Chapter 222 — Encircling the Lord of the Demonic Path

" The Dutian Demon King sneered, but he came over and said: "I am, after all, the sovereign of Dutian. If you want me to save your life, you had best say 'please'. " Veins stood out on Shen Mu's forehead: "Please! " The Dutian Demon King was smug.

He laughed: "So there's a day you bow your head to me too.

. .

" He caught sight of Shen Mu's gathering wrath and hastily swallowed his smugness.

A ringing demonic tongue sounded from his mouth, and as it grew louder and more urgent, the eight-armed, four-faced demon king raised all eight arms, and at once a black mirror appeared above the tower ship. From the black mirror a thick black beam shot straight down, humming as it shone upon the sea of clouds.

The cloud sea was as though a basin of water had been poured full of murky ink; black mist rolled out, and in an instant black smoke churned for ten li around, swallowing up the blue-skirted woman pursuing behind. In the black smoke the woman gave a muffled groan.

Her heart was thrown into chaos; every manner of stray thought came surging up from the depths, and even a heart of crystal-clear dao could not withstand it, sullied by thoughts of every kind.

Her Lihen Heaven Sword Art was parting and sorrow to begin with; only by suppressing the desires and stray thoughts in her heart could her dao heart be as a sword heart, clear and flawless. But now her sword heart was stained like murky ink, and her inner demons ran wild; her heart seemed filled with every desire.

"A pity.

Given enough time, half a day would have been enough for me to train that ice-mountain of a woman to lick my toes.

" The Dutian Demon King sighed. Out of the demonic mist came the sound of a Buddha's voice: the burly monk had arrived. Without a word he roused his nine-ringed staff; the nine golden rings blazed with light, shining in all directions, cutting the demonic mist apart and scattering it.

The monk had only just dispersed the mist when he suddenly felt a scorching body fling itself into his arms, nearly throwing his Buddha heart into disorder. The one who had thrown herself into his arms was the frost-cold woman of the Liqing Palace, now half-undressed, not far from stripping herself bare. The monk hastily pushed her away and shouted: "Senior Sister Yu, you've fallen under a demonic spell — wake up! " At his staff-shout, the blue-skirted woman Yu E's inner demons scattered and she came to her senses.

Her face flushed faintly; she hurriedly drew her clothes closed and said: "Shameful. I fell under the demonic path's spell, and they got away. " "Shen Mu, Lord of the Dark Demon Cult — of course he is steeped in the demonic arts, a master at bewitching hearts and ruining others' cultivation!

" The young monk shook his staff, the golden rings swaying, helping her suppress her inner demons. "But with this humble monk here, he cannot stir up much of a wave! " Yu E shook her head: "His ship is too fast.

Once he escapes, he'll be hard to catch. " "Senior Sister Yu need not worry.

He cannot get away. " Behind them the young scholar came chasing up and said: "Lan Yu, a scholar, disciple of Master Qiong of the Qiongli Sect, greets Senior Brother Banchi and Senior Sister Yu. This hunt for the Lord of the Dark Demon Cult is not ours alone — nearly all our fellows of the martial world have turned out, and a net spanning heaven and earth has been laid.

He cannot escape. " Monk Banchi was about to speak when he saw a tide of insects surging toward them. In the insect tide a great red snake swam on monster aura, swift as well, and soon came to their side.

"That is Senior Sister Qiu Yue of Sanqi Fortress, and Long Jiaonan, young master of the Dragon-Taming Sect.

" The scholar Lan Yu glanced over and said: "Long Jiaonan has a strange, vicious temper and a taste for men. Seeing how handsome I am, he chased me for half a day. Let us not show ourselves to him.

" Just then, from the distant cloud layer, countless sword lights suddenly flashed and swept, dazzling bright.

Monk Banchi's eyes lit up: "I wonder which sword sect's master has blocked the Lord of the Dark Demon Cult. Let us hurry!

" The others hastily gave chase.

Above the cloud layer a figure bounded like an ape, pursuing the direction the treasure ship had gone.

"Yuan Shan, the young swordsman of the Ape Lord Sword Sect! " Lan Yu recognized him and hastily called out: "Senior Brother Yuan Shan, the Lord of the Dark Demon Cult cannot escape. Let us join forces and surround him! " Yuan Shan halted and waited for them to come up, then said: "The Lord of the Dark Demon Cult carries a treasure sword, and my sword core was destroyed by it.

There is something strange about his ship — it is not made of wood but of iron. I stabbed it a thousand times and could not destroy it.

" "It is cast of dark iron.

" Yu E said: "That ship crashed into the Lihen ice swords and did not break; instead it shattered the Lihen ice swords to powder. " "An iron-shelled ship flying through the air?

" The others looked at one another. So heavy — how did it fly? Lan Yu glanced back, and his expression shifted: "Long Jiaonan is coming.

Let us go quickly!

"