The sun had not yet risen, but a faint glow was already touching the edge of the night. Early-rising farmers had already thrown on their clothes, and traveling merchants had begun to pack their belongings.

But recently, a River Demon had been stirring up trouble in the Chang River. Nearly a hundred fishermen from the county had met their ends in its depths. The common folk’s pleas to the authorities were useless; a Divine General from Golden Wind Hall had claimed to have laid down a Demon-locking Chain, but said it would take another ten days to take effect.

Thus, a stretch of the Chang River that should have been bustling with fishing boats during the autumn season was eerily deserted. Only a few lone ferryboats still plied the waters, their crews operating with trepidation.

Wuhe County, Crescent Bay, Yueya Mountain.

"It’ll be dawn soon," Taoist Yan Song said, glancing at the sky.

"Four people went in ahead of us. It’s been almost an hour since anyone else entered," Gu Zhao calculated. "That Bi Xing Commander was killing nearly twenty people a day. They should all be here by now."

"Do we make our move?" Taoist Yan Song asked.

He was a little nervous about facing a Great Demon with over four hundred years of Dao Practice, but more than that, he was excited.

They were Daoists. Their Magical Power was pure and abundant, the natural bane of all things dark and sinister. They excelled at fighting opponents far above their level. They had easily dispatched Consort Yu, who had over two hundred years of Dao Practice. This fight against the Bian Palace’s Ancestor would be the perfect dress rehearsal for their confrontation with the Golden Wind Divine King.

"Let’s do it. If the Bi Xing Commander doesn’t return soon, it will surely arouse his suspicion."

Gu Zhao nodded, then turned to the slightly nervous Silk Embroideress and Bai Ke. "When the fight starts, you just focus on releasing the Great Dragon-locking Talisman. Then, use the Celestial Spirit Talisman to protect yourself and Miss Zhuo. Don’t worry about anything else."

The Silk Embroideress, her small face tense, nodded repeatedly. Zhuo Qingyan cast a deep, meaningful glance at Gu Zhao.

Taoist Yan Song tugged at his beard, then nudged Gu Zhao in the ribs with his sword hilt.

Gu Zhao cleared his throat twice, then said to Zhuo Qingyan with a straight face, "Since we’ll be fighting side by side, calling you Miss Zhuo feels a bit formal. May I call you Qingyan?"

Taoist Yan Song almost lost his composure. Zhuo Qingyan couldn’t suppress the smile playing on her lips either. Her cherry-red lips moved slightly before she gave a small nod. "As you wish, Brother Gu. Calling me Qingyan is indeed more convenient."

A happy expression appeared on the Silk Embroideress’s face as she moved to stand beside Zhuo Qingyan. Bai Ke, however, gave Gu Zhao a strange look, then glanced at Zhuo Qingyan.

"Good!" Gu Zhao nodded and immediately continued, "Once we engage, Qingyan, please use the music of your Dongxiao to pin them down and disrupt their minds."

Zhuo Qingyan drew the Jade Flute from her sleeve. Her elegant hand caressed its surface as she said calmly, "Don’t worry, Brother Gu. The music won’t stop."

After giving instructions to the Silk Embroideress and Zhuo Qingyan, Gu Zhao finally turned to Taoist Yan Song. "Uncle, it’s up to us to be the main force."

Taoist Yan Song swept a hand in front of his face, which instantly transformed into a Blue Mask. "Let’s stick to the plan!"

Gu Zhao took a stack of Yellow Paper from the cloth pouch at his waist and, with a wave of his hand, scattered them toward the Chang River below. He formed a hand seal and began Chanting, "With Heaven as my father and Earth as my mother, what can stand against the fire of mountains, seas, and dragons?"

Mountain Shaking Talisman!

It came from the *Shangqing Heavenly Heart Righteous Method*. Its function was to shake mountains and part waters, used for breaking Restrictions.

Gu Zhao didn’t believe the Bian Ancestor would perform a blood sacrifice for the Old Ao Primordial Pearl without any defenses, so he used the Mountain Shaking Talisman to clear the way first.

As the Spell concluded, more than a dozen of the Yellow Talismans, folded into triangles, dissolved into ash. The ash coalesced into a streak of yellow light that instantly shot into the water, plunging straight to the riverbed. It stirred the Spiritual Qi, sending out shockwaves in all directions.

"BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!"

