From martial arts sects to immortality sects

Chapter 71 The Entire Sect Descends the Mountain to Uphold Justice

"What? The Demonic Sect has such great power?"

Zhang Yuchun widened his eyes and asked in a low voice.

The prefecture is the largest power center in a prefecture. In times of chaos, it is the royal city of a regional lord. The prefectures of the Great Li Dynasty have great power and can conscript soldiers. They only need to report to the court. This is a rule left over from the time of Emperor Gaozu. It is only because the Great Li Dynasty is too vast that the emperor can not completely control each prefecture.

It's absurd for a martial arts sect to want to conquer a prefecture.

It's not difficult to find 100,000 elite troops hidden within the prefecture.

Liu Fanzhou said helplessly, "I'm also puzzled. I heard that the reason why the state army rebelled was because they were bewitched by a demon. There is a demonic Taoist in the demonic sect who played a very important role. I'm still waiting for news to find out the specifics."

Demonic way!

Zhang Yuchun frowned. Ever since he followed Li Qingqiu to cultivate immortality, he had become more and more convinced of the existence of ghosts and gods. He was not afraid of martial arts masters, but he was afraid of these mysterious and unpredictable Taoists and sorcerers.

"Brother Liu, you have such connections in the prefecture?" Li Qingqiu asked curiously.

The prefecture capital has been sealed off by the Demonic Sect, so Liu Fanzhou can still wait for news.

This merchant is no ordinary person!

Liu Fanzhou wiped his sweat again and said, "I have been doing business in Guzhou for many years, so I naturally have some connections. In the legitimate world of the prefecture, many people are my brothers."

Upon hearing the word "brother," Zhang Yuchun couldn't help but twitch at the corner of his mouth.

Li Qingqiu said, "The imperial court must have its own plans regarding the affairs of the prefecture. Let's wait and see. Such matters of the world are not something we few can interfere with. Brother Liu, why don't you go and see your daughter?"

Liu Fanzhou nodded, and Li Qingqiu turned and left.

With his back to Liu Fanzhou, Li Qingqiu's face turned icy.

This matter may seem to have no direct connection with Qingxiao Sect, but in Li Qingqiu's view, the Demonic Sect is setting a trap to lure Qingxiao Sect into it.

The Demonic Sect's protectors and the Seven Fiends all died within the Qingxiao Sect. These were all important figures in the Demonic Sect, and the hatred between the two sides could no longer be resolved.

The Demonic Sect may have occupied the prefecture to serve the emperor, but once they gather their forces, they will certainly not let the Qingxiao Sect go.

Li Qingqiu developed the Qingxiao Sect without ever provoking other forces, yet people always seemed to provoke them.

He wasn't in a hurry to act; he wanted to see what kind of intelligence Liu Fanzhou could obtain, and he also wanted to see how the imperial court would put on this show.

……

Guzhou Prefecture, military camps and battlefields.

A high platform was built on an open space. In front of the platform knelt soldiers with their hands and feet bound. Around them were many demonic masters wearing demon masks. The soldiers all looked at the figure on the platform with fear and trepidation.

Only one person stood on the high platform. This person wore a straw hat, his white hair fluttered, and he also wore a demon mask. He was dressed in a dark purple robe with a tight belt and a sword at his side. The wind and sand blew on him, causing his robe to billow violently, but his posture was as steady as Mount Tai.

He stood with his hands behind his back, looking down at the hundreds of soldiers below, his eyes beneath the mask so cold.

The setting sun hung in the sky, dusk was approaching, and it cast long shadows of hundreds of soldiers.

A martial artist from the Demonic Sect rushed over from afar. He used his light footwork to cover several feet in one step and quickly arrived at the high platform. He bowed and clasped his hands, saying, "Reporting to the Sect Master, Daoist Wei claims that seeking immortality has exhausted his mind and body and he is too tired. He will not participate in tonight's events."

The mysterious white-haired man standing on the high platform is none other than the leader of the Demonic Sect, known in the martial arts world as the Demon Emperor.

Hearing his subordinate's words, the Demon Emperor's eyes, hidden behind his mask, remained cold and unchanged. He slowly said, "I understand."

His voice was hoarse, making it difficult to guess his age.

The demonic martial artist immediately withdrew.

The Demon Emperor raised his right hand, and in an instant, the demonic experts guarding the hundreds of soldiers drew their swords. The sound of weapons being drawn mingled together, sending chills down everyone's spines.

The hundreds of soldiers panicked immediately; some cried out for mercy, while others cursed angrily.

"Let me go, I was wrong, I won't run away anymore, I really won't run away anymore..."

"Demon Emperor, you will die a horrible death! The imperial court will never let you go!"

