Chapter 184: My Name is Fang, from Willow Lake

“Wha… what happened?”

“Why did those immortal masters suddenly stop?”

The atmosphere on Crow Mountain grew eerily strange at once, leaving all the common folk utterly bewildered.

Just moments ago, the sect elders had been furiously attacking the Demon Hound, desperate to slay it immediately. Yet in an instant, their faces had turned deathly pale. They looked shocked, terrified, astonished, even full of regret and dread. Their earlier, formidable presence while fighting the demon had vanished completely. Like wooden dummies, they merely listened to the demon’s furious roars.

“Hahaha, I told you… you brought disaster upon yourselves…”

“I told you, who in Black River or Qingjiang would dare provoke me, Divine Lord Eclipse?”

At first, the Demon Hound’s laughter held a note of uncertainty, sounding almost like empty bluster. But as time passed, it grew certain these elders truly dared not kill it. Perhaps they had raided Crow Mountain only because they didn’t know its identity. Its fear melted away, replaced by arrogant fury…

“Not just you… not even… not even the Divine Kings dare touch… touch me…”

“Cough… cough…”

Its fury burned too fiercely, triggering a sudden coughing fit. Foul, stinking blood oozed between its sharp fangs. Its injuries were severe; this violent coughing almost finished it. Struggling desperately, it swallowed the last head from around its neck, forcibly suppressing its wounds. Its eyes glared viciously and coldly around it, as if trying to rise, but its strength failed.

Its injuries were too grievous. That one head pill clearly couldn’t fully restore it.

“Just wait… wait until I heal…”

It snarled ferociously while scanning its surroundings, seeking a way to mitigate its wounds.

But its supply of those head pills was exhausted. Where would new ones come from now?

A cruel glint flashed in its eyes. It abruptly looked forward.

It fixed its gaze on the common folk, who had just been freed by the sect disciples and were gaping in stunned disbelief.

These people were, after all, livestock it had raised… for blood and meat.

“Heheheheheh…”

It suddenly began a harsh, chilling laugh, its eyes glowing with malice. Dragging its wounded leg, it crawled toward the people.

“Whoosh-sh…”

The group of common folk, fresh from their dark, sunless confinement, their hearts still shadowed by horror, suddenly found the demon’s predatory gaze upon them. Even though it seemed unable to even stand, the terror it evoked in their hearts was immense. Facing its terrifying stare, countless souls drowned in fear. Their minds shattered. They wailed and screamed.

“Immortal Masters… Immortal Masters, save us!”

“That… that demon! It still wants to eat people!”

But hearing their pleas, the immortals’ faces darkened further, like gathering storm clouds. Yet as they watched the beast inch forward, crawling closer and closer to the people—already almost upon them—still, none moved…

Some faces were twisted with rage as they glared at others around them. But still… no movement.

“What’s… what’s wrong with the Immortal Masters?”

“When a demon wants to eat people… shouldn’t… shouldn’t the immortals slay the demon?”

The common folk couldn’t understand the immortals’ indifference. An indescribable terror seized their hearts.

Some knelt before the Five Great Sects’ Elders, kowtowing repeatedly. Others, in their panic, scattered in all directions.

But weakened by their long imprisonment in that dark, sunless place, and now paralyzed by the Demon Hound’s overwhelming malice, many couldn’t even move their legs to run. They collapsed weakly to the ground, only able to watch as the demon crawled nearer…

Watching the vicious, giant beast draw close, its shadow poised to engulf them.

“This… how can this be? How can this demon eat people right before our eyes?”

Finally, a sect disciple witnessing this stupefying scene could endure no more. Just as the Demon Hound neared the people, he shouted loudly. He summoned his Flying Sword, gritted his teeth, and slashed it toward the demon!

“Whoosh!”

But the Flying Sword he’d conjured was abruptly seized by an Elder standing beside him.

“Do you have a death wish?!”

The Elder whirled toward him, barking the sharp rebuke.

Confronted by the Elder’s furious gaze, the disciple froze in shock. His hand trembled where it held the sacred incantation.

“It… it wants to eat people!”

It seemed to take all his strength. The disciple desperately shouted out.

His cry pierced the air. From the Five Great Sects, countless other disciples turned their gazes toward him. It felt like an unspoken question hung heavy on every disciple’s lips.

Facing this collective stare, the Elder felt an immense pressure in his heart.

He couldn’t bare to meet their eyes. Slowly, he turned his head away. But his hand, still clenched around the captured Flying Sword, didn’t relax.

“There are many things… you do not yet understand!”

His voice was heavy with utter helplessness. With a sweep of his sleeve, invisible Magical Power enveloped his disciples.

None resisted. More than anything now, confusion clouded their minds.

Their earlier fury, born from a burning sense of injustice, dissolved like smoke.

