20. Slaying Demons

Li Miao originally had little intention of revealing this item, but if necessary, it could serve as a deterrent against potential enemies—a worthy choice. The City Lord’s residence reverted to its tranquil atmosphere; even when someone entered, little disturbance arose. Only when masters of the True Condensation realm arrived did the others rise to greet them.

As the sun began to sink westward, over a hundred cultivators had gathered within the residence, making it quite crowded. At this moment, amid the sound of footsteps, the Guo brothers accompanied an elderly white-haired man clad in a crane cloak out from the rear courtyard. As soon as the old man appeared, the crowd immediately rose and saluted.

"Master Zhemei."
"Greetings, Elder."
"Greetings, Master."

Li Miao turned his gaze and saw that, though aged, the old man’s energy and spirit surpassed many young men. He walked with the bearing of a dragon and tiger, his face glowing with health.

Master Zhemei strode to the front hall, pressed his hands downward, and the crowd instantly fell silent.

"Thank you for your patience," he began, his voice resonant and powerful, immediately launching into the subject. "We cultivators have a duty to eradicate evil and uphold the Way! Today, we are gathered for no other reason than to wage war against the monsters of Qianyuan Mountain, and restore a land of peace where the people may live and work in safety."

"We are ready, blades and swords are sharp—it is time to teach those ignorant beasts their lesson!"

At his words, the crowd responded in low voices: "Eradicate evil, vanquish the monsters!"

"However..." Master Zhemei continued, "The monsters of Qianyuan Mountain are quite formidable. I have recently investigated their lair and found two great demons among them. One has a weaker aura, likely a recent breakthrough; the other’s presence is somewhat stronger than mine, likely in the late stage of great demonhood."

"In addition, there are at least fourteen lesser demons, three of whom are highly cultivated—on the brink of becoming great demons themselves."

"As for the wild beasts and spirit beasts below the level of sentience, their numbers are close to six hundred, five times our own."

Many drew sharp breaths. The monsters’ strength had far exceeded expectations.

"Master, if there are two great demons...how shall we contend with them?" asked Master Huaiyin from Hanshan Valley, frowning.

Guo Yunzhi stepped forward and replied, "I have informed my sect elders; an Elder Swordmaster is already on her way, and should arrive shortly."

Upon hearing this, the crowd relaxed considerably. The Swordmasters of the Crimson Sky Sword Sect were all experts above the Return Origin realm, deeply attuned to the Way of the Sword, their combat prowess far beyond ordinary cultivators—a formidable support indeed!

Master Zhemei continued, "Counting the Swordmaster from Crimson Sky Sword Sect, we have two Return Origin cultivators, seventeen True Condensation cultivators, and one hundred twenty-three Qi Refining cultivators."

"Though...we are outnumbered, our spells and treasures are far stronger than the monsters’. If we proceed cautiously and eliminate their leaders first, the lesser demons will collapse on their own."

"Master, when do we set out?" someone asked eagerly, itching for battle.

Master Zhemei was about to set the time when, just then, a streak of violet light shot across the sky, appearing above Pingxia Town like a bolt of lightning.

"The Swordmaster has arrived!" Guo Yunyi’s eyes gleamed.

Master Zhemei stroked his beard and said, "We depart at once."

Swish!

The violet light descended, landing in the City Lord’s residence and transforming into a young woman clad in white, a violet sword strapped across her back. Her looks were ordinary, yet the formidable aura she radiated made all avert their gaze. Especially the purple divine sword she carried—a constant source of awe-inspiring thunderous energy that instilled fear in all who beheld it.

"Master Chu," the Guo brothers greeted in unison.

Chu Yu, the Violet Sword Maiden, nodded slightly, gave Master Zhemei a minimal salute, uttered not a word, and regarded the others with utter disdain—her cold arrogance evident.

Master Zhemei returned the gesture, then proclaimed, "Qianyuan Mountain lies a hundred miles east. Fellow cultivators, let us depart!"

"Yes!"

With that, hundreds moved as one!

Over a hundred cultivators soared, some exiting through the main gate, others scaling the courtyard walls, and some leaping onto flying swords to traverse the sky. In an instant, the City Lord’s residence brimmed with radiance, a myriad of fluctuating energies bursting forth, as if rare treasures had descended—causing the very spiritual energy of heaven and earth to stir.

He Tianxiang, visibly excited, said to Li Miao, "Brother Li, let’s go."

