Chapter 85

As the cherry blossoms danced in the wind, Misaki opened the old diary and read the words of promise written there.

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Yue Qing manipulated thousands of light needles, dividing them into several streams to stab at Shang He Yang. The needles collided with the 108 skull beads Shang He Yang used for protection, exploding into ten thousand silver sparks and bits of fire, forcing Shang He Yang to retreat back up the hill. When he tried to recall the White Bone Heart Lock Hammer to counterattack, Yue Qing retracted the silver needles, transforming them into points of starlight that merged into the surrounding air.

Shang He Yang glared at Yue Qing and growled, "Don't think that just because you have a couple of ancient magical treasures, you can be invincible. I'll spend a few days and use the demonic fire to refine your Taiyi Five Smoke Net. Then we'll see how much of your Heavenly Light Divine Needles my treasures can devour!" He pointed his hand, and five skulls rose again, flying toward Yue Qing.

This time, Yue Qing did not move, for he knew the mediator had arrived. Shang He Yang's White Bone Heart Lock Hammer was still dozens of feet away when a pink demonic sand suddenly rained down from the sky like a waterfall, enveloping the hammer. Recognizing it as an old friend's treasure, Shang He Yang recalled the skulls and shouted, "Old Poison Dragon! Why are you blocking my treasure?"

The red sand receded like a tide, revealing a lama in a red robe holding a golden bowl, into which all the red sand had been collected. The lama smiled and said, "Both of you were comrades in the past. You should unite against the Emei Sect. Why fight each other to the death, only to give the enemy a laugh?" It was the leader of the Western Demon Sect, the Venerable Poison Dragon.

Yue Qing bowed and smiled, "Venerable Poison Dragon, it's good to see you again." After the Northern Demon Sect was destroyed, among the remaining three, the Southern Demon Sect was a new rising force with no ties to the Wutai Sect. The Eastern Demon Sect, after the death of the Venerable Intangible, and Shang He Yang's defeat by Master You Tan, had retreated to the Alps to cultivate the demonic fire and golden canopy, thus their relationship had become distant. Only the Western Demon Sect maintained a close relationship with the Wutai Sect, as both had deep enmity with the Emei Sect. Fayan, Xu Feiniang, and others often came to western Yunnan to form an alliance with the Venerable Poison Dragon. Moreover, during their early days of cultivation, the disciples of both sects often interacted, so Yue Qing could not speak to the Venerable Poison Dragon as he did to Shang He Yang.

The Venerable Poison Dragon also smiled, "It's been over forty years since we last met. Your skills have advanced greatly, which is truly commendable."

Shang He Yang knew that with the Venerable Poison Dragon's arrival, the fight would not happen today. He stepped forward, dissatisfied, "Old Poison Dragon, are you determined to side with this outsider?"

The Venerable Poison Dragon reassured him, "How can Yue Qing be an outsider!" He took Shang He Yang's hand with one hand and Yue Qing's with the other, "Come, let's go to the Green Snail Palace. Fengniang has already prepared delicious wine to entertain our guests. We can take the hearts and livers of the four Emei elders as a toast."

Yue Qing declined, "I came to Sichuan this time for Aunt Deng. She has suffered from a magical fire and is paralyzed from the waist down, unable to move from the valley. I need to go down and check on her."

The Venerable Poison Dragon frowned slightly. Liu Quan was originally his junior disciple but left the sect soon after joining. Aunt Deng was the disciple of his aunt, Grandma Lei. When the Venerable Old Buddha established the Western Demon Sect, Grandma Lei took her disciples, Chen Yufeng and Aunt Deng, and left. Their relationship was not very close, and with different paths, they had grown increasingly distant over the years, even to the point of frequent friction, almost becoming enemies. Therefore, he was unwilling to go and see her.

Seeing his hesitation, Yue Qing said, "Why don't you and Heavenly King Shang go to the Green Snail Palace first? The Emei Sect always swarms in numbers. If we delay, more will come. Once I settle things here, I'll come to see you. Then we can deal with the Emei Sect together." He added, "Don't doubt my word. I have a new disciple who has already been blessed by Drunken Daoist and entered the palace. I hope you can speak to the host on my behalf and not harm my disciple."

The Venerable Poison Dragon finally nodded, "Then I'll go back to the palace with Heavenly King Shang. Once you're done here, come immediately. We haven't seen each other in over forty years, and we should have a good drink together!"

