Fengyunlu

At this moment, the Demon King led A Li, Zhuang Mo, Taoist Xue Ya and other friends from the Fairy Demon Hall, as well as the four brothers from Chunming Pavilion, Xia Tianchang, Qiu Lingjin and Dong Xuegui from the Beichen Palace, and those poor disciples who were subdued by the Changli Sword. They all turned into rays of light and slipped away in an instant along the gap created by the Demon King's attack.

As they began their movement, Lei Gong glanced at Fairy Ji Yao from afar within the Immortal Absolute Formation and noticed a subtle shift in her gaze. But now wasn't the time to ask questions. He knew something major had happened within the Acacia Sword Formation. Even the Spring and Autumn Emperor, Luo Hongchen, had gotten involved; there was definitely something fishy going on. But he was still concerned about the item Mo Qiu had taken. It was a matter of great importance to the Thunderbolt Hall and the will of his ancestors, so he had to stop it.

Just as he was about to exert his strength, Luo Hongchen's old voice rang in his ears: "Little Lei Gong, don't be impatient, I will tell you slowly later."

Before Lei Gong could exert his power, the lightning went out. He dispersed the thunder power that gathered around him involuntarily, and did not try to stop anyone. He just symbolically activated the Xian Jue formation and summoned a bunch of purple thunders, which came down from the clouds and struck towards the Demon King and others.

But at an unexpected moment, Mo Wenjian turned around and swung his sword, intending to smash the thunder to pieces, but was suddenly blocked by someone.

"You guys can't leave yet."

The voice was as calm as boiled water, without a trace of emotion or any aura. However, such a simple sentence made all the people from the poor family stop in their tracks.

Luo Hongchen's mind suddenly brightened. He had been so busy delivering a message to Lei Gong that he had forgotten that his silly disciple was as stubborn as a bull. He would definitely not be happy to see him trapped in the sword formation. Furthermore, he had just attacked without mercy. As a disciple, this was the perfect time for him to show off in front of his master.

As expected, Martial Saint Jiang He was in the sky, calmly extending two fingers. The Changli Sword rested on his fingertips, neither advancing nor retreating. At the same time, the figure of Martial Saint Jiang He appeared before everyone, including the Demon King.

"Oh? The third time entering the mortal world." The demon king, the cat demon, sneered. He was blocked, but he was not surprised at all. Instead, he looked like he was watching a show. With his hands behind his back, he waited among the clouds to see what would happen next.

Ali and Zhuang Mo next to them were in a similar state, looking calm, while Xue Ya and the others were a little confused.

From the situation just now, anyone could see that Luo Hongchen had shown mercy. Although no one knew what happened in the sword formation, it was obvious that he was letting them go. Why didn't they just leave? Why were they still entangled here?

But this Jiang He, despite being a Martial Saint and possessing earth-shattering power, was somewhat slow to react. His teacher hadn't said anything, yet he leaped out to stop them, even using his Qi-transforming form to confront everyone.

"Mr. Jiang, you didn't move before, what do you mean now?" True Man Blood Crow spoke at this time. He knew that the Demon King was of noble status and it was not easy for him to come forward directly. As a direct subordinate of the Immortal Demon Hall, he naturally had to stand up and speak.

Martial Saint Jiang He, however, ignored True Man Xue Ya and turned to ask the Demon King, "Your Excellency holds a high position in the Poor Clan. Does your actions this time in Thunder Mountain represent the entire Poor Clan?"

After saying this, he flicked his finger, lightly flicking the Changli Sword. The recoil force traveled along the sword's body and into Mo Wenjian's arm, as if a force was trying to pull him down from the clouds and force him to stay. Furthermore, he had just used the clone technique to enter the mortal world three times, and the thirteen figures he had created also attacked simultaneously.

There was a swish sound, and the thirteen figures suddenly moved, each performing a move. Some struck with palms, some chopped, some blocked, some rushed forward, some raised two fingers, and some kicked directly. In short, they used various moves to attack the people in front of them directly.

But he was divided into thirteen people. Although he had the title of Martial Saint, the people he faced were not ordinary people. Before the thirteen figures approached him at the same time, the Mo Wen sword in front of his body had already taken action. The recoil force was dissolved and the sword energy burst out at the same time.

Due to the sharpness of Changli Sword, a green force suddenly burst out from the tip of the sword, forcing Jiang He back while shuttling through the clouds like a dragon, weaving back and forth, and in the blink of an eye, it smashed all the thirteen incarnations of Martial Saint Jiang He.

"What about you? Are you here on behalf of your master or the Imperial Garden?" The demon king, Cat Demon, spoke lightly, a smile plastered on her face, clearly not taking him seriously. Her words carried a hint of contempt, as if the person before him wasn't worthy of her serious attention.

