Shengui Changsheng: Start from Zhenwuwei and add some points to cultivate immortality

Looking at the determination in her eyes, Wang Xiaohu finally nodded.

Three days later, outside Blackwind Valley.

Unlike three years ago, a simple wooden fence now stands at the entrance to Black Wind Valley, with several faded flags hanging on it, each bearing a crooked sword—the emblem of Li Gou Dan's "Azure Stone Guard." But now, the fence lies fallen, the flags torn to shreds, and several guards' corpses lie scattered on the ground, their deaths mirroring those of the black-clad men of yesteryear, each bearing a wolf's head mark on their neck.

“It’s the Shadow Wolf Guard.” Wang Xiaohu squatted down, his fingertips tracing the wounds on the corpse. “It’s more ferocious than the Black Stone Guard back then. The demonic energy at the wounds smells of decay, like… a puppet made from a corpse.”

The disciples behind him changed their expressions slightly, and one of the younger disciples couldn't help but ask, "Sword Master, could these people be...?"

“They’re not remnants of the Blood Soul Cult.” Wang Xiaohu shook his head. “The Shadow Wolf Guards’ techniques are even cruder. It’s like someone deliberately imitated them but couldn’t quite get the hang of it, so they could only make up for it with unorthodox methods.”

He stood up, the blue mark between his brows slightly burning. He looked in the direction of the faint sensation coming from the valley—the sensation was chaotic and painful, like the cries of countless children compressed into one place.

"Stay close to me." Wang Xiaohu drew the Demon-Suppressing Sword, and the dragon pattern on the sword lit up. "Hold your breath and don't let the demonic energy invade your heart."

As the group ventured deeper into the valley, the stench of blood in the air grew stronger. Holes had been carved into the rock walls on either side, and within them, one could vaguely see huddled figures, yet no sound could be heard.

“Those are…” a disciple pointed to the cave.

“They are kidnapped children.” Su Qingwan’s voice was cold. She plucked the strings of her pipa, and a clear sound wave entered the cave, but only a dull echo was heard. “Their meridians were sealed, like… living sacrifices.”

Wang Xiaohu's expression grew even more solemn. He could sense that the life force of these children was being drawn away by some kind of formation and channeled towards the center of the valley. And the aura of that formation was seven-tenths similar to the "Ten Thousand Gu Soul Devouring Formation" of the Blood Soul Sect back then, only much more sinister.

When they reached the heart of the valley, the sight before them made everyone gasp in astonishment.

On the open ground at the bottom of the valley, a huge array was drawn with the blood of children. In the center of the array stood a black stone altar, and bound to the altar was a familiar figure—it was Li Gou Dan. He was much taller than he had been three years ago, and his face had several scars. At this moment, his eyes were closed, his face was as pale as paper, and his life essence was flowing into the array through the chains.

Around the formation stood a dozen or so Shadow Wolf Guards wearing bronze masks. Their movements were stiff, and their eyes were lifeless; they were clearly puppets. At the top of the altar, a person in a black cloak held a bone staff and chanted obscure incantations in a low voice.

"You've finally arrived, Star Sword Master." The cloaked figure turned around, his voice hoarse as if two stones were rubbing together. "I thought you had long forgotten the blood debts in this valley."

Wang Xiaohu gripped the Demon-Suppressing Sword tightly: "Who are you? Why are you imitating the Shadow Wolf Guard's techniques?"

The cloaked figure slowly removed his mask, revealing a face covered in scars—the left half of his face looked as if it had been burned by fire, while the right half was covered with dense runes. Only his eyes gleamed with a mad light.

"You don't recognize me?" The man grinned maliciously, pointing to his face. "Think back to three years ago in Black Wind Valley, to the Black Stone Guard commander whose tendons you severed—I am his brother, Mo Ya!"

Wang Xiaohu suddenly realized. The Black Stone Guard commander he had defeated back then did indeed have a younger brother who was said to be proficient in puppetry, but he disappeared during the war. He never expected that the younger brother would hide in this place and take revenge in such a sinister way.

"You use the blood essence of children to refine blood pills, aren't you afraid of divine retribution?" Su Qingwan's pipa strings were taut like a bow, and her voice carried killing intent.

