Chapter 211: The Path of Seeking Demons, Great Night Fills the Sky
“Hss…”
A soft breath escaped between his teeth. Song Yan slowly opened his eyes, revealing a pair of golden sword pupils devoid of any emotion.
The Dharma Avatar’s skeleton slowly raised its head.
However, before Song Yan could fully savor the sensation, the sword qi and spiritual power within his body were completely depleted. An overwhelming sense of emptiness and exhaustion surged from all directions.
He casually dismissed the avatar.
The Void Spirit Bone Shaping consumed far too much energy.
But now that it was complete, future use of this avatar would require significantly less.
Looking back, for some reason, when this stage of Void Spirit Bone Shaping was finally completed, he had inexplicably entered a state of emotionless detachment.
As if something had been extracted from his body, and he was observing this world with a detached, scrutinizing gaze.
So this was a Dharma Avatar.
Although the was enormous, he could indeed feel its overwhelming might that demanded reverence.
Song Yan’s mind became active.
The Dharma Avatar’s bones originally required stable spiritual power to shape. Now that it was verified, his sword qi could replace spiritual power.
Then, what about Sword Essence?
With the bones now formed, in his spare time, he could attempt to integrate Sword Essence into it.
The old saying that “cultivation knows no years” was truly not just empty words.
Setting aside proper Qi Refining, even casually researching some secret arts and techniques, time passed before one knew it.
Sheng Nian had originally said he would wait a few days, but half a month had already passed.
On this day, Song Yan sat cross-legged in the mountains, the Untethered Vessel laid across his knees, contemplating the Sword Dao.
Since his battle with Li Yi, Song Yan felt he had previously underestimated Sword Intent.
Actually, this couldn’t be blamed on him. Before, he had sought Sword Intent without success, his whole mind focused on comprehending Sword Intent to quickly condense his Life-Bound Flying Sword.
This led him, after comprehending Sword Intent, to place all his attention on the Life-Bound Flying Sword.
Therefore, his exploration of Sword Intent had been far too limited.
However, Sword Intent was a profound and mysterious thing. He couldn’t very well demand himself to walk through the gates of death again.
All he could do was diligently practice his sword techniques and contemplate the Sword Dao.
Just then, Sheng Nian arrived with the Corpse Puppet A Yuan. “Immortal Song, after several days apart, your bearing remains as impressive as ever.”
Song Yan raised an eyelid. “Finally recovered from your injuries?”
“More or less.”
Sheng Nian didn’t claim to be fully healed.
This way, when he later showed off his strength to his good brother, he could still say “Pity my injuries haven’t fully healed” as a boast.
A jade slip flew toward him, which he casually caught.
Song Yan said calmly, “What I found in those three Cosmos Bags seems to be a Buddhist technique related to malevolent energy. If you want it, consider it yours.”
Sheng Nian raised an eyebrow and immediately sank his spiritual sense into it.
After a brief scan, a look of pleasant surprise appeared on his face. “Oh?”
Song Yan looked up. “What, this Buddhist technique is actually useful to you?”
“Um…” Sheng Nian pondered for a moment. “I can’t use it directly, but it does give me an idea.”
An idea? Song Yan raised an eyebrow.
Sheng Nian was indeed very clever.
He had been when they were mortals, and he still was now.
Song Yan looked at his childhood friend. Many things had changed, but many things hadn’t.
However, this made him even more curious – this kid clearly didn’t do evil deeds, so why did he insist on walking the Demonic Path?
There was nothing to hide. He asked directly. “Before I came here, your maidservant called you ‘Young Master of Xin Mountain.’ What does that have to do with the Xin Mountain Rogue?”
Sheng Nian was briefly stunned, then didn’t hide it. “The Xin Mountain Rogue is now my ‘master.'”
“He is a False Core Formation demonic cultivator with connections to both the Seed Demon Path and the Underworld Springs in the Demonic Ruins.”
“Apprenticed to the Xin Mountain Rogue?” Song Yan frowned slightly. “What exactly are you doing now?”
Indeed, out of absolute trust in Sheng Nian, he rarely inquired about the other’s affairs, even now that he called himself a demonic cultivator.
But encountering such a situation, anyone would find it baffling.
Sheng Nian’s expression was calm, his gaze imperceptibly glancing at the Corpse Puppet A Yuan beside him.
