Legend of the Great Sage

The Myriad sect.

Since the Spirit Reverend of Ocean Returnance declared Li Qingshan to be a traitor, it had already been two days. Like a boulder cast into the water, it set off a colossal wave, but it still ended up dying out.

Legends were just legends. People still had to live. What they cared most about was always themselves. Even if it was only some petty matters, it was more important than the lives and deaths of others.

The Myriad sect recovered its usual business. Those who gambled gambled, those who drank drank, those who cultivated cultivated, and those who sucked up to their higher-ups sucked up.

Gradually, Li Qingshan’s name ceased to be taboo. Instead, he became the topic of conversation on the streets.

In a remote little restaurant.

“Say, why did that Li Qingshan give up on being the comfortable first senior brother of the Myriad sect and defect to the Demon domain?”

“Now this is something you don’t know. That Li Qingshan was originally a spy sent here by the Demon domain, concealing his true cultivation to steal the secrets of the Myriad Heavenly Tomes. Now that he’s become the first senior brother and obtained many heavenly tomes, it’s obviously time for him to run back to the Demon domain.”

“How’s that possible!?” “Surely not!” “What a joke!” “What, is Li Qingshan supposed to be able to hide his cultivation before the Spirit Reverend of Ocean Returnance?”

The listening people nearby were either astounded, half-convinced, or they rebuked his words.

However, there were a few solemn men in the corner of the restaurant who held the bowls of alcohol in their hands firmly.

One of them was a dark-skinned man with large ears and a square face. His face immediately darkened slightly when he heard that, about to stand up. The man to his right immediately grabbed his wrist, which made him sway and fall back down on his bottom. He exhaled deeply from his nostrils and just drank away his grievances.

“Hehe, if Li Qingshan wasn’t hiding his true strength, how was he supposed to go from being an Origin Soul cultivator to a Yang Soul cultivator in such a short amount of time?”

A person smiled, looking at the rest of them like they were ignorant imbeciles. He was only a Foundation Establishment cultivator and still quite far off from the second heavenly tribulation. Despite that, his mannerisms gave off a sense of confidence like everything in the world was under his control.

“And of all the times these demonfolk could choose, they just chose to launch an invasion when Li Qingshan was there. According to my understanding, half of the direct disciples perished outside Black Cloud city! And that Li Qingshan is extremely despicable and vicious too. As soon as he entered the city, he destroyed the teleportation formation there, basically trapping everyone in the city!”

When he said that, everyone already became mostly convinced. That was the only explanation that made sense with the transition in Li Qingshan’s cultivation. Many people had already begun cursing Li Qingshan a horrible death as a traitor of humanity.

Even the rebuking people in the beginning became much quieter, gently sulking. “How can you say that? It was all thanks to Li Qingshan who repelled Demon God Taowu that Black Cloud city remained standing.”

“Heh, you believe that? A Yang Soul cultivator who’s only just undergone the fifth heavenly tribulation forcing back a Demon God?” He sneered. “Don’t forget, Li Qingshan relied on this exact battle to get his position as the first senior brother!”

This rationalisation made so much sense that even if Li Qingshan was here in person, he probably could not rebuke it!

Everyone could already clearly imagine Li Qingshan’s plan of action in their minds. They were completely convinced that he was a spy sent by the Demon domain. A series of furious curses rang out in the restaurant. Every single one of them were red-faced as they ground their teeth, basically tempted to skin this “damned traitor of humanity” alive and slice him to pieces.

“Fucking bullshit!”

With a sudden bellow, the dark-skinned man with large ears and a square face in the corner of the restaurant crushed his bowl with a crack and threw himself at the blabbering Qi Practitioner.

The people sitting with him stood up in a hurry, but it was already too late for them to stop him. At the same time, all of them were displeased as well, having no intentions of stopping him.

Perhaps they were not particularly knowledgeable. Apart from farming the land at home, all they had done in their lives was defend the stronghold.

However, they were all personal witnesses to the battle of Black Cloud city. They all knew that Li Qingshan did not destroy the teleportation hall to trap everyone in the city, but to force those lofty direct disciples to put their own skin in the game!

