Chapter 264: Killing the Demon with the Talisman

Li Tongya landed in the mountains, hearing only a few low wolf howls echoing through the forest. Clouds obscured everything, making it pitch black. His spiritual sense swept the cave entrance, and he felt a strong aura of demonic energy and bloodlust rush out. He pressed forward, hand on his sword, and with his left hand, conjured a magical flame, flicking it into the cave.

The magical flame flickered and died after two breaths, struggling against the strong demonic energy. Li Tongya's gaze was calm as he stared at the massive creature within the cave, gripping his sword, saying nothing.

"Fellow Daoist, why press so hard..." a hoarse voice echoed in Li Tongya's ears. The demon had long since sensed Li Tongya's arrival, but had been silently hiding in its lair, relying on a powerful formation.

Yan Mountain was shrouded in thick fog, deserted and desolate, making spiritual sense difficult to use. The demon surmised that a dignified Foundation Establishment cultivator, being proud and averse to trouble, wouldn't bother diligently searching Yan Mountain. So, it had cowered in its cave, waiting for Li Tongya to give up and retreat.

Unexpectedly, Li Tongya landed directly at its location. The demon assumed this Foundation Establishment cultivator possessed some powerful artifact, making it even more unwilling to fight. It hissed, "I am a demon general under Demon King San Jun! Please retreat quickly, lest you displease the Demon King!"

"What Demon King?" Li Tongya retorted, having already inquired with the fox earlier. "If you had such backing, why would you dare remain in Xu State?" The demon faltered, realizing it couldn't intimidate Li Tongya, and pleaded mournfully:

"You are a cultivator of the Purple Mansion Golden Core Dao, not some beast tamer or demon subduer. Frankly, you even have connections with us demons. Why must you press so hard..." Seeing Li Tongya remain unmoved, the demon's voice grew progressively shriller as it cried out:

"I don't eat cultivators, nor do I cause trouble. I merely cultivate alone in this Yan Mountain. When hungry, I consume a few mortals—this is only natural, esteemed immortal! Your cultivation and my demonic power and intellect were all hard-won. Why must we fight to the death..."

This wolf demon had cultivated in Yan Mountain for many years. Xu State, being a convergence point for various magical traditions with distinct northern and southern practices, had allowed it to learn much. After pleading for a while, it added: "This humble demon fled from the north and was fortunate enough to witness a Mahakala dharma image. It sought a karmic opportunity for me. After cultivating for a hundred years in Yan Mountain, a man is destined to come and deliver me, after which I will have a great opportunity! The time is drawing near; I only ask that the esteemed immortal spare my life..."

Regardless of the demon's pleas, Li Tongya silently accumulated sword qi. The wolf demon paused, then finally gave up its illusions, darting out of the cave like the wind.

A grey wolf, the size of a small house, revealed itself. Its eyes glowed an eerie green, like electricity or fire. Its demonic aura was potent, its fur thick and matted, yet it seemed to expand. It spun around on the ground, intending to flee.

Li Tongya had been waiting. He drew his sword, unleashing a bright white streak of sword light that locked onto the wolf demon and arrived with overwhelming force. The wolf demon had no choice but to turn and face him, astonished and enraged, howling: "Cultivator, you will destroy my path!"

"More than just your path," Li Tongya replied. Behind him, two coiling deep blue flood dragons appeared. Unlike the dark green of the Moon-Gazing Lake's water veins, Yan Mountain's water veins were colder, thus manifesting in a deep blue hue. The two flood dragons bared their fangs and claws as Li Tongya declared: "And your life!"

The wolf demon glared at Li Tongya hatefully, gritting its teeth. "So, it's the Jing Dragon King." With a soft exhale, it spat out a stream of green light. The light undulated and drifted, instantly splitting into nine strands that swarmed forward, tearing Li Tongya's sword qi to shreds.

