Chapter 495: Good Man Brother
At present, the two at the Falling Mountain Summer-Avoiding Matron's mansion were like players in a chess game with unpredictable outcomes.
There were three choices. They could fight to the death, with only one side benefiting. The loser would most likely perish body and soul.
One side could yield. For example, Chen Ping'an could choose to bear the consequences of killing the Summer-Avoiding Matron, or the scholar could take the advantage without being smug, not splashing dirty water on Chen Ping'an.
Or they could both take a step back, leave this Falling Mountain chess game together. That is, you talk about chivalry, I talk about harmony bringing wealth, and they both turn their spearheads towards the other five monsters.
Chen Ping'an asked, "You're not a monster? Are you a ghost from the Ghost Valley that's preying on its own kind?"
The scholar patted his sleeves, annoyed. "A living person, a big living person, full of pure Yang righteous energy, the real deal. The demon-subduing methods earlier were just heterodox techniques to scare you. Walking the martial world, how could I get by without some means to hide my identity?"
Chen Ping'an asked, "Then shall we form an alliance now? Go find that Dust-Dispelling Lord and cause trouble together?"
The scholar's eyes were peculiar.
Chen Ping'an glanced at the Summer-Avoiding Matron's white bones on the ground and understood somewhat. He wasn't playing by the rules, giving away his inexperience.
Since the Summer-Avoiding Matron was already dead, how could there be no family assets in this Falling Mountain cave dwelling? There was no way they would enter a mountain of treasure and return empty-handed. This clearly showed he was not a cultivator skilled in plundering.
Chen Ping'an changed the subject, asking with a smile, "You've been so meticulous, you must be familiar with the hidden treasures of this Vast Cold Hall. Let's split the spoils from this mountain fifty-fifty, how about that?"
The scholar shook his head. "On this Falling Mountain, it's thirty-seventy. You get thirty, I get seventy. You were just crouching on the wall watching the show. Giving you thirty percent is not bad. For the other mountain peaks, after killing the monsters, we'll decide based on individual skill and contribution."
Chen Ping'an shook his head. "Forty-sixty."
The scholar hesitated, then put on an expression of cutting off his own flesh to give away, pointing at the skeleton on the ground. "These white bones of the Summer-Avoiding Matron, though not the jade-white bones of ghostly yin spirits, have been absorbing the essence of the sun and moon in Ghost Valley for nearly a thousand years. They've been tempered to be even better than the golden branches and jade leaves of an earthly immortal. Very precious. I'll give them to you, and then we'll stick to thirty-seventy. Isn't that enough chivalry?"
Chen Ping'an scoffed. "Such a hot potato. If I take it, it's like smearing yellow mud on my own crotch. Shouldn't that be more reason for a forty-sixty split?"
Furthermore, the most precious thing for mountain spirits was naturally the demon core.
It must have been swallowed whole by that scholar, taking the biggest advantage early on.
The scholar pretended to realize, slapped his forehead, and said apologetically, "My mistake. Alright, forty-sixty it is. Keep those white bones here. Come on, I'll take you to the Falling Mountain treasure vault to loot precious artifacts. The entrance is under the Summer-Avoiding Matron's Mandarin duck bed. This female toad, though not high in cultivation, relied on her lover's gifts and the concessions of the other five monsters to obtain quite a few treasures."
The scholar was the first to walk into the main house.
Chen Ping'an put the flying sword on his back, jumped off the wall, and followed the scholar, but he flicked his sleeve and put the white bones into his Cunjian object.
The scholar stopped and turned, surprised.
Chen Ping'an smiled and explained, "If any of the Falling Mountain spirits saw it, it would spoil our plans. We might alert the enemy and hinder our demon-killing enterprise. It's better I put it away first."
The scholar smiled sarcastically. "Then should I thank you?"
Chen Ping'an ignored him, looking around the extremely spacious boudoir. There were many rare curios, but the atmosphere was a bit too feminine. The murals were actually obscene spring paintings, extremely large, about ten feet high. Fortunately, the men and women in the paintings were only the size of jujube pits. There were scenes of emperors debauching the palace, as well as trysts in brothels. One painting showed men and women wearing Daoist robes, the man immortal and ethereal, the woman radiant with divine light, like a couple of immortals practicing bedroom arts. The scroll was densely covered with small-character annotations. Were these the "immortal books" that Zhu Lian mentioned?
The scholar kicked the huge Mandarin duck bed, using a subtle force, sliding it several zhang without a sound.
The scholar crouched down. On the floor was embedded a round iron plate, bright as a mirror, the size of a basin. The scholar looked down at it intently, as if deciphering a mechanism.
The scholar turned his head and was furious. Good heavens, he finally understood the saying "bandits are like combs, soldiers are like fine-toothed combs." That green-robed wanderer in the bamboo hat didn't just take the six immortal paintings that contained cultivation mysteries; he even swept up all the bottles and jars on the Summer-Avoiding Matron's dressing table into his bag. What, never seen money in his life? But the scholar quickly turned back and continued to examine the strange iron plate, which was as spotless as a precious mirror. A shadow of gloom crossed his brow. Knowing they were about to enter the Vast Cold Hall's treasure vault and encounter real treasures, yet he was still so eager to loot these insignificant items. Could it be that he had a Cunjian object on him? A Fangcun object wouldn't have such an appetite.
Chen Ping'an was still ransacking the cabinets and boxes, asking, "You said earlier that the Summer-Avoiding Matron was a Moon Palace species. What does that mean?"
The scholar gently ran his hand along the edge of the "round mirror," while his fingers inside his sleeve made hand seals, doing mental calculations. He answered offhandedly, "Heaven and earth have the sun and moon. The moon is the essence of yin. Legend says that in the ancient celestial court there was a Moon Palace called Vast Cold. Inside the Moon Palace there were cassia trees, rabbit spirits, and toads, all ancestors of the Moon Palace species. Bathed in cool clouds and mists, tainted by immortal qi, they each became spirits and gods. This Summer-Avoiding Matron is a descendant of the Moon Palace toad. But just as there are thousands of types of dragons, high and low, as different as clouds and mud, this one on Falling Mountain is a passable Moon Palace monster."
Chen Ping'an praised, "You are quite learned."
While the scholar studied the mechanism of the treasure vault, Chen Ping'an didn't go near him. No matter how thoroughly he searched the room for treasures, he always kept ten paces away from the scholar, which was a kind of silent statement.
Chen Ping'an picked a rosewood chair and sat down.
Upon hearing this, the scholar shook his head and sighed, "My life has a limit, but knowledge has no limit."
Chen Ping'an casually replied, "To pursue the limitless with the limited is perilous."
The scholar turned his head and glanced at Chen Ping'an.
Chen Ping'an crossed his legs, twisted his wrist, and took out the jade bamboo folding fan that Cui Dongshan had given him, gently fanning.
The scholar turned his head back. He extended a finger and lightly tapped the mirror surface. On the round, moon-like mirror, a certain part began to rise slowly.
Eventually, it formed a palace-like structure, as if a pavilion were rising from within the moon.
Chen Ping'an quickly put away the fan and tucked it into his Fangcun object. Ignoring any taboos, he came to the scholar's side and stared at the originally flawless iron plate. From a distance, it looked like a mirror surface polished by a thousand hammers. How could he have imagined such subtlety? What amazed Chen Ping'an even more was that even when he concentrated and stared at it now, it still seemed as if the "fit" from before was too exaggerated. The scholar frowned, repeatedly reaching out to push the closed palace back, restoring it to a flat mirror. Chen Ping'an watched intently, marveling—could there be such exquisite craftsmanship in this world?
Chen Ping'an, regardless of whether it was a "three hundred taels of silver not buried here" situation, said, "Rest assured, I won't be so despicable as to ambush you."
The scholar sat cross-legged, slowly saying, "This is undoubtedly a magic treasure crafted by a Mohist mechanism master. It's quite old. This item is yours. After we enter the treasure vault, thirty-seventy? How about it?"
Chen Ping'an nodded without hesitation. "Deal."
The scholar suddenly smiled. His fingers tapped the mirror surface like flying, and in an instant, a miniature palace rose again. The mansion's gate slowly opened, causing the entire building to radiate light, illuminating both their faces. Then the entire floor began to creak. The scholar reached out and caught something, a bright sphere appearing in his hand, like an immortal holding a bright moon in his palm. Then he twisted his wrist, rubbed his hands together, and the palace on the surface of that moon retracted deep into the earth like a celestial secret realm.
