We're practicing all martial arts, so why did you switch to easy mode?

"Su Chen of the Ziyang Sect? I've never heard of that name before!"

"It's the Ziyang Sect again! Last time it was Bi Tianyu, and this time it's Su Chen. How come they've become the center of attention!"

"Su Chen, Su Chen... that name sounds so familiar!"

"I remember now, Su Chen disappeared during the demon hunt in Shengyuan City ten years ago. Why is he still alive?"

"He didn't disappear, and he even broke through to the Martial Immortal realm! How did he do that?"

"..."

Su Chen's name might be known to some people in Shengyuan City, but he is not well-known in the entire Ten Directions World.

However, the Ziyang Sect has been gaining momentum in recent years, becoming the main force against the Heavenly Demon and its reputation has spread far and wide.

Especially the great battle ten years ago, Ji Ziyang single-handedly fought against three Asura Kings, astonishing everyone.

Five years ago, during the siege of the Heavenly Demons, Bi Tianyu emerged out of nowhere, pushing the prestige of the Ziyang Sect to another peak.

This further made the six characters of Bi Tianyu of the Ziyang Sect resound throughout the ten directions of the world.

Now, upon hearing the way the Zhu Dynasty's patriarch addressed Su Chen, everyone instinctively knew Su Chen's background.

However, they knew very little about the name Su Chen.

Only those forces that had migrated from Shengyuan City to the Zhu Dynasty still had some memory, and they quickly remembered Su Chen's identity.

Of course, it doesn't matter if you can't remember.

After all, Su Chen's strength had already reached the Martial Immortal realm, and he came from the Ziyang Sect, which destined him to be extraordinary.

Su Chen had not expected that the old man who suddenly appeared would not only easily break his attack, but also reveal his identity.

He stared at the other person with a solemn expression. The other person was dressed simply and had a calm demeanor, looking like an ordinary person.

However, Su Chen, who had just fought him, did not think so at all: "This person's strength is probably even greater than Wei Zhong's!"

Only in this way can we explain the clear and refreshing demeanor of the visitors.

However, what puzzled Su Chen was that the other party was clearly from the Zhu Dynasty and did not seem to have much malice towards him.

Various thoughts surfaced in his mind, but eventually subsided. He said frankly, "That's right, I am a disciple of the Ziyang Sect. However, this matter has nothing to do with the Ziyang Sect. It was my personal doing. If you want to pursue this matter, I will take responsibility for it alone!"

He wasn't worried that the other party would attack the Ziyang Sect, but rather that he would take responsibility for his own actions.

This matter was originally done by him and Zhu Yan, and had nothing to do with the Ziyang Sect. If the other party wanted to cause trouble, they should come after him.

Upon hearing this, the white-haired old man showed no sign of blaming you. Instead, he chuckled and transmitted his voice, saying, "The fault lies not with you. It was Lanxin who acted on her own initiative and brought this upon herself. Why don't you three give me some face and let this matter be resolved peacefully?"

Not to pursue?
Su Chen was stunned for a moment, not expecting that the old man would be the first to compromise.

"Benefactor!"

Just as he was deep in thought, Zhu Yan and the other man rushed back and joined him in facing the old man.

"We're here to help you."

Both Zhu Yan and Gu Xiaoyao felt a little uneasy when faced with the sudden appearance of the old man.

This unease stems from the vast disparity in strength.

This demonstrates the old man's formidable strength.

Even so, they had no intention of backing down, but were prepared to face it together with Su Chen.

Su Chen paused for a moment, then relayed the old man's telepathic message to the three of them. He knew that the old man was not saying it directly in order to preserve the last vestige of the Zhu dynasty's dignity, so he did not reveal it publicly.

"He wants to reconcile with us?" Zhu Yan was also moved when he learned of this.

They first killed the crown prince of the Zhu dynasty, then they stormed the palace, killing two martial arts immortals, and finally the empress.

What they did caused the Zhu dynasty to lose face completely.

Instead of holding them accountable, the people in front of them took the initiative to reconcile with them.

Given this situation, not only Zhu Yan, but even Gu Xiaoyao felt that the other party had ulterior motives.

"Could he be trying to make you emperor?" Gu Xiaoyao pondered, vaguely guessing the old man's thoughts, and said to Zhu Yan with some uncertainty.

It's not that he's talking nonsense, but rather that this possibility is very high.

Given the current situation of the Zhu dynasty, with the emperor dead, the empress and the crown prince also dead, the entire dynasty is leaderless and naturally needs a new emperor to ascend the throne and take charge of the overall situation.

In terms of dynastic bloodline succession, Zhu Yan also carries the blood of the Zhu dynasty, and given that his strength has reached the Martial Immortal level, he is the most suitable successor.

Su Chen had also thought of this. He glanced at Zhu Yan and asked, "Has the person been rescued?"

Zhu Yan nodded.

