Warding Of Evil Spirit

Chapter 15 Discussing Mysteries in the Cloud-Intercepting Hall

Leaving the Jade Marrow River, heading north from the mountains surrounding the Demon Suppression Cave, the mountains stretch endlessly, as if an invisible hand had once descended upon the universe, grasping the earth and kneading these layers of "wrinkles."

On one of these "wrinkles," atop a towering mountain reaching into the clouds, sits the mountain gate of the Qian Yuan Sword Sect.

Several peaks surround the mountain, appearing at first glance like giant swords pointing towards the heavens, their different meanings and sharpness converging in the void.

One of these peaks, named after the lineage's inherited techniques, is known as "Jieyun Peak."

A patriarch once passed down the "Gengxiao Patriarch's Original Explanation of the Jieyun Sword Dao True Scripture."

At this moment, atop Jieyun Peak, in a magnificent Daoist hall, in the center of the gleaming hall, a slender figure kneels trembling on the cold ground.

His shoulders tremble violently, his whole body shaking like a leaf.

For a long while, he trembled, unable to utter a single word.

The surrounding incense and candle smoke made his figure appear even more elusive.

Only when a gentle breeze stirred and dispersed the dust did his true face become clear – it was the young Daoist who had appeared in the ruins of the Demon-Suppressing Cave.

However, unlike his earlier arrogant demeanor, the young Daoist now knelt in utter fear and trepidation.

On the high platform to the north, four lotus-shaped altars were arranged in a row, upon which sat four eminent cultivators, their Daoist forms manifesting their Dharma bodies.

On the far right was a woman in palace attire, draped in a purple-gold Daoist robe, her hands forming the Grandmaster's mudra. At first glance, she appeared cold and aloof, like an iceberg lotus, with boundless divine light condensing behind her head into a mirror-like wheel, from which a sword-shaped jade hairpin shone in the center.

On the far left is a disheveled old Taoist priest, clad in a patchwork hemp robe. One hand rests on his knee, supporting his chin, while the

other strokes his beard. His eyes are closed, seemingly fast asleep. Boundless divine light condenses behind his head, forming a mirror-like halo that hangs high. Looking at it, a whisk, swirling with countless strands of sword energy, illuminates the center. To the right of the center is a boy in a green robe, his hair in two buns. His brows and eyes reveal an indescribable sense of vicissitude, and a strand of white hair adorns his forehead. The boy's hands hang at his knees, and boundless divine light condenses behind his head, forming a mirror-like halo that illuminates a sword-shaped jade talisman, carved with dragon and phoenix patterns, its precious light flickering.

To the left of the center is a dignified middle-aged man, clad in a bright yellow Taoist robe. His hands form a sword-finger gesture, crossed like yin and yang fish. Boundless divine light condenses behind his head, forming a mirror-like halo that illuminates an ancient wooden sword suspended in the center.

Having condensed the Dao-proving artifacts, these four cultivators were at least at the level of condensing the Dan Yang!

However, these cultivators, at such a high level, seemed to have their cultivation disrupted, glaring angrily at the center of the hall, at the young Daoist prostrating himself.

For a long while, he trembled more and more violently, but still received no words.

"Alas!"

The dignified middle-aged Daoist finally sighed, and then, a resounding Daoist voice echoed throughout the vast Great Dao Hall, like celestial music, like divine celestial accompaniment.

"Jin Guan, this is how you show off your power when I send you out of the mountain gate to handle affairs? You push everything onto Elder Dingyou, as if you've thrown away some hot potato. What? You think that by arranging things this way, our sect's reputation won't be lost? Do you really not care whether we find our Jieyun lineage's spiritual treasures or not?"

Upon hearing the middle-aged Taoist's rebuke, Daoist Jin Guan's body trembled violently. Fortunately, he finally stopped trembling. He wanted to look up, but dared not look at the high platform, and only spoke to himself.

"Reporting to Senior Master, the disappearance of that spiritual object is suspicious; it's most likely with that descendant of the Chunyu family! But they've already gone to the mountain to challenge us, so what could I do? Go to Tingchang Mountain and invite trouble from the Chunyu family? Wouldn't that also be a disgrace to the sect? Therefore, I was caught off guard and had Elder Ding take the blame... This is my fault."

At first, Jin Guan sounded aggrieved, but seeing the increasingly cold gazes of the people on the platform, he knew the gravity of the situation and reluctantly admitted his mistake. As soon

as he finished speaking, the boy slapped his knee in anger.

"Is that all your faults? Whether Elder Ding takes the blame or not, whether you lose face or not, behind closed doors, none of that matters. Before he left, I repeatedly told you to bring back the spiritual object, how could you be so careless!" "

Before our ancestor passed away, he sacrificed his lifespan to see the secrets of heaven, leaving behind a prophecy that our lineage's Cloud-Splitting Scripture would be perfected soon! That spiritual object, placed in the Demon-Suppressing Cave, was nourished day and night by the evil energy, meant to be refined into a sword embryo to teach you disciples to undergo tribulations and complete the scripture!"

"Now Elder Ding has been offended, face has been lost, and the spiritual object is nowhere to be found..."

"I knew you would ruin things, but I never expected you to mess it up like this!"

He looked like a boy, but his temper was the most volatile.

A few words made Jin Guan lower his head, and the boy then looked at the disheveled old Taoist on the left.

"Senior Brother, this isn't just a simple matter of losing a spiritual object. It concerns the opportunity for the completion of the lineage. You need to make a decision on how to remedy this."

Upon hearing this, the disheveled Taoist seemed to wake up from a deep sleep.

He glanced at Jin Guan with sleepy eyes, then smiled kindly.

"Why are you so harsh on the child? Everyone makes mistakes! If you ask me, the matter of undergoing tribulation to replenish the scriptures doesn't need to wait for some 'soon'! From the moment the spiritual object was lost, our lineage was already in the midst of opportunity!"

"As for that child from the Chunyu family, I don't think he's greedy for such a spiritual object. Besides, he has the Chunyu family patriarch and the Danxia Old Mother of Tingchang Mountain behind him. These two are rare insightful figures among aristocratic families and rogue cultivators. When it comes to matters concerning our lineage, they'd rather avoid it than get involved easily!"

"Of course, speaking objectively, they've already gotten involved. In the future, depending on the situation, we'll have to teach both families a lesson before they'll be spared."

"As for the opportunity, and that spiritual object..."

"The matter originated in the Demon Suppression Cave, so we should search for it there. If it's not in the original place, it should be with the original person!"

"Now, in our lineage, the one most deeply entangled in karma is still that child, Jin Guan."

“Good child, listen to your senior uncle. A fall into a pit, a gain in your wit. You still need to go through this. Experience things in this world gradually. Just don't repeat the mistakes you've made.”

Saying this, ignoring the growing joy on Jin Guan's face, the disheveled old Taoist turned his head to look at the aloof woman in palace attire on the far right.

“Junior sister, you are Jin Guan's master. Why don't you say something and ask him to go again, okay?” Hearing this, the woman in palace attire finally spoke, her voice clear and melodious, like a secluded spring in

a valley, just like her appearance and temperament—truly aloof.

“As senior brother says, let him go. If he can't accomplish anything, I, as his master, will take his place!”