CHAPTER 430: CHAPTER 409: DISCIPLE SURNAMED ZHANG OF QINGYUN

Over a hundred years had passed. The young man who once followed Nezha to Emei Mountain now bore the appearance of an elder with an immortal’s grace and demeanor. Bai Mei wasn’t particularly surprised by the arrival of the personnel from the Demon Suppression Bureau.

The trio from Chang’an, in turn, sensed an extraordinary aura emanating from Bai Mei. Was this the aura of someone nearing the rank of an Immortal?

However, this was not the time for questions of that sort. Instead, they inquired about the recent massacre at Emei Mountain by the demons.

Bai Mei, in his youth, had mistakenly entered Emei Mountain, where he received the inheritance of an Immortal and cultivated for over two hundred years. In his early cultivation years, as spiritual energy from the heavens and earth gradually declined, his progress was arduous. Then one day, the spiritual energy in the heavens and earth became increasingly abundant. Bai Mei initially believed his day of ascension was near, but when the moment came, he found himself unable to take that final step.

It was only recently that he began to sense something—he would have to complete a certain mission to ascend to the rank of Immortal. And upon meeting the three before him, he finally understood what that mission was.

Dispensing with any pretentious airs of seniority, Bai Mei spoke forthrightly, "The spiritual energy in the heavens and earth continues to rise, instigating the emergence of many demons across various regions. My Shu Mountain Sect has always been dedicated to vanquishing demons and upholding the Dao. Given this, such a formidable demon has no reason to exist in the Sichuan region. I’m entirely at a loss regarding this matter."

Yang Yuhuan and her companions furrowed their brows deeply. A demon of such overwhelming power could not have come into being in such a short time. And yet, the foremost cultivator of the Sichuan region had failed to sense its emergence; this was exceedingly abnormal.

Bai Mei continued, "The other day, Emei was annihilated, but Master Gu Yue’s disciple, Xuantian Sect, is recovering from his injuries here with us. Once he regains consciousness, he should be able to provide some clues about that demon."

For now, there were no better options but to wait for Xuantian Sect to recover. After waiting at Shu Mountain for half a month, the heavily wounded and comatose Xuantian Sect finally awakened.

The three were led by a disciple of Shu Mountain to a grand hall. When they arrived, Bai Mei, Dan Chenzi, and others were already waiting outside the doors. Inside was a man with a bold and forthright demeanor. His pale complexion betrayed the severe depletion of his primordial energy.

Seeing that all key figures had gathered, Bai Mei proceeded with his inquiry, "Nephew, who was it among the demons that managed to break through Emei and defeat your master, Master Gu Yue?"

Xuantian Sect, recalling the events, was visibly grief-stricken. "It was... Junior Brother Zhang from Qingyun. I don’t know what demonic technique he cultivated, but his mana has grown immensely powerful."

The mention of Qingyun’s Junior Brother Zhang left the Chang’an trio brimming with questions. However, the disciples of Shu Mountain present seemed to know exactly who this was, their faces equally filled with astonishment.

Even Dan Chenzi appeared incredulous. "Why would he attack Emei?"

With a voice raspy with sorrow, Xuantian Sect replied, "He said... if the righteous and the demonic cannot coexist, then why should the bond between master and disciple be allowed? He let me live, just so I could taste the pain he endured."

Everyone present was left exchanging bewildered looks. Unfamiliar with this Junior Brother Zhang, Yang Yuhuan opened her mouth to seek further details, but Li Qing pulled her back, signaling that there was more to this story. For now, it was best to query Bai Mei and Dan Chenzi later, rather than continuously torment the already distraught Xuantian Sect.

Letting out a sigh, Bai Mei said, "Nephew, focus on recovering for now. We will plan our next steps once you’ve regained your strength."

With a wave of his hand, the disciples in the room respectfully exited within ten breaths.

Following Bai Mei, Li Qing and the others returned to another Dao Palace. There, Bai Mei began recounting the story of this ’Junior Brother Zhang.’

Over twenty years ago, when the resurgence of primordial spiritual energy began, the world saw a proliferation of devils and demons. Correspondingly, the path of cultivation in the mortal realm also experienced a revival. The adaptability of the Human Clan’s cultivators allowed them to leverage many cultivation techniques, which eventually split into two primary factions with time.

One faction was the Righteous Dao, which sought to absorb the spiritual energy of heaven and earth to achieve ascension. The other was the Demon Dao, which pursued expedited results through extreme and unconventional methods. The ruthless practices of the Demon Dao made them intolerable to the Righteous Dao, and the two have been irreconcilable ever since.

This Junior Brother Zhang was originally a disciple of Qingyun Sect, one of the leading sects of the Righteous Dao in the Sichuan region. At some point, however, he mysteriously fell in love with a demoness from the Heavenly Demon Sect.

The Qingyun Sect and the Heavenly Demon Sect shared a complex lineage. Legend states that their ancestors were once blood brothers. During an expedition to the earth vein beneath Emei Mountain, they discovered a Demon Gun named ’God-Slaying,’ a weapon imbued with demonic energy and used by an ancient immortal to suppress malevolent forces. One brother deciphered surrounding inscriptions, gaining enlightenment of the Qingyun Immortal Technique. The other, however, was corrupted by the demonic aura of the God-Slaying Spear, leading to the creation of the Heavenly Demon Sect.

Recognizing his brother’s fall into darkness, the Qingyun Ancestor used the inscriptions to seal and manipulate the God-Slaying Spear, dealing a devastating blow to the Heavenly Demon Ancestor. However, he too was harmed by the weapon’s demonic influence. After leaving behind their respective legacies, both brothers eventually perished.

The two sects have since waged war over the God-Slaying Spear for centuries. Now, with a disciple of Qingyun Sect and a saintess of the Heavenly Demon Sect entwined romantically, tensions rose significantly. During a clandestine invasion led by the Heavenly Demon Sect under the guise of their saintess, the Qingyun Sect’s current leader, Master Daoxuan, reluctantly activated the God-Slaying Spear. His first target was the alleged Qingyun Sect defector.

The three young cultivators were puzzled upon hearing this. By all accounts, this ’Junior Brother Zhang’ should have perished under the God-Slaying Spear.

Bai Mei sighed and continued explaining.

If this Zhang disciple had simply been deceived by a demoness, he might have been forgiven. But as it turns out, their love was genuine. The saintess, seeing her beloved about to perish under the God-Slaying Spear, resorted to a secret technique left behind by the Heavenly Demon Ancestor. She performed a blood sacrifice to save him at the cost of her own life.

The Heavenly Demon Sect’s plans failed, with eighty percent of their elite disciples obliterated by the God-Slaying Spear. They have since gone into hiding. Meanwhile, Qingyun Sect suffered significant losses during the attack and remains closed off in retreat. As for the Zhang disciple, it’s believed that he was taken away by the Heavenly Demon Sect.