Volume 3 Chapter 64: Finally Appeared

Just now, Jiuhua Mountain experienced a brief calm due to Zhang Xusheng’s presence, but with a wave of Zhang Xusheng’s hand, it once again plunged into chaos. This battle was even more chaotic and cruel than the last.

Looking around, the colors of the Five Elements Taoist Method, severed limbs, and bodies were everywhere.

Fighting, killing, being killed—these seemed to be the only melodies of Jiuhua Mountain at the moment.

The red of blood had somehow become Jiuhua Mountain’s only color, perhaps because of the blood, the setting sun, or maybe because everyone’s eyes had turned red?

Excited howls and cries of despair echoed over and over in the space of Jiuhua Mountain, monotonous and cruel.

At this moment, Zhang Xusheng suddenly appeared before Zhang Hualing and the other two, who were about to rush to aid the young disciples below. A faint, peaceful smile on his face, he calmly said, "Your opponents are me."

Seeing Zhang Xusheng suddenly appear before them without knowing when or how, Zhang Hualing and the other two’s expressions changed. If Zhang Xusheng hadn’t announced himself and attacked suddenly, they weren’t confident they would survive. But Zhang Xusheng didn’t seem in a hurry to kill them, only sizing them up with a mysterious smile, as if having other plans.

Compared to the other elders of Jiuhua, Xiao Huazhe and Elder Weichi, two of Jiuhua’s most renowned masters, didn’t fear Zhang Xusheng as profoundly. Seeing Zhang Xusheng appear before them, they gave a cold snort, but remained composed. Their fingers moved swiftly, and dazzling golden and green lights began to shimmer. In an instant, countless green vine golden spears appeared, swiftly advancing towards Zhang Xusheng, their might and sheer numbers enough to blot out the sky.

Zhang Hualing, due to the severe depletion of Spirit Qi from a previous internal battle, found it difficult to maintain the "Cloud Technique." Thus, he didn’t join the fight with the other two but stood behind Xiao Huazhe and Elder Weichi, frowning as he observed the scene before him.

As Zhang Xusheng faced the overwhelming force of the powerful Metal and Wood techniques coming his way, his smile remained unchanged. He slowly raised his right hand, lightly pointing at the sweeping gold and cyan colors, and lazily uttered, "Disperse!"

Despite Zhang Xusheng’s seemingly slow and leisurely movements, he somehow managed to complete this action just before the techniques from Xiao Huazhe and Elder Weichi reached him, giving Zhang Hualing, who was quietly observing from the side, an odd sense of time displacement.

An even more shocking event occurred. As soon as Zhang Xusheng’s word "Disperse!" was spoken, as if the heavens obeyed, the techniques of Xiao Huazhe and Elder Weichi lost their intended effect, suddenly losing control and rapidly reverting to their most basic Metal and Wood Spirit Qi, dispersing into the atmosphere.

Xiao Huazhe and Elder Weichi almost suffered backlash from their uncontrolled techniques, their bodies trembled slightly, their faces turned faintly pale, and their gazes on Zhang Xusheng grew more serious.

Standing behind them, Zhang Hualing was astonished by Zhang Xusheng’s incredible feat, his body shook vigorously and he couldn’t help but exclaim in surprise, "Substitute for Heaven? Could it really be Substitute for Heaven?"

Hearing Zhang Hualing’s words, Xiao Huazhe and Elder Weichi turned to him in disbelief, instinctively thinking he had made a mistake. Yet Zhang Hualing spoke with certainty, seeming unlikely to have misspoken.

It’s known that mastering "Substitute for Heaven" requires "Indefinite Sutra" as a foundation. Moreover, "Indefinite Sutra" can only be practiced by the Masters of Jiuhua, meaning only Jiuhua Masters can cultivate "Substitute for Heaven." Common disciples of Jiuhua Mountain are unaware of this cultivation method’s existence.

In addition, even though "Substitute for Heaven" is mystical, it is exceedingly difficult to master. Reflecting on past Jiuhua Mountain sect leaders, many have perfected the "Indefinite Sutra," but only a handful have succeeded with "Substitute for Heaven." How could Zhang Xusheng, merely a Jiuhua defector, wield such extraordinary skill?

