Ziwei Immortal Path

Chapter 171 Killing the Demon
Leopard Skin Duke was astonished and horrified. He hadn't expected that this scholar, who spoke so eloquently, would know so many of his secrets. This wasn't just about himself; it involved the entire Leopard Skin Duke family.

This is rather unbelievable!
After a moment, he finally came to his senses, his face somber.

"Who is your Excellency?"

"It doesn't matter who I am."

The scholar slowly came to a stop, his face expressionless, and said coldly.
"To put it bluntly, I have an irreconcilable feud with your family. It's just a pity that times have changed. The master who harmed me is dead, and I have no way to avenge my grudge. In addition, my young master said that these two people in the snow are old acquaintances and we cannot stand by and watch them die."

"Your young master?"

The leopard-skinned guardian, after being lectured by him, felt a surge of anger and asked in a deep voice,
"Who is your young master? Why are you hiding and afraid to show yourself?"

The scholar smiled, neither agreeing nor disagreeing, and instead asked:

"You monster, do you even deserve to know my young master's name?"

"court death!"

Leopard-skinned Duke Hu was burning with rage, his eyes blazing with murderous intent, and his hands suddenly revealed a gray light. He was considered a ruthless figure on the outskirts of White Horse Wall City. Although he was not as famous as his master, Leopard-skinned Duke Wei, he was still well-known far and wide.

Furthermore, with his mid-stage Transformation Realm cultivation and mastery of the demonic arts of the three lineages of Tushan, he already stands out from the crowd on the outskirts of this land without walls. Unless there are powerful cultivators at the level of the Yellow Court Divine Palace, it would be extremely difficult to subdue him. Even if his own Cuan Master came, he would have to give him some face.

The scholar remained calm and fearless, which only fueled the leopard-skinned guard's anger. With lightning speed, the guard pounced on him!

The leopard-skinned guardian showed no mercy from the start, his palm gleaming with gray light, and a plume of gray smoke was about to burst forth from his palm!

"Snapped!"

Unexpectedly, the moment the hand gesture was made, the person lost control and fell to the ground in the snow, which completely stunned Su Jielin and Tong Runyuan.

"you…"

Leopard-skinned Prince Hu was dizzy and unable to see clearly. He was filled with shock and horror, but found that he could not move his body. His tongue was stiff and unable to speak. His eyes stared at the scholar as if he had seen a ghost, his face full of disbelief.

The Confucian scholar seemed to be used to it, a slight smile playing on his lips and a hint of amusement in his eyes.

"Leopard Skin Duke, you traitorous fool, I saw you once a hundred years ago. You had an amazing appetite since you were a child. Back then, your father, Leopard Skin Duke, did not hesitate to kill people outside Wubi City in order to feed you. I almost became your food."

"It's a pity that you didn't have any intelligence back then, you were just a stupid thing that only knew how to eat meat. Now that you've finally managed to transform into human form, you've tasted a little bit of sweetness and you're already doing whatever you want."

"Do you know how many disciples of Qing Shen you have consumed in the past three months? My young master has seen and remembered all of this."

For some reason, the leopard-skinned guardian felt as stiff as a frozen bird or a frozen dog. The fear in his heart grew stronger with each breath, almost overwhelming him. Summoning his last strength, he screamed hysterically:
"Just who is your young master?"

"You don't deserve to know."

The scholar walked over quietly, a blade of light appearing in his hand, and gently swung it down.

"puff!"

Su Jielin wrapped herself tightly in her cloak, shivering. Startled by a splatter of hot blood, she didn't know whether to feel joy or fear, and finally couldn't help but cry.

The drop of blood on the snow looked exceptionally crimson!
The scholar swiftly and skillfully severed the head of the leopard-skinned guardian, tore off his storage bag, and put it into his own. The entire sequence of actions was performed with practiced ease and fluidity.

Turning back, he looked coldly at the two of them and slowly said:
“Miss Su, Young Master Tong, Qing Shen has suffered a calamity, which has already caused all the families in the world to reject you. Instead of standing together against the enemy, you have been selfish and betrayed each other. This behavior is truly shameful. From now on, your lives are in the hands of fate. I hope you will behave yourselves.”

"Cough cough..."

Tong Runyuan coughed up a mouthful of blood with difficulty, bracing his elbows on the snow to support his body.

"Senior, you are very kind. It's just a pity that I was harmed by a demon and my life is coming to an end. I have one more request."

The scholar said calmly, "Speak."

Tong Runyuan sighed, his head bowed, his face gloomy.

"I was desperate to survive and went against my conscience, but you did not mind and showed me kindness by helping me. Before I die, I ask you to tell me your son's name. With you by my side, even if I die, I can rest in peace."

The scholar was slightly moved and slowly said:
"My young master's surname is Xu, and his given name is Boyang."

"Xu... Boyang?"

Su Jielin was greatly surprised. She remembered the name vividly, and the events of a year ago on the "Nine Palaces of Earthly Fiends" platform in Yuchuan were still fresh in her mind. Overwhelmed with joy, she quickly said...
"Thank you for informing me, senior. I wonder where Young Master Xu is now. I beg you to consider our shared sect and save my life."

