34: The Terror of Hundred Demon Mountain, Discussing Countermeasures

"Lord Chen, have you ever heard of Hundred Demon Mountain?" Xiao Zhuo's Adam's apple bobbed, his expression grave, as the flickering candlelight cast dark shadows in his eyes.

Before he finished speaking, Chen Jingshan and the black-clad middle-aged man beside him suddenly changed their expressions.

"Is this matter related to Hundred Demon Mountain?" Chen Jingshan rose abruptly, the force of his movement sending the Xuan paper on the desk flying.

Boom!

A majestic pressure swept over like a raging tide, and a fierce wind inexplicably rose in the study, making the curtains flutter wildly.

So strong! Xiao Zhuo's heart tensed, feeling his breath constrict.

Even if this Lord Chen hasn't reached the Sea of Consciousness (Divine Sea), he's not far from it!

Chen Jingshan instantly realized his gaffe, and the pressure abruptly receded.

He lowered his gaze and sat down, his fingertips lightly tidying his cuff, yet his hand, with its bulging veins, was still clutching the paperweight tightly, its jade surface already covered in spiderweb-like cracks.

"Precisely!" A chilling killing intent seeped from between Xiao Zhuo's teeth, as if the scent of blood still lingered in his nostrils, "I have already annihilated the Swift Wind Stockade, which was wanted by the government, and from the bandit leader Wind Like a Blade's mouth, I pried out many secrets."

"Young Hero Xiao, please elaborate," Chen Jingshan and the black-clad middle-aged man exchanged glances, and the air instantly became as heavy as iron.

Xiao Zhuo nodded, took out a Jade Slip to play the recording, and then detailed how he discovered the Swift Wind Stockade colluding with the demons of Hundred Demon Mountain, how he planned an ambush to kill Wind Like a Blade, wiped out the remaining bandits, and rescued the children.

Regarding the demon core and the internal spy, he recounted everything exactly as Wind Like a Blade had confessed.

After he finished speaking, the study fell into a dead silence.

Only the candlelight flickered, making the three men's faces alternately bright and dim, the atmosphere so oppressive it was suffocating.

"It seems that after that battle thirty years ago, Hundred Demon Mountain not only fully recovered its Origin Qi, but its desire to destroy our Qingyang City remains!" The black-clad middle-aged man spoke for the first time, his voice low and hoarse.

"Brother Dongfang, what are your thoughts on this matter?" Bloodshot veins appeared in Chen Jingshan's eyes, and his fingers unconsciously tapped the table, a heavy rhythm, as if venting the surging shock and anger in his chest.

"This matter is of great importance; I fear we may need to invite the Sect Master of Yuyang Sect and the various Peak Masters to discuss countermeasures," Dongfang Jianming (Eastern Sword Cry) (the black-clad middle-aged man) said in a deep voice.

"That's exactly what I was thinking!" Chen Jingshan nodded heavily.

Xiao Zhuo's face showed confusion, clearly unaware of the events of thirty years ago.

Seeing this, Chen Jingshan sighed deeply: "It's natural that Young Hero Xiao doesn't know. Thirty years ago, Hundred Demon Mountain came out in full force and launched a surprise attack on Qingyang City. If not for your Sect Master's timely reinforcement, Qingyang City would have long since been reduced to scorched earth!"

"They dared to directly attack Qingyang City?" Xiao Zhuo couldn't hide his astonishment. Qingyang City was a major town in Jizhou, with experts as numerous as clouds. There were three publicly known Divine Sea Realm grandmasters, and countless more in the True Essence Realm and above.

How powerful was Hundred Demon Mountain to dare such a crazy act?

"Although Hundred Demon Mountain is called 'Hundred Demons,' it actually refers to the top hundred demons in its forces. Below the hundred demons, there are tens of thousands of other demons. This is a demonic tide that has plagued Jizhou, making people pale at the mention of it," Dongfang Jianming (Eastern Sword Cry) added.

Chen Jingshan interjected, his voice filled with sorrow: "In that battle thirty years ago, Hundred Demon Mountain dispatched a full ten King-rank Demons, forty-two Calamity-rank Demons, and no fewer than a hundred thousand below Calamity-Grade! Qingyang City was almost destroyed, seven of the ten Divine Sea Realm cultivators perished, and the city's population... was more than halved."

"Fortunately, your sect's Old Sect Master, Immortal Master Tianxu, personally led the Peak Masters to reinforce us, allowing us to almost completely annihilate the main force of Hundred Demon Mountain. In the end, only the three strongest King-rank Demons escaped. Among them, the leading Half-step Dominator Rank Demon/Monster — Silver Moon — was severely wounded and near death by Immortal Master Tianxu, who fought with his life... Unfortunately, he ultimately failed to completely eradicate him."

"I had indeed never heard of such secrets. Thank you, Lord Chen, for clarifying!" Xiao Zhuo listened, his heart shaken.

The Old Sect Master of Yuyang Sect "returned to dust" a decade ago, his memorial tablet placed in Xuan Yuan Hall, with a Lifespan of only three hundred years.

Considering the five-hundred-year Lifespan of the Divine Sea Realm, he could be considered to have died prematurely.

Now, thinking back, it must have been the fatal injuries left by that battle.

The Old Sect Master, originally from Xuanyuan Peak, cultivated the Nine Revolutions Profound Essence Art to the seventh level, eighth revolution, possessed multiple unique skills, and even had the ability to fight beyond his cultivation level... Such a figure, with a life-risking strike, failed to kill that Silver Moon Demon/Monster?