On the floor appeared a secret passage, not dark. A dim yellow light flickered slightly, probably a celestial method similar to the lanterns in the mural city.
The scholar handed the sphere to Chen Ping'an. "Thirty-seventy from now on. Agreed."
Chen Ping'an nodded. "Of course."
Both of their actions halted slightly.
One handed over the object, the other received it. Both used one hand.
The scholar smiled slightly. His other hand, hanging down in his sleeve, moved slightly. The unusual phenomenon subsided.
Chen Ping'an's hand, hidden in his sleeve and holding a string of walnuts, also relaxed slightly.
Only then did they exchange the treasure.
Chen Ping'an put the sphere into his Cunjian object and followed the scholar into the tunnel.
The tunnel, extending downwards, was slightly damp, with a strong yin energy. Moss grew on the walls. Truly worthy of a Moon Palace species building a secret lair.
Finally, they reached a stone chamber at the end.
Two skeletons sat side by side, one tall and one short, one sturdy and one slender, like a male and female couple. Their hands were tightly clasped together, showing that they had passed away peacefully.
One wore an imperial crown and a yellow dragon robe. The other did not wear a phoenix crown or embroidered cape, but a celestial robe that was nearly a Daoist robe but not quite.
Besides them, three boxes were stacked in the corner.
The scholar frowned silently at the two skeletons.
Chen Ping'an asked, "A ruler from the losing side in the great battle at Skeleton Beach?"
The scholar nodded. "Most likely a king of the Long Mountain Kingdom. In his youth, he was a down-and-out, unloved prince. Before the great conflict between the two dynasties, the largest sect in southern North Azure Continent was called Pure Virtue Sect. Ascended cultivators on the mountain were all called Reclusive Immortals. The conflict between the two great dynasties, tracing its roots, actually started from internal strife in Pure Virtue Sect, but later immortals kept it secret. This king, in his youth, aspired to cultivate the Dao. He went incognito, seeking immortals on the mountain. In the same year, he and a total of thirty others were accepted as direct disciples of Pure Virtue Sect. At first, the signs were not apparent; it was just considered an ordinary recruitment by the Patriarch Hall of Green Jade Peak. But within a single jiazi, other mountain peaks in North Azure Continent noticed something unusual. Half of those thirty were exceptional talents with earthly immortal potential. The other half also had their own fortunes, not to be underestimated. Hence, the scene of those thirty climbing the mountain to become masters that year inspired endless reverie in later generations. There is a poem to prove it: 'A drumbeat opens the golden gate; thirty immortal talents ascend Green Jade.' This king of Long Mountain Kingdom was one of them. Among that group of heaven's favorites, he was still one of the best. Unfortunately, the Long Mountain Kingdom's eligible heirs for the throne successively died young. He had to descend the mountain. Despite being at the Dragon Gate realm, he chose to sever his own Longevity Bridge and inherit the throne. There are unofficial histories circulating in the streets, saying he had a close relationship with a master aunt from Phoenix Song Peak of Pure Virtue Sect. I never believed it before, but now it seems true."
The scholar sighed deeply and stopped looking at the two skeletons. The dragon robe was just an ordinary worldly object, seemingly valuable, but the dragon qi contained in the man's body had already been drained or dissipated on its own. Once the national fortune was cut off, the dragon qi would scatter. The female cultivator's robe, a Pure Virtue Sect dharma robe, was not of any magic treasure grade. It was just an ordinary dharma robe bestowed by the Patriarch Hall upon all inner disciples. This human king and the female cultivator from Phoenix Song Peak were probably both nostalgic people.
The scholar then went to open the three boxes one by one. One box was full of dazzling snow money, thousands of them. Another box contained an ancient stele, densely engraved with seal script. The bottom box contained only one thing: a small stone mortar, knee-high, identical to those used by commoners to pound glutinous rice.
The scholar's expression changed slightly. He shook his head gently, clearly thinking his speculation unlikely.
Chen Ping'an laughed. "Could it be the legendary stone mortar the Moon Palace rabbit spirit used to pound medicine?"
The scholar chuckled. "Then... shall we bet?"
Chen Ping'an asked, "How do we bet?"
The scholar pointed at the stone mortar in the box. "This item counts as seven, the rest as three. But I'll let you choose first."
Chen Ping'an was about to choose the three without hesitation.
The scholar quickly spoke up. "Don't choose yet. I take it back."
The scholar slapped down lightly, and the stone mortar instantly turned to powder, revealing a piece of jade shaped like a white bowl. He said regretfully, "Just as I thought. This white jade bowl is the place where the Summer-Avoiding Matron attained the Dao. Since she was a Moon Palace species, she built a stone mortar to wrap it up, probably for good luck."
The scholar picked up the bowl, turning it over. On the bottom were eight characters in small regular script: "Pure Virtue Reclusive Immortal, use wine to invite the moon."
It was one of the ritual vessels from the Pure Virtue Sect's Patriarch Hall.
Just a spirit artifact.
But for this demon who had cultivated and attained the Dao, the Summer-Avoiding Matron, it was naturally of great significance.
Chen Ping'an asked, "Do you want the Dragon Gate Stele or the chest of snow money?"
The scholar's eyelid twitched.
Seal scripts also varied in age. Some ancient seal scripts, unless passed down by immortal clans or sects, were completely illegible.
How did this young outsider recognize the two ancient seal characters "Dragon Gate" on the stele's head?
The scholar laughed.
This underground stone chamber was indeed a good place for a desperate fight.
But at that moment, the man unexpectedly said, "Not only will this Dragon Gate stele be yours, but also seventy percent of the snow money. I want the two skeletons."
The scholar was puzzled. "Those two skeletons are really worthless. This Pure Virtue Sect female cultivator was only at the Dragon Gate realm in life. Her dharma robe is ordinary, not worth a few small summer coins. That dragon robe—believe me, if you reach out and touch it, it will turn to ashes."
The scholar smiled meaningfully. "Besides, stripping the dead, especially a female cultivator, isn't quite appropriate, is it?"
Chen Ping'an said, "That's my business."
The scholar nodded. "Deal."
He swept his sleeve, including the wooden box, and put away the stele. Chen Ping'an simultaneously put the two skeletons into his Cunjian object.
Obviously, the scholar also had at least one Cunjian object.
As for the chest of snow money, Chen Ping'an got about fifteen hundred snow coins.
The scholar got the lion's share but was still not entirely satisfied. "The Summer-Avoiding Matron of Falling Mountain often had to make offerings to her big backer. Her assets were still a bit thin. Otherwise, a Golden Core demon wouldn't have such little property."
Chen Ping'an said, "In Ghost Valley, fighting for your life just to survive is already difficult. How can you compare with Golden Core earthly immortals outside?"
The scholar nodded. "Exactly."
Chen Ping'an casually asked, "Do you have any water-storing spiritual vessels, like a water bottle?"
In an instant.
Chen Ping'an had already drawn his sword from its sheath. The flying swords First and Fifteen, which had been traveling through the earth, one pointed directly at the scholar's crown, the other hovered behind him, aimed at the back of his heart.
The scholar said helplessly, "What are you doing? Already trying to prey on each other? Can't we wait until we've leveled the other five mountain strongholds, eaten our fill, and then fight to the death?"
Chen Ping'an's expression was grave. In that instant, he had detected the other's killing intent.
The killing intent that had arisen in the scholar's heart was even heavier than at the site where the Summer-Avoiding Matron had died.
Chen Ping'an saw that at this very moment, from state of mind to expression, the scholar showed no abnormality.
Chen Ping'an recalled First and Fifteen back to the Sword-Nurturing Gourd and sheathed his sword. "I must have seen wrong. I thought there was a guarding yin creature trying to ambush you."
The scholar laughed. "Who would have thought this big brother also has a compassionate heart. But with a tendency to faint at the sight of blood and seeing things, when we fight at other mountain peaks, don't hold me back."
Chen Ping'an smiled and let it go.
The two left the stone chamber together, walking back the way they had come through the dimly lit tunnel.
Walking side by side.
The scholar smiled and asked, "What's your name, brother?"
Chen Ping'an said, "My surname is Chen, given name Haoren (Good Man)."
The scholar seemed choked, at a loss for words.
He had seen shameless people, but never someone this shameless.
Chen Ping'an asked, "And you?"
The scholar, still recovering, said weakly, "I won't give my surname. You can call me Mu Mao (Flourishing Trees)."
Chen Ping'an nodded. "Nice name."
The scholar said, "Not as good as Good Man Brother."
Chen Ping'an said, "Not at all, not at all."
