Little Tai Sui was gone, but Wei Yunshu and her party remained at the Jade Terrace Sect for the time being.
To enter the Wu Xiang Academy, one needed to accumulate enough merit points in the Demon-Hiding Cave. Since the Jade Terrace Sect was willing to send them there on Little Tai Sui’s account, they naturally stayed. A few days later, Hua Yangchun appeared with several talismans and a record book. After handing the items to Wei Yunshu and the others, she said, “The cultivation levels of the demons in the Demon-Hiding Cave vary. It is internally divided into several levels. At the formation gate, you will be teleported to different areas according to your cultivation. There is no need to panic then. This record book records the merit points of all fellow Daoists. As for this talisman, its name is ‘Heart Holding.’ It was refined by my master and can protect all fellow Daoists from being invaded by external evils.”
Wei Yunshu hurriedly said, “Thank you, True Monarch Hua.”
Hua Yangchun said warmly, “No need.” She flicked her sleeve, summoned a flying boat, and took Wei Yunshu and her party to the formation gate.
The Shang Qing Divine Realm was different from the Fu Li Immortal Realm; it had many interconnected formation gates. For example, there was one for entering the Demon Cave in every immortal city, making travel extremely convenient. In less than a quarter of an hour, Wei Yunshu and the others arrived before a Dharma altar. There was a Daoist on duty there. Upon seeing Hua Yangchun, he hurriedly bowed. She threw out a talisman. With only the sound of thunder in the air and spiritual light rising, it quickly transformed into a formation gate as tall as a mountain.
“Fellow Daoists, be careful.” Hua Yangchun only escorted them this far.
Wei Yunshu, Xie Zhichao, and their party got off the flying boat and transformed into a stream of light, soaring towards the formation gate. The scene before their eyes was a mix of light and dark. By the time they came out, they had already landed in a valley with high mountains on both sides that reached into the clouds. The path under their feet extended forward, becoming narrower and narrower. A vast and majestic aura enveloped the valley. Looking closely, the mountain walls were covered with countless flashing golden runes, densely packed, forming a huge forbidden area.
Wei Yunshu and the others continued to walk along the mountain path. At the end of the valley, they suddenly caught sight of a bronze giant gate whose top was out of sight. It was also covered with sealing talismans, which radiated waves of patterns like ripples. A voice immediately followed, “I wonder which fellow Daoist has come here?”
Fearing that the demons of the Demon-Hiding Cave might escape, there were always cultivators guarding outside the Demon Cave. The one speaking now was probably one of them. Wei Yunshu looked up in the direction of the voice and saw a Daoist in a black robe with a blurred face standing in mid-air, his aura surging and unfathomable. Wei Yunshu speculated that this person was at least at the Xuan Immortal realm. She bowed and said, “This humble Daoist is Bo Fengliu. I have come here to accumulate merit points for entering the academy.” Saying this, she sent up her own name tablet.
The black-robed cultivator swept his gaze over the name tablet, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes, but it quickly disappeared. After returning the bow to Wei Yunshu and her party, he sent back the name tablet. He took out a token from his sleeve and placed it on the bronze gate. With a rumbling sound, a crack appeared in the two bronze gates and slowly expanded outwards. In that instant, countless sinister winds rushed out, and mournful wails were continuous. The cultivator just watched indifferently. With a surge of spiritual energy, he instantly transformed into streaks of lightning that scattered the demons rushing to the entrance. “Fellow Daoists, hurry.”
As soon as his voice fell, Wei Yunshu and the others transformed into a streak of escape light and flew towards the bronze gate. After stopping, Wei Yunshu found that, as Hua Yangchun had said, her cultivation was different from Xie Zhichao, Ran Xiuyun, and the others, and she was the only one left standing inside the gate. She looked up and saw that her field of vision was densely packed with countless demonic creatures, making it difficult to see clearly. Wei Yunshu was very composed. With a turn of her spiritual energy, several rays of starlight descended, shining in all directions. Those demonic creatures immediately shattered. But they did not disappear after death; instead, they transformed back into a certain power, accumulating in the Demon-Hiding Cave, waiting for their consciousness to be reborn in the future.
