Chapter 68: The Azure Dragon

At that moment, someone from the side had already come to support the ancient vampire demon. The bald elder seemed to have a deep connection with the vampire, and he approached to inquire in a low voice. The Ghost King, now free of his earlier opponent, smiled without speaking, looking quite relaxed, showing no sign of facing a formidable enemy. The pale-faced scholar beside him exchanged a glance with the Ghost King.

“Cang Song, do you remember your grandfather?” Suddenly, a hoarse voice rang out. The younger disciples of the righteous path all frowned, seeing the fierce-looking dwarf. At this moment, the dwarf was glaring at Cang Song with a fierce light in his eyes, like a rabid wolf.

Cang Song sneered and said, “Demon, do you remember the sword strike from back then?”

Upon hearing these words, everyone saw the dwarf’s face contort with rage, his teeth clenched, clearly filled with deep-seated hatred. But he slowly nodded, drawing a line from his left shoulder across his chest to the right, growling, “Good, good, I haven’t forgotten. I didn’t expect you to remember as well. That’s even better. I will return this sword strike to you.”

Cang Song snorted, ignoring him, and turned his gaze to the two people standing calmly beside him.

Su Ru’s expression grew serious. With her keen eyes, she could see that these individuals were all highly skilled, not inferior to the ancient vampire demon. She suspected they were likely old demons of the Demon Sect who had long been in hiding. Hearing the conversation between Cang Song and the dwarf, she whispered to Tian Yi standing beside her, “Who are these people?”

Tian Yi’s face also darkened, his brows furrowing, “The dwarf is Bai Duzi, from the Demon Sect’s Venomous Gates. The bald elder is the Duke of Stone Mountain, Du Mu, known for his solitary ways in the Demon Sect. These two, along with the ancient vampire, were remnants of the Demon Sect we pursued a hundred years ago. As for the other two, one is likely the current leader of the Ghost King Sect, but I have never seen the pale-faced scholar before.”

Su Ru gasped. She had not been involved in the great battle between the righteous and the demonic a hundred years ago, but these names were famous, especially Bai Duzi and Duke Du Mu, who were notoriously evil, even surpassing the ancient vampire demon.

At that moment, the bald Duke Du Mu suddenly turned around, casting a glance over the righteous path, and cackled, “Where is Wan Jianyi? Where is that despicable dog?”

The younger disciples of the Qingyun Sect were startled, not knowing what he was talking about. But Tian Yi, Cang Song, and Su Ru all paled. Tian Yi coldly replied, “Wan Senior has transcended and ascended to immortality. Only a clown like you would still be barking here!”

The demonic sect members were stunned. Bai Duzi, Duke Du Mu, and the ancient vampire, who had just regained his composure, all cried out in disbelief, “Dead?”

The Ghost King and the pale-faced scholar standing beside them also seemed to be slightly shaken.

Wan Jianyi, a name never mentioned to the younger generation of the Qingyun Sect, seemed to carry a magical power for these leaders of the demonic sect. They exchanged glances, their expressions subtle, with a mix of hatred, fear, and an underlying joy in their eyes.

Duke Du Mu’s face was complex. He rubbed his bald head, mumbling something inaudible, but the last part was clear, “Hehe, I never thought this scoundrel would actually die… Hehehe, hahahaha…”

His cackles turned into maniacal laughter.

The faces of the Qingyun Sect members darkened. Cang Song stared at him, sneering, “What are you laughing at? Even if he is not here, there are plenty of us who can deal with scum like you.”

“Phew!” A disdainful voice came from the side, it was Bai Duzi, snarling, “We cannot kill him ourselves, but we will avenge our hatred. One day, we will attack the Qingyun Sect and reduce his bones to dust, making sure he has no peace even in death!”

The ancient vampire cackled, “Indeed! We must exact our revenge!”

The righteous path members all turned pale, seeing the demonic sect’s brutality, and felt deeply outraged.

