Whatever the Evil Fiends Desired, He Would Destroy

Ning Xinyao had now confirmed one thing-

This ninth junior brother, who barely made his presence felt on Crane-Cry Peak, truly was extraordinary!

He simply had no manners at all, telling her to shut up at the drop of a hat.

With a huff, Ning Xinyao fell silent as though sulking.

Li Yang finally had some peace.

He continued cultivating cross-legged on the flying boat's deck, consolidating his perfected qi refining cultivation in preparation for breaking through to foundation establishment.

Having killed another four foundation establishment evil cultivators, he had accumulated even more killing intent.

Perhaps it was his imagination, but he noticed that the spiritual energy in his dantian had also been tinged a faint red.

Rather than the tranquil lake of an ordinary cultivator, it resembled a sea of blood, a frightening sight indeed.

Before long.

"More evil fiends!"

Li Yang immediately shot out with his sword, without even the slightest hesitation.

Only this time, he soon returned wounded, the killing intent around him even denser and more substantial.

The keen sword intent he radiated startled even Ning Xinyao, who was at the foundation establishment late stage.

Throughout the rest of their journey, Li Yang repeatedly struck down enemies.

From these evil fiends, he gained a rough understanding of what had happened in this region.

An important figure from the Ning Lineage was undergoing mortal transfiguration in Yongning Commandery.

Li Yang had heard a little about this so-called mortal transfiguration.

Some immortal cultivators advanced too quickly for their mental state to keep pace, making them prone to developing heart demons.

Living as a mortal, experiencing birth, aging, sickness, and death, love and hatred, three daily meals, warmth and cold-these offered the most delicate polishing of the Dao heart.

Li Yang had heard of a powerful immortal cultivator who spent decades as a riverside fisherman during mortal transfiguration before truly understanding that water possessed both the gentleness of "benefiting all things without contending" and the fury of "devouring heaven and earth," ultimately perfecting both his Dao arts and his Dao heart.

He certainly had no such troubles, however.

After all, this was an unconventional form of tempering that only heaven's favored children and protagonists would choose to undertake.

As someone who had spent ten years at qi refining, whatever else might be said of him, Li Yang's resolve was so steadfast that he would not even frown in the face of death.

"It seems Master wanted me to establish a connection with that important figure from your Ning Lineage." Li Yang asked Ning Xinyao, "Then what's going on with these evil fiends? Is that important figure of yours a demonic cultivator?"

His expression was displeased.

"How could that be?!" Ning Xinyao immediately retorted. "The Ning Lineage is an Ancient Immortal Lineage. We cultivate nothing but orthodox immortal arts.

"Now you know to ask me?

"Beg your senior sister, and I'll tell you."

Li Yang shook his head instead.

"He wanted to undergo mortal transfiguration, yet made it common knowledge, giving these evil fiends an opening. How many innocent people has he indirectly killed? In my eyes, he's even more despicable than the evil fiends!

"I could never aspire to connections with an 'important figure' who treats human lives like weeds."

At that, Ning Xinyao's face immediately fell.

"You don't understand anything!" She immediately defended her ancestor. "The information was leaked from within the Dao Alliance in the first place. Whatever blame there is, it can't fall on Grand-Grandaunt."

"So we can only blame these mortals for being unlucky enough to encounter your ancestor's mortal transfiguration? Even righteous cultivators who might save them don't dare enter this region rashly, so they deserve to die, is that it?"

Ning Xinyao was furious.

"Don't stand there criticizing her to my face. If you have the guts, say it to her yourself!

"If Master hadn't told me to bring you here and build a bridge between you and Grand-Grandaunt, do you think I'd want to wade into these muddy waters?"

Li Yang rose instead.

"There's no need. I have no use for those connections or bridges. For sword cultivators like us, a single sword is enough. Master has strayed from the path. You can go back right now and tell him I don't need an important figure's protection."

Seeing that Li Yang was about to leave, Ning Xinyao panicked.

She immediately activated the flying boat's formation to stop him from leaving.

"We're almost at Yongning Commandery! Where are you going?"

"To slay demons and defend the Dao," Li Yang replied calmly.

Ning Xinyao found this junior brother increasingly difficult to understand.

If he said he would leave, he would definitely leave. This was no ploy of letting go in order to seize.

"No! Master said..."

Li Yang cut her off. "Whether I can leave is not for you to decide. The goal Master hopes to achieve runs directly counter to mine.

