Minglong

Chapter 348 Facing One's True Self
Huhu~
Xie Jinhuan flew through the long underground cave on the wind. After the battle, his hat and mask had been smashed, revealing his face and flowing hair.

He was carrying a bunch of equipment, including a bone knife and a crimson gold hammer, plus his own belongings, making it almost impossible to carry everything. At this moment, he only regretted that there was no storage ring in the world, otherwise he could have picked up the half of the giant snake fang he had just broken and made a dagger for Wanyi or something...

Thinking of Wanyi, Xie Jinhuan couldn't help but picture a cat stretching, and a craving for Kun surged into his heart...

The core of demonic cultivation techniques is the unrestrained exploitation of vital energy. The more power one gains through this technique, the greater the stimulation to the soul. And if a high-level sacrificial offering like the Ancient Mystic Venerable is not controlled, it is easy for him to become a slave to his desires.

Fortunately, Xie Jinhuan was well prepared. He took out a 'Righteousness-Awakening Pill' from his pocket and swallowed it. Immediately, a sense of enlightenment welled up in his heart: 'After swallowing a golden pill, I finally know who I am!'

Then the 'craving for Kun' intensified...

I'm tired of typing, I just want to carve some flowers...

I think this senior sister, Milk Melon, still retains her charm...

I've made so much money today, Ghost should reward me...

……

Ye Hongshang floated beside her, observing the movement of the heavens and earth's energy. She noticed Xie Jinhuan running, then suddenly gave her a wicked smile, her expression momentarily stunned. She then leaned closer, her eyes filled with tenderness.
"hungry?"

"Ah."

"Call her 'Mother' first."

"what?"

Xie Jinhuan saw that A Piao was about to unbutton her collar to feed the baby, and his eyes showed a hint of helplessness:

"Okay, but let's skip the formal address. How about I just call you 'older sister'?"

"How could my sister do such an immoral thing?"

?

Xie Jinhuan thought this statement was absurd, but still explained it earnestly:
"It is often said that the eldest brother is like a father, and the eldest sister-in-law is like..."

At this point, Xie Jinhuan had a sudden inspiration and changed his words:
"Is that called sister-in-law? Sister-in-law, I want to eat dumpling wrappers..."

?

Ye Hongshang raised her hand and flicked her glib-tongued brother-in-law on the head. She was about to continue her role-playing when a sudden noise came from the depths of the cave ahead:
boom--

Xie Jinhuan frowned, immediately clearing his mind of distractions, and vanished from the spot...
-
As you go deeper underground, the vegetation in the wide cave gradually decreases, exposing a large amount of rock walls. You can also hear the roar of an underground river within the fissures. However, the diameter of the cave remains almost unchanged and presents a relatively regular circle, making it look as if some ancient behemoth once traversed this place.

Ye Yunchi silently floated through the dark cave with his sword, carefully examining the cracks and underground river, but the long serpent lord he had been tracking had already disappeared without a trace.

Coal Ball's eyes were only on the Great Serpent King. It kept flying in following the aura, and when it noticed Ye Yun's slow pace, it would occasionally turn back and tug at his sleeve to urge him on.

“Gujiguji…”

But Ye Yunchi was obviously not going to be so reckless. She had already experienced the power of the black worm. Its snake scales made it almost immune to weapons. The two attacked several times, and the biggest result was that Xie Jinhuan knocked out a front tooth at the beginning. After that, when the opponent became more cautious, it was difficult to seriously injure its body.

Her body was constantly being eroded by the intense snake venom, and she had also been ambushed by the Ancient Mystic Venerable. Her situation was not good, and she was easily ambushed if she could not pinpoint her location. Therefore, she cautiously explored forward. After a while, she arrived at the end of the vast cavern.

The rock walls here began to slope downwards, and the roar of the underground river could be heard from all sides. The ground was covered by bottomless black water, and the traces of the giant serpent disappeared at the edge of the underground lake.

Legend has it that the Dragon Emperor Cave leads directly to the East Sea, and there is likely to be a winding waterway for hundreds of miles ahead. It is not impossible for Ye Yunchi to dive and track it, but the Xuan Jiao is a water element, and the fighting power of the Jiaolong returning to the sea is several times higher than that of the Dragon Swimming in the shallows just now.

