Starting from the Tiger Demon Yaksha, the demon immortality

Chapter 315 324 Crimson Dawn

"Having wandered for half my life without encountering a wise ruler, if you do not abandon me, I am willing to become your godfather."

A true man, living between heaven and earth, how can he remain subservient to others for long?

"The feudal lords beyond the pass are regarded by Bu as mere weeds; I wish to lead a fierce and ruthless army to cut off their heads and hang them at the capital gate."

Looking at Li Yisheng's enthusiastic demeanor, a few thoughts suddenly flashed through Li Cunxiao's mind.

Ultimately, all the other party wanted was a pledge of loyalty.

No matter how exquisite Taiyi Zhenren's alchemy is, if it cannot be realized, it is false.

Li Cunxiao, however, had a special status. Once he joined the Prince of Jin's forces, in the eyes of outsiders, it meant that he had chosen a side of the Louguan Dao.

With the endorsement of the Great Qin State Religion, everything Li Yisheng does will be much more credible, which is something truly tangible for him.

Fame and power are not to be taken lightly. Once we have secured the reputation of Li Cunxiao and righteousness, even if the Louguan Dao wanted to back out, they would have no way to do so.

As for the Qi Pill, precisely because it is so important, like a windfall, one should not have too high expectations.

Yuhua Temple is also a major sect with a long history. With Zhiheng, the Peacock King, there is no problem with the supply of basic elixirs.

"Now that Sanlang has joined my ranks, he will be the thirteenth Taibao. These are all your elder brothers now, come and acknowledge them."

Li Yisheng's expression changed drastically, and he addressed Li Cunxiao with great intimacy, seemingly having learned about Li Cunxiao's family lineage from some unknown source.

“Thirteenth Brother, I was just stating the facts. We’ll all be comrades from now on, so please don’t hold any grudges.”

Li Siyuan changed his attitude just as easily, without showing the slightest sign of unease.

"How could that be?" Li Cunxiao smiled politely. He was naturally unhappy, but he wasn't impulsive enough to show disrespect to a grandmaster.

In short, under Li Yisheng's watchful gaze, everyone, whether warm or cold, stepped forward to introduce themselves.

The five men, namely Li Siyuan (the First Protector), Li Sizhao (the Second Protector), Li Cunxin (the Fourth Protector), Li Cunjin (the Fifth Protector), and Kang Junli (the Twelfth Protector), can be called the "Grandpa Party."

The five men, namely Li Cunxu (Third Protector), Li Cunzhang (Eighth Protector), Li Cunshen (Ninth Protector), Li Cunxian (Tenth Protector), and Shi Jingsi (Eleventh Protector), can be called the "Third Master Party".

As for the Sixth Protector Li Siben and the Seventh Protector Li Sien, they usually served as Li Yisheng's personal guards, so it's hard to say which faction they belonged to.

Finally, with the addition of Li Cunxiao, the newly appointed Thirteen Protectors, they were basically the main generals in the Hedong army.

Therefore, the Twelve Protectors also had a nickname, the Righteous Sons Army, which means that these people were all the adopted sons of Prince Li Yisheng of Jin.

"Saving lives is like putting out a fire. Now that our status has been determined, we cannot delay any longer."

“I will send a message to Abbot Zhigang to stay in Jinzhou and ask Chief Abbot Zhiheng to come and provide support.”

"Siyuan, you..."

"And Cunxu, you want him too?"

Li Cunxiao knew that although he had become one of the Thirteen Protectors, he had not yet truly integrated into the Hedong Army, so he simply observed from the sidelines without uttering a word.

Li Yisheng was decisive and gave orders without hesitation.

Among the many arrangements, apart from the two masters of Yuhua Temple, the rest were all centered around the Grand Protector Li Siyuan and the Third Protector Li Cunxu, with other adopted sons assisting and implementing them.

Finally, after going around in circles, it all came back to Li Cunxiao.

"With the Flying Cavalry here, my speed will be greatly slowed down, so you will bring up the rear to cover the retreat. I will take Sanlang and go ahead first."