"Divine retribution?" Mo Ya laughed wildly. "Back then, my brother was crippled by this brat with a single sword strike. When has the Starry Sky Sword Sect ever suffered divine retribution? Today, I will use this Blood Pill to awaken the 'Wolf God' and make the entire martial world pay for my brother's death!"

He thrust the bone staff into the altar with a vengeance, and the blood within the formation instantly boiled, transforming into a pillar of blood that shot straight into the sky. The sky suddenly darkened, and howls of wolves echoed from the clouds. A gigantic wolf phantom, formed from black mist, slowly emerged, its gaping maw revealing sharp fangs.

"Not good! He's using the Blood Pill as a catalyst to summon remnant souls from the Demon Realm!" Wang Xiaohu's expression changed drastically, and the azure light on the Demon-Suppressing Sword surged. "Disciples, form the 'Star Array'!"

At his command, the accompanying disciples swiftly formed ranks, their longswords pointing diagonally at the ground. Sword energy intertwined to form a massive star map, enveloping the pillar of blood within it. The stars on the star map lit up, echoing the mark between Wang Xiaohu's brows, and actually managed to shorten the pillar of blood by a considerable amount.

"A mere trick!" Mo Ya roared, urging his bone staff on. The giant wolf phantom pounced on the star map, causing the light on the star map to dim instantly. Several disciples with weaker cultivation were shocked and coughed up blood.

Seeing this, Wang Xiaohu held back no longer. His sword energy resonated completely with the Demon-Suppressing Sword, and the cyan mark between his brows transformed into a stream of light, merging into the star map: "Azure Frost Sword, break!"

In the center of the star map, the phantom of the Azure Frost Sword appeared, slashing towards the phantom of the giant wolf with a chilling aura. A mournful wolf howl rang out, and the phantom of the giant wolf was cleaved in two, its black energy scattering in all directions.

Mo Ya was jolted back three steps, blood spilling from the corner of his mouth, but his eyes grew even more crazed: "You think this is the end? Look at that kid on the altar—he has the blood of the Black Stone Guard flowing through his veins, he's a 'living sacrifice' that I've nurtured over three years, his blood pill can make the Wolf God descend completely!"

Before he finished speaking, Li Gou Dan on the altar suddenly opened his eyes, which turned pure black. He burst out with dense black energy, broke free of his chains, and transformed into a black shadow that pounced on Wang Xiao Hu.

"Dog Egg!" Wang Xiaohu felt a pang of pain in his heart, but he couldn't bear to draw his sword and could only dodge to the side.

"Sword Master, show no mercy!" Su Qingwan's pipa music suddenly became urgent. "His mind has been controlled by demonic energy; only sword energy can awaken him!"

Wang Xiaohu gritted his teeth, twirled the Demon-Suppressing Sword in his hand, and the sword energy covered Li Gou Dan like a net, but suddenly retracted just before touching his body, turning into a soft blue light that gently touched his brow.

"Wake up! Think about your father's revenge, think about the people you need to protect!"

The azure light seeped into Li Gou Dan's body, causing him to tremble violently. The blackness in his eyes struggled with a sliver of clarity. Just then, the wolf head mark on his neck suddenly lit up, and an even more powerful demonic energy surged into his body, completely suppressing the clarity.

"It's no use!" Mo Ya grinned maliciously. "He's already the vessel of the Wolf God; no one can save him!"

Looking at Li Gou Dan's pained expression, Wang Xiaohu suddenly recalled the boy's stubbornness three years ago in Qing Shi Town, clutching his blood-stained waist token and declaring, "I will avenge my father." He took a deep breath, his mind flashing with Fu Shaoping's sword techniques, Shi Qing's notes, and Ou Ye Lao's sword-forging methods… The trials along the way had taught him not only about killing, but also about redemption. "Who says I can't save you?" Wang Xiaohu's voice was calm yet firm. He suddenly sheathed his sword, opened his arms, and the blue mark between his brows burst forth with unprecedented light. "With my sword spirit as a guide, I will lead you away from your demonic obstacles!"

