====== CHAPTER 054 ======
Amidst the torrential rain that kicked up a hazy mist, Tao Wenshu traversed the various courtyards, searching for traces of Ji Hanyi, Yan Yong, and Ding Songyan, while occasionally glancing up at the sky.
Once the rain eased and the dark clouds dispersed further, she would be able to employ the "Northern Dipper Guiding Path," a secret technique derived from the Book of Celestial Stars, to lock onto the trail of the Absolute Saint Path demoness she had just clashed with.
This time, although she and the personnel from the prefectural and county magistrate's offices had yet to receive reinforcements, it was within expectations that the righteous figures already within Dingjiang Prefecture should suffice: herself, Lin Hansheng, Yi Qincang—whose high-ground archery was equivalent to that of a Grandmaster—and Su Chongxiao, who could be persuaded to assist with a gift of Huai Fruit and was unlikely to cause trouble. Dealing with Zhen Qianfan and the arrivals from the Absolute Saint Path would be more than enough.
—If a Grandmaster of the Heavenly Human Realm had come from the Absolute Saint Path, matters would never have devolved into the current state. Once he had confirmed where Yan Yong was imprisoned, he could have launched a night raid on the Zhen Mansion, swiftly rescued his target, and then created chaos, sacrificing a few disciples to escape Dingjiang Prefecture.
Expectations were just expectations, however. Tao Wenshu had not anticipated two unforeseen developments. The first was that the Small Boat Gang had colluded with someone suspected of being a mastermind from the Boat-Capsizing Sect, choosing this exact juncture to infiltrate the Zhen Mansion for revenge. This created a large-scale, chaotic situation of mutual slaughter, leading to the deaths of many who should not have been involved.
If that had been the only change, it would have been manageable. When Lin Hansheng and Tao Wenshu had deliberated, they had accounted for accidents, believing that with Ren Youyang of the True Spirit Sect present, this newly emerged "Orchid" practitioner of the "Useless Divine Skill" would be a major asset if things became dire. Furthermore, the "mutual slaughter" had directly drawn in Su Chongxiao, who would otherwise have required a formal request to intervene, saving them considerable effort.
The second surprise, which truly caught Tao Wenshu and the others off guard, was that the "prisoner" suspected to be the previous sect leader of the Absolute Saint Path, Yan Yong, could still manifest the might of a Heavenly Human. Relying on the "Heaven-Altering Earth-Shifting Divine Art," he had forcibly altered the weather in this region, providing an environment that Ji Hanyi could exploit, allowing her to temporarily ascend from a Grandmaster at the peak of the Dharma Realm to a half-step Heavenly Human.
If Yan Yong possessed such capability, why had he remained so compliantly imprisoned?
This was a development Tao Wenshu had not foreseen, to the extent that she had failed to stall Ji Hanyi and keep her contained.
…………
On the wharf in the east of the city, Li Zhi was constantly shifting his position, using various warehouses to evade Yi Qincang’s arrows.
Seeing several squads of patrolling constables and disciples of the Xiaoming Sect rushing over from the city gate to surround the area, he suddenly unleashed his divine movement ability, dragging out trails of afterimages. He circled halfway around, then sprinted out of the wharf, charging in the opposite direction toward the city gate.
Yi Qincang, atop the watchtower in the east of the city, saw this and suddenly had an epiphany. He hurriedly shouted to the Xiaoming Sect disciples beside him:
"Beat the drums!
"Close all city gates!"
The Xiaoming Sect disciple did not dare to delay; he picked up two drumsticks and struck the great drum atop the watchtower with all his might.
Sounding the gong was a warning, but beating the drum meant closing the gates!
Yi Qincang finally understood why Li Zhi had been wreaking such havoc on the wharf. Beyond wanting to attract a portion of the official forces, he was also trying to prevent the eastern city gate from closing, lest his fellow demon-folk be trapped inside the city like turtles in a jar.
Dong! Dong! Dong!
