Shushan Earthly Immortal

Chapter 452 Every Drink and Every Piece, Is It Predestined?
"Hahaha--"

A hearty laugh echoed from the brightly lit stilted house, and Gan Zhenjia, who was guarding outside the door, pricked up his ears to listen.

"Greetings, Mr. Guangfa."

The dark-faced old man sitting in the main seat smiled and cupped his hands in greeting to Cheng Xinzhan. The man in red robes and the man in white robes beside the old man also smiled and greeted him.

Cheng Xinzhan returned the gift.

"Come, try some Miao wine."

Upon meeting, without saying a word, the old man first lifted the lid of the kettle hanging over the hearth. The wine inside was already boiling, bubbling and steaming. Inside the kettle was a long-handled silver wine jug. The old man picked it up and scooped a spoonful for Cheng Xinzhan, handing it to him.

Cheng Xinzhan was very familiar with this scene. He easily took out a horn cup from the fire pit, held it in both hands, and moved it forward.

The old man poured the wine into the cup, but Cheng Xinzhan did not pull his hand back.

"Ha ha--"

The old man laughed again, pointed at Cheng Xinzhan with his other hand, and then ladled another cup for him. Cheng Xinzhan still wouldn't give up until the old man ladled the third cup, filling the horn cup to the brim, before he finally took the cup back, satisfied.

After Cheng Xinzhan took the cups back, the man in the red robe and the man in the white robe raised their cups, and the old man poured them for them one by one, and then poured one for himself.

Welcome, guests from afar!

The three hosts came to pay their respects to Cheng Xinzhan.

Cheng Xinzhan raised his glass, the four of them clinked glasses, and then drank it all in one gulp.

The twelve-story building felt like it was on fire, and Cheng Xinzhan's face turned red instantly. However, the spiciness and pain only lasted for a moment, then the body warmed up, followed by a warm feeling spreading in the abdomen. Then, the aroma filled the mouth and nose, and with a smack of the lips, one could taste a faint sweetness of millet.

That's what it feels like.

Other liquors become weaker the longer they are boiled, but only baijiu becomes stronger and more fragrant the longer it is boiled.

He put down his wine cup, took out the red gourd, uncorked it, and then added wine to the flask, which was also cloudy but fragrant.

His natural action made the smiles on the other three people's faces even more genuine.

"Sir, how many years has this been?"

The old man asked.

Cheng Xinzhan filled the kettle, then put the gourd away and said,
"It's been about fifty years."

"rare."

The old man replied, seemingly referring to the wine, but also to people.

"I do not yet know your names, and I do not know how to address you."

At this moment, the room was warm, the wine was warm, and everyone was warm. Cheng Xinzhan asked the host's name.

He didn't know the names of these people. From the information he had gathered, he only knew that the chief of Chiyou Cave was called the Old Man of Jiuli. However, the title "Old Man of Jiuli" seemed to be a hereditary title, and all the chiefs of Chiyou Cave throughout the ages had been called by it. Their real names were unknown.

What surprised him even more was that Chi You Cave actually had more than one fourth-realm cultivator. He could clearly see that the Red-Crowned Gentleman on his right was also a fourth-realm cultivator, while the White Dragon Gentleman on his right had the cultivation of the upper third-realm. He had never heard of these two great demons before.

A mere Chiyou Cave possesses such profound heritage and strength.

"Sir, you can just call me Jiuli, or you can just call me Old Chieftain, that's fine too."

The dark-faced old man answered with a smile.

It's clear that the master of Chiyou Cave is still unwilling to reveal his real name. Perhaps this is related to the prevalence of witchcraft and sorcery during the ancient Miao period, which has led to this tradition being preserved.

“Hong Jiawen”.

"Bai Kaifeng".

Mr. Red Crown and Mr. White Dragon said.

"Chiyou Cave is truly a place where hidden talents reside."

