Chapter 130: The Lotus Breeze Carries Fragrance

The stranger nodded at Cheng Shipeng and said, "Elder Cheng, please wait a moment." His voice was as ordinary as one that might be forgotten the instant it was heard.

Cheng Shipeng did not question why the man refused to reveal his true face; the ancient demonic script the cultivator had used to cast his spells was proof enough of his identity.

He stood aside as requested, watching the cultivator continue to trace symbols with his brush.

After Ji Youyun retreated, the strand of demonic soul did not return to the "Heavenly Demon Saint Body" but instead veered toward the stranger. Cheng Shipeng felt a secret pang of regret: "After this battle, the 'Heavenly Demon Saint Body' has lost its holy soul and is effectively ruined. The days ahead for the Cheng clan in the Daoist cultivation realm will surely be even harder. Perhaps the next time Ji Youyun returns, it will be the end of my clan."

At this thought, he surveyed his surroundings, realizing that including himself, only seven or eight of his clansmen remained alive. Nearly everyone below the Nascent Soul stage had perished, and a searing pain filled his heart.

It was unclear how the stranger communicated with the demonic soul, but after a pause, he retracted his brush and called out "Come!" to the "Heavenly Demon Saint Body," which still hung suspended in mid-air. With a flow of spiritual energy, the demonic artifact drifted into his grasp, and the soul hesitated before slipping back into it.

Cheng Shipeng was pleasantly surprised that the man had managed to subdue the soul so quickly. He was even more stunned when the man held out the artifact toward him.

The cultivator spoke gently: "Elder Cheng, the situation was urgent earlier, so I took the liberty of setting the holy soul free without consulting you first."

Cheng Shipeng, not knowing what to say, replied repeatedly, "It is nothing, I would not dare object. Fortunately, you arrived just in time; otherwise, our clan would surely have been wiped out."

The cultivator did not stand on ceremony regarding the gratitude. "The holy soul is extremely weak now," he continued. "I have already discussed it with the soul, and it will reside in the 'Heavenly Demon Saint Body' for the time being. The Great Elder will lead the clan across the continent to find energy to nourish it. Only you, Elder Cheng, know what it requires, and you need it to help mask your demonic aura."

Cheng Shipeng’s heart sank at these words, and it plummeted further when he took hold of the artifact. Though the ancestral heirloom was back in his hands, the mysterious connection he had held with the demonic soul in his consciousness was severed.

"And what of the future..." he asked, unwilling to give up.

The cultivator answered lightly: "Once the holy soul recovers, it will naturally be free to come and go as it pleases. That will be up to the soul."

Cheng Shipeng was too heartbroken to speak. Yet, he knew that without such a promise, his clan would likely have ceased to exist already.

He took a deep breath, accepting the reality, and finally turned his attention to this personal disciple of the Sect Master. The man had displayed superior abilities from the moment he appeared, but Cheng Shipeng, a late-stage Nascent Soul expert, was not easily intimidated.

The mysterious disciple’s cultivation level was not high. Though he masked it well, Cheng Shipeng was certain the man had not yet formed a Nascent Soul. Furthermore, the man's aura was chaotic, and Cheng Shipeng could sense the subtle resonance of a fellow demonic cultivator.

To dare face Ji Youyun alone with only a mid- or late-stage Golden Core cultivation required exceptional courage and insight. Cheng Shipeng did not dare underestimate him. "Do you have any other instructions?" he asked politely. "And how should we address you?"

He did not ask directly for the man's name, but rather for a title, as he saw the man was unwilling to reveal his identity. For an old demon like Cheng Shipeng, this was a rare gesture of respect.

The cultivator seemed unprepared for the question, pausing before replying, "My surname is He. You may call me He Feng. I came to take charge of the prisoners rescued from the Demon-Refining Prison, but I do not see any of them here..."

Cheng Shipeng’s expression changed drastically. Those prisoners had already been taken by the woman surnamed Qi. Since the Sect Master’s disciple, He Feng, was standing right before him, there could be no mistake—Qi Xiuning was an impostor.

Before he could explain, a disheveled, barefoot man landed in the valley, calling out, "Uncle! The enemies outside have all retreated!" It was Cheng Tian, son of Cheng Shiying. After being rescued by Jing Xiaoyun and the others, he had been blocked outside the valley, only finding the chance to rejoin the group once the enemy had left.

Seeing his disheveled state, Cheng Shipeng frowned. "Why have you only just arrived?"

"I was pestered by an old immortal with a Wood Spirit Root," Cheng Tian replied casually. "Luckily, I ran into Duoduo and a few Daoists, and we managed to finish him off. Where is my father?"

The surviving Nascent Soul cultivators were all present, and seeing his father was not among them, the slow-witted Cheng Tian finally realized what had happened; his expression shifted.

Cheng Shipeng, having recovered from his initial grief, said, "Your father was killed by the Daoists of the Futu Sect. We have already avenged him."

