Daoists and Demons Plot Together (Part 2)

"Kid, this is the Ten Thousand Yin Soul-Locking Hand that this Old Ancestor refined after studying secret demonic arts. What do you think? Pretty effective, isn't it? Heh heh! Dying at this Old Ancestor's hands is your good fortune!" Dharma King Xuan Yuan looked like a dashing, handsome young man on the outside, but with that golden Daoist robe, his constant habit of calling himself Old Ancestor, and those occasional sinister chuckles, he was as bizarre and mismatched as could be.

"Not necessarily! Divine Saber, break it!" Zhou Qing spoke calmly as the blood hand was about to seize him. A needle-shaped streak of bloodlight viciously stabbed into the center of the enormous palm. The blood needle was more than ten times denser and thicker than the giant hand formed from bloodlight. The vengeful souls and ferocious spirits circling the blood hand were sucked into it one after another. In an instant, at least several dozen had vanished.

"Ah!" Dharma King Xuan Yuan let out a shriek. He had gathered these living souls over who knew how many years; losing even one was an enormous loss. Who could have expected that the brat had such a calamity hidden away? More than a dozen souls had disappeared in a single encounter, and the muscles in his face twitched with pain. Yet he did not know that Zhou Qing feared provoking Dharma King Xuan Yuan into a berserk rage. Thus, he carefully restrained the saber's suction. The Great All-Encompassing Godly Fiend Formation was designed precisely to devour such resentful ghosts and spirits. Wasn't Dharma King Xuan Yuan simply delivering a nourishing meal to him? Had Zhou Qing activated the Blood-Devouring Divine Saber at full power, several thousand living souls would have been drained clean in less than a minute.

"Ten Thousand Yin Soul-Locking, return to your position at once!" Dharma King Xuan Yuan rapidly formed hand seals. The blood hand swiftly transformed back into bloodlight and flew into his body, moving as fast as a turtle yanking its neck back after being frightened by thunder.

"Heh heh! Since Senior knows that I possess the Great All-Encompassing Godly Fiend Formation, how could you forget about this Blood-Devouring Divine Saber?" Zhou Qing smiled faintly, stroking the ancient, dark blade. He put on an unfathomable air before Dharma King Xuan Yuan, though inwardly he was secretly showing off, terrified that the Old Devil might fly into a rage. If he charged forward without regard for anything else, even with the demonic saber, Zhou Qing likely would not be able to stop him. The best outcome would probably be for both sides to suffer grievous losses.

"Blood-Devouring Divine Saber!" Only then did Dharma King Xuan Yuan notice the twin-headed wolf hilt in Zhou Qing's hand. His eyes gleamed with a ghostly green light, and he could scarcely wait to snatch it away and refine it with his Primordial Spirit. "If I had possessed this thing back then, why would I have feared Changmei's Purple and Azure Twin Swords? I would have long since unified the demonic and monster paths under heaven, raised my banner, and ruled the world!" Dharma King Xuan Yuan sighed, hesitating over whether to step forward and seize it. For a long while, he said nothing.

In truth, Zhou Qing was also taking a dangerous gamble. Seeing Dharma King Xuan Yuan remain silent for so long, he naturally knew what he was considering. "Senior isn't thinking of taking this junior's possession by force, are you? The Blood-Devouring Divine Saber is indeed powerful, but it is difficult to control. Every day, I tread on thin ice, afraid that one careless mistake will bring backlash upon me. Even if I gave it to Senior, so what?"

Dharma King Xuan Yuan was no fool. Hearing Zhou Qing's words, he rolled his eyes coldly. "What exactly are you trying to say? Don't beat around the bush with this Old Ancestor. If this Old Ancestor acts personally, I have at least a hundred percent certainty of killing you!"

"But what about this junior's counterattack... Beneath the Blood-Devouring Divine Saber, neither ghosts nor gods remain; immortals and Buddhas alike retreat. Senior has seen much and knows its power well! I had intended to offer it to Senior, but it is a treasured artifact of my sect. If I gave it away, I truly would not know how to explain myself to my master when I returned." Zhou Qing began displaying his talent for spinning lies without even batting an eye again.

