A journey through the world of martial arts

Chapter 201 The Enemy Approaches Black Mountain
On Qiwu Mountain, Yan Hongye looked coldly at Cui Xin, who was trapped in the formation. With a wave of her hand, seven banners moved simultaneously, and thousands of lightning bolts crashed down. The green barrier shattered into pieces, and after a miserable scream, no life remained in the formation.

"Since you've come, why not show yourself?" Yan Hongye waved his hand, and the seven banners fell into his Qiankun bag like weary birds returning to their nests. Then he turned and looked at a certain place.

With a flash in the void, Mei Ji's figure emerged, looking at Yan Hongye with a wary expression. She then said in a low voice, "So you are the daughter of Yan Chixia and his wife. No wonder you have so many magical artifacts. However, you killed someone from my Yin Yue Dynasty. This debt cannot be left unpaid."

As soon as she finished speaking, Mei Ji's eyes flashed with sternness, and strands of silver-white silk shot out from her body, attacking Yan Hongye from all directions. Upon seeing this, Yan Hongye immediately retreated with her sword, and the Fire Sparrow Sword in her hand shone brightly, with fire-feathered sparrows rushing forward to meet her.

Little did anyone know that these four silver threads had a different origin. When the fire-feathered sparrow touched the threads, it was split into several pieces, and the flames hissed and disappeared instantly. This sight made Yan Hongye's heart skip a beat.

Although his Fire Sparrow Sword was not a magical weapon, it was still a superior treasure, with an inexhaustible supply of blazing sun energy. Previously, due to the attribute restraint of the water demon Biqing, his sword had lost its edge. However, judging from the aura of Meiji, she seemed to be close to the wood attribute. Now that the Fire Sparrow Sword had also failed, there was only one possibility: this person's cultivation was far superior to his own.

Thinking of this, Yan Hongye took a deep breath, and a flash of crimson light appeared on her body. A blazing celestial wheel slowly rose, its light as bright as the sun, its momentum vast and righteous. An astonishing power surged towards Meiji, and those silver-white threads were instantly dissolved one by one, its momentum even stronger.

"The Radiant Sun Wheel!"

Meiji exclaimed in surprise, her face changing drastically. With a wave of her hand, the remaining silver-white threads quickly formed a thick white cocoon, enveloping her within. When the blazing light from the Blazing Sun Wheel broke through the white cocoon, it was empty inside; Meiji had vanished without a trace.

"You're lucky you ran fast."

Yan Hongye put away her magic weapon, her face slightly pale. She had exhausted a lot of her vital energy just now by operating the "Blazing Sun Wheel" at full power.

After resting for a while, just as they were about to return to Jinhua City, the Xuanling Jade on their body began to glow slightly. After checking, they learned that the sect was going to Zheyun Mountain soon, and if there was nothing else, they should go to Lincang City to meet up.

"Isn't Zheyun Mountain the territory of the Black Mountain Demon? Does the sect intend to target the Black Mountain Demon?" Yan Hongye was puzzled. After much deliberation, she decided to head to Lincang City.

"If we can take this opportunity to kill a few powerful demons, entering the Xuan Guan will be a sure thing."

With a flash of red light, Yan Hongye headed southwest. Just after she left, a void opened up where she stood, and Mei Ji emerged from it looking disheveled.

"Yan Chixia really dotes on his daughter, even giving her the Blazing Sun Wheel. He failed to save Cuixin this time, and he will surely be punished when he returns. We need to think of a way to help him."

Mei Ji was very worried. She would have trouble explaining herself if she returned to the Yin Yue Dynasty empty-handed. After thinking for a moment, a flash of inspiration struck her. She reached out and grabbed around, and after a while, a ray of intense light appeared in her hand.

This was the residual aura of the Blazing Sun Wheel, which she could use to give Empress Dowager Yin Yue an explanation. With a fierce determination, Mei Ji gritted her teeth and shone the blazing light on her right arm, instantly creating a deep, bone-revealing wound that was filled with a savage aura.

