Chapter 1924: 除魔

The Mortal World

The Mortal World

Qin Sang explained the advantages and disadvantages.

Taiyi naturally had no objections; on the contrary, he felt more at ease. The more cautious the Lord was, the more dedicated he appeared.

Next, Qin Sang thoroughly reviewed all the ancient texts Taiyi had collected.

Unfortunately, there was no record of the Thunder Altar master's monastic name or identity. All that was known was that this person came from Penglai's Department of Water Management, and thus was likely not the Lord.

Within the texts, Qin Sang also discovered some details that Taiyi had overlooked, leading to new ideas.

He suspected that these Thunder Altars might not be the talisman altars he had envisioned, and their usefulness to him was still unknown. The key lay with the main altar, and he hoped it had been preserved.

At this time, Xiaowu and his companions also arrived and were settled by Taiyi in the main hall, where they were treated to spiritual fruits from the mountains, homemade hundred-flower wine, and preserved fruits.

Taiyi had been cultivating in seclusion in the mountains, and he spent his free time refining these crafts. His skills were excellent, and Xiaowu and the others thoroughly enjoyed the feast.

Inside the quiet room.

Qin Sang and Taiyi sat facing each other, cross-legged.

At Qin Sang's request, Taiyi expounded on his understanding of the Taiyi Thunder Drill Talisman.

Among the spiritual talismans Qin Sang had previously selected for cultivation, neither the Taiyi Thunder Drill Talisman nor the Taiyi Thunder Vigor Talisman were included. He would certainly need to fully comprehend them before beginning.

Taiyi's true form was the Taiyi Thunder Drill Talisman; no one in the world understood this talisman better than he did.

In just a few words, he went straight to the core.

Taiyi still regarded Qin Sang, the Lord, as a powerful being at the Integration Stage. He had no idea that the Lord had never cultivated this talisman before, assuming Qin Sang was merely using him to distinguish between himself and ordinary Taiyi Thunder Drill Talismans, ensuring everything was foolproof.

With Qin Sang's cultivation level, he quickly gained a profound understanding of the Taiyi Thunder Drill Talisman. Building on this, he proceeded to comprehend the Taiyi Thunder Vigor Talisman.

After Taiyi finished explaining, he quietly waited for Qin Sang's instructions.

At this moment, the forms of the two spiritual talismans appeared in Qin Sang's mind, being repeatedly deconstructed and reassembled.

In fact, Taiyi truly could not be confused with an ordinary Taiyi Thunder Drill Talisman.

How to redraw the talisman forms without harming their spiritual essence, but rather transforming them completely, required more than just comprehending the two talismans. The brushwork for drawing talismans and the principles of qi circulation also needed careful consideration. This was a great test for Qin Sang.

Before long, Qin Sang stopped his deductions and said to Taiyi, "From now on, you will stay by my side."

The process of deciphering required Taiyi's full cooperation. Qin Sang planned to take Taiyi with him, and based on Taiyi's previous behavior, he should not refuse.

Taiyi was initially overjoyed, but then he seemed to remember something, and a hint of hesitation flickered across his face.

"Do you have any lingering wishes?" Qin Sang saw through his thoughts.

"Reporting to Lord, I have no relatives or friends, so I should have nothing to be nostalgic about. However, I have been cultivating here for many years and have received help from fellow Daoists, such as Master Su. When demons attack the surrounding area, I also lend a hand to help them slay demons. I am ashamed to say that Master Su and others regard me as an enlightened master of the righteous path living in seclusion. Now, with demons rampant, and it is said that powerful demons frequently appear in the west, I fear that after I leave, if demons cause trouble, Master Su and his companions will be unable to cope on their own. Also, there are the surrounding mountain dwellers..."

As Taiyi spoke, his gaze pierced through the cave dwelling and swept across the mountains, revealing a touch of melancholy.

Mountain dwellers also lived here.

Taiyi had awakened and cultivated here, developing a deep affection for this land and, by extension, for the people living here.

"What's difficult about that?"

