Shi Feiyang had in his hand the Yu Guang Disc forged from the Secret Demon Divine Shuttle. Even if a super first-class expert like the Xuanyuan Dharma King or even a top expert like Li Jingxu wanted to kill him, he had a desperate means to fight back to the death.

Once all the Secret Demon Divine Shuttles inside the Yu Guang Disc exploded, it could cause the entire Central Earth Continent to crumble and sink, creating shockwaves across the Four Seas. This would turn a vast amount of territory into wastelands and revert them to the primordial state, so he had the confidence to face anyone.

But this was a final resort to perishing together, which absolutely couldn't be used until the last moment. Similarly, the opponent, knowing he possessed such a means, wouldn't dare to push him too far.

Take the Xuanyuan Dharma King; even if he wasn't in seclusion at this moment, he wouldn't rashly come for revenge. An old demon who had cultivated to such a level all valued their reputation and wouldn't act unless they could kill in one strike. They would wait until Shi Feiyang faced his doom before kicking him when he was down.

With this confidence, Shi Feiyang wasn't afraid of whoever he came across.

Standing inside the Snake King Temple, he watched as the visitor arrived and recognized him as another sect leader who had come for the He Sha Book. However, to him, it was just a complication that added some trouble.

Ni Fangxian recognized the man but deeply wished not to see him: "Hunyuan Daoist friend, long time no see."

Indeed, this person was the Sect Leader of the Wutai Sect, the Taiyin Hunyuan Ancestor. His Daoist techniques combined both the orthodox Mysterious Sect and the heterodox paths, making him both righteous and evil. The Taiyin Five Smoke Net he refined was a genuine Mysterious Sect treasure. Due to some past karma, he had some history with Jile Perfected Li Jingxu, and the two addressed each other as Daoist friends. Back when Ni Fangxian was attacked by a group of demons, the Taiyin Hunyuan Ancestor happened to pass by and interceded. Thus, both sides knew each other.

When they met, the Taiyin Hunyuan Ancestor said, "I came to Yun Gui to kill an old adversary, but unexpectedly, I encountered one of the three demons from Zhongnan, the Five Directions Old Man Zhu Que, who was suppressed under a mountain peak by his master, Iron Drum Immortal Zhou Meng. Only the He Sha Book from here can free him, so he specifically asked me to retrieve it, promising that afterwards, I could study and cultivate with him. Since you two have already acquired the book ahead of time, it must be fate. Why don't we take the book to him and comprehend it together?"

Ni Fangxian didn't speak; he looked towards Shi Feiyang. Shi Feiyang pondered as well but didn't respond.

The Taiyin Hunyuan Ancestor continued, "The He Sha Book was left by the body-ascending saint He Sha, who is Zhu Que's senior uncle. The Daoist books were originally property of their sect. He Sha indeed foresaw this tribulation and specifically left the book to help his disciple escape from difficulty. Out of both sentiment and reason, it should be viewed by them."

He spoke while flicking his horsetail whisk with his right hand, resting it on his left arm. With a natural confidence of a sect leader in his tone, his words were soft yet firm, suggesting that if Shi Feiyang and his companion refused to agree today and insisted on taking the book away, he would not hesitate to take action.

Shi Feiyang neither agreed nor refused, instead turning the question back on the Taiyin Hunyuan Ancestor: "Daoist friend, are you familiar with the Zhongnan Three Demons? Have you had close ties?"

The Taiyin Hunyuan Ancestor shook his head, "We had no such close interactions. Their period of cultivation isn't much different from mine. We all achieved Dao in the Song Dynasty, and each other's names were heard among us."

"So with no close ties, do you know why Zhu Que was suppressed there by his master?" asked Shi Feiyang.

The Taiyin Hunyuan Ancestor said indifferently, "What does his suppression by his own master have to do with me? He said that after obtaining the He Sha Book, he could study it with me, which is why I came here for the book."

Shi Feiyang remembered that in the original text after the Taiyin Hunyuan Ancestor died, Zhu Mei invited Li Jingxu to a swordfight to clean up the Wutai Sect's evil beings. Li Jingxu said it wasn't right to clean up for a "dead friend," proving that there was at least some relationship between them.