"You have a master? You did not obtain it by chance?" This time, Dharma King Xuan Yuan was shocked. The other party had a sect behind him, which made things troublesome. He could sacrifice the body he had condensed over a thousand years to seize the divine saber from that brat. It would take another thousand years of bitter cultivation to recover, but that would be bearable. Yet the brat had a sect. They would certainly come looking for him and scatter his soul to the winds. The risk was far too great. A thousand years! In that time, even a needle dropped into the sea might be found. This risk could not be taken lightly.

"Hehe! Although Patriarch Yu Hua died at the hands of the Chan Sect, his lineage was passed down. The demonic and monster paths have always been branches of the same tree. Senior must also be one of our kind, so may I ask how I should address you? Treating this junior in such a manner would not only damage Senior's reputation if word spread, but now that the demonic and monster paths have declined and the Daoist Sect runs rampant, if we slaughter one another, would that not merely make those close to us grieve and our enemies rejoice?" Zhou Qing's speech was so convincing that even he secretly praised himself.

Dharma King Xuan Yuan pondered for a while and found it truly not worth the cost. He withdrew the aura surrounding him and said coldly, "Indeed. Ever since a thousand years ago, our Demon Race has never recovered from its collapse. As a senior, it would be improper for me to seize a junior's possessions. Even this Old Ancestor deeply admired the great name of Yu Hua, grandmaster of the demonic path. Since you are his junior, I cannot bully the young with my age. However, the Gouchen Heavenly Book was left behind by Emperor Gouchen, sage of our Demon Race. Naturally, it must be returned to our Demon Race." Dharma King Xuan Yuan's words were perfectly reasonable, displaying all the bearing of a senior. Yet his eyes shifted slightly, and no one knew what scheme he was plotting.

Zhou Qing naturally knew that an Old Devil who had become a spirit would not be so easily dismissed. Judging by his expression, Zhou Qing knew he was up to no good, but of course he would not expose him. "Emperor Gouchen passed the Heavenly Book to Consort Daji of the Enchanting Fox Clan. After Consort Daji was harmed by the Chan Sect, she entrusted the Heavenly Book to Patriarch Yu Hua for safekeeping. Our Heavenly Dao Sect has guarded the Heavenly Book for the Enchanting Fox Clan generation after generation. This time, after hearing that the Enchanting Fox Clan was in trouble, the elders of my sect sent me out to help. How does that make the Heavenly Book Senior's?" Zhou Qing was truly talking utter nonsense.

Yet Dharma King Xuan Yuan was left stunned. Though he was a demon from ancient times, he had only gained consciousness a little over a thousand years ago. He knew only a little of the Heavenly Book's general circumstances. How could he know so many secret details, much less guess that Zhou Qing was making it all up on the spot?

"This..." Dharma King Xuan Yuan could neither attack nor refrain from attacking, and he could not win on reason either. For a moment, he did not know what to do and simply stood there blankly. Still, he was a demon of a thousand years and had some skill in adapting to circumstances. "Oh! So that is how it is! Since it is a lineage passed down by Grandmaster Yu Hua, just as you said, our demonic and monster paths are branches of the same tree. Might this Old Ancestor pay a visit and witness the bearing of a great demonic sect?" As he spoke, both his eyes fixed fiercely on the changes in Zhou Qing's expression.

This Old Devil truly is hard to shake off. Zhou Qing cursed inwardly, but his expression did not change in the slightest. He smiled with utmost ease. "Of course, I could not ask for more. However, I still have several matters to handle on this journey. Once they are settled, I will naturally return to the mountain. I wonder if Senior can wait?"

"That is no obstacle! I have plenty of time anyway. I will simply follow you. We can talk again after you finish your business." Dharma King Xuan Yuan said sinisterly.