Chapter 64

After Zhitong finished speaking, he immediately received a lot of support. Tan Gan and Bai Xiao were the loudest, while Hu Shi and Sun Fu also wanted to speak but were silenced by a glare from Xu Feiniang. They sulked in silence, while Qian Xiao just sneered. Lin Yuan and Fayuan were more reserved and did not express any opinions.

Yue Qing said, "The world is truly full of strange things. Our master died unjustly, yet you do not think of avenging him or revitalizing our sect. Instead, you only covet the Daoist techniques he left behind, and you even claim them with such righteousness! I truly feel sorrow for our master, who had such disloyal and unfilial disciples!"

He slapped the table and continued, "The *Hunyuan Immortal Scripture* is right here. If you want to cultivate the techniques in this book, you must swear to the heavens: one, to avenge our master; two, to glorify our sect. Otherwise, there is no way!"

Zhitong sternly said, "You monopolize the legacy of our grandmaster and still dare to speak with such eloquence. Today, so many of our fellow disciples are here. If you insist on your own way, you will not escape justice!"

Liu Buxu sneered from the side, "You, a lecherous monk, also dare to talk about justice! Do you think you can bully the few with the many without asking me?"

Lin Yuan questioned Yue Qing, "You have invited so many outsiders here to support you. Do you intend to massacre our Wutai disciples in the place where our master once cultivated?"

Yue Qing replied, "I have invited these fellow Daoists today for two reasons: one, to witness the re-establishment of our Wutai sect's rules and the reopening of our mountain gate! Two, to ask for their help in operating the Taiyi Heavenly Furnace. As for our internal affairs, they do not need to be involved."

Lin Yuan had been waiting for these words and stood up abruptly, "Junior Brother Yue, I advise you to hand over the Daoist book. Do not insist on your own way. If we end up fighting, the damage will be irreparable, and you will regret it!"

Yue Qing laughed bitterly, "In the past, the Wu Dang sect's Heart Enlightenment Nun and Ling Lingzi reformed their sect by using the Nine Taiyi Light-Splitting Swords to massacre in the Purple Dawn Palace, thus bringing about the new and bright Wu Dang. It is clear that to transform a sect, bloodshed is inevitable. If you insist on forcing me, I will also have to open the killing path!"

His laughter was filled with sorrow and helplessness, making the others feel a pang in their hearts, especially Ling Lingzi. He recalled the time when he and his senior sister used the nine immortal swords to cleanse their sect, killing three fellow disciples and their dozens of disciples, staining the Purple Dawn Palace with blood. Although it had been many years, the scene was still vivid in his mind. He clenched his fists tightly, knowing that the moment of life and death for the Wutai sect had arrived. If Yue Qing could take this step, the Wutai sect would surely be rejuvenated and become a true orthodox sect like the current Wu Dang. If he failed, the Wutai sect would completely collapse, and the remaining vitality would be exhausted.

Lin Yuan was deeply moved by Yue Qing's words and stood there hesitantly.

Zhitong, however, knew that he and Yue Qing could not coexist in the future. He shouted, "Yue, today I will cleanse the sect for my master!" He slapped his waist and released three sword lights of blue, red, and black. He did not dare to fight Yue Qing alone, remembering the lesson from Long Fei. He incited the others, "Senior Uncles, what are you hesitating for? Yue has no good intentions in inviting us here. He wants to eliminate us all to monopolize Wutai. He pretends to be moral, acting like a hypocrite. Senior Uncle Long Fei is a good example. If we do not unite, we will be defeated one by one!"

His words were effective. Tan Gan echoed, "Junior Brother Zhitong is right. Let's all work together to defeat Yue and seize the Heavenly Book to study its secrets!" As he spoke, he took out a gourd from his waist and lightly tapped it, releasing a thick, sticky black smoke that spread out, filled with countless vengeful spirits of those he had killed, which he had refined into evil ghosts to serve him and harm others.

As the black smoke rose, everyone smelled a foul odor and felt dizzy. Just as they were about to resist with their spells, a five-colored mist appeared before them.

