Chapter 14

A thousand years of leisurely Nanxuan Palace, Lu Zu's Dharma Sword at the first level.

Today, firelight suddenly arrives, only to hear the sword hum startle like a dragon.

On the sheer cliff, the peachwood sword that had stood horizontally in desolate silence for six hundred years emitted a soft hum, shaking the flowing wind until it shattered, washing the moonlight until it was bright and clear, with pale clouds floating and seeming to linger.

"'Six hundred years... six hundred years... Ancestor Pure Yang left his sword here... finally, someone has moved the Pure Yang True Intent... what excellent natural talent...'"

Deep within the Nanxuan Palace, between the sheer cliffs, a hoarse and low voice came from a hidden cave, accompanied by the sound of clashing chains.

"'Grand Martial Uncle... you... please calm down...'"

Just at this moment, at the cave entrance, a young Daoist priest holding a flashlight looked tremblingly toward the depths of the cave, hesitating to move forward, and cautiously advised.

"'Don't be afraid... I am very normal right now...'" the hoarse voice came again.

The flickering light stretched the shadows inside the cave to a great length. At this moment, a thin, gaunt figure slowly emerged...

It was a man, with disheveled hair, so thin he was skin and bone, dressed in rags that barely covered his body, his four limbs locked by heavy iron chains and nailed to the wall of the narrow cave...

Above his head hung a stone carving of a lion's head, with a seven-foot-long sword held in its mouth, aimed directly at the gaunt man's skull.

A lion holding a sword to suppress demons! "'At the Qingwei Palace... what happened today?' the gaunt man suddenly asked."

"'To... today is the Jade Tablet Transmission Assembly... Senior Sister... Xia Weisheng... is there...'" the young Daoist said tremblingly.

"'Xia Weisheng? That little girl Senior Brother took in... was it she who moved the Pure Yang True Intent? Truly excellent natural talent...'" The gaunt man lowered his head, his long hair disheveled, making it impossible to see his appearance.

"'Come here... I am a bit thirsty...'"

The young Daoist hesitated slightly, his hands gripping the flashlight tightly, and took just one step forward.

"'Hahaha...'"

Just at this moment, the gaunt man suddenly burst into wild laughter, his neck twisting like a long snake, and he suddenly raised his head. His forehead revealed ghastly white bone, his ferocious eyes were scarlet as blood, and he opened his mouth, his sharp, white teeth like blades, biting toward the young Daoist's neck...

Hum...

Almost at the same moment, a broad, thick hand slammed onto the young Daoist's body, yanking him violently backward.

The gaunt man lunged at empty air, the heavy chains clanking loudly as they suddenly tightened, dragging him back.

At the same time, the lion biting the sword emitted a soft hum, like a beast roaring, deafening and enlightening...

"'Kill... kill them all... then I will become... I will become... Pure Yang... Pure Yang...'"

The gaunt man roared toward the sky, like a mad demon. The sword in the lion's mouth slowly descended, its tip piercing his scalp and seeping scarlet blood, which finally made him gradually quiet down.

"'Se... Senior Brother...'"

The young Daoist, still shaken, looked back and saw a cold-faced Daoist priest standing behind him.

"'How many times have I told you, don't get close... do you not want your life?' the cold-faced Daoist said in a deep voice."

"'Senior Brother... he... he... how could he...'"

"'The Daoist arts our Grand Martial Uncle cultivates are different from others...'" the cold-faced Daoist sighed.

Who could have imagined that the man imprisoned in this cave, acting like a mad demon, was actually the Junior Martial Brother of the current Zhenwu Sect Leader, Chu Chaoran? His natural talent was extremely high, surpassing all in Zhenwu...

Even Chu Chaoran had once said that if he hadn't entrusted himself to Zhenwu, the position of Sect Leader would certainly not have escaped his Junior Martial Brother's hands.

However, precisely because he was too stunning, the path he walked was also different from others...

"'Inner Demon's Guide, Inner Demon's Guide, this body is but a great medicine guide, nourishing all thoughts like a demon awakening, the broken body turning into a demon-subduing well...'"

"'Burn one, burn another, from now on inside and outside are gone, only entering Pure Yang to step on the Heavenly Bridge.'"

The cold-faced Daoist sighed softly: "'This is the method of offering demons to enter the Dao; one's thoughts turn into various demons, and by cutting them away, one can see Pure Yang...'"

Daoist cultivation is about suppressing the conscious mind and preserving the primordial spirit until a single thought returns to truth, no longer moving or giving rise to thoughts.

