Chapter 117: Chapter 117: The Luo River Serpent Demon
 

Zhou Yi heard this and a guess formed secretly in his heart.

“Is it that the sect wants Elder Brother to go to Ji Continent and eradicate demons?”

“More or less.”

Jiang Kang chuckled, “It would be a fitting end for an old Taoist like me to drag down an old demon to die with me; my life would be complete!”

Zhou Yi was silent for a long while before saying, “Elder Brother, being a loose cultivator, why do you need to go to such lengths, even enduring slander from those direct disciples?”

Jiang Kang spoke lightly, but even if he could lure a True Monarch from the demonic path into an ambush set up by the Dan Ding Sect, it would hardly be possible to eliminate them; there might not even be a one or two percent chance of success.

If it failed, and the old demon captured Jiang Kang to refine him into a demonic treasure, he would endure the torment of soul burning for a hundred or a thousand years.

“I am a loose cultivator of the sect!”

“In the worst case, I can still detonate my divine soul; Elder Brother still has this ability!”

Jiang Kang said, “I should have already left, but I specifically waited for you to return. We have been acquainted for over half a year, and you, younger brother, with your gentle and indifferent nature, are truly a good person.”

Zhou Yi sighed, “Elder Brother praises me too highly, I merely know to refrain from certain actions.”

“Knowing what not to do, I have not misjudged you!”

Jiang Kang, who had cultivated for nearly two hundred years, had seen all kinds of cultivators. There were only those with lesser desires and those with greater desires; few could remain unmoved in the face of a supreme treasure.

“Younger brother, before I leave, I have a favor to ask.”

Zhou Yi’s eyes showed surprise, the talent for entrusting one’s legacy was indeed activated!

“The guidance of Elder Brother Jiang will never be forgotten. Although I am insignificant and my words carry little weight, I can still protect Elder Brother’s clan to some extent!”

“What clan do I even have left?”

Jiang Kang sighed, “The Heavenly Demon Sect cannot wait to skin me alive and flay my bones. They used the divination technique decades ago to find traces of my clan and then exterminated my nine clans with their bloodline curse technique.”

Zhou Yi then realized, Jiang Kang’s enmity with the demonic path was not just a matter of righteousness against evil, but a vendetta that couldn’t be resolved under the same sky.

“Then what would Elder Brother entrust to me?”

“Before this happened, I intended to enter into a Daoist marriage with Shen Daoist friend.”

Jiang Kang took out a jade pendant from his chest: “After that, fearing revenge from the Heavenly Demon Sect, I made up a reason for an irreconcilable break, leaving behind only this love-confirming jade pendant as a small consolation.”

Zhou Yi said, “Elder Brother has lived for nearly two hundred years, already considered long-lived among Daoist immortals. That Shen Daoist friend…”

Jiang Kang said, “She is over eighty years younger than me. I’ve heard she succeeded in Foundation Establishment, and she should still be alive.”

“Eighty years?”

Zhou Yi couldn’t help but size up Jiang Kang, amazed by such traits in Elder Brother Jiang!

“What’s so surprising about that? Haven’t you heard about the grand lineage of immortals?”

Jiang Kang caressed the jade pendant, somewhat annoyed and embarrassed: “Back when I had just achieved Foundation Establishment, she was only at the fourth level of Qi Refinement. I met her while exterminating demons…”

“So it was a case of a hero saving the beauty, what happened after that?”

Zhou Yi, full of curiosity, had only heard of Jiang Kang battling demon heads and could hardly imagine the demon-slaying hero also had such tender emotions.

“After that… You’re too nosy!”

Jiang Kang snapped out of his reminiscence and handed over the jade pendant: “Return this item to Shen Daoist friend for me. Her family is in the Bright Moon Gorge of Qing Kingdom. She is quite well-known in the world of loose cultivators, and you will find out about her if you inquire a little.”

Zhou Yi took the jade pendant: “Does Elder Brother need me to pass on a message?”

“The affinity ends here, what else is there to be said.”

As Jiang Kang’s words fell, his entire being transformed into purple thunder, burst through the formation and prohibition, and vanished into the sky in an instant.

“Is this the escape speed comparable to that of a true immortal?”

Zhou Yi put away the jade pendant and found a jade slip on the stone table.

His divine sense swept over it; the jade slip was left by Jiang Kang.

——Zhu Junior Brother, those evil techniques that consume one’s lifespan are not as noble as the Lightning Method proper. Reflect deeply on this ‘Essence of Lightning Method’ I’ve left you, and you will surely reach the Thunder Dharma Condensation. Advancing to a true disciple will not be difficult!

“Elder Brother Jiang, have a safe journey!”

Zhou Yi faced the north and bowed deeply in farewell.

…

After Jiang Kang left, the cliff of Reflection returned to its desolate silence.

Afterward, whenever someone was punished, Zhou Yi glanced at the reason and couldn’t be bothered to pay it any mind.

Having seen individuals like Jiang Kang, he found the ordinary fellow disciples somewhat insignificant, and also because the meditation cliffs were mainly for Qi Refinement disciples, with very few Foundation Establishment cultivators breaking the sect rules.

