A journey through the world of martial arts

Chapter 191 The Moon Demon Appears
Although the "Sad Sandstorm" failed to stop Gu Xu, the brief time gained was enough for Master Jinwu to bring out his prepared backup plan.

If it weren't for the mysterious person giving him something, it wouldn't have been worth it for him to provoke the Xuanxin Sect based on personal favor alone.

Just as Gu Xu was dealing with the "Sad Wind Sand", the Golden Centipede Master was already standing on a cliff, holding a red spike in each hand, which shimmered with a ghostly light, and his red eyes were fixed on the graceful figure that was coming.

Just as Gu Xu approached within three zhang of the target, he suddenly felt a sense of alarm. He tilted his body to the side, leaving only a phantom in his wake. Turning around, he saw that the phantom resembled a bubble, pierced by a crimson spike, leaving a red mark in the air with a hissing sound.

Before he could think it through, as Gu Xu raised his protective light shield, four sharp spikes rushed up from all directions. Although they did not pierce the light shield, it was constantly being squeezed and its range was constantly shrinking.

When Jinwu Shangren saw that the "Hundred Poison Thorn that Breaks the Barrier" had failed to work, his heart sank. This thing was one of the three magical artifacts given to him by that mysterious person. It was specially used to break protective spells and had always been effective. He never expected that it would be the first time it had failed against Gu Xu.

When his first attack failed, the Golden Centipede Master immediately manipulated the four Poisonous Thorns to continue attacking Gu Xu, while he took the opportunity to leave. With these magical artifacts, he could buy himself enough time to return to the border.

With a flash of eerie light, the Golden Centipede Master left behind a clone to control the magical artifact, while he himself rode away swiftly on his escape light.

Although the "Hundred Poison Thorns that Break Through the Barrier" were extremely vicious, they were no match for Gu Xu. With a flick of his sleeve, Gu Xu released and withdrew the crimson light from his body, and the four sharp thorns lost their luster. Gu Xu swept them away and put them into his Qiankun Pouch. The golden centipede clone that was originally controlling the magic weapon was about to escape when it was blasted to pieces by a bolt of blue lightning from Gu Xu. Its remaining aura was condensed into a stick of incense, and with a surge of true energy, a wisp of ethereal blue smoke rose up.

However, to Gu Xu's surprise, the green smoke did not rise straight up, but instead split into four streams, pointing in different directions.

"Something interesting."

Gu Xu chuckled. No wonder the Golden Centipede Master dared to leave behind a clone without fear of finding his true body. It turned out he had made preparations in advance. If he really went to find them one by one, he might not be able to guarantee that the clone would escape. However, he underestimated himself and the Xuanxin Orthodox Sect.

Reaching out, he saw a bronze disc floating in front of Gu Xu, engraved with latitude and longitude lines and some strange runes, with a pointed blue and red pointer in the center.

This is the "Heavenly Fighting Spirit Pointing Disc," a rare treasure of the Xuanxin Orthodox Sect. As long as the opponent's aura is applied, it can accurately point out their location, and the farther away the distance, the more accurate the location.

Reaching out, he caught a wisp of the Golden Centipede's aura and tossed it into the Spirit-Pointing Disc. The pointer spun continuously, and after three breaths, it stopped spinning, its crimson end pointing southwest. At the same time, an imperceptible red line seemed to be locating the direction precisely.

Seeing this, Gu Xu held up the Spirit Disc and used his escape light to chase after the direction in which the Golden Centipede Master had fled. Just as Gu Xu was chasing after the Golden Centipede Master, in a secret cave in the Yin Moon Dynasty, a bewitching woman with a veil over her face and dressed in luxurious golden clothes opened her eyes, then stood up and came to an altar.

With one hand pressed against the divine communication instrument on the altar, the alluring woman transmitted a command to the golden centipede.

“Golden Centipede, Gu Xu has found the right direction. If you want to keep your life, go to the Cold Spring River. I have my own plans.”

He then severed the connection, and his figure vanished instantly, reappearing on the Moon-Viewing Platform of the Yin Moon Dynasty.

The Golden Centipede Master, who was about to flee, heard the mysterious person's message and his face immediately turned ugly. He then gritted his teeth, turned back, and headed towards the Cold Spring River.

Gu Xu, who was chasing after the Golden Centipede Master, saw the Spirit-Pointing Disc in front of him suddenly move, the pointer pointing in another direction, and a glint of light flashed in his eyes.

The Golden Centipede Immortal was fleeing towards the border just now, but now he has turned inland. There must be something fishy going on here.

"Let's see what tricks you have up your sleeve."

