The Cold and Aloof Palace Master's Daily Demon-Slaying Life

For seven hundred years, he watched this child grow from an innocent toddler into the world-renowned "Sword Master Xuan", "Hero Qingping", and "Sword Immortal Qingping".

Watch as he combines ink painting techniques with swordsmanship, creating a unique and deadly "ink painting swordsmanship".

Watch him act chivalrously, slay demons and monsters, and settle scores with gusto; also watch him suffer from the torment of his unresolved emotional entanglements.

In his heart, Li Baitian was not just a disciple; to some extent, he was a special figure in his long life, carrying the ideals and passion he himself had when he was young—to slay demons and protect the common people.

Now, however, they must personally push this "passion" and "ideal" into an abyss of certain death.

"If I hadn't been forced to... why would I have been willing to be the one to stick my neck out and test the mighty Purple Void True Lord?"

Fu Shui Zhenjun murmured to himself, his voice sounding particularly desolate in the empty stone chamber.

He was not afraid of Zuo Qingqiu.

As a veteran True Monarch, with a cultivation level at the peak of the early Golden Core stage, and eight thousand years of cultivation and foundation, he naturally possesses pride and confidence.

Even if a newly promoted True Lord has the highest talent, the strongest supernatural powers, and the best match for his position, it is by no means easy for him to defeat him.

The problem is that while his opponent is unlikely to defeat him, he is also unlikely to defeat his opponent.

The Talisman Fruit position is a branch of the Water Magic lineage. It excels in transformation, trapping enemies, illusion, and support. Although its killing power is not weak, it is inherently at a disadvantage in head-on battles compared to the Thunder Magic position, which specializes in destruction, attack, and speed.

Moreover, the opponent is a Yin Thunder Master, who possesses both powerful numerical values ​​and bizarre mechanisms within the Thunder Law lineage. The various methods he can use are bound to be unpredictable and impossible to defend against.

Once the fight begins, the outcome is unpredictable.

The battle between True Lords represents far more than just personal honor and disgrace; it also concerns the fate of the Great Dao and the rise and fall of the sect!

Because, within the rules of this world, there is an extremely cruel and clear ironclad rule governing the struggles between Golden Core True Monarchs—

[The Three Taboos of the True Lord's Path of Defeat]

Against enemies at the same True Monarch level—

The first defeat will cause the Dao Imprint to be obscured: the Dao (fruit position) of the defeated True Lord will be temporarily marked with the "rule imprint" by the rules of heaven and earth, and will bear the unequal treaty of "defeat by the XX Great Dao".

In the next three hundred years, all cultivators who cultivate the Path of the Loser will be naturally suppressed and weakened by the rules when facing cultivators of the same level who cultivate the Path of the Winner!

It has nothing to do with the restraint of cultivation techniques or the mutual generation and restraint of attributes. It is purely the humility that arises from the Dao's own position. It is the manifestation of the "fear" and "submission" of the "loser's" Dao to the "victor's" Dao in the rules!

This will directly affect the combat power and confidence of all cultivators on the Great Dao, which is a great disgrace. It will also cause the defeated True Monarch to be secretly resented, cursed, and gossiped about by all cultivators under his own Great Dao.

The second defeat results in the mortal realm being locked away: the defeated True Lord will be deemed "incompetent" and "disqualified" by the fruit position he belongs to, and the fruit position will temporarily "lock" all his cultivation and supernatural powers, making him a powerless mortal for a hundred years!

Within a century, being powerless and having one's life and death in the hands of others is a torment and humiliation more terrible than death for a once high-ranking and powerful ruler.

Three defeats mean the loss of the Dao and death: the defeated True Lord will be completely "abandoned" from his own position and judged as "unworthy" to take charge of this Dao.

The loser will unilaterally terminate the "Dao Integration" state, and the loser's realm will drop directly from Golden Core True Monarch back to Purple Mansion Great Perfection!

Furthermore, because he was "abandoned" by the fruition position, his Dao foundation was severely damaged, and he has almost no chance of re-establishing the Golden Core in this lifetime!

Even more terrifying is that if the loser's age has exceeded the lifespan limit of the Purple Mansion (1200 years old), then at the moment of the fall in realm, he will die on the spot because his lifespan is exhausted, and his soul will be scattered!

Once the three defeats are achieved, the path to enlightenment and the person will be completely extinguished, with no hope of redemption!