Cheng Xinzhan exclaimed in admiration, and then said,

"If I may ask, I know two juniors, one named Hongguan and the other Bailong, both from a Miao village. They have both reached the Golden Core stage and are practicing Taoist techniques. Although their magical cultivation is progressing smoothly, they are struggling to achieve perfection due to the lack of guidance for their demonic bodies and life essence. I wonder if Fellow Daoists Hong and Bai could do me a favor? If you have some free time, I will bring them here and ask you two to give them some pointers."

Hong and Bai both showed joy upon hearing this, and Hong Jiawen said repeatedly,
"Are they all Golden Core cultivators?"

Cheng Xinzhan nodded.

"Then what are we waiting for? We have plenty of time. Quickly call them over."

Bai Kaifeng said urgently.

"Are you married?"

Hong Jiawen asked again and again.

Cheng Xinzhan was taken aback by this question. Why did we suddenly get to this? He replied,

"Bai Long'er doesn't have it, and Hong Guan probably doesn't either. Our Taoist practice still places great emphasis on primordial yang."

Bai Kaifeng laughed loudly.
"Very well, please send them here quickly, sir. We will do our best to teach them our supernatural powers. However, they will have to stay in the village for a while to choose a spouse and have children. Rest assured, Master Guangfa, our demon bodies are somewhat different from human bodies. Moreover, both our chicken and dog clans have secret methods that will not affect the Taoist method of becoming an infant."

Cheng Xinzhan was both amused and exasperated upon hearing this, and could only say,

"I'll bring them over. You two can discuss it with them yourselves, but we must respect their personal wishes."

"This is nature, this is nature!"

Hong Jiawen and Bai Kaifeng said in unison, their faces beaming with smiles.

The unexpected start to the marriage conversation made the conversation more relaxed and intimate.

"Even chickens and dogs possess the Golden Elixir, and they all come from the same village. This is extraordinary. Is it Lixi Village over in Rongjiang?"

The old village chief said with a smile.

Ok?
Cheng Xinzhan's expression changed slightly. He looked at the old man and asked,
How did the chieftain know?

The old chieftain flipped his hand, conjuring up a painting. He gently tossed it out, and the paper flew through the flames to Cheng Xinzhan's feet.

Cheng Xinzhan took it, looked down at it, and a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes.

The portrait depicts a burly Taoist priest wearing a tall red crown, hard-soled gold boots, and a crimson robe. He has golden eyes with double pupils, small ears, a hooked nose, and a thick red beard. A large rooster, crowing proudly on a tree branch, is painted on the chest of his crimson robe. In his right hand, he holds a lamp, the light dispelling the darkness and illuminating the entire paper in a golden hue. In the upper left corner of the paper is a short inscription:
"When the rooster crows, the world turns white."

There is a mark in the lower left corner of the drawing paper:

"Qian Shen Zhai"

This is the painting I made, "The Pleiades Incarnation, the Taoist of New Year's Day, Manifesting Miracles in the World"! But I remember this painting very clearly. I only painted one copy and pasted it on the door of the old village chief's house. How could it be here?

No, that's not right.

Upon closer inspection, Cheng Xinzhan noticed something amiss. While the painting was indistinguishable from his own in form, and although it shared the spirit of dawn's awakening, it lacked the essence of the Pleiades' true yang energy. It was a forgery. A closer look at the inscription, notes, and seals made it even clearer that it was a copy.

Cheng Xinzhan looked at the old chieftain and asked suspiciously,

"This is?"

The old chieftain laughed.
"Our ancestors passed down a rule that someone from Chiyou Cave must travel outside year-round to record the situation of all the villages in Miao territory. This includes how many families have been newly built, how many have disappeared, how many years those that have remained have existed, their population, and the survival rate of newborns. Many years ago, a red-crowned messenger from the cave came to Lixi Village and found that every household in the village had this kind of door painting on their door. He immediately understood its meaning and grasped the true essence of the sun, so he made some copies and brought them back."

