Cultivating for a hundred lifetimes to ascension Chapter 1428 769: Crimson-Brow Demon Taint, His Transformation in Self-free Heaven

Time flowed on, and the chants echoing through the chamber swelled to become even more majestic and resonant. The longer Zhao Xiandu heard them, the fiercer his rage grew, until at last, he could no longer hold back and bellowed, "Shut up for this old man!"

That bellow thundered like a storm, making the entire space hum and swiftly silencing the mighty incantation.

Yet, mere moments later, the chanting picked up again, as though no interruption had ever occurred.

Witnessing this, Zhao Xiandu's fury boiled over anew, and he shouted, "Red Dragon Son, I demand to know, what truly is the Dao?"

His words had barely left his mouth when the chants faded, and the figure facing away from him slowly replied, "The Dao lacks form and shape, present everywhere. It shifts at will, cycling back to its essence. The Dao embodies pure simplicity, residing solely in the mind. Once the mind unites with the Dao, nothing stays unaltered, nothing lies beyond grasp."

"Rubbish, utter nonsense. Uniting the mind with the Dao? To me, it looks like your mind has been devoured by beasts. You've utterly lost sight of loyalty, filial duty, and righteousness, so what good is pursuing the Dao or ascending to immortality!" Zhao Xiandu snapped in rage.

Alas!

The Red Dragon Son sighed deeply and spoke with a tone of pity, "My only pursuit has been ultimate liberation, not the throne of a Daoist Ancestor. How could the blind and clueless comprehend the secrets of true freedom and genesis."

Zhao Xiandu let out a mocking scoff, "A traitor to master and forebears, deserter of spouse and offspring, how dare you spout such bold lies! You've shamed the entire Zhao Family. If the Ancestor could witness your pitiful state, wouldn't he grieve and rage at your utter unworthiness."

"Those who grasp me call it worry; those who don't inquire after my aims! The Dao honors fate, everything falls under liberation."

With those words, the Red Dragon Son abruptly started chanting once more, "All beings hold their innate essence..."

Faced with the Red Dragon Son's unyielding stance, Zhao Xiandu felt powerless in the end and could only spin on his heel and depart.

A heavy thud echoed as the Golden Essence Gate sealed shut again, but it failed to block the persistent chants spilling from inside.

Soon after exiting the Bitter Prison Cave, the Communication Jade at Zhao Xiandu's waist started flashing intermittently.

Feeling unease, he promptly sent out his Divine Thought to probe it.

In an instant, his face twisted in shock, and he shot skyward, racing toward Dragon Head Peak.

...

Right then, within the majestic hall atop Dragon Head Peak, tension hung thick in the air, with opposing sides locked in confrontation after a heated verbal clash.

The Third Elder, Zhao Xianhui, fixed his gaze on the figure across from him and said icily, "Inspector Liu, the Zhao Family holds no one you seek. It appears you've arrived at the incorrect spot this time."

Across from him sat a sturdy, bald behemoth clad in a Robe of Celestial Bodies, radiating overwhelming masculine aura.

A line of hulking figures in Red Robes flanked the giant, their arms bound with chains of gold and silver.

Those Red Robes were crafted from Nine Heavens Profound Silk, ranked as supreme magical artifacts, far surpassing ordinary enchanted garments.

"Ha, the Qintian Guard never shows up without cause. Our visit today rests on firm proof. Intelligence confirms a Heavenly Freedom Demon Disciple lurks among your Zhao Family right now."

Inspector Liu warned at that, "I suggest you surrender them soon, lest you face the fallout alone!"

His words just ended when a furious shout rang out from beyond the hall: "What sort of cur are you, daring to rampage like this? Even your commander wouldn't dare strut so boldly here."

By then, Zhao Xiandu had strode into the grand hall, advancing with menacing steps to the forefront, then claiming the True Dragon Jade Chair at the hall's head with dramatic flair.

Zhao Xiandu's arrival lifted the spirits of the Zhao Family instantly, easing the stifling mood considerably.

