066 The Demonic Monk

Lu Shaoyu swiftly summoned a talisman, his figure transforming into a streak of golden light as he retreated at lightning speed.

Boom!

The talisman exploded abruptly.

A blinding burst of golden light, imbued with overwhelming destructive power, swept across everything in its path.

A talisman crafted by a cultivator of the Golden Core stage naturally possessed terrifying might.

And yet—

Beneath the gentle illumination of the Pure Glazed Lantern, all remained unscathed.

Huijing softly recited a Buddhist mantra, watching Lu Shaoyu depart, his voice calm and detached: "Daoist Lu, why trouble yourself so?"

The power of the Golden Core talisman obliterated the entire mountain from the waist up, reducing it to dust.

Snow whirled through the air, drifting down around Huijing.

He closed his eyes, breathing in the icy air with deep reverence, a look of intoxication upon his face.

"Suppress."

With a gentle utterance, his words became reality.

Instantly, strange changes swept through the space of the Celestial Permafrost Domain.

Lu Shaoyu, having fled a hundred miles away and preparing to use a secret art to escape the Desolate Ancient Secret Realm, suddenly found the void frozen, all spatial nodes lost!

"Everyone here... is to become nourishment for his recovery..."

A terrifying thought surfaced in his mind.

Silently cursing his misfortune, Lu Shaoyu hastily cloaked himself in golden light and vanished into the endless snowstorm.

Meanwhile, Huijing remained standing in place, while the three Xuanji Island cultivators he had corrupted with demon energy each soared away in their own streaks of light.

"Scarlet Sky, this humble monk has returned."

A faint smile touched Huijing’s lips.

...

Amidst the snowstorm.

Three cultivators of the Demon Talisman Sect were flying together when their path was suddenly blocked by a streak of light.

"It's a Xuanji Island cultivator!"

Recognizing the newcomer, the three exchanged glances, instantly reaching an unspoken agreement—they attacked in unison.

The Xuanji Island cultivator smiled faintly, his figure flickering like a specter as he appeared behind one of the Demon Talisman disciples.

He formed a blade with his fingers and stabbed it into the disciple’s back in an instant.

Black mist coiled and, in the blink of an eye, engulfed the disciple.

He then employed the same method, using mysterious and unpredictable movements to approach the other two, dispatching them with ruthless precision.

Three masses of black fog churned in the air.

Not long after, the black mist gradually dispersed.

The three Demon Talisman disciples now wore identical gentle smiles, pressed their palms together, and intoned, "Amitabha."

With that, the trio flew off in different directions.

...

Scenes like this played out across the secret realm.

Disciples of the True Yang Sect, Heavenly Sea Sect, Demon Talisman Sect, and even the fewest in number—the disciples of the Joyous Union Sect—were all corrupted.

On a vast plain—

Heavenly Sea Sect’s true disciple, Pang Zeyao, was surrounded by over a dozen corrupted cultivators.

Among them, four were his fellow sect members.

"Are you determined to make an enemy of the world?!" Pang Zeyao, clad in blue robes and a tall crown, relied on his boundless spiritual power to fend off their attacks.

Yet—

These corrupted cultivators had transformed their cultivation and spiritual power into something bizarre and unfathomable, their combat prowess greatly enhanced!

Even Pang Zeyao was nearly subdued.

"Daoist Pang, your talents are exceptional. Why not join this humble monk in seeking the Great Dao together?"

The dozen or so cultivators spoke in perfect unison, their expressions identical, voices and tones matching so precisely it sent chills down the spine.

"I'm afraid you lack the ability!"

With a flick of his high crown, a stream of pure energy surged from his crown, instantly splitting into three forms that lunged at the corrupted cultivators.

They laughed, "What a fine treasure, capable of replicating the Three Pure Ones transformation. Though flawed and lacking the true might of the divine art, it is remarkable enough!"

Pang Zeyao snorted coldly. A surging tide of water and light erupted from him, joining his three avatars into a sweeping force that instantly suppressed the dozen cultivators!

