Chapter 720: Old Man, Come Out and Show Me the Way

Now that Chu Liang was facing Venerable Wen Yuan, he could momentarily let his guard down.

After spending a significant amount of time with Venerable Wen Yuan, Chu Liang had come to trust him. In some ways, Venerable Wen Yuan had filled part of the void left by Chu Liang's esteemed teacher.

At the very least, this sect leader's heart was undoubtedly aligned with the interests of the sect.

Of course, Chu Liang kept the existence of the White Pagoda within him a secret, primarily because he still didn't understand why it had fused with him or whether it could ever be separated from his soul. He had once tried to summon the actual tangible structure of the pagoda, but it was impossible.

If he were to reveal this, Venerable Wen Yuan might choose to sacrifice Chu Liang for the Demon-Suppressing Pagoda, for the Mount Shu Sect, and for the sake of upholding righteousness. Where would Chu Liang go to seek justice then?

It wasn't that Venerable Wen Yuan wasn't a good person; rather, those who rose to lead a sect within the Divine Nine were seldom motivated by personal gain. Their actions were guided by higher ideals. If reclaiming the Demon-Suppressing Pagoda required it, he likely wouldn't hesitate to sacrifice not only Chu Liang but even himself.

"Previously, I accidentally came across an exotic beast, the Heaven-Devouring Bug, which is why that demon king captured me," Chu Liang explained. "Fortunately, the Heaven-Devouring Bug is no longer with me, so they couldn't locate it. However, only I know where it is now."

He went on to explain how the demons were searching the Heaven-Devouring Bug to use it as a vessel to hold the life essence of the Demon God. Venerable Wen Yuan listened intently, falling silent as he pondered for a long time.

Venerable Wen Yuan said slowly, "In today's world, chaos is rising. A ninth-realm existence must emerge to restore order and bring peace."

He paused, then his tone changed as he continued to speak. "But that ninth-realm figure must not be a demonic or evil being. Otherwise, the nightmare from three thousand years ago will repeat. And this time, our sect no longer has the Demon-Suppressing Pagoda to save us."

Venerable Wen Yuan then uttered in a chilling tone, "The Heaven-Devouring Bug must be killed."

Chu Liang felt a shiver run down his spine but chose not to argue.

The thought of killing Tuntun filled him with deep reluctance. Yet, as long as it existed, the threat of the Demon God's resurgence loomed over him. If the demons ever succeeded, there would be no path to redemption for him.

After a brief pause, Chu Liang said, "Caiyi also told me something else..."

𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎

Chu Liang then revealed the matter of Baize assisting in releasing the Demon God. It was clear that Venerable Wen Yuan hadn't been aware of this. Even with his typically calm and composed demeanor, a flicker of emotion flashed in his eyes.

A long silence followed before Venerable Wen Yuan finally spoke again. "As the guardian celestial beast of Mount Shu for thousands of years, it's unlikely Baize would have acted in a way that harms our sect. I will find a way to verify this matter.

"For now, let's put aside the task of killing the Heaven-Devouring Bug. Just stay on Mount Shu for the time being. With Baize, Daoist Yan, and myself overseeing the situation and the Violet and Azure Twin Swords protecting you, no one will be able to harm you here."

Such a deep sense of reassurance

, Chu Liang thought and sighed inwardly.

He nodded and said, "I will stay on the mountain and cultivate peacefully."

"Your cultivation reached the Dao Attainment Realm in a single night; you need time to stabilize your cultivation energy. Staying on Mount Shu for a while will benefit you. Reaching the seventh realm isn't the end of your journey—it's only the beginning. Until now, your cultivation has been under the protection of your elders. From this point on, you will walk the true path of immortality cultivation."

He continued, his voice heavy with emotion. "It's a very cruel path…"

Chu Liang had prepared himself for this. Before reaching the seventh realm, all his trials and hidden realm experiences had been carefully arranged by his sect elders. While there had been some dangers and casualties, it was, overall, like growing up sheltered in a greenhouse.

Upon reaching the Dao Attainment Realm, a disciple's role shifted from being the protected to becoming the protector, shouldering the responsibility of supporting the sect.

Over the years, the number of Mount Shu disciples who reached the Dao Attainment Realm but died outside the sect was far greater than most could imagine. Ordinary disciples were certainly not the ones who had lost legendary items like the six demon-eliminating treasures.

