Slaying Demons: Starting with Upgrading my Calligraphy-Chapter 414 - 370: Pure Gold Olive Branch_2
To strike a Dao Expert hard enough to make him gasp in pain and develop such a large bruise was an incredible feat. If it had been anyone else, they might have already been crushed to pieces, their form and spirit extinguished.
After this minor incident where only ShenLung Zi was injured, Qi Xiu decided to temporarily leave the Lethean Sea Cliff. It wasn’t that he was unwilling to spend more time with ShenLung Zi and the others. But ever since returning from the Longevity Star Realm, he had traveled from Dianchuan to Qin Long, delaying for about a year in total. Although he had already sent word back to his Master in the sect to report his safety, he still held the position of an Agriculture Official. Even though he no longer needed Spirit Rice to replenish his lifespan, a monk strikes the bell for as long as he is a monk. The effort his Master had put into procuring this position for him could not be wasted so easily.
"Think it over carefully. If you’re undecided, you can also ask your Sect Master Dongfang to help you decide." After escorting Qi Xiu out of the Lethean Sea Cliff, ShenLung Zi advised with sincere concern before parting.
It’s really innovative to have our Sect Master persuade me to leave the sect...
Helpless, Qi Xiu nodded, cupped his hands towards ShenLung Zi, and immediately turned around, transforming into a rainbow of light that flew towards the sky in an instant, disappearing without a trace in the blink of an eye.
Gently wiping the longspear in her hands, Ye Hongying stepped out. The tip of her greatspear still faintly bore a trace of blood. Ye Hongying carefully rubbed the spear tip with a white cloth several times, ensuring not a hint of blood remained. Then, she raised her eyes to ShenLung Zi, who was gazing in the direction of Qi Xiu’s departure, and asked, "Do you think he’ll agree?"
"Hard to say... If it were any other sect, there might not be any problems, but that, after all, is the Shenxiao Sect. An ancient and great sect that has stood since the Middle Ancient Era, with profound foundations and countless wondrous methods. This young man has exceptional talent and a pure temperament; he’s a standout even within the Shenxiao Sect. To be honest, if I were him, I would probably choose to stay with the Shenxiao Sect."
Removing the straw hat from his head and gently fanning with it, ShenLung Zi paused, then added, "Moreover, this young man has a sincere and upright character. Asking him to abandon his sect and Master clearly contradicts his Dao Heart."
"So you’re saying there’s no chance?" Flicking the shiny, silver tip of her spear, Ye Hongying pursed her lips. To be honest, she quite liked this young Daoist. If he really had joined the Lethean Sea Cliff, they could have engaged in profound discussions when they had free time.
"Chance or no chance, who knows? I’m not the Palace Master; I don’t have the ability to divine such things." Putting his straw hat back on, ShenLung Zi took out a fishing rod tied to his basket and, turning to Ye Hongying with a grin, said, "Let nature take its course. I’m off to fish. Are you coming?" 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂
"You Fishing Man, just spend the rest of your life with your fish!"
「...」
After leaving the Lethean Sea Cliff, Qi Xiu did not delay and headed straight back to Dianchuan. Along the way, he refined and nurtured the Clear Moon Cloud Robe he wore, gradually discovering a Divine Marvel within this Magical Treasure.
Clouds Concealing the Moon!
Mysterious and obscure patterns slowly appeared on the Clear Moon Cloud Robe as wisps of cloud energy rose, veiling and concealing Qi Xiu’s figure. This concealment was not an ordinary Blinding Method that merely covered his form. Rather, it was a profound Divine Marvel that directly transformed Qi Xiu’s body into mist, making him undetectable even to Dao Experts. Moreover, the vast majority of Formations and restrictions were completely ineffective against it. When combined with the Divine Luster Inward Concealment of his Hunyuan Myriad Laws Immortal Body, wearing this Taoist Robe meant there were hardly any places in this wide world that could trap him.
Looking down at his own ethereal body, a flicker of Spiritual Light suddenly arose in Qi Xiu’s heart. The Divine Marvel of the Clear Moon Cloud Robe had sparked a mysterious insight in him. It seemed to point him towards the Hunyuan Dragon Tiger Scripture Mystery of the next realm. But the Spiritual Light came quickly and left just as fast; he barely had time to ponder it before it vanished from his mind.
Was it a coincidence, or had that True Venerable intentionally done so...
As the image of that fairy-like, elegant Primordial Spirit expert surfaced in his mind, Qi Xiu silently committed the feeling of that fleeting Spiritual Light to memory, a plan already forming in his heart.
「...」
With the terrifying speed of the Thunder Light Escape Skill, capable of covering over three thousand li in a single breath, a streak of light, interwoven with clouds and lightning, traversed a mysterious, unnoticed path, suddenly crossing the entire Qinlong Province and rapidly approaching the Dianchuan border.
CRACK-BOOM—
Less than a thousand li from the Dianchuan border, several blindingly dazzling bolts of lightning in the sky a hundred meters below suddenly caught Qi Xiu’s attention.
