Nie Xiaoqian wasn't foolish.
Otherwise, she couldn't have survived under the Tree Demon Matriarch for so long, let alone rise to one of the highest-ranking positions by her side. Without keen perception and instinct, she would have died countless times already. Schemes and power struggles never disappear—especially when survival is at stake. In such situations, these conflicts grow even more intense, for they are battles over life and death.
Nie Xiaoqian, at heart, wasn't evil. If she were, she couldn't have remained pure among demons and monsters all this time.
Upon meeting Yi Tianxing and his group, a spark of hope flickered in her heart. It felt as though the opportunity she'd been waiting for all this time had finally arrived—right in front of her.
After a moment's hesitation, she gritted her teeth and suddenly knelt before Yi Tianxing, pleading,"Senior, please save me from this demonic pit. I would rather be reborn and start anew than remain in this forsaken Lanruo Temple. I'm afraid—I don't know how much longer I can hold out. Sooner or later, I'll become just like Matriarch herself: utterly fallen, devoid of conscience, ruthless and cruel."
There was a glimmer of hope in her expression.
She wasn't sure how long she could endure. From the Matriarch's offhand comments, she sensed that the old demon intended to marry her off to a powerful monster known as Heishan Old Demon. If that really happened, she feared she would be trapped forever—drowning in suffering for eternity, never able to escape.
She hadn't seriously entertained such thoughts before.
But the moment she saw Yi Tianxing, they surged forward instinctively.
"Oh? So how does the Tree Demon Matriarch control you all?"
Yi Tianxing looked at Nie Xiaoqian and asked calmly. He had to admit, this female ghost was indeed pitiable. Her sincere pleading made her all the more heart-wrenching, stirring a sense of compassion within him.
"The Matriarch's true form is a pagoda tree, which naturally gathers yin energy. This makes it extremely alluring to ghosts and spirits. Attaching ourselves to the tree significantly boosts our cultivation speed and condenses our souls, allowing us to grow stronger and even move about in daylight, unafraid of sunlight. But the price is steep—we must give the Matriarch a wisp of our soul essence. Even if someone refuses, she has methods to forcibly extract it.
"She crafts these soul essences into soul lanterns, which hang on the tree and glow at night. If she gets angry and extinguishes one of them, the ghost tied to it will perish instantly. That's why no one dares resist her."
Nie Xiaoqian's face paled as she spoke, involuntary fear creeping into her voice.
Clearly, the Matriarch's methods had been deeply etched into her soul.
"How interesting. Very well, I'll pay a visit to this so-called Tree Demon Matriarch and see how ruthless she really is."
Yi Tianxing nodded and gently waved his hand. A formless force lifted Nie Xiaoqian to her feet.
Nie Xiaoqian's heart trembled. In front of that power, she felt utterly powerless. Yet that very sensation sparked a strong hope within her. With strength like his, she truly had a chance of being saved.
"It's getting dark. I must return to Lanruo Temple. If Matriarch activates my soul lantern, the pain will be unbearable—worse than death."
Looking at the sky, she realized night had quietly descended. Especially in the wilderness, darkness spread rapidly.
"Very well. Go back for now, lest she becomes suspicious. That wouldn't help our cause."
Yi Tianxing agreed with a nod.
"In that case, I take my leave."
Nie Xiaoqian gave a polite bow to Cai Yan and the others, then vanished like a wisp of smoke.
"Do you really intend to save that ghost girl?" Yao Yue asked.
"Don't you want to see the Tree Demon Matriarch for yourselves? One of our Great Yi bounty hunters died at Lanruo Temple. Most likely, she's the culprit. Since she's the villain, she must pay the price. Justice must be done."
Yi Tianxing replied calmly.
No demon or monster could harm a citizen of Great Yi and walk away unscathed.
Whoever harms Great Yi's people shall be punished—no matter how far they run!
This was not an empty slogan, but a vow of action.
"Then we shall follow your lead," Cai Yan said with a nod.
Night fell.
The moon hung in a sparse sky. Lanruo Temple was cloaked in an eerie silence. Outside, the wind howled like a wailing ghost. Leaves danced through the air, tapping against shattered windows with sharp crackling sounds, like someone knocking.
The temple itself was deserted. It radiated a chilling, sinister aura.
