Knife splashing

Chapter 758 The Struggle for Divine Thrones
"Be bold!"

"How dare they storm the Jade Emperor Temple!"

Hearing Shi Xuanming's words, the elders were all filled with anger.

As for Li Yan, he knew nothing about this suddenly appearing Earth Immortal.

This is not surprising.

The land of China is vast, and countless talented and extraordinary people emerge. Not everyone is willing to be a powerful figure and show their face in public, especially in the Taoist sect, where the trend of seclusion is even stronger.

Countless extraordinary people are hidden in the mountains and rivers.

Some people are obsessed with cultivation, but they can't take the crucial step. They are unwilling to fall into the Netherworld, so they choose to join a major sect of Xuanmen, and their identities are hidden.

Just like in Wudang and Qingcheng, Li Yan had some premonitions, but due to his friendship, the agreement between the living underworld messengers and the Xuanmen, he pretended not to see them.

With the transformation of humanity, more Earth Immortals will inevitably become restless.

Suddenly, a brilliant idea flashed in Li Yan's mind.

He recalled that when he first arrived in the capital, he discovered that someone was secretly intercepting and killing living ghost messengers, but they later disappeared without a trace and never appeared again.

I initially thought it was related to the "Peach Banquet," but now it seems that they might be two separate cases that just happen to overlap.

The purpose of intercepting and killing the living underworld messengers is to remove the shackles from these earth immortals!
At that time, who knows how many ambitious people will emerge.

The name "Zhao Changsheng" came to mind again.

Li Yan had a premonition that this matter must be related to him!

While he was pondering, the other side had already made their move.

Seeing that he couldn't reason with him, Shi Xuanming stopped talking nonsense. He made a hand seal with his left hand and suddenly slammed his withered pine and dragon staff on the ground with his right hand. In an instant, a strong wind arose and black mist surged.

The surrounding scenery became blurry again.

In the dim light, the howling of a monster seemed to echo.

Then, the ground turned cold and frost spread, and faint green lights rose up, converging and twisting in the air. They first transformed into various wild beasts, and then into human shapes, rushing straight towards the crowd outside the Jade Emperor Temple.

Mountain spirit, or rather, mountain god!

Li Yan took one look and immediately guessed what it was.

After some wild beasts or highly spiritual animals die, they often attach themselves to earth, wood, rocks, and mountains. People who pass by are affected by this and experience hallucinations. They then offer incense and tie red ropes to the remains to pray for peace.

Over time, it became a local mountain god.

Nowadays, in many places, there are legends about large trees or stones that are very powerful.

This is the mountain spirit.

In truth, there's nothing wrong with it.

When people pray with good intentions, they often drive away wandering ghosts and protect the area.

It's somewhat like a simplified version of a temple statue, originating from people's hearts.

But now, these things are clearly under the control of this "Shi Xuanming".

"Formation!"

Although Shoumingzi and the other seven elders were startled, they remained calm and immediately formed the Big Dipper Seven Mysteries Formation.

Holding various magical implements and chanting incantations, the thick fog that rushed towards them and the roaring mountain spirits within it were blocked at least five meters away, making it difficult for them to approach.

"Shi Xuanming!"

Shoumingzi, his hair and beard bristling, shouted sternly, "You too are protected by the Dharma lineage, how dare you stir up the Yin energy of the earth's veins, disturb the sacred mountain, and commit such a rebellious act?!"

In the thick fog, Shi Xuanming's figure appeared and disappeared intermittently.

His mocking laugh rang out, "Shoumingzi, stop your noise. Mount Tai is originally a place for us to cultivate. Your sects have occupied it for many years, controlling its fortune. Have you ever thought of sharing it with our fellow cultivators?"

Before he finished speaking, he slammed the withered pine and dragon staff in his hand onto the ground.

"Boom!"

The entire Jade Emperor Temple Square and even the ground further away seemed to tremble violently.

Strands of condensed, ink-black earth energy, radiating a chilling coldness, erupted from the cracks like tentacles of a living creature. With sharp, piercing cries, they swept up the surrounding shattered rocks and, under the pull of some force, coalesced into several earthen and stone golems, each over ten feet tall.

