Yellow Court Daoist

Qiang Liang, the Demon God, single-handedly propped up the heavens. With a fierce tug, it seemed as if he dragged down the entire heavenly dome. As the sky tilted, thunder roared, unleashing boundless Thunder Prison upon Blood Spring and Hundred Ghosts Ancestor, enveloping them together.

Boom, boom, boom!

Thunder rumbled, lightning flickered.

"Not good!"

Hundred Ghosts Ancestor found himself in the middle, surrounded by thunder in all directions, no way forward, no path behind, inwardly he cursed.

He gritted his teeth.

A bamboo shoot appeared in his hand. Pitch-black as ink, it emitted bursts of foul odor. Hundred Ghosts Ancestor chanted a spell, forming hand seals, then hurled the bamboo shoot forward—

Boom!

The black bamboo shoot immediately exploded, its boundless poison mist and sins of the most evil kind tearing a gap in the Thunder Prison.

"Insidious fiend."

"Today's hatred, the Ancestor will surely repay!"

Hundred Ghosts Ancestor, seething with rage, spoke in a chilling tone.

This black bamboo shoot was a Cave Spirit Bamboo Shoot he obtained from a strange land, spending three hundred years, roaming Southern Border of East Xian State, refining countless poisons and filthy energies before finally completing it.

It was his top treasure for preserving his life.

Usually, even if there was a chance to use this Cave Spirit Bamboo Shoot to achieve a surprising victory against his enemies, Hundred Ghosts Ancestor was reluctant to use it. Encountering this calamity now, immediately facing a fierce enemy who struck with relentless thunder, forced him to throw out the Cave Spirit Bamboo Shoot to preserve his life, how could Hundred Ghosts Ancestor not be furious?!

His voice chillingly vibrated throughout.

Yet, Hundred Ghosts Ancestor didn't slow down. Stepping out from the tear made by the Cave Spirit Bamboo Shoot, he exited the Thunder Prison. His figure flickered, blood and darkness glimmering around him, the next moment he was about to use his Escape Skill to flee.

However.

For some reason, myriad lights chaotically burst forth before his eyes.

Hundred Ghosts Ancestor looked up, only to see before him two Demon Gods, different from the Thunder Demons earlier, their auras faintly interconnected.

One had a human face and a tiger body, with a long sword in its mouth. Its wings shook, and countless strands of Sword Qi enveloped all directions like a river in the sky.

Another had a human body with a snake tail, holding up a miniature mountain emanating an ancient aura on its chest. Without any motion, the miniature mountain suddenly flew from his hands, transforming into an ancient peak in the air.

Thunderous booms!

The mountain fiercely smashed towards Hundred Ghosts Ancestor's face.

"It's over!"

Hundred Ghosts Ancestor was surrounded by Sword Qi, the heavenly mountain sealing the void, a wave of despair rising in his heart.

In the next instant.

Boom!

The mountain fell, Hundred Ghosts Ancestor, notable for his sinister methods, was shattered into a puddle of flesh.

He was no more.

Golden light flickered.

The Golden Core leaped out, carrying Hundred Ghosts Ancestor's Divine Soul, attempting to escape far away.

"Where do you think you're going!"

Lu Qingfeng's voice sounded, followed by a mysterious light rising from between heaven and earth, sweeping away the Golden Core along with Hundred Ghosts Ancestor's almost completed Primordial Spirit, disappearing without a trace.

The aftermath surged.

Houtu, Rushou, and Qiang Liang, the three great Demon Gods, simultaneously collided into Lu Qingfeng's body and vanished.

Meanwhile, Lu Qingfeng, holding a Dutian Xuanming Strategy, stood on the peak of a cloud and escaped beyond the heavens.

…

In East Xian State.

Southern Border.

Black Water Mountain.

Lu Qingfeng and Yun Luo sat opposite each other.

Yun Luo's gaze lingered, always fixated on Lu Qingfeng.

"Why does sister look at me like this?"

Confused, Lu Qingfeng couldn't help but ask.

Yun Luo's eyes rippled, she slowly said, "Junior brother, do you know, recently in the western Wuwang Sea, Hundred Ghosts Ancestor was slain?"

"I have heard a bit."

"It is said that the person who acted was immensely powerful and killed the long-renowned Hundred Ghosts Ancestor in an instant."

Lu Qingfeng nodded slightly, speaking.

