SWNOVELXO Chapter 72: Qi Daodong Possessed by Evil?
Chapter 72: Qi Daodong Possessed by Evil?
The one who reacted faster than anyone else was none other than Wu Cheng. The calm demeanor he had been forcing disappeared entirely as he glared at his younger brother, who had already hidden behind the guards. Clenching his teeth, he shouted, “Wu Ping!”
But Wu Ping paid no heed to his brother’s cries, clutching tightly onto the corner of someone’s robe in front of him. His face was pale with terror as he stared at Qi Daodong.
It was only then that the guards realized just how horrifying Wu Ping’s words were. They quickly drew their weapons, and the atmosphere immediately grew tense.
As the group brandished their swords, Qi Daodong, who had remained eerily silent until now, finally raised his head. The gaze that peeked through his disheveled white hair was chilling and blood-red, sending a shiver down everyone’s spines.
Lu Yang instantly assumed a defensive stance. The idea that Qi Daodong could be possessed by evil was shocking enough, but now he wasn’t even sure if he could hold him off. He could only hope that the disciple sent to call for reinforcements would hurry.
Wu Cheng’s heart burned with anxiety. He rushed forward and embraced Qi Daodong, shouting desperately at the others, “Don’t attack! Don’t attack! My master means no harm!”
But after days without food, Wu Cheng was utterly exhausted. How could he possibly restrain Qi Daodong? With a violent shove, Qi Daodong broke free from Wu Cheng’s grip and charged straight toward Lu Yang, whom he perceived as the greatest threat.
Lu Yang was stunned. He hadn’t expected the old man to act so decisively. Panicking, he quickly summoned his sword to counter.
However, Qi Daodong seemed devoid of rational thought. His movements were erratic and lacked any semblance of martial discipline. Though his body exuded immense power, there was no trace of refined cultivation techniques!
This realization restored some of Lu Yang’s confidence. Originally convinced he was going to die, he now focused on blocking Qi Daodong’s relentless attacks. Even when his sword slashed across Qi Daodong’s flesh, it failed to slow him down—Qi Daodong seemed completely impervious to pain.
What shocked Lu Yang even more was that the wounds he inflicted on Qi Daodong healed almost instantly. It became clear that Qi Daodong had truly transformed into an evil entity. Prolonging the fight wasn’t a viable strategy.
Seeing the two locked in combat, Wu Cheng tried to rush over to help but was intercepted by five guards. Just then, the side door opened, and several cultivators dressed in Guardian Firmament Sect robes emerged. One elder, upon seeing Wu Cheng surrounded, exclaimed in surprise, “Wu Cheng? Sect Leader!”
His attention was immediately drawn to the fierce battle between Lu Yang and Qi Daodong. Instinctively, he prepared to rush to his sect leader’s aid.
“Elder Qi, don’t go near him! That’s not Sect Leader Qi anymore—it’s an evil spirit!” Wu Ping, spotting a familiar face, clung to Elder Qi like a lifeline, tugging urgently at his sleeve.
Elder Qi frowned deeply at Wu Ping’s distorted expression and scolded harshly, “Wu Ping! Do you even know what you’re saying?”
“I’m not lying! If you don’t believe me, look for yourself!” Wu Ping pleaded desperately.
Wu Cheng stared at his younger brother in disbelief, his voice trembling with rage, “Wu Ping! Have you no conscience left?!”
Wu Ping flared up like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, his emotions spiraling out of control. “An evil spirit is an evil spirit! He’s no longer our master, Brother! Stop deluding yourself!”
Wu Cheng clenched his fists so tightly that the veins on his arms bulged visibly. His eyes burned into Wu Ping’s, his jaw grinding so hard it made an audible clicking sound.
“Elder Qi! Help me, quick!” Lu Yang, unable to withstand any longer, cried out for assistance.
Moments ago, he had unleashed multiple spells in succession, yet they barely slowed down the corrupted Qi Daodong. Now, failing to block a single strike, he was sent flying into a wall. The impact caused a gust of wind that momentarily dispersed the fog. With blood-red eyes, Qi Daodong lunged directly for Lu Yang’s heart!
“Master, no!” Wu Cheng screamed hoarsely.
Misinterpreting his intentions, the surrounding guards tightened their blades, pressing closer.
