Chapter 40: A Coward, a Fool, a Good-for-Nothing

To refine the Flying Sword with the Immaterial Sword Restriction, over a thousand types of spiritual herbs were burned with true fire, their impurities purged and only the purest medicinal essence remaining. The flying sword darted through clouds of this essence, as the Hunyuan True Qi transformed into the Supreme Clarity Immaterial Sword Qi, tempering the blade. Though Chen Yang had not anticipated his opportunistic master’s arrival, fate’s subtle promptings had led him to begin his preparations ahead of time.

While Chen Yang was forging the Immaterial Sword, the Red Lotus Demon was not idle either. After bringing Guo Xiaoshan back to the Immortal Abode, he began imparting the Wutai Daoist teachings to him. Back then, the old demon, to test whether Chen Yang had truly sworn allegiance, forced him to hand over the Wutai methods, just as Old Ancestor Haha forced Master Xiaoyue—also known as Miechenzi—to surrender the Emei teachings. These old demons were deeply steeped in their own magical and demonic arts; they didn’t truly covet these lineages, but only sought to plant a flaw in the hearts of those they controlled, to keep them firmly within their grasp.

Compared to Master Xiaoyue, who, after that, bore a flaw in his Daoist heart and was tightly controlled by Old Ancestor Haha, Chen Yang had never cared. For him, the essence of the Hunyuan Scripture was never in the secret techniques, but in the philosophy of the Hunyuan Patriarch—melding demon with Dao, unifying all under heaven as manifestations of the Dao. The rest was mere embellishment. Among the entire Wutai Sect, though all studied the Hunyuan Scripture, only Chen Yang truly inherited the Patriarch’s Dao lineage and understood his painstaking intent.

It was much like science in a former life—anyone could study it, but few could ever truly master it. Moreover, Chen Yang was confident that, as his cultivation grew, he could compose an even more profound Hunyuan Scripture of his own. The old demon’s attempt to use such paltry tricks to destabilize his spirit was simply wishful thinking.

A year passed.

Chen Yang’s Immaterial Sword was finally forged, each aspect—form and essence—tempered once over, and its very substance was greatly transformed. At rest, it shimmered with seven-colored radiance; when driven by the Supreme Clarity Immaterial Sword Qi, it could vanish or manifest at will, shifting between form and formlessness, able to dispel evil and slay demons. A falling leaf drifted past him, and without a sound, was sliced cleanly in two.

Chen Yang nodded in satisfaction. Though the tempering was not yet complete—each aspect only refined once—the foundation was solid, forged from a blend of seven divine metals and over a hundred spiritual alloys. With the method of forging, and empowered by the so-called paramount sword art of the mystic schools, the “Supreme Clarity Immaterial Sword Qi,” it was quite up to standard. Concealing the Immaterial Sword, he let it circle about him, a peerless defense even without wielding it for slaughter.

After another ten or so days, the remaining six sword embryos had also shed their fiery aura and emerged. Having completed his sword forging, and by rough reckoning having cultivated here for over seven years, it was time he moved on. Yet just as he packed away the alchemy furnace, a sudden impulse prompted him to linger a few more days.

Chen Yang’s thoughts shifted, and he immediately made a guess, laughing and cursing:
“I’d like to see what tricks you’re trying to pull. Don’t think just because you’re the will of Heaven and Earth that I can do nothing. If you anger me, though I may not save the world, I’m quite capable of unleashing a boundless demonic calamity and ending it all.”

No one answered, but a breeze rustled the ancient tree behind him, sending down a cascade of dead leaves.

A few days later.

A figure darted through the mountain forest, moving with astonishing speed. Though not quite flying, with each leap he covered over ten yards, crossing several hills in the blink of an eye. Observing the rapidly approaching and somewhat familiar silhouette, Chen Yang first shook his head in amusement, thinking how rigid the will of Heaven and Earth could be. But as the figure drew near and he sensed the unmistakable Hunyuan True Qi, his brow furrowed deeply.

“Has this boy encountered Zhong Shenxiu?”

Just as this ill feeling arose, Guo Xiaoshan spotted Chen Yang beneath the tree, his face lighting up with joy as he called out,
“Are you Immortal Chen? I’ve come at the behest of a senior to meet you.”

Chen Yang was initially displeased, thinking it was Zhong Shenxiu randomly passing on the teachings; yet hearing the youth speak thus, he sensed something was off. For aside from Zhong Shenxiu, who else in this world practiced the Hunyuan Scripture?

His mind raced through countless conjectures in an instant, settling on a figure almost by instinct. Maintaining a calm demeanor, Chen Yang inwardly visualized the Azure-Green Treasure Register, transforming all his Hunyuan True Qi into Emei Demon-Subduing power.

“Who taught you the Hunyuan Scripture, and who sent you here?”

Guo Xiaoshan approached, bowed, and replied, “That senior said he’s your master, and he’s the one who taught me. He asked me to invite you…”

“My Patriarch? Impossible—has he also reincarnated into this realm? No wonder… no wonder…”

Chen Yang feigned a lost composure, staggering as he rose. Guo Xiaoshan hastened to help him, but at that instant, even he did not realize—a ray of blood-red light shot from his brow, straight at Chen Yang. Simultaneously, a flash of white light erupted, blinding him and filling his ears with thunder.

“Supreme Clarity Divine Thunder?”

A scream rang out as the blood-light was half destroyed by the divine thunder.

“So it really is my master,” Chen Yang chuckled, rubbing his hands together as a purple, surging flame blossomed forth. Though not the Buddhist Heart Lamp that suppressed the Blood God Child, it was the Daoist Demon-Subduing True Fire—Azure-Green Sacred Flame.

The purple light pinned the blood-light in place, preventing escape. Then a formless, shapeless sword gleam pierced the blood-shadow’s brow, nailing it in midair, leaving it struggling in vain.

“You really are hard to kill, Master, to have escaped even this. Disciple Chen Yang pays his respects.”

This blood-light was not the old demon’s true body. Over the past year, he had slain several Nascent Souls, dozens of Golden Cores, and over a hundred cultivators, forging this one Blood God Child. Its destruction would not harm him.

Seeing his carefully arranged surprise foiled and himself outmaneuvered by his rebellious disciple, the old demon did not grow angry, but instead laughed:

“Truly, you are my worthy disciple. No wonder Emei has gone to such insane lengths—it was you, lad, who cut their foundation out from under them. No wonder... you and I were doomed to die in that struggle.”

His words were light, but since the emergence of Changmei, a thousand years of scheming had come to nothing. The old demon’s heart still burned with a desire to swallow this traitorous disciple whole, to wrench out his soul and subject it to ten thousand years of demonic torment.

Chen Yang gazed at the blood-shadow, smiled, and with a flick of his robe said,

“The master of the Stone God Palace is a coward, Deng Yin an even greater fool, and as for you, Master, you’re much the same—useless. The Blood God Scripture in your hands is a disgrace to the greatest secret of the demonic path. Do you really think that with my true self absent, you are safe from me? You underestimate me. When you gave me to Deng Yin, I returned whole and unharmed. Do you truly believe that fool was suddenly moved by mercy?”

“He simply could not defeat me.”

“What?” Chen Yang’s shout sent the trace of his master’s consciousness within the Blood God Child reeling.

In that moment, a demonic eye seemed to open in the center of Chen Yang’s brow. The blood-shadow tried to speak, but was instantly drawn into the demonic eye.

Drawing the Blood God Child into the Palace of the Spirit within his own mind, Chen Yang sat cross-legged, closed the demonic eye, and began chanting the Nine Nether Demonic Incantation.