Exposing the Demon's Identity

On the last day of the Immortal Sect Grand Competition, the competitions of other sects had almost ended, with only a few disciples remaining on a few competition stages.

Wen Zheng arrived early today and sat quietly for a long time in the area where the disciples of the Zhuxian Sect were gathered.

Seeing that she wasn't drawing any talismans this time, Elder Jianfeng asked, "So relaxed? You seem quite confident."

The water screen displayed information about Wen Zheng's opponent. Many people knew that Wen Zheng, the useless disciple of the Thousand Saints Palace, was about to face off against the young palace master, Shan Wuxiu. Those who wanted to leave stayed behind.

Who wouldn't want to watch such a great show?

Wen Zheng sat cross-legged, closed her eyes to rest, and said calmly, "The talisman is not important, anyway, I will win."

She hasn't used the "ultimate weapon" she left behind yet; Shan Wuxiu won't be going back alive today.

Upon hearing this, Elder Jianfeng raised an eyebrow and asked curiously, "You want to kill Shan Wuxiu?"

He appeared calm on the surface, but he still managed to catch the murderous intent hidden in Wen Zheng's words.

Wen Zheng: "Mm."

Elder Jianfeng: "..."

After a long silence, he turned and looked around for a moment before asking, "Where's Mu Qing?"

"I don't know, I haven't seen anyone since I went out today." After Wen Zheng finished speaking, a figure appeared, and Mu Qing walked over and sat down next to the two of them.

Elder Jianfeng greeted him and asked why he was late.

Mu Qing simply said that she had something to attend to and did not elaborate further.

Elder Jianfeng's gaze swept over the two of them twice before returning to his own. They seemed to have a lot of ideas on their minds.

He shook his head and looked up at the competition arena. Most of the matches had already concluded, with only one or two still locked in fierce battle, though it was clear who had the upper hand.

As Wen Zheng listened to the commotion on stage, her mind was a jumbled mess. The memory-restoring pill she had taken yesterday had left her with such fragmented thoughts that she could only remember the more important parts.

For example, evil spirits.

After she discovered the truth about the Thousand Saints Palace and learned that she was merely a vessel chosen by Shan Fengyu, she began to save herself. She faked her death to shift Shan Fengyu's gaze away and gain a chance to live.

The black bird inside Shan Fengyu and Shan Wuxiu's bodies is difficult to deal with, so she can only solve the problem at its source by replanting the Jianmu tree, allowing it to take root, sprout, and grow strong, then connecting with the rules of heaven and earth to reseal the evil spirit.

After so many years of planning, everything is now in place, except for one thing.

Wen Zheng gripped the apricot blossom hairpin in her hand, turned to look at Mu Qing, and smiled: "I want to ask you for something."

Mu Qing, who was watching the disciples fighting on the arena, turned around upon hearing this and asked, "What do you want?"

Wen Zheng said calmly, "Xu Ximing's mirror seems to be with you. I'd like to borrow it."

Mentioning Xu Ximing, Mu Qing frowned, but still took out a mirror from her storage bag and handed it to Wen Zheng.

The damage to the mirror has not been repaired, and the entire mirror is no longer usable.

"What do you need this for?" Mu Qing couldn't help but ask.

He hadn't used the mirror for a long time; he'd just thrown it away in the corner of his storage bag as junk.

Wen Zheng did not answer him. She laid the mirror flat, took out the apricot blossom hairpin and placed it on the mirror. The two were combined into one, and the broken mirror surface was quickly repaired, revealing the appearance of a secret realm.

Her movements were so large that they attracted the attention of Elder Jianfeng. After seeing the secret realm in the mirror, he exclaimed in surprise, "The Bitter Cry Secret Realm?!"

Mu Qing frowned even more deeply in confusion and asked, "Why does Xu Ximing's mirror show the Bitter Realm?"

The Bitter Realm was abandoned and useless after the ascension of the Goddess Xuanhe. Why would the mirror show this secret realm?

Wen Zheng gently stroked the mirror, and the smooth surface rippled like water. "If used properly, this mirror is more powerful than a teleportation stone, and can take you anywhere you want to go."

Looking at the apricot tree in the mirror, Mu Qing asked, "Are you going to the Bitter Temple Secret Realm?"

Wen Zheng nodded and put the mirror away.

Seeing that she had put it away, Mu Qing wanted to ask but then shut her mouth and changed her words, saying, "If you want to go, call me."

This time, Wen Zheng responded with silence. Her usually carefree eyes became dull and unfathomable, devoid of their former joy and excitement.