Immediately, Su Chen turned to the old man: "Since this matter has been resolved, let's call it quits! Let's go."

"Wait, may Zhu Yan stay? I have something to say to him!"

Seeing that Su Chen and the other two were about to leave, the old man quickly stopped them.

Hearing this, the three were not surprised. The old man's target was indeed as they had expected, namely Zhu Yan.

"You can decide this matter yourself."

When Zhu Yan turned his gaze to Su Chen, Su Chen didn't say much, but simply replied with a sentence.

Ultimately, this is Zhu Yan's family matter, and the final decision rests entirely with Zhu Yan himself.

"Young friend Zhu, don't rush to refuse. Why don't you listen to what he has to say to you?" Gu Xiaoyao said from the side.

Zhu Yan agreed, and so he replied to the old man.

"Please wait a moment in the palace, those two."

The old man gave a few instructions to the people in the palace, telling them to take good care of Su Chen and his companion, before leaving with Zhu Yan.

"Let's go, let's take a look around the palace."

Su Chen didn't intend to stray too far from Zhu Yan, but instead landed and planned to wander around the palace for a while.

Gu Xiaoyao followed closely behind.

While wandering around, Su Chen learned where Cai Xiaoyue and the others had gone.

Because he was worried about Su Chen, Zhu Yan arranged for them to leave the imperial city first, so that he wouldn't be unable to take care of them when a major battle broke out.

Both parties have agreed on a meeting place, and they can simply meet there.

The matter was temporarily resolved, but it caused a stir in the palace.

As a result, wherever Su Chen and Gu Xiaoyao went, they attracted awe and respect.

After about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, Zhu Yan slowly appeared and found Su Chen and the other person.

"How was it?" Gu Xiaoyao asked, full of curiosity.

Zhu Yan shrugged: "What else could it be? It's pretty much the same as what you said. The reason he didn't attack us was so that I could inherit the throne."

"So what do you think?" Su Chen looked at Zhu Yan.

He didn't have any particular thoughts on this; on the contrary, he felt that this was a good thing for Zhu Yan.

After all, in times of chaos, when demons invade, everyone in the ten directions of the world lives in constant fear.

If Zhu Yan becomes the emperor of the Zhu dynasty, he will at least be able to protect Cai Xiaoyue and the others.

"I actually had this idea."

Zhu Yan shared his thoughts, which were largely the same as Su Chen's.

"In that case, you can make the decision yourself," Su Chen replied after listening.

Anyway, Zhu Yan has now reached the Martial Immortal level, and in the entire Zhu Dynasty, there are probably only a handful of people who can defeat him. Zhu Yan nodded.

He spoke with the two briefly before leaving.

On that very day, the Zhu dynasty swiftly declared Zhu Yan as the new emperor, and also conferred titles of nobility upon Su Chen and Gu Xiaoyao.

The coronation ceremony will only officially begin after it has been announced to the world, at which time various forces from all directions of the world will be invited to witness it.

And just like that, two days passed in the blink of an eye.

After finishing his busy work, Zhu Yan found Su Chen and Gu Xiaoyao.

“My benefactor, I have searched through all the ancient books in the palace and also inquired with the ancestor, but unfortunately I still cannot find any news about the Crystal of Laws.”

Zhu Yan looked apologetic. Su Chen had helped him so much, yet he couldn't even fulfill one of the other's small requests. He felt ashamed.

A few days ago, Su Chen inquired about the Crystal of Laws from him, and after he ascended the throne, he immediately sent people to investigate the matter.

Afterwards, they even asked the ancestor, but even the ancestor, a living fossil who had lived for tens of thousands of years, had never heard of the Crystal of Laws.

Upon hearing this, Su Chen frowned.

The difficulty in finding the Crystal of Laws exceeded his expectations; he never imagined that even the Zhu Clan Ancestor had never heard of the Crystal of Laws.

It seems that finding it in a short period of time is nothing short of wishful thinking.

"Furthermore, if my benefactor wishes to return, he must be extremely careful of Bi Tianyu!"

Zhu Yan then added that he had long known about the feud between Su Chen and Bi Tianyu.

Now that Bi Tianyu has been promoted to Martial Immortal, he has become the only candidate to become the leader of the Ziyang Sect.

Now that Su Chen has returned, he might be targeted by Bi Tianyu, since Su Chen's strength is enough to compete for the sect leader position.

If Su Chen is willing, he will not hesitate to stand up for him and help him win the position of sect leader of Ziyang Sect.

Moreover, Su Chen and Bi Tianyu had a past grudge. If neither side was willing to let the matter rest, then he had to be prepared.

"Bi Tianyu?"

Ten years have passed, and if Zhu Yan hadn't reminded him, he might not have remembered the name at all.

Unexpectedly, the other party's talent was so rapid that they also advanced to become a Martial Immortal.

"If he's not satisfied, then let's have a fight!"

