It was absolutely impossible that there wasn’t a mastermind behind this.

"Who’s behind it is none of your business, you old Daoist. But today, a fight is happening, whether you like it or not."

The Yin-Yang Demoness glanced at the members of the Qingcheng Sect behind Master Weichen, their expression growing grim.

So many enemy Dharma Masters would not be easy to deal with.

"Weichen is mine. You can pick from the rest!"

With a cold snort, the Yin-Yang Demoness wasted no more words and attacked. With a flicker of their form, the Yin-Yang Red Robe on their body shot out, unfurling directly toward Master Weichen.

"I haven’t taken action in a long time. The world has likely forgotten my reputation."

Master Weichen’s eyes narrowed and he clapped his hands together. His body suddenly began to expand.

A vast and powerful aura instantly flooded the entire mountaintop.

"Purple Mansion Primordial Venerable Body!"

It was the ultimate Martial Arts of the Qingcheng Sect: a True Dharma Body condensed into a humanoid form that could grow or shrink at will.

"Heh heh, old Daoist, using your ultimate technique right from the start? Aren’t you afraid you’ll run out of energy?"

The Yin-Yang Demoness was no pushover. They instantly manifested their Dharma Aspect—a Yin and Yang millstone with giant stones on the top and bottom. It could be used for both offense and defense and was extraordinarily powerful.

Master Weichen made a grabbing motion with his hand, which swelled to over a hundred feet, blotting out the sky as it reached for the Yin-Yang Demoness.

The Yin-Yang Demoness casually pointed, and the two parts of the millstone rolled toward Master Weichen like giant wheels.

Master Weichen blocked the wheels with both hands, then his figure flickered, and he appeared behind the Yin-Yang Demoness, striking with his palm.

A slight smile played on the Yin-Yang Demoness’s lips. They raised their right hand, and the massive millstone instantly appeared above them.

It just barely blocked Master Weichen’s Great Hand Seal.

Both were supreme masters. Their every move carried formidable destructive power.

Unwilling to destroy the mountain gate, Master Weichen led the Yin-Yang Demoness down into the mountain range, where they exchanged blows from a distance.

As the two fought fiercely, the others were not idle.

The numerous True Dharma Masters of the Qingcheng Sect charged toward the nine remaining Evil Dao masters.

Aside from High Tier Dharma Masters like Cangsongzi, Cang Zhenzi, and Master Song He, the other Qingcheng Elders ganged up on the invaders, with two or three surrounding a single Evil Dao master.

Though powerful, the Evil Dao masters were no match for so many experts from Qingcheng.

After holding on for nearly an hour, they began to show signs of faltering.

If the battle continued like this, these Evil Dao masters would be permanently left behind in Qingcheng within the next hour.

Seeing an opening, Yun Hao wielded his longsword and tried to join the fray. However, after just a few moves, the Three-Fingered Harp Demon slapped the flat of his blade, sending him flying over ten feet away.

"I’m tired of fighting! I’m gonna go get some meat! You guys can keep at it. It’s about time anyway."

Not long after, right when the battle was at its most intense, the Cave Master of Skull Mountain suddenly threw in the towel, pulling back and leaping out of the combat.

"Old Bones, you have no honor!"

The other Evil Dao masters all started cursing him.

With his retreat, the Qingcheng Sect’s numerical advantage became even greater. They immediately gained the upper hand, overwhelming the remaining Evil Dao masters.

"Son of a bitch! We agreed I’d be the first to pull back!"

"The freak hasn’t even given the order, and you dare retreat on your own!"

The Evil Dao masters all executed a few feints, then used their own life-saving techniques and fled from the Qingcheng Mountain Gate as if on wings.

In an instant, the area before the mountain gate fell silent.

"You old Daoists, don’t get cocky! We’ll be back!"

Even as they fled, the Evil Dao masters continued to shout provocations, not looking at all like they were making a desperate escape.

Seeing this, the Yin-Yang Demoness spat on the ground. No longer interested in fighting, they launched a few fierce attacks at Master Weichen, then used the opening to withdraw. Hovering in the air, they looked at Master Weichen from a distance and laughed coldly.

"Old man Weichen, your power has improved nicely, hasn’t it? We’ll fight again another day! It won’t be this easy for you then."

After speaking, the Yin-Yang Demoness’s figure flickered and vanished.

Cangsongzi moved to give chase but was stopped by the Sect Leader, Master Weichen.

"Something isn’t right..."

"Their attack was too much of a farce."

Cang Zhenzi’s eyes narrowed. "Could it be... Mount Emei!" he said in a low voice.

At his words, Master Weichen’s pupils constricted. "Cang Zhenzi, Cangsongzi, guard the mountain gate," he said sharply. "I’ll be right back."

"Master, I’ll go with you," Cang Zhenzi said hastily.

