Chapter 183: It’s Our Turn

“Slaying demons and protecting the common people is the duty of us Qi Refiners…”

“Ha ha, fellow brothers, let us kill this demon now and uphold the honor of our Qingjiang Qi Refiners!”

At this moment on Crow Mountain, a great battle was nearing its end. By now, the several Demon Kings of Crow Mountain had all been slain. Countsless other demons big and small had fallen messily to the disciples of the Five Great Sects. Fearing the demons might escape, the Five Great Sects had attacked the mountain using the Five Elements Mixed Yuan Formation. Their forces crisscrossed tightly, guarding each formation position. Only a very few demons managed to break through and flee…

By this point, most disciples of the Five Great Sects had finished their own battles and were idle.

Some walked the battlefield, stabbing any demon that still twitched. Others had long rushed into the demon lairs, digging up the gold, silver, and treasures they hoarded and piling them up at the mountain’s front. Still others ran down the mountain and released several hundred ragged, miserable-looking common folk from a valley filled with Demonic Qi…

…These were the people the Crow Mountain demons had imprisoned like “living meat.”

No matter how hard-hearted they were, after seeing the mountain soaked in blood and heaped with corpses, and witnessing the pitiful state of these people, the Five Sect disciples couldn’t help but feel a deep sorrow for their fellow humans. Gritting their teeth, they searched every inch of the mountainside for demons, leaving none alive. Then, full of fury, they gathered at the mountain’s front to watch the Demon Hound die…

“The immortals have descended! Saving us common folk! We shall serve you like oxen and horses to repay your kindness…”

“Heaven has eyes! To send these immortals to our rescue…”

The crowd of common folk was herded numbly to the mountain front. They had feared their fate, but seeing the demon corpses scattered everywhere, and the immortals surrounding the hill-sized Demon Hound for the kill, they finally understood.

For a moment, they could hardly believe they were saved…

An old man, tears streaming down his face, knelt. Then like a wave, countless townsfolk began kowtowing towards the sky.

“You demons, with all your evils, deserve death…”

Seeing the common folk, the Five Sect Elders encircling the Demon Hound felt a surge of hatred. They roared louder, attacking with even fiercer strikes. Horrifying techniques rained down on the Demon Hound below.

The Demon Hound had lost its initial wild power. It looked thoroughly ragged.

Cornered by the Five Sect Elders, blood covered its whole body. Desperately, it ripped one of the human heads from the ring around its neck and swallowed it. This gave it just enough strength to barely withstand a blow from Elder Ge of the Nine Immortals Sect. It tried to leap away, but Talismans laid by Elder Xiu of the Leshui Sect fixed it in place. For a moment, it couldn’t even move.

“Roar…”

It bellowed wildly, spitting out a blot of black fire to momentarily push back Elder Ge. Its sweeping gaze took in the battlefield finally brought a flicker of fear into its heart. It blurted out something it never dared say before, screaming: “Do you know who I belo—”

“Your ancestor!”

Elder Lu charged forward, his spear smashing onto the Demon Hound’s tailbone. Crack! The bone splintered inward.

The Demon Hound howled in pain, hastily swallowing another head. It shouted: “Where do you worms get the guts to kill me?!”

“Slaying demons…”

Below, the Duskblade Sect Elder abruptly burst from the earth. His sword sweep ripped open the Demon Hound’s belly! He immediately dove back underground, popping up elsewhere: “…needs explanation?!”

The Demon Hound screamed, equal parts rage and terror: “You’re seeking death…”

“It is you, demon, who seeks death! The moment you harmed these people, your fate was sealed!”

“Search this whole world! Find who can save you now…!”

In the air, the killing aura radiating from the Five Sect Elders intensified, icy and final. They knew the Demon Hound was at its limit.

It had been fortunate nothing unexpected happened. Fortunate the Shoushan Sect still watched silently from afar, seeming utterly docile. Fortunate the taut nerves held this long. It felt like they could finally take a breath… just after striking the Demon Hound’s final deathblow…

…

“What?!”

Just moments before, Old Master Fan had looked coldly at the bold man who came seeking him. The man claimed he wanted to save Old Master Fan’s life. Old Master Fan steeled himself, ready to immediately throw this man into prison if he spoke one untrue word.

But upon hearing the man’s words, stark terror washed over his face.

The man seemed about thirty, mild and smooth-talking. He gazed intently at Old Master Fan and said, gravely: “I speak only truth. Think on this, Elder Scholar. That Demon Hound caused endless suffering in Wuhe County, building oceans of resentment. Why did that young Prefect deliberately refuse to move against it? Why, knowing the demon’s existence ruined his reputation, did he pretend not to see it?”

