Ex-Wife is a Big Villainess
Chapter 682 - 338 Who Isn’t Afraid of the Demon Venerable?_2

"Sect Leader."

Yun Wuqing bowed respectfully and said, "I have arranged everything. Once Yichen returns, we can proceed with the Taoist Ancestor’s trial."

Qi Tianjun, his white eyebrows and beard framing a smile, remarked, "Didn’t you say Jiang Mo wasn’t allowed on the mountain?"

Yun Wuqing’s face betrayed a trace of helplessness, "He’s accompanied by that female master from Wanshou Mountains and Rivers. It seems she has taken Jiang Mo as her disciple. I wouldn’t dare try to stop them."

"Ah, women—they are the most unreasonable creatures."

Qi Tianjun mixed fresh wild grass he had picked from the mountain with a blend of bean pulp, cornmeal, and various grains, stirring while he added, "Especially those women who’ve read books—they tend to be the least reasonable of all."

Yun Wuqing gazed silently at the sect leader, whose appearance could easily be mistaken for an ordinary farmer.

"What about the third young master of the Fang Family?"

The sect leader shifted the conversation.

Yun Wuqing allowed a faint smile to emerge, "His heart is sincere, but he’s simple-minded; his sword has spirit, but he lacks fortune."

Qi Tianjun burst into hearty laughter upon hearing this, "How astute!"

The old Taoist stood up and poured the freshly mixed feed into the trough next to the pigpen.

The young piglets immediately rushed forward, cheerfully devouring their feast.

"Sincerity is enough."

Qi Tianjun crouched down, stroking one of the piglets affectionately as he spoke with a smile,

"The eldest young master of the Fang Family is mediocre in talent; the second young master has promising bone structure but suffers from an innate disability. The granddaughter with the most potential—she disappeared completely. Now, the only option is this third young master.

Old Mr. Fang, as a renowned Sword Saint of his generation, refuses to impart his ultimate teachings to his grandchildren. It’s his way of tempering their character, though to be fair, the Sword Saint’s Sword Dao isn’t suited to Fang Ziheng.

Still, the boy is his grandson and the Fang Family’s last hope, so the Sword Saint secretly implanted his own Sword Heart within Fang Ziheng."

Yun Wuqing nodded lightly, saying, "I’ve also sensed that spark of pure Sword Intent in Fang Ziheng. But this path makes it difficult for Fang Ziheng to find his own Sword Dao. Forcing growth like this does more harm than good to his own grandson."

Qi Tianjun sighed, "This Sword Heart isn’t meant for him—it’s meant for us."

Yun Wuqing’s eyes widened.

Qi Tianjun continued, "The old Sword Saint spent over thirty years tempering his grandson’s character; do you think he would resort to such a shortcut?

Old Mr. Fang knows full well that only the Foolish Sword Dao of our Zhenxuan Mountain can transform his grandson.

Whether Fang Ziheng sought out Zhenxuan Mountain on his own, or whether it was arranged by the old Sword Saint, doesn’t matter. What matters is whether we’re willing to accept this gift or not."

Yun Wuqing fell into prolonged silence.

The Foolish Sword Dao was created by the founding ancestor of Zhenxuan Mountain.

Traditionally, only the sect leader was given the opportunity to study and master it.

Allowing an outsider like Fang Ziheng to inherit this lineage would break the rules upheld by Zhenxuan Mountain for over a thousand years.

"Forget it, let’s not discuss this now. What do you think—can Jiang Mo pass the Taoist Ancestor’s trial?"

Qi Tianjun asked with a playful smile.

Yun Wuqing pondered for a moment and answered carefully, "I believe Yichen is more likely to succeed."

"See that? You’re already doubting yourself."

Qi Tianjun raised a finger to point at him.

Yun Wuqing smiled bitterly, "It’s not that I don’t have confidence in Yichen. It’s that Jiang Mo seems to be blessed with overwhelming fortune. Yan Changqing and Dugu Luoxue both regard him favorably.

Just look at the women around him—each of them, in the future, is poised to become a figure of great renown on their own."

He sighed, continuing, "I can’t see anything particularly exceptional in that boy, but to be favored by so many means his destiny must be incredibly fortunate. I’m honestly curious to know where his ancestral tomb is and what kind of auspicious signs are rising from there."

Qi Tianjun laughed uproariously, "What a brilliant idea! I’ll send someone to investigate Jiang Mo’s ancestral tomb immediately, and then perhaps I’ll crawl into his ancestors’ coffins myself—who knows, I might just ascend right then and there."

Yun Wuqing chuckled softly.

Qi Tianjun clapped his hands, stood up, and pointed at the piglet he had been petting earlier. He said to Yun Wuqing,

"Since Master Dugu has personally come to Zhenxuan Mountain, it’s improper for me as Sect Leader to avoid meeting her. Take this pig to Xu and have him prepare his signature roast suckling pig as a gift for Master Dugu—consider it my apology."

Yun Wuqing reminded him, "Master Dugu is vegetarian."

"Giving it and eating it are two separate matters."

Qi Tianjun’s smile took on a deeper meaning, "She might not eat it, but someone will. And if someone eats, perhaps she’ll eat too. Breaking the rules isn’t hard; it all hinges on the weight of ’temptation.’"

Yun Wuqing had no idea what the sect leader was talking about or hinting at, feeling completely perplexed.

