The Rise of the Witch

Dark clouds reappeared, carrying the four of them back the way they came.

Once you enter the Spirit Guiding Realm, it's just a matter of a thought to fly through the air. You might be able to fly even faster by using a magic weapon, but even Gui Ning's sword flight can't match the speed of Xing Yang's black cloud.

Above the dark clouds, Su Wenling was carefully sensing the newly born divine thoughts. She had the orthodox cultivation method of the Xuan Nu lineage. After rashly entering the Spirit Guiding stage, she did not wander around like a headless fly, unlike those without a lineage.

She had long memorized the orthodox methods of the Mystic Maiden, and even the corresponding spells were only to be practiced slowly when she had free time.

Gui Ning stood quietly on the cloud, holding her sword in silence, still lost in thought.

Only Yu Xi chattered incessantly, repeatedly asking about what had happened after entering the Ancestral Witch Hall: "Master, was the Great Heavenly Witch beautiful?"

"A shrine maiden, of course, is extremely beautiful!"

"Did the Great Celestial Shaman really see me? And did he heal me?"

"You heartless bastard! I was the one who cured you, you can't take the credit for someone else!"

"But...but it was the Great Celestial Wizard's idea, wasn't it?"

"Well... she just gave me a heads-up, it was mainly thanks to your master!"

"Yes, Master is amazing, but the Great Heavenly Wizard is even more amazing, right?"

  

"Ahem! Yu Xi, when we get back, your master will teach you cultivation, okay?"

"Alright... Master, does the Great Heavenly Wizard have anything to say to me?"

"...Kid, you're so annoying!"

……

On the way back, Xing Yang slowed down a bit, not in a hurry, and let the three women see the Great Wilderness.

Mainly the Kunlun Mountains, their group flew over the area within the Kunlun Mountains.

The Kunlun Mountains stretch for tens of thousands of miles, with more than a thousand peaks of varying sizes. On each peak, there may be one or several cultivators practicing in seclusion.

They rarely engage in disputes; each of them focuses solely on cultivating the Tao, communicating with heaven and earth, discussing cultivation practices, and harmonizing dragons and tigers.

With such cultivation of mind and spirit, the place where one resides will naturally be filled with auspicious signs, shrouded in mist and clouds, all resembling a sacred immortal land.

At this moment, dark clouds swept across a mountain peak, where a Taoist temple stood. The temple was magnificent and imposing, as if it had been naturally formed by the Great Dao. At first glance, it seemed like an illusion, but upon closer inspection, it was simple and unadorned.

As dark clouds swept across the Taoist temple, a furious shout suddenly erupted from within: "What kind of demon dares to run wild in Kunlun Mountain!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a burst of white light erupted within the Taoist temple!

A phantom emerged from the Taoist temple, radiating a shimmering white light. As if inflated, it instantly expanded into a gigantic phantom that blotted out the sky.

The phantom's upper body covered half the sky, its features were clear, it was an old man with white beard and hair, but a ruddy complexion, like that of an infant.

However, his lower body resembled clouds and mist, and his tail was still connected to the Taoist temple.

This is a great cultivator whose soul has left his body and can blot out the sky with a single thought!

When his soul took over the sky and he saw four people—one man and three women, three adults and one child—on the dark clouds, his enormous face clearly froze.

Thick black smoke billowed across the sky above the auspicious Taoist temple, making anyone think that demons were lurking there.

Who knew it would be four humans?

Who doesn't cultivate immortality by riding white clouds and mist? What normal immortal would ride black smoke and dark clouds!

The enormous phantom of the divine soul stared at the group of people on the black clouds, and for a moment no one spoke first.

After a while, the enormous divine soul coughed, its tone gentle like a spring breeze, yet its voice boomed like thunder: "So a guest has passed by. Why not come down for tea and a discussion?"

His tone was completely different from the stern shout he had just given.

"Um..." Xing Yang glanced at the girls beside him, and seeing that they all seemed to be leaving the decision to him, he said, "Then I'll have to trouble you!"

"The old Taoist priest poured tea in anticipation!"

After the old Taoist finished speaking, he transformed into countless starlight and vanished.

Yu Xi finally breathed a sigh of relief and muttered, "Master, I've wanted to say this for a long time. Your black cloud looks terrible, like a demon or monster."

