Chapter 62

His forehead is full and plump, his earlobes reach his shoulders, his gaze is clear and spirited, and even his stature is tall and heroic.

If one did not look at his face, it would be hard to guess from his back that this is a twilight-aged elder.

Facing the bows of Chen Hang and the others, he stroked his beard and smiled, returning the gesture in kind, saying warmly and kindly:

"I am Cave Master Huaiwu. Greetings to you young fellow Daoists. The Golden Valley Market is now to be re-established in the Daojun Fu Yu Lake, so I have had to visit various places to pay my respects. I have been tied up with miscellaneous matters and have arrived late... Do not blame me! It is my fault!"

Chen Hang and the others naturally did not dare to be arrogant, all saying they dared not.

"Master, please allow this poor Daoist to report: there is one Heavenly Demon here that seems to have seen the situation early and luckily escaped a step ahead."

At this moment.

That vast, swarming tide of thousands of Heavenly Demons had already been burned to nothingness; the sky was clear as if washed, and the hundred-mile landscape was silent.

But Chen Hang still remembered that demonic creature shrouded in gloom with eyes like golden lamps; it had split the void in advance and immediately vanished into hiding.

That demon's strength was even a notch above Chen Hang's. If it were allowed to escape, given the sinister nature of Heavenly Demons, who knows how much more slaughter it would cause.

Sons begetting sons, grandsons begetting grandsons.

After a few years, it would be another minor demonic tribulation.

Hearing that Chen Hang would actually speak like this.

Wei Lingjiang looked at him with some surprise. When Chen Hang's gaze turned faintly toward her, she turned her face away expressionlessly, as if nothing had happened.

"Would he be so kind-hearted as to care about the life and death of others?"

Wei Lingjiang thought to herself: "No... Heavenly Demons are violent and vengeful. He must be worried that after that powerful demon escapes, it will come to seek revenge on him, which is why he spoke to this Cave Master Huaiwu. That must be it."

She seemed to feel she had guessed Chen Hang's thoughts, her moth-eyebrows lifting slightly, and she glanced at Chen Hang with a little triumph.

But by then, Chen Hang had already withdrawn his gaze and was not looking at her, which gave Wei Lingjiang a sense of powerlessness, like throwing a punch into empty air.

"This young fellow Daoist has a very good heart, quite like the style of this old Daoist when I was young. Hmm, this appearance..."

Cave Master Huaiwu looked Chen Hang up and down, then looked at Wei Lingjiang, and couldn't help but exclaim:

"When I was young, I went to the West Su Continent and saw with my own eyes those All-Pure Heavenly Humans who studied external paths. The grace of you two young fellow Daoists is not inferior even when compared to those Heavenly Human Kings, and perhaps even surpasses them!"

He made another small joke, saying:

"Hmm, I looked much like this young fellow Daoist when I was young. It seems that not only is your heart good, but your appearance also has a bit of the style of this old Daoist in his youth."

Neither Chen Hang nor Wei Lingjiang answered without permission. The young boy saved by Chen Hang remained dazed, showing no reaction.

Only the green-clad young girl couldn't help but burst into laughter.

When she was almost happy enough to roll on the ground, she finally remembered that Cave Master Huaiwu could easily crush her spirit body, so she was startled, obediently shut her mouth, and stood still.

At this time.

Wei Lingjiang already had a profound expression, as if she were wandering beyond the heavens.

Chen Hang watched the girl, who was as brilliant as rosy clouds, unconsciously biting her lips, her pearly teeth gritting in resentment, and couldn't help but laugh.

"Hmph! You chubby doll are quite like a person, like my son!"

Cave Master Huaiwu was not annoyed, but just patted the green-clad girl on the head and spun her around by her shoulders a few times, making her dare to be angry but not speak:

"He was just like you back then, his little mouth talking like a loud fart! At that time, a Golden Core True Person from the Thunder Mansion was hopeless of reaching the Primordial Spirit and wanted to switch to external paths, transforming into a Heavenly Human... During the ceremony, he shouted from below, saying that everything except the Immortal Dao was insects and ants, and he shouted so loudly that it couldn't be covered up. If the True Person hadn't been broad-minded, both he and I would have gone to reincarnation!"

"..."

Wei Lingjiang could only smile helplessly, took the dizzy green-clad girl from Cave Master Huaiwu's hands, and pulled her behind herself.

"However, young fellow Daoist, you are overthinking it. A mere powerful demon, how could it escape my palm?"

Cave Master Huaiwu chuckled and raised his sleeve unhurriedly.

