Entering the Demonic Path (Part 13)

By the shore of Hulun Sea, cold snow covered the yellow grass, and the lake surface gradually froze. The grassland man was seizing the last moments to fish.

The middle-aged man in a felt hat looked at the scene on the lake, remaining silent. Dark stubble slowly grew on his rigid, angular cheeks, adding to his formidable appearance. A subordinate respectfully stood behind him.

This Central Plains merchant caravan had been stationed here for quite some days. The tribal leader did not know what they were waiting for; if it was for late-summer furs, it was probably too early. But out of respect for the caravan having paid sufficient silver and goods, no one bothered them.

The subordinate looked at the ice shards and accumulated snow on the lake surface, softly and hesitantly saying, "Will the Heavenly Tome truly emerge here?"

The middle-aged man was silent for a long time, then said, "The Heavenly Oracle Divine Seat returned from the South and immediately released news of the Heavenly Tome's emergence in the Wilderness, surely having received confirmation from the Abbey Dean. It is said that Li Qing Shan also once calculated with Huang Yang on Wan Yan Tower that the Heavenly Tome would appear by the shore of Hulun Sea; it must be correct."

The subordinate frowned, thought for a moment, then said, "Your Excellency, this subordinate should not doubt, but I always feel that placing all hope on the Heavenly Oracle Divine Seat's decree is a bit risky."

Pausing, he softly added, "The Tu Yang City side cannot keep the news hidden forever. If the imperial court learns that Your Excellency left the general's residence without authorization... moreover, news confirmed a few days ago that Lin Ling is indeed dead."

The middle-aged man looked at the strategist who had been loyal to him for twenty years, thought of his equally loyal but fallen subordinate, gently stroked the graying hair at his temples, and slowly said, "Those matters can be dealt with later. The current situation is unfathomably complex; only by seizing the Heavenly Tome and advancing further can we break this deadlock. Compared to that, all other matters are trivial."

He looked at the hazy mountain range to the North across the large lake, his face expressionless, saying, "I believe the Heavenly Oracle Divine Seat's words, because besides me, there are few others in this world who know the entrance to the mountain gate lies at Hulun Sea."

The strategist frowned and asked, "Why not enter the mountain gate to search for the Heavenly Tome? Although many forces are interested, those capable of entering the mountain gate must be extremely few. Waiting for the opportune moment to act is still more certain than passively waiting as we are now."

The middle-aged man silently gazed at a distant point in the North, not answering the question.

Master Ke had not taken the Heavenly Tome back then; the Heavenly Tome must still be within the sacred land.

He did not wish to return to the mountain gate, but silently waited by the lake to find an opportunity to seize it. Besides strategic considerations, the greater reason was the fear in his heart—he was not old back then, but he could clearly remember those bloody scenes, and that cold and ruthless Master, who could manifest in myriad forms.

The strategist looked at the middle-aged man's pensive expression, thinking to himself, "I wonder what Your Excellency will do after seizing the Heavenly Tome—offer it to His Majesty, return it to the Divine Hall, or keep it for himself?"

Could a single Heavenly Tome truly change everything? For nearly twenty years, the strategist had followed his master, struggling to survive amidst various forces, seemingly weaving an extremely thick net, but this net ultimately bound himself, gradually making it difficult to breathe. Thinking of this, he couldn't help but sigh sadly in his heart.

The middle-aged man calmly looked into the distance across the lake, once again recalling his deceased Master.

In these past years, coming from the Underworld Sect as he did, to protect himself, and even more so to protect his younger sister hidden in the Chang An imperial palace, he had struggled to survive between the Empire and the West-Ling Divine Hall. The myriad hardships were truly difficult to describe in words.

Yet his Master back then, traveling among the world's forces, was like a fish swimming in a lake, utterly free and at ease, even exuding a sense of profound contentment. How, after all, did he achieve that?

...

Rough fingers slowly caressed the stone platform, and the animal skin gently fluttered in the wind. Standing before a ten-thousand-zhang abyss, looking at the colossal stone beams crisscrossing and connecting before his eyes, Tang recalled the appearance of the sacred land as described by his Master back then, contrasting it with the desolate yet overwhelmingly majestic world before him, remaining silent for a long time.

He slowly walked to the edge of the cliff, looking at the endless dark abyss, silently thinking that the Hao Tian Dao Gate could lead the Central Plains for a thousand years, naturally it had its reasons and could not be underestimated. Especially that Daoist of Zhi Shou Abbey must truly possess heaven-reaching abilities. Since the other party valued this matter so much, the Heavenly Tome must indeed have remained within the mountain gate, but why had it not been found yet?

