Who is spreading rumors that my filial piety towards them has changed?

Zuo Qiuchi smiled and grasped the hilt of the heavy sword beside him, his meaning self-evident.

Several figures emerged from behind several bronze statues.

Based on their auras, Zuo Qiuchi quickly recognized the general origins of these people.

"That unknown old fellow from the Southern Bright Sword Pavilion looks like he's nearing the end of his lifespan, and there's a decaying aura about him in his spiritual energy. And Quan Banlian from the Hidden Moon Pavilion? You betrayed your sect and left, could it be that you've joined the Buddhist sect?"

Lei Baishan from Zhenlei Island, and Gao Nanben, the deputy commander who came from Tianji Palace, was castrated and joined the Nightblade Guard.

"Oh? There's still one remnant of the Xingkong Temple. How come they're not all dead yet?"

The forces that arrived were considerable. The Southern Bright Sword Pavilion was one of the more prestigious sects among sword cultivators. The old man who came was nearing the end of his lifespan. Although his cultivation level had declined and was now inferior to Zuo Qiuchi's, at his peak, he was not far behind her. The others were in similar situations. If they were chosen individually to fight Zuo Qiuchi, she could allow her opponent ten rounds before defeating them.

With so many people coming together, just the fact that they would pair up and drain her spiritual energy was enough to give Zuo Qiuchi a headache.

Moreover, this secret realm has a suppressive law for her, which seems to be specifically effective against heavy swords!

The inherent clumsiness of the greatsword is magnified here.

If the sword strike is too slow, its power will be greatly reduced, and it's pointless to miss.

"So this bronze formation not only prevents me from escaping, but also prevents me from shattering the laws of this secret realm."

Acknowledging the thoroughness of the other party's preparations, Zuo Qiuchi released his beloved sword and instead took out a silver spear.

The old man from the Nanming Sword Pavilion said, "Use a spear? I'd like to borrow Zuo Housheng's sword to comprehend the Sword Immortal realm, break through the lifespan barrier, and live another thousand years! But it doesn't matter, I'll eventually force you to use a sword!"

The old man's words revealed disdain and jealousy. He had been studying the way of the sword for a thousand years, but he was not as good as a young girl who had only spent a few decades. The newcomer surpassed him and ascended to the Sword Immortal Realm, making the ancestral sword resound!

Yin Yuexuan escaped from the Demon Sect and attempted to join the righteous path, but a demoness named Quan Banlian still appeared, who practiced dual cultivation with Xingkong Temple for pleasure.

The name Xingkong Temple sounds nice, but in reality, it's just a small group of unruly members of the Hehuan Sect who broke away, disguised themselves as monks, and sought pleasure through sexual exploitation.

Why couldn't even a demonic sect like the Hehuan Sect stay there? Because the Hehuan Sect also pursues normal yin-yang intercourse for dual cultivation and replenishment, while the people of Xingkong Temple... can do both men and women. Even within Xingkong Temple, sex is considered mild; they prefer fencing!

Later, they became so arrogant that they were wiped out by several righteous sects. However, some remnants still managed to escape. They were easy to identify, as they had a habit of not bathing and their spiritual energy and body odor were extremely foul.

Elder Lei Baishan of Zhenlei Island asked in a weary voice, "Zuo Qiuchi, do you know why I have come?"

Thunder Island is considered a neutral force; it does not commit evil deeds and can be regarded as a righteous sect.

"I don't know, I'm not familiar with you."

"Not familiar?!" Lei Baishan suddenly seemed to have been ignited like gunpowder. "My son is exceptionally talented and has the potential to become a Sword Immortal! Five years ago, you shattered his Dao heart, and now he's a muddle-headed cripple! And you actually say you're not familiar with him?!"

Zuo Qiuchi tried hard to recall, but the only people he could remember who were good with knives were Old Knife Immortal and Chu Mingkong.

That brat can do everything.

Actually, there are quite a few people who are skilled with knives, but she hasn't had much contact with them.

"I really don't remember him. It's not my fault. If your son could put even a little pressure on me, I would remember him." Zuo Qiuchi said earnestly, "Uncle, I don't think you need to be so angry. Your son doesn't even have the ability to make me remember him, so how could he possibly become a Sword Immortal? You're overthinking it. So don't feel like you've lost a Sword Immortal son."

Because it could never have been possible in the first place!

