IVYSCP - Chapter 128

Chapter 128

The barrier above the arena platform shattered instantly into a thousand fragments of light. Cui Heng was forced back dozens of steps by a blast of sword qi. Her sword hand hung at her side, trembling, blood flowing freely down her palm and dripping onto the ground. She seemed utterly oblivious to it, staring fixedly at the person before her, wearing a triumphant smile.

Ling Qingyue paid her no attention. She half-supported Meng Qi into a seated meditation position and slipped a medicinal pill into her mouth, just enough to protect her heart meridians. She had prepared for the possibility that Meng Qi had been forced to consume a Bloodburst Pill. Though a forbidden substance, the Bloodburst Pill was not some lethal, incurable poison. As long as the heart meridians were protected and all spiritual energy was vented from the body, the person's life could be saved. It would only mean the complete loss of cultivation and severe damage to the meridians.

Meng Qi hazily opened her eyes. Through the blurred vision, she recognized the person in front of her. She reached out and grabbed Ling Qingyue's sleeve, fresh blood welling from her mouth. "Master... Master."

Ling Qingyue felt deep guilt toward her. She said softly, "I'm sorry. I'm the one who brought this on you."

The surrounding viewing platforms had already erupted in commotion.

"Who is that person?!"

"She's holding the Jiuge Sword! Could it be that the Jiuge Sword has acknowledged her as its master?!"

"Isn't she an elder of the Piaomiao Sect?"

"No! She has demonic qi on her! A demon has infiltrated the Dao Debate Platform!"

"The Piaomiao Sect is hiding a demon!"

On the viewing platforms, several immortal sects adjacent to the Piaomiao Sect immediately drew their swords and turned hostile. The Piaomiao Sect disciples themselves were equally shocked and bewildered. They did not understand why their Elder Ah Xi had suddenly summoned the Jiuge Sword, nor why so much demonic qi had suddenly appeared around her.

"That's not true! Elder Ah Xi is no demon!"

"You are spouting nonsense! The Piaomiao Sect is not hiding any demon, and neither is Elder Ah Xi!"

They spoke out in her defense, but no one believed them. People only believed what they saw with their own eyes. The surrounding immortal sects completely surrounded the Piaomiao contingent, swords and blades drawn, their eyes filled with loathing and disgust.

The incident had erupted without warning. On the other side, Ying Ying and Chi Que had not expected Ling Qingyue to suddenly intervene either. When the two saw the demonic qi radiating from her body and the demonic markings covering half her face, their eyes widened in shock.

No one told us you're a demon now!

For a moment, the scene descended into chaos. Suddenly, a formation array flared to life beneath the feet of the Piaomiao Sect disciples, carrying a biting intent of wind and snow. It forced the nearby cultivators back, stopping them from approaching. Two figures walked out of the array side by side. One expression calm, the other looking seriously at the cultivators nearby who had been about to attack.

Suddenly, a soft laugh echoed across the entire Dao Debate Platform, drawing everyone's gaze.

At the very top, at the seat of honor, Lou Wudu stood up. She looked at the person on the arena platform and curved her lips into a smile. "Junior Sister, it has been a long time."

Ling Qingyue's expression was cold and heavy. She snarled, "Shut up! You are not worthy to call me that!"

To block Cui Heng's sword earlier, Ling Qingyue had been forced to use demonic qi. Now the disguise on her face had completely melted away, revealing the exact appearance she had a hundred years ago.

Many disciples and elders of the Shangtianqiong Sect recognized her. Even elders from quite a few other immortal sects knew her.

"Ling Qingyue! She's Ling Qingyue!"

"Ling Qingyue? Didn't she die a hundred years ago?!"

"No wonder she can call the Jiuge Sword. Did she come back through possession? How did she become a demon?!"

"Possession is already a major taboo among the immortal sects. Even if she is Ling Qingyue, so what? What's more, she's a demon now. Sword Venerable, it is only right that you clean house for Senior Wang Changming!"

For a time, the cry to "clean house" far drowned out every other sound, as if someone were deliberately guiding the sentiment with malicious intent.

