Chapter 5 The Two Great Calamities That Must Be Cleared Away

The mountain peaks stand tall, reaching towards the azure sky. Below the peaks, scattered villages dot the plains, inhabited by the guardian cultivators and the mortals under the rule of the Eastern Continent.

The wind and frost swept towards the eastern continent.

It sounded like a demon roaring.

[Death, death, kill the fugitive!]

[Anger, anger, anger at the souls that have forgotten their ancestors!]

Beneath the snow-capped mountains, atop a stone platform, Zhou Fuling's feet trod on the cold ground. Her hands were stained with blood, a heart squeezed and pounded in her palms. She buried the heart, her fingers digging into the earth, and she closed her eyes.

The foul-smelling blood on his face was wiped away.

The bones of its two feet creaked as it transformed into the belly of a snake.

The blood-red snake belly and blue scales seemed to be bathed in the apocalyptic light of dawn in the deep valley.

A cold wind blew, and a small group of snakes crawled out of the soil and came to Zhou Fuling's side.

[Master, your poison is about to flare up again.]

Zhou Fuling's gaze suddenly turned into snake eyes.

Her vertical pupils were cold and sinister. The soil beneath her was corroded by demonic energy.

[I still want to obtain Xu Qingning.]

[Yes, his immortal bones are pure. After dual cultivation, he can help his master stabilize half of his soul. However, this requires Qingning, who is extremely reserved and proud; he is not easily obtained.]

[Master, how about we tie him up and force him, just like a hundred years ago? Hehe, hehe.]

Zhou Fuling stood up.

Toes are on the ground.

She put on her boots. Her movements were no different from anyone else's.

To be precise, she is a person.

The spring water was icy cold. She bent down, wrapped her arms around the thick, warm cloak she had just put on, and splashed water with her hands to wash a wooden flute.

Soon after, Zhou Fuling looked up and saw a bewitching purple light flowing from one end of the wooden flute.

She opened the jade tablet.

In the immortal sect, golden books are used to record affairs, and jade tablets are used for communication.

"The sword of Shuming has brought disaster, causing a Kun-level demonic calamity to occur at Kanghuangzhai, which borders the Southern Continent. Xu Qingning, the young master of Tianji Sect, is going to Kanghuangzhai to exorcise the demon."

According to her investigation, Xu Qingning went to Kanghuangzhai in the south to treat the disaster. There is a monster there that can release love poison.

This egg is poisonous; those poisoned must engage in dual cultivation with a human to survive.

Zhou Fuling prepared a magical artifact that could lure out a monster and poison her.

Based on her understanding of Xu Qingning, this matter can be accomplished.

Her long boots stepped onto the green path, crunching through the snow.

The winds and clouds shifted, and four faces appeared on the horizon. Zhou Fuling lowered her veil.

-

On the snow-capped mountain, Xu Qingning stepped onto the frozen rocks, gazing at the village swept by the demon, the shattered ice crackling beneath his snow-white boots.

He jumped.

-

Demon Land. Kanghuangzhai.

The dark village lies nestled among rubble and deep mountains.

The disciples of Tianji entered the cave.

Fog enveloped the winding passageway, and the howls of demons tore at people's eardrums from all directions like a strange wind.

The monks on the east side split into three groups and advanced cautiously.

He Yin was one of them.

She is a fifth-rank weapon master at Bingjian Peak and is on good terms with Zhou Fuling.

A golden, shimmering, staff-shaped magical artifact hung from her waist, allowing her to unleash flames at any time to block any demons that tried to attack them from behind.

"Be careful, this monster will judge people—"

A sharp, cracking sound suddenly tore open the stone ceiling above, and He Yin jerked her head back.

As she watched the thick, blood-red mist spray down, her muscles ached.

"Bang!"

She nimbly raised her hand, and the talisman spewed forth bright holy fire. But suddenly everyone vanished.

Another scene appeared before her eyes.

Corpses lay scattered on the rubble, the village walls still scorched by the fire. The stench of blood lingered.

The swords of cultivators that can instantly strip a person of their dignity.

