Chapter 1 The Capturing Spirit Devil Art, the Six Fan School...An Qisheng.

Hui Guo kneaded the black *sarira* in his palm, seemingly lost in thought.

"Hee-haw~"

The donkey brayed, jolting Hui Guo back to his senses. He chuckled softly and urged the donkey forward.

"Hee-haw~"

The small, mottled gray donkey slowly trotted into the distance as a gentle breeze swept fallen leaves down, scattering them into the pool of blood.

Above the steaming blood, several corpses lay strewn about, their eyes still wide with disbelief.

The mournful whinnies of horses gradually faded away.

........

On a mountain forest, a group of people overlooked the official road, where swift horses galloped past from time to time.

"So many martial artists are rushing to the Huayan Mountains..."

Zhao Changlin frowned slightly, clutching the notice in his hand. "What does Xue Chaoyang want to do?"

Doubt gnawed at his heart.

To this day, he had seen hundreds of martial artists speeding past on horseback, heading for the Huayan Mountains.

"It is said that Huangfu of the Qin Tian Jian (Bureau of Astronomy) suffered a backlash and left. Perhaps Xue Chaoyang doesn't know the person's exact location and wants to use us to find him?"

Dongmen Ruo, her complexion recovered, speculated.

"That's possible."

Lan Da said calmly, "In any case, Xue Chaoyang entering the mountain is good for us. In the mountains and forests, during a chase, even if he dies, it has nothing to do with us."

"I hope so..."

Zhao Changlin still harbored some doubts, but he couldn't figure out what Xue Chaoyang was up to.

"Don't delay. Let's also enter the mountain. Once the Six Fan School's hounds have dispersed, you and I will go and kill Xue Chaoyang. Dongmen and Yanyan, lead the fellow disciples to kill those hounds!"

Lan Da swept his gaze around and said coldly, "Make sure every blow is lethal. If the news leaks, you know the consequences."

"Yes, we understand!"

The group bowed in unison.

Dongmen Ruo and Zhao Yanyan exchanged a glance, both seeing the coldness in each other's eyes.

The severed finger revenge must be repaid a hundredfold!

........

Three hundred *li* outside Nanliang County, in Qinghe City, on the sixth floor of the Tianxiang Brothel.

Bai Xian'er, dressed in a white dress, gently unfolded the notice and couldn't help but scoff. "The Capturing Spirit Devil is in the Huayan Mountains? Is Xue Chaoyang crazy?"

After laughing, she frowned slightly. Could it be that Grandpa had really run to the Huayan Mountains?

If so, that would be troublesome.

"Hmm?"

Just as she was thinking, Bai Xian'er's heart stirred, and she put away the notice.

*Tap, tap, tap*

Steady footsteps grew louder and closer.

*Bang*

The door burst open, and a man strode in.

Dressed in black, a large black cloak billowing behind him, the man was tall and straight. Beneath his high, straight nose, his eye sockets were slightly deep, his narrow eyes glinting with a sinister light.

Seeing the man, Bai Xian'er felt disgusted, but her face was full of smiles. "So it's Senior Brother Chi..."

This man was named Chi Changkong, a disciple of the Crimson Training Demon Sect's Crimson Training Dharma King, and his martial arts were above hers.

"Junior Sister Xian'er..."

The man crossed his arms and looked at Bai Xian'er coldly. "Can you tell me why your people are unharmed, while everyone from my Crimson Training Sacred Sect in Nanliang City died at the hands of Yun Dongliu?"

"Senior Brother Chi's brain must be fried, right?"

Bai Xian'er's face turned cold. "The group that my Senior Brother Bian led was killed by Yun Dongliu. Can't you see that?"

"Is that so?"

Chi Changkong sneered, his eyes dark. "Those who died were all Bian You's people. It seems that none of your people died. Even an old procuress who was sent out is completely unharmed. That's strange..."

"Chi Changkong! Do you think that I, Bai Xian'er, betrayed the Sacred Sect?"

Bai Xian'er's face was like ice, her brows furrowed with anger. "Just because my people didn't die means I betrayed the Sacred Sect? Is there such a principle in the world?"

Bai Xian'er's *zhenqi* surged around her, as if she would attack at any moment.

