Chapter 1968: Not Willing

The valley was filled with misty clouds and shimmering haze, with thin mist swirling around. Waterfalls cascaded like silk ribbons, and clear springs gurgled. It was a scene of peace and harmony. Anyone seeing it would only imagine it to be a sacred immortal ground, never realizing it was a gathering place for various demonic entities, led by the corpse demons from the Soul-Falling Abyss.

Suddenly, a shadow appeared above the valley, enveloped in thick demonic clouds.

"Who's there!"

A fierce shout echoed from within the valley, and a dozen figures flew out. Before they could discern what was within the demonic clouds, a five-colored stream of light shot out, heading straight for a stone palace at the edge of the valley.

Whoosh!

As the stream of light swept past, everyone stared blankly at the spot. A perfectly fine stone palace vanished into thin air right before their eyes.

"That... that's Senior Lu's cave dwelling. Senior Lu hasn't seemed to have left recently..." a young man swallowed hard and spoke in a daze.

Senior Lu was said to be a Nascent Soul Patriarch who descended from the Soul-Falling Abyss, known for his eccentric temper. Although he chose his dwelling at the valley's edge, even the powerful cultivators practicing deep within the valley were always polite when they met him.

"Inside were also Senior Lu's disciples and some experts from Mount Hūnyuán... all of them vanished!"

A Nascent Soul Patriarch and over a dozen demonic cultivators, without a trace of resistance, were instantly swept away by the five-colored stream of light. It was likely that those inside the palace didn't even know what happened until their death, or whose hands they died by!

Everyone was immediately terrified and chilled to the bone, all filled with extreme dread. They turned to flee, but it was too late. Their vision was instantly filled with the five-colored radiance, and they lost consciousness. Just like the palace, they vanished without a trace.

Dong! Dong! Dong!

Urgent bell tolls rang out from below. The cultivators in the valley detected the anomaly and rang the warning bells. In an instant, the entire valley erupted in chaos. Cultivators were roused by the bells and flew out of their dwellings one after another. Figures hovered in mid-air, all looking up at the sky.

Immediately after, gray-white smoke surged from the valley. This smoke was pure corpse energy, refined through special methods. The corpse energy rose like pillars, shooting rapidly into the air, a total of eighty-one of them. The eighty-one pillars of corpse energy flew into mid-air, spreading out and merging with each other to form a gray-white cloud mass, positioned directly beneath the demonic clouds. It seemed to be supporting the demonic clouds, preventing them from pressing down on the valley.

Deep within the valley, several figures floated above a grim stone palace. Various colored lights flickered in their eyes as they activated divine abilities like Spirit Eyes, vaguely discerning the figure within the clouds through the demonic mist. Even though they knew one shouldn't judge by appearances in the cultivation world, their expressions still became very strange.

"Who is this woman?" someone asked.

"Could she be an expert from Cloud Heaven, here for revenge? We have all been acting according to Master Qi's instructions. Could someone have violated a taboo?"

Their answer came in a deafening roar that shook the earth and mountains. The peaks on both sides of the valley violently shook, nearly collapsing. The corpse energy that had just formed a cloud shattered into pieces, on the verge of dispersing. Everyone cried out in alarm, all struck with terror.

As this was a temporary stronghold, only one Ascending Underworld Array was deployed as the mountain protection array. Aside from that, there were no other arrays. The opponent hadn't even unleashed that five-colored stream of light yet; it was merely the demonic clouds pressing down, and the Ascending Underworld Array was already on the verge of collapse. What terrifying power!

"Run!"

The few individuals scattered without hesitation, as if they had encountered a demon more terrifying than themselves, their fighting spirit completely gone. The corpse cloud split open, and demonic energy surged downward. This sight was too terrifying, beyond their imagination. The demons and devils in the valley froze in stupor, terrified to the extreme, scattering like frightened birds and beasts. The entire valley instantly descended into chaos.

A black-robed figure successfully escaped the valley. He couldn't help but glance back, seeing the desperate flight of the others in the valley. Just as he was about to feel relieved, he suddenly saw a five-colored radiance, as swift as lightning, shooting directly towards him.

The black-robed figure was shocked and lost his composure. Subconsciously, he activated his prized magic treasure, a white banner adorned with ghost patterns.

Whoosh!

The white banner with ghost patterns unfurled like a bolt of silk, stretching across the sky. The next moment, with a soft 'thud', it was effortlessly pierced by the five-colored radiance. The black-robed figure's eyes widened in horror as he watched the five-colored radiance land on him, and he vanished on the spot.

Similar scenes were playing out everywhere. None of the few experts who first escaped the valley were spared.

Meanwhile, violent roars echoed from within the valley. Pillars of corpse energy collapsed one after another, the corpse cloud already dispersed. The Ascending Underworld Array couldn't even last a single breath. The corpse energy surged back to the ground, transforming into a fierce wind that swept across the land. Palaces, halls, and towers collapsed one after another.

