Chapter 102

Chapter 102

In this part of the world, spiritual energy is scarce, and most living beings are ordinary humans. Among them are a few Cultivators who have encountered great opportunities to step into the threshold of immortal cultivation, as well as demons and monsters that have become spirits in the mountains and wilds, and ghosts formed from souls unwilling to pass on.

Yan State is one of the major countries on this continent, governing one-fifth of the land with a large population.

The number of Cultivators in Yan State is relatively higher, and similarly, there are more demons, monsters, and ghosts.

However, the number of Cultivators and demons, monsters, and ghosts is still a drop in the bucket compared to the ordinary populace.

Many people may never encounter any of these in their lifetime.

Yan State has never disclosed the existence of Cultivators and demons, monsters, and ghosts to the common people.

The royal family needs to maintain stability in their rule. Common people who learn of the existence of ghosts and monsters would fear them, while those who know of Cultivators would yearn for them. Neither is conducive to the stability of Yan State.

Occasionally, demons and monsters appear within Yan State, requiring Cultivators to eliminate them. Thus, an alliance of Cultivators was established.

This alliance is partly controlled by the royal authority and partly affiliated with cultivation sects.

Their task is to eradicate all these evil spirits whenever they appear within Yan State's borders and harm people, restoring peace to the land.

The Daxing Mountain is quite far from Yanjing. The town of Daxing Mountain and the villages under its jurisdiction are considered frontier territory.

Here, the rhythms of ordinary life prevail, with villagers still going to town to sell local mountain products and grain, and to purchase supplies.

On the first day the evil spirits descended the mountain, villagers returning from town saw the terrifying creatures in the sky.

Even from a distance, the overwhelming dark energy filled them with dread.

They did not know what these things were. Panicked, the villagers turned and ran back toward the town. They found the town mayor, explained the situation, and begged him to send people to their village to investigate.

The town mayor brushed off their concerns, thinking they were overreacting.

Nevertheless, he arranged for some men to check the villages.

The villagers sensed that the town mayor's men might not be a match for these creatures, so they ran to the county town to seek help from more capable individuals.

This decision by the villagers saved their own lives.

The Daxing Mountain range comprises tens of thousands of mountain ranges, and over the years, a vast number of evil spirits have accumulated there.

They descended the mountain together, blotting out the sky. Some occupied villages at the mountain's base, while others advanced toward more distant areas.

The men sent by the town mayor were killed on the way.

That very night, the town was overrun by a relentless tide of evil spirits. The townspeople fled or were struck down, all heading toward the county town.

The influx of villagers fleeing to the county town caught the attention of the county authorities. They immediately looked into the situation, sent scouts to investigate, and relayed the news to Yanjing.

Upon hearing the report, the royal family of Yanjing promptly dispatched Cultivators to slay the demons and monsters.

These Cultivators set out immediately and arrived at the foot of Daxing Mountain. They entered the town and, after a tough battle, managed to eliminate all the evil spirits lingering there.

Just dealing with these spirits kept all twenty-plus Cultivators occupied for two full days.

Recognizing the gravity of the situation, they immediately sent word to Yanjing, requesting more fellow disciples for support.

After taking a brief rest, they made their way to the foothills of Daxing Mountain, only to be surprised to find that, aside from the town being destroyed, the first villages attacked were largely unharmed.

They were puzzled and asked the people in these villages, finally found out why.

It turned out that a wild deity had stepped in to help.

This wild deity had saved all the nearby villages and wiped out all the evil spirits.

These Cultivators' faces fell.

They had finally gotten a chance to show what they could do, only to be beaten to the punch by someone else. Moreover, they had already called for backup from Yanjing. If there were no evil spirits left, what would the people from Yanjing do when they arrived?

Hearing that the villagers had sought help from some "wild deity," the young Cultivator were really annoyed.

Since they first started cultivating, they had always been revered. What was this "wild deity" to dare compete with them?

They directly asked which village the "wild deity" was from and marched right up to You Nan.

