Martial Cultivator

At dawn, the guests at the inn all rose and headed towards the nearby mountains. Just as the scruffy daoist had said, they had gathered in this remote and unnamed town for one purpose: to find the injured demon king who had fled into the woods. Therefore, no one intended to linger in the inn for long. South Mountain Maitreya walked out of his guest room and approached the counter. He looked at the nervous innkeeper, who had not slept all night, and asked, "Did that scruffy daoist not return last night?"

The innkeeper did not dare to show any slight. Everyone in the inn was easy to deal with except for this man who resembled the Maitreya Buddha. He killed someone as soon as he arrived last night. "That lord daoist left last night before his wine gourd was even full. Until now, there's been no sign of him."

South Mountain Maitreya furrowed his brow slightly. As a fellow wandering cultivator from the Yellow Dragon Prefecture, he had crossed paths with the scruffy daoist many times and knew his character well. He would not believe that the daoist had dared to venture alone into the mountains to find trouble with that injured demon king. The scruffy daoist preferred to fish in troubled waters and would not put in any effort if he did not have to. However, he also did not believe that the daoist had suddenly decided to leave on his own. So, for a moment, he felt puzzled.

But soon he returned to his senses, because that sword cultivator couple on the second floor had already left their room. South Mountain Maitreya looked at Xu Bai and chuckled, "I'm afraid it will be Fellow Daoist Xu who ultimately obtains the demon horn. After all, your sword technique truly ranks first in the Yellow Dragon Prefecture."

Xu Bai furrowed his brow slightly. He never had any favorable impression of South Mountain Maitreya, so he just said calmly, "After entering the mountain, it's every man for himself. Fellow Daoist South Mountain, saying so much won't be of help."

South Mountain Maitreya nodded. "That's true. But if there are any unexpected accidents, if Fellow Daoist Xu could lend a hand, this destitute monk would be endlessly grateful."

Jiang Ying, who had been silent all along, suddenly spoke up. "Fellow Daoist South Mountain's buddhist attainments are profound. You probably don't need us to take action."

South Mountain Maitreya glanced at this sword cultivator who was a rare female, and just smiled without saying anything.

Then, South Mountain Maitreya walked out of the inn and headed into the mountain.

Xu Bai and Jiang Ying glanced at the second floor. Xu Bai said in a low voice, "After entering the mountain, we have to be cautious. If things don't go well, don't force it. Your life is more important than that so-called demon horn."

Hearing her husband's words, Jiang Ying who usually listened to him shook her head. "You're only missing a good flying sword. This time, after obtaining the demon horn, regardless of whether Sword Qi Mountain offers a reward, I'll make sure to get you a flying sword."

Xu Bai furrowed his brows, wanting to say something, but Jiang Ying shook her head. "In the past, I've always listened to you. This time, listen to me."

Xu Bai sighed and said nothing more.

As itinerant cultivators, especially as sword cultivators among itinerant cultivators, life was particularly tough. They lacked the support of a powerful sect behind them and the guidance of renowned masters. Even the flying sword they depended on might not necessarily be of good quality. For Xu Bai, as an itinerant cultivator, reaching this stage already proved a lot.

Xu Bai silently took his wife's hand, smiling as they walked out of the inn. Regardless of what Jiang Ying said, when it came down to the final juncture, he would definitely treat Jiang Ying's life as the most important thing in his life.

Afterward, the three siblings who were all cultivators walked out of the inn.

Now, what was once a bustling inn last night was now deserted. There were only the innkeeper and several assistants who exchanged glances.

"Boss, will they be coming back tonight? Many of them didn't pay up."

One of the assistants spoke up, sounding quite discontented.

The innkeeper gave him a kick and scolded, "How dare you say such things? Go and touch your head, see if it's still attached to your body?"

……

……

The town had a somewhat abject name, so naturally, the nearby mountain forest did not have any noteworthy name. According to the locals, the tallest peak was called Three Platforms Mountain, and the rest of the connected low mountains were collectively referred to as Dirt Dog Mountain. Currently, the group of cultivators entering the mountains started from the easternmost peak of Dirt Dog Mountain. Although rumors had it that the demon king had suffered a blow from a sword immortal, being a demon of the Great Beyond Realm, everyone naturally did not dare to underestimate it. Almost everyone traveled in groups, and as for how to divide the spoils afterward, it was probably discussed earlier. Not everyone was like the Xu Bai couple, only seeking a flying sword. Therefore, sending a demon horn to Sword Qi Mountain meant that they could naturally share the spoils later.

This way, South Mountain Maitreya seemed like a lone figure. Initially, he had planned to ally with the scruffy daoist, but who knew that after leaving the inn last night, that fellow never returned. Later, he consciously or unconsciously tried to get closer to the sword cultivator couple, Xu Bai and Jiang Ying. However, the couple was already planning to use the demon horn to obtain a flying sword from Sword Qi Mountain, so it was impossible for them to form an alliance.

After entering the mountains, South Mountain Maitreya encountered many itinerant cultivators. But, either he looked down on them or they kept their distance due to his reputation. Half a day after entering the mountains, he was still alone.

