Mount Shu disciples, having completed their year-long mission of trials, returned to Mount Shu.

The squad that Lin Qingzhi was in was less than three thousand miles from Mount Shu.

"Junior brother, your master once divined the future and prophesied that we would encounter a calamity on our way back to Mount Shu, but we're close to Mount Shu now and have been untroubled the whole way.

Looks like you've lost this bet, and per our agreement, I can ask you to do one thing that neither defies the heavens nor violates the principles," said Chen Yao, recalling the bet she had with Lin Qingzhi a year ago while the Mount Shu disciples were resting during their journey.

"My master can't be wrong; we must be even more cautious from now on."

Lin Qingzhi became more cautious the closer they got to Mount Shu.

A year ago, Lu Changsheng had calculated that he would face a tribulation.

Lin Qingzhi activated his Taxuan Skills, and his divine sense covered a ten-mile radius.

"Not good, there's an ambush in this valley!"

Lin Qingzhi's divine sense detected dozens of lurking auras.

Clang!

The Mount Shu disciples drew their longswords, vigilantly scanning their surroundings.

"You juniors, how dare you kill the disciples of Huanxi Elder. Prepare to die!" exclaimed an old man with a sinister look, leading dozens of Joyous Union Sect disciples to besiege Lin Qingzhi and the five other Mount Shu disciples from all directions.

The Mount Shu disciple who was leading the group blanched when he heard the name of the old man, "Oh no, he is Huanxi Old Demon from the Joyous Union Sect, a Nascent Soul Realm cultivator! The raper we killed at the Mountain God Temple not long ago was most likely his disciple!"

The Joyous Union Sect?!

All of the Mount Shu disciples tensed up.

The Joyous Union Sect, although the last of the four major Demon Sects, had elders that were not opponents the average Mount Shu disciples could contend with.

Several Mount Shu disciples in the Golden Core Realm and Qi Transformation Realm facing an elder at the Nascent Soul Realm from the Joyous Union Sect could very well be annihilated.

"Junior sister, it seems your master was right, we're in trouble..."

This was Chen Yao's first time facing an opponent at the Nascent Soul Realm.

Although her master was a Supreme Elder of Mount Shu, with unfathomable cultivation, the elder from the Joyous Union Sect was a genuine enemy.

Huanxi Elder's sinister gaze swept across the Mount Shu disciples, stopping on Chen Yao and he licked his lips, "Girl, you are top-notch in both looks and figure. Why not dual cultivate with this old Daoist and ascend to the Blissful Realm early?"

"I would rather die than fall into your hands..."

Chen Yao was resolute, already prepared to self-destruct.

If a female disciple from the six Orthodox Schools fell into the hands of the Joyous Union Sect, it would be a fate worse than death.

"Senior sister, do not give up hope; we will surely turn peril into safety."

Lin Qingzhi drew out his Green Abyss Sword, standing protectively in front of Chen Yao, firmly believing that since his master was able to predict his tribulation, his master would certainly come to the rescue.

His master was, after all, an Immortal cultivating in seclusion at Mount Shu.

"Hmm, I believe you."

Seeing Lin Qingzhi shielding her, Chen Yao felt an inexplicable warmth in her heart.

"Hmph, no woman who has caught the eyes of this old Daoist has ever escaped. I will make you wish for death," the Huanxi Elder sneered, bringing out a black iron ring emitting a terrifying black aura.

As the iron ring appeared, the souls of several Mount Shu disciples seemed to be sucked into it.

"A lower-grade Acquired Spirit Treasure—Soul Devouring Ring!"

The leading Mount Shu disciple, well-read from Mount Shu's Scripture Pavilion, recognized many of the treasures and techniques commonly used by the four major Demon Sects.

The Soul Devouring Ring was a common treasure used by the elders of the Joyous Union Sect, capable of devouring the souls of people and turning them into walking corpses.

"We must not let the Soul Devouring Ring touch us, or else with our level of cultivation, we will definitely be controlled by it!"

It was precisely because they knew how formidable the Soul Devouring Ring was that the leading Mount Shu disciples were so panicked.

