Xuanjian Xianzu

Chapter 1476 Return to Chuan (1+12) (Bonus Chapter 49115 for Hidden Dragon)

The Great Admiration of the Dharma Realm.

Majestic mountains rise and fall, the land is vast and boundless. The Taihang Mountains stand tall, serving as the spine of the north and the foundation of Shanxi. The myriad lights of the Dharma realm are hidden to the west of the Taihang Mountains, their colors shimmering and truly astonishing.

Numerous monks rushed about, creating a chaotic scene of bewilderment. A monk high up quickly descended, and his disciples seized him, asking:

"My lord! Is there any response...?"

Fa Chang's face darkened slightly, and he slowly shook his head.

There are many great masters in the Great Admiration Dharma Realm, but most of them prefer quiet seclusion and dislike participating in worldly affairs. The one with the highest status is naturally his own little grandmaster, Kong Shu.

In the past, even if he received orders from above, everything should be handled by Kong Shu. Now, even this important figure has gone into seclusion. Counting the days, Fa Chang's own master still hasn't responded, and in the end, the burden has fallen on Fa Chang's shoulders.

Kefa Chang understood that this was not a good thing at all.

'None of my senior uncles have made a move, clearly they don't want to get involved in Mingyang, not only to get themselves into trouble, but they might even lose their lives for nothing... Only by getting orders from the adults can we control the situation...'

When Fa Chang paid his respects, he arrived at the two officials' seats. To his astonishment, one was out and did not respond, while the other only asked him about Qin Ling!

They never mention peacocks or the outside world!
This left him somewhat dazed and unsure how to react. Seeing him walk down the steps, looking lost and disoriented, the monk beside him had already guessed quite a bit and said:
"The two lords are silent, and the ministers on either side are also speechless. We have no gold in our hands, so we cannot advance, nor can we retreat gracefully. What should we do?"

This monk, whose Taoist name is Fayuan, is a monk who has practiced martial arts since childhood. He has just emerged from seclusion and has cultivated for six lifetimes. Fachang, who has been reincarnated, is actually inferior to him. It is only because Fachang is Kongshu's confidant that he has a higher status.

Upon hearing this, Fa Chang could only sigh.

The Great Amitabha Dharma Realm is renowned for its vastness and righteousness, and naturally, it enshrines numerous Dharma images. Seated in the main positions are the two so-called principal deities, namely the Realm Lord and the Incense Lord, who are powerful beings who still respond to prayers today…

This realm lord occupies the vast expanse of the Dharma Realm, residing within this mountain gate, overlooking the vast land of Jin. The incense master, on the other hand, occupies the righteous realm, with his mountain gate located in Zhao capital, containing only a small White Horse Temple, yet it is extremely wondrous.

There are eight statues of deities enshrined on both sides, but only one has responded to the call of God over the years.

The appearance of the Desire Realm.

Later, this one was lured away by the peacock and went out to establish the Great Desire Path. The remaining seven have disappeared without a trace, and it's hard to say what state they are in now. Usually, none of them will respond.

He said:

"When the patriarch Guangtu founded the lineage, he said, 'All those who respond will appear before the World-Honored One.' It's normal that there has been no response over the years. Even when the peacock appeared and the incense master went to offer his congratulations, there was still no response..."

Everyone understood that most of the Dharma images enshrined on the left and right had perished, leaving only statues for worship. The monks understood this without saying a word. The two masters were the masters of the Dharma realm. The incense master's visit to offer congratulations represented cooperation between the two paths. However, the master of the realm remaining in the Buddhist land remained silent, casting a shadow over the cooperation between the two sides.

Fa Chang couldn't tell what the master was thinking, and he was even more afraid that there was some discord between the two masters. His own master was in seclusion, and he had been very worried these days.

He dismissed the other cultivators and entered the hall with Fayuan. Luejin followed quietly behind them. The warrior monk took out a gold scroll from his sleeve and said:
"A message has come from Ren Shijia of the Great Desire Path, saying that the Sparrow Carp has decided to launch a full-scale attack on Gu County, and requests that you, sir, march east to attack Liangchuan to cooperate with them..."

Fa Chang moved his lips and finally uttered the name that made every Mahayana Buddhist and Taoist tremble with fear and dread:

Where is Li Zhouwei?

Fayuan whispered:
"Ren Shi Jia said that he just killed Zhe Lu and will definitely head north first to join forces with Long Kang Yao. He wants us to seize the opportunity to attack Liang Chuan while they attack Juan Cheng. Only by working together to take down this thorn in our side can we surround them in Chun Cheng..."