The method of offering demons to enter the Dao, however, does the opposite: it no longer suppresses thoughts but instead amplifies them infinitely, like raising demons. When all demons arise together, one slays them to return to stillness...

That is the Limitless Realm, that is the Pure Yang without Yin.

"'Entering the demon path with one's body, yet living toward the Dao... this... is too crazy...' the young Daoist was somewhat dazed."

Entering the demon path, yet it is for the sake of achieving the Dao...

"'Pure Yang... Pure Yang... how many seekers of immortality have there been throughout history, and how many have attained Pure Yang... They go mad, they die... it is all for that Pure Yang Great Dao.'"

A look of reverence appeared on the cold-faced Daoist's face, and he subconsciously turned to look at the Qingwei Palace not far away.

Tonight, if Xia Weisheng can transmit the Zhenwu Jade Tablet, in the distant future, perhaps she will also have the opportunity to challenge that realm...

Only, he didn't know if she would end up like this person in the cave, either mad or dead...

"'Let's go...' the cold-faced Daoist looked back deeply, then whispered."

"'The Immortal Golden Pill is planted in soil and sand, everyone will eventually leave home early. With one heart, only looking toward the path of longevity, killing gods and killing demons alike...'"

"'Hahaha... killing gods and killing demons alike...'"

The manic laughter came from behind, echoing in the deep, ancient cave, gradually fading away, with only loneliness and darkness remaining as companions.

Qingwei Palace, Pure Yang Hall.

Zhang Fan was bored, looking toward the direction of the 【Zhenwu Hall】 outside the window. The hall was brightly lit, and the sound of chanting and singing was incessant. Outside the hall, a seven-story copper lamp tower was extremely eye-catching...

Daoist Pojie said, the seven-story glazed lamp... when the lamp oil inside is completely burned out, the Jade Tablet Transmission Assembly will be declared a complete success.

"'It's already at the sixth floor...' Zhang Fan glanced at it."

Only the last floor of the glazed lamp remained; once it burned out, it would be done.

"'Let's wait a bit longer,' Zhang Fan yawned."

Bang...

Just at this moment, a violent sound came from outside the hall, accompanied by the ground rumbling and shaking.

"'What's going on?'"

Zhang Fan gave a sudden start, leaned his body out of the window, and followed the sound to look.

"'The front courtyard...'"

A cloud of dust was stirred up, coming from the front courtyard.

Zhang Fan hesitated slightly, then turned and went downstairs, left the Pure Yang Hall, and rushed toward the front courtyard.

Bang... bang... bang...

Just as he arrived at the front courtyard, two figures flew horizontally, smashing down at Zhang Fan's feet like cannonballs. They were none other than the two Daoist priests, Wu You and Wu Wei...

They were spitting blood, their robes were completely shattered, and their faces were pale to the extreme. Especially Daoist Wu You, whose right arm was empty and hollow, with blood flowing incessantly... "'This...'"

Zhang Fan's expression changed slightly, and he looked up, only to see two familiar figures.

"'It's you again?'"

The two brothers, Gan Shengwu and Gan Shaokun, also noticed Zhang Fan. However, their gazes remained contemptuous, as if they hadn't put him in their eyes at all. Behind them, that Demon-Subduing Well had long since been opened, and the stone bars on top were all shattered...

"'You... you dare to be presumptuous on Zhenwu Mountain...' Wu Wei gritted his teeth and shouted."

"'Hehe, tonight is the Zhenwu Mountain Jade Tablet Transmission... the experts are all away... so empty, what if we are presumptuous?'"

Gan Shaokun let out a cold, chilling laugh, his icy gaze sweeping across Zhang Fan's body like a knife.

"'Hurry up and call for help.'"

Zhang Fan's heart skipped a beat, and he gritted his teeth and whispered.

"'Ri... right... call for help...'"

Wu You and Wu Wei looked at each other and looked toward the Zhenwu Hall behind them... The Jade Tablet Transmission Assembly was taking place there, and it looked like the last glazed lamp was about to burn out.

"'Calling for help now is too late...' Gan Shaokun sneered."

"'Difficulty-Worm... is hungry...'"

Gan Shengwu pushed up his gold-rimmed glasses, a cold glint flashing in his icy pupils.

Puchi...

As soon as the words fell, a soft sound cut through the air, and scarlet blood slowly dripped down...

Zhang Fan looked down, only to see a pitch-black shadow pass through his back and emerge from his chest...

"'I'll be damned...'"

"'Layman...'"

Wu You and Wu Wei's expressions changed suddenly, and they slowly retreated. A huge shadow slowly rose, fully over three meters high. It was impossible to see its appearance; it was a complete mass, like a worm wriggling while wearing darkness.

