Chapter 101 Under the Control of the Palm
A crack appeared in the ground beneath the black-clad man's feet, splitting into a jagged abyss with the tremor. A gigantic black shadow slowly emerged from the ground, firmly beneath the man's feet. The violent tremor nearly knocked them off their feet, and they collapsed into a corner along with the falling scaffolding and debris. When the shaking finally subsided, they slowly raised their eyes to see a colossal monster, its form indistinguishable, staring intently at them with eyes as black as molten lava, like a bloodthirsty beast, a ferocious jackal.
Both Tantai Yue and Ya Feiyu paused simultaneously. The unidentified monster before them exuded resentment and killing intent accumulated over centuries, as if it wished to exterminate every life before it. The man in black grinned, and the melodious zither music followed, one note after another, gradually forming a rapid and chaotic rhythm. For Tantai Yue, it seemed to have no effect; at most, he only found the music exceptionally noisy. However, Ya Feiyu's face paled little by little. He lowered his eyelashes, his heart pounding abnormally fast, as if it would leap out of his chest at any moment. He pursed his pale lips, and his vision blurred.
So painful, so dizzy. Accompanied by the ups and downs of the melody, cold sweat gradually trickled down his forehead. He clutched his clothes, panting like a wretched wild dog. He braced his other hand on the falling shelf, barely managing to avoid falling face-first to the ground in embarrassment, but he still felt terrible.
A terrifying dizziness, accompanied by some kind of whispering that seemed to come from nowhere, was frightening and unsettling.
As the sound waves rose, Tantai Yue felt a loud thud beside him as something heavy fell to the ground. His heart skipped a beat, and he looked up to see Ya Feiyu had collapsed to the ground. His hand trembled as he checked the man's breath—weak, but still there. He initially breathed a sigh of relief, but then his brow furrowed. What had happened to Ya Feiyu?
Although their positions and identities are different now, Ya Feiyu's strength is still undeniable. Tantai Yue thought that even in his prime, if Ya Feiyu gave him ten moves first, he might not be able to defeat him in a one-on-one fight. However, it seemed that something was silently bypassing him in the shadows, targeting only Ya Feiyu, and he was completely unaware of it.
It wasn't that he was kind; rather, he clearly understood that the mysterious man in black before him was likely to be a highly skilled cultivator. Moreover, the deformed monster beneath his feet was no match for him alone. Only if Ya Feiyu was fully conscious and willing to cooperate would he have a slim chance of winning.
However, Ya Feiyu collapsed at this moment, as if to tell him not to overestimate himself, but to cooperate with him and join forces with the demonic cultivators, which was his only way out.
The man in black curled his lips slightly, as if mocking his stubbornness and naivety, and said, "You can't do anything now. What, do you still intend to fight against me?"
Tantai Yue was speechless for a moment, unsure of what to do.
He dedicated his entire life to the Qing Shen Pavilion, and once swore to the heavens that he would never collude with demonic cultivators, even unto death. Yet now, under the pressure of an even more powerful force, he has no choice but to bow down to it...
Are you kidding me?!
Rather than forcing him to submit to the demonic cultivators, it would be better to simply kill him!
He summoned his sword with a backhand motion, the guqin lying in his arms. His spiritual energy surged, visibly exceeding its limits, and his body, just as the man in black had predicted, weakened. His face was deathly pale, almost transparent, but his eyes and brows remained as bright as swords, sharp and resolute as an unbreakable boulder. Cultivators with such a temperament were often the targets of vicious demonic cultivators, and the man in black was no exception. For the powerful, taming a beast of equal strength was far more effective than trampling on weak ants. The giant beast beneath his feet seemed to sense his emotions, exhaling crimson gas with a strong, metallic smell.
"It seems that the Pavilion Master has no intention of cooperating with me?" he asked knowingly.
Tantai Yue burned his golden core, almost squeezing out every last drop of spiritual energy from his body, even though he knew that even doing so, his chances of defeating his opponent were still slim. He pursed his pale lips, plucked the strings of his zither, and spiritual energy rippled through him: "Even if I die, I will never collude with demonic cultivators, especially you petty scoundrels who dare to offend the Qing Shen Pavilion!"
“You have great backbone, I admire you, Pavilion Master.” The man in black said with a hint of regret, “What a pity… what a pity. If you were willing to join forces with us, I would be happy to welcome a cultivator with such potential as you… unfortunately, we cannot become allies.”
As soon as he finished speaking, he suppressed the faint regret on his lips and smiled playfully. He then turned to Ya Feiyu and said casually, "Aren't you getting up yet, Tianxue?"
Sensing something amiss, Tantai Yue's pupils suddenly contracted, and he instinctively dodged to the side. Just as he expected, a surge of demonic energy suddenly erupted, carrying an extremely terrifying impact. Had he not had a sufficiently stable stance, he would likely have been thrown against the wall. This was no ordinary demonic energy; it was also mixed with a very high concentration of spiritual power, easily merging into the air and capable of inflicting a fatal blow on cultivators.