The drumbeats shook the heavens, echoing outward. The pedestrians on the main street were startled at first, but then quickly ducked to the sides of the street, clearing the path to avoid suffering an unmerited disaster.
Martial arts had flourished for thousands of years, and similar situations occurred from time to time. The common folk were long accustomed to it and knew how to respond.
As long as it was not an army rampaging through the city or a clash between Grandmasters, everything else was manageable.
Dong-dong-dong!
The drumbeats grew urgent. Soldiers, constables, and Xiaoming Sect disciples at every gate began to disperse the nearby crowds, attempting to close the gates of the barbican and the main city wall simultaneously.
Li Zhi dragged out afterimages, moving like a serpent at times, dodging Yi Qincang’s rapid-fire arrows.
Soon, he reached the eastern city gate and rushed toward the two horses pulling a cart.
With a roll, he arrived beneath the horses' bellies, then reached out with both hands to grab the legs of the two horses.
"Die!"
Li Zhi, whose body had expanded to clearly exceed nine feet, shouted excitedly as he hoisted the two horses into the air and swung them about.
This blocked the volley of arrows from Yi Qincang and the others, and the two horses lost their lives, letting out piteous whinnies.
Immediately after, Li Zhi brandished these two massive "weapons" as he charged from the city gate toward the exit of the barbican.
Those who tried to block his path were sent flying, as if they had been struck by a giant ox.
Having sprinted to the mouth of the barbican, Li Zhi turned back to slaughter his way toward the outside of the city wall, preventing the arriving constables, soldiers, and Xiaoming Sect disciples from closing the gate.
Just like that, he brandished the two dead horses, running back and forth within the barbican, ensuring that neither the inner nor outer gates could be closed.
Seeing this, Yi Qincang did not hesitate to leave the eastern watchtower, descending rapidly toward the barbican’s arrow tower.
…………
Inside a courtyard of the Zhen Mansion.
Ding Songyan pressed his entire body weight onto the dagger, attempting to drive the blade through Yan Changqing’s eye socket and into his brain to shatter his spirit.
While sensing the barrier evolved from formless Qi, Ding Songyan continued his psychological offensive, which was showing some effect.
Gritting his teeth, he spoke to Yan Changqing, whose eyes were pitch-black and whose expression was blank:
"When I heard you had obtained the remains of Chaos, I was envious at first, but then I wondered:
"These remains of Chaos can encompass all your martial arts and don't seem to cause your cultivation realm to regress, so why did you choose to bring them out and hide them away?
"If it were me, I would have devoured them the very first moment! I would never let them have any chance of benefiting someone else!
"Isn't the original Heavenly Emperor stronger than the source of your so-called Absolute Saint Path?"
At this moment, Ding Songyan felt the formless barrier beneath the dagger loosen slightly.
With a slightly twisted expression, he laughed:
"I hit the mark, didn't I? Even if you don't seem to have any reaction.
"You must have consumed a sufficient portion of the Chaos remains on the spot. As a result, did the ferocity and uniqueness of the original Heavenly Emperor exceed your expectations? Even though you were as conservative as possible in consuming them, did the Chaos end up assimilating you?
"Haha, this is a guess I only formed after seeing the wretched state of your internal organs just now!
"That is the true reason you were so severely injured, isn't it?"
Ding Songyan laughed even more heartily, and the dagger he gripped tightly sank in a little further.
A trace of pain finally appeared on Yan Changqing’s face.
Ding Songyan felt the "Qi" he had been using begin to dissipate. While preparing to use his final strand of "Qi," he roared, his eyes wide with exertion:
"Your caution and conservatism meant the portion wasn't enough to be fatal. For all these years, you have been slowly digesting the remains of Chaos. Until recently, after digesting them to a certain degree, you finally recovered a small amount of ability, didn't you?
"You wanted to stay hidden longer, until you had completely digested the remains of Chaos, or until you were no longer limited to merely influencing the weather and controlling the weak with the Heavenly Heart Mark. But Zhen Qianfan couldn't wait any longer; he took the initiative to let that Secret Classic of Mountains and Seas be stolen by someone from the Absolute Saint Path. You had no choice but to go along with the ruse and use me to achieve your goal!
