The world of film and television starts from the flow of money

"I see."

Yi Huawei understood.

"The Yin Kui Sect's lineage has grasped the essence of 'Yin,' 'Change,' 'Charm,' and 'Devouring,' and has touched upon 'Netting' and 'Cycle,' but has never truly touched the ultimate 'One,' nor has it understood that the extreme of 'Yin' is the turning point of 'Yang.' Therefore, the eighteenth heaven is the limit; forcibly breaking through will result in either death or madness."

He was no longer content with mere imitation. The vast true essence began to reconstruct itself in its most fundamental way, according to his understanding of these nine primordial strings!
Within the "microcosm" of the body, nine dazzling strings of light materialized out of thin air, replacing the original path that simulated the flow of Heavenly Demon True Qi. These nine strings were not fixed; they vibrated, intertwined, and resonated at an unfathomable frequency. Each vibration stirred the tides of the external天地元气 (heaven and earth primordial energy); each intertwining perfected the microcosm within itself; and each resonance made the ninth string, representing "one," even clearer and more solid.

The bizarre and chaotic phenomena surrounding him vanished. In their place was an ultimate emptiness. Not nothingness, but an emptiness that encompassed all things. Moonlight streamed down, passing unimpeded through his location, as if nothing were there. His reflection was nowhere to be found in the lake's surface!

As the first hint of dawn appeared on the eastern horizon, dispelling the last traces of night over West Lake, Yi Huawei slowly opened his eyes.

The day and night of contemplation and reconstruction has come to an end.

At this moment, not a trace of his former aura remained. The vast, oppressive power he once possessed had vanished without a trace. His moon-white robe swayed gently in the morning breeze, making him appear like a refined scholar well-versed in literature, or perhaps an ordinary Taoist priest who had just finished his morning meditation. Ordinary, serene, he blended perfectly with the morning light and mountain scenery of West Lake, as if he had always belonged there, a natural stroke in the canvas of nature.

Only those eyes!
As his gaze shifted, landing on the rising sun, on the awakening West Lake, and in the direction of the painted boat, the depths of his eyes were no longer the profound tranquility of before. Instead, they seemed to contain a real, slowly rotating cosmic sky! Countless stars rose and fell, nebulae swirled, and black holes appeared and disappeared, revealing ancient mysteries and endless possibilities. It was not a display of power, but a natural reflection on the windows of his soul, a manifestation of a profound understanding of the laws of heaven and earth after a sublimation of his spiritual realm. It was a manifestation that transcended "technique" and reached the level of "Tao."

He stood silently atop the mountain, as if he had stood there since time immemorial. The morning breeze of West Lake did not stir a single hem of his clothes, and the rising sun fell upon him, its intensity seemingly softened by his starry eyes.

On the boat.

Zhu Yuyan, Shan Meixian, and Shan Wanjing, the three generations of the family, barely slept a wink all night. Only when Yi Huawei's aura completely disappeared from the mountaintop and merged into the "emptiness" did the tension in their hearts ease slightly, only to be replaced by a deeper sense of bewilderment and awe.

Just then, as the sun rose, a pale figure appeared without warning at the bow of the painted boat, as if he had always been there.

"Son!"

Zhu Yuyan was the first to react, and quickly bowed in greeting. Shan Meixian followed closely behind. Shan Wanjing, on the other hand, stared blankly at the man before her, whose demeanor had drastically changed, yet who exuded an indescribable allure.

Yi Huawei nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping over the three of them.

When his gaze fell upon Zhu Yuyan, this newly promoted eighteenth-level Grandmaster felt a gentle yet undeniable fluctuation emanate from the spiritual imprint deep within her soul, instantly making her understand Yi Huawei's will. At the same time, she felt as if those starry eyes had seen through all her secrets, even her newly solidified eighteenth-level realm seemed so shallow under that gaze. A sense of awe, stemming from an innate life force, welled up within her, even stronger than yesterday! She lowered her head deeply, unable to meet his gaze.

