A journey through the world of martial arts

Chapter 243 The storm is rising
The evil dragon looked at the water demon Biqing, frowned, bowed slightly, and then asked in a deep voice, "Fellow Daoist Biqing, it's been a long time. The Holy Dynasty invited you several times before, but you did not respond. What brings you here now?"

Since the death of the Black Mountain Demon, the Holy Dynasty has been trying to gather all the demonic masters. Yuan Shi Shangren and Huilong Tianzun have both submitted, but this water demon has not responded at all. Now that it has suddenly appeared, the evil dragon cannot help but think about it.

Upon hearing this, Bi Qing chuckled and said, "Previously, I cultivated supernatural powers and techniques to conceal all external sensations. Now that my cultivation has reached its peak, and with Fellow Daoist Lie Ming's kind invitation, I have come to lend you all a helping hand."

Upon hearing Bi Qing's words, the evil dragon remained noncommittal, giving Lie Mingzi a meaningful look before solemnly declaring, "Since you, fellow Daoist, are willing to help, our Holy Dynasty is naturally inclined to accept you. Since the Holy Emperor is in seclusion, we can decide to take you in."

Seeing the dragon deliberately adopting an arrogant attitude, Biqing didn't care much. After all, her allegiance to the Yinyue Dynasty wasn't without its own calculations, and as for other irrelevant matters, she didn't need to pay too much attention to them.

Bi Qing knew very well that once the Xuanxin Orthodox Sect had dealt with the Yin Yue Dynasty, they would inevitably have time to deal with the demonic forces scattered throughout the land, and she would be the first to be targeted. Since that was the case, she might as well take the opportunity to join the Yin Yue Dynasty, at least she could use their strength to resist for a while. If she was lucky, she might be able to save her life, if she was unlucky, then it was fate.

"With your words, I can rest assured. However, I have one request."

"Please speak, Your Excellency!"

Upon hearing this, the evil dragon's eyes narrowed slightly, hoping that Biqing wouldn't go too far, otherwise...

Bi Qing said softly, "I want that Flood Dragon Water Pill."

“Alright, we agree. Fellow Daoist, arrive at Sunrise Mountain City within three days, and we will meet you there.”

When the evil dragon heard that Bi Qing wanted the Flood Dragon Water Pill, he was somewhat surprised. This thing contains boundless water essence, and those who cultivate water-related methods will surely make great progress if they obtain it. It can be said to be very precious. However, there is not a single person in the entire Holy Dynasty who is truly proficient in water-related methods, so this thing is somewhat useless.

If a powerful expert could be won over with a useless treasure, the Holy King would surely agree, so the evil dragon immediately agreed.

Seeing the dragon's compliant attitude, Bi Qing smiled and nodded, saying, "I will arrive on time in three days."

After saying this, the light screen trembled and transformed back into a jade pendant, which landed in Lie Mingzi's hand. The latter put away the jade pendant, turned around and bowed to the three evil dragons, saying apologetically, "Three sages, please forgive my rudeness. Inviting Bi Qing here was truly my own idea."

Lie Mingzi's invitation to the water demon Bi Qing was also a last resort. Although he had been in seclusion for a long time, he was not completely unaware of everything. The deaths of Jing Wuyuan, Wujian Sage, Yue Mo, and Yin Yue Empress Dowager had resulted in the loss of almost half of the high-level combat power, which greatly alarmed him. If he did not replenish his combat power as soon as possible, he would have no confidence in facing Xuanxin Orthodox Sect in the future.

Upon hearing this, the Sage of Evil Dragons immediately replied, "Fellow Daoist Lie Ming meant well, how could we not know? However, if you have any further ideas in the future, we hope you will inform the three of us in advance, as we still need an explanation from the Holy Lord."

Although I was initially displeased with Lie Mingzi's unilateral decision, I decided to treat this special case with special measures. Even if Lie Mingzi had his own ulterior motives, he had genuinely gained a powerful expert for the Holy Dynasty, which wasn't necessarily a bad thing.

However, things cannot be repeated once. The rules of the Holy Dynasty cannot be broken. Otherwise, before even engaging with the Xuanxin Sect, internal chaos will break out, which would lead to utter destruction.

Upon hearing this, Lie Mingzi immediately said gratefully, "What you say is very true, sage. I understand. If the three sages have nothing else to say, then I will take my leave."

The three evil dragons nodded to Lie Mingzi, who then bowed and slowly withdrew from the main hall.

“Evil Dragon, it’s rather strange that Bi Qing has submitted to the Holy Dynasty at this time. I also can’t quite figure out Lie Mingzi.”

Shura's expression was solemn. He knew his own situation. The Holy Dynasty was now riddled with holes, like a large ship that could sink at any moment. If it weren't for the Holy Emperor in charge, it would probably fall apart immediately. Biqing's decision to board the ship at this time was not a good choice at all.

As for Lie Mingzi, Shura felt that there was something inexplicable about him, as if a layer of mist had been added to obscure his true nature.

