Dark clouds in the sky grew heavier, and a swirl of black energy swiftly crossed the horizon, followed by a faint azure light, heading towards an unknown, dilapidated charity hall in the wilderness south of Heiyang City.
“Grandfather! You still want to drag us away even now? Are you just going to watch that Daoist die at the hands of those fiends?” Little Ring exclaimed in anger.
“Hmph, do you think he’s coming soon? The moment Miss Lu appeared, I saw joy all over your face!”
“Who is in that coffin? Have you seen them before?” Lu Xueqi’s tone returned to calmness.
“Who else could it be? Another ghostly figure,” Xiaobai shot a cold glance at Lu Xueqi, wondering when this young lady had arrived without him noticing.
As everyone was deep in thought, a sudden whooshing sound filled the air, and they quickly moved aside. A dark figure stood on the ground, holding a broken sword.
“Looks like even the foot of Qingyun Mountain is bustling now, and this haunted house has become quite popular,” a low voice issued from the dark figure. All were startled, and Lu Xueqi’s face turned ashen as if she had seen something horrifying.
A faint azure light slowly seeped in through the old courtyard gates.
“Aah!” Three people in the courtyard simultaneously gasped, more shocked by the appearance of the azure light than the ominous presence of the dark figure.
Gui Li walked in with a look of astonishment, his gaze slowly falling on the pair of eyes that, though once cold, now held a gentle warmth.
“Are you alright? I…” Lu Xueqi spoke softly, her cheeks flushing slightly but her gaze still fixed on the man.
Gui Li’s heart raced, feeling a thousand words unspoken, yet he stood frozen.
“Hmph!” A cold snort jolted Gui Li back to reality, and he turned to see Xiaobai’s face now as cold as ice, no longer showing surprise. Even Zhou Yixian sensed something, giving a sinister smile at Little Ring. Little Ring, however, kept her gaze on Gui Li, her attention fully captured by his presence.
“It seems your emotional roots run deep. Today, I will teach Water Moon’s undisciplined disciple a lesson, and let you both die together. Hahaha…” The dark figure burst into laughter, as if witnessing the most ridiculous spectacle.
Lu Xueqi, startled, tightened her grip on her blue celestial sword, regaining her composure. She looked at the dark figure with a complex expression. Gui Li also focused on the dark figure, suddenly recognizing something, his face showing shock and pain. His gaze was fixed on the broken sword in the dark figure’s hand, the same sword that had roused him from nightmares and nearly taken his life recently.
“Zhanxian!” Gui Li murmured, his eyes flashing with lethal intent, staring coldly at the dark figure’s red-tinged eyes.
“Quite impressive. You’ve gained such presence in just a few years. It seems you have a natural talent for the demonic arts of the Cult. But thinking about it, there are few in Qingyun who can match you. To think you’ve practiced the Taiji Xuanqing Dao until now, I truly must kill you to honor my past decision! Hahaha!” Another fit of maniacal laughter. Gui Li, who had a slight suspicion, now knew for certain: the dark figure was Dao Xuan, the leader of the righteous path!
“Hehe,” Gui Li laughed, a chilling sound, as if vengeance had consumed his mind. “So it’s you. You’ve resorted to absorbing souls and spirits. Truly an eye-opener.” His hoarse voice made the atmosphere even more tense.
Lu Xueqi, sensing the danger, leaped forward with her sword. “Master Uncle, where is Master Tian? Everyone in Qingyun is looking for you.”
“Master? Haha, I’m not worthy of being called your master anymore. Ask Tian Yizhi yourself, but I doubt you’ll ever see him again.” Dao Xuan’s voice was eerie.
A hot surge rose in Gui Li’s heart, remembering the man he once revered as a deity. Was he now thinking of the one who should never have been his disciple? An invisible hand seemed to control the fate of the charity hall, and a terrifying grin seemed to be directed at Gui Li.
Was it really all his fault? Why did cruel scenes always appear before him? No answer came from his heavy breathing.
A sharp whooshing sound came from the dark figure, and a demonic aura enveloped the courtyard. Little Ring screamed, grabbing her grandfather. Dao Xuan, using his free hand, struck at Gui Li, flying towards him.
A dazzling golden light surrounded Gui Li, and his lightning-fast figure lunged at the dark figure. Time seemed to freeze, and everyone in the charity hall held their breath, waiting for the outcome. The blue sword light in Lu Xueqi’s hand trembled, but she did not merge with the familiar figure.