Qin Sang had anticipated this and immediately ordered Luohou and Vermilion Bird to enter. "Have them accompany you down the mountain and clear out the powerful demons in the vicinity. That should be enough to deter minor evildoers and ensure at least a century of peace. As long as no major chaos arises, the mountain gods and earth spirits will be sufficient to look after the mountain dwellers. Go!"

With that, Qin Sang handed the Earth-Walking Skiff to Luohou and waved his hand.

Luohou was completely obedient to Qin Sang's words, and Vermilion Bird, rarely getting a chance to roam freely, joyfully followed along.

The three demons flew out of the mountains.

"Thank you, two Demon Generals, for your righteous assistance."

Taiyi knew well that the Demon Generals under the Lord's command were by no means ordinary, and he was exceedingly respectful.

Vermilion Bird looked back, confirmed they were far from Qin Sang, and immediately puffed up with arrogance, angrily exclaiming, "Pah! Who's a Demon General?! I am the ancient divine beast, Vermilion Bird! That fellow surnamed Qin... that old Daoist Qingfeng has had to rely on me, the Vermilion Bird, to save his life many times! I, the Vermilion Bird, saw that he had a bit of potential and granted him the privilege to provide offerings to me! How dare you, young man, defy celestial order!"

Taiyi was dumbfounded on the spot, never having imagined anyone would dare to be so disrespectful to the Lord. Unsure if Vermilion Bird's words were true or false, he could only nod submissively.

"Hey!"

Vermilion Bird stretched out a wing and nonchalantly patted Taiyi's shoulder.

"I heard you're a Talisman Demon? I, the Vermilion Bird, have never seen a spiritual talisman become a demon before! Quickly transform back to your true form and let me see!"

As it spoke, Vermilion Bird extended its beak to peck at Taiyi's forehead, with a faint red flame flickering in its mouth, intending to force Taiyi back to his original form.

Taiyi was greatly alarmed. Although this Vermilion Bird's aura seemed similar to his own, he felt an immense threat emanating from it.

Fortunately, Luohou came to his rescue. "Tell us, how many powerful demons are in the vicinity? Don't make the master wait too long."

Taiyi felt a sense of having narrowly escaped disaster and quickly moved to Luohou's other side, putting more distance between himself and the unruly Vermilion Bird.

"I don't know much about the mortal world," Taiyi said, "Let's first go to Konghe Pavilion, visit Master Su, and while we're at it, gather the forces of the righteous path to destroy the demon lairs in one fell swoop!"

As they spoke, they flew northward.

Upon arriving at Konghe Pavilion, Master Su welcomed them into the sect. He was curious as to why Taiyi had visited so soon, and then he heard Taiyi's introduction.

"This is Daoist Luohou, a powerful expert at the Spirit Transformation Stage."

"What?!"

Master Su was about to sit down but suddenly stood up, utterly shocked.

The Daoist's mount was a Spirit Transformation Stage expert, so what was his own cultivation level?

"And me! And me!"

Vermilion Bird hopped onto Taiyi's shoulder, eager for Taiyi to introduce it, and stared at Master Su's face, hoping to see his shocked expression.

Taiyi looked troubled. He knew he couldn't reveal Vermilion Bird's identity to outsiders, so he simply said, "This is Lord Divine Bird."

Could it also be a Spirit Transformation Stage expert?

No, Taiyi's address for it was even more respectful!

Master Su stared blankly at Vermilion Bird, his mind a bit bewildered, truly unable to fathom it.

Vermilion Bird was satisfied and proudly whistled.

"Daoist Qingfeng travels the four directions, experiencing the mortal world, and does not wish for his identity to be known to the public, Master Su, please remember this," Taiyi cautioned.

"This Su understands! Understands! I will certainly keep it a secret!"

Master Su finally regained his composure and nodded repeatedly. "May I ask the purpose of your visit today?"

"I will be following Daoist Qingfeng and leaving this place," Taiyi said.

"What? Daoist, you're leaving?"

Master Su was surprised again.

Demons were approaching Du Zhi Kingdom, but Master Su had never felt anxious, precisely because Taiyi, a great master, was present.

"Indeed! Master Su, don't worry. I have already expressed my intentions to Daoist Qingfeng. Before I leave, I will help you slay demons. Daoist Qingfeng has also consented and has sent Daoist Luohou and Lord Divine Bird to assist. There's no time to lose, Master Su, quickly contact other fellow Daoists and ascertain the location of the demon lairs..."