He first went to find Ghost Elder Dan Wu and passed on the order from Palace Master Wei Fengniang. Dan Wu, who had lost dozens of his subordinates to the combined efforts of Bai Lingxian and Aunt Deng, was seething with anger. He originally thought the Venerable Poison Dragon was there to help, but instead, he was told to withdraw his troops. Though reluctant, he knew Wei Fengniang's methods were ruthless, and any disobedience would result in severe punishment, making life worse than death. So he spat into the valley, cursed a few times, and with a wave of his robe, led the remaining dozen subordinates back to Green Snail Mountain.

The Venerable Poison Dragon also flew away with Shang He Yang, repeatedly urging Yue Qing to come to the Green Snail Palace once he finished his business.

Yue Qing came down the mountain, and Liu Quan had already used two Soul-Gathering Shape-Reforming Pills to help Aunt Deng's body begin to recover. Though not fully restored, she could now walk from the stone. She wore a tight black outfit, giving off a sense of decisiveness and efficiency. Liu Quan introduced them, and Aunt Deng led Yue Qing into a cave, offering him medicinal tea, then thanked him sincerely. Yue Qing took the opportunity to invite her to join the Wutai Sect.

Aunt Deng sighed, "Years ago, my sister and I killed people in Lingnan and were subdued by Master You Tan, who forced us to reduce our killings. My sister, Chen, begged to be his disciple and is now close to enlightenment in the Buddhist path. I, resenting the forceful approach, fled far away, only to end up in this state. For years, I have been practicing a withered Zen here, enduring all kinds of bullying. Among my old comrades, only my senior brother, the Venerable Poison Dragon, is still holding up the banner of the demon sect. Others like the Ugly Demon King Xing Kun and the Mute Demon Yuan Da have all disappeared, most having met their end. Only Chen Yufeng joined Master You Tan, and Liu became a Wutai disciple, with the best outcomes. After these years of hardship, I have seen through it all. No matter how powerful one's magic is, no matter how glorious one's external appearance, if one cannot ascend, it is all an illusion. When the heavenly tribulation and human disasters come, all past efforts become worthless. I am grateful for your respect, helping me drive away my enemies and giving me such a rare elixir. If I still refuse, it would be unreasonable. Moreover, this is a rare opportunity for me to become a celestial being!" She stood up and bowed to Yue Qing, "I humbly request to join the Wutai Sect. I hope my senior brother will grant me this wish!"

Yue Qing and Liu Quan looked at Aunt Deng, feeling a mix of emotions. In the past, Aunt Deng was extremely competitive and proud. If she had been like that, even if they had worn out their lips, she would never have agreed to join another sect. But the years of setbacks and hardships had completely changed her.

Yue Qing quickly helped her up, "I have vowed to revive the Wutai Sect. I deeply feel the difficulty of doing it alone. Your joining our sect is a great fortune for the Wutai Sect."

Aunt Deng took out a box and presented it to Yue Qing, "Inside is a treasure called the Snow Soul Pearl. I used the Earth-Penetrating Divine Needle to drill through the main peak of Yujing Pond, reaching 7,300 feet deep into the earth's crust, where I obtained this pearl. It is formed from the essence of ten thousand years of ice and snow, a pure yin treasure that can counter the immortal fire and demonic fire of both the righteous and evil sects. I have nothing else to offer, but this pearl is the best I can give, so I will give it to you..."

Yue Qing quickly waved his hand, "From now on, you will be a disciple of the Wutai Sect. I will take on the role of your master, and it would be inappropriate for me to take your treasure. Instead, I will give you a treasure." He took out the Dragon Tiger Mixed Yuan Banner, which he had refined in the Tian Gong Furnace, and gave it to Aunt Deng, "This treasure responds to the celestial forces and harmonizes with the mysteries of the River Chart. I am giving it to you on behalf of my master."

Aunt Deng quickly declined. She was proud and aloof, and only after receiving Yue Qing's great help and facing repeated setbacks in her cultivation did she agree to join the Wutai Sect. She knew the Wutai Sect well, having fought with the Grandmaster Taiyi in the late Song Dynasty. She understood the nature of the Wutai Sect and guessed that Yue Qing's visit and his intention to take her as a disciple were to obtain the Snow Soul Pearl to counter Qi Shuming's Golden Light Fiery Sword. She decided to give him the pearl to fulfill his wish, but to her surprise, Yue Qing did not want it, even after several attempts to refuse, which were not just for show. She was stunned and finally took it back, examining the Dragon Tiger Mixed Yuan Banner, which turned out to be a rare and valuable treasure.

Liu Quan laughed from the side, "You don't need to test your senior brother's sincerity. When I joined the sect, he also gave me an ancient treasure from the Zhongnan Mountains on behalf of our master." He took out the Green Mirage Bottle and showed it to Aunt Deng. Aunt Deng took it and recognized it as a truly remarkable ancient treasure, finally feeling convinced.

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