Demon Sword Immortal

“When they came running over, I observed their attack tendencies,” Bai Xiang replied. “I found that they were more inclined to attack the captains, including the wave of attacks that just gathered. The main direction of their attack was still the captains.”

There was also an underlying reason: she had already prejudicially concluded that Chai Xuan was behind it all.

Since everyone is convinced that the other party was responsible, the question arises: how does Chai Xuan control these mindless giant insects?

If she could achieve that, she wouldn't need to rely on the power of the Demon Immortal Path to expand the demon-raising area at all; she could simply keep all the opportunities for herself.

Once you recognize this element, the rest of the reasoning becomes quite simple.

This also relates to another question: what makes Chai Xuan so confident in making the Demon Immortal Sect withdraw from the scene?

The Demon Immortal Path would never willingly withdraw, and Chai Xuan lacks the ability to directly confront demons. Therefore, she must have resorted to conspiracy and underhanded tactics to accomplish this.

Naturally, Bai Xiang immediately thought of the 'Copper Cicada'.

The bronze cicada was previously controlled by Lü Ran. If the unexpected variable of Bai Xiang hadn't been included in the plan, Lü Ran would definitely be with the members of the Demon Immortal Sect right now.

In other words, this Boeing trend package was likely originally intended for freaks like Lü Ran. The reason Chai Xuan and Huang Qian arrived was simply because she chose to adapt to the situation and wanted to take the opportunity to eliminate Huang Qian, the strongest member of the team, as well as the variable Bai Xiang.

"Cao Congshi said you have a talent for investigating demon pools?" Huang Qian sighed. "I think he's being too conservative!"

"Has the captain made adjustments?" Bai Xiang changed the subject.

"Alright!" Huang Qian jumped up. "Let's go! Let's find them!"

Not far from where the rest of the team was stationed, after running for a while, the two saw the main force fighting hard against the swarm's attack.

Although the majority of the insect swarm was attracted away by the copper cicadas, there were simply too many of them. Even if only one-tenth remained, it would be a very difficult situation.

A single beetle isn't difficult to deal with, at least for someone of Huang Qian's level. The elites in the team are only at least at the seventh level of the Spirit Nourishing stage, not even swordsmen, and even swordsmen can't withstand the 'Divine Roar Tide'.

When the two arrived, the team seemed to have suffered serious losses. They retreated to a slope, with almost half of them missing, leaving only the rest struggling to hold on under Cao Chuan's leadership.

Cao Chuan had only recently reached the Condensation Realm and was not yet proficient in controlling the Demon Pool 'Abyss'. He would sometimes manipulate the water to form a shield to save people, and sometimes turn it into a rope whip to sweep across the field. At the same time, he would seize every opportunity to catch his breath, as his energy was being consumed quite severely.

Lightweight firearms like assault rifles have limited effectiveness against beetles; they cannot kill unless they hit a vital organ like the head. In contrast, a beetle's pincers can easily disembowel a person with a single swipe.

In comparison, their resistance was extremely difficult.

"Drink!" Huang Qian joined the battle without hesitation. The 'Eight Armor Nightmare Horse' reappeared, and with another 'Earthquake', it shook off most of the beetles besieging the high slope, greatly relieving the pressure on the defending army.

Bai Xiang moved like a shadow through the swarm of insects, using his familiarity with the Divine Cry Sword to deflect the sharp pincers. His second strike would surely create an insect corpse.

If she encounters a swarm of insects, she can either hide behind a giant tree to avoid them, or raise her sword and use 'Divine Roar' to change the sonic wave from an impact to a flow that passes through her body, greatly reducing the damage and allowing her to recover before harvesting the insects.

The two reinforcements greatly boosted the morale of the defending troops. Cao Chuan even led his men to attack the slope and forcibly joined forces with Bai Xiang, creating a killing spree in the swarm of insects.

After more than ten minutes of such a fierce battle, the fight ended.

Those who survived were so exhausted that they collapsed on the ground, oblivious to the mud and insect carcasses around them, only concerned with panting heavily.

Huang Qian felt alright. After these people caught their breath, he stepped forward and asked Cao Chuan, "Where are Liang Wenbo and his men?"

Only his own soldiers were present; Liang Wenbo and the group of students had vanished without a trace.

He certainly didn't think these people were all dead; that was impossible—not to mention that Liang Wenbo was at least a master on par with him, even without Liang Wenbo, based on his understanding of his subordinates, they would definitely prioritize protecting the young people behind them.

Unless all his soldiers are killed, the student ranks are unlikely to suffer significant losses.

“We were separated…” Cao Chuan was still panting. “At first, there were more insects. Liang Wenbo and I disagreed. He said he wanted to lead the team to break through, while I wanted to stay here and guard… and this is what you see here.”

It's hard to say who was right and who was wrong, because the number of insects was indeed frighteningly large at the time, and holding out was too risky. Liang Wenbo's choice cannot be said to be wrong.

But later, for some unknown reason, most of the insect swarm disappeared, greatly reducing the pressure on the defending army. They were able to hold out until Huangqian came to their rescue, but Liang Wenbo and the others were swept away by the insect swarm and disappeared somewhere.

