The Immortal Maiden Who Does Not Kill

The nine of them had profound devil arts. Even with their Spirit Platforms shattered by sword strikes, they had not died.

"What a fine Immortal Maiden Who Does Not Kill, Jiang Youfei. You claim to belong to a renowned righteous sect, but how is what you have done any different from killing them?" The old man landed and examined Zhang Tongshi, then raged, "What a venomous woman of the Dao Sect! Shattering his Spirit Platform was not enough—you used lightning to destroy his Middle Dantian and lower dantian as well, crippling him for life. Truly vicious!"

Jiang Youfei stood in the air, her robes fluttering. As though she had heard nothing, she said, "Gong Wu, surely you are not alone. Have the others come out. We will settle this all at once."

Gong Wu snapped, "Zhang Tongshi is on the verge of death. This cannot be treated lightly. Come out, all of you."

One person emerged from each of the east, west, and north.

The three were dressed exactly like the old man from before. All were Third Rank officials.

"Poor Devil-Transforming Mountain. It finally produced a seedling with the potential to reach the Upper Three Ranks, only for it to be destroyed like this. Old Gong, you should have acted sooner." The Third Rank Devil Sect member from the east was fat and big-eared, over ten feet tall. His ears were as large as palms, and strings of slender White Bones hung beneath them.

"If Sect Master Zhang and your elder brother ask about it, that is Devil-Transforming Mountain's own business. It has nothing to do with us." The Third Rank Devil Sect member in the west was thin and tall. The hair at the back of his head had been tied into dozens of tiny braids, and at the end of every braid, a shriveled head slowly exhaled black vapor.

The Third Rank Devil Sect member in the north said nothing. The green vortices that were his eyes spun with the greatest fury.

Gong Wu spread open his left palm. A fist-sized tricolored flame appeared: red on the outside, white within, and black at its core.

Behind Gong Wu, a giant pitch-black shadow emerged, thirty feet tall, half human and half bird.

An invisible heat wave spread outward, stirring a scorching restlessness within everyone that they could scarcely control.

Jiang Youfei suddenly clenched both hands into fists and slowly lowered them.

The Sky Firmament Sect disciples and Night Guards stood dumbstruck, so terrified by the Outer Realm Devilfire that they could not move.

Zhou Hen's voice transmission sounded beside Li Qingxian's ear. "Two are the Ministry of Justice's current Assistant Vice Ministers, and the other two once held the same post. The four joining forces are enough to suppress Jiang Youfei even with the Thunderlight Fire Seal in her hand, not to mention that Devil-Transforming Mountain has brought out the Outer Realm Devilfire. The Thunderlight Fire Seal is somewhat stronger than the Outer Realm Devilfire, but one is in the hands of a Fourth Rank and the other in the hands of a Third Rank, so their power is evenly matched. There is no need to think further. The Devil Sect has seen through this. They did not come for Lü Ren—they came to kill Jiang Youfei. Be ready. I will take you away at any moment."

Li Qingxian sighed softly. He had considered this possibility long ago; it was one of the reasons he had refused the first time.

If the Devil Sect had truly fallen so easily for Jiang Youfei's scheme, the Confucian and Daoist factions would have wiped them out long ago.

Gong Wu waved a hand, having his attendants carry away the unconscious Fourth Rank Devil Sect member.

"Zhang Tongshi is crippled. No matter how well this trip goes, Sect Master Zhang will curse me until I am drenched in dog blood. I cannot be bothered to keep pretending. The one in the carriage disguised as Lü Ren is a Night Guard, isn't he? The one who secretly discussed matters with you and Zhou Chunfeng all day yesterday was Ye Han, correct? Whether he is or not does not matter. After all, our target was never Lü Ren. It was you!"

Gong Wu grinned. A black human head had been carved onto every one of his teeth.

Every black head was laughing, and thread after thread of devilish qi seeped from between his teeth.

The four Third Rank Devil Sect members slowly approached.

A mere four people surrounded dozens.

What is going on? The Devil Sect has a spy in the Night Guards, and they mistakenly believe Ye Han is posing as Holy Son Lü Ren? Hmm... the Devil Sect has done well!

As Gong Wu walked, he said, "If Jiang Zhijian were at the Sky Firmament Sect, forget us—even Sect Master Zhang would not dare touch you. But now? He must first get past the Demon Saint."

A Sixth Rank Sky Firmament Sect disciple shouted, "Sect Master Jiang is holding back the Demon Saint for the Human Race, and his life or death is unknown. You are all members of the Human Race—why are you killing one another?"

"Little fellow, do you perhaps have some misunderstanding about our Devil Sect?"

The four Third Ranks burst into laughter together.