Martial Saint Jiang He didn't care much. With his master standing in front of him, it didn't matter what others said to him. As long as they didn't offend his master, he wouldn't say anything. So he took a step forward and chuckled softly, "Haha, I've heard about the Demon King's power for a long time. Now that we've met today, I'd be remiss if I didn't show him a few moves." His tone was relaxed, as if he didn't take the Demon King's contempt seriously.

"Oh? You want to challenge me?" The Demon King's smile deepened, and he looked back at A-Li with disdain, shaking his head without saying anything. However, the people around him, including Blood Crow, couldn't help but laugh. They seemed to think that the challenge from Martial Saint Jiang He was a joke, not even worthy of the Demon King's personal response.

"Hahaha... Jiang He, do you think you can challenge our Demon King just because you have a title?" Blood Crow True Man said with disdain, his laughter even more impudent. It was obvious that he didn't know the Martial Saint Jiang He well enough. His words were full of sarcasm, as if questioning Jiang He's strength and status.

It was no wonder; they had never met before, having only heard of each other's reputations. Furthermore, the title of Martial Saint carried considerable weight within the Xuan Sect, and True Man Blood Crow didn't dare act too presumptuously. But within the Imperial Garden, as a humble expert, and with the grudge between Fairy Consort A-li and the Imperial Garden from their early years, he naturally sneered and mocked him, looking down on everyone in the Imperial Garden from the bottom of his heart. Even if you were a Martial Saint, even a disciple of Spring and Autumn Emperor Luo Hongchen, as long as you were connected to the Imperial Garden, a humble person would verbally bully you if they encountered you, even if they couldn't defeat you.

This was also the reason the Demon King had never looked him in the eye. To put it bluntly, his wife, Ali, had been imprisoned in the Imperial Garden years earlier. The complex relationships and hidden dealings involved had long since instilled in the Demon King a dislike for the people within. The Demon King's indifference wasn't without reason; it stemmed from deep-seated personal grudges and historical entanglements.

Furthermore, during the Jiazi War, the actions of the Imperial Garden, their various plots and schemes, and the comments made by the assassin Lu Xiao about the Imperial Garden, all combined to create a deep dislike among the entire Han Clan. In other words, from the Han Clan's perspective, even if you're from a small sect or even a righteous path, with only two or three individuals forming their own, or if your cultivation isn't high, as long as you're not at the Xuan level, the Han Clan will take you with a grain of salt. The Han Clan's hostility towards the Imperial Garden isn't groundless, but rather backed by concrete historical events.

But as long as you were born in the Imperial Garden, or joined the Imperial Garden for various reasons, no matter how high your Xuan level was, even if Bai Qianyi was here now, no matter your status, you would be ridiculed and looked down upon by the disciples of the poor. In the eyes of the poor, the Imperial Garden seemed to have become a symbol, representing everything they despised.

This was the case with the Martial Saint Jiang He. He was a disciple of the Spring and Autumn Emperor, possessing a highly advanced cultivation, reaching the pinnacle of the Saint Rank, within the Primordial Realm. Even if he were a member of a different order, he would still be admired. Yet, he chose to join the Imperial Garden. Unlike the Great Emperors like Luo Hongchen, who were granted the title of Emperor of Heaven and were entrusted with the responsibility of overseeing the rise and fall of the human race, Jiang He was still respected despite their differing ideologies. Jiang He's choice made him a target of criticism among his humble family.

But Jiang He's joining the Imperial Garden had established him as a true enemy of the Han Clan. Their mutual hatred had always existed, and coupled with the fact that the Imperial Garden had seemingly done nothing admirable for the human race or even the Xuan Clan over the years, the Han Clan had always viewed the Imperial Garden's inhabitants as hypocritical, nominally leading the Xuan Clan's righteous ways but in reality engaging in repulsive practices instead. The Han Clan's criticism of the Imperial Garden was sharp and direct, believing it had strayed from the original aspirations of the righteous path.

Otherwise, Feng Wanli wouldn't have invaded the Imperial Garden, in the name of saving his wife and A-Li, injured numerous people unrelated to the incident, and even breached the Demon Locking Tower, freeing not only A-Li but also numerous other demons who had been captured and imprisoned for unknown reasons. Had it not been for the covert intervention of a mysterious master deep within the Demon Locking Tower, Feng Wanlin would likely have released all the demons without malicious intent. In Feng Wanlin's view, there's no distinction between high and low in cultivation; even a blade of grass or a tree has its own destiny. Others have no right to prevent it, let alone impose it for unfounded reasons. As long as they don't violate morality and don't harm or kill, even if they're demons, what's the difference? It's just a matter of different paths and a lack of understanding. While Feng Wanlin's actions were radical, his philosophy reflected his respect for the equality of all life.

