The Remnants

"I didn't expect that the amount of baleful energy consumed in forging the Tai Sha Sword Embryo would far exceed my estimates. It seems we still don't understand the Tai Su Dao at all."

"Your deduction, Abbot, is correct. I think it's a difference between the different types of malevolent energy."

Even though both are black smoke gathered from the same source of energy for the Moon Worship Cultivation, the actual properties, quality, and energy density of the evil energy collected from different Tai Su Realm are vastly different.

Fortunately, I was lucky this time and obtained a lot of high-quality evil energy, which enabled me to refine the Tai Sha Sword Embryo. It was all by chance.

The three remaining 'remnants' of the Beichen Sword Sect gathered today in the royal tent, sitting cross-legged in a triangular formation, to observe the structure of the first Tai Sha Sword Embryo the Tai Su Dao of the Sword Sect.

Xuan Tian is now eager for someone to pass on the Beichen Sword Sect. Li Fan doesn't care about any secrets or anything like that. After all, the Tai Su Dao is starting anew, and there's nothing there yet. It needs someone to pave the way first. Everyone is Xiao Bai. The more people who study it, the more righteous path there might be.

However, Li Wugou is a beginner, and his understanding of swordsmanship is still shallow. He is still meditating and trying to comprehend it.

Yao Xuanzhou was the first to come to his senses, and he was also amazed. Without disturbing her, he went outside the tent with Li Fan to chat.

"It's been a few years, Qingyue, your cultivation has progressed far beyond my expectations. You truly deserve to be called a Dao Child born at the right time. However, refining so many Tai Su Dao Body at once is not beneficial. Mo Shan's Cultivation Method will have to be slowed down."

Li Fan 'grown' quite a bit, while Yao the Supervisor has hardly changed. He is still a kind-faced, round-faced, chubby man. At this moment, he has only changed his Daoist robes into Confucian robes, and is wearing a square scarf on his head, dressed like an accountant.

Of course, the identity he uses to travel in the Central Plains now is the steward of the Grand Tutor Manor of the Immortal Palace. It turns out that the one who used the formation to suppress the Gate of Life and Death was actually Yao Xuanzhou.

"Don't worry, Your Excellency, I'm fine..."

Yao Xuanzhou shook his head. "How could I not know the dangers of the forty-nine transformations of Moshan? Although this method allows for rapid cultivation, each additional body you refine will cause your soul to split into another. The more clones you refine, the greater the changes in your mindset will be. Because those strange and grotesque demons are all you, the more similar they are to yours, the harder it will be to distinguish the real from the fake."

Therefore, if one does not always uphold the teachings of the Great Master, respect <Understanding Ghosts>, and carefully guard one's conduct, it is easy to be subtly influenced by those demons and beasts, lose one's heart, and fall into the demonic path.

"Qingyue, your comprehension is too high. In just a few years, you have cultivated so many Dao bodies. Although your cultivation has greatly improved, judging from the changes in your true form, your lifespan has been reduced so much. You must have gone through many dangerous tribulations. Now, no one can guide your cultivation. You can only be careful and cautious on your own."

Actually, I can get through my inner tribulations easily, but the main reason I'm this old is because of that old dog, Emei...

"Yes, disciple will follow the abbot's instructions."

Although Li Fan felt that with the system's emotional limit and the guarantee of remaining calm, the problem wasn't too serious, when he looked at the scene in the Hu Barbarians camp, he had to admit that Yao Xuanzhou's reminder was reasonable.

The killing spree had already expired. Two silver lights flew up and down, one after the other. This was Yue Po being driven by the Profound Heaven Sword Intent to train and find all the Demon Race in the army to kill.

The news that Li Fan had killed the Right Guli King and the Left Prime Minister, two Divine Transformation and twenty other Nascent Soul Nascent Soul Stage, had gradually spread. Many troops on the outskirts had scattered and fled under the leadership of their leaders, and tens of thousands of soldiers had disintegrated and their organization had collapsed.

Oh right, it turns out the one who died wasn't Tuoqi King, nor was it King Turtle, but some kind of King Guli.

Coincidentally, it seems that not only Li Fan, but also Wang Hong's sneak attack delayed the Right Prime Minister several days. Therefore, Tuoqi King, who replaced the Chanyu in command of the army, had become too lazy to wait for the remaining troops who had not yet joined up. He once again divided his troops, leaving behind a bunch of wounded and sick, and personally led the main force north to attack the remnants of the Shuofang Army.

This just so happened that Li Fan picked up a lucky break. Well... but the biggest kill was taken by Li Wugou, so Li Fan could only console himself that the Turtle King didn't seem to have many years left to live, and probably wasn't worth many cap points.

