Who plays the flute across the heavens, blowing down jade blossoms to blanket the world?
From north to south, over the Xi River, snow drifted for ten thousand li.
Aboard city walls, inside tavern dining rooms, and within rural courtyards, everyone lifted their heads toward the heavens, gazing at that terrifying figure.
"The Red Staff Demon Butcher... wiped out the Xi River demons?"
"He actually wiped them out!"
Everyone had known the Red Staff Demon Butcher would clash with the demons of the Xi River, and that this battle was drawing near. Yet none of them had anticipated it would begin so abruptly and conclude so swiftly.
In barely a few dozen breaths... it was over.
It was almost too hasty.
Those were twenty thousand demon soldiers, commanded by the Xi River Fish Maiden herself!
Yet in the hands of the Red Staff Demon Butcher, they were frailer than a nest of ants.
Within the Xi River, the once-formidable demon soldiers melted away like snowflakes beneath a blazing sun.
That terrifying blood-red figure stood suspended in the firmament, resembling a Heavenly God.
All eyes were fixed on him, filled with fanatical fervor or deep awe.
"This world, these rivers and mountains—if the Red Staff Demon Butcher desires them, they are his for the taking!"
"With such power, even a hundred thousand Mighty Dragon Guards likely couldn't halt his stride!"
"He is the true uncrowned king, a king of the martial path!"
Countless people cried out in astonishment.
All doubts vanished in this single moment. Even those who had harbored petty schemes and intended to skulk about in the shadows became upright and forthright in the face of Qi Yuan's overpowering strength.
Right then, the blood-red silhouette in the sky descended, landing upon a hillside a thousand meters away.
The blood-red armor dispersed, leaving the crimson figure standing amidst the snow, strikingly prominent.
"Mushi, let's go. It is time to depart."
Amidst the boundless drifting snow, the blood-red figure did not cast a single glance back at the world, leaving behind only his silhouette.
Inside the tavern, Huo Mushi hurriedly took up the ropes and pulled the two black sacks. The demon and human inside scrambled along behind him at a brisk jog.
Seeing this, not a single person inside the tavern dared to step forward and follow.
County Princess Luzhu hesitated, her expression torn, before finally shouting with all her might, "Master, are you leaving?"
She had a premonition that once the Red Staff Demon Butcher walked away, she might never see him again.
Qi Yuan still did not turn around. At that moment, he was silently absorbing demon essence blood.
In this battle, slaying twenty thousand demon soldiers had yielded him a vast ocean of demon essence blood.
Such an immense volume was of immense benefit to him.
"Mm. Just now... how much of it did you learn?" The question slipped out unconsciously. Qi Yuan froze for a moment, suddenly reminded of Yue Nü.
He wondered if he was growing old, since he found himself thinking of old acquaintances so often.
"I..." County Princess Luzhu hesitated. "Zero percent."
"In that case, until fate brings us together again." Qi Yuan couldn't be bothered to say anything more.
To this world, he was merely a passerby, a gamer playing a game.
Having said his piece, Qi Yuan's gaze settled upon the blood-red wooden staff, his expression calm.
All of a sudden, he swung his arm.
The blood-red wooden staff was cast directly into the Xi River.
A radiant grin surfaced on Qi Yuan's face. "If a monkey happens to fish you out, that'll be quite interesting."
With nearly all the demons in this world slain, it was time for him to complete his quest and leave.
It could be said that he had made a killing in this world.
In less than a single year, he had stepped into the Martial Spirit realm, comparable to the Divine Infant stage.
These White Moonlights truly pampered him too much.
With the wooden staff cast away, Qi Yuan set out unburdened, disappearing beyond sight.
...
Half a day later.
Aboard a solitary skiff.
Qi Yuan lounged lazily on the boat, looking every bit like a dandy out on an excursion.
At the other end of the boat lay two black sacks.
The black sacks were wrapped tight, clearly outlining two human shapes.
Regarding what was concealed inside these black sacks, rumors among the people had run rampant. Some claimed they held peerless beauties hidden away by the Red Staff Demon Butcher; others claimed they were peerless treasures, and that his extraordinary might stemmed entirely from obtaining these two artifacts.
Now, the mysterious black sacks were finally pulled open, revealing the tip of the iceberg.
Qi Yuan kept his back turned to the flower demon and the young Tong Youwei, not sparing them even a single glance.
The once-overbearing flower demon felt both delighted and stunned at this moment, but above all, subdued.
When she was initially abducted, she had assumed her captor was just some ignorant fool.
After everything she had witnessed along the road, her heart was numb and trembling.
"My lord..."
She carefully chose her words with utmost caution, terrified of angering this peerless martial expert.
Deep inside, she was also plagued by immense confusion.
Why on earth had this person captured her?
Qi Yuan shifted into an even lazier posture. Still not looking at the flower demon, his leisurely voice drifted over, "Tell me the story of Tong Youwei and the Flower Demon Manluo."
After watching this final drama, it would be time to leave this treasure trove.
