Chapter 285: The Legendary Demon
After the Lingxiao Courtyard finished its deliberations, the night had already grown deep.
Wei Tianxiong did not leave. He sat in his seat, his expression shifting between light and shadow.
When only the two of them remained in the courtyard, Li Qingqiu finally looked at him and asked, “What do you want to say?”
Wei Tianxiong looked at him and said, “The current Clear Sky Sect is absolutely no match for Ziyang Island. You are indeed very strong, but in the end, you are only at the Spirit Perception Realm.”
Li Qingqiu chuckled and said with a smile, “I never said I was going to wage war against Ziyang Island. I am merely taking precautions in advance.”
“I can help you.”
“Oh? With you added in, can we defeat Ziyang Island?”
Li Qingqiu looked at Wei Tianxiong and asked with a half-smile.
He had already discerned earlier that Wei Tianxiong bore a grudge against Ziyang Island.
Wei Tianxiong took a deep breath and said, “If you want to defeat, or even annex Ziyang Island, you can only rely on developing the sect. I can help you grow the sect. I also know which places in the Heavenly Nether Sea hide undiscovered treasure lands and inheritances.”
After saying this, he stared intently at Li Qingqiu.
Although his life was already in Li Qingqiu’s hands, he could sense the respect Li Qingqiu had shown him, and thus his gaze carried a trace of expectation.
“What do you want in return?” Li Qingqiu asked directly.
Wei Tianxiong’s loyalty had risen over the past three years. It seemed that tonight he would finally win over his heart completely.
“Revenge. After the Clear Sky Sect replaces Ziyang Island, I hope it will not follow Ziyang Island’s example and bow its head to the Longevity Immortal Alliance of the Heavenly Nether Sea,” Wei Tianxiong said seriously.
“The Longevity Immortal Alliance? The hegemon of the Heavenly Nether Sea that destroyed your Divine Origin Sect?”
“That’s right. The Longevity Immortal Alliance acts tyrannically. Any force that steps into the Heavenly Nether Sea is coerced by them. Every year, Ziyang Island offers more cultivation resources as tribute to the Longevity Immortal Alliance than it invests in its own disciples. Even so, Ziyang Island does not dare utter a word of complaint.”
“If the Clear Sky Sect goes to war with Ziyang Island, will it attract the Longevity Immortal Alliance?”
“That’s impossible. That is precisely why the Longevity Immortal Alliance has lost the people’s hearts. They are greedy. They only exploit immortal cultivation sects; they will not assist their subordinate sects.”
When speaking of the Longevity Immortal Alliance’s conduct, Wei Tianxiong gnashed his teeth.
Hearing this, Li Qingqiu instead felt reassured.
The Longevity Immortal Alliance was still far too distant for him. Even a single Ziyang Island was enough to give him a headache. He had no wish to face the Longevity Immortal Alliance at the same time.
Li Qingqiu looked at Wei Tianxiong and smiled. “Then I will observe your performance from here on. I hope the Clear Sky Sect can give you the same feeling you had in the Divine Origin Sect.”
Wei Tianxiong’s heart stirred. He truly had felt that way.
“I need a certain degree of authority,” Wei Tianxiong said seriously, staring at Li Qingqiu.
“From today onward, you are the Deputy Hall Master of the Heavenly Works Hall.”
Li Qingqiu directly determined Wei Tianxiong’s authority, causing a smile to bloom across Wei Tianxiong’s face.
His favor toward Li Qingqiu rose sharply. With the life-controlling talisman in place, Li Qingqiu could have simply ordered him without such courtesy. Yet Li Qingqiu had still treated him with respect.
Perhaps by following such a Sect Master, he might witness an immortal cultivation sect unlike any seen before.
…
The Heavenly Works Hall gained a Deputy Hall Master. This matter did not stir waves within the sect, but within the Heavenly Works Hall itself, cheers filled the air, for Wei Tianxiong had already won over the disciples.
Over the next half year, the Heavenly Works Hall successively introduced more than ten kinds of formations, requiring varying numbers of participants. There were even single-person formations. Once released, they were eagerly sought after by many disciples.
Wei Tianxiong’s name gradually spread. More and more disciples came to know that a formation grandmaster had arrived at the Heavenly Works Hall.
Li Qingqiu had once worried whether Wei Tianxiong’s name might bring trouble, but Wei Tianxiong said that very few people knew his true name. After so many years, most were likely already dead. Only by bringing out the Divine Origin Azure Thunder Banner would cultivators of the Heavenly Nether Sea recognize him.