He took a deep breath and smiled. “You’ll know when the time comes.”
Perhaps sensing the other’s confusion, he put aside his carefree manner.
Having Song Yan doubt him was something he absolutely did not want to see.
“A Yan.” Sheng Nian looked at Song Yan with complete seriousness, but instead of explaining, he asked him a profound and mystical question.
“What do you think demonic cultivators are like?”
Song Yan was taken aback. He had never really delved into this question.
However, the common understanding of the Demonic Path was probably fairly standard.
He pondered for a moment. “Nothing more than soul-devouring, blood sacrifices of living beings, and inverting yin and yang…”
But Sheng Nian shook his head.
“Using a few sinister methods and treating all living beings as nourishment for one’s path – that doesn’t even deserve to be called demonic cultivation.”
“Even… don’t those so-called righteous cultivators often do the same?”
Song Yan nodded but said nothing.
Sheng Nian was absolutely right. It was indeed so.
“The original Demonic Path was merely a branch that evolved from traditional Taoist arts. The Demonic Path and the Immortal Path originally led to the same destination through different routes.”
“The path of seeking immortality follows the natural way, the unity of heaven and man.”
“The path of seeking Buddhahood transcends the cycle of reincarnation and delivers all sentient beings.”
“But the path of seeking demons…”
Sheng Nian’s expression was calm, but his tone was resolute.
“Freedom lies within me. Discard the false, preserve the true.”
“It’s just that too many who walk the Demonic Path have gone astray. Generation after generation, it has evolved into what cultivators today despise.”
“Killing a few mortals for blood sacrifice, killing a few cultivators to steal their spiritual power – thinking they can achieve the True Demonic Dao that way… how laughable.”
Sheng Nian laughed coldly. “Cultivating the demonic path isn’t that easy.”
“Those who pursue the Demonic Path need not only the courage to cast themselves into the unknown abyss and face the world’s scorn and misunderstanding…”
He looked at Song Yan meaningfully. “They also need the wisdom and resolve to battle the darkness within their own hearts.”
After hearing Sheng Nian’s words, Song Yan fell into a brief silence.
His so-called “freedom lies within me, discard the false, preserve the true” sounded like it was excusing demonic cultivators.
But when he heard these words…
How did they subtly resonate with his own Sword Dao?
Sword cultivators were meant to sever all restraints and pursue the ultimate and pure. This seemed to have no fundamental difference from the Demonic Path’s pursuit of the true self.
“True demonic cultivators are not as mad and chaotic as the world sees them. They are simply seekers on a different path.”
“The desires and obsessions within the human heart appear as fierce tigers to ordinary cultivators. But all things in this world have never had absolute good or evil.”
“For true demonic cultivators, these are aids on their path of seeking.”
For some reason, Song Yan remembered the ghostly figure in the Ink Pool of the Twin Jade Realm, and the demonic energy throughout his body.
He remembered how his killing intent had grown increasingly cold when facing mortal enemies.
If what Sheng Nian said was true, these changes weren’t a fall from grace, but an exploration of the “true self.”
An inexplicable sense of relaxation welled up, but he shook his head. “Such a ‘Great Dao’ is separated from qi deviation by only a thin line.”
“That’s why it requires extraordinary willpower.”
“It’s like wielding an incomparably sharp sword. One misstep and you’ll wound yourself. But if you can grip it firmly, it becomes the ultimate weapon.”
“Your rhetoric sounds like you’re gilding the Demonic Path.” Song Yan said, though there was no mockery in his tone.
According to his words, wouldn’t the Sword Sect’s legacy naturally walk this “Demonic Path”?
“Let’s go.”
Song Yan rose to his feet. “Rather than passionately telling me about your path of seeking demons here, let’s resolve the matters at hand first.”
“I still have travels to make and no time to waste on your nonsense here.”
Sheng Nian smiled broadly.
“As you wish.”
…
Clear Wind Gorge, Ox Back Peak.
This place had originally been a small sect called “Green Pine Temple,” but the cultivators there had long been slaughtered to the last by the Demonic Ruins cultivators.
Now the Daoist-robed ascetics within were all cultivators from the Demonic Ruins.
Inside the main hall.
Three demonic cultivators sat in their chairs, their expressions shifting between light and dark.
