain ranges.

A purple Rainbow Bridge spanned from heaven to earth, reaching directly into the clouds, as if endless.

The figure in dark robes stood idly with hands behind his back, gazing into the distance.

And between them,

the Infinite Demon Emperor, formed from congealed blood plasma, was struggling to climb towards the other end of the Rainbow Bridge.

Its silhouette was hunched, its steps faltering.

Its body rapidly melted under the scorching heat of the Rainbow Bridge, then quickly regenerated as a vast amount of lifespan years were consumed.

As it diminished here and grew there, it brought not only endless pain, but also a gradually decreasing distance to the thick celestial canopy.

It is recorded in the books stored within the Treasure Bead.

Completing this Rainbow Bridge is referred to as the Ascension Path, merely a minor threshold.

Its purpose is to let cultivators briefly experience the five calamities of birth, aging, sickness, death, and suffering, to avoid helplessness when opening the city later.

The Infinite Demon Emperor is the embodiment of all Shen Yi's cultivation.

For cultivators, this represents the foundation of life. Any damage requires long years, or even a lifetime, to mend, let alone such crude destruction.

But for Shen Yi.

If a thousand years are not enough, then ten thousand years; if still not enough, then hundreds of thousands of years.

After all, having come this far, cowering is impossible.

He indeed passed through the calamity of life as he wished, but at this moment, the whole process of Ascension Path started to change its flavor.

The Rainbow Bridge was no longer about letting Shen Yi experience the five calamities, but was vehemently trying to cast him down.

When one stubborn force encounters another.

The outcome is a substantial loss of the Demon's lifespan years.

The crimson figure didn't even realize its ankle was gone; its figure faltered again, but in the blink of an eye, its feet were restored as before, his face showed no emotion.

As for the agony... he had roared until his throat was hoarse.

Finally, on this long bridge, Shen Yi's Divine Soul merged with the Infinite Demon Emperor.

He nonchalantly stepped onto the clouds.

In an instant, the scorching heat under his feet faded away, replaced by a warm sensation that relaxed his entire body.

"..."

Shen Yi silently smiled.

To say he had overcome the heavens would be too arrogant; it was more like a stubborn child from someone else's family, insisting on breaking open the door and declaring he belongs here, while the adults of the house, seeing the door nearly broken, reluctantly let him in.

Well, in any case, he hadn't lost.

"So, let me take a look."

The crimson figure lifted its head and looked towards the clouds.

As its gaze swept across, the auspicious clouds stirred without wind, fading quietly as if in compliance with it.

And beyond those stacked clouds.

Five towering great cities appeared distinctly before his eyes.

No more than a handful of cultivators throughout the entire Southern Hong could see all five great cities, which represented the pinnacle of a cultivator's potential.

Long Han, Chi Ming, Shang Huang, Kai Huang, Yan Kang.

The inscriptions on the five signboards all contained obscure and profound meanings, seemingly forming a cycle, recurring endlessly.

In ancient texts, these five cities also bear another rather domineering name.

Heavenly Tribulations!

Only by crossing these Heavenly Tribulations can one truly be called an Immortal.

"..."

Shen Yi stared almost dazedly beyond the five cities.

There, he vaguely saw a majestic Heavenly Gate, not quite distinct, with silhouettes flickering as if in a dream, ready to shatter upon touch.

"Sss."

Shen Yi suddenly felt his eyes sting.

He quickly withdrew his gaze.

Allowing a mere mortal to glimpse what lies beyond the White Jade Capital is already a tremendous gift; to delve further seemed somewhat beyond his reach.

At that moment, feeling somewhat guilty, Shen Yi swept a glance around him.

Then he opened the panel.

Ever since the first breakthrough of a million-year Demon lifespan years, an option to condense appeared.

He did not quite understand it at the time.

Now, after seeing the five great cities with his own eyes, he began to grasp its meaning slightly.

[Ten Thousand Demon Hall. East: Birth from Demons]

[Ten Thousand Demon Hall. South: Witness its Decline]

[Ten Thousand Demon Hall. West: Forge its Body]

[Ten Thousand Demon Hall. North: Bury its Demon Soul]

[Ten Thousand Demon Hall. Center: Serve Forever, Enjoy Endless Blessings and Prosperity]

This seems not about changing the exam questions, but about changing the examination hall itself.

Shen Yi looked at the remaining lifespan years of the Demon, then returned his gaze to the five cities ahead: "Tsk."

He always felt that his path of cultivation was about to deviate again.