Yue Qing released the Taiyi Five-Smoke Net to separate the guests and protect the hall. He then slapped the table, and the lid of the blue-and-white teapot jumped up, spewing out amber-colored tea. Initially, it was just a thin stream, but as it reached the heads of the people, it suddenly expanded, pouring down like a broken riverbank, endless and overwhelming. He declared, "Today, let's settle this once and for all!" With a push of his hands, he created a massive wave that crashed towards Zhitong and the others, each wave carrying immense force.

Zhitong clasped his hands together, and a golden light enveloped his body, protecting him from head to toe. He stood in the water, controlling three flying swords to part the flood and fly towards Yue Qing.

Seeing Yue Qing's power, Tan Gan was terrified. He shouted, "Why aren't you helping? If we die, it will be your turn next!" He hurriedly cast a spell and summoned thousands of evil ghosts to attack Yue Qing. His treasure, the Three Treasures Soul-Locking Smoke, allowed the ghosts to revive in the gourd if they were killed, making them tireless and immune to most magical weapons.

Seeing the ghosts pass through the waves unharmed, Tan Gan felt a sense of triumph. He was about to send a few ghosts to seize the jade box on the table when he noticed a colorful ring suddenly appear around his gourd, spinning brilliantly. As he hesitated, the ring contracted and snapped, breaking the gourd into two pieces, releasing the black smoke and evil ghosts.

In a panic, he tried to take out a talisman, but heard Yue Qing shout, "Junior Brother Liu!" A colorful light flew from behind him, forming a canopy over his head, capturing all the black smoke and evil ghosts, and then pulling them away, vanishing into thin air.

Tan Gan turned to see Liu Quan holding an ancient jade bottle. He was furious, "What kind of Wutai disciple are you to interfere in our affairs!" He released his Hundred Toxins Three-Blade Knife, which transformed into three black lights, aiming at Liu Quan. When it clashed with the Wind and Fire Swords, he felt the strain and called out to Bai Xiao, "Why aren't you helping?" Bai Xiao, terrified by Yue Qing's defeat of Long Fei, did not dare to face Yue Qing directly. Seeing Tan Gan fight Liu Quan, he felt less pressure and joined the battle.

The water from the teapot continued to gush out, submerging everyone. Yue Qing created undercurrents that transformed into dragons, water serpents, fierce whales, and sharks, surrounding Zhitong, ready to tear him apart.

Zhitong wielded his swords, cutting down many of the creatures, but they were illusions created by Yue Qing's magic, constantly regenerating. Knowing that he would die if no one else acted, he shouted, "The area is sealed by the Taiyi Five-Smoke Net. Why aren't you helping? If I die, you will be next!"

This finally moved Lin Yuan and Qian Xiao. Lin Yuan shouted, "Junior Brother Zhitong, do not panic. I will break his illusion!" He took out a small flag made of celestial silk, embroidered with various talismans and twelve Daoist gold seals. He spat a stream of essence energy onto the flag, causing the talismans to glow. He waved the flag, and the surroundings changed instantly. The suffocating flood disappeared, but the hall did not return to its original state. Instead, they stood on scorched earth emitting black smoke, surrounded by black iron walls. The cold seeped into their bodies, making their hearts chill, and they shivered. The air was filled with the wailing of evil ghosts, like the halls of the underworld.

Black smoke swirled, and two three-meter-tall monsters appeared: one with a bull's head holding a scythe, the other with a horse's head holding a steel rope. Lin Yuan pointed the flag at Yue Qing, and the monsters roared and charged at him.

Liu Buxu, seeing this through the Taiyi Five-Smoke Net, was stunned, "This is somewhat like our Maoshan sect's 'Opening the Ghost Gate' spell."

Liu Buxuan said, "The Wutai sect has many exchanges with us. It's natural to learn a few techniques from each other. Besides, this is not the true 'Opening the Ghost Gate,' but a combination with Southland witchcraft, releasing his own evil spirits."

Liu Buxu then realized, "These are blood demons refined using Wutai sect techniques. Senior Brother Yue, be careful..."