I have Taoism and can understand other worlds

Chapter 704 Cultivators Slay Demons
After settling in at the Hansong Pavilion Inn, Dan Chen informed Jiang Wen that he had learned that several disciples from sects that were once on good terms with the Tai Shen Palace had settled in Yu Han City. He wanted to visit them to see if he could find out more about the Northern Territory or the Heavenly Fox Saint Mother.

Jiang Wen readily agreed, and Dan Chen left alone.

Inside the guest room, a charcoal brazier dispelled the harsh cold unique to the north. Jiang Wen stood by the window, his gaze seemingly piercing through the layers of buildings, landing on the distant, mist-shrouded, snow-capped Jade Cold Mountain.

Jiang Sujing stood to one side, holding little Wen'er, who was just learning to speak, in her arms.

“The Heavenly Fox Mother…” Jiang Wen murmured softly, as if savoring the title, “She has a fondness for treasures and possesses unfathomable supernatural powers, yet she seems to have no ill intentions towards mortals, and even occasionally shows them protection… This behavior reminds me of an old friend.”

Jiang Suqing's cold gaze shifted slightly, landing on Jiang Wen's profile: "You mean... Bai Jing?"

“Indeed.” Jiang Wen nodded, a hint of nostalgia flashing in his eyes. “It has been more than a year since we parted in the capital. That day I left her and the concubine of the Rain Master of the Taiping Dao to deal with the affairs of the capital, and I don’t know where they are now. The capital was in chaos, and the emperor gave birth to a wicked dragon. It must have been extremely dangerous at that time. As long as she is safe, everything is fine.”

He paused, then continued, "However, why did Bai Jing suddenly appear in the bitterly cold Jade Cold Mountain in the North, and cause such a commotion, calling herself 'Holy Mother of the Heavenly Fox'? There may be another hidden story behind this."

Jiang Su said calmly, "Whether it is or not, we'll know at a glance."

Just then, light footsteps came from outside the door, followed by a respectful knock: "Senior Jiang, Zhao Yan of the Xuanlei Sect requests an audience."

Jiang Wen flicked his sleeve, and the door opened silently. Zhao Yan stood outside, his expression more solemn than before. He cupped his hands and said, "Senior, several fellow cultivators from the immortal sects in the city have learned that Senior Tai Shen Palace is here, and have specially set up a small gathering place. They would like to invite you to join them for a chat. Would Senior do us the honor?"

Jiang Wen and Jiang Su exchanged a glance, both seeing a hint of understanding in each other's eyes.

This "small gathering" is probably inextricably linked to the "Heavenly Fox Holy Mother".

Jiang Wen smiled slightly: "How can I refuse an invitation from a fellow Daoist? Please lead the way, Fellow Daoist Zhao."

He secretly transmitted his voice to Jiang Su: "You take Wen'er and stay in the city to observe the situation. If I'm not mistaken, that person on the mountain might really be an old acquaintance. I'll be right back, and I'll also take a look at what these disciples of the immortal sects intend to do."

Jiang Su nodded slightly to show that she understood.

Jiang Wen then followed Zhao Yan out of the inn. Zhao Yan led Jiang Wen without lingering in the city streets, but instead took a winding route until they arrived at a seemingly abandoned old house in the west of the city.

The gate of the mansion was dilapidated and covered with cobwebs, but when Jiang Wen scanned it with his divine sense, he sensed a faint spatial fluctuation.

Zhao Yan took out a jade talisman engraved with lightning runes and waved it at the gate of the mansion. A flash of lightning appeared on the jade talisman, and the dilapidated gate seemed to ripple like water, revealing a hazy halo that could only allow one person to pass through.

“Senior, please follow me.” Zhao Yan stepped into the halo first. Jiang Wen’s expression remained unchanged as he followed.

The moment they passed through the halo of light, the surrounding scenery suddenly opened up. The dilapidated house had disappeared, replaced by a strange space shrouded in soft white light.