These weren't the real problems. The real issue was the pile of Guiche, Fuli, and Fuli that Li Fan had vomited up. Those white wax-like demons and monsters were now following the defeated army, baring their fangs and claws, scrambling to devour the corpses of the monsters scattered everywhere. Many soldiers in the camp were too afraid to move. Regardless of whether they were Chinese or barbarians, they were all terrified, their faces ashen, and they didn't dare to breathe.

Li Fan had to admit that these waxen-like demons didn't resemble the transformations of righteous beings at all; they were more like unsealed demons. But these were all Dao bodies he himself had transformed from Tai Su, each one being 'Li Fan'. So, by immersing himself in their presence, the scene of them devouring bones and flesh was indeed shockingly bloody.

If it were the old Li Fan, he would probably find it hard to accept, but now, he doesn't feel anything, and even feels a little hungry...

But since even Yao the Supervisor couldn't stand it anymore and spoke up to remind them, it seems these Dao bodies have gone a bit too far. I'll have to find a chance to give them a good beating and teach them a lesson...

Then, right under Li Fan's nose, the Guiche actually got addicted to eating, swallowing a carp whole with a single bite! And that wasn't all! Gonggong and Fuli actually started fighting over the meat! Soon these creatures were stuck together, like slimes, collapsing and reforming simultaneously, with all sorts of bird wings, snake tails, and wolf heads growing wildly. At the same time, many screaming human faces appeared on their bodies, spitting out thick smoke and undigested bone fragments and flesh. The scene was pure mental pollution!

"Stop it right now!" Li Fan couldn't stand it anymore and rushed over, punching and kicking the Dao body several times.

Fortunately, these white demons were not actually killing each other and wasting Li Fan's life and cultivation. They were simply fighting for this new body. The losers would not be devoured, but would return to Li Fan's divine court along with the overflowing evil energy.

The battle continued until the final victor was decided. Only a Guiche remained inside the white wax block's body, completely taking control of the Dao body. It transformed into the size of a white parrot, flew down to Li Fan's shoulder, and let out a burp before the battle was over.

So what exactly are all these things inside the gourd...?

Li Fan couldn't figure it out either, so he simply stopped thinking about it.

"By the way, Abbot, what brings you to Yinshan? How are things going with the Central Plains?"

"Oh, speaking of which, Qingyue, you don't know yet? My Ink Bamboo Mountain Lou Guan Dao has returned to the Xuanmen. From today onwards, you can also call yourself a disciple of the Xuanmen."

He'd been calling himself a disciple of the Xuanmen sect everywhere for ages, even though he still got chopped down by that old dog from Emei...

So Li Fan chatted with Yao Xuanzhou and learned about what happened after Lou Guan went to the Emei Peach Banquet. Li Fan had heard about the general plot before.

In short, under the leadership of Emei, Lou Guan assisted the Xuanmen in fighting the God of War, breaking the Ten Ultimate Formation and making great contributions. Xuantian also contributed to the effort. As a result, Lou Guan suffered no casualties, made a great name for himself, and pledged his loyalty.

Moreover, Lou Guan's lineage not only communicated with Emei, but their mechanical arts aroused the strong curiosity of the old men and women of Xuanmen. The abbot was also secretly colluding with the Grand Tutor. In addition, with the Kun Country, Xun, and Zhen Country in turmoil, the strategic value of Li Country, which is sandwiched in the middle, is self-evident.

Although Lou Guan and Profound Maiden didn't actually have any direct relationship, you can always find one.

So the two elders of Mount Song stepped forward to vouch for her, saying that the disciples of the Gulou Lou Guan had also assisted the Profound Maiden.

Therefore, Yuntai Peak quickly passed a collective vote and convened an expanded meeting. With Songshan nominating, Emei supporting, Hengshan tacitly approving, and Penglai not having time to interfere, the Nine Great Xuan Sects unanimously agreed that the Ink Bamboo Mountain Lou Guan Dao would return to the Xuanmen, recognize Ink Bamboo Mountain's leadership of the Li Country's immortal lineage, and join Yuntai Peak.

Now, the abbot is not only the General of the South of the Immortal Palace Li Prefecture Governor, but also has the endorsement of the Nine Great Xuan Sects. He has obtained a 'Mysterious Sect' treasure that leads directly to Yuntai Peak. From now on, the disciples of Lou Guan can directly leave their bodies in Ink Bamboo Mountain to take the college entrance examination at Yuntai Peak! Aren't you all happy?

In short, this time Ink Bamboo Mountain has truly secured its position as the leader of the South Border Immortal Sects. No one can call Ink Bamboo Mountain a demonic sect anymore, as that would be tantamount to slapping the Xuanmen in the face.

