Chaos on Shu Mountain! Martial Uncle, Let Me Tell You a Little Secret!

The passerby wrenched free and vanished at the end of the street.

Xu Changqing’s expression turned extremely grim.

Chu Yang suddenly remembered something and turned to Li Xiaoyao. "This is Shu Mountain’s territory. Forget the Moon Worship Sect—even Moon Worshipper himself wouldn’t dare come here. Find an inn and settle down first. Senior Brother and I will fly our swords back to Shu Mountain. We’ll come for you by tomorrow at the latest."

Knowing what was urgent, Li Xiaoyao hurriedly nodded.

Shi Gonghu clasped his fists. "You two need not worry. This old man will guard the Princess with his life and await your return."

Lin Yueru and Liu Jinyuan also stood obediently to the side without clamoring to go up Shu Mountain. From the local people’s reactions, they already understood the gravity of the situation.

After arranging everything, Chu Yang and Xu Changqing flew their swords toward Shu Mountain at the same time.

Not long after they left, demons truly appeared on the streets of Yuzhou, chasing the Yuzhou residents who had not made it home in time.

"Damn demons! How dare you kill people before me, Shi Gonghu!"

Shi Gonghu roared and charged forward, with Li Xiaoyao following close behind, sword in hand. The two joined forces and began slaughtering demons in the streets.

The others clustered tightly around Zhao Ling’er, terrified that she might suffer even the slightest harm.

Zhao Ling’er looked resolute, her former frailty gone. She stepped forward from the crowd and cast Five Spirit spells at the demons.

A bolt of lightning crashed down from the sky directly onto a demon, killing it on the spot!

Everyone stared at Zhao Ling’er in astonishment.

"I am a Descendant of Nüwa. It is only right that I protect everyone!"

A firm, ringing voice came from her slender body.

Meanwhile.

Chu Yang and Xu Changqing had already returned to Shu Mountain, only to find utter devastation!

Other than the sect’s main hall, which remained completely intact, everything else was ruins and broken walls. Not a single Shu Mountain disciple could be seen in the empty plaza.

It looked like the aftermath of a great battle!

They just did not know whether the other peaks were the same.

Xu Changqing could not believe what he was seeing and muttered, "How could this happen?"

Having grown up on Shu Mountain since childhood, he had never imagined that one day Shu Mountain would become like this.

"To the Demon Imprisonment Tower!"

Chu Yang flew away on his sword again.

Xu Changqing gritted his teeth and followed close behind.

At last, near the Demon Imprisonment Tower, they saw a great number of Shu Mountain disciples, along with countless streams of black qi.

The black qi consisted of demons that had just escaped from the Demon Imprisonment Tower. Their physical bodies had been worn away within the tower, leaving only their primordial spirits to escape.

But if given the chance, they would soon rise again. As long as demons did not die, it was easy for them to take over new bodies.

Unlike humans, who faced many restrictions when snatching bodies.

Besides the Shu Mountain disciples, Chu Yang also saw Sect Leader Qing Wei, his master Cang Gu, and the three elders Jing Ming, You Xuan, and He Yang.

The five of them sat within a pentagram-shaped grand formation, each occupying one of the five spirit positions of wind, fire, lightning, earth, and water. They were relying on this formation to hold back the collapse of the Demon Imprisonment Tower.

And apart from Qing Wei and the others, the Drunken Sword Immortal was also among the crowd, leading the disciples in slaying the escaping demons.

Xu Changqing descended from the sky and silently joined the demon-slaying ranks.

"Changqing is back?!"

Cang Gu looked delighted. Although Xu Changqing’s return could not resolve the current crisis, it still made him happy.

"Where’s A Yang?"

Cang Gu immediately asked.

After slaying a demon’s primordial spirit, Xu Changqing said to Cang Gu, "Junior Brother has returned as well. Master, there’s no need to worry."

Cang Gu gave a bitter smile. "It’s precisely because he returned that I’m worried!"

As the two spoke, Chu Yang was high in the air, gazing at the Demon Imprisonment Tower.

At the tower’s summit, at its most heavily damaged section, stood a figure with a head full of white hair but an exceptionally upright posture.

He was like a great mountain, firmly planted there. Alone with a single sword, he drove all the most powerful demons back into the Demon Imprisonment Tower.

Who else could possess such terrifying suppressive power?

Naturally, it was the Sword Saint Martial Uncle everyone loved to hate!