"Your instructions, your arrangements, and everything you said—it was all a smokescreen!
"You didn't care whether I did a good job or if I was discovered. You only needed to grasp one point to succeed: when Zhen Qianfan feigned letting you escape, you would control me to open your abdomen and extract the excess remains of Chaos!
"Your scheme is just that simple. The simpler it is, the harder it is to interfere with, and the harder it is to disrupt. As long as you can grasp the core point, and as long as you can stop being affected by the excess remains of Chaos before Zhen Qianfan and the people of the Absolute Saint Path react, you are a dignified Grandmaster—you fear no one!"
Ding Songyan’s psychological attack reached this point, yet he felt the barrier woven from formless Qi did not loosen any further.
The look of pain remained on Yan Changqing’s face, but the corners of his mouth curled up bit by bit.
He seemed to be mocking Ding Songyan:
So what if you know?
How much longer can your Qi sustain you?
Once you have used up both strands of your Qi, I will be able to control you again and make you help me restore my strength!
Seeing this, Ding Songyan hurriedly changed his approach. While continuing to press down with the dagger, he gritted his teeth and said:
"You just realized it too, didn't you? Aside from the sword intent of the Xiaoming Sect, what allowed me to temporarily break free from your Heavenly Heart Mark control was your precious disciple’s Heavenly Heart Mark.
"Guess whether your precious disciple can sense the changes in the Heavenly Heart Mark?
"With her abilities, is there a chance she could briefly shake off the people from the Xiaoming Sect and come here to 'visit' you?
"If I can't kill you, surely she can?"
Yan Changqing’s expression changed slightly, but the barrier evolved from formless Qi only flickered a little.
Ding Songyan’s thoughts raced, and he suddenly had an idea. He chuckled:
"I’m such a fool!
"Why am I saying so much? I could simply take a piece of the Chaos remains and eat it on the spot! By then, I would have the temporary strength of a Grandmaster—would I still be afraid of failing to kill you?
"My psychological warfare has been effective, but not enough. Was that intentional on your part? Were you guiding me, preventing me from thinking in this direction?"
As he spoke, his left hand had already groped toward Yan Changqing’s stomach, feeling for the yellowish substance extending from it, intending to break off a small piece.
Yan Changqing’s expression finally showed a more significant fluctuation. Ding Songyan felt the dagger pierce through more than half of the formless barrier, churning through flesh and blood.
Yan Changqing’s face twisted in agony, while Ding Songyan’s left hand touched the yellowish substance, feeling both a slick and rough texture simultaneously.
For a brief moment, he couldn't tear a piece off and could only keep trying.
His verbal psychological assault continued unabated, returning to the bluffing he was skilled at:
"You are so proficient in the arts of calculation, why couldn't you calculate that seeking refuge with Zhen Qianfan would lead to such an end?
"Why did Zhen Qianfan suddenly betray you? Do you really think you told him yourself what you had obtained?"
These were not just bluffs; they were doubts Ding Songyan had harbored all along. Having found no answers yet, he simply blurted them all out, letting Yan Changqing think about them, letting him think toward the most terrifying possibilities.
Yan Changqing’s one good eye suddenly rolled, as if he had recalled something.
Ding Songyan felt the formless barrier beneath the dagger rapidly become exceptionally chaotic.
So effective? Ding Songyan had no time to think; following his previous line of thought, he roared again:
"Have you ever wondered why it was you who found the vanished Kunlun and entered the Heavenly Emperor’s palace?"
The moment the words left his lips, Ding Songyan saw Yan Changqing’s single eye widen, and he discovered that the barrier woven from formless Qi was disintegrating.
It had briefly disintegrated!
It’s done!
Ding Songyan did not hesitate. He exerted his entire body’s strength, pouring his remaining Qi and the heaven and earth energy it mobilized completely into the dagger.
The steel dagger swiftly pierced through layers of obstruction and sank completely into Yan Changqing’s eye socket.
