Young Noble Be Monster Slaying

After being slapped by Chu Liang, Ghost Face suddenly became extremely submissive, following him obediently.

Monk Pushan watched this scene and muttered quietly, "Does he have some kind of special fetish?"

Luo Yao rolled her eyes at him.

This seemed to be some sort of divine ability that bewitched the soul.

Regardless, Luo Yao thought it was odd as Chu Liang had never demonstrated this kind of technique before. Moreover, such divine technique usually required a higher cultivation level. Given Ghost Face's strength as a sixth-realm diabolical cultivator, he definitely was not someone that Chu Liang could easily bewitch.

What is going on? Lu Yao wondered.

When "Chu Liang" came before them, they noticed some subtle differences, as if there had been a change in his temperament.

This Chu Liang was, of course, the Whale-Riding Immortal in disguise.

As he came before Luo Yao and Monk Pushan, he did not conceal his identity, saying, "I am a member of the Mount Shu Sect. Chu Liang has told me about you two. Follow me."

The two quickly sent messages back to their respective sects to verify this with Mount Shu. They then received confirmation that this person could be trusted, but his exact identity had not been revealed by the Mount Shu Sect.

Only then did Luo Yao and Monk Pushan obediently follow the Whale-Riding Immortal, watching as he strolled around Fengya Mountain. They had no idea where he intended to go.

Along the way, some disciples from other halls came to stop them, not allowing them to continue advancing forward. Yet, with just a glance from the Whale-Riding Immortal, the eyes of the weaker disciples would dim, turning away to go elsewhere. When the light returned to their eyes, they had already forgotten what had happened.

This incredible technique amazed the two young disciples. It was something that they had never witnessed. However, Monk Pushan seemed puzzled. "This is similar to the methods we use in our monastery, but it shouldn't be this effective..."

Divine techniques capable of bewitching people were usually illusory techniques, creating a false scene to compel certain actions. However, the Whale-Riding Immortal clearly did not create a false scene. He was definitely controlling their souls.

Great divine abilities like these were rarely passed down in the world of immortality cultivation. The most famous one was naturally the immortal art Brahma Sound of Wisdom from the Buddhist Cloud Monastery.

However, very few individuals in the Buddhist Cloud Monastery have mastered this immortal art, much less used it so effortlessly. From what Pushan remembered, aside from the legendary Sweeper Monks in the hillside area at the back of the mountain, no one else should be capable of this.

Indeed, within the Buddhist Cloud Monastery, young monks who demonstrate exceptional skills could be appointed as Monastery Officers. The ranks above the Monastery Officers include the Monastery Supervisors, followed by the Monastery Hall Master, and finally the Chief Monk. The Chief Monk could be promoted to Head of Monastery, with those above having the chance to sweep the hillside area at the back of the mountain.

The Sweeper Monk had always represented the legendary pinnacle of achievement within the Buddhist Cloud Monastery.

"Indeed, it's the Brahma Sound of Wisdom," the Whale-Riding Immortal said suddenly with a smile. "But I didn't steal it; it was the Noble Dharma of a Buddhist sect who taught me."

"Ah..." Pushan uttered in realization.

Apart from the Buddhist Cloud Monastery, the Holy Mountain in the Northern Regions would be the only other place where one could learn the Brahma Sound of Wisdom. The Noble Dharma was deeply revered by numerous Buddhist disciples.

Because in this era in which the Hallowed Ones had yet to emerge, many regarded the Noble Dharma as the greatest power in existence. Since this most powerful existence was a Buddhist, it naturally raised the status of the Buddhist sect, which had long been weak in the land of the nine provinces.

"Esteemed Senior, you actually know the Noble Dharma! I've admired him for a long time. Are you his disciple? Then you must be part of the Buddhist sect! Is your true form bald as well? It's just like the old saying. Us meeting is like meeting a friend from home in a foreign land. We are fellow disciples meeting in this dangerous situation, you..."

Once the Whale-Riding Immortal felt less like a stranger, Monk Pushan started babbling away.

The Whale-Riding Immortal's pupils contracted slightly. He stared at Pushan for a while before saying, "Let's pretend I said nothing."

…

With everything going smoothly, the Whale-Riding Immortal led them to a smooth rock face. The black mountain wall gleamed like a polished mirror.

