A journey through the world of martial arts

Chapter 164 The Power of Calamity Reappears
Tianhua Prefecture, the headquarters of the Supreme Dao

Ning Dao held letters from various places in his hand, his face solemn. The ten-year agreement had come to an end, and apart from some outer disciples, all the inner disciples had returned.

"I never imagined that the demon race's art of creating gods through incense offerings has spread so quickly, even leaving traces in Shangyuan Prefecture. In comparison, our sect's speed of spreading the teachings is much slower."

Putting down one letter, Ning Dao picked up another. After reading it, a smile appeared on his face. This letter said that the incense gods of Lianyun Prefecture had been wiped out one by one by the Zhenwu Temple, and later more than a dozen temples had been destroyed. This was indeed a happy thing.

"The demon race has always been arrogant and disdainful of others. This time, Lord Qingshan suffered a lot for nothing. Even if it wasn't his fault, it's hard to guarantee that Daoist Guxu won't hold it against him."

His mood instantly improved. Ning Dao picked up the last letter, read it, sighed deeply, put it away, and turned to go to the back hall.

"Lord Dao, Ning Dao requests an audience."

Ning Dao shouted at the stone palace gate in front of him. With a bang, the stone gate opened to both sides, and a powerful voice entered his ears.

"come in."

Upon hearing this, Ning Dao tidied his appearance and strolled into the stone hall. As soon as he stepped inside, the stone hall doors closed again, plunging the hall into darkness before suddenly illuminating it once more. The luminous pearls on both sides emitted a soft glow, illuminating a path.

Ning Dao walked forward cautiously. After a while, Ning Dao felt dizzy and disoriented. In a daze, his body straightened up and he found himself in a simple stone cave. Not far in front of him, an old man dressed in a black patterned robe was sitting on a stone bed.

"Greetings, Dao Master."

Sensing the unfathomable aura emanating from the Dao Lord, Ning Dao felt a chill run down his spine and bowed respectfully.

"I have been in seclusion for several years, detached from worldly affairs. You have come to see me today, is there something you are unsure about?"

"I can't hide it from you, Dao Lord. This is the latest news: the Dragon Clan has appeared." With that, Ning Dao presented the letter in his hand.

Upon hearing this, Qi Feng opened his closed eyes, glanced at the letter, and then the letter floated automatically in front of him. He slowly opened it, browsed through it, and after a moment of contemplation, Qi Feng said, "The Long Clan's emergence from the mountains came without warning. They may have other motives behind it. We don't need to worry about this for now. The most important thing now is to spread the Supreme Dao Method."

At this point, Qi Feng said calmly, "Wei Feng and the other two have already placed their pieces in Qi. What about Jin?"

Upon hearing this, Ning Dao immediately replied, "Reporting to the Dao Master, the Jin Kingdom is barbaric and uncivilized, and they do not value the supreme Dao. Instead, they are very interested in witchcraft and sorcery. Several years ago, I ordered someone to specifically transmit these unorthodox techniques, and now half of the people in the Jin Kingdom are practicing this Dao."

“Well done, but these unorthodox techniques are extremely vicious. Every time you transmit a technique, you must leave a backup plan to prevent irreparable consequences in the future. After all, what we want is to pass on the teachings, not to cause widespread suffering.”

Qi Feng used to disregard ordinary mortals, but after determining the path of transmitting the Dharma, he had a premonition that if the Dharma he transmitted caused too much killing, the calamity would fall on him.

If the tribulation force becomes too heavy, it will inevitably backfire on him. At that time, not only will he be unable to break through his cultivation realm, but he will also be unable to protect himself. This is not what he wants to see.

"Rest assured, Daoist Master, your disciple has already made arrangements. Those witchcraft techniques are all incomplete and have potential consequences. Moreover, once they begin to practice them, they cannot be interrupted. In the future, in order to obtain an inexhaustible source of power, the people of Jin will take the initiative to demand it without us having to say anything."