In that moment, his true body turned into a wisp of ethereal water light, vanishing into the deep snow.

Moments later—

The watery light shattered.

More than a dozen corrupted cultivators burst forth, scattering in all directions.

...

In a mountain hollow.

Shentu Hao, wielding the Sharktooth Blazing Blade, cleaved a cultivator in two.

His expression grave, he looked around.

Eight corpses burned with flames on the snowy ground, their forms flickering in the wind and snow.

Once his comrades, all had been corrupted.

And now, he had slain them with his own hands.

He plunged the Sharktooth Blazing Blade into the earth and repeatedly tried various escape arts, all to no avail.

The great formation anchoring the Desolate Ancient Secret Realm to the outside seemed disrupted by an uncanny power, leaving him unable to sense its presence.

As a Foundation Establishment cultivator, he was far from capable of shattering the void and escaping the secret realm directly.

A cold wind swept in, frost forming on his shoulders.

"The cold snap is coming..."

Shentu Hao’s eyes flickered as he calculated his chances of survival.

...

Atop a mountain peak.

Three women had encircled a stunningly beautiful maiden, black mist swirling as they tried to corrupt her.

"Benefactor Yuan, this humble nun is skilled in the Zen of Joy. Why not accompany me to my true self, and together we may explore wondrous methods?"

All three spoke in unison, unhurried and laced with a seductive charm.

Yuan Ziyi, her face as lovely as a blossom sinking fish and falling geese, wore a pitiful expression, pleading, "Senior, your powers are vast—might you spare me?"

Above her head floated a jade pavilion, radiating mysterious yellow mist that held the black fog at bay.

Yet even the attacks of the three corrupted Joyous Union Sect women could not break through the protective haze.

Yuan Ziyi poured all her focus into wielding her treasure, but had no strength left to break free.

She was trapped between a rock and a hard place.

Just then—

In the distant sky, amid the endless snow, a burst of fire appeared.

And then—

Three domineering blades of light sliced through the air, cleaving the three women in two!

Whoosh!

A mass of blazing fire swept to the mountaintop, hovering there.

A giant three zhang tall emerged from within, grasping a monstrous shark-toothed blade, exuding an awe-inspiring presence and radiating scorching heat.

"Sister of the Joyous Union Sect, with these demon monks running rampant, why not join forces with me?"

Yuan Ziyi smiled sweetly, her graceful figure standing beside Shentu Hao like a child beside a giant.

"So it's Senior Brother Shentu of the True Yang Sect—many thanks for your rescue!"

Shentu Hao’s eyes shone with divine light as he looked at the jade pavilion above her head. "Can your treasure withstand the cold snap?"

"What does Senior Brother Shentu mean?" Yuan Ziyi’s eyes flashed with caution.

Shentu Hao replied gravely, "The secret realm has been sealed off by demon monks. We cannot escape. With the cold snap coming, we must first find shelter."

Yuan Ziyi’s beautiful eyes sparkled with calculation, her smile enchanting as she replied, "My Celestial Yellow Mist Pavilion can indeed withstand the cold, but if we are to join forces, Senior Brother must first swear an oath. Only then will I be at ease."

"So be it!"

Shentu Hao agreed without hesitation.

The two promptly swore their oaths.

Moments later—

Yuan Ziyi summoned the Celestial Yellow Mist Pavilion, and together they entered.

The jade pavilion spun lightly, shrinking until it was no larger than a grain of rice, flashing away into the snow without a trace.

...

In the ruins of the Nine Nether Demon Sect.

Pang Yue slowly awoke, finishing his cultivation.

Though the ruins were usually as warm as spring, now even here snowflakes drifted down.

The lotus upon which he sat had withered, snow and frost gathering upon it.

The entire ruin had become bleak and desolate.

"The cold snap is almost here..."

A thought stirred in his heart just as Ye Xue appeared not far away.

"Daoist brother, it’s time we returned."

Ye Xue’s icy beauty betrayed no emotion.