Chapter 211: Demon Calamities Rise Everywhere (Requesting Monthly Tickets)

In his moment of despair, his senior brother descended from the sky to save him.

He took him up the mountain to enter the sect and learn swordsmanship.

At the mountain gate stood a five-zhang stone stele, upon which were eight large characters carved by the sect's founding ancestor with a sword:

"Slay demons, subdue evil, and protect all living beings."

His aptitude was exceptional, and his sword skills advanced with the speed of flight.

The ancient dynasty had reached its twilight, and evil spirits rose across the land.

His senior brother often descended the mountain to slay demons.

Each time he returned, he would produce sugar figures, osmanthus cakes, stir-fried silkworm beans... as if by magic.

He remembered clearly: it was his senior brother's eleventh descent.

His senior brother never returned.

He hated the demons of this world with all his heart!

After ten years of bitter cultivation at the mountain gate, he mastered the Sword Dao.

Surpassing even his senior brother of old, he inherited the Ancestor's sword, bid farewell to his master, and descended the mountain to slay demons!

From Jiangnan to the great desert, from the Eastern Sea to the southern wastelands, he slew demon after demon that brought calamity to humanity.

He saved countless lives and never showed mercy.

By chance, he arrived in Southern Jiaozhi, where his experience allowed him to easily discern that a vile dragon about to take human form was hidden within the Hun Du River.

As for why it was a vile dragon... could there possibly be good demons in this world?

Their very birth destined them to be evil, cruel, bloodthirsty, and greedy!

Yet after secretly observing for a while, he discovered this vile dragon was no ordinary foe; its power far exceeded those he had previously eliminated.

Thus, he devised a scheme, hanging one of the Ancestor's swords beneath a stone bridge.

Everything proceeded very smoothly; once that demon consumed that sword strike, its death was certain.

He stood at a high vantage point, coldly watching that wicked beast thrash and struggle in the river waters.

Suddenly, that wicked beast swam with all its might toward a certain place.

Fearing unforeseen changes, he followed and saw that in its final moments, the wicked beast, summoning its last shred of strength, pushed over a hundred villagers from the village out of the flood!

Had he killed the wrong one?!

His eyes widened; he could not believe what he had just witnessed.

How could there possibly be good demons in this world?

He even forgot to lend a hand.

Until that... dragon sank weakly into the water.

Rain poured down in sheets; he stood dazed in the heavy downpour, soaked like a drowned rat.

He no longer traveled the world to slay demons and subdue evil.

He settled by the Hun Du River, secretly guarding those villagers, his heart tortured day after day by the question of "right and wrong."

Until he died...

Xu Yuan sighed softly and shook his head.

Had there been no strange phenomena across the land, had there been no Little Yu Shan, the old Taoist priest's obsession would not have transformed into an evil spirit.

Instead, it would very likely have become a kind of benevolent spirit.

But two hundred years ago, demon calamities had already risen across the land; the current situation of evil spirits everywhere seems... not merely due to the Grand Canal.

Xu Yuan pondered within his heart.

As for whether the old Taoist priest was right or wrong to slay the dragon, who could possibly judge?

Xu Yuan relaxed his mind and, exhausted, plopped down onto the ground.

When everyone stepped onto that "Path of Regret," the sky was already nearly dark.

Now that they emerged, the sun had only just risen.

They had actually spent an entire night within that strange scene.

Xu Yuan glanced into the carriage; after the obsession evil spirit burned away, it left behind a small piece of turtle shell.

It should be fine material.

Xu Yuan put it away first.

Afterwards, Xu Yuan discovered with great surprise that the sword case was still in his own hand!

Xu Yuan gave it a gentle push with his finger; with a click, the sword case opened.

That Dragon-Slaying Sword, gleaming with cold light, was actually still lying inside!

"This sword case and sword resisted the corruption and did not become part of the evil spirit."