Mu Qing met her gaze, a sense of foreboding rising in her heart. Just as she was about to say something, Wen Zheng's name was announced on the water screen, and she was told to go to the front of the competition stage.

Wen Zheng slowly stood up, took one last look at Mu Qing, and walked towards the competition stage.

The other competitions had already ended, and Wen Zheng and Shan Wuxiu were the last to compete. When the two of them stepped onto the stage, all eyes were on them.

The black bird-possessed Shan Wuxiu looked at Wen Zheng, gave a mocking laugh, and silently said: Today is your death day.

Shan Fengyu has already given the order: kill Wen Zheng today. We can't wait any longer.

Wen Zheng ignored his provocation, took out a sword from her storage bag and held it in front of her, a move that stunned everyone.

In the previous two competitions, Wen Zheng used talismans, which clearly shows that she is a talisman cultivator. Now she is using a sword on short notice. Does she really want to win?

Elder Jianfeng and Mu Qing, who had been watching the dueling platform, also stood up in surprise. Both of them knew that Wen Zheng had lost her sword bone and had never practiced swordsmanship. Now, if she were to fight with a sword, it would be impossible for her to win against Shan Wuxiu.

"What does she want to do?" Elder Jianfeng asked.

Mu Qing frowned, puzzled: "I don't know."

He couldn't figure out what Wen Zheng was up to.

On the dueling platform, Blackbird stared blankly at Wen Zheng as she drew her sword, then burst out laughing.

Wen Zheng's sword bone was personally carved by Shan Fengyu. Now, to think that you can defeat him with a sword is simply wishful thinking.

After Blackbird finished laughing, he also drew his sword and went towards Wen Zheng. With one strike, a mark appeared on the dueling platform, and a gasp of surprise rang out from below the platform.

After dodging the first sword strike, Wen Zheng swung her sword and slashed at Shan Wuxiu. Shan Wuxiu was startled and dodged to the side. Wen Zheng smiled as she looked in the direction he had dodged.

The next instant, Shan Wuxiu crashed into a talisman. Flames scorched his hair and burned off a piece of skin on his face, making him look disfigured.

"Hiss~" Shan Wuxiu gasped, touched his wound with his finger, and cried out in pain again.

Before the black bird possessed a body, it was difficult for human cultivators to harm him. Now that he has a body and has experienced the pain of being injured, he has become more cautious.

Using Shan Wuxiu's body, Blackbird stood on the stage, carefully choosing when to strike. Both of them were cautious people, and they fought very carefully, so no one was injured yet.

Dan Fengyu watched the match from a distance, remaining silent with his lips pursed. The elder beside him, seeing his expression, assumed he was worried about Dan Wuxiu and said, "Young Palace Master has the advantage and should win soon."

The difference between the two is small, but it is clear that Wen Zheng is at a disadvantage.

“That’s not what I’m worried about.” Shan Fengyu frowned, staring intently at Wen Zheng’s every move.

Even now, Wen Zheng still refuses to take out the Jianmu seedling, even though the black bird is about to kill her?

Dan Fengyu couldn't see through Wen Zheng's thoughts and could only wait for the right opportunity to make his move.

Dozens of rounds had passed in the competition on stage, and the gap between Wen Zheng and Shan Wuxiu had widened. It was clear to everyone that Wen Zheng was about to lose.

Elder Jianfeng frowned as he watched the competition, puzzled: "What is Wen Zheng thinking? Using a sword technique she's not good at to compete? Just to lose?"

He still held onto hope when he saw Wen Zheng take out her sword, but that hope was completely shattered after watching the competition.

Mu Qing remained silent, his gaze fixed on the stage. The ominous premonition in his heart suddenly intensified, making it hard for him to breathe.

The last time I had this feeling was when my master was murdered.

Thinking of Qingling Daoist, Mu Qing recalled that Qingling Daoist had met Wen Zheng long ago, which deepened her confusion.

While he was lost in thought, the contest on the stage had already been decided. Wen Zheng knelt on one knee, and it was only with the sword in her hand that she did not fall down.

Seeing Wen Zheng like this, Blackbird snorted smugly and raised his sword to kill her.

Upon seeing his action, the elder in charge of the competition platform intervened and said coldly, "The competition is over. Please step down from the platform."

Blackbird glanced at the person who had stopped him, thought for a moment, then sheathed his sword and glared fiercely at Wen Zheng as he turned around.

I'll kill Wen Zheng in a bit.

