Chapter 272 - 151: The Mountains as Pieces Lock the Spiritual Qi; The Demon Lord’s Blade Awaits the Daoist

Chapter 272: Chapter 151: The Mountains as Pieces Lock the Spiritual Qi; The Demon Lord’s Blade Awaits the Daoist

Languan Mountain stood out from the surrounding peaks, blessed by the spiritual ley lines of the earth. It boasted majestic summits and rugged cliffs shrouded in Smoke Mist and clouds. High on the mountain, a temple complex had been built. Facing south and backed by the north, its dozen or so halls and quiet chambers were clearly the residence of Daoists.

Viewed from the sky, however, Languan Mountain not only lacked any sign of life, but even its vegetation seemed weary. A dead silence hung over the forests, suffusing the entire mountain with a lifeless aura.

Xuzhuang and Chang Chunzi circled the mountain. The temple halls and private chambers were undisturbed, and many daily necessities remained. There were no signs of magical combat or slaughter, but the place was utterly deserted.

However, minor details indicated that Languan Mountain’s cultivators had not left calmly. Many items, such as lamps, display cabinets, and even tables and chairs, were knocked askew, clear evidence of a panicked and hasty departure.

Chang Chunzi said, "It seems the cultivators of Languan Mountain fled before the Demon Sect arrived."

"A wise move." Xuzhuang simply nodded and began to stroll slowly through the temple complex, seemingly lost in thought.

A thought struck Chang Chunzi, and he asked, "Venerable, have you discovered something?"

Xuzhuang gestured toward the ground. "Fellow Daoist, have you noticed? Not only is this place deserted, but the earth qi has been completely cut off."

Chang Chunzi pondered this and replied, "Venerable, are you implying this is the Demon Sect’s handiwork?"

Xuzhuang gave a faint nod. "Temporarily severing the earth qi at the Divine Wood Dojo was done to break through its grand defensive array. But Languan Mountain is already deserted, and they’ve still done it here."

He glanced back the way they had come and mused, "It’s not just Languan Mountain. Every place we’ve passed along the way has been like this. It must be part of the Demon Sect’s grand scheme."

Chang Chunzi’s expression grew solemn as he nodded. "Then what should we do?"

Xuzhuang did not reply. Instead, his gaze swept over the layout of the temple. He suddenly formed the hand signs for a lesser Tracing Technique, gathering all the strange, residual auras on the mountain. With a flicker in his eyes, he strode toward the back mountain.

Chang Chunzi quickly followed. They passed through several main halls before stopping in a courtyard.

Chang Chunzi glanced around, but the courtyard was completely bare. There were no flowers, trees, pavilions, or furniture—nothing at all. The ground was nothing but unremarkable yellow earth. Seeing Xuzhuang stop, however, he knew there must be a clue he couldn’t see, so he held his tongue.

Xuzhuang’s gaze seemed to be following some invisible trail across the ground. It settled on the center of the courtyard. He casually walked over for a closer look, a single eyebrow arching slightly. With a wave of his sleeve, a gentle breeze swept away the top layers of soil, revealing a hole about the width of a wrist.

The hole didn’t look large, but it was pitch-black within, and it was impossible to tell where it led. Xuzhuang observed it for a moment, then said, "I will explore this hole. Fellow Daoist, please stand guard outside."

Chang Chunzi quickly assented. Xuzhuang gave a slight nod and, without further ado, used the Earth Escape Skill to descend into the hole.

Though the opening was small, the shaft was incredibly deep. Xuzhuang descended for more than ten thousand feet in a single stretch but still hadn’t reached the bottom. Instead, the passage began to widen until it was large enough for one person to walk through, and stone steps even appeared underfoot.

Xuzhuang didn’t stop, descending for another two breaths’ time. Suddenly, the space opened up before him, and he emerged into a large, hollow cavern.

The cavern wasn’t vast, perhaps two or three hundred yards across. It was lined with several stone pillars, each carved with demonic figures in different poses. The figures’ features were indistinct—not from a lack of skill, but by design. Though their shapes were ill-defined, their very silhouettes exuded a boundless, ferocious power, as if they could hold up the heavens and trample the earth.

Xuzhuang materialized and stepped into the cavern. His gaze darkened as he looked upon the demonic statues. ’As far as I know,’ he thought, ’only the Demon Intent Sect worships such figures. It seems to be tied to their core cultivation arts. The origin of the Demon Sect cultivators here is becoming clear.’

Xuzhuang studied the pillars for a moment but found no other clues. He slowly walked deeper into the cavern until he reached its center. Here, a simple altar made of black earth had been erected. It stood five or six feet high and about ten feet wide, its surface covered in tiny, ant-like runes. Thrust into its very center was a Magical Sword, with exactly one foot of its blade exposed—not an inch more, not an inch less.

"Hm?" Xuzhuang’s eyes narrowed. He circled the altar once, a flicker of surprise in his expression.

’Could it be?’ he wondered. ’Did the Demon Sect go to all the trouble of scouring these mountains, destroying temples and committing numerous massacres, all just to set up a single altar that severs the earth’s ley lines?’

He hadn’t considered the possibility that the Demon Sect would perform a blood sacrifice of the entire mountain range to refine some technique. In the grand scale of the Profound Yellow Realm, the lives of tens or even hundreds of millions of beings were but a small number, but it was still an atrocity that the orthodox sects would never tolerate.

Brutal techniques like the Thousand Yin Ghost Clouds were probably not uncommon in the Demon Sect, but even in this chaotic era on the cusp of their return, it was doubtful any faction would dare to commit such a large-scale slaughter within the Profound Yellow Realm. Perhaps this was one reason why open war had yet to erupt between the orthodox and demonic paths.

’But what is the Demon Sect truly scheming with this elaborate setup?’

Xuzhuang recalled his journey here with Chang Chunzi. The earth qi had been severed at every point along their path, forming a distinct line. He nodded, a flicker of understanding in his eyes.

’If I could map out the route they’re using to sever the earth qi, I might get a glimpse of their plan,’ he mused. ’But I have no interest in playing games of cat and mouse with the Demon Sect. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have let Venerable Lengshan see my face before sending him back with a message.’

’Whatever the enemy wants is what I must oppose.’ Without hesitation, Xuzhuang released the Gangyun above his head. It shimmered with a majestic, spiritual brilliance as the Innate Tai Su Qi Grand Capture manifested from within. But just as he was about to smash the altar with a single palm strike, his Spiritual Sense flared with a warning. Something was wrong.