The scholar suddenly asked with a smile, "Do you know the origins of the Dust-Dispelling Lord?"
Chen Ping'an shook his head. "As you know, I'm an outsider. I came into Ghost Valley this time just to see the sights. I happened to pass by Falling Mountain. How would I know the origins of these demons? But these demons are interesting, daring to call themselves the 'Six Saints'—either Matron or Lord. Even the spirits under them dare to call themselves 'Gentlemen.'"
The scholar said, "Well, spirits in small places are overly particular. The Dust-Dispelling Lord was originally a clever little marten in Little Profound Vista Temple. It nibbled on two incense sticks used to worship heaven and earth. Not stopping there, it also stole the sesame oil in the glazed lamp. After stealing it, it accidentally knocked over the lamp, thus gaining enlightenment and becoming a spirit. At that time, a little immortal boy saw it and, in anger, whipped it with a duster until it was bloody and mangled, barely alive. Unexpectedly, the old immortal took pity on this karmic connection. Not only did he release it from the temple and peach forest, but he also grabbed a handful of the ten-thousand-year-old soil under the peach tree and smeared it on its wounds. So this little marten was innately immune to fire and water, to swords and weapons. Ordinary magical weapons couldn't harm it in the slightest."
The scholar narrated these secrets as if he had seen them with his own eyes. "This little marten left the peach forest, the heavens were vast and the earth deep. It occupied a mountain as king, styled itself Lord, opened a cave dwelling, and lived quite happily and carefree. But it still remembered the incense connection of its attainment place at Little Profound Vista Temple and held the old immortal in great reverence. So it set up a memorial tablet for the old immortal of Little Profound Vista Temple on its own mountain, offering incense daily. Most worldly spirits are like this. They greatly venerate their place of attainment and the chance that made them spirits. The Summer-Avoiding Matron was like this, and this little marten too. Speaking of which, the Dust-Dispelling Lord is just like the Summer-Avoiding Matron, having a powerful backer. Aren't you afraid of angering that temple master immortal? After all, if you want to beat a dog, you have to consider its owner."
Chen Ping'an said, "Oh. Then let's not provoke the Dust-Dispelling Lord. Let's go straight to find trouble with the Mountain-Moving Sage."
The scholar laughed heartily. "No need for that. The old immortal only respects karmic connections. He has no more concern for the marten itself. If we join forces and kill it, we kill it."
Chen Ping'an asked, "How can you guess and see through the mind of a Daoist old immortal? I've heard that cultivators, before obtaining an opportunity, most hope for a 'what if.' After attaining the Dao, they fear the 'what if' the most."
The scholar began to act shamelessly. "Believe it or not. I must go to the Earth Gusher Mountain of the Dust-Dispelling Lord anyway. The Mountain-Moving Sage's place is lively lately. The Demon-Catching Immortal of Muddy Water Cave and the Thunder-Summoning Divine General of Accumulated Firmament Mountain are probably feasting together, plotting something. Maybe the old turtle's daughter is also buttering up the Mountain-Moving Sage. Only the Dust-Dispelling Lord doesn't like crowds. By now, he's probably alone. If you think Little Profound Vista Temple's reputation is too frightening, then let's part on good terms. You take the broad road, and I'll cross the single-plank bridge. How about that?"
Chen Ping'an said, "Let's part on good terms then. Go our separate ways."
The scholar was surprised again but didn't say much.
He just thought he had encountered an eccentric stranger.
When the two returned to the Summer-Avoiding Matron's boudoir, the scholar extended his hand, signaling Chen Ping'an to go first, to leave Falling Mountain first, so he wouldn't think the scholar would run out of Vast Cold Hall first and then sound the alarm to alert the demons of Falling Mountain.
Chen Ping'an jumped onto the wall and left quietly.
The scholar stood still. The reason he was acting so courteously, besides not wanting to tear up and cause trouble, was that he was happy to have this guy go to the Mountain-Moving Sage's place to clash head-on, attracting attention, while he leisurely dealt with the Dust-Dispelling Lord and feasted again. These demons, though not high in cultivation, had their own systems and supported each other. That was how they had survived in Ghost Valley. Otherwise, just one Nascent Soul cultivator could sweep through and break them one by one. How could they have lasted until now? Historically, a Nascent Soul yin spirit from the northern city tried to crush them with its realm and suffered a great defeat here, almost dying on Accumulated Firmament Mountain.
The scholar raised his hand and gently exhaled. A vermilion demon core hovered in his palm, spinning and emitting mist and cold air.
He was not a ghost or spirit. Swallowing this would only harm his own great Dao.
A translucent white jade box appeared in the scholar's hand. He put the demon core inside and sealed it. He flicked his sleeves. The flesh and blood essence of the Summer-Avoiding Matron had already been absorbed by the robe he was wearing. This robe, stripped from an earthly immortal evil cultivator years ago, was called "Hundred-Eyed Glutton." Initially, its grade wasn't high; it wasn't even a magic treasure. He wore it not only to hide his identity but also because the robe could grow. Over the years, each time he went out to relax and kill demons on a whim, most of them became nourishment for this robe.
The scholar suddenly rubbed his brow with his finger and muttered to himself, "Earlier in the stone chamber, why did you stop me from killing him? Even if it lost you some merit, what does it matter? When you behead your Three Corpses in the future, everything can be settled. And you're interesting. Other Daoists who prove the Golden Immortal path, the first corpse they behead is me. But you deliberately leave me for last."
The scholar was silent for a moment, his expression complex.
He flipped his sleeve.
A cloud of rolling black smoke drilled into the ground and vanished instantly.
In a courtyard of Vast Cold Hall, the fan-holding spirit who styled himself "Academy Gentleman" was drinking and making merry with a group of Falling Mountain underlings, including the goat-bearded old man.
This "Gentleman" was somewhat melancholy, drowning his sorrows in wine. The other idiots had no discernment. Drunk and high, they danced and gestured, spittle flying, speaking without restraint. One said the Summer-Avoiding Matron's buttocks were round and full; he would gladly die just to touch them. Another said the Black River King's daughter had big breasts; given the chance, he would definitely burrow in. Another, even more reckless, said the Mountain-Moving Sage was nothing; with the Summer-Avoiding Matron's order, he could punch that mountain-moving ape's head off...
The fan-holding spirit drank a cup of wine in one go, feeling that drinking with these guys was truly a mood killer, unworthy of this golden, rich Tongchou City wine.
He sighed, fanning himself with one hand and shaking his empty cup with the other. "Wine is the friend of cheer, driving away sorrow and bringing joy. If fate is like this, then let's have another cup..."
The other spirits didn't find it strange. They laughed heartily. Their Gentleman master was getting sour again.
The fan-holding spirit looked up and glanced towards the Summer-Avoiding Matron's courtyard. His belly felt hot. Regardless, the Matron's figure was truly excellent.
He had been at Falling Mountain for so many years, running errands, but the benefits he got were few. He wanted to become the Summer-Avoiding Matron's paramour, but in the eyes of living people, this Matron might not be exceptionally beautiful. But for mountain spirits like them, why be so picky? However, he was afraid of the Matron's bedchamber techniques, which even the gods feared. One misstep, and he would truly die under the peony flower.
The Summer-Avoiding Matron would go out alone almost every few years. To see whom or to do what, no one knew.
There were many rumors.
Some said the Summer-Avoiding Matron was the lover of the Fenlang City lord. Others said the true master of Falling Mountain was the ghost king who was as famous as Pu Rang of White Cage City. Still others said the Summer-Avoiding Matron and the Black River King's only daughter had that kind of relationship.
The fan-holding spirit drank, feeling a bit sour.
Why wouldn't the Summer-Avoiding Matron open her heart to him?
He was a little drunk.
He wondered if he could ever, like the Summer-Avoiding Matron, own a mountain, build a luxurious mansion, command the wind and rain, and be so impressive.
He wondered if one day he could leave this Ghost Valley, go to the vast world beyond Skeleton Beach, visit a Confucian academy, see a real scholar, and read real Confucian classics.
---
Earth Gusher Mountain.
Compared to Falling Mountain, the security was much tighter.
A somewhat impressive mountain-protecting formation had even been built.
But for the scholar, it was still like entering an unguarded land.
However, to kill demons and seize treasures without attracting attention and then loot the treasury would be difficult.
The scholar was not in a hurry. He stood on a pine tree with lush foliage on Earth Gusher Mountain, waiting.
As long as the mountain-and-river formation on the Mountain-Moving Sage's side was activated, it meant that guy had started storming the mountain or his whereabouts had been exposed. That would be the time for him to strike.