He looked at the altar filled with white bones not far below his feet, and suddenly spoke, "According to Master, Master Ke back then charged into the sacred land with a single sword, but did not kill everyone in the mountain gate. Before that, disciples of two factions had already evacuated south. Before Master departed, he confirmed that many disciples had also retreated. Besides the seniors who died in battle, many among these white bones committed suicide as martyrs, and then the mountain gate was sealed."

Tang Xiao Tang's bright eyes widened. She looked at the altar below the stone beams, having passed by it earlier without noticing anything, and curiously asked, "Where did those fellows run off to?"

A gust of wind swept across the stone beams, carrying fragments of rock and robe flaps. Tang sensed the World Spiritual Energy within the mountain gate amidst the wind, remained silent for a moment, then calmly said, "I don't sense them; they must have left."

Having said that, the two siblings ventured deeper into the mountain gate. Tang's eyebrows, thick like iron flowers, slowly furrowed. Many things from yesteryear he could not fully comprehend, and this search for the Heavenly Tome also held many inexplicable aspects. For instance, at this moment, it was clearly confirmed that those people had left the mountain gate, yet why did a vague unease still linger in his heart?

...

Decades ago, the Fan Long, personally arranged by Ke Hao Ran, had directly transformed this room into a world separated from the mortal realm. As long as one did not personally step inside, one would not discover the existence of this world. But if one truly entered, one would never leave, for this world was the hell he personally gifted to Lian Sheng.

"Clatter clatter... boo hoo... you actually learned the Hao Ran Sword!"

Amidst the gloomy white bone mountain in the room, Great Master Lian Sheng looked at Ning Que, grinning with his toothless mouth like a child. Immediately after, his lips pursed as he cried like a child, laughter and tears mingling, sounding particularly hoarse and unpleasant.

Ning Que gripped his Pu Dao tightly, looked at him, and replied, "Precisely."

The old monk's eyes were cold like demonic fire. He stared at Ning Que's face, asking in a low, mournful tone, "This cannot be!"

Ning Que said, "It has happened just so."

The old monk's next sentence came extremely quickly, roaring like thunder, "Then haven't you fallen into devilry!"

Ning Que's face remained emotionless, calmly replying, "Precisely."

The old monk sternly asked, "Are you not afraid?"

Ning Que replied, "Before death, I fear nothing else."

The old monk scoffed, "But you still fell into devilry."

Ning Que frowned, "So what?"

The old monk shrieked shrilly, "Those who fall into devilry must all die!"

Ning Que said, "But you are still alive, aren't you?"

The old monk slowly shook his head, smiling faintly, "These are two completely different choices. In truth, our Underworld Sect are merely moss-covered stones hiding in the darkness to avoid the Hao Tian Divine Radiance. Though we claim not to revere Hao Tian, in reality, we are particularly afraid of Hao Tian's existence. Therefore, Hao Tian can permit us to exist, even if it is to serve as a counterpoint to the light. But when you wield the sword that person left behind, you will, because of it, lose all reverence, even fear, towards Hao Tian. That is the true demonic path; Hao Tian will not permit people like you to exist."

Ning Que was silent for a moment, then replied, "As long as I am alive, it is still better than being dead."

The old monk was stunned, then burst into maniacal laughter, turbid tears slowly streaming from his old, withered eyes. He pointed a thin, trembling finger at Ning Que's face, struggling to suppress his laughter, gasping with resentful malice, "Madman Ke fell into devilry and died, and you wish to follow in his footsteps. I truly don't know if the Academy is a place cursed by the heavens; you will one by one be destroyed by Hao Tian. This is perhaps your destiny."

He stared into Ning Que's eyes, gasping, "You must be strong enough to steadfastly walk this path. And the faster you grow stronger, the sooner death will come; do not hope to escape this fate."

The old monk asked in a low, mournful tone, "When has the heavens ever spared anyone?"

Ning Que was silent, his hands slowly clenching the saber hilt, as if preparing to slash at that bleak destiny.

Then, in the dark, silent room, his reply echoed.

"If one wishes to conquer the heavens, why must the heavens spare them?"

...

This calm yet arrogant reply caused Great Master Lian Sheng's expression to change slightly. He silently looked at Ning Que, then suddenly said, "The one-zhang space before a cultivator's body is surely their own world."

Ning Que had heard this saying before, but did not know why the old monk would say it at this moment.

The old monk looked at him, slowly saying, "You have comprehended the Hao Ran Sword; Madman Ke's sword intent, hidden in the mottled sword marks, has entered your body. Then this heaven-shrouding, earth-covering Fan Long naturally no longer exists."

Ning Que looked at him and said, "I know. I can even feel that World Spiritual Energy is permeating the room. It's just that I also need time to adapt to this completely new aura within my body."

The old monk sighed with emotion, "So it turns out that even at this point, you and I are still wasting time."

Ning Que calmly said, "Time is fair to everyone."