Beneath my feet lies a plaza paved with white jade. At the end of the plaza, several palaces and pavilions with flying eaves and brackets can be vaguely seen, their style ancient and simple, truly exuding an ethereal aura.

This is the Sumeru Illusionary Realm of Jade Cold City, and also the stronghold of the Immortal Sect.

However, although this immortal sect's stronghold has maintained its basic form, it cannot hide the signs of decay.

The square was spacious, yet sparsely populated, with only a few dozen people scattered about. Compared to the space, which could easily accommodate thousands, it seemed exceptionally empty. Some locations that should have been shops were now deserted, with only dilapidated signs swaying gently in the breeze.

The few remaining stalls were mostly filled with ordinary talismans and low-grade pills, their spiritual light dim, attracting few customers. A faint sense of decay permeated the air, a stark contrast to the bustling and prosperous gathering place of the immortal sects in my memory.

Zhao Yan led Jiang Wen toward the most complete palace on one side of the square.

There were already twenty or thirty people waiting inside the hall. When they saw Jiang Wen enter, all their eyes turned to him. These cultivators were dressed in different clothes and their auras varied in strength, but most of them had a hint of anxiety and solemnity between their brows.

Zhao Yan stepped forward and introduced to everyone: "Fellow Daoists, this is Senior Jiang Wen from Tai Shen Palace."

Upon hearing the words "Tai Shen Palace," all the cultivators present became solemn, rising to pay their respects. Jiang Wen's gaze swept over them, discerning their origins based on their attire and aura.

Besides the disciples of the Xuanlei Sect, cultivators from the Qingjian Sect, Guyue Sect, and Zixiao Palace were also gathered here. There were also some independent cultivators, who seemed to have come just to join in the fun.

After everyone was seated again, the leading disciple of the Purple Cloud Palace, a handsome young man with a hint of arrogance in his eyes, spoke first. His name was Zhou Chen. He cupped his hands towards Jiang Wen, his tone quite polite: "We are deeply honored by Senior Jiang's presence. The Northern Territory is currently in turmoil, with demons rising everywhere. It is the time for us cultivators to unite and uphold righteousness." He paused, raising his voice slightly, and said righteously, "I presume that Senior is also aware that a powerful demon calling herself 'Heavenly Fox Mother' resides in Jade Cold Mountain. Although this demon has not yet engaged in widespread slaughter, her occupation of the sacred mountain and her demand for offerings are a major threat to our immortal sects! If this continues, we fear her power will grow too strong and cause chaos in the region. We disciples from several sects have discussed this and decided to join forces to vanquish this fiend. This will not only rid the people of this scourge but also retrieve the treasures from the mountain to replenish our cultivation resources. What is Senior's opinion?"

As soon as he finished speaking, disciples from the Qingjian Sect and the Guyue Sect chimed in with their agreement.

"Senior Brother Zhou Chen is absolutely right! How can we allow such a monstrous talent to occupy a famous mountain?"

"Exactly! It is our duty, as cultivators, to slay demons and eliminate evil!"

"How can the treasures of the mountains be allowed to fall into the hands of demons?"

Only Zhao Yan and a few others from the Xuanlei Sect showed hesitation. Zhao Yan couldn't help but speak up, "Senior Brother Zhou, I personally experienced the oppressive aura of the Heavenly Fox Mother that day. Her strength is unfathomable, and I'm afraid it's beyond our capabilities. Going there rashly might..."

He was interrupted by Zhou Chen before he could finish speaking.

"Junior Brother Zhao, why boost others' morale while diminishing our own?" Zhou Chen said proudly. "My Zixiao Palace's 'Zhou Tian Xing Chen Formation,' supplemented by the Qingjian Sect's 'Lie Yun Jian Formation' and the Guyue Sect's 'Taiyin Kun Ling Curse,' with the seniors of the Tai Shen Palace in charge, even if that fox demon has extraordinary abilities, we will surely make her submit on the spot! At that time, the treasures in the mountain will be divided equally according to the amount of effort put in. Wouldn't that be wonderful?"