The only thing to be careful about was the old turtle from the Old Dragon Cave and the young turtle from the Black River who had a close relationship with the Summer-Avoiding Matron. Not because he was afraid they would join forces with Earth Gusher Mountain, but because that father and daughter were quite hard to kill. If they insisted on protecting the Dust-Dispelling Lord, it would be troublesome. This trip to kill demons was, after all, just a leisure activity, like passing that absurd new imperial examination in Tongchou City. Just to relieve boredom.
The Dust-Dispelling Lord and the Black River King's old turtle—one had roots in Little Profound Vista Temple, the other was connected to the Great Round Moon Temple. The old turtle was once kept in the temple's release pond. Before Skeleton Beach became an ancient battlefield, according to official historical records, before the old turtle became a spirit, it often surfaced in the temple to listen to the sutras. Later, when the two great dynasties fought, involving a dozen vassal states, the temple, under the protection of the old arhat who had already achieved the Golden Body, survived the war and eventually moved into the peach forest of Ghost Valley, becoming neighbors with Little Profound Vista Temple, which was originally thousands of miles away.
The old turtle secretly left the temple, styled himself Black River King, occupied a bottomless cave, and named it the Old Dragon Cave. He raised a pair of golden Koi fish as a dowry for his daughter.
His daughter styled herself Sea-Covering Lord. The old turtle rarely appeared, and she managed all mountain affairs. Outside the Old Dragon Cave was a surging river, which she occupied, leading the water spirits under her command to constantly raise waves. This young turtle was dark and stout. When the Fenlang City lord once encountered her, he spat out a vicious, heart-stabbing remark: "With such a demon-defying appearance, even if I turn off the lights, I can't bring myself to touch her." The Sea-Covering Lord considered this the greatest shame of her life.
Standing on the tree, the scholar first inhaled. The yin energy contained in this ancient pine was drained clean. Then he gently exhaled, turning the surroundings misty. He then spread his palm and began drawing talismans with his fingers.
Palm Viewing Mountains and Rivers.
He shook his palm.
A landscape painting of the Earth Gusher Mountain mansion appeared.
The scene in the painting was somewhat blurry. This was because he didn't want to leave any traces, as the Dust-Dispelling Lord, being from the Daoist lineage and a Golden Core cultivator, might sense it.
On a high platform in the Earth Gusher Mountain mansion, a grand feast was underway.
The scholar smiled bitterly.
On the high platform's banquet, demons were gathered. Each had a thick primal form. In the scholar's eyes, they were like imposing guardians manifesting behind their masters.
The scholar muttered, "What's going on? Why are they all gathered at Earth Gusher Mountain? That guy has better luck than me? Did he stumble upon this, or did he foresee it?"
Cultivators and gods had dharma forms, while demons who transformed into human forms had "primal forms." The higher the cultivation, the blurrier the primal form. After entering Nascent Soul, the primal form could be completely concealed. Below Nascent Soul, especially for Golden Core demons, the primal form was most condensed and stable, also the hardest to hide.
Deeply cultivated Nascent Soul cultivators and some long-established sect Golden Cores could often see through a demon's primal form.
The scholar quickly withdrew this "Palm Viewing Mountains and Rivers" technique.
In a glimpse at the high platform, he had seen the Mountain-Moving Sage with the primal form of a silver-backed ape, the Demon-Catching Immortal as a fat rat spirit, and the Thunder-Summoning Divine General with a colorful giant python coiled behind him.
And of course, the Dust-Dispelling Lord with the primal form of a golden-furred little marten.
There was also a Golden Core ghost.
Except for the father and daughter from the Old Dragon Cave and the Black River, they were all there. Plus, an extra Golden Core ghost who liked to contend with Funi City.
The scholar sighed. "Don't let me be trapped and beaten. My luck can't be this bad, can it?"
As a small world that had existed for a thousand years, Ghost Valley had an invisible suppression on Qi refiners. The higher the realm, the heavier the restraint.
For Qi refiners with special identities, the suppression was also considerable.
Like him.
Mortals experience the discomfort of a new environment. Cultivators even more so.
Especially him. His pure Yang birth chart was almost incompatible with Ghost Valley. If not for his extremely profound cultivation method, far superior to heterodox paths, allowing his fate to blend fire and water, yin and yang harmoniously, coming to Ghost Valley would have been very troublesome. It would be like a lantern hanging high in an impenetrably dark night, making him a target for countless ghosts and yin spirits.
The scholar began muttering again, "Leave?"
After a moment of silence, he smiled. "Then wait and see. Just don't let me die at someone else's hands, or your breakthrough will have a big flaw."
Having made his decision, the scholar's mind became as calm as still water.
He began to wait and see, even closing his eyes to concentrate, breathing and absorbing.
He slightly refined the Dragon Gate Stele, hoping to accomplish something, adding a little extra.
A hazy primal qi descended like sweet rain. Within the water mansion, it was as if an old dragon wandered among the clouds, summoning rain and spreading water.
Within the fire mansion, a robust man covered in flames, like a fire god, was forging a short knife. Each swing of his arm, each hammer strike, sent sparks flying.
In another key acupoint, layered green mountains rose, lush with trees. On the mountaintop was a Daoist temple with green glazed tiles and a gold-lettered plaque.
In yet another acupoint, it was like a battlefield full of metallic, killing qi. Two armies faced off, with gleaming weapons and armored horses.
When the scholar attempted to refine the stele obtained from Falling Mountain, a stone tablet erected within the water mansion, slowly rising into the air. The two characters "Dragon Gate" on the stele's head shimmered, stroke by stroke, continuously emitting golden light.
The scholar didn't refine the entire stele in one go. After successfully manifesting the two characters "Dragon Gate," he stopped. He opened his eyes and gently exhaled a breath of turbid qi.
The scholar shook his sleeves and looked towards the mansion. One by one, the demons rose into the air on the wind, slowly flying towards him. As for the mountain-protecting formation that enveloped Earth Gusher Mountain, it activated instantly. He didn't care much about that.
The scholar turned his head and looked in the direction of the Mountain-Moving Sage's mountain peak. He smiled and said, "Good Man Brother, oh Good Man Brother. I got the better deal on Falling Mountain. Now, I'll return some favor to you. If you still can't gain anything and return empty-handed, you'd truly disappoint me."
The scholar glanced again towards Precious Mirror Mountain. He wondered how the real business there was progressing.
The Elemental Earth, the Three-Mountain Nine-Marquis Mirror.
It was the last destiny object related to his Dao foundation.
Such a big matter, he naturally had to come and see for himself.
Once all five elements were complete and all Three Corpses were beheaded, not only could he easily break into Nascent Soul, but breaking through the Nascent Soul bottleneck to become an Upper Five Realm cultivator would also become a smooth path. Heart demons would not be as difficult to break as for ordinary Nascent Souls. Instead, by relying on the water-drip-wearing-stone effort, at most two to three hundred years, he could slowly grind them away with almost no danger. In the process of grinding down heart demons, it could also benefit the soul.
This was the foundation of the topmost immortal families on a continent.
---
Chen Ping'an did not go to the mountain peak where the Mountain-Moving Sage was. Instead, he took a slight detour and went to the Intestine Palace of the Demon-Catching Immortal.
It was called a "palace," but it wasn't much better than the dilapidated temple at the foot of Precious Mirror Mountain. It was about the size of a three-courtyard mansion in Dragon Spring County.
Only two little spirits guarded the gate. They sat on the steps, each hugging a wooden spear, chatting. One rat spirit had a ragged paper book on its lap.
Chen Ping'an didn't care if it was an illusion or a maze. The Demon-Catching Immortal was probably still at the Mountain-Moving Sage's mountain, discussing how to intercept and encircle him.
Then the two spirits saw an old man in green robes walking towards their doorstep.
One stalwart rat spirit rubbed its eyes and sniffed. "A living person? Am I dreaming?"
Another shorter rat spirit hurriedly put away the book, also suspicious. Finally, it jumped up, brandishing its wooden spear, and shouted angrily, "How dare you! Who authorized you to trespass into our Intestine Palace? State your name, and I'll spare your life!"
Chen Ping'an said hoarsely, "I was sent by the Summer-Avoiding Matron of Falling Mountain to invite the Demon-Catching Immortal to the Vast Cold Hall as a guest. Where is your master? Quickly, our Matron has just caught a scholar from Tongchou City."
The rat spirit at the door drooled and scampered over. "Really?"