"Those who walk different paths cannot make plans together.

"Open the barrier!"

This junior brother was far too overbearing!

"Then you still can't leave!"

Ning Xinyao grew anxious.

She had already fully acknowledged this junior brother's strength, and they needed all the help they could get right now. Her earlier words had merely been spoken in anger.

"Why?" Li Yang frowned.

He had already reached the edge of the deck and gripped his sword, looking ready to break through the barrier and leave at the slightest disagreement.

"Because..." Ning Xinyao's thoughts raced, and suddenly her eyes lit up. "Because these evil fiends are targeting Grand-Grandaunt. Isn't whatever the evil fiends want to accomplish precisely what you need to stop?"

Li Yang fell silent for a moment.

Then he returned to his original spot and sat down.

"You're right."

That was indeed true.

From the evil fiends he had killed, he had learned that several Demon Path Demon Scions had come together, though he did not know what they were plotting.

But just as Ning Xinyao had said: whatever the evil fiends desired, he would destroy!

Having appeased him, Ning Xinyao finally breathed a sigh of relief.

She immediately accelerated, driving the flying boat forward at full speed.

Half a day later.

Yongning Commandery.

This commandery seat was a mortal city. It lacked some of the spiritual charm of immortal cultivation, but instead had the flavor of a martial world.

Immortal cultivators occasionally flew overhead, most of them rogue cultivators.

Li Yang opened his eyes and, sure enough, detected quite a few concealed traces of evil fiends.

After disguising themselves, the two entered Yongning Commandery.

"Although the news that Grand-Grandaunt is undergoing mortal transfiguration in Yongning Commandery has leaked, no one knows her exact identity," Ning Xinyao told Li Yang through voice transmission.

Li Yang understood.

It seemed Ning Xinyao must know. Otherwise, knowing his temperament, how could Master have been confident that he would be able to establish a connection with her?

"So where are we going now? What are we supposed to do? What are the evil fiends after?"

"The young lady of the White Household is about to marry. We're going to apply as guards," Ning Xinyao said startlingly. "As for those Demon Scions' goal, we can't rule out the possibility that they intend to steal the bride."

Li Yang froze.

"Marry?! Who?"

Ning Xinyao's Grand-Grandaunt had to be a mighty immortal cultivator capable of protecting him from the Six Desires Demon Venerable. A conservative estimate would put her at tribulation transcendence.

A powerhouse like that was marrying during mortal transfiguration?

Could the groom also be a mighty male immortal cultivator undergoing mortal transfiguration?

Hearing Li Yang's astonishment, Ning Xinyao explained.

"Mortal transfiguration comes in two forms: worldly sojourn and reincarnation rebirth.

"The former simply involves sealing one's own cultivation; the latter uses a secret art to split off a strand of the soul and reincarnate it.

"Grand-Grandaunt chose the latter, so she has no memories of her previous life during this mortal transfiguration. Since she experiences birth, aging, sickness, and death, marriage is naturally possible too.

"So those Demon Scions, with their wolves' ambitions, want to use this as an opening to make Grand-Grandaunt's mortal incarnation fall in love with them.

"Although this would affect her mortal transfiguration, the impact wouldn't be great. It would merely entangle them in Grand-Grandaunt's karma, creating a bond difficult to sever."

Li Yang understood.

"So they'll steal the bride on her wedding day, using every means at their disposal to make your Grand-Grandaunt fall in love with them."

This really was absurd.

Still, his objective was clear now-ensure that she married without incident.

Following Ning Xinyao, he arrived outside the Bai Household Residence in Yongning Commandery.

The residence was festooned with lanterns and decorations as preparations for the wedding continued. Large red lanterns had already been hung, though the candles inside remained unlit.

Quite a crowd had gathered beside the main gate, and a notice recruiting guards was posted on the wall.

The young lady of this residence will marry in three days. Her journey will take her beyond the commandery seat, where evil fiends and practitioners of crooked paths run rampant. We therefore seek a dozen or more cultivators at late-stage qi refining or above to serve as temporary guards.

Requirements: preference will be given to cultivators skilled in exorcism and dispelling baleful intent, with experience dealing with evil fiends. Applicants must follow orders and must not disturb the bridal sedan.

Remuneration: to be discussed in person upon selection.

Registration: a steward will lead applicants into the Bai Residence Martial Arena for selection. Applications close during the hour of the Ox on the twenty-seventh day of the fourth month. Late arrivals will not be accepted.