Human Clan Defender

Underground.

The monk's aura grew increasingly domineering. In the face of this aura, Xuanye had no choice but to cease his chanting, his shocked expression mixed with fanaticism.

The shriveled Flesh had now become plump and full. A vigorous vitality emanated from it.

THUMP!

The barely audible sound was particularly jarring in the silent chamber.

Quickly, there was a second sound.

THUMP!

Compared to the previous one, this heartbeat was more distinct.

THUMP!

THUMP! THUMP!

Afterward, the beating sounds grew louder and stronger with each passing moment, until at last, the entire chamber began to tremble slightly.

Listening to the sounds emanating from the Flesh, Xuanye had to guard his spirit, fearful of being harmed by the vibrations.

As time passed, the intense throbbing began to subside.

Later, the sound became so faint it seemed to have disappeared completely.

At that moment, the monk's eyes, which had been tightly shut, suddenly snapped open. A brilliant, intense golden light burst forth, slamming into the stone walls of the chamber.

BOOM—

The chamber reverberated. Two bottomless small holes appeared there.

The golden light receded.

The monk remained seated cross-legged, as if reminiscing about something.

At this time, Xuanye approached, performed a kowtow, and cried out, "Disciple Xuanye of the Myriad Buddhas Sect pays homage to the Ancestral Master!"

"Myriad Buddhas Sect!"

"Ancestral Master?"

A flicker of confusion crossed the monk's eyes, then he fell into deep thought. Too much time had passed. Many memories had been sealed by the passage of time, and he could barely recall them.

After a long while, the monk looked at Xuanye and asked in an even tone, "What is my name?"

"Shimohe!"

"Shimohe!"

The monk, Shimohe, was shaken to his core. His sealed memories, as if unlocked by a key, surged forth like a torrent.

It took a long time for him to recover from the impact of his memories.

His once perplexed expression transformed. Confidence. Arrogance. He was like a deity reigning supreme over all beings.

Shimohe looked at Xuanye, kneeling before him, his calm voice carrying an undeniable authority.

"What year is it now?"

"Reporting to the Ancestral Master, it is now the three hundred and eighty-third year of Great Qin!"

Seeing Shimohe's changed demeanor, Xuanye understood that the other had recovered his past memories. Therefore, upon hearing the inquiry, he dared not hesitate, providing an accurate answer.

"The three hundred and eighty-third year of Great Qin?"

Upon hearing this, a puzzled look appeared in Shimohe's eyes.

Seeing this, Xuanye promptly explained, "The place where the Myriad Buddhas Sect resides is now within the territory of Great Qin. If we calculate according to the time when you, Ancestral Master, entered the Heavenly Realm, it has been over seven hundred years!"

"Over seven hundred years!"

Upon hearing these words, Shimohe's expression changed. It seemed tinged with melancholy, yet also with relief.

"I did not expect that seven hundred years have passed. Has the Longevity Fruit ripened yet?"

He looked towards a spot in the chamber where there were traces of excavation.

Xuanye respectfully replied, "Reporting to the Ancestral Master, to lure the people of Jianghu here and use their blood for your return, your disciple has already taken the Longevity Fruit out. They are likely still fighting over it, but with your intervention, Ancestral Master, claiming the Longevity Fruit should pose no problem."

"Hmm, well done!" Shimohe nodded, very satisfied.

Immediately, his tone shifted. "Currently, what are the cultivation levels of those in the Heavenly Realm?"

"The strongest are no more than Grandmaster Peak, as well as a few Defender Envoys of Great Qin's Demon Suppression Division."

"Defender Envoy?" Shimohe's eyebrows raised slightly.

Demon-Subduing Division! Defender Envoy! This organization was unfamiliar to him, as was the title of Defender Envoy.

Xuanye explained, "Over three hundred years ago, Demon Evils were rampant in the world, prompting Great Qin to create the Demon-Subduing Division. Defender Envoys are cultivators who have mastered a type of mysterious power. Even the weakest Defender Envoy is comparable to a Grandmaster Peak expert. The few Defender Envoys who have entered the Heavenly Realm, though not the most powerful among their ranks, still possess Grandmaster Peak strength!"

As a top force in the South Nether Prefecture, the Myriad Buddhas Sect was by no means weak in terms of intelligence gathering. They had a clear understanding of which experts had entered the Heavenly Realm.

Shimohe nodded. "If they are only at Grandmaster Peak, then it shouldn't be a major issue. Although This Seat hasn't fully recovered, I can still deal with such Martial Artists."

Having said that, he rose from the ground.

As he stood up, a subtle ripple spread out. The patterns on the floor, as if weathered, disintegrated and shattered before this ripple.

"Let's go!"

Shimohe looked towards the ceiling, took a sudden step, and an earth-shattering scene unfolded.

「Above.」

Fu Yue was seated cross-legged, silently drawing on nature's spiritual energy to heal her wounds.

Suddenly, her heart lurched violently, as if sensing something terrible was about to happen.

BOOM!!

The ground shook. A terrifying power surged from beneath the ground, instantly erupting through the surface.