However, Huang Qian believed that Cao Chuan was undoubtedly right. He thought that so many of his men had survived thanks to Cao Chuan's support. He solemnly thanked Cao Chuan and then pulled Bai Xiang aside to discuss where to find Liang Wenbo and the others.

What seemed like a casual gesture was, in Cao Chuan's eyes, extraordinary.

Huang Qian... does this mean he acknowledges Bai Xiang's position within the team?

Cao Chuan arrived at the camp earlier than Bai Xiang, and she also knew Huang Qian's character earlier. She knew that although he looked rough, he was actually shrewd inside.

Just being good at fighting wouldn't earn her such respect from him. To think she'd receive such treatment, she must have done something else.

"They probably want to go back into the cave," Bai Xiang analyzed.

She also expended a lot of energy, but she was ultimately using a combination of methods, and she was also recuperating during the fight, which is why she can still hold on.

"They don't know the cave is blocked, so leaving the virtual realm is definitely the best solution, and they will definitely choose that."

"The cave is blocked?" This was the first time Cao Chuan had heard of this, and his usually cold and stern face changed slightly.

Huang Qian's face turned completely ugly.

The reason for concealing the news was to avoid causing unrest; the main purpose here was to reassure the students, as his subordinates were not that fragile.

Unexpectedly, this wrong step led to disaster. He could guess Liang Wenbo's thoughts. It was simply that there were too many insects. If I really couldn't handle it, I could block the entrance and clear them out slowly, which would be much easier than dealing with enemies from all sides.

But the problem is, the swarm also has a trump card!

If it's so powerful in the forest, how much more so in a narrow cave?

Really looking for death!

"Bai Xiang, can you still fight?" He looked at Bai Xiang, his eyes showing determination.

No need to ask, he's rushing off to provide assistance.

"No problem," Bai Xiang nodded.

Saving people is certainly the right thing to do, especially since she had other plans in mind.

If all of this was caused by Chai Xuan, she certainly never imagined that Huang Qian and I would survive.

Liang Wenbo is likely in grave danger facing 'Shenming' inside the cave, which means that in Chai Xuan's plan, she intends to eliminate both Benling and the Red Dragon Army's forces simultaneously.

So, is she about to reveal her true colors?

Her real plan, her true objective, should be coming to light soon.

Chapter Sixty-Three: Origins

In the depths of the virtual realm, Ao Lin leaned against a tree trunk, trying his best to regulate his breathing, but he still couldn't help but spit out a mouthful of blood.

Opening his eyes, recalling the swarm of insects and the sonic waves, he felt a sense of fear, unable to understand how things had come to this.

“Ao Lin?” A man stood in front of him, walking around the tree trunk. He was a gray-bearded Taoist priest in a long robe.

“According to the Dharma Protector,” Ao Lin nodded to him, “I am unwell… I beg the Dharma Protector to atone for my rudeness.”

“That’s not true.” The gray-bearded Taoist wiped the blood off his face and slowly shook his head. “Protector Lü hasn’t responded yet, so he’s probably in grave danger. Now that the Holy Path is down to just the two of us, we should support each other. How could I blame you for such a trivial matter?”

Ao Lin thought to himself, "That's not necessarily true."

According to Tianzhi, the Demon Immortal Path is the Right Protector of the Southern Route. Like the Left Protector Lü Ran, he has survived three tribulations, and his cultivation is even more profound than Lü Ran's.

Compared to Lü Ran's brutality, Yi Tianzhi is a smiling tiger. He is often capricious and kills people on a whim, and the reasons for killing are also bizarre. Sometimes it's because "the left foot went out first", and sometimes it's because "he didn't follow the rules of etiquette, which shows that he doesn't respect him at all".

This person is considered the overall coordinator of the Southern Sacred Path, and he was the one who organized this operation.

Ao Lin couldn't fathom this man's temperament; he only knew that he was mysterious and unpredictable. In comparison, he would rather Lü Ran were the one who had survived.

"You have the Jade Phoenix Sword, how is your body conditioning going?" Yi Tianzhi asked him.

"Reporting to the Protector, he is much better now." Ao Lin answered cautiously, then added after a moment's thought, "If the Protector is still unwell, I am willing to offer the Jade Phoenix Sword to help him recover."

"No problem, no problem." Yi Tianzhi chuckled a few times and patted his shoulder. "Ao Lin."

"Presence".

"You can be said to have turned misfortune into blessing by using the Jade Phoenix Sword to break through to the third tribulation. But as you can see now, the Holy Path has gathered so much power from the south, yet it has fallen to this state, which is largely related to Protector Lü's insistence on settling a personal grudge last night."

Hearing this, Ao Lin almost lost his mind.

Anyone with eyes to see can see that this sudden swarm of subterranean worms has absolutely nothing to do with Protector Lü settling a personal score. Even if she didn't seek revenge, the group would still suffer this calamity.

Yi Tianzhi simply wanted to shirk responsibility. He wanted to shift all the blame onto Lü Ran, who was likely already dead, and take all the credit for the incident himself. That's why he asked Ao Lin to act as a 'witness'.

