Chongming Xianzong

Chapter 537 Repelling the Enemy at the Foot of the Mountain and Fighting for Life in the Cave
————Xiao Huanshan, Chongmingzong
Tie Liuyun noticed that the third-tier spirit slave summoned by Yuan Jin looked quite familiar. While he was surprised, he stopped what he was doing.

The group that came from behind, still shrouded in dust, arrived boldly, either intending to use their power to intimidate others or simply not wanting to resort to violence again, hoping to force Tie Liuyun to retreat in fear.

However, this was something that the Deputy Commander of the Demon-Slaying Division absolutely did not want to do.

He first made a gesture to calm the incessantly clamoring Xie Zhi Iron Guards, then looked deeply at Ye and Yuan in front of him before turning back and asking loudly, "I wonder which friends have come?"

“Yuan Buwen of Dingzhou pays his respects to the Assistant Commissioner.”

"The fearless Lou Yang pays his respects to the Vice Commissioner."

Upon hearing this, Tie Liuyun's expression turned even more unpleasant.

Yuan Buwen's fame has lasted for a century, and Yang Jue, as the top henchman under She Fuyi, the master of the Fearless Tower, is also considered a troublesome character among the alchemists.

Even without mentioning the third-tier spirit slave beside Yuan Jin, it would take Tie Liuyun a great deal of effort to clean up these two alone.

"Yang Jue, it's one thing for Yuan Buwen to be involved with his illegitimate son-in-law, but does your Wuwei Tower really want to get involved in this mess? Do you even know the consequences?"

Tie Liuyun's cold intimidation did not elicit any change in Yang Jue's expression. Instead of answering the question posed by the deputy commander of the Demon-Slaying Division, Yang Jue simply said in a calm voice:
"After learning the news, my master has already sent a letter to Fengming Prefecture. I imagine the Yingshan Army is already on its way. And Lian Xuepu, the Peach-Burning Envoy of the Hehuan Sect in Santing Prefecture, has probably already sent a letter to inquire about your Demon-Catching Division. I dare to suggest that the Commander should think of himself first."

"Fine!!" Tie Liuyun was not a man without cunning, but seeing Yang Jue's calm and collected demeanor, he was so angry that he almost bit his teeth to pieces.

Turning back again, the composed expression had returned to Yuan Jin's face. Ye Zhengwen was not particularly skilled, yet he still dared to stand in front of the Qingjue Guard formation, wielding his magical weapon and glaring angrily at the arrogant Xie Zhi Iron Guards.

At this point, Tie Liuyun knew that he would have to return empty-handed. If he delayed any longer, he might not be able to get away with it once all the members of the Chongming Alliance gathered.

Originally, according to his previous plan, the matter of coercing Chongmingzong was only a one-off deal. However, he did not expect that even without Kang Dabao and Jiang Qing, the reaction of Chongmingzong was still swift. This made all his hard work go to waste, and he had no choice but to give up.

However, this departure might not be so smooth. Tie Liuyun had just given a cold snort and was about to turn around and walk away.

At this moment, Yuan Jin recited it again, his tone indifferent yet conveying a resolute and unquestionable intent:
"Please wait, Vice Commissioner! I have something to say!"

"Ha, let me hear what you have to say?" Tie Liuyun's face grew even more sinister, and his tone was icy as he spoke.

Most of the Xie Zhi Iron Guards under Tie Liuyun's command had been trained by him for over sixty years. Upon hearing the commotion, they picked up their swords and shields again, and their fierce aura returned. A sense of elite skill swept over the crowd, making the troops in front and behind them seem rather inexperienced.

Yuan Jin remained unfazed, and as always, neither humble nor arrogant, he stepped forward and spoke in a calm voice:
"Yunjiao Prefecture is a fiefdom personally bestowed upon my sect leader by the current emperor. The current emperor's words carry imperial authority and are of the highest order; no one is unaware of or disobeys what he says."

However, relying on his profound cultivation and considerable seniority, the Assistant Commissioner has repeatedly led his disciples to cross borders and humiliate the disciples of noble families due to personal grudges. This time, I, as the Chief Clerk of the Marquis of Wuning's residence, will report this to the Duke of Qin's residence and let the dukes decide right and wrong.