Ding Songyan, still uneasy, twisted the dagger a few more times.
Yan Changqing’s eye remained wide open, filled with confusion and hatred.
A rattling sound came from his throat as he tried to say something, but finally, his head lolled to the side, and he completely lost his vitality and breath.
====== CHAPTER 055_第五十五章 妖女 ======
Seeing Yan Changqing die, Ding Songyan did not immediately pull out his dagger; instead, he pressed it deeper into the man’s skull and gave it a twist.
This was not out of excessive hatred, but because he feared that this former sect master of the Absolute Saint Path might not be truly dead.
As a man who lacked the strength to truss a chicken, he could hardly withstand any further turmoil, and even with that final "breath" of energy remaining, he felt no confidence.
Seeing that Yan Changqing no longer moved, Ding Songyan carefully withdrew the dagger and stared at the corpse, checking it over and over again.
Hoo... He finally set his mind at ease and cast his gaze toward the remains of Chaos that extended from Yan Changqing’s stomach:
A yellow, sac-like object, within which seemed to burn a crimson flame, with a core of utter darkness.
Ding Songyan did not hesitate. He first wiped the blade clean with Yan Changqing’s cyan Lanshan robe, then plunged the dagger into the remains of Chaos.
Just as he had told Yan Changqing earlier, such a divine object must be consumed immediately; there could not be the slightest possibility of leaving it for others.
Moreover, once consumed, he would have the power to break the deadlock when facing enemies like Ji Hanyi.
If the Dingjiang Prefecture or the Xiaoming Sect could not tolerate him because of it, then as a master of the Dharma Realm, the world was vast—where could he not go?
The dagger pierced the yellow sac as if it were rotting flesh. Ding Songyan exerted force through his wrist and swiftly carved off a quarter of it.
He had learned from Yan Changqing’s lesson and decided to eat a smaller portion first. If it were not enough, he could always have more. He must not be assimilated by the overbearing and peculiar nature of Chaos and end up a tragedy.
Everyone makes mistakes, but it is best not to repeat the mistakes others have made, especially when that person has just died right in front of you.
After cutting off twenty-five percent of the remains of Chaos, Ding Songyan noticed that the surface of his steel dagger had become pitted and scarred; it no longer shimmered with cold light and appeared unusually dull.
"Can, can this thing really be eaten?" Ding Songyan only dared to grip the surface of the yellow sac, not daring to touch the flames or the darkness within.
Thinking that even a grandmaster like Yan Changqing had eaten it, he took a deep breath and prepared to raise his left arm to bring the small portion of the remains of Chaos to his mouth.
At that moment, his entire body stiffened. He wanted to raise his arm, but forgot to do so; he wanted to move, but forgot how to act. The dagger clattered to the floor.
A figure strolled leisurely into the room, wearing a scallion-white, silver-trimmed, straight-collared, front-opening short shirt and a light, goose-yellow silk skirt, her black, glossy hair hanging down.
Ji Hanyi.
The demoness has arrived so quickly... Ding Songyan struggled to turn his body, but he could no longer eat the remains of Chaos, nor could he launch an attack against Ji Hanyi.
It was not that he believed he could do anything to the demoness with his final "breath," but he hoped to force her back a step to create an opportunity to consume the remains of Chaos. Furthermore, if a clash at the Dharma Realm level occurred, the commotion would inevitably be impossible to conceal, and the official masters would immediately pinpoint their location and rush over.
Regrettably, Ding Songyan had no intention of attacking Ji Hanyi at all—not because he truly lacked the intent, but because he forgot the moment he was about to put it into action.
With Yan Changqing no longer there to help him suppress Ji Hanyi’s Heavenly Heart Mark, he was nothing more than an ordinary man.
Ji Hanyi did not look at Ding Songyan. She walked lightly to Yan Changqing’s corpse, reached out to take the remains of Chaos, and said with a faint smile:
"Master, in truth, I also coveted the divine object you retrieved from the Heavenly Emperor’s palace. Otherwise, I wouldn't have given you the chance to speak just now and allowed you to stall for time.