"Alright," Li Miao replied, rising and heading for the gate.

Lin Jue also rose just then; upon seeing Li Miao, his lips curled into a half-smile. Then, with a flash, he vanished into the front courtyard.

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One figure after another disappeared from the residence, and the once-crowded City Lord’s mansion was suddenly empty.

Li Miao didn’t linger; after greeting the Guo brothers, he followed the crowd eastward.

Over a hundred cultivators darted along the wide streets, leaping over eaves and walls, moving with an agility that astonished the townsfolk.

"The cultivators are on the move—they’re going to slay the monsters for us!"
"Quick, go tell everyone!"

The people rejoiced; the fear and gloom that had plagued them for days dissipated somewhat.

Li Miao witnessed this scene as he passed, and many thoughts surfaced in his mind. As the saying goes, the greater the power, the greater the responsibility. When crisis looms, those with the strength—cultivators—should step forward to protect the weak and ordinary townsfolk.

"What are the monsters truly like?" he wondered, quickening his pace and soon charging out of the city gates.

A hundred miles was not a long journey; even the weakest, a fourth-tier Qi Refining cultivator, would need little time.

Soon, he saw a towering mountain blocking his view—Qianyuan Mountain had arrived.

Qianyuan Mountain was the largest peak in Longling County, more than twice the height of Zhongyun Mountain, long occupied by monsters. From its base, it resembled a colossal curtain, obscuring much of the sky.

The mountain was sparsely vegetated, with jagged stones; at the base, a swift river rushed by. Its steep, perilous slopes clearly marked it as a formidable climb.

The cultivators didn’t ascend immediately, but gathered on a giant stone by the riverbank, waiting for everyone before charging up the mountain.

The monsters of Qianyuan Mountain had clearly anticipated the cultivators’ arrival; on the sunlit face of the mountain, a dense array of beasts and monsters of all shapes and sizes had readied for battle.

Li Miao’s eyesight was excellent; gazing from afar, he saw, amidst hundreds of monsters, a giant black bear five or six meters tall standing proudly, exuding powerful demonic energy.

Besides it, there was a cloud-patterned tiger over ten feet long, a green-winged pheasant larger than a man, and a thick, tree-trunk-sized green-scaled python—each equally conspicuous.

"Those must be the strongest monsters. Wait—besides the black bear spirit, the others don’t seem to have reached the great demon threshold. Where is the other great demon Master Zhemei mentioned?"

Li Miao concentrated, but the distance was too great; he sensed nothing.

Soon, all one hundred forty-two cultivators had assembled.

Master Zhemei soared several yards above ground, facing Qianyuan Mountain, and shouted in waves of sound, "Monsters! You have plagued the people for too long—today marks your doom!"

Across the river, on the mountainside, the black bear spirit roared skyward, speaking in human tongue: "You old fool! Last time, my elder brother spared you out of kindness—who would have thought you’d dare return! Hundreds of monster brethren are gathered here today; if you think you have what it takes, come and try!"

The black bear’s voice rumbled like thunder, shaking everyone’s chest—some lower-tier cultivators found their breathing disrupted.

"Showing off your demonic arts!" Swordmaster Chu Yu snorted coldly. The violet sword behind her unsheathed itself; she pointed skyward.

Boom!

The sky darkened, thunder and lightning flashed. A bolt of violet lightning descended, striking toward Qianyuan Mountain, manifesting the full power of a late-stage Return Origin sword cultivator.

Facing the celestial might, the black bear spirit stood undaunted, pounding its chest and roaring, its voice forming tangible waves that collided with the violet lightning—both dissipating in midair.

The stray sparks, however, injured several less-cultivated monsters nearby, killing them instantly.

The black bear spirit flew into a rage, roaring: "Monster brethren! Human citizens slaughter our offspring, cultivators massacre our kin—today, it’s a battle to the death!"

"To the death!"
"Roar!"
"Awoo~"

Whether in human speech or beastly cries, hundreds of monsters howled in anger—their momentum overwhelming, far greater than Chu Yu’s lightning strike.

But would the cultivators retreat?

Master Zhemei barked sternly, his crane cloak sleeves sweeping wide, and a guqin appeared out of thin air. The spiritual energy of heaven and earth surged wildly.

"Attack!"

The old master settled in midair, legs crossed, guqin on his knees. He plucked a single note.

