Chapter 17: The Ten Thousand Swords are Sheathed (Please add to favorites, seeking recommendation)

Late at night, on South Mountain.

The cold wind was biting, the dark clouds were obscuring the moon.

The lights of Peace Town gradually began to go out. The people, who had been busy all day, were gradually drifting off into the realm of dreams.

Yuan Shaobai stood alone, his robes billowing in the night breeze.

Ordinarily, as the young master of the Yuan family in Pingjiang, he would never have stooped to visit such a remote small town.

"Humans, always seeking the comfort of an easy life."

At that moment, a sudden cold voice echoed from behind him.

Yuan Shaobai's body jolted, and he instinctively turned around.

The intense demonic energy was so solid that it shook the mountain wind, making it wail mournfully.

In the darkness, a vast silhouette slowly advanced.

It was a mastiff with its hide glistening silkily like damask, its tusks fully exposed. Across its forehead was a deep scar that extended to its mouth corner.

This scar made its ferocious appearance even more horrifying.

"Comfort is the root of weakness," the black mastiff sneered.

"Even so, the world's demons are still unable to catch their breath under human suppression," Yuan Shaobai replied faintly.

The black mastiff's eyes flashed with a hint of chill, then disappeared quickly.

"Human population is too colossal. Each generation always has extraordinary beings to keep the world in check."

As he spoke, the black mastiff gazed aimlessly in the distance.

"Peace Town, such a nostalgic place."

Yuan Shaobai remained silent, keeping his eyes fixed on the black mastiff.

So, this demon beast with unfathomable powers hails from Peace Town.

"Don't even think about examining my past," the black mastiff suddenly said, as if seeing through Yuan Shaobai's thoughts.

Yuan Shaobai's face subtly changed, and he was about to clarify.

"Human hearts are like demons. Even though we're cooperating, I fear you harbor ulterior motives. We're merely using each other," the black mastiff spoke indifferently.

Yuan Shaobai's eyes darkened and he coldly sneered, "Very well then. You said Peace Town hides a great opportunity. What exactly is it?"

As the young master of the Yuan family of Pingjiang, he initially didn't believe that such remote mountain town could contain any sort of opportunity.

However, in the past six months, this mastiff demon had offered him countless help and conveniences.

Thus, he now had complete faith in the words of this demon beast.

"Recently, the number of demon beasts in Peace Town has increased significantly. Do you know why?" the black mastiff responded with another question.

"Why?" Yuan Shaobai couldn't help but ask.

He had heard rumors ever since he entered Peace Town.

"Twenty years ago, a Great Demon emerged from Peace Town. Its tyranny surpassed anything seen before, ruling over all areas of Pingjiang with its solitary strength..."

"At that time, it was the gathering of a hoard of demons!"

"A Gathering of demons!?" Yuan Shaobai was taken aback.

Ancient texts had records of the Night Parade of Hundred Demons and gathering of demons. Misfortune befalls on humans whenever this kind of inauspicious sign happens.

Such gathering was an anomaly where numerous demons congregated under the rule of the most powerful demon, forming a terrible unified force.

Hence, throughout the ages, demon beasts capable of controlling the power of such gatherings were unimaginably strong.

Such a demon beast was known as a Great Demon.

"That Great Demon, unrivaled in its might, led the demons to annihilate the Demon Control Department of Peace Town. Not a single Demon-slaying Guard survived. The entire Peace Town fell into its utopia."

"There existed such an incident?" Yuan Shaobai was startled.

He wasn't born twenty years ago.

It seemed implausible that an entire mountain town was captured by a demon beast.

Especially since the Taoist King's grand ceremony two thousand years ago eradicated nearly all formidable demon beasts in the world.

"This incident shocked the world. The Headquarters of the Demon Control Department sent experts to slay the demon!"

Yuan Shaobai could not help but be moved.

The Headquarters of Demon Control Department was located in the Imperial Capital, under the jurisdiction of the Imperial Court, and only the imperial decree could command it.

It was the highest power center of the Demon Control Department, and the place all Demon-slaying Guards aspired to be.

"Sadly, they got one thing wrong!" The black Mastiff Demon sneered.

"What is it?"

"That great demon has an extraordinary origin, it carries an Ancient Demon Bloodline."

"A remnant of Taoist King's grand ceremony?" Yuan Shaobai was taken aback.

"In that battle, the group of demons assembled and annihilated all the experts of the Demon Control Department, causing blood to flow like a river and corpses to litter the ground. And just at that moment..." The black Mastiff Demon paused slightly, a touch of gravity appeared in his blood-red eyes.

At that time, a young man slowly walked out from the desolate Peace Town. He was dressed in a cloth gown, barefoot, languid in demeanor, with a rusty broken sword at his waist.

A white plume, watching this stray fish, made all the demons laugh, only the Great Demon remained silent.

The arrival of the group of demons marked their intention to divide and devour this human, who seemed oblivious to their impending death.

At that moment, a scene that left the whole Pingjiang city, and even the whole world, unable to forget took place.

A sword flashed across the sky, annihilating hundreds of demon beasts.

Heavenly Thunder rolled, as Sword Light surged, spanning across thousands of miles in the sky.

Every cultivator in Pingjiang city felt this terrifying sword intent, all swords trembled and pointed in the same direction.

On this day, that man released a terrifying battle intent, nailed the Great Demon to Peace South Mountain with his broken sword.

"This..." Yuan Shaobai was somewhat surprised, his heart pounding, vaguely coming up with a name.

A name highly similar to this story's legend.

Just that he didn't expect this legend to be located beneath the land he currently stood upon.

"It seems like you've guessed it..." The black Mastiff Demon sneered.

"Li Cangfeng!"

Yuan Shaobai gulped, his lips slightly parted, uttering a name.

In the world, only this sword; Nine Heavens Immortal Divine Sword, Hidden Edge!

This man had divine swordsmanship skills, ranked among the strongest in the world, and was one of the Nine Divine Pillars of the Demon Control Department.

They were, after all, the strongest nine in the Demon Control Department.

"Are you saying that under Peace Town lies a great demon?"

"Correct; Li Cangfeng said, everything in the world has causality, that Great Demon still had twenty years left..."

"If, after twenty years, it can come to a realization, it should naturally become enlightened, otherwise it should perish. At that time, whoever obtains his sword can go to the Imperial Capital and establish a fate with him." The black Mastiff Demon said.

"Li Cangfeng's sword..." Yuan Shaobai's eyes lit up.

This was a great opportunity.

That man's invincible reputation rocked the world.

"After that calamity, the Demon Control Department was reconstructed on the land where that Great Demon was sealed."

"Twenty years... The deadline of twenty years is almost here." The black Mastiff Demon's eyelids drooped, concealing a cold gleam in his eyes.

"Demon Control Department!!" Yuan Shaobai's eyes roved, entertaining a notion.

...

The next day, the sky was just beginning to brighten, and Zhou Dao went out.

The first light of morning was coming through, nourishing Peace Town.

There was already smoke billowing at the street corner.

The butcher shop next door, selling steamed buns, had already opened its doors.

Zhou Dao walked all the way to a courtyard, where the sound of reading was coming from.

Zhou Dao gently pushed open the half-covered courtyard door.

In the courtyard, a scholar was reading a book, with a fox curled up next to him, cuddling at the scholar's feet.

Zhou Dao stood at the doorway, the fox seemed to have sensed something, it straightened up and looked over.

"Hehe, so you are here." Zhou Dao grinned.