A journey through the world of martial arts

Chapter 190 The Mountain Village Bloodbath

Upon hearing Qinglong Xuanjiang's words, Tianyun Zhenren frowned. He knew a little about the imperial edict and had heard that it was an agreement between the court and Xuanxin Zhengzong, which allowed the court to send any strange occurrences to Xuanxin Zhengzong.

Hearing Qinglong say that this was a decree of the highest rank, the matter must be quite significant.

"Sect Leader Jin Guang, we have troubled you for a long time, and it is time for us to take our leave."

Master Tianyun stood up and bowed. After all, this was someone else's private matter. Since the other party had not asked for help, he didn't need to take the initiative to approach them. It was better to leave and avoid making the other party feel uncomfortable.

Upon hearing this, Jin Guang nodded and said with a slight apology, "It was Jin Guang's poor hospitality. Please forgive me. Qinglong, please see the other Daoists off on my behalf."

Upon seeing this, the others all stood up and bowed. After exchanging a few pleasantries, they left the Xuanxin Sect under the guidance of the Azure Dragon General. Jin Guang then flicked his sleeve, and the three White Tigers standing in the hall turned into countless specks of light and quickly disappeared.

"Fuyun, you will lead four people and use the Shifting Universe Formation to go to Anle Village, a thousand miles to the southeast. Once you arrive, do not act rashly. Follow the instructions of your Uncle Master Guxu. I will arrive shortly after."

Upon hearing this, Fu Yunzi and the other four all agreed and quickly left. Just after they left, Qinglong Xuanjiang also returned to the main hall.

"Sect Master, what exactly happened?"

Although Qinglong knew it was a very urgent edict, he did not know the specifics.

"All 430 people of Anle Village were devoured by the demon, and the Xuanxin branch altar guarding the town was destroyed. None of them escaped. Three days have passed since this happened. If it weren't for a peddler who went to Anle Village, probably no one would know about it now."

Jin Guang's face was frosty. He had just taken over as sect leader and this incident had already occurred. It was as if he had been slapped hard in the face.

Upon hearing this, Qinglong Xuanjiang was greatly alarmed. Since the great war between the righteous and the demonic two hundred years ago, such a bloody incident in a mountain village had become almost non-existent. Now that such a place had suddenly appeared, whether it was intentional or unintentional was no longer important. What was important was that Xuanxin Zhengzong had to take a tough stance.

This imperial edict was a warning to the people of the Xuanxin Sect. In the end, it was these worldly people who discovered that the supposedly most righteous sects were nothing but good-for-nothings.

"Azure Dragon, since you are still recovering from your serious injuries, you should stay in the sect to recuperate for the time being. I, the sect leader, will personally go and see what this demon is all about."

"As the head of a sect, how can the sect leader act rashly? Let Qinglong go. My crippled body should also make the greatest use of its value."

Knowing that his days were numbered, Qinglong thought of shining one last time before he died, but Jinguang disagreed.

"It should be settled by now, no need to say more. Rest assured, Senior Brother Gu Xu has already gone ahead, there will be no great danger on this trip."

Hearing Jin Guang say this, Qinglong breathed a sigh of relief. With Senior Brother Gu Xu around, he was safe. Looking at Gu Xu's clone gradually dissipating above him, Qinglong bowed respectfully.

"Then Sect Master, please be careful on your journey."

Jin Guang grunted in agreement, reached out and grabbed the black-sheathed longsword and the "Chaotic Void Stone Ball," then with a flash of golden markings between his brows, he instantly left the Xuanxin Hall.

The golden light activated the sect leader's seal, and using spatial teleportation techniques, it continuously leaped southeast.

Several miles away from the capital, Miao Yunque and his group were on their way back when Tianyun Zhenren suddenly stopped, and all the disciples behind him stopped as well.

"Master?"

Looking at his master, who was standing motionless with his eyes closed, Daoist Mingshi asked in a low voice.

"Ming Shi, you take your disciples back to the mountain first. I have other important matters to attend to."

Akashi dared not ask further and immediately agreed.

He only felt a flash of white light before his eyes, and then the Heavenly Cloud Master in front of him had disappeared without a trace.

"Let's go back to the mountain gate!"

Daoist Mingshi led the remaining disciples and set off again.

Three miles northeast of the capital, inside the Qiujue Pavilion, the Wanjianmen and Yunsongguan sects are resting.

"Sect Leader Fang, what do you think of Sect Master Jin Guang?"

Master Muyang lightly waved his whisk, a slight smile on his face, as he looked at Fang Kong.

Upon hearing this, Fang Kong stood up and said in a deep voice, "Sect Master Jin Guang is a natural-born sect master."

