Jiang Shu boarded the ship and entered the Golden Tower, using the Heavenly Escape Mirror to cover the Nine Palace Divine Sword.

Before coming here, Shi Feiyang had instructed him to go directly to the upper levels to seize treasures as soon as he entered the first floor and not to linger there, no matter how many treasures he could take.

Following his advice, Jiang Shu held the treasure mirror to lead the way, his entire body enveloped in a blue aura, swiftly moving past the first floor and flying into the second.

No sooner had he stepped up than Zheng Dianxian rushed in.

Beside Zheng Dianxian was the reincarnated being of Fairy Cui Wu from Jinchun Valley on Immortal Mountain, who used to be the Cyan Parasol Fairy. As they flew in side by side, they encountered nine streaks of golden Sword Qi flying towards them. The Sword Qi wove into a net, aiming to slice them to pieces, so they quickly used their Flying Sword Magical Treasures to defend themselves.

They had also calculated their approach and knew about the Nine Palaces Sword Formation within. The two took positions at the Eastern Shock and Northeast Gen, as well as the Southwest Kun—both earth elements—simultaneously as they performed hand seals and sacrificed their Magical Treasures to suppress the Sword Formation. Just then, two more people broke in from outside, Si Taixu, the hemp-crowned Taoist, and Wu Li.

Si Taixu and Wu Li had been driven away from Qingcheng Mountain by Shi Feiyang and Jiang Shu, losing Golden Whip Cliff. The last time Shi Feiyang was refining swords in the Star Constellations Sea, the two tried to kick him while he was down but were intercepted by Jiang Shu en route, provoking a duel. Despite having the advantage in numbers, they gained no upper hand and even had several of their Magical Treasures damaged by Jiang Shu using the Broken Jade Hook and the Heavenly Escape Mirror.

Not only the narrow-minded Wu Li was furious, but even Si Taixu thought that Jiang Shu and Shi Feiyang were taking things too far!

After returning to Lao Mountain, the two ran into three disciples—Wan Zhen, Yu Fangheng, and Li Wenyan—who had opened up a separate residence there under the tutelage of Emei Sect's Master Baiyun. According to their past behavior, they should have forcefully driven them away, but with the common enemy Shi Feiyang, they became friends through adversity, forging an alliance.

Both sides exhausted their Heart Power in refining Magical Treasures, preparing to take revenge on Shi Feiyang.

Wu Li and Si Taixu were near Heavenly Immortal level cultivators, but because they belonged to a side path, even though their spells were powerful, they were unbalanced. Wan Zhen was the eldest disciple of Master Baiyun, who was the senior to Qi Shuming. Master Baiyun had a very long history of cultivation, and Wan Zhen also had two to three hundred years of mana, being a direct disciple of the Mysterious Sect; the exchanges benefited them both.

This time, all parties recalculated the Heavenly Number and spread the word outward:

Some claimed that the Illusion Wave Pool Treasure Vault had opened, containing several hundred Magical Treasures left by Saintess Jiayin and divine medicines like Poison Dragon Pills that could transform non-human beings.

Others loudly proclaimed that the Yuan River Treasure Ship had nearly a thousand treasures left by Guang Chengzi, where even a random blade, spear, axe, or maul was an Ancient Treasure.

Still, others propagated that within the Great Hero Treasure Vault in West Kongtong, there were treasures left by Zen Master Da Xiong. Not only could the Conch Leaf Talismans reverse time, but even the mountain itself was a spirit stone brought from Western Tianzhu by the Zen Master; refining even a fist-sized piece of residue into a jade seal was a formidable Magical Treasure!

Wu Li and Si Taixu received the news and decided to seize the treasures of the Golden Ship, looking for an opportunity to loot amidst the chaos and to get back at Jiang Shu. They even invited Wan Zhen and the other two, who were interested, but at the last moment, Master Baiyun sent a Flying Sword Transmission forbidding them, so they had to abandon the plan.

Wu Li and Si Taixu calculated the perfect timing and rushed over, encountering Zheng Dianxian and Cui Wu as soon as they entered.

The four of them exchanged glances. Cui Wu, also from a side path, had some past connection with Si Taixu and knew it was not appropriate to fight in such a place. She loudly suggested, "There are plenty of Magical Treasures on board; there's no need for us to fight over them. We all share a common enemy; why not join forces to break the formation and seize the treasures?"

Wu Li hesitated, but Si Taixu quickly agreed, "That is what we should do!"

Cui Wu then said, "Please, fellow Taoists, quickly take up positions in the West Lake and Northwest Qian. These nine swords are also part of an impressive set of Flying Swords; let's secure them first!"