“I think so… His biggest enemies are the other two factions. No matter what happens now, he wouldn’t come here to cause trouble for us.”

Fa Chang nodded knowingly, sighed deeply, and said:
"I led a group there earlier, but Lord Yu persuaded us to come back. He was right. If we make up our minds, we will be bogged down in the great battle of Mingyang for a long time. How can I make a decision without the Lord's orders?"

Although Fa Yuan had a rugged appearance, he was very thoughtful. He said:
"What are you saying, Senior Brother!"

"The matter of Kongwudao was brought together by the Incense Master and Dayu. Now they are going to offer their congratulations. Although Zhelu died suddenly, they were still close. Besides, the Treasure Tooth Golden Land that the Realm Lord wants is still far away... The only suitable one, Li Chengpan, is still in Dayu's hands. These are things that cannot be erased... So why would we need any orders?"

"Li Chengpan..."

Fa Chang was taken aback and said:
"Is it the antelope that is Yayoi reincarnated?"

"Correct!"

The Way of Law:
"Does Your Excellency still remember... the Peacock Clan has a treasure called the [Peacock Child-Giving Plate]? It's in his hands now! This shows how much the Peacocks value him."

Fearing that Fa Chang might hesitate and miss the opportunity, he said:

"Furthermore, their actions last time already greatly displeased them. If they remain silent again this time, they will surely be punished by the peacock carp..."

Fa Chang was secretly disappointed. If he didn't intervene, who knew how much turmoil the Central Plains would suffer, and how badly it would be tarnished on Dayang Mountain. The latter was secondary; his long-held belief was that no one should be left behind and that he absolutely could not stand idly by.

"Sigh... If I were to lend a hand from the sidelines, I'd have some leverage when those major prefectures fall, and who knows, I might even be able to rescue some people from their clutches..."

Fayuan muttered a long list of pros and cons, explaining the connections between his own Dharma Formation and the outside world. But what truly persuaded Fachang was this seemingly insignificant reason. He finally stood up, stepped forward, and performed a few Mahayana rituals. Fayuan was overjoyed and accompanied his senior brother forward. Fachang said:

"Who are the people guarding Liangchuan?"

The Way of Law:
"There are only two or three capable ones. One cultivates Xuan Lei and is called Shangguan Mi. I have never heard of him. Another cultivates Yin Shui and is called Yu Xi. He is quite good at escaping. The third is Hong Yan, who came from Shu. He used to be a member of the Sun Dao lineage, but he is not a very powerful person."

Fa Chang nodded, lowering his guard slightly. They quickly reached Liangchuan, where Fa Yuan and the others went up to challenge them. A thunderous roar immediately followed:

"Bald monk! Here you come to die again!"

Fa Chang raised his eyebrows to look and found that it was a warrior-like figure holding a purple-gold mace in his hand, covered in two-colored lightning, and a scroll-like treasure at his waist was shining brightly, making the whole world darken, as if thousands of lightning bolts were about to strike.

This scoundrel was incredibly rude. The monks had barely stood on the clouds and hadn't even had a chance to utter a harsh word when a 'Divine Palace Oath' flashed in the distance, hurtling towards them like a bolt of lightning, nearly snapping off one of the monks' heads on the spot!
Since the fall of Emperor Zhao and the disappearance of his position, there have been rumors that he fell into the sandalwood forest. Not only is Shi Xiu not afraid of thunder, but he can also use some of it himself. Moreover, Yuan Shi, the Dharma Image of the Thunder Sound Without Leaks Body, used gold to prove his Dao and saw the Xuan Thunder. Fa Chang should not have been afraid, but the power of the opponent was indeed terrifying. The destructive power of the Thunder Dao alone could make his eyelids twitch.

If Fa Chang was like this, then Lü Jin, standing beside him, was even more terrified, listening to Fa Chang's praise:

"What a magnificent Dao of Profound Thunder..."

He gave that praise, and then heard someone nearby laugh:

“He has made great progress. Back in Shu, he was not as imposing as he is now… These years have not been wasted.”

Fa Chang was stunned.

The voice was unfamiliar, seemingly both near and far. Only then did he notice the man in black standing with his hands behind his back at the foot of the mountain, who appeared to have been waiting for a long time.

As the voice rang in their ears, the sky darkened for a moment, and the man vanished.

'...'

Fa Chang turned his head with some difficulty to look at the man standing close to him, shoulder to shoulder.

Golden eyes, black robes, black flames, and a long halberd.