Therefore, Ye Yunchi did not go any further. Instead, he pressed down on the coal ball and stood still, waiting for Xie Jinhuan to arrive. At the same time, he took out a healing pill from his sleeve and swallowed it to prevent the snake venom from attacking his heart.

But just as she stood guard, she suddenly realized something was wrong and looked away from the pool, turning her gaze back to the way she had come.

"Guji?"

"Shh~"

……

Meanwhile, in a dark crevice behind.

Sha Tu, the old man, clung to the cliff face, blending into the environment. Looking at the woman who had come chasing him alone, his dim, yellow eyes showed a hint of hesitation.

Sha Tu came to Dragon Bone Beach seeking an opportunity because his lifespan was nearing its end. If he succeeded and entered the Fifth Realm, he could extend his lifespan.

As a rogue cultivator who had survived his entire life, Sha Tu knew how risky this trip was, so he kept a low profile, simply hiding in the Dragon Emperor Cave, feigning death to avoid battle and waiting for an opportunity.

But to his utter surprise, the fight between the righteous and the evil forces inexplicably ended up hitting this rogue cultivator in the face.

That would have been fine, but he originally wanted to take advantage of the chaos and get away with it. However, he discovered that the great demon of the Underworld God Cult was actually a giant, monstrous worm that had become a spirit, and had never even fought against the righteous path!

With such a fierce opponent, Sha Tu Lao Er certainly wouldn't dare to show his face again, so he chose to hide at the crossroads and wait for the storm to pass before making his escape.

Unexpectedly, the two righteous men split up, and the female swordsman chased after them first, while there was still no movement from the other side.

The old man Sha Tu has less than half a year left to live. If he fails to obtain the divine power this time, he will die. However, if he can eliminate this highly skilled female cultivator, he may be able to obtain the Five Directions Divine Power.

Even without them, he can still obtain some magical treasures and divine weapons to enhance his combat power and eliminate a competitor, increasing his chances of winning the treasure.

Moreover, this female cultivator possesses the Blood Soul Curse Technique of the Ancient Mystic Venerable, coupled with the venom of the Mystic Dragon Serpent, making her combat strength not particularly strong.

As the saying goes, "If you don't seize a gift from Heaven, you will suffer the consequences." If he doesn't even dare to try such a golden opportunity, he might as well just find a place to wait for death. Why bother competing for a slim chance?

With this in mind, the old man Sha Tu suppressed his hesitation. Seeing that there was still no movement of pursuers behind him, he took a step forward, leaning on his cane!
hum~
With each step, ripples of earthy yellow spread outwards from the rock strata beneath our feet!
Ye Yunchi drew his sword to guard, but saw that the originally hard rock was now rippling like water waves, which instantly spread to the feet of the man and the bird, and then the entire area turned into quicksand and dust, bringing with it a muffled roar!
?

Ye Yunchi had been practicing Taoism for decades and had even fought against esoteric Taoists, but he had never seen the Quicksand Curse with such destructive power before. He immediately took to the air and, carrying his three-foot sword, charged straight into the depths of the shadows.

Sa——

The sword light was like a white rainbow, but the old man Sha Tu was no ordinary person who could survive half his life in the desert. Besides his extreme cunning, his other trump card was that when he was an ascetic monk, he intercepted his fellow Daoists and seized half of the Daoist manual. He comprehended countless methods from it, and the Quicksand Curse was just the beginning.

As the sword light struck, Sha Tu was already surrounded by yellow sand. He held his cane in one hand and plunged it into the quicksand, silently chanting:
"With the Earth element gathered and the Qilin protecting the area, an earthen wall is built, ensuring protection from all calamities..."

Boom boom boom...

Then three thick earthen walls rose from the sandy ground in front, with the head of a Qilin beast emerging from the front, facing the chilling sword light with a sky-devouring momentum!
Ye Yunchi moved with lightning speed, shattering two Qilin beast faces with a single sword strike, but still stopped in front of the third earthen wall. The aftershocks of his sword energy carved out fan-shaped grooves on both sides, causing a sandstorm to erupt in the massive cavern.

Ye Yunchi's eyes widened in surprise as his sword was blocked, while Sha Tu was also startled to discover that the woman had almost pierced through Lu Wuzhen's 'Yellow Scale Protective Curse' with a single sword strike.

However, since they have already made their move, both sides have no choice but to go all out; there is no time for reflection or sighing.

