Walking alone with a sword, slaying ghosts and gods

Chapter 481 The Shadow of Gu and the Fragrance of Elixir Imprison Proud Bones, The Netherworld Contract Locks the Demon's Heart (Seeking Rewards and Subscriptions!)

Above the sky, the flowing clouds were like blood, imbued with the chilling aura of the golden summit after the sword fight.

Two streaks of light, one pink and one white, emerged silently from the scorched earth and soaring blood, moving swiftly like sparks, tearing through the heavy, stagnant void, and heading into the depths of the distant mountains.

"Master, we have already traveled a great distance. Let's rest for a while ahead."

"Phew... Okay, let's go to that forest over there and wash up a bit."

As the light dissipated, two graceful figures, Lady Wanmiao and Fairy Yincha, appeared, each carrying a hint of apprehension.

Even among the most powerful demonic cultivators in the world, it would be difficult to protect themselves in such a turbulent situation.

Yin Cha Fairy had called softly before, but now her usually cold and stern face showed a hint of worry. She washed her handkerchief by the river and came to her master's side to offer it with both hands.

Wan Miao is Yin Cha's mother's older sister, making her Yin Cha's aunt. The two trust each other and help each other, but few in the cultivation world know that the ruthless and man-hating Fairy Yin Cha is actually a disciple of Lady Wan Miao.

"This time, we have suffered heavy losses. Senior Brother Hunxie was robbed, Shixinzi died and his Dao was destroyed, Wuxie Mountain collapsed, and the Demonic Path has been defeated." Madam Wanmiao was dressed in a palace gown as beautiful as clouds and her voice was like pearls striking each other, but it could not hide the hoarseness in it. It was clear that she had suffered a lot in this sword fight at the Golden Summit, even though she did not go all out.

Lady Wanmiao gazed at the silhouette of Yunxiao Mountain gradually disappearing behind the blood-red sunset, a complex and unfathomable light flickering in her phoenix eyes:

"In the Tongtian Dharma Realm, the rise and fall of the Dao and the Demonic Path has been nearly a thousand years. Today's battle has dealt a heavy blow to the Demonic Path. It is not that the Demonic Path is incompetent, but rather that this is the will of Heaven... Who could have foreseen the contingency plan left behind by the Jade Sun Immortal ten thousand years ago?"

Ten thousand years ago, when Immortal Yuyang ascended to heaven, Ancestor Hunxie had not yet entered the Dao. Moreover, compared with that one, Ancestor Hunxie, although an unparalleled genius of the demonic path, was still slightly inferior.

Lady Wanmiao sighed softly, then a captivating smile curved her lips: "However, you and I, master and disciple, need not be overly alarmed. Over the past thousand years, I have traveled the world, giving away my flesh in charity, and have accumulated countless 'good karmas.' Not everyone on the righteous path possesses the unyielding spirit of the Unrepentant Monk. Moreover, the blood smears on our hands are far less severe than those of the Heart-Eating and Blood-Slaughtering, leaving some room for maneuver."

The righteous path seeks to hunt down demonic cultivators, so they won't be the first to fall into our laps.

Upon hearing this, Fairy Yincha relaxed her tense nerves slightly. She and Lady Wanmiao were not only related by blood but also had the bond of master and disciple. Their affection was stronger than blood ties, and they trusted each other without reservation, which was an anomaly among the master and disciple in the demonic path.

"Master is right. What should we do next?"

"Go to the East Sea Dragon Palace or the North Sea Mystic Ice Pavilion to lay low for a while. But the East Sea Dragon King's son has been coveting you for a long time. This time, he's practically offering himself up, so I'm afraid you'll suffer some grievances."

Upon hearing this, Fairy Yincha blushed deeply, her cheeks and neck turning crimson. After a moment of silence, she finally said, "As long as I can protect my master, it's nothing for me to suffer some grievances."

Just as Madam Wanmiao was about to speak, the surrounding air suddenly froze.

It wasn't an overwhelming pressure descending, but rather a subtle and profound rhythm of the five elements' vital energy, weaving silently and intangibly like silkworms spinning silk, forming a vast, invisible net that enveloped the mountains, forests, and rivers.

The air seemed to transform into multicolored glass, creating a hazy and dangerous atmosphere.

The light and shadow before their eyes blurred and distorted for a moment, and then a figure appeared silently about ten feet in front of them.