"Hmm, by the way, has there been any unusual activity regarding the incense offerings and deification efforts of the demon race? During my seclusion, I had a sudden inspiration and noticed a rather interesting deity appearing in the southeast."

"That was examined by the disciple of the first incense god of the demon race using a magic artifact. Its true form was a golden-eyed red-striped python. After absorbing incense for several years, it has already transformed into a three-clawed dragon. If it continues for several hundred years, it may be able to transform into a dragon and become an asset to the demon race."

Ning Dao felt a pang of regret. He should have eliminated the Golden-Eyed Crimson-Striped Python at all costs back then. Now that it had grown powerful, it was extremely difficult to get rid of it. Unless he took action himself, he would only return empty-handed.

Upon hearing this, Qi Feng's eyes flashed with a sharp light. He silently calculated for a moment, then his expression changed. He immediately summoned the Blood Skull, and a thick blood light wove into a light screen. An indescribable power descended, and the light screen rippled like water, twisting for a few breaths before automatically dissipating.

Ning Dao was immediately shocked upon seeing this. He had felt an overwhelming sense of power descending upon him. Looking up at the Dao Lord with a solemn expression, Ning Dao asked softly, "Dao Lord, what is this...?"

Qi Feng shook his head slightly at him, reached out and took it, and the "Myriad Spirits Blood Map" suddenly unfolded, isolating this place from the outside in.

"It is an inevitable trend for the demon race to use incense to create gods and accumulate power, but he is not the only one who is scheming. For example, there is that person in Lianyun Prefecture."

At this point, Ning Dao immediately understood that the person from the True Martial Hall was among them. It seemed that the demon race would ultimately end up with nothing, having done all the work for someone else.

"We need to be extra careful with the states of Qi and Jin, as for other places..."

Qi Feng pondered for a moment and said, "If the demon race is pressing too hard, there's no need to waste energy resisting. Preserving ourselves is the best course of action."

The demon race was never favored by Gu Xu. In addition, after the previous bloody disaster, the demon race not only did not help, but also secretly planted many hidden weapons. Gu Xu kept them alive without taking action because the time was not yet ripe. Once he seized the opportunity, the demon race's plan to worship the gods would inevitably suffer a heavy blow.

"Yes, disciple obeys." Upon hearing this, Ning Dao thought for a moment and immediately understood the Dao Master's meaning. This was to push the demon race forward and make them a living target. With the demon race blocking the way, his side would have less pressure.

"Go."

Ning Dao bowed again, then turned and left the stone cave, returning to the main hall. He summoned a Taoist priest and ordered him to call Wei Feng and the others over.

After a short while, Wei Feng and the other four arrived together. After bowing, Ning Dao said to them, "The Dao Lord has ordered that the Jin and Qi kingdoms are of paramount importance and must not be compromised. Wei Feng, you are in charge of handling matters in the Qi kingdom. He Fang, you must keep a close eye on matters in the Jin kingdom."

"Report immediately if you discover any unusual activity."

Wei Feng and He Fang acknowledged the order. Ning Dao then gave them some more instructions before they left the main hall and returned to their residence.

Just as Wei Feng returned to his residence, he received a message from the State of Qi.

Looking at the message coming from the jade talisman, Wei Feng remained calm. The fact that Qi State was creating incense-infused battle armor was something he had long expected.

"I never expected that the King of Qi would listen to the Chen family's advice. It seems that Chen Ge's persuasion played a significant role in this."

This incense-infused armor is forged from refined iron using the power of incense offerings. Only one can be obtained after a hundred days of incense sacrifices, consuming a considerable amount of precious materials. However, its defensive capabilities are astonishing. Even if Wei Feng himself were to attack, it would take him only a short time to completely break through this armor with his sword alone, without any other means. With this armor, the Qi Kingdom's army's combat power skyrocketed, easily winning several battles against the Jin Kingdom, displaying an aura of ambition to conquer the world.

