Xuanjian Xianzu

Chapter 1486 The Hunt (1+12) (Bonus Chapter 48113 for Hidden Dragon)

Luoxia.

A faint golden light shone down, and the shadows in the sky overlapped. The monk high above, clad in colorful robes, had a flame between his brows. His small, almost nonexistent ears twitched slightly as he turned his head to look at the iridescent colors to the east.

Xiao Disa's face was extremely pale, and the monks around him were trembling with fear, not daring to speak. Maha had no choice but to step forward and whisper:
"It's... Zhelu! How... how did he end up in the south..."

The colorful-robed monk above had an icy expression. He freed his hand, made a slight finger gesture, and his eyes grew even more gloomy as he coldly said:
"Fool..."

Xiao Disa felt a chill run through his body. He lowered his brows slightly and waited for a moment before the peacock bloodline finally spoke:

"There's no need to wait any longer; those two sons of the Qilin won't come."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Disa knew that Que Liyu's spirits must have sunk to the bottom. While arranging for people to leave, he huddled in a corner like a quail. After a long while, he saw a Maha, looking disheveled, coming from the east. The Maha knelt down at the feet of the person before him in a panic, weeping:

"grown ups!"

It is indeed Rinshika!
Upon seeing his appearance, Xiao Disa was shocked and wanted to get up, but he forcibly restrained himself. A thousand thoughts flashed through his mind, but he didn't know what he had done wrong. The carp had already taken a step forward, looking down at him, and said:

"You brought it over."

Renshijia sobbed:
"Yes…"

The carp remained expressionless, a hint of fear even in its eyes. It was unclear whether its anger stemmed from the Qilin's terrifying power or the fall of the one it had just witnessed. It raised a hand and placed it on the monk's head, its fingers gradually tightening, and said calmly:
"I'm keeping watch here, sending out Mahasattvas one by one as bait, waiting for him to circle around Luoyang, then surround him to the north... And what did you do... you led him to the south... and he just happened to run into you..."

"Zhelu is our means of controlling the Void Path. Even if it's not docile, it's still within our power..."

His pupils were jet black, and he said:

"You... not only did you not try your best to protect her, you didn't even offer any help... and you just ran back unharmed!"

Ren Shijia dared not move, feeling his blood rushing to his head, his face contorted with rage, and he was truly terrified. He cried out in horror:
"My lord! It is the Way of Benevolence!"

But the rolling flames still swirled around his face, causing patches of grayish-gold swellings to appear all over his face, swelling and shrinking like living things. Xiao Disa was horrified. He took a step forward, knelt down with a thud, and wept:

"My lord! My junior brother's mistake was unintentional... My lord... please spare his life and let him serve me!"

He kowtowed repeatedly, facing these two pillars of the Great Desire Path. A gloomy glint flashed in the eyes of the carp, and finally turned his face toward Maha beside him, saying indifferently:
"You can say something if you're capable."

This person is none other than Tian Langzhi!
This peacock bloodline did not underestimate the famous King of Wei, and even looked at him with extra respect. Not only were Que Liyu and Xiao Disa here, but Tian Langzhi, who had just been suppressing the enemy in Gu County, was also waiting here!
As a former confidant of the Desire Realm Official, although he still acts according to his abilities, Tian Langzhi has been sidelined. He remained silent and introspective throughout, but upon being prompted, he respectfully said:
"Everything is as you, sir."

The koi fish sneered and finally released its grip. A series of soft cracking sounds followed, and the bumps of all sizes on Renshijia's face burst open one by one. He grimaced in pain, ignoring his injuries, and cried out:
"My lord! My lord, please hear me out... It's Mingzang! They want to harm Zhelu!"

He looked full of remorse and said:
"I understand... I understand... Back then, Minghui was willing to step back and let me go to negotiate peace. It wasn't because I had once cultivated with Jinlian... It was all part of today's plan!"

Upon hearing this, everyone present paused for a moment, and Renshi Jia cried out:
“Mingzang cultivates the Samadhi of Ultimate Bliss within the Path of Good Joy! It has a deep connection with the Path of Emptiness. He invited me and Fellow Daoist Zhelu to go there, ostensibly to exchange Daoist teachings and advance further, but in reality, it's for the position of Emptiness and Limitless Power. This path allows one to switch to Emptiness and Limitless Power!”

The carp coldly said:

"That treasure is in Qilin's hands..."

"Exactly!"