Tie Liuyun's expression turned serious again: "You little brat, you dare to scare me?!"

"This junior is merely fulfilling his duty," Yuan Jin said fearlessly, his gaze intense, which earned him the secret admiration of Yuan and Yang in the audience.

Tie Liuyun's tone grew even colder, and his gaze even more icy: "Believe it or not, even if a few rotten garlic cloves come to help, this Vice Commander still has the means to slaughter your entire family."

These words were rather blunt, causing everyone in the room to tense up even more. Yuan Jin's face remained expressionless, and his tone revealed no emotion whatsoever.
"Does the Vice Minister know that a hundred years ago, there were only three people in the entire Chongming Sect? If they were frightened by a few words, my Sect Leader would look really bad."

Upon hearing this, the deputy commander of the Demon-Slaying Division opposite him turned red and white in succession. His eyes darted between the Xie Zhi Iron Guards and the Qing Jue Guards for a while. After hesitating for an unknown amount of time, he finally just narrowed his eyes, concealed his murderous intent, and turned away.

"Give Way!!"

It was indeed the superior's fury that caused the sheep to show no sign of strength; its body was extremely weak.

Hearing the urging, Yang Jue bowed and gestured to the group of cultivators behind him to make way.

A murmur of discontent arose from among the Xie Zhi Iron Guards, but it was quickly quelled by Tie Liuyun and his men. Yuan Jin did not stop his actions even at this point.

He exchanged a glance with Ye Zhengwen, who showed some hesitation. In the end, he ordered his disciple, Liu Ya, the head of the Punishment Hall, to quickly bring the person over.

Seeing that the group of demon-quelling soldiers who had been captured by Chongming Sect had now appeared in the arena, the cultivators had no time to be surprised before they heard Yuan Jinlang say, "Wait a minute, Vice Commissioner, let me slaughter some sacrificial animals to send you off!"

"Arrogant brat, you really have guts!!"

This time, not only Tie Liuyun was furious, but even Yuan and Yang, who came to help, were surprised: "This kid Yuan is deliberately trying to make things difficult for Tie Liuyun. If he provokes the two families into fighting, I wonder what benefits Chongming Sect will gain."

Just as a fierce battle was about to end before it even began, Yuan Jin, this junior, insisted on causing trouble, which infuriated Yuan Buwen and Yang Jue. However, as angry as they were, they couldn't simply ignore it.

After Tie Liuyun's fierce shout, more than ten fresh heads rolled all over the ground. The splattered blood added a splash of color to the six-petaled blue lotus banner in front of Yuan Jin, making it incredibly vivid. It stung the eyes of the cultivator watching from afar, making him almost speechless.

"How arrogant!"

"Commander, we can't just leave like this!"

“Commander, if we leave now, the reputation of our Demon-Slaying Division will be ruined!”

As pillars of blood shot into the sky, furious shouts emanated from the Xie Zhi Iron Guards. Gradually, even this battle formation could no longer be maintained, causing Tie Liuyun's sword-like eyebrows to furrow even more tightly.

Surprisingly, Tie Liuyun did not take any action despite his anger. Instead, he spoke in a cold voice, mimicking Yuan Jin's earlier words: "Your family has wrongfully killed a high-ranking official of the Demon-Catching Division today. I will also present this to the officials of the government and ask them to decide right from wrong."

The latter ignored Tie Liuyun's ferocious appearance, merely glancing sideways at the vermilion color on the banner before speaking in a deep voice:
"Please proceed, Vice Minister. Just remember this: this is the fiefdom under the jurisdiction of my Marquis of Wuning. The power of life and death was bestowed upon us by His Majesty when my senior brother, the sect leader, reached the Core Formation stage. If you truly believe His Majesty is blind to talent and insist on telling him, then you may leave."

Tie Liuyun's eyes turned red with rage, and he nearly snapped the magic weapon in his hand. At the same time, shouts of challenge surrounded him, making him dizzy and his eyes filled with the bloodstain on the banner opposite him.

"go!"

"Assistant Commander!!"

"Snapped!"

The Demon-Suppressing Division commander who had spoken was caught off guard and took a solid foot of the blow. He was then sent flying by the immense force, vomiting blood and splinters of his internal organs, which terrified all the other cultivators who had offered their advice, leaving them speechless.

