BOOM—

Golden thunderbolts descended from the sky, tearing through the densely clouded heavens.

"I'll take it on!"

As the thunderbolt fell directly upon its head, the Tiger Demon roared angrily. It shook and transformed into its True Body: a terrifying tiger as large as a small hill, its muscle-bound body bristling, its fur shining with a metallic luster.

The demonic aura was bewildering, turning into dense, dark smoke.

BANG!

The moment the Lei Mang struck the Tiger Demon, a violent burst of light and energy exploded forth, as if a gigantic sun had detonated upon it.

"Arghhh!!!"

Golden Lei Mang and electric light coursed all over it as the Tiger Demon roared hysterically.

The majestic power of thunder was an overwhelmingly terrifying restraint for Demons and evil spirits.

It could clearly feel that its skin, strong enough to withstand the strike of a Magic Artifact, was easily shattered the moment it made contact with this thunderbolt.

The supremely yang and forceful power of the thunderbolt burrowed into its body, causing rampant, unchecked destruction.

Almost in the blink of an eye, one of its blood forms was completely exhausted.

"Ten Directions Slaughter Path!"

From beneath its skin surged numerous black and red auras. These materialized as formidable and fierce tigers in their True Bodies, suddenly forming a tidal wave of tigers that stubbornly withstood the torrential golden thunderbolts.

Thunder Magic consumes a lot; let's see how long you can last!

Malice filled the corners of its eyes as the Tiger Demon chanted a complicated incantation, intent on activating its Sorcery for a counterattack.

But the golden thunderbolts descending from the sky were too dazzling.

So much so that the Tiger Demon failed to notice the young Daoist high above in the sky, calmly manipulating one Daoist Incantation after another.

With each movement of these Daoist Incantations, a faint golden seal was slowly emerging at the center of his brow.

Hidden Thunder Heavy Pupil!

In an instant, the flesh on his forehead split open.

An eye, as cold as cast gold, appeared.

Deep within this eye, a Thunder Pond, missing one corner, surged and swirled. Thousands of thunderbolts swept across it, as if to crush infinite voids.

All the hairs on its body suddenly stood on end, as if millions of needles were pricking its spine. The Tiger Demon looked up in terror, forcibly holding back tears as it gazed towards the source of the golden thunderbolts.

A golden vertical eye, as if forged from gold!

It was sparkling and brilliant, yet possessed no warmth or kinship. Instead, it emitted an icy majesty that no one dared to look directly at.

The deep and mysterious golden pupil radiated the primordial power of thunder, which churned wildly within it.

Countless blue-white bolts of lightning flared like caged beasts, writhing and tearing at the air in their confined space of mere inches.

Each spark of lightning was a manifestation of the purest, most primal energy in the universe.

With the eye as their nucleus, they gathered and amplified in this oppressively silent moment.

Suddenly, the golden vertical eye dilated intensely!

Accompanied by a silent yet soul-shaking roar, countless bolts of Lei Mang burst forth from that mysterious and profound gaze, flooding the heavens.

The world changed color before it; brilliance obscured all else.

The light was blindingly intense, carrying a pressure so profound it felt etched into one's very marrow.

"Fuck yo—"

Before it could finish its curse, the Tiger Demon was completely submerged in the boundless, terrifying Lei Mang.

Within Qinghe Sect, more than twenty people, including Sect Master Song Qingyun, stood with their mouths agape.

"This..."

Clenching the longsword in his hand, Song Qingyun's eyes reflected the brilliant Lei Mang that nearly obscured the entire sky.

Terrifying! Horrible! Too terrifying to behold!

The formidable nature of the heavenly thunder was enough to awaken the deepest fears in the hearts of all living beings.

Under the relentless and sharp assault of the Lei Mang and electric light, the Tiger Demon's three blood forms from its Blood-stained Triple Realm were quickly exhausted. Its massive body, as large as a small hill, was turned into charred remains.

Even its remaining soul was captured by Yama's Law Seal, not a bit wasted.

