Chapter 3, The Howling Moon Approaches the Azure Spirit
Upon seeing the Howling Moon Demon King leave, the Cloud Daoist felt a sense of relief, his face turning pale. With a muffled sound, he spat out a mouthful of fresh blood, which faintly contained a hint of green. Where the blood fell, flowers and plants began to grow at an astonishing speed.
Looking up, not far from the Qingling Temple, a young demon cultivator, standing in mid-air, was seen. He was eight feet tall, with a head full of silver hair and a gaze that was cold and proud
Qingling Temple is built against the mountain, with steep peaks on both sides, resembling the work of an axe and chisel, majestic and imposing. Where the clouds rise and envelop, it reveals an ethereal atmosphere reminiscent of a celestial abode.
Lu Bei's throat rolled slightly, wanting to say something, but ultimately could only remain silent.
Lu Bei listened to the words of the Cloud Daoist, his expression appearing contemplative
The wolf's claw moved in unison, and the demonic aura surged forth, resembling layers of halos pushing forward in circles. However, the Cloud Daoist, with a single sword, drew upon the earth's energy from the Cangwu Mountain, spanning twelve hundred miles. Under the enhancement of the earth dragon, the spiritual might was even greater, and the sword's momentum summoned the howling winds and thunder, arriving in the blink of an eye
The Cloud Daoist took out a crystal-clear jade talisman from his bosom and, with a kind expression, said to the young girl Su Qingling: "Qingling, I have exhausted my vital energy and must enter seclusion for a hundred years. I may not be able to teach you any longer. You should quickly use the Qianji jade talisman to inform your sister of this matter. Let her come and take you back."
The Howling Moon Demon King said coldly: "Old Daoist Yun, well played."
Not far behind it, a wolf with glossy black fur was sitting motionless, merely glaring at Yuntong with a pair of fierce, blue eyes filled with hatred
Lu Bei cupped his hands and bowed, apologizing: "Immortal, today this matter has implicated me, Lu."
The Silver Moon Demon Saint is an ancient Golden Immortal, one of the three hundred sixty-five Demon Saints under the throne of the Demon Emperor in ancient times. The Howling Moon Demon King often regards himself as a descendant of this Demon Saint's direct bloodline.
Loli Su Qingling, upon seeing this, turned and glared angrily, tears streaming down her face as she said to Lu Bei: "It's all your fault. If it weren't for you, Master wouldn't have been injured."
It was the wolf demon who was injured by his own disciple, Su Qingling, just a few days ago
Lu Bei, accompanied by Su Qingling, stood on the stone platform in front of Qingling Temple, gazing at the place where the two were engaged in a duel of magic.
In recent days, Lu Bei has been getting up early to practice martial arts, hoping to temper his body in this world. While he does not expect to return to the level of dark energy from his previous life, he at least wishes to have more strength for self-preservation when crises arise
However, the little wolf demon, sensing that the situation was not favorable, had already taken to the black wind and fled swiftly.
The Howling Moon Demon King, with a pair of blood-red eyes filled with fierce light, coldly laughed and said: "Arrogant, mere Earth Immortal, watch as this king shatters your domain."
The Cloud Daoist understood that today's matter would be difficult to resolve satisfactorily, thus he refrained from saying more. With a flicker of his figure, he stepped out of the restricted area
The Howling Moon Demon King let out a long howl, his figure surged forward like an arrow released from a bow, chasing after the place where Yun Tong had fled.
... ...
Lu Bei, upon hearing these words, was equally perplexed and could only gaze at the Cloud Daoist with a look of confusion.
"Xiao Yue Yao Wang, if you wish to fight, I shall fight." With that, the Cloud Daoist swiftly retreated towards a mountain peak
A piercing sound suddenly erupted, startling the birds within a hundred miles of Cangwu Mountain, causing them to flutter and fly in chaos
Lu Bei was utterly shocked. Although he knew that the laws of the Dao were manifest in this world, he had never imagined that the battles of cultivators could be so spectacular
There was a gaping wound on his shoulder, with blood oozing profusely, indicating that the injury was severe
Lu Bei could only silently follow along. Before long, the three of them returned to the Dao Palace where they had previously been conversing.
The silver-haired youth sneered and said: "Old Daoist Yun, do not try to deceive this king. You have injured my useless grandson; what punishment do you deserve for that?"
Upon seeing the manifestation of the demon king, the Cloud Daoist realized that the Howling Moon Demon King had ignited true flames, intending to rely on his true form to engage in close combat with him
I, the descendant of the Silver Moon Demon Saint, hunt the human race to serve as blood food for my cultivation, which is only natural. You, a mere spirit of grass and trees, have no right to question this
The Cloud Daoist bowed respectfully and said: "I wondered who was here making such grand statements, it turns out to be my friend, the Howling Moon Daoist from Jiuhua Mountain"
Master... Loli Su Qingling saw Yun Daoren spitting blood and swiftly darted to his side like a gust of wind
Ah... you dare to extinguish the majesty of this king's law? When I, the king of Japan, arrive, I shall trample down Mount Cangwu, leaving not a single creature alive.
At this moment, the sky was clear and the situation in the arena became apparent. The Taoist priest Yun had a disheveled hair bun, a tattered robe, and blood at the corner of his mouth; however, there was a striking crimson hue on the sword he held in his right hand.