--------

P.S.: There's no time like the present, so I added it today. It's also a way of thanking everyone for giving so many monthly votes at the beginning of the month!

Chapter Sixty-Eight: Transformation into the Abyss!

Gao Nan listened to Zuo Qiuchi's sharp tongue. Although his words didn't hurt him, they reminded him of the bastard Chu Mingkong shooting an arrow into his crotch a few days ago and mocking him for being empty-handed.

This master and apprentice are really... completely incompatible.

As for why Gao Nanben came here, he naturally represented the Tianji Royal Family.

Zuo Qiuchi is Chu Mingkong's protector, and under normal circumstances, no one dares to touch her.

Ye Ren Si was well aware that after Zuo Qiu Chi brought Chu Ming Kong to the capital, she had been living in his palace, and her behavior was quite flamboyant.

However, given her status as a sword immortal, Nightblade could only pretend not to see her. Since she was also inclined to conceal her whereabouts, Nightblade felt even more justified in pretending to be blind.

We'll do each other a favor, and you can keep things quiet and not make things difficult for us, but Nightblade and the royal family behind him are definitely feeling resentful.

Today, the bald monk over there was preparing to make a move against Zuo Qiuchi, and he had brought in so many helpers, so the royal family naturally got involved.

But... ha!

Gao Nan secretly glanced at the group of people in the secret realm. These people had probably brought plenty of magical treasures to deal with Zuo Qiuchi, and they would all belong to the Tianji Royal Family in a little while.

Lei Baishan glared angrily, veins bulging on his brow bone, and wanted to scold Zuo Qiuchi for being ungrateful, but Zuo Qiuchi took the initiative to attack first!

Her first target was the old man from the Southern Ming Sword Pavilion. The old man had lived a long time and had many trump cards, but his vitality was declining. If she could take him away directly, it would save her a lot of trouble later.

Zuo Qiuchi feigned an attack with his spear, first sweeping two swirling spear fire rings to approach the Sword Pavilion Elder. The spear tip left two red lines as it passed, seemingly afterimages, but in reality, they were extremely compressed fire spirit energy, whose power was no less than, and even greater than, the raging flames that exploded.

The old man from Jian Ge was hunched over, but his movements with his cane and sword were incredibly agile, always managing to stay just outside the tip of his spear.

"Fire Lotus Divine Palm!"

Zuo Qiuchi seized the opportunity when the old man dodged the gun and struck him with a palm. A fiery lotus flower bloomed with the explosion, and the old man was blasted away. Unfortunately, he only gained a slight advantage and failed to kill him instantly.

The old man from the Sword Pavilion took out a palm-sized talisman from his robes, which turned to ashes.

"What a pity that I've kept this life-protecting golden talisman hidden for so long, only to have it forced out by you, you little brat. Isn't that ridiculous? A dignified sword immortal, skilled in both spear and palm techniques, yet unable to lift his own sword. I think you're deliberately trying to prevent me from attaining enlightenment."

Zuo Qiuchi seemed to be deep in thought: "I remember who you are now. Your grandson has been devastated ever since I broke his sword, hasn't he? Your grandson also used two of these talismans to save his life back then."

The old man's breath caught in his throat, and he said coldly, "You're courting death!"

Master Yuande made another Buddha hand gesture, and the golden relic floated in his palm, manifesting a huge Bodhisattva image that occupied half the sky, with its long, white arms outstretched as if to embrace Zuo Qiuchi.

“Confused!” Master Yuande uttered a curse.

Zuo Qiuchi's sword heart was steady, but he was still stunned for a breath by this Buddhist incantation.

"Your Bodhisattva appearance is so grand, are you really afraid I won't be able to hit you?"

She gripped the heavy sword at her side again with her clenched hand. With a swift movement, the arm of the Bodhisattva image was severed before it could fall, causing the image to become ethereal. The golden light of the relic in Master Yuande's hand dimmed, and the sword intent also affected the demoness and the demonic monk of Xingkong Temple, both of whom were forced back.

"Do you want to kill me, or do you want to be killed by me? Is that all?"

Yuan De shouted at Gao Nanben, "What are you waiting for!"

Suddenly, the eunuch Gao, who had been observing, smiled, took out a dark purple sphere from his sleeve, and tossed it into the air.