Su Chen said coldly, recalling the past, the gap in strength between the two sides was enormous.

He still remembers the scene when they first met. At that time, if Bi Tianyu wanted to deal with him, he could probably subdue him with just one finger. But ten years have passed, and Bi Tianyu has made rapid progress. His cultivation speed is not slow either.

Now, he is fully confident that he can disregard Bi Tianyu.

Even if the opponent is a martial arts immortal, he has no fear.

If the other party is ungrateful, it's time to settle the old scores.

Zhu Yan nodded, then turned to Gu Xiaoyao and asked, "Senior Gu, if you have nothing else to do, why don't you stay here for a few more days?"

Gu Xiaoyao shook his head and said, "No, I'm planning to see the Ten Directions World with Su Chen. Staying in the palace is too boring."

The palace was merely a luxury for him, but at his age, luxury held no appeal for him.

Instead of staying in the palace, why not go back to the Ziyang Sect with Su Chen?

Zhu Yan sighed helplessly upon hearing this. He actually wanted to return to the Ziyang Sect with Su Chen as well, as he felt uncomfortable staying in the palace.

"My benefactor, have you found any news about Master Hongming and the others?" Zhu Yan suddenly asked.

Su Chen nodded: "They're in Ziyang City."

This Ziyang City is not the same as the previous Ziyang City; it is a newly built Ziyang City located in the desolate ancient mountains.

It was built by the Ziyang Sect as a temporary residence, and the forces inside include not only the Ziyang Sect, but also other forces.

There were even some independent cultivators.

The information he received was that Hong Ming and the others were in Ziyang City, but as for their exact location, he would have to find them himself after arriving at the Ziyang Sect.

"Yes, feel free to contact me if you need anything."

"it is good!"

After a brief conversation, Su Chen and Gu Xiaoyao took their leave.

Zhu Yan watched the two leave.

"Two outstanding individuals from one family, the Ziyang Sect is truly fortunate!"

The patriarch of the Zhu family appeared quietly and let out a sigh.

In such a dire situation, with all forces facing a life-or-death moment, the Ziyang Sect was able to go against the tide and obtain two Martial Immortals.

It must be said that the Ziyang Sect possesses great fortune.

In the future, this will undoubtedly greatly increase the chances of the Ziyang Sect's survival.

"Zhu Yan, although you have broken through to the Martial Immortal realm, your true strength is still too weak within that realm. During this period, I will spare no effort to improve your strength in order to prepare for the great calamity to come." The Zhu Clan Ancestor looked at Zhu Yan, his voice solemn.

Such an advancement would inevitably involve all sorts of pain and might deplete Zhu Yan's potential, but when disaster strikes, they have no other choice.

Otherwise, not only would the Zhu dynasty perish, but Zhu Yan himself would also be in grave danger.

“Okay!” Zhu Yan replied emphatically.

……

Ziyang City.

Xuan Yin Sect.

"Senior Sister Fang Rou, something bad has happened! The Yuan Gang is here again."

A sharp sound suddenly came from inside the courtyard.

Upon hearing this, Fang Rou, who was still cultivating, stopped what she was doing, quickly got up, and walked out of the courtyard.

Sure enough, three men dressed identically strode towards her. Upon seeing the three men, Fang Rou's eyebrows furrowed slightly.

"Sect Leader Fang, it's been a long time! You're still as beautiful as ever!"

The man in the lead had a shifty appearance and clasped his hands in a fist salute as he walked and talked. Beneath his smile, a lewd desire was faintly revealed.

Although she disliked the group, Fang Rou didn't show it. Instead, she cupped her hands in greeting and asked, "Senior Brother Xu Qian, may I ask what brings you here?"

“We’re here to collect the sect’s entry fee,” a man next to Xu Qian said.

"Wasn't it already collected last month?" Fang Rou asked back.

“Last month is last month, and this month is this month. We can’t generalize. After all, you’re here and protected by our Yuan Gang every moment. It’s not unreasonable to ask you for some Pure Yuan Pills every month, is it?” Xu Qian said with a smile.

Shameless!
Fang Rou cursed under her breath upon hearing this.

The Ziyang Sect is protecting them; what does it have to do with the Yuan Sect?
It's simply because Bi Tianyu is behind the Yuan Sect, and Bi Tianyu is the eldest disciple of the Ziyang Sect, which is why the people of the Yuan Sect are so arrogant.

Despite her displeasure, Fang Rou had no choice but to compromise.

The Xuan Yin Sect had long been destroyed in the battle against the Heavenly Demons, and now only a few disciples remained. If it weren't for their past favors with the Zi Yang Sect, they wouldn't even be qualified to reside in Zi Yang City.

If we really leave Ziyang City, I'm afraid we won't even have a place to stay.

They didn't care, but Master Hong and Li Mo might not be able to...

Thinking of this, Fang Rou pursed her lips and asked, "Then how much will it be this month?" (End of Chapter)