As Sha Tu cast his spell, a stream of light appeared beneath his feet, and then his figure vanished from his original spot, appearing behind Ye Yunchi as if by teleportation. His four-foot staff pierced straight towards the wound on Ye Yunchi's back.

Ding— Ye Yunchi reacted with lightning speed, parrying the staff with a swift sword strike. However, he saw that the enormous desert demon was suddenly enveloped in golden Buddhist light, emitting a sound:
"upbraid--"

He roared like a lion, and then thick green mist spewed out from his sleeves, which were like tangled vines, as his left hand, with knuckles as thick as bone claws, reached for his veil.

Ye Yunchi's cultivation level was high enough that he was not stunned by the Buddha's roar, but with injuries and poison, he still felt unable to provide timely assistance when facing a celestial technique like the 'Three Pure Ones Stepping the Dipper'.

As the green mist approached and the bone claws were within reach, Ye Yunchi's eyes narrowed slightly, and the two characters 'Jun Chi' on the sword shone with golden light!
hum~
The three-foot sword trembled violently, and a surge of noble spirit rose into the sky. Simultaneously, azure and white sword energy erupted from the sword, solidifying around the body, making it appear from a distance as if the person was enveloped in azure ice.

bang——

Sha Tu's claw gripped the sword energy, but it didn't penetrate even a fraction. Instead, it seemed to probe into the domain of the Immortal Slaughtering Sword. The flesh and bones of his left hand did not provide any resistance and were pulverized into dust by the sword energy!

The energy burst forth between the two, and Ye Yunchi was knocked back, crashing into the last Qilin earthen wall. The cyan sword energy directly tore a hole in the thick wall, allowing his body to pass right through it.

Boom——

? !
The old man Sha Tu struck with lightning speed, leaving only half of his left hand intact. His cloudy old eyes were filled with astonishment, and he realized that something was wrong.

The woman's sword aura was frost-white, while the cyan sword energy was clearly not her own. Its power was also unbelievable, and it seemed more like a wisp of sword energy left behind by some mountain-top giant as her protective charm.

The protective sword aura formed by a casual wisp of sword energy was powerful enough to instantly turn him, a cultivator at the peak of the fourth realm, into dust. In addition, the woman possessed a righteous and noble spirit. He could not think of anyone else who could be the giant at the top of the mountain except for the "Twin Saints of Book and Sword".

The disciple of Shuang Sheng Ye Ci...

Sha Tu, that old man, has committed evil deeds all his life and is now half-buried in the ground, yet he still dares to covet such a top-tier second-generation immortal.

But as daring as he may be, if such a person were bloodthirsty, then the Twin Saints Shrine wouldn't deserve to sit in the top position of the righteous path.

Moreover, if the first strike fails, teammates will arrive in an instant.

Having survived for many years, Sha Tu knew that even a moment's delay would lead to his death, so he did not linger in the fight. Before the chaotic energy had completely spread, he had already flashed into the boundless black water.

Boom——

Ye Yunchi blocked the attack and then flashed out from the sandstorm, sword in hand, searching for the old man of the Sand Slaughter.

But when they reached the edge of the underground lake, all that remained in the cave was endless yellow sand and the lingering sword wind; it was difficult to find any trace of the old demon.

“Gujiguji…”

The coal ball had taken cover on the dome beforehand, and now it peeked out from the crack in the rock, gesturing towards the water's surface.

However, Ye Yunchi couldn't pinpoint the location of the Xuanjiao and the old thief Sha Tu, so he dared not rashly go into the water to pursue them. Just as he was on guard against an ambush, he heard the sound of wind breaking from behind:

Sa——

Then a young swordsman wearing a cloak flashed forward and scanned the bottomless black pool:

"Is that old man Sha Tu?!"

Ye Yunchi breathed a slight sigh of relief when he saw Xie Jinhuan arrive:
"Yes, they should have already escaped... cough—"

As soon as he finished speaking, Ye Yunchi let out a muffled cough and then lost his balance and fell.

Seeing this, Xie Jinhuan quickly put his arm around Ye Yunchi's waist to check. He saw that Ye Yunchi had some powder left on his body, his face was red and white, and his body was covered in sweat. However, he was also hot and cold and felt like he was covered in frost.