Furthermore, they had witnessed exactly how Li Qingshan had led the soldiers, charging into battle, forcing back wave after wave of demonfolk before fighting the embodiment of a Demon God, being torn to pieces, only resting when he died!

Not only did they see and hear that, they also experienced it themselves.

Because at that moment back then, they were fighting alongside Li Qingshan!

Li Qingshan did not repel the demonfolk army and defend Black Cloud city alone. Instead, he borrowed their power.

Li Qingshan had told this to them personally after the battle, as they had refused to accept Li Qingshan’s additional reward.

Yesterday, they had been recalled from the army. They heard countless insults towards Li Qingshan from countless people, calling him “traitor of humanity”, “defector”, and “spy”, but they put up with all of it. After all, they were only the lowest of disciples. They did not even count as disciples, only “attendants”. They did not understand exactly what had happened, nor could they make any decisions for the Myriad sect.

However, as they listened to these people twist the truth and sprout lies, they could no longer put up with it anymore.

Because that battle was their greatest pride!

The eloquent Foundation Establishment cultivator just happened to be complacent from his clever reasoning when fierce killing intent assaulted him from behind. He stiffened up, and all of his hairs stood on end. Before he could respond at all, a great force pressed his head down suddenly.

With a bang, his head smashed through the table, shattering the dishes and sending them flying everywhere. Followed by a thump, he struck the ground heavily, shattering and indenting a good part of it.

The dark-skinned man refused to let up. His fingers closed together like he was trying to crush his head. His eyes shone red as his face twisted viciously, frightening the people in the surroundings.

During the battle of Black Cloud city, he had perished three times and was reborn three times. His blazing battle intent had already earned him the blood of asura. Coupled with the rewards from the Desireless Heavenly Palace, the Myriad sect, and Li Qingshan, he had already undergone the first heavenly tribulation and established his foundation.

The person in his hand was also a Foundation Establishment cultivator, but apart from matches between fellow disciples, he had not experienced any true conflict. Under the intense pressure of murderousness, even his measly combat abilities were gone. He only wriggled and struggled around instinctively.

“What are you doing? What are you doing!?” His voice had become warped and shrill due to fear, like a pig about to be slaughtered. He no longer possessed any of his eloquence from before.

“Beating your ass!” The dark-skinned man lifted his fist and gave him a beating, but he did not use much force, only venting his anger.

The restaurant erupted with an uproar, followed by cries, “Stop! Stop fighting! How bold of you! Fighting is forbidden in Myriad city!” Others called out, “Go and find a patrolling officer!”

Meanwhile, his other companions had already gathered over silently before they all knew it.

At this moment, a man in black wielding a spade barged into the restaurant, calling out, “All of you, stop!”

“The patrolling officer is here!”

Patrolling officers belonged to the Department of Law and Punishment. They were responsible for the peace inside the city, and they all wore black and wielded spades, not for battle, but to stand out. After all, no one was actually bold enough to break the rules in Myriad city.

The men all looked at one another and thought, So quickly! Only then did they make their way over together and stop the dark-skinned man.

The Foundation Establishment cultivator who had been beaten black and blue dove over to the patrolling officer like he was his dad. “Sir, they’re trying to beat me to death! It’s all for that damned traitor of humanity, Li Qingshan! Quick, capture them! They’re all spies of the Demon domain!”

The patrolling officer ignored him. He only gazed at the men and read out a few names, “Dong Dagong, Jiang Xing, Li Xin… senior brother Leng sends his invitations!”

Their hearts sank. “Senior brother Leng” was one of the direct disciples. He was Leng Yuan, in charge of the Department of Law and Punishment. It was the Department of Law and Punishment that had recalled them from the army.

The redness within the eyes of the dark-skinned man called Dong Dagong faded away. He straightened out his expression and said rigidly, “What’s he inviting us for?”

The patrolling officer furrowed his brows and glanced at him deeply. “To draw a clear line between you and Li Qingshan!”