The Dragon Qilin stepped on clouds of fire and soared into the air, rushing out of the valley. Qingyu Hermit sat up and thrust a palm forward. Instantly, thunder surged, countless bolts of lightning wrapping around it like azure dragons charging forth, striking toward the Dragon Qilin.
Qingyu Hermit suddenly vomited a mouthful of blood. Her palm trembled, and the palm-struck lightning veered off course, blasting a gap into the hilltop ahead of the Dragon Qilin.
Qin Mu was startled. Though these Celestial Being realm existences were wounded, the power of their divine abilities was still terrifying. If struck, death would be agonizing.
Lu Wenshu, Arhat Pushan, and the others staggered to their feet, each unable to stop themselves from coughing up blood. Cold dread gripped their hearts. They had underestimated the Great Bear-Demon God that Qin Mu had summoned. Battered by a single strike from the demon god, had Daoist Withered Leaf not interrupted the summoning once, the summoned Great Bear-Demon God would have been even stronger. They feared that all of them tied together would not be enough for that demon god to slaughter!
"Should we still chase after him?" Lu Wenshu asked in a low voice.
Then, Daoist Withered Leaf sat cross-legged, his aura withered and decayed. He smiled bitterly and said: "This old Daoist can no longer accompany you fellow Daoists to vanquish demons and protect the Way. My vitality was shattered by that demon god. This stinking carcass is no longer of use..."
A wave of sorrow swept through everyone.
Daoist Withered Leaf softly chanted: "Life is but a withered leaf, destined to fall into the Yellow Springs one day. Fellow Daoists, you must behead that Heavenly Demon Cult Master. I wish to meet him on the road to the Yellow Springs. I shall go first..." With that, he drew his last breath.
Lu Wenshu wept loudly and bowed, crying: "Senior Brother, go slowly! We will surely send this demon to see you!"
Arhat Pushan let out a long, melancholy sigh. He pressed his palms together in a respectful gesture and said solemnly: "In this life, a stinking carcass; cast off the carcass to see the Tathagata. Senior Brother, rest well."
"Farewell!" Qingyu Hermit said, shedding tears.
Luo Sanpo said: "That Dragon Qilin is fast on his feet. We must catch up as soon as possible. If he calls forth a second demon god, we will be in terrible trouble!"
Lu Wenshu's killing intent soared: "He will not have that chance! Ahead on the road, there existences stronger than us wait for him to walk right into their trap!"
Despite these words, everyone forcibly suppressed their injuries and swallowed healing spirit pills, then set off in the direction Qin Mu had departed.
On the Dragon Qilin's back, Qin Mu took out a White Bone Altar and attempted to summon a second demon god. However, the Dragon Qilin's galloping was too bumpy, making it easy for the talisman paper to misalign with the runes on the demon god statue. A single misaligned rune would ruin the entire effort, so he was forced to give up.
Qin Mu checked himself and found not a scratch on his body. Hu Ling'er was also unharmed. The Dragon Qilin's skin was thick and tough, protected by dragon scales, and was uninjured as well. Only the Doutian Demon King had been somewhat battered out of shape.
Qin Mu used Vermilion Bird qi to burn his body until it was glowing red, then corrected his deformed limbs. The Doutian Demon King was humiliated beyond words and remained silent. Being despised and trampled underfoot by the Great Bear-Demon God this time was a humiliating shame.
Qin Mu assessed his surroundings and took out the Yankang geographical map to compare with the surrounding mountains and rivers. He let out a sigh of relief and said: "We are already very close to the Great Ruins. At the Dragon Qilin's pace, we should reach the border of the Great Ruins within half a day. However, taking the Mishui Pass is impossible."
They had been pursued and their route had already deviated far from the Mishui Pass, and it was also very far from the Yanbian Pass.
"The only option now is to take the smuggling tunnel left behind by our cult."
Qin Mu pondered for a moment. Between the Great Ruins and Yankang lay the Divine Severance Mountains. On the various peaks of these mountains were the Xuanji Crossbows. Anyone attempting to cross would be shot dead by them.
The Xuanji Crossbows operated automatically. Legend said they were built according to divine decrees. Anyone passing through the Divine Severance Mountains—whether walking between the peaks or flying over them—would be killed.
The Heavenly Demon Cult had once run smuggling operations and had established a passage through the Divine Severance Mountains. It passed through the Desolate Ridge Gorge and allowed travel between the Great Ruins and Yankang. The two Xuanji Crossbows there had already been destroyed by the Heavenly Demon Cult, though the innkeeper in Xianglong City had said that path had been abandoned for many years.
The Desolate Ridge Gorge was his only path back into the Great Ruins.