The evil spirit nodded in agreement. Bi Qing and Lie Mingzi were not direct descendants of the Holy Dynasty, and their loyalty was far inferior to that of the three of them. Who knew if they would turn around and betray them in the end?

"Don't worry, once Biqing arrives, her life and death will be entirely in the hands of the Holy Lord. If we don't make full use of her, it would be our fault. As for Lie Mingzi, you don't need to worry about him either. The Holy Lord will take care of that. We just need to continue accumulating strength now."

After listening intently for a moment, the dragon came to its senses, explained the situation to the Asura and the demon, and then turned to ask about other things.

"You evil spirit, how many vengeful spirits have been extracted from the Soul-Burning Pool?"

Upon hearing this, the evil spirit said, "We have already taken out 1,342, and we are currently capturing more than 3,500 others."

If the high-level combat power is insufficient, then quantity can only make up for it. The fierce spirits and ghosts accumulated over thousands of years in the Yin Moon Dynasty are the best help.

"That's still too little. After one month, we need to collect at least five thousand. You will personally oversee this and complete this matter as soon as possible before the Holy Emperor emerges from seclusion."

"Yes!"

After giving his orders to the evil spirits, the dragon turned to Asura and asked, "Asura, how are the demonic spirits in the dark forest?"

"There are less than fifty high-grade demon spirits left, while there are hundreds of thousands of mid- and low-grade demon spirits. All the high-grade demon spirits have been collected."

Upon hearing this, the dragon's heart sank. There were only fifty high-grade demon spirits left, which was far too few. As for the low-grade demon spirits, the dragon looked down on them. Ten thousand low-grade demon spirits were not as good as one high-grade demon spirit. But now there was no other way but to use them to make up the numbers.

"Capture and seal away all the low-level demonic spirits. As for the high-level demonic spirits, send them to the Moon-Bearing Platform later to absorb the moon's essence."

The evil dragon only hoped that these fifty demon spirits could complete their transformation into Xuan Yin demon spirits in a short time. With a few of them, the high-level combat power could be filled.

"I know."

After discussing some more details, the three of them went their separate ways.

After leaving the main hall, the evil dragon headed straight for the temple where Qi Ye was in seclusion. Seeing the barrier outside the temple open, the evil dragon pressed the seal in its hand. The barrier shimmered with light, and a ray of light flashed on the seal before disappearing.

Seeing that the message had been sent, the dragon did not linger and immediately turned and left.

At this moment, in the rear hall of the temple, Qi Ye, with his full head of white hair, closed his eyes and regulated his breathing. The green light around him flickered, and his aura rose and fell accordingly.

On the altar, on a slightly shriveled corpse, dark rays of light condensed into tiny specks of light. As Qi Ye continued to breathe, these specks of light were continuously absorbed into his body.

After an unknown amount of time, Qi Ye opened his eyes, took a deep breath, and saw a gust of wind appear out of thin air on the altar. With a slight swirl, the already shriveled corpse suddenly shattered, and a pile of powder floated in the air. Among the powder, there was a very bright spot of light.

The light was dark and deep, seemingly capable of sucking one's entire soul into it. However, a glint flashed in Qi Ye's eyes, and he immediately reached out and grabbed the light spot, which landed in his hand. He then pressed his hand to his brow. After the light spot entered his body, Qi Ye's aura suddenly became incredibly violent, with raging torrents sweeping outwards, destroying everything in their path.

Sensing the threat, the restrictions within the hall immediately activated. However, in just a few moments, the restriction array flickered rapidly, followed by a series of explosive explosions. The entire rear hall was completely destroyed, and the entire temple trembled as well.

Just as the shockwave erupted, the three evil dragons who were cultivating inside the palace arrived at the same time as Lie Mingzi. Seeing the half-collapsed palace in front of them, all four of them changed their expressions.

This temple was built by the Holy Dynasty using the most robust materials and was reinforced by several generations of Holy Emperors. It also has various restrictive formations. Even if the entire Holy Dynasty collapsed, this temple should remain safe and sound. However, the current situation has shocked them greatly.

"The Holy Emperor..."

Shura couldn't help but feel anxious. If something were to happen to the Holy Lord, the consequences would be something they couldn't bear.

The dragon and the demon also looked worried. The violent aura lingered for a long time, and they dared not go in rashly. Lie Mingzi's expression became very complicated, and his eyes were fixed on the front.

Just as the smoke and dust rose, the dragon's eyes lit up as he saw a familiar figure emerge from within. The three dragons were startled upon seeing the newcomer, then hurriedly stepped forward and respectfully bowed to Qi Ye.

"Welcome back, Your Majesty, upon your return!"

When Lie Mingzi saw Qi Ye's full head of white hair and his devilish face, he was startled. He immediately composed himself and bowed respectfully to him.

"Welcome, Your Majesty!"

Qi Ye glanced at the four people, then said calmly, "No need for formalities, please rise."

Upon hearing this, the three evil dragons and Lie Mingzi all stood up and stood aside.

"Evil dragon, I heard that the water demon Biqing has also submitted to the Holy Dynasty. Where is she?"