This time, however, no one dared to say that he couldn't risk it alone. Clearly, Li Yisheng's consistent prestige was unquestionable, and no one could question his decision.

Regardless of what the other party thought, this move was exactly what Li Cunxiao wanted. He couldn't rest easy without going back and seeing it for himself, so he didn't refuse.

"Sanlang, I'm sorry to trouble you, but you'll have to stay in the stupa for a while."

Li Yisheng opened his left palm, and a strange pagoda appeared from the void.

Its shape is different from that of ordinary pagodas. It has a round belly as the base, with a nine-story tower on top, and a precious pearl on the top of the tower, which emits strange seven-colored light.

'Is this the Lingbao Relic Pagoda of Yuhua Temple, the ancestral home of Esoteric Buddhism?'

Li Cunxiao was taken aback, not expecting Li Yisheng to be so casual, revealing such a precious treasure to him so readily.

With a flash of light, Li Yisheng and Li Cunxiao had vanished from their spot.

Only the remaining twelve bodyguards were left, looking at each other in astonishment, with Li Siyuan and Li Cunxu showing particular surprise.

"My godfather really thinks highly of this kid."

Kang Junli said sourly, and Shi Jingsi and the others, their expressions turning sour, quickly tried to smooth things over:
"It was just an emergency, and my godfather has always been strict in his rewards and punishments. He has never deliberately shown favoritism."

"So what if he's biased? The thirteenth prince can refine pills, and we might have to rely on him for our military supplies in the future."

Li Cunshen smiled mockingly and glanced at Kang Junli:

"Some people are probably kicking themselves."

“Alright, let’s stop with the gossip,” Li Siyuan stepped forward.

"We should prepare our troops as soon as possible and head south as soon as Chief Zhiheng arrives."

Li Cunxu seized the opportunity and took over the conversation:

"This time, we must ensure that the traitor Zhu suffers a crushing defeat!"

Louguan Taoist Mountain Gate.

Compared to two days ago, Four Symbols Peak is even more dilapidated, but this is not entirely due to the previous battle.

Squads of soldiers, like ants, relayed up and down the mountain. Upon closer inspection, they were all carrying boxes and baskets, their pockets stuffed full.

Occasionally, a few gold and silver plates and cups would fall out, immediately causing a scramble to break up the fight. Only when the supervising officer arrived and gave them a few good lashes would the crowd disperse.

Centuries-old nanmu beams and pillars, glazed tiles bestowed by the imperial court, and various vermilion-lacquered and gold-painted screens and chairs.
The soldiers under the command of the King of Liang were like locusts, smashing, breaking, and looting everything of value in this ancient sacred land.

"A bunch of bandits! Zhu Quanzhong has only this much scum under his command. They have no regal bearing whatsoever, yet they dare to covet the divine artifact and plot to seize the throne?"

Changsun Chi watched as his sect was plundered, burning with rage yet utterly helpless.

Yu Chi Mu and Qin Li had similar expressions, while Qi Ci didn't react much, just closing his eyes to rest as if he were dozing off.

The only thing the four of them had in common was that their faces were all pale and bluish, as if they were exhausted, and their spirit and demeanor were completely lacking their usual grandmaster demeanor.

If you look closely, you will find that the four people are sitting in the four directions, surrounding the Sanqing Hall in the center.

Inside the hall, Yan Daotong and Taiyi Zhenren sat facing each other, each with a black and white fish beneath them. Their positions were precisely where the Yin-Yang Eyes were located.

The Yin and Yang and the Four Symbols are represented by the Grand Master within and the Masters without. At the foot of the mountain, there are eight elders leading over a thousand Daoist disciples, seated according to the Eight Trigrams, the Twenty-Eight Mansions, the Seventy-Two Pentads, the One Hundred and Eight Heavenly Generals and Earthly Fiends, and the Three Hundred and Sixty-Five Cycles.
The entire power of the sect, guided by the Yin-Yang Eyes, surged into the enormous black and white banner in the sky.