What Shan Meixian felt was a vast and boundless tranquility, as if she were facing not a person, but a starry sky that encompassed all things, which calmed her restless mind and left her with only pure awe.

Shan Wanjing was the youngest and had the least cultivation, yet her reaction was the most direct. She only glanced into Yi Huawei's eyes, but felt as if her mind was being sucked in, trapped in that endless vortex of stars, making her dizzy and lightheaded. She quickly looked away, her heart pounding.

Yi Huawei took in the reactions of the three people, his eyes, which seemed to reflect the starry sky, remained calm. Looking at the vast West Lake, he seemed to be admiring a painting, or perhaps looking through the water into a deeper place.

"Let's go."

Yi Huawei spoke, his voice gentle and refined: "Now that things are settled here, it's time to go to Luoyang."

As soon as he finished speaking, the enormous pleasure boat seemed to be propelled by an invisible giant hand, smoothly and silently turning its course and slowly sailing north, carving a long, straight trail of water across the calm lake surface, heading straight for Luoyang, the heart of the Central Plains where the winds of change converge.

...............

As dusk settled and the setting sun cast a blood-red glow, it stained the official road leading to Luoyang with a somber golden-red hue. Yi Huawei and his entourage transferred to several seemingly ordinary yet spacious and comfortable carriages, and under the protection of elite disciples of the Yin Kui Sect, they sped silently northward.

Inside the carriage, the atmosphere was subtle. Zhu Yuyan had changed out of her deep purple dress and into an elegant black casual outfit, but the imposing presence of someone long accustomed to a superior position and the profound aura naturally revealed after breaking through to the eighteenth level of the Heavenly Realm still made people hesitant to look directly at her. She sat to the left of Yi Huawei, her posture respectful yet carrying a hint of barely perceptible probing.

Yi Huawei closed his eyes to rest, his breathing as calm as that of an ordinary person without martial arts skills. Only in the depths of his occasionally opening and closing eyes, where the slowly rotating starry sky revealed a hint of inhuman divinity.

After a long silence, Yi Huawei's voice broke the stillness: "The Cihang Jingzhai's closure of the mountain is not for seclusion and quiet cultivation."

Zhu Yuyan's heart skipped a beat, and her purple eyes instantly focused on Yi Huawei's face.

"Ning Daoqi's injuries have not yet healed,"

Yi Huawei continued, a very faint smile appearing at the corner of his mouth: "When I borrowed the Cihang Sword Manual, I made quite a commotion."

He used the word "borrow" lightly, yet it carried an undeniable domineering air.

boom!
Zhu Yuyan felt as if a thunderbolt had struck her mind! Although she had suspected it before, hearing this mysterious "young master" admit it to her own ears was still incredibly shocking! Defeating Ning Daoqi, one of the three grandmasters, forcibly entering the Buddhist holy land, and forcibly reading the sect's treasure manual... each of these was a world-shaking act that would leave the entire righteous path and even the demonic sect speechless! Yet, judging from his tone, it was as if he had only done a trivial matter?

The immense, long-standing pressure on her heart—the invisible weight of the towering Cihang Jingzhai—strangely loosened at this moment! An indescribable sense of joy and relief, like a spring bud breaking through the soil, quietly sprouted. Her gaze towards Yi Huawei held a mixture of awe and an indescribable, complex emotion.

"Thank you, young master... for eliminating this great calamity for us!"

Zhu Yuyan took a deep breath, her voice trembling slightly, a mixture of excitement and awe.

Yi Huawei remained silent, closing his eyes again as if he had merely uttered a trivial remark.

Several days later, the convoy arrived at a secluded hideout in the eastern suburbs of Luoyang, nestled against the mountains and beside a river, seemingly an ordinary wealthy merchant's villa. This place was under the jurisdiction of Elder Xia, Wen Caiting, who had already received a secret order from the Empress Dowager herself, and everything was prepared and heavily guarded.