Palm Thunder? Disciples of my sect?
Recognizing the lightning as Palm Thunder, the foundational Dharma Gate of the Shenxiao Sect, Qi Xiu focused his mind, and his vast, boundless Divine Sense immediately swept over the area. He saw several Daoists clad in Shenxiao robes facing off against a group of peculiar soldiers armed with blades, wearing talismanic armor, and standing on rolling red clouds.
"The County Yamen is being far too tyrannical! We are disciples of the Shenxiao Sect, why can’t we enter Dianchuan?" Frowning deeply, Chang Kong asked sternly. He had no intention of causing conflict, but the soldiers before him were being far too overbearing. They not only blocked their return to Dianchuan but also insinuated that they needed to prove they were Righteous Path cultivators; otherwise, they would be imprisoned. How are these soldiers of the County Yamen? They’re clearly bandits!
"The County Yamen has ordered a complete lockdown of Dianchuan. All outsiders without official documents from the Yamen are strictly forbidden entry. You claim to be disciples of the Shenxiao Sect. Do you have proof? Impersonating disciples of a major sect—do you know what crime that is?!"
"You’re talking nonsense! We are truly disciples of the Shenxiao Sect. Why would we need to impersonate anyone? As for proof, this Thunder Magic of ours is the proof!" Their faces flushed and necks bulging with anger, these Shenxiao Sect disciples were all core disciples who had grown up within the Mountain Gate from childhood. Their temperaments were simple, not like the crafty folk from various other walks of life. They had originally set out to broaden their horizons with travel. Who would have thought that after a tour, they would be unable to return, blocked right at their own doorstep? And now they had encountered this group of ruffians, who were neither proper soldiers nor straightforward bandits.
"Senior Brother Chang Kong, let’s just force our way through," Chang Hao clenched his fists and suggested, unable to reason with the talisman-armored soldiers. Once they reached the Mountain Gate, forget these thuggish soldiers, what could even Gao Tianxiong do?
"Force your way through? You dare try?" With acute hearing, the leading talisman-armored soldier caught Chang Hao’s suggestion and snorted coldly. He gestured with his hand, and the hundred or so talisman-armored soldiers behind him drew their blades with a CLANG. Instantly, an overwhelming iron-blooded baleful aura surged forth, and the thunderous sound of a thousand-strong army roaring and charging echoed in the void.
"The Military Killing Array!" Chang Kong’s expression turned grim as he recognized the formation these talisman-armored soldiers were deploying—it was the legendary Military Killing Array.
The Military Killing Array. During the great disaster in Dianchuan years ago, it was the signature technique of the Wu Family’s Demon-suppressing Army. This living Great Formation did not rely on favorable heavenly timing nor advantageous terrain; it used living people as the array itself. It could link the auras and strength of the soldiers within the array, fusing them into one. It not only concentrated the soldiers but also evenly distributed incoming attacks. Furthermore, it used the iron-blooded baleful aura to temper the bodies of the soldiers within the array. Over time, the physical bodies of the soldiers in the formation could be tempered to become as tough as Magic Artifacts. When Demonic Evil Cultivators invaded Dianchuan, the Wu Family’s Demon-suppressing Army relied on this Great Formation to wear down and kill countless Great Demons. They even forged a troop of mortal weapons who, despite lacking cultivation, could directly confront Great Demons.
After Gao Tianxiong’s resurrection and subsequent seizure of Dianchuan, the Wu Family was defeated and scattered like stray dogs. This Great Formation, it seemed, had fallen into the hands of the County Yamen. Chang Kong had personally witnessed the power of this Military Killing Array. There were over a hundred talisman-armored soldiers before them, while they numbered only seven. If they truly fought, even with Thunder Magic at their disposal, they would likely not gain much advantage. Even if they won, it would be a costly victory. He had brought these junior brothers out; he absolutely could not let them come to harm.
Seeing the hesitation in Chang Kong’s eyes, the leading talisman-armored soldier became even more arrogant. He pointed his blade directly at Chang Kong and sneered, "The so-called ancient great sect, the Shenxiao Sect, is nothing more than this."
"Is that so? Then you can receive a taste of this ’nothing more than this’." The indifferent voice that suddenly echoed through the void was like thunder from the Nine Heavens, striking the talisman-armored soldiers so hard their faces turned deathly pale and blood spurted from their ears.
Before his voice had even faded, a terrifying pillar of lightning, tens of meters in diameter, slammed down. Lightning erupted, and its pure yang power surged, tyrannical and matchless. Under this heavenly might, any iron-blooded baleful aura was as insignificant as clay chickens and pottery dogs, vanishing without a trace.
In a single instant!
The hundred-plus talisman-armored soldiers were reduced to ashes by the lightning. Only the leading talisman-armored soldier remained, trembling in midair. He watched as a young Daoist with an indifferent expression, treading on auspicious clouds, approached. Behind the Daoist, myriad layers of thunderclouds loomed majestically.
「...」
