Shen Yi turned around.

He did intend to enter the Xu family — but there was no need to do it this way.

He held out the age-fruit to the several Great Qian Grandmasters. "Keep these safe."

He hadn't counted them, but by the portion it should be more rather than less.

Shen Yi hadn't thought to keep any for himself.

This thing's effect only amounted to the incidental benefit of a single demon spirit-crystal — better to hand it to Great Qian, to trade with Wutong Mountain for some more dependable protection.

"For us?"

Hou Wanhai's breath caught, his whole mind gone slightly numb with disbelief.

Age-fruit like this was hard currency no matter where you took it.

The man had staked his life entering the Thousand Demon Den, had even tangled with a demon emperor of the Thirty-Eighth Den — and now he was just handing the age-fruit over this easily?

He waited a moment, and once he was certain he hadn't heard Shen Yi name any condition —

only then did Hou Wanhai carefully accept that pile of age-fruit. "Many thanks, Senior Shen. Such great kindness, such great virtue — we shall never forget it, not for all our lives."

It was only after that solid weight filled his palm that he dared believe the scene before him.

This was no mere age-fruit — this was buying Great Qian more years of life...

Shen Yi closed his eyes.

The long spear in his hand, once his presence had been poured into it, awakened all at once.

Again and again it assailed his body and his mind with demonic force.

Fortunately, what he wielded was demonic force too, so he took all of it without discrimination.

It was only the way it corroded his spirit-soul that was a bit of trouble.

Fortunately the Solar-Fusion Furnace was there, and could suppress it for a little while.

Time to go...

Shen Yi gave a slight nod of his chin toward Tang Yuan in the distance, a gesture of thanks.

Then, gathering up the two women, he leapt into the air…