Chapter 182: The Situation Settles

Fang Cun guessed right. The Five Great Sects naturally had trump cards.

Originally, these trump cards were reserved for snatching the Demon Hound’s head from the rival sects. But seeing the Demon Hound’s ferocity, they could not afford to hold back. Within a very short time, they reached an agreement. The Dragon Stones and Merit were divided up-front. Then, they collaborated without reservation. Otherwise, even if they really managed to slay the Demon Hound, the casualties among their disciples would have been too severe.

Once they cooperated, the effect was immediate.

Elder Ge urged his ten-zhang divine statue behind him into action. It bent down, slapping relentlessly at the Demon Hound’s head, forcing it to confront him head-on. Any lapse in attention, and a mighty slap would make stars burst before its eyes.

Elder Lu, as diminutive as a bean, was vicious and cunning, only aiming at the Demon Hound’s lower body.

Elder Xiu of Leshui Sect unfurled a great talisman in the air, entangling the earthbound Demon Hound and continuously tightening the binding.

Meanwhile, Elder Xiao of Duskblade Sect submerged into the ground. Popping up now and then, he slashed relentlessly at the Demon Hound’s claws. No matter how sturdy the claws were, they couldn’t endure such slashing. The Demon Hound became so enraged that it preferred enduring several slaps from Elder Ge just to lower its head and continuously stomp him. Yet, the moment its claw came down, Elder Xiao vanished beneath the earth. Lifting its head, Elder Xiao emerged again. Lowering its head again…

The Demon Hound’s imposing menace had completely turned into pitiful disarray, making it howl furiously.

On the other flank, two Elders, leading the disciples of their respective sects, directly confronted the remaining five Demon Kings and demon horde.

The female Elder of Yun Huan Sect looked delicate like a little beauty. Laughing lightly, her slender fingers formed a seal. Behind her, a bronze mirror, four or five zhang tall and two or three zhang wide, materialized. As a milky white light flashed across its surface, it reflected rays of strange radiance.

A ram demon with curved horns pawed the ground before charging ferociously towards her. But she angled the bronze mirror towards it. Staring into its own reflection, the ram demon froze. After a moment, it inexplicably veered off course. Meant to charge at Yun Huan Sect’s Elder Yue, it ended up ramming its head into the backside of a nearby wild boar demon.

“Charge that way!”

The enraged wild boar demon pointed towards Elder Yue, brandishing its spiked club as it charged…

…But the blow somehow mysteriously landed squarely on the ram demon’s head.

“Ouch! Sorry!”

“Meeeh!”

“You’re headbutting me now?”

“Meeeh…”

“Seeking death!”

The two Demon Kings engaged in a heated fight, headbutting and clubbing each other frenziedly.

Nearby, Elder Shen of Yunwu Sect wore a sinister smile. Whorls of bluish mist coalesced around him, drifting across the area. The ground was already littered with demon corpses and rivers of demon blood. As this blue mist swept over the battlefield, all traces of demon blood vanished in an instant, seemingly absorbed by the mist. The ground lay bare, while the blue mist had turned bloody red…

Then, the Elder let out an eerie chuckle and clapped his hands lightly. From within the crimson mist emerged ferocious, seemingly undead monsters – part phantom, part corpse – charging towards the very Demon Kings they once worshipped in life.

Thwack! Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!

Some stabbed and slashed wildly with captured blades and spears. Others rushed right up to the Demon Kings and detonated themselves.

The explosions released blood that corroded everything on contact. Even a Demon King struck by it instantly sprouted huge festering sores.

If the Elders were like this, the disciples of the five sects naturally surpassed expectations. Fight-drunk, they unleashed their sect’s techniques – Flying Swords, projectile pills, blades, spears, swords, and halberds – cutting down the demon mob at Crow Mountain like ripe wheat. Compared to their Elders battling Demon Kings, the disciples held an overwhelming advantage. Row after row of demons fell.

…

“Seeing such thrilling combat… I almost want to jump in myself!” exclaimed a sect member who’d been watching safely ten li away, feeling the rising urge.

“A battle such as this is the finest tempering ground!” Even Yu Qingli slowly nodded, visibly stirred.

“No rush,” Fang Cun smiled, waving a hand. “The Five Great Sects instructed us to guard this position. We shall not move recklessly! If any demons flee towards us, then you may strike them down without delay…”

The assembled Shoushan Sect disciples exchanged dumbfounded glances. Judging by the unfolding situation, those Five Sects seemed unlikely to let any escape… But they couldn’t disobey the Elder’s orders. So they mustered their spirit, striking imposing poses mid-air. They maintained the posturing until they were thoroughly weary. Finally, a dazed minor chieftain escaped the Crow Mountain battle, trailed by two or three lesser demons who stumbled towards them. With triumphant shouts, the Shoushan disciples surged forward, instantly pummeling the pitiful stragglers into bloody mash. The demons died bewildered and aggrieved.

“This battle… seems firmly secured…” Young Sect Master Xu sighed softly, observing the distant fight at Crow Mountain.