Renshijia sobbed:
"So they used a borrowed knife to kill, and also curried favor with the King of Wei, in order to obtain that treasure... This whole thing was meticulously planned and had been going on for a long time! I figured it out then, how could I dare to stay where I was? I'm afraid that once Mingzang surrounded us, even I wouldn't be able to return!"

After saying this, he pressed his forehead to the ground and sobbed. None of them could refute him. The bird and the carp were right, and it was indeed so. If anyone had to blame, it was themselves for not thinking of this sooner and for being misled by the Path of Good Joy…

Xiao Disa, however, was already red with anger and said:

"I'd heard long ago that those who revel in goodness and the Way are all beasts... and it's true!"

Que Liyu's face was gloomy. After thinking it over, he concluded that no matter what, there was no need or possibility for his Dharma Protector Maha to collude with the King of Wei. The moment the two met, Ren Shi Jia Hun should have been terrified! It was naturally Ming Zang who did it.

Having considered this, the carp said coldly:
"What a shrewd and virtuous man... Not to mention his long-standing collusion with immortal cultivators, he dares to cooperate with Mingyang today, bringing my path to ruin!"

Upon hearing this, Tian Langzhi, who had remained silent until now, finally raised his head and said calmly:

"Please calm your anger, sir... In my opinion, this might not be a bad opportunity..."

He, who had acted with dignity and authority, now had no choice but to address himself as a subordinate, and no one around him objected. The carp sneered:
"Oh?"

Tianlang Zhidao:

"In any case, Mingzang has not made a move. Although the Qilin's power is fierce, no one dares to be the first Buddhist sect to pledge allegiance to Mingyang. Mingzang only dares to cooperate in secret... Once Kongwudao truly falls into their hands... there will definitely be a lot of back and forth..."

The carp remained silent, its expression cold. Tian Langzhi continued:
"Although the Void Path is under our control, it has never prospered. We also have to guard against the Great Mu Dharma Realm planting people in it... Now it seems we are about to lose it, and it's difficult to stop. It would be better to join forces with the Benevolent Path—what difference does it make who we cooperate with? This will prevent the Great Mu Dharma Realm from repeatedly manipulating us and making them think we can't function without them..."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Disa and Ren Shijia both began to ponder, while Que Liyu remained silent with his hands clasped. Only then did he hear Tian Langzhi say:

"My lord has now made further progress, but we cannot stay in the Central Plains for long. After gathering our people and converting the Purple Mansion, we must retreat to the East. Then... we can have someone to help us."

The carp finally frowned and said calmly:
"This is not something you or I can decide."

Tian Langzhi nodded slightly and said nothing more. His appearance showed no sign of distress. Ren Shijia wiped away her tears and whispered:

"My lord, what about now..."

The people present all frowned, feeling somewhat troubled. Both the chaos caused by Kong Wudao and the formidable power displayed by the King of Wei during the duel were causing them great concern, and they remained silent for a moment.

Ren Shijia was secretly getting anxious.

'This needs to be made clear! If it's not explained clearly, how am I supposed to inform on them next time I enter Xuan Tian... If I can't inform on them, how am I supposed to get a Golden Land back!'

So he knelt down again and wept:
"Please give your orders, sir... Ren Shijia is willing to atone for his sins. As long as you lead me, sir, I will not back down even if it means fighting against the Qilin!"

These words greatly eased the expression on Que Liyu's face. Now, even Tian Langzhi wouldn't dare to speak lightly about resisting the Qilin. Que Liyu simply said:

"You are a loyal man, so there's no need for further words. Now... we don't need you to block the Qilin."

He turned to the side and said calmly:

"If the Qilin doesn't come, Luoyang is already in our hands. Once we get to Zhao Du, Jiang Tou Shou and the others can also make their move. If we turn back to Gu County, he will definitely make his move to protect these Purple Mansions."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Disa finally spoke, saying solemnly:
"We absolutely cannot let the Qilin enter Gu County... Once it joins forces with those Purple Mansions, we... will be in big trouble!"

A hint of annoyance flashed across the peacock's face as it said:
"How could I not know!"

He said:

"But this is a Great Master of Bright Sun, with the body of a Qilin! He is adorned with the Taiyin Spiritual Treasure. Where can't he go? Even if we surround the Jianghuai region like an iron barrel, he can still reach Chuncheng by going around to the East China Sea, right?"