The newcomer had a handsome face and a tall, upright figure. He wore a Taoist robe and his face was exactly the same as that of the fierce and imposing Wanlei Hailu Divine Lord. However, his body was shrouded in a hazy five-colored glow. As the glow flowed, countless tiny, dust-like Gu worms of various shapes flew around.

"Five Elements Gu Insects, a demonic external avatar technique!"

As soon as this avatar appeared, a powerful and pure Five Elements Dharma intent spread out, without any hostility, yet as profound as an abyss, subtly restraining all the surrounding strange elemental energy fluctuations.

Both Lady Wanmiao and Fairy Yincha were greatly shocked upon seeing this. Fairy Yincha subconsciously took a half step back, her internal energy surging rapidly, and her face showed extreme vigilance and wariness.

At this moment, Lu Cheng Dao Ren held a weight in their hearts that was now equal to that of Hun Xie Zu Shi before he was seriously injured!

"Fellow Daoist Lu?" Madam Wanmiao forced a stunning smile to appear composed and said with a flourish, "Where is the true form of the Divine Lord? Why has he sent this wondrous incarnation to descend? What guidance does he have for you?"

The Taoist's incarnation had a calm expression, neither sad nor happy, and his gaze fell on Lady Wanmiao, like a clear light that could see through all things.

"I wouldn't presume to offer guidance." Lu Cheng's voice was calm, yet carried a strange, metallic quality—the result of the resonance of countless tiny Gu worms.

"At the Golden Summit of the Clouds, the first signs of a great calamity are emerging, and you, fellow Daoist, should also be aware of them. I have come here to offer you a glimmer of hope and also to cultivate a karmic connection for myself."

As he spoke, the Taoist priest lightly flipped his hand. A pill the size of a longan appeared and floated quietly in his palm.

This pill is perfectly round like a Vajra Bodhi, yet it is neither gold nor stone. The pill has a strange semi-transparent appearance, with seven different colored pure spiritual energies constantly flowing between the pill's patterns. Its refreshing aura instantly washes away the surrounding turbidity.

"Fellow Daoist, you have indeed been exceptionally talented in cultivating your primordial spirit through the Yin-Yang Daoist technique. However, after years of absorbing the primordial yang of others, it is inevitable that your body will have various impurities that are difficult to reverse. Your full assistance to the Ancestor of Chaos is merely asking him to open a furnace and refine a precious pill for you to suppress the clash of qi within your body."

My Seven Aperture Heavenly Heart Transformation Pill can cure your old ailments and dispel the hidden ailments within your body. What do you think, my friend?

Lady Wanmiao's beautiful eyes widened instantly, her breath almost stopping. A cultivator at this level could sense whether a pill would be useful to them, even if they hadn't known it before.

This elixir can help you completely eliminate the 'worldly evil' that has accumulated in your body for thousands of years, cleanse your primordial spirit, and solidify your foundation.

Such a priceless treasure, and you dare present it to me in the form of a mere avatar!

Madam Wanmiao's mind was in turmoil, a frenzy of greed and vigilance swirling within her. Such an opportunity, if missed now, might never come again!
But the person in front of her was not going to give up easily. Her gaze subconsciously drifted to her disciple, Yin Cha Fairy, who was silent but had already quietly pressed down on her magic weapon.

"I advise you not to make a move. The number of seventh-order Gu worms I have cultivated is far beyond your imagination. Moreover, I only have one of these pills. If you destroy it, you may not be able to find a second one even if you search the entire Seven Realms. Even if you can capture this avatar of mine, destroying this pill in front of you is not difficult."

Lu Cheng knew all too well what the people of the demonic path were like, and so he said this.

"What does the divine lord desire? We, master and disciple, are of humble appearance; whatever the divine lord commands, we will obey without question."

Lady Wanmiao's eyes were moist, and her words were almost pleading. If this deity was only lusting after the beauty of the master and disciple, then it would be the best possible outcome for her.

However, another wave of divine sense arrived, cold as frost, leaving no room for doubt:
"With this blood pact from the underworld as proof, you have served me for two hundred years, helping me to withstand a great calamity. This elixir shall now belong to you, my lady."

With a wave of his hand, the Taoist priest sent an ancient contract, shimmering with a deep, eerie light and seemingly composed of countless mysterious runes, flying down in front of Lady Wanmiao. Every word and phrase was condensed from the laws of the ghost path, making it strange and unpredictable.

Lady Wanmiao's charming appearance was gone, and her eyes were filled with struggle like turbulent waves.

The pride of a demonic master and the survival instinct to continue his path were locked in a fierce struggle deep within his mind. Yin Cha Fairy stood by, her face deathly pale, her fingertips digging deeply into her palms without her realizing it.