Previously, Taiyi had been reluctant to act easily, fearing exposure of his origins. Now that he was following Qin Sang, he no longer had this concern.

Master Su, indeed worthy of being a sect leader, had already recovered from his shock and decisively said, "Please wait a moment, the three of you. I will immediately send messages to fellow Daoists from all sides to collectively suppress the demons! As for the location of the demon lairs, we have already dispatched scouts..."

As he spoke, Master Su was about to go out and send the messages.

He had no doubts about their ability to slay demons.

Over the years, the strongest demons causing trouble had not exceeded the Spirit Transformation Stage. Perhaps the Spirit Transformation experts deep within Sunset Mountain disdained them and were unwilling to descend.

Luohou alone would be enough to sweep away the demons!

"Wait!"

Luohou stopped him. "We cannot make the master wait too long. This time, only experts will be summoned to eliminate the major demons. As for the other minor demons, you will have to find a way to clear them yourselves."

"Understood!"

Master Su accepted the order and left, sending messages in all directions.

After a brief discussion, everyone left Konghe Pavilion and flew westward.

Along the way, Master Su introduced them to the current situation.

"The largest demon lairs are mainly in three places, all of which are national capitals! The capitals of Tangting Kingdom and Miao Kingdom are primarily occupied by evil cultivators. They compel ordinary people from nearby kingdoms to wage war and kill each other. There is no real enmity between these sides; their purpose is to force mortals to slaughter each other to aid their cultivation of evil techniques. I once personally infiltrated a battlefield; corpses piled up like mountains, blood dyed the rivers, and platforms were forged from flesh and blood, with victory mounds standing tall, turning into a paradise for evil demons. It was truly a horrifying sight."

Master Su sighed deeply. "The third one is farthest from us, originally called Zhuoguang Kingdom, now named Myriad Spirits Kingdom, though I think Myriad Demons Kingdom would be more fitting. Those demons have usurped the court, crowned themselves like monkeys, enslaved mortals, and fed on humans, often devouring an entire city. It's also a scene of utter devastation..."

As he spoke with righteous indignation, he suddenly remembered that the three individuals beside him were all demons, and he involuntarily stiffened.

Fortunately, the three demons showed no reaction.

Luohou inquired about the strength of both sides and mused, "The three demon lairs should be connected. If we attack one, the other two will quickly be alerted and abandon their cities to flee. This way, we won't be able to catch them all in one net, and it won't serve as a deterrent."

She had once been a Demon Marquis of the Ghostfang Kingdom and was skilled in military strategy. Compared to the great war between the Dao Court and the Ghostfang Kingdom, this was merely a minor skirmish, and she quickly formed a plan.

"Daoist Su, Daoist Taiyi, each of you will lead a path and launch surprise attacks on the capitals of Tangting Kingdom and Miao Kingdom, respectively. Do not be overly aggressive in seeking glory; focus on containment rather than slaughter, ensuring no one escapes! Once Lord Divine Bird and I have eliminated the demons in Myriad Spirits Kingdom, we will come to assist you..."

Upon reaching the agreed location, some people had already arrived, and others continued to arrive, all of them powerful cultivators or regional overlords from nearby kingdoms.

Luohou had already manifested her human form and publicly displayed her power. None of these individuals raised any objections.

Speed was crucial in warfare, so they immediately divided their forces into three groups and headed straight for the three demon lairs.

Luohou stood on a mountain peak outside the capital of Myriad Spirits Kingdom, with Vermilion Bird perched on her shoulder, and behind them was a group of human cultivators.

Everyone looked down at the capital city below. Demonic energy surged skyward from within the city, and various demonic beasts patrolled back and forth on the city walls.

"A rabble!"

A look of contempt flashed in Luohou's eyes. These demon soldiers were undisciplined in their training, and their patrols were crooked and disorganized. Their demonic nature was difficult to tame. Compared to the demon soldiers of the Ghostfang Kingdom, they were like earth and sky apart.

