Chapter 7

“Disrespecting elders warrants punishment.”

The newcomer was clad in black robes, with sharp brows and piercing eyes. His fingers gripping the Demon-Slaying Whip were slender yet powerful, the knuckles clearly defined. His cold demeanor was already intimidating, but now with a furrowed brow, it carried an added edge of ruthlessness.

Most disciples of Jade Balance Peak had only recently joined the sect and were unfamiliar with the legendary Junior Uncle Chu Xuanqing. However, Ming Yan’s clear and loud cry of “Husband!” made it impossible for them not to recognize him now.

Unfortunately, they had no time to marvel.

Chu Xuanqing tightened his grip slightly on the Demon-Slaying Whip.

Then— “Bang!”

An invisible force violently repelled the whip backward.

Caught off guard, Mu Qingqing, the whip’s wielder, suffered the backlash of this force and was sent flying backward, crashing hard against a rock behind her. Just as she was about to slide off and hit the ground, a dark figure swiftly followed—it was the male lead, Wen Nie.

“Qingqing!”

Only then did the disciples react, gasping in shock.

“I… I’m fine, don’t worry…” Mu Qingqing lay in Wen Nie’s arms, her face pale as she clutched her chest, a trickle of blood escaping her lips. She was clearly injured internally, far from “fine,” but she stubbornly insisted otherwise.

The disciples broke out in cold sweat, hearts pounding with lingering fear.

This was the strike of a Tribulation Transcending powerhouse.

Even though everyone knew Chu Xuanqing hadn’t even used a tenth of his strength, nor had he drawn his sword, Mu Qingqing was still wounded.

His actions seemed to declare to everyone:

Crushing Mu Qingqing would be as effortless as crushing an ant.

But Mu Qingqing was no ant.

She was the most outstanding among the new batch of Inner Sect Disciples at Jade Balance Peak, with a cultivation level at the Golden Core Stage.

Yet who could have imagined… in the face of a true powerhouse, Golden Core or even Nascent Soul meant nothing.

No one dared to plead for Mu Qingqing, nor even entertain the thought in their minds.

Not only had Mu Qingqing clearly been in the wrong—using the Demon-Slaying Whip to test Junior Aunt Ming Yan without reason was indeed a violation of sect rules and disrespect toward elders—but Chu Xuanqing’s earlier demeanor, as if he would cut down anyone in his path, made them fear that pleading for her would only make them the next to be punished.

“Disciple is at fault. Please punish me, Junior Uncle.”

Not far away, Bai Yang knelt on the ground, his back straight but beads of cold sweat forming on his forehead.

Before departing, his master, Elder Su, had repeatedly instructed him to protect Junior Aunt Ming Yan and ensure she suffered not the slightest harm. Yet he had never imagined that a mere Gravel Array would trap him.

If Junior Uncle hadn’t arrived in time and Junior Aunt had been injured…

He wouldn’t deserve to live even if he died a hundred times.

Chu Xuanqing’s expression remained cold, revealing no emotion. “Go to the Hall of Justice and receive your punishment.”

Bai Yang’s face paled. “Yes.”

“What did Bai Yang do wrong?” Ming Yan was utterly confused, feeling like she’d missed part of the plot despite being present the whole time.

Bai Yang replied, “This disciple failed to protect Junior Aunt properly. I deserve punishment.”

Ming Yan blinked, understanding dawning.

So Bai Yang’s presence in this class wasn’t a coincidence.

As Chu Xuanqing’s Dao Companion and a famously talentless cultivator, Ming Yan was bound to attract trouble from those who didn’t know better. Thus, Chu Xuanqing had sent Bai Yang to protect her.

As a direct disciple, Bai Yang was indeed skilled.

And since they were within the Profound Sky Sect, it should have been more than enough.

Even Chu Xuanqing himself hadn’t expected that the one targeting Ming Yan this time would be Wen Nie, whose cultivation and strength far surpassed Bai Yang’s.  

“Maybe let’s just forget it this time. Bai Yang didn’t mean it—who could’ve predicted such a strong wind would suddenly rise in broad daylight?” Ming Yan looked at Bai Yang’s frail figure, recalling how diligently he had escorted her here, and couldn’t help feeling a little sorry for him.  

