Demon-Refining Treasure

Several people tried to dissuade him but could not, so Chen Nianzhi had no choice but to let him come along. Along the way, he also instructed the clansmen to look after him.

With all these young and old gathered together, the Chen Immortal Clan had assembled more than forty Qi Refining Cultivators. Adding the more than twenty Chen Clan cultivators stationed in Peaceful Sun County, there were nearly seventy in total.

The last time they had mobilized so many people had been during the Beast Turmoil sixty years ago. Back then, the Chen Immortal Clan had sent nearly a hundred cultivators to the front lines against the beasts, only for them all to be buried in a single battle.

Though everyone this time was a cultivator, their cultivation levels varied greatly, so it still took four full days to reach Pingyang County Town.

After arriving in Peaceful Sun County, Great Elder Chen Qingxu received them at once.

Inside the great hall, he stroked his long beard and said, "Ten days ago, I ordered the array activated. Peaceful Sun City and several towns have all been sealed off, with no entry or exit permitted. If there are still Demonic Cultivators among us, they should already be turtles in a jar."

Fourth Elder Chen Qingyuan hurriedly said, "Then what are we waiting for? Let's find them now."

"Peaceful Sun City has over a hundred thousand residents. Identifying Demonic Cultivators will not be a task completed in a day." Chen Nianzhi shook his head. "And to prevent the Demonic Cultivators from fighting like trapped beasts and causing needless casualties, we must proceed cautiously."

As he spoke, he swept his gaze over the crowd before continuing.

"Great Elder will lead twenty cultivators in guarding the City-Protecting Array. Do not act rashly."

"The inspection will be handled by those of us who came from Qingyuan Mountain."

"..."

After a few words back and forth, everyone settled the plan for investigating the Demonic Cultivators.

According to the plan, aside from those assigned to guard the City-Protecting Array, everyone else would be divided into groups of five.

Each group would have one Late Stage of Qi Refining cultivator stationed with them to ensure everyone's safety, while the other four would inspect for Demonic Cultivators.

With such a method of examination, even Demonic Cultivators who had cultivated breath-concealing techniques would not escape the cross-checking of four people. After all, no matter how deeply they hid themselves, they could not conceal the Demonic Path true qi cultivated within their bodies.

Though this method was inefficient and would take nearly a month to inspect all of Peaceful Sun City, its advantage lay in its reliability.

Apart from them, the three elders at the Ninth Layer of Qi Refining, including Chen Nianzhi, would patrol the area. Should any Demonic Cultivator be found, they would personally suppress them.

Once the plan was finalized, the Great Elder immediately passed down the orders. He had the City Guard Army assist in maintaining order as the search for Demonic Cultivators began.

Early the next morning, the cultivators of the Chen Immortal Clan began testing every mortal in the square for demonic qi according to their identities and household registrations.

Chen Nianzhi stood atop the high platform, watching the bustling crowd below and the cultivators conducting the tests. His brow twitched slightly.

"It is said that powerful Immortal Clans often possess Demon-Refining Supreme Treasures."

"Such treasures can test vast numbers of mortals at once and easily flush out hidden Demonic Cultivators."

"If we had such a Demon-Refining Treasure, we would not need to make such a great commotion."

Chen Qingwan beside him smiled faintly at those words, her gaze filled with longing as she said.

"I hear the Azure Sun Sect possesses a Demon-Refining Supreme Treasure known as the Vast-Heaven Mirror."

"It is said that the Vast-Heaven Mirror possesses immeasurable might. Wherever its mirror light passes, evil demons scatter in terror. Even Purple Mansion realm demons cannot withstand it, while ordinary demons and monsters are reduced to ash on the spot."

"Even Purple Mansion realm and Golden Core Immortal Clans would covet such a supreme treasure. I wonder whether, after a thousand years or more, our Chen Clan might have the fortune to obtain one."

Old Granduncle Chen Changyan could not help glancing at Chen Nianzhi upon hearing this.