Boom!Boom!Boom!
With heavy steps and surrounded by a sinister aura, he rushed towards the Jade Emperor Temple.

Good heavens, a mountain golem!

Even Li Yan was taken aback.

This thing should be a combination of puppetry and earth-遁 (earth-遁 is a type of magic that allows one to create soldiers from beans), similar to scattering beans to form soldiers, but this is the first time Li Yan has seen someone use it so skillfully.

Not only must one have profound Taoist skills, but one must also be a geomancer.

They dared to attack the Jade Emperor Temple; they certainly have some skills.

Li Yan realized: "This is not human power, but the wrath of the mountain."

"careful!"

Seeing the situation was dire, an elder dressed in black robes took a step forward, quickly formed a hand seal with his left hand, and struck out with lightning in his right palm to meet the charging earthen puppet.

With a deafening roar, the earthen golem collapsed into a pile of rocks.

This person, who possesses exceptional skill in palm strikes and is dressed in a black robe, is most likely a member of the Taishan Thunder Academy.

Although the attack was effective, the elder was old and frail, and his physical functions had long since declined. He was forced back by the impact of the earth golem, spitting out a mouthful of blood. He shouted sharply to the crowd, "Disciples, be careful! This fiend is my Mount Tai Earth Immortal Shi Xuanming!"

"He is well-versed in the arts of geomancy, skilled in earth escape techniques, and even more proficient in 'examining ghosts and summoning gods.' In the past, this scoundrel swore an oath to protect the earth veins of Mount Tai in exchange for a future position as a mountain god! Now, this madman has been blinded by greed and wants to take the opportunity to steal the power of the Lord of Mount Tai!"

The old Taoist priest was furious and directly exposed Shi Xuanming's true nature.

Upon hearing this, many disciples present couldn't help but gasp.

It turns out this person is a local immortal from Mount Tai. No wonder his methods are so strange. In terms of familiarity with the geomantic veins of Mount Tai, even these local sects can't compare to him.

But what caught everyone's attention even more was another sentence.

Stealing the authority of the Lord of Mount Tai!

Who is the Lord of Mount Tai?

In previous years, the popular folk novel "Investiture of the Gods" claimed that Huang Feihu was the Great Emperor of the Eastern Peak.

Actually not so.

Mount Tai has been regarded as a passage connecting the underworld and the human world since ancient times. The Eastern Han Dynasty's "Xiaojing Yuanshenqi" records the Lord of Mount Tai, who is said to be replaced every five hundred years. During the Qin, Han, Wei and Jin Dynasties, he was the Lord of Mount Tai, Qin Yi and Jin Hongshi, and during the Tang Dynasty, he was Cui Ziyu.

Even after Buddhism and Taoism were introduced, they still held a place in the belief in the netherworld.

This is an important divine position in the Xuanmen (Taoist sects), how could a mere Earth Immortal possibly dabble in it?

however…

But that's exactly what they did!
Considering the recent unusual activity at Mount Tai…

Could it be that it's time for the change of the prefect again?

But can you really steal something like this?

The disciples were filled with doubt, but they had no time to think about it further.

They surrounded the elder, forming a defensive formation to protect the Jade Emperor Temple.

After all, they were all elite disciples of the Xuanmen orthodox sect. They unleashed various thunder spells or talismans to exorcise evil spirits. With the combined efforts of those disciples who were proficient in martial arts and possessed internal strength, the earthen puppets were defeated one after another with a crashing sound.

Soon, the stone steps leading to the Jade Emperor Temple were covered with scattered stones.

Below, Shi Xuanming, instead of being angry upon hearing this, burst into loud laughter, "Hahaha! Well said, Elder Wang!"

"But why don't you tell me what these so-called prestigious sects of yours are?!"

"The position of Lord of Mount Tai is vacant. You old fogies from several sects have been arguing here for seven days straight, trying to take advantage of the changes in the earth's energy and the transformation of humanity to join forces and offer prayers to the gods of heaven, earth, and humanity, so that the divine title of 'Lord of Mount Tai' can be forcibly placed on the head of one of your sect's ancestors!"

"Neither the black pig nor the crow should laugh at the other!"