"'This is the Difficulty-Worm...' Wu Wei whispered, feeling the temperature in the mountains drop suddenly."

The Alchemical Books record that there are 108 worms in the human body, concerning the body, affecting life, and inextricably linked to birth, aging, sickness, and death.

That is to say, within the human body, there are 108 types of worms born with it, concerning life and affecting birth, aging, sickness, and death.

For example, the 【Difficulty-Worm】; how many disasters a person has in their life is all related to this type of worm.

Later, the Sages tasted a hundred herbs and drove away the Difficulty-Worms to cure epidemics, and most of these worms hidden in the human body dissipated and disappeared.

The Gan family of Southern Yunnan didn't know where they obtained the method to refine the 【Difficulty-Worm】, and they successfully refined one. Later, it was subdued by Zhenwu Mountain and suppressed in the 【Demon-Subduing Well】.

Now, this 【Difficulty-Worm】 has finally come into the world.

"'If you see its difficulty, you will surely suffer disaster!'"

Scarlet blood slowly dripped down the tail of the 【Difficulty-Worm】. Zhang Fan was held high by it, and then with a light flick, he was heavily thrown to the ground, the hole in his chest shocking to the eye...

His vitality dissipated completely at this moment.

"'Finally dead.'"

Gan Shaokun's mouth corners lifted slightly, revealing a satisfied smile. The regret of not having killed Zhang Fan earlier was finally completely made up for.

Dang... dang... dang...

The wild wind howled, the pale clouds all fled, and an ancient bell sound echoed faintly. In front of the Zhenwu Hall, the last glazed lamp finally extinguished before it could burn out.

At the same time, a brilliant golden light shot up into the sky from within the Zhenwu Hall, actually flying toward Zhang Fan.

"'That... that is...'"

"'The Jade Tablet... the Zhenwu Jade Tablet...'"

A cry of surprise echoed through the moonlit night! The doors of the Zhenwu Hall opened wide, and Xia Weisheng rushed out, her dark hair disheveled, her face full of exhaustion, with faint bloodstains remaining at the corners of her mouth...

She had failed... The Jade Tablet Transmission had fallen short at the final moment.

No one could have imagined that the ancient Jade Tablet, the Jade Tablet representing the Zhenwu Dharma lineage, would suddenly lose control at the final moment and break through the air...

Hum...

The Jade Tablet was round like a pearl plate, with phoenix bodies and dragon patterns carved into the mortal dust. Today, the Heavenly Script is written in seal script, directly teaching the Dharma lineage to be passed down to future generations...

In the vast rosy light, the Zhenwu Jade Tablet turned into a ball of warm, moist radiance, actually flying directly into Zhang Fan's body and merging into the hole in his chest.

"'Zhang Fan...' Xia Weisheng gripped her jade hands tightly."

"'The Zhenwu Mountain Jade Tablet... passed into the hands of a dead man? From now on, the Dharma lineage is cut off...'" Gan Shaokun couldn't help but say.

Roar...

Just at this moment, the Difficulty-Worm, which looked like a shadow, let out a deafening roar and actually dove toward Zhang Fan's corpse.

In an instant, a loud noise cut through the air, stirring up smoke and dust that shot into the sky, swallowing the Difficulty-Worm and Zhang Fan.

Hum...

Suddenly, a faint light rose faintly in the pervasive smoke and dust, accompanied by the Difficulty-Worm's shrill, miserable screams.

"'What's going on?'"

"'That is...'"

On Zhenwu Mountain, the wind and smoke were all clear, the pale clouds were like white dogs, and the bright moon was like a pearl plate, reflecting this moment that seemed to be frozen in time.

One after another, shocked gazes looked over...

The dust dissipated, and a figure slowly emerged. It was none other than Zhang Fan. Fluorescent firelight sprayed out from his eyes, mouth, and nose, brilliant as red ribbons entwining, blazing like True Fire descending to the mortal world, the moonlight crushed, the air distorted...

Even the Difficulty-Worm, under the scorching of this strange flame, let out a shrill, fearful roar, its surrounding shadows dissolving and revealing its true form.

"'Impossible... this is absolutely impossible...'"

Gan Shengwu's expression changed suddenly, his voice almost trembling. A terrifying guess rose in his mind...

In his heart, it seemed as if a voice was roaring wildly...

"'The secret of the Xuan Sect that is not passed down, the supreme supernatural ability of Daoism...'"

"'Samadhi True Fire!'"

(End of chapter)