The conversation then came to an end. Chu Liang had just stepped out of the Boundless Palace when the sound of a commotion reached his ears.

…

As soon as Chu Liang stepped out, he was met by the Alchemy Master, who grabbed him with an exasperated expression.

"Chu Liang, just the person I was looking for! Go deal with your esteemed teacher. She's been flying around Mount Shu for over ten laps, insisting she's lost…"

"Huh?"

Chu Liang was taken aback and quickly flew up to the skies to see what was going on.

In the distance, he spotted a massive headless purple serpent floating in midair. As he flew closer, he realized it was Di Nufeng. She was casually carrying the serpent's corpse on her shoulder as she drifted leisurely through the sky.

The giant serpent emanated an overwhelming spiritual energy, and even in death, it radiated a faint divine light. It was clear this was no ordinary creature.

Yet, here was his teacher, casually parading around with the serpent's massive corpse. This baffling behavior left Chu Liang utterly confused.

"Esteemed Teacher, what are you doing?" Chu Liang asked as he approached.

Di Nufeng turned her head, and upon seeing Chu Liang, she said, "Ah, my disciple! How did you know your teacher killed an eighth-realm greater demon king to save you?"

"…" Chu Liang was momentarily speechless.

No wonder she had been circling for so long without anyone daring to intervene. Who would dare say anything after hearing that?

This must be the corpse of the legendary Demon King of the Great Marshlands. It seems he was seriously injured while trying to rescue me from Daoist Cangsheng. The fatal blow must have come from Daoist Cangsheng. Otherwise, no matter how powerful my teacher is, it would have been nearly impossible for her, a seventh-realm cultivator, to challenge an eighth-realm expert.

So, Daoist Cangsheng really went all out…

At the thought of this, Chu Liang couldn't help but feel a chill run down his spine.

Looking at his esteemed teacher, he was filled with emotion. "Teacher, even the heavens would weep for the risk you took to ensure your disciple's safety. But after flying around for so many rounds, shouldn't we head home now?"

"Yes, I should have gone home a long time ago." Di Nufeng smacked herself on the forehead. "I just couldn't remember the way back to Silver Sword Peak. You know I have no sense of direction..."

"Let me guide you back. It's this way," Chu Liang said with a smile, pointing in the direction.

"Oh, so it's this way," Di Nufeng replied, then she flew off in the completely opposite direction.

Chu Liang reminded softly, "Esteemed Teacher, that's the way to Jade Sword Peak."

Di Nufeng replied with a hearty laugh, "I'm just going to find Wang Xuanling to ask for directions."

Chu Liang watched his teacher recede into the distance and couldn't help but feel a sense of helplessness. If Wang Xuanling refused to come out, she might end up wandering around until Changfeng's corpse dried into snake jerky.

At that thought, Chu Liang suddenly became curious.

The Evil Heart Curse could transform someone into a devil, unleashing their repressed evil. Chu Liang couldn't help but wonder what would happen if he used this mantra on his esteemed teacher.

Unable to suppress the sudden surge of curiosity, Chu Liang raised his hand and pointed.

Whoosh!

The Evil Heart Curse was unleashed upon Di Nufeng, and she froze momentarily. She turned her head with a puzzled expression. "What was that?"

She looked around twice, but noticed nothing amiss. Then, she turned back and continued flying forward while muttering, "Old Man, come out and show me the way!"

Huh?

Chu Liang followed behind his teacher for a while and noticed no change.

How strange. Even people as mild-mannered as Lackey A and Lackey B have hidden malice in their hearts, so how can my teacher have none? Or is it because her cultivation is stronger than mine, making the curse ineffective?

Wait…

While Chu Liang was deep in thought, he suddenly realized something. Perhaps the curse had worked, but the effects were subtle… After all, the Evil Heart Curse turned people into devils, but some people… were devils to begin with.

Before he could finish this string of thoughts, a loud boom resounded.

Di Nufeng, still carrying the serpent's massive corpse, landed heavily on Jade Sword Peak, shouting at the top of her lungs, "Old Man! If you don't come out and show me the way, you'll have to come out to put out a fire! What? Where's the fire? Of course, it's at your place! Hee-hee-hee!"