He wasn't flattering Jin Guang; he was speaking from the heart. He had met Yan Chixia before. Although Yan Chixia's cultivation was extraordinary, he always seemed somewhat listless, unlike Jin Guang, who was full of vigor and had a strong, sharp edge.

"What you and I see is exactly the same. The Golden Light Sect Master is indeed like that. With that person in charge, I believe that in less than twenty years, the Xuanxin Sect will be even stronger than it is now."

Master Muyang sighed inwardly. Although Yunsong Temple had a long history, it was far inferior to Xuanxin Orthodox Sect, and even to Miaoyunque. Among the current generation of disciples, there was only one person who could support the sect, and it was in danger of collapse at any moment.

“What you say is very true. I hope that the Xuanxin Sect will always maintain its number one position, not for any other reason than to protect the peace of the world. Over the past thousand years, the disciples of the Xuanxin Sect have fought against the demonic path, and countless people have died or been injured, but they have never stopped. I truly admire them.”

At this point, Fang Kong thought of another faction and couldn't help but sneer, "On the contrary, Miao Yun Que's actions are truly despicable."

Upon hearing this, Master Muyang remained silent. Compared to the actions of the Xuanxin Sect, Miaoyunque was indeed somewhat petty. Although their sects were slightly weaker, they had still devoted themselves to the righteous path of humanity.

On the other hand, Miaoyunque, whose strength is second only to Xuanxin Zhengzong, is conservative in its actions. It will not make a move unless it is very sure of success, thus losing many opportunities. The most serious one was the Battle of Lengquan River a hundred years ago.

It was because Tianyun Zhenren's junior brother Chengyun missed a good opportunity that the water demon escaped. Before leaving, it caused a flood, turning thousands of acres of fertile land into water, destroying countless houses, causing many deaths and injuries to people and livestock, and displacing more than 10,000 people. In the end, it was Xuanxin Zhengzong and several other sects who cleaned up the mess.

After returning to the mountain gate on a cloud, he was merely punished with a hundred years of seclusion, and that was the end of his story.

"Hey, it's a real person, look!"

Fang Kong was gazing into the distance when he suddenly noticed a bright white light streaking across the sky.

Upon hearing this, Master Muyang immediately looked in the direction Fang Kong was pointing and saw the trail of white light.

"This seems to be the light-transmitting technique of Miaoyunque. It seems that Tianyun's curiosity hasn't changed." Master Muyang withdrew his gaze and said calmly.

“This is a private matter of the Xuanxin Sect, and we shouldn’t interfere. Master, I’ve been thinking about something recently and would like to hear your thoughts.”

"Oh, Sect Leader Fang, please tell me about it."

In Anle Village, a thousand miles southeast of the capital, a flash of light appeared, and Gu Xu emerged from the village, standing atop a mountain and looking down.

"The air is thick with turbidity and the aura is intense and condensed. It is no ordinary little demon. It seems to be a big one."

Gu Xu frowned as he looked at the layer of black, turbid air above Anle Village. With a thought, a ball of light flew from his sleeve across the sky, illuminating Anle Village.

The clear light condensed into a pillar, piercing through the turbid air, and captured all the scenes of Anle Village into the treasure mirror.

A flash of light appeared in the treasure mirror, and scenes of horrific tragedy unfolded before Gu Xu's eyes.

In the dilapidated Anle Village, all 430 people were still alive, but they were all cold corpses with deep fear and despair on their faces. Following the light, Gu Xu quickly discovered that the backs of these corpses had been cut open, and all the flesh and blood had been sucked away, leaving only skins.

"Such cruel methods could only come from you, Golden Centipede Demon. You have a lot of nerve. It seems that the lesson from that sword strike back then was not enough."

Gu Xu retrieved the treasure mirror, his eyes flashing with sternness. He had witnessed this modus operandi before at the Golden Centipede Demon Path, and had even fought with him. After severely injuring him with a sword strike, the demon escaped using the Blood Transformation Escape Technique, disappearing for decades. He never expected the demon to reappear now.

"Heaven and Earth are boundless, the profound heart and the righteous law, condense!" Gu Xu formed a hand seal and chanted the incantation. A golden rune rose into the sky. With a flash of light, the turbid qi and demonic mist that shrouded Anle Village were instantly absorbed into the light like a stream. A moment later, the light subsided and turned into a golden talisman that landed in Gu Xu's hand.

"With these auras as a guide, we might be able to find the Golden Centipede Demon, but the most urgent task is to deal with those corpses."