"However, although this armor is incredibly defensive, it is not without its weaknesses. It all depends on whether the Jin Kingdom can develop a voodoo elixir."

"Once the armored warriors can no longer achieve their goals, that will be the time for me to send out my Taoist magic. At that point, the initiative will no longer be in the hands of the king."

Thinking of this, Wei Feng sneered. The king was a great hero, but he was still a commoner. How could he see through his purpose? What he wanted was not only the path of spreading the law, but also the fate of the Qi Kingdom.

Meanwhile, He Fang also received a message from the State of Jin. After reading it, He Fang was greatly encouraged, as there had finally been progress.

The Jin state had been defeated by the Qi state three times in a row, and the court and the people had long been fed up with it. However, they were helpless against the Qi armor. Seeing this, a rumor spread in the capital of Jin state with the help of some people.

The armor was forged using the power of incense, making it the purest of things. However, the purer something is, the less it can withstand the contamination of external forces. And coincidentally, there is a poison that has a restraining effect on the power of incense.

At first, some people didn't believe it, but after it was confirmed, a captured suit of armor was turned into scrap metal in full view of everyone by a bottle of black liquid, which shocked everyone present, and even the King of Jin was alarmed.

"With this witchcraft, the Incense Armor is now useless. We'll see how the Qi Kingdom handles it."

Several months have passed in the blink of an eye. Recently, several major events have occurred in Tianhua Prefecture. The first is that the Qi and Jin states have launched three consecutive wars, with the Qi state suffering a major defeat each time. The second is that strange phenomena have suddenly appeared in all four directions of Tianhua Prefecture, including floods, fires, and plagues, causing panic among the people.
The third thing is that the reputation of Yujian Villa has spread far and wide, which greatly encouraged the Qi Kingdom, which had suffered a setback. They sent people to win it over, but the Jin Kingdom wanted to destroy Yujian Villa and specially sent a team of elites to infiltrate Shenglong Town.

Shockingly, this elite force was wiped out as soon as they infiltrated Shenglong Town; not a single one escaped, and they didn't even know who had done it.

After the news spread to the Imperial Sword Manor, the Jin Kingdom realized there was a problem and was immediately enraged. They began to recruit desperate criminals to teach the Imperial Sword Manor a lesson.

The consequences were predictable: not only did those desperate criminals die without a complete corpse, but even the head of the King of Jin was hung on the city gate.

Rising Dragon Town, Imperial Sword Manor
Yin Zhong glanced at Meng Fan, who was sitting uneasily beside him, sighed inwardly, and then asked, "Brother Meng, is there some problem with your visit?"

Upon hearing this, Meng Fan said solemnly, "Master Yin, I have come here on the orders of my superiors. I hope that you can send a few Iron Guards to the capital of Qi to train the soldiers. What do you think, Master Yin?"

After saying this, Meng Fan felt very uneasy. After all, this matter was somewhat difficult to ask of others. It was said to be training soldiers, but the meaning behind it was very different. Once Yin Zhong had a deeper entanglement with the higher-ups, it would be very difficult to get rid of it later.

Upon hearing this, Yin Zhong didn't say much, but simply sipped his tea. After a moment, meeting Meng Fan's expectant gaze, Yin Zhong said in a deep voice, "Brother Meng, the Iron Guards are the personal guards of my Imperial Sword Manor. All their combat techniques are classified information."
"Considering our friendship, it's already an exception that we've allowed officials to come and train together. To send them to the capital to instruct soldiers would be pushing their luck. Brother Meng should understand the implications."

Upon hearing this, Meng Fan's heart sank. Although he had expected it, he still felt slightly uncomfortable listening to Yin Zhong's ruthless words. However, he quickly calmed down. Wasn't he the one who had gotten to where he was today by relying on Yin Zhong's power? What right did he have to ask Yin Zhong to do things his way?