Bai Yang, however, kowtowed firmly, his attitude resolute. “Thank you, Little Martial Aunt, for speaking up for me. But as a disciple of Celestial Pivot Peak, I must lead by example and never entertain any thoughts of leniency.”  

Ming Yan sighed. “Alright then.”  

With those words spoken in front of so many onlookers, Ming Yan couldn’t say anything more.  

She could only think to herself that once they returned to Celestial Pivot Peak, she would have Zisu deliver some of the Healing Elixirs she had collected over the years to Bai Yang.  

Hopefully, it would help ease his suffering.  

She turned her head and looked at Chu Xuanqing.  

“Husband, why are you here?”  

Wasn’t he supposed to be meditating in Heartbreak Cave for fifteen days as punishment?  

Chu Xuanqing turned around, the violent killing intent from earlier now completely vanished. His gaze swept over Ming Yan, confirming she was unharmed, before he reached out to gently smooth the wind-tousled bangs from her forehead.  

“Demonic creatures are causing trouble at the foot of the mountain.”  

The sect leader had urgently summoned him to Open Yang Peak for discussion.  

Yet, on his way there, he happened to witness Ming Yan being harassed.  

Ming Yan: “…”  

Demons again? Was today her unlucky day with supernatural beings?  

Still, considering the setting of this novel, this incident wasn’t entirely unexpected.  

The story of *Catching Demons and Seeking the Dao* took place a thousand years after the great war between righteousness and evil.  

A millennium ago, the heads of the four great cultivation clans, along with the mighty cultivators of the three sects and nine schools, united the entire righteous path to seal the demon and monster races at the eastern and western ends of the continent.  

Yet, a thousand years later, as the great masters passed away, the seals gradually weakened, allowing many demons and monsters to slip through.  

Just as humans had good and evil, so too did demons.  

Some, like Ming Yan or the original host of her body, simply sought to survive in troubled times without causing trouble. Others, however, fed on human flesh and blood, wreaking havoc and bringing calamity wherever they went.  

The Profound Sky Sect was situated in the Snow Ridge, stretching thousands of miles. Aside from cultivators, there were also many villages at the mountain’s base.  

Most of these villages were inhabited by ordinary people, making them natural targets for demons and monsters. But these creatures really had no sense of self-preservation—why cause trouble right under the nose of the Profound Sky Sect?  

Did they have a death wish? Ming Yan silently grumbled.  

“No need to worry. I’ll return soon.”  

Seeing Ming Yan’s troubled expression, Chu Xuanqing assumed she was concerned for him.  

Ming Yan shot him a sidelong glance. “Who’s worried about you?”  

With Chu Xuanqing’s level of cultivation, she’d be more worried for the demons.  

Chu Xuanqing chuckled softly, dismissing it as her being coy.  

“You’ve had a fright today. There’s no need to attend the remaining lessons—you may return to Celestial Pivot Peak to rest.”  

Ming Yan had been waiting for these very words and immediately agreed with delight.  

“I’m fine. But you, husband—demons are cunning, so be careful.”  

“Mm.” Chu Xuanqing’s gaze softened, his tone gentle.  

A stark contrast to the bloodthirsty aura he had exuded earlier.

While this pair of Dao Companions were immersed in their sweet affection, the situation for the female lead, Mu Qingqing, was far from optimistic on the other side.

Mu Qingqing’s body was ice-cold as she continuously coughed up blood.

At this moment, Wen Nie could no longer care about propriety between men and women. Without hesitation, he tore open the buttons at her chest to examine her injuries.

What he saw made him freeze in shock.

“The Heart Protecting Mirror…”

It was shattered.

The Heart Protecting Mirror was a defensive artifact he had given Mu Qingqing.

Normally, it appeared to be just an ordinary pendant. Yet this seemingly unremarkable trinket could block a fatal strike at a critical moment, saving Mu Qingqing’s life.

Now that the mirror was broken…

It meant that man named Chu Xuanqing had truly intended to kill.

Wen Nie’s eyes darkened abruptly, his demonic aura nearly uncontrollable.