The other small rat spirit looked suspicious, pointing its spear at Chen Ping'an, jabbing twice. "Our Patriarch said that Summer-Avoiding Matron, that bitch, always eats alone. Don't you lie!"
Chen Ping'an smiled. "To be honest, our Matron needs a favor. She asked me to call the Demon-Catching Immortal to come and assist, to deal with a young sword immortal who is shouting on the mountain."
The drooling rat spirit whispered, "It must be that powerful sword immortal our Patriarch mentioned. He's found the Summer-Avoiding Matron. Falling Mountain is close to Tongguan Mountain, so it's not surprising it's the first to be troubled."
The rat spirit holding the wooden spear thought for a moment and nodded. "Alright, you can go back to Falling Mountain now. I'll go to the palace and report to our Patriarch. I won't delay your Summer-Avoiding Matron's request for help."
The other rat spirit looked anxious and quickly tried to signal with its eyes.
A big living person with no strength to truss a chicken. Old, yes, but once in the pot, who cares if it's tough to cook? Kill him, then go to the Mountain-Moving Sage's place to inform the Patriarch. Since Falling Mountain needed their Intestine Palace's help, killing a messenger would be nothing. The Summer-Avoiding Matron wouldn't dare to say a word. Then the two of them could have a nice meal!
That rat spirit didn't seem to get the hint. It poked Chen Ping'an again with its wooden spear. "Why haven't you scrammed yet? Do you think you can see our Patriarch just because you want to? Are you trying to get yourself killed?"
Chen Ping'an noticed this rat spirit was secretly signaling him to leave quickly.
Meanwhile, the other rat spirit had quietly pulled out a sharpened sleeve knife, hidden behind its back, and approached him with a smile. "There's no harm in meeting our Patriarch. Our Intestine Palace has always been warm to guests."
Chen Ping'an stared into the eyes of the rat spirit in front of him, which were full of anxiety. Then he extended a finger and gently flicked it. The rat spirit hiding the knife behind its back had its forehead pierced, creating a bloody hole. It flew backwards, died on the spot, and crashed at the entrance of Intestine Palace.
The small rat spirit holding the wooden spear seemed confused at first, then terrified. It turned and ran.
But its shoulder was caught by a palm. The rat spirit dared not move. Its mind went blank. In its vision, its comrade lay dead in a pool of blood. Why had it died just like that?
The Patriarch had once said that it had the potential to become a great demon. The Patriarch had always liked it more, had said that when Intestine Palace expanded and a mansion no worse than Vast Cold Hall was built, it would be put in charge as the presiding master. The Patriarch had never liked this other one much, often rewarded it with food from banquets at other mountain peaks, and even taught it a set of blade techniques. As for this one, the Patriarch beat and scolded it at will.
Chen Ping'an carried this rat spirit to sit on the step. He took the yellowed book from its sleeve. It was a scholar's notebook, heavily damaged. He opened it. It was even more amusing. There were some crooked annotations written with a very fine charcoal stick, looking as if they had been written very seriously, but they were still like earthworms crawling. The annotations were usually short, with some childish questions and some flattering phrases.
Chen Ping'an found it amusing. He closed the book and handed it back to the trembling, pale-faced small rat spirit.
Chen Ping'an asked, "Do you know where the Demon-Catching Immortal hides his treasures?"
The rat spirit, moving stiffly, took the book and said in a trembling voice, "I don't know... even if I knew, I wouldn't tell... I'd die before telling."
Chen Ping'an chuckled softly. He brushed his hand, and a brand-new book appeared, still smelling faintly of ink. "Remember to hide it well. Dig a hole, bury it first. Otherwise, if this Demon-Catching Immortal survives and returns to this Intestine Palace, you'll be the one dead. Your Patriarch has a sharp nose. Earlier, he almost discovered me."
The rat spirit was stunned.
Chen Ping'an placed the book in its hand. "Did you remember?"
The rat spirit nodded blankly.
Chen Ping'an smiled. "Hurry up. Go hide the book, then let me knock you out. Or you can knock yourself out by hitting the door. Either works. Don't think about running away."
The rat spirit dropped its wooden spear, went to a spot, dug out the dirt, and hid the book.
Then it ran back to the steps at the entrance. After a moment of hesitation, it slammed its head hard against the door. With a thud, it fell backward but didn't manage to knock itself out. It turned its head miserably. "Great immortal, please do it. It'd be better to draw some blood."
Chen Ping'an flicked his sleeve and knocked it unconscious. Blood slowly trickled from its seven orifices, but it only looked pitiable.
Chen Ping'an kicked open the gate of Intestine Palace and stepped over the threshold, beginning to search for the Demon-Catching Immortal's hidden treasure.
He patted the Sword-Nurturing Gourd and had First and Fifteen help search for clues.
Finally, under the incense table in the main hall of Intestine Palace, he pried open a floorboard and found a secret passage. Compared to the spacious tunnel on Falling Mountain, this one was narrow and cramped. Chen Ping'an could only crawl in. He had First lead the way and Fifteen guard the rear. After about the time it takes to burn one incense stick, he reached a dimly lit stone chamber just big enough for one person to stand. Chen Ping'an lit a fire starter and found only one iron box, skewed and covered with talismans. The talismans were full of spiritual energy. They must be frequently replaced by the Demon-Catching Immortal. But he wasn't sure if these restrictions were to warn the owner or would trigger talisman attacks if opened without permission.
Chen Ping'an stepped back and sent First and Fifteen to handle it. He held his breath, ready for any surprises.
The two flying swords flew like the wind, circling the iron box and quickly cutting the yellow paper talismans, damaging their talisman cores.
After a violent fluctuation of dissipating spiritual energy, nothing else unusual happened. Chen Ping'an opened the iron box and was speechless. It wasn't magic treasures or spiritual artifacts, nor immortal money. It was piles of books.
That made sense. In Ghost Valley, books were indeed rare.
Chen Ping'an opened one of the ancient books. It was a military treatise.
So this Demon-Catching Immortal was the spirit who loved studying military strategy.
Suddenly, Chen Ping'an's two fingers snapped together like lightning, catching a hundred-legged centipede that was flying straight at his face. It was dark and shiny. He vibrated his fist force, killing it instantly, and tossed it aside.
He hesitated. There was no time to browse through these military books. He put them all into his Cunjian object. After searching more thoroughly and confirming there were no other hidden mechanisms, he retraced his steps and returned to Intestine Palace.
This Demon-Catching Immortal was really poor!
Next, Chen Ping'an still didn't go to the Mountain-Moving Sage's mountain. Instead, he headed for the northernmost Accumulated Firmament Mountain.
That was the territory of the Thunder-Summoning Divine General.
This demon was a loner. Unlike the Mountain-Moving Sage and the Black River King, who liked to recruit soldiers and gather followers, but in one-on-one combat, it was the best of the Six Saints.
Accumulated Firmament Mountain was perpetually shrouded in thunderclouds, crisscrossed by lightning. Spirits and ghosts were naturally afraid of thunder, so this was a very unpopular place in Ghost Valley. This demon had obtained a remnant volume of a thunder method from somewhere. It had trained so hard that it went deaf in both ears and lost one eyeball, but it managed to cultivate some thunder method divine powers. In battle, it breathed fire from its nose, exhaled smoke from its mouth, and was enveloped in thunder and lightning with every move.
It had a tough physique and formidable techniques. Since thunder methods naturally suppressed yin spirits in Ghost Valley, this Thunder-Summoning Divine General held a prominent position among the Six Saints.
Accumulated Firmament Mountain had no mountain path, almost no vegetation, and was lifeless.
A sea of clouds encircled the mountainside, flashing with lightning and rumbling with thunder. The higher parts of Accumulated Firmament Mountain were completely invisible.
Chen Ping'an darted and leaped among the rocks, ascending rapidly.
Suddenly, Chen Ping'an stopped. From Earth Gusher Mountain came brilliant magic light and continuous rumbling.
It seemed a fierce battle was happening over there.
Had that scholar walked into a den of thieves?
Chen Ping'an quickened his ascent.
As he neared the thundercloud sea at the mountainside, bolts of electricity lashed out at him.
Chen Ping'an punched them all away. After about half an incense stick's time, he had dispersed over a hundred lightning bolts. His arms numb, Chen Ping'an's vision suddenly opened up.
Above the peak of Accumulated Firmament Mountain, there was an even thicker sea of clouds. Golden lightning bolts, like pillars of a hall, slanted down to the mountaintop, making a deafening thunder. Even Chen Ping'an felt dizzy. After taking a deep breath, he continued climbing.
