Lao Tzu is Ji Gong

A Buddhist chant rang out, greatly surprising the demonic sect experts below. They were waiting in the courtyard for news of the Demon Lord, but unexpectedly, someone attacked.

The group walked out of the hall and saw Li Xiuyuan's figure in the air. Shi Feixuan, standing on the wall, already knew who he was from.

Upon seeing Shi Zhixuan, Zhu Yuyan, Wanwan, and the others appear below, Li Xiuyuan pondered and asked, "Where is the Demon Lord?"

Seeing that Li Xiuyuan was wearing a monk's robe, everyone knew that he was an enemy, not a friend. Moreover, this person was standing in the void, which meant he was no ordinary person. At least no one in the Demonic Sect could do that, except for the unfathomable Demon Lord.

Shi Zhixuan coldly replied, "What kind of person is the Demon Lord? How could you possibly meet him just because you want to?"

As he spoke, his expression turned solemn. Wanwan and Zhu Yuyan, who were standing beside him, were quite surprised. No wonder Xi Ying and Bian Bufu had been chasing after the seriously injured Shi Feixuan for so long without returning. They were afraid that something bad had happened to them!

Upon hearing this, Li Xiuyuan knew in his heart that the Demon Lord was himself. Since he had not appeared, how could the real Demon Lord be here? He said coldly, "Since the Demon Lord is not here, it is a good time to wipe out the Demon Sect."

As he spoke, a cold glint appeared in his eyes, as if all the members of the Demonic Sect below were dead.

"Insanity!"

Chapter 48 Invitation to Battle the Demon Lord

The demonic sect experts were furious. They were renowned figures, and when had they ever been so disrespected?

Li Xiuyuan coldly shouted, "You traitorous demonic sect member, prepare to die!"

As he spoke, he flipped his palm, and a huge palm print suddenly formed in the sky, pressing down on the demonic sect experts led by Shi Zhixuan.

hum!

Everyone felt a chill run down their spines. Although they already knew that this person's martial arts skills were not weak, they were still very surprised to see this earth-shattering palm strike.

The enormous golden palm print crashed down, leaving them no time to think. They immediately launched their fiercest attack and joined forces to resist.

boom!

The giant hand fell, and the people who were standing were knocked to the ground. They felt a tremendous force coming from it, and their bones could not withstand it. They immediately fell to the ground.

After Li Xiuyuan entered the Golden Core realm, he possessed immense power with every move he made. Coupled with his knowledge of the martial arts of several people, he completely defeated them with his formidable strength.

It was truly unexpected that all the masters of the Demonic Sect were defeated by Li Xiuyuan's palm strikes. Such martial arts skills were far beyond the reach of ordinary people.

Seeing that many of the Demonic Sect's experts had died or been injured, and having gained a considerable amount of merit points, Li Xiuyuan calmly said, "Since the Demon Lord is not here, I will spare your life to deliver a message: in three days, have him come to the outskirts of Chang'an City."

With that, he flicked his right hand, bringing Shi Feixuan to his side, and then flew away in mid-air.

puff!

Wanwan spat out a mouthful of bright red blood. Looking at the fallen demonic masters around her, she was truly astonished. This man's martial arts were unmatched in the Tang Dynasty. Even if the Demon Lord himself came, he would probably not be able to escape unscathed.

When Wanwan saw the dead people, even though she was a member of the Demonic Sect, she was heartbroken. Who said the Demonic Sect was heartless and ruthless?

What Wanwan didn't know was that Li Xiuyuan had deliberately taken her life, and as his woman, he naturally wouldn't harm her.

…………

Li Xiuyuan flew back to Yuhe Temple. Apart from Wanwan, he had almost killed all the experts of the Demonic Sect. Of course, the mysterious Demon Lord did not show up. The losses were no less than those of the Buddhist Sect.

Only Wanwan, the successor of the Yin Kui Sect, remains to support the sect. The Buddhist sect is in a much better position. Apart from Shi Feixuan, the Jingnian Temple still has the Four Vajra Guardians, and with Bodhidharma, the Buddhist sect will be even stronger in a few years.

