Yellow Court Daoist-Chapter 765 - 686 Ji Yaozi!

"Exciting!"

"Exciting!"

Lu Qingfeng exclaimed with satisfaction.

In the heat of battle,

Lu Qingfeng displayed various techniques.

The twelve Iron-Backed Centipedes in the green bamboo staff combined forces at times to form the Dutian Divine Slaughter Great Array, powerfully boosting its strength and forcing the Poison Dragon to repeatedly retreat. At other times, they arranged into the Celestial Cycle Star Formation, shifting the stars to dissolve the Poison Dragon’s counterattacks and fierce assaults completely.

Occasionally, he would also channel his Divine Skills.

During the standoff, Qingjing Heavenly Fire suddenly blazed from the green bamboo staff, burning the Poison Dragon into an embarrassing retreat.

Its nose was no longer a nose, its eyes no longer eyes.

Or sometimes the Six Roots Purification Method would activate, leaving the Poison Dragon dizzy and stumbling a few steps.

"Wow!"

But the Poison Dragon was no easy opponent.

Having battled the Demon Kings in the Black Wind Mountain, its combat skills were highly refined. The halberd it wielded created a fierce wind, its martial prowess exquisite, often slipping past the block of the green bamboo staff to strike Lu Qingfeng embarrassingly.

Indeed, a worthy opponent had met a gifted challenger.

After over a hundred rounds, the battle remained undecided.

"What a formidable Bamboo Demon, actually able to fight the Poison Dragon to a standstill!"

The commotion of their fight had long since alerted the surroundings.

"Amazing!"

The Mountain God, hiding in a pit, watched secretly, his eyes wide with shock.

"What a guy."

"Transformed just recently, and can fight the Poison Dragon?"

Other Demon Kings like the Three-tailed Black Fish thought little of the newly transformed Bamboo Demon initially. Now, seeing Lu Qingfeng holding his own against the Poison Dragon, their expressions started to change.

"Again!"

Lu Qingfeng paid no mind to the onlookers.

Growing bolder with each bout.

The Poison Dragon thought, "It’s no good to entangle further, lest someone takes advantage of the situation!"

There were many Demon Kings on Black Wind Mountain.

To the east was also a city, hosting a highly skilled Daoist sponsored by the Great Tang, which the Poison Dragon dared not delay.

"Move aside!"

Seeing that he could not defeat Lu Qingfeng, the Poison Dragon flourished his halberd into a showy maneuver.

Boom!

He parried the green bamboo staff and quickly retreated towards Black Wind Mountain, still shouting, "You may protect them now, Bamboo Demon, but I want to see if you can protect them forever!"

As his voice fell,

his figure disappeared.

"Hmph!"

"Good thing you run fast!"

Lu Qingfeng snorted coldly, unafraid of the Poison Dragon’s threat.

With the Heavenly Demon Blood Transformation Divine Sword in hand and Great Divine Power still untapped,

killing the Poison Dragon would be a simple thought away.

But considering the Poison Dragon’s future as a third-generation disciple of the Heavenly Dao Sect and their shared history, he decided not to pursue it too harshly and let it go.

...

Now, returning to the mountain,

"My husband is mighty."

Ao Le approached, seeing Lu Qingfeng’s divine might driving back the Poison Dragon, her eyes dazzled.

Her heart swelled with pride for her husband.

Lu Qingfeng smiled and said, "This Poison Dragon is skilled. Without using Divine Skills or Spiritual Treasures, even I must be cautious. Next time we encounter those Earth Immortal level Demon Kings, Le’er should also try her hand to fight and let the beings of Black Wind Mountain know of the lady’s renown."

"Alright."

"I noticed several Demon Kings there just now who were mere pretenders, not much stronger than me."

Ao Le, having seen Lu Qingfeng fight with zest, was also eager to try.

The couple chatted.

At that moment,

the two young women abducted by the Poison Dragon and rescued by Lu Qingfeng also came around. These two women, around seventeen or eighteen years old, both white-skinned and beautiful, were now trembling with fright, not daring to make a sound.

Lu Qingfeng took a few steps forward, scaring the two young women into continuous retreating, curling up together.

"..."

Lu Qingfeng stopped and shook his head, then stood at a distance and said loudly, "The monster that abducted you two has been driven off by me. Where is your home? I will take you back."

