Chapter 1 Nightmare Assault

So badly injured, Jiang Cheng had already lost hope for Song Tianming, never expecting him to still be conscious.

Jiang Cheng immediately stepped forward, speaking to Song Tianming from a close distance, "Mr. Song, how are you?"

Song Tianming's throat moved with difficulty, and he slowly shook his head. "Those evil monks... they came prepared. I'm afraid... I'm afraid I won't last much longer. My death is a small matter, but this evil creature... this evil creature has already gained power. I fear it will be a catastrophe for my Da Feng Dynasty, and even... even the entire world!"

Realizing that Song Tianming was still thinking clearly, Jiang Cheng immediately used the most concise language to tell him everything that had happened in the Scripture Pavilion that night.

Upon hearing the name Ling Xiaozi, and the so-called jade pendant, the originally dying Song Tianming suddenly trembled all over. One twisted arm reached out towards Jiang Cheng, "Quick! Quickly, let me... let me see that thing!"

The moment he touched the jade pendant, Song Tianming's blood-stained face suddenly twitched. Then his fingers explored it little by little. Anyone could see the excitement in Song Tianming's heart. "Good! Good! This... this is indeed the token of the Xuanmen, the Yun Gong Pei (Cloud Palace Pendant)! No mistake!"

Fatty saw the trembling appearance of the old senior Song, and couldn't help but worry, "Senior, have you seen this thing before? Could you be mistaken just by touching it?"

"Hmph! Although I haven't seen it, I would never mistake such a thing!" As Ye Qiutang took out two pills from a porcelain bottle in her arms and gave them to Song Tianming, the latter's condition improved slightly, at least he was no longer coughing up blood frequently.

Helping Song Tianming up and letting him lean against the piled-up quilts, Song Tianming slowly took a sip of water, suppressing the bloody taste in his throat a little. "Little friend Jiang, although my eyes are blind, I can tell the authenticity of this kind of thing with just one touch. If you don't believe me, you can place a candlestick in front of this thing and observe the shadow it leaves on the ground."

Jiang Cheng didn't stand on ceremony. He immediately lit the candlestick and, following Song Tianming's instructions, brought the object close to the burning candlelight. The next moment, everyone present was shocked by the scene before them. The shadow of the jade pendant on the ground was actually a palace.

Even more shocking was that the palace was surrounded by colorful clouds and circling cranes, a complete image of a heavenly fairyland.

"No wonder it's called the Yun Gong Pei!" Steward Murong's eyes were wide with disbelief. It seemed that even after being in the Ye residence for so many years and seeing all kinds of treasures, none were as shocking as the treasure before him.

Everyone had a feeling that the jade pendant in front of them was alive. Perhaps... perhaps this was the so-called spirituality.

"This treasure is the token of the Xuanmen sect, and there is only one in the world!" Song Tianming said firmly. "Also, what little friend Jiang just said, this person wears a golden Taoist robe, a purple-gold crown, and holds a white jade whisk. He should be none other than Ling Xiao Dao Ren, the head of the Qingfeng Guan (Green Peak Temple) of the Xuanmen!"

"Senior Song knows this Ling Xiaozi?" Jiang Cheng wanted to find out as much as possible about Ling Xiaozi's identity.

"I know a little. It is said that this person has profound skills, but unfortunately, I don't have the good fortune to have met him."

"What is the reputation of this Ling Xiao Dao Ren in the martial world?" Jiang Cheng recalled Ling Xiaozi's immortal-like appearance, and still felt something was amiss.

"Little friend, don't worry. This person has an excellent reputation. He is known for his chivalry in the martial world, and he never shirks his responsibility to eliminate demons and defend the Dao. In Yongzhao 9, when a great demon appeared in the North Sea, it was Ling Xiao Dao Ren who issued a Jianghu (martial world) order, inviting heroes from all walks of life to eliminate the demon."

"Also, in Yongzhao 16, someone in Southern Xinjiang practiced demonic arts, exhuming twenty-four tombs of third-rank upper-level military generals of the previous dynasty, and using the twenty-four generals' corpses to refine Great Zombies. It was also this person who took action, using a white jade whisk to wipe out the three major demon lairs in Southern Xinjiang, destroy the demonic seeds, and beat the demonic sect so badly that they couldn't raise their heads for thirty years! Truly a great figure!"

His tone changed, and Song Tianming, whose eyes were destroyed, couldn't help but sigh. "I didn't expect that even such a person would be trapped here. It seems that there will truly be a catastrophe in this world."

Jiang Cheng gave Ye Qiutang a look, and Ye Qiutang, who was sitting by the bed, immediately understood. Then, she ordered Commander Zhao, Steward Murong, and the old woman to go out and be on guard. She had something to say to the old senior Song in private.

Steward Murong was almost out the door when he suddenly turned around as if he had thought of something. He frowned unnaturally, looking at Jiang Cheng and Fatty, who were not moving. "Miss wants to talk to the old Mr. Song alone, didn't you hear?"

"Steward Murong, let them stay," Ye Qiutang glanced at him.

Steward Murong didn't say anything more and immediately left the room, closing the door behind him.

After confirming that the footsteps of these people had all moved away, Jiang Cheng then told Song Tianming the last few words of Ling Xiaozi. Unexpectedly, Song Tianming was not surprised at all after hearing this. On the contrary, he was somewhat excited.

"Worthy... worthy of being Ling Xiao Dao Ren. He can still sense these things even in that state. It seems that the heavens have not abandoned the Ye family. Miss, she... Miss, she is saved!"

After saying that, Song Tianming explained how someone had secretly cast magic on him. Fatty was stunned as he listened, then he suddenly looked at Ye Qiutang. "I say, Miss Ye, since you also know, why didn't you tell us earlier?"

Ye Qiutang cupped her fist towards Jiang Cheng and Fatty, without arguing. "Sorry, you two. One must be cautious in the martial world, especially in this haunted temple."

After a moment of silence, Jiang Cheng looked at Song Tianming and slowly asked, "In that case, does senior Song mean that Ling Xiao Dao Ren is trustworthy, and we should do as he says?"

"That's right. I believe in Ling Xiao Dao Ren's cultivation. If he says it can be done, then he must be confident."

"I once divined two hexagrams in broad daylight. The hexagrams said that this place is a dead end, and the feng shui is also completely chaotic. This also matches what Ling Xiao Dao Ren said. That evil spirit has become powerful, and it is probably even more terrifying than the Great Demon of the North Sea." Song Tianming's voice was full of emotion.

After checking some details of Ling Xiao Dao Ren with Song Tianming again, they didn't find any problems. Moreover, it was clear that this Song Tianming admired Ling Xiao Dao Ren very much.

Song Tianming tremblingly stretched out his hand and grabbed Ye Qiutang's sleeve. "Miss, with the help of Ling Xiao Dao Ren, today's disaster can be resolved, but..." He grabbed Ye Qiutang's arm with a little force, and his eyes became sharp. "Miss must be able to let go when it is necessary, and prioritize the overall situation!"

The usually decisive Ye Qiutang seemed to have suddenly become a different person. Her eyes were downcast and she remained silent.

Seeing this, Song Tianming's voice couldn't help but become louder, and it also carried a sense of urging. "Miss, you can't hesitate any longer. Ling Xiao Dao Ren has already said it very clearly. There is an evil spirit hiding among the four of us. No matter what, the four of us, Commander Zhao, Steward Murong, and I, must die. We must not let the evil spirit leave this place in our bodies! Otherwise, it will definitely become a catastrophe!"