“He was terrified to act…”

The man sighed, shaking his head: “Furthermore, Elder Scholar, never considered the demon must have origins? All the great demons elsewhere in these mountains clawed their way up from the wilds. But this one Demon Hound? Savage beyond reason, shockingly powerful… Yet no one had heard of it just half a year ago. Without a powerful backer, how could it gain footing in Xiaotaichuan? Without ‘noble’ feeders, how could its strength appear so suddenly?”

Old Master Fan’s pupils shrank to pinpricks. He gasped: “It belongs to that… Seventh Prince?”

The man nodded: “Absolutely true. I learned this and instantly realized someone meant to destroy you, Elder Scholar. I cannot bear seeing you wielded as a weapon without knowing. So I dared visit to warn you…”

CRASH!

Old Master Fan leapt to his feet, smashing his teacup to pieces. He roared: “They plot against me indeed!”

…

“This gamble… we really…”

Near Crow Mountain, seeing the Five Sect Elders gather their last strength to finish off the Demon Hound, Young Sect Master Xu, the two Elders, and the gathered Shoushan Sect disciples all paled. Anxiously, they stared at the mountain. Was the Demon Hound really about to be killed? And what then for Shoushan Sect…?

On Crow Mountain, the Five Sect disciples and the rescued townsfolk watched, mouths agape, hope shining, awaiting the decisive moment.

This demon steeped in countless evils… was finally about to…

Cultivation Power crackled like thunder in the air, forming a single focal point overhead ready to obliterate the Demon Hound.

Every watching mind strained with anticipation.

“Don’t kill it!!”

But at that instant, a rift tore open in the air! A voice cried out, frantic with terror.

Horrified and utterly unexpected! The Five Sect Elders’ concentration wavered. They jerked their gazes upward. Divine light burst from the rift, coalescing into an image – Old Master Fan! This usually calm, dignified Elder appeared frantic, almost frightening…

He seemed to rip his throat raw screaming: “St-stop immediately! You absolutely MUST NOT kill it…!”

“What?!”

The Five Sect Elders were shocked.

Old Master Fan used vast Magical Power to project his image here… just to say this?

This… made no sense…!

“This demon… it… it belongs to…”

The projected image of Old Master Fan sputtered angrily, words fragmenting. He clearly realized blurting it outright was bad, yet he had to speak! Frantically agitated, he suddenly used his mind-power, forcefully projecting the name directly into the Elders’ minds.

“What?!”

Their faces transformed instantly. Utter horror replaced confusion.

Almost by reflex, they all scrambled backward, staring at the Demon Hound like they’d seen a vengeful ghost.

“It… it could be… that person’s…?”

Hearing Old Master Fan’s projected scream, then seeing the Elders leap back in apparent terror, the Five Sect disciples were bewildered. What sudden change could make their Elders react so? The impatient ones surged a few steps forward, almost wanting to leap in and slay the demon themselves…

“These immortals… what are they saying?”

The rescued townsfolk watched dumbly, struck motionless by the Qi Refiners suddenly stopping before the killing blow.

What happened?

Why won’t the immortals slay the demon?

“Hahaha… HAHAHA!”

The Demon Hound itself had believed death was certain. Seeing the Qi Refiners’ lack of fear made it think its master’s name held no power here. So Old Master Fan’s sudden intervention and the Elders’ panic shocked it. Its howls twisted into guttural, gasping laughter: “I knew it! I knew you cowards wouldn’t dare kill me! HAHA! Which of you vermin would dare touch me?! Bring ruin to your sect? Annihilation?! HEAR THIS!”

“The Seventh Prince! THE SEVENTH PRINCE! I am the Seventh Prince’s dog! YOU FILTHY TRASH!! WHO DARES TOUCH ME NOW?!”

A dead silence fell over Crow Mountain. Its roars alone vibrated through the stillness.

…

“Huh…?”

At the Ding Gui position, Young Sect Master Xu and the others suddenly whirled around together, their eyes fixed on Fang Cun.

A thousand questions burned in each of them, impossible to form into words.

“It happened the same way indeed…”

But now, Fang Cun had already picked up the Old Umbrella beside him. He stepped slowly out from the deck.

His white robes burned fiercely bright in the sunlight.

His voice carried a chill, killing intent: “Shoushan Sect disciples… It’s our turn to slay demons…”