Ni Fangxian was here to help him retrieve the book, and considering the significant effort involved, Shi Feiyang didn't want to make things difficult for Ni Fangxian. Thinking it would be best not to fight if possible, he intended to lay out logical arguments first. If in the end, it still came to a fight, at least he could act with a justifiable position, fair to both Ni Fangxian and Li Jingxu.

Shi Feiyang informed the two, "As for this matter, I do know something. Zhu Que committed evil deeds and was punished by his master. His senior brother Shang Zhu bore the responsibility out of camaraderie, and both were punished together. One was confined in a valley, and the other pressed under a mountain, to endure the torments of wind and thunder. The prohibitions of wind and thunder were controlled by their junior brother Wei Ji.

Later, Zhu Que deceived Wei Ji, killed him, and thus escaped the torment of wind and thunder. He then went on to cast spells and attempted to kill Iron Drum Immortal Zhou Meng. Although Zhou Meng used this opportunity for Body Ascension, Zhu Que's act of killing his master was indisputable. The He Sha Book was indeed left by He Sha for his nephew, but it wasn't for Zhu Que—it was for Shang Zhu."

Upon hearing this, the Taiyin Hunyuan Ancestor's eyebrows twitched, touched by what was said.

What concerned him was not whether Zhu Que did evil acts, but that Zhu Que first harmed his fellow disciples and then killed his master.

The most notable trait of the Taiyin Hunyuan Ancestor was his favoritism; when his disciples made mistakes outside, no one else was allowed to harm them. If punishment was necessary, it had to be by his own hand. After his disciples' earnest pleas, tears streaming down their faces, he would relent and spare them from punishment.

It was this tendency that dragged him down and deepened his enmity with Emei Sect. After being instigated further, he finally confronted Emei Sect directly in a swordfight. In the first bout, he lost an arm to Qi Shuming, and it was only because Poison Dragon Venerable had Bone Healing Golden Pill that he wasn't left disabled. He was defeated yet again in a second bout. If not for his protective treasure, the Taiyin Five Smoke Net, he would have been slain by the Invisible Sword of the Three Immortals and two elders.

In his mind, the relationship between master and disciple was like that between parents and children. Even if the child was wrong, punishment should be dealt within closed doors, using family discipline...

He listened as Zhu Que spoke of Zhou Meng suppressing him under the mountain; originally, every day brought the torment of the elements, with wind, thunder, water, and fire torturing his flesh—a most pitiable state. He felt Zhou Meng was too cold-hearted—how could a master act thus? When a child errs, it sufficed to discipline them well, so they feel remorse and never repeat the mistake. Why resort to such cruel and harsh torture?

Now, having heard from Shi Feiyang that Zhu Que had slain Zhou Meng, he found the actions of Zhu Que reprehensible; driven by wolfish ambition, even if his master went too far, as a disciple, one could not commit parricide; it was akin to a son slaying his father!

This man was known for being easily swayed; otherwise, he would not have so readily believed the incitements of his disciples.

Previously, he pitied Zhu Que and disapproved of Zhou Meng, but now he felt Zhu Que deserved his punishment, and it ought to be tenfold heavier!

Shi Feiyang told him, "I did take the 'He Sha Book,' but according to the arrangement of Daoist He Sha, now is not yet the time for Shang Zhu to escape his calamity. After I study it upon my return, I shall return the book to Shang Zhu. This was the will of Daoist He Sha. Had I not obtained the book, it would be another matter—but since I have, it can only be given to Shang Zhu, not Zhu Que!"

Taiyin Hunyuan Ancestor asked Ni Fangxian, "Who is this esteemed Daoist friend, and how is he addressed by Daoist Li? Can we be certain he will do as he says?"

Ni Fangxian replied, "He is a Daoist ally I've recently made acquaintance with; his character is upright and noble, and he most certainly would not deceive. As to whether his assurances can be trusted—Daoist friend, you are skilled in divination as well. Why not employ your sect's Innate Divine Number to calculate, and thus you will know."

