Guarding the Prison for 100 Years, I Emerge to Overwhelm the Demon Venerable

It was only the position of a Sect Leader, after all.

Whether it was the title of Sect Leader or the power of royal authority, he couldn’t care less.

Now, with such divine power at his command, his disdain for princes and royal authority was only natural.

Never mind that this Silver-White Dog Demon was smarter than most humans and possessed a powerful cultivation.

Even if it had been an ordinary dog, he could have placed it in that position if he so desired.

Of course, he wouldn’t actually do that.

But he also lacked the patience to prop up a new puppet Sect Leader.

The calamity facing the Ten Thousand Spirits of the world had nothing to do with the position of Sect Leader. The problem lay with the heavens.

And even more so, with what lay beyond them.

As expected, the change in the Gui Chen Sect’s leadership caused little stir.

Within the Gui Chen Sect, the Daoists and disciples, long accustomed to kneeling, had no thought of resistance.

Even after the new Sect Leader took his position and enacted a new set of sect laws that seemed impossibly strict to everyone, not a single person stood up to oppose them.

Until the day the new laws were put into effect.

On that day, cries of slaughter echoed throughout the Da Yu Capital City. Heads rolled in the markets of ordinary streets, and the stench of blood lingered for months.

The remaining heretical Daoists scattered across the land, die-hard loyalists within the Gui Chen Sect, villainous Daoists from the various branch sects, and opportunists looking to fish in troubled waters.

All of these people became the first to die by the blade under the new laws!

Countless Daoists and disciples of the Gui Chen Sect were terrified, feeling this new Sect Leader possessed a heaven-shaking bloodlust!

No matter who they were, what connections they had, or what their background was, anyone who violated the new sect laws was slain without exception!

This implementation of the new sect laws wasn’t confined to the Da Yu Capital City, or even just Yu Province. With Yu Province as its epicenter, it spread out across all the provinces of the land.

Wherever they went, rivers of blood flowed. Countless local gentry, powerful tyrants, and wicked cultivators of the Evil Dao fell before the new sect laws.

Furthermore, at Emperor Yu’s behest, the high-ranking officials of the Dayu Immortal Dynasty not only refrained from suppressing the movement, but openly offered their full support for the implementation of the new sect laws.

This even led to some slight changes in the Dayu Immortal Dynasty’s own Immortal Technique.

Under this overwhelming pressure, any who dared to rebel or resist were ruthlessly crushed by Jin Yunfeng and Cui Yanliang.

For a time, countless people secretly cursed the name of the Dog Sect Leader.

However, Da Yu was comprised of thirteen Great Provinces. The territory of each was so vast that, let alone an ordinary person, even a Martial Arts Strongman could not hope to cross it in a single lifetime.

The process of implementing these laws was unquestionably a long one, and it would naturally take a great deal of time.

However, with Qin Wuliang’s Seal, Su Bai’s mission to bring the world’s Daoists into the fold went much more smoothly.

The unparalleled prestige Qin Wuliang had built in the hearts of the world’s Daoists over many years was far greater than anyone had imagined.

Wherever the Seal appeared, numerous Daoists would shed tears, accept Su Bai’s terms, cultivate the Longevity Technique, and surrender their Incense.

Some chose to live in seclusion, while others continued to act as Daoists, roaming the land to perform good deeds and accumulate merit.

Others moved out of the cities and into the mountains and rivers, choosing to dedicate themselves to suppressing local evil spirits and Demon Fiends.

The long-standing conflict between the Gui Chen Sect and the Yin Department Daoists had, for now, come to a close.

But the world did not grow peaceful. If anything, the undercurrents of conflict seemed to churn even more violently.

Then one day, the Dayu Immortal Technique also underwent a fundamental change.

The new Immortal Technique began to be implemented.

The turmoil caused by the implementation of this new Immortal Technique far exceeded anyone’s imagination.

The source of this turmoil was a single, seemingly inconspicuous clause within the Immortal Technique.

Cultivators who break the law shall be punished the same as commoners!

The new Immortal Technique implemented by Da Yu was, of course, influenced by Su Bai, and it also reflected the will of Emperor Yu.