"My thoughts were the same as Zhen Qianfan’s: we both hoped to let you escape briefly, surrounded only by ordinary people, to see if that would make you lower your guard and reveal the location of the divine object. The difference is that Zhen Qianfan only trusts himself, yet lacks the necessary state of mind and is easily influenced by martial arts like the 'Great Method of Thousand Changes and Myriad Transformations to Charm the World,' whereas I chose to place my bet on Second Young Master Ding."
Me? Ding Songyan had not expected the demoness to believe that an ordinary man like him could turn the tables.
However, she had indeed used the Heavenly Heart Mark to help him at a critical moment.
Because the demoness currently viewed him as nothing, Ding Songyan finally calmed his mind, and his thoughts began to race:
This is currently the home turf of the official authorities. The longer I can stall, the more chance I have of survival...
Wait, although I cannot attack the demoness now, and I have "forgotten" to flee, and I have no desire to "eat," it seems I can still do other things...
When it comes down to it, the demoness and I have no deep-seated grudge. As long as I don't get in her way, it seems she doesn't necessarily have to kill me...
Besides, she has already been exposed to the official authorities; there is no possibility of me leaking her secrets...
I even helped her kill Yan Changqing and assisted her in obtaining the remains of Chaos!
I am the one with the grudge, not her.
Uh, then I must hide this mass of the remains of Chaos in my hand. I am truly unwilling to just hand it over to the demoness like this. She didn't even look at me just now, so she shouldn't have noticed... There is plenty left for her to eat; eating any more would just lead her to repeat her master’s mistake...
Thinking of this, Ding Songyan gripped his left hand tighter, shielding the small, already meager portion of the remains of Chaos completely.
He still felt uneasy, and suddenly remembered something.
He had once sent copper coins into the Netherworld and retrieved them after a while.
"If I hide this mass of the remains of Chaos in the Netherworld, the demoness will certainly never guess or discover it." Ding Songyan quickly made his decision. "Once I’ve hidden it, I’ll chat with the demoness. We’ve spent quite a few days together; even if the act was fake, there might be a shred of truth in our connection. Letting an ordinary man like me go won't affect her... At the very least, it’s a way to stall for time..."
Ding Songyan quickly transferred the clear, misty "seed" within his Sea of Consciousness to the center of his brow.
Once again, he saw the smoke-like darkness and the boundless wilderness, the wandering ghosts, and the blank, spiritless "Yan Changqing."
At this moment, Ji Hanyi had already taken the large mass of the remains of Chaos. She continued to look at Yan Changqing’s corpse and said with a beaming smile:
"It was worth it to value Second Young Master Ding. Before my Heavenly Heart Mark took effect, he had already figured out the crux of the matter himself and even obtained the Candlelit Sword Intent of the Xiaoming Sect in advance. I only needed to suppress your Heavenly Heart Mark at the right moment.
"Master, you surely never expected that you, who dominated the world for a lifetime, would end up dying at the hands of an ordinary man with no martial arts. What a great irony.
"You must be regretting your own impatience, revealing a flaw that was spotted by Second Young Master Ding. Heh, this was no coincidence.
"I intentionally used Second Young Master Ding to pass the news of the Heavenly Emperor’s palace to the Xiaoming Sect and the Great Zhao imperial court on the final night. In this way, today there would surely be grandmasters, or even Extraordinary Beings, arriving. Your mastery of the art of calculation is so profound that you must have calculated that this very moment was your only chance to escape, leaving you with no desire to stall or wait for variables. How could you not be anxious?
"Once a person is anxious, they are prone to mistakes. Moreover, you looked down on an ordinary man like Second Young Master Ding from the bottom of your heart, never thinking he could pose a threat to you, so naturally, you were not cautious enough when dealing with him..."
So, telling me that the Secret Classic of Mountains and Seas was complete was just to make me leak the information, and only after all preparations were in place... Ding Songyan sighed inwardly at how devious the demoness was, while quietly moving a few steps toward the side of the corpse.