Some cultivators not from the Soul-Falling Abyss accidentally inhaled the corpse energy. Their entire bodies immediately erupted with countless blood blisters, causing unbearable itching. They scratched frantically, breaking the blood blisters. Their bodies were covered in blood, and they were in agonizing pain, but still couldn't alleviate the itching. They writhed on the ground, their flesh visibly turning bluish-black. Screams of agony shook the valley. The five-colored streams of light, like scattered flowers from a celestial maiden, shot downwards, ending their suffering. Hundreds of cultivators in the valley were all slaughtered in the blink of an eye, leaving no survivors.

Anger was unleashed through the massacre. At the same time, scenes of misery were reflected in her demonic pupils. A flicker of hesitation suddenly appeared in Little Five's eyes. A look of struggle crossed her face, and she hovered motionless.

Suddenly, a furious roar came from afar.

"Stop!"

A pale stream of corpse energy shot from the horizon, controlled by a white-haired man.

"Who are you!"

The white-haired man observed Little Five from afar, realizing she was an unfamiliar face, not one of the Nine Immortals of Cloud Heaven. Could she be a newly advanced expert from Cloud Heaven? This thought flashed through the white-haired man's mind as he sternly shouted, "No matter who you are, slaughtering hundreds of people without cause, this old man will surely demand an explanation from Cloud Heaven!"

As he spoke, the white-haired man suddenly met Little Five's gaze, and his heart lurched. The next moment, the Five-Element Divine Light was upon him. He lasted a little longer than the cultivators in the valley, but it didn't change the outcome. A dignified Soul Transformation expert, sent to oversee the situation, had thought it was a fine assignment, avoiding the most dangerous vortex, but unexpectedly met his demise here in confusion.

Little Five was drawn by the white-haired man, and subconsciously flew forward. She was still struggling. Her delicate body trembled slightly as she fought against the demonic nature within her. Before long, she encountered a Yin Corpse and pointed casually. The Yin Corpse let out no sound and died on the spot. Wherever she passed, countless cultivators, like the Yin Corpse, died by Little Five's hand. It was unknown if any innocent people were among them.

Little Five moved and stopped intermittently. She was struggling with all her might. With each killing, her demonic nature intensified, and the struggle on her face became more pronounced.

Finally, a city appeared ahead. This was a cultivator's market city, housing not only cultivators but also ordinary mortals. Demonic clouds enveloped the market city, making it pitch black. Everyone was plunged into deep fear. From her vantage point, Little Five saw everyone, and their eyes. The look of struggle on her face intensified.

Whoosh!

Sha Jiayu and Yu Lang finally caught up.

"Senior Sister!" Yu Lang called out loudly.

Sha Jiayu wanted to stop him, but Yu Lang firmly refused. He flew into the demonic clouds and approached Little Five.

"Senior Sister, his name is Wulang." Yu Lang gently opened the baby's swaddling clothes, showing him to Little Five.

Perhaps because Little Five appeared as just a little girl, the baby showed no fear. Instead, he was full of curiosity about her dark eyes, stretched out his hands to be held, and babbled softly. Little Five gazed steadily at the baby. The demonic energy surprisingly showed signs of receding. She didn't take the baby, but simply watched quietly.

After a long while, she slowly closed her eyes. In that instant, the sky seemed to brighten, and Yu Lang couldn't help but sigh in relief. Only then did Sha Jiayu dare to approach, and whispered, "Little Five is suppressing her demonic nature, don't disturb her."

The demonic clouds churned, and Little Five's expression gradually calmed. She manipulated the demonic clouds, enveloping Yu Lang and Sha Jiayu, and flew away. As the demonic clouds drifted away, everyone in the market city felt as if they had survived a great calamity.

Little Five's speed was not fast. She traveled along the path they had come from, presumably heading back to Beikuo County. When they reached the sky above Xiwu Village, Little Five suddenly stopped. The two followed Little Five's gaze and saw a burnt willow tree beside the village. The charred trunk surprisingly had a touch of green at its base; new branches had sprouted from the roots. Slender branches and tender green buds. In the gentle breeze, they swayed softly.

The Willow Demon had perished. Perhaps it wouldn't be resurrected by this, but it symbolized the hope of new life, making it especially precious.

Yu Lang and Sha Jiayu exchanged a look, then stepped forward and said, "Senior Sister, why don't we take it back to Qingyang Temple?"

"It surely wants to continue guarding this place," Little Five said softly.

Yu Lang persuaded, "It's too weak right now. Let's take it back to Qingyang Temple to keep Wulang company. Once it grows, we can send it back."

Little Five didn't commit either way, watching Yu Lang cast a spell to move the entire willow tree. Then, with a flash, she returned to Beikuo County, to Chen Ya'er's home. She used her hands to clear away the rubble, piece by piece, revealing the bodies of Chen Ya'er and his wife. She helped arrange their appearance and took them to a mountain outside the city. Choosing a spot with good feng shui, she dug a grave, preparing to bury them there. From there, they could open their eyes and see Beikuo County, and the river Chen Ya'er had watched over his entire life.

