Chapter 219: Great Merit of Demon Expulsion

“Master?”

The expressions of the many Golden Core cultivators present froze for a moment before all changed dramatically.

He Dongsheng was only at the early stage of Foundation Establishment, and nearly thirty years old at that. With such a meager cultivation level at his age, he was far from outstanding in the entire Northern Mang Branch.

Yet all the Golden Core cultivators present respectfully called He Dongsheng Little Grandmaster. This was solely because of the master behind him.

Mu Chunqiu—who had reached the peak of Nascent Soul before even turning a hundred, who presided over one of the thirteen main branches of the Grand Unity Sect, and who stood only a step away from the Divine Transformation Realm while comprehending the Immortal Arts of Longevity.

It was said that a Grand Elder of the Grand Unity Sect once appraised Mu Chunqiu as someone with the bearing of an immortal.

Now temporarily residing in the Northern Mang Branch, Mu Chunqiu’s presence had thrilled the sect’s upper echelon. Even the two peak Nascent Soul True Lords had voluntarily offered up their cave dwellings for his use.

To the sect’s leadership, if Mu Chunqiu were to achieve Divine Transformation in the Northern Mang Branch, it would elevate the branch’s status considerably, solving the millennia-old issue of lacking a Divine Transformation powerhouse.

Even if Mu Chunqiu failed to break through, simply building goodwill with him was already a boon with no downside.

It was for this reason that He Dongsheng, as Mu Chunqiu’s only disciple, enjoyed extraordinary status in the branch. Even Nascent Soul cultivators had to show him deference.

Now He Dongsheng said Mu Chunqiu wished to meet Lu Yan—did that not mean Lu Yan had caught Mu Chunqiu’s eye?

Realizing this, the gazes directed at Lu Yan immediately changed.

With the recognition of Mu Chunqiu, a legitimate direct descendant of the Grand Unity Sect, who in the entire sect could still accuse Lu Yan of harboring ulterior motives?

And among all the Golden Cores, none were more nervous than Mo Yangzi.

Hearing He Dongsheng’s words, Mo Yangzi’s face turned deathly pale. He couldn’t stop cursing Elder Xiao in his heart.

“Damn you, Xiao Han! You claimed Lu Yan was just a con artist, yet you never mentioned being stripped of your Elder seat or Lu Yan’s connection with True Lord Mu!”

“You idiot! Just how much did you hide from me?”

Mo Yangzi even began to suspect that perhaps he had somehow offended Elder Xiao, and Xiao was using Lu Yan to dig a pit and bring him down.

While everyone’s thoughts churned, Lu Yan was a little surprised that Mu Chunqiu would actually invite him personally.

Still, he had stirred up all this commotion in the Northern Mang Branch precisely to showcase his talent and pave the way to approach Mu Chunqiu. Now that the opportunity presented itself, it suited him perfectly.

“If True Lord Mu wishes to meet me, I naturally obey,” Lu Yan replied with a slight bow. “However, there’s still one matter I’d like to resolve first.”

As he spoke, Lu Yan turned his gaze to Mo Yangzi.

He Dongsheng immediately looked to a senior Golden Core cultivator and asked sternly:

“Senior Wen, if I recall correctly, our Grand Unity Sect strictly prohibits private duels among disciples, and it is a serious offense to suppress others by virtue of superior cultivation.”

“I expect a proper account of today’s events.”

Wen Zhenren wiped the sweat from his brow and forced a smile as he responded:

“Little Grandmaster is correct.”

“According to sect rules, Mo Yangzi abused his authority as a steward to oppress a fellow disciple and even destroyed sect property. He is to be stripped of his position and sent to guard the Yinwind Cavern for ten years.”

He Dongsheng turned to explain to Lu Yan:

“The Yinwind Cavern is a special spiritual land that formed as a side effect of the sect’s great dragon-vein feng shui array, laid down by many Nascent Soul True Lords.”

“Inside it roars the Yin Fiend Gale from the Nine Nether Depths. Anyone without a refined soul will have their spirit shredded by the wind on contact. Even Foundation Establishment cultivators can’t survive in there for more than a month.”

“For a Golden Core cultivator, a ten-year sentence in the Yinwind Cavern is already extremely harsh.”

Though Mo Yangzi’s expression was ugly, he still felt a hint of relief.

