Chapter 186: Beheading the Demon Tradition (4K)

Zhang Jian looked at Wei Fang with both eyes, and suddenly smiled.

"Forgive my bluntness, Your Highness seeks the ink treasure, but do you wish to use it to cultivate and break through?"

Upon hearing this, Wei Fang cast a surprised glance at Zhang Jian.

Zhang Jian paid no heed to Wei Fang, merely speaking calmly.

"Your Highness, considering your gifts, I can bestow upon you a set of calligraphy practice sheets as a return gift, but I must tell you, the Righteous Qi is not as miraculous as imagined; if you wish to break through, you must still rely on your own accumulation!"

Upon hearing this, Wei Fang's expression grew solemn; during his earlier conversation with Zhang Jian, he had already sensed that the top scholar before him seemed to know everything about astronomy and geography, utterly mysterious, and now, upon speaking, he could pierce through Wei Fang's entire situation with a single word, giving him a feeling of gazing up at a lofty mountain.

However, upon reflection, if not for understanding all principles and possessing supernatural abilities, Zhang Jian before him might not have been able to comprehend the wonder of the Righteous Qi.

One must know how many Confucian sages of the dynasty, even with white hair, might not necessarily comprehend the wonder of the Righteous Qi.

Wei Fang's demeanor grew increasingly reverent.

He could not help but be reverent.

Possessing the Righteous Qi and being versed in the sages' teachings, even if he does not cultivate, when his lifespan ends and he dies peacefully, he will receive the courtesy of the underworld deities; if he turns to cultivate the divine path, he will become a great elder of the Primordial Spirit True Person level in just a few years.

If he is willing to reincarnate into the immortal Dao lineage, it is likely that a True Lord from the immortal Dao lineage will descend to guide him.

This would surely surpass his current achievements as a mundane deity.

Yet, seeing Zhang Jian casually take up brush, ink, paper, and inkstone on the hall's dais, Wei Fang immediately rose and stepped forward to personally grind the ink.

After he had ground the ink well, Zhang Jian pondered slightly, then lifted his brush freely.

Only to see a manifestation of Righteous Qi appear before his eyes, as if the brush tip traced and plucked a bright moon, merging it into the xuan paper; only to see a line of characters shining brightly.

This time, the manifestation of Righteous Qi did not show the brilliant sun and moon, nor the scene of Righteous Qi rushing straight to mountains and rivers.

Instead, it was another kind of Dao rhythm, like a faint, elusive Dao rhythm standing upon mountain rivers and field ridges, where numerous households farmed in orderly fashion, returning to simplicity and truth; deep in his eyes, everything was a real scene that intoxicated people.

Such a mysterious scene could dispel all anxiety and unease from a cultivator's heart.

Finally, the manifestation of Righteous Qi shattered, turning into a line of doggerel verse.

Planting green seedlings fills the field; lowering the head, one sees heaven in the water. A pure heart is the Dao; retreating is actually moving forward!

Seeing this line of calligraphy, Wei Fang was first startled, then his eyes could not help but immerse themselves in it, as if he had become a pure farmer, following that farmer's orderly steps, as if he saw the boundless heaven and earth's great Dao; so-called non-desire leads to strength, and retreating sometimes is also moving forward.

He could not help but respond with applause and praise.

"Marvelous! Today, hearing the master's words is better than ten years of bitter cultivation!"

Wei Fang clasped his hands.

At this moment, he was wholly convinced.

Moreover, he felt that today's journey was indeed the most correct decision he had ever made in his life.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Jian merely yawned slightly and smiled.

"Your Highness, it is getting late; you should return!"

Upon hearing this, Wei Fang nodded, his eyes at this moment hard to conceal joy, and then he said.

"If the master has any future orders, as long as a letter is sent to the City God Temple, I, the little king, will respond to everything!"

Clasping his hands slightly, he vanished into a thick fog with his many guards.

After Wei Fang left, Qi Yuhua emerged from between the two maids, Yuyao and Quilian, who supported her, her gaze somewhat astonished as she looked at Zhang Jian and said.

"Husband, was that truly the City God King just now?"

Zhang Jian nodded and smiled.

"It was him, but this Highness is truly troublesome, not letting people sleep; on such a beautiful night, he has caused people to be tossed about!"

Upon hearing this, Qi Yuhua, besides being startled, gave him a somewhat resentful glance.

……

At this moment, within Sanyang Commandery

The true form of the Red Flower Lady descended, her hand employing various secret arts to track, yet she had already found the hiding place of a group of demons impersonating the Red Flower Lady.

In the mountains and forests, her body was surrounded by countless flames soaring into the sky, the incense along the way as if scattered deep into the mountain ridges.

In her eyes flickered a chilling killing intent; a thread of fire in her hand flowed and transformed instantly into countless small firebirds chirping as they wound through the mountain ridges.

This divine technique closely resembles Zhang Jian's Vermilion Bird Imitation Technique, but the Vermilion Bird Imitation Technique is a non-transmittable art of the Tongshan Dao lineage and cannot be passed on.