"Driven off?"

The two women were startled, then bravely lifted their heads.

They saw not the vile Demon King in general’s garb, but a man and a woman instead.

The man, handsome with infinite charm, was like a graceful nobleman, captivating to behold.

Immediately, their hearts relaxed.

The older-looking woman got up from her crouched position to kneel and pleaded to Lu Qingfeng, "Thank you, Immortal Master, for saving our lives. But our parents and brothers have all been devoured by that demon. We sisters have no home to return. Please, Immortal Master, take pity and shelter us. We will diligently repay your great kindness!"

The Poison Dragon had good taste.

This elder sister’s plea was truly poignant, tugging at the heartstrings.

Most people would be moved to help.

Yet Lu Qingfeng looked on calmly, placatingly speaking, "If so, my wife and I will send you sisters to the city to the east and give you some silver coins to start a business and make a living."

Speaking of which,

Lu Qingfeng waved his large sleeve.

Without waiting for the two sisters to cry and plead again, a cloud lifted them up, startling them into silence, eyes shut, daring not to look or speak.

"It’s just the right time to meet that Daoist in the city."

Lu Qingfeng said to Ao Le.

"Later, make sure to keep some extra silver coins."

Ao Le, linking arms with Lu Qingfeng, spoke as the couple, along with the two sisters, hastened towards the city to the east.

...

Outside Black Wind Mountain lies Black Wind City.

This city could barely be considered a border city of the Great Tang, bustling with people, and hence had a Daoist stationed to guard against demons causing havoc.

Historically, rulers of Great Tang were surnamed Li, worshipping the Supreme Daoist Ancestor Li Dan as their forefather and designating Daoism as the state religion. Any cultivator who set up a Daoist Field was granted land to build monasteries, and the entire nation revered Daoism.

The Daoist stationed in Black Wind City was named Ji Yaozi.

Originally cultivating successfully on Immortal Mountain, he couldn’t bear the solitude and descended to accept the patronage of Great Tang.

To oversee Black Wind City.

He also impressively deterred nineteen Demon Kings and tens of thousands of demon soldiers from the Nine Caves and Ten Streams of Black Wind Mountain from acting recklessly.

As Lu Qingfeng battled with the Poison Dragon, Ji Yaozi also took note from afar.

Now, as Lu Qingfeng arrived,

The Daoist didn’t pretend ignorance and approached outside the city: "Ji Yaozi of Qingxi Cave on Jiyun Mountain, greets the two Fellow Daoists."

"So, it’s Daoist Ji Yaozi."

"I am Guang Yuan, and this is my consort, Ao Le, greetings Fellow Daoist."

Lu Qingfeng introduced himself and Ao Le to the Daoist, explaining their purpose.

"Such noble intentions!"

Ji Yaozi immediately became solemn, promptly ushering Lu Qingfeng and his wife into the city, and arranging for the sisters’ accommodation.

The cordiality between them instantly warmed.

"Having just witnessed Fellow Daoist defeat the Poison Dragon, your elegance is apparent. May I inquire where are your Fellow Daoists’ native immortal lands?"

Ji Yaozi invited Lu Qingfeng and his wife into the Daoist monastery, inquiring aloud.

Lu Qingfeng smiled and said, "I was originally a green bamboo in Black Wind Mountain, growing by a pond. My consort Ao Le was a carp in the pond. By a stroke of luck, we both cultivated into human form through the grace of Heaven and Earth and gained the Immortal Dao."

"It is indeed good fortune!"

Ji Yaozi, relieved to hear this, no longer worried they were disciples from a major Immortal Sect or that Ao Le was from the South Sea Dragon Palace as he had guessed. Their transformation was purely coincidental.

This made them much easier to get along with.

His attitude warmed even further.

He continuously praised them.

Yet Ji Yaozi sighed afterward: "The Poison Dragon is troublesome. Over ten years ago, it passed nine major Heavenly Tribulations and transformed into a dragon form. It has since recruited hundreds of lesser demons from the mountains and resides in Poison Dragon Cave, causing no small stir. The Poison Dragon, brutal and murderous by nature, also possesses a lascivious streak—often capturing people from the mountains to eat or abducting beautiful women to satisfy its lust.