After killing the leading Tiger Demon, Qi Xiu slowly shifted his gaze. The thunderous column, like a sword of divine punishment, swept across the sky, crushing and erasing the remaining hundreds of Demons.

In an instant, the mountainous area surrounding Qinghe Sect was turned into scorched earth.

Phew... that was really quite useful.

Raising one hand to form a spell, he reined in the power of his Hidden Thunder Heavy Pupil. The vertical eye on his forehead slowly closed, and the Golden Thunder Divine Light in his normal eyes also gradually receded.

Compared to the Five Thunder Orthodox Skill, the power of the Hidden Thunder Heavy Pupil was greater.

Wherever his gaze fell, there was thunder.

And the thunderbolts unleashed by the Hidden Thunder Heavy Pupil were endless, like a spring.

As long as he did not restrain the Dharma Gate and his vital essence was not depleted, the thunder from his eyes would not cease.

Such intense, full-load thunder strikes left the enemy with no room to breathe.

Once locked on, unless one could withstand this surging thunder or use a spell to escape, they would, in due time, be "seen to death" by him, quite literally.

Not to mention, there was an even more terrifying third eye...

"Thank you, Senior, for your righteous rescue. I am immensely grateful."

After wiping out the group of attacking Demons, Qi Xiu approached Song Qingyun and the others.

Looking at Qi Xiu's handsome, fair face, Song Qingyun opened his mouth but still respectfully addressed him as Senior.

Such terrifying abilities could not possibly belong to a young person. He must have practiced some method to preserve his youthful appearance.

Glancing at Song Qingyun's body, which was covered in large, flower-shaped festering sores—obviously afflicted by some demonic poison—Qi Xiu flicked his finger, and five Suppressing Talismans flew out.

They adhered to his forehead and limbs.

"Bear with it!"

Muttering softly, Qi Xiu pointed at Song Qingyun's forehead.

In an instant, the five Suppressing Talismans shone brightly in unison!

The surging, oppressive force instantly acted upon his limbs and bones.

The demonic poison, which he had tried every means to expel and had even begun to contaminate his Tao Blood and blood forms, was suddenly forced out of his body by the domineering, suppressive golden light.

HISS—

Slitting Song Qingyun's throat, a writhing, twisting demonic poison, faintly revealing countless petal-like human faces, flew out.

It was then rapidly extinguished by a wisp of thunder that shot from Qi Xiu's eyes.

With the demonic poison gone, Song Qingyun instantly felt a great deal lighter, and the sores covering his body healed at a speed visible to the naked eye.

"Many thanks, Sen—"

Grateful to Qi Xiu for helping him expel the demonic poison, Song Qingyun bent forward to bow but was held up by an invisible force.

"There's no need for such formalities, Sect Master Song. I, Qi Xiu, am not even sixty years old, far from being your Senior. My rescue today is in recognition of your steadfast defense of this place, leading your Disciples and reclaiming Qinghe County seven times."

The map at the Listening Wind Teahouse was marked with a great deal of annotated information. Records of Qinghe Sect's firm defense of its Mountain Gate and the heavy losses suffered by its Disciples in the seven battles for Qinghe County were also noted there.

"To my shame, if not for my carelessness, falling victim to the ambush of the Demonic Evil Cultivators and being unable to preside over the Sect Protection Array, Qinghe County would not have come to this..." A trace of melancholy shone in his eyes as Song Qingyun spoke with a tinge of self-reproach.

If he had not been poisoned and injured, thus able to preside over the Sect Protection Array, neither Qinghe Sect nor Qinghe County would have had to suffer such significant losses.

Cultivators are not all aloof beings, removed from worldly desires. Qinghe Sect and Qinghe County were neighbors and had supported each other for hundreds of years. Many of the sect's Disciples even hailed from Qinghe County.

"What you have done is commendable. You withstood such pressure without giving up on Qinghe County. For this alone, you are stronger than many cultivators. Our meeting is fated. Take these. I hope you will use them wisely to protect this region and its peace, and to eradicate the Demonic Evil Cultivators."

