A journey through the world of martial arts

Chapter 125 The Supreme Covenant
When Heiquan died, the other snake demons were shocked and tried to escape, but they were surrounded and killed by the disciples of the Supreme Dao. In just a short while, all the snake demons were killed.

"Junior brother, quickly collect the soul of the Black Spring," Wei Feng said to Meng Yu.

Upon hearing this, Meng Yu immediately activated the white jade fan. The four beast phantoms simultaneously pulled at the corpse of Hei Quan, and soon a black snake phantom was pulled out. The black snake kept hissing and roaring, coiling and guarding, but under the power of the four beasts, it turned into a black light in just a few breaths and was wrapped up by the four beasts and entered into the fan.

"Thank you for your help, Senior Brother. With the snake scales, my White Jade Fan is now even more powerful."

"There's no need for such formalities between us brothers. This Black Spring is just an appetizer. When you finally sweep through Tianhua Prefecture, there will be plenty of other demon spirits waiting for you."

"Senior brother is right, I will definitely support you with all my might."

Wei Feng smiled and nodded upon hearing this. At this moment, Wang Xiao walked over with a jade memorial tablet in his hand.

“Senior brother, this is the ancestral tablet,” Wang Xiao handed it to Wei Feng.

"This memorial tablet was shining brightly just a moment ago, how did it become so dull and gray in such a short time? If we hadn't been watching it, I would have suspected it had been switched."

Meng Yu looked at the ancestral tablet with a puzzled expression. The thing was dull and gray, nothing like the dazzling divine light it had shown earlier. If it were lying on the ground, she wouldn't even glance at it.

"Divine objects are best left unseen; I don't know how to use this thing either. Let's present it to the chief official and exchange it for something we can use now."

Meng Yu and Wang Xiao both nodded in agreement. This thing was very important to the demon race, and they couldn't keep it themselves. It was better to exchange it for something usable. As for studying this thing, that was something for the higher-ups to do.

Let's go, to the next place.

After cleaning up the battlefield, Wei Feng led everyone away from the valley.

While Wei Feng and his group were clearing out the demons of the Black Spring, the Imperial Sword Manor dispatched its Iron Guard to cooperate with Meng Fan in searching house to house. Anyone found to be privately possessing a demon clan tablet had their tablet burned and the person detained.

A massive cleanup operation swept through the entire town of Shenglong, and its scope continued to expand, covering a radius of 300 li.

"The manor is short-handed, and three hundred li is already the maximum area under our control. Beyond that, I, Yin, am powerless to intervene."

"Three hundred li is enough; as for the rest, we can only leave it to fate."

"With peace in Shenglong Town, Yujian Manor can also develop in peace, and in the future, it may not be impossible to expand to areas 300 miles away."

Yin Zhong had great ambitions, not only to enhance the prestige of the manor, but also for the sake of his descendants. With a substantial family fortune, even if a spendthrift son emerged in the future, he could still cause trouble for a while.

At the crater, Gu Xu was refining a True Fire Pearl with Fire Crystal Stones, and it was nearing completion.

"Refining it in a place with abundant fire resources indeed saves a lot of time, and the quality is not much improved, enough to last for hundreds of years."

Gu Xu drew wisps of fiery yang energy from the volcano's depths and poured them into the three red beads suspended in mid-air. As time passed, once the last wisp of fiery yang energy entered, the red beads spun continuously, emitting a bright red light, making the interior of the volcano appear as if it were draped in a crimson river.

Gu Xu reached out and recalled the three fire pearls. He stood up and looked at the churning lava below. He had drawn upon the power of the volcano and just in time to resolve an impending volcanic eruption. It was all in the hands of fate.

Without lingering, Gu Xu flashed his escape light and reappeared above the Muddy Swamp. Looking down at the undulating miasma that covered dozens of miles, Gu Xu tossed three red beads into the air.