Wei Tianxiong had been sealed within the Supreme Sword Sect for four hundred and twenty-seven years—long enough for nine-tenths of his old acquaintances to have passed away.
Moreover, he had feigned death within the Supreme Sword Sect back then. By now, no one should remember him.
Thus, with Wei Tianxiong’s assistance, the Heavenly Works Hall began to soar. Not only that, he occasionally went to the Cultivation Hall to teach alchemy and talisman arts.
Although formations were his greatest expertise, his attainments in other paths far surpassed those of the Clear Sky Sect’s disciples.
Li Qingqiu was very satisfied with his performance and grew even more expectant of Bai Ning’er’s Lucky One fate trait.
…
As autumn arrived, the land of the Northern Barbarians grew even more desolate. The earth turned yellow, and the setting sun resembled blood.
Yun Cai, dressed in black, stopped upon a ridge. She wore a bamboo hat. Behind her stood seven female disciples of the Clear Sky Sect, all wearing bamboo hats and carrying Clear Sky Swords at their waists.
“This area should be Jurong Plain as marked on the map. Why can’t we see a single village?” a purple-robed woman holding the map asked, her face full of confusion.
Yun Cai gazed ahead and said, “Let’s go and take a look. Although the terrain here is open, we must remain cautious. The demon we are facing may be capable of earth escape or transformation techniques.”
The seven female disciples nodded. It was their first demon-capturing mission. They were nervous and dared not be careless.
The eight of them descended along the ridge. From the perspective of an eagle in the sky, they were like eight ants moving across the boundless Jurong Plain—insignificant, as if they might never leave this wasteland.
After traveling more than ten li, they finally saw a ruined village behind a ridge.
The village gate had been blasted through, and many courtyard walls had collapsed. Clearly, a fierce battle had taken place.
Yun Cai raised her hand in a signal. The seven female disciples immediately dispersed, encircling the village. Each stepped forward and took out a talisman slip, holding it between their palms. As they infused vital energy into it, the talisman paper began to burn.
They simultaneously struck their palms to the ground. Flames spread outward from their hands, eventually connecting head to tail, forming a ring of fire that encircled the entire village.
This was the Suppressing Evil Talisman. It could suppress the power of malignant specters and prevent ghosts from escaping.
Yun Cai stepped forward, crossed the ring of fire, and entered the village alone.
The village was small, with only a dozen houses. Dried bloodstains were visible everywhere. Her gaze was soon drawn to a well.
Behind the well lay a man, still faintly breathing.
Yun Cai first used her spiritual sense to search the entire village. After confirming there was no danger, she approached him. Raising her hand, she cast the Ghostly Immortal Needle of Rejuvenation to give him a final breath.
He was a gaunt middle-aged man. His chest was mangled, and his right leg was missing. It was hard to imagine what kind of terrifying existence he had encountered.
The middle-aged man slowly opened his eyes. When he looked at Yun Cai, there was no joy at being saved—only endless fear.
“He… went south…”
Yun Cai raised her brow. She had not expected the man to speak with an accent of the Nine Provinces. His bones and tendons were extraordinary. He was likely a martial expert who had concealed his identity.
“Who is he?” Yun Cai asked softly.
“Zhuyin…”
“A demon?”
“Yes… the legendary demon. He will bring disaster to the land of the Nine Provinces… Run, hurry and run…”
The more he spoke, the more agitated he became. His eyes widened—and then he breathed his last.
He had already been a dying man. Yun Cai’s Ghostly Immortal Needle of Rejuvenation had only given him enough strength to speak.
Seeing this, Yun Cai frowned. She stood and looked toward the south.
They had been in the Northern Border for some time. They had not come straight from the south, but had wandered about gathering intelligence on demons after entering the Northern Border. It was entirely possible they had missed Zhuyin if he had gone south.
“Come in, bury these bodies, then head south immediately!”
Yun Cai called out. The other female disciples entered the village at once.
After the time it took for one incense stick to burn, they left the village, stepped onto their Clear Sky Swords, and rushed south.
“If that demon truly heads south, it will surely reveal itself. At that time, disciples of the Clear Sky Sect scattered throughout the world will definitely take action. Would our mission be considered a success—or a failure?” one female disciple could not help asking.
Yun Cai stood facing the wind, her expression calm. “Our mission is to capture it—or kill it. If it slaughters fellow disciples, then the mission is a failure.”
Rumble—
Thunderclouds rolled across the horizon ahead. The world grew darker and darker, as if they were flying toward night itself.
The other female disciples all sensed an unfamiliar aura—one that made them deeply uncomfortable. Unease began to rise in their hearts.