The Struggle Between Orthodox and Demonic Factions

Su Ru: "That poor child... sigh, perhaps...

Keep an eye out when the time comes. By all rights, there shouldn't have been no news at all.

But two years had passed without a single word. Perhaps he had fallen victim to the Demonic Cult."

When he had gone, his cultivation had been weak. By the time he emerged from the ice plains, he had made tremendous progress.

Xiao Xuan propelled his wheelchair and returned to the land of Shenzhou half a month later.

"Sigh, Shenzhou is in turmoil. I heard that the Demonic Cult has been particularly active around Liupo Mountain in the East Sea.

The Orthodox Dao immortal sects, led by Qingyun, are preparing to head there in two months to prevent the Demonic Cult from doing anything harmful to the Common People. Hopefully, they can stop them."

"They really never settle down for even a moment."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Xuan decided to head for Liupo Mountain. Two months later—there was still time.

He had just reached the outskirts of the city when someone called out to him.

"Kid, are you a Qingyun disciple?"

At that moment, an evil-looking young man suddenly sneered.

Seeing how rude the man was, Xiao Xuan could not be bothered to respond and prepared to leave.

"Stop! Are you deaf? Oh, no, that's not right. You're a cripple—you couldn't stand even if you wanted to."

Xiao Xuan's face lost its smile, turning cold as a trace of killing intent flashed in his eyes.

"Are you tired of living?"

"Haha, what can you do to me?"

Xiao Xuan pointed from afar. The sinister young man had not taken him seriously at first, but upon sensing an intense threat, he dodged and finally began to treat him with caution.

Bang...

"Oh... I never expected you to be such a powerful cripple.

Let me show you what I can do. Killing a Qingyun disciple here can count as sending me off before I head to Liupo Mountain!"

As he spoke, he pulled a gold-painted fan from his robes and fanned himself.

Then, with a casual toss, he threw the gold-painted fan into the air. The entire fan emitted a faint golden glow and snapped open.

On its gold-painted surface were meticulously rendered images of a mountain, a river, and a Roc. The brushwork was delicate and lifelike. At once, wind rose, clouds surged, thunder roared, and lightning flashed.

Xiao Xuan was delighted at the sight. "The Mountain and River Fan? This is the signature magic treasure of Feng Yue Ancestor of Jieshi Mountain. You must be that fellow's disciple. What a fine treasure!

Demonic Cult scum, I have taken a liking to this treasure. Hand it over, and I may spare your life."

"Hmph, what arrogant nonsense! Die!"

The sinister young man flew into a rage. He had always been the one robbing others—when had it ever been someone else's turn to rob him?

He immediately waved the fan. With a sudden boom, the treasure fan trembled in midair. Moments later, the mountain in the painting actually emerged from the fan.

It grew with the wind, expanding amid rumbling thunder into a hill hundreds of zhang high before crashing down upon Xiao Xuan like Mount Tai bearing down on his head.

Sand and stones flew as fierce winds howled. The crowd stared into the sky, where enormous torrents of air, almost tangible, surged wildly in every direction.

With the Jade Flute in hand, music immediately rang out. The dust, mud, stones, branches, and leaves around him...

Seemed to come alive, dancing with the flute's melody and transforming into razor-sharp weapons of attack.

Rumble...

The two forces collided. Under the combined assault of sound waves, soul-driven object manipulation, and long-range attacks, the man had yet to adjust when a pebble controlled by Xiao Xuan struck his forehead. A bloody hole appeared in his head, and his corpse fell to the ground.

"Hmph, so arrogant—I thought you had some earth-shattering technique.

You were only about as strong as the sixth or seventh level of Yuqing."

He reached out and drew the Mountain and River Fan into his hand, growing more satisfied the longer he examined it.

"A fine treasure. With further tempering, it will surely become a Nine Heavens Divine Weapon one day."

Roar!

Half a month later, Xiao Xuan finally arrived at a mountainside on Liupo Mountain.