Under Gu Xu's control, the True Fire Pearls floated in the air, arranged according to the Three Powers. As Gu Xu imprinted each hand seal, the True Fire Pearls emitted a dazzling crimson light. The three red pearls shone brightly, like the blazing sun, echoing the scorching sun in the sky.

Seeing this, Gu Xu changed his hand seals and quickly drew a Yang-gathering rune. With a flash of light, the power of the Heavenly Yang flowed continuously into the Three Talents Array.

With this assistance, the True Fire Pearl spread its radiance, and the Three Talents Array was activated, completely enveloping the miasma that stretched for dozens of miles. Under the scorching power of the sun, the miasma melted away like ice and snow, and the rising poisonous mist turned to ashes.

It was noon, the time when the sun was at its strongest, and the miasma was quickly torn open, shining directly into the Nili Marsh.

The hissing sound was incessant as countless poisonous wisps of mist tried to escape, but as soon as they reached the edge of the formation and touched the sun, they instantly turned to ash.

"With this Yang-Gathering Talisman and this True Fire Pearl, no matter what the weather is like in the future, there will always be the power of the Heavenly Yang, which will be enough to purify this place in a few hundred years."

Gu Xu cast several invisibility talismans into the formation, and the floating treasures immediately became hidden.

"Next, I will personally meet that supreme Dao Lord, as well as the leaders of the demon and monster factions."

Thinking of this, Gu Xu used his escape light to travel to a valley in Tianhua Prefecture. The valley was not particularly remarkable, but the scenery was beautiful and the land was pure. The Supreme Dao's residence was located at the bottom of the valley.

Ning Dao was meditating and practicing his inner energy in the hall when suddenly his mind stirred, and he stood up and went into the inner hall.

"Master, you summoned your disciple here. What are your orders?"

This was the first time Qi Feng had called out to him on his own initiative, and Ning Dao was somewhat puzzled.

"Our distinguished guest has come from afar; please greet him in my stead and invite him in."

"Yes, Your disciple obeys."

Despite his many doubts, Ning Dao dared not ask any more questions. After leaving the cave, he drifted out and sat down to wait in a tower on the ground.

Just moments later, Ning Dao felt an astonishing aura emanating from outside the valley's protective array, causing the array to flash with light.

"This humble Taoist priest, Gu Xu, requests an audience with the Supreme Dao Master. Please grant me this audience."

A deep, resonant voice reached Ning Dao's ears, startling him and causing him to look horrified.

"Is this the distinguished guest the Dao Lord was referring to?" Ning Dao hurriedly stood up, took out his token, and shone it. The magic array immediately revealed a white jade path that stretched all the way to Gu Xu's front.

Ning Dao dared not be negligent and personally went out to greet him. Looking at Gu Xu's immortal and refined appearance, Ning Dao bowed deeply.

"Supreme Dao Master Si Ningdao greets Daoist Gu Xu. The Dao Master has ordered that Daoist Gu Xu be invited inside for a discussion."

Gu Xu nodded upon hearing this, and Ning Dao led the way. Soon, the two arrived at the underground cave through the formation, and then came to the outside of a magnificent hall.

At that moment, the guards outside the hall saw Ning Dao appear and respectfully said, "The Ancestral Master has instructed that the Chief Inspector and the Daoist Master be invited inside."

Ning Dao nodded upon hearing this and led Gu Xu into the main hall. Qi Feng was already waiting inside. Upon seeing Gu Xu arrive, he solemnly bowed.

"Fellow Daoist, we've finally met."

Gu Xu returned the greeting and said, "I apologize for disturbing you, fellow Daoist."

"Fellow Daoist, you're too kind. Please."

Qi Feng gestured for Gu Xu to sit down, while Ning Dao sat beside him. Soon after, a young Taoist boy brought them some tea.

After enjoying the tea, Qi Feng looked at Gu Xu and said solemnly, "Fellow Daoist, what brings you here today?"

"I have come to discuss something with you, fellow Daoist."

"Oh, what is it?"

