The Man in Black Retreats!

Qingmiao Village.

Above the dilapidated temple.

Ye Xuan stood with his Chang Qing Sword beneath him, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes.

As a Transmigrator.

He knew too well what tonight signified.

This was the beginning of all the tragedies in Zhu Xian.

If he had been a moment late.

Puzhi, that old monk, would have been consumed by the Blood Devouring Pearl's backlash, coupled with the Seven-tailed Centipede's venom attacking his heart.

Ultimately.

He would have descended into madness for the sake of so-called dual cultivation of Buddhism and Dao, slaughtering the entire Qingmiao Village.

And all of this, was to make Zhang Xiaofan join the Qingyun Sect and fulfill his naive grand wish.

It was utterly preposterous.

Since he, Ye Xuan, had arrived.

This melodramatic plot had to change.

"Qingyun Sect?"

Looking at Ye Xuan in mid-air.

The man in black spoke, his voice hoarse, laced with disbelief and shock.

Too young.

Judging by his build, he couldn't be more than twelve or thirteen years old.

And what about that sword strike earlier?

Although that strike had borrowed the power of lightning.

The steadiness with which this young man wielded his sword, and the purity of his spiritual energy, were far beyond any ordinary Disciple.

Even...

There was a faint pressure of the Shangqing Realm!

How was this possible?

A Shangqing Realm expert at twelve or thirteen years old?

Even the exceptionally brilliant Senior Brother Wan Jianyi didn't possess such terrifying talent, did he?

"Demonic cult scoundrel."

"You dare commit murder at the foot of my Qingyun Mountain."

"Today, you shall remain here."

Hearing the man in black's words.

Ye Xuan came back to his senses and said with a cold tone.

He didn't directly expose the man in black's identity.

Cang Song, that old fox, couldn't be revealed yet.

The reason was simple.

Monk Puzhi was still here.

If Puzhi were to know that Cang Song was the man in black.

The Qingyun Sect's reputation would be greatly tarnished.

On the other side.

Fierce light flickered in the eyes of the man in black.

He didn't want to retreat.

The Blood Devouring Pearl was right before him.

And Monk Puzhi, that old bald donkey, was already at his limit, poisoned by the Seven-tailed Centipede.

As long as he killed this brat...

However.

Thinking back to the clash of swords just now...

This young man before him was definitely not an ordinary person.

Even if he could defeat the opponent, it would take some effort.

Yet.

This place was too close to the Qingyun Sect.

The commotion just now, if those people on Heaven-Piercing Peak had noticed...

"Hmph!"

"Brat, you're lucky."

The man in black snorted coldly.

He glanced unwillingly at Puzhi.

The Blood Devouring Pearl was right before his eyes.

Within easy reach.

But then someone unexpected showed up.

Damn it!

It's really damn it!

The man in black's heart burned with rage, but he had to suppress it.

If you keep the green hills, you'll never run out of firewood.

If his identity were exposed, his hundred years of planning would be ruined.

"We'll meet again!"

The man in black left a final harsh threat.

His figure suddenly turned into a wisp of black smoke and merged into the night.

In the blink of an eye, he vanished without a trace.

He left so quickly.

Ye Xuan shook his head and didn't pursue.

If he really pushed Cang Song to desperation, he might lash out like a cornered dog, and that would be a huge problem.

"Cough, cough, cough..."

A burst of violent coughing broke the dead silence.

Monk Puzhi leaned against the broken wall, his face ashen.

These were signs of the poison attacking his heart.

The Seven-tailed Centipede's venom was incredibly potent.

In just a short moment, this potent poison had already spread through his meridians and invaded his internal organs.

Puzhi felt his consciousness rapidly dissipating.

Everything before his eyes became blurred and doubled.

He tried hard to open his eyes, wanting to get a clear look at the savior who had descended from the sky.

A disciple of the Qingyun Sect...

Heaven is not destroying me?

No.

Puzhi gave a bitter smile in his heart.