As the sect leader turned and headed toward an adjacent cave dwelling, Yun Wuqing hesitated briefly before following him.

Inside the cave, there was a blood pool glowing in dark crimson hues.

The blood pool bubbled and churned, faintly revealing a yellowish-brown pearl floating atop the liquid.

At the sight, Yun Wuqing frowned deeply, a trace of gloom clouding his expression. He asked discontentedly, "Sect Leader, are you planning to compromise with the Demon Venerable?"

It turned out that three months ago, at the request of Crown Prince Zhou Yin, Feng Yichen and Third Elder Chai Liuqi, together with disciples from Zhenxuan Mountain and members of the Myriad Phenomena God Sect, set out for Muling County to assist the Crown Prince’s personal guards in exterminating the demons there.

At the time, they did not know that Zhou Yin’s true goal was to find the peony flower demon.

But as events unfolded, the Demon Venerable emerged.

The Demon Venerable unleashed a massacre, slain most of the Crown Prince’s personal guards, and killed three disciples of Wanshou Mountains and Rivers, sparing only Feng Yichen and Chai Liuqi.

The condition given was for Zhenxuan Mountain to prepare Dragon Essence and soak it within the Phoenix Blood Pool, so the Demon Venerable could retrieve it in a month.

When Chai Liuqi brought back this message, the sect was thrown into an uproar.

The Dragon Essence, unlike those nurtured within the Imperial Palace, served as the nucleus of Zhenxuan Mountain’s Mountain Protection Array. It would weaken the sect’s foundation and fortune if given away freely.

As such, the proposal faced fierce opposition.

They even devised numerous strategies to confront the Demon Venerable.

But three months had passed, and the Demon Venerable had yet to appear, causing many to relax slightly.

Now, seeing the Dragon Essence immersed in the Phoenix Blood Pool, Yun Wuqing was utterly mystified, his words turning somewhat blunt.

"Can you defeat the Demon Venerable?"

Qi Tianjun asked.

Yun Wuqing faltered before replying with frustration, "Even if I can’t defeat her, I’d fight her to the death!"

Qi Tianjun gazed at the Dragon Essence in the Phoenix Blood Pool and muttered with a vacant expression, "If everyone at Zhenxuan Mountain dies, how will we keep fighting?"

Yun Wuqing clenched his fists tightly, "Handing over the Dragon Essence so easily—I’m unwilling to accept this! Besides, the Demon Venerable is not what she once was; she’s nothing more than a fragmented Demon Soul now—how powerful can she really be?"

Qi Tianjun chuckled, "In the previous dynasty, there were three Heavenly Human Realm masters in Jianghu: Xuanyuan Shugui from All Schools, Heaven Master Chou from the Yin Yang Sect, and Elder Kumu, who pioneered the Lotus Ascension Vein.

The cultivation level of any one of these three rivals that of Zhao Wuxiu.

Yet when the court resolved to exterminate the Demon Clan, it entered into an agreement with these three and other experts in Jianghu to eliminate the Demon Venerable. Everyone acted out of their own interests.

Ultimately, the Demon Venerable single-handedly fought against them all, slaughtered six Feathered Transformation Realm masters at Luxian Peak, and suppressed the three Heavenly Human Realm experts.

Elder Kumu’s Lotus Ascension Vein was shattered during that battle, forever robbing him of the chance to ascend.

Back then, the Demon Venerable declared, ’As a demon, I shall ensure that no Immortal walks the heavens again.’

Now tell me, isn’t such a Demon Venerable terrifying? Even if she now exists as a mere residual soul, as long as she draws breath, are we really bold enough to annihilate her?"

Yun Wuqing fell silent, unable to respond.

Of course, he understood the Demon Venerable’s dreadfulness—it was the unwillingness to admit defeat that gnawed at him.

Qi Tianjun leaned down, scooping some of the scalding liquid from the Phoenix Blood Pool in his hands, laughing, "Yet, the Demon Venerable might not even reach Zhenxuan Mountain. Zhao Wuxiu is on the verge of ascension, and those three old mavericks are sure to make their move, returning to Jianghu.

Elder Kumu has already reappeared. As for Heaven Master Chou, he’s no longer biding his time. That leaves only Xuanyuan Shugui—who knows where he’s hiding?

These three harbor deep hatred for the Demon Venerable. If she does come to Zhenxuan Mountain, they won’t pass up the chance.

Jianghu is about to become very lively."

Yun Wuqing was shaken.

The lingering existence of the three Heavenly Human Realm experts from the previous dynasty—it’s all been leading up to this ascension?

Are they competing to step to the heavens by trampling on Zhao Wuxiu?

"Enough—go attend to the guests. I need some peace and quiet."

Qi Tianjun waved his hand tiredly.

Yun Wuqing wore a complex expression as he glanced at the Dragon Essence in the pool before bowing and leaving.

"A puzzle within a puzzle, a mystery inside mist... what is the ultimate aim here?"

Qi Tianjun sighed deeply.

Emerging from the cave dwelling, he looked toward Dugu Luoxue’s bamboo courtyard in the distance and unexpectedly chuckled to himself, murmuring:

"A shattered Tao Heart, an impure Taoist School... is this female master choosing degradation or pursuing nirvana rebirth? It’s intriguing indeed."