The First Demon of the Chan Sect

In the empty and echoing Nuwa Palace, the candlelight flickered, casting Nuwa's radiant beauty, as alluring as peach blossoms, in a slightly blurred glow, like a scene that could topple cities and nations.

Li Qingming hopped off his chair and from a distance, bowed deeply to Nuwa saying, "Disciple Qingmingzi, greeting Master Aunt Nuwa!"

Nuwa, her face expressionless, passed by Li Qingming, her fluttering thin veil carrying a hint of a tantalizing fragrance.

Li Qingming scratched his head awkwardly and turned to follow her.

Sitting on the main seat, Nuwa observed Li Qingming with a cold gaze and said, "What brings Fellow Daoist Qingming here today?"

Chen Yuyang let out a light chuckle and said, "Only two hundred years remain of the five-hundred-year period, and the ones destined to break the ordeal have all been found. When the Path to Heaven opens, there will be much to weigh and consider!"

"This Path to Heaven, once broken, will benefit you Three Pure Ones and the Buddhist Sect. Having neither disciples nor a sect, what does this Path to Heaven have to do with me?" Nuwa, with slightly knitted eyebrows, inquired.

"Even if unrelated to the heaven-and-earth calamity, one could still be forcibly dragged into it. Moreover, as the Holy Mother of the Human Clan and considering this calamity is destined for the humans, how could it not concern you, Master Aunt?" Li Qingming stroked his chin, replying.

"Oh? By saying so, you consider it connected to me?" Nuwa laughed lightly, neither confirming nor denying, but added, "It simply means adding five more Saints to our Human Clan, no more no less!"

"What if one of them transformed from the Five-Colored Divine Stone of yore?" Li Qingming spoke startlingly.

"You mean..." Nuwa stood up incredulously, her pale hand lightly covering her blushing lips: "The remaining piece of the Five-Colored Divine Stone from the Sky-Mending of bygone days?"

"Exactly!" Li Qingming nodded and continued, "He is the one, from over a hundred years ago, who infamously fell in love with an immortal—Hao Tian's sister, Yaoji's second son, Yang Jian!"

"Is it him?" Nuwa was stunned, and after calculating silently for a while, she realized that the heavenly secrets were chaotic, hence indecipherable at the time.

"Yang Jian is now my disciple. Truly deserving to be the reincarnation of the Five-Colored Divine Stone, in just a hundred short years, he has elevated his cultivation to the realm of Taiyin Golden Immortal. Moreover, he has mastered the Nine Revolutions Mysterious Attack to the fourth level!" Li Qingming spoke with unabashed pride.

Nuwa sat back on the soft couch and asked, "What would you have me do, Fellow Daoist Qingming?"

"The Eastern region uniquely possesses four destined to break the ordeal, and surely Xuanhu will seize this opportunity to cause trouble. I only wish for Master Aunt to speak a few words on our behalf when the time comes, nothing more!" After pausing, Li Qingming picked up a Spirit Fruit from the table in front, hesitating, then added, "Apart from this, I have another matter to ask of Master Aunt Nuwa."

"Do we really need to be so estranged?" Nuwa looked at Li Qingming with sorrowful eyes, then sighed deeply, "Alas, speak then!"

Li Qingming took a bite of the fruit, and with an embarrassed smile, he said: "Hehe, well, you know, Yang Jian has a sister named Yang Chan. She was only four or five years old at the time, and my wife is very fond of her, so we took the little Yang Chan as our disciple. You see, hehe."

Upon hearing this, Nuwa looked at Li Qingming teasingly and scoffed, "Speaking of which, Wang Shu Fellow Daoist forcibly took my disciple, and I haven't even come to your Penglai Island to reclaim her yet!"

Li Qingming laughed dryly and nervously rubbed his hands saying, "Hehe, about that, Master Aunt Nuwa, no need to rush, everything's negotiable!"