"Hehe, more than fifty years ago, you were still in the first realm, while the red-crowned messenger in my cave had already reached the Golden Core stage. Yet, he admitted he couldn't recreate the true meaning of the painting. Since then, my Chiyou Cave has known that there is a Taoist in this world known as 'Qian Shen Zhai,' who has learned the true meaning of Yang Fire and formed a connection with my Miao village."

Cheng Xinzhan was stunned when he heard this.

How could I possibly have such a connection with Chiyou Cave?
Seeing Cheng Xinzhan's surprised expression, the old chieftain laughed again.

"After the demonic transformation, our Red Crown Envoy went to Chestnut Creek Village again, only to find it deserted. Then, many years later, one of our travelers came to Silver Bell Village in western Hunan and saw the gentleman's paintings again there."

"When the messenger asked, the villagers said that their ancestors had fled from Rongjiang Lixi, and that the painting was brought with them at that time. Upon further inquiry, they learned that their escape was also prompted by the paper crane of the master. The villagers also said that they had a master with a red crown who had attained enlightenment and was now practicing at Zhenwu Temple."

"Hehe, Fellow Daoist Wen of Zhenwu Temple has a good relationship with our Chiyou Cave. Our envoy went up Bamian Mountain to reminisce with Fellow Daoist Wen and talked about old times. It turns out that Mr. Hongguan of Lixi Village is now Fellow Daoist Wen's eldest disciple. And the method of training Mr. Hongguan in Lixi Village was also taught by Fellow Daoist Wen in his early years. Fellow Daoist Wen has sown the seeds and reaped the fruits."

Cheng Xinzhan found it somewhat unbelievable; how could fate in this world be so coincidental?

He remembered that during a casual chat with Master Wen, Master Wen mentioned that the chicken-raising method he taught to Lixi Village originated from another "remarkable" Miao village—it turned out to be Chiyou Cave! Yes, Chiyou Cave was indeed a remarkable village. However, Master Wen was from Wudang Mountain. Why would Chiyou Cave pass on the Miao people's chicken-raising methods to Master Wen and ask him to spread them?

He voiced his doubts.

The old village chief laughed and replied.
"Fellow Daoist Wen was originally a Miao person, but he suffered hardship in his youth and was taken in by the True Man Zhang Sanfeng. Fellow Daoist Wen has a great sense of righteousness. Although he grew up on Wudang Mountain, he never forgot his origins. Later, he settled down in western Hunan and traveled around the Miao and Hunan regions for many years. By chance, Fellow Daoist Wen and I became acquainted at Chiyou Cave. We hit it off immediately, so the cave invited Fellow Daoist Wen to serve as a guest elder of Chiyou Cave and taught him the method of raising chickens. He was instructed that if Fellow Daoist Wen saw any Miao villages in the deep mountains and dangerous ravines that had not yet mastered the method of raising chickens, he should teach them this technique."

Upon hearing this, Cheng Xinzhan suddenly realized and sighed to himself, "Is every sip and every bite preordained?"

"However, when our envoy went to Mount Bamian last time, that Mr. Red Crown was still in the second realm. I wonder if the Mr. Red Crown you mentioned who has cultivated to the Golden Core stage is this one? Has his cultivation improved over the years?"

The old village chief asked.

Cheng Xinzhan smiled and nodded, saying,
"That's right. As for Bai Long'er, I've always kept her by my side and raised her. Now she's a true disciple of Sanqing Mountain."

"Okay, okay."

The old chieftain nodded repeatedly, then suddenly changed the subject and asked,

"So, I must ask you, sir, since you have a long-standing connection with my Miao village and now intend to undertake great things in Miao territory, why did you not come to my Chiyou Village first, but instead went to Qinglong Cave and Xianren Cave instead?"

Cheng Xinzhan was speechless.

Yes, if I had known beforehand that the Taoist sects were so cunning, and that Chiyou Cave was essentially an ancient village—a village with which I already had a connection—then I should have come here first. Qinglong Cave, which I thought was an easy place to talk to because of our acquaintances, turned out to be the most disappointing; I should have left it for last and used my superior strength to overwhelm them.