He understood the principle of "Do not do to others what you would not have them do to you." Thinking of this, Meng Fan felt relieved and nodded to Yin Zhong, saying, "I understand what Master Yin means. Leave this matter to me. Before the outcome is in, I hope Master Yin will keep a low profile and not attract too much attention from above."

Hearing Meng Fan's intentions, Yin Zhong smiled and said, "Brother Meng, I appreciate your kindness. However, I need to go into seclusion to cultivate for a while and I'm afraid I won't be able to get involved in outside affairs. As long as things are peaceful within a hundred miles of Shenglong Town, I will naturally not take action."

Having received Yin Zhong's assurance, Meng Fan understood the situation. After exchanging a few more words, he took his leave. Just after Meng Fan left, the steward whispered, "Master, the higher-ups are eyeing our power and want to take it over."

“If the king is a wise man, he should know my attitude.”

A hundred miles southeast of Yujian Manor, in a newly built manor, Long Hai was reporting recent events to Long Yu.

Half an hour later, Long Yu stood up and said to Long Hai, "Elder, we don't need to get involved in the affairs of Qi and Jin. What's important is the progress of the clan's disciples in martial arts. With the pills that Master Gu Xu sent earlier, I believe it won't be long before several outstanding talents emerge."

Upon hearing this, Elder Longhai immediately replied, "Patriarch, rest assured, I have been working diligently on this matter. Several disciples have already reached the threshold of their cultivation, and in a few more months, they should be able to break through."

“Very good. With more strength, we will have more security in the future. As for the matter of the incense gods and the Supreme Path, we must also pay attention to it. The Supreme Path is fine, but the incense gods of the demon race are worth being wary of.”

The Long clan had dealt with the Supreme Dao and the Demon Clan for many years and had a pretty good grasp of both sides' backgrounds. However, the sudden appearance of the incense-offering deity was completely undocumented before, which required them to continuously gather information.

“Anle City is the origin of incense and deities. In addition, there are demons involved in Yongding and Jiyuan. We may be able to find out from these three places.”

Long Hai was feeling rather heavy-hearted. The Long family had just begun to show signs of improvement, and the outside world had already descended into chaos. He couldn't help but envy the Tong family, who lived in seclusion and avoided the world.

"Well, let the other elders handle the investigation. The Grand Elder should focus on the elite disciples first."

"Yes."

Time flies, and decades have passed.

Lianyungang Prefecture, a desolate outer wilderness
Gu Xu looked coldly at the yellow sand and evil wind blowing in front of him, where black figures swayed back and forth.

The Demon Buddha lineage secluded themselves in the mountains, and these demons, now free from restraint, dared to act recklessly, heading towards Lianyun Prefecture.

Gu Xu reached out and grabbed it, instantly immobilizing the strange yellow sand and wind. As it remained still, the demons inside escaped, roaring and baring their fangs and claws, as streaks of black malevolent energy and yin lightning struck towards Gu Xu.

As the dark lightning struck, Gu Xu remained motionless. A burst of brilliant sunlight suddenly appeared around him. Under the intense power of the celestial sun, the incoming attacks seemed to melt like wax. Moreover, the demons seemed to have encountered their nemesis, fleeing in all directions. Those who could not dodge in time instantly vaporized and dissipated without a trace.

Seeing Gu Xu's powerful abilities, the remaining demons quickly gathered together, and a few breaths later, a three-headed, eighteen-armed, three-zhang-tall demon statue appeared in front of Gu Xu.

Moreover, Gu Xu noticed that the previously thin tribulation power in the air reappeared, forming a stream of black smoke that entered the demonic statue's body. The previously ethereal demonic statue instantly became solid, and its aura surged.

The golem's crimson eyes were fixed on Gu Xu, who stood steadily in mid-air. As his sleeves fluttered, the power of Haoyang gradually spread from his body, surging towards the golem like a wave as he was driven by his will.

As the light approached, the golem reached behind it and pulled out a nine-section bone whip. With a flick of its wrist, the whip tore the light in two.

(End of this chapter)