This question left everyone speechless. The peacock let out a breath, seemingly relaxing slightly, and said:
"The Lord of Mingyang is intolerant of others. Unless Long Kangyao is banished back to his grotto or perishes, he will never be able to control Gu County. Wasn't he pushed back by Long Kangyao last time? That guy's temper is as foul as a rock in a cesspool. On the bright side... we can still manage to negotiate..."

He said:

"No need to defend anymore, just head north quickly and break through Liangchuan and other places! If we are even a fraction slower, we will face a joint attack from both sides!"

……

Juancheng.

As dusk approached, layers of pinkish light still lingered among the clouds. From the city walls, figures could be vaguely seen peering out. Yu Xixin waited a while, and sure enough, she saw a ray of light, silently drifting in from the void. The purple-robed Grand Master immediately bowed and said:
"Greetings, King Wei!"

Upon hearing this, the supernatural beings on either side were all in an uproar and bowed down one by one. Li Zhouwei stood still, seeing Jiang Fuwang and Wu Miao standing on either side, and Tang Jiyu and Zhou Feng standing behind him. All the supernatural beings were full of energy and finally nodded.

"I thought there were still capable people in the Great Desire Path, but I never expected... they are all ignorant of the situation."

Li Zhouwei rushed north, fearing these former officials would be surrounded. Now, seeing them all, not a single one was injured, not even weak. Slightly puzzled, he said:
"The carp wouldn't be so dismissive..."

"Your Majesty."

Yu Xixin smiled and bowed, saying:
“The people from the Great Mu Dharma Realm have arrived. They were just harassing General Shangguan in Liangchuan. Master Jiang and I went there in person and persuaded them to leave.”

Li Zhouwei was taken aback by these words, but he understood immediately. He chuckled and shook his head, saying:
"You two have more titles than you can command!"

While these powerful families certainly wield considerable influence, upon closer examination, it's clear that the Great Mu Dharma Realm's intention to attack the Central Plains is not strong. Their primary concern is suppressing the Compassionate Path. Li Zhouwei secretly comprehended this, saying:

"I ran into that Voidless Power on the way and killed him on the spot, but it was a moment too late."

Given Yu Xixin's divination skills, he naturally already knew this, but even so, hearing him say it aloud still left everyone speechless. Li Zhouwei, however, did not go into the hall, but said:
“Fu Wang”.

Jiang Fuwang, who had been standing silently to the side, was suddenly prompted by Li Zhouwei to step forward and bow. Li Zhouwei then said:
"Situ Huo, Qiao Wenliu, and the others have received my orders and are now guarding Tangjin with the other cultivators. The Sparrow Carp will definitely come to the east to find me, so I have them wait for their opportunity to strike..."

He paused, then gave the order:

“But Situ Huo is a man of great talent, and Qiao Wenliu is impetuous and not good at assessing situations. You are always knowledgeable about military affairs and situations, so please go around to get my order and send them away.”

Although Jiang Fuwang was only a second-level supernatural being, his abilities were undeniable. When Luoyang fell, he reacted swiftly and was able to go to Liangchuan immediately. If Jia Zan and the others hadn't been so unmotivated to fight and surrendered early on, he might have even been able to find a way out of the crisis...

But these words, when they reached Jiang Fuwang's ears, immediately filled him with fear and unease, and he bowed and said:

"Such a heavy responsibility should be entrusted to the young master!"

Li Zhouwei smiled and said:
"He has his own things to do."

Situ Huo and his group also brought with them the forces of Shu, which can be described as a huge force. If the leaders of these people make the wrong decisions, it could cause a dramatic change in the situation. Jiang Fuwang never expected that Li Zhouwei would trust him so much, and his heart was filled with complicated feelings.

If he could extricate himself from the situation, why would he be willing to get involved in Mingyang's affairs? But given his nature, he had no reason to refuse to serve his master, and he only whispered:
"Fu Wang will certainly do his utmost to repay this debt!"

Li Zhouwei nodded slightly, not even giving the people in front of him a moment to catch their breath, and said:
"Who is guarding the Yun and Pu passes now?"

Yu Xixin said awkwardly:

"They are fellow Daoists Lü An and Pang Queyun."

A knowing glint flashed in Li Zhouwei's eyes as he said:
"You wait here."

So he rose up on the light of the sky and crossed the void without any hindrance. Before long, he passed through the surging Ji River and arrived at the two passes. As the light of the sky dimmed slightly, he saw the great formation humming and opening on its own.

