The First Demon of the Chan Sect

"Zhen Yuanzi, have you acquired anything?" From afar, when a khaki dot appeared on the horizon, Netherworld River called out loudly.

The spot of light arrived in an instant, and Zhen Yuanzi threw out three dizzy men with a flick of his wrist, laughing, "Hahaha, I have! And it's a big gain!"

"Really!" Netherworld River's eyes lit up, looking at the three men, he said, "Eh! Zhen Yuanzi, Fellow Daoist Qingming said there were two, why is there an extra one?"

"That's their father, Yang Tianyou!" Li Qingming looked at Netherworld River speechlessly and pointed to the older green-robed man.

"Who, who are you?" Perhaps frightened by Netherworld River's stare, Yang Tianyou, who regained his senses first, shielded his two sons behind him, trembling as he spoke.

"Yang Tianyou, haven't seen me for such a short while, and you've forgotten me?" Li Qingming stepped aside from Netherworld River, and calmly smiled.

"Holy Father!" A shock went through Yang Tianyou's heart, and he knelt down with his two sons before Li Qingming.

"Hahaha, that's enough now!" Li Qingming laughed heartily, waving his hand to emit a gentle force, intending to help the three to stand up. Little did he expect that Yang Tianyou, relying on his will, refused to get up, kowtowing like pounding garlic, pleading, "Yang Tianyou begs Holy Father, please save my wife Yaoji!"

Li Qingming pondered for a while, then said, "Yang Tianyou, it's not that I lack compassion. It's that Yaoji is destined to face this tribulation this life, and once survived, there shall be no more disasters. If I rescue her now, the calamity will repeat itself in the future!"

"Then Holy Father, will my mother have a day when she escapes her plight?" Yang Jian raised his head and looked at Li Qingming.

"Five hundred years! After five hundred years, she will naturally be free!" Li Qingming held out a palm, spreading out all five fingers.

Upon hearing this, Yang Tianyou sat on the ground dispirited, muttering softly, "Five hundred years, five hundred years..."

"Is there a possibility to escape the tribulation earlier?" Yang Jian paid no attention to his father's expression and continued to enquire.

"Yes!" Li Qingming nodded slightly, saying, "As long as either you brothers or Yang Chan, one of you three siblings can break through Taoshan, then Yaoji will be able to escape her fate and enjoy boundless freedom!"

Yang Jian and Yang Jiao exchanged a look and both knelt down together, saying, "We beg Holy Father to accept us as disciples and impart Taoist Immortal Techniques to us!"

Li Qingming smiled, Zhen Yuanzi felt gloomy, and Netherworld River was stunned...

"How did I end up saving such two ingrates! Not a word of thanks, and upon arriving they seek to become someone else's disciples. This unlucky fate of mine!" Zhen Yuanzi thought angrily, but he had no choice. He couldn't say, "No, I saved you, so you must take me as your master!" That would be like forcing a sale!

And over at Netherworld River, just as he understood what was happening, the two lads were crying and shouting to become disciples, what an odd situation!

Li Qingming smiled and said, "Yang Jian, indeed we are destined to have a master-disciple relationship; I shall accept you. Yang Jiao, though you have talent, you do not have that destiny with me. Let nature take its course!"

"This... we entreat Holy Father to also accept my elder brother!" While Yang Jian was inwardly delighted, he could not bear to leave his elder brother behind, hence he beseeched.

Li Qingming waved his hand, indicating that Yang Jian need not say more. He then pointed at Zhen Yuanzi and Netherworld River, saying, "Here are two - one is the Earth Immortal Ancestor, Immortal Zhenyuan, and the other is Netherworld Saint, Netherworld River. With two Saints present, why hang yourself from a single tree?"

Slightly disappointed in his heart, Yang Jiao turned to Zhen Yuanzi and Netherworld River, earnestly pleading, "May the Saints accept me as a disciple?"

