Chapter 379
"This... is quite interesting."
Zheng Fa was implementing some modern systems.
To be honest, this was primarily for fairness, but it also aimed to encourage the disciples of Jiu Shan to focus more on the fundamental principles:
One could imagine that many disciples would only purchase spells without bothering to understand the underlying principles.
Over time, they would likely become fixated on spells, losing interest in the essence of the principles.
However, if a principle like Jin Shui Lei could give rise to countless spells—then the cultivators who studied the principles would naturally suffer less.
"This citation count can also be used to assess the value of a research project, serving as a supplement to our evaluation system for research outcomes."
This was Zheng Fa's final goal:
To establish an objective standard for evaluating research outcomes, providing reference data for future awards and the Hall of Worthies.
Previously, they had awarded prizes based on their own assessments of various achievements.
Although he had no personal motives, there would inevitably be times when one misjudged.
...
"This... journal?" Sister Zhang seemed to find the name a bit odd. After a pause, she asked, "What’s it called?"
Zheng Fa thought for a moment and replied, "Xian Dao."
Sister Zhang glanced at him, remaining silent, seemingly unfazed by his choice of name.
As Zheng Fa and Sister Zhang discussed various matters regarding the journal, he suddenly felt a sensation and waved his hand, summoning a communication talisman that flew in from the outside world.
He took the talisman and frowned slightly, a look of concern crossing his face.
"What’s wrong?" Sister Zhang asked, her voice filled with concern.
"Cheng Kong sent this. They’ve gone to Chen Jun."
Sister Zhang remained silent, watching Zheng Fa intently.
"Cheng Kong said that there seems to be something strange in Chen Jun. The Da Zizai Demon Sect has gathered several Hua Shen there, and the defenses are extremely tight."
"Several Hua Shen?"
"Cheng Kong wasn’t sure exactly how many."
Not just Sister Zhang, but even Yuan Shijie, who had been munching on snacks nearby, turned to look at Zheng Fa in surprise.
They all knew that the Da Zizai Demon Sect was formidable.
But to have more than one Hua Shen in a single district?
That was a bit too terrifying.
"Cheng Kong means that this isn’t just about my quest for revenge... He can’t just ignore these people either."
This was easy to understand.
For a Hua Shen to enter the Xuan Wei realm, there would be a price to pay.
These Hua Shen from the Da Zizai Demon Sect gathering together surely had some purpose, and it wasn’t just for a game of mahjong...
Cheng Kong and Tong Ming naturally couldn’t just let it slide.
"So he wants us to help?"
"Yes."
Zheng Fa put down the communication talisman and looked at Sister Zhang.
"What do you think?"
"Better to be cautious," Zheng Fa said directly.
After all, he wanted to avenge Gao Yuan, but with several Hua Shen involved, the exact number was still unclear...
That was a bit frightening.
To intervene recklessly would be like serving up the Jiu Shan Sect on a platter to the Da Zizai Demon Sect.
However, Sister Zhang shook her head. "We can’t afford to offend Cheng Kong too much."
Zheng Fa nodded silently.
This was the helplessness of being weak...
The Five Sects of Xuan Wei and the Demon Sect had already offended the Da Zizai Demon Sect, so they couldn’t afford to lose face for the Five Sects of Xuan Wei.
When Cheng Kong said that the Jiu Shan realm was unsafe, wasn’t it also a subtle warning?
Staying out of it requires strength; when the top two are fighting, the third often suffers the most...
Yet, Zheng Fa was still unwilling to risk the Jiu Shan realm.
After pondering for a while, he suddenly recalled something. "Sister Zhang, didn’t Cheng Kong mention before that he killed the Blood River Ancestor?"
"Yes, those disciples from the Bai Xian Alliance witnessed it. Cheng Kong wielded the Qing Jing Zhu and struck down the Blood River Ancestor in one blow."
"Then... do you think the Blood River Ancestor's life-bound flying sword in our Jiu Shan realm is still alive?"
"Uh?"
...
Zheng Fa led Sister Zhang to the herb garden, with Uncle Pang and their master following closely behind, emphasizing the importance of numbers.
After all, they were preparing to face a Hua Shen.
In the center of the herb garden stood a small hill formed by the Sun and Moon Bell.
At the foot of the hill, the Blood River Ancestor's immortal sword lay on the ground, devoid of any spiritual energy.
It seemed to have lost all its mystique.
During the previous auction, they had sold the coffin of the Copper Coffin Elder.
But they had kept this flying sword, partly because it was a Hua Shen spiritual treasure they were reluctant to part with.
Of course, the main reason was that they were afraid to sell it, fearing that no one would dare to buy it...
Now, this flying sword was suppressed by the Sun and Moon Bell. If it were sold, and the Blood River Ancestor escaped, it would be a joke.
