The Underworld Doesn't Care for Demons; Zhong Bai Wields a Thunder Whip

"Heh heh, Patriarch, when I first joined, my master told me that our Corpse Herding Hall is the most protective of its own.

I didn't understand at the time, so I asked my master in detail. It seems that when my master was young, he bothered you patriarchs even more than I do now."

Hearing Four-Eyes's words, Patriarch Qinghe's eyes darkened. Indeed, both master and disciple were cut from the same cloth.

"Alright, you brat, stop babbling. My ancestral tablet has been imbued with spiritual power for hundreds of years. Although you two master and disciple have wasted some of it over the years, it's still no problem to block this group of Red-banded Snakes in front of you...

You two little rascals just pray that the sleeping Red-banded Snake Demon hasn't woken up.

Otherwise, facing a Demon General comparable to the Foundation Establishment realm, this wisp of spiritual power from my ancestral tablet won't last long."

Upon hearing this, Four-Eyes's jovial expression instantly turned solemn.

"Patriarch, can't you just kill it?"

Hearing this, Patriarch Qinghe fell silent.

"No..."

As if remembering something, he continued, "You two master and disciple once made me, your ancestor, confront ghosts, and I could capture them on behalf of the Underworld.

But what you're facing now are demons!

I, your ancestor, cannot break the rules. Using a wisp of spiritual power to protect you is already my limit."

Zhong Bai, who was standing by, understood why Patriarch Qinghe of the Corpse Herding Hall could only protect them from the snake swarm and not directly intervene to kill the demon.

The Law Enforcement Hall also had patriarchs serving in the Underworld. Even a Maoshan disciple, once in the Underworld, could not ignore certain rules.

Patriarch Qinghe's ability to do this was probably truly his limit...

If he could truly act without any reservations, then Maoshan disciples wouldn't need to cultivate diligently anymore.

Wouldn't it be more effective and convenient to just carry an ancestral tablet when going out?

"Disciple Qianhe of the Law Enforcement Hall, greets Patriarch Qinghe!"

At this moment, Zhong Bai properly bowed and greeted Patriarch Qinghe.

No matter what, they all came from Maoshan. Even though Patriarch Qinghe was from the Corpse Herding Hall and Zhong Bai was from the Law Enforcement Hall, it was still a junior meeting a senior.

The proper etiquette could not be omitted!

"Tsk tsk tsk, no need for formalities. The Law Enforcement Hall seems to have good luck every generation. Is your master that Qian Yuan kid?"

At this point, Patriarch Qinghe scanned Zhong Bai up and down with a scrutinizing gaze before continuing, "Even younger than Four-Eyes, and what you're cultivating isn't Lightning Thunder Fist, but the Divine Firmament Five Thunder Art of the Divine Firmament Sect!

Hiss!

A cultivation level of mid-fifth layer Qi Condensation?"

The corner of Patriarch Qinghe's mouth twitched uncontrollably. No, the disciples of the Law Enforcement Hall were already at the fifth layer of Qi Condensation, while those of their Corpse Herding Hall were only at the third layer.

The key was that this one looked even younger than Four-Eyes...

"What!"

Four-Eyes was startled.

"Junior Brother Qianhe, you're at the fifth layer of Qi Condensation?"

Seeing Four-Eyes's wide, disbelieving eyes, Zhong Bai felt a bit awkward.

"Cough cough, Senior Brother Four-Eyes, junior brother was just lucky... Also, junior brother didn't intentionally hide his cultivation. It's just that you never asked me from beginning to end, senior brother."

"No wonder... No wonder junior brother could single-handedly kill a Six-winged Centipede at the Demon Soldier realm, and even force this Red-banded Snake Demon to fall into the abyss severely wounded.

Fifth layer Qi Condensation!"

Four-Eyes's eyes clearly showed envy. Zhong Bai felt uncomfortable all over under Four-Eyes's shining gaze.

"Hmph hmph, Four-Eyes!

Look at Qianhe from the Law Enforcement Hall, then look at yourself. You're supposed to be the senior brother, and even if you're not as skilled, what's with all the fuss?

So embarrassing..."

Patriarch Qinghe's words were quite stern. Everything was prone to comparison.

After being reprimanded by his own patriarch, Four-Eyes's gaze towards Zhong Bai changed from envy to resentment.

At this moment, a barrier formed around Zhong Bai and Four-Eyes, created by Patriarch Qinghe's wisp of spiritual power. No matter how hard the snake swarm tried, they couldn't advance an inch!