He deliberately emphasized the phrase "the senior from Tai Shen Palace is in charge," and looked intently at Jiang Wen, clearly wanting to use Jiang Wen's reputation and strength to strengthen everyone's resolve, while also exerting a kind of invisible pressure.

After all, although Zixiao Palace is one of the three holy lands, it is still slightly inferior to Tai Shen Palace. Tai Shen Palace has ruled the state religion for ten thousand years, which is incomparable to ordinary immortal sects. Although it is now severely weakened, no one dares to underestimate it.

Moreover, the senior before them possessed a profound aura, making it easy to see that his strength was unfathomable.

Jiang Wen took in everyone's expressions and understood.

These immortal disciples are only pretending to exorcise demons and protect the righteous path; their true intention is to covet the treasures in the mountains. He had already planned to go up the mountain to investigate whether the Heavenly Fox Mother was truly Bai Jing, and now he was taking advantage of the situation.

He remained calm and smiled indifferently, saying, "I am new here and know very little about this demon. However, since you fellow Daoists are interested in eliminating the demon, it is not a problem for me to accompany you and take a look."

He neither explicitly agreed to help nor refused, his attitude remaining ambiguous.

Upon hearing this, Zhou Chen was overjoyed, taking it as Jiang Wen's tacit approval. He quickly said, "With a senior's support, this trip is sure to succeed! Let's not delay any longer and set off now, lest something unexpected happen!"

Seeing that the most powerful Zixiao Palace and the prestigious Taishen Palace "seniors" had both expressed their opinions, Zhao Yan and the others from Xuanlei Sect, though uneasy, could no longer object.

The others were even more eager, as if the treasure was already within their grasp.

Jiang Wen secretly instructed Jiang Suzhao to take good care of Jiang Ji again, and then left the Immortal Sect Gathering with the group of nearly thirty cultivators. They left Yuhan City and headed towards the depths of the mysterious and unpredictable Yuhan Mountain, where the wind and snow were blowing.

All of them were cultivators, and their pace was extremely fast. Before long, they had already penetrated deep into the mountains. The surrounding temperature plummeted, and the cold wind was like a knife, swirling up thousands of piles of snow. The towering ancient trees were covered with thick ice armor, a scene of silver and white.

As they ventured deeper, the spiritual energy in the air gradually became denser, yet it was also mixed with a faint, eerie aura.

Upon reaching a snow valley surrounded by mountains on three sides, with a relatively flat and open area in the middle, Zhou Chen signaled for everyone to stop. He looked around and nodded in satisfaction: "This place has excellent terrain, perfect for setting up an array! Let's use this place as a base to lure out that demon fox!"

Under his command, the disciples of Zixiao Palace quickly took out the array flags, star charts and other items that had been prepared in advance, and began to inscribe runes on the ground to set up the so-called Zhou Tian Star Array.

The disciples of the Azure Sword Sect wandered around the perimeter, concealing their sword energy and constructing the initial form of a sword formation.

The disciples of the Ancient Moon Sect chanted incantations in low voices, and a sinister and eerie aura began to permeate the air, preparing to cast a spirit-trapping spell. The disciples of the Profound Thunder Sect and other rogue cultivators also took their positions, remaining vigilant and on guard.

Jiang Wen stood quietly to the side, coldly observing the group of immortal disciples busily setting up their formation to attack the Heavenly Fox Saintess, who might be his old friend, without any ripples in his heart.

After all, he knew Bai Jing's strength; having followed him for many years, she was no longer the same as before. Below the level of a saint, there were few who could defeat her.

If the Heavenly Fox Mother is truly Bai Jing, he would still need to inquire about the situation and what exactly happened during this year.

(End of this chapter)