"Let them leave, and I will decide victory or defeat against the four of you!" Jiang Youfei gripped the Qinglei Ancient Sword.

Gong Wu laughed. "It seems the Immortal Maiden Who Does Not Kill has quite a few misunderstandings about the Devil Sect as well. As the future sect master personally taught by Jiang Zhijian, you are worth more than Lü Ren by a hundredfold, no, a thousandfold. The Devil Sect dispatched four Third Ranks for one reason: to ensure that you die, a death without the slightest chance of survival. These people are weapons for killing you as well."

The Outer Realm Devilfire resting on Gong Wu's left palm stirred. He pointed with his right hand at the Sixth Rank Sky Firmament Sect Daoist who had spoken earlier. "As your people die slowly, one by one, can your Dao heart remain clear and pure?"

The Sixth Rank Daoist froze for a moment, then suddenly widened his eyes. One hand clutched his throat fiercely while the other clawed at his chest. In the blink of an eye, his face turned mottled purple and green. He collapsed to the ground and breathed his last.

His entire body twisted, his limbs seeming to have been snapped apart.

The Devil Sect's strange poisons were unmatched beneath heaven.

Zhou Hen sighed. The Elephant-Head Bright-Copper Breastplate on his chest flashed, then dimmed. He cupped his fist toward Gong Wu and said, "Zhou Hen of the Night Guard's Divine Capital Office greets the four lords. Since this matter has already been decided, permit the Night Guards to withdraw."

Jiang Youfei actually let out a faint breath of relief.

Black devilish qi surged around Gong Wu's body. His white beard and hair flew in the wind as he laughed. "Madman Zhou? Zhang Tongshi has been crippled. We must give Sect Master Zhang an explanation. Times have changed. Your Night Guards will remain here as well."

"Then we can only fight for our lives." Zhou Hen shrugged, drawing a curved saber in one hand and an awl sword in the other. His gaze swept over the four, before he finally walked toward the smiling Third Rank Devil Sect member in the west. "Smiling-Face Venerable, I have come to collect the debt from last time with the Night Guards."

"Good. I will repay you with my life." Smiling-Face Venerable's eyes abruptly turned ink green, and his nose protruded and sharpened like a sickle. A pair of fleshy bat wings burst from his back. As the wings flapped, thick devilish qi and one devil head after another poured forth.

A bronze statue flew out of the devilish qi and landed on the ground, transforming into a hollow suit of full-body armor.

With a crack, the bronze armor split from the middle to either side. From head to chest and abdomen, from arms to legs, its interior was packed with dense spikes, every one covered in runes.

"I wonder whether my Return with You can return with you." Smiling-Face Venerable beamed.

The Sky Firmament Sect disciples and Night Guards all changed expression.

The Night Guards merely interrogated harshly, while Divine Prison tormented the mind. But when it came to twisted and cruel punishments, the Devil Sect stood unrivaled beneath heaven.

At the same time, Zhou Hen transmitted his voice. "We will certainly lose this battle. I will seek an opportunity to feign defeat and take you away."

Through the carriage curtain, Li Qingxian watched the battlefield, his right hand gripping a small red cloth bundle.

After some thought, since the other side had already seen through them, there was no need to hide in the carriage. He stepped out, looking for an opportunity to release the purple crystal.

Jiang Youfei's angry yet concerned voice transmission entered his ears. "Who told you to come out? Go back!"

Li Qingxian said nothing. He began observing the battlefield, searching for the right moment.

Too late would not do. He could not wait until everyone was dead before releasing it.

Too early would not do either. The enemy was extremely vigilant right now. If they escaped, the consequences would be hard to predict.

"You..."

Jiang Youfei sighed softly and began chanting the Seal-Invocation Spell.

"Within the Fire Bell Palace, blazing splendor connects all. Five directions, five thunders, descend in light and ride the wind. Heaven's might shakes the four quarters, and all evils vanish without trace. Urgent, urgent, as the law decrees!"

A pillar of intertwined lightning and fire rose and exploded. A great red seal carved with dragons flew forth, lightning coiling around its surface and flame patterns covering its entire body.

A vast aura spread out. The Devil Sect's foul mud on the ground crumbled and dissipated, nine-tenths of the devil clouds in the sky scattered, and faint cracks split through the distant white mist.

The four Third Rank Devil Sect members were like ordinary people caught in a typhoon, unable to breathe. Only Gong Wu, holding the Outer Realm Devilfire, fared somewhat better.

"By the Heavenly Venerable's command, slay evil and extinguish fiends. When the divine seal descends, wind and fire charge forth. Urgent, as the Heavenly Emperor's law decrees!" After Jiang Youfei finished the seal command, her figure swayed.

The next instant, lightning, fire, and fierce wind descended from heaven, flashing red and white.