The winter has arrived, and it’s even colder in the south.
The walls of Jianyang Prefecture are somewhat mottled, marked by the passage of time.
"What’s wrong with your Sect Master?"
The three Generals of Southern Defense, including Feng Xi, looked up at the city walls with some confusion and called out to Qingfeng.
Since last night, Shen Yi has been sitting there quietly gazing afar into the Azure Sky, his fair and handsome face revealing no joy or anger.
In everyone’s impression, he was always in a hurry, restless, rarely stopping to rest, let alone being in such a leisurely and detached state.
Although it seemed good, it was just too unusual.
Li Qingfeng routinely brought tea to the Sect Master, but under the gaze of the three behind him, he stopped helplessly and softly asked, "Sect Master, has something happened?"
"Just looking around."
Shen Yi withdrew his gaze, looking at the Red Jade in his hand.
This item bore no fluctuating aura and no signs of carving, and only through the contents of the Jade Slip could one roughly guess its purpose.
The message from Ye Lan didn’t sound like something a Human Emperor would say, but more like a lonely old man.
Shen Yi closed his eyes, his mind recalling the moment he fled the Southern Continent and journeyed to the Imperial City.
That man, like an unruly child, proudly displayed to him that pool of Emperor’s Aura.
The sight from back then remains shocking even now, despite Shen Yi possessing power second only to the True Buddha Emperor.
What an immense force it was, as if once it emerged, it could change the world.
All that was lacking was someone to deal with the claws of the two teachings.
Shen Yi believed in everything he saw, hence after heading to the North Continent, he didn’t choose to stay out of affairs but desperately stirred up the winds and sought a sliver of change.
He found and grasped that change, successfully obtaining everything the Human Emperor desired.
Yet now, this Sealed Jade Scroll suddenly tells Shen Yi that while the power was indeed vast, it hadn’t reached a decisive level.
To use it to isolate the entire Heavenly Dao would require gradual, meticulous work, only by going with the momentum amid the self-initiated internal struggle of the two teachings could the Human Emperor stealthily enshroud the entire giant beast of Heavenly Dao.
What exactly do you want?
Knowing all this, Shen Yi suddenly felt disoriented.
He could have told him earlier that wanting the current population to live while ensuring their dignified living in the future were entirely impossible on two different paths.
That man had time to have Gu Li deliver some broken peach pastries, but not spare a moment for something so important?
Shen Yi sat in a daze the whole night, pondering this question.
If he had known earlier... would he have continued ignoring the Human Emperor, doing only what he could, or followed the Human Emperor’s past instructions to find an ordinary Immortal Cave in the North Continent, seek entry, and become a Cultivator indifferent to the Red Dust until the Divine Dynasty and Immortal Court decided victory or defeat?
There is no regret medicine in the world, money can’t buy a new start.
But the Human Emperor gave him such an opportunity.
Shen Yi gazed at the Blood Jade in his palm.
Given the Human Emperor’s foresight, he would naturally guess that Shen Yi is currently being pursued by the two teachings.
If the Immortal Court didn’t tolerate him, there would be no place in heaven and earth to rest; even thinking positively, it would be life in hiding.
The other had suggested that Shen Yi hide himself, protect his life first, and on the day victory is decided, if the Divine Dynasty wins, he becomes a First-Grade General; if the Immortal Court wins, he becomes a True Immortal Bodhisattva, offending neither.
And now, the Human Emperor has given him another chance.
Blood Jade, formed from the Human Emperor’s essence blood, can stimulate the Emperor’s Aura across the sky, including those in the wine pool.
This Emperor’s Aura is probably the only thing in the world that can protect Shen Yi, the "Immortal Court’s accused."
If Shen Yi wished, he could make use of it himself; forget about hiding, he could even transcend to a status equal to the Yuqing Sect Master and the Present Buddha... a position meant for that man, who ceded it instead.
"You’re throwing the question you couldn’t fathom onto me?"
Shen Yi smiled self-mockingly, having once considered the Human Emperor a hero, and himself just a minor figure, each with their own tasks and paths.
But now, the other has dropped the handle and abandoned the task.
For the Human Emperor to send out this Blood Jade, his situation at the time must have been self-evident.
After so long, Shen Yi likely has no chance to see him and put the handle back.
"Alright then, I’ll do it."
Shen Yi stood leisurely, the Xuan Shang fluttering in the cold wind.
He seriously tied the Blood Jade around his wrist, murmuring: "You better not regret this."
As the words fell, that handsome face turned indifferent.
Li Qingfeng stared blankly at the Sect Master.
He suddenly felt a vague sense of familiarity, the figure that once destroyed all Northern Hong life in Hongze, faintly reappearing in his eyes.
Feng Xi and Yan Lanting, the Generals of Southern Defense, had already sensed something amiss and hurriedly reached the city walls: "Could it not be over yet?"
Witnessing this situation, something must have changed again.
Shen Yi stepped forward directly, entering the Taixu.
Yang Mingli was stunned, looking up at the empty space ahead, keenly sensing what was amiss.