When the audience saw that the competition had ended so easily, they booed and prepared to disperse and go home.

Just as everyone was leaving, Wen Zheng took out a speed talisman, quickly attached it to her body, and thrust her sword toward Shan Wuxiu's chest.

Her sword strike came suddenly, catching the elder in charge of the arena completely off guard. By the time he was about to intervene, Wen Zheng's sword had already pierced through Shan Wuxiu's chest.

The sudden turn of events startled everyone, including Shan Wuxiu, who was possessed by the black bird. He swiftly struck out with his palm, sending Wen Zheng flying, and roared, "What do you want to do?!"

Wen Zheng's sword was stuck in his chest, hanging horizontally in mid-air, with only a faint trace of blood on the tip.

Everyone looked up at the scene, not daring to blink.

The elder on the competition platform walked up to Wen Zheng and said sternly, "You injured someone after the competition. You have broken the rules of the immortal sect. You will be detained and interrogated."

After saying that, he prepared to put shackles on Wen Zheng.

Wen Zheng said in a deep voice, "I didn't injure a person." Pointing to Shan Wuxiu's wound, she shouted to the crowd, "Such a serious injury and no bleeding, is he really alive?"

When a demon possesses a body, the possessed person is a dead person, and will have all the characteristics of a dead person.

Exposing Shan Wuxiu's demonic identity in front of everyone was also Wen Zheng's goal today, as she knew that a black bird resided inside Shan Wuxiu's body.

Furthermore, because this black bird was born in such a special way that it was not bound by most of the rules of the Heavenly Dao, the newly grown Jianmu tree would not reseal it.

Her goal today is to find a way to kill this black bird so that the Jianmu tree can be reborn.

The eyes of everyone below the stage fell on Shan Wuxiu. The long sword had been piercing him for so long, yet he neither cried out in pain nor bled. This strange situation silenced everyone.

Wen Zheng continued standing on the stage: "The real Shan Wuxiu is long dead. The one now is just a demon possessing Shan Wuxiu's body."

When she mentioned demons, everyone looked at her with surprise. Some of the new disciples didn't even know what demons were and grabbed their senior brothers and sisters to ask her questions.

Blackbird glanced down at the sword embedded in his chest, his fear compounded by rage: "You're talking nonsense!"

Wen Zheng frowned, bypassed the elders on the dueling platform, rushed to Blackbird, and drew her sword.

The audience turned their heads and closed their eyes, as if afraid to see blood splattered on the stage. Contrary to what they had imagined, the stage was clean.

When Wen Zheng drew her sword, it was exactly the same as before, without a trace of blood.

The abnormality of Shan Wuxiu had already drawn everyone's attention to him. When they saw that he was not bleeding and could even stand on the stage conscious, the audience immediately stirred.

"He's a demon!"

"In all my years of life, I have never seen anything like this."

"Don't even mention you, even the elders who have lived a long time haven't seen it, and they all stared wide-eyed at it."

"How bizarre! So bizarre!"

"Shan Wuxiu is truly inhuman!"

The sounds of discussion reached everyone's ears. Mu Qing hadn't expected Wen Zheng to bring up the matter of demons at this time, and in such a way.

Elder Jianfeng was even more surprised and pulled Mu Qing aside to ask, "Is that boy surnamed Shan really a demon?"

I can't tell.

Watching the competition intently, Shan Fengyu let out a long sigh; his violently heaving chest revealed his turbulent emotions.

The elder who had been standing behind him also took a step back and whispered, "This must be Wen Zheng's frame-up." After saying that, he stepped back again.

Looking at the chaotic situation, Shan Fengyu said to the elder, "Have the people of the Immortal Sect thoroughly investigate this matter, and the people of the Thousand Saints Palace should not interfere."

The elder acknowledged the order and turned to leave.

The blackbird stood blankly on the stage, its expression wooden and dull, as if it were in a daze. In fact, it was thinking about what to do in this situation.

Should we continue killing Wen Zheng?

Thinking of Shan Fengyu's order, the black bird looked around. Those it saw retreated and dared not look directly at it, while those who could not avoid its gaze lowered their heads and dared not look.

The scene is already in such a mess, we might as well take advantage of the chaos to kill Wen Zheng and get our job done.

Blackbird thought for a while and realized that this made sense. He immediately condensed a cloud of black mist in his hand and threw it at Wen Zheng when she was not paying attention.

As the black mist was about to fall on Wen Zheng, she remained calm, took out a piece of blue bone, and, just like before the black bird's duel, silently said:

Today is your death day.