Normally, demonic energy and spiritual energy do not mix. Most cultivators rely on absorbing spiritual energy to maintain their internal spiritual power. The effects of demonic energy entering the body are self-evident. This kind of gas, where demonic energy and spiritual energy are mixed, can easily destroy any cultivator, silently devouring their cultivation and ultimately turning them into a useless cripple.
Ya Feiyu, who was in a deep coma, woke up inexplicably.
Tantai Yue initially held a sliver of hope, but when he saw Ya Feiyu's unfocused and chaotic pupils, his heart turned cold, and even his last glimmer of hope vanished. Ya Feiyu's body was surging with demonic energy, a sign of demonic possession. Although he was probably not yet beyond redemption, Tantai Yue knew he couldn't save him.
He was already overwhelmed dealing with the man in black and the ferocious beast, and now the demon-possessed Ya Feiyu had appeared. He probably wouldn't be able to leave the Demon Suppression Tower alive today.
Thinking of this, the corners of his lips couldn't help but curl up slightly, forming a bitter smile. His brows and eyes showed weariness, but even more so, helplessness and regret. He had already anticipated this outcome the moment he stepped into the Demon Suppression Tower, and he wasn't surprised or resentful about it. At most, he just felt a little regretful that he would no longer be able to see the future of the Qing Shen Pavilion, nor would he be able to watch his son grow up.
This fragile thought only lingered in his mind for a few seconds.
When he regained his senses, the last trace of cowardice in his eyes was hidden, his dark eyes becoming as sharp as an impenetrable fortress, concealing all the emotions in his heart. Seeing his resolute attitude, the men in black couldn't help but mock him, saying, "It seems that the Sect Leader has already thought about his own affairs after death?"
Tantai Yue ignored the sarcastic remarks. He didn't even spare a glance for the man in black, instead focusing his gaze on Ya Feiyu, a complex mix of emotions swirling within him. Although he hadn't lived as long as Ya Feiyu on the path of cultivation, he was still a senior in the field. He had seen countless cultivators blinded by delusions and succumbed to demonic possession, and he had personally witnessed Ya Feiyu slay these demonic cultivators. However, the dragon slayer had ultimately become the dragon, and the sharp blade had finally turned against him.
It's ironic that the upright, honest, and just Venerable Tianxue, who lived a life of integrity and incorruptibility, also fell into demonic possession.
He lowered his eyelashes and slowly began to pluck the strings.
As its name suggests, the most obvious function of the Cleansing Music Score is to clear the mind and refresh the spirit. Ancient books record that previous sect leaders used the Cleansing Music Score to dispel the inner demons of cultivators who had fallen into demonic possession. Going back a few generations, during the period when spiritual energy was at its most abundant, the Cleansing Music Score could even be used for spirit communication. Simply attaching spiritual energy to the fingertips allowed one to communicate with the soul. Of course, spirit communication is no longer possible now, but the remaining versions still have some effect.
Even though he and Ya Feiyu could be considered enemies now, when faced with life and death, these relationships all became insignificant external things. Due to overdrawing his spiritual power, his body could not hold on and his fingertips trembled slightly, but he still forced himself to play those scattered syllables, which gradually formed a melodious and profound musical score.
Ya Feiyu stood up unsteadily, his eyes vacant like a lifeless puppet. But he was now captivated by the music and staring intently at him. Seeing that it seemed to be working, Tantai Yue felt a slight ripple in his heart and poured in even more spiritual power. If he could awaken Ya Feiyu, then at least Qing Shen Pavilion could still be saved...!
As the puppet, Ya Feiyu gradually showed signs of regaining his senses, but the man in black who was the instigator was not in a hurry at all. He leisurely propped his cheek up, his posture relaxed to the point of being leisurely. When Tantai Yue saw this, his heart, which had just relaxed a little, immediately became anxious again. He did not know what this demonic cultivator would do, but he knew that the methods of demonic cultivators were always vicious.
However, he has no other choice at the moment.
The music gradually softened, and the surrounding demonic energy was soothed. Ya Feiyu blinked, his consciousness gradually returning. He felt a dryness in his vision and inexplicable pain all over his body, feeling uncomfortable everywhere...
"Immortal Venerable Tianxue!" Tantai Yue shouted, bringing Ya Feiyu back to his senses. His eyes focused completely, but before he could speak, he saw Tantai Yue's expression change from surprise to horror in an instant.
……what happened?
Suddenly, a crimson liquid splattered in front of him, blurring his vision. A sharp pain, as if being torn apart, shot through his body. Belatedly, Ya Feiyu lowered his head and discovered that a hand was piercing through his lower abdomen, leaving it covered in blood.
And what she clutched tightly in that hand was a bead stained crimson with blood, emanating a faint demonic aura.
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