Qi Daodong, with sharp instinct, noticed Wu Cheng was in danger and abruptly halted his movements. With a powerful kick of his legs, he leapt toward Wu Cheng’s side.
Elder Qi’s face turned ashen as the airborne Qi Daodong—his disheveled white hair and grotesque expression making him look more like a demon than a man—hurtled toward them. Without hesitation, Elder Qi unleashed a spell, sending a towering column of fire roaring toward the possessed Qi Daodong.
Elder Qi, a cultivator at the mid-stage of the Water Condensation Realm, wielded techniques far stronger than Lu Yang’s. As expected, Qi Daodong was momentarily deterred by the blazing inferno and twisted his body to evade it.
“Stop fighting, Elder Qi! Everyone, sheathe your swords! If you put them away, my master won’t attack anymore!” Wu Cheng shouted desperately.
“Are you insane, Brother? Do you want us to just sit back and wait for this evil spirit to devour us?” Wu Ping retorted immediately, though he still cowered behind others, too afraid to meet Wu Cheng’s eyes.
“Sect Leader! Stop! Let’s talk this through calmly!” Elder Qi called out, keeping his hand ready to cast another spell, just in case.
But Qi Daodong paid no heed. He let out a fierce howl, then suddenly dropped to all fours, moving like a wolf prowling through the fog.
In an instant, he darted forward like a ghost. Seeing this, Elder Qi steeled himself fully to counter the incoming threat.
By now, Lu Yang had regained some strength. Struggling to pull himself out of the wall crater, he barked, “Go call the other sect leaders!”
One of the guards obeyed immediately and rushed back to the side door.
Meanwhile, Elder Qi’s ‘Four Directions Grid’ formation took shape. As the disciplinary elder of the Guardian Firmament Sect, his mastery over this containment technique surpassed even Qi Daodong’s when he was still in control.
Trapped within the invisible four-sided space, Qi Daodong slammed against the walls until his head bled profusely. His gaze locked onto Wu Cheng, who was held at sword-point, and his bloodshot eyes grew even redder. The crimson glow began spreading from his eyes, illuminating the veins across his entire face and body with an eerie red light.
Then those veins started swelling, transforming into thick, bulging masses of flesh that caused his whole body to expand violently. With sheer brute force, he tore apart the mystical barrier before him and charged straight at Elder Qi.
Elder Qi’s face paled in shock. The man before him was no longer the revered old sect leader but a ferocious, malevolent entity. Enraged, Elder Qi unsheathed his sword and unleashed the Guardian of the Firmament Sword Manual against the mindless Qi Daodong.
However, Qi Daodong’s body seemed to harbor infinite power. When Elder Qi’s blade cut through his withered skin, fresh red flesh oozed out. Even Elder Qi’s refined and potent sword techniques couldn’t hold him back alone. Forced to retreat step by step, Elder Qi felt each thrust and grab from Qi Daodong carry overwhelming force, aimed squarely at killing him.
Seizing the moment, Lu Yang joined the fray once more. He roared, “Wind-Fire Harmony!”
Flames erupted around Qi Daodong, igniting his clothes. Yet Qi Daodong ignored the burning entirely, continuing his relentless assault on Elder Qi.
Thick smoke billowed and blended with the white mist, filling the air with the acrid smell of scorched flesh.
The sight left everyone trembling with fear—except for Wu Cheng, whose anguish was unbearable. Never had the once-proud young prodigy worn such a heart-wrenching expression. Tears streamed down his face as he cried out, “Stop fighting! Master, please stop!”
Behind the crowd, Wu Ping peeked out, half-hidden, a sinister and satisfied grin twisting his lips. He muttered under his breath, “Serves him right! That ugly thing deserved to die after being possessed!”
With a loud thud, Elder Qi was sent crashing to the ground, coughing up a mouthful of blood.
Before Qi Daodong could press further, Lu Yang attacked from the side—but the crazed Qi Daodong simply swatted him aside with one arm.
Without hesitation, Qi Daodong sank his teeth into Elder Qi’s shoulder, tearing off his right arm with a savage bite. Elder Qi let out a piercing scream that echoed through the night sky.
Blood rained down, splattering everyone. In the flickering firelight, Qi Daodong tilted his head back, chewing greedily on Elder Qi’s severed limb like a ravenous demon crawling out of hell.