The sky above Ping Du Sect was originally silent, but suddenly, auspicious clouds surged. Colorful rays of light shone, and a loud voice shook the sky, spreading for thousands of miles.
Someone who knew what was going on shouted, "The Enlightened Master of Qincang School is here!"
Many of the sect's disciples and Sect Leaders were shocked when they heard this voice. They quickly raised their heads to look.
Their cultivation was low, and they had never seen someone from the Enlightened Master travel. When they saw such a scene, they could not help but be shocked.
However, the Dongtian's Dharma power was so powerful that even before he arrived, there was already a clear aura spreading across the sky. When everyone looked over, they could only see countless dazzling Profound Qi. There seemed to be some blurry figures within the Profound Qi. It was not impossible to see their exact appearance and how many people were there.
Sima Quan, who was among the crowd, also looked up.
He had a cold smile on his face, but when he felt the clear aura, his face suddenly changed. He quickly lowered his head, afraid that if he continued to look, he would be sensed by the people above. At the same time, he tried his best to restrain his aura, not daring to let any of it leak out. He thought to himself, "I didn't expect Zhang Yan to be here. Are we going to retreat this time?"
In the last battle, he was really scared by Zhang Yan, especially that killing sword. He could not resist it at all.
After thinking for a while, he still felt that if he just left like this, he would be extremely unwilling. He decided to assess the situation first. Moreover, this was only a clone. Even if he abandoned it, he could make up for it after a few years of cultivation.
Qi Hongchan brought Elder Zhao and Elder Wu out of the big tower. They stood at the highest point of the sect, above the White Cloud Platform, and waited.
After a while, the sky opened, and four Taoists appeared in mid-air.
Qin Yu's skirt fluttered, and her belt fluttered in the wind. Below her was a water mirror lotus. The tip of the lotus was decorated with dew, and the petals were stretched out.
Yan Gongzhen stood on the bamboo raft. Bamboo leaves fluttered around him, and a green aura lingered around him. There was a burst of fragrance.
Shen Baishuang stepped on the cloud frost. The spiritual light behind him condensed, as if he was leaning against a tall mountain.
And in front of the three of them, there was a Flood Dragon Carriage galloping over. Zhang Yan sat in the carriage, and sixteen Inky Flood Dragons opened the way in front of him. Curtains covered the top of the carriage, and profound energy surged on both sides of the sky. Distant and distant, fleeting and unpredictable.
When the four of them descended from the clear light and landed on the platform, Qi Hongchan brought Zhao and Wu up to greet everyone. He said, "This time, we must thank the fellow Daoists of the Qincang School for coming to our aid."
Zhang Yan was the first to return the greeting and said, "Sect Master Qi is too courteous. Since we're allies, it's only natural for us to help each other."
Qi Hongchan had already prepared a banquet below. After greeting Qin Yu and the others, he invited them to take their seats on the high platform.
It was not convenient for Jiang Zheng to sit with Daoist Dongtian. However, as a disciple of Zhang Yan, he was led to the platform on the next level.
This table was large, and was made in the style of the Pingdu Sect. It was in the shape of a 'hui' character, with only a gap left open. Three sides could be sat on. There was a small bronze cauldron directly in front of them.
After sitting down, a hundred or so women came up to perform and sing. He didn't make a sound, and only watched quietly. The cups on the table didn't move at all.
He was under Zhang Yan's care, and this time, he had official business to attend to. Therefore, he constantly circulated his inner breath, striving to maintain his transcendence energy in a perfect state.
Because of this, he was the only disciple of the Grotto-Heaven. The people below knew his identity, but they couldn't figure out his temper, so no one came up for a while.
But after a while, two people, a man and a woman, came up. The man's hair was tied up high, and his robe was loose. He had the bearing of a king, and the woman wore a crown and a red cape, bright and beautiful. These two people seemed to be attracted by the music. Seeing him sitting alone at the table, the man came up and bowed. He said, "Sorry to disturb you, Daoist. May the Wang couple sit here?"
Jiang Zheng politely returned the gesture and replied, "Of course."
The couple revealed looks of joy on their faces as they thanked him. They then sat down on the right side of the table. They didn't disturb them, and only watched the music.
When the song ended, the man clapped his hands, as if he was still reminiscing about the music.
After some time, he was reminded by the woman before he regained his senses. He then spoke apologetically, "I was too engrossed in the music, and forgot myself. I hope Daoist will not blame me."
Jiang Zheng didn't mind, and asked, "May I know which country you are from?"
The man raised his hand and replied, "I am Cheng Ruo Huai, the King of Lu Country. This is my concubine, Lady Yu. May I know how I should address you?"