"The pursuing forces probably don't know about this passage."
Qin Mu rallied his spirits and suddenly laughed: "Going home for the New Year is really hard. It's practically like fighting through an army of a thousand soldiers and ten thousand horses!"
He had learned martial arts from the village elders and inherited their optimism. Though he had encountered countless ambushes along the way, he still maintained an optimistic attitude. Infected by his mood, the Dragon Qilin and Hu Ling'er also relaxed quite a bit.
The sky gradually darkened without their noticing, and the surroundings grew increasingly desolate. After walking for a long time, they could not see a single village.
"Entering the Great Ruins at night is a sure way to die. We must wait until morning."
They drew closer and closer to the Great Ruins and could already see the towering silhouette of the Divine Severance Mountains, like a massive wall stretching across heaven and earth, blocking their path.
This range of the Divine Severance Mountains, extending for countless miles, would be incredibly difficult to cross even without the Xuanji Crossbows.
Qin Mu was thinking about finding a place to rest when he suddenly saw lights glowing below. It was a village. As night fell, oil lamps had been lit within.
"Young Master, be careful of a trap," Hu Ling'er said nervously.
The Doutian Demon King sneered: "Not a single village has been visible within a thousand miles, and now one suddenly appears. Of course it's a trap."
Qin Mu said: "Fatty Dragon, keep moving. Ignore it."
The Dragon Qilin stepped on fire clouds and continued toward the Divine Severance Mountains. After traveling several dozen more miles, they saw another glow of lights below. It was a border village. The lamplight was dim and unclear, with about a dozen houses.
The layout of the houses and the positions of the oil lamps were almost exactly identical to the previous small village!
"Keep moving," Qin Mu said, his pupils narrowing slightly.
The Dragon Qilin continued forward. After traveling several dozen more miles, they saw the same village again. The houses, the lights—every arrangement was identical to the previous two villages, without a single change!
Even the Dragon Qilin sensed something was wrong and surged forward, racing hundreds of miles. On the way, they encountered more than a dozen of these villages, all with exactly the same layout!
And the Divine Severance Mountains ahead still seemed just as far away. After racing hundreds of miles, they should have long since reached the foot of the mountains, yet the distance between them and the range seemed to have never changed!
"This person's abilities are extraordinary. He has folded space."
The Doutian Demon King was utterly despondent and shook his head: "Brat, you can't escape."
"We're going into the village!" Qin Mu said fiercely.
The Dragon Qilin and Hu Ling'er were startled. Qin Mu was angry. He lowered his voice: "Whoever dares to stand between me and going home for the New Year, I'll kill them! Into the village!"
The Dragon Qilin descended and shrank his body back to normal size. Qin Mu jumped off the Dragon Qilin's back. Hu Ling'er coiled around his neck like a fox-fur scarf. The Doutian Demon King followed behind him, his four faces scanning their surroundings, vigilantly looking in all directions.
Qin Mu walked toward the village entrance. The village looked ordinary. There was a flagpole at the village gate, with a mounting stone and hitching post beneath it. The village was very peaceful. A dog was barking furiously at them, baring its teeth, looking extremely fierce.
The fox around Qin Mu's neck quietly opened its eyes, startling the dog. The wooden gate opened, and an elder holding an oil lamp stepped out from behind it. The dog quickly scurried behind the elder, its courage restored, and continued barking at Qin Mu.
Qin Mu's expression was warm. He bowed respectfully and said: "A weary traveler passing through your esteemed lands. The sky has grown dark, and there is no place to rest nearby. Heaven has been kind to let me encounter you, Elder. Might you be able to make an arrangement and give us a place to rest?"
"The Heavenly Demon Cult Master is too modest."
The elder had narrow eyes with long, drooping white brows. He said: "The village is small, and most of the guest rooms are still empty. If the Cult Master does not mind, you may choose a room yourself to stay and rest."
The fur on the fox around Qin Mu's neck bristled, and she trembled.
The Doutian Demon King and the Dragon Qilin also felt a chill in their hearts. This white-browed elder had not made the slightest effort to conceal his knowledge, directly addressing Qin Mu as the Heavenly Demon Cult Master. Clearly, he had no intention of hiding it, and he disdained to do so.
And the fact that they had been going in circles was almost certainly the elder's doing!
Qin Mu thanked him and asked: "Elder, how many people are in this village?"
The white-browed elder said: "Currently, only one person and one dog. However, I have already lit lamps in every room. It will not be long before the villagers arrive. At that time, there will be a grand celebration, which will probably be quite noisy. I hope the Heavenly Demon Cult Master will not mind. We are all laborers, people who toil and risk our lives. We know nothing of proper etiquette. If there are any offenses, please forgive us, Heavenly Demon Cult Master."