With a flash of light, he chased after the direction confirmed by the command disc. After a while, Gu Xu saw that the command disc was no longer responding and knew that the other party should not be far away. He released his divine sense and found the fluctuation of energy not far away. He put away the command disc and came to a large river that exuded cold energy.

"Cold Spring River".

This river was originally just a cold spring, but due to a dramatic change in the terrain, the spring suddenly expanded. In just ten years, it has taken on its current form, with the area within a radius of ten miles surrounded by water. The river water here is frigid, and apart from some aquatic creatures, it is generally difficult for ordinary people to approach.

Gu Xu looked down at the raging river below. This was not his first time here. Many years ago, he came here to get rid of the water demon, but he failed and the demon escaped.

At this moment, a dark shadow swam across the riverbed. Gu Xu's eyes sharpened, and a bolt of azure lightning fell from the sky, directly attacking the Golden Centipede Master.

With a deafening roar, a huge hole was blasted open in the river, water splashed everywhere, and the creatures in the river were terrified and fled in all directions. However, in Gu Xu's perception, the lightning bolt did not hit the Golden Centipede. At this moment, the river, which had just returned to calm, suddenly developed three huge whirlpools. Dark clouds filled the sky, lightning flashed and thunder roared, and the three water dragons formed a triad formation that surrounded Gu Xu.

"The wind rises and the water flows, the water and sky merge into one wall. This is the magic and supernatural power of the Yin Moon Dynasty. So that's how it is. No wonder the Golden Centipede Master has such audacity. Moon Demon, it really was you who was behind this."

Gu Xu snorted coldly, his body enveloped in golden light. He formed a sword with his fingers and slashed, and three beams of icy light quickly merged into the waterspout. In less than a moment, the waterspout that stretched to the sky and reached the clouds was transformed into ice pillars.

But to Gu Xu's surprise, just as he stopped, the water tornado that had been sealed broke free from the Ice Soul Mystic Light's seal and began to press towards him again.

At the same time, the water in the lower 30% of the river suddenly turned black, and black water arrows shot down from below. Gu Xu waved his sleeve and a layer of light barrier was erected on the outside, but the light barrier was torn open with large holes the moment it was touched by the black water arrows, and it did not play a blocking role at all.

The Golden Centipede Master in the river watched Gu Xu struggle to keep up, feeling quite pleased. Looking at the jet-black bead in his hand, the Golden Centipede Master was not satisfied. According to the mysterious man, this thing was called the "Netherworld Pearl," and it had countless uses. One of them was that it could utilize the power of the five elements to enhance its effects. The water tornado that broke through the Ice Soul Mystic Light earlier was due to the effect of this treasure.

"With this treasure, as long as the Cold Spring River doesn't dry up, my magic power consumption will be minimal. Even if Gu Xu's magic power is profound, he won't be able to break free for a while. If I can hold out for half an hour, I will have completed my mission."

With a surge of true energy, the "Netherworld Pearl" shone brightly, and a water tornado and a black water arrow attacked Gu Xu together.

"You were relying on the power of your treasure. If that were all, you would surely have died here today."

Gu Xu's senses were incredibly sharp. The moment the faint light bloomed, he had already sensed the situation. His golden light turned crimson, and crimson halos emerged from his body, instantly enveloping the water tornado. As for the black water arrows, although they were extremely corrosive, they were no match for the "Golden Sun of the Sun" divine power. They all exploded into countless black impurities, which were swept away by the crimson light and vanished into nothingness.

The three waterspouts were trapped by rings of crimson light, and no matter how much they struggled, they could not break free. As the water vapor rose, their power diminished. Upon seeing this, the Golden Centipede Master's expression changed drastically. At this rate, let alone delaying for half an hour, it would be a blessing from heaven if they could even hold out for half a quarter of an hour.

As the Golden Centipede looked at the gradually dimming Yin Pearl, his face contorted with rage. He reached out and clenched his fist. As the pearl shattered, he manipulated a burst of energy and sent it into the three water tornadoes. With this boost, the previously weakened water tornadoes regained their immense power, as if they had taken a tonic. At the same time, the black water arrows surged forward again.

"If this magical artifact fails to achieve its purpose, I will not keep it."

Knowing that the attack wouldn't last long, the Golden Centipede Master reached into his robes and took out the last magical artifact given to him by the mysterious man.

This magical artifact resembles a token, dark and ancient, only about the size of a palm, yet quite heavy. On the front is engraved a green crescent moon, and on the back is a crimson celestial star. After the Golden Centipede Master injected his true energy into it, the green crescent moon suddenly lit up, and a green light shot into the sky like lightning.

What was originally a scene of dark clouds obscuring the sun was instantly transformed into azure by the arrival of the green light, which covered half of the sky. Streaks of dark lightning descended from the sky, attacking Gu Xu.