Wu Li and Si Taixu rushed forward to seize the Lake and Qian positions.

The four cast spells at the same time, intending to break the formation and take possession of the Nine Palace Divine Swords.

Suddenly, an angry voice from outside roared, "Who do you think you are to take these nine treasure swords?"

Following this, a Taoist flew in quickly. He carried a treasure sword on his back, hung a gourd at his waist, and held a horsetail whisk in his hand.

"Taiyin Hunyuan Ancestor!" Zheng Dianxian exclaimed in shock.

Taiyin Hunyuan Ancestor was already the Sect Hierarch of Wutai and a grandmaster of his time. In the last battle at the Star Constellations Sea, he had slain many elders of the Emei Sect. People had since rumored he had become demonized and was brought back to Wutai Mountain by Shi Feiyang and Xu Feiniang for secluded cultivation. Many speculated that he had fully merged with the Primordial Spirit of Chi You, had completely lost his senses, and could no longer break free. Having not shown himself in many years, his appearance here was unexpected.

Hearing Zheng Dianxian call out this name, the other three were also greatly startled.

Wu Li was still not quite convinced and asked in a deep voice, "Are you actually here to protect the demon of the Shi clan and the deceitful Daoist Jiang Shu?"

The Taiyin Hunyuan Ancestor sneered coldly. From beginning to end, he never even glanced at him, his eyes flashing red as he simply looked up at the Nine Divine Swords. Memories and rage flooded his mind from deep within. These Swords of the Nine Palaces were refined by Guang Chengzi for Emperor Xuanyuan to use against Chi You, used to slay many of Chi You's ministerial servants, and even Chi You himself was eventually dismembered and killed by these swords!

Last time, in the Star Constellations Sea, the Taiyin Hunyuan Ancestor merged into one with the Heavenly Demon Immortal Slaying Sword. Although he was forcibly separated by Shi Feiyang later, he still suffered "aftereffects."

If the Taiyin Hunyuan Ancestor had regarded this sword as venomous and sealed it away, abandoned it, or destroyed it entirely, possessing such a "heart of severance," he would have been unaffected by the sword. However, he could not bring himself to have such "resolute determination," since his best hope in the future swordfight against the Emei Sect still depended on this sword. Since he had expectations, it gave the Sword Demon an opportunity to exploit.

In his subsequent cultivation, the Demon Sword continued to serve as a hook, stirring his "concerns." Since it weighed on his heart, its influence grew without pause, subtly altering him. Over the years, the Taiyin Hunyuan Ancestor finally "came to an understanding." To surpass the Emei Sect, to vent the years of pent-up fury, and to avenge his disciples from the past, it all relied on this sword. Therefore, constantly avoiding and severing the connection was nothing but self-deception; besides, without Human Sword Unity, its power was insufficient. Otherwise, the future would still end in defeat at the hands of the Emei, with an even more miserable outcome!

After careful consideration, the Taiyin Hunyuan Ancestor decided to commence with Body Refining Sword again, merging into one with the sword, but unlike the previous emergency in the Star Constellations Sea where he rushed into direct fusion, this time he proceeded methodically, refining and merging bit by bit, ensuring throughout the process that he always maintained control and was not overtaken by the Sword Demon's mind.

If this were the former Taiyin Hunyuan Ancestor, he would have undoubtedly become a slave to the Demon Sword again within a few years. This time, he had the Wutai scriptures that Shi Feiyang helped them rewrite, which contained many teachings of the Dao. The Taiyin Hunyuan Ancestor was also extremely talented—one in ten thousand—years of practice and a profound understanding of the Dao allowed him to stay lucid and not be completely controlled by the Demon Sword.

Even so, he couldn't avoid being subtly influenced by the Demon Sword, especially in these recent years, as his temperament grew increasingly irritable and unrestful. Whenever anger arose, he had the urge to draw his sword and slay anyone who dared to be his enemy or stand in his way.

Knowing this was not good, he handed over the teaching affairs to Xu Feiniang and left Wutai Mountain alone in search of the other two Chi You Scriptures.

There are a total of three "Chi You Three Disks Scriptures" in the world. One is in the hands of Master Di Can of the Red Clouds, which Shi Feiyang and the Taiyin Hunyuan Ancestor obtained before. Another is with Geng Kun at Roc Bay, Da Peng Bay, of Donghai Tie Di Gou, and the third is in the possession of the Old Demon, the Red Corpse God Monarch, in West Kunlun.

Over the years, the Taiyin Hunyuan Ancestor went to the East Sea. Since Geng Kun seldom visited Central Earth and bore no enmity with the Wutai Sect, even knowing Xu Feiniang, the Taiyin Hunyuan Ancestor sought him out, proposing an exchange of his own scripture with Geng Kun. In this way, both would have two each, which was a mutually beneficial arrangement in theory.

