Sword Aura to the Heavens
Chapter 153 - 149 All Demon Kings

Chapter 153: Chapter 149 All Demon Kings

The incident at Bai Lu Academy quickly spread, and the sect master of the Imperial Extreme Sect, Master Xiao Yu, arrived, forcefully stepping into Bai Lu Academy.

This also led to the reveal of Bai Lu Academy’s Seventh Realm Practitioner, surprising many, as the Seven Realms cultivator of Bai Lu Academy turned out to be the rather young-looking Mr. Qu.

Regarding this matter, even the students of Bai Lu Academy were unaware.

Ji Xue now understood what a great practitioner she had apprenticed under, and all previous grievances in her heart vanished.

Though Mr. Qu accepted her as a disciple, he favored Lu Yuan over her.

Lu Yuan lived in Mr. Qu’s small courtyard, while she had to return.

However, thinking about it now, what virtue and ability did she, Ji Xue, possess to have the qualifications to apprentice under a Seventh Realm cultivator?

The Ji Family was a top family force in Jiangzhou City, but their strongest cultivator was only at the peak of the Five Realms, and her father, as the Ji Family Patriarch, was merely at the mid-stage of Condensed Core Realm.

Given her talent, she should have been satisfied to apprentice under a teacher at the Condensed Core Realm.

The Seven Realms, she did not even dare to imagine.

But indeed, she had already become Mr. Qu’s entry-level disciple.

She surely understood that all of this was not due to her skills but because of Li Fan.

The fact of traveling together gave her this opportunity.

Therefore, Ji Xue became more respectful, afraid to harbor any thoughts, and henceforth, whatever her teacher asked her to do, she would do without complaint.

She once envied Lu Yuan, but Lu Yuan was a Li Mountain Sword Cultivator; what right did she have to be envious?

Yang Qingshan... no, it should be Li Fan; listening to their conversations, it appeared Li Fan was the most outstanding disciple of Li Mountain, which was why the court wanted to deal with him.

A cultivator merely at the Soul Emergence Realm was insignificant in the face of the massive court, akin to an ant that could be crushed with a finger.

However, the court placed great importance on this ant, sending the Seventh Realm Xue Laoguai, highlighting Li Fan’s talent.

Huang Xiong learned of this news and was deeply shocked, staring at Li Fan in astonishment.

"The legendary Li Mountain?" Huang Xiong’s eyes widened, as if glaring at Li Fan.

Due to Li Mountain being hidden from the world, most practitioners of the Da Li Dynasty regarded it as unfamiliar; not to mention in Jiangzhou, even those in Lin’an County, close to Chuzhou, only knew its name.

Although unfamiliar, no one was unaware of the Li Mountain name.

Stories of Li Mountain spanned the thousand-year history of the Da Li Dynasty, contemporaneous with the dynasty itself, producing many astonishing great sword cultivators over generations. Even though it was distant, simply walking the martial world, one could occasionally hear legends of Li Mountain.

"Hmm." Li Fan nodded.

"No wonder." Huang Xiong remarked, "I wondered why Brother Yang... no, Brother Xiao Fan, had such outstanding talent; being a Li Mountain Sword Cultivator explains it."

In the future, Li Mountain sword cultivators would certainly gain worldwide fame.

Not all Li Mountain sword cultivators were necessarily strong, but only the best would become famous, making Li Mountain Sword Cultivators a symbol of power in the Da Li Dynasty.

"Brother Huang, after you study at Bai Lu Academy for a while and break through to the Innate Realm, find a time to head to Li Mountain. I will tell you how to go, and when you reach Li Mountain, say that I recommended you, they will know." Li Fan said to Huang Xiong.

"Me, go to Li Mountain?" Huang Xiong looked at Li Fan and asked, "But isn’t Li Mountain for sword cultivators?"

"Li Mountain doesn’t only have sword cultivators," said Li Fan, clarifying a common misconception people held about Li Mountain.

"Oh." Huang Xiong scratched his head, then grinned and said, "Brother Xiao Fan, can I really go to Li Mountain?"

"Of course, would I lie to you?" Li Fan replied.

"Then I might as well set off now." Huang Xiong said.

"Do you think I don’t exist?" Qu Qingfeng, sipping tea on the side, looked at the two of them with a smile.

"No, not at all..." Huang Xiong quickly shook his head and said, "Mr. Qu, don’t take offense, I still have to study at the academy for a while, maybe I’ll go to Li Mountain when there’s a chance in the future."

"It’s a long journey to Li Mountain, the mountains are high and the roads are far, walking in the wild where demons abound; though your combat power is exceptional, for caution’s sake, wait until you reach the Heavenly Gang Realm before setting off," Qu Qingfeng advised, planning to give Huang Xiong some life-saving means by then, ensuring a smooth journey to Li Mountain.

"I’ll follow Mr. Qu’s arrangement; whenever you tell me to leave, I’ll leave," Huang Xiong bowed and said. He was initially jesting without intention and would not really set off at once. After all, how could the Bai Lu Academy be dismissed so lightly?

Moreover, he had great respect for Qu Qingfeng.

"Alright, then let’s go with my arrangement," Qu Qingfeng nodded, responding openly.

"Speaking of which, you also have a fateful encounter," Qu Qingfeng laughed.