It was as if it were one's own fortress.

He descended on a beam of light. The old man before him, draped in a feathered robe, possessed an air of otherworldly grace, yet his face was wreathed in smiles, bordering on obsequiousness. He hastily bowed before him and respectfully said:

"Greetings, Your Majesty!"

Lu An, standing to the side, was more dignified and upright, but he couldn't help looking somewhat helpless. Seeing that everyone had already been let in, he could only bow deeply and say:
"Xiao Xiu greets King Wei!"

Li Zhouwei glanced at Pang Queyun with a smile and said:
"Get up."

The old man hurriedly rose and led him to the main hall, even offering him the seat of honor. Li Zhouwei, however, did not rush to take the seat, but stood with his hands behind his back in the hall, sighing:

"After many years, Master Pang still retains his charm."

Pang Queyun simply sighed, unconcerned, and said:
"Your Majesty is unaware of the true extent of our suffering... In the years since Your Majesty's departure, we have endured immense hardship, fighting against that Buddhist monk day after day, and so far we have lost two of our supernatural powers!"

Speaking of this, Lü An's face darkened somewhat, while Pang Queyun sneered:

"Our Gu County has always been a model for the immortal path. Even with dynastic changes, we rarely lose more than a few Purple Mansion cultivators. Most of the losses are due to issues of lineage and personal grudges... When have we ever been humiliated like this by Buddhist monks... That border outlaw... has now had his body crippled..."

Li Zhouwei raised an eyebrow and said:
"Border offender?"

He still remembered that man from before. Pang Queyun nodded quickly, and even with his character, a hint of admiration flashed in his eyes. He said:
"When the border outlaw was young, he experienced turmoil and always harbored resentment. At that time, the sacred mountain was about to be lost, and he fought to the death to protect the people of the county... In the end, his body was preserved by the monks... And because of this, he managed to hold out until the arrival of Master Longkang, which allowed him to escape with his life..."

He sighed:
"Judging by his pitiful state, he's barely more than a bit of true spirit; he can forget about cultivating for the next sixty or seventy years... This world..."

Pang Queyun gave a cold snort, which appeared quite upright. He lowered his head and said:
“Now that the King of Wei has come to our aid, he is truly both benevolent and righteous. My son is currently in Raoshan to the south. We can let the Wei people in. With the King of Wei’s prestige, if he raises his voice and we persuade him, he will surely be able to take over most of Gu County… Tell Long Kangyao to retreat…”

His words were too blunt, causing Lü An to frown. Even so, this Lü clan master had nothing to say. Perhaps it was because Yao Guanyi in Guangyuan Tian was deliberately silent, or perhaps it was because Bu Zao Tian refused to release Fu He no matter what. After years of fierce fighting, no one had come to their aid, and they had become disheartened.

Li Zhouwei shook his head and stood with his hands behind his back in the hall.

Pang Queyun seemed to understand something, and immediately straightened his sleeves, saying:

"In that case, I will go and invite Lord Long Kang immediately!"

Li Zhouwei smiled and said:
"No need for you to invite me."

Pang Queyun seemed to be deep in thought, and immediately retreated to the side. Before an incense stick could burn, a scorching aura surged out, and the palace door creaked open as someone pushed it open and entered.

The newcomer was dressed in red, with a white face and long beard. He possessed dazzling supernatural powers, surrounded by a hazy aura and crimson flames. His brow was adorned with what appeared to be a precious pearl, and he was as majestic as he had been in the past.

This is truly a delicacy from Longkang!
Clearly, this Grand Master was not slow at all; upon seeing the commotion in the south, he rushed to this gate immediately. However, upon seeing Li Zhouwei standing in the hall, Long Kangyao felt a sudden jolt in his heart:
'Okay, okay... So, is he the host... or am I the host?'

He turned around and glared fiercely at Pang Queyun. The old man knew he was in the wrong, so he lowered his head and stood in the corner, not daring to raise his head.

Li Zhouwei, meanwhile, was observing this great master.

Standing here, the weariness and coldness in the eyes of this great master were clearly visible. Even though his supernatural powers were still at their peak, his face revealed a look of utter exhaustion.