For a time, the air was filled with a murderous aura.

"Heh heh."

Chi Changkong suddenly laughed. "What are you saying, Junior Sister Xian'er? How would Senior Brother dare to suspect you?"

His eyes flickered, and he saw a corner of the notice that Bai Xian'er had put away. "Junior Sister has also seen this notice. What do you think Xue Chaoyang is up to?"

"What does Senior Brother think?"

Her face melting into a smile, Bai Xian'er asked softly, "Xian'er thinks that there is something fishy about this!"

"Oh?"

Chi Changkong feigned surprise. "What makes Junior Sister say that?"

"Senior Brother, ask yourself, if you found that person's whereabouts, would you keep the Capturing Spirit Devil Art to yourself, or would you announce it to the world?"

Bai Xian'er's eyes fluttered as she asked softly.

"How could Senior Brother have such thoughts? If I obtained the Capturing Spirit Devil Art, I would definitely share it with Junior Sister Xian'er."

Chi Changkong smiled faintly. "It makes Senior Brother sad that Xian'er sees me that way."

Only a fool would believe you!

Bai Xian'er sneered in her heart. The smile on her face faded, and she said with a straight face, "What does Senior Brother think we should do?"

"Naturally, enter the mountain."

Chi Changkong smiled faintly. "Although Master doesn't care about this so-called number one demonic art from seven hundred years ago, as a disciple, when I encounter good things, I naturally have to take them to give to Master..."

"Senior Brother is so filial."

Bai Xian'er praised.

Within the Six Hells Demon Sect, half of them emphasized severing emotions and desires. Unfortunately, the Crimson Training Dharma King was an accomplished master of this path, ruthless and heartless to the extreme.

The dozens of disciples he had taken in had all been personally severed from their secular ties by him.

Whoever said that the relationship between master and disciple was even slightly believable, it was simply laughable for someone from the Crimson Training Demon Sect to say this!

"What are Xian'er's plans?"

Chi Changkong didn't care about Bai Xian'er's sarcasm and asked instead.

"Senior Brother Bian died at the hands of Yun Dongliu. Junior Sister naturally wants to avenge him!"

Bai Xian'er's face was murderous. "As for the Capturing Spirit Devil Art, if Senior Brother wants it, Xian'er naturally wouldn't dare to take what others want."

"Is that so?"

Chi Changkong's eyes flickered, and he was surprised.

As rising stars of the Demon Sect, he naturally knew what kind of person Bai Xian'er was. Would she give up the Capturing Spirit Devil Art?

It should be known that the rewards for the Capturing Spirit Devil Art from the Six Hells Demon Sect this time were three Six Hells Sacred Pills and a meridian innate cultivation technique.

He took a deep look at Bai Xian'er, unable to figure out what she wanted to do, and could only turn around and leave. "In that case, Yun Dongliu will be handed over to Junior Sister, which will save Senior Brother some effort!"

"Hmph!"

Bai Xian'er flicked her sleeves and closed the door.

She was a little worried. "Grandpa, could he really be in the Huayan Mountains?"

........

The Huayan Mountains straddled the earth, separating several states. Within them, there were many mountains and dense peaks, with fierce beasts roaming and deep miasma, making it an absolutely dangerous place for ordinary people.

Therefore, many fierce people who had offended enemies or were wanted by the imperial court threw themselves into these mountains when they were desperate, either occupying a mountain as a king or seeking a place to cultivate in seclusion.

This added an aura of forbidding to the majestic mountains.

But recently, the Huayan Mountains had suddenly become lively.

The influx of countless martial artists broke the peace of the Huayan Mountains, causing countless beasts to flee.

The bandits in many mountain strongholds also fled in fear, afraid of being 'acting on behalf of heaven'.

For a time, the entire Huayan Mountains became completely lively.

Sword Point Peak.

Three hundred *li* from the edge of the Huayan Mountains.

This mountain was thousands of *zhang* high, with two peaks rising side by side straight into the clouds, its shape resembling a sword pointing, hence its name.

In the past, Sword Point Peak was a gathering place for a group of fierce bandits. The leader was a former disciple of the Huangjue Temple, with profound martial arts, who became a bandit to escape his enemies.