Upon hearing this, Huang Xiong became more serious, giving respectful bows to both Li Fan and Qu Qingfeng.

"Brother Huang, what’s the matter?" Li Fan assisted Huang Xiong.

"Mr. Qu is right, Brother Xiao Fan, before meeting you, I was still hunting demons in Yun Meng Swamp, hovering between life and death daily. Now, I first study at the Jiangzhou Sacred Land, Bai Lu Academy, and have a chance to go to Li Mountain for cultivation. I, Huang, am just a simple person; what virtue or capability do I possess to have such great opportunity?" Huang Xiong earnestly stated.

He was tall and broad, and although he appeared clumsy, he understood these matters clearly.

It was an honor for people from Jiangzhou to cultivate at Bai Lu Academy, which was once his dream. He had longed for it but never had the chance.

Li Mountain needed no further explanation, the Sword Dao Sacred Land of the Da Li Dynasty.

How many people in this world could cultivate in both places?

Yet Huang Xiong had such an opportunity.

What a fateful encounter this was.

Huang Xiong knew well from whom this opportunity came.

Li Fan wanted to say something, but then he heard Qu Qingfeng nodding, "Indeed, rare it is; I’ve never been to Li Mountain, but I’ve long yearned for it, wishing to visit if there’s an opportunity."

Li Mountain was just a place, but it was also a kind of faith.

Perhaps the great halls there were not grand, and the mountains not the tallest in Da Li.

But in many cultivators’ hearts, Li Mountain was Da Li’s ’highest’ mountain, unique and unparalleled.

"Mr. Qu, if you wish to go, you can go anytime," Li Fan smiled and said.

"Are you sure?" Mr. Qu smiled, "If there’s a chance, I’ll definitely go."

"I said it, and Li Mountain will provide Mr. Qu with a good reception," Li Fan smiled, capable of arranging this as the nominal Li Mountain Sword Master.

"Very well, it’s a deal." Qu Qingfeng smiled and nodded.

"It’s a deal," Li Fan replied.

...

Outside Yun Meng City.

The area outside the city was gradually becoming bustling again, as the previous demon uprising had prompted people to seek refuge within the city.

But many cultivators couldn’t hold back their urges to try their luck in Yun Meng Swamp.

They still weren’t sure if the incident was truly over.

The Peacock Demon King had left the city, likely not daring to enter White Deer Street.

The various demon hunting teams were eager, ready to move.

"Brother Han, are you heading into Yun Meng Swamp today?" someone from a demon hunting team spotted an acquaintance on the road and asked.

"Perhaps another day; let’s observe things a bit longer. The event has just concluded, so it’s wise to be cautious."

"Why worry, Brother Han? Yun Meng Swamp has already been defeated, and the Peacock Demon King was driven away; it shouldn’t interfere any longer."

Just as he finished speaking, a fierce demonic wind blew from the direction of Yun Meng Swamp.

From the direction of Yun Meng Swamp, a large flock of birds frantically flapped out from the forest as if startled; the ground trembled suddenly.

"What’s happening?"

"Is the promise made by that demon king null and void, still coming after losing the battle?"

For a moment, people were alarmed, all eyes outside the city turned toward Yun Meng Swamp, vigilance in their eyes, ready to retreat and flee at any moment.

However, the disturbances quickly quieted down, yet the demon wind intensified, blowing wildly, with low growls emanating from within Yun Meng Swamp, like the sounds of demons prostrating.

"What’s going on?" everyone thought, hearts pounding.

At this moment, an intensely oppressive aura spread over, with the sky covered by demon energy, shadows gathering overhead.

Frightened, people looked up and saw silhouettes traversing the sky far away, flying over Yun Meng Swamp, heading straight in their direction.

"Demon Kings..."

Feeling the terrifying aura, everyone showed expressions of horror.

During the last demon uprising, only one Demon King appeared.

This time...

They looked at the figures in the sky and among them identified the Peacock Demon King.

The previously arrogant great demon now stood at the side.

The Peacock Demon King wasn’t even the leading demon.

This!!!

The crowd was utterly horrified, thinking Yun Meng City was facing a great disaster?

Since when had Yun Meng Swamp mobilized such a spectacle?

They had never heard of such a thing.

"Crazy."

People began to flee, running towards Yun Meng City as demon winds surged past overhead, seemingly unconcerned with them.

The silhouettes passed overhead, heading towards the city.

Even at the city gates, where cultivators came and went, upon witnessing this shocking scene, many felt their legs tremble, unable to steady their steps, let alone resist.

Confronting such a spectacle, how was it different from courting death?

Luckily, this wave of demon energy soon passed; those demon kings traversed overhead, disappearing towards the interior of the city.

"Can anyone tell me what’s going on?" someone asked in confusion.

"Previously, the Peacock Demon King disguised as a human entered Yun Meng Swamp to target Yang Qingshan, but was blocked by Bai Lu Academy. The Peacock Demon King couldn’t step onto White Deer Street; after returning, the demon kings came together. Could it be for Yang Qingshan again..."

"They just beat them once, is it necessary to do so?"

They were puzzled.

Such a spectacle, just to deal with a human junior?

Furthermore, supposedly the sect master of the Imperial Extreme Sect, a top Seventh Realm Great Practitioner, also intended to capture Yang Qingshan.