Of course, this comes at a price. One of the costs is a complete break with the Divine Cult. Now, Ink Bamboo Mountain may be besieged from all directions, including the Kun Country, the Xun Kingdom, the Nangong Family, the South China Sea, and Kunlun.

The second price was that the master attained enlightenment.

That's right, we can't hide it anymore. Without someone at the Enlightenment Stage to oversee it, Ink Bamboo Mountain is definitely not qualified to join the Xuanmen Grand Alliance, nor is it qualified to be the ruler of a state.

Li Fan was not surprised at all by the abbot's enlightenment. In fact, after wandering around outside and sensing things with his blind eye, he had long felt that the abbot and the mountain lord, both at the 'Divine Transformation' stage, possessed unfathomable abilities, far surpassing the so-called divine lords and heavenly rulers of the Northern Immortal Palace and Xuanmen.

They had probably been suppressing their cultivation for a long time, perhaps wanting to stay in the remote mountains of South Border Xinjiang for a few more centuries, developing their strength discreetly and remaining uninvolved. But in a sense, they were also tricked by Li Fan, this Dao Child who descended from the sky. With various plot developments accelerating, chaos had already arrived. If they didn't show their abilities soon, the wealthy Li Country would become a piece of fat meat to be fought over by all sides.

Now that Ink Bamboo Mountain has decisively joined the alliance of Yuntai Peak, it can naturally deter many petty people and stabilize public sentiment.

Conversely, when Ink Bamboo Mountain is targeted again in the future, the attacks will certainly not be aimed at those at the Divine Transformation level.

Perhaps the mountain lord's sudden departure from Ink Bamboo Mountain was due to his concern that having two Dao Lords on Ink Bamboo Mountain would be too conspicuous and arouse the suspicion of the Xuanmen (Daoist sects).

In short, the Central Plains are now embroiled in a protracted war.

The internal wars within the vassal states of Zhen, Xun, and Gen intensified, with battle reports pouring in from all Fourth Department, leaving Yuntai Peak in a state of utter chaos.

The war in Kun Country has never stopped, but now it's all about unidentified rogue cultivators and demons, with groups of three to five elite teams infiltrating and fighting. They frequently wipe out local forces in Kun Country, and it's not uncommon for them to exterminate entire families and sects. Moreover, the heavenly secrets are in chaos, and it's unknown which side is behind these attacks.

However, the elite troops of the Divine Cult needed rest and recuperation, and the army of the Immortal Palace had already withdrawn to the rear. The Grand Tutor's faction took the opportunity to intervene and reorganize the Western Imperial Guards. The remnants of the reinforcements sent by the Xun and Zhen Country also returned to their countries to participate in the civil war.

There was nothing wrong with the Li Country. Grand Commandant Wang E was shrewd and cunning; after all, he was a warlord, and his primary concern was preserving his own strength. Therefore, he didn't venture deep into the territory. Moreover, he had made ample preparations during the decisive battle in the north. As soon as things went wrong, he retreated back into the Li Country, giving the Divine Sect no chance. As a result, the disciples of Ink Bamboo Mountain who had survived the Tribulation of Killing suffered no losses; it was essentially a long-distance training exercise.

However, this also allowed the Nangong Family to swagger back from the unsuspecting border and brazenly occupy the northeastern prefectures, severing communication Li Country and Kun/Xun kingdoms. Furthermore, it seems that Nangong Family troops and many Demon Race are also invading from the east and south, and the situation in Changsi City has become unstable again.

"The abbot has already led my Lou Guan disciples back to Li Country to take charge of the overall situation. Qingyue, you are now also a disciple of Lou Guan. With your cultivation so profound, I need your help in some ways. After we collect the remains of the Sword Sect disciples here, come back to Ink Bamboo Mountain with me."

Oh, right, what else could it be? Xuan Tian probably came all this way specifically for this...

"As the abbot wishes, however..."

Then Li Fan glanced at Li Wugou in the tent behind him.

Yao Xuanzhou understood what he meant and explained, "I met this Li Daoyou near Dizhou. At that time, I saw someone setting up a large formation to refine a demonic corpse, so I joined forces with her to resolve the matter. Later, thanks to her, I had the opportunity to encounter a celestial being and obtained a sword furnace."

"The Sword Ancestor Xuantian recognized that this Li Daoyou was a descendant of the outer mountain lineage of the Sword Sect, so I passed on several Sword Sect Cultivation Method to her. I heard that she had been separated from her sworn brother and was going to Shuofang to look for him, so we traveled together north across Yinshan. I just don't know how she got involved in your calamity. Could it be that you two are related?"