Xing Yang retorted irritably, "Hindsight is 20/20!"

With that, he pressed down from the clouds and descended towards the Taoist temple below.

The gate of the Taoist temple looked tall and heavy, but two children, about seven or eight years old, each held one of the gates and easily pushed it open.

The two boys looked very similar, each wearing a set of blue Taoist robes, but they had horns on both sides of their foreheads, clearly indicating that they were not human, but demons.

However, the horn had just begun to emerge, and it was impossible to tell whether it was a deer antler, a dragon antler, or a serpent antler, so the species could not be identified.

The two boys bowed their heads in a welcoming gesture and said in unison, "Our master invites you in."

Xing Yang smiled and said, "Sorry to bother you."

Su Wenling and Gui Ning nodded in greeting.

Instead, Yu Xi looked at the two curiously, her eyes fixed on the horns on their foreheads, and asked directly, "Why do you have horns? Are you monsters?"

Even Xing Yang felt that this sudden question was somewhat presumptuous.

The two boys, far from being bothered, proudly raised their heads as if they'd been tickled. One of them said, "We are dragons! Don't compare us to those ignorant monsters!"

Another boy added, "We're not those wild dragons, but dragons from the Dragon Palace!"

While speaking, he didn't forget to lead them into the Taoist temple.

Yu Xi asked curiously, "But how did you end up here among the humans?"

One of the children said, "We are here to learn the craft. My master is so skilled in alchemy that even the Dragon Palace admires him greatly, which is why he sent us here to become his disciples."

Another child said, "Moreover, my master is proficient in divination and can predict the changes of heaven and earth, and know the past and future. He is truly an extraordinary cultivator!"

Xing Yang almost laughed, especially since the old Taoist priest had just misunderstood them as demons and monsters.

However, the fact that a dragon from the Dragon Palace would come to Kunlun Mountain to seek a master and learn from a master is something that the human race of Kyushu would certainly find incomprehensible.

Su Wenling and Gui Ning both had complicated expressions. In their hearts, humans and demons were bound to be irreconcilable enemies. How could humans teach their methods and skills to demons?

Xing Yang thought of what Wa Xin had said: once you reach the realm of gods and demons, you have already transcended the distinction between races.

What about humans? What about demons? They are all just living beings in this world.

The conflict between them is not due to their respective races, but rather to the stances of the forces behind them; they fight because of their differing stances.

Yu Xi, however, found herself chatting animatedly with the two boys who appeared to be the same age, and asked, "Have you learned how to refine pills?"

A young boy shook his head and sighed, "The path of alchemy is vast and profound; how can it be learned in a short time?"

Another boy said, "We now specialize in fanning the fire for the master, and we have already mastered the basics of controlling the fire in alchemy."

Yu Xi's delicate face was full of amazement: "Wow, you guys are amazing! How long did it take you to get to the basics?"

The two boys, heads held high and faces beaming with pride, exclaimed in unison, "Fifty years!"

Yu Xi's face fell: "...Hehe!"

As they spoke, the group arrived at a room inside the Taoist temple. The door was open, and what they saw was a huge alchemy furnace, its entire body dark blue, with an ancient style and Bagua patterns printed on all four sides. A pale white flame was burning quietly under the furnace, without emitting any heat.

An old Taoist priest sat cross-legged on a futon in front of a table. On the table were tea and four small dishes, each containing a red pill.

Upon seeing the group arrive, the old Taoist priest didn't rise, but instead said with a smile, "We have guests! Please take a seat quickly. I've just finished a batch of pills; I'd like to invite you to taste them!"

This hospitality truly made Su Wenling and Gui Ning feel flattered.

This is a great cultivator, why is he being so enthusiastic?

Moreover, they even brought out medicinal pills to entertain the guests. What could they possibly give in return?

Thinking about it, the two women subconsciously looked at Xing Yang.

Xing Yang entered calmly, took out his storage bag, and rummaged through it, saying with a smile, "What a coincidence, I also got some fruit from a friend. I'd like to share it with you, sir!"

The four of them, plus the old Taoist priest and two boys, Xing Yang took out seven peaches and placed them on the table one by one.

The old Taoist priest's eyes twitched involuntarily as he looked at the plump, spiritually vibrant peach.