"Are kings and nobles born to their stations?"
"Though we are but members of third-tier sects, we too have the will to vanquish demons and uphold righteousness!"
"Let us unite, strike down the demon national preceptor, and achieve eternal fame!"
In Xichuan, outside Daqing Mountain, a group of several dozen people had assembled, their spirits soaring.
Some wore Taoist robes, others Buddhist cassocks, some wielded peach wood swords, and others leaned on alms bowls.
These were the elites of the third-tier sects closest to Xichuan.
Upon receiving news of the national preceptor, they had rushed to Xichuan, hoping to precede the top-tier sects and the Civil Teachings and jointly slay the national preceptor.
In the recent decades of peaceful prosperity, no great demon had appeared for a very, very long time. These righteous individuals were burning with anxiety, eager to perform some earth-shattering deed that would immortalize them.
For them, death itself was not the most terrifying prospect. In pursuit of fame and fortune, any price was worth paying!
This group of several dozen was but a small vanguard of the forces dispatched to slay the national preceptor.
According to investigations by local sects in Xichuan, they learned that the capital of the Qingjiang Kingdom was located within the present-day Daqing Mountain. However, due to the passage of over a thousand years, almost no one now knew that a kingdom had once existed here.
Currently, the vicinity of Daqing Mountain was swarming with at least five hundred individuals, who had formed various teams and were entering Daqing Mountain from all directions.
Their objective, naturally, was to surround the national preceptor and prevent his escape.
Whoever encountered the national preceptor would seize a tremendous opportunity, a chance to make a name for themselves!
Yet, these fervent righteous individuals had forgotten that the national preceptor's power was beyond their grasp. Should they fail to defeat him, they would pay with their lives…
The group of several dozen descended into Daqing Mountain in a grand procession.
They moved in groups of three, spaced dozens of meters apart, conducting a systematic search as they rapidly traversed Daqing Mountain.
Should they discover anything, they would immediately notify their nearby brethren, who would then form a pincer movement to annihilate the national preceptor.
"Master, is it not dangerous for us to barge into Daqing Mountain without waiting for the top-tier sects and the Civil Teachings?"
Beneath a fiery red blooming coral tree, three Taoist priests were resting.
One, a rather young Taoist, appeared somewhat worried.
The other two were older. They were the Sect Leader and the Grand Elder of the Liangshan Sect, and the young Taoist was the Sect Leader's last disciple.
The Sect Leader of the Liangshan Sect took a drink from his waterskin and sneered, "Why wait for them? By the time they arrive, the national preceptor will have long since vanished, and what benefits would there be for us?"
The Grand Elder beside him sighed, "How many years has it been since the Xuanmen saw a great demon? In the past, the ancestors of the Xuanmen slew demons and devils one after another, achieving historical renown. If we miss this chance, such an opportunity will be hard to come by again!"
"What if, what if we can't defeat the national preceptor?" the young Taoist fretted.
The two elders' faces darkened. "What nonsense are you speaking? You jinx! Bah, bah, bah!"
The Sect Leader of the Liangshan Sect took out a golden sword from his bosom, boasting, "To slay the national preceptor, I have even brought out the sect's most prized treasure passed down from our ancestors. If we truly encounter the national preceptor, I will unleash this artifact. Even if I cannot kill him, I should be able to inflict some severe injuries! If we are truly outmatched, we can then seek aid from our fellow Taoists nearby. We will be fine!"
"They all claim how powerful the national preceptor is, but I don't believe it. If the national preceptor were truly that formidable, he would have long ago wiped out the people of Longhu Mountain, instead of hiding in Daqing Mountain," the Elder snorted. "However, this national preceptor is, after all, an ancient demon who has lived for over a thousand years, and a descendant of Lu Ban. If we kill him and seize his cultivation techniques and secret manuals, how can our Liangshan Sect not prosper in the future?"
Seeing the two elders' lofty aspirations, the young Taoist dared not say anything further.
He not only lacked an understanding of the national preceptor's strength but also had no conception of the prowess of Grand Heavenly Master, Yan Shouyi, and others. In his eyes, no matter how powerful a person was, they were still flesh and blood. Could they truly move mountains and fill seas?
Thus, the young Taoist's faith in his elders was rekindled. However, he still felt a chill in the air, as if countless eyes were watching them.
"After we've eaten and drunk our fill, let's continue on our way!" the Sect Leader of the Liangshan Sect stood up and said. "We already live in Daliang Mountain, and the terrain of Daqing Mountain is similar to Daliang Mountain. Our speed should be the fastest. If we go a bit further, we should be approaching the ruins of the Qingjiang Kingdom!"
The three tidied themselves up and prepared to resume their journey.
However, the Grand Elder shivered his shoulders at this moment and awkwardly said, "You go ahead. I need to relieve myself."
"Always with the excuses! Be careful on your own, and hurry back! If there's anything this mountain has, it's snakes, insects, and ferocious beasts," the Sect Leader reminded him.
"As the Grand Elder of the mighty Liangshan Sect, am I afraid of those things?"
The Elder sneered, adjusted his trousers, and went to a corner to relieve himself.
The Sect Leader, along with the young Taoist, continued forward.
However, they deliberately slowed their pace, waiting for the Grand Elder to catch up.
Approximately five minutes later, a ball of white mist suddenly emerged from the mountain, obscuring vision. Beyond five meters, even human figures were indistinguishable.
The Sect Leader said gravely, "Disciple, stay close to your master. We may have approached the ruins of the Qingjiang Kingdom. This dense fog is likely a formation."
"Master, someone is following us from behind!" the young Taoist suddenly exclaimed.
The Sect Leader looked back and saw a figure running towards them at an incredibly fast speed.
He quickly took out his ancestral golden sword, ready to defend himself, only to realize it was the Grand Elder rushing out.
"Damn it, why are you running so fast?" the Sect Leader, in his urgency, even blurted out his dialect.
The Grand Elder chuckled, "It's just that the mountain became foggy, and I was afraid of getting separated from you."
"Something is strange about this area. You stay close too," the Sect Leader kindly warned.
The young Taoist sized up the Grand Elder, who was a head taller than him. He suddenly noticed a bloodline on the Grand Elder's neck.
It looked as if… the Grand Elder's head had been completely severed and reattached.
"Master…" the young Taoist's face turned pale, and he tugged at his master's sleeve, wanting to alert him.
But his small movement was noticed by the Grand Elder, who smiled at the young Taoist and then, right before the young Taoist's eyes, suddenly removed his entire head and held it in his arms!
"Nephew, don't be alarmed. Your uncle's head was merely cut off, not that he died."
The sight of the Grand Elder's severed head, coupled with his chilling words, sent the young Taoist into a state of terror, and he let out a bloodcurdling scream.
The Sect Leader also broke out in a cold sweat, grabbing his disciple and retreating, shouting, "What wicked spirit dares to block this Sect Leader's path without eyes?!"
The Grand Elder, cradling his head, pursued them in a most peculiar posture, muttering:
"You seek a path to heaven but choose the gates of hell. The national preceptor needs sacrifices to recover his injuries, and you have arrived at the perfect time…"