Chapter 207: Sacrificing Oneself for the Dao

Xu Yuan muttered inwardly, "This is bad!"

He had deliberately left behind that sword case, fearing the old Daoist would use it to control him.

Yet he never expected to fall into the trap without even realizing it.

The methods of this evil spirit are truly bizarre and hard to guard against!

The instant he stepped forward, Xu Yuan secretly flung out the beast-tendon rope.

It spread rapidly for dozens of zhang, drilled into the old Daoist's room in the back courtyard, wrapped around the sword case in the corner, and pulled it back.

If the old Daoist could truly force him to act with some cunning tricks... then this sword case would have to be used.

At the same time, he shifted his mind, attempting to recall the sword pill.

The old Daoist's spirit was entirely focused on the evil flood dragon; the stone drum loosened, and the sword pill returned.

Xu Yuan immediately sensed that whenever the old Daoist called, he had to respond, due to "respecting the teacher and valuing the Dao."

Having entered the mountain gate and learned swordsmanship from the old Daoist, he was truly a "disciple."

"What kind of cunning trick is this again?" Xu Yuan muttered.

The old Daoist shouted again: "Join your master in slaying demons and eliminating evil!"

Xu Yuan tried to resist; the resistance of his "No Taboos" fate was taking effect.

But this resistance could not completely nullify the cunning trick.

Because it contained the factor of "master-disciple lineage"!

This part does not count as a "cunning trick."

Xu Yuan could choose not to obey the old Daoist's command, but he felt extremely "awkward."

Xu Yuan lifted one foot, yet refused to step forward.

The evil flood dragon suddenly smashed through the withered branch net, surged the river water up, and sent layer upon layer of giant waves crashing toward the Qingxia Temple with a boom.

The evil flood dragon, hidden in the river water, surged forward to attack along with the waves.

Xu Yuan saw a clear white water line emerging from the waves, heading straight for him.

He was about to withdraw and escape.

But countless pine branches suddenly grew out of the water.

Each pine branch corresponded to a person; instantly, every member of the Purification Bureau was entangled in the branches and leaves.

They had grown into human-trees!

Inside the temple, the original pine tree suddenly transformed, its atmosphere dark and sinister, sprouting ghostly claws everywhere!

In every ghostly claw, a small figure carved from pine wood was gripped, corresponding to each member of the Purification Bureau.

Xu Yuan could escape, but his subordinates could not.

When the evil flood dragon attacks, it will surely swallow them all in one bite.

Being swallowed by this thing here, it surely won't be like the Yujing Village incident, where one could survive and come out alive.

Xu Yuan gritted his teeth and grabbed the sword case.

Whoosh!

Deep in the Dahe ahead, a bright sword light suddenly shot up.

It slashed through the air like lightning for hundreds of zhang, drilling into the sword case in Xu Yuan's hand.

Xu Yuan charged toward the evil flood dragon, shouting loudly: "Master, let us master and disciple slay demons and eliminate evil together!"

You use "master-disciple lineage" to bind me; I can do the same.

"Hahaha!" The old Daoist in the sky let out a burst of joyful laughter, then dove down, swirling with black wind and black sand.

In that huge, bizarre arm, he held a withered branch and thrust it with all his might into the back of the evil flood dragon.

The evil flood dragon raised its tail high and struck the withered branch heavily.

Crack—

The withered branch snapped and shattered.

The evil flood dragon also let out a roar of pain; a deep wound had been cut into its tail, splitting the entire tail in two.

Enraged, the evil flood dragon turned its head, opened its huge mouth, and bit at the old Daoist from mid-air.

The supernatural ability activated again; the old Daoist let out a scream of agony, the black wind and black sand scattered, and another portion was swallowed.

Seizing this opportunity, Xu Yuan rode his fire wheels, flying rapidly around to the side of the evil flood dragon.

The sword pill, pulling the beast-tendon rope, suddenly pierced through the nostrils of the evil flood dragon.

The evil flood dragon immediately felt extreme discomfort, turned its head and shook violently; Xu Yuan tightened the beast-tendon rope.

The evil flood dragon, in pain, roared repeatedly but dared not shake its head again.

It opened its huge mouth toward Xu Yuan; Xu Yuan simply yanked the rope downward with force.

The evil flood dragon's supernatural ability "Void Swallowing Objects" activated halfway, and the pain forced it to close its mouth again.

It furiously tore at the beast-tendon rope with its teeth, but could not bite through it no matter what.