"You scoundrel! Protecting Mount Tai and communicating with heaven and earth are the orthodox duties of the Xuanmen sect. How dare you, a demon, distort them!"

Shoumingzi was furious. He made a hand seal and spun his whisk. Rolling innate evil energy came from the Jade Emperor Temple, gathered on the whisk, and swept towards the place where Shi Xuanming's voice came from.

This attack, of unknown origin, was devoid of lightning, yet it carried a chilling killing intent. Along its path, the mountain spirits and earth golems were all utterly annihilated.

As the thick fog dissipated, the area where Shi Xuanming was located was instantly covered with frost.

"Humph!"

An elder sneered, "He got away! If it weren't for the chaotic earth energy, which prevents the Taishan troops from acting rashly, we would have beaten this scoundrel to a pulp, so that he would never be reincarnated!"

This is also why the Xuanmen dare to trade with Earth Immortals.

The places where the great sects of Xuanmen are located are often blessed lands, where various great formations are set up, and the huge armies worshipped and refined by the various temples are enough to suppress the earth immortals.

Therefore, this contract is both a refuge and a cage.

Moreover, Mount Tai in the east is a passage to the underworld, and its troops are even more powerful.

It is no exaggeration to say that he suppressed and killed Shi Xuanming.

But before he could finish speaking, the hairs on his body stood on end.

Suddenly, earth and rocks flew everywhere behind him, and Shi Xuanming burst out of the ground. He held several "heart-piercing nails" between his fingers and shot them out. Before the magic swords of the people around him could be thrust at him, he used earth-遁 (earth-遁 is a technique of earth-遁 is used in Chinese to describe a method ...

This hidden weapon was poisoned, and its stench was overwhelming.

The elder who had just spoken had no time to dodge and was pierced in the back by a steel ingot.

In the blink of an eye, he went numb and collapsed to the ground, foaming at the mouth.

"mean!"

The other elders rushed to help, while watching the distance with apprehension.

They then remembered that this earth immortal was not only proficient in earth-遁 (earth-遁 is a type of martial arts technique), but also skilled in hidden weapon techniques.

When the two work together, it's impossible to defend against.

In his youth, he also traveled the martial arts world. It wasn't that he didn't encounter powerful opponents, but rather that all his enemies had died. In addition, he was focused on cultivating Taoism and did not want to get involved in worldly affairs, which is why he was not famous.

"Haha, each other!"

Shi Xuanming's figure flashed, and he disappeared again using earth magic. His voice came from all directions, "You all seem righteous, but what essential difference is there between you and me? You are nothing but a bunch of hypocrites fighting over food!"

Even if we were to compete, it wouldn't be your turn!

No sooner had the words been spoken than another aged voice rang out.

This time, Shi Xuanming's expression turned serious, and he quickly retreated.

The red gate of the Jade Emperor Temple slowly opened, and an old Taoist priest stepped out. He wore a jade crown and a purple robe with auspicious clouds. He was ancient and vigorous, and with a flick of his whisk, he looked coldly down.

"Meet the Headmaster!"

"Greetings, Senior Xuan Sang!"

Upon seeing this, the surrounding disciples and elders all bowed and paid their respects.

At the same time, Li Yan, who was hiding in the shadows, also opened his eyes.

He had just accepted a mission from the underworld.

The information about Shi Xuanming is exactly the same as what the old Taoist priest described before.

But now is not the right time to arrest criminals.

His goal was to help Erlang Zhenjun seize the position of the Lord of the Prefecture. Although the reason was unclear, it seemed to be closely related to the reform of humanity and was the key to overcoming the calamity.

These Taishan sects harbored the same thoughts.

If he were to act now, he would expose himself and it would be a completely thankless task.

He recognized the person in front of him as Xuan Sangzi, the head of the Jade Emperor Temple on Mount Tai. Although he was not as famous as Yu Chanzi or Zhang Tianshi of Longhu Mountain, he was still a well-known figure in the Xuanmen (Taoist sect).

Xu Cangsong of the Jinan City God Temple had treated him the same way before.

This person is probably not easy to talk to.

"Humph!"

