Chapter 320: Mount Mao’s Demon-Hunting Daoist Arts! The Good Man Murong Longcheng! The Ancient City! The Daoist’s Statue!

Although this man had been in seclusion for many years, he had represented Mount Mao as he roamed the world in his early days. He was domineering in conduct, ruthless in killing, and decisive in every strike. Later, because his killing intent grew too heavy, the elders of Mount Mao brought him back and confined him in seclusion until now. Therefore, Danyangzi’s reputation was earned fair and square.

Suddenly, Danyangzi, who was seated upon the white crane, opened his eyes. A sharp gleam of light shot forth, and everyone instinctively retreated. Even Chen Tianyuan, dressed in his pure white robes, wore a grave expression, because he felt an oppressive sense of danger pressing down on him.

So strong!

The moment this young Daoist appeared, he shook and overpowered everyone present. From within his robes, he pulled out a talisman and tossed it into the air, thereafter it ignited without wind. It turned into a mass of pure qi, spiraling above the crowd.

No one understood what this act meant, Yet under Danyangzi’s overwhelming presence, everyone felt as if a great mountain loomed over their hearts, and their breathing grew tense despite themselves.

Who would have thought that with the opening of the Jade Altar’s Blissful Land, even such a ruthless fiend would be drawn out.

Suddenly, the pure qi darkened, and it transformed into a blurry human face. With a shrill roar of anguish, it lunged straight toward the direction where Li Yanchu had been watching the commotion.

“Hm?” Li Yanchu’s brows lifted in surprise.

Though the face was indistinct, its eyes emanated a look of arrogance and dominance, and it looked oddly familiar.

When he focused his eyes...

Damn! Isn’t this that bastard Hong Baiwei from Mount Mao?!

In an instant, he understood Danyangzi’s intent. This guy was trying to use Mount Mao’s Daoist arts to hunt down the true culprit who had killed Hong Baiwei!

Boom!

Just then, a deafening blast ripped through the air, and the blurred face of qi and darkness shattered instantly. Then, a wandering swordsman wearing a bamboo hat shot out from beside Li Yanchu.

Seeing this, a flash of cold light flickered in Danyangzi’s eyes.

His voice was icy as he said, “It’s you!”

He then curled his five fingers in a grasp, and instantly, a massive hand of condensed flame appeared out of thin air. With that, waves of scorching heat swept outward in all directions.

Boom!

The wandering fighter struck out with another punch, and it collided with the flaming hand in a violent explosion. Then, the flames burst apart into countless sparks, scattering across the sky.

“Danyangzi, after all these years, your temper is still the same. You strike to kill the moment we meet!” a rough, powerful voice rang out.

Hearing this, the wandering fighter slowly removed his bamboo hat, revealing a stern and commanding face with thick brows and bold eyes. At this time, his entire aura was as vast and unshakable as a mountain range.

“Murong Longcheng!”

“To think even the prodigy of the imperial court beyond the frontier has come!”

“What a gathering this is!”

At this time, Daoist cultivators and martial artists alike were shocked.

It was Murong Longcheng[1], a prodigy among the young generation of the steppe tribes beyond the northern frontier. At just ten years old, he had been able to tear apart tigers and leopards with his bare hands. Truly, he was a born powerhouse of extraordinary might.

At this time, everyone present felt exhilarated. Who could have expected that in such a short span of time, they would witness the gathering of prodigies like Mount Mao’s Danyangzi, the frontier’s Murong Longcheng, and Feiyun Prefecture’s Chen Tianyuan?

Danyangzi and Murong Longcheng were old acquaintances, but now the air between them bristled with hostility, and murderous intent was spilling out in every direction. The sheer tension left everyone’s hearts pounding, and everyone held their breaths.

Just then, Li Yanchu couldn’t help glancing at Murong Longcheng while the corner of his mouth twitched slightly. Just now, his senses had been crystal clear; that blurry face of Hong Baiwei’s had

definitely

been charging straight at him.

Murong Longcheng must have mistaken it as an attack from Danyangzi aimed at himself, and so he struck with force, which shattered Hong Baiwei’s face. And in doing so, he disrupted Danyangzi’s spell.

At this moment, it seemed the two of them had both fallen into quite a misunderstanding. Danyangzi’s expression turned solemn, and his gaze was as sharp as a blade.

Suddenly, the jade-green archway erupted with radiant light, and the barrier of light rippled like flowing water. This was the sign that the Blissful Land of the Jade Altar had fully opened.

“Well then, Danyangzi, shall we fight here, or head into the secret realm first?” Murong Longcheng laughed. His aura was overbearing, and he showed not the slightest fear of Danyangzi.

In response, Danyangzi’s face darkened. With a cold snort, he mounted his white crane and was the first to enter the Jade Altar’s Blissful Land. Then, a streak of red light flashed, and he vanished from sight.

