Zhongshan Shenzhu Chi

Chapter 122 Priorities

"A demon? Where is there a demon?" Lu Changqing stepped out of the thick fog, his gaze passing over Xuan Lian and landing on the old Taoist priest Mingli.

"Shuowang Gate—Mingli? Why are you leaving the city at this time?"

"I'm looking for my disciple's family." Master Mingli quickly took out Wu Xin's belongings, including the jar of wine.

The two people present were the Palace Master of the Star River Palace and the Dragon Slayer Immortal who had disappeared hundreds of years ago; both were Fifth Realm Immortals. The situation was tense, and a fight seemed imminent; the aftershocks alone could kill them.

This place is too dangerous to stay even for a moment.

After he finished speaking, Xuan Lian and Lü Changqing no longer paid attention to him, and Mingli immediately wanted to run away.

But just as he was leaving, a hand landed on his shoulder. It was fiery yet restrained, like a volcano about to erupt.

The Five-Finger Daoist Force is not the hand of the Mist Demon—nor is it the hand of a human.

Mingli recalled that the Palace Master Xuanlian had just abruptly questioned, "The Dragon Slayer is associating with demons!"

In an instant, the script of the human guards of Yunxi Continent nearing the end of their lifespan, using demons to steal the essence of the living to prolong their lives, kept playing in his mind.

"I feel like I'm dying—" Cold sweat broke out on Akari's forehead again.

Just as he was thinking about how to send a message to his fellow disciples in the city, a deep and clear male voice suddenly rang in his ears.

"Stay here, don't move, and don't make a sound."

"Yes, yes, we'll do as you say—" Mingli nodded vigorously.

As soon as he finished speaking, the powerful five-clawed weapon left his shoulder.

The fog that enveloped all directions instantly changed from damp and gloomy to warm and moist. The somber gray fog transformed back into the thick white fog that rose from the water at dawn.

"Judging from this, it shouldn't be a demon—" Mingli muttered to herself.

The two cultivators at the fifth realm naturally sensed the change in the environment.

Xuan Lian glanced around out of the corner of her eye and snorted coldly. The white mist was forced back two zhang away by her chilling aura.

Only a dragon could seize the innate divine power of a Fourth Realm Mist Demon in an instant. Moreover, it must be a Mirage Dragon. And in Cloud Tide Continent, there is only one Mirage Dragon in the Fourth Realm and above, and it has already perished at Zhongshan.

"Don't think nonsense. Is the East Sea Dragon Court the only place in this world with true dragons?" Lu Changqing saw through Xuan Lian's thoughts and spoke up.

"Zhongshan—" Xuan Lian murmured, as if the sun had suddenly risen behind her.

Even she could feel a trace of heat. Xuan Lian quickly straightened up and glanced at her sideways.

A giant dragon snaked and rose behind her.

Its scales were so bright red they seemed to be cast from blood, and its eyes were gold and silver, as if the sun and moon were suspended within them.

"Zhongshan God—!" Xuan Lian's eyes were icy cold, and with a flick of her wrist, the Ice Soul Longsword fell into her palm.

"Xuanlian, don't be nervous." Seeing this, Lü Changqing immediately sheathed his sword.

When he went out of the city to search for the Fog Demon, he never expected that the Palace Master of the Star River Sword Palace would appear near Hongze City.

However, upon further reflection, the meddlesome nature inherited from the Star River Sword Palace is not entirely incomprehensible; it's understandable that a Fifth Realm Palace Master would interfere in the matter of the Mist Ghost.

After all, the Mist Demons were ravaging Yunxi Continent, and given the nature of the Star River Sword Palace, once they found out, they would definitely investigate to the end.

"Girl————"

"Shut up!" Xuan Lian shouted softly, her blue boots touching the ground as she retreated dozens of feet.

The two figures and the dragon are arranged in a triangular opposition.

"Lu Changqing, not only do you condone the Lu family descendants raising mist ghosts, but now you are also leading the enemy of Zhongshan into Yunxi Continent—" Xuan Lian gritted her teeth, her slightly narrow eyes fixed on Lu Changqing and the red dragon's every move.

"The waters of Zhongshan flow through Hongze, closely connected. How can they be called enemies?" Lü Changqing sighed, rubbing his forehead.