After all, those with a Heavenly Spiritual Root at Foundation Establishment were already in their forties or fifties, and others who had reached Foundation Establishment were already much older, having long grown indifferent to mundane disputes.

Zhou Yi no longer participated in the Ziyun Association, intentionally keeping a low profile, and was quickly forgotten in the eyes of his fellow disciples.

He spent his days cultivating, comprehending formations and the Lightning Method, and tending to the medicinal fields.

Time flew by in the blink of an eye, and before he knew it, he had been in the Golden Core Sect for nine years.

The meditation cliffs.

Zhou Yi watched as snowflakes drifted down from the heavens.

“It’s been so long since I’ve been back, it’s time to go and deliver the message.”

…

The External Affairs Hall.

It was no different from eight years ago; many Qi Refinement disciples were waiting for merit tasks, and among them were quite a few Foundation Establishment cultivators.

This was the proper sect life, constantly performing tasks to earn merits, and exchanging them for pills or inheritances. Once one’s strength was great, they would focus mainly on exterminating demons for external affairs, rapidly accumulating more merits.

If they didn’t die at the hands of demons, they would advance to the true transmission with merits and gain the sect-defending inheritance.

Before their lifespan ended, they would cultivate to the Solidifying Pill realm, either through merits exchange or participation in big competitions, to obtain a piece of a Solidifying Pill spiritual object, and gamble their life on transcending tribulation.

“Having joined the sect for eight years, like myself, those with fewer than a thousand merits could be considered one of a kind!”

After Jiang Kang left, Zhou Yi strongly demanded a raise at the External Affairs Hall, and got an extra forty merits each year.

In eight years, he had accumulated a total of nine hundred and sixty merits, which could be called the laziest disciple in history.

The third floor.

The person responsible for issuing tasks hadn’t changed, but Xuan Yi, who had been in charge of merit exchanges the previous few years, died, and was replaced by a True Person named Chen Yu.

Zhou Yi already knew the backgrounds of the three people; all were descendants of Divine Skills bloodlines, and it was difficult for anyone else to be entrusted with great power.

“Elder Brother Xiao, I’ve come to undertake demon-exterminating external affairs.”

Xiao Yun clearly remembered Zhou Yi, the historically top lazy disciple and the only one to have asked for a salary raise, and said with a smile, “Junior Brother Zhu, you finally showed up. I was just about to send someone to notify you, so as not to forget about external affairs while cultivating in seclusion.”

“I have been preparing all along, always mindful of eliminating demons and eradicating evil.”

Zhou Yi’s Divine Sense swept over the external affairs jade slip, although he already had a plan in mind, and said, “Elder Brother Xiao, I will take on the task of slaying the Luo River Snake Demon.”

——Within the bounds of Qing Kingdom, a snake demon in Luo River has declared itself the River God, coercing the local people on both banks to offer sacrifices of boys and girls. It has the strength comparable to the later stage of Foundation Establishment when in water, and is adept at Water Escape and concealment, having evaded capture seven times.

Merit reward: Six thousand.

This task had been hanging for four years because the snake demon was within the territory of Cloud Continent, and initially many disciples took the task, but no one was able to slay the snake demon.

The abilities of the True People of Dan Ding Sect were naturally not weak, but the snake demon was extremely good at hiding, and also had a Water Escape divine ability, making it quite tricky in the water. The Luo River meandered for three to four thousand miles; the snake demon could come and go without a trace, and after several failed attempts, no other disciples were willing to waste their time.

“Junior Brother Zhu, are you sure you want to take on this task?”

Xiao Yun cautioned, “The snake demon is not very strong, but it’s slippery and difficult to handle. Previously, a true transmission spent half a year in pursuit and never even found a trace.”

Zhou Yi, puzzled, asked, “Elder Brother Xiao, if true transmission has already failed, why haven’t the True Monarchs of the sect descended to capture the demon?”

A Golden Core Stage Divine Sense can cover a thousand zhang, and no matter how skillful the snake demon’s concealment, it cannot escape the scrutiny of a True Monarch.

Xiao Yun shook his head, “A True Monarch can slay a great demon, just as a Demon King can slaughter Foundation Establishment cultivators; under normal circumstances, both human and demon high ranks maintain an understanding.”

Zhou Yi nodded slightly, which was not much different from what he had suspected; under ordinary circumstances, it would mean a great war between the two races.

“Elder Brother Xiao, I am sure I want to take on the snake demon task.”

“I wish Junior Brother good luck.”

Xiao Yun marked the task and recorded it into the Identity Token.

Zhou Yi then said to Chen Yu, who was in charge of merit exchange, “Elder Brother Chen, could you see if a new entry-level disciple can exchange for the cultivation technique catalog?”

“Of course, you can.”

Chen Yu did not understand why but nonetheless nodded and agreed.

Once one’s cultivation level reached Foundation Establishment, unless there was a longstanding grievance, few would deliberately make things difficult for a fellow sect member.

Zhou Yi’s Divine Sense swept over it, confirming that the target inheritance was still in the catalog and had not been removed, and then he was at ease.