"You've killed so many people, aren't you afraid of retribution?"

"I will wait for you in the underworld, and I will curse you forever, so that you will never have peace!"

"The Demonic Sect, your fate will only be worse than ours!"

Faced with the clamor of hundreds of soldiers below, the Demon Emperor lowered his raised hand, and the members of the Demon Sect immediately attacked, beginning to slaughter the soldiers.

The sounds of weapons slicing through flesh and scraping against bone echoed continuously, while the Demon Emperor coldly watched everything unfold before him.

After all the soldiers had fallen into pools of blood, the demonic sect experts began to clean up the corpses. A gaunt demonic sect warrior came to the high platform to wait.

"Spread the word: the Demonic Sect invites all martial arts sects in Guzhou to a gathering to discuss the great cause of the world. Two months later, any sect that does not arrive, regardless of size, will be hunted down by the Demonic Sect and the state army."

The Demon Emperor spoke, and upon hearing this, the demonic warriors below the platform immediately obeyed and left.

Looking at the corpses below the stage, the Demon Emperor's eyes flashed with disgust. He looked up at the twilight sky and muttered to himself, "It seems that the heavens do not exist."

……

Seven days after Liu Fanzhou went up the mountain, the news that the prefecture had been captured by the Demonic Sect spread far and wide. The people of Guzhou were filled with fear, and the martial arts world was in turmoil. The threat of the Demonic Sect was like a knife hanging over the heads of all the martial arts sects.

The disciples of Qingxiao Sect were also shocked by the actions of the Demonic Sect. They asked their respective masters, and the response they received was to remain as they were and await further instructions.

This was a calamity that affected the entire martial arts world of Guzhou. Some were filled with righteous indignation, some were terrified, and some even fled, wanting to get away from Guzhou.

No disciples from Qingxiao Sect escaped, but the matter was discussed in private.

Zhang Yuchun dispatched his disciples down the mountain to gather intelligence, and Liu Fanzhou's reports continued to reach the mountain. The Demonic Sect threatened all sects in Guzhou to go to the prefectural capital, plunging the martial arts world of Guzhou into a deep gloom. Days passed, and although Qingxiao Mountain was not invaded by the Demonic Sect, the disciples could clearly feel the oppressive atmosphere, and no one wandered around the mountain anymore.

Inside a guest courtyard.

Su Xiling entered the hospital and came to Zhu Yan, who was playing the zither. She gritted her teeth and said, "The news is all true. Every day, a large number of corpses are dumped outside the city of the prefecture. The bones are piled up like mountains, and it is a terrible sight. Those beasts of the Demonic Sect are extremely cruel. I even suspect that they are not human, but evil spirits in human skin."

Zhu Yan stopped what she was doing and looked at Su Xiling, asking, "What about the imperial court? There's been no news at all?"

"There's been no news; Guzhou seems to have been abandoned..."

Su Xiling's face was solemn. In all her years of life, this was the first time she had encountered such a horrific human tragedy. What chilled her to the bone was that no imperial troops came to sweep away the demonic sect. The air below the mountain was thick with fear, and even the children in the village were kept at home by their parents.

Zhu Yan's eyes turned cold, and she said in a strange tone, "The strongest power in the world is the imperial authority. If Heaven does not care for the people, the people will never have peace."

Su Xiling asked, "Miss, should we leave? Guzhou is no longer a pure land. Even if we survive this calamity, it will take many years to recover."

Zhu Yan shook her head slightly and said, "I'm not leaving. I'll just stay on the mountain and watch this desolate world."

Su Xiling remained silent, feeling deeply distressed. The thought of those rumors fueled a burning anger within her.

In another guest courtyard, Zhao Linglong also told Li Yang what she had heard.

After the previous setback, Li Yang was no longer so impulsive. After hearing about the situation down the mountain, he remained silent.

"A letter came from home, advising you not to get involved in this matter," Zhao Linglong said earnestly to Li Yang.

The Li family of Linchuan wielded influence throughout the land, with spies in every county of Guzhou, making it easy for them to send messages.

Li Yang didn't reply. He just looked at the spear in his hand and muttered to himself, "For whom am I fighting?"

Zhao Linglong sighed, then got up and left.

News is coming up to the mountain every day, and she is very concerned about the situation in Guzhou Prefecture.

Several more days passed, and it was noon on this day.

Inside Lingxiao Courtyard, Li Qingqiu sat around a table with his junior brothers and sisters, waiting for the food to be served, and they exchanged their cultivation experiences.

Qin Ye strode into the courtyard and walked to the long table. He looked at Li Qingqiu and said, "Master, news has come from down the mountain that the Heavenly Blade Sect has gathered disciples from all over the country to attack the prefecture. After a half-day battle, the entire army was wiped out."