They were all demons born from the severed “non-selves,” but the Demon-Hiding Cave in the Shang Qing Divine Realm was completely different from the Northern Continent of the immortal realm. In the Demon-Hiding Cave, countless demonic heads transformed into human form, but in the Northern Continent, there were only those five. Wei Yunshu guessed that the reason for this in the Northern Continent was closely related to the five divine venerables. The demons representing the “non-self” aspect of the divine venerables would swallow external dark energy to strengthen themselves. Although the demons in the Demon-Hiding Cave could also do this, no matter what, they had not reached that level and could not exist like the primordial demons.
Wei Yunshu walked forward. Many demons writhed, their faces rippling like water, as if trying to transform into her appearance. But after writhing and twisting again and again, they could never condense into a true form. Wei Yunshu raised an eyebrow at this and sneered coldly. She did not practice the “Severing All Selves” method; there were no traces of her in the world’s “non-selves.” It was simply impossible for the demons to reflect her form. She urged her sword light and instantly slashed forward. The demons that appeared here had not yet reached her level. The moment they collided with the sword light, they were like snow under the scorching sun, instantly melting away.
Wei Yunshu walked all the way to the depths of the Demon-Hiding Cave. After about a quarter of an hour, she had killed many demons here, but the highest level was at the Nascent Soul realm. This area was divided according to cultivation level, so there must be demons at the Cavern Heaven realm, but she did not know where they were hiding. Just as she was thinking this, a roaring explosion sounded from the front. A streak of fire crossed the gloomy sky, stirring the spiritual and demonic energy in the Demon-Hiding Cave, creating waves, as if a fellow Daoist were here.
To enter the Wu Xiang Academy required merit points, so it would not be surprising to see many cultivators here during this period. But Wei Yunshu always remained vigilant. Firstly, the demons were ever-changing and could manifest in various forms. Secondly, the prevailing path in the world was “Severing All Selves.” Although she and those people were both cultivators, their paths were different, and their futures were naturally different. For them, she was also like a demon that had to be eliminated. Wei Yunshu did not want to cause more trouble here. With a turn of her escape light, just as she was preparing to head in another direction, Wei Yunshu’s brow suddenly furrowed, and the talisman on her body instantly radiated brilliant streaks of light. Her eyes turned cold. At a raise of her hand, a brilliant beam of sword energy surged forth. After a soft whisper of sound, a dark shadow silently materialized before her, coalescing into the form of a middle-aged man. He was clad in a Daoist robe, his hair bound neatly in a traditional topknot.
Demons have no true form of their own; they must either project an illusory appearance or possess the physical bodies of cultivators.
The demon that landed stared at Wei Yunshu with a gloomy expression. With a raise of its hand, countless demonic creatures crazily rushed towards Wei Yunshu.
Wei Yunshu’s eyes were cold. A crimson sun wheel turned behind her, illuminating the Demon-Hiding Cave as if it were daytime. A powerful vortex of spiritual energy appeared, instantly grinding the charging demonic heads to pieces.
“You demon, where are you going!” a delicate shout came from behind. A brilliant streak of fire, like a ribbon, suddenly spread from one end of the sky to the other.
Wei Yunshu sighed silently, guessing that the cultivator from before had appeared. Slightly raising her eyes, she saw a young girl in red clothes and wearing a golden crown, riding the fiercely burning flames. Her bright eyes were filled with hatred for the demons. She saw Wei Yunshu, only nodded slightly, and then urged a vast expanse of fierce fire malevolence, striking towards the demon in front.
At this point, Wei Yunshu could not retreat alone. With a shake of her sword light, a high-pitched, clear cry sounded. The sword energy was like a host of stars appearing together, slashing towards the demon’s body. The demon’s aura was deep and unfathomable. It looked at Wei Yunshu and the red-clothed female cultivator with a blank expression. A ball of black ash appeared under its feet, and its entire being seemed to have transformed into a ball of black fire. Wei Yunshu guessed that this demon was trying to escape. A cold light flashed in her eyes, and she immediately used the “Heavenly Cycle Restriction.” Instantly, the three lights froze, and the sun and moon stopped moving. The demon’s aura suddenly stagnated, and at this moment, Wei Yunshu’s sword had already slashed towards the demon’s body.
This demon was at the Cavern Heaven cultivation level. Wei Yunshu originally thought it would be extremely difficult to deal with, but when the sword light struck the demon, she suddenly understood the difference. Like the five demons in the Northern Continent, their cultivation, although suppressed to the Cavern Heaven realm, was essentially the opposite of the divine venerables. They could grow infinitely to be on par with their true forms. Their foundation was different from the demonic creatures born in the Demon-Hiding Cave. They could cultivate on their own and comprehend divine abilities and Daoist arts, and even had superior methods inherited from their true forms. But most of the divine abilities used by the demons here were shallow, just marks stripped from the “non-self” consciousness, not a complete inheritance. After all, when severing all selves, one severed the “non-self,” and few would sever their entire cultivation method.