"Hmm... or perhaps it wasn't resistance, but rather that the obsession evil spirit, from the depths of its heart, resisted approaching this sword."

The sword was hung beneath the bridge.

The sword case was sealed within a cabinet.

Merely through the corruption of the strange scene, they were not transformed into evil spirits.

Xu Yuan thought for a moment, placed the sword case into the carriage, and then stored the carriage away.

"Old Fu, check today's taboos." Xu Yuan called out to Fu Jingyu.

Young Master Fu Dagong then took out his pocket notebook:

"Today's taboos: shaving one's head, going barefoot, getting drunk, singing wildly."

That was good.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief; if the taboos had concerned mountains or rivers, leaving the mountain would have been difficult.

After resting a while longer, everyone ate some dried rations and set out again.

"Get out of the mountains as soon as possible!"

They could still only roughly judge direction by the sun.

But Xu Yuan felt it would not be easy to escape.

The scene formed by the obsessive malevolent spirit should lie deep within Little Yu Shan.

That dragon in Yujing Village deliberately dumped us here.

All to deal with that malevolent spirit.

Or rather, to free the old Daoist's lingering obsession.

On the road, Fu Jingyu could not help whispering to Xu Yuan: "I wonder how far Fu Shuanghui has progressed!"

He had already guessed Fu Shuanghui's target was that dragon.

Those who cultivate the Dragon Transformation Art are best served by prey of this kind—dragons or pythons.

If it were a true dragon… Fu Shuanghui would lack the power to consume it.

In truth, even a dragon, Fu Shuanghui could not fully digest.

But this dragon has not fully come back to life.

Taking some risk, if she can devour it, it will be a great boon.

Fu Shuanghui would no longer need to languish in Southern Jiaozhi for years—she could immediately return to Zhengzhou, even the glittering world of the Northern Capital.

Xu Yuan shook his head: "I'm curious—after all, it's a dragon. How can Fu Shuanghui be so certain she'll succeed in hunting it?"

…

Yujing Village.

After seizing the Dragon-Slaying Sword, Fu Shuanghui ordered the capture of everyone in the village.

When they dug open the ancient well, all the villagers gathered nearby.

It was very convenient to apprehend them.

Liang Yan was in charge of counting—none were missing.

They had already secretly confirmed the village's population.

The Dragon-Slaying Sword was restless; Fu Shuanghui gripped it tightly and used techniques from the Dragon Transformation Art to finally calm it.

Night was falling.

The Shanhe Corps took over the villagers' homes, rested overnight, and rose early the next morning to resume digging.

But they were no longer digging downward into the well.

Instead, they followed the roots entwined around the Dragon-Slaying Sword, digging toward the old elm tree.

Yet when they rose that morning, the Shanhe Corps were startled to find: "My lord, the old elm tree is completely dead!"

The old elm tree had been half-dead, half-alive.

The living half had once been lush and full, but overnight its leaves turned yellow and its bark cracked and withered.

Fu Shuanghui came to inspect and silently wondered: Was it because I took the Dragon-Slaying Sword—and those congealed bloods?

Fu Shuanghui waved her hand: "Keep digging."

Then Fu Shuanghui called Wei Huchen over: "Are the medicinal pills ready?"

Wei Huchen quietly pulled a wooden box from his robe and opened it—inside were eight medicinal pills.

Fu Shuanghui sniffed once and knew there was no problem.

The Shanhe Corps, except those left to guard the villagers, all the Captains worked together.

In just over half an hour, they dug open the entire stretch from the well to the old elm tree.

Liang Yan came to report: "My lord, we found no sword case."

Fu Shuanghui stared at the completely dead old elm tree—within just half an hour, all its yellow leaves had fallen.

The branches withered rapidly; the bark had begun to blacken.

The Female Master of Discipline felt a growing unease: "Since we can't find it… don't look anymore. Wei Huchen!"

"Your servant is here!"

"Feed them the pills!"

"Yes, my lord."

(End of Chapter)