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Shen Liuxiang buried his face between his knees, and his black hair hung loosely as he sat on the cold ground in a daze.
At midnight, he stood up again and reappeared at the Demon Suppressing Prison. The guarding disciple stepped forward to pay respects and ask for the Sect Master’s token as per the rule.
However, in an instant, a suffocating pressure enveloped him, causing his limbs to go weak, and he fell to the ground unable to move.
“Imm… Immortal Shen…”
The disciples responsible for guarding were all at the Golden Core stage, and facing a Harmonization stage cultivator, they had no resistance at all. Just the pressure alone forced them to lie prostrate on the ground.
Shen Liuxiang broke into the Demon Suppressing Prison.
Soon after, the quiet night became bustling.
“The Immortal Shen intruded into the Demon Suppressing Prison to rescue the evil beast!”
“Does he really dare to do this? The Sect Master Lan and others are here. He’s throwing his life away.”
“What a fool! This wicked beast is extremely dangerous. If not dealt with, it will become a major disaster in the future. He has lost his mind!”
Inside the prison.
A flash of sword light, and the black iron chains broke.
Shen Liuxiang supported Zhou Xuanlan and took out a Return Yuan Pill, feeding it to him.
Zhou Xuanlan smelled a medicinal aroma from him and furrowed his brows. His gaze fell on the ginseng tied to Shen Liuxiang’s waist, and he suddenly froze.
“Is this… Bubu?”
Shen Liuxiang’s face showed a trace of lingering sorrow, but he didn’t reveal any emotion, “That fruit consumed all the spiritual energy he accumulated for thousands of years. Now, he has reverted to his original form.”
Zhou Xuanlan’s eyes trembled slightly, “I’m sorry, Master.”
Shen Liuxiang shook his head, “It’s my fault for not realizing it earlier. He’s still alive, and I’ll take good care of him from now on. Now, come with me.”
As he spoke, he raised his head and noticed a figure at the door, standing tall, not knowing how long they had been there.
Shen Liuxiang asked, “Are you going to stop me?”
Ye Bingran held a sword, his intention clear.
He had already learned about the situation with the Master, and he didn’t blame Zhou Xuanlan. However, the other party was a demonic beast, albeit young, and was able to seriously injure a cultivator at the Mahayana stage. The threat was too great.
Releasing the person now would be like releasing a tiger back into the mountains.
Ye Bingran looked at Zhou Xuanlan and couldn’t help but feel that one day he would reveal his hidden fangs and claws, tearing everyone apart, including Shen Liuxiang.
“Let him be imprisoned in the Demon Suppressing Prison, and I can ensure he won’t die.”
Shen Liuxiang said, “Talking won’t help.”
As soon as he finished speaking, he took the initiative to attack, and the battle between two Harmonization stage cultivators turned the Demon Suppressing Prison into ruins in an instant.
Within several miles, no one could get close.
“It’s Sword Sovereign Ye!”
“I heard that the Master’s health is not well, and Sect Master Lan and Senior Ning are guarding. We thought no one could stop Shen Liuxiang, but Sword Sovereign Ye’s arrival is perfect!”
“Before Sword Sovereign Ye hadn’t even reached the Harmonization stage, yet he could still fight against a Harmonization cultivator. Now that his cultivation has greatly increased, he will surely defeat him!”
The disciples’ expressions were fervent, and the white ribbons hanging from their swords danced in the wind.
In an instant, the expected prolonged battle came to an abrupt end.
“Bang!”
A long sword fell from mid-air, emitting a frosty aura, and crashed to the ground.
The disciples of the Sword Sect fell silent.
This sword looked extremely familiar; it was Sword Sovereign Ye’s personal sword.
As the dust settled, Shen Liuxiang held Zhou Xuanlan with one hand and the sword with the other, pressing the cold tip against Ye Bingran’s throat.
Just a fraction of a moment, and Ye Bingran’s life could be taken.
The crowd was astonished, “Sword Sovereign!!!”
Shen Liuxiang was unharmed, and with a flick of his fingers on the hilt, he struck Ye Bingran, sending him flying backward, coughing up blood.
Zhao Lin, who had just arrived, hurriedly went to support him.
He glanced at Shen Liuxiang’s retreating figure and then back at Ye Bingran. He sighed, “Senior Brother, why go through this? We could have avoided a fight, like how I did with Senior Ning. Why do it this way?”
Ye Bingran looked towards the gradually departing figure, helplessness in his eyes, “Still unable to do it… If in the future, Zhou Xuanlan causes great calamities in the cultivation world, I will be one of the culprits.”
Zhou Xuanlan turned his head and looked at him, his eyes slightly dark.
