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

As moments flowed by, the recitation inside the chamber swelled to greater majesty and resonance. The longer Zhao Xiandu endured the sounds, the fiercer his temper flared, until he could no longer hold back and bellowed, "Quiet down for this old man!"

That bellow thundered like a storm, setting the entire space humming and swiftly overwhelming the mighty chant.

Yet, in the instant that followed, the recitation picked up again as though nothing had disrupted it.

Witnessing this, Zhao Xiandu's fury reignited, and he shouted, "Red Dragon Son, tell me, what truly defines the Dao?"

His words barely ended when the chanting faded, and the figure facing away from him slowly replied, "The Dao lacks form and shape, present everywhere. It shifts at will, merging back into itself. The Dao embodies pure simplicity, residing solely within the mind. Once the mind unites with the Dao, no thing stays unaltered, no goal lies beyond grasp."

"Rubbish, utter nonsense. Uniting the mind with the Dao? From what I see, your mind's been devoured by beasts. You've utterly lost sight of loyalty, filial duty, and righteousness, so why bother with Dao cultivation or chasing immortality!" Zhao Xiandu spat in rage.

Alas!

The Red Dragon Son sighed deeply and spoke with a tone of pity, "I've always pursued nothing but ultimate liberation, never aiming to claim the title of Taoist Ancestor. How could the blind and uncomprehending grasp the secrets of boundless freedom and genesis."

Zhao Xiandu scoffed with biting mockery, "A traitor to master and forebears, deserter of spouse and offspring, yet you spout such brazen words! You've shamed the Zhao Family utterly. If the Ancestor could witness your pathetic state, wouldn't his heart shatter with sorrow and wrath at your utter inadequacy."

"Those who comprehend me call me weary; those who don't inquire after my desires! The Dao adheres to fate, everything falls under liberation."

With those words, the Red Dragon Son abruptly resumed his chant, "All beings hold their innate essence..."

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

A heavy thud echoed as the Golden Essence Gate sealed shut once more, but it failed to contain the persistent chanting spilling from inside.

Soon after exiting the Bitter Prison Cave, the Communication Jade at Zhao Xiandu's waist started pulsing with intermittent light.

Sensing trouble, he promptly unleashed his Divine Thought to probe it.

The very next instant, his face twisted sharply, and he launched skyward, racing toward Dragon Head Peak.

...

Right then, within the majestic hall atop Dragon Head Peak, tension hung thick in the air, both parties 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're seeking. You've clearly arrived at the wrong spot today."

The man opposite was a sturdy, bald behemoth clad in a Robe of Celestial Bodies, radiating overwhelming virile power.

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

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

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

Inspector Liu warned at that, "Better to surrender them swiftly, or face the fallout yourselves!"

His voice had just faded when a furious shout erupted from beyond the hall: "What sort of cur are you, daring to rampage like this? Even if your commander showed up, he'd never act with such hubris."

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

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

Unfazed by the sight, Inspector Liu pressed on defiantly, "You question what sort of cur I am? Haha, I serve as an Inspector for the Qintian Guard, charged with purging the taint of Alien Demons. Colluders with Alien Demons face instant death, backed by the Immortal Venerable's direct mandate. Dare you resist the edict and withhold due reverence?"

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

Zhao Xiandu's features darkened severely, forcing down his ire as he snapped back, "The Zhao Family harbors no demon followers— you're not wanted here, get out!"

Firm as his words rang, Inspector Liu proved far bolder, declaring outright, "Your denial doesn't make it true. Absurd! Cut the chatter— deliver the Red Dragon Son, and I'll depart at once. Refuse, and don't fault me for rudeness."

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

Trapped in a bind, Zhao Xiandu wrestled with the impasse right there.

The Qintian Guard had been founded under orders from the Taiyi Spirit Palace itself, and though barely a century old, its power spanned immense domains.

Thus, over the last hundred years, the Qintian Guard operated without restraint, wiping out myriad sects along their sweeps. Their dreaded name alone quelled wailing infants and scattered spectral entities.

Zhao Xiandu's thoughts whirled at speed, weighing the gains against the risks: "This fellow naming the Red Dragon Son outright shows they've got ironclad proof.

Surrendering him as demanded might bring some backlash to the Zhao Family, but it'd spare us the dire charge of sheltering fugitives.

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

Zhao Xiandu's own position owes much to the aid from storming the tower years ago; how could he stoop to such base ingratitude.

Besides, with the clan's youth all observing, he can't risk yielding the man.

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

The accusation hit like lightning, jolting the Zhao Family to their feet. Zhao Xianhui pounded the table, roaring, "Baseless lies! You... you spread such vile accusations! Our lineage stands as eternal foes to the Red Eyebrow Demon Disciples— we'd never degrade ourselves to serve the Demon Path."

"Fine then, produce your proof? Without yielding the Red Dragon Son, I've grounds to deem your Zhao Family disloyal, covertly allied with Alien Demons."

The mere invocation of Alien Demons stirred even Zhao Xiandu from his seat; he bellowed a fierce denial, rejecting it outright.

At this critical point, one must recall the cataclysmic event from over two centuries past 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, unleashing havoc that toppled the Qingguang Star System in short order. It claimed the lives of two Tribulation Crossing Venerables, saw seven Unification Realm experts perish or vanish, and left over a hundred Half-Immortals of the Void wounded or slain.

Worse still, the flames of war engulfed the core territories of the Taiyi Spirit Realm, sowing widespread dread and despair.

In the aftermath, the Taiyi Spirit Palace expended vast resources to scarcely quell the Red Eyebrow Demon Path's rebellion. The devastation it wrought lingers irreparable even now.

Most terrifying of all, since allying with the Alien Demon Clan, the Red Eyebrow Heaven evolved into the Great Freedom Heaven, its arts of beguiling the spirit growing far more enigmatic than before. Many fell unwittingly into its doctrines, ultimately joining the Demon Path's ranks.

The Red Dragon Son stands as the prime illustration of this peril.