Usually, he would gather three or five brothers and roam the lands of several states, burning, killing, and looting before fleeing back into the mountains.

He had enjoyed quite a few carefree days.

But today, Sword Point Peak was ablaze with fire, and shouts of killing were everywhere. The beautiful mountain peak had become a hellish scene, with blood flowing like a river.

"Ah!"

"No, don't!"

"Spare me, spare me!"

The fire, accompanied by cries for mercy, illuminated Xue Chaoyang's cold face.

He stood with his hands behind his back in the mountain stronghold's main hall, looking down at the surrounding corpses piled like mountains and blood flowing like a river, but his face didn't change at all.

In his decades as a constable, he had killed more people than he had stepped on ants, and he would no longer change color for any killing.

Even on the battlefield of Nantianshan where tens of thousands of people died tragically that year, he had never been touched, let alone the miserable cries of a few bandits.

*Whoosh*

In the night, a figure darted onto the roof and bowed slightly. "Sir, in the stronghold, there are women who were robbed by these thieves, as well as some children. What should we do with them?"

Xue Chaoyang's expression was indifferent, his cold eyes cast down. "According to Da Feng's laws, those who commit adultery and have children with thieves should be treated as thieves! The children of thieves are no different from thieves. Why are you asking me such a simple matter?"

The constable wearing a *qilin* green uniform shuddered under his gaze, as if falling into an ice cave.

But he gritted his teeth and didn't retreat, bowing and saying, "Sir! What fault do the women and children have! The women have already suffered a tragic fate by being robbed! The children were born into a den of thieves, which is already unfair!

"Now that we're here, are they going to die at our hands when they didn't die at the hands of the thieves?!!!"

"Bastard!"

Xue Chaoyang's face darkened, and he slapped out with his backhand.

*Slap!*

Tie Shan felt a pain in his cheek, and his mind buzzed. He was thrown far into the night sky and crashed heavily to the ground.

"*Pfft!*"

A mouthful of blood spurted out. Tie Shan felt a burning sensation in his chest, but he struggled to his feet, his eyes reflecting the burning mountain stronghold.

Thinking of the screams of hundreds of women and children behind the stronghold, he couldn't help but kneel on the ground. "This subordinate begs you to spare them!"

*Bang!*

An invisible air wave rolled in like a mountain, slamming Tie Shan to the ground. The surrounding ground cracked open, and dirt and rocks flew.

On the roof, Xue Chaoyang stood with his hands behind his back, his expression indifferent and cold. "Killing their husbands and fathers but leaving their offspring is something even a fool wouldn't do! Do you know how many constables and yamen runners died at the hands of the wives and children of these fierce bandits and prisoners before this imperial law was issued?"

"*Pfft!*"

Tie Shan faced the sky, and the blood he spurted out rained down on his face.

He felt pain all over his body, as if the *zhenqi* and bones throughout his body had been shattered.

But the pain in his body couldn't hide the anger in his heart. "If they break the law in the future, we will arrest them. But they have no guilt at this time, so must they be executed?!"

"Ridiculous!"

Xue Chaoyang looked down from the roof, his eyes rippling. "They have lived here for a long time, their food and clothing are all from the flesh and blood of others. They can live without producing anything...

"But when they go outside the mountain, they have no relatives or friends to help them, they will be looked down upon by others, and they have no skills. The only thing they have is the martial arts passed down by their husbands and fathers...

"What do you say they will use to make a living?"

"I..."

Tie Shan was about to say something, but a bandit slashed at him with a knife, the cold light of the knife reflecting his pale face.

"Be careful!"

A constable stepped forward and slashed with his saber, killing the bandit.

Then, he pulled Tie Shan up and said angrily, "Are you crazy?!"

"I... I am crazy."

Tie Shan's expression was bitter. He looked around and was momentarily dazed, not knowing where he was.

"You are indeed crazy!"

The constable gave Tie Shan a cold look, turned and left, his saber slashing down one bandit after another.

"You must remember!"

In a daze, Tie Shan heard Xue Chaoyang's indifferent and cold voice. "The lives of a hundred thieves are not worth a single hair on our heads."