Cheng Shiying had spent his life finding amusement in tricking others, but lacking the opportunity to encounter outsiders, he had preyed upon his own people, even swindling his own son. With the other survivors having lost their own loved ones, no one but Cheng Tian had the heart to mourn for him.

"Duoduo is with the Daoists?" Cheng Shipeng frowned, realizing he hadn't seen his granddaughter since the arrival of Ji Youyun and the Futu Sect.

He Feng interrupted: "Elder Cheng, what of the Daoists rescued from the Demon-Refining Prison?"

Even when facing Ji Youyun, He Feng had been unhurried, possessing an incomprehensible composure. Yet, now, Cheng Shipeng detected a hint of tension and urgency in his voice. These Daoists were clearly of great importance.

Cheng Shipeng bit the bullet. "A female cultivator came to me last night, posing as the Sect Master’s personal disciple, and took all the captives..."

Seeing He Feng pause, he quickly added, "But rest assured, I sent my granddaughter, who is at the Golden Core stage, to follow them. They haven't gone far and are resting by a river west of Dongqin. However, the woman who impersonated you has left the group; she is with a Nascent Soul Daoist and Jing..." He stopped, looking at his nephew Cheng Tian. "You said Duoduo is with whom? What do those people look like?"

Cheng Tian, mourning his father, replied, "It's her useless father and three other Daoists—two men and a woman." He paid little attention to matters that didn't concern him and had not bothered to observe Hong Jian’s visit the night before. Had it been anyone else, they would have recognized Hong Jian immediately.

Even so, hearing that Jing Xiaoyun had reunited with her father, Cheng Shipeng guessed the truth.

Filled with suppressed anger and nowhere to vent his grief, the veins on his forehead pulsed. He apologized to He Feng: "It seems my granddaughter has colluded with outsiders to pull off such a daring scheme. I will capture her and those people at once and leave them to your disposal."

He Feng’s plain face showed a rare trace of curiosity. "Elder Cheng, what did that woman look like last night?"

The more Cheng Shipeng recalled, the angrier he became. "The cultivator was young. She claimed to have been favored by the Sect Master and learned the 'Great Calamity Sutra.' She knew many secrets, and her act was very convincing. I was negligent and believed her. She called herself 'Qi Xiuning,' though that name is likely false as well."

With a wave of his hand, he ordered his people, "Pack up quickly! Follow me to capture these traitors, then we can interrogate them at our leisure!"

Upon hearing the name "Qi Xiuning," He Feng’s body trembled slightly, and his eyes suddenly burned with a brilliant light.

A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. He raised a hand to stop Cheng Shipeng. "Elder Cheng, wait. If I am not mistaken, I know this young woman. I will handle this matter. Your priority is to lead your family away from here; I expect Ji Youyun will soon rally her forces and return."

He paused, then added, "If you trust me, I will help you choose a route after you leave the valley, and I will handle the cleanup so that Ji Youyun finds no trail to follow. But you must be very careful to hide your tracks on the journey."

Cheng Shipeng was astonished. "If there is a way to avoid Ji Youyun’s 'Great Calamity Sutra,' that would be best. It seems Brother He has studied her well. The Sect Master’s eye is sharp; it is the fortune of our Heavenly Demon Sect to have a disciple such as you."

He Feng smiled absently. "You are too kind, Elder Cheng. Let us leave it at that. Dealing with Ji Youyun is not a task for a single moment; there will be time enough in the future."

Eager to reach safety, Cheng Shipeng followed He Feng’s suggested route. Before leaving, he kept Cheng Tian behind, ordering him with a cold face: "Find Duoduo first and kill that Jing fellow. He wants to snatch up the daughter of the Xiu family? He’s dreaming! Once we are separated by vast distances, it will be hard for me to reach you, so keep an eye on Qingqing as well—don't let her run wild with her thoughts."

Cheng Tian knew his uncle had been communicating with Cheng Qingqing, and though he didn't understand what "wild thoughts" his uncle meant, he simply responded, "Yes."

"While you stay here, listen to Mr. He," Cheng Shipeng instructed. Then, turning to He Feng with an apologetic look, he said, "My granddaughter and nephew are both very mischievous. I never imagined that our first meeting would involve troubling you with such family scandals. Cheng Tian is at least a Nascent Soul cultivator; let him discipline the girls—feel free to punish them as you see fit."

He Feng smiled good-naturedly. "Leave it to me, Elder Cheng. Rest assured."

Cheng Shipeng departed with his brother and son. Of the more than forty members of the Cheng clan, only these few remained; their backs looked exceptionally desolate.

He Feng and Cheng Tian had no time for sentiment. They worked together to thoroughly destroy the battlefield. Cheng Tian, unsure of what level of destruction was needed to evade Ji Youyun’s gaze, followed He Feng’s instructions until the man nodded, at which point he finally exhaled. "Since everything is taken care of here, I must go find my niece. Does Mr. He have any further instructions?"