Free Web NovelChapter 310: Chapter 309: Daluo Palace to Establish a Branch Temple on Black Rock Mountain
The Netherfire Sect Leader, fallen.
The five Venerables of the Nether Fire Sect, fallen.
The hundreds of Demon-possessed Cultivators of the Nether Fire Sect, fallen.
Leading eight elderly Taoists, Gu Zhao deployed the Nine Palace Eight Trigrams Array. In less than half a day, they had uprooted a great master who had dominated Yongzhou for centuries, along with the major power that ruled He Yan Mansion.
A dense Evil Qi surged into the Thunder Seeds of the eight elderly Taoists and the Five Thunders Order in Gu Zhao’s Sea of Consciousness.
He already had two unused Thunder Seeds. Later, while everyone was cultivating off the mountain, they had condensed another one for him. Now, after annihilating the Nether Fire Sect, the Five Thunders Order had condensed four more, even after the eight elderly Taoists took their share.
And so, seven more Thunder Seeds now orbited him, heralding the addition of seven new Elders to Daluo Palace.
The Eight Trigrams Array dissipated, revealing Black Rock Mountain.
In Heiyan Town, at the foot of Black Rock Mountain, countless terrified mortals looked up at the sky. They no longer saw their familiar Great Netherfire Ancestor, but rather nine strangers clad in blue-gray robes.
The next moment, they saw the strangers turn toward them.
Then, an aura filled with a light and natural feeling spread out, as an old, benevolent voice echoed in the minds of Heiyan Town’s citizens.
"The Netherfire Sect Leader committed unspeakable atrocities and countless evils. Today, he has met his deserved end, his sins paid in full," the old voice said. "From this day forward, the Nether Fire Sect is no more."
"What?"
"The Great Netherfire Ancestor... Could it be that he..."
Before the people of Heiyan Town could process what was happening, they saw the powerful lords of the Nether Fire Sect among them begin to twist and contort. Billowing black gas erupted from their bodies as they transformed into hideous Demons, then scattered and fled like madmen.
"Mere fish who slipped through the net. Did you really think you could escape?"
Twenty-four Ghost Generals suddenly flew out from the Divine Prison in Taoist Jing Feng’s Sea of Consciousness. They transformed into streaks of black light, instantly appearing before the fleeing Demons.
The Nether Fire Sect members in Heiyan Town were merely small fry. How could they be a match for the Fengdu Divine Prison Ghost Generals? Within breaths, they were all slain.
Taoist Qingyuan let out a breath of relief. "Is it over?"
"No, not yet." Gu Zhao shook his head, his gaze sweeping in all directions.
Just then, from two nearby mountaintops, two figures each soared into the air and flew toward them.
The two from the east were an arrogant man in red and a valiant woman in green.
The two from the south were a sinister old man with a black beard and black hair, and a pale-faced young man in white robes and white boots.
The Dao Practice of these four was profound, but their expressions were grave as they looked at Gu Zhao and his eight companions.
Gu Zhao’s eyes flickered. Sensing the faint thrum of the Five Thunders Order in his Sea of Consciousness, he did not attack. Instead, he clasped his hands in a salute and said, "I am Gu Zhao of Daluo Palace, humbly serving as its Palace Master. Might you be from Chaoyang Island and Silent God Mountain?"
Also sensing the surging Magical Power radiating from Gu Zhao, the arrogant man reined in his arrogance, and the sinister old man concealed his malevolence.
"Xu Yan and Qiao Qian’Er of Chaoyang Island."
"Wan Ping and Lu Yu of Silent God Mountain."
"Greetings, Daluo Palace Master!"
The arrogant man, Xu Yan, and the valiant woman, Qiao Qian’Er, radiated Demon Power. The sinister old man, Wan Ping, and the pale-faced youth, Lu Yu, exuded a dense Ghost Qi. It was clear that Chaoyang Island was home to Demons, while the Silent God Mountain lineage consisted of ghosts.
All four of them carried Evil Qi, though it was fainter on the two from Chaoyang Island and thicker on the two from Silent God Mountain. Ultimately, however, it was still less than that of the people from the Nether Fire Sect.
Gu Zhao nodded, his eyes sweeping over the four. "Are you here to stand up for the Nether Fire Sect?"