Ye Yunchi's fight lasted only a moment. He was so focused on the battle that he hadn't noticed anything amiss. But now that the danger was over, he realized that his blood and qi were surging and his mind was slightly hazy.

If that were all, it would be fine, but she had already been poisoned by the dragon. The black dragon is born with water, and its poison is fierce and extremely cold, capable of breaking through the body's protective power and severely damaging the soul and spirit.

With the dragon poison breaking through the defenses, this normally not-so-tricky poison took advantage of the situation and invaded the body. The two poisons simultaneously ravaged the body, causing the poison to spread rapidly to the heart meridian. The body felt as if it had fallen between ice and fire, and boundless evil thoughts surged from the heart, with faint signs of demonic possession and madness.

"It seems to be poison from Datura stramonium. You should leave quickly."

buzzing...

Ye Yunchi's sword trembled, and a murderous rage surfaced in his eyes. He tried his best to suppress the urge to push Xie Jinhuan away and to unleash his madness to tear Xie Jinhuan to pieces.

Xie Jinhuan had also heard of the Manluo Flower. It was a magical herb that came from the deserts of the Western Regions. It grew in places with extremely heavy Yin energy, and its petals had a miraculous effect on nourishing the soul. It was often used by cultivators of the Witchcraft and Taoist sects to help them improve their cultivation.

However, the seeds of this flower are a rare and potent poison. Their fragrance can penetrate the skin and induce greed, anger, and delusion, causing people to become confused and insane. Therefore, they are also called 'seeds of bewitching mind'.

If any living being accidentally eats the flower seeds, it will be tempted to have evil thoughts, lose control, and act recklessly, thus creating suitable conditions for the growth and development of the datura flower.

The fact that Sha Tu Lao Er carries this item with him is probably similar to the 'Mad Corpse Flower,' used to create the conditions for a blood sacrifice to massacre a city. Normally, it cannot harm cultivators at the fourth or fifth realm.

However, Sha Tu Lao'er clearly understood the characteristics of the Xuan Jiao. With the Jiao poison destroying the body's defenses, the poison directly exerted an effect greater than the sum of its parts, which was impossible to withstand with willpower alone.

Ye Hongshang, who was traveling alongside, responded after a brief examination:
"Try giving her the Righteousness-Dispelling Pill."

Seeing this, Xie Jinhuan quickly took out a pill and placed it between her red lips:

"If you stay true to yourself, I will take you to find a miracle doctor."

The Zhengde Faxie Pill is a special medicine made from the most yang materials. It can dispel blood evil and yin evil in the body. Although it cannot eradicate the poison of the dragon and the poison of the mandrake flower, the accompanying forced sedation effect can prevent people from going crazy and losing their minds.

After Ye Yunchi took the pill, his restless mind was quickly calmed down. His eyes were filled with surprise, but before he could ask what kind of elixir it was, he found that by forcing his mind to be as still as water, the 'Way of the Heart' that he had adhered to since childhood clearly emerged in his mind:

The Confucian path seeks nothing more than "inner sage and outer king," cultivating oneself, managing one's family, and benefiting the world.

A virtuous person acts righteously, not stopping because no one knows; this is what it means to "save the world"...

Filial piety and righteousness must be fulfilled. One must surpass that unfaithful person so that one's mother can rest in peace in the afterlife. This is what it means to "manage the family well"...

She should be chaste, virtuous, and obedient to her husband after marriage. If given the opportunity, she should find a handsome, upright, and talented man to spend her life with, supporting her husband, raising children, and establishing a good family tradition. She should practice the principle that "if one's conduct is upright, one's orders will be followed without being given; if one's conduct is not upright, one's orders will not be followed even if given." She should use herself as an example to teach her husband and children, which is called "self-cultivation"...

However, there are priorities...

To uphold righteousness and practice the code of honor of the Qingming Sword Manor is the aspiration of my life, and I must never forget it for a moment...

The whereabouts of that unfaithful person are still unknown, and surpassing them is a distant prospect; we can only discuss it another day…

So the only task left is the third one: 'self-cultivation'. If you want to be a good wife and mother and uphold the three obediences and four virtues, then you definitely need to find a man you can entrust your life to first, and then have four or five big, healthy babies...

Where can one find a man who is 'outstandingly talented, handsome, upright, and like-minded'...?

……

(End of this chapter)