Tian Ling’er quietly asked her senior disciple, Song Da Ren, “Senior Brother, who is this Wan… Great-uncle Wan? He seems incredibly powerful, even these demonic scum are afraid of him. Why have we never heard of him?”

Song Da Ren’s face twitched, hesitating, then sighing, “Little Sister, when we return to the mountain, you can ask Master and Mistress yourself.”

Tian Ling’er pouted, “Fine, I won’t ask. I’ll ask Mother myself.” She started to step forward.

Zhang Xiaofan, watching, grew anxious, and grabbed her, whispering, “Senior Sister, with the enemy so close, don’t go up. We can ask later.”

Tian Ling’er looked ahead, seeing the tense atmosphere, and stopped, smiling back at Zhang Xiaofan.

Zhang Xiaofan’s heart warmed, but suddenly a cold snort full of anger came from the demonic sect. He looked up to see Bi Yao appearing behind the Ghost King, staring at him from a distance.

Zhang Xiaofan was startled, releasing Tian Ling’er’s hand by instinct.

In the distance, Lu Xueqi slowly turned her gaze from Zhang Xiaofan to Bi Yao, observing her silently.

※※※

At that moment, the frowning and silent Mighty Vajra Lord suddenly spoke, “Bai Duzi, Duke Du Mu, after escaping, you should have repented and reformed. How dare you show your faces again? Are you tired of living?”

“Phew!” The demonic sect members cursed, filling the air with profanity.

The Mighty Vajra Lord’s face changed slightly. The pale-faced scholar stepped forward, smiling, “You must be the Mighty Vajra Lord of the Diamond Gate, am I right?”

The Mighty Vajra Lord looked at him, “Yes, and who are you?”

The pale-faced scholar smiled, not answering, but continued, “If Wan Jianyi were here, saying what you just said, we might be wary. But with your Diamond Gate’s amateur skills, you should hide behind the Qingyun Sect.”

The demonic sect members laughed, and even from the dark forest behind them, mocking laughter echoed.

The Mighty Vajra Lord’s face turned red with fury, but the Qingyun Sect members, Cang Song, Tian Yi, and Su Ru, exchanged worried glances, realizing from the laughter that the demonic sect had more and stronger reinforcements than they had expected.

This battle would be extremely perilous.

“Damn!” A loud shout came, and Shitou, behind the Mighty Vajra Lord, leaped up, enraged by the insult to his master. His golden scepter shone brightly as he charged towards the pale-faced scholar.

Tian Yi and the others were shocked. The Mighty Vajra Lord shouted, “Shitou, stop, don’t act rashly!”

But Shitou was too quick, and in a flash, his golden light was upon the pale-faced scholar. The scholar showed no panic, raising his right hand, a faint green light flickering in his palm, ready to meet the charging scepter.

In a blink, the golden light collided with the pale-faced scholar’s palm. The crowd was dazzled, seeing flashes of gold and the sizzling of air, but the scholar was unfazed.

The young disciples cheered, but Cang Song and Tian Yi’s faces darkened.

After a moment, the golden light dimmed, and the pale-faced scholar stood calmly, having single-handedly blocked Shitou’s powerful attack. Shitou struggled in mid-air, but could not get any closer.

The scholar laughed, “Young man, go back and train for another hundred years!” He then waved his hand, and a green light flashed. Shitou was flung backward, and his scepter soared into the sky, whistling.

The Mighty Vajra Lord leaped to catch the injured Shitou, relieved to see he was only shaken. Anger building, he prepared to attack, but Cang Song held him back, his face stern, “Who are you? And how did you get the ‘Heaven and Earth Clear Light Jade Ring’ which has been missing for a thousand years?”

The Mighty Vajra Lord exclaimed, “What? The Heaven and Earth Clear Light Ring?”

