Zither Sword Mountain.

Tantai Yao's expression was cold and hard, back straight, his entire being enveloped by an aura of sharp Sword Intention.

The sky was dark and gloomy as ink.

The entire 'famous school' of Zither Sword Mountain, its mountain paths, main hall, and the treasured 'Flood Dragon Pool', were all suffused with the scent of bloodshed and slaughter.

Not long ago.

Tantai Yao in Black Mountain City heard of the invasion of Wutong Prefecture by the 'Xuanqing Demon Vein', and in his worry, finally crossed that threshold, deciding to visit the Zither Sword Pavilion to confront the former chief disciple, now the Zither Sword Pavilion Master, Xu Nian.

Thus, he and Xu Qin, the Museum Director of 'Zither Sword Arts Hall' on Martial Arts Street in Black Mountain Inner City, traveled back together.

Almost as soon as they arrived, soon...

they encountered the 'Demonic Attack on the Mountain'.

It was said,

Wutong Prefecture had already fallen and become the territory of Xuanqing Demon Monarch 'Gua Hua'.

It was said,

He had heard the legend of 'Flood Dragon Pool' at the Zither Sword Pavilion, and in his rage, sent Primordial Pill Great Demons and thousands of demons to utterly destroy this merely slightly renowned sect.

But Zither Sword Pavilion was just a small prominent sect.

Pavilion Master 'Xu Nian' was already old and frail; once tender and gentle like the sunlit yellow-clad woman scattered across the mountain, time's edge had worn her down to the brink of demise.

The entire sect.

Great Innate experts numbered no more than three to five, countable on just one hand.

Facing such a 'calamity from heaven', there should have been no room for resistance.

But,

From Tongye State, Tantai Yao, who failed to break through at Ten Extremes Pass, unable to enter the Celestial Gate, was truly at the peak of the Third-Step Primordial Pill Realm, someone who had developed the 'Celestial Human Domain'.

Though his foundation was damaged and he was not at his peak.

Yet fighting against ordinary Primordial Pill Realm Warriors or Great Demon Fiends...

was no different than slaughtering chickens and dogs!

So upon ascending Zither Sword Mountain and seeing the impending chaos of demons, even with only one arm remaining...

Tantai Yao wielded his long-mastered 'divine' sword skills.

Unless a Four-Step True Master arrived, killing Primordial Pills, slaying Innate beings was still a breeze!

Once, to break through to the Zhenren Realm, he entered 'Ten Extremes Pass', risking his life, achieving first among dozens of Primordial Pill Masters, leaving a trail of corpses beneath him, proving his sword skills were not in vain.

Two Great Demon corpses lying blood-stained beneath the high cliff of Zither Sword are proof.

"Master Tantai, the mountain is besieged by layers of demons, every ten paces there's a Great Innate watching remotely, forming horns, my disciples have investigated, there is no oversight anywhere!"

"The winding paths in front and behind Zither Sword Mountain are blocked off!"

Xu Qin, the chief of the branch at Black Mountain City from the Daoist school opened by Xu Nian's disciple at Zither Sword Pavilion, hurried to arrive.

At the high cliff of Zither Sword, she looked at the one-armed swordsman gazing into the demonic tide below, her face pale, her eyes filled with admiration and despair.

Even her body seemed to sway precariously.

"Not good, these demons are about to go berserk again!"

"They want to attack the mountain path, quickly go invite the Elders, Master Tantai!"

The Celestial Human Domain spread, enveloping half of Zither Sword Mountain.

On the mountain road, the pupil of the Zither and Sword guards were besieged by demon attacks, the noise and roars reached his ears, prompting Tantai Yao to open his eyes, flicking his fingers to transform into sword light, slaying down the mountain path.

Then, in the dim sky, a Jiaolong Tail extended slightly, vaguely, Tantai Yao seemed to see the shadow of a Flood Dragon clad in ink-green robes, with a cold and stern demeanor.

He sighed and said:

"Where is your master?"

"I haven't seen her since ascending the mountain; it has been decades, perhaps we'll all perish here today." 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

"Even not willing to meet once?"

"Back then..."

At this point, Tantai Yao didn't know what sentiment to express when meeting this disciple who admired him.

If not for the Zither Sword Pavilion facing adversity, perhaps until his demise, Tantai Yao wouldn't have chosen to ascend the mountain, rather choosing an unremarkable place to be buried quietly.

"But after all."

"She waited for me for decades, the lifespan of a Great Innate reached its end, in the end, nothing changed."

Tantai Yao smiled wryly.

Seeing this smile, Xu Qin became anxious:

"That's not it!"

"Her master, the elder, was never disappointed."

Xu Qin, resembling a gentle woman once on Zither Sword Mountain, seemed to know something, already with red and swollen eyes before coming here:

"Master Tantai, Master said, Master said..."

"To tell you to go down the mountain yourself."

"You're a Primordial Pill Master, even if the demons form tides and forces, as long as you forcefully break through, preserving your life is easy."

"But wanting to preserve all disciples of the 'Zither Sword Pavilion', I'm afraid... I'm afraid..."

Tantai Yao shook his head:

"I was once an Elder of the Zither Sword Pavilion, back then, the former Pavilion Master died before me, this arm was also broken then."

"In reason and sentiment, I should protect you disciples, but..."

"Xuanqing Demon Monarch, that abomination Gua Hua is coming."

Silently lifting his gaze to the sky, Tantai Yao's eyes were bitter:

"Now, it's difficult for us to leave."

"I'm sorry, my Primordial Pill was injured in Tongye State, otherwise, at full strength, opening the 'Celestial Human Domain', burning my Primordial Pill, protecting you, I could still carve a bloody path."

"It wouldn't be like this..."