……

“Haha, haha, you really are wise after all… you really don’t dare touch me…”

The Demon Hound, seeing that disciple’s attempt to strike, had felt a jolt of fear. But instantly seeing the disciple restrained by the Elder, its mind calmed. It laughed with a piercing, savage sound. Though still unable to stand, it felt more powerful than ever. Summoning its strength, it crawled forward with greater purpose, slithering closer to its prey. It even shouted incessantly:

“Quick! I need blood-flesh to suppress my wounds!”

“If you want me to forget your trespass… hurry! Hurry and feed those people into my mouth!”

Hearing its words, the surrounding Elders of the Five Sects squeezed their eyes shut in agony.

In the end, none acted. They merely stood, eyes clenched shut in silent torment.

The Demon Hound hadn’t truly expected them to obey. It was merely venting its fury. Crawling urgently toward the collapsed folk, selecting its favored prey, it thought of its plans once healed…

Perhaps there was no need to keep hiding in the mountains. Why not enter the cities?

Why fear these sects?

Cruel amusement flickered in its eyes as they locked onto the helpless figures before it.

Drool trickled from its mouth. It crawled onward, inch by inch, toward the living feast.

“Immortal Masters, save us!”

“Immortal Masters… why don’t you slay the demon?”

The desperate cries and pleas of the people merged into a wave of terrified screams.

No one moved. No one answered.

All the immortals present either bowed their heads or kept their eyes tightly closed.

When the immortals close their eyes… darkness consumes the world of men!

……

“Esteemed Seniors, it seems this wager will be won by us alone…”

Just as the Demon Hound opened its massive jaws, ready to devour the closest victim, a shadow unexpectedly stretched across the ground. From above, a voice drifted down, calm and clear.

“Who’s there?!”

The Demon Hound, its heart filled with savage glee, startled at the sudden interruption, freezing mid-action.

It whipped its head upward. A Dharma Ship had somehow silently arrived above Crow Mountain, hovering directly over it’s head. Following the voice, a figure emerged—a white-robed man holding an Old Umbrella. He stepped from the clouds, drifting gently downward. Amidst the profound silence of the Five Great Sect Elders, the aura radiating from this man sent an unnerving chill of danger through the demon. Instinctively, it began to slowly edge back.

“You…”

The subdued, stiff Elders twitched at the young man’s appearance. Suddenly, one seemed to grasp something, a host of confusions untangling in his mind. Stammering urgently, he addressed the newcomer: “Is it… is it that you already knew…”

“Yes!”

The elegantly dressed young man in white responded simply. Landing softly, his old umbrella held firmly.

Hearing his affirmation, the faces of the Elders from the Five Great Sects twisted into expressions of profound strangeness.

So it was like this after all…

How absurd. Earlier, desperate to win their wager, they’d assembled disciples, prepared Magic Treasures, laid plans and formations—exhaustively ensuring that Shoushan Sect, that this young master—would have absolutely no opportunity to act. Yet who could have guessed? Their precautions, their carefulness, were utterly futile all along? Shoushan Sect’s true trump card… had never resided in those tactics?

Shoushan Sect—or rather, this Young Master—had merely wagered on their collective courage!

The faces of the Elders displayed stark embarrassment, deep humiliation—a vortex of complex emotions.

And then, countless questions flooded their minds: “This Second Young Master Fang clearly knew the Demon Hound’s background long ago… So what exactly is he planning? His elder brother once entered the Seven Kings Hall… shared the very same origin as this demon…”

……

“What do you want?”

While the surrounding Elders stood speechless or uttered deep sighs, the Demon Hound suddenly sensed danger. Malice burning in its eyes, it glared at the young master now blocking its path. “You… what are you trying to do?” it snarled urgently.

“Trying to do?”

Fang Cun held his Old Umbrella steady. Meeting the demon’s gaze under the watchful eyes of the surrounding people, his answer was simple: “To slay you, of course.”

A ripple went through the crowd.

Countless eyes, moments ago clouded with utter despair, suddenly flickered with a spark of new hope.

“Y-you dare?!” Shocked, the Demon Hound roared defiantly. “Whose disciple are you? Who—do you know who I AM?”

“Do you know what happens if you touch me? What it MEANS?!”

“……”

“I know exactly what butchering you signifies,” Fang Cun replied, calmly meeting its furious glare. “And that, precisely, is why I am here.”

A faint, cold smile touched his lips. He took a step forward. “My name is Fang. From Willow Lake…”

“Have you grasped it now?”

“……” Comprehension hit like a blow. Blankness flashed through the demon’s eyes for an instant, then its pupils—brown like tarnished coins—snapped tight as arrows. “It’s YOU?” it rasped.

An indescribable wave of panic crashed over it. The vicious fury vanished from its gaze, instantly replaced by nervousness and acute wariness. Thoughts spun, words formulating. It managed a hoarse, placating chuckle. “Actually, I—”

Fang Cun didn’t wait to hear. His expression solidified into ice. One word sliced the air:

“Kill him!”