Just as he reached out to press his hand against the wall, a gust of wind howled in the distance, and a black whirlwind suddenly descended.

Boom—

As it landed, a loud explosion echoed.

When the black wind subsided, two figures emerged.

One of them was enveloped in flaming qi. He wore a tall hat and dark armor, standing tall with tanned skin. Every movement he made gave off a powerful, intimidating vibe.

"I originally planned to watch from the shadows and act only when Granny Meng arrived. But I didn't expect you to injure my subordinate. The Four Halls of Darkness..." The man with the tall hat said as he laughed boisterously. "I, the Violet Gold Marquess, have returned! Hahaha!"

As he laughed, the waves of qi surged around him, spreading out like ripples.

In an instant, the mountains and fields trembled.

Seeing this, Luo Yao and Monk Pushan felt conflicted. So this was the marquess they had never met? Should they step forward and introduce themselves?

Next to the Violet Gold Marquess stood an old man in black robes with half of his face sunken in. He looked like he was on the verge of death, as if he had just been beaten half to death.

However, after landing, he still dutifully shouted, "Those under the Marquess's command need not hide anymore. Those holding the Soul Subjugator Token, step forward and pay your respects!"

As the creator of the Soul Subjugator Token, the Violet Gold Marquess could easily sense the presence of the Soul Subjugator Tokens nearby. He chose to land on Fengya Mountain because he detected that Luo Yao and Pushan were his subordinates.

The first step upon his arrival was to gather his old forces.

However, no one moved.

The atmosphere suddenly became a bit awkward.

The Whale-Riding Immortal didn't move, Luo Yao and Pushan were unsure whether to move or not, and Ghost Face simply couldn't move at all.

As a result, no one moved.

The Eastern-Route Guider furrowed one eyebrow, stepped forward, and announced, "Your undercover mission is over! The marquess has come to restore our positions at the pinnacle! You can drop the act now!"

At his shout, Luo Yao and Pushan remained still, but the Whale-Riding Immortal, who had been busy feeling around the mountain wall, turned around.

"Hmm?" The Eastern-Route Guider jumped back, startled by the sight of the Whale-Riding Immortal's face.

He looked around and, seeing that the little girl was not there, he calmed down. "Marquess! It was this boy who injured me. He is of ordinary cultivation, but a strange little girl was following him earlier and that girl was extremely powerful."

"Oh?" The Violet Gold Marquess narrowed his eyes at the Whale-Riding Immortal, his expression turning grim. "So you are the one who had the audacity to injure my subordinate Guider? In that case, let my first fight after emerging from closed-door cultivation be with you to reaffirm my authority—"

Boom.

A sudden explosion echoed from the mountainside.

A fierce golden light burst forth, instantly obliterating half of the Violet Gold Marquess's body. The remaining pieces of his body were sent soaring into the sky, scattering like specks of starlight.

The Eastern-Route Guider was directly blown apart, leaving no trace of his body, disintegrating into ashes scattered everywhere.

The Whale-Riding Immortal retracted his finger and muttered softly, "How noisy."

Monk Pushan and Luo Yao exchanged glances, both seeing the astonishment in each other's eyes. It seemed that this "Chu Liang" was far stronger than they had imagined.

The two of them saw clearly that the explosion just now, which was enough to kill a seventh-realm cultivator, had been caused by a mere flick of his finger!

It seemed they really didn't need to keep up the act anymore from now on.

Immediately afterward, the Whale-Riding Immortal turned and pressed his palm against a specific spot on the mountain wall, which started shining with a brilliant light.

Whoosh—

The black mountain wall began to glow, emitting a blinding white light. Its mirror-smooth surface suddenly split apart, revealing a shadowy cave entrance that led into an open expanse within.

Inside the cave, there was nothing but a simple copper sword, lodged firmly in a narrow crevice.

In a flash, the Whale-Riding Immortal appeared before the sword.

He knew his actions had alerted the sect leader of the Dark King Sect, so he needed to act quickly.

Shiiing.

He pulled the copper sword out of the crevice in one swift motion!