When Martial Saint Jiang He decided to join the Imperial Garden, it wasn't for the high official positions and generous salaries, nor was it for the precious tome in Tongtian Pavilion. He joined, firstly, because he was so excited when he met Luo Hongchen, as if he had found his mentor. Furthermore, Luo Hongchen, the Great Emperor, had encouraged him to join. Secondly, he followed his teacher's advice, believing that the Imperial Garden's status within the Xuan Sect, especially within the righteous path, could be of great help. In his grand ambition to protect the Xuan Sect and care about the rise and fall of the human race, the Imperial Garden's help would help him avoid many detours.

Martial Saint Jiang He's decision stemmed from his upbringing in the mortal world, with the ideals of the people at heart. He felt that with the identity of a member of the Imperial Garden, he would be able to better achieve his goals as he traversed the world and aided the people, not only by his own cultivation, but also by having another identity. While somewhat dull, he was not pedantic at all; he was simply a little slow to react to people and events. He understood that rules are static, but people are dynamic. Therefore, despite his presence in the Imperial Garden over the years, he rarely participated in its affairs.

For example, when Feng Wanlin stormed the Imperial Garden, Martial Saint Jiang He knew about it after Bai Ximeng arrived first, and he intervened at a crucial moment, alleviating Bai Ximeng's serious injuries and even saving her life. Furthermore, after Feng Wanlin arrived, seeing his junior fellow Zongheng invincible, he watched the battle from the sidelines with confidence, and even prevented many of the Imperial Garden's masters from joining the fray.

Furthermore, upon hearing the news, the old Grand Tutor Yin Taixu arrived, intending to set up a formation within the Demon Locking Tower to capture him. The reasons and implications of this would be explained in detail after he was captured. It was Martial Saint Jiang He who intervened, confronting the old Grand Tutor. It wasn't until Feng Wanlin stormed out, shaking his Snowy Night Flying Eagle Spear and sending it piercing the air, that he finally let go of everything and ventured out into the world, rarely returning to the Imperial Garden.

Many years had passed since this incident. Since then, Martial Saint Jiang He had been constantly traveling the world, save for a single trip back home when Feng Wanlin returned to the Imperial Garden to confront the Old Grand Tutor out of concern, and a symbolic return trip whenever his teacher, Luo Hongchen, was invited to the Imperial Garden. On the one hand, he visited the highest eminences of the world, exchanging insights with talented individuals and seeking their advice. On the other, he was intent on investigating the original conspiracy, always striving to help his teacher resolve his problems and uncover the conspiracy behind that desolate mountain. Finally, he cared deeply about the people of the world. The most fundamental truth of the Xuanmen Dao was to protect humanity, a fact he had never forgotten, and he had always been practicing the Xuanmen Dao's purpose, slaying demons and defending the Dao, saving the people, and doing his part for the world.

He never spoke much about these matters, for he was not interested in fame or wealth. Even when someone misunderstood him, he never defended himself. Consequently, the humble family always looked down on him. He knew it was because of the Imperial Garden, so he didn't care much. Therefore, he simply ignored the disdainful looks and tones from the Blood Crow Immortal and the Demon King.

"There is a mentor here, and my name as Jiang He is of no importance. However, you, Han Clan, had previously caused my nephew and Hall Master Lei to fail in their plan, and then had a fight with my teacher. In this situation, not to mention how much sorrow I had three years ago. , Even Pili Hall is in a lot of damage right now, so don’t even think about leaving without leaving anything behind." Wu Sheng Jianghe looked solemn, he was not good at words, and after saying so many words at this time, he obviously wanted to use some real methods.

But before he could take action, someone stepped forward and said, "Bah! If Feng Wanlin had said this back then, maybe everyone would have considered it, but when it comes to you, hehe..."

The sneer was self-evident. The person who stood out was none other than Bai Lang, a master from the Immortal Demon Hall. He looked at the Martial Saint Jiang He coldly with disdain on his face. Seeing that Jiang He remained silent, he was about to continue, "But then again, even Feng Wanlin back then, wasn't his lineage also in my humble family..."

Before he could finish his words, a sharp sword energy barreled towards White Wolf's throat. It was the Martial Saint Jiang He who had made the move. He hadn't wanted to waste time on arguments, but with White Wolf provoking him, he couldn't bear it any longer. White Wolf hadn't expected Jiang He to attack so quickly, and he hastily raised his sword to block. With a loud clang, White Wolf was thrown back several steps, his face pale.

The demon king's eyes glared. He hadn't expected the martial saint to start a fight so quickly. She shouted, "Stop!" Everyone stopped their actions. The demon king looked at Jiang He and sneered, "You want to keep us here? You alone are not enough."

Jiang He remained calm and said, "We'll know after we try." Just then, a flash of light appeared in the distance. It was Lei Gong arriving. He shouted, "Brother Jiang, I'm here to help you." Lei Gong joined the battle, standing shoulder to shoulder with Jiang He.

The demon king frowned slightly, having not expected the thunder power to return. But she wasn't afraid. Behind her, A-Li, Zhuang Mo, and the others were also on high alert, a fierce battle imminent. Meanwhile, Luo Hongchen watched silently from the side, pondering something in his mind.