When Zhang Xusheng heard Zhang Hualing’s exclamation, he didn’t retaliate but merely nodded slightly, smiling gently as he said, "You didn’t see wrong. What I just used was indeed the ‘Substitute for Heaven.’ You didn’t expect there to be someone else in the world who could use it, did you? But unlike you, who can barely use the first level by sacrificing your life, I was able to reach the fifth level with my own strength two hundred years ago."

Hearing Zhang Xusheng’s words, Xiao Huazhe and Elder Weichi initially didn’t believe him, but when they turned and saw the seriousness in Zhang Hualing’s expression, they realized Zhang Xusheng wasn’t lying. Their hearts sank slightly, and they even forgot to continue their attack, staring incredulously at Zhang Xusheng. Although they weren’t clear on the power of ‘Substitute for Heaven,’ they knew its mysterious nature was beyond their ability to resist.

"Zhang Xusheng, how are you able to use ‘Substitute for Heaven’? As far as I know, its cultivation method is only known to past Masters of Jiuhua and sect leader disciples," Xiao Huazhe asked coldly, fixing his gaze on Zhang Xusheng.

Zhang Xusheng smiled faintly and replied, "Are you surprised? Didn’t your master tell you that if it hadn’t been for the anomaly eight hundred years ago, I would already be the sect leader of Jiuhua Mountain?"

Upon hearing Zhang Xusheng’s words, Zhang Hualing and the other two were slightly startled. Their master indeed hadn’t mentioned these things to them, but given Zhang Xusheng’s status, it seemed unlikely he would lie to them about such matters.

Seeing the three fall into a brief stupor after hearing him, a trace of mocking smile appeared on Zhang Xusheng’s lips again, though it was unclear who he was mocking this time—the three before him, Jiuhua, or perhaps himself?

But that mocking smile quickly faded as Zhang Xusheng continued in a leisurely manner, "Over the years, I’ve been hearing about the ‘Three Mystics and Four Idlers’ of Jiuhua Mountain. The Three Mystics are Master of Jiuhua Zhang Hualing, Supreme Protector Zhou Huahai, and Elder Hou Hualing, who guards the mountain. The Four Idlers are Xiao Huazhe, Yuchi, Lu Huayan, and Ma Huaguang, the elders who don’t manage affairs. While we older folks either died or went into seclusion, you seven young ones made quite a name for yourselves. I was curious to see how impressive you were, so I took this opportunity to observe during the attack on Jiuhua."

Saying this, Zhang Xusheng sighed slightly, as if disappointed. "What did I find? Ma Huaguang died with no value, Lu Huayan couldn’t withstand the Heavenly Way even before reaching eight hundred years old, and Hou Hualing suffered mental damage from Mind Taking Technique, likely losing much of his strength even if he recovers. Xiao Huazhe and Yuchi, both of you are easily defeated as well. I held some hope for Zhou Huahai, but now I see he’s no better than the rest of you. Only Zhang Hualing still manages to pique my interest. How on earth did you earn such big reputations? Is it just because you’re from the Holy Land? It truly seems each generation is worse than the last. Could Li Xuhan have died early out of frustration over you all?"

Zhang Xusheng spoke with a hint of a frown and a tone full of sighs, as if he were still an elder of Jiuhua Mountain, lamenting the inability to find a worthy opponent.

Hearing Zhang Xusheng’s words, Zhang Hualing and the two others felt a twinge of shame. They all knew that this person, the biggest traitor in the history of Jiuhua Mountain, was actually the most talented cultivator since the founding of the Jiuhua sect. By the time he was their age, he had been in the Mahayana Stage for over a hundred years, while the three of them were still struggling in the Golden Core Stage, not knowing when they might break through.

He was superior not only in strength but also in intelligence. During the upheaval at Jiuhua Mountain, all cultivators, not just those from Jiuhua but from the entire cultivation world, were easily manipulated by him as if they were spinning in circles, unaware of who had used them until it was too late.

With Zhang Xusheng’s strength and intelligence, although he was a Jiuhua traitor, he indeed had the right to lecture them.

However, Elder Weichi, being of a stubborn nature, though feeling a sense of shame, still coldly snorted and said, "Zhang Xusheng, I know you are the fastest to reach the Mahayana Stage in Jiuhua Mountain’s history, but there’s no need for you to be so proud. You are aware that all your achievements were gained through researching forbidden practices. You have sacrificed countless innocent mortals and cultivators in your quest for immortality. You even merged human bodies with demon beasts to create monsters, committing so many acts against the natural order. What is there to be proud of? The heavenly justice cycles; you may be satisfied now, but you will eventually face divine punishment for your actions."