The banners trembled, subtly rubbing against the enormous opening of the bag in the void, occasionally triggering thunder and lightning.

“Cunxiao has been gone for two days. If all goes well, he should have seen Li Yisheng by now.”

"What good would it do to see them? The King of Jin and the King of Liang are both feudal lords who covet the world; they might not be willing to lend a hand. Wouldn't it be better to sit back and watch the tigers fight, and reap the benefits as a fisherman?"

"Junior brother, at a time like this, are you still arguing with your elder brother?"

Yan Daotong sighed, "How much longer can you hold on?" Taiyi Zhenren was silent for a moment, "As things stand, three days."

"But I see that Zhu Quanzhong is making frequent moves in the army, so I'm afraid he has other tricks up his sleeve."

"Three days? Junior brother, your condition is not as good as mine."

A look of worry flashed across Yan Daotong's eyes.

Taiyi Zhenren was a newly promoted Grandmaster who had just broken through to the next level. He should have been consolidating his realm, but instead he encountered a series of battles.

In particular, the three sect leaders, including Changsun Chi, were seriously injured, and it was through his supernatural abilities that they recovered using the power of divine pills.

While the spiritual energy in the world is vast and boundless, extracting it is not effortless.

However, Master Taiyi was strong-willed, and Yan Daotong had no intention of provoking him further.

"Heavenly Fortune, come."

His lips moved, and invisible ripples spread down from the mountain peak. Xue Tianyun, who was at a certain point in the Seventy-Two Phases, opened his eyes, whispered a few words to the elder beside him, and then got up and walked towards the Sanqing Hall.

Seeing the disciples sitting motionless the whole way, he felt anxious.

Zhu Quanzhong's side had three Grandmasters, while Louguandao only had two, so they had to use all their strength to support Lingbao in order to preserve Liangyi Peak as their last stronghold.

The various pills and rare treasures stored in the sect were consumed in just a few days, and only two days of stillness and stability were achieved, which was already the limit.

They have no idea what the external situation is like now, or what actions the Liang King's side is taking.

Xue Tianyun could sense that the fighting spirit of his disciples was gradually waning, and an atmosphere of despair was spreading like a plague.

"Maintaining a defensive posture is already the limit, junior brother, you need to come back soon."

Silently praying, Xue Tianyun entered the hall and bowed, saying:

"Master, Uncle-Master."

Yan Daotong didn't waste any words. With a flick of his finger, a seal made of black and white jade appeared and entered Xue Tianyun's brow.

"Master?!" Xue Tianyun was stunned for only a moment before he came to his senses.

"The sect leader's seal?! Master, it's you..."

Yan Daotong waved his hand to interrupt his apprentice.

"Zhu Quanzhong won't just stand by and watch us wait for reinforcements; he will definitely take action."

"If anything unexpected happens afterward, I will do my best to create an opportunity for you and your disciples to escape."

"If your uncle and I are in grave danger, the Two Elements Banner will not fall into the hands of the thieves. If I don't pass it on to you now, I'm afraid I won't have another chance."

"Go."

Xue Tianyun remained silent for a long time, his heart heavy as he walked out of the Liangyi Hall. Looking down at the devastation below, a complex mix of emotions overwhelmed him.
This ancient holy land, the orthodox sect of Taoism, is it truly doomed to perish in this calamity?
"Does Your Majesty truly intend to slaughter the entire population of Huayin County?"

Yang Shihou looked at the crowd lined up along the Baimayi River. Among them were people dressed in fine clothes, people with patched clothes, old people, young people, and women holding babies.

"Why ask such a pointless question, Grand Tutor Yang? Do you think I would willingly spend my days here slaughtering these people like animals?"

Ge Congzhou's tone was full of impatience. With a wave of his command flag, demon soldiers with blood-red eyes rushed out from the side, killing everyone in a frenzy of howling and screaming.

The wailing soon ceased, and the demon army, exuding a dark and malevolent aura, visibly grew stronger, leaving behind a trail of corpses that nearly blocked the river.