Dust scattered in all directions.

Fu Yue immediately exited her cross-legged state, executed a nimble flip, and landed steadily atop a tree.

Looking at the dust-filled scene below, her face bore a grave expression.

In her heart, she was also filled with great confusion. Up to now, Fu Yue still had no clue what exactly had happened.

When the dust settled, a huge pit had appeared in the ground, with two monks standing beside it.

One appeared quite young, yet he possessed an otherworldly, detached aura that was impossible to ignore.

The other was an elderly monk.

Fu Yue's gaze first fell upon the young monk before shifting to the elder.

"Xuanye!" Her eyebrows lifted slightly. She recognized the Elders of the Myriad Buddhas Sect, so upon seeing Xuanye, she identified him immediately.

Xuanye brought his hands together. "Amitabha Buddha," he chanted. "I never expected to meet Defender Envoy Fu Yue here; it is truly this humble monk's honor!"

"She's the Defender Envoy?" Shimohe, upon hearing this, sized up Fu Yue from head to toe, a curious expression flickering in his eyes.

That's not merely the True Qi of a Martial Artist. Defender Envoys are truly extraordinary!

Being scrutinized, Fu Yue felt an unpleasant sensation. However, since he stood before Xuanye, she felt compelled to scrutinize him. She hadn't intended to scrutinize him closely, but upon doing so, Fu Yue was astonished to discover that the young monk exuded the aura of an ordinary person, someone with no strength to even truss a chicken.

But she knew there couldn't possibly be ordinary people within the Heavenly Realm. There was only one explanation: his strength was formidable, or he concealed it very deeply.

Combing through her memories, Fu Yue tried to pinpoint a corresponding identity. But no matter how she racked her brain, she couldn't recall when the Myriad Buddhas Sect had gained such a powerful expert.

At this moment, Shimohe turned his gaze to the bare crystal sapling, his brow twitching slightly.

"The Longevity Fruit has been plucked!" His expression darkened.

Then, turning to Fu Yue, he stood with one hand held vertically before his chest, his voice calm and steady. "May I ask, in whose hands is the Longevity Fruit now? If you tell me, This Seat might consider letting you leave!"

Hearing this, Fu Yue laughed out of sheer anger. "Let me leave? You think you can?"

"It seems you are unwilling to speak." Shimohe's eyelids lowered, as if he were softly chanting a Buddhist mantra or reciting scriptures.

Fu Yue sneered, "If you want me to tell you, fine. Defeat me, and you'll naturally find out."

"Good!"

The moment his words fell, Shimohe vanished, reappearing directly in front of Fu Yue in the next instant.

What! Fu Yue's face changed dramatically.

Before she could react, her slender, white neck was gripped by a broad hand.

Dark energy erupted. She forcefully blasted his hand away, her body then gliding backward like a startled swan.

Seeing this, a touch of curiosity flickered in Shimohe's eyes. Interesting, but that's all there is to it.

As Fu Yue retreated, he moved in perfect synchrony, almost as her shadow.

Forming a seal with one hand, he thrust out a golden Buddhist seal that tore through the air, instantly shattering her dark energy defense.

Then, Shimohe took a step forward, appearing once again in front of Fu Yue. His broad hand clamped around her neck again, making it impossible for her to break free.

"Now, can you tell This Seat?" He had a gentle smile on his face, but his words carried an undeniable authority.

Terror filled Fu Yue's eyes. She still couldn't comprehend how she had been defeated, or why it had happened so quickly. It was the second time! Since entering the Heavenly Realm, this was her second resounding defeat. The first time could barely be considered a loss to Shen Changqing; at least then, there had been room to struggle. But this defeat... this was an utter rout. Fu Yue found it hard to imagine what kind of expert could so utterly crush a Defender Envoy. Even if she was currently injured...

"You... who on earth are you!"

"Who This Seat is will be revealed to you later. First, answer my question: who took the Longevity Fruit?"

"The Longevity Fruit was, of course, taken by someone from my Demon-Subduing Division. Don't ask me where they are. The Heavenly Realm is vast; you can search for them yourself. I can't help you with that." Fu Yue's breathing grew rapid, but she nonetheless gave an answer. Anyone could find out about these things with a few inquiries; there was nothing that couldn't be said.

Shimohe's expression remained calm. It seems This Seat was a step too late. The Heavenly Realm is so vast; finding the Longevity Fruit will indeed be troublesome. "Are you sure you have no way to find them?"

"I don't—"

Fu Yue had barely finished speaking when suddenly, a sharp pain shot through her abdomen, followed by another in her neck. As Shimohe released his grip, her body crumpled powerlessly to the ground.

As her vision blurred, she saw him holding a piece of what looked like living flesh.

So this is the source of your power. What a peculiar thing!

Shimohe toyed with the piece of flesh, then looked at Fu Yue, who hadn't drawn her last breath, and smiled faintly.

"Ah, yes. This Seat almost forgot to answer your question."

"Remember, This Seat is called Shimohe!"

Shimohe! A flicker of confusion appeared in Fu Yue's eyes before the light within them faded, her expression freezing permanently.