"Fellow Daoist is also aware of the great calamity that will occur in five hundred years. This calamity is unavoidable, and I am powerless to stop it. However, before that happens, I wish to weaken the power of the calamity, and I need your help in this matter."

"What advice do you have, fellow Daoist?" Qi Feng asked earnestly, his eyes flashing slightly.

"For ten years, your sect may freely display its skills, without being confined to the Tianhua Prefecture. However, after ten years, all disciples in public will be prohibited from appearing and from directly attacking ordinary people. During this period, I will not interfere. What do you think, my friend?"

Gu Xu stated his conditions in order to stabilize the Supreme Dao. Although he could destroy the Supreme Dao Lord, there were still many disciples left. Did he have to kill them one by one? This was not in line with Gu Xu's Daoist beliefs.

"Fellow Daoist's sincerity is evident, and I cannot refuse. However, Fellow Daoist, please do not forget about the demon and monster realms..."

"The paths of demons and monsters are destined to be short-lived. I intend to eliminate one side before the great calamity arrives. What do you think, my friend?"

"Fellow Daoist's invitation is so kind; how could I refuse? But which one do you choose?"

"The practices of demonic cultivators are cruel and ruthless. I intend to take this family. As for the demon race, I can spare them for a while."

"I have a past relationship with the demon clan's Lord Qingshan. If I go there personally, I might be able to persuade him to accept this agreement, which would bring some peace for a while."

Upon hearing this, Qi Feng felt relieved. If it were a true fight to the death, although he could suppress Qingshan Jun, he would definitely be severely injured, and his Dao foundation would be destroyed, making it almost impossible for him to advance to the next realm. This was something he could not accept.

“That’s very good. I will deal with the demonic cultivators, and you can leave the demon race to me, fellow Daoist. If Lord Qingshan is willing to make an agreement, that would be even better. If not, please don’t let personal feelings get in the way.”

"A word is settled"

Qi Feng and Gu Xu made a pact with each other across three palm strikes. After exchanging a few more words, Gu Xu took his leave, and Qi Feng personally escorted him out of the valley.

Back in the main hall, Ning Dao asked, "Master, this person's motives are definitely not simple. That promise is very likely just a delaying tactic."

"Of course I understand, but we are currently outmatched. We should be grateful that this person is speaking politely; otherwise, he alone could easily wipe this place out." "This person's aura is truly extraordinary. Dao Master, I am worried that after eliminating the demon and monster factions, what will happen to us..."

"That's possible, but ten years is enough time for us to manage. We must speed up the plan and produce a thousand Dao soldiers within ten years. Also, tell the disciples who have been sent out to accelerate the education of the people. These will be the loyal followers of our Supreme Dao in the future."

Qi Feng was thinking that if anything unexpected happened in the future, with these believers in hand, Gu Xu wouldn't dare to be too reckless. At that time, he could also use the support of the believers to advance to the higher realm.

"I might have to go out for an appointment in a while, so please take good care of the base."

"Disciple obeys."

Tianhua Prefecture, Liuluan Mountain

Tiger King traveled day and night and finally arrived at this place. After carefully sensing the aura, he flew towards a certain place and soon arrived at a cave with withered vines.

Tiger King's eyes widened, and he saw a bloody net spread out outside the cave. Tiger King was relieved to see this. Although the formation was simple, it was enough to prove that the people inside were safe.

With a gentle press of his palm, the blood net instantly contracted, coalescing into a ball that landed in Tiger Lord's hand.

Sweeping away the withered vines, I entered the cave and heard a faint breathing sound coming from inside. After walking a few steps, I saw a withered black bear carcass lying deep inside the cave, with a wolf-shaped blood shadow floating above it, resting with its eyes closed.

Hearing the noise, Lang Rong opened his eyes and saw that it was Hu Jun, and his face lit up with joy.

"Tiger, what brings you here?"

"The life tablet was damaged. It was Lord Qingshan who instructed me to come here. How did you get it like this?"

Seeing this, Tiger Lord flicked his finger, and a beam of green light shot into Lang Rong's blood shadow. Lang Rong opened his mouth and swallowed it, and the blood shadow immediately solidified a bit.