"Indeed, you are not my junior sister," Lou Wudu said, her eyes narrowing dangerously. Then she feigned a look of heartbreak. "I was truly happy to see you again, but why did you have to become a demon? Even though I am your senior sister, I cannot shield you in front of the Hundred Immortal Sects today. Qingyue, Master's lifelong wish was to eradicate the Demon Race. How can you treat her teachings and kindness like this?"

Ling Qingyue's eyes went bloodshot. She raised her sword and pointed it at Lou Wudu. "How dare you speak of Master's kindness! Today, you are the beast who should be purged!"

She was utterly sickened by this person's hypocrisy. How dared Lou Wudu? How could she have the face to say those words?

Lou Wudu's expression turned cold. She said icily, "Ling Qingyue, you are already saturated with demonic qi, and by the looks of it, you have developed a demonic nature. I cannot allow you to live!"

She had originally planned to use the matter of possession and resurrection to make Ling Qingyue the target of everyone's condemnation. She had never expected her to actually be a demon. This spared her further effort.

A long whip tore through the air. Lou Wudu ducked and dodged aside.

No one had expected the first to make a move would be the Immortal Venerable seated on the other side of the honored dais. And she was not moving to eliminate the demon. Instead, her attack was directed at the Sword Venerable. This turn of events baffled every immortal sect present.

Lou Wudu held her lifebound sword, looking at Pei Yin with a calm expression, as if she had anticipated this. "Is the Immortal Venerable planning to defy the righteous path of the immortal sects for the sake of a demon?"

Pei Yin let out a cold laugh. "What is human, what is demon? The world cannot tell, but we understand very well. Lou Wudu, the things you have done are a complete betrayal of heaven and conscience. You are no different from a demon!"

Lou Wudu's voice, amplified by spiritual energy, rang out to every corner of the Dao Debate Platform. "Pei Yin is unworthy of her position and abuses her title as Immortal Venerable. The Piaomiao Sect harboring a demon is a crime of the highest order. Immortal Alliance, all immortal sects, heed my command! Today, we eliminate the remnants of the Demon Race and protect the peace and stability of the Immortal Realm!"

"Orders received!"

In an instant, sect members from numerous sects on the Dao Debate Platform rose to their feet, soaring through the air toward the arena platform.

Chi Que drew her long sword and commanded sharply without turning her head, "All disciples of the Wushi Sect are present. Raise the Sword Formation! Do not let a single person cross onto the arena platform!"

Ying Ying, still hesitating, heard her resolute decision and quickly stopped her. "Are you insane?! Ling Qingyue is a demon now! You're bringing the entire Wushi Sect to help her. Aren't you afraid your Sect Leader will skin you alive?!"

Chi Que pressed down on her hand and frowned at her. "You were the one who said Ling Qingyue might be able to change the current situation. Why are you wavering now? Do you want to watch Shangtianqiong continue as it is? Some of the smaller sects have already pledged allegiance. It won't be long before Lingxu Immortal Palace and the Wushi Sect can't hold out either. Ying Ying, today, Lou Wudu is the true demon. We are eliminating a demon for the Immortal Realm."

Ying Ying froze. Then she took a deep breath and abruptly turned to face the Lingxu Immortal Palace disciples. She gave the order, "Go with the Wushi Sect. Draw the line at the arena platform! Do not allow anyone to cross it!"

"Yes!"

When Ying Ying reached the front lines, she realized something was wrong. She suddenly grabbed someone and looked into their eyes. Their pupils were a deep green, with what seemed like vine-like tendrils writhing inside.

She kicked the person away with one strike. The person spat blood, then stumbled and scrambled back to their feet, charging forward again as if they would not stop until dead.

"Chi Que!" Ying Ying's hands were trembling slightly. "They're all being controlled."

What kind of thing could control this many cultivators at once?

Chi Que had also seen it. Her expression turned grim. "These people were all sent to the Immortal Alliance by their respective sects."