The heavily injured old Daoist reformed; by now, only his face could be seen amidst the black wind and black sand.

"Disciple, use the sword quickly!" the old Daoist urged.

Xu Yuan held the beast-tendon rope with one hand and threw the sword case toward the old Daoist with the other: "This disciple will restrain this evil beast; please, Master, use the sword!"

The sword case flew high, heading straight for the old Daoist in the sky.

The old Daoist, in mid-air, was perfectly positioned to look down, find the vital seven-inch spot of the evil flood dragon, and strike it down with one sword slash.

But when the sword case flew to his front, the old Daoist suddenly blew a breath, blowing the sword case back.

"I have bestowed this sword upon you; it is now yours. I cannot wield it!"

Xu Yuan understood immediately: either there was something wrong with this sword, or killing this evil flood dragon would bring terrible karmic entanglement.

The old Daoist Priest refused to use a sword, and Xu Yuan would use one even less.

In the river water, the evil giant serpent twisted its massive body, thrust out two claws, grabbed the beast-tendon rope, and roared as it yanked.

Xu Yuan was yanked into the air and, like a kite, plunged with a splash into the river water dozens of zhang away.

Then a forked giant tail slammed down.

Boom!

The river surface exploded, and Xu Yuan vanished without a trace.

The face of the old Daoist Priest in the black wind and black sand grew even more ruthless; beyond his bat ears, four fangs sprouted.

In the old Daoist Priest's perception, Xu Yuan had already disappeared.

Xu Yuan had covered his face with mud in the river water.

The eldest disciple he had always favored was gone just like that; the old Daoist Priest was utterly disappointed and suddenly looked toward that patch of "human trees."

Fu Jingyu suddenly heard a splash; all the pine branches on his body shrank downward, turning back into a single pine branch.

"You are the newly promoted eldest disciple of our sect!" the old Daoist Priest shouted: "Bring the sword! I will hold this evil beast for you, and you shall strike it down with one sword slash, fulfilling the Ancestor's Great Dao!"

Fu Jingyu took out six triangular flags of apricot yellow and slapped them onto his back.

Then he bent his left arm and held it level, arranging seven small white porcelain oil lamps in a row.

He began to chant words in his mouth!

Whoosh—

The flames in the seven lamps surged upward.

Holding a peach-wood sword in his right hand, he stamped his left foot three times in succession.

"Exterminate the demon!"

The peach-wood sword instantly pierced through the seven flames and, with a boom, transformed into a three-zhang-long flame sword, shooting toward the old Daoist Priest!

Fu Jingyu was filled with grief and rage; this evil spirit had appointed him the new eldest disciple, which meant... Xu Yuan was already gone!

Young Master Fu's spellcasting has always been "primarily for repelling and driving away," rarely directly "exterminating" like this.

This was already grief and rage at their peak.

The old Daoist Priest let out a strange cry; that face retreated into the black wind and black sand and suddenly rolled toward the flame sword.

The wind and sand rose greatly, rapidly wearing down the flame sword.

Fu Jingyu held the sword in his right hand, tilted it upward, pointed at the evil spirit, and continued to cast spells.

In the seven lamps, the lamp oil was consumed rapidly; the flames whooshed upward, and from the fire tails behind, they poured into the fire sword.

But the lamp oil had already been consumed once in Yu Well Village and was originally running low.

The old Daoist Priest was far too powerful compared to Fu Jingyu; after holding out only a moment, the lamp oil was completely burned out.

Boom!

The flame sword shattered.

A wisp of black qi struck Fu Jingyu's face; Fu Jingyu fell to the ground without a sound and must not move.

"Brother Jingyu!" Song Lu cried out in a shrill voice, but was tightly bound by pine branches and could not move.

The old Daoist Priest roared several times: "Betraying the master and destroying the ancestors! Betraying the master and destroying the ancestors!"

"How could such a traitor arise in our sect!"

The evil giant serpent in the river water took the opportunity to launch a sneak attack, biting from a distance.

Crack!

Half of the old Daoist Priest's black wind and black sand was gone!

Boom—

The black wind and black sand scattered, then quickly reformed above the mountain gate; looking down at the "human trees" below with the frustration of a master unable to temper his steel, he asked in anguish: "Exterminating demons and defending the Dao is our heavenly duty!"

"You are all fine young men; why is no one willing to sacrifice themselves for the Dao!"

(End of this chapter)