Putting away the jade talisman, Gu Xu's figure vanished instantly. When he reappeared, he was already in Anle Village. With a flick of his sleeve, the leather bags were lifted up by a gentle breeze and quickly gathered together, soon piling up to the height of three people. A point of red light lit up at Gu Xu's fingertip, and then the spark fell onto the leather bags. As if adding fuel to a raging fire, the flames immediately rose several feet. As the flames rose, they produced thick, foul-smelling black smoke, from which seemed to be the incessant howling of vengeful spirits, and the wailing of ghosts could be heard.

Gu Xu stared indifferently at the scene before him. He saw a pitch-black ghost claw reach out from the black mist, but a bolt of lightning struck it and it vanished instantly. The other ghost claws that were eager to try immediately withdrew.

No matter how much the creatures inside begged for mercy, Gu Xu remained unmoved. These bodies had long been tainted by demonic energy. If someone with insufficient cultivation touched them, they would be attacked by the demonic energy and might even become a place for the Golden Centipede Demon to reside. In case of any unforeseen circumstances, all of these things had to be destroyed.

Just as Gu Xu was using the Samadhi True Fire to burn away the evil object, a flash of light appeared outside Anle Village, and Fu Yunzi and his five companions walked out from inside.

To get here quickly, we used a teleportation array, but the cost was considerable; it won't be usable again for at least three years.

"Brother, look."

Upon hearing this, Fu Yunzi followed the finger and saw a red light shining in a certain place in Anle Village. He immediately recognized it as a Xuanmen technique. Thinking of what the sect leader had mentioned about Uncle Gu Xu, Fu Yunzi felt reassured. He turned around and gave a few instructions, and the five of them immediately entered Anle Village.

Just as Fu Yunzi and his group of five landed, Gu Xu spotted them. He knew they needed to handle things here, so he decided to go find the Golden Centipede Demon.

After a short while, Fu Yunzi and the others looked at the tall figure in front of them and sensed the aura belonging to the Xuanxin Sect. They quickly took a few steps and bowed respectfully to Gu Xu.

"I've met my uncle."

Gu Xu nodded with his back to them, his eyes fixed on the front. Fu Yunzi and the other four exchanged glances and then waited quietly to the side.

A moment later, Fu Yunzi and the others saw the ball of fire slowly disappear, leaving behind a thick layer of ash.

"Use the Spirit Sealing Jade to store these things and bury them in a suitable place."

Gu Xu turned around and gave an order to Fu Yunzi, who immediately responded.

"Uncle-Master, what is that?" Fu Yunzi asked at the opportune moment. As the one who went ahead to investigate, it would be unreasonable for him to have no clue at all.

"This was made by a centipede demon. The ashes are all human skin, which has been tainted by demonic energy."

Upon hearing this, Fu Yunzi and the others were extremely shocked. The only centipede demon they could think of who could have committed such a heinous crime was the Golden Centipede Master, the ancestor of all centipedes, who had opposed the Xuanxin Sect several times.

“There may still be residual demonic energy in Anle Village. Before the sect leader arrives, do not rush to search. Use an array to seal this place to prevent those people from breaking in.”

"I will follow my master's instructions in everything."

Knowing that this was not the work of a minor demon, Fu Yunzi and the others did not dare to act rashly. They obediently followed Gu Xu's instructions and used array flags to seal off the area within a mile radius of Anle Village.

Gu Xu nodded as he watched the rising spiritual light of the array. The array was set up in a fairly standard manner and was acceptable. An hour later, a ray of spiritual light flashed outside the array. As the light faded, a golden light emerged from within. Looking at the array runes, the golden light's eyes flickered, and it stepped inside.

"metropolitan."

Fu Yunzi had already sensed the golden light passing through the formation and hurriedly brought the other four people over.

"No need for formalities. Has the matter been investigated thoroughly?"

With a sweep of his divine sense, Jin Guang discovered that apart from the people of the Xuanxin Sect, there was not a single living creature in Anle Village. A faint trace of demonic energy lingered in the air, which was extremely repulsive.

"Reporting to the Sect Master, the details are as follows."

After setting up the formation, Fu Yunzi and the others carefully explored the outer perimeter and discovered some clues.

"Sect Master, Senior Uncle Gu Xu said that this was the method of Venerable Jin Wu, and some clues left at the scene also confirm what Senior Uncle said. Sect Master, please take a look."

Fu Yunzi took out a white jade box from the package. Through the box, it was clear that it was half a brown insect shell, covered with densely packed small holes, which was enough to make one's scalp tingle just by looking at it.

Jin Guang withdrew his gaze, took the white jade box in his hand, and after examining it again, his eyes suddenly sharpened. This thing did indeed come from a centipede demon that had cultivated for many years. According to the nineteen kinds of demons recorded in the Xuanxin Secret Record, the Golden Centipede Master was indeed the most likely one.