Everyone, including the demonic sect, was shocked. Zhang Xiaofan, curious, asked Song Da Ren, “Senior Brother, is this treasure very powerful?”

Song Da Ren, still stunned, nodded, “Master once told me this ring is an extremely powerful artifact, a divine item, lost for a thousand years, but now it’s back!”

Zhang Xiaofan gasped, while the pale-faced scholar smiled at Cang Song, “I am a mere unknown, currently serving under the Ghost King. Just a pawn.”

The Ghost King shook his head, “Brother Long, you are too modest.”

Bai Duzi, Duke Du Mu, and the ancient vampire all glanced at the pale-faced scholar, whom the Ghost King called “Brother Long,” noticing his right hand hidden in his sleeve, but with Cang Song’s certainty and the scholar’s non-denial, it was likely he truly possessed the divine ring.

Thinking of the rumored powers of the ring, and the importance of artifacts to cultivators, everyone felt a surge of excitement. Though the three had appeared with the pale-faced scholar, they had not come together, and only knew that a powerful figure had mysteriously appeared beside the Ghost King.

Bai Duzi, glaring at the scholar’s right hand, turned to the Ghost King, “Ghost King, we’ve never met this brother before. When did the Ghost King Sect produce such a formidable figure?”

The Ghost King chuckled, “Brother Bai Duzi, our sect is a small faction, nothing compared to the Venomous Gates.”

Bai Duzi snorted. He belonged to the Venomous Gates, one of the four major branches of the demonic sect, and this was his first outing in a century.

Even in seclusion, he was aware of the demonic sect’s affairs. The four major branches were the Venomous Gates, the Blissful Sect, and the Longevity Hall, which rose after the decline of the Blood Refining Hall following the death of the Black Heart Elder eight hundred years ago. The Ghost King Sect, however, emerged three hundred years ago, rapidly gaining power and sharing the demonic sect’s dominance with the other three branches, causing much speculation.

Rumors had spread that the sacred text, the Heavenly Book, had fallen into the hands of the Ghost King Sect. Now, with the reappearance of the long-lost Heaven and Earth Clear Light Ring, Bai Duzi was shocked, realizing the Ghost King Sect’s strength was immeasurable. Still, he forced a smile, “Joking aside, the Ghost King Sect is indeed flourishing. But we really want to know Brother Long better.”

The Ghost King gave Bai Duzi a penetrating look, then smiled, “Very well, since we will meet again. Do you remember the four holy envoys under the previous Ghost King three hundred years ago?”

Bai Duzi’s expression changed, and Duke Du Mu cried out, “What? The Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, and Black Tortoise, they are still alive?”

The pale-faced scholar and the Ghost King exchanged smiles, then he greeted the crowd, “Greetings, I am the Azure Dragon.”

The reaction on the righteous path side was muted, but the demonic sect members were visibly shaken. Three hundred years ago, the Ghost King Sect had the four holy envoys as its foundation, gaining power through numerous battles and establishing their current position. The strength of these four was unimaginable.

The Azure Dragon sighed, turning to the Ghost King, “We are getting old. Look at the young ones on the righteous path, none of them seem to recognize my name.”

The Ghost King laughed, “Why worry, Brother Long? The younger generation is ignorant, but given time, your name will once again resound through the world.”

The Azure Dragon laughed, his gaze falling on his right hand, a hint of melancholy in his laugh.

※※※

A loud crash startled everyone, and they saw Shitou’s golden scepter, which had flown into the sky, finally fall to the ground.

The field fell silent, with the righteous path on high alert. This resurgence of the demonic sect was beyond their expectations, and more powerful forces were still hidden.

On the demonic sect side, tensions simmered. Duke Du Mu, unaffiliated, was friendly with the ancient vampire, but Bai Duzi and the ancient vampire, key figures in the Venomous Gates, were deeply wary of the Ghost King Sect.

Only the Ghost King and the Azure Dragon stood calm, the latter seeming to whisper something, and the former smiled, glancing briefly at Zhang Xiaofan.