Finally, Little Five took out a scroll painting. This painting was one of the ones Little Five painted when Qingyang Temple was first established, depicting the scene of Chen Ya'er spearing fish. It had previously been used to decorate the temple's windows. Having endured wind and sun, it had faded somewhat and had been put away by Qin Sang. When Little Five went down the mountain, Qin Sang had returned these paintings to her.

Unrolling the scroll, she looked at the scene depicted. A nostalgic look flashed in Little Five's eyes as she gently laid the painting over the bodies of Chen Ya'er and his wife, burying it with them here. Yu Lang, holding the baby, bowed deeply to the grave. Little Five nodded at him and departed through the air.

"Let's go back first," Sha Jiayu said, stepping forward.

"I want to go home and see," Yu Lang murmured. While at the Qingyang Teahouse, he had also thought of his hometown. Due to his worry for Senior Sister, he had suppressed the unease in his heart and hadn't brought it up.

Sha Jiayu sighed faintly and patted Yu Lang's shoulder. "Your elder brother will accompany you," he said.

It was still the same path, but there were no longer refugees fleeing on it. She and her master had once distributed medicine and saved people here. Little Five's expression shifted slightly. She flickered down to the ground, and with a gentle tap of her toe, a puff of white smoke rose before her, revealing an old man.

"Immortal, spare me! Immortal, spare me!"

The old man was precisely the Earth God from back then. She remembered that her master had given him the jade pendant to control demons. The Earth God had been full of ambition and high spirits, but now he was hunched over, constantly bowing and begging for mercy, as if his spirit had been utterly shattered.

Little Five sighed softly, "Do you still remember me?"

The Earth God was startled, then carefully raised his head and immediately burst into joy. "You are Immortal Little Five! Has the Daoist Priest returned too?" The Earth God looked left and right, his face full of anticipation.

"Master is not here." Little Five shook her head slightly. "Why have you become like this? And where are Yin'er and the others?"

At this question, the Earth God's heart was immediately filled with endless bitterness, and he began to complain incessantly. "After the Daoist Priest and the Immortal departed, this old man intended to revive the divine path, using the jade pendant left by the Daoist Priest to command demons. It went smoothly at first, but good times didn't last long. Just as things were looking up, I realized the situation was amiss.

"I sensed danger and dared not be ostentatious. Later, the atmosphere grew increasingly strange. I had no choice but to abandon my endeavors and hide in the mountains. As for the demons and devils who had already reformed, I warned them and let them go. For those who remained unrepentant, I didn't dare keep them by my side; I simply ended their lives to prevent them from harming others outside.

"Later, the cultivation world grew increasingly chaotic. I didn't even dare to stay at the Earth God Temple anymore; I destroyed my own temple and hid here, clinging to life. As for the three girls, Yin'er and the others, after getting married, they still served as temple attendants. I had no choice but to send them away to live among ordinary people. Immortal, please rest assured, they bear this old man's mark on them and are currently very safe."

Having slain those corpse demons from the Soul-Falling Abyss, including a Soul Transformation expert, Little Five already knew part of the plan. This game in the mortal world would be played in 'the human realm'. Neither side would use magic power to directly interfere. Of course, this didn't mean that all players were mortals. Both sides would send disciples down the mountains, sealing their cultivation and controlling mortal forces, to determine victory or defeat through mortal means. The various mortal kingdoms were the pieces on the chessboard, engaging in mutual conquest. For Yin'er and the others, the greatest threat was not demons, but mortal warfare.

Little Five thought for a moment, then with a wave of her small hand, five-colored radiance flashed, coalescing into a five-colored magic robe in her hand, which she handed to the Earth God. "Wear this colorful robe. Be careful, even Soul Transformation cultivators won't be able to detect you." This was formed by the power of the True Five-Element Divine Light.

The Earth God was both astonished and overjoyed. It was truly hard to imagine what kind of treasure could hide one from a Soul Transformation cultivator's spiritual sense. He knew perfectly well why Little Five had expended her magic power to refine this robe for him. He immediately promised, "This old man swears to the heavens, even if it costs me my old life, I will absolutely not let Yin'er and the others be harmed in the slightest! They are living in a small town three hundred li away. Does the Immortal wish to see them?"

Little Five hesitated for a moment, then shook her head gently and whispered, "We will meet again in the future." Before her words faded, Little Five suddenly vanished.

Bidding farewell to the Earth God, Little Five did not go anywhere else. She didn't want to stop for a moment and flew back to Yan State with all her might. Finally, Little Five saw Qingyang Temple. Like a wanderer returning home, her mind suddenly settled.

A tranquil and peaceful mountain village. A vibrant schoolhouse. On a stone outside the temple gate, stood a Daoist priest, her master, waiting for her return home.

Qin Sang didn't speak. His gaze was gentle as he watched Little Five descend. Little Five pursed her lips, a look of grievance on her face. Her small hand tightly gripped Qin Sang's robes as she nestled closely beside him.

"Master, I don't want to go down the mountain anymore."