As he neared the summit, the lightning was like a cage, making it impossible to approach. Chen Ping'an had to ride his sword.
Standing on the sword immortal, he peered forward. The tip of Accumulated Firmament Mountain was actually a thunder pond the size of a small pond. The lightning fluid was thick as water, with snowflakes rolling.
There was a tilted stone tablet inscribed with six ancient seal characters from the "Authentic Traces of the Cinnabar Book": "Dou Shu Yuan, Sword-Washing Pond."
The stele was definitely not ordinary. It had endured years of lightning strikes without damage, not even a crack, despite being tilted.
Chen Ping'an hovered on his sword.
He knew well that this thunder pond was a small immortal paradise coveted even by top-tier immortal sects.
But he had no way to approach it.
As for whether any natural treasures would be born within the thunder pond, he had no way to peer inside.
Chen Ping'an had no idea what "Dou Shu Yuan" was, and he was completely ignorant of the true essence of thunder methods.
Just like the opportunity at Precious Mirror Mountain, Yang Chongxuan could wait because he came prepared with accumulated power. If Chen Ping'an had guarded that mountain stream, he might have waited a thousand years in vain.
Chen Ping'an looked at the golden lightning above the thunder pond and assessed his own physical resilience. He could probably withstand it for a short time. He might even be able to jump into the thunder pond. But he was afraid it would be easier to get in than out. If he triggered some unknown restriction and the lightning power suddenly increased, the outcome was unimaginable. Chen Ping'an's gaze moved upward. Could he use his sword immortal to stir up the sea of clouds, temporarily depriving the thunder pond of its "reinforcements"?
The sword immortal under his feet trembled eagerly, humming softly, as if wanting to compete with this noisy thunder and lightning.
Chen Ping'an's face was full of conflict.
This thunder pond had existed on the summit of Accumulated Firmament Mountain for so long without anyone moving it. Pu Rang and Jing Guan City either couldn't do it—they were ghostly heroes, not orthodox gods—or the mountain-top cultivators outside in North Azure Continent couldn't stealthily take this "Sword-Washing Pond" away under Ghost Valley's nose.
As for whether the Hemp-Clad Sect had ever coveted the thunder pond, or if they were powerless, who knows?
After all, Accumulated Firmament Mountain was not far from Qinglu Town.
The Hemp-Clad Sect leader Zhu Quan was not a great cultivator who would fear Pu Rang or Jing Guan City. If she could have succeeded, she wouldn't have been hesitant.
So it was most likely that the thunder pond couldn't be moved.
Sword-Washing Pond?
Could it be used to temper swords, sharpen their edge?
But neither the sword immortal nor the flying swords First and Fifteen showed any excitement about the thunder pond. Especially First, who was unusually silent.
Chen Ping'an let out a soft sigh.
He hoped that in the future, if Fallen Mountain really had a sect, when his disciples traveled—Pei Qian, Cen Yuan Ji, or those of even lower generations—when they encountered such innate secret treasures and places of opportunity, they wouldn't be as helpless as he was. They could rely on the books and heritage of Fallen Mountain and other peaks to know the world and seize the initiative as much as possible.
Chen Ping'an looked around. Below the thunder pond, besides being barren, there were a few rocky cliffs that shimmered with light under the lightning, like scattered stars.
Chen Ping'an descended. The sword immortal returned to its sheath on his back.
He came to a cliff and discovered a slender, arm-length golden vein. He reached out and touched it. It was not only piercingly cold but also caused his soul to tremble.
Chen Ping'an was greatly surprised. He drew his sword immortal and began to cut and excavate the "vein" from the cliff. Eventually, the golden line lay quietly in a groove on the cliff, like a golden bamboo whip. Golden light flowed within it, uncertain.
Chen Ping'an reached out and grabbed this golden bamboo whip. It burned his palm like hot coals. After a moment, Chen Ping'an released his hand. He was covered in sweat and felt dizzy.
He wiped the sweat from his forehead, quickly pinched the whip with two fingers, and put it into his Cunjian object.
Then he rode his sword again, searching for the next "bamboo whip" containing the true meaning of thunder method.
Circling the summit of Accumulated Firmament Mountain, he only found four more places where golden light flowed. He descended each time, like a diligent farmer digging up bamboo whips of various sizes. The smallest was only a finger-length, the longest was half a man's height. If it could be refined, it could be made into a walking staff.
Chen Ping'an rode his sword around once more, confirming there were no more golden lights or lines. Then he rode his sword straight down, passing through the sea of clouds, scattering the stray lightning bolts that came at him, and successfully descended Accumulated Firmament Mountain.
He sheathed his sword and looked up. He felt a little regret about the thunder pond. But then he thought of the five golden thunder whips in his Cunjian object, and he felt a bit cheerful.
Gains and losses?
Chen Ping'an shook his head and silently said to himself, "Forgotten? If it's not meant to be yours, don't think too much about it."
He turned his head and looked towards Earth Gusher Mountain. The commotion there was even greater. Magic treasures continuously blossomed with brilliant light in the sky.
Deep within, a voice seemed to echo in his heart.
Kill him.
This voice was neither joyful nor sad, without distinction between good and evil.
But it filled Chen Ping'an with immense shock and fear.
That "him," Chen Ping'an was absolutely sure, was the scholar.
Chen Ping'an closed his eyes for a moment. When he opened them, his gaze had returned to clarity, with no hesitation left. He quickly dashed towards Earth Gusher Mountain.
To kill or to save.
Both were better than fleeing.
This was the third time he had heard this voice from somewhere within him.
The first time was when he was young, after going down the mountain, and had rolled on the ground in Mud Vase Alley.
That time, it was also three words. His heart had pounded like thunder, like a war drum being struck, a divine figure yelling in anger.
Don't die.
---
Within the territory of Precious Mirror Mountain.
A young man in shabby clothes was in high spirits.
Because beside him followed a divine maiden who had emerged from the Heavenly Official Painting in the Mural City.
Such a lofty, immortal woman did not even walk shoulder to shoulder with him. Instead, she always stayed a step behind him.
Adhering strictly to the order of rank!
She was the Rain Summoning Divine Maiden!
Not only that, but she also told him her name was Shu Shi, without a surname. Within one jiazi, she would do her utmost to help him cultivate and rise higher.
The young man loved the feeling of being the center of attention. From the Mural City all the way to here, as the Rain Summoning Divine Maiden told him there was an opportunity belonging to him in Ghost Valley, passing through the memorial archway, everyone looked at him, and they all looked up to him.
He was no longer that poor wretch burdened with a blood feud, crying out to heaven but getting no answer, calling to the earth but getting no response.
He even suddenly felt that with the Rain Summoning Divine Maiden serving him, that hatred seemed not so heavy anymore.
This divine maiden, who called herself Shu Shi, told him that her current combat power was equivalent to a Qi refiner's Golden Core, but in terms of defense and survival, she could be considered Nascent Soul.
This filled him with confidence. So even though she clearly told him that the opportunity at Precious Mirror Mountain was unpredictable, good or bad, he had no hesitation whatsoever. When misfortune reached its extreme, fortune would come. Heaven's mandate was with him now!
All along the way, he asked and she answered. She said everything she knew.
Only about the young woman who had stood under the mural—on that matter, the divine maiden remained silent.
When they approached Precious Mirror Mountain, the Rain Summoning Divine Maiden suddenly stopped, her expression grave. She looked up at the mountainside and slowly communicated to him with her mind: "This opportunity may not be benign, Jiang Qujiang. I hope you will consider carefully."
A flash of surprise crossed the young man's face. But soon his eyes became firm. He gritted his teeth and said, "Heaven owes me so much. It's time to pay some interest!"
Deep within, the divine maiden sighed softly.
As they passed the dilapidated pavilion temple, the Western Mountain Old Fox with his staff appeared again.
The young man had a demeanor similar to Yang the Beggar. The old fox ignored him completely, staring intently at the ethereal divine maiden. Was there even such a damned existence in the world who could rival his daughter's beauty? Why didn't she just die? This woman should go to the Soul-Trapping Stream on the mountainside, dive headfirst into the water, and just die!
The Western Mountain Old Fox suddenly noticed a detail. He smiled at her and asked, "Fair immortal, are you and your master going up the mountain?"
The Rain Summoning Divine Maiden saw through this old fox's scheming.
Jiang Qujiang smiled slightly.
The Western Mountain Old Fox understood.
A big, stupid fish indeed. Much easier to deal with than that sly, bamboo-hatted heartbreaker from before.