"Where is your Uncle-Master Gu Xu?"

Jin Guang did not find his senior brother and assumed he had left.

"Sect Master, Senior Uncle Gu Xu said he went to find the Golden Centipede Master and asked us to wait for you here. There is also a jade talisman left by Senior Uncle here, which he said he would personally hand over to you."

Upon hearing this, Jin Guang felt reassured. After taking the jade talisman and examining it, a glint flashed in his eyes, and he quickly put it away.

"Come with me into the village and have a look."

"Yes."

On a mountain peak near Anle Village, a cloud of condensed white light descended, and the figure of Master Tianyun emerged from it. Looking down at Anle Village, which was isolated by an array, Master Tianyun raised his white eyebrows and waved his jade ruler. A light screen appeared in front of him, and he heard Jin Guang and the others' words without missing a single detail.

"Oh, Venerable Jinwu, it really came without any effort. I have been searching for a hundred years, and now I have finally made some progress. Xuanxin Orthodox Sect has done me a great favor."

Master Tianyun secretly felt fortunate. He had come here on a whim, simply because he had noticed something that would be beneficial to him. Sure enough, this tremendous opportunity had arrived.

“Master Jinwu has cultivated for several hundred years and is probably now on the path to becoming a dragon. If I can obtain the elixir from its body, I can refine the Cloud Gathering Banner. In another hundred years, I might be able to replace the Xuanxin Sect and become the number one righteous sect.”

Master Tianyun felt a surge of excitement, but he quickly calmed down. Could the senior brother Gu Xu mentioned by the junior and the senior brother Jin Guang mentioned be the same person he had met before?

If that's really the case, I'm quite unsure of myself when facing this person.

"Let's wait and see. If there's an opportunity, we should give it a try. If it really doesn't work, we can exchange it for treasures. In terms of utilizing demon pearls, Miaoyunque far surpasses Xuanxin Orthodox Sect."

With a thought, Master Tianyun waved his jade ruler, and his figure disappeared as the light screen dissipated.

In a hidden cave in an unnamed valley a hundred miles southeast of Anle Village, a Taoist priest in black robes was meditating and practicing his skills. His face was as golden as gold, with sword-like eyebrows and bright eyes. His originally handsome appearance was ruined by his pair of scarlet and cold eyes. His originally righteous and awe-inspiring appearance became sinister and cunning, making it clear at a glance that he was not a good person.

"Judging by the time, the Xuanxin Sect should have already received the news. If nothing unexpected happens, Gu Xu will definitely come."

The thought of Gu Xu made Jinwu Shangren grit his teeth. Back then, he was unable to break through the cultivation barrier, so he tried to use the flesh and blood of living people to practice his skills. However, Gu Xu discovered him and he almost lost his life under Gu Xu's Azure Thunder Sword. If it weren't for his ability to protect himself and the help of that mysterious figure, he wouldn't be where he is now.

"The Yin Yue Dynasty suffered a major defeat this time, and it seems that they also intend to cause some trouble for the Xuanxin Sect. This is quite in line with my thoughts."

Just then, Jinwu Shangren suddenly felt a chill in his heart, realizing that a familiar aura had arrived outside the valley.

"Gu Xu!"

The Golden Centipede Master was startled and stood up. After not seeing him for many years, he realized that the other party's strength had far surpassed that of before, and he was no match for him at all.

"Golden Centipede, I have arrived. Why have you not shown yourself?"

The resounding voice instantly echoed throughout the entire valley. Upon hearing this, Golden Centipede Master's face turned grim. After struggling for a moment, a flash of eerie light appeared on Golden Centipede Master's body, and he flew out of the valley.

Just as the Golden Centipede Master appeared, Gu Xu sensed him, locked onto his aura, and instantly teleported over.

Upon sensing that his aura had been locked on, the Golden Centipede Master's expression changed repeatedly. His body suddenly emitted a bright, eerie light, and a dense black wind attacked Gu Xu behind him. The wind was mixed with countless fine black sand particles, which collided and produced a piercing sound.

This is one of the supernatural powers cultivated by the Golden Centipede Master, called "Sorrowful Sand." It is made from the Qi of the Nine Netherworlds. Anyone caught in this wind will be instantly pulverized without any protective treasures. Even their soul will be worn away by the black sand. It is extremely powerful.

However, the Golden Centipede Master knew that this supernatural power could not harm Gu Xu. This move was merely a delaying tactic to prepare for his next move.

As expected, the "Sorrowful Sand" was sealed by the "Ice Soul Mystic Light" just three feet away from Gu Xu, and the black sand immediately fell down after Gu Xu's figure passed by.

(End of this chapter)