"This matter is too complicated to explain in a few words," Lang Rong said slowly to Hu Jun after swallowing the Yuan Dan.

Half an hour later, Lang Rong recounted the whole story.

"The appearance of a supreme being is to be expected, and the intervention of the Imperial Sword Manor is also reasonable. However, it is rather strange that Yin Zhong obtained the Blood Luo Heavenly Instrument. Could it be that the Demon Lord had long intended to seize Tianhua Prefecture, and he just happened to stumble upon it?"

"Tiger, what is Yin Zhong's background? I fought with him before, but my skills were subtly restrained by him." Lang Rong knew that Tiger Lord was Green Mountain Lord's most trusted confidant and knew many secrets.

"Now that things have come to this, I won't hide it from you anymore. This Yin Zhong was originally a member of the Tong clan, back then..."

"So that's how it is," Lang Rong finally understood after listening to Tiger King's explanation. But then he felt a surge of resentment. He had suffered a crushing defeat this time. Those wolf soldiers were his entire fortune. He had lost everything for the future of the demon race.

"You don't need to be angry. Before I left, Lord Qingshan instructed that you would be allowed to enter the Refining Spirit Pool to recuperate for three months after you return."

Upon hearing this, Lang Rong was extremely excited. The Refining God Pool was a sacred place for the demon race to undergo a complete transformation. Back then, Tiger Lord was able to become the leader of the four demons not only because of his own cultivation, but also because of this pool. Now that he could also enter, his future achievements might not be lower than Tiger Lord's.

"This place is not safe to stay any longer. I'll take you away first." With that, Tiger King stretched out his hand, and the blood net enveloped Lang Rong's blood shadow. Lang Rong nodded to him, and transformed into a streak of blood light, attaching itself to the net.

Tiger Lord retrieved the Blood Net, waved his hand to clean up the traces on the ground, and with a flash of light, left Six Peaks Mountain.

Pingqiuling

Led by Tie Zheng, the Iron Guard followed Meng Fan to a mountain village, one of the villages most severely affected by the bewitching smoke.

Previously, we didn't have time to clear out the local area of ​​Thang Long Town. Now that the crisis in the town has been resolved, it's time to clean up the remaining threats in the surrounding area.

"Team Leader Tie, this is Woshi Village, which Meng mentioned earlier. The village has a total of 179 residents, and they have all been brought under control."

Meng Fan led the way with the officials, while Tie Zheng scanned the surroundings and took out a crystal given to him by Yin Zhong, which was now emitting a red light.

"The demonic aura here is very strong, everyone be careful."

Tie Zheng gave the order, and the iron guards, weapons at their disposal, looked after each other and safely arrived at the village entrance. Upon reaching the entrance, Meng Fan pointed to the pine tree and said, "This is the sacred object that the villagers have been frequently worshipping lately."

Tie Zheng warned everyone to be careful, while he and Meng Fan approached the pine tree step by step. The pine tree had a canopy like a mushroom, with lush branches and leaves, and faintly emitted a layer of spiritual light. A strange aura was intoxicating.

In front of the tree trunk, there is an exquisitely designed shrine containing a golden statue, with offerings of fruit placed outside.

The more he looked, the stranger it seemed. Tie Zheng stared intently, then suddenly felt a sense of bewilderment. A talisman on his body inexplicably burst into flames, and a sudden white light struck the pine tree, causing its branches to sway. Tie Zheng snapped out of his daze and realized he had been tricked. Enraged, he swung his sword at the pine tree.

The sound of metal clashing was heard. Tie Zheng's wrist went numb from the impact, and he staggered back a few steps. Seeing this, Meng Fan slashed down with his sword. A red light flashed, and the pine tree shook, shaking down a green light that concealed himself and the temple shrine.

The blade struck the light barrier, instantly scattering in all directions and shattering several trees.