Wan Ping’s cheek twitched, while Qiao Qian’Er simply shook her head. "Of course not. We just sensed a great battle erupting here and came to take a look. We never expected the Netherfire Sect Leader to be practicing a Demon Technique."
As Qiao Qian’Er spoke, Black Rock Mountain continued to emit billowing Demonic Qi, which slowly spread out from the mountain, corroding and altering the surrounding environment.
This Demonic Qi seemed alien to this world, fundamentally incompatible with everything in it. Though the Netherfire Sect Leader drew his power from this world to practice his Demon Technique, the resulting Demonic Qi sought to transform the surrounding environment into a Demon Realm.
Xu Yan added, "Practicing a Demon Technique is to make an enemy of heaven and earth. It is a crime punishable by death."
Lu Yu stared at Black Rock Mountain, a flicker of fear in his eyes. "The Netherfire Sect Leader has already turned the Nether Fire Sect’s main altar, deep beneath Black Rock Mountain, into a Demon Realm. Otherwise, the Demonic Qi wouldn’t be this dense."
Seeing the Demonic Qi spread and affect the plants and animals, Taoist Yan Song blew out a breath of Taiyi Wind and Fire. The Wind and Fire circled Black Rock Mountain once, temporarily forcing the spreading Demonic Qi back.
"We must deal with the Demon Realm beneath the mountain. Otherwise, this Demonic Qi will cause far more harm than Yin Qi or Evil Qi," Taoist Yan Song said to Gu Zhao.
Gu Zhao nodded and turned to the four visitors. "Daluo Palace will establish a branch temple on Black Rock Mountain. On its opening day, I invite you all to attend the ceremony."
Xu Yan’s eyebrow twitched. ’As expected,’ he thought. "I will await the good news on Chaoyang Island."
Wan Ping also nodded, taking a deep look at Gu Zhao and the eight elderly Taoists behind him. "When the Daluo Palace branch temple opens, this old man will certainly come to offer congratulations."
After saying this, Wan Ping and Lu Yu clasped their hands in salute, took two steps back, and then flew away.
Xu Yan and Qiao Qian’Er glanced at Black Rock Mountain, which was still spewing Demonic Qi, and also took their leave.
As the four flew away, the other onlookers who had been watching from the surrounding mountaintops no longer lingered, but quietly departed.
"The people from Chaoyang Island seem alright, but those two from Silent God Mountain are no saints," Taoist Jing Feng said, gazing south.
Taoist Ming Yu chuckled. "No rush. Once we’re strong enough, we’ll pay them a visit. They can either choose to be civilized, or we’ll help them be civilized."
Taoist Yu Zhang nodded. "Let’s clean up He Yan Mansion and Shide Prefecture first."
Gu Zhao looked down below. "We’re not cleaning up He Yan Mansion and Shide Prefecture first. We’re cleaning up Black Rock Mountain."
...
The area beneath Black Rock Mountain had indeed been transformed into a Demon Realm.
Spiritual Qi, Demon Qi, Yin Qi, Evil Qi, death qi... all these were forms of energy native to this world. This Demonic Qi, however, was different. It was exceptionally aggressive.
Under the corrupting influence of the Demonic Qi, all living creatures seemed to become twisted, hideous, frenzied, and cruel.
Gu Zhao surveyed the area and frowned. "No wonder Qingshuang said that Celestial Demons are the enemies of the world, and that everyone decries the practice of Demon Techniques. This Demonic Qi is pure evil!"
Taoist Yi Hong circulated his Protective True Qi to block the Demonic Qi. "The Netherfire Sect Leader has been transforming this place beneath Black Rock Mountain for centuries. The Demonic Qi has seeped deep into the mountain’s earth veins. This won’t be easy to handle."
"First, let’s clear out the Demonic Qi over the wider area. As for the rest..."
Gu Zhao looked at Taoist Yan Song and Taoist Shen Hao. "The best way to eliminate Demonic Qi is to burn it away. I’ll have to trouble Martial Uncle Yan Song and Martial Uncle Shen Hao with Black Rock Mountain."
Taoist Yan Song’s Taiyi Divine Fire and Taoist Shen Hao’s Nanming Li Fire were both true fires containing Taoist True Qi. They were incomparable to ordinary flames, incredibly destructive to Demonic Qi, and the best method for its removal.
Taoist Shen Hao stroked his beard, nodding with a smile. "Don’t worry. Leave it to us."