Zhang Xusheng, unfazed, curled his lips and calmly said, "Divine punishment? If your strength defies the heavens, then what is there to fear from such punishment?"

Hearing Zhang Xusheng’s arrogant words, Zhang Hualing and the others were slightly taken aback. They hadn’t expected this seemingly calm and gentle Zhang Xusheng to have such an audacious inner nature. Though they wished to retort, they found themselves unable to argue back.

Zhang Xusheng ignored the thoughts of the three before him and continued to ask, "You know, killing you all would be a simple task for me. Even the entire lineage of Jiuhua Mountain disciples could be wiped out in an instant. But do you know why I haven’t done so?"

Xiao Huazhe replied coldly, "Because all you’re doing is boasting, as you simply cannot accomplish it."

Zhang Xusheng wasn’t bothered by Xiao Huazhe’s taunt. He just pointed at the fierce battles happening all around and with a peaceful, calm smile said, "In truth, although I ordered my followers to attack, I never had the intention to kill these Jiuhua disciples."

As Zhang Xusheng’s voice faded, not far away, a Jiuhua disciple was torn into pieces by three demons. After doing this, the demons scattered to hunt for new prey elsewhere.

Witnessing the tragedy before him, Zhang Hualing’s eyes twitched slightly. Yet, because Zhang Xusheng was present, he didn’t dare intervene and coldly mocked, "Forgive my ignorance, but I fail to see the slightest hint of Martial Uncle’s benevolence."

Seeing the horrific scene, Zhang Xusheng regretfully shook his head but continued with an unchanged expression, "The reason I do this is merely to select a few Jiuhua Mountain cultivators through my subordinates. You see, the success rate of my experiments is quite low. Out of three or five subjects, only one succeeds, and these you see are all the successful results over eight hundred years. Moreover, as my research deepens, ordinary human bodies no longer provide enough data, so I’ve been studying cultivator bodies for the past few centuries, especially high-level ones."

With a sigh of regret, Zhang Xusheng continued, "Unfortunately, cultivators aren’t as numerous as ordinary people, and high-level ones are even rarer. I can’t capture them in large numbers, or it would cause panic in the cultivation world and attract the attention of some immortal seniors, slowing my experiments considerably."

"So you set your sights on Jiuhua Mountain?" Zhang Hualing asked coldly, a hint of anger flashing in his eyes.

Zhang Xusheng nodded with a smile and said, "Indeed, with my arrangements on Huandao Island, Jiuhua Mountain’s reputation is utterly tarnished. Even if I capture you all, a few tricks after the fact will convince others that you’ve fled. However, I’m picky about my experimental subjects. Just like with ordinary people, where I make a hundred fight each other and keep only one, my full-scale attack on Jiuhua’s elders and disciples is intended to select the best. Three incense sticks later, any surviving Jiuhua cultivators will be honored as my future experimental subjects. If they have even a bit of luck and my experiments on them succeed, they’ll gain long life and immense power and follow me in witnessing a historic transformation. And the bodies of those who took the ‘Life Elixir,’ they will become rare materials aiding my research."

After finishing, Zhang Xusheng sighed contentedly, saying slowly, "Such an opportunity to freely acquire raw materials is truly once in a hundred years."

As Zhang Xusheng spoke, Zhang Hualing’s already icy gaze grew colder. He asked in a frosty voice, "Is this why you said earlier that Jiuhua must be destroyed?"

"Not entirely, but close enough," Zhang Xusheng admitted with a nod.

"Madman," said Xiao Huazhe and Elder Weichi in unison.

Zhang Xusheng paid no heed to Xiao Huazhe and Elder Weichi’s remarks, and with a calm and serene tone said, "You should feel fortunate. Although I find your reputation undeserving, you three, along with Zhou Huahai trapped in Linghua Hall, I consider as qualified subjects, so further testing is unnecessary this time."

"Should I feel honored then?" Zhang Hualing remarked sarcastically.

"Do you think we will cooperate?" Spirit Qi within Xiao Huazhe began to gather as he snorted.

"I would rather self-destruct my Spirit Qi than become your subject," Elder Weichi remained firm as ever.