His whole body was entwined with mystic qi, his true qi surging like a dark, chaotic abyss. His momentum was unfathomable, yet he was as kind and approachable as the rumors said. In just a few words, he made people feel good about him.

Chen Hang looked into his sleeve and saw a small, clear-turbid qi barrier inside, trapping the powerful demon within. No matter how it struggled, it could not escape.

"This thing is very cunning. When I released the Four-Bright Bone-Breaking True Fire, it wanted to slip away. Fortunately, this old man is also quick-witted—"

Cave Master Huaiwu smiled triumphantly. Before he could finish, a sound of breaking through the air echoed from afar, rumbling and booming.

Chen Hang looked up and saw several Jin Xia flying boats moving like light and electricity, with countless figures on them.

"Heh, my disciples have arrived. I almost forgot the main business."

Cave Master Huaiwu patted his forehead and immediately soared into the air. In the blink of an eye, he had vanished, his voice still lingering in place:

"You young fellow Daoists, return to Daojun Fu Yu Lake with them first. This old man still needs to search for other fellow Daoists. I don't know how many can survive this Heavenly Demon tide. I only hope they have more luck..."

When the voice dissipated, Cave Master Huaiwu's whereabouts were unknown.

Chen Hang and Wei Lingjiang looked at each other without speaking. After dozens of breaths, one of the Jin Xia boats lowered its clouds.

The young boy saved by Chen Hang suddenly felt a jolt of spirit, grabbed Chen Hang's hand, and made him look to the left.

"Xiao Xiao Shixiong, look, my Grandpa! It's my Grandpa!"

Chen Hang turned around and saw a short, chubby old Daoist standing under a weeping willow.

Seeing Chen Hang look over, the old Daoist also smiled and waved at him.

"Congratulations, Junior Brother."

Checking with his spiritual sense and seeing that the old Daoist was not a Heavenly Demon illusion but a real flesh-and-blood body, Chen Hang felt relieved and smiled, cupping his hands toward him.

The young boy also respectfully returned the salute to Chen Hang and the others, not missing the green-clad girl, before cheering and running toward the old Daoist.

At this time.

The Jin Xia flying boat was suspended in mid-air. Chen Hang and the others exchanged a few polite words with the Daoists who came to greet them, then boarded it and fled toward Daojun Fu Yu Lake.

Until the flying boat turned into a speck of golden light and disappeared far away.

Under the weeping willow.

The young boy finally withdrew his gaze with some reluctance and stopped standing on tiptoe.

"How does the child feel about this youth?" the old Daoist smiled.

"Grandpa has great supernatural powers; nothing can escape your ears and eyes. Why should I waste my breath?"

The young boy shook his head, then felt some expectation:

"I think this Xiao Xiao Shixiong has excellent character and is not one of those who would stand by and watch others die. Grandpa came to the Southern Domain today and rarely took me out. Is it your intention to let him join the sect? Let me test his character? Can he join the sect? Grandpa?"

"Even his father, Chen Yushu, is not worthy of making me do this, let alone him now."

The old Daoist shook his head:

"It is just that that fellow Daoist in the Earth Abyss has had some unusual movements, so I came to see his recent situation. Seeing you playing happily chasing the Heavenly Demons, I accompanied you for a bit. Don't overthink it."

"Then how about letting Xiao Xiao Shixiong join the sect?" the young boy looked forward to it: "Although I am only a breath now, not my true body, since that Xiao Xiao Shixiong helped me, I cannot fail to repay him. It is only right to return the favor!"

"Foolish child, foolish child! So noisy!"

The old Daoist laughed out loud:

"Whether he can join the sect depends on his future fate! The Heavenly Dao has its own fixed numbers; even I cannot influence it, so how can you worry about it?"

Without waiting for the young boy to say more, the old Daoist gently lifted his arm, turned him into a green-skinned gourd to hang at his waist, laughed, and fled beyond this heaven and earth, leaving no trace.

And as the old Daoist left.

Under the weeping willow, nearly ten thousand mortals and loose cultivators suddenly appeared.

They climbed up from the ground in confusion, not knowing why they were here.

Wei Lingjiang's previous guess was not groundless.

The reason those Heavenly Demons chased them relentlessly, like mad dogs, was simply because the living beings along the way had been taken away by the old Daoist.

She and Chen Hang were the only blood food with spiritual energy that the Heavenly Demons had seen since they escaped.

On the other side.

Inside the Jin Xia flying boat.

Wei Lingjiang looked at Chen Hang on the meditation cushion beside her, wanting to speak but hesitating. After hesitating for a few breaths, she finally spoke.

"Hey..."

She said.