As soon as the carriage came to a stop in the manor's forecourt, a slightly shrill voice, with a hint of slickness, drifted over from afar:

"Oh my! Senior Sister Yu Yan! It's been so long, you're even more beautiful than before! ...Mei Xian?! You're back? And who is this little beauty?"

A middle-aged man in a brocade robe, slightly plump, with a mustache, strode forward with a broad smile. He was none other than Bian Bufu, an elder of the Yin Kui Sect and Zhu Yuyan's junior brother!

A flash of shock crossed his eyes, but a warm smile spread across his face. His gaze, however, was like a slippery eel, blatantly scanning Shan Meixian and her daughter Shan Wanjing, lingering particularly long on Shan Wanjing's budding, youthful figure. His gaze was nakedly filled with greed, possessiveness, and a nauseating lewdness, as if he wanted to strip her naked. His smile, seemingly friendly, betrayed a deep-seated sleaziness and vulgarity.

The moment Shan Meixian heard that voice, her body tensed up instantly! When she saw Bian Bufu's hateful face and felt his unbridled, snake-like gaze, a monstrous hatred that had been building up for decades erupted like a dormant volcano!

Her face instantly turned deathly pale, not from fear, but from extreme rage! Her once gentle eyes were now filled with burning fury and deep-seated resentment, the pupils even showing horrifying bloodshot veins! Her slender fingers clenched tightly, her nails digging deep into her palms, drops of crimson blood dripping silently, yet she remained oblivious. Her delicate body trembled slightly from the extreme emotion, her aura instantly turning icy cold, filled with destructive killing intent!
"Bian! Will not! Be! Defeat!"

Shan Meixian spat out those three words through gritted teeth, her voice hoarse, like the roar of a demon from hell. Without even consulting her mother or Yi Huawei, she flashed forward, two cold, moon-like blades of light already drawn from her sheaths at her waist!

"Double Slash of Heavenly Demons!"

A piercing screech of blades tore through the air. Two streaks of sword energy, carrying Shan Meixian's life's cultivation and an unquenchable hatred that even the three rivers and five seas could not wash away, transformed into two intersecting arcs of death, viciously slashing towards Bian Bufu's neck and abdomen! The speed and ferocity of the blades seemed to be enough to tear the man before them to pieces!

Bian Bufu's lewd smile froze instantly, then turned into shock and rage! He never expected that Shan Meixian would dare to kill him directly in front of the Empress! In his haste, his obese body displayed a flexibility that was disproportionate to its size. With a strange cry, a uniquely shaped soft sword at his waist shot out like a venomous snake!

"Demon Heart Chain!"

Bian Bufu shouted, his soft sword trembling, instantly conjuring up layers upon layers of sword shadows and light circles that were difficult to distinguish from reality, like countless rotating mouths of venomous snakes, trying to entangle and crush the two deadly blade lights!
clang! clang! clang! clang!
The ear-piercing clang of metal clashing rang out like popping beans! Sparks flew everywhere!
A violent burst of energy erupted from the two of them, sending rubble and dust flying everywhere in the courtyard! The Yin Kui Sect disciples around them retreated in horror.

Dan Meixian moved like a mad tiger, her blade flashing like a waterfall, each strike delivered with all her might, carrying a suicidal ferocity. She disregarded her own defense, her eyes fixed solely on Bian Bufu's hateful face, wanting nothing more than to chop him into mincemeat! Hatred was her only fuel!
Bian Bufeng was filled with shock and rage. Although he possessed profound skill, unpredictable demonic arts, and a cunning and ruthless soft sword that specialized in breaking through internal energy, he was forced to retreat repeatedly and looked utterly disheveled under Shan Meixian's reckless and murderous attacks. His brocade robe was torn in several places by the sharp blade energy, and even a bloody gash appeared on his cheek, making him look even more ferocious.

"You lowly servant! Are you insane?! Senior sister! You just stand by and watch her commit such an act of insubordination?!" Bian Bufu was both shocked and furious, desperately trying to defend himself while roaring at Zhu Yuyan.