This time, he didn't release his sword energy. Instead, he transformed the power of his sword soul into a gentle halo, enveloping the entire Black Wind Valley. Wherever the halo passed, the children in the caves let out faint groans, their eyes regaining their light; the black aura on the Shadow Wolf Guards gradually dissipated, revealing their ordinary faces, and they collapsed to the ground lifeless; even Li Gou Dan on the altar gradually calmed his trembling, and the black aura in his eyes faded at a visible speed.

"No—!" Mo Ya watched this scene in horror. He could feel the blood pills he had painstakingly refined being purified by the halo. "My wolf god... my revenge..."

He lunged at Wang Xiaohu madly, but was blocked by the halo three feet away. The moment his body came into contact with the halo, it melted away like ice and snow meeting the sun, leaving only a shrill scream.

The halo lasted for the time it takes for an incense stick to burn before gradually dissipating.

Li Gou Dan slumped on the altar, staring blankly at his hands, as if he had just woken from a nightmare. The children in the cave were rescued one by one by the disciples; though weak, they were no longer seriously injured. Sunlight pierced through the cracks in the valley ceiling, dispelling the last traces of demonic energy, and fell upon Wang Xiao Hu, gilding him with a golden edge.

“Sword Master…” a disciple called out worriedly, looking at his pale face.

Wang Xiaohu waved his hand, walked up to Li Gou Dan, and handed him a pill: "This is a 'Heart-Clearing Pill,' take it."

Li Gou Dan took the pill, tears suddenly streaming down his face: "I...I almost killed you..."

“You didn’t.” Wang Xiaohu patted him on the shoulder, just like back in Qing Shi Town. “Being able to stay true to yourself is more important than anything else.”

Three days later, the wooden fence outside Black Wind Valley was re-erected, but this time, a star appeared next to the sword pattern on the banner. Li Gou Dan decided to stay here and use the swordsmanship taught to him by the Star Sword Sect to protect the passing caravans and the nearby people. Before leaving, he gave Wang Xiaohu a dagger he had personally crafted, with the word "Guardian" engraved on the hilt.

On the way back, Su Qingwan looked at the mark between Wang Xiaohu's eyebrows, which was more gentle than before, and said softly, "You seem... different again."

Wang Xiaohu gazed at the distant horizon, where drifting clouds resembled the scenery he had seen when he first descended the mountain. He smiled and said, "Perhaps. I used to think that the Sword Master's responsibility was to eradicate all evil, but now I understand that true protection is about empowering more people to protect themselves."

Su Qingwan grasped his hand, feeling a warm touch on her fingertips: "So where do we go next?"

Wang Xiaohu looked at the "Hundred Herbs Detoxification Manual" in his arms, and then thought of the news from the Jiangnan branch. A hint of anticipation flashed in his eyes: "Let's go to the Southern Frontier to see Aman first, and then go to Taihu Lake to see that water monster. The world is so big, there are always things that need our attention."

The Demon-Suppressing Sword hummed softly at his waist, as if in response to his words.

The wind blew through the mountains and forests, carrying the distant sound of bells—the evening bell of the Starry Sky Sword Sect. But Wang Xiaohu knew that his trials would never end. Because as long as injustice and danger still existed in this martial world, the sword in his hand and the mark between his brows would guide him on his journey.

And the end of this road may not be a specific place, but rather the unfading swordsmanship in one's heart—the spirit of protection.

After returning to the Star Sword Sect from Black Wind Valley, Wang Xiaohu did not linger. A letter from Aman in the Southern Frontier reported that a strange "bone-corroding miasma" had appeared near Black Stone Mountain; contact with it caused skin to peel off like rotten wood, and dozens of Miao people had already perished. The symptoms vaguely matched those of the "mutant heart-rotting grass" recorded in Shi Qing's notes. Meanwhile, the rumors of a "water monster" in Taihu Lake grew increasingly bizarre; some fishermen claimed to have seen a giant snake covered in black scales emerging from the lakebed on moonlit nights, sucking the light from ferry boats.