After figuring this out, Wei Yunshu let go of her restraints. The demons in the Demon-Hiding Cave were clearly not just this one. Under its urging, countless demons swarmed up like a sea of demons. Wei Yunshu held the Taiyi with her right hand and formed a hand seal with her left. Instantly, above the Demon-Hiding Cave, countless bolts of lightning leaped, and electric light intertwined, forming a giant net that covered the sky. A few breaths later, the grand thunder fell, one wave more fierce than the last. As long as Wei Yunshu’s own spiritual energy was endless, this One Qi Nine Dominance Heavenly Thunder net could continue to strike down.
The red-clothed female cultivator glanced at Wei Yunshu several times. She also formed a hand seal, turning the land beneath her feet into a sea of fire. The scorching heat surged out, tearing apart countless demonic heads with a rushing sound. In less than a quarter of an hour, this Cavern Heaven demon had nowhere to escape. It transformed into a ball of dark energy in the lightning and fierce fire, and then scattered in all directions.
The red-clothed female cultivator withdrew her power, took a step, and swept to Wei Yunshu’s side. Her lips held a smile. She bowed and introduced herself, “True Disciple of Tian Nu Pavilion, Yue Ying, greets fellow Daoist. I wonder what fellow Daoist is called, and which family’s disciple you are?” She had traveled to the five major heavenly domains and was familiar with many of her peers, but she had never seen the person before her.
Hearing the words “Tian Nu Pavilion,” Wei Yunshu’s heart suddenly tightened. Among the major heavenly domains, all had sects directly inherited from the divine venerables. In the Tian Nu domain, the Tian Nu Pavilion was the most respected. The disciples here could be said to be the direct descendants of the divine venerables, unlike the small sects in those immortal cities, which had to go through several twists and turns. To encounter a disciple of the Tian Nu Pavilion as soon as she came was truly not good. Wei Yunshu thought, her face showing no emotional fluctuation. She returned the bow and, according to the identity recorded on her name tablet, said politely, “Disciple of the Wu Xiang Imperial Envoy, Black Lord Black Tai Sui, Bo Fengliu.”
This time it was Yue Ying’s turn to be surprised. After all, the identity of the Wu Xiang Imperial Envoy was equivalent to their sect master, and even surpassed them by a notch. After all, the Imperial Envoy was personally promoted by the Emperor Wu Xiang and represented all her will. But although their palace master could also contact the divine venerable, most of the time she received no response, or only saw a phantom image. This person’s identity was not simple, no wonder her divine abilities and Daoist arts were so powerful. The Wu Xiang Heaven domain had just opened its sect, and in the future, there would surely be many people like her. Yue Ying thought, the smile on her lips growing thicker. She smiled at Wei Yunshu and said, “So it’s True Monarch Bo.” After a pause, she added, “We all came here to kill demons. I am willing to travel with True Monarch Bo. I wonder what True Monarch thinks?”
Wei Yunshu refused without thinking.
A look of regret appeared on Yue Ying’s face, but she did not persuade her further. She bowed to Wei Yunshu and then transformed into a streak of escape light and left.
Seeing Yue Ying go far away, Wei Yunshu lowered her eyelids and walked in the opposite direction.
However, it was just that coincidental. Wei Yunshu had been training in the Demon-Hiding Cave for half a month, and she had met Yue Ying more than a handful of times. Each time, Yue Ying would ask if they could travel together. In the end, Wei Yunshu helplessly nodded.
Yue Ying was lively and talkative. Knowing that the Wu Xiang Heaven domain had been in seclusion, she told Wei Yunshu all the interesting things that had happened in the five major heavenly domains, among which was naturally the story of the punitive expedition against Gan Yuan hundreds of years ago.
