Chapter One, A Thousand Paths and Ten Thousand Tracks, The True Source of Chaos; By Day, Laboring the Body, By Night, Severing the Soul

Yang Heng had long sensed the scheme of the man in black. He sidestepped to avoid the blade and, with a reverse motion, thrust his sword into the man's heart. Almost simultaneously, a beam of red light whistled through the air and exploded against the back of the man in black.

He raised his eyes to glance at the rising sun, realizing that he had been trapped underground for an entire night. He sprang up and rode the wind towards the hall from last night.

Xiao Ye asked, "Ah Heng, what have you forgotten?"

He gathered his breath in the dantian and lightly lifted his feet, dissipating the immense impact of the fall. Gradually, he regulated his breathing to calm the blood and energy in his chest, thinking: "This is truly a dungeon!" He expanded his pure and tranquil dharma body and floated upward, striking the steel plate sealing the entrance with the Evil-Dispelling Sword, producing a sharp "clang" sound.

The distance of mere inches left the mountain demon unable to react, as the Nine Absolute Shuttle struck directly at the tumor on its forehead. Instantly, a stream of golden-red, foul-smelling blood gushed from the top of the mountain demon's head, causing it to bare its teeth and roar in pain

At first, Yang Heng could still rely on his agile movements and the Zhou Tian Thirteen Forms to contend with the millennium-old mountain demon. However, he soon realized that his Sabannuo true energy was rapidly depleting, showing signs of insufficient follow-up strength. He was panting heavily, and in just over a dozen exchanges, he found it even more exhausting than battling Elder Ge.

Yang Heng was taken aback, raising his head to see a small figure diagonally across the courtyard. Xiao Ye held aloft a jade ball the size of a goose egg in her left hand, its deep red color glistening and transparent. The jade ball hovered above her pink, translucent fingers, buzzing and spinning rapidly, emitting dazzling rays of light. It was the Daoist treasure, the Blood of the Jade Heart Pearl, gifted to her by Master Ming Deng before he descended the mountain.

The mountain demon lazily stared at Yang Heng, uncertain whether it understood his meaning, letting out a soft whimper from its nose

Xiao Ye also realized her own loss of composure, her face flushed as she stood up straight and asked, "Where have the true disciples gone?"

The man in black replied: "A young monk fell into the cave of the mountain demon after triggering a trap. The rest were captured and taken away overnight by Elder Ge and Master Zhao."

Yang Heng felt a bead of cold sweat forming in the palm of his hand, clearly recalling the old nun's specific warning about the thousand-year-old mountain demon. She had said that once a mountain demon reaches a thousand years of cultivation, it possesses the ability to manipulate heaven and earth. Even a sword immortal, typically referring to a master of the Sword Control Technique who can summon their sword at will, would not dare to provoke it lightly. Otherwise, if this creature were to unleash its ferocity and attack, one would not only face death but also suffer severe consequences.

As she spoke, she suddenly collapsed onto Yang Heng's shoulder, choking back tears and said: "Ah Heng, I am truly afraid that something might happen to you all"

Yang Heng's arms were restrained, and his gaze inadvertently swept over the enormous blood tumor on the opponent's brow. Suddenly, he realized: "How can I teach this monster anything when it is so frightened that it can't remember anything?" In a moment of urgency, disregarding everything else, he snapped his fingers and unleashed a Nine Absolute Shuttle.

A soft sound echoed, and a ray of light suddenly appeared in the darkness. Then, someone outside said, "Master Xiao, your breakfast has arrived!" Immediately, a tall dark figure blocked the light, and in walked a swaying large black bear.

He sheathed the Evil-Dispelling Sword to show that he meant no harm, clasped his hands together, and said: "Brother Mountain Demon, I apologize for the disturbance. I have inadvertently entered this treasure land and only wish to pass through. We can coexist peacefully; what do you think?" With that, he cautiously took two steps forward.

Yang Heng stood in the courtyard of the escort agency, looking around silently, filled with doubt: "Where have all these demons gone? They can't have just vanished into thin air overnight, can they?" Suddenly, he recalled that the night before last, here, Master Ma had said to the steward: "Go quickly and return swiftly; I will wait for you to go to Hengyang together." He couldn't help but slap his forehead in frustration: "How could I have forgotten about this?"

The mountain demon reached out and grabbed Yang Heng's right arm, lifting him up in front of him and opening his mouth to bite.