The wolf demon's Dao foundation was that of an Earth Shaman, familiar with many secret arts. It had cultivated a wisp of green light within its chest and abdomen, making it exceptionally powerful. Li Tongya's sword qi was instantly shredded. He had no choice but to urge his two flood dragons forward, while his longsword continued its relentless assault on the wolf demon.

Although the wolf demon was stronger, it had no intention of fighting Li Tongya. It thought to itself: "This person doesn't seem to be some great Sword Immortal; just an ordinary cultivator. But these cultivators always stick together. Kill the young, and the old will come. I shouldn't entangle myself with this fellow. I just need to find an opportunity to escape. I'm just a minor forest demon; I can't afford to provoke these immortal sect disciples!"

So, it let out a long howl. In the forest below, four streams of black wind appeared—these were the demon's Qi Condensation subordinates. They rushed up the mountain, but unexpectedly, several streaks of light also appeared around them, revealing that the Li family members had surrounded them.

"As expected, they came prepared!" The demon grew even more horrified and focused solely on escape. However, it was blocked by Li Tongya's continuous sword qi and could not leave. It realized that while the person in front of it wasn't a huge threat, they were exceedingly tenacious and certainly couldn't be defeated quickly.

"Please, esteemed immortal, spare my life!" Though the demon was massive and its green light was pressuring Li Tongya, it was quite anxious, showing no hint of joy. It kept begging for mercy, constantly watching Li Tongya, afraid he might produce some talisman or artifact and finish it off in one go.

Li Tongya remained impassive, his sword qi flowing ceaselessly. He thought to himself: "This demon is difficult to deal with. I could find an opportunity to draw the Azure Ruler Sword, or use the Dharma Mirror... but I'm afraid the Dharma Mirror's power is too great. If it turns this wolf demon into a pulp in one go, wouldn't this trip have been pointless?"

Li Tongya's spiritual sense connected with the Dharma Mirror. He could faintly sense the power of the Taiyin Profound Light within it. If he were to be directly struck by a single ray of Profound Light from the Mirror, he would likely not survive. Even though the wolf demon was slightly stronger, it might not survive either.

"Awoo!" The wolf demon was decisive. Seeing the situation turn unfavorable, and unsure if there were other Foundation Establishment cultivators among the lights below the mountain, it let out a long howl. From its throat, it again spat out green light, faintly tinged with blood, its power now even greater. Li Tongya's two flood dragons were dispersed, and two streaks of green light, one after the other, shot towards Li Tongya's face.

"Good!" Li Tongya praised. He drifted backward, surprisingly sheathing his current sword. With his left hand, he grasped the heavily wrapped longsword behind his back and drew out an inch of its greenish-white blade.

"Buzz..." Below the mountain, Li Xuanling and the others heard a buzzing sound in their ears. The swords in their hands trembled uncontrollably. Fragments of rusty swords scattered among the bones throughout the mountains pulsed incessantly. The wolf demon was terrified out of its wits. Its demonic power surged, and it unhesitatingly erected a magic shield, shrinking its head and daring not to make a sound.

"This cultivator really does have some powerful artifact!"

As Li Tongya merely drew the Azure Ruler Sword, the two whistling green rays from the wolf demon were momentarily halted. The Moon阙 sword arc glowed brightly, and with a clang, it forcefully struck the two green rays, sending them askew and down to the ground, where they dissipated into points of green light.

"Awoo..." The wolf demon's green light was a spell it had nourished daily, not cheap like the two flood dragons summoned by Li Tongya's Vast Sea. When its spell was broken, it immediately vomited blood, staining the ground crimson. Its demonic aura fluctuated erratically, indicating severe injury to its vital essence.

Li Tongya created a sword flourish, giving the wolf demon no chance to recover. The light on his sword shimmered, splitting into three white rays. "Three Points of Moonlight Flow!"

