Chapter 107: The Azure Duckweed Sword

On Mount Changbai.

The final sealing formation, under the relentless assault of Hu Santaiye’s black aura, finally gave way with a thunderous crack.

The remaining four great protectors and the Kun Dao disciples of the Lingying Palace were all inside the great hall. They sat cross-legged with eyes closed, as if in deep meditation. Hu Santaiye looked around but saw none of the three he had deliberately allowed into the Lingying Palace earlier—Lin Yi, Hua Yuyan, and the Old Mountain God. He said, “Quickly search the entire Lingying Palace. Those three—if alive, bring them before me; if dead, show me their corpses!”

“Yes, Master!” Several subordinates immediately led men to scour the Lingying Palace in all directions.

Hu Santaiye gazed at the Lingying Palace disciples sitting on the ground and commanded again, “Bring the remaining four great protectors of the Lingying Palace here. As for the rest of the Kun Dao disciples, do as you please.”

Soon, his men dragged the four great protectors over. When Hu Santaiye asked what had happened, one subordinate said, “Master, they all destroyed their primordial spirits and perished completely. Even their essence and soul have dispersed.”

Just as he finished speaking, other subordinates reported, “Master, it’s not just those four protectors. All the Kun Dao disciples of Lingying Palace have done the same.”

Hu Santaiye’s face darkened. With a flick of his black aura, he sent the corpses of the four great protectors flying, slicing them into pieces scattered across the ground. He understood that even in death, these Lingying Palace members refused to let him feed on their essence and soul any longer.

“Then let the Five Yin Immortal Fire incinerate Lingying Palace and their bodies, so they cannot be reborn!” Hu Santaiye’s fury was boundless.

After a moment, he inquired, “Have the three been found?”

“One reports, Master, we’ve searched all over Lingying Palace but found no trace of the three. Could they have escaped?” a subordinate answered.

“Changbai Mountain is surrounded by us like an impenetrable fortress. How could they have escaped? Search deeper! Even if we must dig three feet deep or flatten all of Changbai Mountain, we must find those three!” Hu Santaiye said angrily.

“Yes!”

Hu Santaiye’s expression grew even darker. Hu Tiangang, the father of Hu Sangongzi, approached and said, “Father, could there be secret passages on Changbai Mountain? Perhaps those three escaped through hidden tunnels?”

Just as he finished asking, from the other side, the gray-haired old woman hurried over. Seeing her, Hu Santaiye asked, “Sister Hui of the Hui family, why are you here? Didn’t I order you to follow Lin Yi and strike his soul with the Six Yao Gu insect when the opportunity arose? How has that gone?”

The gray-haired woman’s black bean-like eyes darted around. “Master, that Lin Yi is very cunning. He had been hiding in Lingying Palace before, so I couldn’t get close! But now Changbai Mountain has fallen, and Lin Yi has no place to hide.”

“Is that so? Do you know where Lin Yi is now?” Hu Santaiye asked.

“Well… I don’t know right now, but I discovered a small path behind Lingying Palace. Since you cannot find Lin Yi’s whereabouts, I believe they escaped along that path,” the gray-haired woman said.

“So there really is a secret passage. I will go after them immediately!” Hu Tiangang declared.

“Wait, don’t chase them,” Hu Santaiye said. When Hu Tiangang asked why, Hu Santaiye explained, “Those Kun Dao disciples of Lingying Palace who died did so to cover for them. Since they all chose suicide instead of resistance, it means those three left Changbai Mountain long ago. If we pursue now, we won’t catch them.”

“What then? Are we just going to let them escape?” Hu Tiangang was anxious, eager to avenge his son’s death.

“Don’t be impatient, Tiangang. Where else could they run in this vast wilderness beyond the pass? Now that the Flower Luo Goddess at Shanhaiguan has died and we are about to enter, those three so-called righteous ones will naturally go there to help defend the pass,” Hu Santaiye said, then ordered, “All immortal generals, obey the command. Use the Five Yin Immortal Fire to burn Lingying Palace. We march immediately to Shanhaiguan!”

“Yes!”

The wild immortals roared with overwhelming force, their voices echoing to the heavens.

Moments later, a fierce teal-black blaze erupted, consuming the palace that resembled a heavenly cloud-top palace, leaving nothing but ruins.

After Hu Santaiye and the wild immortals descended the mountain, he instructed the gray-haired woman, “Sister Hui, our agreement remains unchanged. Move covertly toward Shanhaiguan and wait for the right moment to strike Lin Yi’s soul with the Six Yao Gu insect. When that happens, you will have accomplished a great deed.”

“Thank you, Master!”