The Sword Saint had also noticed Chu Yang and Xu Changqing’s return. Yet his gaze lingered more on Chu Yang, and his eyes showed appreciation.

He had probably heard some things about Chu Yang from the Drunken Sword Immortal.

Chu Yang glanced at the Sword Saint, then looked down upon the chaotic land below.

With a thousand years of cultivation at his disposal, he could now reveal a little of his strength and help Shu Mountain overcome this crisis.

He summoned Fengdu.

Demon Gate silently emerged behind him.

Those demon primordial spirits and evil spirits seemed to sense danger. They stopped attacking the Shu Mountain disciples and desperately tried to flee instead.

Everyone looked up at the sky!

The Ghost Gate opened wide!

The demons trembled in terror!

The enormous gate in the sky was like the opened mouth of gods and demons, swallowing countless demon souls and evil spirits whole.

Such a phenomenon astonished not only ordinary disciples, but even Qing Wei and the Sword Saint.

Chu Yang felt Fengdu’s joyous excitement. The devoured demon souls and evil spirits had all become its nourishment, helping it grow further.

Moments later, like clouds scattered by the wind, every demon soul and evil spirit on the ground had vanished.

Everyone stared blankly at Chu Yang.

"A Yang, what is going on?"

No one was more shocked than Cang Gu. The Chu Yang before him felt unfamiliar.

"Junior Brother! Do not lose focus!"

Qing Wei’s loud shout jolted Cang Gu out of his daze.

The formation maintaining the Demon Imprisonment Tower could not be relaxed for even a moment, or all their previous efforts would be wasted.

Chu Yang landed on the ground. Ignoring the shocked looks of the other disciples, he walked straight toward Qing Wei and the others.

Chu Yang bowed. "Sect Leader, this disciple has returned. What exactly happened?"

Xu Changqing also came over.

"Not long after you descended the mountain, Demon World Supreme Lou suddenly appeared on Shu Mountain. He broke the seal of the Demon Imprisonment Tower and took something from within, resulting in this."

"By the time we discovered it, a great number of demon souls had already escaped the Demon Imprisonment Tower. They have even gained strength at the foot of the mountain and are harming the common people."

"But the most important matter now is preventing the Demon Imprisonment Tower from collapsing. There are even more powerful demons inside. They absolutely cannot return to the human world."

"We could only send some disciples down the mountain to slay demons, but it was barely enough to make a difference. Fortunately, you have returned…"

Qing Wei said with some relief, "Though I do not know how Chu Yang accomplished it, Shu Mountain’s crisis has temporarily eased. We can now spare people to descend the mountain and eliminate demons."

After hesitating briefly, Xu Changqing stepped forward and told the Sect Leader, his master, and the elders about how Chu Yang had used the Demon Devouring Gu to increase his cultivation.

But he immediately explained Chu Yang’s reasons for doing so and also reported on the people and events they had encountered during this journey down the mountain.

The Drunken Sword Immortal listened with great interest. But when he heard the words Descendant of Nüwa from Xu Changqing, his smile abruptly froze.

Qing’er’s daughter?

The Drunken Sword Immortal subconsciously raised his head and glanced at the figure standing atop the Demon Imprisonment Tower.

Cang Gu frowned. "What does A Yang gaining a thousand years of cultivation have to do with that phenomenon just now? You little brat, don’t try to fool me!"

Xu Changqing felt helpless. He had already said everything he knew, so why was he still being scolded?

Chu Yang held Fengdu out before Qing Wei and the others and explained, "During this journey down the mountain, this disciple happened to obtain this immortal sword. It was only because my cultivation increased greatly that I could wield it."

Feeling the unusual aura emanating from Fengdu, everyone shuddered.

At the same time, a figure descended from the sky, took Fengdu from Chu Yang’s hand, and began evaluating it. "Though this sword contains the aura of the netherworld and can connect with ghosts and gods, it possesses no evil nature. On the contrary, it carries a grand and righteous intent…"

"If I am not mistaken, it should be an innate supreme treasure born in accordance with the fortune of an entire realm."

After saying that, the Sword Saint returned Fengdu to Chu Yang and asked, "Your primordial spirit has already fused with this sword?"

Chu Yang nodded. Fengdu had originally been born from his soul.

"Keep it well. This will be your Great Dao in the future. There is no need to seek another path."

The Sword Saint sighed.