Unfazed by the sight, Inspector Liu pressed on mockingly, "You question what cur I am? Ha, I serve as an Inspector for the Qintian Guard, charged with purging the taint of Alien Demons. Colluders with Alien Demons face death without quarter, backed by the Immortal Venerable's direct authority. Do you dare challenge the edict and withhold due honor?"

No sooner had he spoken than the Red Robe group stepped forward, their arm chains humming ominously, as a wave of lethal intent flooded the whole hall.

Zhao Xiandu's face darkened severely, forcing down his ire, and he shot back harshly, "The Zhao Family shelters no demon followers; you're not wanted here—get out!"

Though his resolve stood strong, Inspector Liu proved far more unyielding, declaring right away, "Your denial doesn't erase their presence. Absurd! Cut the chatter—deliver the Red Dragon Son, and I'll depart at once. Refuse, and don't fault me for rudeness."

This declaration sparked outrage and alarm among the Zhao Family elders, all eyes turning to their True Monarch, Zhao Xiandu.

Trapped with no easy way out, Zhao Xiandu found himself in a bind right there.

The Qintian Guard had been founded under direct command from the Taiyi Spirit Palace, and despite its brief span of under a century, its power stretched enormously wide.

Thus, over the last hundred years, the Qintian Guard operated without restraint, wiping out numerous families during their sweeps. Their terrifying fame silenced wailing infants and scared off spirits and deities alike.

Zhao Xiandu's thoughts whirled swiftly, weighing the gains and losses in secret: "This fellow's mention of the Red Dragon Son by name shows they possess ironclad proof.

Should we yield the Red Dragon Son as demanded, the Zhao Family could face backlash, but we'd avoid the severe charge of concealment.

Still, handing over the Red Dragon Son is impossible—he's the blood kin of 'that individual.'

Zhao Xiandu's position today stems largely from the aid gained during that tower assault long ago; how could he stoop to such betrayal.

Besides, with the clan's youth observing, he refuses to yield the man.

Noticing Zhao Xiandu's wavering, Inspector Liu arched a brow and probed, "So, you plan to shield demon followers? Has the Divine Artisan Zhao Clan covertly sworn fealty to the Red Eyebrow Demon Path?"

These words sent the Zhao Family into panic, unable to stay seated. Zhao Xianhui pounded the table, roaring in fury, "Total lies! You... you have the gall to peddle such defamation! Our lineage stands as eternal foes to the Red Eyebrow Demon Disciples—how could we debase ourselves by joining the Demon Path."

"Fine then, produce your proof. Without surrendering the Red Dragon Son, I'll deem your Zhao Family guilty of harboring rebels, covertly aligned with the Alien Demons."

The mere invocation of Alien Demons jolted even Zhao Xiandu from his seat; he countered vehemently, rejecting the claim outright.

At this point, it's vital to recall a devastating crisis from over two centuries back in the Spirit Realm.

Back then, amid the brutal endgame clash of two great powers, the Red Eyebrow Dao Demon Cultivators abruptly turned traitor on the Human Clan, flipping sides and hastening the collapse of the Qingguang Star System. This led to the fall of two Tribulation Crossing Venerables, the loss or vanishing of seven Unification Realm experts, and casualties among over a hundred Half-Immortals of the Void.

Even worse, the flames of conflict reached the core of the Taiyi Spirit Realm itself, sowing widespread dread and despair in those days.

Afterward, the Taiyi Spirit Palace expended tremendous effort to scarcely contain the Red Eyebrow Demon Path's revolt. The deep scars it inflicted linger unhealed even now.

Most alarming, since linking with the Alien Demon Clan, the Red Eyebrow Heaven evolved into the Great Freedom Heaven, its arts of beguiling the spirit grown far more enigmatic than prior, often drawing the unwary into its doctrines and turning them into Demon Path adherents.

The Red Dragon Son serves as the prime instance of this peril.