In truth, the Taiyin Hunyuan Ancestor had already made silent calculations in his heart. Though the Gua Xiang did not reveal many details, he could deduce whether Shi Feiyang spoke truth or falsehood, and calculate if Zhu Que had indeed killed his master.

His purpose in inquiring Ni Fangxian was mainly to discern the relationship between Shi Feiyang, Ni Fangxian, and Li Jingxu.

Once Ni Fangxian had replied, the Taiyin Hunyuan Ancestor made a decision, "Zhu Que's fratricide and parricide show him unworthy of sympathy. Given that, let's deliver the book to Shang Zhu together, aid him in evading disaster, and thus resolve this public case."

Shi Feiyang nodded, and the three of them located the nearby Evil Spirit Gorge.

Shang Zhu too was a Daoist who attained his Dao in the Song Dynasty, with over six hundred years of Dao Level. He was an insignificant-looking little old man, both short and lean, dressed in a half-length yellow garment, waist bound with rattan, barefooted yet wearing straw sandals.

A man of Immortal Cultivation would not normally appear so; unless it was deliberate, his main reason was the years of torment by wind and thunder, which had greatly damaged his physique.

Upon seeing the three, Shang Zhu was quite astounded. He knew Ni Fangxian and the Taiyin Hunyuan Ancestor and had not expected them to suddenly visit, bringing with them the 'He Sha Book' he had longed for in his dreams.

Shi Feiyang passed over two pieces of jade, and Shang Zhu held them with both hands, tears of excitement welling in his eyes as he murmured, "Master, the prophecy you spoke of is about to come true—the 'He Sha Book' has reached your disciple's hands, and the tribulation that plagued me should now pass!"

Weeping, he first knelt in the courtyard to thank his benefactor, grateful that his difficult times were finally over. He also gave thanks to Daoist He Sha, who had still thought of him before Ascension, leaving behind this remarkable book.

After his expressions of gratitude, using his sect's Immortal Law, he casually waved, and the surface of one jade piece glowed with Five-Colored Radiance, rippling like water and then revealing a jade box within, which contained a Talisman.

This was the He Sha Talisman, the key to freeing Shang Zhu from his predicament.

With the Talisman, Shang Zhu lifted the many layers of prohibitions set by Zhou Meng, the traps that kept him bound for years. At last, he could leave the valley he'd been confined in and no longer endure the daily suffering of the elements upon his body.

In his joy, Shang Zhu did not keep his rescuers waiting. He knew that Shi Feiyang and the Taiyin Hunyuan Ancestor, ostensibly there to deliver their senior's Daoist books, were in fact eager to read them. Having used their aid to escape his bind, he of course owed them, so he opened the second jade piece, revealing the true 'He Sha Book.'

The Daoist book was slim, consisting of only seven chapters—jade pages and golden script, filled with ancient seals and talismans.

"The first two chapters of talismans possess the power to suppress demons and expel evil, and are relatively easy to learn. The rest, however, are the core Immortal Laws of our sect…"

He intended to only teach the first two chapters of talismans, considering that the rest involved his sect's secret Cultivation Techniques, but he saw that Shi Feiyang and the Taiyin Hunyuan Ancestor were more interested in the 'Five Elements Annihilation Chapter,' the highest Cultivation Technique of his sect. Even his master, Zhou Meng, had not mastered it.

Yet he knew that if he refused to pass it on, the others might not agree, so he bluntly said, "I never fail to reciprocate kindness. I am deeply grateful for the great favor from the three Daoist friends. I will explain the first two chapters of talismans to you thoroughly. The subsequent five chapters involve the secrets of my sect; I cannot interpret those for you. You may study them, and how much you understand is beyond my influence."

At this point, Ni Fangxian was also curious to see. Daoist He Sha was a peer of the three elders of Emei, his seniority doubling that of Master Changmei and Li Jingxu. Moreover, as one who ascended to a Golden Immortal through Body Ascension, what he left behind must contain unique insights. Furthermore, her decision to leave her retreat was fueled by a reluctance to rely solely on Li Jingxu for everything. If she could learn the Immortal Law of Daoist He Sha, it would allow her to stand independently alongside Li Jingxu and Sun Xun as a couple.

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