Shen Yi slightly lifted his eyes, then decisively pulled a piece of yellow paper from his sleeve.
Such a life-saving object, of course, needed to be placed where it could be easiest to reach.
Fortunately, there had never been an occasion to use it.
He raised his hand and passed the magic talisman: "Here."
Liu Shiqian took the talisman, flicked it with his finger, and it turned into flying ash, and then he bowed again and said, "From now on, these things will no longer be necessary. Sect Master Shen, if you have any orders, please feel free to instruct me."
"Elder Liu is too kind."
Shen Yi shook his head, and to put it unpleasantly, when he had first left Nanyang Treasure Land, if it weren’t for Elder Liu sending someone to guide him, he might still be hiding in the sect, pondering where to find the blood of a fire-type demon bird.
Sending charcoal in snowy weather couldn’t compare to adding flowers to brocade.
Liu Shiqian didn’t continue with pleasantries, his silence stemmed mainly from not being good with words. Saying a few more might inadvertently offend Sect Master Shen.
Elder Ke Si said it would be three days, but in truth, no more than one day would pass before they would send people to investigate.
This Dragon Descendant was not one to play by the rules or stick to the book, otherwise he wouldn’t have acquired his current status with such a background.
Moreover, Chi Yang’s intervention was not precisely within the rules either.
Shen Yi rose to his feet and quickly collected the scattered corpses of three demons into his finger ring before stepping out of the Immortal’s Cave, also gathering the two demons from earlier, not even sparing the bone fragments.
He had been in a rush to save someone earlier and hadn’t thought too much about it.
Now that the matter was settled, though, the items could not go to waste.
Liu Shiqian and Chi Yang Elder looked at each other.
To a cultivator, a demon’s body parts were naturally of use everywhere—the skin, scales, armor, flesh, bones, and core—but to pay such meticulous attention...
But then a thought struck them and their pupils slightly contracted.
They suddenly remembered the Spirit Puppet from before, which also bore the appearance of a demon. Could it be that it wasn’t merely a puppet-making technique, but a sacrifice of the flesh and blood of living beings?
This was considered an evil practice.
Even if it were the Qingyue Daozi, as long as they dared to engage in such methods, they might be stripped of their status.
After all, one’s heart is unpredictable; today they dare to practice with demons, tomorrow they might sacrifice their fellow sect members. Who could resist the temptation to entirely control another being?
It would sound terrible if word got out.
Moreover, it’s not as if the Immortal Sect lacked superior Cultivation Techniques. Why bother practicing such skills?
Even Elder Liu Shiqian, who was known for being conservative, quickly averted his gaze, pretending he had seen nothing.
He, a dignified Immortal Sect Elder, had no business defending the demons.
Shen Yi was not a Daozi; he was a Sect Master. There was no one above him to discipline him.
Could it be possible to use such means to "invite" Sect Master Qin back again?
"Alright, let’s go back."
Shen Yi didn’t want to stay any longer. It seemed like he only made one Wusheng Palm move, but it truly exhausted his inner foundation.
The two Town Stones also sustained serious injuries and needed time to recover.
If he were ambushed by a demon at this time, that would truly be a loss.
Chi Yang Elder swiftly summoned the Qingyue Treasure Ship and carried the two at top speed toward the direction of the Nan Hong Seven Sons.
When they were about halfway through their journey, he suddenly halted.
They saw a figure suddenly appear in the clouds ahead of the ship, crying pitifully like a pear blossom bathed in rain.
"Who allowed you to act alone outside the sect?"
Liu Shiqian, though gravely injured at the moment, still furrowed his brow and showed his authority as an elder.
According to sect rules, all functionaries below the Late Stage of Returning Void were required to be accompanied by at least three people when going out on errands, otherwise they were strictly forbidden to take even a step outside Pure Moon Sect.
Liu Qianyun stared blankly at the treasure ship, and after seeing her father’s pitiful state, her eyes reddened a bit more, but a great weight seemed to lift from her heart.
For a cultivator, getting injured was a common occurrence.
As long as the injury wasn’t fundamental, with the Immortal Sect’s resources, they would soon make a full recovery.
Thankfully, it wasn’t a major incident.
Liu Qianyun rubbed her eyes, then took a fresh look at the three people on the ship.
She saw a familiar figure.
There sat Shen Yi, cross-legged, eyes closed in meditation, the ink robe billowing in the cloud winds.
What shocked Liu Qianyun, however, was that both her father and Chi Yang Elder were standing a step behind him, in an escorting position—this was a way to show respect reserved for a Sect Master.
Her father, perhaps, wasn’t too surprising; everyone knew he was by-the-book.
But Chi Yang Elder... he had acknowledged Shen Yi’s role as Sect Master? And he showed no discomfort on his face, as if it was only natural.
"Enough now, the girl was just worried about you. I’ll make the decision on this one: no punishment."
Chi Yang Elder said with a jovial tone, gesturing: "Come on board, don’t let there be a next time. If it weren’t for Sect Master Shen’s help, your father wouldn’t have been able to save himself, let alone you."
"..." Liu Shiqian helplessly glanced at the old man, but didn’t say anything further.
"Thank you, Elder Chi Yang."
Liu Qianyun quickly bowed in gratitude, and then cast a timid glance towards Shen Yi. Elder Chi Yang’s every word she could understand, but put together, they left her somewhat puzzled.
What was the matter that even her father couldn’t resolve, yet Shen Yi had been able to step in?
"Thank you, Shen... Sect Master."
Liu Qianyun pursed her lips, bowed even more sincerely than before, and then stepped aboard the treasure ship, quietly settling at the back.
She silently stared at his back.
Suddenly feeling a sense of deja vu; he was still in that ink robe, seemingly unchanged from several months before, but the procession behind him had grown increasingly terrifying.
The Qingyue Treasure Ship passed by the Nanyang Relief, dropping Shen Yi off at the sect.
Only then did it slow down, heading toward Pure Moon Sect.