"Go!"

The Huanxi Elder manipulated the Soul Devouring Ring, smashing it towards Chen Yao.

He was delighted by the hunt, treating this encounter as if he had found a fine vessel.

"Shocking Storm Sword Skills!"

The Golden Core Realm ninth-level Mount Shu disciple, aware of the critical situation, used all his cultivation, sword qi surging like a tornado, attacking the Soul Devouring Ring.

"Hmph, delusional ants shaking a tree, overestimating your abilities!"

The Huanxi Elder also used all his cultivation, immense billows of dark qi flowing into the Soul Devouring Ring.

The Soul Devouring Ring emitted a psyche-shaking black light, devouring the green sword qi, and ferociously struck the Mount Shu disciple's longsword.

Clang.

The longsword flew out of hand, and the Soul Devouring Ring subsequently smashed into the Mount Shu disciple's chest, hitting him like a bolt of lightning, leaving him in a state of spiritual exhaustion.

Golden Core Realm ninth-level and Nascent Soul Realm second-level may seem close, but there is a great boundary between Golden Core and Nascent Soul realms, akin to the difference between heaven and earth.

"This sword technique... Could it be that you are Mount Shu disciples?! Hahaha, if that's the case, I can't let you escape, nor let you die easily."

The Huanxi Elder's realization of these few Mount Shu disciples' identities made his eyes turn even colder.

Back in his day as a Joyous Union Sect disciple, he barely survived an encounter with a Mount Shu disciple's sword.

The four Great Demon Sects and Mount Shu have an irreconcilable enmity.

"Junior brother, let's split up and escape. He will surely pursue me. Then I'll choose to self-destruct, and you escape back to Mount Shu, inform my master, and let her avenge me."

Chen Yao secretly transmitted her thoughts to Lin Qingzhi, with a resolve to sacrifice herself, only to find a way for Lin Qingzhi to survive this calamity.

"I'm not leaving."

Lin Qingzhi's reply was simple.

Lin Qingzhi operated the Taxuan Skills with all his might, the vast spiritual energy circulating rapidly within his Zodiac Meridians, his momentum reaching its peak.

"Fool, do you think that with the cultivation of Golden Core Realm seventh-level, you have any power in front of an old Taoist like me? Countless Orthodox Disciples like you have already perished at my hand."

The Huanxi Elder spoke dismissively, driving the Soul Devouring Ring to smash fiercely at Lin Qingzhi.

Once again devouring sword qi, Lin Qingzhi's Green Abyss Sword vibrated violently. However, Lin Qingzhi gripped the Green Abyss Sword tightly, not taking a single step back, and struck the Soul Devouring Ring, repelling it!

"Puh!"

Lin Qingzhi spat out a mouthful of fresh blood, his face pale, his divine sense severely wounded by the Soul Devouring Ring.

"Junior brother!"

"I will fight you to the end, Unity of Person and Sword!"

Seeing Lin Qingzhi severely injured, Chen Yao clenched her teeth tightly. Her Skywave Sword behind her emitted a brilliant deep blue light, shooting upwards into the sky.

Boom, boom, boom...

Dark clouds covered the sky, countless bolts of lightning pouring into the Skywave Sword, a medium-grade Acquired Spirit Treasure, making the blade shine like a pillar of light.

She did not hesitate to use the "Supreme Thunder Command," a technique beyond her own level of cultivation.

"As your senior sister, how can I let you keep protecting me!"

Chen Yao looked resolute, ready to face death. To defeat the Huanxi Elder and allow Lin Qingzhi a chance to escape, she was willing to merge all her spiritual energy, and even her life, into this one sword strike.

"It is indeed Mount Shu's Heaven Rank medium-grade Cultivation Technique—Supreme Thunder Command. What a pity, if your cultivation were not so low, perhaps I would have had to flee in panic today. But today, you cannot escape the fate of becoming a vessel for the old Taoist."

The Huanxi Elder was full of confidence; Chen Yao's Golden Core Realm third-level cultivation, even with a formidable technique, could not harm him.