Black Mountain Old Demon

The flames behind them grew fiercer. The loft was wooden to begin with and had stood for many years. With the diesel fuel and the night wind added in, it was soon burned to pieces.

Yan Chixia sighed. "It still got away!"

An Yang's eyes dimmed as well. He had not expected the original plot to remain unchanged. Yan Chixia had still only crippled the Thousand-Year Tree Demon's cultivation by a hundred years, merely preventing it from emerging to harm people for the next century. His plan had achieved only two things: Yan Chixia had not been injured, and Nie Xiaoqian had not been taken back by the Thousand-Year Tree Demon.

Yan Chixia said, "Still, it's not all bad. I crippled a hundred years of its cultivation. At least it won't dare come out and harm people for a hundred years!"

An Yang nodded. Supporting Nie Xiaoqian, he helped her sit down, then cupped his hands toward Yan Chixia. "Congratulations, Big Brother Yan. No one will disturb Lanruo Temple for the next hundred years!"

"That demon has probably marked us as enemies. A hundred years from now, you may be dead while I'm still alive. It'll definitely come looking for me then!" As Yan Chixia spoke, he turned to Nie Xiaoqian. "By the way, where is your urn? And when is your deadline for reincarnation? I'll dig up your ashes. When the time comes, you can go reincarnate."

An Yang's expression tightened at once!

There was no way he could let Nie Xiaoqian reincarnate. Or rather, even if he were willing to fulfill Nie Xiaoqian's wish, the system would never allow her to reincarnate. Even if he softened for a moment, everything would have to start over after the mission failed. At most, it would become another cycle, continuing until the moment Nie Xiaoqian could no longer reincarnate.

In short, in any timeline where he existed, Nie Xiaoqian would never be able to reincarnate.

"Well..." Nie Xiaoqian hesitated. Reincarnating and becoming human again had always been her wish, but after glancing at An Yang, she bowed to Yan Chixia.

"I appreciate the Venerable Taoist's kindness, but Young Master An Yang and I have already made an agreement. If he rescues me from Grandmother's hands, I will remain a wandering ghost and stay by his side for all eternity. I won't regret serving him as a slave or maid."

Yan Chixia froze for a moment. "You're willing to give up the chance to reincarnate as a human for him, and content yourself with being a wandering ghost?"

Nie Xiaoqian nodded. "I am!"

Yan Chixia said helplessly, "What good does your willingness do? You're still only a wandering ghost. Humans and ghosts belong to different worlds, so you can't be together. Besides, you can only appear at night. How could you stay by his side forever?"

Nie Xiaoqian hesitated and looked toward An Yang for help.

An Yang thought for a moment, then put on an exasperated expression. "What is love, that it makes people vow to share life and death? If anyone is to blame, blame the old matchmaker of fate for tying the wrong red thread in our previous lives."

Yan Chixia clearly froze!

Nie Xiaoqian froze as well, then revealed a deeply moved expression.

Young Master An Yang truly was a man of deep feeling and loyalty...

Yan Chixia sighed. "Very well. I didn't expect you to be even more devoted than I thought. I'll teach you a technique. As long as you cultivate it occasionally, it can increase the vital energy in your body and keep Nie Xiaoqian from draining you dry. However, with her level of cultivation, she can't appear during the day. There's nothing I can do about that!"

An Yang was stunned. Then his eyes widened. This unexpected gain had come at a wonderfully opportune moment!

Coming to his senses, he hurriedly said to Yan Chixia, "Big Brother Yan, I'll never forget your great kindness!"

Yan Chixia waved his hand. "Don't give me any of that. This secret method was passed down to me by my master. It's the Kunlun Secret Method. You must promise not to pass it on!"

An Yang immediately said, "I absolutely won't!"

Yan Chixia nodded, then said to Nie Xiaoqian, "Where are your ashes? Even if you're going to follow this kid, you should still dig up your urn."

Nie Xiaoqian bowed gratefully. "They're in the mass grave behind Lanruo Temple. I'll lead the way."

The three of them arrived at the mass grave behind Lanruo Temple. Under Nie Xiaoqian's guidance, they dug up five blackened urns. After taking one, An Yang thought for a moment, then turned back and took the remaining urns as well.

These were all pitiable people buried here. No one knew how long they had been controlled by the Thousand-Year Tree Demon. They had not harmed people of their own accord. An Yang was no saint, but since he had already come this far, he might as well handle a few things while he was at it.

By the time they returned to Lanruo Temple, dawn was approaching.

An Yang held Nie Xiaoqian's urn in his arms. A faint light flickered in his eyes as he asked Yan Chixia, "Big Brother Yan, the tree demon betrothed Xiao Qian to the Black Mountain Old Demon of the Underworld. The demons in the stories all seem to possess incredible abilities. Could the Black Mountain Old Demon summon Xiao Qian over?"

Yan Chixia frowned. "There's such a thing?"

"That's right!"

"This is troublesome. But as long as we don't encounter the altar where he enters the Underworld to hold the wedding, everything should be fine. To be safe, I'll add another seal to her urn!"

As Yan Chixia spoke, he bit his finger and used his blood to draw several crooked symbols on the urn.

"Prajnaparamita. Done!"

An Yang took the urn and thought back. In the original plot, Ning Caichen and Yan Chixia had entered an inn, only to discover that it was the Black Mountain Old Demon's wedding altar. Nie Xiaoqian had been summoned away from the inn.

If what Yan Chixia said was true, Nie Xiaoqian would not be summoned away as long as he avoided that inn. Even if the Black Mountain Old Demon had other methods, this seal should resolve the problem as well. With that thought, An Yang's heart settled.

Night soon fell.

Today was the day the Black Mountain Old Demon was to take a bride.