“Senior Brother Zhao has been missing for over half a month, and even voice transmission talismans can’t reach him.” A tall, thin cultivator with purple lines covering his face spoke first, his voice hoarse. “Let’s discuss what to do now.”
“If we leave this place, we can’t. If we return to the Demonic Ruins, we can’t. Are we really just going to wait here?”
A fat, pig-like demonic cultivator opposite him mumbled, “Could Senior Brother Zhao have truly gone mad from qi deviation, as the rumors say?”
“Junior Brother Ziyang’s secret art is indeed dangerous. Last time I saw him, he was often talking to himself…”
“Watch your words.” The remaining one was a clean-featured young man. “Junior Brother Ziyang is a once-in-a-century genius of the Seed Demon Path. Don’t speculate baselessly.”
The hall fell silent for a moment, with only the sound of their breathing remaining.
The fat demonic cultivator awkwardly changed the subject. “That kid from Xin Mountain – I wonder if he’s dead yet.”
Speaking of this, the tall, thin cultivator frowned. “Fourth Brother went with those local cultivators to ambush that kid. Why hasn’t he returned yet?”
“I’ll have to go check in a while.”
The fat cultivator chuckled. “Maybe he just arrived from the Demonic Ruins and was so happy he lost his way.”
The tall, thin cultivator’s brow furrowed with displeasure. “Do you think this is a vacation?”
“Senior Brother Zhao’s situation is already troublesome enough. Originally, I also wanted to find that person named Song Yan and kill him to bring back…”
“Big Brother, what exactly did Elder Liu of the Underworld Springs offer as a reward?”
The tall, thin cultivator held up one hand. “Five hundred spirit stones.”
The fat cultivator’s eyes darted, guessing it was probably around eight hundred spirit stones.
But that person was at the seventh level of Qi Refining, and at most now the eighth level.
Killing an eighth-level Qi Refining cultivator for eight hundred spirit stones, plus that person’s accumulated wealth – it was indeed a tempting deal.
Setting aside the mid-stage Qi Refining demonic cultivators here, the four of them were all late-stage Qi Refining.
One at Qi Refining completion, two at the eighth level, and one at the seventh level.
Perhaps realizing that bickering here wouldn’t lead to any conclusions, the tall, thin cultivator grew somewhat frustrated and stood to leave.
“I’ll go bring Fourth Brother back.”
With that, the tall, thin cultivator left the Daoist temple.
Following the winding mountain path, he descended Ox Back Peak.
“Zhao Ziyang, that stray dog – the title of Dao Candidate is really just giving him a face-saving out.”
He thought to himself, feeling quite disdainful toward Zhao Ziyang.
“This kind of trash doesn’t deserve to have us waiting here…”
His steps slowed as his thoughts wandered.
“If you ask me, the most important thing here is actually to find that Song Yan and kill him to bring back to the Demonic Ruins…”
“Hmm?” Just as he was thinking, having descended the mountain’s base, he saw a black bird fluttering and landing on a flowering tree not far ahead, by the roadside.
The tall, thin cultivator looked up and saw it was a crow.
The crow shook its head. Its eyes were actually golden, and it was now staring directly at him.
He paused, narrowing his eyes.
The crow’s feathers were a glossy black-purple, and he could faintly feel sharp spiritual energy flowing within.
An inexplicable sense of alarm rose in his heart. His fingers within his sleeve had already formed a seal.
He was about to unleash a Taoist art to shoot down the crow.
But suddenly, everything around him began to gradually darken.
In moments, he was plunged into complete darkness.
Not the darkness of nightfall, but the absolute blackness of all light being forcibly extracted by some existence.
The tall, thin cultivator felt a chill in his heart. He hastily formed a seal, and a blue barrier lit up around him, barely allowing him to see something.
At this moment, a figure stepped out from the darkness at an unhurried pace, looking relaxed.
This person wore a black robe, its hem slightly billowing. His hand rested casually on the hilt of a horizontal saber. His deep eyes held a hint of cold detachment.
“It’s you?”
The tall, thin cultivator was briefly stunned, then found it somewhat absurd.
This person was only at the ninth level of Qi Refining, slightly weaker than himself. He actually dared to come here and attack him?