But soon, he averted his gaze and held onto Shen Liuxiang’s hand. Although his cultivation was recovering, the time was too short. The meager spiritual energy within his body was almost negligible in this situation.
He couldn’t do anything, and he could only rely on his Master to protect him.
Zhou Xuanlan’s face was grim, but he had no choice. He could only hold Shen Liuxiang’s hand tighter.
Various sects that were present at the Sword Sect banquet had already become numb to the continuous disturbances. At this moment, they only remembered one thing—Immortal Shen was by the side of a great demon, one who had erupted with terrifying power. If they let him escape, he would become a great disaster, and they couldn’t allow that to happen.
No one knew who shouted “kill the evil beast” first, but everyone grabbed their magical weapons and rushed forward.
Shen Liuxiang remained calm and took a step forward. The pressure from the Harmonization stage cultivator spread from him, causing more than half of the people to collapse to the ground.
The remaining cultivators with higher cultivation levels attacked him, but Shen Liuxiang’s fingertips formed a seal, and thousands of red-glazed threads appeared in the air, entwining the approaching people, wrapping around their wrists, ankles, and necks.
He lightly uttered a word, “Bind.”
The crowd was startled, and their faces turned pale.
“What’s happening? My cultivation! Why has my cultivation disappeared!”
“What kind of evil technique is this?”
“This… This is the Binding Spirit Art, the Demon Lord’s unique technique!”
Shen Liuxiang had transformed his spiritual energy into thousands of binding threads at once. The suppression of their cultivation would be shortened, but fortunately, it was enough for him to take the Zhou Xuanlan and leave the Sword Sect.
Clearing away the obstacles, Shen Liuxiang’s internal spiritual energy was also depleted by more than half.
At this moment, a group of people who had not acted yet blocked their way, dressed in white clothes with plum blossoms embellished on them.
Zhou Xuanlan looked at the familiar faces and found that some of them were people he had saved before. A cold smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.
“They are acting on orders.”
After explaining, Shen Liuxiang took action, and a figure blocked their path.
The disciples of Qingling were taken aback, and someone angrily said, “Ling Jinye, have you gone crazy?”
“Master taught me to follow my heart in everything,” Ling Jinye unsheathed his sword and faced them, “I don’t recognize any demonic beast; all I know is there is a fellow disciple named Zhou Xuanlan.”
His expression was solemn, “You have made a mistake!”
The disciples of Qingling had subtle changes in their expressions, and many of them showed signs of struggling.
That scene when the sky changed and the world was filled with malevolent demonic aura had been hanging over their hearts like a dark cloud. Everyone was afraid and felt a sense of trepidation. Although they had been fellow disciples living together day and night, he was still a wicked and evil demonic beast. What was wrong with eliminating him?
“Those who are not of our kind must have different intentions!”
A deep voice sounded from afar, and a group of people from the Xiyang Sect arrived.
Jin Xiangtian’s smile turned cold, “Immortal Shen, are you protecting this little monster? What is your intention?”
Shen Liuxiang sneered, “My disciple saved his Master, and now his Master is saving his disciple. What’s the intention behind that?”
Jin Xiangtian shouted angrily, “You are disregarding the safety of the cultivation world and insist on letting this demonic beast go free. You are not worthy of being an Immortal! Today, not only will I kill your disciple, but I will also bring you to justice!”
Shen Liuxiang flicked his clothes and touched the jade ring hanging on his chest.
“Dealing with me? You are not qualified,” he squinted his phoenix eyes and showed an arrogant demeanor, “Let’s not talk about other things; I will stand here and not fight back. If you can hurt me even a bit, then call me ‘Father.'”
The jade ring hidden in his clothes suddenly glowed and seemed somewhat dissatisfied.
The people present were all stunned at his words.
The cultivation level of the Xiyang Sect’s Master was above Shen Liuxiang’s, and he didn’t even have much chance of winning in a direct fight. Yet, he dared to speak such bold words, saying he would stand still and not fight back. Wasn’t he seeking death?
Jin Xiangtian sneered and immediately attacked, “I possess countless lonely souls in my palm, and you are just one of them.”
Shen Liuxiang remained in place, not offering any resistance, and only used one hand to hold back Zhou Xuanlan, who wanted to move forward.
“Boom!”
The world shook, and golden light burst forth, illuminating most of the Sword Sect.
The crowd widened their eyes, only to see Jin Xiangtian, who was previously aggressive, lying on the ground, spitting out blood mixed with internal organ fragments.
A jade ring blocked in front of Shen Liuxiang, and countless golden patterns intertwined, forming a phantom in mid-air.
A man with a golden crown and a white robe, surrounded by fire phoenixes, exuding supreme majesty.
“Emperor-!”
The light of the jade ring dimmed, and Shen Liuxiang put it back into his embrace.