This has resulted in nearly every household being empty over several hundred li, leaving the area sparsely populated. While I, residing in Black Wind City, do cause it some trepidation, Black Wind Mountain is perilous, and I dare not rashly venture there, hence the stalemate. This time it took advantage of an unguarded moment to devour a few more people and abduct the sisters.

Had it not been for Fellow Daoist’s intervention, I could do nothing but lament."

Ji Yaozi exhibited a compassionate spirit.

He enjoyed the worldly prosperity provided by Great Tang and fulfilled his duty well, protecting Black Wind City thoroughly. But being just one person, and facing nineteen Demon Kings in the surrounding landscapes of Black Wind City, there was only so much he could guard against.

"Fellow Daoist, do not belittle yourself unduly."

"My wife and I attained the Dao in Black Wind Mountain, and we cannot bear to see these Demon Kings causing chaos and needless slaughter among the common folk. Henceforth, we plan to build a place for cultivation outside Black Wind Mountain to restrain these Demon Kings."

"However, our Dao abilities are still shallow, and I must ask Fellow Daoist for further guidance."

Lu Qingfeng was waiting for the arrival of the Heavenly Dao Sect Master.

The rumors painted the Sect Master as not exactly a pure lotus-like figure.

Before attaining the Dao, he was known for his decisive and resolute thunderous measures. If Lu Qingfeng were to operate in Black Wind Mountain and be accused of being a Demon King, only to be inexplicably slain, no justice would be served.

Better to clear his own reputation.

When the Sect Master arrived, already established as Emperor Gou Chen, he would not likely strike fatally against him, a Demon Immortal who restrained Demon Kings from doing evil.

As long as he could preserve his life and peacefully join the Sect under his protection, concerns for his life would lessen.

"What better than this!"

"Mutual vigilance is indeed what’s needed!"

Ji Yaozi felt extreme joy upon hearing this.

Having witnessed Lu Qingfeng’s prowess, he recognized his abilities. With Guang Yuanzi now guarding the choke point of Black Wind Mountain and restricting the Demon Kings’ movements, life within Black Wind City would be much calmer and secure.

Elated,

He then worried this newly ascended Demon Immortal might be too rash, believing that standing off with the Poison Dragon meant he could afford arrogance, thus foolishly losing his life. Therefore, he cautioned: "While the Poison Dragon is strong, having only transformed into a dragon form just over ten years ago, it ranks only as middling among the nineteen Demon Kings of Black Wind Mountain. There are five or six others on par with him, and several who are stronger."

Lu Qingfeng listened intently.

Ji Yaozi, having overseen Black Wind City for many years and encountered many of the mountain’s demons, knew far more about them than Lu Qingfeng.

But Ji Yaozi said: "You managed to battle the Poison Dragon to a standstill, so with careful handling, the other Demon Kings should not pose a threat. Only, the Demon King in Guiyun Creek is a three-tailed Black Fish who has obtained a Heavenly Book and several Spiritual Treasures, possessing considerable Divine Skills. With over a thousand demon soldiers under its command, it is tough to deal with."

Even mentioning the three-tailed Black Fish sobered Ji Yaozi’s face.

This Black Fish, the most profound in Dao among Black Wind Mountain’s demons, was a Primordial Mutant with immense strength, capable of splitting mountains and rocks. Naturally growing two additional tails, it could transform them into sharp claws, and it had resided by the water streams for years.

While still not fully mature, it used the claws from its tails daily to dig at the stream bed, attempting to break through the Earth Lungs to bring forth underground river water, thus accessing more food.

In Black Wind Mountain, gaining spiritual intelligence only once a millennium, it once unexpectedly found a Jade Scroll Daoist Book and several treasures from an underground Yin river during one of its excavations, and thus it diligently cultivated.

Although it did not have the longevity of the Poison Dragon, with the correct cultivation method and the aid of Spiritual Treasures, its Dao strength was already above that of the Poison Dragon.

Particularly the additional two tails had exceptional Divine Skills.

Having cultivated for thousands of years, the Black Fish was close to success in refining these two tails with its Primordial Spirit into separate entities, nearly equating to having two additional lives, which were even more refined and useful than a Second Primordial Spirit.

Ji Yaozi had also fought against it several times, each encounter ending indecisively, hence he held much apprehension.