Just do that.
"I didn't want to expose myself, but since you've found out, you'll have to die," the Black Dragon said coldly.
"The Demon Cult? You’re nothing but vermin that can't even stand in the light," Lin Yaoyao said coldly.
"You're courting death!"
The Black Dragon brandished his large saber and lunged, cutting off Lin Yaoyao's escape route. Lin Yaoyao balled her left hand into a fist. Just as the saber slashed down, she struck it, knocking it off course. She then raised her Spirit Sword and pierced directly through the Black Dragon’s scapula.
The intense pain was agonizing for the Black Dragon. Just as he was about to scream, Lin Yaoyao knocked him unconscious with a single punch.
"Hmph, I told you, the Demon Cult is just vermin that can't stand in the light," Lin Yaoyao scoffed.
After knocking the two out, Lin Yaoyao kicked them both down the mountain, where they landed right in the septic tank.
*Splash!*
Excrement flew everywhere, spraying outward. A dozen nearby disciples were covered from head to toe. They looked at each other and couldn't help but vomit. Unable to stand the stench, they all ran back to Yushou Peak to wash up.
"Who is trying to target my Xiaoyao Peak?" Lin Yaoyao pondered, confused. "And they even contacted the Demon Cult."
After thinking for a long time, Lin Yaoyao simply threw the two men away from Xiaoyao Peak. No matter who they were, if they dared to come, she would make them pay a heavy price.
After finishing her thoughts, Lin Yaoyao looked toward Xiaoyao Pavilion. *I must go and protect Master. Otherwise, with his Qi Condensation cultivation, anyone could easily take him out.*
*Master, wait for me! Your disciple is coming to save you!*
Outside Xiaoyao Peak, the ten shadows of the Demon Cult gathered.
"It's about time. With the strength of Black Tiger and Black Dragon, they should have already subdued the master and disciple of Xiaoyao Peak!" a Shadow whispered.
"Let's move, enter!" Tian Jia commanded.
"Yes!" the others replied.
The ten of them were the most powerful force in Molue Palace, experts in assassination, each possessing the cultivation of a Nascent Soul. Their names were ranked from Tian Jia to Tian Gui, with higher ranks indicating greater strength.
Inside Xiaoyao Pavilion, Yekong smelled the stench and woke up.
*Who is relieving themselves on my Xiaoyao Peak? The smell has reached my Xiaoyao Pavilion!*
Yekong frowned deeply; the smell permeated most of Xiaoyao Peak. *Didn't you say the odor wouldn't spread? Qin Shou, are you trying to screw over your master—no, your master's uncle?*
"You've turned my Xiaoyao Peak into a hell of stench, don't blame me for punishing you!"
Yekong was quite angry. It was promised that the smell wouldn't spread, yet it became even worse at night. *Even if the Sect Master ordered it, you can't be this lazy, can you? Don't you know that such foul-smelling waste can easily affect a person's sleep? If this smell drifts over to Tao Mountain, my disciple will pass out from the stench!*
As Yekong thought this and prepared to channel his spiritual power, he suddenly sensed ten people sneaking closer. Their stealth was excellent, and they were all gripping sharp blades with their auras restrained.
"Where did these bugs come from?" Yekong frowned. *Coming to my Xiaoyao Peak in the middle of the night? Are they here to deal with my disciple?*
Yekong frowned slightly, sensing the demonic energy on them. They were clearly not good people. With a flicker of his feet, he appeared silently in front of the ten men.
"Remember, do not expose your aura. First, go and rendezvous with Black Dragon and Black Tiger!" Tian Jia ordered.
"Understood!" they replied.
"The disciple of Xiaoyao Peak is said to be very beautiful. When we leave later, should we kidnap her and present her to the Palace Master?" Tian Yi asked.
"Very well," Tian Jia nodded.
*So they really are here to deal with my disciple. I can't let you lot go.* Yekong channeled the spiritual power in his body and gently raised his palm.
"Watch out, there's—"
Tian Jia sensed a threat behind him, but before he could finish his sentence, Yekong swung his hand, instantly knocking all ten of them unconscious. Tian Jia lost consciousness before he could even react, not even knowing who had struck him.
Yekong looked at the ten men before him, hesitating whether to kill them or hand them over to the Sect Master. Interrogating them about why they had come to the Stellar River Sect was a job for the Sect Master.
The stench in the air interrupted Yekong’s thoughts. *Ah, that's right, I still need to teach Qin Shou a lesson.*
Yekong returned to his senses, looked at the ten men in black lying on the ground, and a thought struck him. He waved his hand, and all ten shadows flew up, landing straight into the septic tank. Yekong formed a seal with his hands, setting up a small formation that sealed them all within the pit.
As soon as it was opened... *splat*... it would be a total catastrophe.