As the crimson light on Gu Xu intensified, the three water tornadoes, no matter how powerful, were completely evaporated. The water level of the Cold Spring River also suddenly dropped three inches. Just then, Gu Xu noticed the green light shooting from the bottom of the water, and his eyes flashed slightly.

Before Gu Xu could think further, the Yin lightning was already close at hand. Gu Xu reached out and summoned a warm jade ruyi in front of him. He activated his true energy, and a white cloud of light enveloped it, so that the Yin lightning could not touch it at all.

The dark thunder lasted for a full quarter of an hour, but the light cloud not only did not weaken in the slightest, but instead its coverage area grew larger and larger, soon enveloping an area of ​​five miles in radius, with streaks of silvery-white light hanging down.

"not good!"

The Golden Centipede Master exclaimed in surprise and hurriedly activated the Demonic Decree in his hand. Under his control, the Yin Lightning in the sky gathered into an unparalleled force and crashed down into the cloud of light. With a loud bang, the cloud of light was finally thinned out a bit.

Just as the Golden Centipede Master mobilized all the Yin Lightning to attack Gu Xu, he was startled to find a bright light shining on him. Looking up, he saw a handsome and extraordinary young Taoist walking towards him step by step in the clear light.

"Gu Xu!"

Upon seeing the newcomer, the Golden Centipede Immortal was terrified. He disregarded everything else and, without hesitation, flung the Demon Token in his hand towards Gu Xu, attempting to attract his attention. He then swam rapidly into the depths of the Cold Spring River, disappearing in the blink of an eye. Gu Xu watched as the Demon Token was thrown by the Golden Centipede Immortal; a beam of crimson light struck it squarely, instantly melting it like wax, finally turning it into a wisp of white smoke.

With a cold laugh, Gu Xu's body glowed with a mysterious crimson light. He reached out and caught a wisp of aura, carefully examined it, and with a whoosh, he chased after the direction in which the Golden Centipede had fled.

Just as Gu Xu destroyed the Demon Token, the Moon Demon in the Yin Moon Dynasty suddenly changed his expression. His blood and qi surged, and his aura suddenly surged. Although he quickly subsided, it was enough for the experts of the Yin Moon Dynasty to notice.

"Gu Xu!"

The Moon Demon's alluring face twisted into a grimace, her silver teeth clenched, and with a wave of her delicate hand, the altar shattered into pieces, then scattered into a cloud of dust that fell to the ground.

After cleaning up all traces, the Moon Demon flashed with a ghostly light and left the secret cave.

Not long after the Moon Demon left, Jing Wuyuan arrived with several people. After examining the area for a while with his magic mirror, Jing Wuyuan's expression became very solemn.

“A strong demonic aura remains here. Although it is almost non-existent, it cannot escape my precious mirror. This demon is no benevolent being. If it is detrimental to the Yin Yue Dynasty, it will be difficult to cooperate with it. I must inform the Holy Empress about this matter immediately.”

Jing Wuyuan sighed. The deaths of the Holy Emperor and the Four Sages were a huge blow to the Yin Yue Dynasty. Moreover, the Holy Empress was now pregnant and her magical power was greatly reduced. In the entire dynasty, he was the only one left who could be considered a master. Jing Wuyuan felt quite helpless.

Upon seeing this, the disciples who had followed said in unison, "We will follow the master's instructions."

After Jing Wuyuan led his disciples to the temple, he waved for them to leave and went into the inner hall alone.

"Mr. Mirror."

Meiji, dressed in flame-patterned attire, stood guard at the inner palace entrance with several lesser demon guards. Upon seeing Jing Wuyuan approach, she bowed respectfully.

Seeing this, Jing Wuyuan nodded and said calmly, "I have important matters to discuss with the Empress. Please inform her."

Upon hearing this, Mei Ji's beautiful face showed a troubled expression. "Mr. Jing, the Holy Empress is currently practicing her cultivation to recuperate. She probably won't be able to see you for the next three hours, otherwise today's cultivation will have been in vain."

Jing Wuyuan frowned, and after thinking it over, nodded.

"Then I'll come back in three hours."

After greeting Meiji, Jing Wuyuan was about to leave when suddenly the inner palace gate opened, and a weak voice came from inside.

“Jing Wuyuan, come in and talk. Meiji, you come in too.”

Upon hearing this, Jing Wuyuan exchanged a glance with Meiji, and the two immediately entered the inner palace.

This was Jing Wuyuan's first time entering this place. He saw that the inner palace was not very spacious, only a few feet in diameter. At the end of the palace was an ancient tree with a crown, which was vigorous and upright, with green leaves and green vines hanging all over it. Drops of green liquid kept dripping into the jade pool next to it.