Meiji's face turned even paler. After taking a few pills and recovering some of her magic power, she reached out and took out a teleportation token. She shone it on herself, and with a flash of moonlight, she reappeared in the Black Forest outside Sunrise Mountain City.

"Insufficient magical power, it couldn't even be delivered to the Yin Yue Dynasty."

Mei Ji's heart skipped a beat. The outer perimeter of the Yin Yue Dynasty was no safe place. Some demonic beasts were free-range here, serving as a defensive line. If one was not careful, one could easily lose their life.

After determining the direction, Meiji activated her protective aura and traversed the dark forest. Moments later, the gates of the Yinyue Dynasty were right in front of her.

Just as she arrived at the gate, the eyes of a ferocious beast head on the gate glowed green. When it shone on Meiji, she remained unmoved, letting the green light envelop her. After a moment, the green light slowly faded, and a voice rang out from inside the gate: "So it is Envoy Meiji, please come in!"

A cloud of light appeared above the gate, and Meiji walked directly inside. Soon she arrived in the city. Not far ahead stood a figure about two zhang tall, wielding a bronze axe and wearing a beast-head mask, staring at her. Behind him was a squad of demon soldiers also wearing masks.

"Greetings, Your Excellency."

The beast-headed guard bowed respectfully, and Meiji nodded her thanks before quickly leaving.

"Go and inform the Four Sages that Meiji has returned injured." The beast-headed guard summoned a subordinate and ordered him to report to the Four Sages. The subordinate immediately obeyed and left.

At this moment, in the main hall of the Holy Palace, Qi Ye, Jing Wuyuan, and the Four Sages were discussing the specific details of the expedition. During their discussion, the Sage of Wujian suddenly felt a stirring in his mind. Upon seeing this, Qi Ye asked, "What has happened?"

"Your Majesty, the guards who were defending the city just reported that Meiji has returned injured."

Upon hearing this, Qi Ye's eyes flashed with a sharp light, and he immediately said, "I understand. Mei Ji is the Empress Dowager's person, so let her handle it herself. Where were we?"

“My Lord, our Yin Yue Dynasty’s large-scale operation cannot be kept secret from the Xuanxin Sect. They have probably already noticed something. The other day when we were cultivating, we suddenly felt uneasy, as if something unfavorable to us had happened.”

“Indeed, I also sensed it. That aura was majestic and righteous, soaring to the heavens, and incomparably sharp, as if it had the intent to annihilate all things. It doesn’t seem like a person, but rather more like an object. Teacher, can you deduce what it is?”

Qi Ye still felt lingering fear when recalling that aura. Although he had many methods, he was still somewhat inadequate to fight it alone. If he could know the origin of this thing, he might be able to target it more effectively.

“I checked it with the magic mirror before, but the Three Realms Saintess of the Xuanxin Sect deliberately concealed it, so I couldn’t find much. However, this treasure is very powerful and can influence the outcome of the battle between my Yinyue Dynasty and the Xuanxin Sect.”

Upon hearing Jing Wuyuan's words, Qi Ye remained relatively calm, but the four sages of the Demon Palace all changed their expressions drastically. The Sage of Wujian even jumped up in shock, exclaiming, "How is this possible?"

Then, seemingly realizing his lapse in composure, the Sage of the Infernal Realm immediately clasped his hands in a gesture of respect and asked Qi Ye for forgiveness. Qi Ye waved for him to sit down and did not say anything more.

It's no wonder that the Sage of Wujian lost his composure. The Yinyue Dynasty and the Xuanxin Orthodox Sect have been fighting for thousands of years. There have been times when one side has the upper hand, but overall, the two sides have maintained a balance. Neither side can do anything to the other. They may have a slight advantage, but there has never been a case where one side has the absolute upper hand.

Jing Wuyuan's words undoubtedly disrupted the balance between the two sides, which made them uneasy. If it weren't for the fact that Jing Wuyuan had never made a mistake in divination, they would have doubted the authenticity of this matter.

"The origin of this item must be investigated thoroughly, teacher. I can only feel at ease if this matter is handled by you."