Void Thunder filled the sky as a huge, bizarre-looking beast roared wildly.

Xiao Xuan stared unblinkingly at the beast while recalling the Records of Gods and Demons.

"It resembles a blue ox, has three legs and no horns. Whenever it enters or leaves the water, wind and rain must rise. Its light is like the sun and moon, its voice like thunder. Its name is Kui. It dwells deep in the sea and emerges only once every three thousand years. Whenever it appears, thunder and lightning rage. The world calls it Thor's mount!"

At the foot of the mountain, two groups were engaged in a fierce clash.

Xiao Xuan looked over the island. Though it was not especially large, it rose far above the sea, looking less like an island than a great mountain standing in the ocean. Below it, Jing Tao crashed against the shore, waves rolling up snow-white spray.

On the mountain, jagged rocks pierced the sky. Lush greenery spread everywhere, pines and cypresses stood tall, exotic flowers formed brocades, and fragrant spirit herbs grew in abundance. White deer ran through the woods, apes climbed among the trees, immortal cranes cried out, and Luan Birds circled overhead.

Clouds and rosy mist formed naturally around the mountaintop, shifting between brightness and darkness. At its center lay a lake, only about a li in Fang Yuan. Its waters were clear to the bottom, fish and shrimp swam in schools, and turtles and giant tortoises lay hidden within.

A clear stream also wound through the mountains. Its pure waters poured down below, while springs spilled from the cliff faces along its path, joining into waterfalls that ultimately flowed into the sea.

In the battlefield, the Orthodox and Demonic factions fought fiercely without pause.

"Demonic Cult scum, using numbers to bully the few—you are utterly shameless."

Zhang Xiaofan explained to Song Daren and the others, "Senior Brother, the two men in the field are from the Blood Refining Hall of the Myriad Bat Ancient Cave on Kongsang Mountain. That strange-looking Daoist is called Wild Dog Daoist, while the middle-aged man using the Scarlet Demon Eye is Elder Nian. His cultivation is profound.

You must be careful when facing them."

"Nine Heavens Mystic Fiend, transform into divine thunder,

Mighty heavenly power, heed the sword's command!"

As he recited the incantation, the spiritual energy between heaven and earth suddenly became chaotic. Thunder and lightning boomed overhead, and the distant flashes and rumbling seemed as if they had found something drawing them in.

"Ah..."

Boom!

Under the attacks of experts such as Cangsong, Tian Buyi, Shui Yue, Shangguan Ce, Pufang, Zhuque, Qinglong, Duanmu Ancestor, Bloodsucking Fiend, Feng Yue Ancestor, and others, both the Orthodox and Demonic factions suffered casualties.

Awooo...

As evening approached, a dark cloud covered the sky and slowly spread, making the heavens increasingly gloomy.

The sea breeze carried the ocean's unique salty scent and gradually lost its gentleness.

Bolts of lightning streaked across the sky above Flowing Wave Mountain, followed by rolling thunder. In an instant, fierce winds rose, sand and rocks whirled through the air, and torrential rain poured down.

It was as though the heavens themselves grieved, wishing to wash away the Slaughter of this world.

On the beach ahead, a Great Cauldron floated high in the air.

With it at the center, countless red points extended downward, forming a massive net. Within that net, a strange beast much larger than the Water Qilin roared in fury.

Awooo...

Yet no matter how furiously it roared or how violently it slammed into that thin red net, the net looked fragile beyond measure.

But it withstood the Kui Ox's repeated impacts without yielding. Mountains seemed to collapse and the earth shook, yet the red net did not budge in the slightest...

Only the Daoist figure standing above had grown noticeably paler.

Ghost King!

At that moment, the figure above suddenly turned his gaze toward the mountainside, looking in Xiao Xuan's direction.

He had merely glanced at him a few times, yet Ghost King had already noticed. This man's spiritual perception was terrifyingly sharp!