However, Li Xiuyuan's plan was not intended to leave the Demonic Sect powerless. Once Wu Mingkong had grown up, he could suppress the Buddhist masters.

Over the course of a century, the Tang Dynasty will fall under the control of the Buddha and the Demon, who will gain a share of both merit points and sin points.

As for Bodhidharma, once his cultivation reaches the Golden Core realm, he will not stay long; he only needs to leave behind his legacy. The same applies to the masters of the Demonic Sect.

Li Xiuyuan sat cross-legged on the futon. He looked at Shi Feixuan, who had an otherworldly air about her, and said calmly, "Feixuan, you were all reckless this time! Fortunately, you are alright."

His tone seemed to carry a hint of reproach, yet it also contained his concern.

Upon hearing this, Shi Feixuan whispered, "Mm!"

She naturally dared not talk back to the Dragon-Subduing Venerable.

Seeing Shi Feixuan lower her head, Li Xiuyuan said calmly, "Feixuan, although your cultivation is not bad, it is far inferior to that of the Demon Lord. Tonight, I will lend you a hand. I dare not say that I can rival the Demon Lord, but I can definitely make your cultivation increase significantly. What do you say?"

As he spoke, his gaze swept over Shi Feixuan. Her slender figure and bright, deep eyes beneath her naturally curved eyebrows were captivating.

…………

After a long while, Li Xiuyuan finally finished. He stood up, glanced at Shi Feixuan, and then vanished into the darkness.

Li Xiuyuan flew through the air and returned to the Demon Sect's stronghold. He saw Wanwan barefoot on the ground in the hall, her face very anxious. When she saw him return, she exclaimed in surprise, "Demon Lord, you're back! The Evil King and Master have all been killed by a mysterious monk."

As she spoke, her face turned pale. Almost all the experts from the Demonic Sect had been wiped out, leaving only herself.

Upon hearing this, Li Xiuyuan exclaimed in surprise, "What? The Righteous Alliance has such a figure, whom you all couldn't defeat even if you joined forces?"

He feigned surprise, appearing utterly incredulous.

Wanwan explained, "That's right, that bald monk is highly skilled in martial arts, probably no weaker than you!"

She then revealed that the demonic sect's experts had been instantly killed, including the Evil King and the Yin Queen, whose bodies had been temporarily collected.

Upon hearing this, Li Xiuyuan pondered for a moment and said, "It seems that this person is a formidable opponent, but I am confident that I am no weaker than him. Moreover, I have absorbed the essence of the Evil Emperor, so anyone in the Great Tang Dynasty can fight against him."

He paused and then said, "Wanwan, don't worry. I will avenge the demonic sect masters."

As he spoke, his expression darkened.

Wanwan said gratefully, "Thank you, Demon Lord!"

Although she cultivates the Supreme Heavenly Demon True Scripture, her mind is not controlled and she has her own thinking ability, just like the original Wanwan, except that she always sides with Li Xiuyuan.

Li Xiuyuan said, "These are all things I should do."

As he spoke, he pulled Wanwan into his arms.

Li Xiuyuan said, "Wanwan, it's getting late, let's get some rest!"

Wanwan blushed upon hearing this and shyly replied, "Mmm!"

Wanwan's stunning beauty was no less than Shi Feixuan's; the two had their own merits, and in matters of the flesh, she was more proactive.

Soon, the room was filled with the vibrant colors of spring!

…………

Chapter 49 The Great Favor of a Beauty

Ding Dong!

A clear melody drifted over, and Li Xiuyuan was quite surprised. Who could be playing this in the dead of night?

He glanced at Wanwan beside him; she seemed unable to withstand his torment any longer.

After Li Xiuyuan finished dressing, he followed the sound of the zither and found Shang Xiufang leaning slightly forward in a house. Her slender, white fingers touched the zither, and she was deep in thought.

The music was melodious yet resolute, flowing gently like a noble stream, full of charm!