Li Zhouwei.

His golden eyes remained calm as he watched the battle in the sky.

Fa Chang was quite certain that there was not a single sound from the north. Either Li Zhouwei had not gone to Gu County at all, or the King of Wei had not even used his supernatural powers and had subdued Long Kangyao without losing a single soldier.

In any case, there was no need for Li Zhouwei to be here.

'Why bother? Such a good opportunity—whether it's ambushing Que Liyu, joining forces with Long Kangyao, or even relieving the pressure from the Yan Kingdom to the north of Gu County and allowing Jiang Yan to escape—it would all be a brilliant move… Why target me?'

The reason why Fa Chang was so unprepared was that in this big picture, the center of the storm was the Great Desire Path and the Compassion Path. His Dharma Realm was just assisting from the sidelines to balance the two forces. The side that tried to make them fight indefinitely would not pose any fatal threat to Li Zhouwei, and Li Zhouwei had no need to offend them.

Thoughts raced through his mind, while the man behind him stood as still as a statue. Regardless of common sense or reason, he now had to confront a single question:
How to save your life?

He murmured:

"King Wei, why bother?"

Li Zhouwei just smiled and said:
"Maha's luck is really bad."

Fa Chang was utterly bewildered. He said:
"King Wei...why do you have to offend my Dharma Realm so much...Back then, when we cooperated with the Great Desire's attack, although it was Master Yu who explained the advantages and disadvantages, it was I who withdrew the troops and returned to the mountain, which saved Juancheng...King Wei...now you show no mercy at all..."

Li Zhouwei shook his head and smiled:

"If I hadn't shown mercy, you would already be with Zhelu in the underworld, striking the wooden fish."

The law is often speechless.

Li Zhouwei's smile faded, and he said calmly:

"Furthermore, your Dharma Realm covets the Precious Tooth Golden Land and still covets my family. Wasn't it you who ordered the siege of Luoxia? You wanted to covet my two good-for-nothing sons, but instead you caused the Great Desire to lose a step. Your retreat was not only because of Master Yu, but also because you realized that the two of them would not come north."

Fa Chang hadn't expected that all his schemes in the mountains had been seen through. His expression changed slightly, and he slowly lowered his head. Li Zhouwei turned around to face him and said softly:
“Fa Chang, I know you.”

“Back then, during the North-South conflict, it was you who came to Jianghuai, and together with Gao Fu, you calmed the unrest in the North and South and saved many lives. I know that you have been ridiculed and mocked by both Buddhism and Taoism over the years.”

Fa Chang hadn't expected to lose face so badly, not only in the north but also all the way to Wangyue Lake. He was usually unfazed by praise or criticism, but he simply sighed deeply and offered no explanation. Li Zhouwei, however, said:
“I’m taking the real person from Liangchuan with me. At this moment, you should all be dead in my hands, but you Buddhist monks believe in reaping what you sow. You have sown the seeds of karma in Jianghuai. I admire you, so today I will give you a way out.”

He raised his head slightly and said:
"You should kill yourself."

His expression was calm, yet he commanded a sixth-generation Mahayana, a figure comparable to the mid-stage of the Purple Palace realm, and one of the most prominent figures in the entire Northern Buddhist and Taoist traditions, to commit suicide, as if it were the natural course of events, without the slightest abnormality.

Fa Chang lowered his head and remained silent.

He was suddenly struck by such a huge shock that he could only slightly open his lips, not knowing what to say. Faced with Li Zhouwei's order for him to commit suicide, he even felt that he should be grateful, and just stood there in a daze.

The man in black didn't say much, nor did he analyze the pros and cons. It seemed that all of this was just a matter of whim for him. Li Zhouwei smiled and said:

"three."

The sound resounded throughout the heavens and earth, and terrifying darkness began to spread everywhere. Fa Chang felt as if he had been hit hard on the head with a golden hammer. His vision blurred, and before he could react, another explosion rang in his ears.

"two."

The enormous setting sun lay prostrate on the horizon, and the multitude of Mahas in the sky began to stir in panic. Fa Chang's heart trembled as if struck by lightning.

'My own demise is a small matter, but there are so many fellow disciples in the sky... If they are all killed here by this King Wei, not only will they suffer serious injuries, but it will also surely alarm the Realm Lord...'

That official was already extremely dissatisfied with Mingyang. If it weren't for Li Zhouwei, he wouldn't have been reduced to placing his hopes on Li Chengpan. If this incident were added to the mix, the Central Plains would surely be plunged into bloodshed!
Without the slightest hesitation, his entire chest burst forth with fine golden light, and his body shattered instantly, sending up a sky full of iridescent colors!
"Boom!"