As night deepened, the sea wind howled, and mysterious roars from the distant ocean drew closer, growing clearer.

Tian Yi and Cang Song exchanged glances, both seeing the other’s retreat. Su Ru coughed, whispering to Cang Song, “Brother Cang Song, the demonic sect is too strong. Let’s retreat and consult with the Sect Leader before deciding our next move.”

Cang Song, after a moment, nodded, “Sister, you are right.” He looked at Tian Yi, who nodded slowly.

Cang Song was about to speak when he remembered something, frowning, “Where is Xiao Yicai? I haven’t seen him all night.”

Qi Hao, standing beside him, stepped forward, “Master, Xiao Senior said he was feeling unwell and stayed behind.”

Cang Song’s face darkened, but he could not criticize his disciple in public, so he turned to address the other sects, like Fa Xiang and Li Xun, when a scream came from behind them.

Chaos erupted. Several young disciples of the righteous path, bloodied and injured, stumbled out of the darkness, shouting, “There are demonic sect members behind us!”

Laughter echoed from the dark, ancient forest, and Tian Yi’s face paled. Since the Ghost King’s appearance, everyone’s attention had been drawn to the old monsters, not expecting the demonic sect to flank them from behind.

In an instant, lights flashed from the forest, and countless artifacts flew out, attacking the righteous path. Caught off guard, and outnumbered, the righteous path was at a disadvantage.

Cang Song’s face darkened, and he shouted, rising into the air, but before he could act, Bai Duzi and Duke Du Mu attacked him.

Bai Duzi laughed, snarling, “Dog-taoist, give me your life!”

Cang Song halted in mid-air, taking them seriously, and turned to fight, while Tian Yi below engaged Duke Du Mu.

Su Ru, frowning, watched the dire situation. The righteous path was clearly disadvantaged, with the Ghost King and the Azure Dragon yet to act, and more demonic sect members in hiding. The situation was bleak.

Amidst the chaos, demonic sect members emerged from the shadows, their artifacts striking, and the sounds of fighting and cries of pain filled the air.

Zhang Xiaofan, holding his firewood stick, was protected by his senior disciples, staying safe for now, but the situation was dire.

As the demonic forces overwhelmed the righteous path, the night was filled with their attacks. Zhang Xiaofan, feeling his body still capable, decided to join the fight.

Just then, a clear, melodious cry, like a phoenix, echoed, and a brilliant blue light rose. Lu Xueqi, wielding her Divine Sword, Tianya, illuminated the surroundings, and the darkness seemed to recede.

She dove into the darkness, transforming into a blue streak, and within moments, the demonic sect’s cries filled the air, and the pressure on the righteous path lessened.

Simultaneously, the sound of Buddhist chants rose, and Fa Xiang, holding the Recycling Pearl, surged forward, creating a bright golden light. The pearl flew into the darkness, and the demonic sect’s screams followed.

The situation improved, with the young heroes of the righteous path, including Qi Hao, Lin Jingyu, Li Xun, Yan Hong, and others, joining the fight. The demonic sect, lacking powerful figures, was soon overwhelmed.

The Ghost King and the Azure Dragon, watching from a distance, frowned. The Azure Dragon sighed, “These young disciples of the righteous path are exceptional, far surpassing our own.”

The Ghost King nodded, looking distant, “The first woman to act, what was her weapon?”

The Azure Dragon replied, “The Divine Sword, Tianya.”

The Ghost King turned, looking at him, and the Azure Dragon, smiling, whispered, “The Divine Sword, Tianya… Ah, the Divine Sword, Tianya.”

The Ghost King, hands behind his back, added, “And the monk from the Temple of Sound, with the Recycling Pearl, and the young man from the Qingyun Sect, with the Green-Water Divine Sword, likely the Slashing Dragon Sword. The righteous path has been nurturing these young ones well.”