This broken body of his probably wouldn't last the night.

"Thank you... young benefactor... for your help..."

Puzhi laboriously raised his hand, wanting to press his palms together in greeting.

But he helplessly found that his arm was as heavy as lead and he couldn't lift it at all.

Ye Xuan landed his sword light in front of Puzhi.

He didn't rush to help him up.

Instead, he first scanned the surroundings with his divine sense.

Confirming that the old schemer Cang Song had indeed left, he finally felt relieved.

His gaze fell on Puzhi.

So this was that tragic figure.

He desperately wanted to merge the true laws of Buddhism and Daoism to unravel the mystery of eternal life.

After being rejected, he developed an obsession.

Finally, he was ambushed by Cang Song, poisoned by the Seven-tailed Centipede, and corroded by the malevolent energy of the Blood Devouring Pearl, which led him to commit the great mistake of slaughtering the village.

In the end.

He was also a pitiable person.

"Master, there's no need for such formalities."

"I am Ye Xuan, a disciple of the Qingyun Sect's Great Bamboo Peak."

Ye Xuan casually waved out a gentle wave of spiritual energy, steadying Puzhi's tottering body.

"Great Bamboo Peak..."

Puzhi murmured to himself.

He naturally recognized Tian Buyi.

But he had never heard that Tian Buyi had such a brilliant and outstanding disciple.

However.

Thinking of his current predicament.

Puzhi immediately lost the desire to delve deeper.

"Young benefactor..."

"This old monk... has not long to live..."

"This bead... is an object of great malevolence..."

"I hope, young benefactor... can suppress it..."

Puzhi's voice was weak and intermittent.

As he spoke.

He tremblingly took out the deep purple Blood Devouring Pearl from his embrace.

The surface of the bead flowed with a strange light, as if it were craving blood.

Seeing Puzhi looking like he was making his final arrangements.

Ye Xuan found it a bit amusing.

This old monk.

He was truly a straightforward person.

Even on the verge of death, he was still worried about whether this damned bead would harm others.

"Alright."

"Who says you're going to die?"

Ye Xuan waved his hand, interrupting Puzhi's tragic final words.

"Seven-tailed Centipede... its bite seals the throat with blood..."

"Even an immortal descending to earth... would find it hard to save..."

Puzhi froze.

A flicker of confusion flashed in his cloudy eyes.

"That's for others."

"With me here, even the King of Hell would have to ask for my permission to take someone."

Ye Xuan crouched down, his gaze level with Puzhi's.

After speaking.

He ignored Puzhi's stunned expression.

Instead, he stood up and walked directly towards a patch of grass outside the ruined temple.

He had just scanned the area with his divine sense.

He had discovered someone hiding there.

Pushing aside the messy bushes.

A small, thin figure was curled up in the mud and water, tightly clutching an oil-paper umbrella.

Beside him, a wet cotton quilt was scattered.

Zhang Xiaofan.

This kid, he still came after all.

Looking at that ordinary, even somewhat dull face.

Ye Xuan's heart was filled with emotion.

Who would have thought.

That such a seemingly foolish boy would one day become Gui Li, who would make both the righteous and demonic paths tremble in fear?

At this moment, Zhang Xiaofan's eyes were tightly shut.

He had clearly been scared unconscious by the earth-shattering fight just now.

Or perhaps he was stunned by the terrifying pressure.

After all, he was just a mortal child.

Ye Xuan reached out and grabbed Zhang Xiaofan by the back of his collar.

He picked him up as if carrying a little chick.

"This kid is kind-hearted."

"Running over in the middle of the night to bring the master a quilt."

Ye Xuan carried Zhang Xiaofan back to the temple and casually tossed him next to Lin Jingyu.

Two future prominent figures.

At this moment, they were like two drowned rats, lying side-by-side on the temple's hay.

This scene.

Was hilarious no matter how you looked at it.

Puzhi watched this scene, a flicker of emotion in his eyes.

"Amitabha."

"This child... has a compassionate nature."