Later, Zhang Jian comprehended from the foundation of the Vermilion Bird Imitation Technique a Vermilion Bird Fire Control Technique.

As for its power.

It is not inferior in the slightest to the Vermilion Bird Imitation Technique.

At this moment, in the Red Flower Lady's hands, these small birds seemed to come alive.

However, it is not just one or two, but as if a flock of sparrows were flying and darting across the mountains and fields.

"Ah!

"

In an instant, wails of lament rose throughout the mountain forest, yet see, deep in the earth, a surge of intense ghostly aura burst forth suddenly.

Fierce dark blue flames erupted from within, and in an instant, a fierce blue light surged violently toward the Red Flower Lady.

"Spirit Candle Great King, save us……"

At this moment, many of the joyful spirits in the forest screamed in the Vermilion Bird Fire Control Technique, but upon contact with the stove fire, they instantly turned into flying ashes, souls scattered and spirits dispersed.

The Red Flower Lady deeply resented these demon ghosts impersonating the patrol deities of the Kitchen God Lady's temple, damaging her foundation; she struck without mercy.

At this moment, she also saw the blue flames sweeping through the void.

This is a rather peculiar fire ghost.

Fire ghosts are a kind of Yin spirit among the Five Elements; their cause of death in life is related to fire, and combined with the Five Elements attribute of fire, when many conditions converge, such a numinous spirit is born.

This fire ghost has cultivated to success; its body is surrounded by intense ghostly aura, as if substantial; it is a ghost general at the peak of the Divination stage.

Yet, such a ghost general in her eyes is still not enough to behold, especially since the other dared to impersonate her.

"Hold!"

She merely raised her head, a thread of red light flickering in her eyes, and an invisible flame burst forth, easily trapping the ghost god's soul in the void.

This was also a marvelous technique learned from Zhang Jian, capable of directly converting incense and fate to temporarily amplify divine authority, thereby suppressing cultivators or ghost gods of the same attribute.

As long as it is not a true deity, this move has some effect.

At this moment, the spirit candle ghost was trapped in midair, blue flames within, fear in its eyes, yet unable to move.

At this moment she opened her mouth to call out, Red Flower Lady's single palm became a blade, her gaze indifferent as she swept her surroundings, speaking coldly.

"Is no one coming out? If you still do not act, your lackeys will surely die!"

Saying this, her hand swept across, yet it was like a blazing flame longsword, cleaving the entire small grove in two, fierce red light causing the earth to tremble.

Even the fire ghost was slain by the blazing flames!

Seeing this, Red Flower Lady sneered: "If you dare not come out, then do not stir up petty tricks behind my back, or else today this fire ghost shall be your example!"

Her words had just fallen when, at this moment, a cold voice emerged from the dark depths of the void.

"A mere trifling hair god, your abilities are mediocre, yet your tone is grand. Originally this god had no intention of quarreling with you, a hair god, but since you have provoked me repeatedly, today this god will properly chastise those behind you—godhood is not so easily assumed!"

The icy voice faded, and in an instant a cluster of dense gloomy light appeared in the void.

Deep within the earth, countless divine powers flowed and surged, instantly condensing into a deity formed of countless boulders.

The divine light of Wu Earth flowed, flashing with yellow earth radiance.

Before her eyes was a mountain god's divine thought given form.

Moreover, observing its divine power, deep and vast like an ocean, it is highly likely to be its true form.

A fifth-rank deity!

And a peak fifth-rank mountain god.

Among the gods, when discussing divine power, water deities are strongest, but mountain gods have mountains and rivers as their foundation, and should not be underestimated.

Red Flower Lady witnessed this scene, her eyes flickering.

That group of fire gods hiding behind her had actually summoned a mountain god to obstruct her—truly sinister.

But faced with such a dispute, there is only one solution: fists.

"What god are you? Finally report your name, or this god will strike down nameless juniors in my hand!"

Upon hearing this, the mountain god finally flew into a rage.

"Vile servant, you are merely a hair god—how dare you repeatedly insult me? You are bringing disgrace upon yourself!"

He formed a seal with his hand, and instantly an invisible divine power began to flow.

This is the most fundamental Wu Earth Great Law in the mountain god's technique inheritance.

Though this law is widely transmitted, its power is truly extraordinary.

But Red Flower Lady paid no heed, her form transforming into a flame of fire as she opened distance.

Zhang Jian had mentioned to her the mountain god's weakness: strongest in close combat, yet lacking in balancing long-range techniques.

Only see the Wu Earth qi rolling forth, instantly transforming into countless arrows shooting explosively into midair.

The Wu Earth qi charging through the void became countless precise earthen cones, sharp and heavy.

But Red Flower Lady's entire body became a flame of fire, easily evading them.

This is the renowned fire escape technique of the fire god inheritance.

She relied on the stove fire divine post, cultivating it to the point of pure furnace fire, yet she clearly was not satisfied with merely playing hide-and-seek with this mountain god.