These Cultivators, mounted on impressive white horses, looked down at them condescendingly. "Where is the wild deity? Quickly call him out for us to see."

Their words not only offended You Nan but also made the villagers behind him uncomfortable.

The little immortal was their savior! They would not allow these people to insult their little immortal in such a tone!

You Nan took a step forward, his back straight, standing his ground.

He was not intimidated by their status as immortals, nor did he feel any fear.

"Several Immortal Elders are a bit late. Fighting demons and evil is what Immortal Elders do, and the little immortal is no different. Now that the evil spirits nearby have all been eradicated by the little immortal, this should be a good deed for the people. Yet, after hearing this, the Immortal Elders are giving grief to the great benefactor. May I understand it this way—are you unwilling to let the little immortal help, not wanting him to steal the credit, and thus must find fault with others?"

You Nan's eyes crinkled with amusement. Though he was a mortal, he was unafraid, thinking of the little immortal. His face remained cheerful as he deliberately spoke words that stung. "It's said that immortals are kind-hearted people. Why do we see that after Immortal Elders left the mortal world behind through cultivation, they seem different from what others say?"

"The little immortal and you share the same goal of facing external threats. Why harbor such malice toward him?"

You Nan's words made the other party turn red in the face. Immediately, one Immortal Elder swung his horsewhip. "Watch your mouth! You are truly insolent!"

As he spoke, the horsewhip was about to strike You Nan. Everyone gasped in shock, and even You Nan's eyelids twitched. He tried to step back, but the whip stuck to him like glue, controlled by the spiritual power within the other party.

You Nan did not want to reveal that he was now also a Cultivator.

These people were already so touchy upon hearing the little immortal's name. If they found out he was also a cultivator, they would likely be furious.

Just as the whip was about to strike You Nan, a small hand suddenly appeared out of thin air, firmly grabbing the whip and stopping the attack.

A cute little kid who looked like porcelain appeared before everyone.

The little child snarled at them. "What are you trying to do to my daddy? Back off!"

The little child's beautiful, bright eyes stared at them, eyes blazing.

"Senior Brother! There really is a wild deity!"

One of the disciples, who had been glaring at the insolent You Nan, perked up when he saw the little child appear.

But it was not a look of joy—rather, it was a gleeful gaze, like they'd found treasure.

You Nan immediately had a bad feeling. He knew these people had come for the little immortal.

"Run quickly!" You Nan hurriedly tried to push the little child off him, urging him to return to the small plaque.

"I won't!"

The little immortal voiced strong protest.

He was a clever little immortal and could tell that these people had ill intentions toward him.

He hadn't shown himself earlier precisely because there were too many of them, and they carried a dark, eerie energy that made him extremely uncomfortable—chilling and gloomy.

They didn't seem like orthodox Cultivators at all.

Moreover, with so many of them, he likely couldn't win in a fight, so the little immortal chose to lay low, wanting to gauge their strength.

But when he saw his father confronting these people for his sake, the little immortal felt he couldn't hide any longer.

He also had a premonition that these people held a strong hostility toward "wild gods." Whether such a deity truly existed or not, they wouldn't leave their village alone.

They wanted to eliminate the "source of the rumor."

Hidden within the plaque, the little immortal had already noticed that some among them were secretly preparing weapons to attack the villagers.

The little immortal broke free from You Nan’s embrace, landed on the ground, spread his pale, tender arms to shield his father and the other villagers, and shouted without looking back, "Run away, quick!"

As soon as he finished speaking, both he and the members of the Demon-Slaying Squad opposite him transformed into streams of light simultaneously, charging toward each other.

You Nan and the villagers listened to the little immortal.

You Nan immediately escorted the villagers away from the battlefield. "Go, quickly!"

But the pursuers were right behind them.

You Nan frowned, his brow furrowing. "What do you mean by this? Aren't you the Demon-Slaying Squad? Didn't you come to eradicate evil and promote virtue? Why are you attacking us?"