After a long while, a very soft sigh, as if all her strength had been completely drained, escaped from Lady Wanmiao's lips. She slowly raised her snow-white hand and pointed a finger. A condensed and pure stream of her natal demonic energy flowed into the Netherworld Blood Pact.

In an instant, the pitch-black demonic runes, yet shimmering with starlight, surged forth from the blood pact, wrapping around Lady Wanmiao's arm like living creatures. They then spread swiftly to her brow and finally imprinted themselves deeply on her primordial spirit, forming an indelible mark.

The enormous, invisible shackles of the Dao crashed down.

"Madam is wise." Seeing that the Taoist's mind was calm and undisturbed, he flicked his finger, and the dazzling "Seven Apertures Heavenly Heart Transformation Pill" turned into a stream of light and entered Madam Wanmiao's mouth.

The gentle, abundant medicinal power instantly dissolved, like heavenly rain nourishing parched land.

A blush crept across Madam Wanmiao's face. Several stubborn, invasive evil forces deep within her body, like a bone-deep infection, began to dissolve and peel away rapidly under the impact of the elixir's Daoist essence, like snow meeting the blazing sun. She didn't even care about anything else; she immediately sat cross-legged in mid-air, silently circulating her profound energy.

The figure within the five-colored halo shifted, seemingly for the first time truly "gazing" at the Yincha Fairy standing breathlessly to the side.

"Your master's good fortune has arrived." The divine thought flowed like a refreshing spring. "As for fellow Daoist..."

Another pill flew out with a flick of his sleeve. This pill was pale white, its surface covered with strange, fleshy, raised veins, and a faint, cloyingly sweet and fishy fragrance emanated from it, making one's primordial spirit instinctively feel impure and resistant.

"This is the Heavenly Corpse Brain God Pill. It contains five elements Gu worms that I have carefully cultivated. Once you take it, you will live and die together with it."

"If you take this pill, I promise to find the treasure you desire. If you are not willing, you may leave or stay as you see fit."

Upon hearing this, Fairy Yincha trembled violently and turned to look at her master.

Lady Wanmiao was currently immersed in the profound state of dissolving the strange power, her eyes closed, oblivious to the outside world.

Yin Cha immediately lost all hope, reached out and picked up the evil pill, closed her eyes, and then resolutely put it into her mouth.

"My master is already embroiled in tribulation, how could I possibly remain uninvolved?"

"A wise move." The Five Elements Gu Insect avatar nodded slightly upon seeing this, and the Five Elements radiance surrounding it suddenly became even more mesmerizing and dreamlike. Its voice resounded directly in the minds of Lady Wanmiao and Fairy Yincha:
"Once this matter is settled, you should go to these coordinates for temporary refuge. When the time is right, I will summon you to serve me." Then, a thought containing the coordinates entered their minds.

The next moment, a flash of light appeared, and it vanished like smoke and mist, as if it had never existed.

The Netherworld Blood Pact is indeed the most powerful and safest, but excessive use can lead to an invasion of Yin energy, which might cause some problems.

Therefore, Lu Cheng made preparations for both possibilities:
Those cultivators with profound magical power, special techniques, or expertise in alchemy and poison use should sign the Netherworld Blood Pact. However, those with relatively shallow magical power, such as the Nascent Soul cultivator Yin Cha Fairy, should be given the Heavenly Corpse Brain God Pill, which is already safe enough. Even if something unexpected happens, their magical power will hardly cause any trouble.

Just as Lu Cheng's Five Elements Gu Insects manifested themselves and performed their divine deeds in front of Madam Wan Miao and her disciples.

A filthy, crimson abyss of blood, littered with mounds of bones.

"Roar—! Lu Cheng! How dare you humiliate me like this! Even if I am reduced to ashes and my soul is scattered, I will never be driven by you juniors! Kill!" The Blood Skull Demon Lord's eyes were bloodshot and burning. Nine ferocious demonic head phantoms roared wildly behind him. The thick, filthy blood light transformed into a giant claw that blotted out the sky. It was wrapped with the power to shatter space and violently slammed towards the tiny Gu shadow avatar that was blocking his way and flashing with five-colored light!
The jagged cliffs on both sides of the abyss shattered inch by inch under the pressure of this giant claw.