No, that wasn't right—now that the demons were wiped out, this place could hardly be called a treasure trove anymore.
Hearing his request, the flower demon looked puzzled. She had no idea why such a peerless powerhouse would ask about this.
Even so, she answered truthfully, though a thread of hatred surfaced in her eyes.
"The beginning of the story was utterly clichéd. At Wangshan Temple, wild winds roared and torrential rain poured down.
"A young master of an aristocratic family sheltering at the temple saw a flower battered by the wind and rain, and carried it beneath the eaves.
"The flower in his embrace also remembered his scent.
"Ten years later, when that flower cultivated a human form, she intentionally approached the young master. At Wangshan Temple, the two reunited. Passion grew over time, and during another heavy downpour, they tasted the forbidden fruit..."
The events that followed were equally melodramatic and convoluted.
That young master was the sole male heir of the Tong family for seven generations, doted upon immensely by his parents.
It could be said that he had never suffered a day in his life, having grown up with a silver spoon in his mouth.
When Master Tong discovered that his son was with a demon, he naturally refused and placed the young master under house arrest.
After all, if his son married a demon, what would become of the Tong family's reputation? Moreover, even if a human and a demon wed, they could only give birth to a freak.
Due to their bloodline, the Tong family had only ever produced single heirs for generations.
If that demon gave birth to a freak, wouldn't the Tong lineage be severed?
"Master Tong arranged a meeting with the Flower Demon Manluo. He told her that the Tong family bloodline could not be broken. Only after Tong Youwei married a wife and had a child would the two of them be allowed to meet.
"Yet he did not know that the Flower Demon Manluo was already pregnant.
"To ensure she would not give birth to a freak, she traveled alone into the ten-thousand-fathom brambles of Mount Shuyao, covered in wounds, all to pick a single Origin Shedding Fruit.
"An Origin Shedding Fruit could keep her fetus safe and allow it to be born successfully, but... the cost was her own life.
"Later, I was born, and Tong Youwei married a new wife."
Deep, bone-carving hatred showed on the flower demon's tender face.
"Haha, the funniest part was that Tong Youwei's wife was never able to conceive.
"He panicked. He was terrified. He was scared that he was infertile and would become a laughingstock.
"Haha! So, in order to sire an heir, he took his wife to Wangshan Temple and had a monk... Hahaha! In the end, Tong Tianyou was born.
"Yet, terrified the scandal would come to light, the moment Tong Tianyou was born, he murdered his own wife.
"Filial sons and caring fathers, harmonious elders and youth—what a wonderful life they led.
"So, I poisoned Tong Tianyou. I tricked Master Tong, telling him that saving Tong Tianyou required the heart of his closest kin, Tong Youwei!
"They claimed to love their son so much they would pluck the stars for him.
"Yet they believed that since Tong Youwei couldn't father a son, Tong Tianyou still could! So they personally drugged Tong Youwei into a stupor and delivered him into my hands to save their grandson.
"Back then, when I cut out his heart, he cried so pitifully, repenting the entire time.
"Old Madame Tong wept until her face was drenched in tears. Hahaha! She was the very one who tricked Tong Youwei into drinking the drugged soup.
"Her hair turned white overnight—such touching maternal love from his closest kin, truly moving!
"And the result? Love, my foot! What they loved was nothing more than themselves, and the feeling of being loving!"
The flower demon's voice was manic and hysterical.
Toward the Tong family and Tong Youwei, she was filled with resentment, longing to devour their flesh and swallow their bones.
Lying on his side, Qi Yuan casually yawned. "It really is quite convoluted. Lucky I didn't think too hard back at Wangshan Temple, or else... I wouldn't have met so many of my beloved White Moonlights.
"Not bad. Getting to watch a melodrama before leaving is decent enough."
At that moment, a twisted smile spread across the flower demon's face as she stood on the skiff. "When I was three years old, I gouged out my own womb and refined it into a Dharma artifact! They... the Tong family's lineage is ended! Hahahaha..."
To her, this seemed to be the most thorough, the most perfect revenge.
The flower demon laughed maniacally, desolate and miserable.
Tong Tianyou stood to the side, looking at the flower demon with an altered expression.
It was as if he had been affected by her, his mood sinking into dejection.
"The world is far too noisy, so why overthink it? I have a sword, and I shall sever it myself."
Right then, a languid voice drifted over as the figure rose to his feet.
Hearing Qi Yuan's words, Tong Tianyou's expression shifted slightly, and all the gloom from before melted away.
He looked toward Qi Yuan, bowed his head, and sank into deep thought.
Beside him, the flower demon stumbled, her composure utterly broken.
Qi Yuan regarded everything before him like a play, though he occasionally stepped into the frame himself.
"Mushi, after I leave, head back to Zhenyang and inform Master Tong that their Tong family lineage has ended."
As the words fell, Qi Yuan's figure vanished from the spot.
With every demon of note in this realm slain, he couldn't be bothered with the few scraps left behind. It was time to take his leave.