"Walk!!"

At this moment, Tie Liuyun waved his sleeve, and the Xie Zhi Iron Guards finally fell silent. They obediently reorganized their formation, sent a few men to retrieve the blood-vomiting Pill Master, and then rushed back with Tie Liuyun.

Only after watching this infamous team completely disappear into the sky, beyond the reach of divine sense, did Yuan Jin and Ye Zhengwen finally relax and feel much more at ease.

The former felt relieved but also regretful. He still harbored the thought that "if you don't kill the snake, you'll suffer the consequences."

He only thought that if he could provoke Tie Liuyun to make the first move and cause a bloody battle between the two families, even if the Qingjue Guards, with their incomplete numbers, were no match for them, it would not be difficult to hold out until the soldiers from the counties and villages of Yunjiao Prefecture, the more than 400 righteous families from Hanya Mountain, and the various families of the Chongming Alliance gathered together.

At that time, no matter how elite Tie Liuyun's Dao soldiers were, they would only be defeated. Even if Tie Liuyun could escape with his Golden Core form, his own combat skills were only average. Losing the Xie Zhi Iron Guard would be a loss far more severe than just "injury to the bone".

If the renowned Sect Leader Kang, whose fame resounds across several states, were not present, and Yuan Jin, a mere True Cultivator, was able to accomplish this, then the prestige of Chongming Sect would undoubtedly have grown to an unimaginable extent.

Furthermore, if that time truly comes, the charges against Chongmingzong presented to the Duke of Qin's mansion can certainly be further elaborated upon.

This would truly be significant for the high-ranking officials of the Duke's Mansion, unlike the current situation where it would at most earn Tie Liuyun a few innocuous reprimands and admonitions.

Compared to Yuan Jin's gloomy expression, Ye Zhengwen was overjoyed.

After all, Tie Liuyun's Xie Zhi Dao soldiers were indeed famous. Although the Qingjue Guards were also considered elite, and the Yuan family of Dingzhou and the Wuweilou family of Fazhou were also there to help, they might not necessarily be able to gain the upper hand in battle against the Xie Zhi Dao soldiers.

If that's the case, then the casualties must be enormous, which is something that no one in Chongming Sect wants to see.

However, Ye Zhengwen secretly praised Yuan Jin's change in personality.

Although the former may not be good at handling those tedious tasks in ordinary times, his decisiveness in this major matter is truly remarkable and would make Ye Zhengwen feel inferior.

At least Ye Zhengwen was far less ruthless and tolerant of death than Yuan Jin.

“He can now live up to the title of Chongming Yuan Er.”

Ye Zhengwen sighed briefly and then stopped, for at this moment, it was not his place to be idle.

The cultivators from the Yuan family and Wuweilou, who had come from afar, had been well taken care of and had sent messages to various outside families. However, they still needed to be compensated for some of their travel expenses in order to show the benevolence of Sect Leader Kang.

After a long time, Yuan Jin finally came down from the banner and helped Ye Zhengwen with some writing and calculations, as well as welcoming and seeing off guests. He was busy until late the next day before he was able to catch his breath.

Tie Liuyun's sudden visit was indeed dangerous. If Yuan Jin had not handled it carefully, the two families would have turned against each other, and it would have been common for the corpses to be strewn all over the place.

However, this was largely thanks to the trust and respect of Sect Leader Kang, who entrusted even a third-tier spirit slave to his junior brother. Otherwise, no matter how outstanding Yuan Jin's courage was, he probably wouldn't have had the audacity to challenge a Golden Core cultivator.

Upon reading this, Yuan Jin began to worry about his senior brother's whereabouts again:
"I wonder what the situation is like with my senior brother now?"

—Chenjiang County, Kangchangpingdongfu
The one who let out the scream was none other than Feng Buyao. Her beautiful face, which looked pitiful, was covered with blood lines, and her mind was in complete chaos.

Even a discerning eye wouldn't need to look closely to know that this person had been ambushed by some evil or sinister means. If no one else could help, then death was the only option.

However, You Songshangxiu, who was rushing over, had no time to pay attention to the lovely girl in front of him.

Even if he would be held accountable by the Grand Master Huang Mijia after returning, he still needed to find the person who had plotted against Feng Buyao and protect himself first.

