Chapter 431
The crowd fell silent as they witnessed her change of stance, glancing at the vial, then at the deity on the Qìngyún (Celebration Cloud), and finally at the Qīngjìng Zhú (Serene Bamboo). No one dared to speak.
The head of the Míngdé sect gazed at the Qīngjìng Zhú in his hand, fully aware that today’s decision was final. It was this natural spiritual root that could restrain the Dà Zìzài Mójiào (Great Freedom Demon Sect) and significantly increase their chances of success.
His gaze on the Qīngjìng Zhú grew more satisfied.
He scanned the hall again, noting that no one opposed him anymore, and his expression swelled with self-satisfaction.
But…
Were those few people from the Jiǔshān sect?
The head of Míngdé’s eyes fell on Zheng Fa and the others, feeling uneasy under their strange gazes.
He furrowed his brow, dismissing the thought, and began to arrange the pursuit of the Yōumíng Xiān (Netherworld Immortal).
“Yōumíng Xiān is likely hiding in the Donghai County of Liángzhōu. We’ll set off tomorrow; we must not let him escape.”
Seeing his certainty, everyone nodded in agreement. After assigning tasks, the head of Míngdé allowed them to leave.
As he watched Zheng Fa’s retreating figure, the strange looks from the Jiǔshān sect resurfaced in his mind. He turned to Chéngkōng, asking, “Did you notice the expressions of those Jiǔshān sect members just now?”
Chéngkōng paused for a moment, then nodded slightly, as if he had been paying attention to the Jiǔshān sect as well.
“Why do I feel like their expressions are somewhat familiar?”
“Very familiar,” Chéngkōng replied.
“You’ve seen them before?”
“...Yes,” Chéngkōng said slowly, hesitating a bit. “When you look at the Xuanwei cultivators, it’s the same kind of gaze.”
“An unmistakable disdain, like looking at a country bumpkin.”
“...”
(End of this chapter)
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**Chapter 354: Making Use of the Devil, Who Is He Looking For?**
The head of Míngdé was anxious. The next day, each sect received their assignments and set off towards Donghai County in Liángzhōu.
As a top disciple of the Tiānhé sect, wielding the Qīngpíng Sword, Xiè Qíngxuě bore the heaviest burden—she was to accompany the head of Míngdé directly to Hǎipǔ County, the most likely hiding place of Yōumíng Xiān.
“You’re going to Jiǔshān Jiè,” Yàn Wúshuāng blinked, a bit unsure if she had heard correctly.
“Jiǔshān Jiè?”
“Yes, during this operation against Yōumíng Xiān, you’ll stay in Jiǔshān Jiè and not come out.”
Xiè Qíngxuě frowned, her expression tinged with worry.
“Senior sister, you… don’t have faith in the head of Míngdé?”
Yàn Wúshuāng whispered.
He felt a surge of anxiety: four out of the five sects of Xuanwei had sent people, and although the Leiyin Temple was absent, the head of Míngdé was present.
Their strength was certainly greater than last time.
With so many transformations in the Dà Zìzài Mójiào, according to intelligence, only Yōumíng Xiān remained, barely holding on.
With this shift in power, everyone feared that the enemy might resort to desperate measures, dragging them down with them.
No one had considered the possibility of failure.
But the senior sister’s insistence on sending him to Jiǔshān sect felt like she was trying to protect him…
“Winning is one thing; killing Yōumíng Xiān is another,” Xiè Qíngxuě said, glancing towards the hall. “This isn’t the first time the Taishang Dao has hunted Yōumíng Xiān.”
“It’s not the first time?”
“Yōumíng Xiān defected; it’s not that simple. According to records, he has been pursued by the Taishang Dao at least three times, each time managing to escape.”
“Moreover, Donghai County is no ordinary place.”
Hearing this, Yàn Wúshuāng looked puzzled.
“Do you think Yōumíng Xiān fled to Donghai County for no reason? Donghai County, by the sea…”
Yàn Wúshuāng slapped her forehead, realization dawning. “The demon race!”
“Yes, in the eastern and western continents, the demon race has weakened, but in the sea, the human forces are insignificant, merely huddling on islands, allowing the demon race to gain the upper hand,” Xiè Qíngxuě said in a low voice. “Though the demon race is disorganized, there are many ancient demons in the sea. Our Tiānhé sect cannot afford to underestimate them.”
Yàn Wúshuāng frowned. “This resurgence of the Dà Zìzài Mójiào is related to the demon race!”
Seeing he understood, Xiè Qíngxuě added, “Last time, only the Qīngyún Great Sage intervened, and the other demon transformations were nowhere to be seen. However, the nearby waters of Donghai County are under the influence of the Zhènhǎi Great Sage.”
“Do you think Yōumíng Xiān’s flight to Donghai County is part of a larger scheme?”
Xiè Qíngxuě shook her head. “I don’t know, but we must be cautious. You’ll be safest in Jiǔshān Jiè.”
Yàn Wúshuāng was touched by her senior sister’s foresight.