Zhen Yuanzi and Netherworld River looked at each other, Zhen Yuanzi smiled lightly and said, "Yang Jiao, if you wish to study Taoist Immortal Techniques with me, what is your purpose?"

"Since ancient times, my Human Clan has esteemed filial piety above all, naturally, it is to save my mother," replied Yang Jiao, his brows furrowing slightly.

Netherworld River took over the conversation, saying, "Yang Jiao, you must remember, you carry a tremendous responsibility! Once I take you as my disciple, you must prevail across the Three Realms. Be careful not to offend your own school, and regard the wellbeing of all beings as your own duty. Do you understand?"

Overjoyed, Yang Jiao knocked his head on the ground, saying, "Disciple shall engrave Master's teachings in my heart!"

"Wait, you wretched Netherworld River! He's clearly my disciple, why are you trying to snatch him away?"

"Zhen Yuanzi, you obsolete old man, that's what you get for being slow!"

"Step aside, I'm the one who rescued Yang Jiao!"

"You..."

Li Qingming watched somewhat speechlessly as exalted Saints bickered over a disciple. Unable to bear it anymore, he intervened:

"Enough, both of you could just have Yang Jiao acknowledge you as his masters! His destiny is of the Wu Tu element, so just have Zhen Yuanzi teach him the Magic Spells and Netherworld River teach him the Combat Skills. Isn't that the best of both worlds?"

Zhen Yuanzi and Netherworld River were startled, then nodded in agreement, saying: "Alright!"

The stunned Yang Jiao was overjoyed, and with a kowtow, he said, "Yang Jiao pays respects to both Masters!"

...

At this moment, on East Sea Penglai Island.

Wang Shu returned to the Vitality Hall, waved her long sleeves, and immediately a pitiful little girl with tears sparkling appeared in the hall.

Looking at the little Yang Chan, who wore a white muslin dress and cried incessantly, Wang Shu tenderly wiped the tears from her face and said: "Little Chan'er, no need to cry! Your father and two elder brothers have all been rescued by Saint Zhen Yuan!"

Yang Chan couldn't believe it and said, "Beautiful sister, are you telling the truth?"

As she spoke, she grabbed the hem of Wang Shu's dress and pleaded, "Please, beautiful sister, save my mother too!"

Wang Shu looked at Yang Chan, her face heavy with rare seriousness, and said: "Listen, Yang Chan, your mother, Yaoji, is imprisoned by Hao Tian beneath Taoshan, and the term is five hundred years. Only you and your two brothers can save her! We others are all powerless!"

"I will save my mother, I want to learn the Immortal Law!" Little Yang Chan's tender face was filled with determination.

"Good! Little Chan'er, I would like to take you as my disciple, are you willing?" Wang Shu asked again upon seeing this.

Yang Chan's little face, serious, very solemnly kowtowed and said, "Disciple is willing!"

...

Two hundred years, in the blink of an eye.

Chaos Outer Heaven, Nuwa Palace was still as serene as ever.

Li Qingming, who had just broken through to the Quasi-Saint Realm with his clone, for the sake of convenience, simply changed his appearance to be identical to his original self.

At this moment, he was lazily leaning against the back of the chair, watching Feng'er with a slanted glance, and said: "Little Feng'er, have you and your lady mother been solemnly chanting in the palace all these years?"

Feng'er pouted her lips and said, "Isn't it all because of the trouble you caused? Mother said that as long as Qingming Saint doesn't visit Nuwa Palace, Little Feng'er is not allowed to go to Huaxia Land!"

Li Qingming laughed heartily and said: "What does that have to do with me! By the way, go and see if your lady mother is coming out yet?"

"Why, even the formidable God Gouchen gets impatient?" As Li Qingming's voice fell, a beautiful voice came from deep within the hall.

A woman, Nuwa, in a red long dress and lightly made-up, slowly walked out from the darkness. (To be continued. If you like this work, we welcome you to visit Qidian (qidian.com) to cast your recommendation and monthly ticket, your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users please go to m.qidian.com to read.)