Demonic cultivators launched their assault.
High in the sky, the figure in sea-green robes watched the Dao Sect elders who had come out to meet them in battle. That figure suddenly let out a cold snort.
The moment Li Chengfeng appeared, the demonic cultivator teams lying in ambush elsewhere also sprang into action together.
The Dao Sect’s spirit boat activated its defensive formation and runes. At the same time, spirit messages seeking aid shot out openly and covertly from various spots here. Not just Myriad Beasts Sect—returning groups from other sects, and even the mortal cities under them, all sent out bursts of messaging light almost simultaneously.
Unlike the teams that had already clashed, the Demon Lord blocking Myriad Beasts Sect’s group seemed to have something to say. For the moment, only he showed himself, while his subordinates hid somewhere unknown, awaiting orders.
The two faced off from afar. Li Chengfeng’s expression was icy as he stared at the Blue-Robed Elder, whom he had fought before.
Of course, he remembered that face. His gaze shifted slightly, scanning the area beside and behind the elder, as if searching for someone.
Failing to spot his target, his expression grew even uglier. He watched as the Blue-Robed Elder tugged at the corner of his mouth. “We’ve met again.”
With the enemy right in front of them, Yao Guanheng still maintained his gentle demeanor. “I don’t recall having any ties with demonic cultivators.”
The Dao Sect elder refused to engage in banter. The Demon Lord continued, “Is that so? Where’s your disciple? She’s probably hiding somewhere, too scared to show her face—bold enough to act but not to face the consequences, leaving her master to take the fall.”
His words carried hidden meaning. The disciples and elders on the spirit boat didn’t grasp his intent and simply stayed vigilant, arrayed in formation for defense.
Only those in the know understood the full context. Li Chengfeng looked down imperiously at the many disciples below.
The Dao Sect disciples also gazed up at him. Suddenly, the demonic cultivator raised his hand. The disciples tensed immediately, but they saw the man merely touch the back of his hand with his fingertip—no spell was cast.
He wore a glove on one hand, exposed to the air, while the other was hidden away. It was an odd sight, unclear who it was meant for.
Yao Guanheng seemed not to understand the gesture. “Forgive me, I can’t comprehend your meaning. If you’ve come only to speak in riddles, please take your people and leave.”
Before his words finished, Li Chengfeng’s hand moved again. In an instant, several wind vortices tore through the void, hurtling straight toward the disciples on the spirit boat.
His strike was too swift. Some slower-reacting young disciples hadn’t even processed it when the elder in front blocked the attack.
Watery clouds collided with the wind vortices. Terrifying spiritual power and pressure erupted outward, causing the spirit boat to shake violently. The disciples on board cried out in alarm.
Myriad Beasts Sect had another elder traveling with them this time—a Body Integration Stage cultivator. Though not as strong as the opposing demonic cultivator or Elder Yaoguang, he was sufficient to protect the spirit boat. He quickly stabilized the vessel.
Ahead, the demonic cultivator casually withdrew his hand, his tone chilling. “She knows exactly what it means. A demonic cultivator practicing supplementation techniques has actually infiltrated the Dao Sect. You’re blind to have taken someone from Jade Ecstasy Palace as a disciple. A Dao Sect elder is nothing special—just an empty title.”
At these words, whether elders or disciples, most wore furious expressions and refused to believe his nonsense.
Fortunately, Elder Yaoguang, facing him down, promptly refuted. “My disciple previously ruined your plans. Don’t slander and sow discord here.”
Elder Yaoguang spoke clearly, with dignified poise and a steady voice. He appeared far more trustworthy than the arrogant demonic cultivator.
The demonic cultivator must be seeking revenge, slandering an upright Dao Sect disciple with lies.
Li Chengfeng had no intention of showing the supplementation seal on the back of his hand for all to see—it would only expose him to humiliation.
His expression darkened inscrutably as he coldly eyed the man who seemed pure and gentle as jade.
As their gazes locked, Yao Guanheng actually revealed a faint smile. It looked candid at first glance, but in Li Chengfeng’s eyes, it felt like pure provocation.
At this point, he was almost certain: this Dao Sect elder, who appeared so upright, was nothing but a sanctimonious hypocrite.
“Keep calling her your disciple. I suspect this so-called master of yours is actually her lover or paramour.” Li Chengfeng’s expression turned utterly grim.
Given Jade Ecstasy Palace’s methods and customs, this man had likely already tumbled into bed with his disciple in private.
Damn it.
Killing intent flickered in his eyes.
Hearing his words, the gentle-as-jade Dao Sect elder couldn’t hide his anger. He rebuked, “Absurd! I am her master, so naturally I must protect her. Moreover, how dare you slander a Dao Sect disciple.”
A thin layer of anger settled on his face. It was a normal reaction for the usually mild-mannered elder facing such defamation, and the sect disciples naturally trusted their own elder.
Though they couldn’t fathom what the opposing Demon Lord was trying to convey, the demonic cultivator was truly despicable—lacking shame himself and now dragging others down, even stooping to accuse them of taboo master-disciple relations.
Just as battle seemed imminent, a clear, melodious female voice suddenly pierced through the clouds.
“Pfft, Protector Li, I had no idea there were people from my Jade Ecstasy Palace here. Surely you’re not referring to me?”
The female cultivator arrived with quite the entourage. She sat relaxed on a cloud, surrounded by two or three puppet attendants fanning her and offering spirit fruits and wine.