But since that was the case, this stupid kid had a fool's luck. An ordinary down-and-out cultivator would never have such an outstandingly beautiful woman following him and be able to walk safely to this Precious Mirror Mountain. Well then, let his daughter be the main wife, and this woman be a concubine... better yet, a maidservant!
The Western Mountain Old Fox laughed. "Young master, you may not know, but I am the local land god of Precious Mirror Mountain. My daughter is the river goddess of the deep stream on the mountain. To obtain the opportunity here, you absolutely cannot do without the help of us father and daughter. Wait a moment, I'll go call my daughter. A man of such distinction as you, young master, should naturally take that fortune. If the fortune has a spirit, it should even jump out by itself and land in your arms! Otherwise, heaven's principles would not allow it, heaven's principles would not allow it... Young master, please wait. I'll go fetch her. My daughter is of national beauty, capable of toppling cities. She most admires handsome and refined young men like you..."
Jiang Qujiang was a bit stunned.
The Rain Summoning Divine Maiden asked, "Do we really need to go up the mountain to seek the treasure?"
Jiang Qujiang frowned. This was her third reminder?
He asked softly, "Shu Shi, if it's truly unpredictable, and since you are skilled in divination, what are the chances, roughly?"
The divine maiden replied, "It's strange. When we left the Mural City, it was ninety percent auspicious, ten percent calamitous. At the memorial archway at the entrance to Ghost Valley, it was seventy-thirty. Now it's fifty-fifty."
Jiang Qujiang looked at the always cool and distant Rain Summoning Divine Maiden. Seeing her slightly frowning like this was so breathtakingly beautiful. He felt a bit dazed. But a life of hardship on the run, tasting all the bitterness, allowed him to quickly collect his thoughts. He laughed. "Fifty-fifty is already good. Up the mountain!"
For the sake of that ancestral jade pendant, coveted by mountain immortals, his family had suffered a terrible calamity. An entire prefecture-level family, only he survived. Fleeing south all the way, even if he died, he wanted to die at Skeleton Beach's Mural City. What for? Just to gamble on that one in a million chance. The one in a million!
The Western Mountain Old Fox soon returned with a young girl holding a small green umbrella, Wei Taizhen.
When the fox-spirit girl saw the young man, it was as if she had been struck by lightning. Her pretty face flushed crimson.
Even she felt strange.
The Western Mountain Old Fox was secretly delighted. There was chemistry!
When the young man saw his daughter, he was also a bit stunned.
Ah well, this kid was just a little dull.
But the old fox thought again, this was a great thing.
Better a foolish son-in-law with more money than that cunning, bamboo-hatted bastard, right?
He was afraid of comparing goods. The more the old fox looked at this young man, the more pleasing he became.
Just then, a sturdy young man rushed over, grabbing the old fox and Wei Taizhen with both hands, shaking his head vigorously. "Don't go! You can't go! Yang Chongxuan might be waiting for this day! The divination verses that wandering Daoist gave my sister back then might not be a good thing! Those cultivators on the mountain calculate everything so far in advance..."
The Western Mountain Old Fox was furious. He first pried open his two paws, then kicked this stupid son away. "Don't ruin your sister's lifelong event here!"
Wei Gaowu struggled to get up, still wanting to stop his sister from climbing the mountain. But the old fox threw his wooden staff, hitting him on the forehead. His eyes rolled back, and he fell to the ground, his voice as thin as a mosquito's. "Can't go up the mountain..."
The Rain Summoning Divine Maiden looked at the Western Mountain Old Fox and the love-struck girl with the umbrella.
For some reason, she felt that looking down on them like this, her heart was so calm, without ripples.
Then that young woman who had been so commanding under the mural—did she see her the same way?
Who was she?
Why did she inspire such awe? As if it were an innate instinct?
The two groups went up the mountain together.
Jiang Qujiang, though trying his best to resist, couldn't help sneaking more glances at the girl.
She was breathtakingly beautiful.
The one behind him, the Rain Summoning Divine Maiden named Shu Shi, made him feel inferior, involuntarily giving rise to the thought that she should only be looked at from afar, not profaned.
But this girl holding the small green umbrella was different.
At every moment, she was endearing, making his heart pound.
By the deep stream, Yang Chongxuan stood up. His eyes were burning. "Excellent. A Mural City divine maiden with mediocre combat power, just right for me to practice on."
Gone was any trace of his lazy demeanor. Yang Chongxuan's bones popped like firecrackers, cracking one after another.
His majestic fist force cascaded down his entire body like a waterfall.
The next moment, his fist intent condensed like a mustard seed. Yang Chongxuan sat back down on the snow-white stone cliff, resuming his lazy appearance from previous years.
The fox-spirit girl bore an ancient restriction passed down through generations. It corresponded to the ancestral verse: "See the hairpin, open the gate; hold the pearl, climb high."
As long as she met the destined lover karmically connected to her, she would fall in love. When the man saw the hairpin, and she saw him, one of her eyes would become the key to unlocking the deep stream.
At that time, Yang Chongxuan would gouge out that eye, ascend to the peak of Precious Mirror Mountain. Since it was a Three-Mountain Mirror, the entrance was not at the bottom of the deep stream at all, but at a dragon's head on one of the mountain peaks. How could the Jing Guan City Lord find the method to obtain the mirror at the bottom of the water? This huge secret was a karmic opportunity passed down from father to son for a thousand years in their Jade Dawn Palace. But even though a founding ancestor at the Upper Five Realms had learned the prophecy a thousand years ago, he could only wait. He died without attaining it. It wasn't that previous generations hadn't tried to take the mirror by force—they simply couldn't. Later, the Incense City expended countless manpower and resources in the mountain-moving project, secretly instigated by Jade Dawn Palace, but it was also fruitless. Some great fortunes in the world are simply this unreasonable.
Because the prophecy also included the phrase "personally approach the mountain to obtain the treasure." The successive feather-cloaked and minister-rank Yang family heads had never been able to decipher it. It was only when he and his brother were born, and he displayed his innate talent for "mountain affinity," that Jade Dawn Palace finally understood.
Yang Chongxuan sat cross-legged, his hand supporting his chin, waiting to see what would happen.
A group of people had arrived at the opposite bank.
The jubilant Western Mountain Old Fox.
The fox-spirit Wei Taizhen, still unaware that her life hung in the balance. Gouging out that eye would be gouging out all her spirit and energy. How could she survive?
Jiang Qujiang with a smile on his face.
The Rain Summoning Divine Maiden with a heavy expression.
A hint of a smile played at the corner of Yang Chongxuan's mouth.
Even if it were a Mural City Inkstone-Hanging Divine Maiden skilled in combat, so what?
He had broken through from the strongest Sixth Realm in the world to become a Golden Body Realm martial artist.
The Rain Summoning Divine Maiden seemed to want to speak but held back.
Jiang Qujiang stood by the bank, looking down at the mountain stream. At the bottom, a golden light swam slowly, rising continuously, becoming clearer. It was indeed the shape of a woman's hairpin. He pointed. "Is that the golden hairpin?"
Wei Taizhen covered her mouth. Her eyes were misty, on the verge of tears. Her pitiable look was unparalleled.
It really was him!
He was the handsome man destined for her!
Suddenly, the girl felt a sharp pain. She blinked involuntarily. In her exceptionally lively eyes, one of them began to condense golden light from her various qi apertures throughout her body. She was in such pain that she covered half her face with her hand. Cold sweat dripped. Blood kept seeping through her fingers.
The girl, though seemingly delicate, was actually stubborn and fierce-tempered. She crouched down, biting her teeth, her delicate body trembling like a sieve, but she didn't make a sound.
What woman in the world would want her beloved, the one she had fallen for at first sight, to see her in such an ugly state?
Yang Chongxuan looked around, disappointed not to see that big, foolish man.
When he stood up.
Jiang Qujiang and the Western Mountain Old Fox almost simultaneously stepped back.
It was like a majestic mountain pressing down on them.
The Rain Summoning Divine Maiden finally spoke. "We don't want this opportunity. Take it yourself!"
When Yang Chongxuan no longer intentionally suppressed his qi, the entire deep stream began to shake.
After stretching mightily, Yang Chongxuan stared hard at the so-called Heavenly Official Divine Maiden. "That depends on my mood!"
The Rain Summoning Divine Maiden stared intently at the extremely dangerous man on the opposite bank. "You two go first. Don't hesitate! As far as possible, straight to Qinglu Town!"
"Just run."
Yang Chongxuan laughed loudly. "Let's see if my fists are faster than their legs."