After all, whether one's own life or the faith in Master Huang Mi is more important, You Song had already reached a conclusion in his mind.

However, the person in the shadows was highly skilled at concealing their tracks. Even though You Songshang took out the Star-Searching Compass, a magical artifact, to investigate, he still could not find any trace of them.

Fortunately, Hou Mingfa arrived at this time, and Feng Buyao was finally able to be taken care of.

Regardless of whether Hou Mingfa had the ability to break the evil spell on Feng Buyao, You Songshangxiu simply made a small cut on his fingertip, squeezed out a few drops of his primordial blood essence, and placed them on the Star-Seeking Plate. This made Hou Mingfa's face turn a little paler before he was able to discern some clues.

"So this is the wicked thief!"

You Song exclaimed in surprise only after a long period of hard work. Then, he pinched his fingers into a sword, and a bright bolt of lightning appeared in his hand, about to strike the stone wall in front of him.

Unexpectedly, a restriction suddenly appeared in front of the stone wall. Although it was eventually annihilated by the lightning, it still bought a chance for the blood-red light hidden within it to escape.

"You scoundrel, don't run! Where did this evil cultivator come from? Quickly take this lightning strike from me!"

You Song's tone was fierce, and his hands moved swiftly with magical incantations, unleashing several bolts of lightning in succession. However, each time he was about to touch the blood-red light, a restriction would come to his aid, causing him to fail each time.

"How could he be so familiar with this cave? Could he be the master of this place?!" Upon thinking this, You Song's killing intent intensified, but the streak of blood light was extremely agile and could not be caught by the lightning in his hand.

Just as he was struggling against the bloody light, a scream came from the spot where Hou Mingfa was left behind.

"Third Brother, help me!"

"Oh no, the Incarnation Technique!!" You Song was immediately shocked and quickly dispersed his hand seals and left.

Before he even reached Hou Mingfa, he discovered that the latter was just as decisive as he was.

Seeing that he was in danger and had only suffered minor injuries, he abandoned Feng Buyao, who was lying in his arms, without a second thought.

The Sixth Palace Master only summoned a bone flute. When he played it, a large number of vengeful ghosts with incomplete spirits surrounded him and formed a barrier, which barely saved his life.

Hou Mingfa's cultivation level was not high, but his mastery of the art of ghost refining was quite profound.

But among the fierce ghosts was a woman with cut-eared ears, whose ear holes overflowed with endless sound waves, enough to disturb the minds of most Golden Core cultivators.
Another group of tattooed ghost soldiers, wielding swords and halberds, brought with them the pain of burning souls;

There is also a hideous creature with an owl-like beak, each of its ghostly heads is extremely solid, and it can even penetrate a cultivator's physical body and devour their golden core.
Ordinary Golden Core cultivators would struggle to cope with even a single technique. However, Hou Mingfa did not flinch at all upon seeing the blood-red light opposite him.

He didn't even use any magical treasures or spiritual artifacts; every move he made was a display of masterful blood magic.

It must be said that although these methods are indeed evil, in terms of the power of their magic, they are far more powerful than Hou Mingfa's ghost-refining skills, which he has always been proud of.

However, the attack failed, and the blood-light, entangled by Hou Mingfa's methods, also lost its swift movement. Just then, You Songshangxiu, who had rushed back, locked it in the middle with Hou Mingfa.

The three were locked in a fierce battle, but Feng Buyao, left unattended, was at a loss. He could only endure the excruciating pain and move haphazardly under its indescribable agony.

It's unclear how much time passed after all that rolling and twisting, but she eventually fainted.

But when he opened his eyes, Feng Buyao saw a familiar person who was completely naked, and exclaimed with difficulty, "Seventh Brother?"

The fat monk and his disciples lying in the room had clearly been subjected to some kind of torture. Even though Feng Buyao exclaimed in surprise, they still did not react in the slightest.

However, her self-rescue efforts despite the excruciating pain were not entirely in vain.

At least she could see that besides the Yunze Witch Lord's Palace disciples, there was also a burly and robust cultivator in a Daoist robe in the dark cave, staring at her expressionlessly.

"Kang Kang Da Bao!?"

(End of this chapter)