…

Amid the vast, snowy expanse of Fengya Mountain, a two-story pavilion stood in stark contrast to its surroundings. Its beams and pillars were adorned with intricate carvings, while flickering candlelight cast a warm, inviting glow. The air around it was filled with a soothing fragrance, creating an aura of warmth that felt jarringly out of place on this barren, frosty peak.

Inside the pavilion, two people sat leisurely facing each other.

"You sure know how to enjoy life, always so at ease even when you're out and about," commented the man in loose robes on the left.

His eyes slanted upward, and the cold sheen on his face made it seem as though he wore a mask, giving him a rather intimidating look.

The man on the right, clad in green, smiled and spoke in a gentle, soothing manner. "It's a piece of cake."

If Chu Liang saw the man on the left, he would definitely find him familiar; this person was none other than Chen Mingcang, the master of the Northern Abyss Hall.

In the last great battle on Mount Shu, he played a key role in ambushing the prodigious disciples of Mount Shu at Sword Sheath Peak and nearly succeeded. Later, while he was locked in a fight with the Weapons Master, Di Nufeng came to assist and almost turned the cultivation he had spent almost a century building into ashes with a powerful surge of her flames.

Chen Mingcang barely escaped with his life.

After he returned, he learned that because he had not been present while his forces were escaping Mount Shu, every one of his men was crushed by a single palm strike from Venerable Wen Yuan.

Since then, he found himself alone, having lost all his men and becoming the only one left in his hall.

Of the Four Halls of Darkness, the Northern Abyss Hall under him had the most meticulous personnel training. Unlike the White-Bone Hall, which accepted anyone, or the Scarlet-Robe Hall, which didn't recruit at all, Chen Mingcang had carefully nurtured his forces over several decades, with the potential to produce several seventh-realm Eminent Ones in the future. They were the elites of the diabolical sect. Yet, they were all lost on Mount Shu, leaving him somewhat disheartened ever since.

Though he dared not say it out loud, he couldn't help but harbor some resentment. If it hadn't been for the decisions of the sect leader of the Dark King Sect, things wouldn't have ended up this way.

Regarding the situation with Granny Meng, he showed up but put in no real effort. He simply stayed alongside his friend, the master of the Vermillion-Azurite Hall.

"It has been a day and a night and the sect leader still can't find where Granny Meng's son's burial site is. Could the location of the burial site be fake?" Chen Mingcang said suspiciously.

"When Granny Meng spoke of this before, she certainly didn't intend to betray the sect. It's likely that the burial site is being obscured by some tricks, but the location itself cannot be false," replied the master of the Vermillion-Azurite Hall, pausing briefly before adding, "We'll know for sure when she arrives."

As the two chatted, a whistling sound suddenly pierced the air from outside, followed by the boisterous laughter of the Violet Gold Marquess.

"The Violet Gold Marquess came here?" Chen Mingcang frowned. "No one informed him of this matter, so he must have spies within the Four Halls."

"That's not surprising. However, everyone I brought this time is a Painted Skin Ghost, so it's impossible for any of his spies to be among them," the Vermillion-Azurite Hall Master said.

"I don't have any subordinates, so it is even more impossible for his spies to be in my hall," Chen Mingcang replied. "The Scarlet-Robe Hall only has those Enchantresses, so it must be that fool, the Elder of White-Bone Mountain from White-Bone Hall."

As he spoke of this, he gritted his teeth and continued, "He always likes to make a grand display, but it's always him who messes up. The last attack on Mount Shu was probably foiled by a spy among his subordinates. Otherwise, how could the plan have failed so miserably?"

Upon mentioning that failure, Chen Mingcang felt a deep sense of indignation bubbling up inside him.

"However, he has the most subordinates, so we can't carry out any major plans without him," said the master of the Vermillion-Azurite Hall. "After being severely injured by Immortal Jiuyi, the Violet Gold Marquess was in closed-door cultivation for a long time. It seems he's full of resentment and is eager to make a big move now."

"Heh, I'd like to see what grand move he can make."

Chen Mingcang sensed the aura of the Violet Gold Marquess. Just as he was about to extend his divine sense in that direction, he was surprised to find the aura vanish almost instantly...

"Huh?" The master of the Vermillion-Azurite Hall looked puzzled. "The Violet Gold Marquess left already?"

GLTD Alternate Universe's Thoughts

Translator: GT