Qi Ye stared intently at Jing Wuyuan, who immediately stood up and said, “Your Majesty, rest assured, I will work harder to make calculations. You all don’t need to worry too much. Although this thing is a great threat, according to my calculations, it is not yet fully formed. We still have enough time to deal with it.”

Upon hearing this, the four sages of the Demon Palace were all relieved. The Evil Dragon Sage said, "Holy Lord, this matter can be left to the Imperial Tutor. Now we must hurry up and subdue Black Mountain, which is the most important thing. Your subordinate is ready and can set off at any time."

"Yes, we'll leave the city at midnight tomorrow. Teacher, we'll need you to cover our tracks when we leave."

Although their whereabouts will eventually be discovered by the Xuanxin Orthodox Sect, they should delay as much as possible to prevent the Xuanxin Orthodox Sect from causing trouble outside.

"Subordinates take orders."

In the palace of Empress Dowager Yin Yue, You Yue waved her hand to dismiss Mei Ji. As she pondered, the moonlight reappeared, and You Yue said with displeasure, "At this time, the Holy Emperor and the others are all inside the Holy Temple. If they discover us, the consequences will be unimaginable!"

The Moon Demon revealed himself and said, "I've come here to tell you something. The Xuanxin Sect has forged a magic-slaying artifact. This thing poses a great threat to us, and we must find a way to destroy it."

"A magic-slaying artifact? I don't sense it at all?" Upon hearing this, Youyue frowned and looked up at Yuemodao.

“This place can block the perception of heavenly secrets, so you naturally have no way of knowing. If I’m not mistaken, this thing should be closely related to Gu Xu. This person has not shown his face for twenty years, so he must have been refining this thing. We were a step too late.”

"What do you want me to do?"

A glint flashed in the Moon Demon's eyes as he slowly said, "This thing has not yet been fully born. If demonic energy is poured into it when it is born, it will lose its power to slay demons."

"This is a difficult matter. The Xuanxin Sect will definitely guard this item very closely. Not to mention us, even ordinary Xuanxin disciples probably can't see it. How am I supposed to do it?"

"This matter is difficult, but not impossible. Nie Xiaoqian in your palace is an excellent candidate."

"Xiaoqian?" Youyue's eyes flashed, and she looked at Yuemo with an unfriendly expression.

"As long as the Seven Lifetimes of Enmity has not activated the demonic nature within them, they are no different from ordinary people. Although Nie Xiaoqian was born in the Demon Palace, she does not have much demonic energy. As long as we pay a small price, we can cleanse her. Then, with the combined efforts of you and me, we can change her appearance and let the people of the Xuanxin Sect find her."

"The Seven-Life Enemy Couple possesses extraordinary talent and is a superior seed for cultivation. The Xuanxin Orthodox Sect would never let them go. In that case, this matter is quite possible." Youyue was somewhat skeptical upon hearing this. The Xuanxin Orthodox Sect is the head of the righteous sects, and the origins of its disciples must be impeccable. Any slight doubt would become a flaw, and if it were discovered, it would be a great loss.

"You're not unaware of the dangers involved. Do you have some leverage, or are you scheming for something else?"

Upon hearing this, the Moon Demon chuckled and said, "The Empress Dowager of Yin Moon is indeed quick-witted. Indeed, I have gained some unexpected insights..."

Seeing that he could not hide it from Youyue, Yuemo told her the secret he had discovered. Youyue listened for a while, her eyes growing brighter and brighter. Finally, she clapped her hands and praised, "If that is really the case, this matter has a great chance of success. Even if it fails, it can still severely damage the Xuanxin Sect."

After a moment of contemplation, Youyue said, "Isn't the Holy Lord going to attack Zheyun Mountain recently? I'll let Xiaoqian go with him then, which will be my way of fulfilling their wish."

Upon hearing this, Moon Demon nodded. "Let's do it that way. I'll be going into seclusion to cultivate for a while, so you can make your own decisions about some things."