In her hand, myriad flames flowed, and instantly countless fire sparrows appeared in the void, these fire sparrows continuously spinning in the void, gradually transforming into a colossal fire god bird.

The bird manifested the true form of a phoenix.

It was the divine beast Zhuque.

Red Flower Lady, having followed Zhang Jian and truly seen the true form of the phoenix, now had her stove fire emulate the Zhuque's aspect—this fire Zhuque seemed like a true divine beast descending, bearing a cluster of intense apocalyptic power, exploding into a Zhuque divine light that struck the stone man.

Accompanied by a shrill, miserable cry.

The layer of divine domain technique shrouding the stone man's body was instantly pierced, the yellow earth divine domain shattered, and the Zhuque directly pecked through the stone man's heart, like an arrow piercing through.

Countless mountain stones shattered and flew, yet a yellow earth light fell to the ground, panicked and unable to cease, vanishing into the earth and disappearing instantly.

"Earth escape technique!"

Seeing this, Red Flower Lady's face curled into a cold smile.

"Supreme Forgetfulness Law!"

Wielding the dharma seal in her hand, several seal formulas condensed, and she instantly felt her heart's distracting thoughts dissipate like ice and snow, her divine sense aided by the wondrous Supreme Forgetfulness Law, becoming extraordinarily keen, and in an instant she sensed a faintly panicked aura deep within the distant mountain.

This aura was still attempting to flee deeper into the mountain body.

This was the mountain god whose divine body she had shattered.

With a light snort, myriad rosy lights scattered from her body, a dense stove-fire divine light shot straight into the earth's depths, forming a giant palm that easily seized the aura rapidly burrowing deep underground, tearing open the earth and dragging it out.

"This is impossible!"

At this moment, deep within Red Flower Lady's palm, this yellow earth hazy image, he almost could not believe his eyes as he gazed upon Red Flower Lady's silhouette.

In his eyes, this silhouette now loomed towering like a heaven god.

He could not possibly imagine how the divine power of this deity before him could have seen through his earth escape technique and dragged him out from underground.

Is the opponent's cultivation clearly inferior to his?

Immediately, he could not help but roar angrily.

"Vile servant, release this god—do you still intend to slay a deity?!"

He clung to his neck, refusing to yield, while his eyes stared deadlocked at Red Flower Lady, his confidence still somewhat lacking, for he truly feared Red Flower Lady might in a moment of impulse annihilate his soul.

Red Flower Lady's expression remained calm, she spoke coldly.

"I will not kill you, but I will seize you and bring you to the Sheji God Bureau—you have had people impersonate this god, damaged this god's foundation, this lawsuit will be taken to the Sheji God Court, and you are in the wrong; I will surely make you pay the price!"

Upon hearing this, the mountain god's expression changed.

At this moment, he was indeed in the wrong; if captured and taken to the Ministry of Land and Grain, he would likely still face removal of his divine post and be cast into the Nine Abyssal Divine Prison to suffer—a fate perhaps little better than outright soul and spirit scattering.

"Kitchen God, you need not go to such extremes..."

Red Flower Lady casually seized this mountain god, yet had no patience to listen to his rambling.

What she currently needed was not to slay this insignificant mountain god, but to use the opportunity to inform other deities that whoever provoked her would face her relentless resolve to see things through to the end.

Thus, killing one to warn a hundred.

Moreover, with this example, she could also intimidate the fire god behind this mountain god.

If they wished to continue making things difficult for her, they should also consider their own future fate.

She then directly prepared to return.

At this moment, high above, two other figures furrowed their brows slightly.

These two figures were the fire gods who had rushed over upon receiving the thought; at this moment, both fire gods also felt incredulous.

They had investigated this Kitchen God and found him to be merely an ordinary minor deity with no inheritance whatsoever—how could he possibly wield such decisive and clean methods?

Among deities of the same realm, mountain gods typically possess stronger methods than fire gods of equal standing.

Yet the Nine Bend Mountain God before them was clearly no match for this Kitchen God; they could see plainly that the divine arts in his hand were not only profound but executed with extraordinary familiarity and ease.

At this moment, watching Red Flower Lady seize the Nine Bend Mountain God and prepare to send him to the Ministry of Land and Grain, one of the fire gods—tall in stature, with fair complexion and a fire cloud brand deep between his brows—could no longer sit still.

"Senior Brother, shall we intervene and stop her?"

Upon hearing this, the burly fire god's eyes darkened.

"Stop her? Do you wish to drag us down as well?"

"Do not forget the tradition of the Slaughter Demon Lineage!"

Upon hearing this, the other fire god's eyes shifted, and he immediately fell silent.

The tradition of the Slaughter Demon Lineage does not tolerate bullying; if someone oppresses the weak with strength, the Slaughter Demon Lineage unites from greatest to least, standing shoulder to shoulder!

The Slaughter Demon Lineage already finds it hard to endure even the Senior Sister Demon Slayer Master, let alone mention the second-generation ancestral elder above her.