In the end, the two decided to rush back to the Xiantian Escort Agency, intending to settle accounts with the head of the escort and Manager Yu. However, they still arrived a step too late; the entire escort agency had become almost a ghost town, and the whereabouts of the head of the escort and others were equally unknown.

The mountain demon had long since noticed Yang Heng, perhaps having had its fill, it could not even be bothered to touch the remaining half of the tiger carcass beside it. It was not in a hurry to rise, merely glaring with its fierce eyes at the youth who had suddenly intruded into its territory.

At that moment, his two arms were unable to move. In a moment of desperation, he bit down, striking the vital point of the mountain demon.

He let out a long sigh of relief, struggling to sit up. After consciously absorbing the essence and blood of the mountain demon that had cultivated for a thousand years, his power had greatly increased, making him incomparable to his state before falling into the cave. He couldn't help but feel both astonished and delighted. With his still trembling right hand, he slowly reattached his dislocated left arm. Turning his head, he saw a pool of blue light like a spring; it was his own Exorcising Evil Immortal Sword, which was slanted into the stone wall.

The man in black stammered, "I... I don't know, sir. I'm just a gatekeeper..." Suddenly, he lunged forward and shouted, "Help!"

When one scheme failed, another arose. He simply ceased to reach out to grab Yang Heng, instead using all his strength to tear the opponent's body desperately to the sides, intending to rip the little monk apart.

He exclaimed with joy, "Xiao Ye, what are you doing here? Have you found Master Ming Deng and the others?"

After walking for more than ten zhang, Yang Heng vaguely saw two points of yellow and bookish-colored lights ahead. He couldn't help but feel delighted and said, "As long as there are people, it will be easier to handle!" He immediately quickened his pace towards the source of the light, but the ground beneath his feet became increasingly soft and sticky, resembling a marsh.

Soon, Yang Heng's consciousness became increasingly blurred, as if he had fallen into an endless, dark and vast ocean, drifting further and further away with the currents

The mountain demon was momentarily taken aback, its enormous hand raised in the air hesitating slightly. Yang Heng seized the opportunity to shoot two Nine Absolute Bolts towards the demon's eyes, then leaped towards the passage on the opposite side.

Yang Heng urgently activated the Iron Armor Divine Art to protect his body, preventing the sharp claws of the mountain demon from piercing him. He pointed his right hand towards the tip of the opponent's nose, compelling it to release him.

Yang Heng, filled with joy, stealthily approached, leaping past the black bear just before the opponent could close the mechanism, and struck out with a palm. The servant who had brought the bear in could never have imagined that a living person would suddenly emerge from within, and was knocked unconscious to the ground by Yang Heng's palm strike.

Puff puff puff! The nine deadly darts pierced through the chests of three men in black and spun towards Yang Heng. The remaining man in black, in a state of panic, was about to shout, when Yang Heng pointed at the large vertebrae acupoint on his back and sternly said: "Don't shout! Where have the young masters sent by the Tianma Escort Agency last night gone?"

Yang Heng steadied his mind and thought, "The books record that a hundred-year-old mountain demon is already a spiritual being; perhaps this old mountain demon, which has lived for several thousand years, can understand human speech"

Uncertain how much time had passed, Yang Heng slowly awakened, only to be immediately engulfed by an overwhelming pain throughout his body

Having taken no more than twenty steps, Yang Heng let out a low cry of "Ah," and his footsteps came to a halt. A wave of numbness swept over his scalp as he fixed his gaze on the two golden-yellow lights, standing still.

Xiao Ye leaped down from the courtyard wall and shook her head sadly, saying: "I did not find Master Mingdeng."

After resting for a moment, Yang Heng rose to draw his immortal sword and also retrieved the Nine Absolute Shuttle. Only then, feeling a lingering fear, he addressed the corpse of the mountain demon, saying: "My brother, I apologize, but it was your greed that led to this, so you cannot blame me." He clasped his hands together as a gesture of gratitude to the mountain demon for sacrificing itself to aid in his rapid advancement in power.

The sound of metal clashing

Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through my hand as the web between my thumb and index finger cracked open. The Evil Sword of the Wandering Immortal was knocked away by a single strike from the mountain demon. The mountain demon then swiped down again, and Yang Heng, unable to evade, was seized by the shoulder, lifting him off the ground and leaving him suspended in mid-air.