But on second thought, he found it somewhat laughable. That group of local cultivators plus Fourth Brother combined still hadn’t managed to kill him.
Truly useless.
His eyes narrowed. The tall, thin cultivator sneered. “Kid from Xin Mountain, what brings you here alone?”
“Obviously, to kill you.”
Sheng Nian, contrary to his usual manner, didn’t attack directly. His horizontal saber remained sheathed. He simply pushed the guard slightly with his thumb, revealing a sliver of dark red blade light.
The tall, thin cultivator’s sneer froze on his face.
“Arrogant!”
He stopped pretending. Purple spiritual power flashed on his palms, and two purple-black chains slithered from his sleeves, shooting toward Sheng Nian at high speed.
But Sheng Nian moved as if strolling through a garden.
He tapped the saber’s sheath on the ground. Overwhelming demonic energy surged from beneath his feet in a ring-shaped wave, knocking the two black-purple chains aside.
Then he drew the saber, closed in, and slashed.
Hummm–
Violent and condensed saber energy swept through. The tall, thin cultivator hastily formed seals, dodging while shielding himself with the chains.
“You don’t cultivate the Seed Demon Path’s techniques. The Xin Mountain lineage is indeed not orthodox,” the tall, thin cultivator said.
Sheng Nian said nothing.
After several exchanges, the tall, thin cultivator felt something was strange.
The other’s saber techniques appeared fierce and violent, but always lacked sufficient force at critical moments.
Could he be injured and unable to use his full strength?
But if he were injured, why would he come alone to court death…
A cold smile crept onto his lips. He suddenly slapped his Cosmos Bag, summoning a streak of black light.
It was actually a small banner.
The small banner instantly enlarged, then thrust straight into the ground before the demonic cultivator.
“I don’t care what your background is. Dying under my Ghost Banner means your cultivation wasn’t wasted.”
The Ghost Banner fluttered violently. Countless gray-white or pitch-black twisted demonic energy surged from within.
The moment the banner pole embedded in the ground, faint demonic sounds echoed from the previously silent darkness.
A demonic head emerged from the banner’s top, green-faced with bared fangs. Blue ghostly fire danced in its eye sockets.
Even from a distance, one could clearly feel the terrifying demonic energy contained within.
Seeing this scene, a dangerous smile suddenly appeared on Sheng Nian’s lips.
The demonic head, carrying overwhelming killing intent, charged straight at him.
But Sheng Nian didn’t draw his saber. He simply took half a step back, as if making room for someone.
Right at this moment.
A massive skeletal hand emerged from the darkness. Its five finger bones plunged deep into the demonic energy, grabbing the demonic head!
The tall, thin cultivator’s pupils contracted.
Within the skeletal palm, a flash of incomparably sharp sword light appeared. At the same time, the massive skeletal hand squeezed with force.
Crack!
The demonic head was crushed.
“Pfft–“
The sudden turn of events left no time to react. The tall, thin cultivator’s mind shook violently, and he spat out a mouthful of filthy blood.
The sky full of demonic energy stagnated, then collapsed with a boom.
At the center of the skeletal palm, a vortex-shaped dark glow ignited. The collapsing demonic energy, thread by thread like a hundred rivers flowing into the sea, was drawn into the vortex’s depths.
Gradually, black vein-like patterns appeared on the originally pale skeletal hand.
A pitch-black massive palm gradually took shape as wisps of demonic energy poured in.
Then, the entire white-bone skeleton stepped out from the boundless darkness, like an Asura demon crawling from hell.
At the same time, two other figures emerged from the darkness.
Beneath the skeletal avatar, a youth in a black-gold Daoist robe carried a dark green sword case on his back. His golden pupils looked at him with cold detachment.
The other wore a mask and had a slender figure – it was the Corpse Puppet A Yuan.
Seeing Song Yan, the tall, thin cultivator who had collapsed to the ground contracted his pupils. “You…”
“You are…” He raised one trembling finger.
Unfortunately, neither seemed interested in playing with him any longer. He had already lost his value.
“The night has grown deep.”
Sheng Nian stood beside the tall, thin cultivator, looking down at him as he slowly drew his horizontal saber. “Senior Lei, please rest early…”
His deep voice seemed to surge from all directions. Each word struck like a hammer blow to the heart.