There was a trace of hope in his eyes. After a long while, he smiled and said.

"Little Nianzhi, among the Chen Clan, your immortal fortune is the best. I think you may well have the bearing of a banished immortal."

"This old man will not live to see it. Cultivate well, and if you obtain a Demon-Refining Treasure someday, remember to bring it before this old man's grave and let me have a look."

Everyone took his words as a joke, but Chen Nianzhi felt a faint heaviness in his heart.

His eyes narrowed slightly as he murmured inwardly, A Demon-Refining Treasure... that day will come.

Though they were chatting, no one lowered their guard. The first day of inspections proceeded smoothly.

By sunset, they had already inspected four or five thousand people, yet they had found no Demonic Cultivators.

This was within everyone's expectations. Though Demonic Cultivators infiltrated everywhere and nearly every Immortal Clan had some hidden among them, their numbers were generally not great.

For several days in a row, the inspections continued in an orderly fashion. It was not until the fourth day that Chen Nianzhi finally noticed something amiss.

That day, when one man was brought to the square by the city guards, he already appeared nervous. Suddenly, his face twisted savagely as he sprang up, producing a blood-colored skull and hurling it at the cultivators conducting the inspection.

Fortunately, Chen Nianzhi had long sensed that something was wrong. He summoned the Golden Light Blade and slashed through the air.

That Demonic Cultivator was only at the Early Stage of Qi Refining and could not contend with Chen Nianzhi at all. In a flash of lightning and spark, he was finished with a single sword strike.

Fifth Elder Chen Qingwan was alerted and stepped forward, peeling a Human Skin Mask from the Demonic Cultivator's face.

The City Guard Commander beside them came over, examined the dead Demonic Cultivator, and said.

"This man was named Chen Dabao. He was forty-seven this year and lived alone. There had been nothing unusual about him recently."

"Oh, right. Ever since his parents died more than ten years ago, he became rather withdrawn. Who would have thought his identity had been taken over by a Demonic Cultivator?"

"More than ten years. It seems this Demonic Cultivator assumed the identity of one of our Chen Clan mortals and has been hiding in Peaceful Sun County for quite some time."

Chen Qingwan spoke with a cold expression.

Peaceful Sun County possessed a second-tier Spirit Vein. Though most of its spiritual qi was supplied to the City-Protecting Array, it was still a sacred ground for cultivation to a low-level Demonic Cultivator like this.

Chen Nianzhi put away the Golden Light Blade, glanced at the Demonic Cultivator's corpse, and said, "Lead the way. Let's take a look at his home."

The City Guard Commander led them onward, and before long, they reached Chen Dabao's residence.

The moment he entered the courtyard, Chen Nianzhi's gaze sharpened. He strode forward, lifted the hatch to the cellar in the woodshed, and found dozens of human heads hidden inside.

"These are used to refine Withered Bone Demon Skulls."

Chen Changyan was widely experienced and recognized the use of those heads at first glance.

He told everyone that the Withered Bone Demon Skull was a Demon Treasure. A century ago, Withered-Bone Old Devil, who had triggered a demonic calamity in the Chu Kingdom, had made this very item his signature Magic Treasure.

"To refine his Demon Skull back then, Withered-Bone Old Devil slaughtered several Purple Mansion Immortal Clans and took the heads of tens of millions of mortals."

"It is said that on the day that Demon Treasure emerged, ghosts wailed and wolves howled for hundreds of li in every direction, nearly turning the region into a realm of ghosts."

"Relying on the might of that Demon Treasure, Withered-Bone Old Devil was almost invincible throughout the Chu Kingdom."

"In the end, only the previous Azure Sun Sect Master, wielding a Demon-Refining Supreme Treasure like the Vast-Heaven Mirror, was able to suppress and kill him in a single battle. That battle also grievously damaged the Azure Sun Sect Master's vitality, and he passed away in seclusion within the sect not long afterward."