There is no way around it; the experiences of these past few days have left Lu Bei with a singular impression: this world is fraught with danger at every turn, and the demons are utterly unrestrained. If one does not wish to be devoured as a snack by a passing demon one day, one must hasten to strengthen their own abilities
If a practitioner of the Way were to activate their spiritual vision and observe from a distance, they would discover that the protective formation emits radiant beams of colorful light under the sunlight, dazzling and enchanting.
Qingling, this matter should not be blamed on Young Master Lu, cough cough..." The Cloud Daoist smiled bitterly, just as he was about to offer some words of comfort. However, he coughed up a few more mouthfuls of blood.
The Cloud Daoist's Sword Technique, Void Induction, was directed towards the Howling Moon Demon King. The sword energy was unmatched in its ferocity, cleaving through waves and slicing through the void, creating ripples in its wake. This strike, bolstered by the earthly energy of the Cangwu Mountains over a distance of 1,200 miles, clearly exhibited the effect of a Celestial Immortal's strike.
The Cloud Daoist spoke in a clear voice: "Xiao Yue, this is the domain of my law, and even if you are an incarnation of a deity, it will be difficult for you to contend with me"
Lu Bei understood that if it were not for the Qingling Temple taking him in, he would not have offended the wolf demon, and thus would not have been sought out by the Howling Moon Demon King. It can be said that this matter is a consequence of his own actions
Although he is merely at the level of an Earth Immortal, he shows no fear in the face of the incarnation of the Howling Moon Demon King, who possesses the cultivation of a Celestial Immortal. This is because, as a demon cultivator, he would not fear battle even if the spirits of grass and trees were to attain enlightenment.
The Cloud Daoist had previously been scolded by that wolf demon, and his tone became rather impolite.
Both individuals are unruly and formidable demons, each employing their own tactics. In an instant, as they moved, the sky and earth became shrouded in darkness, with flying sand and rolling stones, while towering trees that three people could embrace fell like broken twigs.
Su Qingling took the jade talisman and said sadly, "Yes, Master, I will go and inform my sister right away"
The situation of the Howling Moon Demon King is not much better; the arrogance on his face has disappeared, but his expression is even colder, and the killing intent in his eyes is more intense
Master, do not speak any further, I will assist you inside to tend to your injuries" Su Qingling said as she supported the Cloud Daoist towards the Dao Palace
Lu Bei raised his eyes and saw the demon king's法相 shaking violently, and then it shattered like a mirror into fragments of flowing light
The Cloud Daoist wears a crown of purple bignonias, steps upon flying cloud boots, and hangs a Seven Stars magic sword at the waist, soaring through the clouds and mist, flying up to the heights of the Qingling Temple.
Under the stimulation of magical power, the artifact in hand, the Seven Star Sword, trembled incessantly. The cloud-patterned talisman on the hilt radiated brilliant light, while the sword body emitted invisible sword energy that shot towards the surrounding rocks, causing them to vibrate.
The Cloud Daoist, having taken the healing elixir, closed his eyes to regulate his breathing, and his complexion had become much more rosy. Upon hearing Lu Beizhi's words of apology, he merely waved his hand and said: "Young friend, there is no need to feel overly guilty. On the surface, today's incident appears to be the result of the Howling Moon Demon King seeking trouble because of you, but in reality, it is also my own tribulation."
The Cloud Daoist smiled slightly and said: "Xiao Yue, your little wolf cub has rushed into the village, wantonly slaughtering the human race and serving as blood food. Since I have encountered this, how can I not impose punishment"
The Cloud Daoist furrowed his brows deeply, as if he had made a certain decision in his heart. He flicked his fingers lightly, channeling formless magical power that poured into the sword body like the overturning of the Milky Way.
Three days have passed since the Howling Moon Demon King came to Qingling Temple on Cangwu Mountain to provoke trouble, and the Cloud Daoist has also entered seclusion to heal his injuries and restore his vitality
The young girl Su Qingling's eyes were filled with tears, and she said anxiously: "Master, you are injured"
The Cloud Daoist, upon seeing Lu Beijin enter, smiled wryly and said, "Young friend Lu, do you now understand the difficulties of the path of immortality?"
The Howling Moon Demon King let out a long howl, his silver hair flowing without wind, as a solitary and proud snow-white furred demon wolf, towering a hundred feet in height, emerged from the void, embodying the celestial visage cultivated by this demon king
The Cloud Daoist, however, had no intention of explaining the reasons for his lack of progress into the northern lands to Lu. He smiled at the young girl Su Qingling beside him and said, "Foolish child, there is no need to be sad. The path of immortality is fraught with tribulations at every step. Even if one day I, your master, should unfortunately meet my demise and my Dao dissipates, it is merely the will of heaven, and cannot be blamed on others"
The celestial being, who had just defeated the howling moon demon king's divine manifestation with a single strike, was injured in the core of their five elemental energies due to a backlash after the cloud Taoist forcefully borrowed the spiritual energy from the earth veins of Cangwu Mountain, spanning twelve hundred miles, using their earthly immortal cultivation.
"Why has Fellow Daoist Xiaoyue come to Cangwu Mountain instead of avoiding calamity at Jiuhua Mountain?" Although aware that the silver-haired youth before him was a manifestation of the Celestial Immortal Demon King, possessing the realm of immortals, the sarcasm in the words of Daoist Yun did not diminish in the slightest.
The Howling Moon Demon King let out a long howl, his towering wolf form standing tall, the snow-white fur on his neck bristling with tension; this was a reaction to the imminent life-and-death crisis.