At this moment, Yi Tianxing and his group had once again arrived at the temple gate.
"Something's not right. Look, my husband—there's light in the temple. Someone is here."
Lian Xing exclaimed in surprise.
Sure enough, a faint glow flickered within one of the temple buildings. At first glance, it might seem like ghost fire, but a closer look revealed it to be lamplight—emanating from a specific room.
"Why would someone be here?" Yi Tianxing frowned.
According to plan, Zhang Yue and the others should have already posted notices marking areas infested with demons. Bounty hunters shouldn't be wandering into such zones casually. The presence of light was suspicious.
"I sense intense sword qi. There must be a sword cultivator inside."
Probing further, he could feel a sharp, ferocious sword intent rising like a tide. The energy was so strong that even being near it made one's skin feel as if it were being cut open.
Only a sword cultivator or a supreme sword treasure could emanate such pressure.
Inside a guest room of the temple:
A rugged-looking middle-aged man sat cross-legged, illuminated by a flickering oil lamp beside him.
He wore black robes, with a sword box resting before him. Sword essence circulated from his body, flowing into the sword box, refining the flying sword within. After each cycle, the essence returned to him, more refined and razor-sharp than before. A faint spiritual connection was forming between man and sword.
Although his appearance was wild, a righteous aura radiated from him. His eyes were filled with unwavering resolve—a man who clearly despised evil.
He was a sword immortal.
"This is Lanruo Temple. According to intelligence from Great Yi, monsters haunt this place, and one has already slain a bounty hunter. That means it's no ordinary demon. The yin energy here is indeed terrifying."
"But with the Heavenly Dao's seal weakening, all sorts of monsters are emerging. My sect, Xuanxin Sect, is sworn to protect the people. How can we sit idly by?"
"This time, I've come to slay the demons of Lanruo Temple. If successful, it'll serve as the perfect starting point to make our presence known within Great Yi. Not only can we destroy monsters, we'll also earn our place among the human forces."
"Our sect doesn't have the deep foundation of the top-tier factions, so we must seize the initiative. If we recruit enough gifted disciples early, we can grow stronger and eventually become a pillar of the human race. For that goal, I—Yan Chixia—am willing to take this risk. My sword, Scarlet Blood, has long hungered for battle."
Taking a deep breath, he returned his crimson flying sword to its scabbard, his mind brimming with thoughts.
Though he looked uncouth, his heart was anything but careless. He had a clear plan.
Yan Chixia had come to Lanruo Temple with one goal—to hunt demons.
His origin lay in a Daoist sect known as Xuanxin Sect.
This sect's founder had discovered a vast stone cave deep within the mountains. Inside stood a stele covered in ancient script. Among the secrets it revealed was a supreme cultivation technique: the Xuanxin Profound Art (玄心奥妙诀). Mastering it would allow one's heart to become one with the heavens—achieving harmony between man and nature, with unimaginable power.
The sect's founder established Xuanxin Sect upon this foundation. Though not among the absolute elite sects, it was a righteous path lineage, and the Xuanxin Profound Art was extraordinary—capable of rivaling the best techniques in the world. However, no one had yet fully mastered it, not even the founder himself. Otherwise, the sect's power would be far greater than it was now.
The stele also recorded many other arts. One such method was the sword cultivation technique Xuanxin Sword Canon (玄心剑典)—a supreme sword technique. At its peak, a flying sword could slay foes from a thousand miles away in an instant.
Yan Chixia, a sect elder of Xuanxin Sect, practiced this very sword canon. His flying sword was especially fearsome.
The sect's mountain gates were near the borders of Great Yi. After descending the mountain, Yan Chixia entered Great Yi territory and visited several immortal cities, witnessing firsthand the country's strength and prosperity. Deep respect blossomed in his heart. He was truly glad for the people of Great Yi—that they could live in peace, cultivate freely, and become cultivators.
Such a life felt like something out of a dream.
For the sake of that peace, he would not allow it to be shattered by demons.
So when he heard rumors of ghostly disturbances in the wild—of humans slain by monsters—he was enraged. Without hesitation, he brought his sword to Lanruo Temple, determined to cleanse it of evil and protect the people.
"Demons, monsters, wraiths—tonight, I'll end you all."
With a long howl, Yan Chixia stood up and strode boldly toward the temple's rear courtyard.