Xiao Zhuo felt an even greater chill in his heart; the horror of that Demon/Monster far exceeded his imagination!

"This matter is of great importance, Young Hero Xiao must immediately return to Yuyang Sect and report this matter as quickly as possible to your Sect Master and the various Peak Masters! This official will also personally visit your sect for discussions," Chen Jingshan looked at Xiao Zhuo, speaking earnestly.

"I understand!" Xiao Zhuo solemnly agreed. Then, remembering the two Demon/Monsters' appointment for tomorrow, he fully disclosed his plan to stake out the valley and inquired about the location of Hundred Demon Mountain's lair.

Chen Jingshan, however, shook his head helplessly: "Thirty years ago, we and the reinforcements searched for a thousand li, but failed to find where those three demons were hiding."

"Brother Chen, if Young Hero Xiao's words are true, this might be a good opportunity," Dongfang Jianming (Eastern Sword Cry)'s eyes flashed with a cold light, filled with killing intent, "If we can capture those two Demon/Monsters alive, we might be able to force out the hidden location of Hundred Demon Mountain. That Silver Moon, struck by Immortal Master Tianxu's Yuyang Heaven-Opening Sword, had his primordial elixir shattered; he must not have fully recovered! This might be our only chance to eliminate this grave threat. Otherwise..."

His unspoken words weighed like a heavy stone on Chen and Xiao's hearts — if Silver Moon recovered to full strength, and the Old Sect Master was already gone, who in Qingyang City, or even Yuyang Sect, could stop him?

"Enough! There's no time to lose, let's set off for Yuyang Sect immediately!" Chen Jingshan made a decisive decision.

Three streams of light shot into the sky, instantly rushing out of the government office, tearing through the night sky, and heading straight towards Yuyang Sect.

An incense stick's worth of time later, at Yuyang Sect, Zhenyang Hall.

The current Sect Master, Immortal Master Xuan Qing, sat in the main seat, with the Peak Masters of the four Peaks gathered.

Chen Jingshan and Dongfang Jianming (Eastern Sword Cry) sat in the guest seats, while Xiao Zhuo stood respectfully behind his master, True Man Xuanlun.

Xiao Zhuo had already detailed the entire sequence of events.

The air in the hall seemed to solidify, so heavy it was suffocating, and the faces of all the powerful cultivators were filled with gloom.

"Sect Master, you also experienced the battle thirty years ago. Now, that Silver Moon Demon/Monster..." True Man Xuan Wei, the Peak Master of Cuiyun Peak, looked at Xuan Qing, his face filled with worry.

Immortal Master Xuan Qing's gaze was profound, devoid of his usual carefree demeanor, his voice as heavy as iron: "Back then, Junior Martial Uncle Tianxu was only slightly superior to that Devil Head. If he recovers to full strength... I, this humble Daoist, might be able to hold him off for an hour at most, even with all my strength."

Upon hearing this, several Peak Masters showed expressions of shock.

Immortal Master Xuan Qing was the foremost cultivator of Yuyang Sect in this generation, at the Peak of the Divine Sea Realm.

Although he primarily cultivated the Taiyi True Yang Art rather than the Nine Revolutions Profound Essence Art, his True Yang Divine Fire, combined with the Yuyang Sword Art, was incomparably fierce, and his combat power was absolutely not much inferior to the seventh level of the Nine Revolutions Profound Essence Art.

Even he admitted he was no match; the terror of that Silver Moon Demon/Monster was imaginable!

"Senior Xuan Qing, in your opinion, has that Demon/Monster's injuries... healed by now?" Chen Jingshan asked in a deep voice.

Immortal Master Xuan Qing pondered for a moment, then slowly said: "Thirty years ago, Junior Martial Uncle Tianxu severely damaged his primordial elixir with the Yuyang Heaven-Opening Sword. Such an injury, even if he miraculously survived at the time, would require no less than a hundred years of effort to repair the primordial elixir. However... Hundred Demon Mountain is now stirring, its power reignited, I fear... even if that Devil Head has not fully recovered, he is not far from it. There might be some unforeseen changes!"

The silence in the hall grew even deeper, and a heavy pressure permeated the air.

"Senior Brother, why think so much! It's just a battle!" True Man Xuanlun's loud voice broke the silence, his eyes burning, "Since Xiao Zhuo found out that those two Demon/Monsters will appear in the valley tomorrow, this is a heaven-sent opportunity! The most urgent task is to first capture these two 'tongues'!"

True Man Xuan Wei, the Peak Master of Wuzhen Peak, also nodded in agreement: "Senior Brother, Junior Brother Xuan Lun is absolutely right. We cannot miss this opportunity."

Everyone nodded, their gazes focused.

However, Li Miaoyi, the Peak Master of Cuiyun Peak, frowned and said: "That's true, but how do we capture them alive? Demon/Monsters are ferocious and fearless of death. It's not difficult for us to kill them, but if the strength disparity is too great, making them feel that their chances of survival are slim, they might immediately self-detonate, destroying everything!"

These words hit the nail on the head, and a low murmur immediately rose in the hall, everyone's brows tightly furrowed.

"Sect Master!" Just then, Xiao Zhuo stepped forward, standing in the center of the main hall, his voice resolute, his eyes bright, "This Disciple volunteers!"

All the powerful cultivators were startled, their gazes sweeping over this young Disciple. Only his master, True Man Xuanlun, had a slight smile on his lips, looking as if he had expected it all along, calm and composed.