The laws Su Bai established would not overlook any group, and cultivators were certainly no exception.

In the past, the Yin Department Daoists, backed by the Netherworld, had created the Incense World, whose speed of information transmission was second to none.

Although the Yin Department Divine System was now difficult to maintain, Su Bai had no intention of abandoning such a convenient channel for relaying intelligence.

He had no interest in the Incense Realm itself, but he would not pass up such an efficient method.

News of both the new sect laws and the new Immortal Technique had long since spread throughout the land, becoming common knowledge.

Some grew wary and shuttered their doors, while others watched coldly from the sidelines to see how things would develop.

And naturally, there was no shortage of those who, believing themselves to be beyond reach, continued to act as they pleased.

...

Wu Province, located on Da Yu’s southeastern border, was a land of many mountains, rivers, and forests, with a hot and humid climate.

The weather was like summer all year round, with no distinction between the four seasons.

Due to its unique geography, it was the most sparsely populated of Dayu’s Thirteen Provinces, and also home to the greatest number of Fierce Beasts and venomous insects.

Moreover, the province was not territory conquered by the Dayu Immortal Dynasty. Instead, the local prince had voluntarily submitted, serving Da Yu as a vassal state.

For certain special reasons, it had always maintained a high degree of autonomy.

Because Wu Province was rife with poisonous miasma, its forests dense and teeming with venomous insects, it was difficult for people or armies to penetrate. The region was extremely poor, so the Dayu Immortal Dynasty had long since adopted a hands-off approach.

Even when internal conflicts over the title of King Wu had erupted several times over the millennia, the upper echelons of the Dayu Immortal Dynasty had never intervened.

PITTER-PATTER!

The steady drizzle had already been falling for three days. A hazy mist filled the air, and the mountains and forests, wreathed in clouds, looked like an Immortal Realm.

Cui Yanliang sat cross-legged on a large boulder in the downpour, yet his clothes remained dry. The raindrops that drifted toward him were repelled by an invisible Presence, sliding harmlessly away.

In the years he had spent implementing the new Immortal Technique, he had experienced much, and his entire disposition had changed dramatically.

As he sat there now, he projected an aura of unshakable calm, as if nothing in the world could faze him.

Jin Yunfeng stood silently in the rain, wrapped in a jet-black cloak.

Two balls of ghost fire burned brightly in his sockets.

The injuries he had once sustained were long healed. His white bones now faintly gleamed with a lustrous silver, as if he had undergone a new transformation.

Behind the two of them, a line of elite military experts in straw rain cloaks stood as still as statues in the rain.

These men were all military masters with extremely high Martial Arts Cultivation; in any given province, they would be considered first-rate experts.

Even the torrential rain could not make them flinch.

"This rain... is a bit strange."

Cui Yanliang stared at the distant forest, his brow suddenly furrowing. He could faintly sense a looming crisis.

This was an ability he had developed after cultivating the technique Su Bai had given him.

He trusted it implicitly.

In the years he’d spent implementing the new Immortal Technique, this ability had helped him avoid danger on numerous occasions.

"Wu Province is chaotic by nature. It wouldn’t be surprising if someone wanted to ambush us..."

Jin Yunfeng’s voice sounded strange to the others, as it was produced by vibrating the air around him rather than emanating from a mouth.

"Wu Province has complex terrain. It’s humid and rainy, and because the forests are rife with miasma, the rainwater itself contains a slight poison."

"Rainwater contaminated with these toxins can be fatal to ordinary people, but it’s of little threat to martial artists, to say nothing of you, my lord."

A tall, middle-aged man in a straw raincoat explained, bowing slightly to Cui Yanliang.

"However, Lord Jin is right. Someone might be planning to ambush us. My lord, you should summon the other Daoists as soon as possible..."

His name was Huang Batian, a former cavalry commander of the Imperial Army. He had joined the military as a child, and in twenty years, his Martial Arts Cultivation had broken through to the Dragon Mansion realm. He also practiced a special cultivation technique that made his physical body incredibly powerful.