The sphere rose into the air, its jet-black light enveloping the entire secret realm, like a black sun rising slowly. The extremely yin energy grew stronger with the illumination of the black sun. This was originally a Buddhist secret realm, but even the Buddha's light was being eroded by this extremely yin energy. The one-armed Bodhisattva tried to pluck the bead, but before his hand could even reach it, it was corroded by the black flames.

Zuo Qiuchi was very familiar with this feeling, and frowned solemnly: "Eunuch, do you want to turn this place into a disaster zone? This is near the capital!"

The other "allies" exclaimed in shock and anger, "Deputy Commander Gao, this is not what we agreed on! Are you trying to refine us alive too? Stop joking!"

Gao Nan, seemingly unaware of any protective artifact, appeared completely unaffected by the black sun. He calmly stated:

"Distinguished guests, hand over the core cultivation techniques of your respective sects, as well as the magical treasures you brought, to be offered to the Heavenly Extreme Royal Family. This Deputy Commander will treat you all with courtesy!"

Of course, this does not include Zuo Qiuchi; she must die here!

"Left Sword Immortal, no matter how high your cultivation level is, can you deal with the most supreme power in this world? You and your disciple are birds of a feather, I will send you both to die in the same way! He will soon die from the wounds of the Abyss, and you will die here in a moment!"

"Today, the Left Sword Immortal of the Fallen Immortal Sword will break his sword here!"

------------

When Chu Mingkong arrived near the ancient Buddhist temple, he could hear the chanting of sutras echoing through the heavens and earth from afar.

This Buddhist scripture seems to possess a magical quality. Many passersby who only wanted to take a quick look would pause for a moment, their eyes glazed over, and then walk over to the monks, sit down on the ground, and join in the chanting.

The chanting grew louder and louder, and the invisible power of vows drew life force from passersby, converging it into the ancient Buddhist temple to form a protective barrier, which was continuously reinforced.

However, the barrier was severely depleted by something, and the life force of passersby was filled into a bottomless pit. Some ordinary people without cultivation withered and died without ever knowing what had happened.

"Master is trapped inside?! And why is there such a strong Yin energy leaking out of here?"

A familiar feeling surfaced in his mind: these people knew they couldn't deal with Zuo Qiuchi, so they used the same method they used to bomb him to deal with her.

He swept his long spear across the group of seated monks, sparks flying and clanging with a dull thud.

Buddhist golden statue!

Chu Mingkong's extreme Yin Fire spiritual energy can corrode the golden bodies of these monks, but the corrosion is very slow, even slower than the self-repair speed of the golden bodies!

In a daze, the chanting seemed to grow louder.

Chu Mingkong turned around and saw a dense crowd of people, like walking corpses, swaying as they approached the ancient Buddhist temple.

Among them were children holding candied hawthorns, farmers whose sweat hadn't dried, a group of new disciples from a sect who had just passed by, and a traveling merchant who was spreading rumors about him everywhere.

They sat down and chanted scriptures in a daze.

May the power of prayer be used to restore the golden statues of these monks, and to restore the protective barrier around this ancient Buddhist temple.

The price of all this was their own lives, but they were unaware of it.

The capital city was a prosperous place, and even outside the outer city, there were many villages in the near and far suburbs!

As long as Zuo Qiuchi doesn't die, she will continue to draw life force from the nearby people to strengthen the barrier until she is killed by the extreme yin energy.

"Our grudges and grievances are between us, but you shouldn't have dragged these ordinary people into this, and you certainly shouldn't have attacked her!"

He is so anxious!

Once the extreme yin energy inside becomes too strong, even Zuo Qiuchi will have a hard time dealing with it!

Chu Mingkong recalled the ferocious wolf that had absorbed the extreme yin energy and become completely transformed into the abyss.

Perhaps, he could follow suit? No, that's the only thing he can do!

At worst, I'll just become completely abyssal. Healing? Heal my ass!

He focused his energy on one point and suddenly punched a crack in the barrier of willpower, then smashed a hole along the crack!

Every time the Buddha's light barrier was repaired a little, Chu Mingkong would smash it back, while frantically absorbing the extreme yin energy pouring out of the hole!

69. Just bear with it.

The more powerful the abyssal creature, the larger its yin core, and forming such a core requires absorbing and exhaling a great deal of extreme yin energy.

Chu Mingkong had been thinking that his heart had become so distorted, not much different from the Yin Core of the Abyss creatures. The biggest difference was that those were transformed from plants, ferocious beasts, or magical beasts, while his—