Zhang Xusheng sighed lightly and mocked himself, "My persuasion still fails, I’ve never convinced anyone. I intended to capture you easily, but now your resistance seems even stronger."

As he spoke, Zhang Xusheng’s brow furrowed slightly. He waved and clenched his left hand as if brushing away mosquitoes. Upon opening his hand, a slender, transparent needle about half an inch long appeared.

Seeing this scene, Elder Weichi’s face changed drastically. Zhang Xusheng regarded Elder Weichi with surprise and said, "’Escaping Needle’? I thought such rare artifacts were lost in the cultivation world, yet here you have one. It’s a fine collectible."

With that, Zhang Xusheng tucked the needle into his sleeve.

The "Escaping Needle" belongs to the Heavenly-level intermediate tools. Due to its small size and the rarity of materials needed, very few have succeeded in crafting it. This tool can only be used once and then it becomes useless. Despite thousands of years of history in the cultivation world, fewer than one hundred "Escaping Needles" have ever appeared, and now it is rumored to have vanished entirely.

While this tool has many drawbacks, there are also unique features that make it hard to abandon. For instance, once crafted successfully, the "Escaping Needle" is transparent, shows no Spirit Qi fluctuation, does not reflect sunlight, and operates silently, making it extremely difficult to guard against. Although it can only be used once, its power is immense, rivaling the weakest magical treasures, making it the best tool for saving one’s life in desperate times. Throughout the cultivation world’s history, there are numerous tales of a cultivator turning the tide of a hopeless situation using the "Escaping Needle."

No one expected that Elder Weichi would secretly possess such a precious tool. Elder Weichi was even more shocked. His original plan was to strike a decisive blow with the "Escaping Needle" while Zhang Xusheng was careless and distracted, but he never imagined that Zhang Xusheng would effortlessly nullify it, as if the precious "Escaping Needle" was as insignificant as a mosquito to him.

After putting the "Escaping Needle" away, Zhang Xusheng sighed softly and lamented, "It seems you really don’t want to obediently become my experimental subjects. In that case, I’ll have to convince you with my strength."

As he spoke, Zhang Xusheng slightly waved his right hand, and suddenly, torrents of water surged from the sky, like the Sky River Water, carrying a mighty force and a roar like a thousand galloping horses, rushing swiftly toward Zhang Hualing and the others, seemingly engulfing the world with Zhang Xusheng’s summoned flood.

Seeing Zhang Xusheng’s attack, Xiao Huazhe and Elder Weichi looked solemn, and both gave their all to resist Zhang Xusheng’s assault.

Xiao Huazhe formed complex gestures with his ten fingers, and under his mysterious techniques, an endless forest seemed to appear in the sky between him and Zhang Xusheng. Countless trees sprang up to block the flood’s force. Although many trees were instantly swept away, the flood’s momentum was somewhat slowed.

Meanwhile, Elder Weichi burst forth with dazzling golden light, outshining the sun. The golden light vanished in a flash, and when it subsided, a golden fortress three stories high surrounded him and the others. This fortress was so solid that it seemed impregnable.

Observing the techniques of Xiao Huazhe and Elder Weichi, a hint of admiration flickered across Zhang Xusheng’s face, but he still shook his head. His hand gesture changed, and the once torrential flood transformed into countless sharp golden axes. Gathering together, they swiftly carved a path through the dense forest blocking their way.

As these golden axes shattered Xiao Huazhe’s forest-like illusion, advancing towards Elder Weichi’s golden city, they transformed again. The originally gleaming golden axes suddenly erupted into wild, blazing flames that surrounded the golden city. The fire was so powerful that the seemingly solid golden walls melted away like snow as soon as they made contact.

Zhang Xusheng’s attack was truly extraordinary. He first converted Water Spirit Qi into Golden Spirit Qi to break Xiao Huazhe’s wood technique, then turned Golden Spirit Qi into Fire Spirit Qi to counter Elder Weichi’s gold technique. The subtlety and natural conversion among the five elements of Spirit Qi were so exquisite that even Zhang Hualing, although well-versed, could not find anyone else in the cultivation world with such skills.

Although he had long known he couldn’t be a match for Zhang Xusheng, he hadn’t expected Zhang Xusheng to completely defeat them without using his favored dark arts or "Substitute for Heaven."

