Chapter 40

Yue Qing dragged for nearly a month before finally taking out the Five Yin Demon Banner he had long practiced and handing it to Dongxiu.

The banner had a crystal jade shaft, a gold rim, and a surface woven entirely of fire silkworm silk. As it gently fluttered, it seemed like a flame was burning, with countless flames dancing along with the banner's undulations. Twelve talismans concealed the fire seeds, appearing and disappearing intermittently.

Dongxiu held the demon banner, unable to put it down. Suddenly, she pointed at Wu Fan and silently recited the spell Yue Qing had taught her. Wu Fan immediately became paralyzed, unable to move, and he turned pale, shouting, "Spare me, Lady Dong!"

Dongxiu was unmoved. She waved the banner, and Wu Fan knelt on the ground, first pouncing like a tiger, then crawling like a dog, and finally wriggling like a snake, moving only with his body, not his hands or feet, crawling up and down the steps.

Dongxiu tested it for about a quarter of an hour before rolling up the banner and stopping the magic. Wu Fan collapsed on the ground, unable to get up for a long time.

Yue Qing helped Wu Fan up, letting him lean against a pillar to catch his breath. Then he said to Dongxiu, "The Yin Demons come and go without a trace, even immortals find it hard to guard against them. According to Senior Sister, you will face the great calamity of the scattered immortals in a few decades. You can use this treasure to counter the demons and safely pass through the three calamities, including the demon calamity."

Dongxiu was overjoyed. "Thank you, Junior Brother, for your hard work these past days. You know, Sister is poor and has nothing to offer in return. I originally wanted to copy the Heavenly Demon Secret Manual for you, but Senior Sister said you only love the orthodox methods of the Daoist school and dislike the means of the demon path, so I gave up. After much thought, I found only one thing that might meet your standards." She took out a golden ring from her sleeve. "This Dragon Sparrow Ring is one of the four treasures of Lianshan Master, one of the three elders of Emei. I believe it still has some secrets. I have had this treasure for many years but have never been able to fully refine it. It has been like a pearl in the dust. Giving it to Junior Brother, a master of treasure refinement, will bring it to light. Please do not refuse!"

"If you say so, I would be disrespectful if I didn't accept it." Yue Qing took the Dragon Sparrow Ring with a casual look and put it in his treasure pouch.

Seeing his reaction, Dongxiu was even more convinced that the Dragon Sparrow Ring was far inferior to the Five Yin Demon Banner. Moreover, the other half of the ring was in the hands of the two elders of Songshan, who might come to ask for it at any time, making it a potential threat hanging over her head. Now, by giving the Dragon Sparrow Ring to Yue Qing, she not only gained his favor but also rid herself of a potential problem. She felt she had made a great deal and almost couldn't stop smiling.

After seeing off Sanfeng and Dongxiu and dismissing Wu Fan, Yue Qing took out the Dragon Sparrow Ring and gave it to Xu Feinang. "Senior Sister is determined to refine the Heavenly Demon Extermination Sword, and I can't stop her. However, that sword is not ordinary; if not handled well, it could be controlled by the demon head. The Dragon Sparrow Ring is one of the four treasures of Lianshan Master. Although it is only half, it is enough to protect the soul and resist demonic invasion."

Xu Feinang hesitated but finally accepted it. "Now that we have the Dragon Sparrow Ring, the next should be the Xuan Guang Ruler?"

"Yes, from Sanfeng's expression today, it shouldn't be a problem. She will likely come to us soon."

"After the Xuan Guang Ruler, it will be the Tianyi True Water. What about the Taiyi Qingning Fan, Junior Brother?"

"Being greedy is not good. Besides, once we gather enough materials, we will return to Wutai Mountain to refine our own treasures. Wutai is a prestigious sect; it's not right to always use others' things. Moreover, Jinxunnu is a cunning person, making it hard to act."

The two discussed the current situation. Yue Qing said, "We need to rely on Ziyun Palace to counter Emei, so we cannot weaken them too much or create enmity. Sanfeng and Dongxiu are both petty and greedy, so we must be cautious in our actions to avoid any mistakes that could lead to future conflicts, which would only benefit Emei. I plan to use a strategy of feigning retreat, leaving for a few days to pique their interest."