Twang~

One word—attack. One note—battle. The deep-seated grievances between cultivators and monsters ignited.

"Attack!" the cultivators cried, unleashing their arts, crossing the river, charging toward Qianyuan Mountain.

Li Miao’s warrior blood had long boiled. Seeing the two sides finally move, he drew his cold steel war blade, donned his Sky-Splitting Armguards, stomped hard, and leapt ten yards across the river to the opposite bank!

Meanwhile, Lin Jue followed close, turning into a shadow and darting into the monster ranks.

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"Don’t forget—when you lose, you’ll answer to me," Lin Jue laughed.

Li Miao ignored him, dashed seven steps up the rocky slope, and unleashed a blade strike at the monsters’ defensive perimeter!

"Screech!"

A monkey monster lunged at him, but before it could get close, it was sliced in two by the blade’s energy.

The slightly weakened blade light continued, killing two more monsters before dissipating.

"One, three, four..." Li Miao counted as he fought, his battle spirit soaring, as if transported back to the expeditionary army, locked in combat with foreign troops.

He was not alone; the other cultivators, too, vied to excel. Streams of fire, frost, sword energy, giant handprints, and a myriad of magical treasures rained down upon the monsters.

Lin Jue, seeing Li Miao’s valor, looked surprised. He dared not hold back, summoning three flying blade phantoms and hurling them with a sharp whistle.

Thud, thud, thud—

Three low-tier beasts fell, struck in the head by the flying blades, killed instantly.

"Three."
"Six."
"Nine."

The cultivators swept all before them, especially Li Miao and Lin Jue, who were exceptionally fierce; ordinary monsters stood no chance.

The black bear spirit, furious, roared, "You court death!"

It charged out, baring fangs and claws, moving with astonishing speed straight at Li Miao.

The latter felt a sudden surge in pressure, saw the bear’s figure, and quickly dodged to another flank.

The black bear spirit’s cultivation equaled a Return Origin early-stage cultivator, only slightly weaker than Xu Yong. Even with the Star River Sacred Body, Li Miao could not guarantee victory.

Rather than wasting time and energy fighting it, it was better to avoid the limelight and slay more lesser monsters.

Seeing Li Miao attempt escape, the black bear’s rage intensified. Its massive paws clapped together, and a jagged spike of rock shot up beneath Li Miao’s feet.

Fortunately, he reacted swiftly and merely had his steps disrupted by demonic energy, suffering no real harm.

"Black bear, your opponent is me!"

The sound of the guqin flowed like water; Master Zhemei’s white brows fluttered, intercepting the black bear’s offensive for Li Miao. Blades of guqin music swept in from all directions.

"You stinking Taoist! If you seek death, I’ll oblige you!"

The black bear roared, abandoning Li Miao and soaring toward Master Zhemei.

The two powerhouses clashed, earth-yellow demonic energy and invisible guqin blades collided in a spectacle.

With the black bear spirit diverted, Li Miao resumed his slaughter, his blade dripping with blood as his tally rose.

Yet the demon cultivators were not easily defeated; while ordinary monsters fell quickly, those comparable to True Condensation masters were not so easily vanquished!

The green-winged pheasant flapped its wings, wielding the power of storm winds as it charged at Li Miao, aiming a sharp beak at his head.

Had it struck, his skull would have been pierced clean through!

Li Miao sidestepped, countered with a diagonal slash.

The pheasant screeched, its piercing cry tearing at the minds of Li Miao and nearby cultivators, greatly weakening their strength. The heavy blade was easily blocked by its green wings.

"Twenty-seven!" Lin Jue called loudly from afar.

Li Miao had only slain fourteen monsters, while Lin Jue was nearly at double.

"Looks like it’s time to show some real skill," Li Miao thought. He activated his genetic energy, channeling it into both arms, and unleashed the Devouring Blade technique at full power!

The green-winged pheasant clucked, uttering in human tongue, "Die!"

Its feathers glowed, its form became ethereal, spinning as it pecked at Li Miao.

The greatest strength of demon cultivators was their bodies; the pheasant’s beak rivaled a cultivator’s magical weapon, and its strike, imbued with primal power, was unleashed with all its might!

Both sides were at full force, with no room for retreat.

With a thunderous clash, blade and beak collided; the sharp force traveled through Li Miao’s body, causing his bones to ache and his blood to become chaotic.

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