Seeing Li Qingming's rare show of embarrassment, Nuwa could no longer keep up her cold and aloof facade. She gracefully moved closer to Li Qingming and gently hooked his arm, saying, "Am I someone to hold such petty grudges? Rest assured, I treat Sister Wang Shu as my own sister; I won't hold it against her."

Li Qingming felt the softness against his arm and his face stiffened, subtly trying to pull away. However, Nuwa's hold was firm, and his Quasi-Saint cultivation could do nothing about it!

"Qingming, it's been quite a while since you visited my Nuwa Palace. You must stay longer today!" Nuwa felt a rare satisfaction in having him firmly under her control.

Suppressing his impulses, Li Qingming reluctantly agreed, "Uh, alright, alright..."

...

Two hundred years have passed, and now within the Wuzhuang Temple, both Yang Jiao and Yang Jian had grown into adults.

Yang Jiao had a brawny physique, thick eyebrows, big eyes, and a heroically extraordinary appearance, his cultivation having already stepped into the early stage of Taiyin Xuanxian. The Heavenly Gang Rake Skill originally imparted by Tianpeng had been modified by Li Qingming into the Great Cycle Star Rake Technique. With personal coaching from a Saint, combined with the concerted cultivation efforts of both Wuzhuang Temple and Netherworld Sect, his cultivation progressed rapidly.

Meanwhile, Yang Jian had grown into a graceful and handsome young man with an almost enchantingly beautiful face, nearly nine feet tall. Although his body was slightly frail, he possessed a physical strength comparable to that of an Earth Witch. In terms of cultivation, he surpassed his brother Yang Jiao by a notch. His unique Primordial Chaos One Qi Stick Technique was unmatched in all the heavens.

It's worth mentioning that Yang Jian's current iron staff was none other than the Ocean-Calming Divine Needle Iron left by Dayu after controlling the floods.

When both Yang Jian and Yang Jiao had just broken into the Golden Immortal Realm, lacking suitable weapons, the brothers conspired, unbeknownst to Zhen Yuanzi, Netherworld River, and Li Qingming, to secretly sneak out of Wuzhuang Temple, heading to the Dragon Palace of the East Sea.

Little did they know, the entire Longevity Mountain was under the surveillance of Zhen Yuanzi's Primordial Spirit. If it weren't for Li Qingming asking Zhen Yuanzi to let them leave the mountain, they couldn't have even left Wuzhuang Temple.

After arriving at the Dragon Palace of the East Sea, the brothers surreptitiously infiltrated the palace's renowned treasury, unexpectedly triggering an Array and causing a huge commotion.

After several pursuits, they were ultimately captured by the Third Prince, Ao Bing.

During the skirmish, Ao Bing recognized Yang Jian's Yuqing True Essence. After thorough interrogation, it turned out to be a classic case of the flood hitting the Dragon King temple, a mix-up within one's family.

After Ao Bing informed Aoguang, the Four Sea Dragon Kings unanimously decided to select a Ujin rake from the secret vault of the West Sea for Yang Jiao.

This rake was a low-grade Innate Spiritual Treasure. It had nine prongs at the top, was thirteen feet and six inches long, and weighed over 9,900 jin. It could split gold and cleave stones, and its sharpness was unmatched.

Yang Jian, however, had obtained the Ocean-Calming Divine Needle Iron used by Dayu to calm the sea, which is now the Ruyi Jingu Bang.

It's somewhat amusing to think about it! In his previous life as the Intelligent Stone Monkey Sun Wukong, he found the Jingu Bang and upheaved the East Sea. Yet today, Yang Jian still cannot escape the fate of wielding the staff to roam the world.

Truly, it is about time, luck, and destiny!

One day, while Yang Jian and Yang Jiao were sparring in the backyard of the Wuzhuang Temple, Li Qingming rode in on Xiong Da from the Chaos Outer Heaven, even carrying a heavy scent of alcohol and a daughter's fragrance.

He gathered the Yang brothers to the middle courtyard where Zhen Yuanzi and the Nether River were already waiting.