The Azure Ruler Sword still contained a wisp of sword intent cultivated by Li Chijing years ago. Li Tongya, of course, wouldn't use a sledgehammer to crack a nut; he merely used the Azure Ruler Sword to execute his sword techniques. The Moon阙 sword intent was but a fleeting glimpse, yet its imposing aura made the demon feel as if it faced a formidable foe.

The three streaks of light whistled forward, swirling and leaping around the wolf demon. Li Tongya's sword qi followed, relentlessly pushing the wolf demon back. Its fur bristled from the sword qi, and it cried out repeatedly for mercy.

The role of Foundation Establishment-level magic artifacts in combat is immeasurable, let alone an immortal sword that subtly possessed sentience. The wolf demon repeatedly cast several spells, attempting to rise using its demonic qi, but was struck down by the Azure Ruler Sword with each attempt. It gradually fell into despair.

Li Tongya, already possessing abundant magic power, used the Azure Ruler Sword to break the wolf demon's spells and suppress it. He saw the wolf demon muttering with a dangerous growl, bitterly saying: "Fellow Daoist, why press so hard? Today you sever my path and take my life. This humble demon truly cannot understand why I suffer this killing calamity!"

Li Tongya simply waved his hand, and the Azure Ruler Sword pressed down. The wolf demon was already exhausted, its magic power depleted. How could it resist? It could only let the azure blade hang, suspended above its brow. Li Tongya chuckled: "You want to eat people, so I want to eat you. It's as simple as that."

With that, he struck down with a palm, sealing the wolf demon's Dao foundation. He then sealed its Qi Sea acupoint and Sun Ascendant Palace, yet still felt uneasy. He took out several talismans, one by one imbuing them with power. Only then did he lift the demon's enormous body and head down the mountain.

Emerging from the mountain mist, the brilliant sunlight shone down, making the scenery vibrant. Li Tongya returned to the foot of the mountain, where several lesser demons were already securely bound: two early-stage Qi Condensation wolf demons, one mid-stage Qi Condensation old wolf, and one peak Qi Condensation bear demon.

The Li family members were in good condition. Li Xuanfeng had entangled the bear demon, and after the others dealt with the three smaller demons, they collectively captured the bear demon. Everyone was accustomed to demon-slaying in the Li family. Apart from Sha Moli, who was too impatient and took a solid slap, appearing a bit dispirited, no one else suffered any losses.

When the group saw Li Tongya descending with the wolf demon, their worried hearts relaxed. Li Xuanling praised, saying: "Brother Feng was still thinking of going up the mountain to find Father, but we stopped him."

Li Tongya nodded. With so many non-Li family cultivators present, he didn't wish to say much, simply stating, "Let's return to the clan first."

Once the group returned home, Li Xuanxuan had already arranged the sacrificial matters. The few non-Li family cultivators were given spirit stones and sent away. Sha Moli returned to Dongshanyue. Li Feiruo was pregnant, so An Zheyuan also ceased cultivation and stayed by her side at the foot of the mountain.

The Li family had not performed a sacrifice for several years, so this year's ceremony was exceptionally grand. The altars were divided into two: one at the foot of the mountain, where only a Qi Condensation demon was brought, and one on the mountain, where the wolf demon and the other captured demons were located.

After all, with so many people around, a sacrifice could be understood as a local custom. Bringing a Qi Condensation demon to be slain could also be interpreted as a means to deter and appease the populace. However, having a Foundation Establishment ancestor painstakingly capture a Foundation Establishment demon general alive and then slaughter it on an altar would inevitably arouse suspicion.

The foot of the mountain was bustling with activity, while the mountain top was much quieter. Only the direct descendants of the Li family were present. The round altar was polished to a mirror-like sheen, its perimeter intricately carved with delicate patterns. The wolf demon, with its six senses sealed and cultivation suppressed, was unable to move, kneeling on the platform like a puppet.

Those present were all family, so there was no need to use puppets or clay figures as a disguise. At the top of the altar was the gleaming greenish-grey Dharma Mirror, its moonlight shimmering and quite dazzling.