Just as Zhong Bai and Four-Eyes thought they could finally breathe a sigh of relief, a Red-banded Snake Demon, also in the late Demon Soldier stage, stopped its advance and instead roared and hissed towards a distant rock wall.

Seeing this, the other Red-banded Snake Demons followed suit, all hissing towards the distant rock wall.

Zhong Bai and Four-Eyes couldn't understand why, but Patriarch Qinghe knew that these Red-banded Snake Demons were trying to awaken their king, that Red-banded Demon General!

"Four-Eyes, Qianhe, quickly stop these snake demons from calling out further.

If that Red-banded Demon General truly wakes up, I, your ancestor, won't be able to protect you for long!"

Seeing that the situation was getting out of hand, Zhong Bai took out another Heavenly Thunder Jade Talisman.

He blasted it towards the Red-banded Snake Demon in the late Demon Soldier stage that was leading the hissing.

The Heavenly Thunder Jade Talisman, catching the wind, transformed into a streak of light that enveloped the valley, followed by a resounding crack.

A bolt of heavenly lightning tore through the clouds swirling around the valley, striking precisely onto the back of that snake demon!

The terrifying lightning instantly severed its body into two.

Crimson blood gushed out, and without any struggle, the Red-banded Snake Demon perished just like that.

"Tsk, a Heavenly Thunder Talisman drawn by a Foundation Establishment Peak cultivator—now that's a good find!"

Patriarch Qinghe watched from the side. Although his words conveyed urgency, it was merely because he didn't want Four-Eyes and Qianhe to assume that his presence guaranteed absolute safety; such a notion couldn't be indulged.

So, he simply let Four-Eyes and Qianhe try to prevent the Demon General's revival.

Unexpectedly, Qianhe was even willing to use a Heavenly Thunder Talisman.

Another Red-banded Snake Demon, a late-stage Demon Soldier, was slain. The scent of its kin's blood permeated the valley, and the already enraged snake horde now wished they could devour Zhong Bai whole.

More furious roars rose and fell, and Four-Eyes could only watch, helpless.

After performing the Spirit Summoning Technique earlier, his True Essence had been completely depleted. The only reason Patriarch Qinghe could be summoned was because Patriarch Qinghe himself was willing to come.

Now, only Zhong Bai remained with any fighting capability.

Taking a deep breath, Zhong Bai felt the True Essence in his body, which was roughly half-depleted, and a look of relief appeared on his face.

"It's nothing more than an all-out fight!"

With those words, Zhong Bai, holding lightning, charged forward directly. Two bolts of lightning converged in his palms, forming a whip.

As Zhong Bai lashed out again and again, the lightning struck the snake horde, and almost every strike took down an insignificant snake demon.

Only snake demons at the Demon Soldier stage could withstand a single lash, but even then, their skin would be torn and flesh exposed.

Blood splattered everywhere, and the air was filled with a mix of blood and the smell of burnt flesh. In less than ten minutes, Zhong Bai's True Essence was completely exhausted.

"Junior Brother Qianhe, where there's life, there's hope!"

Just as Four-Eyes was about to tell Zhong Bai to retreat, he saw the lightning whip in Zhong Bai's hand dissipate, replaced by a brass longsword no worse than his own!

Blood surged within his body, forming a protective qi shield around him. Ten thousand jin of force gathered on the longsword, making it capable of cutting through iron like mud.

However, human strength has its limits, especially compared to demons. After just slaying two small snakes, Zhong Bai was struck hard on his vital qi shield by the tail of a mid-stage Demon Soldier snake demon.

The qi shield instantly shattered, and Zhong Bai himself was sent flying back dozens of meters.

Seizing this opportune moment, the snake horde naturally wouldn't let it pass, accelerating their charge towards Zhong Bai!

Seeing this, Patriarch Qinghe, who had been as still as an ancient well, subtly raised his hand towards Zhong Bai.

Zhong Bai was pulled by a powerful suction force to the vicinity of Patriarch Qinghe's spirit tablet.

Seeing this, the snake horde could only roar in frustration, unable to break through the invisible barrier.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk, I must say, Qianhe, you're very much to my liking, old ancestor. You're bold and daring, and most importantly, you've cultivated the Supreme Clarity Body Forging Art to perfection.

Blood transforming into qi, pure and unblemished, with ten thousand jin of strength!"

As he spoke, Patriarch Qinghe looked at Zhong Bai with fervent eyes.