However, as he gradually approached the Three Platforms Mountain, South Mountain Maitreya encountered a young man in black clothes on a mountain path. He had a saber at his waist, and his cultivation realm seemed somewhat elusive, so South Mountain Maitreya estimated that the young man was at the boundary of the Divine Trove Realm and Bitter Sea Realm.

When the young man in black suddenly saw South Mountain Maitreya on the mountain path, he visibly became nervous and instinctively gripped his saber hilt.

South Mountain Maitreya clasped his hands together and chanted a buddhist mantra before smiling and asking, "Are you ascending the mountain alone, Fellow Daoist? This destitute monk has no ill intent."

Looking at the benevolent-looking fat monk in front of him, the young man in black nodded and asked straightforwardly, "Master, are you also here for the demon king in the mountains?"

Seeing the other party release his hand from the saber hilt while speaking, South Mountain Maitreya had already made a conclusion in his heart. The young man in front of him seemed to be a novice to worldly affairs, so he smiled and nodded, saying softly, "That demon king is dangerous. Why did you come up the mountain alone, Fellow Daoist?"

The young man in black looked a bit embarrassed as he said, "I didn't originally plan to do anything. I just wanted to see the world by coming up the mountain."

"I don't think it's very safe for Fellow Daoist to come alone. How about we travel together, so we can watch out for each other along the way?" South Mountain Maitreya smiled and looked at the young man in front of him as if he were an accomplished monk with high attainments in Buddhism cultivation.

The young man in black was immediately overjoyed and said, "That would be great. It's just I'll have to trouble Master."

South Mountain Maitreya shook his head and smiled, "Fellow Daoist is too courteous. As a disciple of Buddhism, this is what I should do."

The young man in black sincerely praised, "Master is truly compassionate. May I ask which monastery Master cultivates at?"

South Mountain Maitreya replied calmly, "I once practiced at the White Deer Monastery. Now, I cultivate the path of the secular world."

As the White Deer Monastery was a leading figure in Buddhism, the young man in black looked at South Mountain Maitreya with even more admiration.

"I wonder how to address Fellow Daoist?"

South Mountain Maitreya walked to the young man's side, and they traveled together.

The young man in black was naturally Chen Chao, who had just come up the mountain. Hearing South Mountain Maitreya's inquiry, he nodded and smiled, "My surname is Xie, given name Qingyun."

South Mountain Maitreya asked, "Is Fellow Daoist from the White Deer's Xie Clan?"

Chen Chao shook his head, "We are a small family. There are elders in the family who served in the army, so I've been following the path of martial arts since I was young, but I haven't achieved much."

South Mountain Maitreya nodded and said with vicissitudes of emotion, "Fellow Daoist doesn't need to be so modest. Your Great Liang Dynasty has produced many peerless martial artists."

The two chatted leisurely as they quickly approached the foot of the Three Platforms Mountain. Chen Chao suddenly asked, "I heard that the demon king was wounded by a certain sword immortal. Does Master know who this sword immortal is?"

South Mountain Maitreya shook his head with a bitter smile, "Although this destitute monk knows many things, I'm truly clueless about this matter. However, the sword immortal also seems like an oddball. Since he was able to severely injure the demon king with one sword, why didn't he just kill it? With the demon king escaping and being seriously injured, it's likely that the surrounding people will suffer again. To be honest, this destitute monk came up the mountain this time not for the demon horn, but to slay that demon king to prevent further calamity."

South Mountain Maitreya had a righteous expression, and Chen Chao immediately cupped his fists, "Master has such a strong sense of righteousness. I will definitely lend Master a helping hand."

South Mountain Maitreya nodded and did not say much.

Afterward, the two went up the mountain and encountered many cultivators, but after seeing South Mountain Maitreya, they all respectfully kept their distance.

It was perhaps belatedly that Chen Chao reacted and asked with curiosity, "Master, it seems like they're all a bit scared of you?"

South Mountain Maitreya nodded, saying straightforwardly, "Many cultivators in this world mistreat the common people, especially these itinerant cultivators. Without the constraints of a sect, they naturally act as they please. This destitute monk has encountered many cultivators bullying the common people, so I've intervened. In their minds, they naturally wish for this destitute monk to die sooner rather than later."

Chen Chao lamented, "It's difficult to be a good person."

"No matter how difficult, one must still try to be a good person."

South Mountain Maitreya squinted his eyes. By now, he was extremely certain that this hothead in front of him was someone who would believe whatever he said.

After walking for a while longer, Chen Chao asked, "The demon king is hiding in the mountains. Does Master have a way to find him?"

South Mountain Maitreya nodded, taking out a string of buddhist beads from his pocket. "These buddhist beads can detect demonic qi, but they're ineffective when too far away. We may need to spend more time in the mountains and explore around."

Chen Chao nodded, "I'll follow Master's instructions."

However, not long after, they heard the sounds of a fight erupting in the distant mountain forest.

South Mountain Maitreya lowered his head to look at the buddhist beads in his hand, which were now emitting a faint buddhist light. He immediately said in a deep voice, "The demon king has appeared. Fellow Daoist, come with me to rid the people of this menace!"

Chen Chao suppressed a smile and replied solemnly, "I'm willing to follow Master's lead!"