"You will guard the mountain gate! If something happens to Mount Emei, Qingcheng will not survive."

With that, Master Weichen’s figure flickered, and he sped off toward the distant Emei Mountain.

’If only Senior Brother Cangwu Zi were here,’ Cang Zhenzi thought, recalling his senior brother who had fallen to the Evil Dao and left. ’His power is unfathomable. If he were here, the pressure on Master would surely be much less.’

"Everyone, be on high alert in case those fiends return."

Cang Zhenzi quickly instructed the disciples to heighten their training and arranged for sentries to be posted.

「An hour later」

The Yin-Yang Demoness reappeared, brazenly leading their nine cohorts back up the mountain.

"Old Daoist Weichen, do you dare to fight again!"

"Against the likes of you? My master doesn’t need to lift a finger!"

Cang Zhenzi leaped out from the mountain gate, glaring coldly at the Yin-Yang Demoness.

"You? How arrogant."

The Yin-Yang Demoness rolled their eyes and thrust out a massive, sky-blotting hand, grabbing for Cang Zhenzi.

Not to be outdone, Cang Zhenzi’s True Dharma Body instantly manifested a Great Hand Seal Palm Force, striking at the Demoness’s massive hand.

The Qi Force from their clashing palms shook the mountain gate, making it hum.

"Not bad. It seems you’re the leader of the Cang Generation."

"I wouldn’t dare claim that. My senior brother is ten times stronger than me. My abilities are nothing compared to his!" Cang Zhenzi said coldly.

"Oh? Your senior brother? Cangwu Zi?"

The Yin-Yang Demoness’s eyes narrowed. "And where is this senior brother of yours?" they asked in a low voice.

"No comment!" Cang Zhenzi said, deliberately being evasive.

"Old Daoist Weichen..."

The Yin-Yang Demoness shouted, and from the lack of response, immediately knew that Master Weichen had already left.

’Could that old Daoist have figured out our master’s plan? In that case, should we still attack Qingcheng Mountain?’ the Three-Fingered Harp Demon asked with a frown.

"Leave a few people here to harass them. The rest of you, follow me to Mount Emei."

The Yin-Yang Demoness waved their hand, and the group prepared to head down the mountain.

Just then, three bizarre, ugly figures suddenly appeared on the mountain path, completely blocking their way.

"The Luo River Three Uglies? What are you doing here?" the Cave Master of Skull Mountain asked, stunned.

"Who are you calling ’Uglies’?"

The Luo River Three Uglies instantly struck out at the Cave Master of Skull Mountain.

The attack was so sudden that the Cave Master of Skull Mountain had no time to defend.

With three loud THUDS, three consecutive palm strikes landed on his body, sending him flying a hundred meters.

"What are you doing?" the other Evil Dao masters exclaimed in shock.

"What are we doing? He dared to insult us." The leader of The Three Uglies sneered and spat. "As if someone like him has the right."

"You’ve gone too far!"

The Yin-Yang Demoness stalked over, their face a mask of cold fury.

After all, the Cave Master of Skull Mountain was now under their command.

For The Three Uglies to injure their subordinate without a word of warning was a great show of disrespect.

"Gone too far? And what are you, you genderless freak?"

"Good. Very good!"

The Yin-Yang Demoness laughed in fury. Their figure suddenly blurred as they attacked The Three Uglies.

The corners of The Three Uglies’ mouths turned up. They retreated explosively, fighting the Yin-Yang Demoness as they fell back toward the opposite mountain peak.

"This..."

The others stared, completely stunned.

What in the world was going on?

"Let’s get out of here first. Quick!"

Seeing this, the Three-Fingered Harp Demon felt a sense of alarm.

The Qingcheng Sect was watching them like a tiger from behind, while The Three Uglies had launched a baffling attack from the front.

No matter how you looked at it, this situation was not right.

"Since you’re here, don’t even think about leaving!"

Just as the group was scrambling down the mountain, a fine drizzle suddenly began to fall from the sky.

A clear voice rang in their ears.

The voice wasn’t loud, but it was exceptionally clear. 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

"Who? Who is it?"

The Three-Fingered Harp Demon scanned the surroundings, dumbfounded. Seeing the same baffled expressions on everyone else’s faces, he was utterly horrified.

"Qingcheng Mountain is not a place you can come and go as you please."

As they searched all around, a figure slowly emerged from the clouds and mist ahead.

"Who are you?"

"Zhao Rui of the Qingcheng Sword Sect!"

As his voice fell, a flash of sword light streaked through the air. It was like a clap of thunder on a rainy day, tearing through the sky and momentarily blinding everyone.

The longsword moved like a dragon, its Sword Qi as sharp as frost.

Heaven and earth seemed to be suffused with the light of the sword.