Circumstances dictate actions, and Ao Lin, understanding these rules, obediently nodded in agreement.

Yi Tianzhi was very satisfied with Ao Lin's pragmatism and comforted him, saying, "Don't worry too much about it. They are just a little over a hundred years of cultivation. A hundred years of cultivation does not mean that it really takes a hundred years to cultivate. These kinds of consumables are very easy to replenish."

"..." Ao Lin was speechless.

If he hadn't been lucky enough to survive his third tribulation, he would probably have been just another disposable item in Yi Tianzhi's eyes.

"According to the Protector," Ao Lin said after a moment's thought, "it seems the Protector isn't surprised by this insect swarm?"

The reason for saying this is that Yi Tianzhi seemed very confident. Even though his team had been almost completely wiped out and only two people were left, he did not give up and did not seem anxious at all.

Moreover, it was he who lost a 'bronze cicada' at the last moment, which allowed the two of them to survive. All of this made Ao Lin suspect that Yi Tianzhi might know some hidden secrets.

For example, why was this operation planned?

What exactly is that enormous egg case buried deep underground, which the Holy Path has spent so much resources to scheme for in this illusory realm?

Faced with Ao Lin's questioning, Yi Tianzhi was taken aback and squinted at him.

Ao Lin felt a chill run down his spine from that gaze before he slowly spoke, "Have you ever heard of... the 'Zhenyuan Sword'?"

“Of course.” Ao Lin nodded. “Everyone knows the sword of Dao Kong, the imperial lackey!”

In 1375 of the Great Yu Dynasty, the Demon Kingdom ushered in a golden opportunity for revival. It was that dog monk who, with only a sword, fought his way through countless obstacles and encirclements, managing to extend the life of the people and bring peace to the world!

“That’s right!” Yi Tianzhi nodded. “After Dao Kong died, his body relics and Zhenyuan Sword were taken away by the royal family. But there are rumors that he was the reincarnation of Jin Chanzi, who had gone through nine lifetimes and nine tribulations to cultivate the true Dharma, which is why he had such great power.”

"And this... means that there are eight more remains of his previous life."

“Protector,” Ao Lin frowned, “you’re not saying this is the burial place of that monk in one of his past lives, are you?”

"Whether this is his burial place is uncertain at the moment," Yi Tianzhi said, her eyes shining. "But it's almost certain that his 'root method' from one of his past lives remains here!"

"Root method?"

“The Golden Cicada's Nine Tribulations, Nine Lifetimes and Nine Laws!” Yi Tianzhi nodded. “One of the laws is called the ‘Cicada Molting Law,’ which allows a person to have a chance to repent after choosing a path.”

Is this happening?

Ao Lin stared wide-eyed; he had never heard of such a secret before.

When a human cultivator truly chooses their path, it's at the 'Condensation Realm', while for a demon cultivator it's at the 'Three Life Tribulations'.

If one could repent and transform one's cultivation to replace the demon pool or the demon form before, then once this line is crossed, it cannot be changed.

This secret method can actually give people a chance to repent; if it gets out, it will definitely cause a sensation!

“Even without changing it, it can still rebuild the foundation of the Dao and fill in the gaps and regrets of the past.” Yi Tianzhi looked up at the sky. “Not to mention that this root method belongs to the ‘Nine Methods’ and also involves reincarnation, the mysteries of the innate and the womb!”

"Just tell me, Ao Lin."

"Is such a treasure worth it?"

That's definitely worthwhile.

Ao Lin remained silent.

Even if it costs many times more, let alone the manpower we've lost, it would still be worth it!

“That Divine Cry Sword Dao was very likely created by the monk Daokong in one of his lifetimes.” Yi Tianzhi gently stroked his beard. “It was once ranked among the seventy-two paths, but it was only nominally listed for a few short years before being replaced. Many historical records are vague about this, and there is no record of even the iconic Demon Pool.”

"And this is the ancestral land for raising demons, passed down from Shenming."

"The demon pool that has existed for thousands of years is not the real treasure here. The real treasures should be the visualization diagram and the sword-forging method."

"My goal is to bring back one of these 'Nine Laws' for the Holy Path, and to do my part to restore the world to its former glory!"

It turned out to be the case.

Ao Lin finally understood.

He had no objection to this, and stood up to clasp his hands in a fist salute to the Taoist priest, saying, "I am also willing to contribute to this cause!"

"Good!" Yi Tianzhi laughed.

"The large-scale emergence of cicadas from the ground is a sign of 'singing out,' indicating that the life inside the giant egg is about to 'pupa,' all because you once used the Jade Phoenix Sword to help catalyze it."

"What we need to do is stay here, control it when it has just emerged from its cocoon and is at its most vulnerable, and force it to reveal the secret of the 'Nine Methods'!"

……

Meanwhile, outside the virtual world.

A thunderstorm had just passed, and a rainbow faintly appeared in the rainforest at dawn, creating a breathtakingly beautiful scene.

Chilong Road, and the city's hustle and bustle awakens. The streets are teeming with cars and people, the cries of breakfast stalls, car horns, and bicycle bells all blend together, a blend of prosperity and the mundane realities of life.