Upon hearing this, everyone was somewhat surprised.

The leader of the Heavenly Blade Sect once poisoned Jiang Zhaoxia and Li Sifeng, incurring the enmity of the Qingxiao Sect. Later, Jiang Zhaoxia went to seek revenge, forcing the leader of the Heavenly Blade Sect to change. All these grudges made them look down on the Heavenly Blade Sect. Unexpectedly, the Heavenly Blade Sect is now the first martial arts sect to stand up against the Demonic Sect.

Perhaps, the Heavenly Blade Sect, being worldly, cares more about the common people than the sects in the mountains.

"Okay, sit down and talk."

Li Qingqiu nodded, his expression calm, seemingly unaffected by the news.

The crowd began to question Qin Ye, asking if there was any other news. Qin Ye recounted everything he had heard at the foot of the mountain, describing the atrocities committed by the Demonic Sect and the terrifying scenes outside the prefectural city.

Corpses lay strewn across the fields, and white bones formed a forest.

Every day, corpses of ordinary people were thrown out of the city, and it was said that the prefecture was shrouded in dark clouds, as if it were a symbol of overwhelming resentment.

"How long has it been? The imperial court still hasn't sent troops. Is this really the work of that damned emperor?" Li Sifeng gritted his teeth. He didn't consider himself a good person, but hearing these things, it was hard not to be angry.

No one could answer him; they could only join in the cursing. But cursing the emperor and the demonic sect here was pointless.

Li Qingqiu remained silent and ate his meal in silence after the food was served.

The heroic deeds of the Heavenly Blade Sect also spread within the Qingxiao Sect. Most of the disciples were still young and full of vigor. They all admired the actions of the Heavenly Blade Sect and even wanted to go down the mountain to join the battle. More and more people went to Zhang Yuchun to ask what the sect leader meant, but they were all reassured and sent back.

The usually impulsive and chivalrous Yang Jueding surprisingly didn't seek out Li Qingqiu; instead, he secluded himself in the woods to practice martial arts.

Five days later.

After returning to Qingxiao Gate, the King of Thieves, Cheng Canghai, found Li Qingqiu alone. The two chatted for a while, and that day, the mountain bell of Qingxiao Gate rang.

This was created by Li Qingqiu in imitation of the Seven Mountains Alliance. There are twelve bells along the way from the top of the mountain to the bottom. In case of an emergency, the sound of the bells would travel from the bottom of the mountain to the top. But this time, the sound of the bells came from the top of the mountain. The disciples all understood what this meant.

Meeting at the Xuanxin Hall!
All the disciples on Qingxiao Mountain began to head towards Xuanxin Hall. Those who arrived early discussed the matter inside the hall, knowing that the sect was going to talk about the state affairs, and they were also curious about the sect leader's attitude.

"Never in any dynasty has such a horrifying event occurred. How can we talk about a prosperous era? This is even more terrifying than a chaotic one!"

"I've heard that the Demonic Sect has started plundering children from other cities. Just how many people does this Demonic Sect have? How can they guard the prefecture and send people out? Is this really a Jianghu force that has already been wiped out by the imperial court?"

"In my opinion, the Demonic Sect is probably just a lackey of the imperial court! Otherwise, why hasn't the court sent troops yet?"

"Don't talk nonsense. The land of Dali is vast, so it's understandable that reinforcements are slow to arrive. The main problem is that the prefectures were captured too easily. I'm afraid there are spies from the Demonic Sect inside, working together from the inside."

"Then why didn't the neighboring prefecture send troops?"

The disciples' discussion grew increasingly heated. They also had families down the mountain, and they were afraid that their families would be persecuted by the demonic sect, so it was inevitable that they would lose control of their emotions.

Half an hour later, Li Qingqiu, Zhang Yuchun, Jiang Zhaoxia and other high-ranking members entered the hall. The disciples quickly lined up and looked at them.

The main hall was silent, with only the echoes of Li Qingqiu and the others' footsteps.

Li Qingqiu walked up the steps, while the elders stood below, facing the disciples.

Standing on the steps, Li Qingqiu surveyed the more than three hundred disciples in the hall, his face expressionless, and slowly began to speak:

"With no way to retreat and no way to tolerate it, the entire sect will descend the mountain to act on behalf of Heaven."

boom!
The passion in the hearts of all the disciples was ignited. Li Qingqiu didn't waste any words; his sixteen short words were enough to make everyone's eyes turn red.

　Thank you to the Overlord of Myriad Realms for the 100 Qidian Coins donation, and thank you to wangchuannai for the 100 Qidian Coins donation!
　　
　
(End of this chapter)