After a long while, the music stopped!

Li Xiuyuan clapped his hands and laughed, praising, "Excellent! I never expected that not only is Master Shang's singing beautiful, but her zither playing is also so enchanting. This is the first time I've ever heard such music!"

As he spoke, he stepped into the room and sat down in a chair in the blink of an eye. Gazing at her captivating beauty, whether it was her sweet voice, her melodious tone, or the delicate expressions in her eyes and brows, she possessed an intoxicating charm that made one lose their senses.

Upon hearing this, Shang Xiufang sighed and said, "Although I am proficient in music, what use am I if I cannot help the world?"

Her thoughts were extremely complicated. When she heard that the four great monks, Zen Master Liaokong, as well as the Evil King, the Queen of Yin, and other masters had all died, it could be said that both the righteous and the demonic paths had suffered heavy losses. She didn't know whether to be happy or angry.

Upon hearing this, Li Xiuyuan calmly replied, "Xiufang, why be so shallow? In times of chaos, there are others who will naturally do the work of helping people."

Upon hearing this, Shang Xiufang's face darkened, and she said, "Demon Lord, why not put aside our grudges? Both the righteous and demonic paths have suffered many casualties. If we continue to fight, I'm afraid the demonic sect may not be able to gain any advantage."

She was a pacifist and detested fighting and killing. During the war years, she traveled around performing and practicing to further refine her skills.

Shang Xiufang is like a clear spring in the desert, giving those who see her or hear her singing a refreshing feeling.

Unlike typical courtesans, Shang Dajia was not one to sell her body but rather a woman of exceptional refinement, gentleness, and broad knowledge. Of course, she also possessed a tenacious side.

In the original novel, Xiufang once advised Kou Zhong to give up his ambition to dominate the world: "Xiufang is willing to stay by your side and play the zither and sing songs to cheer you up."

Li Xiuyuan's expression was calm, like still water in a deep well, as he said in a deep voice, "Oh! Xiufang, do you all think I will lose?"

Whether it's that high-ranking monk in Buddhism or the unfathomable demon lord in the demonic sect, they are all roles he plays. If he wants to stop fighting, it's very simple.

Shang Xiufang replied, "This is not a matter of winning or losing. It's just that the clash between the righteous and the demonic paths has caused immense suffering to the people of Chang'an. I hope the Demon Lord can give this matter more consideration."

"If you allow the Demonic Sect to withdraw, I am willing to stay by your side and play the zither and sing songs to entertain you!"

As she spoke, her beautiful eyes gazed at Li Xiuyuan.

When the righteous and the evil forces clashed in Chang'an, the common people suffered the most. They couldn't sleep at night and lived in constant fear of being caught in the crossfire. It was no easy life for them!

Seeing Shang Xiufang's expectant eyes, Li Xiuyuan smiled and said, "Alright, I agree."

The grand plan for the Tang Dynasty is nearing completion, and it's time for him to leave. The promise he made to Shang Xiufang was nothing but an empty promise!

Shang Xiufang exclaimed in surprise, "Is the Demon Lord's statement true?!"

Although she was confident in her own beauty, Wanwan's appearance was by no means inferior to hers. She was just testing the waters, but she didn't expect Li Xiuyuan to actually agree.

Li Xiuyuan smiled upon hearing this and replied, "Yes, I keep my word and never lie. Just as King You of Zhou played with the feudal lords by lighting the beacon fires, what harm is there in me abandoning the conflicts between the Tang Dynasty for Xiufang!"

As he spoke, he glanced at Shang Xiufang's beautiful face. Although she hadn't applied any makeup, her features were as bright as day, making her a thousand times more beautiful than anyone with heavy makeup.

It was unclear whether she had just stepped out of the bath; her hair, casually tied up without any hairpins or ornaments, still shimmered with moisture, her pure and beautiful appearance captivating.

Shang Xiufang said gratefully, "On behalf of the people of Chang'an, I thank the Demon Lord!"

As she spoke, she stood up and bowed gracefully to Li Xiuyuan.