"Dear nephew, don't blame your uncle for giving you a little lesson," Yekong said calmly. *You were the one who was unreasonable and filled my Xiaoyao Peak with this stench, so don't blame your uncle for this small disciplinary action.*
After saying this, Yekong walked toward Tao Mountain. He had to go and protect his disciple; who knew if these bugs had a backup plan? Even though he didn't know what they were here for, as a Master, he had to protect his disciple.
Meanwhile, after Lin Yaoyao had dealt with the assassins, she was also rushing toward her Master. *Master is so weak, I must ensure nothing happens to him.*
The two of them, without consulting each other, thought only of protecting the other and quickened their pace toward each other's location.
On the edge of Tao Mountain, the moment Yekong stepped into the area, he saw Lin Yaoyao. Lin Yaoyao looked at her Master with surprise. They met under the moonlight, the scene quite harmonious.
*Master, do you know that there are Demon Cult members on Xiaoyao Peak right now? And you're running to my Tao Mountain in the middle of the night—you really aren't afraid of trouble? This Master of mine, he really makes me worry. I'm the one who should be protecting you!*
Yekong frowned as he looked at Lin Yaoyao out wandering in the middle of the night. *It’s so dangerous at night, and you're just wandering around? If I hadn't stepped in to handle those bugs, you would have been in danger, you know. This disciple of mine, she really doesn't let me rest.*
"Disciple, wandering around in the middle of the night, aren't you afraid of ghosts and monsters?" Yekong asked.
Lin Yaoyao felt immense disdain upon hearing this. *Afraid of ghosts? So that's why you came to my Tao Mountain in the middle of the night—you're afraid of ghosts! Master, we are cultivators! Have you ever seen a cultivator afraid of ghosts? Don't you know there are assassins out there far scarier than ghosts? This Master is so worry-inducing. If another thief pops out in the middle of the night, what will you do?*
"Master, your disciple is not afraid of ghosts or monsters," Lin Yaoyao said.
"Mm, that’s good," Yekong nodded slightly and said, "Disciple, Xiaoyao Peak hasn't been peaceful lately. I was afraid you might be in trouble, so I came to Tao Mountain to protect you."
Lin Yaoyao felt a wave of disdain. *Master, it’s clearly you who are afraid of ghosts and came to find me. And you say you’re protecting me? At the very least, I’ve reached Foundation Establishment, while you’re only at Qi Condensation. Who’s protecting who? Sigh, Master is too concerned about his pride. Very well, I won't expose you.*
"Fine, thank you, Master," Lin Yaoyao nodded.
Yekong nodded slightly and followed Lin Yaoyao back to her thatched cottage on Tao Mountain. Upon entering the room, Yekong smelled the unique fragrance on his disciple, which was intoxicating. He also unexpectedly saw the Purple Phoenix Spirit he had given her resting on the bed.
When Lin Yaoyao saw the Purple Phoenix Spirit on the bed, her face turned red, and she hurriedly tucked it away.
*Disciple, you aren't using that for... that, are you?* Yekong thought, his breath hitching. *But it's probably fine.*
*Master, don't overthink it! I didn't use it for anything! If you’re overthinking, I can explain!*
The atmosphere became slightly awkward.
***
**Chapter 21: The Demon Cult... Came to Steal Manure**
At the foot of Xiaoyao Peak, Qin Shou woke up, stretched, and walked to the septic tank. He opened his mouth to yawn but suddenly inhaled a peculiar gas.
"Blegh..."
Qin Shou immediately vomited up the leftovers he’d eaten the day before. "Did the septic tank explode?"
He stood up and looked around; there wasn't a soul in sight. "Where is everyone?"
He pinched his nose and walked to the side of the tank, seeing that it had been covered with a lid. "Who the hell put the lid on? If you put the lid on, the smell can't dissipate!"
Qin Shou was speechless. When he built the tank, he had never intended to cover it. He just wanted to dig a hole at the foot of Xiaoyao Peak and dump the waste in. "Just you wait, I'll teach you all a lesson when I get back!"
He reached out and removed the lid. As it came off, a flash of light appeared.
*BOOM!*
After a loud bang, excrement flew through the sky. Qin Shou, standing in the middle, was covered in it. The disciples from Yushou Peak, who had just finished washing up, arrived and were instantly contaminated by the foul stench the moment they got close.
Qin Shou was dumbfounded. *Who the hell set a trap in the septic tank?*
Qin Shou wiped the filth from his eyes and saw twelve people lying in the pit, and he was stunned. *What is going on? How could they be hiding in the septic tank?*
The Yushou Peak disciples behind him had wanted to go back to wash up, but seeing Qin Shou still standing there, they hurried over. They saw the people lying in the pit; they were wearing black robes, and some were injured.