His head vanished in a frenzied explosion, but the colors of the "Emperor's View" spread out invisibly. The Huaijiang Map operated miraculously, and that point of gold was gently grasped by that hand.

Li Zhouwei's robes fluttered in the wind as he tossed the wisp of true spirit into his sleeve and turned away.

He knew, of course, that the Great Mu Dharma Realm was not a key player in this great war—at least not at the moment—and would not cause him much trouble. However, he was not here specifically to kill Fa Chang for the sake of that Great Wu Xuan genius; he was also mindful of the overall situation.

'Instead of waiting for the Dharma Realm to become unpredictable, it's better to subdue them directly...that would free up some manpower...'

He looked down at the slightly golden man, the jade talisman in his hand crumbling as it slipped through his fingers like quicksand, and gave the order:
"Go back and report."

Li Zhouwei said calmly:
"I will keep his true spirit for now. If you remain calm and wait until the situation is settled..."

"His true spirit will be released back."

...

Juancheng.

The sky was ablaze with color, and the great formation trembled. Yu Xixin stood high above, coughing up blood that turned into ashes in mid-air. Facing the raging fire before him, he merely coughed twice.

The carp stared at him intently, and whispered:
"Brother Yu..."

The two seemed to have known each other for some time, and now they appeared quite familiar with each other. The peacock descendant gently shook his head and said:
"I don't expect you to release me, but... please step aside for now."

Yu Xixin's eyes were filled with ambiguity.

The carp arrived incredibly fast; almost as soon as Zhelu was in trouble, it headed north. Li Zhouwei had only just arrived at the Second Pass when the carp arrived at this spot in less than a day.

His strength had increased far, far beyond what this Grandmaster Ziqi had imagined.
'He has lived eight lifetimes, possessing strength comparable to the Five Elements Master. Furthermore, he has eradicated his karmic roots, transforming them into a single, powerful flame. Even among those at the peak of supernatural powers, he is not weak! Even if Li Zhouwei were to come, he would find it difficult to defeat him without a fierce battle!'

Yu Xixin understood that what the other party said about not having any expectations was actually a matter of not daring to ask for anything.

The various lineages of the Three Mysteries have risen and fallen, and to this day, there are quite a few who have turned to Buddhism and Taoism. Back then, many of the followers of Canyanzi, who advocated the unity of immortality and Buddhism, were direct descendants of the Three Mysteries. Even today, the dignified Tongxuan lineage has direct descendants who have entered into Buddhist cultivation.

The Yu family is somewhat different. Yu Xixin was brought to Guangyuan Heaven when he was young, and Zhen Cui Xuanjun personally met him. Although he only received a word of encouragement, it made him different from then on. According to Yao Guanyi, this Zhen Cui Xuanjun has a deep connection with the Yu family!

He knew these things because he had a past relationship with the carp, and Yu Xixin showed no fear, even though he was injured, he still smiled and said:
"Fellow Daoist... is not as terrifying as the Qilin."

The carp, however, was not angry, and laughed:

"After all... the Peacock Clan has never produced a Wei Emperor like this."

Before he could finish speaking, the fierce flames surged skyward, transforming into a glass sword in the peacock's hand.

This sword is about four feet long and is made entirely of glass. It is painted with golden and red light, and the flowing patterns are actually streaks of gray fire that are called "substantial". The light is dazzling and the flames are fierce, and it actually cuts down the purple energy in the sky!
Yu Xixin was already familiar with him, and recognized the object in an instant, becoming wary of it.

'【Liuli Society Sword】…'

This sword is a legacy of the Peacock. When the Peacock Carp was cultivating the immortal path, he used it. It could annihilate all energies and incinerate metal and wood. However, since he turned to Buddhism and Taoism and became a Maha, this sword has long been unusable for him!
'It was by severing the root of that karma... After cutting off this sin, the peacock carp, through its peacock bloodline, regained the sword's approval...'

As soon as the sword was drawn, the purple aura in the sky scattered and some even turned into wisps of black smoke, moved by its shimmering brilliance.

The Dao Shi Zhao was shaken, and the four Qi gods also began to tremble. Fortunately, although this sword was powerful, it did not have the unique and wondrous power of Li Zhouwei's Wei Jingwang sword from back then. Yu Xixin gritted his teeth and took out a talisman from his sleeve!