The demon cultivators within the city were clearly only interested in indulging their officialdom, never considering properly managing the place. The city was dilapidated, with hardly any light at night, and its mortal inhabitants were almost entirely devoured.

In such a place, there could naturally be no divine aura.

Glancing up at the time, Luohou let out a low command, "Attack!"

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

The group plunged directly from the mountaintop, and the whistling winds immediately resounded throughout the capital.

"Who's there?!"

From within the imperial palace came a furious roar, bursting forth with purple-gold light.

Within the light, a handsome man, nine feet tall, soared into the air.

He was holding two enchantingly beautiful women in his arms.

He wore a purple-gold imperial crown and imperial robes, clearly indicating his identity: the strongest demon in the city, who had crowned himself Demon Emperor, and was a master at the late stage of form transformation.

"How dare you! I wasn't looking for you, yet you dare to attack my imperial capital on your own initiative? Perfect, I'll capture you all at once!"

The Demon Emperor let out a wild laugh, then pressed his hands onto the heads of the women in his arms. With a *bang*, they exploded like watermelons.

Their blood transformed into countless blood arrows, piercing through the air towards the group.

Simultaneously, figures with powerful auras soared into the sky from various parts of the capital, some in human form, some in beast form.

The Demon Emperor pointed forward and roared, "Kill them for me!"

"Kill!"

"Demons, prepare to die!"

The shouts from both sides resounded through the heavens and earth.

In an instant, the sky above the capital was filled with various spells and demonic lights, a kaleidoscope of colors.

The Demon Emperor stood imposing and unmoving, coldly watching his subordinates charge towards the enemies.

Purple mystic light emanated from the imperial palace, enveloping him.

Just then, the Demon Emperor suddenly frowned, an inexplicable premonition of ill omen rising within him. From the corner of his eye, he glimpsed a yellow light shooting from the ground, from which flew a small boat with pointed ends, and then a strong, tower-like woman materialized.

"Oh no!"

The Demon Emperor was greatly alarmed. He hadn't noticed her at all. This woman must be an absolute master!

Making a swift decision, the Demon Emperor abandoned his subordinates, turned, and fled directly into the imperial palace. Immediately after, the sound of crashing waves echoed behind him.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

In the void, silvery-white waves appeared out of thin air.

Enormous waves surged, layer upon layer, carrying immense force, smashing fiercely against the purple light above the imperial palace.

Amidst the waves, a striking red line also appeared, which was a crimson flame unleashed by Vermilion Bird.

Boom!

In an instant, water and fire surged, filling the sky with earthy yellow, crimson, and silvery-white hues, easily overwhelming the purple light.

Rumble!

The imperial palace shook violently as Luohou and Vermilion Bird, riding the Earth-Walking Skiff, shattered the purple mystic light.

The Demon Emperor was horrified, never having expected the imperial palace to be so fragile. His figure flickered, transforming into a purple-gold divine condor, letting out a shriek that could tear eardrums, and forcefully flapped his wings.

But the attack from behind him was even faster.

The waves surged, forming a giant silvery-white hand that slammed down hard on the purple-gold divine condor.

The purple-gold divine condor's body abruptly plummeted, as if a mountain had crashed down upon it.

Vermilion Bird seized the opportunity, transforming into a crimson streak that shot towards the back of the purple-gold divine condor's head.

With Luohou and Vermilion Bird working together, no matter how great the Demon Emperor's divine abilities, his downfall was only a matter of time.

Just then, more escape lights scattered from within the imperial palace, fleeing in all directions.

Luohou let out a cold snort, and the waves split into several streams, repeatedly striking, leaving behind swathes of ruins.

Unexpectedly, just as the waves were about to suppress one of the demonic beasts, they suddenly froze.

That demonic beast was shaped like a black demonic horse with cloud-like patterns on its back. It had already despaired but was stunned when an unexpected turn of events occurred, and it seized the opportunity to escape.

"Hm?"

Vermilion Bird turned its head.

Luohou looked at the fleeing demonic beast's back and said hesitantly, "It has the bloodline of a Ghost Cloud Steed!"

At the start of the New Year, I wish everyone a Happy New Year, a happy family, and all your wishes come true in 2024!

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