Chapter 206: The Death of the Demonic Villain
Liangzhou, Dajing Prefecture. The Yi River. Along the banks of Guihong Marsh, the night was cool as water.
“Ha ha ha ha! He really is here! Brother Zhao’s tracking technique is truly formidable!”
“Demonic villain Sheng Nian! Hand over that ancient talisman, and we shall grant you a swift death!”
Sheng Nian stood clad in a black robe, now tattered and in ruins.
His entire body was drenched in blood — it was clear he had endured several fierce battles already.
He surveyed his surroundings, breathing heavily.
The broad saber in his hand had been snapped in two. Blood surged from the wound, streaming down the broken blade and dripping onto the ground.
Yet his gaze held no trace of panic.
“Hmph. Cease your futile resistance. At both the Yi River mouth and Red Cliff Valley, numerous rogue cultivators have already laid an inescapable net. Today, you shall lose your head!”
Among the crowd, the leader was a handsome young cultivator. He regarded Sheng Nian with undisguised contempt.
His words were righteous and indignant, his tone fierce.
“You beast! To seize the thousand-year spirit herb from that secret realm’s medicinal garden, you raped and murdered that kind Zhao family girl! Today, you shall not leave the Yi River alive!”
Others in the crowd shouted as well. “Not only that — to obtain the Metal-Earth Spirit Essence ‘Sinking Sand Dark Gold,’ you launched a sneak attack and murdered my brother!”
“He also killed Daoist Hongyu!”
“Your crimes are an affront to gods and men alike! A thousand scrolls could not contain them!”
“…”
Sheng Nian’s eyes were deep and unfathomable, like the depths of an ancient well. He glanced casually at the gathered crowd, a cold smile playing at the corner of his lips.
“You pin the deeds you yourselves committed onto Sheng’s shoulders…”
“Fellow Daoists of the ‘righteous’ path — such conduct. When you cultivate in the future, how will your minds ever achieve clarity?”
The handsome young cultivator’s expression darkened. He barked, “Utter nonsense! Even at death’s door, you spread such slander!”
“When you committed those heinous acts, did you ever imagine you would face the judgment of so many fellow Daoists tonight?”
The night wind swept across the river, snapping the remnants of his black robe.
Looking around, among those who pursued him were righteous cultivators from the Hanging Sword Mountain, skilled rogue cultivators, and even — disguised as rogue cultivators — demonic cultivators from the Demonic Ruins.
Some among them had witnessed his transgressions and sought to silence him.
Others attacked because he had seized their desired treasures within the secret realm.
Still others simply wished to use these greedy fools’ hands to eliminate him.
Sheng Nian sighed inwardly. He had been too hasty after all.
Within this secret realm, beyond those heavenly treasures, there had been an unexpected discovery. According to the guidance of the ancient demonic spirit within his body, it pointed to an even larger ancient battlefield.
He had wanted to invite that fellow Song Yan to explore it together, but he never expected these people — wolves in human skin — would act so quickly.
Beneath relentless waves of battle, even Sheng Nian’s formidable demonic arts could not withstand such sustained onslaught.
Now surrounded by enemies, if he did not use that secret escape technique, his death would be certain.
“If not for losing some cultivation in obtaining that ancient talisman, these trash…”
A voice rose from the depths of his mind. “Boy. Keep the mountains green, and you’ll never lack for firewood. Use the escape technique if you must.”
This secret technique came with significant aftereffects — that was precisely why Sheng Nian had hesitated to employ it.
Not only would his cultivation plummet, but his foundation would suffer as well. He had already expended cultivation and realms to obtain the treasure. This would compound the losses.
Moreover, once the technique was used, the damage to his vital essence would be so severe that the Xin Mountain Hermit would immediately sense that the demonic seed planted within his body had been sealed.
Combined with his hidden injuries, Foundation Establishment would have to be postponed indefinitely. Many of his original plans would be thrown into disarray.
The chain of consequences demanded careful consideration.
Yet now, with the Yi River sealed, if he did not use the Blood Escape Technique, he would surely die today.
“Old Xie, with my current foundation, if I use this technique, how long will it take to recover the damage?”
“At least two years.” The voice in his mind replied. “Your malevolent energy is already extreme. Moreover, vicious qi clings to the bones like bone parasites. It accumulates swiftly but once established, extracting it is like pulling silk from a cocoon.”
“If you could seize that Solitary Awakening Ancient Jade, perhaps the recovery could be accelerated somewhat.”
Old Demon Xie felt a twinkle of regret as well.
If not for the unforeseen circumstances within the secret realm that had led to this situation, he would not have wanted this boy to resort to the technique.
Sheng Nian possessed extraordinary comprehension, and with his guidance, his foundation had been laid with impeccable solidity. Every step before Foundation Establishment had been taken with perfect precision.
He had lived for ten thousand years, yet this was the first time he had taught a disciple without holding anything back.
Naturally, he wished to see how high this flawless path to Foundation Establishment, combined with his own self-created Great Night Heavenly Demon True Art, could ultimately reach.