Xu Feinang agreed. "That's a good idea, but you killed two elders of Emei. Bai Yuanjing and the others are searching for you in groups, and they have already killed two of our former fellow disciples, exterminating their families. Be very careful when you go out. If anything happens, send me a message by flying sword."

Yue Qing bid farewell, saying he was going to visit a friend in West Kunlun. Sanfeng was anxious and tried to retain him, but Yue Qing was determined to leave. Fortunately, Xu Feinang was still a guest at the palace, so she felt reassured and personally escorted Yue Qing to Yingxian Island.

Yue Qing left the South China Sea and flew southwest to the Sichuan border. He ascended above the clouds, accelerating his sword light to a rapid speed, like a silver meteor. In less than half a day, he flew from Ziyun Palace to Qingshelu, passing over Qingyuan Temple at the crossroads. He paused briefly, seeing a large warm valley a few dozen miles away, with evergreen trees and blooming flowers, contrasting sharply with the surrounding snowy mountains. He was sure it was Qingshelu and descended to the valley entrance.

"Hey, who are you? Daring to spy on Qingshelu!" As Yue Qing reached the valley entrance, a man with his hair tied into many small braids approached, using his flying sword to block Yue Qing's sword light.

"Tell Wei Fengniang that Yue Qinfeng from Wutai Sect has come."

"Wutai Sect?" The man was taken aback. "Wait here. Don't enter the valley without permission, or you'll trigger the killing array and be shattered to pieces. Don't complain to the King of Hell then!" He adjusted his sword light and flew into the valley.

Yue Qing followed him into the valley. The valley contained a Heavenly Pole Killing Array, where one wrong step would trigger cold air and yin thunder, freezing and shattering the body. However, Yue Qing was familiar with the array. He turned left and right, taking a few steps, and the scenery changed instantly. A fake mountain turned into a palace entrance. He stepped up the stairs, pushed open the door, and saw a young woman and a muscular young man embracing on a thick carpet, both naked, rolling and kissing passionately. Suddenly, the door opened, and they were startled. The woman was furious: "I told you not to disturb me! You can't practice your skills but only know how to be jealous! Do you think I won't kill you?"

As she spoke, she sent a yellow sword light flying, illuminating the room in gold.

Seeing the viciousness of her sword, Yue Qing didn't dare to be careless and released his own sword to block it. "Little Sister Wei, are you going to kill me with your flying sword?"

Wei Fengniang recognized his voice, her body trembling with surprise and joy. She quickly retracted her sword, grabbed a piece of gauze from a nearby rack to cover herself, and stood up to look at the door. Seeing Yue Qing, she was even more delighted. "Little Brother Yue! It's really you." Thinking of her current situation, her face turned red. "Little Brother Yue, please wait in the side hall. Let me bathe and change clothes before coming to see you." She then threw some clothes to the man on the ground. "Put on your clothes and prepare a good feast to be sent to the side hall!"

The man was her disciple, named Di Sha. As he dressed, he glanced at Wei Fengniang and Yue Qing in surprise. Wei Fengniang was extremely promiscuous, often engaging in intimate activities with men in broad daylight. However, she was also very domineering, demanding that the men she favored only have her and not seek other women. Therefore, she didn't go out to seduce men but brought them to Qingshelu, where she kept them in palaces and pavilions, like an emperor's harem. She even taught her favorite men some magical techniques.

Di Sha was initially just her disciple. Due to his strong build and good looks, he was forced into a relationship with her. Such incidents were common in Qingshelu, and being caught was not unusual. Sometimes, even her friends like Bulu Yijia and Dulong Zunzhe would catch her in the act, but she would continue undisturbed, dressing and talking afterward. However, today, she showed a shy and bashful demeanor, which he found unusual. He guessed that the person was special to Wei Fengniang and quickly dressed, going out to order a feast prepared.

Yue Qing waited in the side hall, noticing the elegant decor: a Luohan bed, a Taishi chair, a glass lamp, a jade ruyi, a painting of Autumn Frost Mountain on the east wall, and a Phoenix Zither on the west wall. It looked like a refined study in a nobleman's house. He walked to the west wall, plucked the zither, and heard a clear, melodious sound.

The page with ads begins.

The page with ads ends.