Ming Yan remained unaware that her husband had almost killed the female lead.

Having openly skipped class, she had returned to Celestial Pivot Peak and was busy changing clothes while planning her Plan C.

Indeed, in just this short time, Ming Yan had already devised a new scheme.

Heartbreak Cave was remote and inconvenient for movement, but the villages at the foot of the mountain were different. Over the past decade in Profound Sky Sect, she hadn’t been idle—she had gained something at least.

In places within her reach, she had set up Instantaneous Movement Arrays for quick travel.

The Instantaneous Movement Array split into multiple connections.

One end linked to her bedroom, while the others connected to various teleportation points throughout Profound Sky Sect.

Using the array would undoubtedly make her faster than Chu Xuanqing and the others.

This small time difference would be enough for her to place the wife-killing Cultivation Method where Chu Xuanqing would immediately see it. After depositing the method, she could return via the array, pretending she had never left.

Absolutely perfect.

Since this was a covert operation and night was approaching, she changed into a black, form-fitting outfit that was easy to move in and conceal.

She looked somewhat like a thief from a martial arts novel—only far more beautiful.

Worried it might not be stealthy enough, Ming Yan stuffed extra elixirs into her pockets to mask her demon qi, ensuring nothing would go wrong. Once fully prepared, she stepped onto the Instantaneous Movement Array and silently recited her destination.

A red light flashed, and in the next instant, her body materialized in the village at the mountain’s base.

This was a small village called Qin Family Village.

Primarily a rice-growing community.

Ming Yan had visited once before and remembered it fondly.

But this time, everything was completely different.

Now, the entire village was shrouded in demon qi. The rice paddies were overgrown with weeds, and many houses stood with their doors wide open, bloodstains splattered across the entrances—appearing freshly spilled.

Ming Yan’s expression turned grave, her vigilance heightening.

She closed her eyes briefly before reopening them.

The previously intangible, colorless demon qi suddenly manifested as vivid hues before her eyes.

She could see that every household in Qin Family Village was tainted by demon qi to varying degrees—some faint, others dense.

In one corner, a particular home’s demon qi was so thick it appeared nearly violet.

Ming Yan thought silently: It’s you.

She decided to investigate this household discreetly.

Unlike the others, this home’s door was shut.

Yet the interior was still in complete disarray.

Ming Yan entered the main hall but found nothing unusual. Just as she was about to check the inner rooms, the wooden rice cellar in the hall suddenly shifted, emitting an odd sound.

Her footsteps halted.

“Meow.”

Someone softly called out.

Ming Yan: “No way, no way. Does anyone really think they can trick someone by meowing these days?”

As if this were some TV drama—she wasn’t buying it.

The person, seeing their ploy had been exposed, was about to feel embarrassed when faint footsteps sounded nearby. Ming Yan stiffened. Instantly, another person squeezed into the already cramped rice cellar, making the tight space even more crowded.

In the darkness, Ming Yan and the stranger stared at each other, wide-eyed.

“Who are you?”

“…And who are you?”

The footsteps grew closer, stopping right outside the door.

With a creak, the wooden door was pushed open. Without time to cast an Immortal Spell, Ming Yan decisively covered the stranger’s mouth and nose.

“Junior Uncle, in your opinion, how should we handle this demon disturbance?”

“Kill.”

From the voices, Ming Yan could tell there were two people outside.

One was her husband, Chu Xuanqing, while the other sounded like the head disciple of the sect leader. She had met this disciple once before but didn’t remember much about him.

However, the fact that the sect leader had dispatched both his head disciple and Chu Xuanqing suggested this demon disturbance was no trivial matter.

Just what kind of demon was it?

Ming Yan racked her brain, trying to recall the novel’s plot.

Lost in thought, she didn’t notice the person beside her frantically signaling with their eyes. Finally, unable to hold back any longer, the person—

Kicked a wooden plank in the rice cellar.

As the noise threatened to draw the attention of the two in the main room, Ming Yan instinctively let go. She and the stranger exchanged a glance, then spoke in unison:

“Meow!” “Meow~”

Chu Xuanqing: “…”