“It is secured indeed!” Fang Cun concurred. He looked up to see, under the unrestrained onslaught of Elder Ge and the others, the Demon Hound driven past utter exhaustion. Though its vitality and demonic might were immense, “immense” was all it had. When it came to mystical arts and spellcraft finesse, it truly fell short against these sect-trained Elders. Under their coordinated attack, the Demon Hound was essentially just a bigger, exceptionally durable punching bag!

Its attacks were limited: biting, swiping claws, spewing black hellfire. Yet the Elders denied it any opportunities. Now, it was almost completely trapped on the battlefield, covered in wounds, lacking only the final, death-dealing blow.

On other fronts, the remaining Demon Kings were clearly faltering, their strength nearly spent.

As for the common demon foot soldiers on Crow Mountain, the murderously impassioned Five Sect disciples had almost wiped them clean…

Fang Cun could even sense the Five Sect disciples subtly shifting their formations, barricading the path towards Crow Mountain. It wasn’t hard to imagine they were already guarding against any sudden move he might make to kill the Demon Hound. Amidst such vicious combat, they still had the mental clarity to attend to such details – proof that the Five Great Sects weren’t even fighting at full capacity…

One thing was certain: even if he harbored some powerful Magic Treasure and tried to unleash it abruptly now, the Five Sects would intercept him.

“If their situation is secured… what then for us?” While observing the unfolding scene, not only Young Sect Master Xu but even the two eccentric Elders began to worry.

Should the Five Sects truly manage to kill the Demon Hound like this, wouldn’t Shoushan Sect suffer catastrophic losses?

“Young Master Fang…” The two Elders swallowed hard and cautiously inquired: “When… when do you plan to make your move?”

Young Sect Master Xu’s rapt attention fixed entirely upon him.

Fang Cun’s gaze grew momentarily vacant. After a pause, he smiled faintly. “I’ve already made my move.”

…

“Old Scholar,” the situation is secured!”

While Crow Mountain was drenched in fierce, bloody battle, far away at Qingjiang Prefecture’s Great City, within a secluded courtyard room, Old Master Fan sat relaxed. Before him lay an unrolled scroll. Ink patterns swirled fluidly on its surface, constantly shifting. Projecting his spirit sense into it allowed him to witness, with perfect clarity, every blood-soaked detail of the demon-slaying battle at Crow Mountain.

This was the Survey Map bestowed by the Turtle God King. As Prefect of Qingjiang Prefecture, he could borrow its power to oversee any location within the prefecture.

An elderly servant stood beside him, his hands clasped respectfully. Watching the unfolding scene, the servant couldn’t help but smile. “The Demon Hound is doomed. The people of Great Qingjiang City will surely praise your order commanding the sects to slay this demon, Old Master. Hah… and perhaps not just the people. From now on, the young prefect of Wuhe County will forever look up to you. Even the Turtle God King himself might issue an edict of commendation…”

Old Master Fan chuckled softly. “Such fleeting reputation hardly matters! Vanquishing demons, safeguarding the people – that is the duty we Qi Refiners are all sworn to fulfill. What glory is there to boast?” With that, he paused before adding, grinning, “Unlike that Prefect of Wuhe County… he allowed this demon to commit atrocities unhindered, failing repeatedly to eliminate it. Yet it waltzed right into our Qingjiang Prefecture, delivering a ready-made accomplishment to my doorstep!”

“That is entirely because you, Old Master, abhor villainy and refuse to tolerate even a grain of sand in your eyes…” the elderly servant murmured with a knowing smile. Then, he added cautiously, “But Shoushan Sect… after this fight, they are likely to be devastated…”

Old Master Fan gave a faint, cold snort. “Recent turmoil saw the Five Great Sects growing increasingly impudent and unwilling to genuinely exert themselves. So, I intended Shoushan Sect’s resurgence to stir the pot… But who could have foreseen Shoushan Sect, now under this scion of the Fang family, the Second Son, acting so reckless? It’s no surprise he possesses potent Magic Treasures; the treasure troves of the Immortal Master are hardly lacking! Pity though, compared to the Five Sects, he is still too green…”

The servant leaned in slightly, his voice dropping. “Yet casually wagering five hundred Dragon Stones…”

Old Master Fan shot him a sharp glance. “You think this old man covets the remnants of that Little Immortal Master?”

The servant hurriedly demurred, “No, no, certainly not…”

Old Master Fan fell silent briefly, then spoke. “But that Second Son of the Fang family, if he were at all sensible… contributing to Qingjiang’s cause… he should know it is his duty!”

“Indeed, indeed! As a disciple of the Immortal Master Fang Chi, he should inherit at least some of his master’s dignity…” The servant nodded agreeably. “Besides, Shoushan Sect losing this wager… they will have no choice but to seek your patronage henceforth.”

Old Master Fan affably gestured. “I am, after all, an elder relative! If I do not look after him… who will?” He then dismissed the topic with a wave of his sleeve. “Let us not speculate too far ahead. For now, let us witness the final demise of this Demon Hound…”

Just as they spoke, someone outside the courtyard requested an audience.

Highly displeased, the Old Master frowned. “I am deliberating important governance matters! Who possesses so little propriety as to seek me out directly here?”

A trembling attendant reported hastily, “We tried to send them to the County Mansion… but they…”

The Old Master’s expression hardened. “Stop stammering! Speak!”

The attendant nervously explained, “He… he claimed, claimed to be here… to save your life…”