"Wrong!"

Hearing You Nan’s question, the leader of the Demon-Slaying Squad chuckled, "We are indeed helping you eradicate evil and promote virtue."

The villagers were stunned for a moment but soon reacted with fury and understanding.

The "evil" these people referred to was their little immortal!

"No! The little immortal saved us! You can't harm him!"

"You just arrived and haven't done anything, yet you attack us without distinguishing right from wrong. You're despicable and unworthy to be called Cultivators!"

The villagers adored the little immortal and naturally despised anyone who meant him harm.

The little immortal looked only a few years old, about the same age as their own children.

The villagers had long since come to regard the little immortal as one of their own. Seeing their "child" being attacked and maliciously targeted, their hearts clenched.

Hearing this, the Cultivators felt their pride stung, and their expressions darkened.

They felt their dignity had been insulted.

"Senior Brother! These villagers have already been bewitched by this wild deity! They're beyond saving! Why not eliminate them all together?"

Someone spoke up to the leader.

The senior brother curled his lips, and after a few moments, finally spoke. "Since that's the case, let it be as you say, Junior Brother."

"At my command!"

As soon as the senior brother’s order was given, the numerous members of the Demon-Slaying Squad dismounted one after another and immediately charged toward the defenseless villagers.

Seeing this, the little immortal knew it was a disaster.

He shouted loudly and released even greater power to fight these people.

You Nan no longer held back either.

He revealed his Cultivator's aura and engaged in an intense fight with the Cultivator who was already right in front of him.

Under his protection, the villagers fled back to their homes.

They were too weak, and staying would only distract the little immortal, who would have to save them. They absolutely couldn't be a burden to him!

"You're actually a Cultivator too?"

The Cultivator facing You Nan narrowed his eyes, looking him up and down.

You Nan disliked the other’s gaze, finding it utterly disgusting.

The other’s eyes were like those of a rat hiding in the gutter—slimy and full of envy.

"How could someone like you, a mere mortal, be worthy of practicing cultivation?"

After exchanging several moves with You Nan, the Cultivator grew increasingly alarmed and jealous.

You Nan actually showed signs of being stronger than them!

This couldn't be!

Those who could cultivate immortality were extremely rare. Every person who walked this path was exceptional among humans.

They were all geniuses, having undergone strict selection to enter their sect, and after much effort, finally reached the stage of learning spells.

Though their strength was still at the Qi Refinement stage, they could handle ordinary evil spirits and monsters.

They had always believed they were born to be superior.

Even the royal family of Yan State was not worth their attention.

Every prince and princess they encountered would flatter and greet them with flattering smiles.

This was due to their hard work, strength, and, most importantly, their talent!

This was their greatest pride!

But now, here was someone who grew up in the countryside, never joined a sect, yet became a Cultivator and could fight evenly with him. How could this be?

Cultivators could only come from proper immortal sects. Those from the rural areas were all rogue practitioners, all demonic cultivators!

Just like this "wild deity," even if he saved people and received worship, if they didn't acknowledge him, he was nothing but an evil entity!

Thinking this, the man’s expression grew even darker.

His attacks became fiercer, but You Nan countered them one by one.

Meanwhile, the little immortal drew the attention of most Cultivators.

Before the fighting started, he had been very nervous.

He was afraid he and his dad might die here today.

But when he actually faced these people, he realized something was off.

Since when did he get so strong that he could hold his own against so many alone?

The little boy immediately pulled himself together, mentally tossing out all the negative thoughts.

Are these people really this weak?

Is this what Cultivators are?

The little boy made a confused face.

They're this weak, but still had the nerve to boast about taking down him and his father together!

Talking big without even blushing - ridiculous!

Suddenly, he grinned, and the Demon-Slaying Squad member facing him, his eye twitched, sensing something was wrong. But before he could react, the little boy struck him in the chest with a palm, sending him flying. He landed on the ground, spitting out a mouthful of blood.

This sudden turn of events left the scene dead silent.