The old monk smiled, saying, "My time has come."

Ning Que said, "My time has also just arrived."

As he finished speaking, the old monk slowly raised his thin arms, and his tattered monk's robes fluttered in the unknown wind. With this simple movement, countless streams of World Spiritual Energy permeated the room from the cracks in the blue stone walls, then transformed into tiny currents of wind, oscillating around his body.

The Hao Ran Sword Intent that Ke Hao Ran had left in the sword marks of yesteryear had now been largely absorbed by Ning Que to transform his body, used to open up his Snow Mountain Qi Sea. The sword marks, having lost their sword intent, were merely forms without spirit, naturally unable to support this Fan Long any longer. At this moment, though remnants of Hao Ran Sword Intent still lingered between the stone walls, they could no longer prevent the old monk from connecting with heaven and earth.

At this moment, the Kuilei Great Array outside the Demonic Sect Mountain Gate sensed the sudden fluctuation of World Spiritual Energy. The moss-green sword marks on the jagged rocks suddenly flashed with brilliant light. The snowy peak under the night sky reflected the starlight, and as World Spiritual Energy rapidly poured into the mountain gate, it drew with it the gloomy aura amidst the rocks, even drawing the circulating starlight!

The fresh and boundless stream of World Spiritual Energy finally broke through the dilapidated Fan Long array, entering the desolate hall that had been untouched for decades. Then, like a surging flood, it poured into the old monk's emaciated body.

The old monk's sunken eyes suddenly flashed with bright light, then became utterly clear. His gaunt cheeks miraculously plumped up at a visible speed, and his arms, extended in the wind, became even smoother and firmer!

Just as he had said before, his time had come.

Ning Que's time had also arrived.

He had completely comprehended the Hao Ran Sword Qi that his Junior Martial Uncle had imparted to him, and was now able to grasp his transformed body, beginning to greedily and powerfully absorb the World Spiritual Energy pouring into the room, then converting it into his own strength—drawing World Spiritual Energy into one's body—this was the most distinct characteristic and the most unforgivable aspect of Demonic Sect cultivation methods!

Fresh and boundless World Spiritual Energy entered his body, stamped with his mental power, then passed through the通道 between his Snow Mountain Qi Sea, transforming into vast power, transmitted through his meridians to various parts of his body. His arms, muscles, bones, fingertips, and even his hair began to tremble at a high frequency, as if joyfully dancing due to the surge of power!

...

His foot landed with a crisp "crack," crushing a section of white bone before him.

The second time it landed, his foot crushed an entire pile of white bones.

Ning Que glided through the bone mountain, arriving before the old monk.

He gripped his saber with both hands and thrust it fiercely towards the old monk's chest.

The blade, vibrating at high speed from the immense force transmitted through the hilt, tore and shook the surrounding air, creating tiny white currents, while the cold blade's talismanic intent was greatly active, making its speed even more terrifying than its own.

This was the fastest surprise attack of his life, like a bolt of lightning.

This was the strongest saber strike of his life, like a clap of thunder.

The lightning-blade strike carrying Hao Ran Qi allowed no time for blinking, no time for thought, and fiercely lunged towards the old monk's chest. The sharp saber tip pierced a small distance before the old monk could react.

Great Master Lian Sheng was at this moment continuously absorbing World Spiritual Energy. His cheeks were already plump, his arms had recovered, and the vitality in his body surged like a freshly bloomed lotus. However, he never expected Ning Que's first saber strike to carry such unstoppable Hao Ran Qi!

At this moment, he had recovered about one-tenth of his peak cultivation base realm. He had once been Lian Sheng, capable of myriad transformations, looking down upon all beings. Even recovering one-tenth of his strength was not something a single saber strike could kill.

His thin, ghostly hands had plumped up, his skin fair and smooth, like two pure white lotuses.

The white lotuses bloomed, each petal unfurling, and the saber blade stopped amidst the petals, unable to advance another inch towards the old monk's heart.

And at this moment, the World Spiritual Energy breaking through the Fan Long continued to pour into the old monk's body; he was still continuously growing stronger.

Ning Que snorted coldly, his left hand slamming hard onto the end of the saber hilt.

His left hand at this moment was like a heavy iron hammer.

The Pu Dao advanced another inch into the old monk's chest; the saber tip began to bleed.

The old monk coldly glanced at Ning Que.

A terrifyingly powerful mental force pierced directly into his Sea of Consciousness.

With a "Pfft!", Ning Que spat out a mouthful of blood.

Fresh blood flowed down the saber hilt.

His left hand once again fell onto the saber hilt.

He suppressed the intense pain, and his left hand, again like an iron hammer, slammed hard onto the end of the saber hilt.

The blade advanced another inch into the old monk's chest!