The only response to the roar was an even more dazzling glow. The Gu cloud suddenly rose, transforming into the sharpness of golden spears, the tangled branches of giant trees, the suppleness of cold water, the surging flames, and the stagnant thick earth. The five elements interacted and circulated, forming a giant halo that connected heaven and earth, endlessly cycling.

boom--!
A deafening roar shook the blood swamp. The Blood Skull Demon Lord's blood claws, powerful enough to devour souls and destroy bones, slammed onto the five-colored halo, only stirring up countless ripples of annihilation.

The halo remained unmoved, then suddenly contracted. The radiant light, like a noose, tightened and loosened. The nine demonic head images roaring behind the Blood Skull Demon Lord shattered in response!
His massive demonic body was struck as if by a heavy hammer, flying backward and crashing into the depths of the viscous, churning swamp of blood, splashing up towering waves of putridity.

After the blood wave subsided, the Five Elements Gu Shadow held the golden scroll of the Netherworld Blood Pact in its hand and stood like a ghost in front of the Blood Skull Demon Lord, whose body was dissipating demonic light and whose aura was weak.

The Demon Lord stared intently at the scroll, then looked up at the five-colored light flowing around him like a cage. The mad rage in his eyes was replaced by humiliation and resentment, and finally turned into a deathly silence.

After a long while, his thick, blood-stained bone fingers slowly touched the contract, leaving a scarlet and eerie soul mark.

A roar of extreme pain and resentment reverberated endlessly at the bottom of the abyss.

The second dangerous place is deep within the sheer cliff of a thousand-foot-high, icy wall.

The biting wind was like a knife, scraping to the bone and piercing the soul. The emaciated figure of the Hundred Bone True Venerable was hidden in the center of a constantly shifting, pale bone forest magic array. Countless chilling bone spikes emerged from the ice walls, locking onto another Five Elements Gu shadow that had silently arrived in the void.

His bones gleamed with a jade-like light, and his voice was like two pieces of bone rubbing together, icy cold and devoid of any emotion.

“Fellow Daoist Wan Lei Hailu? What a generous offer. All I ask for is a ten-thousand-year-old Xuanbing Jade Bone. If you agree, why not lend me the power of this withered bone? This damned blood pact is completely unnecessary…” His words came to an abrupt halt.

The swirling Gu shadow didn't say a word. With a flash of light, it appeared as if teleporting in front of the chest of the Hundred Bone True Venerable's condensed white bone Dharma Image.

Without a sound, a powerful force of confinement and assimilation erupted, forcibly penetrating the essence of his skeletal body, which existed between reality and illusion.

"Ugh!" Bai Gu Zhen Zun suddenly shuddered, as if his spine had been nailed shut by invisible ice needles.

His jade-colored body, honed through countless years of hard work and proud of its invulnerability to water, fire, metal, and iron, was instantly covered with fine, twisting, multicolored silk threads!

His prized Bone Forest Magic Array hummed and groaned under this eerie erosion, and the frost on the bone spikes began to melt.

His withered face contorted violently, and deep within his empty eye sockets, a genuine sense of shock, anger, and horror at the invasion of unknown filth finally ignited. He stared at the pill on his chest that was constantly releasing multicolored threads, then looked at the indifferent, floating five-colored Gu shadow, and finally, an extremely suppressed roar was squeezed out from the depths of his skeleton.

Withered, bony fingers trembled as they reached for the pill. Without resistance or bargaining, they resolutely pressed it deep into their naked, pulsating soul fire!
In an instant, all the bone forest magic arrays inside the ice cave solidified like ice crystals, and then cracked and collapsed inch by inch.

The Hundred Bones True Venerable stood frozen in place, a faint and eerie multicolored light emanating from deep within his bones, and the last trace of spirit in his empty eye sockets was completely covered by numbness and coldness.

The third ominous place is deep within the Yin Fire Ghost Realm, where poisonous miasma and turbid air condense.

The Black Fiend Demon Lord's roar shook the ground beneath his feet, causing it to crack, and demonic flames surged forth like a raging python: "Bullshit! This old ancestor is a lone wolf, and I'll withstand anything even if the sky falls! You want me to sign that indenture and become your lackey of Lu City? Keep dreaming!"

He waved his hands wildly, and the Xuan Sha Wan Gui Banner, which was fluttering and entwined with countless howling vengeful spirits, stirred up a hundred miles of yin wind.

Pitch-black poisonous smoke, eerie green ghost fire, and viscous blood mist surged wildly from the banner, condensing into a torrent of ten thousand ghosts powerful enough to devour a primordial spirit, and rushed menacingly towards the five-colored Gu shadow blocking its path.