Of the two men and one dragon, his situation is the most delicate.

Xuan Lian was practically raised by him, and his talent in swordsmanship was something he himself could only dream of. At the young age of fifty, he inherited the legacy of the Star River Sword Palace and broke through to become an immortal.

However, her personality was as straightforward as a sword, and her mindset had not yet changed. She was still thinking about the immediate needs of ordinary people, who only cared about seizing every second and making the most of every moment.

The crimson dragon she faced was ruthless in achieving its goals. Throughout the entire Yunxi Continent, its only concern was the Zhongshan demon beasts currently attacking Yunmeng Marsh.

If it were possible to sow discord and even hostility between the Lü family and the Star River Sword Palace, the two immortal forces, here...

Hatred —

It will definitely do it.

Even if it meant enduring a sword strike from himself and Xuan Lian, he would still shout, "Lu Changqing! If you don't act now, when will you?!"

That's it, it's all over.

Before the imperial dynasty and the dragon court could even attack, Yunxi Continent was already on the verge of splitting apart.

Thinking of this, Lü Changqing quickly stepped forward and stood between Xuan Lian and Chi Long.

The triangular confrontation instantly transforms into a straight line—forming a binary opposition.

Lu Changqing turned around, his back to Xuan Lian, and faced the Crimson Dragon.

"Zhongshan God, could you find any information from the Mist Demon's divine sense?"

"Hmm—" the red dragon murmured.

Just now it was still pondering whether or not to make a move now and coerce Lü Changqing into dealing with Xuan Lian.

It doesn't matter if they injure him, or even if it involves Lü Changqing. What matters is planting the seed of distrust in the human woman's heart: that the Lü family is untrustworthy, and that Lü Changqing has made peace with the Zhongshan God.

Ultimately, just as it sees before it, the immortal forces of Yunxi Continent are its enemies.

Whether the frog can become the Water God of Yunmeng is fundamentally related to whether it can break through its current realm.

After all, it was only Zhongshan Yongningzhou, which was not enough to support it to break through to the next realm, let alone make it the god who controls the order of time.

Because of the Red Dragon's silence, the sea of ​​fog stopped churning.

Time seemed to stand still in all directions, utterly silent.

Lu Changqing retreated step by step, getting closer and closer to Xuan Lian.

"It was indeed the Lü family that kept the Mist Demons." Just as the two were about to stand side by side, Chi Long suddenly spoke up, "In the Mist Demons' memories, there is your nephew, Lü Changqing."

"Any member of the Lü family who participated in the matter of the Mist Ghost stealing lifespan—I will kill them all." Before Xuan Lian could speak, Lü Changqing suddenly spoke.

"If Fairy Xuanlian has any doubts, she may come with me to the Lü family to witness it firsthand. The Zhongshan God has traveled a great distance to pursue the Fiend Mist Demon; he may also oversee the execution!"

"Gentlemen, this matter is definitely related to the Imperial Dynasty. We are fighting a bloody battle here, while they are watching us from the shadows, waiting for the great battle between Yunxi Continent and Yongning Continent—"

Upon hearing this, Xuan Lian toned down her hostility somewhat, but her words remained cold: "Yongning Continent and Yunxi Continent have long been at war."

"Yunxi Continent is not the Yunxi Continent of the human race, and Yongning Continent is not the Yongning Continent of Zhongshan. The son of the previous Yunmeng Water God used the power of Zhongshan to take revenge on the East Sea Dragon Court. The battlefield was Yunmeng Marsh, which has nothing to do with you." The Crimson Dragon's words were majestic, as if he were enacting the laws of heaven.

"I'm waiting for your war to spread to the people on both sides of the strait—" Xuan Lian wanted to refute, but couldn't find a point to refute.

"The battlefield is in Yunmengze, and the former son of the Water God will recuperate in Hongze. How the humans living on both sides evacuate is your own business."

"I've given you time. If there's still damage by then, it's your own fault for not handling things properly."

Having said that, Chi Long turned his eyes and his gaze fell on Lü Changqing.

"The Mist Demons must be eradicated, and the Imperial Dynasty's tentacles in Yunxi Continent must also be severed. Otherwise, I will take action, and the Lü family will be wiped out."

As he left, the Crimson Dragon threw a jade bead that bound the Mist Demon in front of Lü Changqing.