Yun Luo continued to gaze at Lu Qingfeng, pausing for a moment upon hearing that before switching topics, "In these troubled times nowadays, not even a month after the death of Hundred Ghosts Ancestor, Divine Room Mountain was flooded for miles, Gongsun Luan of the Golden Lotus Sect was killed. Fu Huo Mountain turned into a battlefield, a master of Body Refining killed the Xunfeng Demon in its depths. In the east at Yanqing Ridge, the Sword Qi River swept across the sky, and Jian Zhang of the Blood Spring Demon Sect couldn't withstand it and got swept into the Sword River, losing his life."

Wuwang Sea's Hundred Ghosts Ancestor.

Divine Room Mountain's Gongsun Luan.

Fu Huo Mountain's Xunfeng Demon.

Yanqing Ridge's Jian Zhang.

These four were all top-tier experts of the Demon Dao, each a great demon or evil spirit in the Primordial Spirit Realm. Yet, within a short month, they successively fell.

For a time.

The entire Southern Border along with the Eastern Realm of Wuwang Sea were all shaken.

Demons everywhere felt terror.

The already chaotic situation grew even more turbulent as if a storm was approaching.

"This matter has made quite the stir."

"Although I was in seclusion, I also learned about it afterward."

Lu Qingfeng looked at Yun Luo, and couldn't help but smile, "Sister, say whatever you wish to say."

Smiling innocently.

Seeing this, Yun Luo's eyes flashed differently, she shook her head, "Nothing much. It's just that Black Water Mountain was attacked on three fronts, and the Primordial Spirit practitioners within were slain. I am worried, next time someone might strike at Black Water Mountain, so I came to alert junior brother."

"So that's how it is."

Lu Qingfeng suddenly realized, burst into laughter, and waved his hands continuously, "Senior sister, rest assured. Those people made their moves and clearly avoided my Black Water Mountain. They are either not upholding the Righteous Sect and only dealing with demons or they fear the Divine Thunder and Thunderbolt in my possession. They are not to be feared."

Unconcerned.

"As long as junior brother knows what's in your heart, it's fine."

Yun Luo's thoughts flickered, wanting to say something, but in the end, she suppressed it.

Lu Qingfeng watched.

His face remained expressionless.

He chuckled inwardly, his gaze seemingly casually drifting towards the sky.

At this moment.

A radiant light descended from beyond the sky, landing in front of Lu Qingfeng and Yun Luo. It was a gleaming Golden Light, a closer look revealed it to be a decree.

The decree unfolded.

A figure appeared on it, his face wrinkly like an old tree.

It was none other than Rong Hong True Immortal.

Upon seeing this, Lu Qingfeng quickly stood up to pay his respects, "Disciple Qing Yuanzi, greets Master."

Yun Luo also stood up, glanced at the Rong Hong True Immortal on the decree, slightly bowed her hands as a form of greeting.

Rong Hong True Immortal didn't care about formalities.

He said to the two, "Gu Xuan has gained enlightenment and is about to enter a closed seclusion to comprehend the Heavenly Mechanism and strive for the True Immortal Realm. The sect's myriad affairs cannot go even a day without a leader. After discussing with Tong Xuan and Guangning, we decided to choose one from among you Primordial Spirit disciples to take up the position of Sect Leader and manage our sect affairs."

...

Above the Cloud Peaks.

Under the Guang Hui Tree.

The three great True Immortals of Yu Mountain Sect—

Tong Xuan, Rong Hong, and Guangning were seated together.

Tong Xuan True Immortal had a rosy glow, dressed in tattered clothes with a six-inch belt, one foot in a boot, and the other bare, truly carefree.

His eyes were fixed below the Cloud Peaks, inside Black Water Mountain.

Only when the decree's golden light faded did he retrieve his gaze.

Turning his eyes towards Rong Hong and Guangning, he said, "The ones who slew the Hundred Ghosts Wanderer, Jian Zhang, Gongsun Luan, and Xunfeng Che Earth Spider a few days ago, aside from the one in Wuwang Sea whose origin we do not know, the other three, one excels in the Sword Dao, likely from the Jiuzhen Immortal Sword Sect. Another versed in both Water Technique and Thunder Skill, likely from Green Sea Youxu Palace. The last one excels in combat, tore apart the Xunfeng Che Earth Spider, and is from the Combat Heavenly Gate."

Tong Xuan True Immortal's voice resonated among the clouds.

Rong Hong and Guangning exchanged glances.