"My lord!" Huo Mushi stared at the empty space ahead, a wave of melancholy washing over him.
...
Qinyuan Kingdom, Tianyue City.
Inside a three-bedroom apartment, a woman dressed in light silk pajamas kept her eyes tightly shut. Cold sweat beaded on her forehead, and her bangs were a disheveled mess.
Suddenly, she bolted awake, gasping for breath.
"Another nightmare?"
Zhong Niao sat up, her face filled with deep dread.
Lately, she had been having nightmares every single day.
She dreamed that a rift had split between heaven and earth, and a woman identical to her appeared, plunging a blade into her chest.
Even now, the cold expression on that woman's face remained vivid in her memory.
She had experienced this exact dream for three consecutive days.
"Could I really be suffering from kidney deficiency to be having such bizarre dreams?"
Zhong Niao looked deeply anxious.
In the dream, she saw rift after rift tear open across the sky, with countless strange figures and demons pouring forth.
They seemed to have arrived from other worlds, some clad in ancient garments, others riding battleships brimming with advanced technology.
Slaughtering one another!
And she was killed by an ancient-clad version of herself.
"Generally speaking, dreams are projections of reality.
"These dreams of mine are probably related to the immortal cultivators descending upon Arch Star half a year ago,"
Zhong Niao comforted herself.
Half a year ago, world rifts had appeared over Arch Star.
Four great immortal cultivation worlds became connected to Arch Star, and countless cultivators descended upon it.
This had dealt an immense shock to Arch Star.
These cultivators could fly through the sky, travel at divine speed rivaling fighter jets, and displayed powers both terrifying and bizarre.
The arrival of these cultivators had caused tremendous upheaval in Arch Star's society.
At the time, an archdemon wielding a Ten Thousand Soul Banner had even clamored to slaughter an entire city.
That archdemon was the ancestor of a demonic sect, an archdemon titan at the Divine Infant stage.
Back then, widespread panic had gripped the populace.
Yet it was also in that moment that the Eye of the Sky displayed its devastating power.
It executed a targeted strike, utterly obliterating that archdemon.
The entire Qinyuan Kingdom erupted in celebration and shock.
The four great immortal cultivation worlds were likewise shaken by the event.
They had never imagined that Arch Star would possess a terrifying weapon of such caliber.
Afterward, the Seven Martial Stars and the four immortal cultivation worlds sat down for a month-long negotiation, signing numerous treaties.
Some concerned trade, while others covered the establishment of dao arenas and immortal cultivation academies.
Zhong Niao figured that these events had left such a deep impression on her that... she had ended up dreaming of other worlds descending upon Arch Star, and of someone identical to her appearing to strike her down.
"Too bad Qi Yuan has disappeared. Otherwise, I could have asked him to check if I'm possessed by a ghost.
"He's an immortal cultivator, so he knows a lot,"
Zhong Niao thought to herself.
Over the past year, she had gone looking for Qi Yuan several times.
Every time, the response was that Qi Yuan was currently away.
This left her rather disappointed.
Qi Yuan was an immortal cultivator and familiar with her. Perhaps he could have investigated her recent nightmares.
Back then, she had treated Qi Yuan's mental illness, so... having Qi Yuan treat her now seemed only fair, didn't it?
...
Tianxuan Building was bustling with foot traffic, a gathering place for people from all walks of life.
"Family, right here is the Tianxuan Building." A female livestreamer dressed in airy attire held up her phone, snapping photos of the building ahead. "Rumor has it that this building was allocated by the Seven Martial Stars to a mysterious immortal cultivation sect, the Xuantian Sect. This is also the premier, prestigious cultivation sect in our province."
When the four immortal cultivation worlds initially connected with Arch Star, the various sects decided to establish their lineages here.
A sect like the Xuantian Sect, backed by a Divine Infant grandmaster, was an absolute powerhouse.
Such an inheritance was known as a high-grade immortal sect.
In terms of prestige, it was on par with a top-tier university back on Blue Star.
As for the lesser cultivation sects... well, they fell far short.
"Dammit, our province has such a huge population, so why is there only one high-grade immortal sect?!"
"Too bad they only care about natural talent when recruiting disciples!"
"See that? So many people are kneeling outside Tianxuan Building just to beg for a thread of immortal fate."
"I want to join a high-grade immortal sect like the Xuantian Sect too!"
"A sixty-year-old single lady next door to me finally joined a sect on par with the Xuantian Sect, caught the eye of a marquis, and he married her straight away!"
"Sisters, show us the base layer so we know what to avoid!"
In the livestream chat, viewers across the country stared at Tianxuan Building with envy in their eyes.
Joining such a grand sect was truly a leap over the dragon's gate—a guaranteed ticket to becoming one of society's elite for the rest of one's days.
Meanwhile, atop the roof of Tianxuan Building, a woman with a tall, straight posture and sharp, sword-like brows looked rather haggard.
She looked down at the crowd kneeling beneath Tianxuan Building, her expression dripping with disappointment. "Every last one of them... has trash spiritual roots!"
Chapter 343