Looking at the motionless flying sword, the elder Yuan wondered, "Is it dead?"
Uncle Pang shook his head. "I don’t know..."
After all, the Jiu Shan realm didn’t have any true Hua Shen, and their understanding of the Hua Shen realm was always limited.
Elder Yuan thought for a moment, then summoned a formation disk from above his head and set up the Zhou Tian Divine Thunder Formation.
Bolts of lightning rained down on the black flying sword like raindrops, crackling and flashing, making it hard to keep one’s eyes open.
But the flying sword remained still, seemingly lacking any defensive capability, just lying there to be struck.
After the thunderstorm passed, although the flying sword showed no signs of damage, it also didn’t exhibit any signs of vitality.
Everyone exchanged glances, their expressions filled with confusion, not daring to let their guard down.
Uncle Pang thought for a moment and suddenly instructed Zheng Fa, "Keep an eye on it, and remember to use the Sun and Moon Bell to suppress it at all times!"
Zheng Fa blinked, not understanding why Uncle Pang said that.
He then saw Uncle Pang lift his foot and rub the sole against the sword’s body, scraping back and forth.
The others nearby: ...
Seeing that the Blood River Ancestor's life-bound flying sword still didn’t move, Elder Yuan nodded. "Looks like it’s really dead."
Uncle Pang continued to rub while nodding, seemingly in agreement with Elder Yuan's assessment.
Everyone understood this judgment... If the Blood River Ancestor were still alive, this kind of humiliation would be too much to bear.
Even Uncle Pang’s rubbing steps became more confident, more fluid, and rhythmical.
Zheng Fa looked at the sword that had suffered such humiliation and thought for a moment, sending forth a five-colored divine light that enveloped the flying sword.
The sword flickered with uncontrolled spiritual energy, slowly revealing the figure of the Blood River Ancestor.
Uncle Pang’s face stiffened, feeling that his leg was in serious trouble—because the rising Blood River Ancestor was directly facing the sole of his shoe.
The expression on that face was hard to describe—
It was probably one of those moments where one tries to play dead but ends up socially dying instead.
(End of this chapter)
---
Chapter 327: Pressing on Jiu Shan, the Demon Ancestor Emerges
The colder the Blood River Ancestor's expression, the more numb Uncle Pang's foot felt.
To be honest, he truly believed... that the Blood River Ancestor had been killed by Cheng Kong.
The Five Sects of Xuan Wei, sigh.
Qing Jing Zhu, sigh.
Are they really this treacherous?
Although the appearance of the Blood River Ancestor was a bit sudden, Zheng Fa and the others were already prepared.
Sister Zhang waved her hand, and the Shan He Seal flew out, striking towards the Blood River Ancestor.
The Sun and Moon Bell followed suit, rising into the air, radiating golden light, with the sun and moon swirling around it, and the sound of the bell resonating throughout the Jiu Shan realm.
The sound of the bell was magnificent and overwhelming, making Elder Yuan and the others feel as if mountains were reversing and stars were dancing.
It was clear that Zheng Fa was using all his strength.
Not to mention the Blood River Ancestor, who was directly bearing the pressure of this golden bell—though he wasn’t dead, he looked as if he had suffered a great loss under the Qing Jing Zhu, his physical body obliterated, leaving only a shadow of his primordial spirit.
Under the sound of the bell, this shadow flickered, and pain was evident on his face.
Seeing this scene, Elder Yuan and the others breathed a sigh of relief.
But Sister Zhang shot a glance at Zheng Fa, her eyes filled with confusion—while others couldn’t tell, she noticed that Zheng Fa seemed a bit distracted, having reacted a beat slower than herself.
Zheng Fa was indeed somewhat preoccupied:
He had just used the five-element divine light and felt something unusual.
This feeling might stem from the fact that it was his first time using it against a Hua Shen—he had never dared to use this against a Hua Shen before.
This flying sword had been suppressed under the Sun and Moon Bell for some time.
He hadn’t attempted this before.
Now that he tried, it was mainly because his cultivation had improved, and he felt a bit more confident.
Most importantly, he was uneasy about the Blood River Ancestor and needed to ascertain his life or death.
Yet he sensed something was off:
It seemed that the changes in the five-colored divine light were not due to the Blood River Ancestor but rather because of himself.
With a great enemy before him, this thought was fleeting. Zheng Fa focused his mind, controlling the Sun and Moon Bell, working with Sister Zhang to suppress the Blood River Ancestor.
Though the Blood River Ancestor had been evasive, at this moment, he was exceptionally fierce, his gaze cold, and the blood-colored immortal sword beneath him surged with power, revealing the full strength of a Hua Shen.
Table of Contents