A faint sound rang out between the golden light and the dark figure, followed by Dao Xuan’s scream. In a flash of gold, Dao Xuan’s hand gripped the blood-red bead of the soul-devouring object, and his hand began to wither rapidly. Suddenly, a white light exploded from Dao Xuan’s hand, and blood spattered from Gui Li’s sleeve. Blood gushed from Gui Li’s shoulder. With a loud bang, Gui Li and Dao Xuan flew apart.
Gui Li pressed his bleeding shoulder, and Dao Xuan stared in shock at his skeletal hand. Before Xiaobai could react, Gui Li was back in his original position.
“Good, the Heartlock Seal is useless against your cursed object, making the Qingyun teachings meaningless. I underestimated you, haha.” Dao Xuan seemed mad, his eyes now full of red threads.
“Cursed object? Your ancestors didn’t foresee such a bloodthirsty thing outside of Zhanxian!” Gui Li mocked Dao Xuan, showing no pain in his eyes.
Had the pain in his heart already surpassed all limits? Physical pain no longer made him flinch.
“Bloodthirsty, bloodthirsty…”
Dao Xuan’s Zhanxian glowed with a white light, as if the broken sword had grown anew, and a chill spread around.
In an instant, a white light expanded, enveloping Dao Xuan, with a faint azure ring around it, while inside, Dao Xuan’s laughter was heard.
**Boom**
A thunderclap echoed from the dark clouds, and the oppressive black clouds dissipated, revealing crimson-tinted clouds.
The white light around Dao Xuan rose to the sky. Gui Li’s lips twitched, why was this scene so familiar, had he seen it in a dream, or was it a distant, unreal memory?
In a moment, the calm surroundings transformed into a sea of sand, and ghostly howls filled the air, with red clouds rolling and casting a blood-red light.
Gui Li’s face flashed with red light, a feeling stronger than the soul-devouring object, making him see a sea of blood.
Gui Li’s body trembled, and the soul-devouring object in his hand shook, as if meeting an old friend, excited beyond measure.
Zhou Yixian and the wild dog had already dragged Little Ring out of the courtyard, leaving only Lu Xueqi and Xiaobai.
Gui Li’s expression turned to pain, as if a force compelled him to howl. He steadied his mind, channeling the Da Fan Banruo, a coolness seeping into his mind, but annoyance lingered.
“Chirp, chirp.” Xiaohui sensed something amiss and waved at the hovering Dao Xuan. When Gui Li had leaped to fight Dao Xuan, Xiaohui had jumped down and now perched on Gui Li’s uninjured shoulder.
“Roar!”
A piercing howl erupted from the white light in the sky. The red clouds gathered and formed a blood-red dragon, roaring and coiling around the white light.
“This isn’t the way of Qingyun, it isn’t!” Lu Xueqi sorrowfully watched Dao Xuan in the sky, standing there.
Gui Li was now surrounded by a yellowish glow, lifted by the soul-devouring object, watching the blood-red dragon circle Dao Xuan.
The sand and stones stopped swirling, and the ghostly howls ceased, leaving only the red light and the coiling blood dragon.
Dao Xuan began to chant a low, ominous spell:
“Earth and heaven’s malice, gather in Yanluo,
Resurrect the Rakshasa, with blood as sacrifice!”
“Aooo!” The blood dragon roared.
“Blood-curse Demon Sword!” Gui Li’s mind flashed with these golden words, from the walls of the Celestial Treasure Vault!
Lu Xueqi sensed something and flew towards Gui Li.
“So the legendary evil art is within Zhanxian!”
Suddenly, the world darkened, and the coiling blood dragon shot like lightning at Gui Li. Lu Xueqi’s lips twitched, and she leaped towards Gui Li.
The familiar scent brushed past Gui Li, and a bright blue light surged, striking the blood dragon head-on!
Boiling blood surged in Gui Li’s heart, and he lunged at the blood dragon without hesitation.
Once, his heart had burned with the same intense fire, and now, he hesitated not!
A gentle touch from behind, what kind of feeling was this?
He gritted his teeth, twisting his body to shield her. Azure light gathered into a Taiji pattern, shimmering with gold, and met the blood dragon’s head.
A ripping sound came from the Taiji, and in that instant, a dazzling blue light pierced the dragon’s head, but Gui Li felt her trembling behind him!
The soul-devouring object, glowing azure, pierced the dragon’s body, emerging with sparkling light, and stabbed it again.
The blood dragon’s body engulfed Gui Li and Lu Xueqi.
Xiaobai could no longer hold back and flew straight towards the two disappearing figures.
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