Jiang Zheng replied, "I am Jiang Zheng, and I'm here with my teacher."
King Lu was enlightened, "So you're Immortal Qincang. No wonder you're sitting here alone." He then sighed, "The Xuanmen Sect, the land of immortals. How admirable."
Knowing that Jiang Zheng was from Qincang School, the two of them couldn't help but reveal looks of envy on their faces.
The Southwest was vast, and Ping Du Sect was the only sect here. Hence, most of the nobles were believers. However, because Qincang School and Ping Du Sect had a long history, many of the nobles and nobles knew that Qincang School was where the sect was located.
However, the two of them didn't know much about Qincang School, and hence didn't take the initiative to find out who his teacher was.
Before Jiang Zheng entered Qincang, he often traveled the two sides of the river. The Southwest was too far away, and hence he hadn't been here before. After he entered Pengyuan Sect, he focused on his cultivation, and didn't go out much. Hence, he didn't know much about Ping Du Sect. He then asked, "From what King Lu said, you're someone who admires Dao?"
King Lu stroked his beard and replied, "Cultivating Qi can help you maintain your youthful looks, nourish your character, and protect your life. The benefits are endless." He glanced at Jiang Zheng before he sat up straight and smiled, "Daoist Priest, can you tell how long I and my beloved Consort are living?"
Jiang Zheng laughed, "King Lu has already reached the age where he knows his destiny. Consort Lu, on the other hand, is still young."
King Lu was taken aback. When he was young, he had consumed a strange fruit. Normally, he would train his Qi non-stop. People who didn't know him would be able to tell his age wrongly. King Lu had always been proud of this fact. He didn't expect Jiang Zheng to be able to tell with a single look. He sighed in admiration. He then asked curiously, "How did Daoist Friend manage to tell? Did you use some sort of technique? "
Although he had opened his meridians a long time ago, he wasn't a proper cultivator. The only reason he was able to reach this place was because he was the ruler of a country. Hence, he couldn't tell what Jiang Zheng's cultivation level was. He could only vaguely sense that Jiang Zheng was extraordinary.
Jiang Zheng laughed, "There's no need to use any technique. As long as one's cultivation level is high enough, one would be able to dispel the false and retain the true."
When King Lu heard this, he didn't seem to fully understand. Just as he was about to ask again, Consort Lu nudged him gently. She then spoke out, "King Lu, how can a mere mortal like me understand the true Daoist Arts?"
King Lu hurriedly replied, "Oh, yes, yes. I was too rash."
After exchanging a few words with him, Jiang Zheng found out about the entire Lu Country. Anyone who could read and write would try to learn a thing or two about Qi cultivation. Ping Du Sect wasn't the only country that was like this. Hundreds of vassal states were like this.
This wasn't because these people wanted to live a long life. Instead, it was because the southwest region was filled with poisonous insects and ferocious beasts. Hence, they used this method to strengthen their muscles and bones.
As for the disciples of Ping Du Sect, most of them were chosen from these vassal states. Hence, they were extremely close to each other. With a single command from the sect, they could mobilize all the forces in the southwest region at any time. Nobody dared to disobey.
As King Lu chatted with him, he asked many questions about the Qincang School. Jiang Zheng only picked out a few unimportant things to tell him. This caused King Lu to gasp in admiration.
King Lu sighed, "Cultivating Dao is lonely. I'm a commoner, and can't be restrained. It's just that every day I meditate, I find it hard to endure. Luckily, I have something to pass the time. Since Daoist Jiang and I are fated to be friends, please have a look. "
As he spoke, he fumbled around in his sleeves. He took out a small mirror and wiped the surface of the mirror. A thirteen or fourteen year old youth appeared. Although his clothes were tattered, it was obvious that he washed them frequently. At this point, he was curled up in a corner of a wall. His face was tilted to the side, as though he was deep in thought. It was obvious that he was listening to something.
The light in the mirror turned and he saw a Daoist giving a lesson within the walls. There were more than twenty disciples below him, all of whom were around ten years old. Other than a few of them who were sitting upright, most of them were drowsy from listening to the lesson.
Jiang Zheng looked at him and asked, "Secretly learning Dao?"
King Lu slapped the table and replied, "That's right. He's secretly learning Dao. I've watched this youth for a long time now. He's quite intelligent. His family is poor, and has no money to study Dao. He can only hide outside the door and eavesdrop. Sooner or later, he'll be exposed. When that happens, he won't have a good ending."
Jiang Zheng was born poor, and had been living in the mortal world for decades. From the way the youth was dressed, he could roughly guess the situation of his family.
He understood that to this youth, eavesdropping here would determine whether or not he could break the shackles of his prison. If he succeeded, he would be able to change the fate of his family. Even if he had to take a huge risk, he would do it.