Because he had not thought of trying to escape, he completed this maneuver smoothly.
His current position was right in front of several black stone pillars, which were covered in small, weathered holes.
Ding Songyan hurriedly transferred the clear, misty "seed" to his left hand and successfully felt the bone-chilling, icy wind.
Bit by bit, he extended his left palm behind him, using his body as cover, and stuffed the small yellow sac into a hole on the surface of the stone pillar.
Then, he released his fingers, and after confirming that the remains of Chaos had not fallen out, he slowly retracted his left palm.
The smile on Ji Hanyi’s face gradually faded. She looked at Yan Changqing’s corpse and sighed:
"It is a pity that I did not kill you with my own hands."
You could always stab him a few more times... Ding Songyan felt his heart tremble.
Ji Hanyi held the large mass of the remains of Chaos in one hand, turned her body, and cast her gaze toward Ding Songyan.
"Miss Ji." Ding Songyan squeezed out a smile.
A great man knows when to yield and when to stand tall!
Ji Hanyi giggled, like summer flowers melting winter ice.
"That sounds so distant." With a smile, she walked step by step to Ding Songyan’s side.
I can't exactly call you 'little sister' anymore, can I? Ding Songyan was at a loss for how to respond.
Ji Hanyi suddenly leaned forward, bringing her head close to his ear.
Ding Songyan immediately caught a faint, ethereal fragrance and saw half of her clean, beautiful face.
"Second Brother." Ji Hanyi whispered with a laugh, "Guess, when you tried to send the copper coins into the Netherworld and then retrieved them, was I watching from the shadows?"
Ding Songyan’s gaze froze instantly.
At that moment, he felt his thoughts about to congeal.
This demoness is truly terrifying!
He immediately wanted to retrieve the small mass of the remains of Chaos, then see if he could use his survival instinct to protect himself with that final breath of energy when Ji Hanyi tried to kill him, creating an opportunity to consume the divine object.
Ji Hanyi stood up straight, her beautiful eyes turning to sweep across Ding Songyan.
Ding Songyan immediately forgot his thought of reaching behind him to touch the stone pillar.
Ji Hanyi put her hands behind her back and said to him with a smile:
"Second Brother, are you wondering why I value you so much and often follow you in secret?"
"Miss Hanyi, I do have that question." Ding Songyan forced himself to pull his spirits together.
Stall for as long as I can!
Ji Hanyi tilted her head slightly to look at him, her smile blooming like a flower.
She said in a light, airy tone:
"The person I killed with my own hands suddenly came back to life in front of me—how could I not be curious and value you?"
Ding Songyan’s heart sank instantly; his whole being felt as if it had plummeted into an ice cellar, and even his soul was not spared.
So, everything I did was seen by the demoness...
I previously only guessed they were confused as to why I didn't die; I never expected they had witnessed it with their own eyes...
"How exactly did that happen?" Ji Hanyi rested her cheek on her right hand, which was not holding the remains of Chaos, and asked with bright, smiling eyes.
Hearing this, Ding Songyan actually considered for a moment whether to reveal the truth of his transmigration to enhance his mystery and importance in the demoness’s eyes, hoping to escape this calamity.
But just then, Ji Hanyi’s right palm extended, seemingly to stroke the top of Ding Songyan’s head.
Ding Songyan’s soul nearly left his body, and he struggled with all his might against the Heavenly Heart Mark, trying to use the clear, misty "seed" to protect himself.
Ji Hanyi suddenly tapped her toes and flew backward, landing at the doorway of the room amidst a light laugh.
Her goose-yellow skirt fluttered, and she turned to smile enchantingly at the stunned Ding Songyan:
"I’ve had a lot of fun these past few days. I’ll let you live for a while longer."
With that, Ji Hanyi walked with her hands behind her back and a light step into the dim courtyard, where the heavy rain was still falling, and soon disappeared from Ding Songyan’s sight.
"..." Ding Songyan remained dazed.
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