People looked at him again, and their eyes were filled with dread. The Emperor Lord’s belonging had unexpectedly appeared here; it was truly inconceivable.
Taking advantage of everyone’s shock, Shen Liuxiang grabbed Zhou Xuanlan’s hand and ran. In the blink of an eye, they reached the entrance of the Sword Sect.
The pursuing group was left behind, and Shen Liuxiang’s face relaxed slightly, but when he looked ahead, his expression changed again, becoming serious.
At the entrance, leaning against a young man in a cyan robe, with a warm and gentle face, holding a book in his hand, his gaze quietly fell on the pages.
Sensing his arrival, the young man raised his eyes slightly, revealing a faint smile, “Junior Brother, you are earlier than I expected.”
Shen Liuxiang’s heart was filled with chilliness, “Senior Brother insists on fighting”
“Yes,” Ling Ye put away the book and looked at Zhou Xuanlan beside him, “He should never have existed. I’m here to set things right.”
He didn’t give Shen Liuxiang a chance to react. His figure flickered, and he appeared behind Zhou Xuanlan, striking his dantian with a palm.
“Killing him is effortless.”
Ling Ye stopped, watching the figure of the young man gradually falling, his eyes indifferent.
“Junior Brother, you can’t stop me.”
But just as the words fell, Shen Liuxiang, with his back to him, suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood, and his slim figure swayed.
Ling Ye’s expression tightened, and he reached out to support him.
Shen Liuxiang covered his dantian, coughed heavily, and fresh blood overflowed from his lips, staining his fair and delicate jawline.
Ling Ye’s face changed as he looked at the ground. The young man who should have had his dantian shattered, an assured kill, surprisingly still clung to a glimmer of life.
He clenched Shen Liuxiang’s wrist and asked, “What did you do?”
“The technique of shared life and death,” Shen Liuxiang wiped the blood from the corner of his lips, and his dark eyelashes trembled slightly. “Master taught it, so Senior Brother should be familiar with it.”
The people who hurriedly arrived were frightened and stopped in their tracks.
Ling Ye unexpectedly seized Shen Liuxiang’s neck, his face cold like never before, as if he was going to kill him!
Ling Ye said, “You went to such lengths for him, forcing me like this.”
Shen Liuxiang replied, “I didn’t mean to, but Senior Brother thinks I did, so it is.”
Ling Ye’s face turned icy, and the delicate and vulnerable neck was in his hands. With a light squeeze, the threat lying on the ground would be gone.
For him, this was an extremely important matter.
Ling Ye’s fingers gradually tightened, but as he looked at Shen Liuxiang struggling for breath, his eyes softened, and the hand clutching the neck loosened as if losing strength.
“You only know this one move against me.”
Ling Ye sighed softly, and his lowered hand rested on Shen Liuxiang’s waist, gently infusing spiritual power into his body, slowly healing the injury in his dantian.
In a short while, he saw Shen Liuxiang’s complexion improve slightly, and then, leaning close to his ear, Ling Ye whispered, “If you take him away from here, where else can you go? The cultivation world can’t accept him, the demon world won’t accept you, and the demonic realm is even more terrifying. Besides…”
Ling Ye paused, his voice gentle, “Didn’t you say you wanted to stay in Qingling forever and accompany me?”
Shen Liuxiang looked slightly stunned.
At this moment, a distant roar resounded, echoing through the night sky.
The Great Heavenly Dog burst out from the dark clouds, flapping its gray wings, and arrived at the mountain gate in an instant.
Grabbing Zhou Xuanlan from the ground, Ao Yue tossed him over his back, saying, “Whether the demon world is chaotic or not, I, Ao Yue, will decide!”
Ling Ye’s face darkened.
He had sent Ao Yue back to Qingling and locked him up. Who released him without permission?
The Heavenly Dog flew thousands of miles in an instant, and Ling Ye immediately wanted to chase after, but a barrier stopped him. It wasn’t just him; everyone was trapped inside the barrier.
He turned his head and looked at the pale-faced youth.
Shen Liuxiang looked back at him, smiling with curved brows, resembling the appearance he had when he was young, unable to resist telling him every time he completed a task assigned by the master.
“Senior Brother can’t catch up now.”
As soon as Ao Yue disappeared from view, Shen Liuxiang reached his limit and lost consciousness.
Ling Ye caught him, his slender fingers supporting the back of his head, feeling the softness entwined around his fingertips. He gently rubbed the black hair and fell into a long silence.
T/N: Guys listen, although Ling Ye did ALMOST kill Zhou Xuanlan, the way he be acting got me kicking my legs and all… I’m sorry I really do want Ling Ye and Shen Liuxiang T-T