“The battle of Gan Yuan was truly not easy. Among the major sects of the five heavenly domains, many cultivators above the Cavern Heaven realm were mobilized. They fought for nearly a thousand years, and it was only more than two hundred years ago that the results came out. They broke through Gan Yuan and captured that group of traitors and heretics.” By the end, Yue Ying was also filled with lingering fear. Because her cultivation was not enough, she had not experienced that battle. But hearing the elders in the pavilion talk about it, she was also terrified. Seeing that Wei Yunshu had no expression on her face, Yue Ying added, “True Monarch Bo, for a ten-thousand-year-old cultivator, a thousand years is indeed short, but in this period, more True Beings have fallen than at any other time. The losses were much heavier than when dealing with ‘Xuan Tian Ji.’” Yue Ying said very seriously.
Wei Yunshu said warmly, “I don’t think this is a small matter.”
Yue Ying hummed and added, “After breaking through Gan Yuan, they brought back many captives. Some were directly killed, while others were imprisoned. Among them, one was once an elder of our Tian Nu Pavilion.”
Wei Yunshu listened as Yue Ying’s tone became wistful, and her thoughts couldn’t help but stir. She naturally knew which of the Four Lords of Gan Yuan it was. But now she could only pretend not to know, revealing a curious look, and asked, “I wonder who it is?”
Yue Ying said faintly, “Cloud Lord Yun Huai.” After a pause, she added, “She was once our sect master’s senior sister, but she took the wrong path, spearheading a heretical movement, and cultivating evil methods. Now she is a prisoner.” Her tone held no respect for a sect elder, but rather a disdain and disgust for an external path.
Wei Yunshu suppressed the surging waves in her heart and pretended to be calm, asking, “Why wasn’t she killed?”
Yue Ying said casually, “Perhaps our sect master was thinking of their old affection. Among the Four Lords of Gan Yuan, only the Luo Lord was executed in front of everyone in Xuan Qing Mountain. The rest are all alive. Like the Dragon Lord, he is the same as the Cloud Lord, merely imprisoned. But—” Yue Ying’s eyeballs rolled, and a hint of curiosity appeared, “What happened to the Sword Lord? She was taken back to the Wu Xiang Heaven domain by the White Lord, and not much news came out.”
The Sword Lord was Sang Buwei, the ancestor of Buzhou.
Wei Yunshu’s eyes slightly narrowed, and she suddenly felt an inexplicable sense of dread.
Yue Ying did not notice Wei Yunshu’s abnormality and added, “You are a disciple under the Black Lord. You must know many secrets of Wu Xiang Heaven, right? The matter of Sang Buwei’s sword striking the Emperor Wu Xiang is widely spread in the divine realm, is it true? Didn’t she cultivate with the Emperor Wu Xiang’s avatar in her early years? How did it come to this?”
A series of questions were thrown at her, and Wei Yunshu was very embarrassed. She thought, How could slaying all selves not slay her gossipy heart? She flicked her sleeve, widening the distance with Yue Ying, and said seriously, “The Black Lord forbids us to inquire about these matters.”
The starlight swirled around Wei Yunshu’s body, like a brilliant river of stars accompanying her, looking ethereal and otherworldly. Yue Ying glanced at her, not doubting the truth of her words. She only said, “What a pity,” turned her head, and brought up other matters with Wei Yunshu.
Wei Yunshu was silent, only occasionally answering a sentence. As for topics related to Daoist arts, she did not respond a single word. Because when discussing the Dao, it was easiest to expose one’s foundation. Yue Ying also knew this. Seeing that the other party was unwilling to become a “Daoist friend,” she gave up.
The two traveled together, killing demons in the cave. About half a month later, following the agitated and surging evil energy, they found a mountain cave.
“Such a strong evil energy, there must be a lot of merit points hidden.” Yue Ying’s eyes were stained with a clear light. She raised her finger and drew a line, sending out a streak of fire to open the path. Amidst the flickering flames and floating spiritual light, a narrow path was instantly revealed. “Maybe it’s another Cavern Heaven demon!” The merit points brought by demons of different levels were different. Perhaps because the Wu Xiang Academy had opened its sect, many had come to the Demon Cave for a trip, so the demonic creatures were swept away a lot. Like Wei Yunshu, who had been here for a month, she had only encountered three Cavern Heaven demons.