Zhang Xusheng’s offensive was so sharp and powerful that, by the time Zhang Hualing and the others snapped out of their astonishment at Zhang Xusheng’s abilities, they found the fire technique right at their doorstep.

Even before the sky-full of flames touched them, the three felt the temperature around them rise dramatically. Although they were cultivators, they suddenly experienced a thirst and dry mouth like common mortals.

"Are we really going to be defeated by Zhang Xusheng and become his test subjects?"

Seeing the sea of fire rushing towards them, Xiao Huazhe and Elder Weichi closed their eyes in despair. In their bodies, Spirit Qi gathered silently; they would rather self-destruct their Spirit Qi than become Zhang Xusheng’s test subjects. If the experiment failed, it might be fine, but if it succeeded, they would become demons loyal only to Zhang Xusheng, a fate worse than death for them.

Yet after a while, they realized that nothing unusual happened to them. Opening their eyes in surprise, they discovered a transparent shield had somehow appeared before them. Zhang Xusheng’s transformed flames, though fierce, could no longer harm them.

Zhang Hualing stood at the front of the transparent shield, watching the scene ahead with joy on his face. Unlike the sadness and exhaustion he felt from the earlier shocking events, Xiao Huazhe and Elder Weichi now noticed a hint of relief in Zhang Hualing’s expression, as if the entire Jiuhua Mountain had been saved.

Following Zhang Hualing’s gaze, Xiao Huazhe and Elder Weichi curiously looked ahead and were surprised to find Zhang Xusheng had somehow been tied up by a rope shimmering with five-colored light, his face full of astonishment.

Not far from Zhang Xusheng, an emaciated old man, with an aura of ancient decay, was quietly floating there. Though he had no commanding presence, he was quite noticeable. He was quietly watching the bound Zhang Xusheng with a complex expression.

"Martial Brother Liu?!"

"Liu Huaxiang?!"

Upon seeing the old man’s face, Xiao Huazhe and Elder Weichi exclaimed in surprise and doubt.

The old man before them was none other than Liu Huaxiang, the one who managed the Jiuhua Mountain Herb Garden!

Zhang Hualing, however, seemed to have anticipated this long ago and merely murmured to himself, "Why did you take so long to appear? Don’t you know how much damage Jiuhua Mountain has already suffered?"

…

In front of Linghua Hall, a thousand Jiuhua disciples were engaged in a fierce battle with slightly fewer demons. Although less spectacular than the fights in the sky between Jiuhua elders and high-level demons, it was more brutal and blood-stirring. Every moment, a Jiuhua disciple was killed, and every moment, a demon was slain, their blood covering every inch of the ground in front of Linghua Hall.

Among the disciples of Jiuhua Mountain, there are those like Xu Qingfan Jin Qinghan Lv Qingshang, who is a direct disciple of a powerful figure at Jiuhua Mountain. He is naturally gifted and practices extraordinary techniques. Not only has he reached the Lingji Stage, but he also possesses various magical treasures, making him even stronger than the most formidable demons. (Of course, Xu Qingfan’s current achievements are not significantly related to his master, Lu Huayan.)

However, where there is strength, there is also weakness. There is another type of Jiuhua disciple who has been under training for just over a year. They haven’t achieved much, and as registered disciples, they usually only do chores. They are only at the Qi Refining Stage and do not possess any magical tools. These disciples are no match even for the weakest demons and are often mercilessly slaughtered at the very first chance. These unfortunate disciples make up the majority at Jiuhua Mountain.

Even though the lower-level disciples of Jiuhua Mountain outnumber the others, their average strength is lacking. Despite the heroic efforts of Xu Qingfan and his companions, the number of lower-level Jiuhua disciples has astonishingly dwindled. In a short time, there are only about eight hundred Jiuhua disciples left.

The harsh reality is that neither Xu Qingfan and his fellow disciples nor the newly admitted ones are the main players on this battlefield. Their struggles hardly impact the overall situation, even though their blood is shed for Jiuhua Mountain. Despite their sacrifices, without reaching the Core Formation stage, they remain mere pawns. Even those at that stage can only hope to protect themselves.

Even if they achieve great victories against the demons before them, should the Jiuhua Mountain warriors in the sky be defeated, they will stand no chance against the higher-level demons and Zhang Xusheng, falling without resistance. Yet, in spite of knowing the futility, the Jiuhua disciples continue to fight these powerful and fearsome demons, accepting the cruel fate.