However, hindsight is always 20/20. Although the process was somewhat bumpy, the outcome seems to be good so far.

The old chieftain smiled and said again,
"I heard from Gao Min that you intend to join the Dao in Miao territory?"

Cheng Xinzhan nodded.

The old chieftain's smile widened, and he said,

“Great news, great news! It’s been far too many years since anyone has achieved Daoism in Miao territory.”

After laughing, the old village chief continued,

“I heard from Gao Min that you have some doubts. If all of us families have withdrawn from the world and submitted to the demon dragon, what will happen to the people at the foot of the mountain? Will they become demonic people who do not know good or evil, and do not know their ancestors?”

Even inside Chiyou Cave, even in front of the old chieftain, Cheng Xinzhan did not shy away from what he had said before, and nodded in acknowledgment.

"Sir, your insights are truly profound, your vision is far-reaching, and your words are truly thought-provoking."

The old chieftain sighed and said,
"However, as the chief of Chiyou Village, I don't know whether the other families have taken any action or how they did it. But I want to say a few words in defense of my village, so that you won't mistakenly think that all Miao people are spineless."

"Chief, you flatter me."

Cheng Xinzhan continued.

The old chieftain waved his hand and continued.

“We never believed the Demon Dragon’s words about treating the Miao people well. He has tens of millions of demon soldiers under his command. He can guarantee that he will not take action and can restrain a few demon kings, but how can he control everyone? His guarantee is only to take over Miao territory and obtain all of Xijiang. Our agreement is just a delaying tactic.”

"The Miao region is vast, filled with caves everywhere. There are stone caves in the mountains and karst caves underground. Ever since we outwardly submitted, I, Chiyou Cave, have issued orders to all Miao villages, instructing them to build caves on the spot. When the demons come, they can hide; when the demons leave, they can emerge. No matter how many demon soldiers they have, they cannot explore the entire Miao region."

"Many villages in Miao territory are now empty. Some were indeed destroyed in the demonic tide, but many others have hidden themselves in nearby caves. We have also specially excavated tunnels and mountain paths to connect various deep caves and allow them to interact. In addition, we have taught the Miao people how to survive in caves, how to forage, light, ventilate, and drain water. We have the Miao people hang coffins on cliffs and even cremate the dead. Of course, more importantly, we have taught them how to cultivate under the rule of the demonic dragon. We are cultivating sleepless insects to survive the winter, earless insects to avoid lightning, swimming beasts to float people, and lightless grass to endure the eternal night. We are doing everything we can think of, just waiting for the day when the war resumes."

"The Miao people will not perish."

The old chieftain spoke softly, but to Cheng Xinzhan it sounded like thunder, deafening.

After a long silence, he asked,

"So now, is Chiyou Cave ready? Is it time to resume the war?"

The old chieftain shook his head, then nodded, and replied with a smile.

“Originally there was no such thing, but I heard that you intend to unite with the Dao in Miao territory and are confident in fighting the demonic dragon and controlling the celestial phenomena. So I think this is the time.”

Cheng Xinzhan smiled upon hearing this and said,
"Does the chieftain trust me that much?"

"The wine in the wine jug has been opened again," the village chief said as he distributed the wine.

"The Miao people were able to give the white dragon to you, and you were able to nurture the Miao people's white dragon into a golden elixir. At the beginning of the demonic tide, you thought of the Miao village and immediately sent a message to them to seek refuge. You also preserved the strong liquor given to you by the Miao people for more than fifty years. Why wouldn't I trust such a Miao friend?"

Cheng Xinzhan looked up and drank it all in one gulp, feeling a warm sensation in his chest and abdomen. He hadn't expected that the Chiyou Cave, which he was most worried about among the three caves, would actually be the smoothest and the one where he was most focused on eliminating demons.

"So, Chieftain, where do you think we should start if we want to launch a counterattack?"

The old chieftain, along with Hong and Bai, exchanged glances, then answered in unison.
"Hundred Spirits Valley".

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(End of this chapter)