Chapter 22

In the southern part of Changbai Valley.

The demonic cultivator gazed indifferently at the ten-foot-long black dragon in midair.

The Path of No Return lay within Taiyi Sect territory, and they were unsure of Taiyi’s stance. When they learned that Cang Lang had received aid from a True Person in her clan and transformed into a snake to evade disaster, they had secretly breathed a sigh of relief deep in their hearts. It was perfect for Cang Lang to maintain her spiritual snake form—they didn’t need to expose her identity or explain themselves to the Immortal Dao Seven Sects; they could simply treat her as an ordinary wandering snake.

Yet Cang Lang wasn’t being honest either. She harbored many concerns and didn’t dare revert to her original form in front of others.

This unspoken understanding tormented Xie Chaosheng.

She harbored deep hostility toward these inexplicable demonic cultivators. Even if all the fellow disciples from the immortal sects had been deliberately driven away by the demonic cultivators, leaving her alone, she still refused to abandon the spiritual snake. She was determined to fight to the bitter end.

The demonic cultivator couldn’t understand Xie Chaosheng’s refusal to retreat, nor could they fathom Cang Lang’s refusal to flee. If Cang Lang had left these Taiyi cultivators upon sensing danger, they wouldn’t have had to take the risk of offending a true disciple of Taiyi. Did she truly believe this low-cultivation Taiyi cultivator could protect her? She sought shelter from Taiyi yet offered no compelling bargaining chip, all while concealing her identity—what could that possibly achieve?

Inexplicable.

The demonic cultivator inwardly passed judgment on the two.

Now that Cang Lang had been forced to reveal her dragon form, the demonic cultivator no longer needed to hide anything. She said coldly, “Please, Young Lord, return to the Demonic Palace with this subordinate.”

Cang Lang didn’t respond. She transformed into her human form and landed, turning to look at Xie Chaosheng, who was propping up her half-collapsed body with her dharma sword. Cang Lang’s gaze was profound. Xie Chaosheng’s white robes were stained with blood, her face as pale as paper. Her fingertips trembled as she looked toward Cang Lang, her eyes filled with shock, confusion, and all sorts of sorrow.

The little snake wasn’t an ordinary spiritual snake.

She was actually the Young Lord of the Demonic Prison Heavenly Palace, Ji Canglang!

She had been deceiving her all along!

“In the Heart Fixing Realm cultivation area of Taiyi’s Path of No Return, only Heart Fixing Realm cultivators from the Empire are allowed—no imperial daoists. Once I leave the Path of No Return, I’ll face not Heart Fixing Realm foes, but Golden Cores or even Nascent Soul True Persons, right? To secure her position as Demon Venerable, she sent you to kill me.” Cang Lang’s face was deathly pale, her angry words laced with the sorrow of someone at the end of their road.

The demonic cultivator didn’t deny it. She said flatly, “You two are no match for me.”

Xie Chaosheng coughed up a mouthful of blood and struggled to stand. Blood trickled from her fingertips, gradually staining the wind-tossed sword tassel red before dripping onto the pristine, crystal-clear Flawless Sword.

She cultivated the Sword Dao, with the supreme Taiyi canon Taishang Three Pure Ones Scripture as her fundamental scripture. Unfortunately, she was only at the First Layer of the Third Realm, no match for this Third Layer demonic cultivator. Xie Chaosheng didn’t look at Cang Lang again. Her vision darkened, but she forcibly mustered her dharma power, pinched a hand seal, and unleashed “One Qi Transforms Three Thousand” once more!

The demonic cultivator stood with hands behind her back. Her aura rippled outward, and several illusory shadows flew from behind her. She cultivated the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method; the sword lights pierced through her body as if plunging into nothingness. Unless the sword intent reached a profound level, capable of directly striking the true body with divine will, it was futile!

Seeing Xie Chaosheng gravely wounded stirred reluctance in Cang Lang’s heart. Her hesitation prevented her from stepping forward at the critical moment. Anger at the demonic cultivator and self-loathing intertwined within her. With an angry roar, she drew a jagged white bone knife from the void. The knife was named “Unyielding Bone,” forged from dragon bone. She cultivated the Dragon Controlling Six Qi Orthodox Scripture; with the Obscure Character Art unleashed, the heavens darkened, and yin winds howled everywhere.

A smile tugged at the demonic cultivator’s lips. She raised a hand and summoned her artifact. A radiant pearl shot from her sleeve, beaming golden light that dazzled the eyes. As soon as it appeared, the obscuring gloom shattered instantly. Cang Lang was only at Heart Fixing Realm, having mastered only the Obscure Character Art of her fundamental scripture. This pearl had been bestowed by an elder in the palace, specifically to counter Cang Lang’s techniques.