However, Geng Kun was greedy and ruthless, luring the Taiyin Hunyuan Ancestor into an underground cave under false pretenses.

His cave entrance began on the island and descended all the way to the deep sea floor, where he had prearranged various Heavenly Forbidden Techniques and Prohibition Formations. When the Taiyin Hunyuan Ancestor arrived, he raised his hand to unleash lightning, triggering the ambush, intending to kill the Taiyin Hunyuan Ancestor, seize his scripture, and take the Heavenly Demon Immortal Slaying Sword.

What kind of person was the Taiyin Hunyuan Ancestor? Not only was he proficient in Innate Divine Calculation, but after merging with the sword, he also had Heavenly Demon Sensing. He had detected the danger in advance, pre-emptively calculated Geng Kun's entire scheme, and turned the tables. He took the initiative to enter the ambush cave, and once Geng Kun made his move, he started casting spells in counteraction.

The two engaged in a duel that lasted the time it takes to finish a meal, during which the Taiyin Hunyuan Ancestor broke through all of Geng Kun's major and minor Heavenly Forbidden Techniques one by one, and destroyed all his Magical Treasures.

It was only then that Geng Kun realized the extent of his peril and frantically tried to flee, but he was promptly slain by the Taiyin Hunyuan Ancestor with a single stroke of his sword.

Fortunately, he had cultivated his Three Corpse Incarnations, and although his Lifebound Primordial Spirit and two incarnations were extinguished, one survived and escaped to the earth below.

The Taiyin Hunyuan Ancestor pursued, intent on annihilating him completely when a youth with a pair of wings suddenly flew in from the west—it was Zhu Changyuan.

Zhu Zaiyu, aware of Zhu Changyuan's past, deciphered Heaven's Secret and predicted this calamity in Geng Kun's fate. Just before this, Zhu Changyuan had reached a certain degree in his cultivation, regaining all the memories of his past life. He remembered that he was formerly called Geng Peng, born of the union between a great roc and a mortal, and that his brother, now practicing in the East Sea, was Geng Kun.

Geng Kun had always been impulsive and irascible, unforgiving even when he was in the right, and he acted in both secretive and ruthless ways. The relationship between the brothers was fraught with tension; Geng Kun always insisted on having the upper hand in every situation...

Yet, their brotherly bond was genuine. After the death of Geng Peng, Geng Kun had been scheming to avenge him, crafting several Magical Treasures specifically designed to defeat foxes. He was waiting for the opportune moment when Lady Bao Xiang would face her Heavenly Tribulation to strike at Fishing Rock, seize the Heavenly Fox Inner Core, eliminate the Demon Fox Nascent Soul, and avenge his brother.

Zhu Zaiyu then sent Zhu Changyuan to hasten to the East Sea to rescue Geng Kun, thus settling this karmic debt.

Following Zhu Zaiyu's instructions, Zhu Changyuan strapped on the Celestial Dragon Sword given to him by Shi Feiyang to his back and flew rapidly like his former self. Upon encountering the Taiyin Hunyuan Ancestor, he greeted him with the respect due from a junior, mentioned Shi Feiyang, and explained that he was once the brother of Geng Kun in a previous life and was now a disciple of Shi Feiyang in this one. Although Geng Kun had harmed others first and accumulated deep karmic sins, he still begged the Great Ancestor to show mercy and provide him with a chance for reincarnation.

The Heavenly Demon Immortal Slaying Sword, influenced by the dark, continuously replayed the loathsome images of Geng Kun plotting against him in his mind. It was adamant that he must kill Geng Kun, or else the scheming and vengeful Geng Kun would surely seek retribution against him in the future. It even showed the Taiyin Hunyuan Ancestor a vision of the future:

The Taiyin Hunyuan Ancestor wielding the Heavenly Demon Immortal Slaying Sword, slaying enemies all around, while Geng Kun's reincarnated self and the youth before him launch a stealthy attack, severing his arms and legs...

The Demon Sword urged the Taiyin Hunyuan Ancestor to kill Geng Kun and the youth at once, to prevent future troubles.

Fortunately, at that moment, the Taiyin Hunyuan Ancestor maintained control and refrained from taking action, allowing Zhu Changyuan to take Geng Kun's Primordial Spirit away.

After obtaining Geng Kun's Chi You Three Disks Scripture, the Taiyin Hunyuan Ancestor's Mana improved leaps and bounds. However, with two-thirds of the Chi You Primordial Spirit now fused within the scriptures, its strength—and its influence over the Taiyin Hunyuan Ancestor—became increasingly profound.

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