For instance, they are unaware of the grand showdown taking place in the sky, oblivious to how it might decide their fate. They are ignorant of Zhang Xusheng’s intent to treat them as mere experiments or even as discarded failures.

Such is the fate of the small characters: pitiful, unaware, yet pure.

At present, the true battleground of Jiuhua Mountain is in the sky. It is the conflict between the elder demons and the Jiuhua elders, the struggle between Zhang Xusheng and Zhang Hualing along with his companions, entirely unrelated to the disciples on the ground.

Xu Qingfan is just like them. Even though he knows much more about the situation than others, and has been entangled in it from the beginning, he remains merely a supporting character.

Only when Xu Qingfan one day becomes a Condensed Core Stage cultivator or even ascends higher, will he be able to escape his manipulated fate. Then, he can truly enter the game, gaze calmly upon the battles below from the sky, view the world as his promise, view everything as mere chess pieces, and see victory or defeat as just a game.

Despite the fierce battle right before his eyes, with life and death hanging by a thread, a sudden sense of awe emerged in Xu Qingfan’s heart.

Initially, led by Xu Qingfan, Jin Qinghan, and Lv Qingshang, a group of low-level Jiuhua disciples gathered together, defending and attacking in unison. Though they were at a disadvantage, they still had some strength to contend with the demons.

However, Xu Qingfan did not expect the demons to be so fierce. Seeing that brute force couldn’t break the stalemate, the demons began to self-destruct their Spirit Qi in front of the Jiuhua disciples, unleashing power comparable to the "Explosive Spirit Technique" used by the unknown cultivator on Huandao Island.

After more than ten demon beasts charged forward and self-destructed, the dense formation painstakingly created under Xu Qingfan’s command finally scattered, and the battle descended into chaos.

In the chaos, due to their inferior strength, many Jiuhua disciples were killed. Even though Xu Qingfan and the other two tried their best to rescue them, it made little difference.

At this moment, under Xu Qingfan’s command, he, Jin Qinghan, and Lv Qingshang formed a triangular formation. Xu Qingfan manipulated various plants to assist, Jin Qinghan, skilled in gold-type techniques, led the attack, and Lv Qingshang, an expert in formations and charms, handled defense while carrying the still unconscious Feng Qingtian. Their combined efforts greatly increased their strength, allowing them to easily maneuver through the battlefield, defeating eight demons in a short time.

The reason for their great power was not only Xu Qingfan’s precise commands and the coordination from the Huandao Island incident but also the perfect combination of their abilities.

After Lv Qingshang’s formation blocked a demon’s attack, Xu Qingfan summoned more than ten green vines to bind the demon. At the same time, Jin Qinghan wielded the "golden spear technique," instantly striking, leaving the demon dead with no power to resist.

Just as Xu Qingfan and his two companions were about to go find the tenth demon after slaying nine, a powerful sense of danger suddenly arose. Seeing their fallen brothers, they were filled with grief and anger, wishing to destroy all the demons at once. Yet, with this new threat, they paused, wary of giving the enemy a chance. They stood cautiously facing the source of the danger.

As soon as this ominous presence emerged, Xu Qingfan was startled. Although slightly different, it was much stronger and strikingly similar to the aura Nangong Qingshan had shown after his transformation.

Focusing intently where the danger emanated from, Xu Qingfan was shocked by the sight. Three demons stared back at them, resembling Nangong Qingshan’s transformed state with their serpent eyes, green scales, and slender bodies. Compared to them, the other lesser demons seemed almost "normal."

If not for the slight differences between these demons and Nangong Qingshan, Xu Qingfan would have thought him miraculously revived.

In truth, these three demons had followed their master Zhang Xusheng since his arrival. It wasn’t until the battle began that they acted on Zhang Xusheng’s command to kill Xu Qingfan and his friends. Zhang Xusheng was so strikingly conspicuous that Xu Qingfan hadn’t even noticed these demons, so similar to Nangong Qingshan, before.

The presence of these demons was so overwhelming that none of the other demons disturbed Xu Qingfan and his companions after their arrival, leaving both sides to silently face off.

Finally, one of the demons spoke in an eerie voice, "Hiss… Xu Qingfan, Jin Qinghan, Lv Qingshang, Feng Qingtian. Hiss… We are ordered by our master to claim your lives."