Qin Shou looked at their necks and saw tattoos. His eyes widened. "De... Demon Cult!"
"Senior Brother, are they..." the disciples behind him asked.
"They are people from the Demon Cult!" Qin Shou said hurriedly. *Did the Demon Cult come to steal manure?*
"Hiss, Demon Cult!"
"Senior Brother is amazing! To be able to defeat the Demon Cult in the middle of the night!"
"Senior Brother is so strong! He defeated the Demon Cult disciples without anyone noticing!"
Everyone marveled, and Qin Shou started to believe that he really had done it.
"The people of the Demon Cult deserve to be killed by everyone. I have only caught a few small-fry, it's nothing," Qin Shou said, standing with his hands behind his back and his head held high. "One day, I will personally uproot the Demon Cult!"
When these words were spoken, many disciples were filled with admiration. Of course, it would be even better if Qin Shou wasn't covered in feces.
"Senior Brother is truly impressive!"
Qin Shou, with his hands behind his back, ordered, "Take them to Xinghe Hall!"
The other disciples dropped their tools, tied up the Demon Cult disciples, and escorted them back to Xinghe Hall.
In Xinghe Hall, a stench permeated the air. Luoyang Tian, the Sect Master of the Stellar River Sect, who walked upon the stars with his back to the common people, was forced to plug his nose.
*This is disgusting! Catching assassins is one thing, but did you have to bring them back covered in manure? Was it necessary?*
The Great Elder pinched his nose and used water to wake the Demon Cult members on the floor. He had to figure out how they got in.
After Tian Jia woke up, he looked around, smelled the stench, and immediately vomited. *Gag...* This vomiting made the already foul-smelling Xinghe Hall even worse.
Qin Shou kicked Tian Jia and cupped his hands. "Sect Master, these Demon Cult members came to my Stellar River Sect to steal manure, and I caught them! Please, Sect Master, punish them!"
*Stealing manure?* Luoyang Tian was stunned. *The Demon Cult traveled all this way just to steal manure? Are you serious?*
Tian Jia was also stunned. He looked at the feces covering them, then looked up at Qin Shou. His anger flared. *They knocked us out, threw us into a manure pit, and then slandered the Demon Cult by saying we came to steal manure! This is too much!*
"Qin Shou, you say they came to steal manure. What evidence do you have?" the Great Elder asked.
"Reporting to the Elder, I caught them inside the manure pit!" Qin Shou said truthfully.
The Great Elder’s expression was strange. *The Demon Cult is truly ruthless, hiding in a manure pit!*
Tian Jia and his men were so angry they passed out. To be ambushed, knocked out, thrown into a pit, and then slandered as manure thieves? Was Molue Palace short of manure?
"Qin Shou, this shadow will be your mortal enemy!" Tian Jia gritted his teeth.
Qin Shou grabbed a handful of filth from his own body and stuffed it into Tian Jia’s mouth, blocking it. "You came to steal manure, so why are you acting like I’m slandering you?" Qin Shou said irritably.
Tian Jia was so insulted by Qin Shou that he nearly exploded. "Qin Shou, I want you dead!" Tian Jia roared, his body turning red, his aura surging.
"Look, I guessed right, you're agitated now!" Qin Shou said from the side.
"ROAR!" Tian Jia let out a fierce roar, his body rapidly cracking. The Great Elder waved his hand, shielding Qin Shou and the others.
*BANG!*
With a loud blast, Tian Jia self-detonated, and the other Demon Cult members were caught in the blast and died. Luoyang Tian reached out with his right hand and absorbed the power of the detonation, though his hand became stained in the process.
The force of the detonation was gone, but the manure on them had splattered all over Xinghe Hall.
Luoyang Tian was on the verge of a breakdown; he couldn't stand it anymore, and he felt like he didn't want his right hand anymore. It was already smelly, and now the entire hall was coated.
"Qin Shou, you may leave. For the contribution you’ve made to the Stellar River Sect, I will reward you later," Luoyang Tian said, suppressing his anger.
"Capturing manure thieves for the sect is my duty, Qin Shou will not shirk!" Qin Shou cupped his hands.
Luoyang Tian: ... *Get out!*
The Great Elder couldn't take it either and waved his hand, sending Qin Shou and the others out.
The people were gone, but the smell remained. Luoyang Tian calmed his emotions and ordered, "Great Elder, go and investigate how the Demon Cult members infiltrated the sect."
"They infiltrated, but it definitely wasn't for manure; they were here to save someone."
"Sect Master, are you saying... the Demon Cult Ancestor?" the Great Elder asked.
Luoyang Tian nodded slightly. "It is very likely."