What a pity.
Sheng Nian pressed his palm down, driving the broken broad saber blade-first into the ground.
He prepared to activate the technique.
Yet the strange thing was — those six or seven people who had been shouting threats had not moved a finger.
Sheng Nian’s terrifying demonic arts were well known. In the previous several ambushes, everyone had believed him to be at the end of his rope.
Yet he always managed to employ some bizarre technique — not only escaping death each time but even managing to kill a few of his attackers.
Who knew what hidden card he might still hold?
Everyone understood the situation clearly. They had all come either to silence him for their own dirty deeds or simply to rob and kill him.
Whoever took the lead and suffered this man’s death throes would suffer a terrible loss.
The leader’s name was Jiang Chen. His threats delivered, he found that not a single person had moved. His expression darkened.
He had waved the banner of righteousness precisely to borrow collective strength in eliminating this man.
But had the others not done the same?
Every heart harbored its own schemes.
Jiang Chen knew that if he did not act, no one would choose to strike first.
If this dragged on and the man somehow recovered enough to unleash some other demonic technique, matters would become far more difficult.
Spiritual energy gathered between his palms, and his voice rang clear and commanding: “Demonic villain! Today, I shall see you buried without a grave!”
Countless threads of spiritual energy coalesced at his side into four identical flying swords of sword qi, their frost radiating outward.
With a pointed finger, the four streams of sword qi shot toward Sheng Nian like bolts of lightning!
At the same time, the surrounding cultivators each drew their weapons and assumed battle stances, focused intently, prepared to rush in and cut him down.
The blood qi circulated — the Blood Escape Technique had already begun to burn through Sheng Nian’s meridians with a searing pain.
At that very moment, a streak of black-purple light pierced the eastern sky, annihilating the four streams of sword qi one by one.
Its momentum undiminished, it continued hurtling toward Jiang Chen.
His face draining of color, he frantically produced a jade seal artifact to barely deflect the black-purple streak.
Only then did they discover that this streak of light…
Was merely a single black feather.
“Kraa —”
A black crow materialized from nowhere, flapping its wings as it alighted upon the hilt of Sheng Nian’s broken saber, which stood embedded in the ground.
The crowd exchanged bewildered glances, their eyes fixed warily upon the crow.
Sheng Nian was stunned as well.
But when he sensed the peculiar aura emanating from the bird, a sudden smile of relief spread across his face. The Blood Escape Technique dissipated.
The field fell abruptly silent.
The crow tilted its head to look at Sheng Nian, then turned to regard the encircled cultivators.
Only then did they notice that the crow’s eyes glowed with a strange golden light.
“Kraa —”
An abrupt crow’s cry rang out. A flying sword of black and white descended from the heavens, plunging straight into the ground between Sheng Nian and the assembled cultivators.
Above the sword’s hilt, an ice moon hung suspended.
Along the banks of Guihong Marsh, the reeds swayed of their own accord in the stillness.
They saw a tall, slender figure tread upon scattered blades of grass, walking with leisurely ease. His black Daoist robe brushed past the blood-stained wildflowers at Sheng Nian’s feet.
Though he appeared to be strolling at a leisurely pace, in the span of but a few breaths, he had already reached Sheng Nian’s side.
“If it isn’t Young Master Sheng.”
The young cultivator bore an ancient sword casket upon his back. He reached out casually and patted Sheng Nian on the shoulder.
His expression was teasing. “Years apart, and we meet again. How have you fallen to such a state?”
“Cough… pah.” Joy flickered in Sheng Nian’s eyes, but he spat a mouthful of blood at him. “You mongrel… had to watch the whole show before showing yourself?”
The newcomer was none other than Song Yan.
He listened to Sheng Nian’s words and adopted an expression of mock outrage. “How dare you make such baseless accusations!”
Behind him, Xiao Ju caught up, panting heavily. Chen Jiping and Lu Yuan arrived shortly after.
Seeing Sheng Nian’s state, Chen Jiping showed alarm but did not panic.
“A-Yuan, go assist Young Master Song. I will tend to the young master’s injuries.”
“Understood.”
Chen Jiping knelt beside Sheng Nian, helping him sit down. Streams of blood qi flowed from her body into his.
Xiao Ju looked upon the numerous late-stage Qi Refining cultivators and felt her heart tighten with anxiety.
In the past, she would have fled to hide elsewhere, believing herself unworthy of standing in such a place.
But now, she told herself desperately: “Xiao Ju! Steel yourself! Do not bring shame to Senior Song!”
The cultivators who had been hunting Sheng Nian grew uneasy at the sudden arrival of reinforcements.
Jiang Chen’s eyes narrowed slightly. He addressed a few of them, “Fellow Daoists, I am Jiang Chen of the Hanging Sword Mountain. This man raped and murdered a female cultivator and killed for treasure.”
“I urge you to see this man’s ugly true nature, lest you aid a villain and accumulate karmic debt.”