While speaking, Qi Xiu took out a thick stack of Cloud Seal Talismans and handed them to Song Qingyun.

"How could I possibly accept this?" Realizing the immense power contained within these Cloud Seal Talismans, Song Qingyun hastily waved his hands, unwilling to accept them.

To be saved by someone and then to take their belongings—even a shameless scoundrel would find it difficult to do such a thing.

"What's there to be embarrassed about?" Stuffing the Cloud Seal Talismans into Song Qingyun's hands, Qi Xiu said with a light smile, "If in the future you remember me kindly, that will repay today's gift of talismans. In these times of calamity, the bigger picture is what matters. Don't let your own pride lead you to stand by while countless lives are lost."

Gazing at the Cloud Seal Talismans in his hand, Song Qingyun's expression was complex. After a moment, he straightened his back and spoke earnestly, "I am humbled by your magnanimity, fellow Daoist. May I ask for your honored name?"

"Heh heh heh, grand righteousness or small, the real justice lies in driving these filthy Demons out of Dianchuan. I am Qi Xiu. From the Shenxiao Sect, Qi Xiu."

With a cupped-hand salute, Qi Xiu transformed into a streak of Lei Mang and soared into the sky, just as he had arrived.

Gazing at the fading afterimage of the Lei Mang in the Sky Dome, Song Qingyun clutched the Cloud Seal Talismans tightly, muttering with deep emotion, Qi Xiu... truly an extraordinary individual.

...

Including this one, that makes seven in total.

Above the clouds, Qi Xiu sat cross-legged atop his Sword Gourd, which glistened like crimson glazed glass. He took out a jade slip and began to inscribe a line of characters with his thoughts.

"Qinghe Sect, Song Qingyun."

I must say, this method is much quicker than me running around everywhere, slaying Demonic Evil Cultivators.

Besides Song Qingyun's name, six other names were inscribed on the jade slip: Xie Tao of Ziyang Sect, Li Xiaoxiao of Ruyi Villa, Zhou Dashan of Huocanzong Sect, Wei He of Baiyue Cult, Chu Hongzao of the Pintan Chu Family, and Han Zhengyin of the Longchi Han Family.

These six names, six places, were all similar to Qinghe Sect. They had good reputations, defended their ancestral lands, tirelessly fought against Demonic Evil Cultivators, and sheltered civilians—truly heroes of their respective lands.

Initially, Qi Xiu had coincidentally passed through the territory of a place called Ziyang Sect. He casually exterminated the attacking Demons. He did so in recognition of Ziyang Sect's staunch defense of the county town beneath their mountain, where even the Sect Master's son had perished in battle. So, he gave them some Cloud Seal Talismans.

Surprisingly, a few days later, Qi Xiu suddenly noticed his Human Path Merit proficiency begin to increase.

Albeit by an almost negligible amount, it pointed Qi Xiu towards a path he had never considered before: Gifting Talismans!

Slaying Demonic Evil Cultivators could earn one Human Path Merit.

Then giving Cloud Seal Talismans to others, allowing them to slay Demonic Evil Cultivators, could also earn Human Path Merit.

Normally, this logic wouldn't work for just anyone, because it is extremely difficult for a typical cultivator to gain Human Path Merit. Not every deed receives merit in return. It depends on the intention, the act, and the virtue. If one were to take such an unorthodox approach, it's likely that no matter how many talismans were given, little would be gained.

But Qi Xiu was different.

He possessed the Divine Marvel of proficiency, an ironclad rule that effort yields reward.

Gifting talismans was naturally a form of effort as well.

So Qi Xiu began to actively seek out and select cultivators of decent moral character from various sects. These were individuals genuinely making efforts in these troubled times, and he bestowed Cloud Seal Talismans upon them.

With his calligraphy now at the Sixth Realm, drafting a thousand or eight hundred Cloud Seal Talismans a day was as easy as child's play.

Substituting this method for running around in search of Demonic Evil Cultivators, Qi Xiu was more than happy to do so.

...

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