The scholar shook his head slightly:

"You are not injured, and my young master will not see you. As for Young Master Tong, his injuries are too severe to recover. Although his life can be spared, my young master cannot help him recover in the short term. Furthermore, this place is fraught with danger. If you want to live, give up this idea and leave immediately!"

Tong Runyuan gave a bitter laugh. After thinking it over, he finally remembered who the young master the scholar was. It turned out to be his opponent from the Taihe Martial Arts Banquet back then. It seemed that this person must be nearby. It was just a pity that this person had seen all his actions. He really had no face to ask for help. Moreover, he knew his own injuries. Even if this person came in person, he was afraid that it would be too late to save him.

He wasn't stupid; he knew there was no point in saying more, so he simply lowered his head silently and stopped talking.

"The world is changing rapidly, and the winds of change are ever-shifting. Even if Qing Shen is no longer as ancient as it once was, I hope that the two of you will remain steadfast in your hearts."

The scholar glanced at the two of them, said a few words, and then flicked his finger, sending a crimson porcelain bottle flying out in front of Tong Runyuan. With a flourish of his sleeve, he rose from the ground and disappeared in the blink of an eye.

Tong Runyuan stared intently at the porcelain bottle lying in the snow, his face filled with astonishment. After examining it closely, he discovered that it was actually a precious Foundation Establishment Pill called "Rejuvenation Pill." This pill was the best among Foundation Establishment healing pills, with the effect of bringing the dead back to life.

In an instant, his heart, which had been dead, began to beat again, and a surge of hope for survival welled up throughout his body. Without saying a word, he grabbed the seal with both hands, forcefully rubbed off the seal, and swallowed it in one gulp.

Su Jielin watched the scholar's departing figure on the horizon, then stood up, wrapped in her cloak, filled with emotion. She glanced at Tong Runyuan and said resentfully:
"You surnamed Tong, I originally intended to kill you with my life, but unfortunately I wasted the senior's pills. From now on, I'll pretend I've never seen you. We're done for today!" After saying this, her eyes were full of resentment. She ignored him, packed her clothes, gritted her teeth, and limped away from the snow, leaning on a tree trunk.

Tong Runyuan never expected that his momentary lust would cause such a big trouble. If he had held on to his Dao heart and persevered a little longer, perhaps he and Su Jielin would have already reached Wubi City.

In this way, there wouldn't be such a big change, and I and Su Jielin would probably be able to live happily ever after and cultivate until old age.

Fate can be incredibly cruel.

Tong Runyuan gave a bitter laugh, spent half a day healing his injuries, struggled to his feet, buried the bodies of the leopard-skinned male guardian and the unidentified man, and then staggered westward.

Meanwhile, the scholar in the moon-white robe was traveling swiftly westward through the sky, passing through clouds and mist. In no time, he arrived at a red cliff. He climbed up the cliff and came to a cave in the precipice.

Inside the cave, a bonfire crackled, melting away the surrounding wind and snow. A man dressed in black sat cross-legged before the fire, breathing deeply with his eyes closed.

As soon as the scholar entered the cave, he bowed deeply and said, "Master, the matter has been settled."

The man in black opened his eyes, revealing hawk-like piercing gaze. He swept his eyes across the scholar with lightning speed, revealing him to be none other than Xu Boyang, who had come to Wubi City.

A slight smile appeared on Xu Boyang's lips, but his face was somewhat pale, as if he had been injured. He said softly:

"Old Master Li, please don't call me that. It's not appropriate if someone hears it. Just call me Young Master."

“This was done well. We lay in ambush for three months and finally captured this cunning and vicious leopard demon. We executed him on the spot, which can be considered a comfort to our deceased fellow disciples of Qing Shen.”

"My lord... the spoils of war are here."

This scholar was actually the monk Li in disguise. He respectfully presented the head of the leopard-skinned protector and the storage bag with both hands.

"I can see it. Keep the storage bag, but throw away the head!"

Xu Boyang glanced at it, casually waved his hand, and grabbed the storage bag, a smile playing on his lips.

"Today's events are a twist of fate. The original plan was to use the corpse of the Confucian scholar from the Gezhu Sect, holding the 'Wu Bi Ling' (a token of no resistance), to lure the lesser demons of the Leopard Skin Clan. We would then follow the clues to find the Leopard Skin Clan's lair. However, the arrival of two old acquaintances unexpectedly brought the main culprit here."

"Elder Li, Tong Runyuan and Su Jielin's accidental encounter has saved us a lot of trouble. However, you shouldn't have mentioned my name. Wouldn't it have been better to just say your name, Mr. Li?"

Mr. Li sighed softly.
“Young master, you have shown no resentment and repaid evil with kindness, saving their lives. This is truly a great act of benevolence and righteousness. What virtue or ability do I, a mere scholar, have to presume to overstep such a debt of gratitude?”