“There’s definitely something strange about this. Manager Meng, cover me. I want to test its abilities. The rest of you keep an eye on the surroundings,” Tie Zheng said to Meng Fan with a slightly cold look in his eyes.

Meng Fan nodded, drew his sword and stepped back, keeping his eyes fixed on the pine tree in case of any unforeseen circumstances. The guards scattered and surrounded the pine tree.

He stepped forward slowly, raised his longsword high, and roared. A white light struck the light barrier directly. The light barrier flickered, but it was not broken.

Upon seeing this, Tie Zheng's eyes narrowed. His full-force attack just now was enough to shatter rocks and break mountains, but this pine tree was able to withstand it, which showed it had some skill.

However, this attack was not without effect. Tie Zheng saw that the light covering the area had thinned a bit, and he swung his long sword repeatedly, with each sword beam hitting the same spot, causing the pine trees inside the light barrier to sway incessantly.

After a while, the light shield was riddled with holes. Tie Zheng took out a talisman, stuck it on the longsword, and with a soft shout, the longsword flew out, piercing through the light shield with a hiss and striking the trunk of the pine tree.

After a mournful cry, the pine tree seemed to understand, and cracking sounds continued as all its branches broke off and fell, turning withered and yellow. After a few breaths, only a root remained.

"Master Meng, the demon has been eliminated, it's time to eradicate it completely," Tie Zheng said, sheathing his longsword as he looked at the tree roots that were constantly oozing blood.

"ignition"

Meng Fan nodded to Tie Zheng and instructed the yamen officials to dig up the tree roots, pour kerosene on them, and light them. After that, black smoke swirled around, and the phantom of a pine tree appeared before turning into a wisp of black smoke and dissipating.

It took a full half hour to burn the tree roots completely, leaving not a single trace.

"Iron Team Leader, this temple shrine..."

"This item cannot be kept; it must be destroyed. However, I will take this memorial tablet back; perhaps the master has other uses for it."

Before he came, Yin Zhong had instructed him to try his best to retrieve the divine tablet. Tie Zheng did not ask why, but only obeyed the order.

Meng Fan didn't say anything upon hearing this. He decided to leave these matters to the professionals and focus on doing his job well.

"Since Master Yin can accept it, that's perfect. Iron Team Leader, please take it."

"Thank you," Tie Zheng said, calling over several guards who took out the ancestral tablet, affixed a talisman, then destroyed the temple shrine, leaving it in pieces, and finally burned it to the ground.

“There might be something else in this village,” Tie Zheng said, taking out the crystal. The crystal was shimmering with a faint light as he looked at the village.

“Let’s go into the village,” Meng Fan said in a deep voice.

As soon as the group entered the village, they saw animal bones scattered all over the ground, which crumbled into dust with a single step.

"Team leader, look ahead," a guard said, pointing ahead.

Tie Zheng and Meng Fan looked ahead and saw a fog, with a huge rock faintly visible, emitting a dim light, and a sweet smell wafting over.

"Hold your breath," Tie Zheng said, watching a guard walk forward blankly. He pointed a finger at the guard, subdued him, and then handed him over to the others.

But there were several people at the yamen, and Meng Fan couldn't stop them in time. They ran quickly into the mist, and then several skeletons were thrown out.

"Iron Captain, this aura seems to attract living beings to approach and then devour them. It is truly an evil creature and should be killed!" Meng Fan exclaimed in shock and anger.

“This thing looks like a stone spirit, no wonder it can’t move. That makes things easier,” Tie Zheng said with a cold laugh as he saw through the mist in his eyes and recognized the monster’s true form as a half-red, half-black rock.

"Master Meng, this stone has been imbued with a spirit; it feeds on the flesh and blood of living beings, and anything that gets close will be swallowed up by it."

"What should we do?"

"This thing cannot be moved; we can use fire and water to extinguish it. Before that, we must suppress it with a talisman."

"Let me do it."

Meng Fan thought that he couldn't rely on the Iron Guard forever, and he should also do his part.

(End of this chapter)