Looking at Li Qingming's slightly tipsy face, Zhen Yuanzi asked, "Fellow Daoist, have you concluded the negotiations?"

Li Qingming shook his head and said, "It's settled, all settled!"

Nether River teased, "Truly, it's not the wine that intoxicates, but the person who intoxicates himself!"

Li Qingming glared at Zhen Yuanzi and said disdainfully, "You shameless old man, despite being a Saint, show some restraint!"

"Alright, enough of that! Big Brother and Second Brother are here!" Nether River chuckled as he saw the Yang brothers running over from the back path, sitting up straight in decorum.

"Yang Jiao pays respects to both Masters and Uncle Disciple Qingmingzi!"

"Yang Jian greets Master Uncle Zhen Yuanzi and Master Uncle Nether River, and greets the Master!"

Li Qingming nodded slightly and said, "Dispense with the formalities."

The brothers stood up. Yang Jian glanced at Li Qingming and asked, "Master, what matter have you summoned my brother and me for?"

Li Qingming gestured for the brothers to sit and said, "Today, I have summoned you brothers here to assign a task. Knowing your longing for your mother, it's been two hundred years, and Yaoji has already faced her punishment. If you wish to rescue her, then go! Since I promised her and Yang Tianyou a carefree life, I will absolutely not go back on my word!"

The brothers exchanged looks, revealing expressions of joy.

Yang Jian bowed deeply and said, "Disciple thanks Master for your approval!"

Li Qingming nodded and pulled out an axe from his storage space, tossing it to Yang Jian, "Second Brother, this axe is called the Sky-Opening Divine Axe, once used by Emperor Xia's Dayu for controlling the waters. With this axe, you should be able to split Taoshan and rescue your mother!"

Taking the axe and feeling the immense power flowing within, Yang Jian's emotions surged, and he kowtowed again, "Disciple thanks Master for this gift!"

"Go now," Li Qingming waved his hand and said.

"Disciple departs!" Yang Jiao and Yang Jian glanced at their three masters, lightly tapped the ground, and clouds formed under their feet, lifting the brothers into the sky.

"Big Brother, Second Brother, your father will go with you!"

Just then, a somewhat deep voice came from the front courtyard of Wuzhuang Temple. Along with it, a scholar dressed in a blue robe, face clean-shaven and aura ethereal, appeared. It was their father, Yang Tianyou.

Yang Tianyou originally did not possess great talent in cultivation. However, years ago, Li Qingming helped Tianpeng break through to Quasi-Saint status by crushing a counterfeit Nine Revolutions Golden Pill.

Coincidentally, Yang Tianyou was also there. The power of the Golden Pill was so immense that even the tiny sprinkles of powder completely cleansed and transformed Yang Tianyou's body.

Over the years, Zhen Yuanzi had also taught Yang Tianyou some cultivation methods, and he had reached the realm of Profound Immortal. In the current land of Huaxia, he had enough power to protect himself.

"Father, this journey is fraught with unknown dangers; please do not go!" Yang Jian's face showed distress as he descended from the sky.

"What? You think I'm a burden, that I'll hold you back?" Yang Tianyou's eyes widened, and a hint of Vast Energy seeped out from him.

Though faint, Li Qingming caught it.

Li Qingming's pupils contracted, thinking inwardly, "Resolute words, Vast Righteous Qi! Unexpectedly, this initial display of Vast Righteous Qi comes from Yang Tianyou! Interesting, very interesting..."

After pondering for a while, Li Qingming stroked his chin and called out to Yang Jian, "Second Brother, there should be no danger in this journey, take him with you!"

"Alright then! Father, let's go!" Seeing that his master had spoken, Yang Jian pulled Yang Tianyou onto the auspicious cloud. With a surge of True Yuan within, they rapidly flew into the distance. (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, you are welcome to cast your recommendation votes and monthly tickets at Qidian (qidian.com). Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users please visit m.qidian.com to read.)