The tall, thin cultivator discovered with horror that his protective barrier was almost instantly devoured by the boundless darkness.
How could he not understand?
Both Sheng Nian and Song Yan were far, far stronger than they had imagined.
Their initial restraint was only to use his demonic cultivation to refine their arts!
The most critical question was – why were these two joining forces?
One was a disciple of the six great sects, hunted by the Underworld Springs.
The other was a disciple of the Xin Mountain Rogue of the Seed Demon Path…
They were two completely different people!
At this moment, terror finally surfaced on his face. He screamed hoarsely, “Spare my li–“
The saber’s edge, carrying darkness like the night, instantly filled his entire field of vision.
Hummm–
The blade flashed. The tall, thin demonic cultivator’s corpse fell to the ground, the cut on his neck gruesome as blood gurgled out.
It seeped into the night.
Sheng Nian casually flicked the blood from his saber, unable to suppress his smile. “That saber you gave me is really nice. Where did you get it?”
“Killed a demonic cultivator from Corpse Bone Abyss and stripped it from him.”
Song Yan glanced at him and teased. “Said something about being some Young Lord… his status was about the same as yours.”
Sheng Nian was briefly stunned, thinking that the demonic cultivators from Corpse Bone Abyss wouldn’t seek revenge on him…
The two young masters’ banter didn’t affect the Corpse Puppet A Yuan’s work in the slightest.
At this moment, he had already properly disposed of the tall, thin cultivator’s remains and placed the Cosmos Bag on himself.
There were still many people on the mountain to kill. Might as well gather them together and let the Young Master extract them one by one.
The three followed the mountain path upward. The Corpse Puppet A Yuan followed silently behind, his steps solid yet soundless…
…
Green Pine Temple, a side hall.
The candlelight in the hall was dim, and the air was thick with the stench of blood and musk.
On a massive round warm-jade bed lay layers of fur blankets and scattered, torn undergarments.
Heavy breathing echoed within the side hall.
Three voluptuous mortal women were wrapped around the fat Daoist, their eyes vacant as if they were walking corpses.
The fat Daoist lay on his back, one hand roughly pressing down on a mortal woman’s head.
Listening to her unconscious struggles, he showed a satisfied smile.
He turned his head to look at the other side of the jade bed.
Beneath the clean-featured young demonic cultivator was also a mortal woman, but unlike the fat Daoist, he showed no enjoyment. His eyes were closed as spiritual energy circulated within his body.
He appeared to be cultivating some technique.
Watching the life force gradually fade from the young woman’s body, the fat Daoist felt a pang of regret.
“Third Brother, you know, at a time like this, don’t bother with cultivation. A few mere mortals – how much cultivation could they possibly provide…”
“It’s just some superficial techniques exchanged from the Joy Sect. It can’t increase much cultivation.”
The clean-featured demonic cultivator slowly finished his practice. “However, it’s not bad for tempering my foundation and refining my magical power.”
Looking at the withered body before him, now resembling an old woman, a flash of disgust crossed his eyes.
Then he tossed her aside like garbage.
The fat Daoist thought it was a pity.
The clean-featured demonic cultivator casually draped a cloak over himself and rose from the bed, settling into a chair.
The fat Daoist’s hands reached to either side, roughly kneading.
Interest suddenly sparked in his eyes. He formed a seal.
The three women’s expressions blurred for a moment, then they suddenly regained consciousness.
Seeing the scene before them, they all erupted in heart-wrenching screams.
“Hahahaha…”
The fat Daoist laughed, casually grabbing one and pulling her into his embrace, then turning her over.
The side hall was filled with tragic wailing and decadent sounds.
“Knock, knock, knock.”
A knock came at the door.
“Hmm?”
The clean-featured demonic cultivator frowned and looked toward the door.
Somewhat puzzled. “Has Big Brother returned?”
“Probably not that fast.” The fat Daoist’s movements didn’t pause. “Which blind bastard is looking for us at a time like this?”
The clean-featured demonic cultivator stood and walked to the door, opening the side hall’s entrance.
Before his eyes stood three unfamiliar figures under the moonlight.
The three stood at the door. When they saw the door open, they all looked up simultaneously.
Almost instantly, a boundless darkness surged in, completely submerging his vision.
In the endless dark night.
Only a single bright moon remained.