Slaying Demons

Zhang Jian found a small note that had suddenly appeared on his desk that day. After receiving the information, he had someone deliver it to his maternal grandfather, Qi Yi.

Whether the Qi family believed it or not, Zhang Jian set off for Iron Immortal Abbey first.

He realized this was an opportunity to intervene in the overall situation within the commandery city.

On the other side, after Qi Yi received the message, though half-convinced and half-doubtful, he immediately led the Qi family's retainers to Iron Immortal Abbey.

Iron Immortal Abbey lay in the outskirts of the city.

Incense offerings there had flourished year-round.

Heavenly Void Daoist was known as one of Fengyang Commandery's twin masters of medicine. Only those within noble circles knew of his Daoist arts, but his medical attainments were renowned throughout Fengyang Commandery.

Pilgrims came and went all year long, while those seeking treatment arrived in an endless stream.

Outside the city outskirts, Zhang Jian sensed several waves of cold spiritual fluctuations from afar. Within his crimson eyes, he could see vast swathes of blood qi rising into the air.

Resentful qi soared into the heavens.

"Something has already happened!"

Zhang Jian's heart stirred. As he entered the area outside Iron Immortal Abbey, he noticed several unorthodox cultivators hidden in the shadows.

Zhang Jian had already learned to distinguish these unorthodox cultivators from orthodox immortal cultivators. Most unorthodox cultivators practiced only a single type of Daoist art, and the spiritual energy within them bore an extremely strong bias. Even their souls became tainted, taking on a cold, sinister air or a savage, violent one.

These were, in truth, impurities contained within spiritual power.

Orthodox immortal cultivators, on the other hand, mostly possessed the inheritance of the Great Dao. Even if their spiritual roots inclined toward something as violently destructive as lightning, the spiritual power within their bodies remained rich and pure.

Zhang Jian swept his divine sense over the surroundings. Most of those nearby were unorthodox cultivators at the Qi Refinement stage. These unorthodox cultivators had likely obtained only a single unorthodox art. They had mastered the technique, yet their spiritual power had not improved accordingly.

Zhang Jian did not underestimate them.

Before his eyes, Iron Immortal Abbey's mountain gate had already been broken open. Two young Daoist boys who had guarded the entrance lay shriveled on the steps.

A place once tranquil and unbound had become a slaughterhouse today.

It was not only the two young Daoist boys. A dense, eerie atmosphere permeated the entire mountain gate.

"The spiritual aura of monsters?"

Zhang Jian's brows furrowed tightly. He was no stranger to this aura.

His speed was extremely fast. Within Iron Immortal Abbey's main hall, Heavenly Void Daoist wore an enraged expression, his eyes blazing with fury. As far as the eye could see, purple-robed disciples lay sprawled across the ground, dead or alive unknown. In the distance stood three terrifying inhuman creatures.

One was a tiger-headed, human-bodied demon; another was a snake demon over a dozen zhang tall; the last was a terrifying shadow shrouded in a blood-red robe.

Heavenly Void Daoist pointed at the three demons and roared in fury. "You three fiends, do you truly think Fengyang Commandery's forces inside and out are mere decorations? You approached the commandery city without leave and slaughtered my abbey's disciples. You shall surely die without a burial ground!"

Hearing this, the black tiger-headed humanoid demon gave a low, deep laugh.

"Heavenly Void Daoist, placing your hopes on the people from Fengyang Commandery's Daoist abbeys at a time like this is utter foolishness. Your reputation has soared over the years, and you have saved countless lives—but you have also offended many people!"

"No matter what, you gathered the great medicines from my mountain. Today, you must repay that debt!"

Amid its low growl, it slowly retreated, while the other two demonic figures lunged at Heavenly Void Daoist with lightning speed.

It seemed the tiger-headed humanoid demon was their leader.

At the same time, layers of dusky light flowed around its body as it continuously drew in the lingering souls flying out from the abbey's disciples, directly absorbing them. The sinister spiritual power it emitted became ever more vast and surging.