Zhu Yuyan stood beside Yi Huawei, watching the fierce battle unfold with an expressionless face. Her purple eyes were as deep and still as an ancient well. Seeing her daughter's blood-and-tears-filled hatred, seeing Bian Bufu's repulsive ugliness, decades of forbearance, compromise, and the bitterness she had swallowed for the sake of the Yin Kui Sect's greater good all surfaced clearly in her mind at this moment. It was this greater good that forced her to suppress her daughter's humiliation, even tacitly condoning Bian Bufu's existence, hurting Mei Xian's heart and leaving a thorn forever in her own.

Now, the eighteenth level of the Heavenly Demon Art has been completed! And with the unfathomable "backer" Yi Huawei right before her, the Yin Kui Sect's fate will be redefined by her! It's time to remove this thorn!

"You... deserve to die."

Zhu Yuyan's voice was not loud, but it clearly reached the ears of the two people who were fighting fiercely, as cold as the wind from the deepest hell.

Bian Bufu trembled violently upon hearing this! An unprecedented chill of death instantly enveloped his entire body! He suddenly realized that Zhu Yuyan was not joking! Her aura after her breakthrough, and that resolute look in her eyes… she really wanted to kill him?!
"Zhu Yuyan! How dare you?! I have rendered great service to the Yin Kui Sect! You kill me, aren't you afraid of alienating your disciples? Aren't you afraid of Shi Zhixuan..."

Bian Bufu was terrified and roared fiercely, trying to threaten Shi Zhixuan with the interests of the sect. At the same time, he desperately unleashed his demonic power. His soft sword burst out with unprecedented dark light, forcing Shan Meixian back. He turned around and tried to use his escape technique to flee!

However, his threats and actions now seem so ridiculous to Zhu Yuyan.

Zhu Yuyan's figure seemed to sway slightly before appearing beside Bian Bufu like a ghost. There was no earth-shattering aura, not even a gust of wind. She simply raised her fair, jade-like hand, which seemed powerless, and lightly pressed it against Bian Bufu's back.

This palm strike, though seemingly slow, was actually incredibly fast, containing the terrifying essence of the Eighteenth Heavenly Demon Technique—perfect and flawless, controlling heaven and earth! The protective demonic energy and distorted force field that Bian Bufu hastily erected around his body vanished silently before this palm strike, like fragile soap bubbles!

"puff--!"

A dull, heart-stopping soft sound.

Bian Bufu's frantic run suddenly froze! The horror, lewdness, and resentment on his face instantly solidified. He lowered his head with difficulty, staring incredulously at his chest—no wound, no blood. But from his eyes, ears, nose, and mouth, thick, blackish blood gushed out!

All the life force, meridians, and internal organs in his body, including his filthy heart, were instantly shattered into the finest dust by that seemingly gentle palm strike, which was filled with the vast, incomparable, extremely yin and gentle yet extremely hard and fierce Heavenly Demon True Qi!
"You...uh..."

Bian Bufu let out an incomprehensible gurgling sound from his throat. His obese body collapsed limply to the ground as if all the bones had been removed. His dead fish-like eyes remained wide open, filled with resentment, fear, and disbelief, staring intently in Zhu Yuyan's direction before finally losing all their luster.

Bian Bufu, a giant of the demonic sect, renowned for his cultivation techniques and unpredictable swordplay, met his end! He died so easily and silently; faced with the absolute power of Zhu Yuyan after her breakthrough, he didn't even have the right to struggle.

The courtyard was deathly silent. Only Shan Meixian's heavy breathing could be heard. Looking at Bu Fu's corpse on the ground, her eyes were filled with a mixture of the satisfaction of revenge and deep sorrow. Tears finally welled up uncontrollably, but she bit her lip tightly and did not cry out.

Looking at Bian Bufu, who died with his eyes wide open, Shan Wanjing's gaze was somewhat complicated. She let out a soft breath, took a step forward, and tightly took her mother's arm, silently comforting the troubled Shan Meixian.

(End of this chapter)