At the moment of life and death, he finally realized that the blood tumor in the center of the mountain demon's brow was its inner elixir. The essence of its qi and blood, cultivated over thousands of years, was concentrated here, making it the mountain demon's greatest vulnerability

With his power greatly increased, Yang Heng's senses became increasingly sharp, allowing him to discern directions and navigate through the darkness. After only a short distance, he heard some movement more than ten zhang ahead.

The blood tumor of the millennium mountain demon is encased in a skin armor harder than iron, rendering Yang Heng's teeth ineffective against it. Fortunately, Yang Heng was blessed with inspiration; he first used the Nine Absolute Shuttle to strike it until its skin was torn and flesh was exposed, and then it was only natural for him to bite it off.

He struggled to open his eyes, and every part of his body was in excruciating pain, as if pierced by needles. His left elbow hung limply, dislocated. Beneath him lay a soft, damp substance of unknown origin, releasing waves of foul odor.

Recalling that the Moon Goddess had once taught him to read a book titled "Tian Huang Zhi Yi," he vaguely remembered illustrations and descriptions of creatures resembling this monster. Yang Heng couldn't help but feel a surge of alarm, exclaiming inwardly: "A thousand-year-old mountain demon!"

Yang Heng expressed his surprise, saying, "Then why did you come alone to Baohuai Villa? Do you not know that it is very dangerous here?"

Upon hearing a violent roar from the mountain demon behind, it was unclear how the Nine Absolute Shuttle was sent flying. It spread its four wings and soared into the air, swiftly catching up to Yang Heng, its five fingers reaching towards his head

With the burst of azure light, he finally discerned that a magical seal had been affixed to the steel plate, evidently intended to prevent those who fell into the pit from using celestial weapons to cleave their way upward for escape

The millennium-old mountain demon found its vital point inexplicably restrained, filled with fear and rage, it let out a frenzied roar and attempted to crush Yang Heng's head with its left claw. However, overwhelmed by excruciating pain and a disordered mind, coupled with the ancient essence blood stored within its massive tumor rapidly surging into the opponent's body, it was momentarily unable to free its claws.

Yang Heng sighed and said with guilt, "They were taken away by an old witch with the surname Ge."

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A dull thud echoed from above, and as the machine closed, Yang Heng found himself engulfed in a darkness so thick that he could not see his own hand. Suddenly, he felt something solid beneath his feet, realizing he had stepped onto a muddy, damp ground, and a wave of foul, cold air rushed towards him.

Yang Heng was taken aback, crouching low to evade, swiftly passing beneath the grasp of the mountain demon. The towering figure of the demon, standing at two zhang, lunged at Yang Heng with the agility of a nimble monkey, one of its left claws reaching for the邪仙剑 that was slanted behind him.

Yang Heng quickly held his breath and thought, "This is not working; should I try using sign language?" With a smile on his face, he gestured with both hands and said, "My friend, don't be angry; I just want to find a way out. It seems you've had your fill, and besides, my one hundred and eighty pounds of meat is tough and sour, definitely not to your taste. Why not let me go, and later I can throw that old man above down to you? His tender flesh would be just right for you."

In a moment of urgency, he saw the four men in black standing outside the hall. With one hand, he shot out three shuttles and swiftly darted towards one of the men in black.

***

Xiao Ye nodded with a hint of grievance and said: "I, I am also scared. But I can't stop worrying about you... and Senior Zhen Nai and the others, so I had no choice but to muster up my courage and sneak into the village. Who would have thought that after searching for half the night, I still couldn't find you all"

As the millennium-old mountain demon sensed the approach of Yang Heng, it seemed to feel threatened and suddenly let out a low growl, "Ugh." A plume of pale golden mist erupted from its mouth and nostrils, carrying a nauseating stench that surged towards Yang Heng

The mountain demon made two attempts but failed to seize the Evil Dispelling Sword, his eyes gleaming with ferocity as he struck directly at Yang Heng's head with a palm.

Yang Heng delivered a powerful palm strike that knocked him down. Five or six men in black shirts rushed over upon hearing the commotion. Yang Heng charged forward, delivering punches and kicks as if he were chopping vegetables, and in the blink of an eye, he had knocked all six men in black to the ground.

Yang Hengpiao stood still, only to feel the sunlight glaring. It was then that he noticed behind him the entrance of a rockery cave. Surrounding him were the sounds of birds and the fragrance of flowers, yet it was a tranquil and deserted courtyard

Yang Heng intended to bypass from a distance, but the surrounding space was exceedingly narrow. He had no choice but to turn sideways and move forward slowly, keeping close to the stone wall, just under ten feet away from the mountain demon. As he was about to pass by the mountain demon, it suddenly let out a low growl and lunged forward, one furry hand reaching straight for the Evil Dispersing Sword behind Yang Heng.