As the moonlight dissipated, the Moon Demon's figure vanished. Seeing her leave, Youyue shook the golden bell beside the bed, and soon a beautiful woman in a red dress walked in.

"Hongmei greets the Empress Dowager. What are your orders, Empress Dowager?"

“Cui Xin has already died at the hands of Yan Hongye of the Xuanxin Orthodox Sect. I know that you and Cui Xin have a close relationship, but it is not advisable to have another conflict with the Xuanxin Orthodox Sect at this time. After the matter of the Holy Emperor is resolved, I will avenge Cui Xin.”

"I will obey the Empress Dowager's orders," Hongmei said respectfully, bowing deeply.

"Okay, go and call Xiaoqian and Xiaoxue here, and tell them I have something to tell you."

"Yes." Hongmei bowed again and slowly left the main hall, arriving at a garden filled with a wonderful fragrance and fluttering butterflies and warbling birds.

"Xiaoqian, Xiaoxue," Hongmei called out to the two girls on the flower mound.

Upon hearing the sound, Xiaoqian and Xiaoxue immediately beamed with joy and ran over quickly, exclaiming, "Sister Hongmei, you haven't come to see us for so long!"

Looking at Xiaoqian in her pale yellow dress and Xiaoxue in her snow-white dress, Hongmei smiled and said, "Sister was busy before, but she came over as soon as she had time. By the way, when Sister came over just now, the Empress Dowager asked the two of you to go to her place."

The two, who had been happy, immediately fell silent upon hearing the name of the Empress Dowager. Xiaoxue even trembled slightly and looked at Hongmei with an unnatural expression, asking, "Sister, do you know why the Empress Dowager wants us to go over there?"

"I don't know about this, but when I came here just now, the Empress Dowager seemed to be in a good mood, so it shouldn't be anything bad. Alright, seeing how scared you all are, I'll go with you. Let's go, don't keep the Empress Dowager waiting, or something good might turn into something bad."

Upon hearing this, Xiaoqian and Xiaoxue immediately said, "Sister Hongmei, let's go quickly."

As they spoke, one of them grabbed Hongmei's hand and ran out of the garden, all the way to the outside of Youyue Palace. Looking at the gloomy palace in front of them, Xiaoqian and Xiaoxue trembled in their hearts. Just as the three of them reached the palace gate, the gate suddenly opened and a soft, feminine voice came from inside: "The three of you may come in."

Hongmei shook hands with the two women and they walked into the hall together. After the three of them entered, the palace gates slammed shut, startling Xiaoqian and Hongmei.

"Your Majesty, Xiaoqian and Xiaoxue have arrived," Hongmei said, looking at the figures behind the curtain.

"Well, Xiaoqian, your brother Qiye is leaving the city tomorrow. Why don't you go with him and see the world? Xiaoxue will go too. Tell me what fun things you see and what delicious food you eat when you come back, so I can have a good laugh too."

Xiaoqian and Xiaoxue exchanged a glance, both overjoyed. They had thought they were here to be punished, but instead it was such good news. If it weren't for the inconvenient location and timing, they would have jumped for joy.

"Yes."

Xiaoqian and Xiaoxue quickly agreed. Hongmei saw Youyue waving her hand from behind the curtain and immediately led the two away.

The next day, Qi Ye led the four sages of the Demon Palace and a group of elites out of the Demon City gate in a grand procession. Under the cover of Jing Wuyuan's magic, they quickly left and headed northeast.

Along the way, the Sage of Asura looked at Xiaoqian and Xiaoxue beside him with a puzzled expression and asked Qiye, "Holy Lord, why did you bring these two little demons out? Their magic power is weak, and they probably can't be of much help."

Knowing what Shura wanted to say, Qi Ye explained, "This is the Empress Dowager's wish. It's not a big deal anyway, so it won't hurt to bring them along."

Hearing the Holy King say this, Shura understood that it was not the Holy King who brought it on his own initiative. In her eyes, a monarch who was obsessed with beauty could not amount to anything.