Those chosen and sent to the Immortal Alliance were the outstanding disciples each sect valued, all with top-tier aptitude.

Lou Wudu's depravity knew no bounds!

Ying Ying cursed inwardly. From the corner of her eye, she watched the two streaks of light locked in combat in the sky.

Pei Yin had already engaged Lou Wudu. And on the arena platform, Cui Heng had also drawn her sword and charged at Ling Qingyue.

"Cui Heng, I killed you once, I can kill you a second time!" Ling Qingyue's single sword strike sliced across Cui Heng's shoulder, killing intent surging in her eyes.

Cui Heng glanced at the wound on her shoulder, then looked at Ling Qingyue and suddenly smiled, a little madly. "Ling Qingyue, how did you become so strong? Is it because of this?"

She lifted her sword, the tip pointing at Ling Qingyue's heart.

Ling Qingyue frowned, sensing something was wrong. Sure enough, in the next instant, she saw demonic qi writhing in Cui Heng's eyes.

Cultivation deviation? No, that was her demonic qi!

Ling Qingyue felt an intensely familiar aura emanating from Cui Heng. That demonic qi was hers!

"How do you..."

Before she could finish asking, Ling Qingyue suddenly raised her eyes. It was in the Ancient Yao Forest Realm, that time she killed Cui Heng. Cui Heng had been contaminated by her blood qi.

But logically, a demonized corpse would lack the original consciousness. Why was Cui Heng still perfectly alive, and even capable of hiding this demonic qi without being discovered?

"Ling Qingyue." Cui Heng looked at her with greedy eyes. "You should call me Senior Sister."

As she spoke, she seized the moment Ling Qingyue was stunned to violently swing her sword forward.

The Jiuge Sword had a spirit and shared a deep bond with Ling Qingyue. Woman and sword moved in perfect unison, directly blocking Cui Heng's strike. Impatience and irritation flashed in Cui Heng's eyes.

The instant the long swords clashed, Ling Qingyue figured something out.

The relationship between Cui Heng and Lou Wudu.

No wonder Lou Wudu indulged Cui Heng so thoroughly. No wonder Cui Heng could use Lou Wudu's lifebound dharma sword, Shangbieli. They were the same person from the start!

But given Lou Wudu's extreme hatred for the Demon Race, would she allow herself to be tainted by demonic qi?

Ling Qingyue studied the Cui Heng before her, then the corner of her lips curved. "So, you've developed a consciousness of your own."

To be precise, the trace of Ling Qingyue's demonic qi had created a demonic nature within Cui Heng. This demonic nature had bred greed in Cui Heng, creating a sliver of consciousness no longer under the main body's control. And Lou Wudu knew nothing of this.

Lou Wudu trusted no one. How could she possibly allow her own clone to develop a consciousness beyond her control?

"Aren't you afraid of being erased by her?" Ling Qingyue asked while unleashing killing moves.

Cui Heng's cultivation suddenly surged. She parried move after move and counterattacked. "Once I take your heart and kill her first, I will exist eternally."

Ling Qingyue flipped her wrist. The Jiuge Sword's edge abruptly changed direction. She swept it horizontally, the tip tracing a line of blood across Cui Heng's chest.

Defiance flashed in Cui Heng's eyes. She seemed unable to understand why her moves were being broken again and again.

Ling Qingyue answered for her. "Lou Wudu fabricated an identity for you. You are her disciple. Even though you are the same person, you are not the main body after all. She cannot possibly give you everything. You have only half of her sword art. You cannot beat me. You cannot take my heart. You are destined to be erased."

With those words, Ling Qingyue raised her eyes to the sky above, a mocking smile on her face. "Lou Wudu, you hate the Demon Race to the bone. Did you ever imagine that one day you yourself would become a demon?"

Cui Heng was stunned. She spun around abruptly, but there was no sign of Lou Wudu in the sky.

"You tricked me... ugh!"

The slender blade pierced through her heart for the second time.

Ling Qingyue pressed down on her shoulder and drove the sword in to the hilt.

Previous Table of Contents Next