It was unclear whether he was lamenting that Chu Yang’s path had broadened or narrowed.

After hearing the Sword Saint’s explanation, Qing Wei and the others visibly relaxed.

As long as it was not an unorthodox path, they could accept it.

"Now that the demon souls near the Demon Imprisonment Tower have been eliminated, Sect Leader, Master, and the elders can rest for a while…"

Xu Changqing wanted to help the Sect Leader and his master up, but the Drunken Sword Immortal grabbed him.

"Kid, Qing Wei and the others cannot move right now. The formation beneath them is connected to the Demon Imprisonment Tower’s qi veins. Move one strand, and the whole body is affected. The slightest mistake could bring utter ruin."

The Drunken Sword Immortal’s words made Xu Changqing’s face turn pale. This meant that until the Demon Imprisonment Tower was repaired, Qing Wei and the others had to remain seated here and could not leave.

The Sword Saint snorted coldly, murder in his eyes. "What a Demon Lord. For his own desires alone, he destroyed the Demon Imprisonment Tower, disregarded all living beings, and toyed with Shu Mountain in the palm of his hand…"

The Drunken Sword Immortal shook his head. "Senior Brother, there is no point saying this now. We should think about how to remedy the situation."

After pondering for a moment, the Sword Saint slowly said, "At present, the only solution is to find the five spirit orbs left behind by Nüwa and use them to rebalance the Five Elements power of the Demon Imprisonment Tower. Only then can it be fully repaired."

At the mention of the Five Spirit Orbs, Xu Changqing suddenly reacted and pulled a bead from his robes. "Junior Brother and I found the Earth Spirit Orb in a General’s Tomb during this journey down the mountain!"

The Drunken Sword Immortal took the Earth Spirit Orb, turning it over in his hands as he laughed. "It truly seems that everything was fated. Shu Mountain is destined to survive this calamity."

The Sword Saint said solemnly, "In the Demon Imprisonment Tower’s current state, none of us can leave. Since you found the Earth Spirit Orb, it proves that you share a connection with these items. I will have to trouble you to bring the remaining ones back to Shu Mountain as well."

Xu Changqing clasped his fists. "Martial Uncle, you are too kind. This is what disciples ought to do."

Chu Yang suddenly said, "Others also deserve credit for finding the Earth Spirit Orb. I hope Sword Saint Martial Uncle and the Sect Leader can give them some rewards."

The Drunken Sword Immortal winked at Chu Yang, signaling him not to continue.

The Sword Saint’s expression had already changed.

Cang Gu helplessly reminded him, "A Yang, Shu Mountain can barely look after itself right now. We cannot help others!"

Chu Yang said solemnly, "Master, we are not helping others. We are helping ourselves. If the Moon Worship Sect continues to grow stronger, it will no longer be only Nanzhao Kingdom’s problem."

Cang Gu immediately fell silent.

The Sword Saint said calmly, "All things between heaven and earth have cause and effect. Birth, aging, sickness, and death each follow their proper order. There is no need for others to concern themselves excessively."

Chu Yang turned to face the Sword Saint. "If the Demon Lord had not suddenly appeared and damaged the Demon Imprisonment Tower, Martial Uncle would already have planned to lock Zhao Ling’er inside the tower until Li Xiaoyao died of old age, wouldn’t you?"

The Drunken Sword Immortal, who had just been about to take a drink to calm himself, immediately sprayed all the wine in his mouth.

He stared at the Sword Saint in astonishment. "Senior Brother, is that true?"

"It is." The Sword Saint nodded and looked at Chu Yang with some surprise. "How did you know?"

Chu Yang smiled meaningfully. "Has Sword Saint Martial Uncle not always been like this? Whenever something happens, all you know is how to avoid it. Whether it was Yin Ruozhuo more than ten years ago or Dugu Sword Saint now, there has not been much change."

At those words, even Qing Wei’s expression shifted slightly as he rebuked Chu Yang and told him to shut up.

The Drunken Sword Immortal gulped down several mouthfuls of wine in succession, cold sweat appearing on his forehead.

Good heavens!

Qing Wei’s disciple was far too formidable!

He actually dared provoke Sword Saint Senior Brother to his face!

What a pity…

How wonderful it would have been if he were my disciple!

The Sword Saint’s expression remained unchanged, as though he was not angry at all. He looked at Chu Yang with interest. "Continue."