"Your Majesty, Biqing will arrive tomorrow; she is still on her way," the evil dragon stepped forward and replied respectfully.

Qi Ye nodded upon hearing this, then looked at Lie Mingzi and asked, "Senior, have your injuries fully healed?"

"Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. My injuries are no longer a problem, and I am ready to serve the Holy Dynasty at any time."

Lie Mingzi was shocked. His injuries had long since healed, and the Holy Monarch could not have failed to notice. The fact that he was still asking this question meant that there was another reason behind it.

Lie Mingzi's mind raced, and he could only utter a statement that expressed his loyalty, a statement that at least wouldn't be wrong.

"Ah."

Qi Ye's ambiguous attitude made Lie Mingzi somewhat uneasy, but upon further reflection, he thought that perhaps he was overthinking it, and that this was likely just a means for the Holy King to demonstrate his authority and power.

"Let's talk inside the hall."

With a flick of his sleeve, Qi Ye swept away the dust and smoke that filled the sky, and the violent aura that had filled the surroundings also dissipated. The four followed Qi Ye into the temple, and after they were seated, the evil dragon took the lead in reporting some important events that had occurred during Qi Ye's seclusion.

A full half hour later, the dragon finally gave a general account of what had happened.

"Your Majesty, the Xuanxin Sect, together with several other righteous sects, has completed its deployment in the capital. This battle seems to be going to be difficult."

Upon hearing this, Qi Ye said, "Apart from Gu Xu, who made this Holy Lord treat him with caution, the rest of the Xuanxin Orthodox Sect are nothing special. The other minor sects are all good-for-nothings and are easily defeated!"

The three evil dragons exchanged glances upon hearing this. Although they knew that the Holy Lord had made great progress in his secluded cultivation, they were still quite surprised to hear him say that he was not afraid of Gu Xu. After all, Gu Xu was the number one expert of both the righteous and demonic factions.

"Your Majesty must not underestimate the Xuanxin Sect. I have heard that there is a deadly weapon in the Xuanxin Sect that once killed the Black Mountain Demon. We must be wary of this."

Upon hearing this, Lie Mingzi cupped his hands and said, "I have also heard of this item. It is said to have been personally crafted by Gu Xu and has the power to slay demons and monsters, uphold righteousness and ward off evil. After such a long period of refinement, we are still unclear about how much power this item can unleash. There are also those two divine swords, Gan Jiang and Mo Xie."

At this point, Lie Mingzi also felt immense pressure. Although the Yin Yue Dynasty's foundation was not weak, it was still some distance behind the Xuan Xin Zhengzong. No matter how strong the Yi Xi Sword was, it was at most on par with Gan Jiang and Mo Xie. If the two sides were to engage in fierce battle and that demon-slaying weapon were to suddenly launch a sneak attack, the consequences would be unimaginable.

"That magical artifact is called the Guardian of Righteousness and Demon-Subduing Shuttle. Its power is indeed extraordinary. However, I am not without a backup plan. I have already refined the Nine Yin Moon. With the combined power of these two treasures, we shall see which one prevails!"

Upon hearing Qi Ye's words, the three evil dragons and Lie Mingzi all showed surprise and delight. The Nine Yin Moon was a treasure of the Holy Dynasty. In terms of power, it was even superior to the One Night Sword. With such a backup plan, they at least had more confidence in dealing with the Xuanxin Orthodox Sect.

"Congratulations, Your Majesty!"

The four stood up and congratulated Qi Ye. Qi Ye then gestured for them to sit down.

"I will leave Gu Xu to myself. As for Jin Guang and Yan Chixia, I will leave them to Senior Lie Ming and Senior Bi Qing. You three and Mei Ji will deal with the Four Generals of Xuan Xin. As for others such as Daoist Tianyun, let those demonic spirits and fierce ghosts deal with them."

Qi Ye quickly assigned everyone their responsibilities. The evil dragon saw that although the Holy Lord's arrangements were appropriate, the power was too scattered, and if this continued, his side would be in trouble.

"Your Majesty, doing this will disperse our forces. If the battle becomes stalemate, it may be detrimental to our side. I urge Your Majesty to reconsider."

Upon hearing this, Qi Ye shook his head and said, "Timing waits for no one. If we cannot guide the Holy Star at the right time, everything will be in vain. Although doing so will disperse our strength, it will also greatly reduce the opponent's advantage. After all, the capital is the base of the Xuanxin Sect, so we cannot deploy it in the usual way."

Upon hearing this, the evil dragon thought for a moment and realized that the Holy Monarch's move was a good one. The Xuanxin Orthodox Sect would definitely think that they would concentrate their forces to attack a certain place, but they would not easily or would overlook this point. They would be caught off guard and even if they reacted, they would be temporarily entangled.

"In this way, all hope is placed on the Holy Emperor, hoping that he will be safe and sound."

The dragon thought this to itself, glanced at Seven Nights, and then sat quietly.

The group discussed many details inside the hall, and the night passed quickly.

(End of this chapter)