“There’s a Mount Mao Daoist by his side named Daoist Master Yunhe. His strength is unfathomable, he’s likely acting as Hong Baiwei’s protector on this trip. Aside from him, Hong Baiwei has gathered a large group of strange and powerful individuals. Some are from Mount Mao, others were recruited later.
“He failed to catch Gongshu Peiyu, and has already set out toward Mount Jinting. He should have arrived by now. On the way, he encountered this Miss Ding and took an interest in her, so he sent the three of us to capture her.”
Blind Zhou was truly a seasoned rogue, surviving in the jianghu for decades without a scratch. Now that it was time to throw Mount Mao’s young Daoist Master, Hong Baiwei, under the bus, he didn’t hesitate at all. He even revealed rumors about him being an illegitimate son without the slightest pause.
Li Yanchu fell silent.
If Blind Zhou was telling the truth, then Hong Baiwei wasn’t just powerful himself; he was also surrounded by experts.
This could be a real problem... Li Yanchu thought to himself.
He glanced at Blind Zhou and frowned. “Mount Mao is a major Daoist sect. Why would they act , harboring so many evil cultivators and demonic outsiders?”
After all, disciples of Mount Mao were supposed to be dedicated to slaying demons and eliminating evil. But from the looks of it, their ranks were now full of filth and corruption.
Blind Zhou replied, “True Mount Mao disciples are indeed devoted to their cultivation. But people like us were recruited afterward, known as ‘Mount Mao affiliates.’ Naturally, the quality varies, which is how you get scum like that Daoist Tieshan among us. As for why they’re gathering so many strange and dangerous individuals to serve as their dogs, I really wouldn’t know.”
He was very frank in using the word “dogs.”
Li Yanchu suddenly understood what was going on. So “Mount Mao affiliates” didn’t mean formal disciples, but rather hired muscle and hangers-on.
“What else do you know about this Blissful Land in Mount Jinting?” Li Yanchu asked.
Blind Zhou gave a surprisingly thorough answer, laying out everything he knew. Excluding some information Li Yanchu already had, he gained three key points. First, Blissful Land in Mount Jinting was filled with countless dead, and their appearances were blurred beyond recognition. At night, they roam outside, attacking people. Sometimes, it even triggers a full-on corpse tide.
Second, beneath Mount Jinting, something terrifying appeared to be sealed. When the Immortal’s lingering will descended, it was accompanied by the illusion of a massive human face.
Third, the Blissful Land was filled with rare spiritual fruits and miraculous herbs. For example, a monk from the Great Xiangguo Temple named Jiekong obtained a Vermilion Fruit, boosting his cultivation dramatically. It was rumored he was now at the peak of the second realm.
Blind Zhou clearly had access to a lot of useful intelligence. And Li Yanchu found himself growing increasingly curious about the mysteries hidden in Mount Jinting.
Blind Zhou, however, was getting nervous. He still couldn’t quite read this young Daoist’s mood.
“I don’t need followers,” Li Yanchu said calmly. “Go. I’ll spare you this time.”
Blind Zhou was overjoyed, but he cautiously tested the waters. “But Hong Baiwei is powerful. Are you sure you don’t need an extra hand?”
Li Yanchu shook his head. “You’ve given me plenty of information, it would feel a bit dishonorable to kill you now. But next time we meet, I won’t hold back.”
His voice was calm, but it carried a killing intent that sent chills down the spine.
Blind Zhou was smart enough to know that this young Daoist wasn’t someone who’d tolerate someone like him, a man who had killed countless people without blinking, so he quickly withdrew.
Ding Rou had been listening the entire time. When she saw Blind Zhou leave, her brows furrowed slightly. “Thank you, Daoist Master, for saving me!”
Li Yanchu said, “No need to thank me, it was just a small effort.”
“Why did you let him go?” Ding Rou asked.
“Blind Zhou provided so much information. Killing him afterward would’ve been... a bit dishonorable.”