Because of this terrifying punishment mechanism that almost severs the path to enlightenment, Golden Core True Monarchs rarely break off relations and fight to the death.

Most conflicts are resolved through proxy struggles among disciples and affiliated forces, or through exchanges of benefits and compromises.

Unless it involves the survival of the Daoist lineage and an irreconcilable hatred, it would be too risky and too costly for the True Lord to personally engage in combat.

Having lived for over eight thousand years, Fu Shui Zhenjun naturally understood the implications.

He was absolutely unwilling to risk his eight thousand years of cultivation, the rise and fall of the Fu Shui Dao, and even the future of the entire Fu Shui Immortal Sect, just to test a "newly promoted True Monarch".

but……

"I dare not disobey that lord's orders..." A deep sense of apprehension and helplessness, even a hint of fear, flashed across True Monarch Fu Shui's eyes.

The very existence of that "important person," whose real name cannot be mentioned and whose very thought might evoke a response, is terrifying beyond his comprehension.

To him, the will of the other party was an inviolable divine decree. The only consequence of disobeying was annihilation of both body and soul.

The lesser of two evils.

Compared to the will of that "great man," sacrificing a close disciple, even at the risk of incurring the wrath of True Lord Zixu and potentially being defeated and punished, seems to be an acceptable option.

After all, the former means immediate death, while the latter at least has room for maneuver and a glimmer of hope.

"Sigh..." True Monarch Fu Shui sighed again, his voice filled with helplessness and self-mockery. "In the Old Earth Continent, there are dozens of True Monarchs who have manifested their power. Why was I chosen to be the first to be targeted?"

"The old Daoist Chi Huo of the Great Crimson Heaven Palace only has fifty-odd years of life left, while I still have over two thousand years to live. Wouldn't it be more suitable to choose him than me?"

"Alas...so be it, it's fate. Regardless of victory or defeat this time, I fear my Fu Shui Xian Sect is doomed. Having incurred the enmity of a young True Monarch, after my passing, how could he possibly allow the Fu Shui Xian Sect to continue its lineage?"

"Heh... How pathetic... How laughable... I, a dignified Golden Core True Monarch, wielding a power and revered by countless beings, now live such a pathetic life... Alas..."

He slowly closed his eyes, ceasing to look and think.

Inside the stone chamber, milky-white spiritual energy flowed slowly, as if it had existed since time immemorial.

Only the lingering sighs seemed to tell of the unspeakable submission and sorrow of an ancient True Lord who had lived for eight thousand years in the face of higher levels of power and rules.

-

Li Baitian left Chengche Peak, riding a pale blue streak of light that seemed to be formed from ink-wash sword energy, and flew towards a relatively secluded but scenic mountain peak on the outskirts of Hanmo Mountain Range.

That mountain peak is called Qingping Peak.

The name comes from a famous sword left behind by an ancient sword cultivator, which he obtained during his early travels in an ancient battlefield ruin.

This sword later became one of his natal flying swords, and he named the mountain where he landed Qingping Peak.

Unlike other core areas within the sect, where the mountains are imbued with the Daoist principles of Fu Shui Zhenjun and exhibit a strong ink-wash painting style, Qingping Peak, being closer to the edge of the mountain range, is less affected by the Daoist principles of Fu Shui and its scenery is closer to nature.

The mountain is covered with lush pine and cypress trees, with clear streams flowing through it, and waterfalls and springs appearing from time to time, accompanied by birdsong and the fragrance of flowers.

Li Baitian built a few simple wooden houses, cultivated some medicinal herb fields, raised some spirit birds, and began a semi-secluded life.

Although the spiritual energy here is not as abundant as in the core area, it is quiet and peaceful, which suits his free-spirited and unrestrained nature. Of course, this behavior of abandoning the core area and choosing to live in seclusion on an ordinary mountain is also one of the reasons why people label him as an "outcast".

The light descended upon a secluded courtyard nestled among bamboo groves atop the peak.

The courtyard is simply laid out, with a stone table, a few stone benches, a few clumps of bamboo in the corner, and a fence covered with green vines, dotted with unknown white wildflowers.

With the doors and windows of the wooden house open, a faint scent of grass and wood mixed with the aroma of ink wafts out.

As soon as Li Baitian landed, a slender, pink figure, like a graceful butterfly, fluttered out of the house, bringing a fragrant breeze, and came to greet him.