Directly beneath Crescent Bay, a series of explosions suddenly erupted. A surge of Demon Power followed, churning up massive waves.

"There really was a Restriction!" Bai Ke said, watching the geysers erupting from the water below and the indistinct shadows rapidly ascending from the depths. "They’re coming up!"

The next moment, four dark figures burst out of the water, hovering weightlessly above the surface.

"Who goes there? How dare you break the Ancestor’s Magic!" the burly man in the lead roared. "Are you looking for death?"

Seeing the four figures emerge, Gu Zhao’s eyes lit up. "Silk Embroideress!"

Hearing Gu Zhao’s call, the Silk Embroideress immediately threw out three Talismans. As her Magical Power flowed, she formed a hand seal and began Chanting, "By the Yin and Yang of Heaven and Earth, by the Great Emperor’s Decree. A Dragon-locking Forbidden Passage; those who breach this Talisman shall die."

In an instant, the three Talismans dissolved into streaks of light. A massive, near-invisible dome seemed to flash into existence, enclosing the sky, the land, and the river within it.

Great Dragon-locking Talisman!

It also came from the *Shangqing Heavenly Heart Righteous Method*. Its function was to seal off a space, perfect for trapping an enemy with no way out.

The Silk Embroideress understood Gu Zhao’s intent. These three Great Dragon-locking Talismans trapped the four figures above the water’s surface, preventing them from going back under.

Seeing the space sealed, Taoist Yan Song waved his sleeve, and his mask instantly changed to red. He slapped a Shangqing Divine Transformation Talisman onto his body, then opened his mouth and spewed forth an endless torrent of Taiyi Wind and Fire that swept down toward the four figures below.

They had just broken the surface and spat their threats when the boundless Wind and Fire descended upon them. The faces of all four figures changed drastically.

The howling wind tore at their souls, and the scorching fire seared their hearts. They could feel the extraordinary nature of this Wind and Fire, as if it would reduce both their Divine Souls and their bodies to dust and ash, returning them to their primal essence.

However, as powerful as the Wind and Fire was, the four of them did not panic excessively.

"Back in the water! Raise the waves!"

The leader ordered sharply. All four tried to dive back down, but after descending a mere foot, they met a powerful resistance that stopped them from going any further.

"What?"

"Damn it, they’ve set up a Restriction too!" 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

"Hurry! The fire is coming!"

The four of them faltered. Panic finally appeared on their faces. As the Wind and Fire surged toward them, they desperately tried to force their way back into the water while simultaneously raising what river water they could command to block the attack.

"We are Commanders of Bian Palace! Who are you people? What grudge do you hold against us?" the leader roared.

Just as he finished shouting, a gentle, pleasant melody reached his ears. His mind grew hazy and dull, and even the tension he had felt just moments before began to ease.

But in the next instant, Taoist Yan Song’s Taiyi Wind and Fire was upon them.

Water can conquer fire, but fire can also boil water. However, Taoist Yan Song needed to conserve his strength to deal with the Bian Ancestor, so he only used a small amount of fire. The remaining eighty percent of the attack was a gale-force wind that whipped their Water Control Skill about, making it difficult for them to protect themselves.

"Celestial Thunder and earthly thunder, resonate in all directions. Topple mountains and fell peaks, fiercely shake the heavens."

Seeing that the four were dazed, unable to enter the water, and being herded together by Taoist Yan Song’s gale, Gu Zhao immediately began the Thunder-Expelling Curse.

Storm clouds gathered and violet lightning flashed. Empowered by the halo of the Shangqing Divine Transformation, the Thunderbolt flickered with a violet-gold light as it suddenly struck down from the clouds, hitting the four figures in rapid succession.

At the same time, Gu Zhao unhesitatingly scattered another eight Yellow Talismans—two for each of them. "White Tiger General, Dui Palace God. Follow my seven Qi and execute these evil spirits."

Mountain Thunder Talisman!

It came from the *Shenxiao Yushu Zhan Kan Five Thunder Technique*. It belonged to the Western Dragon Thunder, and while named for the mountain, its essence was actually metal.

The Yellow Talismans spontaneously combusted, transforming into streaks of golden light that pulsed with a sharp aura. While absorbing the Thunder Power radiating from the storm clouds, they shot forward like sharp swords, homing in on the Demon Power and Evil Qi emanating from the four figures.