He was also worried that the head of Míngdé might be careless, quickly asking, “What about the head of Míngdé…”
“The head of Míngdé is not without precautions. He’s gathered so many people this time to deter or even confront the demon race.” Compared to others, Xiè Qíngxuě seemed to have a deeper understanding of the head of Míngdé’s intentions.
Yàn Wúshuāng felt reassured by her words.
“Even without the demon race, I would still want you to stay away, to keep your distance from Yōumíng Xiān.” Xiè Qíngxuě added.
Yàn Wúshuāng was puzzled again.
“The escape methods of Yōumíng Xiān are limited: evasion techniques, faking death, changing identities, or possession.”
“In recent years, our sect has encountered many dark forces from the demon sect. Though bothersome, we’ve learned some of their tactics. The demon sect excels at changing identities or possession.”
“Us transformation cultivators are naturally not afraid, but you…”
Yàn Wúshuāng understood; his senior sister was worried about his weakness, fearing that Yōumíng Xiān might take on his form or directly possess him. He couldn’t help but complain, “Senior sister, you’ve watched me grow up. If Yōumíng Xiān turned into me, wouldn’t you recognize it?”
“...Last time you returned, I suspected you had been possessed by someone from the Jiǔshān sect.”
“...”
“Don’t just take my word for it; even the sect leader, your father, has his doubts.”
Yàn Wúshuāng looked up to see his senior sister staring at his forehead, deep in thought, and he quickly covered his head, saying, “I’ll go! I definitely won’t come out!”
After inquiring, he found that the Jiǔshān sect had already left Tōngmíng Mountain, heading towards Donghai County.
He realized that Zheng Fa had to carry the Rìyuè Zhōng (Sun and Moon Bell), which slowed him down compared to ordinary Yuán Yīng cultivators. They must have set off as soon as they received their orders, unlike his senior sister, who had to accompany the head of Míngdé.
Fortunately, the head of Míngdé seemed to underestimate the Jiǔshān sect, assigning them tasks far from Pǔ County, almost at the opposite end of Donghai County, so the danger should be minimal.
Yàn Wúshuāng first sent a message to Zheng Fa, then patted the sword sheath on his back. The sword behind him transformed into a streak of light, enveloping him as he soared into the sky, chasing after the direction the Jiǔshān sect had taken.
Fearing there might still be remnants of the demon sect, he deliberately slowed his speed, taking in the scenery of Liángzhōu below.
Liángzhōu, with its mountains and proximity to the sea, had always been prosperous and rich in resources. He had some impression of this state’s affluence from his travels in his early years.
When Chéngkōng had assigned this state to the Jiǔshān sect, it was partly due to its wealth and large population.
But passing through again, the sights were different.
Liángzhōu was certainly not as devastated as Chénjùn:
Chénjùn had suffered greatly because the Dà Zìzài Mójiào sought to refine the Wǔfāng Xuèshā Qí (Five Directions Blood Flag), leaving barely one in a hundred alive after the calamity.
In comparison, fewer people had died in Liángzhōu.
As Yàn Wúshuāng passed through a county town, there were indeed many people.
But more were corpses; in the mass grave to the south of the city, men, women, and children lay piled like refuse, forming small hills.
Some survivors crawled among them, using their knees to search for the bodies of their loved ones.
In the city, every household wore white mourning clothes, and wails of grief filled the air.
The cries drifted up, reaching Yàn Wúshuāng’s ears as he soared above.
After listening for a while, he understood: the Dà Zìzài Mójiào had come, and their lives were undoubtedly hard.
Not to mention the increased taxes.
The more attractive women in the city had been taken by the disciples of the Dà Zìzài Mójiào.
Survivors could only sell their children to have something to eat.
But with the retreat of the Dà Zìzài Mójiào, it was an even greater disaster for them.
Those who could escape had fled, while those who felt they couldn’t escape became even more brutal and frenzied.
Some with cultivation directly used these mortals for practice, hoping to gain some means of survival.
Those without cultivation were no better; the souls that perished at their hands were the most numerous.
Yàn Wúshuāng felt a heavy heart but could do nothing but silently hope—once the Dà Zìzài Mójiào left, things might improve.
However, he saw no trace of the disciples from the immortal sect; instead, he encountered a few hidden members of the demon sect in the city. He swiftly turned his sword light and ended their lives.
He paid no mind to the common folk, soaring out of the city. Outside, the fields lay desolate, with no one working them.
He flew over several green mountains.
The lush mountains were filled with spiritual energy, indicating a spiritual vein.
Yet, from within the mountains, the sounds of battle echoed.
Someone shouted, “Remnants of the demon sect, dare to resist? Prepare to die!”
Yàn Wúshuāng, filled with hatred for the demon sect, heard this and suppressed his light, landing near the source of the battle.
Within the mountains, two groups were engaged in combat—one defending, the other attacking.
Among the attacking cultivators, there were five Jīn Dān (Golden Core) practitioners.
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