Yellow Court Daoist

Above the Cloud Sky.

Jiyuan Daoist surveyed the fierce battle below. Though his face showed no emotion, his heart was already churning like turbulent waves, and his character, honed to Great Success, was utterly breached.

"Sa Ancestor Iron Can."

Jiyuan Daoist lowered his head, looking at the dull, rust-streaked Iron Can in his hand, even more puzzled by the young Daoist below.

Just moments before.

While the two below were engaged in a combat rule, or more like Immortal Master Zhengqing being utterly outmatched.

In the heat of the intense battle, Jiyuan Daoist saw that the young Daoist could still split his attention, and with a casual flick of his knife, he sent Zhengqing's "Sa Ancestor Iron Can" flying off into the sky.

Coincidentally, it landed right in his hands.

But that wasn't all.

The Daoist had even spared a glance, nodding slightly towards him, clearly intending to gift him this precious artifact.

"Is it to repay me, the Maoshan Dao, for sheltering his Disciple?"

"Or to curry favor, wishing to use the Maoshan Dao to counter the Shenxiao Sect?"

Jiyuan Daoist pondered while fiddling with the 'Sa Ancestor Iron Can'.

If it were the former, it seemed too grand a gesture.

The Maoshan Dao indeed sheltered Lin Ye, but Lin Ye had also fought for Maoshan Dao for over ten thousand years, having made no small contributions. And for a disciple who failed ascension, with only a century left to live in the True Immortal Realm, would this young Daoist willingly part with a Supreme Treasure just to show gratitude?!

Putting himself in the other's shoes.

Jiyuan Daoist considered this possibility to be rather unlikely.

On the contrary, the second option—

"Shenxiao and Maoshan have always been at odds, and this Daoist is so powerful, if we form an alliance, it would not be clear who would benefit most."

"Moreover,"

Jiyuan Daoist glanced at the Iron Can in his hand and suddenly smiled, "Moreover, this 'Sa Ancestor Iron Can' contains countless talismans that have relieved ghosts' pain and solaced lone spirits for countless years, aided in passing on life-saving teachings, embracing a Ci Xin to save the world within it. It's indeed a Merit Treasure of the highest order, not any less potent than ordinary Immortal Artifacts. How could I refuse to accept such a treasure?!"

His mind made up.

Jiyuan Daoist no longer hesitated. With a sweep of his sleeve, he took the 'Sa Ancestor Iron Can' into it.

His smile grew even wider as he lowered his eyes and looked back to the ongoing scene below.

In just a moment, the situation changed once again.

...

"Huff!"

"Huff!"

"Huff!"

Daoist Zhengqing was panting heavily, feeling as if flames were scorching his chest, due to both his injuries and his rage.

His appearance was pathetic and abject.

As the Shenxiao Sect Leader, when had he ever been in such a state?

For a time.

Both shocked and enraged.

Especially since seven Golden Tigers and Golden Dragons had been wasted, two Supreme Treasures destroyed, and the 'Sa Ancestor Iron Can' taken away. The only remaining two Sect Leader's Supreme Treasures, the 'Hundred-Patched Demon-Suppressing Robe' and the 'Five Bright Demon-suppressing Fan,' were also heavily damaged. If not for the young Daoist, for some reason, putting away the Demon Sword, even these last two treasures would have nearly been lost.

Shocked, angry, fearful, panicked.

A myriad of thoughts filled Daoist Zhengqing's mind as he looked at the young Daoist swapping from using a Demon Sword to holding a green bamboo staff, ready to advance.

He felt a sense of powerlessness.

"This is it. I'm done for."

Daoist Zhengqing lamented, his face overwhelmed with shame. Seeing that Daoist unrelenting, he knew this was not going to end well. While calling upon the heavens and on his guard, he addressed the approaching young Daoist, "I am the Shenxiao Sect Leader, my Daoist name is 'Zhengqing.' May I ask who you are and why you trap my sect's follower?"

Outmaneuvered, the only strategy left was to bide time for reinforcements.

He tried to speak in softer tones, but pride made the words choke in his throat. Never one to bow to anyone, Daoist Zhengqing found his words difficult to swallow despite his position.

"Already getting thrashed and still trying to act tough!"

Outside Seven Treasures Mountain.

Qi Zhou and two others stood behind their teacher, faces flushing red at the Demon King Battlefield scene. That was the invincible Shenxiao Sect Leader being beaten without the ability to strike back by their Grandmaster.

Pride swelled within them.

They saw the Shenxiao Sect Leader attempting to concede but still holding back, unwilling to bow down, which only made them snicker in contempt, their hearts returning to ease.

Lin Ye sighed in relief as she observed the situation.

Despite trusting her teacher, she had spent over ten thousand years in Da Hao and knew all too well about the might of both the Maoshan Dao and the Shenxiao Sect. Neither were pushovers, let alone a sect leader.

But now.

The number one figure in the Shenxiao Sect, Sect Leader Zhengqing, had been defeated by her teacher, alleviating her worries.

She looked towards the battlefield.

Hoping her teacher would not hold back and punish Zhengqing severely, perhaps even to the point of annihilation.

Yet she worried that the Shenxiao Sect, in desperation, might sabotage her Third Junior Brother's escape.

"We should first prioritize exchanging my Third Junior Brother to safety."

Ultimately, reasoning prevailed. She was about to remind her teacher to spare Zhengqing for the time being, but she saw her teacher wielding the green bamboo staff without saying a word.

Striding forward, he raised the staff and struck towards Zhengqing's face.

"The Ancestor Master is mighty!"

Their Grandmaster's relentlessness instantly inspired Qi Zhou, Cui Fengnian, and Zhong Lihu to shout in admiration, thoroughly impressed. Lin Ye hesitated as she watched her teacher.

Lu Qingfeng didn't care.

Just now, summoning the Demon Sword and forcibly activating a Spiritual Treasure-level 'Heavenly Demon Blood Transformation Divine Blade,' its power was tremendous, annihilating both gods and Buddhas in its path. Even a top Earth Immortal without a Supreme Treasure by their side would perish, just as the Willow Immortal had in the Black Water.

Unfortunately.

Daoist Zhengqing indeed had quite a few treasures on him, and with Golden Tigers and Golden Dragons for bodyguards, though badly injured, he still had the strength to fight another round.

On the other hand, Lu Qingfeng.

The Demon Sword was difficult to control and wilful. Even though Lu Qingfeng had barely refined it, he was far from truly mastering it. Seven strikes were already his limit.

His mana was still plentiful, but both his physical body and Primordial Spirit were nearly torn apart.