She lay helplessly under the rubble, her body stiff; she was feigning death.

A slit opened above her, revealing her mother's grotesque, mangled face, pressed desperately against her pupils, just two inches away.

Her mother mouthed the words to her:

[Xiaoyin, run!!]

The mother writhed without any dignity.

A sword, however, pierced through the mother without mercy.

"A lowly life, a foolish heart."

The sword churned mercilessly. The swordsman spoke coldly and ruthlessly.

He Yin suddenly found a firearm at her side. It was a golden firearm, its patterns shimmering with firelight, capable of spraying runes.

The man pushed aside the corpse, saw the light, and his eyes widened in shock.

"Ning Tingyue, go to hell!" He Yin roared.

However, a thousand voices shattered the illusion and roared in:

"Those who kill their own family are heartless and despicable; they should be skinned alive, their souls shattered, and their spirits stolen!"

Within the gray mist, withered bones covered in human skin swarmed in like insects. A pervasive demonic aura enveloped them, and He Yin, startled, suddenly opened her eyes.

She's in a dream world!

She tried to escape, but the demonic aura bound her, rendering her immobile. During the struggle, blood gushed from her nose.

Help!

Help! !

"Brother He!"

He Yin's arm was suddenly pulled. She was pulled up.

She regained consciousness. He Yin was drenched in cold sweat, her blurred vision gradually clearing. The Tianji Sect members were surrounding her. Above them was a clear, ethereal array.

He Yin recognized it as the protective formation of Young Master Xu. She was also grateful to have this formation.

A fellow disciple asked, "Are you alright, Cultivator He?"

"……fine."

But someone else coldly retorted, "Immortal He, how could you be under an illusion?!"

Many people are dissatisfied with her.

Kanghuangzhai, once a place of suppressed Yin energy, has now become a Kun-level demonic disaster because a powerful ghost has emerged and is now in charge of its affairs.

According to investigations, she was originally a matchmaker from an ordinary ethnic group who enjoyed matchmaking in Kanghuang Village.

For some reason, she seemed to have created a feud as a matchmaker, and the couple turned against each other and retaliated against her.

The matchmaker was subjected to the torture of being forced to "wash and groom" and died a gruesome death.

This "combing and washing" was not an ordinary act of a woman dressing up in front of a mirror, but a form of torture. It involved using sharp teeth to slowly slice off the human body, peeling away the flesh bit by bit until the flesh withered and the bones were exposed, causing the person to die in agony.

Perhaps feeling she had died unjustly, the matchmaker harbored deep resentment and transformed into a vengeful ghost, hiding in this Kanghuangzhai.

For any newcomer, the matchmaker would use illusions to bewitch them into killing their relatives. But if anyone with a weak mind was about to kill their relatives, the matchmaker would "cleanse" that person.

If they could refrain from attacking, the witch would stop. Therefore, the disciples believed that no one would fall for her trick!

"He Yin, say something!"

He Yin's lips trembled, and her heart was still cold.

She lowered her head, concealing the expression in her eyes, and did not tell the whole truth, only saying, "My father abandoned me."

One of the disciples shouted:

"Then you are not suitable to stay here."

"Even if your biological father abandoned you, he is still your biological father, and you cannot kill him. Even if he did not raise you, he still gave you life."

One person said, "Never mind, she's from the mortal race. Mortals are always weak and cowardly, just like those Han Party members. This witch in the cave is a mortal in disguise..."

"You are all very clever." A cold voice suddenly came from above.

The disciples, with serious expressions, all looked carefully upwards, for it was Xu Qingning transmitting his voice.

Its sound was eerie and chilling, sending shivers down one's spine:

"One person was so intelligent that he became possessed by a demon in his heart, which dragged down all the cultivators without them reflecting on their own actions."

Another person was so clever that he proclaimed himself a master of scriptures, reciting profound maxims for navigating the world.

"And there's another person with an even more bizarre idea, judging others by his own standards. What, do you want to wait until you've all been eaten before the other three groups join you?"

"If you continue like this, get back home."

"..."