If it really was the Demon Cult, then everything made sense. After all, the Demon Cult Ancestor was sealed beneath the Stellar River Sect. If Molue Palace sent their most powerful shadows, how could they just be here to steal manure?
Qin Shou didn't understand, but he knew exactly what was going on. The Demon Cult Ancestor was an absolute powerhouse on the Lianyun Continent. Years ago, major sects joined forces to encircle and attack him, leaving him severely wounded, but the major sects themselves suffered heavy losses and were forced to retreat. The previous Sect Master of the Stellar River Sect had died that way.
"After all these years, I didn't expect the Demon Cult to still not give up," the Great Elder said indignantly. Once the Demon Cult Ancestor came out of seclusion, he would inevitably bring the Demon Cult back to wreak havoc. The Demon Cult Ancestor was a terrifying existence. If he were saved, he would surely spark a war and ruin the world!
"Great Elder, issue an order immediately. Tell the Peak Masters to keep their disciples in line and have the Law Enforcement Hall patrol day and night." As soon as the Demon Cult made a move, they had to be prepared. This was the deterrent power the Demon Cult Ancestor brought.
"Understood!" The Great Elder bowed and turned to leave.
"Wait a moment, get someone to clean up the manure in Xinghe Hall," Luoyang Tian ordered, then vanished above the stars. It was too smelly.
***
**Chapter 22: I, Luoyang Tian, Suppress the Demon Ancestor with One Hand!**
The next day, clear and bright. On Xiaoyao Peak, Tao Mountain, Yekong stretched and walked out of Lin Yaoyao’s thatched cottage. A night had passed, and no assassins had returned; it was likely that the crisis had passed.
Yekong glanced back at Lin Yaoyao, saw she was still meditating, and decided not to wake her. He left Tao Mountain and sat by the Bitter Sea to fish.
Suddenly, the System’s voice echoed in his ear.
"Ding! Congratulations to the Host for breaking the peace, you have obtained an opportunity for a special item fishing session!"
Not long after the System’s voice fell, Yekong cast his rod, and a mirror appeared in his hand.
"Heavenly Net Mirror: Those reflected by this mirror will have their cultivation drop by ninety percent!"
After hearing the System’s explanation, Yekong looked at himself in the mirror, observing his handsome face, and channeled his spiritual power.
*Hum!*
Yekong immediately felt his own spiritual power drained by ninety percent, though it had little impact on him. *Not bad!* If not activated, this mirror was just a normal mirror; only after activation would it reduce cultivation.
Yekong flipped his hand and put the mirror away, intending to use it when the opportunity arose. He put the mirror away and continued fishing.
"I love fishing, fishing is so good." Yekong couldn't help but sing.
A quarter of an hour later, Lin Yaoyao quietly opened her eyes. Seeing that her Master was gone, she breathed a sigh of relief. Last night, neither of them had slept. One was worried about the Demon Cult, and the other was terrified that the other would do *that* to them.
Lin Yaoyao looked at the Purple Phoenix Spirit in her hand and frowned. *I hope Master doesn't think too much of it. I'm only using this to cultivate.*
Lin Yaoyao walked out of the cottage and saw her Master sitting by the Bitter Sea fishing. *Master is really something. He was scared to death last night, and today he's fishing leisurely.*
Lin Yaoyao muttered to herself and sat down by the pond to cultivate.
...
Molue Palace.
The life tablets of the ten shadows had all shattered, proving they were dead.
"Palace Master, should we continue to execute the plan?" Black Cloud asked, kneeling below.
"Yes," Xu Bubai nodded slightly. "The spiritual veins of Xiaoyao Peak have been interrupted; this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Send an order to the secret guards planted in the Stellar River Sect. Tell them to break the formation and release the Ancestor!"
"My Molue Palace has waited for this opportunity for too long; we absolutely cannot miss it!"
"Yes!" Black Cloud replied and turned to leave.
Xu Bubai sat on the main seat, fingers tapping the armrest. *The secret guards buried for so many years... it's time to use them.*
...
That night, a secret guard hiding in the Stellar River Sect descended from Tianjian Peak and, hidden in the darkness, quietly approached Xiaoyao Peak. Few people knew that the formation imprisoning the Demon Cult Ancestor was within the spiritual veins of Xiaoyao Peak.
The guard moved stealthily, approaching the excavated spiritual vein. Looking at the vein that had not yet recovered, he immediately took out a long black nail.
"Demon Cult Ancestor, come out!"
As the guard whispered this, he drove the long black nail into the spiritual vein.
*Rumble!*
The Stellar River Sect shook, and everyone was shaken awake from their sleep.
Inside Xinghe Hall, the stars beneath Luoyang Tian’s feet trembled restlessly, and a powerful aura spread from beneath him.
"Hehehehe, the Ancestor is coming out!"