"Hereby, the Li Clan of Lijing, devoutly presents pure libations, choice foods, and cold-food animal offerings. May the incense burn ceaselessly year after year... Eliminating harm, distributing land, honoring the Three Primordials and Six Festivals without disrespect. May sacrifices be offered and rituals unbroken... With smoke and fire, with blood and tribute, we serve the gods to bring blessings."

Despite the wolf demon's myriad unwillingnesses and resentments, it swiftly died under the jade blade. Rising blood qi mingled with light-colored incense smoke, flowing out and settling onto the mirror's surface.

Lu Jiangxian gently swept his sleeve. The incense and vital essence before him gathered, condensing into clusters of multicolored light. He picked up a wisp of colored light and murmured, "This... this is the first time it's been so abundant."

Like pulling cotton, Lu Jiangxian lifted a wisp of colored light, kneaded it, and condensed it into a blank Foundation Establishment White Edict. "Li Yuanjiao... or Li Qinghong." Foundation Establishment demons were rare, and those easily captured without powerful backing were even rarer. This White Edict would determine the clan's fortunes for a long time to come...

"Li Yuanjiao... by rights, he will succeed Li Tongya, suppressing those outside the clan. His cultivation talent is also decent, only slightly inferior to Li Qinghong..."

"As for Li Qinghong, she has a heart for the Dao, cultivates diligently, and her compatibility with the talisman seed is the highest since the Li family's inception... It truly puts one in a difficult position."

Lu Jiangxian plucked from the cloud of qi, drawing out a peak Qi Condensation Grey Edict. The remaining cloud qi condensed, and Lu Jiangxian mused: "Let's use the power of divination to calculate."

Lu Jiangxian was no longer his former self, having mastered many techniques in shamanic and talismanic arts. He had already used more than half of the divination power obtained from Liu Changdie. Now, he drew out another sliver, using the remaining cloud qi as a catalyst. He closed his eyes and divined for a moment, obtaining only one character: "Jiao."

Lu Jiangxian spread his hands and flicked a finger. The White Edict flew towards Li Yuanjiao's glabella. Lu Jiangxian's vision dimmed, and he saw a jade-colored brushstroke outline: "Qi Circulation and Spirit Devourer." "The Edict recipient swiftly absorbs qi, gathers cloud qi, dispels spirit mist, and ascends between heaven and earth, riding clouds and mist, free and unfettered."

The second was a light-colored brushstroke, appearing chillingly cold: "Snow Bone Ice Muscle." This edict qi also enhanced qi absorption efficiency and allowed manipulation of wind, snow, ice, and frost, granting twice the effect with half the effort for cultivation of cold qi-related spells.

"The Li family doesn't really have many cold qi cultivation methods..." Lu Jiangxian glanced at it, then bestowed the Qi Circulation and Spirit Devourer Edict. He then picked up the Grey Edict and sent it towards the Sun Ascendant Palace of the elegantly standing Li Qinghong.

Lu Jiangxian paused, and only a dark red, exceptionally fierce-looking seal script appeared before his eyes: "Sky-Soaring Perilous Sparrow." "The Edict recipient exhibits agile qi circulation, skilled in maneuverability and sudden movements, becomes valiant upon seeing blood, and draws upon blood qi for enhancement... proficient in combat, skilled in controlling wind."

"That's quite good." Lu Jiangxian flicked his finger, sending the edict qi into Li Qinghong's Sun Ascendant Palace. However, a doubt arose in his mind, and he mused: "This edict qi is rather strange; it varies from person to person. This Sky-Soaring Perilous Sparrow Edict sounds similar to Li Tongya's Heavy Sea Long Whale Edict. Back then, Li Xiangping received an edict from only an early-stage Qi Condensation demon, yet gained the divine ability to avert death and prolong life. While the grade of the edict qi is certainly important, the recipient of the edict is also crucial..."