It was only when Ge Congzhou unleashed a powerful True Essence Handprint that the hundreds of corpses scattered across the land were swept into the river.

"In two days, they've only killed a little over 10,000 people. That's too slow."

"you!"

Yang Shihou suppressed his anger and forced his head to turn away. Looking at the three figures sitting cross-legged under the huge bag in the air, he still felt a little disbelief in his eyes.

He initially joined Zhu Quanzhong because the man had extraordinary ambitions and a domineering demeanor.

However, as his power grew stronger day by day, Zhu Quanzhong became increasingly cruel, bloodthirsty, and capricious.

After his wife passed away, it was as if he had broken free of his shackles and committed the absurd act of having sex with his daughter-in-law.

Yang Shihou offered advice more than once, but all he received were praises for his "frankness" and "daring to speak out." Zhu Quanzhong continued to do as he pleased afterward.

Personal morality can be tolerated, but sacrificing the city of Huayin in blood is truly absurd.
"Um?!"

Yang Shihou's expression changed, and he saw a pillar of blood-red light suddenly shoot into the sky from the direction of Huayin City in the night sky before dawn. Then it scattered like fireworks and fell down as a semi-circular dome.

"What are the two Dharma Kings of the Ming Cult up to?"

Yang Shihou was about to leave in a flash when Ge Congzhou suddenly stretched out his arm to block him.

"It would be better if Grand Tutor Yang did not go."

"Do you know what happened?"

“It’s nothing really,” Ge Congzhou grinned, his expression turning into a menacing smile.

“Simply massacring the city is not enough. Therefore, the Mingzun suggested that we spread a maddening drug in the city, and once it penetrates into the bone marrow, it will detonate and cause the people of the city to kill each other.”

"The evil energy supplied to the acquired bag in this way is far superior in both quality and quantity."

"Perhaps we'll be able to have breakfast at the Sanqing Hall at sunrise today?"

Upon hearing this, Yang Shihou's expression shifted between light and dark. He took a deep breath and then slowly exhaled.

Those who achieve great things do not stick to trivial matters.

The fact that the king did not inform him of this matter was already a dangerous sign. Was he really going to ruin his future for a group of unrelated people?
"Why must you do this, Grand Tutor Yang? Many people in Huayin City have old ties with the Daoist sect of Louguan."

"How could they bear to see their relatives and friends being slaughtered?"

"As long as Yan Daotong and the others can't sit still and are willing to open the spiritual treasure and come out to die, then some of the people in this city can still live."

Ge Congzhou smiled nonchalantly; the lives of hundreds of thousands of people were as insignificant as a few ants in his eyes.

"Hahahaha, King Liang's plan is indeed brilliant! Yan Daotong and his men have indeed come out."

Yelü Yi stood a little distance away from the other two, listening to the commotion on Liangyi Peak and the black and white flags that suddenly waved in the sky, a departure from their defensive posture. He smiled, but his heart was filled with vigilance.

'Zhu Quanzhong is indeed ruthless. If all the people of this city had been spared—farmers, merchants, artisans, and craftsmen—how much strength could they have added to our nation? Yet he simply killed them without hesitation.'

"So-called prestigious sects are nothing but hypocrites who put on a benevolent facade but are actually just after empty fame."

Behind Zhu Quanzhong stands the Buddha image of the Sun and Buddha, towering to the heavens and earth. One hand holds the Back Heaven Bag, which is in opposition to the Two Elements Banner, while the other hand extends a hundred miles, aiming straight for the hellish blood-red city of Huayin.

"Today I will not only destroy the Louguan Sect, but also this group of rebellious people who collude with the evil sects."

"A pig with a scallion stuck in its nose, what a boastful attitude."

"Who?!"

The three men's expressions changed drastically. Turning their heads, they saw a magnificent pagoda in the clouds, its rooftops obscuring the sky and seemingly drawing upon the thunderous roar of Mount Sumeru, pressing down on the heavens.
"African swine fever, it's time to move your head today!"

(End of this chapter)