The Rain Summoning Divine Maiden raised her hand gently. The water in the entire deep stream surged as if receiving a decree. Then, with a loud crash, the water rose. Between her and Yang Chongxuan, a ten-zhang-high ice wall erected in an instant.
Fortunately, she was fighting near water; she had the geographical advantage.
A single punch easily broke through the water wall.
The divine maiden brought her two fingers together and gently wiped. A stream from the source of the mountain stream transformed into a water dragon, charging fiercely at Yang Chongxuan as he leaped over mid-air.
Yang Chongxuan stood suspended in the air, casually extending a palm. His fist force was like a rainbow. It collided with the water dragon, and both shattered. Under the sunlight, a rainbow arched across the mountainside of Precious Mirror Mountain.
Yang Chongxuan took a step forward, about to reach the opposite bank. The Rain Summoning Divine Maiden stepped back, spinning her hands. In front of her appeared a clear water mirror as big as a well mouth. A ring of golden ancient seal characters appeared around the edge.
Yang Chongxuan laughed heartily, lunging forward and throwing a punch. But he frowned slightly. The water mirror didn't shatter. Instead, he found himself in a misty illusion.
Yang Chongxuan sneered. "Alright, so you know some tricks. But don't you know my surname? In the art of talismans and formations, our Yang family on this North Azure Continent is the undisputed orthodox!"
Damn it. Thinking of this, Yang Chongxuan couldn't help but remember that Liu Jinglong again. He was furious. He decided not to use his family's techniques to break this formation. Instead, he twisted his body, throwing punches like rainbows, blasting his fist force in all directions. "I want to see how long you can sustain this mirage!"
Yang Chongxuan was like a demon descending to the mortal world. His fist force was so abundant. How could an ordinary Golden Body Realm martial artist have such momentum?
On the bank of the deep stream, Jiang Qujiang saw the Rain Summoning Divine Maiden slowly walking into the water. The water mirror in front of her shook constantly, shattering and being repaired by her with water from the deep stream.
The Rain Summoning Divine Maiden struggled to hold on. In her heart, she was grieving. She no longer expected the three behind her to leave Precious Mirror Mountain, because she was certain they couldn't escape.
Even if they left Precious Mirror Mountain, that madman would still catch up.
The outcome was sealed.
Even by heavily drawing upon the water fortune of Precious Mirror Mountain's deep stream, she could at most hold on for half an incense stick, maybe even less.
Jiang Qujiang's face was pale. He muttered, "How could this be? It shouldn't be like this."
The Western Mountain Old Fox finally noticed his daughter's pitiful state. He crouched beside her but was useless. He was frantic and finally began to regret not listening to his stupid son's words.
Yang Chongxuan stood still within the water mirror illusion. "Warm-up over. No more playing."
He took a deep breath and assumed a boxing stance, like an ancient divine general about to split a river. It was the stance he had realized in his youth from a family painting of gods in combat.
The water mirror shattered with a loud crack, like a glass lamp falling to the ground, breaking into pieces.
The Rain Summoning Divine Maiden had to switch techniques, using the water fortune of the deep stream to form an armor, putting it on herself, trying to slow down that man's advance.
But in an instant, he was before her. He punched through her abdomen. Slowly pulling back his arm, he then reached around her with his other hand, grabbed her head, and threw her to the ground. Finally, he stepped on her forehead, looking down at her. "Not bad, not bad. A divine maiden indeed. Her blood is golden, just like the golden bodies of mountain and river gods. An ordinary god, taking that punch, would have shattered. Good, good. Wait until I get the mirror, then I'll let you recover your vitality. You and I will fight again. Don't worry. After I finish my business, I'll punch slower and with less force. I won't finish it so quickly. A man too fast is not a good look."
Even as he spoke politely, Yang Chongxuan suddenly increased the pressure on his foot, pressing the divine maiden's entire head into the snow-white stone cliff, preventing her from drawing water fortune from the deep stream.
He bent down and whispered, "If you keep delaying my business, I'll break your neck."
The Rain Summoning Divine Maiden struggled desperately. Her fingers moved slightly, still trying to draw water fortune from the deep stream.
Among the nine divine maidens of the Mural City, when they stepped out of the painting and faced a life-or-death crisis, they were all so resolute, without complaint.
Just as Yang Chongxuan was about to completely eliminate this divine maiden.
A voice sounded softly from the summit of Precious Mirror Mountain.
"Truly a waste."
Yang Chongxuan looked up and pointed at himself. "Are you talking about me?"
A not-particularly-beautiful, delicate woman, with a lion seal hanging at her waist, lightly leaped down from the summit.
Yang Chongxuan's mind raced. He was about to crush the divine maiden under his foot.
The young woman smiled and said, "I suggest you don't do that."
Even though she had witnessed Yang Chongxuan's extraordinary close-combat skills, she still walked slowly towards him.
Not only that, but in front of Yang Chongxuan, she flicked her finger twice, sending Jiang Qujiang and the Western Mountain Old Fox flying far away.
The woman glanced askance at the miserable divine maiden on the ground, her eyes full of mockery. "Spring King's first month, a great rain with thunder, began to write. What a waste of a good name."
Yang Chongxuan was very surprised. Withdrawing the force from his foot, he asked, "Who are you?"
The woman said, "Li Liu."
Yang Chongxuan rubbed his chin with his hand. "Never heard of it."
Li Liu smiled ambiguously, slowly saying, "The prophecy about this mirror—I told your founding ancestor. At that time, he was still wearing open-crotch pants. Your Yang family was poor then. The kid's pants were patched and couldn't hide his little bird, nor cover his bottom."
Yang Chongxuan burst out laughing, almost in tears.
Damn, he had never heard such a funny joke in his life.
Li Liu also laughed. Her eyes curved like willow branches, gentle and graceful. Extremely beautiful.
Yang Chongxuan suddenly thought of someone.
He couldn't laugh much anymore.
Yang Chongxuan tentatively asked, "Fourth? But in reality, even Liu Jinglong couldn't do anything about that one?"
The young woman tilted her head slightly, smiling with her eyes squinted. She replied, "Liu Jinglong? Never heard of him."
Yang Chongxuan's eyes widened.
Oh. This woman was even better at pretending than he was. He liked her style!
But Yang Chongxuan was a bit uneasy. Before he broke into the Golden Body Realm, a high-ranking person had done a divination for him, saying that in the next ten years, he should be careful. He would be hurt by a woman.
He had thought then that it meant a romantic entanglement. So every time he saw a beautiful woman, he got nervous.
After all, he was still half a cultivator. Falling into a love tribulation would be quite troublesome.
But was that divination actually about being beaten by this woman in front of him?
They were now five paces apart. She finally stopped.
She said, "Killing you is a bit difficult. The cost is too great."
She seemed troubled.
But Yang Chongxuan felt as if he was facing a great enemy.
Even facing the old immortal of Little Profound Vista Temple, he had never been so cautious.
---
Shortly after Chen Ping'an had quietly infiltrated the territory of Earth Gusher Mountain.
An outsider from Milkycloud Continent, together with the Inkstone-Hanging Divine Maiden—who had been the first to turn the colored mural into a line drawing—left the Mural City and climbed a mountain. They first visited the Patriarch Hall of the Hemp-Clad Sect, drank a bowl of gloomy tea, and had a pleasant conversation with one of the Hemp-Clad Sect's three founding ancestors, an old immortal master. Then, with the help of the Hemp-Clad Sect's secret methods, they directly reached Qinglu Town. After a tour, the Inkstone-Hanging Divine Maiden felt a stirring in her heart and asked her master to go to Accumulated Firmament Mountain.
According to the divinations of the Spring Official Divine Maiden from that year, if the opportunity at Precious Mirror Mountain was the Rain Summoning Divine Maiden's gift to her master, then the miniature thunder pond at Accumulated Firmament Mountain was the Inkstone-Hanging Divine Maiden's own prize.
Although its scale and grade were far inferior to the thunder pond at Hanging Mountain, it was still a great fortune equivalent to a half-immortal artifact.
Furthermore, the Spring Official Divine Maiden had also deduced that both of these opportunities, once seized, would lead to further Daoist opportunities. That was the truly important mystery.
As for the specifics, just like their true identities, there was a heavy fog in front, impossible to see through.
The two, already considered Dao companions, traveled together on the wind.
The Inkstone-Hanging Divine Maiden, being straightforward, laughed, "I am much luckier than that Rain Summoning sister. To be stuck with such a poor-spirited wretch and have to follow him for sixty years. If it were me, I'd be so annoyed. Compared to master, that young man is far