“It seems that the evil spirits in these two places are probably related.” Wang Xiaohu spread out a map of the southern border and the Jiangnan region, and drew an arc between Black Stone Mountain and Taihu Lake with his fingertip. “The bone-corroding miasma is an earth-based poison, while the water evil spirit is a water-based evil creature. One is in the south and the other in the north, but both carry residual demonic energy, as if someone is deliberately setting up a game.”

Su Qingwan was adjusting the lamp wick with a silver needle when she heard this and looked up: "Should we split up? I'll go to the Southern Frontier, and you go to Taihu Lake?"

Wang Xiaohu shook his head, pointing his finger at "Luoxia Ravine" in the center of the map: "Old Master Ouye once said that the Xuan Tie Mu can absorb the evil energy of the world. Perhaps he can see the key to it. Why don't we go to Luoxia Ravine first and then make a plan?"

Three days later, the sound of blacksmithing in Luoxia Ravine was still deafening. Old Master Ou looked even older than he had three years ago, his back hunched like a small mountain, yet he could still swing a thousand-pound iron hammer, smashing sparks from red-hot iron billets. Seeing the Demon-Suppressing Sword at Wang Xiaohu's waist, his cloudy eyes brightened: "The sword master's sword has become increasingly spiritual."

"Senior has excellent judgment." Wang Xiaohu unsheathed the Demon-Suppressing Sword, its blade shimmering with a warm blue light in the sunlight. "I've come here to ask if you've ever seen an evil technique that can simultaneously control both water and earth elemental demonic energies?"

Old Master Ou put down his hammer, dug out a charred piece of iron from the charcoal ash, and handed it to him with tongs: "Take a look for yourself."

The iron block was covered with honeycomb-like holes, from which faint black smoke lingered. Upon closer inspection, one could even see earthy yellow and dark blue demonic patterns interwoven within. "I picked this up from outside the mountain half a month ago. A group of people wearing bronze masks buried this thing outside the ravine, and I smashed it to pieces with a single hammer blow." He spat, "It reeks of rotting corpses, even more disgusting than the demonic energy of the Demon Lord back then."

Wang Xiaohu's fingertips brushed against the iron block, and the blue mark between his brows felt slightly hot—the arrangement of these demonic patterns was three-tenths similar to the Black Wind Valley's Ink Raven formation, but even more exquisite, clearly the work of a more skilled evil cultivator.

"Why did they bury this thing?" Su Qingwan asked.

"What else can they do?" Old Master Ou added a piece of black iron to the furnace. "There is a ley line in Luoxia Ravine that leads directly to the 'Quenching Pool' in the mountain's belly. The water in that pool was left over from when the Azure Frost Sword was forged. It carries the residual heat of the sword's essence and can ward off evil spirits. They want to pollute the ley line and turn the Quenching Pool into a breeding ground for demonic energy."

Wang Xiaohu's heart skipped a beat. If the earth veins of Luoxia Ravine were polluted, the first to be affected would be the Sword Tomb of the Star Sword Sect, where the three divine swords were nourished entirely by the earth veins' spiritual energy. He suddenly remembered something and took out the sample of the bone-corroding miasma sent by Aman from his bag—a piece of linen stained with black viscous liquid, the threads of which had been corroded and become brittle.

"Senior, please take a look at this."

Old Master Ouye held a corner of the burlap, sniffed it, and his expression changed drastically: "It's 'Mother and Child Miasma'! The mother miasma is hidden in the earth's veins, while the child miasma drifts with the moisture, and anything that touches it will decay. Back then, the Demon Lord had a 'Rotting Bone Monster' under his command who was most skilled at playing this trick. Later, I heard that he was cleaved into ashes by Fu Shaoping with a single sword strike..."

"So, the evil spirits in Southern Xinjiang and Taihu Lake might be related to this Corpse-Rotting Monster?" Su Qingwan frowned. "But isn't he already dead?"

"The body may be dead, but the soul may not be." Old Master Ouye picked up his hammer and slammed it down on the anvil, sparks flying everywhere. "Over the years, some evil cultivators have been trying to cause trouble, especially digging up the graves of the remnants of the Demon Lord and using secret methods to summon their lingering souls to possess living people. In my opinion, someone has probably summoned back the soul of the Old Monster of Rotten Bones and even found him a new body." (End of Chapter)