Xu Boyang chuckled.
"Mr. Li, why belittle yourself? You are a dignified Confucian scholar at the level of Spirit Gathering Master. Although you are only at the early stage of the Spirit Gathering Realm, such a Daoist cultivator at the ninth level of the Qi Condensation Realm is not something you can easily defeat."

Mr. Li's smile froze, and he looked embarrassed. He cupped his hands and said:
"Young master, you're making fun of me again. I was not sincere back then, and I am truly ashamed."

"Alright, alright, there's nothing to be ashamed of. You've lied to me more than once or twice. You were willing to take the 'Soul-Binding Pill' before changing dormitories, so I already know your true intentions." Xu Boyang looked at his expression and couldn't help but laugh and cry at the same time, letting the matter drop without showing any emotion.

Mr. Li cupped his hands and said, “What you say is absolutely right, young master. You are the reincarnation of the True Immortal of Li Huo. From now on, you will be my master for life. Even if the heavens and earth collapse, the sea dries up and the rocks crumble, I will never have any other thoughts.”

"Alright, stop flattering me."

With a wave of his hand, Xu Boyang sent out the Yin God Shrine from his storage bag. The monk's head then emerged from the shrine and floated in mid-air.

He glanced at him and said indifferently,
"You are too weak to be in the Dharma body of this monk. You have been gone for three days, which is not good. Come back!"

"I obey my orders."

Mr. Li approached both sides, sat down cross-legged, and a flash of red light appeared between his brows, flying into Monk Li's head. After a moment, Monk Li's eyes darted around, and he smiled:

"Master, it was truly exhilarating to kill a two-faced barbarian demon today! Now, from east to west, there shouldn't be any more foolish individuals trying to obstruct the Daoist disciples from seeking refuge in Wubi City."

Xu Boyang did not answer. He put away the Buddhist shrine, took out the "Boundless Token" from his storage bag, examined it for a long time, and then asked:
"Elder Li, you said this 'Boundless City Token' is a token to enter Boundless City, but didn't you say Boundless City is a free city? Why are there restrictions everywhere?"

“Master, you don’t know this. Wubi City is indeed a free city, but freedom does not mean the absence of rules. In order to prevent the infiltration of the six families of Taoism, Confucianism, Buddhism, Demonism, Witchcraft, and Dragonism, the Wubi City government requires that all cultivators who come to Wubi City must be guided by someone, otherwise they will have no way to enter.”

"And this Yellow-level Wubi Token is the proof of entry into the city. It is said that this token contains the divine power of the Wubi City Lord. If a high-level cultivator of the Foundation Establishment level or above enters the city, it will trigger the city's great formation, and the Wubi City Government will know immediately."

Xu Boyang said, "In that case, it is only because a cultivator at the Huangting Yushi level cannot secretly enter Wubi City without the permission of Chengfu."

"That's right!"

Monk Li responded,
"This is the supernatural power used by the Lord of Wubi City. However, in Baima, the Yellow-level Wubi Token is not a rare item because there are many of them. You can buy it in some markets, but the price is a bit high."

Xu Boyang nodded and said:

“We’ve been delayed for three whole months since we left Caixing Island. Now that the Gezhu Sect has been wiped out by us, the man-eating demon Leopard Skin Guardian is dead, and my injuries have mostly healed, I think it’s time for us to head into the city.”

Monk Li smiled and said:
“Master, we should have entered the city long ago. Now that you have established your immortal foundation, you must hurry up and cultivate. Otherwise, if you encounter a Master of the Gezhu Sect, Zhao Wuchang, who is at the Spirit Condensation level, it may not be so easy to deal with him.”

"What you say is true. Last time, we did get the advantage of the magic weapon. Otherwise, the outcome would have been hard to say. The Confucian Master of Spiritual Incubation is indeed worthy of its reputation."

Xu Boyang breathed a sigh of relief, slowly stood up, and with a flick of his fingers, a shimmering blue magical artifact flew out of his storage bag and hovered in mid-air.
"That scoundrel Zhao Wuchang, if it weren't for the 'Soft Touch' technique, we might not have been able to kill him."

This magical artifact is shaped like an extremely thin and long spike, indestructible yet as soft as cotton thread, and like a thin stream of blue water, suspended in the air. It is extremely difficult to notice without careful observation.

This was the top-tier [Kan Shui] foundation-building artifact "Rao Zhi Rou" that Pei Yansu gifted to Xu Boyang.

The storage bag that Pei Yansu had Chen Baochong give to Xu Boyang was practically a treasure chest, containing everything from pills and talismans to magical artifacts. It even included the complete set of the mountain-protecting formation, the "Abyss Water Subduing Thunder Tide Formation," along with its array plates and flags.

This "Gentle Touch" is the most powerful magic weapon in the storage bag. Last month, Xu Boyang and Monk Li stormed the Gezhu Sect, a Confucian force on the outskirts of Wubi City, and destroyed this sect that indiscriminately killed Taoist disciples. "Gentle Touch" displayed its great power and made great contributions.

(End of this chapter)