However, with no one to guide him, he was unable to break through any further. This time, he was accompanying Cui Yanliang and Jin Yunfeng to implement the new laws in exchange for Cui’s guidance.

"I carry the Old Mansion Master’s Seal. The Daoists of Wu Province should have known the moment I arrived..."

"Perhaps Wu Province truly is... special."

Cui Yanliang turned his hand over, produced the Seal, and activated it to summon the Daoists of Wu Province.

Implementing the new laws was not something their small group could accomplish alone. They needed the assistance of the local Daoists.

These Daoists were long-time residents of their respective provinces and had detailed knowledge of the local powers, which could help them avoid a great deal of trouble.

But something about Wu Province seemed off compared to the other provinces...

With a casual flick of his finger, Cui Yanliang caused the Seal to glow with a faint divine light.

An invisible ripple spread out through the curtain of rain.

In the space of a breath or two, it had already spread to the horizon.

The prestige Qin Wuliang held among the world’s Daoists was a tremendous asset in their efforts to implement the new laws.

Otherwise, their path would have been even more arduous.

"Let’s wait a while. Something’s not right about Wu Province..."

Cui Yanliang put the Seal away, his expression grave.

Even with the help of the Daoists, he had encountered many dangers along his journey.

It couldn’t be helped. Su Bai had killed too many people in the battle at the West Mountain Incense Altar.

Almost one hundred True Masters, including Returning Void Realm True Masters and even Feathered Transformation Realm True Masters.

Beings of such profound cultivation were all Sect Leaders, Elders, or the ancestors of ancient, powerful families.

All of them had disciples, sects, and descendants.

Even the lone wanderers among them who had no sect—how could they not have a few close friends?

These people might not dare to act openly, deterred by Su Bai’s power.

But in the shadows, it was a different story.

"Stay on your guard!"

Huang Batian issued a warning, positioning himself behind Cui Yanliang as a bodyguard.

He did this despite knowing that Lord Cui was far stronger than he was.

Jin Yunfeng said nothing, but his aura suddenly vanished, becoming almost nonexistent.

At a glance, it was impossible to even detect his presence amid the rain.

WHOOSH!

After what seemed like both a moment and an eternity, the sound of something rapidly slicing through the air came from within the rain.

Everyone present tensed and turned toward the sound.

Through the curtain of rain, they saw a short, stout man in white leather armor treading through the air, his flesh jiggling with every step.

He moved so fast that his entire body quivered from the motion.

The white leather armor he wore was an odd, nondescript color.

"He has the aura of Incense about him? Is he one of the Daoists from Wu Province?"

Huang Batian slowly relaxed his right hand, which had been gripping the hilt of his saber.

"I am Mu Chengyun, a Daoist of Wu Province’s Gui Dao Mansion. Forgive my tardy welcome; I was not aware of your arrival, Daoist."

Mu Chengyun landed on the mountaintop, keeping a respectful distance as he bowed and spoke.

"Daoist Mu?"

Jin Yunfeng spoke in a raspy voice. "The aura of Incense on you is rather strong..."

"Wu Province is a poor, remote land, even more desolate than the Desolate Province. The Gui Chen Sect had no interest in encroaching upon it, so the previous great war never reached us."

Mu Chengyun explained with a smile, then waved his hand.

"The wind and rain are quite harsh out here. Daoist Cui, and you fine warriors, why not follow me to my mansion and rest for a while?"

"As for the situation in Wu Province, please allow me to explain it to you in detail..."

His attitude was impeccable as he nodded and bowed.

For someone of his esteemed position as the Master of a province’s Gui Dao Mansion to be so humble, even an ordinary Returning Void Realm True Master, or a Feathered Transformation Realm True Master for that matter, would have to show him some respect.

Unexpectedly, Cui Yanliang simply waved his hand and spoke coldly.

"That won’t be necessary!"

"Daoist Cui...?"

Mu Chengyun feigned surprise.

"It seems there are no longer any Daoists in Wu Province who hold a Divine Position..."

Looking at Mu Chengyun’s deceptively harmless, chubby face, Cui Yanliang slowly shook his head and sighed.

"Wearing that skin must be exhausting, isn’t it?"