He gently raised his hand, and the purple talisman rose and leaped, transforming into a wisp of blue-purple light, which resisted the falling glass sword light one by one. Yu Xixin was ultimately well-off, and with the protection of this talisman, although he coughed up blood repeatedly, he was able to stand firm!

His situation was unfavorable in this battle, but things were even more complicated on both sides.

Ren Shijia and Xiao Disa of the Great Desire Path each held their own side and blocked Tang Jiyu and Wu Miao. Although both of them were three supernatural powers, Tang Jiyu was still quite capable, while Wu Miao was just a figurehead. His own lineage was not correct, and he was defeated one after another!

Zhou Feng and the others had no choice but to assist from the sidelines, but they only slowed them down. Even though the three holy sons of the Great Desire Path were scattered in the East and Luoyang, there was still Tian Langzhi here!

Surrounded by many pitying figures, this man sat regally on a cloud, single-handedly suppressing Pang Queyun and Lü An, who had come to reinforce from the east!

This eighth Maha was fighting two opponents at once, and he still had the leisure to form a mudra with his hands at his dantian, with a purple-gold object in his palm.

【Purple Gold Jingyuan Treasure Fire】!
This treasure is renowned in the north. It possesses the profound mystery of breaking formations through immortal techniques, gathers the brilliance of the entire Buddhist land, and borrows the power of the great sun in the mid-sky. It was this treasure that broke the Great Ye Mysterious Spirit Formation of Tangdao Mountain.

The Daoist master Liu Bai also died as a result.

Yu Xixin watched with growing anxiety. He knew the power of this treasure. Even though Lü An and Pang Queyun could greatly influence Tian Langzhi's methods, the grand formation of Yuncheng was absolutely no match for the Yin Si's [Da Ye Xuan Zhe Ling Formation]!

'It won't be long before this formation is broken...'

Once the great formation is broken, the first to suffer will be the people in the city. They will all be taken away by the Buddhist monks and used as their merits. Qiao Wenliu's clan has already moved many people away, but there are still a lot of their roots that cannot be touched. They will all become the Buddhist monks' handle!
'Qiao Wenliu has no powerful background. The Great Desire Path will absolutely exploit his clansmen to the fullest extent, showing them no mercy whatsoever!'

Besides, this great formation also serves as an escape route for the cultivators in the sky. If they are injured, they can cover each other and retreat back into the formation to catch their breath. However, if the formation breaks and the situation changes, the army may be routed for miles...

Yu Xixin's expression changed, which the peacock naturally noticed. The peacock spoke slowly and deliberately:

"So that fellow Daoist may know... the people from the Northern Compassionate Path have also arrived. Long Kangyao is too busy to spare any manpower. The Murong family is highly skilled, and Master Liangju is a renowned general of our time. Even if Li Zhouwei is there, he will not be able to escape easily!"

His vertical pupils, as if from a demon, shifted slightly. A vast expanse of sacred land faintly appeared in the sky, and rays of light descended, covering his body like feathered robes. The voice of the carp-like bird carried a warning:

"Fellow Daoist, you originally sought the path of reclusive cultivation, why bother joining the Mingyang Sect? The Heavenly Gate is filled with True Purple Qi, and the Lone Man once overthrew the Profound Truth. How can one cultivate such dignified Purple Qi under the Mingyang Sect?!"

"For many years, fellow Daoist, you have been unable to advance, and after joining the King's ranks, your prestige has greatly diminished. To this day, you are merely a lackey. Have you ever had even the slightest chance of breaking through? Do you not remember the three thousand two hundred sects back then? I have come here with great momentum, and this is the perfect opportunity!"

A smile appeared on the monk's handsome face, and he was very polite:
"The situation is beyond saving. Fellow Daoist, there is no need to hold on to this desperate situation. If you retreat with serious injuries and return to the vast plains, escaping this cage, neither the people of the world nor Mingyang will hold you accountable for the loss of this land!"

Yu Xixin glanced at the purple-gold iridescent light between heaven and earth, and a flicker of emotion finally appeared in his expression. He slowly exhaled, and under the horrified and furious gaze of the Peacock Bloodline descendant, he whispered:

"I, Yu, am a member of the prestigious Qingxuan clan. I have no intention of surrendering the city to the powerful, but I have no reason to abandon the people and seek release! Today, first there was the fall of the Purple Qi, the cry of the deer, the burning of incense, and the chaos of the immortal scriptures. I have to give my life to repay Heaven before Juancheng is destroyed and the people weep!"

(End of this chapter)