Faced with this destructive torrent of filthy and malevolent energy, the Gu Shadow Avatar once again transformed into a flowing five-colored radiance.

However, this time, an unparalleled sharp killing intent suddenly emerged from the flow of light and brilliance.

At the core of the radiant light, a golden ray burst forth, instantly splitting into countless sharp golden needles of light. Like a solar storm, wherever the golden needles passed, the foul air and ghostly fire melted away with a miserable howl, just like ice and snow meeting the sun.

A golden ray flashed by, piercing through numerous obstacles and shooting straight at the Black Fiend Demon Lord's natal Myriad Ghost Banner, which he had placed above his head for protection!

scoff!

A tooth-grinding sound rang out, and the Ten Thousand Ghosts Banner, which possessed immense demonic power and had been refined over countless years, was pierced through by this sharp point, leaving a hole the size of a thumb!

Countless vengeful spirits let out extremely mournful howls, and scattered wildly like boiling water poured on snow!

The Black Fiend Demon Lord was struck as if by lightning, his entire body trembling violently, and he spat out a mouthful of dark green blood. His natal magic weapon was severely damaged, and the backlash caused the demonic flames around his body to dim rapidly. His already ferocious face was completely distorted by immense horror and disbelief.

The Taoist priest before him, relying on his ability to create an avatar and the power of the Five Elements, was actually able to shatter his demonic treasure, which had been imbued with evil spirits for thousands of years, in an instant?!
Just as his mind was shaken and his demonic powers were sluggish, the five-colored Gu shadow was already in front of him.

An ancient and solemn Netherworld Blood Pact scroll silently unfurled, its immense Dao principles pressing down like a mountain. The Black Fiend Demon Lord's entire skeleton creaked under the pressure. He stared intently at the scroll, then suddenly looked up at his natal demon banner above his head, which had a gaping hole and was leaking spiritual light. The ferocity and arrogance in his eyes ultimately turned into a deathly ashes, utterly crushed and resigned to his fate.

"Ah—! Lu Cheng—!" A long howl filled with despair and endless resentment tore through the miasma of the ghost realm. His blood-stained giant hand, as heavy as a thousand pounds, rose inch by inch, imprinted on the cold contract scroll with intense hatred and unwillingness.

Like awakened venomous snakes, strands of demonic runes rapidly coiled around the Demon Lord's thick arms and neck, finally solidifying into a dark and ferocious mark between his brows. Within the ghostly realm, only the howling wind and the Demon Lord's suppressed, almost mournful, heavy breathing remained.

If these old demons hadn't just experienced the sword fight at the Golden Summit of Cloud Peak and fought a great battle with the righteous cultivators, each of them would have suffered some injuries.

Finding and subduing these demons one by one would not be as easy as it is now for Lu Cheng. He has been raising the Five Elements Gu worms for nearly a thousand years and has invested countless resources, which is why he can do this. Lu Cheng originally intended to use the Five Elements Gu worms to force back Sheng Yang and Kong Ji, but now it is like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut, so naturally the power and effect are quite remarkable.

As the first rays of sunlight pierced through the valley, they flowed like a wisp of gold into a tranquil valley shrouded in a misty, verdant atmosphere.

The mountains in the valley are exquisite, with a gentle, jade-like luster. A waterfall cascades down from the cliff, its water droplets tinkling like shattered jade pieces as they fall into the deep pool. Amidst the misty air, the clear cries of celestial birds occasionally drift by.

This is a secluded villa in Wanlei Sea with excellent spiritual veins. The scenery is like a fairyland, and the spiritual energy is so abundant and pure that it is pleasing to the eye.

Deep within the Dao Palace, in an extremely secluded chamber, wisps of jade-colored spiritual mist seeped from the stone walls and cracks in the ground, as thick as solidified fat.

At the heart of the spiritual mist, on a massive cloud bed carved from cold jade, lay the mangled remains of the Ancestor of Chaos, who would have appeared dead were it not for the slight rise and fall of his chest.

Compared to his domineering and invincible spirit during the bloody battle at the Golden Summit that day, he is now like a mountain stripped of its bones, with only withered and decaying remains.

The area below the waist was empty, and the cut was covered with a thick layer of bluish-black scabs that writhed like living things, emitting a strange smell that was a mixture of regenerative medicine and decaying bones.