Half a day after the Yin Yue Dynasty group left Sunrise Mountain City, the Three Realms Saintess within the Xuanxin Orthodox Sect finally noticed something was wrong.

"The Yin Yue Dynasty has dispatched all its elite forces, heading northeast. Inform the sect leader immediately!"

At this moment, Jin Guang, who was meditating and practicing his Qi in the main hall, received the message. His eyes flashed with a sharp light as he opened them and ordered the four Xuanxin generals below him: "Four generals, listen to my command! Immediately proceed to Lincang City with me. This time, I will annihilate the Yinyue Dynasty in one fell swoop!"

"Yes!"

After everyone went down to prepare, the golden figure moved instantly and arrived in the back hall. He saw Gu Xu refining the "Guardian of Righteousness and Demon-Slaying Shuttle" and said softly, "Senior brother, the Yin Moon Dynasty has already left the mountain city and is now heading northeast. If I'm not mistaken, they should be looking for trouble with the Black Mountain Demon. Perhaps we can take this opportunity to test the power of this treasure."

Upon hearing this, Gu Xu stopped what he was doing, glanced at Jin Guang, and said calmly, "Since the sect leader has this idea, I naturally have no objection. However, once this treasure is used, it will not be difficult for the Yin Yue Dynasty to find out its origin. The sect leader should understand the gains and losses involved."

“I understand your meaning, Senior Brother. Demon Lord Qiye’s attack on Zheyun Mountain is nothing more than a means to make the Black Mountain Demon submit. What the demonic path wants to achieve, my Xuanxin Orthodox Sect must not let him succeed. This treasure will be revealed sooner or later, so it’s better to establish our reputation in advance and let those demons know the power of my Xuanxin Orthodox Sect.”

Gu Xu nodded upon hearing this, waved his hand to put away the "Guardian of Righteousness and Demon-Slaying Shuttle," and then got up and stepped down from the cloud platform.

"Then I will accompany the sect leader. Seven Nights Demon Lord is difficult to kill, but Black Mountain Demon is no problem at all."

"Thank you for your help, senior brother."

Upon hearing Gu Xu's words, Jin Guang felt reassured. After twenty years of development, the Xuanxin Sect had far surpassed the strength of its predecessors, and Gu Xu's role in this achievement was indispensable.

"The Yin Moon Dynasty has already taken the lead. If the sect leader wants to catch up ahead of time, he will have to use the 'Void Teleportation Array'."

"Senior brother guessed correctly. I am indeed planning to use the 'Void Teleportation Array'. The number of people going is more important than the quality, and the sect can afford the spiritual energy consumed."

"Very well, I have no need for this formation. I will go ahead and try to delay as much as possible."

"I'm sorry to trouble you with everything, senior brother."

On the other side, after a day and night of travel, the Yin Yue Dynasty group had arrived at the foot of Zheyun Mountain. It was already daytime, but the distant horizon was shrouded in darkness. The towering peaks seemed to be dyed with ink, thick black clouds covered half the sky, black smoke columns rose straight into the clouds, and lightning flashed incessantly. A sinister aura permeated the area around the mountain, and the surrounding area was deathly silent, like a ghostly abode.

Qi Ye gave the evil dragon a look, and the latter rode forward a step and shouted into the mountains with his powerful true energy: "The Holy Lord Qi Ye of the Yin Moon Dynasty has arrived! Black Mountain, why don't you hurry up and welcome him!"

With a shout from the evil dragon sage, the sound waves surged forward like a tide, instantly shattering the black mist and ghostly energy, which then penetrated deep into the mountainside.

"What an arrogant attitude! Even his father, Liudao, wouldn't dare to act like this with me. How dare you, a junior, do this? Get out!"

A piercing sound came from the mountains, and the rolling waves of air seemed to surge like a tidal wave. The eerie ghost chants hidden within made some of the accompanying demons dizzy and their blood churn.

Seeing this, Qi Ye released his aura, forming an aura shield that enveloped everyone, immediately pushing away the sonic ghost chant.

"what?"

(End of this chapter)