However, King Lu was different. He grew up in the palace, and lived a luxurious life. To him, the life of a commoner was something new and interesting. It was something he did when he was bored.
At this moment, the scene changed abruptly. A yellow dog came out of nowhere, tearing and biting the young man. Then, a few young men came out with a group of people who looked like servants. They clapped their hands and cheered.
Jiang Zheng frowned.
Princess Lu gasped and covered her mouth.
The youth was bitten and bled profusely. The students within the walls were alerted as well. They ran out and pointed at the scene. Some of them couldn't bear to watch, while others were gloating. None of them stepped forward to stop the youth.
King Lu watched with great interest. Princess Lu tugged on his sleeves and begged, "King Lu, this child is too pitiful. King Lu, why don't you bring him to the palace to raise him?
King Lu replied, "Alright. As long as my beloved Princess likes him, I'll help him once."
He didn't care about what happened to the youth. However, he liked the feeling of being able to decide the fate of a person. It was as if he had become an immortal.
Jiang Zheng's eyes were calm. He was very clear that Princess Lu was a person of high status. Sometimes, she would show pity to the commoners. However, it was a benevolent act. Perhaps after a few days, she would forget about it and throw it to the back of her mind.
He calculated in his heart and discovered that the youth was very close to him. After knowing his location, he flicked his finger and a ray of spiritual light flew out soundlessly.
Looking at this youth, he couldn't help but think of himself. If he hadn't been fortunate enough to meet his current master, who saved him from the flood, he would have been a pile of bones by now. Since the youth had appeared in front of him, why not lend him a helping hand?
Two altars away, Sima Quan was conversing with the others. At the same time, he was paying attention to his surroundings. Everyone's thoughts were reflected in his mind. However, he was disappointed that no one knew what Ping Du Sect wanted to do.
To hide it so well, it made him feel that something big was going on. Hence, he gave up on the idea of escaping and decided to continue waiting.
At the same time, on the jade platform, Qi Hongchan put down his wine cup and said, "There are many concerns when refining the pagoda. Because we can't activate the array of the mountain gate, the two Elders have to follow me into the pagoda. There are no defenses inside or outside. That's why I've invited the four of you over. Although we've already made some defenses, due to various reasons, there are bound to be many flaws. Hence, I'd like to hear the opinions of the Daoists from Qincang School."
Although he was talking to the four of them, his eyes were fixed on Zhang Yan. He knew that whether it was in terms of spiritual power or status, only Hall Master Du Zhen was the one who was truly in charge.
Zhang Yan said plainly, "There's no need for any arrangements. If the enemy comes, with I and the others here, we can handle it."
Before this, he had already discussed with Sect Master Qin about the possible situations that could happen. This was not a battle of life and death, and the four of them could handle it. Moreover, although no one from Huanzhen Temple came this time, they had already hung the Demon Subduing Mirrors on top of the sky. Once it shone down, all the demons would have nowhere to hide. If there were any unexpected changes, it would only appear on the pagoda of Ping Du Sect.
Qi Hongchan was slightly stunned, then he nodded and smiled, "With Zhenren Zhang's words, I'm relieved."
Afterward, he only cared about toasting and did not mention this matter anymore. It was considered a joyous occasion for both the host and the guest.
After the banquet ended, there were Ping Du Sect disciples who sent the elixir jade that Qi Hongchan had promised earlier to them. Zhang and the rest did not stand on ceremony and accepted it. Then, they meditated and adjusted their Qi-circulation, and did not bother about the outside world.
Another day passed. Ping Du Sect sent out an order for all disciples to guard the altar. They were not allowed to leave the altar without the order. Although they did not understand what the high sect wanted to do, no one dared to disobey the order. They all went to their respective altars and sat down.
Sima Quan also followed a boy to an altar and sat down. He sensed around and noticed that there were strange movements in a few directions. After paying a little attention, he knew that there were disciples of the Devil's Doctrine who had also sneaked in. He sneered to himself and said, "I knew that this person would also come here."
Just as he was thinking about it, his gaze suddenly focused. He suddenly realized that the Protective Mountain Formation was slowly opening. It gradually dissipated like smoke, revealing the scenery outside. He was very surprised and could not figure out what the Pingdu Sect was trying to do.
At this moment, there was a feeling that made his heart palpitate coming from the top of the sky. Instantly, his expression changed. However, before he could react, two majestic white lights, one from the south and one from the north, intertwined and shrouded the landscape.
In just an instant, within a radius of tens of thousands of miles, all the demons and disciples of the Devil's Doctrine, regardless of their cultivation, turned into ashes. Not a single trace of them remained in the world!
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