Drawing everyone’s attention, the female cultivator laughed again. “You’d better look closely. Not just anyone can join my Jade Ecstasy Palace.”
She made no effort to conceal her aura—another Demon Lord at Tribulation Transcendence Realm. Seeing the tide turning against them, Yao Guanheng struck first.
“Why put on this song and dance together?” he said. His wide sleeves fluttered as watery mist instantly rose, spreading everywhere in the blink of an eye. It obscured the spirit boat’s trajectory, covering its retreat, while he counterattacked Li Chengfeng with his other hand.
Seeing the spirit boat about to flee, the other demonic cultivators lurking nearby revealed themselves. Another Tribulation Transcendence Realm fiend darted out, immediately blocking for his master.
Li Chengfeng let out a sudden cold snort. Unwilling to tangle with Yao Guanheng, he led some subordinates straight after the spirit boat.
Yao Guanheng’s brows furrowed tightly. Temporarily unable to break free, he called out to the clouds as the fiend clashed with him, “Protector Qi Nan, what are you waiting for? Come help!”
Jade Ecstasy Palace’s Protector Qi Nan ignored him. No one had the authority to command her. She had shown herself only to muddy the waters and cover for the Young Lord.
However, she suddenly paused, as if receiving some message. Then she drove her cloud away, pursuing Li Chengfeng, who was chasing the spirit boat.
The immortal boat endured repeated strikes. The disciples maintaining the formation began to falter in their breathing. It wouldn’t be long before the demonic cultivators broke through.
This was even with Li Chengfeng holding back—he wanted to force someone out and hadn’t gone all-out. “If you don’t come out soon, your fellow sect members will die because of you.”
Another wind vortex slammed into the spirit boat’s defensive formation, dimming the spiritual light for a moment. It was on the verge of collapse.
The elder protecting the spirit boat began sending voice transmissions, resisting on one side while arranging the disciples’ escape route on the other.
In a corner, Li Yin quietly watched the entire development. If the spirit boat fell, she might escape unscathed, but her fellow sect members would suffer.
She put away her messaging mirror. She had sent a spirit message to her master in the Demon Domain, asking her to have the protector provide cover.
Jade Ecstasy Palace’s protector wouldn’t help fend off demonic cultivators, but she could cover for the Young Master.
Since Li Chengfeng was dead set on finding her, Li Yin figured she might as well lure away this most troublesome fellow. Without a Tribulation Transcendence Realm fiend, Yao Guanheng and the others could handle the rest.
She quickly settled on a plan and hurriedly sent a voice transmission to the elder guarding the formation: 【I’m Elder Yaoguang’s disciple. This Demon Lord has a grudge against me. Elder, please let me out—I’ll lure him away.】
Receiving the sudden transmission, the elder reacted swiftly: 【No, that’s reckless, little martial niece. A Tribulation Transcendence Realm isn’t something you can handle. Reinforcements are on the way…】
Before he finished, the defensive formation cracked under attack. Li Yin deactivated her disguise treasure and turned into a streak of spiritual light, slipping through the gap and flying away from the spirit boat.
The moment she appeared, the Demon Lord who had been attacking nonstop fixed his gaze on her. He halted his assault and chased after her trail directly.
“Hmph.”
In a breath, she had flown far away. Li Yin clearly heard the man’s voice. He moved with divine speed. She didn’t look back but faintly sensed spiritual power stirring—his hand was about to grab her.
Just as she was about to be caught, Li Yin suddenly felt a bout of dizziness. Regaining focus, she realized her surroundings had changed—she was in a completely different place.
Meanwhile, Li Chengfeng pursued the girl’s figure all the way, only to grab a puppet substitute resembling her at the end. In fury, he crushed it to powder. “Jade Ecstasy Palace.”
A string of feminine laughter drifted down from the clouds, full of delight.
The protector had intervened, confirming his suspicions.
Jade Ecstasy Palace had indeed sent the Young Lord into the Cultivation World.
–
In the woods, Li Yin clutched the item, bewildered and unsure if it was the work of that protector.
Soon, a female voice rang in her mind: 【Young Master, until we meet again.】
【Head south to reach Pill Cauldron Sect territory. The sects should be on high alert—be careful of inspections. Head north about two hundred li to Myriad Beasts Sect territory. Another two hundred li brings a small-to-medium city. No ambushes were planned there per the plan, but it should have activated its city-protecting formation by now.】
【Your Dao Sect master can’t break free for the moment. Why not rest there? There may be demonic cultivator activity along the way, Young Master. Please be careful.】
It was the voice of the protector from the clouds. Li Yin relaxed, letting out a breath of relief. Now at a distance, with the other’s higher cultivation, she could receive transmissions, but lacked the power to send any back.
So she softly murmured, “Thank you.” It seemed a woman’s laughter echoed, then all went completely quiet.
Having escaped successfully but in unfamiliar territory, Li Yin first selected the Breath Concealment skill to prepare. Then she took out a map to check her position—it matched what the protector had said.
She stowed the map, directly pulling out talisman paper and a magic artifact to hurry along. At the same time, she messaged Yao Guanheng to report she was safe, but her master had no response yet.
Occasionally, streaks of spiritual light flew overhead—likely cultivators rushing to safety or battle. With Breath Concealment active, ordinary people couldn’t detect her, nor could demonic cultivators.