Guarding the Yinwind Cavern would indeed be a trial, but it held no threat to his life. After ten years, he could resume his status.

To endure a decade of hardship and avoid Lu Yan’s wrath—perhaps that wasn’t such a bad outcome.

However, Lu Yan shook his head.

“You misunderstood me, Brother He. My issue with Mo Yangzi isn’t a personal grudge. It’s because I suspect he’s already been tainted by the power of an Outer Dao Evil.”

The expressions of everyone present changed drastically.

Mo Yangzi’s face twisted in outrage.

“Utter nonsense!”

“How could I have anything to do with an Outer Dao Evil?”

“You’re fabricating charges just to destroy me!”

He was nearly frantic. If this were merely a disciplinary issue, he’d be punished, yes, but he’d survive.

But once the Outer Dao Evil was involved—those tainted were to be eradicated without mercy. At best, their cultivation would be crippled; at worst, their soul obliterated.

Lu Yan wasn’t just seeking punishment—he wanted him dead!

Even Wen Zhenren’s expression turned grave.

“Such a claim must be backed with solid evidence.”

Lu Yan, of course, was prepared.

Back when he faced Elder Xiao’s pressure and briefly invoked the Human Emperor Banner, the resulting fluctuation had loosened the Mysterious Female Gate’s seal, releasing a wisp of its aura.

That aura had clung to Xiao Shang and festered into a heart demon, intensifying his hatred of Lu Yan and later inciting Elder Xiao to set a fatal ambush—one that forced Lu Yan to fully unleash the Human Emperor Banner.

When Lu Yan had found Mo Yangzi’s invitation letter in Xiao Shang’s storage bag, he’d already begun to feel wary.

And upon arriving at the Northern Mang Branch, Mo Yangzi had shown immediate hostility based on a few words from Xiao Shang and even tried to kill him—an extreme response that mirrored Xiao Shang’s behavior when influenced by the heart demon.

It was entirely plausible that the aura from the Mysterious Female Gate had infected Mo Yangzi as well.

Thus, Lu Yan bowed to Wen Zhenren and calmly explained:

“Mo Yangzi had dealings with Xiao Han, an elder of the Clear Sun Sect. Both Xiao Han and his son, Xiao Shang, were influenced by an Outer Dao Evil and attempted to kill me.”

“Fortunately, a senior saved me.”

“If Senior Wen does not believe me, you may restrain Mo Yangzi. I have a method to verify whether his soul contains any aura not native to this world.”

Since he had now aligned himself with the Grand Unity Sect, Lu Yan had no reason to conceal these events—so long as he didn’t reveal the details of the Mysterious Female Gate.

Hearing that the matter involved the Clear Sun Sect, Wen Zhenren hesitated briefly, then summoned a seal-shaped magical treasure.

A Golden Core peak cultivator personally acted—his seal descending in a flash to suppress Mo Yangzi. Under its divine light, Mo Yangzi couldn’t even twitch a finger.

“Please proceed,” Wen Zhenren said solemnly.

Lu Yan didn’t hesitate. He stepped forward and sent his powerful divine sense probing into Mo Yangzi’s soul.

As expected, he detected abnormalities.

Deep within Mo Yangzi’s soul, the aura of the Mysterious Female Gate had begun to spread—though it had yet to evolve into a full-fledged heart demon.

Still, it had clearly affected Mo Yangzi’s judgment and driven his hostility.

Golden light of merit bloomed from Lu Yan’s hand and gently entered Mo Yangzi’s soul, forcibly extracting the foreign aura.

The black wisp tried to hide, but under the heavenly merit’s radiance, it had nowhere to escape.

Finally, it was revealed before all eyes.

In the next instant, two overwhelming presences appeared—it was none other than the sect’s two Nascent Soul True Lords.

One, stern-faced, grabbed the wisp of aura and thundered:

“An Outer Dao Evil dares invade the heart of a disciple of my Grand Unity Sect? Utterly presumptuous!”

“I will report this to the main branches and have it handled by a Divine Transformation Lord.”

He immediately cast a golden rope that tightly bound Mo Yangzi.

“Take him to the Cliff of Oblivion and await judgment.”

With that decree, the two Nascent Soul True Lords vanished with Mo Yangzi in tow.

Lu Yan had removed a threat—but rather than relief, an inexplicable unease stirred in his heart.