"Of course, of course."
Qin Mu took his leave of the white-browed elder and went to the center of the village, choosing the largest courtyard. He said: "Please return, Elder. We will stay here."
The white-browed elder smiled: "May the Heavenly Demon Cult Master have a good sleep."
"I appreciate the kind wishes."
Qin Mu pushed open the door and stepped inside. The smile on his face vanished instantly. He spoke rapidly: "None of you say a word. Go into the main hall, lie down, and keep your eyes shut! No one look!"
The Dragon Qilin and Hu Ling'er did not understand his meaning. The Doutian Demon King said: "This old fellow's intentions are malicious..."
Qin Mu casually waved his hand, freezing the Doutian Demon King in place. Qin Mu opened the main hall door, threw the Doutian Demon King onto the ground, and closed his twelve eyelids.
The Dragon Qilin squeezed inside, splitting the door frame and sending the two wooden doors crashing down.
The Dragon Qilin was about to speak when Qin Mu made a silencing gesture and motioned for him to close his eyes. Hu Ling'er slithered down from Qin Mu's neck, crawled onto the Dragon Qilin's back, and closed her eyes.
Qin Mu opened the Gluttony Pouch and took out a scroll. With his eyes closed, he used a nail to hang the painting on the wall directly facing the door in the main hall.
"Grandpa Cripple said this painting was drawn by Grandpa Deaf when he was young, depicting the Village Chief, and it can ward off evil. Let's see if Grandpa Cripple was lying to me."
He lay down, turned on his side facing the door, and stared wide-eyed, motionless.
Silence surrounded them.
After a moment, chaotic footsteps could be heard from outside. A voice that sounded somewhat familiar—it seemed to be Lu Wenshu—said: "Senior Qingshan lit the lamps in the dead of night and summoned us here. Have you perhaps found the Heavenly Demon Cult Master?"
Another woman's voice said: "It is embarrassing to admit, but despite chasing and blocking him all along the way, we failed to kill him. Daoist Withered Leaf even fell victim to his schemes and was killed by the demon he summoned." It sounded like Qingyu Hermit's voice.
The white-browed elder's voice came through: "The Heavenly Demon Cult Master is already asleep in the village."
"Senior Qingshan truly has impressive methods! I shall go kill him right now!"
"No rush. Let us wait for the other fellow Daoists to arrive, then take his life and celebrate this great victory!"
...
After another moment, footsteps of a dozen or so more people arrived. Hearing that the Heavenly Demon Cult Master was in the village, everyone could not help but burst into cheerful laughter, each setting down a heavy stone from their hearts.
From outside came the sounds of drinking, and the lamplight blazed bright. These powerhouses were clearly celebrating.
"The Heavenly Demon Cult Master may not be highly skilled, but he has many tricks and is truly difficult to deal with. It is embarrassing to admit, but we were injured and nearly killed by the demon he summoned."
"Today we settle this beast, and justice is restored to the world. Come, let us drink this cup together!"
"Brother Feng Qiwu has arrived? Come quickly, join the demon-subjugation celebration!"
...
Outside, the lamplight was bright, casting dappled shadows of the window lattices on Qin Mu's courtyard. The shadows flickered ceaselessly. The air was cool and cold. Qin Mu saw Hu Ling'er shivering and reached over to cover her little belly with his hand.
Hu Ling'er turned her head. Qin Mu quickly placed two fingers over her eyelids.
Outside, the experts who had been hunting Qin Mu continued to arrive one by one from all directions. Their laughter grew louder and louder, cups clinking as they celebrated. After a long while, the white-browed elder's voice was heard laughing: "Everyone, it is getting late. It is time to send the Heavenly Demon Cult Master on his way."
Hu Ling'er was trembling. She heard the courtyard gate being opened, making creaking sounds, but dared not open her eyes.
Lu Wenshu was the first to step into the courtyard, laughing: "The Heavenly Demon Cult Master has actually fallen asleep, sleeping so soundly..."
Suddenly, his head slid silently from his neck, and his corpse collapsed to the ground. A Celestial Being realm master had lost his life just like that, completely bewildered.
"There is a master in the courtyard! Brother Lu has been killed!"
An uproar erupted outside the courtyard. With a thunderous crash, one after another, the powerhouses shattered the courtyard walls and burst in, their bodies wreathed in blazing light. Behind each stood the phantom of a divine being, their combined presence overwhelming!
The moment they landed, one by one, their heads silently slid from their necks. No matter how heaven-defying their abilities, they died utterly baffled.
It was as if within this courtyard, an invisible deity swung an invisible sword, severing the heads of anyone who dared to enter!