He Yin and the others argued incessantly, their faces burning red. She scrambled to her feet and obediently followed the group forward.

They dared not look up again.

Master Xu is usually aloof and taciturn, and when he does speak, he is polite and gentle.

But he was very strict during times of demonic calamity and warfare.

If he were to speak, all the disciples of the sect would be even more terrified.

Sometimes they would rather he never speak.

An officer sent by Xu Qingning said, "Gentlemen, we are here today to rescue the trapped mortals and purify the demonic poison. We must be careful to unite and not cause any more trouble due to personal feelings, otherwise the young sect leader will punish us severely!"

The disciples dared not act rashly any further. The further they went, the thicker the fog became.

"Smoke, smoke..."

Wisps of blood-red smoke rolled out from the jumbled rocks, accompanied by the sound of the wind, like the beating of a drum.

Wherever the blood smoke passed, the ground was corroded, sizzling and crackling. Rotting flesh was seen to produce worms, and withered stones were infested with insects. Long snakes and giant crocodiles crawled out from within, fiercely attacking and roaring, surrounding the immortal cultivator.

"Eating Yin Mist?!"

"How could there be Yin-eating Mist here?!"

The Yin Mist is the most terrifying demonic place in the world, an ominous sign found only in the Heavenly Abyss. It can absorb Yin energy and kill cultivators in an instant.

This shocking turn of events caused the disciples of Tianji Sect to change color and turn around in a panic.

But then a hazy white mist rushed out, carrying a north wind, to protect everyone.

...

The sword light was as bright as day.

This sword is none other than the Everlasting Sword. Its sword energy swept across the sky, transforming into several shadows. Its entire body was as white as snow, with bright lightning crackling around the seven-star pattern. As soon as it was drawn, it emitted a pearl-like radiance that could keep a dark room ablaze with light all night.

However, this beautiful sword also exudes a chilling, menacing aura that sends shivers down one's spine.

Xu Qingning, his Taoist robe billowing in the wind, was controlling his sword energy to unleash a thunder array.

His long hair danced in the wind, and amidst the chilling sword energy and lightning, Xu Qingning's spiritual power blocked the Yin-eating mist, protecting the disciples at the bottom of the cave.

Under the bright light, his phoenix eyes were bright and sparkling, with slightly upturned corners and a dark red mole. He was beautiful with a feminine appearance, but his temperament was as cold as a sword, which eliminated his gentleness.

After a short while, Xu Qingning sheathed his sword and squatted down.

The jade earrings fell beside his ear, further highlighting his elegant and untainted appearance.

The moment the snow-white deerskin gloves touched the ground, a dark red pattern suddenly appeared on the ground, bearing the words "Zhenxun," surrounded by bat totems.

Afterwards, he had an additional jade talisman in his hand. The talisman was chipped and had just dissipated its demonic aura.

"Young Master, that's wonderful! We've found this item... Now we can find out who sent the message of the delayed opportunity to the late Master."

Elder Haocheng, who was standing to the side, was both excited and deeply saddened.

The Xu family of Dongzhou was wiped out in the Great Demon Calamity... This is a great sorrow in the hearts of all people in Dongzhou.

Thirty years ago, a once-in-a-century demonic calamity struck Tianjue Gorge. Except for Xu Qingning, who was in seclusion, all members of the Xu clan entered Tianjue Gorge.

However, a shocking change occurred in the Great Demon Land's abyss, where almost all of the Xu family members perished, their bodies left without a complete corpse!

"..."

Xu Qingning lowered his head and stared at the jade talisman for a long time without moving, holding the jade talisman in his hand.

A moment later, as he stood up, he heard the system's voice in his ear:

[Congratulations, host! You have completed the prerequisite quest for defeating the villain, "Only because I am in the mountain" (2/4).]

[You have found the second fragment of this quest, the item "Qi-Seeking Talisman". With this talisman, you can use the Blood Curse to find out who sent the message that framed your uncle back then!]

Collect all four required fragments to unlock the villain's identity and officially begin your mission to save the world. Keep up the good work!

A note from the author:

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