He then turned to Song Yan. “And I urge this fellow Daoist to sever ties with him immediately. Do not…”
“Destroy your own future!”
Jiang Chen’s expression was fierce and determined. Sheng Nian had to die today. If word got out that he had raped and murdered that Zhao girl…
She was a disciple of the Profound Abyss Sect and a daughter of the Eastern Chu Zhao clan. Unless he broke through to Foundation Establishment immediately, even the Hanging Sword Mountain would be hard-pressed to protect him.
Today, whoever tried to save this man would die alongside him!
Jiang Chen stood at the peak of Qi Refining. The remaining six cultivators hunting Sheng Nian were all at the late stage of Qi Refining as well.
On the other side, Sheng Nian was completely spent. Apart from this youth carrying the sword casket — who was at the ninth level of Qi Refining — only this corpse puppet had any real capability.
The odds remained overwhelmingly in their favor.
Song Yan tilted his head slightly toward Sheng Nian. The crow fluttered down from above and perched upon his shoulder.
Two pairs of golden eyes blazed to life in the darkness. “Are there any here who deserve mercy?”
Jiang Chen’s expression darkened. Fury surged within him.
Sheng Nian grinned, raising a blood-stained finger to point at the gathered crowd, singling them out one by one. “This one raped and murdered a female cultivator, then framed me. He practices a perverse yin-supplementing technique.”
“That one ambushed his own brother to steal the Sinking Sand Dark Gold, then turned the accusation around.”
Each person he pointed to showed a flicker of unease on their face.
“Immortal Master Song, you must deliver justice for this humble one!”
Jiang Chen roared, “Lies! You —”
Humm —
Before his words were finished, a flying sword of blue and purple light streaked toward him in a blaze of spiritual energy. Jiang Chen’s heart lurched as he hastily brought his jade seal artifact to bear.
The instant before the two were about to clash, Song Yan spoke a single word:
“Break Tide.”
A surging torrent of azure sword qi erupted from the flying sword, sweeping upward from below in a furious cascade.
Hsssk!
Caught off guard, his spiritual energy destabilized. The light on the jade seal flickered, struggling to hold, as the sword qi knocked it upward and aside.
Two cultivators among the crowd produced their own artifacts, charging toward Song Yan.
Yet the one at the very edge of the formation quietly retreated a single step, falling behind the others.
On the battlefield, both Qilin Lord and Cry Moon — the two flying swords — were unleashed, darting forward like fish to meet three opponents.
The crescent moon divided into three arcs of light, sweeping outward with thunderous speed.
The crescent enhanced by the sword formation was astonishing in power. The three could barely fend it off.
The scattered sword qi dissolved into slash marks upon the ground.
Several were about to counterattack.
But Song Yan flicked his finger, and the layered blade energy tore through Jiang Chen’s protective spiritual aura.
At the same instant, a golden stream of light — sharp beyond compare — had already coalesced at Song Yan’s fingertip.
Humm —
The Sword Dao true essence pierced Jiang Chen’s body without the slightest resistance.
“Aaah!!!”
Under the searing pain, Jiang Chen flew backward, blood gushing from the wound in his chest. Yet he did not die.
“Oh?”
Song Yan was mildly surprised.
In battles against multiple opponents, his usual approach was to strike with overwhelming force first, ruthlessly reducing the enemy count.
He had expected this combination to ensure Jiang Chen’s death.
He had not anticipated that the man would survive.
Silver-white spiritual energy flickered around Jiang Chen’s body, flowing into the pierced wound and slowly mending his injuries.
So be it. He was a peak Qi Refining cultivator after all. It was only natural for him to possess some means of self-preservation.
Jiang Chen stared at Song Yan with undisguised horror.
This man’s strikes were devastatingly decisive. Had his congenital body constitution not been different — his heart positioned on the right — combined with the secret technique of the yin-supplementing art, he would never have stabilized his cardiac meridians.
At that moment, as if sensing the battle about to erupt, the masked corpse puppet walked to Song Yan’s side and bowed with elaborate courtesy.
“A-Yuan is clumsy and slow of thought. I beg Young Master Song’s forgiveness.”
Song Yan nodded, though he felt the corpse puppet’s voice sounded somewhat familiar.
The blood from the hole in Jiang Chen’s chest had stopped flowing. Silver spiritual energy and blood mingled together.
His expression turned savage. Spiritual energy surged throughout his body, and brilliant green light blazed from the jade seal.
“The demonic villain must not be allowed to escape. Fellow Daoists, assist me in cutting down this wretch first!”
Song Yan let out a cold snort. Both sleeves billowed in the wind as green serpent-like sword qi poured forth like a waterfall, sweeping across the battlefield and forming a curtain of blades between the two sides.
He produced a broad saber from his Cosmos Bag and tossed it casually to Sheng Nian’s feet.
“If you can recover even a little, you can finish the job yourself.”
“Don’t just sit there like some pampered young master.”
It was the very blade he had taken from the Tiger Demon Young Mountain Lord.
(End of Chapter)