Seeing this, Murong Longcheng let out a booming laugh. With a single punch he blasted open the light barrier and followed in after.

Meanwhile, the remaining monks, Daoists,

jianghu

wanderers, scholars, independent cultivators, and eccentrics all surged forward in a rush.

But alas, though the barrier seemed soft and gentle, in truth it was incomparably tough. Many people couldn’t force their way through, nor could they break this barrier.

“Interesting!” Li Yanchu grinned.

He hadn’t expected this Jade Altar’s Blissful Land to be so different from Mount Jinting’s Blissful Land. It actually had a trial at the very entrance!

Clang!

Chen Tianyuan’s waist slashed through the barrier with the longsword at his waist, and sword qi surged in all directions. With long strides, he too entered.

At once, the crowd left outside turned green with envy. But what could they do? After all, that man was a genius of the sword!

At this time, a Confucian scholar drew out his ferule[2] and chanted the classics of the sages to break open the barrier. Meanwhile, a monk pressed his palms together, using the golden alms bowl in his hands to forcefully smash through the barrier. At the same time, a grotesque corpse-bearer with a massive coffin on his back let a pale arm stretch out from the coffin and tore open the barrier.

As Li Yanchu watched the spectacle with interest, he took a single light step forward and simply walked straight in. His body had been tempered to extreme hardness and was brimming with immense power. To him, it seemed effortless.

Seeing this, a nearby independent cultivator who had been struggling to break through the barrier instantly widened his eyes.

“Eh?!”

“How did that young Daoist just walk in?!”

Not just him, many of the common folk watching from afar, as well as

jianghu

wanderers who had already given up, couldn’t help rubbing their eyes in shock. Some simply couldn’t believe it! He just walked right in? It was

that

easy?! No, impossible.

Seeing the countless powerful techniques others had used, with each one mighty in its own way, even the dullest of minds could tell that this barrier was definitely a restriction shield of extreme difficulty to break through.

At this time, the people of Wei City sighed in admiration.

Wow, would you look at that! Only our Daoist Master Yanchu could pull this off. Just look at that back, he’s effortlessly cool.

Li Yanchu only felt the world before him blur, and when he opened his eyes again, he found himself standing within a dim and shadowy realm.

Just then, a fine drizzle pattered down. His gaze sharpened as he realized the rain was just ordinary rainwater without poison and without any soul-corroding, bone-melting sinister force. On the contrary, it carried a faint trace of spiritual energy.

Not only that, though the world around was shrouded in gloom with endless drizzling rain, it was filled with an incredibly dense aura of spiritual qi, which was at least five or six times stronger than outside.

“As expected, my Senior Uncle didn’t trick me. The spiritual energy here really is abundant!” His gaze shifted into the distance.

In the distance stood an ancient city, and at its very center rose a towering statue of a Daoist, which was visible even from far away. The old Celestial Master had once mentioned that everyone appeared in different, random locations upon entering the Jade Altar.

This ancient city was an empty one, and it was the only structure in this entire realm. It was completely unlike the desolate, ruined appearance of Mount Jinting’s Blissful Land.

He tried using his Qi Sight, but the rich spiritual energy here made it impossible to see clearly. Without even a hint of urgency, he began making his way toward the ancient city. Though he couldn’t be bothered to put on the airs of a lofty master and simply raised his protective qi barrier to shield himself from the rain, he was still somewhat cautious in this unfamiliar place.

Just then, a streak of pure light flared on his body, enveloping him completely. It was the Water-Repelling Talisman. Though it was only a one-time enhanced yellow talisman, it was more than enough to deal with ordinary rainwater.

Boom!

All of a sudden, a thunderous explosion sounded in the distance, as if two people were clashing in battle.

Didn’t they say everyone appears in different places? Who’s so hot-blooded that they start fighting the moment they arrive?

Li Yanchu’s heart stirred, and at once he unleashed his ultimate movement technique while darting forward.

1. The surname Murong is historically tied to aristocratic clans, instantly giving the impression of an old, refined lineage. Combined with Long, meaning dragon, the name evokes images of immense power, ambition, and a destiny tied to greatness. The final character, Cheng, literally meaning city or fortress, adds a sense of solidity and unshakable strength.

To me, the name suggests a man of proud heritage, commanding presence, and extraordinary potential ☜

2. The ferule (戒尺, jièchǐ) was a wooden tool historically used in China for corporal punishment. It also served as a ritual implement in Buddhism and Daoism, used to warn and discipline practitioners. Among scholars and literati, it could even function as a paperweight. In modern times,戒尺 has also been adapted as a children’s stationery item or a teaching aid, though its association with corporal punishment remains controversial.

Here is a reference

image

. ☜