"You have pursued the Dao your entire life. You claim that it is the great love between heaven and earth, and that you can abandon small love for its sake."

"But I want to say that great love that cannot even tolerate small love is a pile of dog shit!"

"Enough!"

For the first time, Qing Wei’s tone became severe, stripped of its usual gentleness.

"It is fine. Let him continue."

The Sword Saint stared intently at Chu Yang. "Do you understand the Dao?"

"Not at all! I only think that someone who would rather try to tear others apart and watch the younger generation die with his own eyes than step forward and sacrifice himself is nothing more than a coward."

"If someone like that comprehends the Great Dao, then Heaven itself must be blind."

There was no way he could out-argue the Sword Saint on the Dao. He might as well curse him out. As long as the man became angry and his Dao heart wavered, Chu Yang would have succeeded. Only a Sword Saint with a disturbed Dao heart might enter the game.

The Drunken Sword Immortal had already tied his wine gourd back around his waist. He quietly moved closer to Chu Yang, afraid that Sword Saint Senior Brother might kill this interesting kid in a fit of rage.

This was not a discussion of the Dao. This brat was pointing at Sword Saint Senior Brother’s nose and cursing him out!

"You are very good. Then I hope that in the future, you can give me another answer and let me see what other Great Dao exists besides natural cause and effect."

The Sword Saint did not become angry, or at least it did not show on his face. After saying that calmly, his figure flashed, and he returned to guard the breach atop the Demon Imprisonment Tower.

In all of Shu Mountain, only one elder-level figure remained free to act.

The Drunken Sword Immortal.

Yet he was lazy by nature and had no intention of setting an example for the disciples descending the mountain to slay demons.

"Come, come, come. Let me give you an idea. Shu Mountain is in trouble right now, so why not take those people from Nanzhao Kingdom with you to find the Five Spirit Orbs? If you successfully help Shu Mountain out of this predicament, then no matter what they ask for, Senior Brother and old man Qing Wei will have no choice but to grit their teeth and agree!"

The Drunken Sword Immortal slung an arm around Chu Yang and Xu Changqing’s necks. The stench of alcohol made it impossible for them to open their eyes.

But when Xu Changqing heard his suggestion, a smile appeared on his face!

Though it carried a hint of demanding repayment for a favor, it was still a good solution.

Xu Changqing clasped his fists. "Thank you for your guidance, Martial Uncle!"

Chu Yang pondered for a while before saying, "The Five Spirit Orbs are also Moon Worshipper’s target. If he learns that we are searching for them, he will likely come to the Central Plains himself to deal with us!"

The Drunken Sword Immortal widened his eyes and grinned. "Would he dare? Times are different now. The Five Spirit Orbs are Shu Mountain’s lifeline. If he dares make a move, Sword Saint Senior Brother will chase him to the ends of the earth!"

The Drunken Sword Immortal spoke loudly enough for every disciple near the Demon Imprisonment Tower to hear. They all turned to look at the Sword Saint.

The Sword Saint, who had been as still as an ancient well, finally showed a flicker of emotion. He glared fiercely at the Drunken Sword Immortal but did not refute him.

"You two Martial Uncles truly understand righteousness!"

Chu Yang secretly gave the Drunken Sword Immortal a thumbs-up. Experience truly mattered. No matter how fiercely he had cursed, the Sword Saint had not reacted. Yet with just a few words from the Drunken Sword Immortal, the Sword Saint was left in an awkward position.

The Drunken Sword Immortal grinned from ear to ear, thoroughly pleased by Chu Yang’s flattery. He had spent his whole life locked in a love-hate rivalry with the Sword Saint, and nothing delighted him more than seeing his senior brother embarrassed.

Since the Sword Saint had promised to act if Moon Worshipper appeared in the Central Plains, Li Xiaoyao and the others’ safety was assured. Chu Yang could now act without restraint.

"Since that is the case, this disciple will head down the mountain at once. I hope Sect Leader Master and all my martial uncles will take care!"

Chu Yang and Xu Changqing bowed, preparing to immediately descend the mountain and share the good news with Li Xiaoyao and the others.

Just then.

The Sword Saint atop the tower suddenly spoke. "Qing Wei, if you do not say it now, are you planning to wait until they leave? I can handle Moon Worshipper, but I cannot handle that thing!"

"You have been indecisive your entire life. Shu Mountain was handed to you, yet you have disgraced our sect!"

