49 Ritual

Of course, there were minor skirmishes at first and everyone did all kinds of ways to kill him but more than 60 years had gone by and Xingjian was still alive while everyone else was either alive in hell or dead in heaven.

60 years gone by and Xingjian had made numerous achievements that improved the sect. Especially noteworthy were his eccentrically traumatic punishments that had reformed the disgraceful behaviors of the disciples.

Everyone said that his punishments were so effective that their most hostile of delinquents had converted into... Honest boy scouts after their Baptism.

So, he became an elder, eternalized his influence in the sect and lived his merry days in his mountain peak sadistically punishing and teaching sword arts. He was fully accepted by everyone in the sect and forgot how he slit someone's throat hundreds of years ago.

Now however, sect leader was completely reminded of the man, the myth, the legend, Xingjian the demon lord, standing before him without his sword cane in hand.

Will this man commit treason again here like what he did in the empire? Is he going to slit my throat?

No... Stop, is useless thinking like this?

Sect leader shook his head to disperse those unhappy thoughts and looked at Xingjian again.

"Xingjian, we will deal with the sword in young Wang's hands once we commenced the baptism... Actually, you should know that with his unique body constitution, the Demonic energy invading into his body will be converted into nutrients for his cultivation. If we were to..."

"Kid, I'm not here to cause trouble."

Xingjian shook his head as he cut him off and sect leader got a little confused.

Sect leader had always known that the great sword in Ben Li's hands was very valued by Xingjian. In fact, first time he enlisted in the sect he carried that sword always with care and never used it to fight. Then he gave it to his 8th disciple after he brought her here and since then, that was about it. Sect leader never knew the reason why a Demonic weapon was highly valued but it seems that he has some deep history with it according to his attitude. Because of that, sect leader decided to at least give some regards for the sword's condition but it seems Xingjian wasn't here to forcefully take the sword away.

Then what could he possibly be here for? Xingjian didn't say. Merely, he approached pass sect leader and came before Ben Li. His gaze swept and landed on the sword laid beside the latter and his countenance instantly turned indignant and remorseful.

'What intense melancholy!' sect leader was shocked of Xingjian's change in expression and sensed a deep and cold emotion that was freezing the atmosphere.

That sensation then disappeared as Xingjian sighed and took out something from the empty void.

Seeing what he had taken out, sect leader was astonished. "Are those... Talismans?"

What he took out were a bunch of papers with runes deeply printed into their sheets. If one weren't knowledgeable enough, then sect leader would've doubted that he had laid his eyes again on the special and versatile products designed to combat the extreme forces using the five elements. Talismans.

Xingjian merely nodded back and spoke no more. He injected his Qi into the talismans and the runes began to surge out from the symbols. After which, he sweeps his hand and the talismans flew out and attached themselves into the sword as if they were pasted onto its body.

The sword seems to detest these talismans and what they do, the sword trembled furiously and shot SwordQis to destroy the talismans but to no avail, the talismans remained fixed on its body.

"Don't fight it, brat. I'm doing this for your own good." Xingjian muttered softly as he performed a seal with his hands. The talismans then began to glow magically and the sword howled like a demon for a while before it stopped trembling and dropped softly on the stretcher.

After that, Xingjian moved his hands to take the sword away but realized that Ben Li's grip had remained strong despite what he did and he gave up immediately.

"I see, this is your decision. Then... What should I do?" Xingjian muttered softly again. Was he talking to himself or the sword? Regardless, sect leader was worried about the time and quickly grabbed Xingjian's attention.

He coughed his throat softly and said.

"Xingjian, are you done? If so, then we should get going."

"... Un." Xingjian nodded back and followed sect leader as he took Ben Li sleeping on the stretcher with the Demonic sword by his side. Xingjian gaze intently at the resting figure and thoughts began to float within his heart.

'Wang brat, what is it about you that caught her interested? When you wake up, I'll probably have to ask Lieli to probe some information from you.'

As soon as they entered the dark interiors of the cave, they were greeted by an abbot waiting by the side.

...

In the deepest part of the cave lies an open space with man-made constructed walls and floors with a large pond fixed at the center.

The pond was not ordinary. The waters were boiling hot that faint smoke was emitted and if one were to peer beneath, they would see flowing lava at the bed of this pond.

If one were to look, they would also see numerous Dragons with golden scales carved deeply in the ceiling of this cave. There seems to be a mysterious power in these artistic carvings. And under the influence of these powers, the Dragons came to life and moved in their own. Their eyes constantly gazing on the pond as if their glares were boiling the waters hot!

At the center point of the ceiling was a circular hole that opened a path straight up to the surface. Sunlight pierced from the hole and bathed the pond golden with the sun's brilliance with the sun reflected on these waters. All these had brought about a mystical concept that consecrated the area around them into a holy ground.

An Abbot stood at the north side facing the pond with 3 more Abbots standing each at the south east and west sides. They chanted in unison what seems to be a mantra influencing the surroundings, turning the entire area into a domain permeating with intense yang energy infused with the primordial draconic essence of the Dragons. And at the center of the pond was Ben Li on the floating stretcher where sunlight was bathing his body. His body was soaking wet with sweat from the high degree of heat, and the sword in his grip was constantly roaring in rage as it tried to break free from this place reeking with Yang energy.

"Let's begin."

Shortly after sect leader said that, he lowered his raised hands down and controlled the floating stretcher to descend into the pond. Slowly drowning Ben Li while he sleeps unconscious with a furious sword in his grip.

Soon as the stretcher touched the waters it was instantly broken into pieces and dropped Ben Li into the boiling water with a splash. After which, the pond began to glow with a pale golden light as it then began to work its magic.

Under the meticulous guidance of the abbots, the yang energy everywhere flowed into Ben Li's body and seeped into his every pore. Bringing sensational vitality into his flesh and nourishing his spirit bit by bit.

Vwoosh!!!

Suddenly, an ominous roar thundered from the pond. The sword, being smothered by the yang energy, which it naturally abhorred, unleashed a dreadful Demonic energy residing from its body. It broke through the seal which sect leader set in place and corroded Ben Li's body at a visible rate. Bit by bit, his arm was turning blacker and ghastlier.

Ben Li's body began to convulsed violently from the two tremendous energies injecting inside his vessel and their contradicting properties clashing each other off. Turning his meridians and acupoints into battlefields where only one type of energy must remain. Violently, it battered his cultivation foundation into a whirlpool of energy. Instability was lost and power raged like a storm.