In a state of shock, Yang Hengda hurriedly gathered his energy and leaped up, but unfortunately, Elder Ge's dual rings struck down upon him at this critical moment, catching him completely off guard.

Yang Heng seized the opportunity and leaned forward with all his might, thinking to himself: "If you want to devour me, let me take a bite out of you first!" He opened his mouth and bit down on the ruptured area of the blood tumor, channeling the thick, foul-smelling, golden-red blood into his stomach in large gulps.

He gazed at the hideous and ferocious face of the mountain demon, which was so close at hand, and bitterly smiled, saying: "I never thought that I, Yang Heng, would become the midnight snack of this monster. Had I known it would come to this, I might as well have dashed myself against that steel plate to die."

Yang Heng was being pulled apart, his bones cracking loudly like beans. However, he gritted his teeth with determination (as he was currently sucking the essence blood of the mountain demon, clenching his teeth was unavoidable). No matter how the mountain demon tore at him, he would not let go of that blood tumor, taking large gulps of the thick, pungent essence blood into his mouth, which stirred his insides like a raging sea, causing immense discomfort.

Yang Heng was both surprised and amused as he said, "My friend, this sword was given to me by someone else; I cannot give it to you!"

Although Yang Heng was filled with anxiety, he could only patiently comfort Xiao Ye, saying: "Don't cry, don't cry"

Yang Heng shook his head and said, "Nothing can be learned from the mouths of these lowly cultists!"

At present, this person and the monster are engaged in a fierce battle and are *illustrating* in the tunnel

Yang Heng's heart sank as he anxiously pondered a way to escape beneath the heavy steel plate. The thickness of this steel plate completely muffled the sounds of the fight in the hall, leaving him unaware of the situation regarding Zhen Cai and the others.

Xiaoye's face changed color, and she anxiously said: "What should we do? Do you know where they went?"

He could not help but feel anxious, suddenly recalling the moment he fell to the ground, when he vaguely sensed a cold wind blowing, indicating that there might be a passage connected to the outside world. Thus, he hurriedly lowered his body and began to feel his way forward in the direction from which the cold wind was blowing

The Evil Sword of the Wandering Immortal struck the dual rings, causing Yang Heng's right arm to feel numb and sore, his vital energy surging. Just as he was about to spring up, his body plummeted like a falling rock into a suddenly opened black hole below, vanishing without a trace.

A man in black, unwilling to give up, rolled around while moaning loudly, stealthily approaching Yang Heng from behind. Suddenly, he leaped up and struck at his back with a knife.

It turned out that, less than five zhang away, there lay a colossal creature resembling a human, covered in golden fur, with four wings sprouting from its ribs, and a massive golden-red tumor on its forehead. The golden light was not from any lamp; it was clearly emanating from the creature's two wide-open eyes.

Little did anyone know that the hall was completely empty; not only was there no sign of a person, but even the large pot had vanished without a trace

He channeled sufficient Sabharaja true energy and struck the steel plate with three consecutive sword strikes, yet all were forcefully repelled by the magic symbols. Upon examining the steel plate, not even a single sword mark was left behind

Unexpectedly, a burst of azure light erupted from the steel plate with a "ka la la" sound, forcefully rebounding the Evil Dispelling Sword, causing Yang Heng's right arm to tingle and his heart to race.

He continued to inquire: "Where did the old demon Ge take them all?"

Elder Ge was momentarily taken aback, then used the momentum to spring up, gazing down at the gaping black hole below, which resembled a blood-red basin. He mused, "Ha, this kid deserves his misfortune. He triggered the mechanism hidden under the table while retreating and ended up falling in. Heh heh, this little monk is seeking his own demise, which saves me a lot of effort."

He took two deep breaths, recalling the situation of his unconsciousness. With a shiver, he extended his right hand downward and felt the object beneath his body, which was indeed the corpse of that unfortunate mountain demon.

Yang Heng drew the Wandering Evil Immortal Sword and shouted: "Don't fight, take it!"

Strangely, one's dantian is warm and full, and the Sābōrě true qi flows vigorously, surging and rolling through the body's meridians, becoming a vast and magnificent river in a muddled manner

Gradually, he adapted to the darkness of the underground and discovered that he was walking in a long, damp tunnel. However, Yang Heng could no longer concern himself with where this tunnel led.