Upon seeing Xuan Sangzi emerge, Shi Xuanming snorted coldly, "Old man, you lied to everyone that you went to the capital. I knew you wouldn't leave at a time like this, and sure enough, I lured you out!"

Xuan Sangzi glanced at it indifferently and said in a hoarse voice, "Greed leads to self-destruction. Fellow Daoist, please take heed."

Shi Xuanming scoffed in return, "I'll pass those words on to you as well."

Having said that, he took two steps back and disappeared into the mist.

"Senior brother, why don't you kill this fiend?"

An elder nearby quickly inquired.

Mount Tai has been a place where emperors performed the Fengshan ceremony since ancient times, so how could it only have military force as its trump card?
The "Five Thunder Swords of the Divine Firmament" at the Jade Emperor Temple and the "Jade Tablet" at the Bixia Yuanjun Mansion are both renowned sacred artifacts that can be controlled by the combined power of the people, even though the earth's energy is currently disordered at Mount Tai.

However, Xuan Sangzi did not answer directly, but said in a deep voice, "Go and see if the other two are still there?"

Elder Shoumingzi's expression changed slightly, and he immediately pinched two yellow talismans and threw them out.

Call ~
Instantly, two whirlwinds rose from the ground and roared down the mountain.

Before long, sweat beaded on his forehead, and he said in a trembling voice, "The other two places are empty too!"

Xuan Sangzi seemed to have anticipated this, looking up at the dark night sky, "It seems they've already joined forces..."

"Where...did they get the guts?"

An old Taoist priest standing nearby said in disbelief, "The position of the Lord of the Underworld requires the recognition of the Xuanmen and the decree of Heaven. They could never obtain it. Moreover, without the protection of Mount Tai, encountering a living underworld messenger would be certain death. How dare they do such a thing?"

Xuan Sangzi paused for a moment, then said, "We received news that someone is hunting down living underworld officials. I'm afraid the three of them already know about this. This matter should not be underestimated; there might be someone behind it."

"Pass down the order to strengthen defenses. After three days, when the ground stabilizes, we can rest easy."

"Yes, Headmaster!"

Li Yan, who was hiding in the shadows, seemed to be deep in thought before quickly leaving.

Using his agility, he descended the mountain with even greater speed, like a monkey, rapidly falling between cliffs and precipices. Before long, he found Wang Daoxuan, who was hiding in the dense forest.

The rotation of the Lord of Mount Tai is no secret, and Li Yan can confidently inform him of it.

"Is there such a thing?"

Wang Daoxuan clicked his tongue in amazement after hearing this, then frowned and said, "There are actually three Earth Immortals hiding on Mount Tai. We need to find out their identities first. If you have accepted the mission from the Underworld, you can capture them all at the right time."

"But I don't know how to approach the position of Prefect."

"Not only that."

Li Yan looked down the mountain, his eyes icy. "Those three Earth Immortals only dared to act because they knew that the Living Underworld Messengers were being hunted in large numbers. Someone must have informed them. This matter is probably not so simple..."

…………

Down the mountain, northwest of Tai'an City.

The lights are sparse, and the night is deep with heavy dew.

"At midnight, all is well."

The weak, feeble sound of the night watchman's clapper echoed through the night.

Lu San, Sha Lifeng, and Kuai Dayou hid in the shadows of the uneven rooftops, their eyes fixed on the lone figure walking in the alley ahead—the divine constable Bai Laojiu.

At this moment, Bai Laojiu's steps were steady, but his vigilance was at its peak.

The leather scabbard of his goose-feather saber creaked slightly as he pressed it against his waist, his forehead covered in cold sweat as he looked around.

"Old Kuai..."

Shalifei lowered his voice, "That old man's senses are right, someone really is watching him?"

Kuai Dayou, also holding a musket, smacked his lips and said, "It should be right. His men are all gone. For a dignified constable to be so frightened, the other party must be someone of great importance."

As soon as the words were spoken, as if in response from the unseen world, without warning, wisps of grayish-white fog appeared out of thin air in the streets and alleys, spreading rapidly as if they had a life of their own.

In an instant, the entire street was completely swallowed up by a thick fog that made it almost impossible to see one's hand in front of one's face...

(End of this chapter)