His face was ashen, and though his eyes were open, the depths of his pupils were an unyielding emptiness and deathly stillness. The Five Fiends Primordial Qi around him had long since dissipated, leaving only a faint, dim demonic light lingering around his frail body, desperately resisting the chilling backlash of deathly energy emanating from his wounds, which had been raging day and night due to the destruction of his Dao foundation. Each surge of that backlash caused his frail body to tremble violently, like a candle flickering in the wind.

Lu Cheng appeared silently before Han Yuyun's bed. He was dressed in a black Daoist robe, his aura as deep as the sea, forming a sharp contrast with the vibrant spiritual energy filling the room and the decaying death energy on the bed.

He did not deliberately conceal his aura; the powerful Daoist energy of the Five Elements flowed naturally, silently oppressing this small space.

"Senior's injuries are extremely severe, his Dao foundation is greatly damaged, his soul was injured by the immortal sword, and the Five Fiend Demonic Flames triggered by the restriction are burning him day and night." Lu Cheng's voice was flat and emotionless, as if stating a cold fact.

The Chaotic Ancestor didn't even lift his eyelids, his voice hoarse as if grinding pebbles: "Here to watch the joke?"

"It's to give you a way out, fellow Daoist." A scroll of Netherworld Blood Pact flew out from Lu Cheng's sleeve, its dark leather scroll covered with golden patterns that coiled like living snakes.

"Sign it, and I will help you rebuild your physical body. I also promise that once it is done, I will help you kill the heads of Sikong Xun, Ye Yuanfeng, and Gui Tongzi to avenge you, Fellow Daoist Tianqi."

Those last few words pierced the mind of the Chaotic Ancestor like needles. He abruptly raised his head, his eyes blazing with blood-red flames:
"You dare mention the Forsaken One!"

Memories flood back like a toxic tide: the brutal battle at the Golden Summit, the scene of the loyal and devoted junior brother Tianqi being pierced through the heart and beheaded when he crashed into the Hunyuan Gangqi;
Hatred surged like magma, overwhelming reason, and the ice stone bed beneath the Chaotic Ancestor cracked inch by inch under the weight.

If he were at his peak, Yang Xiao's mind would never be so easily affected, but his injuries were too severe at the moment, which affected his state of mind.

"They are not dead. The Ascension Platform at the Cloud Peak is still in the hands of the righteous immortals." Lu Cheng's voice was like ice water poured into a furnace:
"But if our patriarch were to perish here, then Fellow Daoist Tianqi's blood would have been shed in vain. Fellow Daoist lies here, while they are still laughing!"

The cave was deathly silent, save for the heavy breathing of the Chaotic Ancestor.

After a long while, his withered claws suddenly stretched out and grasped the floating Netherworld Blood Pact, and a drop of pale green blood fell straight down onto the scroll!

With a resounding hum, the winding golden patterns on the scroll transformed into nine intertwined demonic dragons, tightly gripping every thought of the Chaotic Ancestor's primordial spirit.

"Good! Good! Good!" Amidst the agony, the Chaotic Ancestor roared with laughter, and in his madness, he shattered the half of the ice bed beneath him with a single palm strike:
"I am also curious, how do you intend to let my remaining body stir up the world once again!"

"I will prepare the best elixirs for you to heal your internal injuries and the best magic weapons and flying swords to restore your supernatural powers. All of this is just so that you can help me overcome the great calamity of the Tongxuan Realm."

Now that things had come to this, Lu Cheng had no interest in hiding anything anymore. Even a great demon like Yang Xiao, who had dominated the world for thousands of years, was shocked when he heard about his plan.

"Shengyang and Kongji? These two demons are thriving and have returned to their ancestral bloodline. Back then, when a human cultivator ascended to the Earthly Immortal Realm, the immortal spiritual energy entered his body, greatly increasing his supernatural powers. He also wanted to take the opportunity to kill these two demons to accumulate merit, but he was killed by Shengyang, and thousands of years of cultivation were destroyed in an instant. Do you really want to do this?"

"Fellow Daoist, aren't you fond of fighting? What, are you afraid now?" Lu Cheng asked with a faint smile as he sat to the side, sipping spiritual tea.

"Hahahaha, although I am combative, I will not seek out battles that I am bound to lose and die. Besides, what is there for me to fear as a dying man? This is your game."

"Only by contending with Heaven can one understand the profound mysteries of the Great Way; only by contending with Earth can one witness the divine craftsmanship of creation; only by competing with others can one awaken to one's true nature."

These are the words my fellow Daoist said to me back then. Throughout my life, I, Lu, have been inherently combative and unwilling to back down.

(End of this chapter)