Wei Yunshu responded faintly. The starlight revolved at her side, radiating waves, pushing away all the evil energy that crowded to her side. She held the Taiyi Sword and walked behind Yue Ying, always paying attention to the movements around her. The mountain path was winding and dark. Just as they were about to reach the exit, an extremely powerful evil energy surged forward like a great wave crashing down. Wei Yunshu shouted, “Be careful,” but Yue Ying had already reacted quickly, throwing out all the talismans she carried. The evil energy did not change, just pure, immense power pressing down. This evil energy covered everything. The moment they came into contact, the talismans declared they were broken. And the fire malevolence collided with the evil energy, emitting a roaring sound. In less than a breath, the rocks shattered, and the mountain cave began to collapse. At this moment, Wei Yunshu’s “Three Lights Dragon Capturing Seal” also slapped towards that evil energy, blocking its momentum. Several spiritual energy vortices were born, devouring the falling rocks, and then shattered in the shock of the power.
“What a powerful force.” Yue Ying clicked her tongue. Her spiritual energy was released like a flood. After maintaining for a few breaths, the evil energy finally dispersed. At this moment, the earth had cracked, the mountain had collapsed, and there was almost no solid ground to stand on. The two swept away the troublesome debris, swept out from the remains of the rocks, and looked at the two people in front.
One of them was a young Daoist with a powdered face. He held a jade Ruyi and sat cross-legged on a lotus jade platform, his hands forming various hand seals. And where the hand seals landed was the southwest of the young man. There were four black pillars carved with strange runes, forming a formation that trapped a white-haired female cultivator in the middle.
That white-haired female cultivator wore a Tai Chi lotus crown on her head, a blue and white Daoist robe, like a lotus reflecting in water, her eyebrows always carrying a hint of gloom and light sorrow. She sat cross-legged in the formation, and streams of profound and mysterious spiritual energy surged out from her body, countering the killing energy of the weapons descending from the black pillars.
“You’ve come just in time, fellow Daoist. Quickly help me eliminate this demon!” the young Daoist suddenly turned his eyes and gazed at Wei Yunshu and Yue Ying, his eyebrows filled with a hint of surprise. Before entering this area, a powerful evil energy rushed towards him. It must have been one of the two, or even both of them were demons. As for the pure energy surrounding their bodies, it might have been because they had occupied human bodies.
Wei Yunshu did not agree. Her thoughts were fluctuating as she looked at the white-haired female Daoist several times.
“True Monarch Bo recognizes this person?” Yue Ying followed Wei Yunshu’s gaze and raised an eyebrow, asking.
Wei Yunshu shook her head and said softly, “I don’t.” As soon as she said this, the Female daoist sitting in the formation opened her eyes. At first glance, her gaze was deep, as if all emotions were being born and extinguished within it. But looking closely, it was as clear as autumn water, holding a hundred turns of gentle affection.
“Why aren’t you fellow Daoists making a move yet? This demon has occupied my junior sister’s shell.” The young Daoist was a little anxious. Seeing that Wei Yunshu and Yue Ying still weren’t making a move, he let out a cry of “Ah” and said, “I almost forgot.”
“My name is Xuan Cheng, a true disciple of the Jade Capital Dharma lineage of the Wu Xiang Heaven domain.” The young Daoist reached out and wiped his hand, sending out his name tablet.
But in this Demon-Hiding Cave, even the shell could be taken, let alone a name tablet? Who knew if you were a real person or a demonic manifestation? Before the Daoist could provide sufficient proof, both Wei Yunshu and Yue Ying remained motionless, even revealing a hint of cold killing intent.
Yue Ying asked the Female daoist trapped in the formation, “How should I address you, fellow Daoist?”
The Female daoist raised her eyes, her voice soft, “Jade Capital Yuan Chu.”
Yue Ying rubbed her forehead. “I seem to have heard of this name.” But upon further thought, she had no memory of it.
That young Daoist was an impatient one and was about to say, “Yuan… is my junior sister.” But for some reason, he could not say the two words “Yuan Chu,” only hearing a muffled sound. He was a little angry, and a cold light suddenly flashed in his eyes. He raised his hand and sent a flying sword slashing towards Wei Yunshu and Yue Ying.
Yue Ying let out a cold laugh. She was not polite. She reached forward and grabbed, summoning a red umbrella decorated with flowers, leaves, and sparrows. This was her natal magic artifact, named “Scattering Heavenly Flowers.” The umbrella handle gently spun in her palm, and countless crimson flying blades, wrapped in fierce flames, shot towards that swift sword light.
This was the first time Wei Yunshu had seen Yue Ying summon a magic artifact. A hint of surprise flashed in her eyes. She raised her hand and pointed forward. The Taiyi Sword immediately moved like a shooting star, and streaks of dazzling sword light poured down, illuminating the place with brilliant light, like a long river of stars.