The Mysterious Female Gate was linked to that long-standing invader behind the Longevity Version. Lu Yan had clashed with that force multiple times and nearly lost his life.

With such cunning methods, could it really be this easy to detect and remove its influence?

Everything had gone too smoothly.

Almost as if following a pre-written script—and Lu Yan was simply playing his part.

Frowning in thought, Lu Yan shook his head.

“Perhaps I’m just overthinking it.”

He Dongsheng, who had benefitted from Lu Yan’s efforts, clapped him on the shoulder with a wide grin.

“I thought I came to back you up. Who knew I’d earn a merit just by standing here!”

“You’ve just earned a Great Merit for Demon Expulsion—why the gloomy face?”

Lu Yan looked at him in surprise.

“This matter involved only three Golden Core cultivators from the Clear Sun Sect. That’s hardly anything major.”

“Surely someone like you—a main branch descendant—wouldn’t care about such merits?”

He Dongsheng stared at him in disbelief.

“You seriously don’t know the sect’s system for Outer Dao Evils?”

“What system?” Lu Yan asked curiously.

He had long heard of Outer Dao Evils, but in his early days as a rogue cultivator, he had assumed it was just a term for demonic cultivators.

Only later did he learn the truth: they were the result of version invasion, originating from outside this world’s Heavenly Dao.

But the rest, he knew nothing about.

He Dongsheng glanced around at the Golden Core eavesdroppers and with a wave of his hand, flew off with Lu Yan toward the inner sect.

“Not here—I’ll explain on the way.”

Once they left the crowd behind, He Dongsheng began:

“Outer Dao Evils are extremely dangerous. Historically, this world has faced countless invasions. One such incident ravaged a territory thousands of miles wide and led to the destruction of two righteous sects.”

“Whether righteous or demonic, all major sects strive to eradicate Outer Dao Evils at the source. Any sign of their presence is treated with utmost seriousness.”

“Your exposure of this matter involved three Golden Core cultivators from a top-ten sect—that’s no small matter.”

“Once the Divine Transformation Lords investigate, you’ll receive a confirmed Great Merit for Demon Expulsion. This can be used to redeem treasures from the Outer Dao Registry maintained by righteous and demonic sects alike.”

“They say the registry contains legacy techniques pointing directly to Divine Transformation, profound arts rivaling Earth Fiend Divine Abilities, even Divine Transformation-grade treasures.”

“With enough merit, even a sect’s foundational legacy can be exchanged.”

“Of course, you’d need more than just one Great Merit for something like that.”

“But one Great Merit alone is enough to redeem a Nascent Soul-grade cultivation art or a Tier Four auxiliary craft.”

Lu Yan’s eyes lit up at this.

Tracking Outer Dao Evils was difficult for others—but not for him, given that the source of the version invasion was on his back.

What he cared about was what the merit could buy.

“If even sect-defining legacies are up for exchange, I might finally obtain the later chapters of the Red Lotus Karmic Flame Sutra and resolve its hidden dangers.”

“Not only that, this one Great Merit should be enough to purchase a Tier Four array legacy—perfect for enhancing my Underworld’s formation techniques.”

“Once I cleanse the Mysterious Female Gate’s blight, elevate all my Yin Soldiers to Foundation Establishment, and refine a new battlefield formation with Tier Four arrays—even battling a Nascent Soul True Lord may not be impossible!”

As excitement surged in his heart, Lu Yan and He Dongsheng arrived at a floating island suspended in the air.

They gently descended, and He Dongsheng put away his usual smirk, bowing solemnly toward the island’s core.

“Master, I’ve brought Lu Yan.”

As his words fell, Lu Yan’s surroundings twisted, space itself shifting.

When the distortion cleared, he found himself beside a spiritual pool deep within the floating island.

At its center, a handsome, beardless youth in Daoist robes sat cross-legged on a lotus platform.

He exuded no magical aura—appearing as mundane as any mortal.

Yet to Lu Yan’s spiritually transformed senses, the youth was one with the world itself.

He did not merely stand within the world—the world flowed within him.

He was the very embodiment of heaven and earth.

He gazed at Lu Yan quietly and spoke gently:

“Young friend…”

The moment those two words fell, Lu Yan’s hair stood on end.

“…I feel as though, I’ve seen those eyes of yours before.”

(End of Chapter)