The gray-haired woman immediately led her subordinates through the forest, also heading to Shanhaiguan.

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At our side.

We arrived at Shanhaiguan late at night. The fortress’s city walls were lined with torches, and several Kun Dao disciples of Lingying Palace stood guard atop them. Though few in number, the fortress exuded a formidable sense of oppression, though it was unclear from where this feeling stemmed.

Outside Shanhaiguan, camps of wild immortals were densely packed, numbering some twenty to thirty thousand.

Still, the situation at Shanhaiguan was extremely grave. The Luo Goddess protector had died, and although the wild immortals had yet to breach the pass, the cause was unknown. I suspected this strange oppressive aura was related.

We took a narrow path leading near Shanhaiguan.

All the commanding generals guarding the pass were Kun Dao disciples of Lingying Palace. When they saw Hua Yuyan arrive, they were elated. They had heard about the disaster at Changbai Mountain and wanted to ask Hua Yuyan about it, but she did not know how to reveal the truth. She only said that Changbai Mountain was still intact.

Changbai Mountain had been their stronghold and last line of defense. If they knew it had fallen, their morale would shatter.

“How is the Luo Goddess protector?” Hua Yuyan asked, unwilling to accept the fact that the protector was dead.

The Kun Dao disciples fell silent.

At that moment, a woman came down from the city wall. She said, “Palace Mistress, my master… has passed away.”

This woman was Hua Mujin, a disciple of the Luo Goddess protector. She wore her master’s Luo Goddess flower armor and stood on the wall, seemingly crushed by the weight of the armor but forcing herself to stand. Her right hand was bloodied and trembling uncontrollably.

After speaking, she suddenly lost her footing and collapsed.

Hua Yuyan leapt forward and caught Hua Mujin.

The Old Mountain God and I hurried over as well. Hua Mujin slowly opened her eyes and said, “Palace Mistress, I’m fine. I never thought in my lifetime I would see you again. It’s wonderful, but I don’t know… what has become of the ancestral roots of Lingying Palace on Changbai Mountain?”

Hua Yuyan sighed deeply.

I immediately said, “Her injuries are severe. Help her to rest.”

Hua Yuyan nodded and helped Hua Mujin sit atop the city wall. Unsure how to speak of the situation at Changbai Mountain, Hua Yuyan changed the subject and asked, “Mujin, what happened to your right hand?”

Hua Mujin smiled bitterly and looked toward the sword platform at the center of the city wall. A sword rested there that had long captured my attention.

The sword was three feet six and a half inches long, its blade and scabbard jet black, entwined with a blue lotus pattern. Under the moonlight, it emitted a faint blue glow.

It was clear this was the Qingping Demon-Subduing Sword.

I realized the oppressive aura I had felt earlier came from this sword.

Hua Mujin shook her head slightly and smiled ruefully. “Since my master’s death, I have had to shoulder the heavy responsibility of wielding the Qingping Sword. But this sword is difficult to tame. Although it temporarily relieves the crisis at Shanhaiguan, its power is so fierce and wild that my shallow cultivation cannot withstand it. As a result, I keep injuring myself.”

The nine great protectors of Lingying Palace were Hua Yuyan’s and Hua Mujin’s elders, while the two had grown up together like sisters.

Seeing Hua Mujin’s injury, Hua Yuyan couldn’t help but worry.

Hua Yuyan used her magic to heal Hua Mujin’s wounds, but the injuries caused by the Qingping Sword on her right hand would not fully recover.

Though the wounds were stubborn, Hua Mujin’s spirit had improved considerably. Upon seeing the Old Mountain God and me, she seemed to recognize him and asked Hua Yuyan about me.

“Who is this young gentleman?”

“He is the one I descended the mountain to find,” Hua Yuyan replied.

Hearing this, Hua Mujin immediately stood and bowed to me. I didn’t understand the meaning of the gesture, but all the disciples of Lingying Palace had greeted me similarly.

I reluctantly returned the bow.

Then Hua Mujin looked at Hua Yuyan and asked, “Palace Mistress, has Changbai Mountain already…”

This time Hua Yuyan could no longer evade the question. She walked to the edge of the city wall and gazed toward the direction of Changbai Mountain.

“Yes. Our home is lost. I, as Palace Mistress, have failed to protect Lingying Palace. The eight great protectors and all the disciples sacrificed themselves so that I could escape…”

Hua Yuyan gripped the stone bricks of the city wall tightly. Tears welled in her eyes.

Hua Mujin stepped forward. “Palace Mistress, you need not blame yourself. The power of the wild immortals is truly terrifying. Honestly, I don’t know if we can hold Shanhaiguan tomorrow…”

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