Over the years, facing the leaky and dilapidated Gu County, Long Kangyao and Gu You were exhausted. Although they had Jiang Yan to assist them, the Compassionate Path in the north and the Dharma Realm in the west were also putting pressure on them. They still had to patch up the west and the east. Not only did a supernatural being perish, but now that the Peacock has appeared, they have lost several cities in the east. If it weren't for the unusual activity in the south, and the Peacock Carp wanting to rush over and take over Luoxia first, and not wanting to push Long Kangyao to the brink of despair, the situation would only be worse now!
To put it bluntly, Long Kangyao was born in a grotto-heaven and the first birthday celebration he had was with spiritual objects from the Purple Mansion. He always chose the most beautiful spiritual objects from the Purple Mansion and had never suffered like this before!

What shocked him even more was that neither Guangyuan nor Dongmu made any move, and even his own Buzaotian sent people to advise him not to interfere with the outside world.

Upon hearing this, Long Kangyao nearly coughed up blood…

Upon seeing this King of Wei, even Long Kangyao, known for his domineering and stubborn nature, lost his temper. He entered silently and stood silently in the hall, unsure of what to say.

Should I say it from the bottom of my heart:
"The words of the King of Wei back then... I'm now reaping the bitter fruit of them?"

A proud man like him would never bow his head, especially since that disdainful look from back then still made him grit his teeth. How could he possibly be the first to back down?

Unexpectedly, the man in black before them remained calm, turned to the side, and said:

"Master Longkang has arrived!"

Long Kangyao subconsciously let out a cold laugh and said:
"The King of Wei has achieved great supernatural powers; we are truly envious!"

Upon hearing his words, the King of Wei knew that this man was still the same person he had been years ago. Despite being in dire straits and knowing that the King had come to help him, he acted as if the King needed his help. He simply turned around and said softly:

"Master Longkang and I clashed many times in the past. Although we reconciled temporarily, there were inevitably some misunderstandings..."

'No, not really…'

Upon hearing this, Long Kangyao snorted coldly, not uttering his own words, but the icy look between his brows softened slightly, and he raised his chin slightly.

The King of Wei sighed softly, a hint of coldness appearing in his eyes, and said:

"But I have only been in seclusion for a few years, and when I look back, the Central Plains are already in turmoil. I have come here today not to compete with Master Longkang."

Long Kangyao's expression changed slightly, and he wanted to speak in his defense, but the person in front of him did not give him the chance, waving his hand and saying:

"I have come here only to eliminate this threat. I have made things clear with Master Longkang to avoid a fierce battle with the Great Desire and to guard against the Gu County!"

Long Kangyao was both shocked and furious upon hearing this, and said:
"What does the King of Wei mean by this?!"

Li Zhouwei looked at the dazzling light outside the hall and said coldly:
"Back then, when I wanted to conquer the Central Plains, I saw that people like Yu Jiang and Gu Xun were all outstanding talents. I couldn't bear to harm them, so I let them all go back. But I never expected that after several years, these dignified descendants of immortal lords and direct disciples of the Three Mysteries would be forced to submit to the peacock's wings, unable to look up at the sun, only able to glimpse a single ray of light. It is truly a great disgrace... The True Man may not hate me, but I can't bear to watch."

Long Kangyao, enraged, laughed instead. Fearing that the King of Wei would repeat his previous threats and run away, he dared not delay for a moment this time, and cursed:

“Li Zhouwei, you don’t need to provoke me. I, Long Kangyao, am no villain. Since you have led the generals of Shu and Xiang to come to my aid, I should lead the immortals of Yu and Zhao to fight. You and I will break through the barriers and eliminate the demons, each relying on our own abilities. If I, Long Kangyao, retreat even half a step, I will be unworthy of being the successor of the Divine Demon!”

Li Zhouwei turned around, a slight smile finally appearing on his lips, and said:
"it is good…"

He looked quietly at the person before him and said:

"The True Man and I will cross the two passes together, eliminate the traitors, quell the chaos in the Central Plains, and bring peace to all the prefectures. As long as the traitors remain, we will not attack each other. Anyone who violates this oath will not receive the gold certificate, nor will he be offered a position!"

Upon hearing this, Long Kangyao's eyes flashed with a mixture of joy and anger. He was angry at the man's distrust of him and his insistence on making such a profound oath, yet he was also pleased that after years of torment, his hatred for those Buddhist cultivators finally had a chance to be vented. He simply said:

"it is good!"

Not satisfied, he sneered:
"Let us sweep away the three paths, restore the foundation of the immortal path, and meet again at these two passes to compete. If you lose, you will never again invade my Gu County. If you win, I will return to my grotto and never come out again!"