Its demonic aura grew increasingly immense.

"Tiger demon, retribution will find you!"

Seeing this, Heavenly Void Daoist's eyes nearly split apart. Looking at the three demons, he knew there was no chance of survival.

These three demons all came from Little Lord Mountain beyond Fengyang Commandery. He had dealt with them before.

Each possessed more than three hundred years of cultivation.

Especially the leading black tiger demon, whose cultivation reached a full five hundred years. Its innate divine abilities were formidable.

Though these three demons did not understand Daoist arts, they were born thick-skinned and tough-fleshed, and each possessed several innate minor spells. Against three opponents alone, he definitely could not win.

The spiritual aura and physical strength of demons were innately greater than his own.

But even if it cost him his life today, he would leave one or two of them behind. At least then, he would not have betrayed the bond of master and disciples he had shared with these disciples.

With an angry shout, Heavenly Void Daoist immediately brought out his signature technique.

"Let the Dharma sword slay evil!"

Spiritual power surged through his body, and a vast, pure-yang radiance erupted from his form. The Dharma sword in his hand trembled, instantly transforming into a streak of purple light that sped toward the blood-red figure.

Of the three demons, he hated this bloodsucking leech the most. Many disciples of Iron Immortal Abbey had fallen to its vicious hands, their blood essence withered away.

The long sword tore through the air. The bloodsucking leech was also terrified, transforming into a layer of crimson shadow as countless blood shadows shot into the sky and scattered in every direction. Yet the Dharma sword locked onto one of the blood-red figures and cut it down.

A ceaseless sizzling rang out. The bloodsucking leech's true body was struck by the sword light, and it let out a horrifying howl upon the ground.

Its innate art, Blood Shadow Incarnation, could not evade the Dharma sword's lock. Its true body was struck directly, grievously wounded by the flying sword.

Its body, severed into two halves, continued to writhe across the ground as countless streams of dark-red blood flowed from within.

"Flying Sword Art!"

Seeing this, the black tiger's expression changed, but it promptly sneered.

"With a flying sword art like this, how many more times can you wield it?"

Where he stood, Heavenly Void Daoist's face had already gone pale.

Heavenly Void Daoist inwardly cried out in bitterness. The Dharma artifact in his hand was indeed powerful, and together with Iron Immortal Abbey's Flying Sword Art, its might was tremendous. But Dharma artifacts were nurtured by dharma power, and only dharma power could unleash their full potency. Relying solely on spiritual power, he found it exceedingly strenuous.

With such reckless "extravagance," he could activate it at most one more time.

The sword light responded and flew back into Heavenly Void Daoist's hand.

Heavenly Void Daoist's expression remained resolute. Without hesitation, he sent the sword out once more, this time targeting the black tiger demon.

He knew this black tiger demon was the chief culprit.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

Blazing sword light ripped through the air, like a blazing sun rising within the Daoist abbey. In an instant, it slashed toward the black tiger demon. The black tiger demon's expression changed drastically as countless wisps of black qi surged around its body. Yet in its palms, it held two disciples beside it who had not yet fully died.

"You dare?!"

The black tiger demon cursed inwardly as well. It had not even had time to present these hostages before the old Daoist's sword was already upon it. At this critical moment, it could only raise its human shields, mobilizing its demonic qi with all its strength.

Rumble!

At the same time, several resounding thunderclaps erupted before the main hall. Seven or eight bolts of lightning roared forth, instantly locking onto the crafty snake demon that had transformed into a black gale and was charging straight at Heavenly Void Daoist.

Accompanied by a mournful cry, the snake demon, over a dozen zhang long, fell at once amid crimson thunder.

After the snake demon hit the ground, its entire body was charred black, with no trace of life remaining.

"Why was it so weak?"

In the distance, Zhang Jian looked at the lifeless snake demon, surprise in his eyes.

Why was it so much weaker?