How could Xie Chaosheng and Cang Lang stand against this prepared demonic cultivator? In less than the time it took to brew a cup of tea, Cang Lang was defeated too, her body marked with bloody gashes.

“The demonic path reveres the strong. You’re too weak to be Demon Venerable,” the demonic cultivator sighed lightly.

Cang Lang bit her lower lip hard and glanced at Xie Chaosheng. She whispered, “Hurry and go.”

The demonic cultivator’s ears were sharp. She thought to herself that this “hurry and go” had come far too late. She smiled politely at Xie Chaosheng. “The demonic path has no desire to feud with Taiyi. Fellow Daoist, leave on your own, and I won’t stop you.”

But the blood-vomiting Xie Chaosheng didn’t retreat.

When Cang Lang was just a spiritual snake, she had been willing to fight to the death for her. Now that she knew these foes sought to kill Cang Lang, how could she stand by and do nothing?

“Then—offense taken.” The demonic cultivator’s eyes flashed. With no choice, she struck. This place was sealed by the Demon Snare Heavenly Net; as long as both died, no one would know what happened! They could blame it all on the ruin spirits.

An angry and sorrowful dragon roar echoed in all directions. On the snow mountain above, the piled snow was blasted by surging primal qi, producing a deafening rumble. The collapsing avalanche surged downward like a white dragon descending with thunderous speed.

Snow dust rose a hundred zhang high. Xie Chaosheng and Cang Lang were cultivators, but their dharma power was depleted—they were at the end of their strength. Moreover, the demonic cultivator blocked them, refusing to let them take flight, intent on burying them in the avalanche!

At the critical moment, a palm like blue clouds descended, solid as an impregnable wall. The palm scooped up Xie Chaosheng, Cang Lang, and the snowball engulfing them, yanking them back from the gates of hell.

“Who?” the demonic cultivator bellowed in fury.

Feng Qing hovered in the air, her robes fluttering in the wind. She called out, “Taiyi Sect Auxiliary Teacher, true disciple under True Person Chu Jiangkuo, guardian of the Path of No Return—Dan Li.”

The demonic cultivator: “…Don’t think I don’t know you’re from the Wind Moon Heartless Sect.”

Feng Qing asked strangely, “Then why ask?”

Li Ruoshui rubbed her forehead. This one surfs Tianyan Mirror under her real name—do the demonic path folks not have internet? She glanced at Cang Lang, who still retained a shred of clarity, and without thinking, slapped her unconscious. She tossed the two to Yao Changliu and pointed at the gravely wounded Xie Chaosheng. “Save her first.”

This future Demon Venerable was either tough-skinned or had been hiding behind Xie Chaosheng the whole time—she wouldn’t die even if trampled a few more times. But Xie Chaosheng was hanging by a thread, looking ready to kick the bucket at any moment. If she died, who would bear the heavenly mandate?!

Supreme Unity Southern Florescence Dojo.

Lian Rusu’s eyes were vacant.

There had been no word from Chaosheng.

And Fellow Daoist Shangshan, who usually chatted with her daily about the ruin spirits she encountered, had gone silent for a long time.

Yet she could contact Senior Sister Chu and the others guarding there.

The Path of No Return didn’t sever external qi connections.

Why had Fellow Daoist Shangshan stopped replying? Had she said something wrong? Lian Rusu frowned and scrolled carefully through their previous messages. Fellow Daoist Shangshan had mentioned entering Changbai Valley to pick Supreme Lingzhi, and had even said “good night” afterward.

“Your mood isn’t calm.” A shadowy figure emerged from the dharma sword and sat across from Lian Rusu, gradually taking her likeness, as if mirroring herself in water. But after a few breaths, the figure raised a hand, stirred the ripples, and shattered the “consistency.” Propping her cheek, she asked, “What about Ru Bing? Why no news from the outer sect? What are they doing?”

“I need to go to Changbai Valley,” Lian Rusu murmured.

Fellow Daoist Shangshan was an upright person; she wouldn’t ghost her for no reason. Had her earlier speculation been correct—that a Cave Heaven Realm ruin spirit had narrowed its range, trapping people in Changbai Valley? Was Chaosheng there too?

The sword spirit looked eager. “You go, or me?”

“You—” Before she could say “go,” Lian Rusu shook her head. “Forget it. You’re no match for a Cave Heaven Realm ruin spirit.”

Muttering to herself, she said, “Eldest Senior Sister is managing Taiyi Sect, Fourth Senior Sister is in seclusion. Do I have to go alone?”