Li Fan hesitated for a moment, then shook his head. "Perhaps it's because of the Sword Sect."

He only told Yao Xuanzhou that he had come out to seek refuge because of enemies of the Mo Shan lineage, and that he had traveled around the Xun, Zhen Country, and Gen Country for training over the past few years. However, because many of his experiences involved the system, he could not explain the details to Yao Xuanzhou, so he did not elaborate on many situations, let alone the many important things he did under false names and identities.

Li Wugou hadn't even revealed her true identity to Yao Xuanzhou, and was still pretending to be a 'descendant of Beichen.' Naturally, she wouldn't tell everyone that she had become sworn brothers with the demonic monk Fake or the demonic cultivator Li Er. Therefore, she only regarded Qingyue as a 'remnant of the Beichen Sword Sect's and Yao Xuanzhou's junior brother, and didn't see through Li Fan's disguise.

But Li Fan can no longer become Fak, because 'Fak' is actually 'Bald Li Datang', but both 'Li Datang' and 'Aruba' have died at the hands of Canglong.

That's a bit convoluted, but to put it bluntly, the guy who was destined to be with Li Wugou no longer exists.

Li Fan completely baffled by Canglong's methods. After confirming with Profound Heaven Sword Intent, the guy went on and on about calculations and other mysterious things. In the end, he concluded that Li Fan's cultivation level was too far behind, his information was inaccurate, and his calculations were not up to par. He could only make a rough guess as to what kind of Dao technique Canglong had used.

It must have been that Canglong, in order to protect his Emei Tai Su Secret Technique, used some kind of Daoist magic involving fate to completely curse and kill the two extra lives that Li Fan had cultivated through Tai Su Transformation.

The opponent is using the methods of a Celestial Lord, and neither Li Fan nor his Profound Heaven Sword Intent can break the effect of this technique.

Therefore, Xuan Tian's advice was to pretend not to know Li Wugou, just to be on the safe side. Otherwise, once his identity was revealed, the magic might continue to target Li Fan. At best, it would alert Emei and create a karmic entanglement with them, waiting for the Azure Dragon Old Ghost to escape and seek revenge. At worst, it would immediately flare up and directly damage 'Qingyue's' lifespan!

Xuan Tian's words were so frightening that Li Fan certainly didn't dare to take the risk!

He'd already lost a life to Li Wugou, and she'd even given him the inheritance of the outer mountain lineage of the Beichen Sword Sect, indirectly helping him deal with Canglong and giving him four Nascent Soul Stage flying swords—that's already more than enough! Why would he risk his life to continue this sworn brother/sister thing? No need, no need at all!

After Li Wugou finished his meditation, Li Fan casually bowed and said, "Real Person Li, I wonder if you have gained any insights?"

Li Wugou shook his head, "Thank you for your guidance, fellow Daoist. My aptitude is dull; I've only memorized the cultivation method. I still need to carefully ponder and comprehend it. However..."

There's something I don't understand. Evil energy is already extremely rare, and getting too much of it can be life-threatening. Using evil energy to forge a sword embryo is practically a matter of life and death, and it's inconceivable.

Although I know that sword immortals should have an indomitable ambition, this Northern Star Tai Sha Sword Embryo technique is simply too...

Yao Xuanzhou nodded and said, "That's right, this kind of cultivation is indeed too dangerous. However, the Beichen Sword Sect highly values the practice of undergoing the Tribulation of Slaughter. I think that the last time I failed, it might be because I didn't have enough life force and didn't undergo enough Tribulation of Slaughter."

Real Person Li, I can teach you the method of collecting malevolent energy. Accumulate malevolent energy daily, and also survive several life-threatening calamities. With a strong destiny, you should be able to master it."

Li Wugou stared at Yao Xuanzhou with a look that said, "Are you kidding me?"

Li Fan nodded, "The supervisor is right, that's what I was thinking too. By the way, there are many Hu Barbarians besieging the Shuofang Army in the north, including some demons. We can take their evil aura and fate at the same time, why don't we go together?"

Li Wugou glanced at Li Fan with a look that seemed to say, "What kind of people are these?"

Moon Soul returned after killing a hundred heads; even when it crawled into Li Fan's mouth, it tasted of blood.

Upon hearing that they were going to kill the Hu Barbarians, Profound Heaven Sword Intent agreed, "Alright, alright, it's on the way anyway, let's go!"

"Li Daoyou, would you like to come along? If you're afraid..."

"Me? I'm afraid? I, Li Wugou, am afraid?!" Li Wugou gritted her teeth, "Let's go!"

Thus, the remnants of Beichen quickly reached a consensus and together fled north on their Sword Light.