Then they heard Tong Xuan True Immortal continue, "Among the three major Immortal Sects of Ancient Shang Heavenly Court, the Jiuzhen Immortal Sword Sect has an Ancestor Master One Yuan, exceptional in both Alchemy and Artifact Refining, and Sword Dao. Many True Immortals and Primordial Spirits from the three major sects have received his guidance, accumulating good karma everywhere.

He also formed ties with Golden Light Ancestor Master from Green Sea Youxu Palace, who masters exceptional Thunder Skill, adept in gathering all kinds of thunder from the heavens, earth, and sea.

The two often sit together discussing Daoist teachings, their close disciples benefiting from each other's guidance."

Guangning True Immortal, recognizing Tong Xuan True Immortal's intentions, spoke, "Qing Yuanzi is proficient in Sword Dao, his skills in Alchemy and Artifact Refining are both at Seventh-Order standards, and possesses various techniques to gather thunder.

Whether the three individuals who effortlessly killed same-level cultivators from three major Immortal sects were directed by Qing Yuanzi or acted spontaneously to eliminate threats for Qing Yuanzi, they all indirectly prove—

This man's origin is not simple.

He may come from the lineage of Ancestor Master One Yuan of Jiuzhen Immortal Sword Sect or from the lineage of Golden Light Ancestor Master of Green Sea Youxu Palace."

Primordial Spirit practitioners possess vast supernatural powers, numerous life-saving techniques, hardly killable unless by a Mahayana True Immortal.

The deaths of four Primordial Spirit practitioners in the Southern Border have also caught the attention of Guangning True Immortal and others.

Coincidentally.

Among the four Primordial Spirit practitioners, three had past grievances with Qing Yuanzi.

The identities of the attackers, based on the traces of battle from those locales, were also largely speculated.

All these coincidences put together.

led the three of them to further affirm the identity of Qing Yuanzi.

"The origins of Qing Yuanzi from Ancient Shang Heavenly Court are fundamentally confirmed."

"However, exactly what position he holds within the Ancient Shang Heavenly Court, whether he is from the lineage of Ancestor Master One Yuan of Jiuzhen Immortal Sword Sect or from Golden Light Ancestor Master of Green Sea Youxu Palace, is something we cannot ascertain."

Rong Hong True Immortal furrowed his brows, looking towards Tong Xuan True Immortal, "Brother, do you think we should let this disciple take the position of Sect Leader of our Yu Mountain Sect?"

Guangning True Immortal listened and also looked towards Tong Xuan True Immortal.

But seeing Tong Xuan True Immortal with a smile on his face and bright eyes, he immediately said, "The merging of Ancient Shang and Chunshen is imminent. The identities of other cultivators from Ancient Shang within our sect are mostly clear, none too highly regarded or fated. Even if raised to the position of Sect Leader, it wouldn't mean much to the Ancient Shang Heavenly Court.

Rather than that, why not place our bets on Qing Yuanzi.

If Qing Yuanzi truly originates from those two mentors, placing him in the position of Sect Leader, commanding one of the six top Immortal Sects of Chunshen's nine states, his authority would be overwhelming. Once the two realms merge, Qing Yuanzi will receive endless fortunes, smoothing his cultivation path ahead.

Both Ancestor Master One Yuan and Golden Light Ancestor Master, along with their respective Immortal Sects and Heavenly Courts, would owe our Yu Mountain Sect a favor—a grand gift to the Ancient Shang for our allegiance.

On the other hand.

If we bet on the wrong chip, we have no other choice. After all, it's just a position of Sect Leader, just three Immortal Crystals at stake."

Tong Xuan True Immortal saw through everything.

Except, although the words were crisp, they couldn't help but reveal a sense of helplessness.

Heavenly changes were imminent.

This was already the best choice.

After all, no matter how, at the time of the merging of the two realms, with Yu Mountain Sect rooted in Chunshen Realm, the massive upheaval of heaven and earth would inevitably bring a calamity, and many in the sect would suffer a loss of fortunes. The deadly machinations of heaven and earth, the backlash of fortunes, and various other calamities would result in many deaths and injuries.

It was the weakest moment, absolutely incapable of resisting the onslaught of Ancient Shang.

Those who know the times are truly wise.

If one doesn't want the Dao lineage of Yu Mountain to cease, one must find a support.

Such as Ancient Shang Heavenly Court.

After listening, Rong Hong True Immortal was silent for a long while before finally raising his head and slowly saying, "Since that's the case, let's decide on Qing Yuan for the Sect Leader election this time."

Tong Xuan and Guangning exchanged glances, nodding in unison, and said—

"Good."

...