Chapter 129: The Great Demon Returns

Xunian went to inspect the formation in front of the stone tablet, which had indeed been destroyed.

"The formation was ruined when the space was shattered by that sword strike. Now that the tablet has lost its protection, Senior Xuanyuan, would you mind helping to repair it when you have a moment?"

If the formation were gone, it would be troublesome to have the stone tablet exposed. Seeing the causes and effects of things was not always a blessing; it often brought complications, which was why the tablet had been sealed in the first place.

No sooner had he finished speaking than the ancient trees shifted, blocking the path to the stone tablet. Xunian was stunned, finding it hard to believe. "Are you seniors willing to help me?"

A branch from one of the trees swayed, serving as an answer. Xunian bowed respectfully. "Then I thank you all. However, if anyone else comes here, please do not be too harsh on them, and do not take their lives. Thank you."

The ancient trees shook, acknowledging his request. Looking at the towering trees surrounding him, Xunian felt that the Shifang Mountains becoming like this was not such a bad thing. It had always been barren and lifeless before, but now, it felt quite lively.

Two days later, the barrier sphere finally dissipated, revealing the two figures inside. In those mere two days, Nian Laisheng had turned completely grey-haired and withered, looking as if he had reached the very end of his days.

Xunian rushed forward and caught him. "Master!"

Lying beside him was Ning Xianyu. She was still unconscious and showed no outward changes, but everyone could feel an immensely powerful spiritual energy contained within her body. This energy was slowly seeping into her, widening her spiritual meridians, purifying her body, and nourishing her spirit and nascent soul. She was undergoing a complete transformation.

Xuanyuan Tunhan stepped forward and caught Ning Xianyu. Nian Laisheng looked at her, now reborn, and smiled. "With this, she should not be consumed by the backlash."

Xuanyuan Tunhan placed the Qiankun Sword back on her, but his expression remained grim. "Not necessarily." They had never seen the true power of the Qiankun Sword. Breaking the ancient tree’s space this time had only required half its strength, and since that space had long been cracked and weakened by the passage of time, it had been easy to shatter. But to use this sword to break the heavens themselves would require twelve times that power. By then, even with his help, it would be like trying to put out a forest fire with a cup of water.

Nian Laisheng did not look disappointed; he merely smiled. "That will be your concern, Senior Xuanyuan. I have done all I can."

He smiled, slowly closed his eyes, and then, before everyone’s eyes, his body rapidly turned to dust and vanished into nothingness.

Yi Tianling and the others had never seen a cultivator perish in such a way, and they were left stunned, not knowing what to feel. The passing of a generation’s Mountain Master was truly lamentable. Coupled with the loss of Fairy Longyue, two master-level cultivators had vanished from the cultivation world within a single year; it was a time of great instability.

Before they could even express their grief, Xuanyuan Tunhan shouted angrily, "What are you doing?"

They all saw that after Nian Laisheng’s ashes scattered, his soul appeared and dove into a bracelet worn by Ning Xianyu. A voice emanated from the bracelet: "I have a few more things to settle. Once my grand-disciple wakes up, I will provide some instructions. Do not worry, I shall dissipate within three months." Having said this, it fell silent.

Xuanyuan Tunhan roared, "Get out of there! I don't need you to explain anything!" But Nian Laisheng seemed exhausted and refused to speak again. Xuanyuan Tunhan, furious, reached out to pull him out; he did not want the old man lingering on Ning Xianyu.

Xunian, helpless, quickly intervened. "Senior, please! Master has already turned to dust; this is but a sliver of his consciousness. Let him fulfill his final wish."

Out of respect for Xunian, Xuanyuan Tunhan relented. At that moment, Ning Xianyu took a deep breath and sat up abruptly. She looked around in terror at the people standing before her. "You scared me to death! I thought it was the end of the world."

Xuanyuan Tunhan tossed her aside, causing her to land painfully on her backside. "Now that you are fine, get up."

Xunian and Yi Tianling both looked at him in surprise. He had been so concerned, watching over her for two days without moving, yet his attitude had shifted the moment she woke up. The change was so abrupt that they feared Ning Xianyu might be angry.

However, Ning Xianyu didn't mind at all. She rubbed her backside, climbed up on her own, and looked around, asking in confusion what had happened and where she was. She felt dazed, as if she had been dreaming.

The system was already chattering in her mind about what had transpired over the past few days. Su Yun'er was also explaining things to her. Ning Xianyu quickly told the system to be quiet, as the noise from both sides was too much to process. When she heard that she had split the ancient tree’s space with a single sword strike, she nearly fainted from shock.

"I did that?" She looked at Yi Tianling. Shouldn't that have been the male protagonist's job? How did it become her?

The system hummed but said nothing. Su Yun'er confirmed that yes, she was the one who did it. She went on to explain that the ancient tree no longer held a grudge and had decided to settle in the Shifang Mountains. She also mentioned that Nian Laisheng had passed all his cultivation and heritage to her before dying, and that she was now Xunian’s disciple.

"Senior Ning, you will be the next Mountain Master of the Shifang Mountains."

With Nian Laisheng dead and Xunian as the current Mountain Master, Ning Xianyu was naturally the successor. Ning Xianyu pointed at herself. "I am Senior Xunian's disciple?"

Xunian smiled. "You should call me Master now."

Ning Xianyu jumped up. "Does this mean that in a few hundred thousand years, I have to pass on my cultivation to someone else and then die?"

Xunian replied with a helpless smile, "That is indeed how it works."

Ning Xianyu shook her head. "No, no! Take it back! I don't want it. I don't want to live in the Shifang Mountains, and I don't want to stare at you all day in these mountains." It was too terrifying. She wanted to be a carefree traveler, not a shut-in by force. Plus, having a master suddenly imposed on her was just too alarming.

Xunian hadn't expected her to be so averse to it; he felt embarrassed and slightly awkward. No one had ever rejected the heritage of the Shifang Mountains before.

However, the system kindly reminded her: *You're overthinking it. This world might not even last another hundred thousand years, so why worry about what happens then? Besides, once you become a disciple of the Shifang Mountains, you are no longer part of the Yuxian Sect, and that Great Demon Lord won't be able to boss you around anymore.*

Ning Xianyu realized the system was right. That was true! She could finally escape the Great Demon Lord! Haha, how joyous!

She immediately ran over and grabbed Xunian's hands tightly. "Master! My joy overwhelmed me just now; I was in the wrong. I apologize, please don't be disappointed in me."

*Hahaha, I’ve found a great backer! I'm so happy! Great Demon Lord, goodbye to you!*