Beneath the ancient tree is a round jade bed, with curtains hanging above it and various gemstones dangling from it. Pearls are inlaid at the top, their brilliance soft and lustrous. All around are blue stone and jade walls, reflecting all kinds of scenery.

At this moment, Youyue had already sat up straight on the bed. After drinking a cup of jade liquor, her pale face regained some color.

“You wouldn’t have come if it wasn’t urgent. Tell me, what exactly happened?” Youyue asked, looking at Jing Wuyuan in front of her.

Jing Wuyuan heard this and looked around. Youyue waved her hand, and the servants immediately retreated. Meiji wanted to leave as well, but Youyue stopped her.

"Meiji and I are like sisters, there's nothing we can't talk about. Jing, what exactly happened?"

Upon hearing this, Meiji glanced at Youyue and then stood quietly beside her.

"Just now, a powerful aura suddenly appeared within the Spirit Realm. After I went to investigate, I found some clues in a secret cave in the secluded forest. This demonic energy is extremely pure, even surpassing that of the Holy Lord, but it is extremely evil. Moreover, the origin of this person is a mystery, and he is certainly not a good person. Although the restrictions on the Spirit Realm have been lifted, I would like to ask the Holy Empress to decide how to proceed."

Upon hearing this, Youyue's heart sank. The Yinyue Dynasty was at its weakest point. If the other party made any moves, they might not be able to do anything about it. It seemed that it was not advisable to cause any more trouble. Since the other party had not come to them directly, things were not so bad.

Youyue pondered for a moment, then looked at Jing Wuyuan and said in a deep voice, "First, seal off Youlin and no one is allowed to enter without permission. Also, re-register all the spirits in the Spirit Realm. The 'Imprint Stone' left by the Holy Monarch will come in handy."

After a pause, Youyue instructed, "Activate the formations in all important locations. No one may enter without our or your warrants."

Upon hearing this, Jing Wuyuan immediately accepted the order.

After Youyue explained some general strategies, she put Jing Wuyuan in charge of handling the matter. She told him that if similar situations arose in the future, there was no need to report back; he could simply make the decision.

After Jing Wuyuan left, Meiji noticed Youyue's pale face and immediately poured her a cup of jade liquor. After drinking it, Youyue's complexion improved slightly.

"Your Majesty, your injuries have not yet healed, and you have just been mentally and physically exhausted, which has depleted your vital energy. I'm afraid your many days of cultivation have been wasted." Meiji put down the jade cup and helped Youyue lie down on the bed.

"Meiji, you can go out now," Youyue said with her eyes closed.

Meiji replied "Yes" and carefully withdrew after tidying up the quilt.

"The demonic energy is pure and carries an evil nature. It was recorded in the secret records of the Yin Moon Dynasty. Could it be..."

Suddenly, a name that had been buried deep in history popped into Youyue's mind.

"If it really is her, then it's a good thing. Xuanxin Sect, you will have to pay this blood debt tenfold!"

More than 300 miles southeast of Hanquan River, on a mountain peak, Gu Xu was fighting with the Golden Centipede Master. When the ghostly light and the crimson light collided, the rocks were shattered and the air waves rolled. Seeing that his opponent's aura was becoming stronger and stronger, the Golden Centipede Master shook his body and a thousand-legged golden-backed centipede appeared.

Gu Xu stared intently and saw that the demon was over three zhang long, with many feet and eyes. Its entire body was like it was cast in gold. When it moved, it made a sound like metal clashing. Its jaws had strong and powerful teeth, and its two long whiskers made a sound like they were cutting through the air when they swayed.

Gu Xu also saw a thick layer of spiritual energy three feet around the centipede's body, inside which wailed the souls of the wronged. These were the souls of the living beings it had devoured over the years, all of whom were imprisoned here, unable to be reincarnated, until their spiritual energy was exhausted and they were utterly destroyed.

“You wicked beast, you have committed countless atrocities in order to cultivate your golden body. Today, I, the humble Taoist, will act on behalf of Heaven to uphold justice.”

With a shout, a bolt of lightning struck down from the sky, heading straight for the Golden Centipede Master. Upon seeing this, the latter connected head and tail, and his spiritual energy suddenly expanded, enveloping the centipede master.

The lightning from the sky struck those evil spirits, but only scattered some of them, failing to hit the Golden Centipede's main body. What was even more insidious was that the Golden Centipede had placed the souls it had devoured at the very front.

The essence of the spirit is yin, and when struck by this extremely yang and powerful heavenly thunder, it was instantly shattered into pieces and vanished into thin air.

"Beast!"

(End of this chapter)