Yan Chixia and An Yang waited inside Lanruo Temple. Talismanic seals had been carved into all the surrounding walls to prevent the Black Mountain Old Demon from crossing over from the Underworld to seize Nie Xiaoqian.

Their worries proved to be justified!

Around midnight, Yan Chixia frowned. "Be careful. The demonic aura has suddenly become extremely heavy!"

As soon as his voice fell, a ripple appeared in the air. A troop of the Underworld Army materialized out of nowhere, followed by a procession of Wedding Ghost Escort. Finally, a massive platform appeared, with a tall figure standing atop it.

Yan Chixia's expression changed. "They're here!"

Nie Xiaoqian began to panic. "The Black Mountain Old Demon has cultivated for a thousand years. He's even more powerful than Grandmother!"

An Yang tightened his grip on the stack of talismans in his hand, as well as the Diamond Sutra in his arms. This battered Diamond Sutra in particular was a divine weapon capable of killing the Black Mountain Old Demon!

"Don't worry. This isn't the Underworld, so his power will be weakened. Just protect Young Brother An Yang. Leave the rest to me!"

Yan Chixia flew forward first. He bit his index finger, drew a Yin Yang fish in his palm, stood atop Lanruo Temple's wall, and struck viciously toward the ground below.

"Heaven and Earth, Limitless, Cosmos Borrow Law!"

"Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom..."

A succession of thunderous explosions rang out. The Underworld soldiers blocked outside the wall by the talismans were blasted into disarray.

Before long, the palm he had unleashed stopped having any effect.

"Damn it, I've used up all the borrowed power!"

Yan Chixia stared blankly at his spotless hands. Then he slapped the sword case behind him, and a golden divine sword flew out. He resumed unleashing his might!

Suddenly, an Underworld General riding a tall horse and wielding a broad battle-axe charged over. He passed through the wall with ease and rushed forward with his axe raised.

Yan Chixia's eyes sharpened, and he instantly hurled the Xuanyuan Divine Sword!

"Form and spirit as one sword!"

The Xuanyuan Divine Sword flashed past, but the Underworld General's figure vanished into thin air. When he reappeared, he was already behind Yan Chixia, and his axe came chopping down.

"Pfft!"

Blood sprayed into the air. Yan Chixia caught the returning Xuanyuan Divine Sword and swept it across with a fierce slash accompanied by flames, but it struck nothing.

His eyes turned cold. He rolled forward, then looked back—and sure enough, the Underworld General was there. He casually threw out a talisman.

The Underworld General vanished again, while the talisman continued drifting through the air. Yan Chixia took a deep breath and hurled the Xuanyuan Divine Sword in his hand once more.

"Pfft!"

The Xuanyuan Divine Sword pierced through the talisman—and naturally, through the Underworld General behind it as well.

As expected, the plot's restrictions were at work. Evil could never ultimately defeat righteousness!

"Boom!"

A burst of flame erupted in the night sky. The Underworld General had been beaten into nothingness by Yan Chixia, who was blessed with the halo of justice!

The Black Mountain Old Demon finally flew into a rage. He rose from the platform, his voice rumbling like thunder. "Mortal Taoist, how dare you kill my subordinate? I won't let you off!"

Yan Chixia paid no attention to his injuries and stuck his tongue out at the Black Mountain Old Demon. "Bah! You old monster! Your subordinate is allowed to take our lives, but I'm not allowed to uphold justice and kill him?"

The Black Mountain Old Demon grunted. With a sweep of his long robe, his body became impossible to see in the darkness. However, a stone pillar flew out like lightning and struck Yan Chixia, knocking the Xuanyuan Divine Sword from his hand.

"I want your life!"

Yan Chixia did not panic. He took a bow and arrows from his back, nocked two arrows, drew the bow, and fired!

"Prajnaparamita! Die, you old monster!"

The Black Mountain Old Demon caught both arrows in one hand and casually tossed them to the ground. "Hmph, parlor tricks. Since you're seeking death, don't blame me!"

"Boom!"

The black robe on the Black Mountain Old Demon billowed in the wind!

A tremendous suction force swept over. An Yang and Yan Chixia instantly rose into the air, flying toward the Black Mountain Old Demon.

Two white silk bands shot over and wrapped around their bodies, temporarily stopping them in midair. However, the enormous pull still sent their hair and clothes whipping wildly.

From behind them, Nie Xiaoqian held on to both of them and shouted, "Be careful! He's a thousand-year-old demon who can suck out your souls!"

As soon as her voice fell—

Rip!

The two white silk bands snapped instantly. As Yan Chixia flew forward, he grabbed hold of Lanruo Temple's wall and pulled An Yang along with him.

"This old demon's power is terrifying!"

An Yang gripped the Diamond Sutra tightly. He knew perfectly well that Yan Chixia could not defeat the Black Mountain Old Demon. That was how the original plot had gone. At the critical moment, they had still needed Ning Caichen's protagonist halo. But Ning Caichen was already gone, and the protagonist halo was now in his possession.

Yan Chixia gripped the Xuanyuan Divine Sword and, while the Black Mountain Old Demon was distracted, hurled it fiercely. "Form and spirit as one sword, go!"

The Xuanyuan Divine Sword shot forward and pierced straight through the Black Mountain Old Demon's body. However, the divine sword that had once been capable of cutting through anything had little effect now. It merely caused the Black Mountain Old Demon pain, while the suction force ahead grew even stronger.

"Hm? Even the Xuanyuan Divine Sword can't kill him!"

"Rustle..."

Countless tentacles shot over, as swift as thunder and lightning, their momentum overwhelming!

In the original plot, Yan Chixia and Ning Caichen had been pierced through by these very tentacles and had nearly had their souls sucked away!