“Is that all? Aren’t you afraid he’ll go back and report on you?”
“Not really. Worst case, I’ll just fight. Since I’m already in this Blissful Land, sooner or later I’ll clash with Hong Baiwei anyway.”
Hong Baiwei’s power was immense... Yet this young Daoist didn’t seem the least bit afraid.
“May I ask your name, Daoist Master?” Ding Rou inquired.
“We’re just strangers crossing paths, what’s the use of names?” Li Yanchu replied with a light smile.
He picked up the items from the bodies of the spirit-possessed man and the Daoist Tieshan, then used his inner energy to incinerate what remained of the mutilated corpse. He acted cleanly and efficiently.
Seeing this, Ding Rou was speechless. This man looked elegant and refined. Could he actually be some notorious bandit wearing a Daoist robe? He was far too skilled at cleaning up the scene. This content belongs to ɴovelfire.net
“Farewell.” Li Yanchu gave a slight smile and then activated his peak footwork, speeding off toward Mount Jinting.
All Ding Rou saw was a gust of wind, and the young Daoist’s figure was already gone.
“Was he a divine manifestation from a Daoist sacred site... or just a ruthless outlaw hiding behind a priest’s robes?”
Ding Rou stood there, dazed.
Li Yanchu’s methodical way of clearing the battlefield had left a deep impression on her, especially as someone newly descended from the mountain for training.
The sky remained dim and oppressive, as if the clouds were hanging low over the earth, pressing down on everything. The towering silhouette of Mount Jinting was becoming clearer in the distance.
After crossing two mountain ridges, Li Yanchu finally spotted another Daoist temple that was still intact. Although the magical artifact within these temples were said to protect cultivators from evil spirits, Li Yanchu chose not to move around at night out of caution.
After all, the divine power in these artifacts could fade with time. They had all weathered thousands of years. Especially in this mysterious Blissful Land, the idea that these relics could offer total protection might not be completely reliable.
Li Yanchu looked far into the distance. Seeing no other Daoist temples nearby, he decided not to take unnecessary risks and stopped at the temple before him.
This one was massive, covering twenty to thirty mu. It was the largest Daoist temple he’d encountered so far in the Blissful Land.
However, much of it had already collapsed, exuding a bleak and desolate atmosphere. When he stepped onto the vast square in front of the main hall, Li Yanchu saw a ruin of shattered debris. They were broken stone statues.
“Hm? What’s going on here?” Li Yanchu looked puzzled.
These stone carvings clearly weren’t divine statues, nor were they the usual sacred beasts seen in Daoist temples like the fierce and majestic image of Baxia, the divine tortoise.
Though these sculptures were damaged, one could still vaguely make out that they depicted creatures that were neither fully human nor beast. They were twisted and grotesque. Their style clashed starkly with the rest of the architecture and carvings throughout the Blissful Land in Mount Jinting.
Even after enduring a thousand years of wind and frost, now reduced to spiritually inert rubble, the sculptures still radiated a twisted, malevolent aura. Sinister and eerie, they gave off a deeply unsettling feeling.
A thoughtful glint flashed through Li Yanchu’s eyes as he stood before the stone statues for a long while, then finally stepped into the main temple hall.
In every temple within this Blissful Land of Mount Jinting, there was a statue of a middle-aged Daoist swordsman.
Li Yanchu believed this figure represented the immortal who once presided over this sacred site, Immortal Ma. This hall was no exception.
However, the statue here didn’t depict him with his sword strapped on his back, but holding it in front, in a demon-subduing stance! The statue was severely damaged, looking as though it might crumble into ruins at any moment.
The moment Li Yanchu stepped inside the hall, he felt a powerful sense of unwillingness or unrest hanging in the air.
Yet this was clearly nothing more than an inanimate statue and devoid of life.
An immortal holding his sword, and evil demons carved outside in grotesque forms... The entire scene looked just like a legendary Daoist master preparing to face invading forces!