The Sword Saint’s sudden fury left Xu Changqing utterly confused. He could only look toward Qing Wei in puzzlement.

A conflicted expression appeared on Qing Wei’s face, eventually turning into a heavy sigh. "Several decades ago, an exceptionally gifted Shu Mountain disciple fell into demonic cultivation and raised his blade against his fellow disciples. Even the Sect Leader at the time died because of it, and the Sword Sect nearly lost its lineage."

"Worse still, that demonized disciple summoned a great number of Extraterrestrial Demons to attack Shu Mountain. Shu Mountain was beset by trouble from within and without, only one step away from collapse."

"At the time, several junior brothers and I secretly cultivated a forbidden Shu Mountain art in pursuit of immortality, completely unaware of what was happening outside. Fortunately, Heaven favored us, and we emerged from seclusion in time to turn the tide."

"Yet the severe damage Shu Mountain suffered was an irreversible fact. All blame lies with me…"

The Drunken Sword Immortal shook his head slightly, cutting Qing Wei off. "Let me handle the rest. If you keep talking, this will turn into a confession of guilt."

He turned to Xu Changqing and Chu Yang. "The forbidden art your masters cultivated forcibly expelled the evil thoughts within themselves, increasing their cultivation. Its effects were remarkable, but its consequences were endless."

"Those evil thoughts absorbed a vast amount of Extraterrestrial Demon power. Once they came into being, they were difficult to restrain. Back then, we had to rely on the power of a divine artifact to seal them within the Demon Imprisonment Tower."

"When the Demon Lord broke open the Demon Imprisonment Tower some time ago, that mass of evil thoughts escaped as well. Its whereabouts are currently unknown."

"It is more troublesome than Moon Worshipper. When you search for the Five Spirit Orbs, be sure to stay alert!"

Chu Yang already knew what they were talking about.

Evil Sword Immortal!

He just did not know which version of the Evil Sword Immortal this was. Some versions got beaten into shit by Chonglou, while others could directly snap off Chonglou’s horns.

But on second thought, Chonglou seemed to be the bigger problem. If this was the invincibly powerful version, things would be easy enough—no version of the Evil Sword Immortal would be his match.

But if it was the weaker version…

The burden of saving the world might really fall on his shoulders.

Red-haired big brother, you had better pull through!

After learning the truth, Xu Changqing’s expression became complicated. In his heart, whether it was his master or the Sect Leader, they were all immortal cultivators who regarded saving the world and helping others as their duty.

Who would have thought that they, too, had nearly caused an irreparable catastrophe for their own selfish desires!

The more Xu Changqing thought about it, the more dazed he became. The faith in his heart showed signs of collapsing.

"Senior brother, no one is perfect. It is normal for people to have selfish desires. The process of cultivation is to know yourself, accept yourself, change yourself, and forge ahead toward the ideal Great Dao in your heart."

"If people were perfect from birth, would they still need to cultivate?"

As soon as Chu Yang spoke those words, the Sword Saint standing atop the tower smiled and silently nodded.

The kid has some substance after all. No wonder he dared discuss the Dao with me.

The Drunken Sword Immortal patted his shoulder and praised, "Well said!"

Qing Wei and the others also looked relieved.

"Changqing, this poor Daoist knows you are disappointed in us, but the greater picture must still come first. Do not let your Dao heart become unsettled."

Xu Changqing took a deep breath and clasped his fists. "Changqing will obey Master’s orders!"

"We have said everything that needed to be said. Hurry down the mountain!" As he spoke, the Drunken Sword Immortal suddenly became awkward. "Remember to take good care of that Nanzhao Kingdom… Princess."

What a guy. He ignored his own biological daughter, yet still worried about his first love’s daughter.

Pah!

Scumbag!

A crafty smile flashed in Chu Yang’s eyes as he beckoned to the Drunken Sword Immortal. "Martial Uncle, come here. I have a little secret to tell you."

Seeing his strange expression, the Drunken Sword Immortal walked over skeptically.

"Martial Uncle, when I went down the mountain this time, I met another little girl from the Nanzhao Kingdom. She is about the same age as Zhao Ling’er and claims to be Holy Aunt’s disciple."

At the mention of Holy Aunt’s name, the Drunken Sword Immortal’s entire body trembled.

Chu Yang leaned close and whispered into his ear, "That girl looks a lot like you, Martial Uncle…"