Shushan Earthly Immortal

Chapter 456 Xijiang Zhengshuo, rushing to pick fruits

Listening to Cheng Xinzhan recount his life story of becoming an immortal, the three people from the Miao village were deeply moved and remained silent for a long time.

"No wonder, no wonder the whole land responded when the gentleman was conceived, the root of the matter is here."

The old village chief murmured.

Cheng Xinzhan smiled upon hearing this but remained silent.

The old chieftain steadied himself and then said,

"In that case, on behalf of the land of China, on behalf of all people, on behalf of the righteous cause, and on behalf of the people of Miao territory, I thank you, sir!"

As he spoke, the old chieftain suddenly bowed deeply in thanks.

Hong and Bai followed.

Cheng Xinzhan quickly helped him up.

When he looked up again, the old chieftain had a smile on his face and said,

"Sir, my Miao region is incredibly beautiful, not only in its celestial phenomena, but also in its diverse terrain and abundant natural energy. The Wujiang River divides the region into north and south, with the Chishui River to the north and the Hongshui River to the south. To the west lie the Wumeng Mountains, and to the east, the Wuling Mountains. I wonder which one you prefer, sir?"

Cheng Xinzhan smiled upon hearing this and said,

"You need not consider my path or preferences. Just tell me which aspect of the Dao you think is beneficial to the situation in Miao territory, and can make the east wind drive the west wind."

The old village chief was stunned again upon hearing this, somewhat confused.

This statement gives the impression that it shouldn't be thought about too deeply; the more you think about it, the more unbelievable it seems. What, does this mean that this gentleman's Dao is omnipresent? Does this gentleman's Dao encompass everything and harmonizes all things? Does this gentleman think he can attain Dao anywhere he wants?

The old village chief dared not think too much about it, for he felt his understanding of cultivation would become distorted. The master's path could not be judged by ordinary standards; it was best for him to remain true to himself.

So the old village chief put aside the implied meaning behind the words and only thought about the literal meaning of the question.

Regarding this issue, which involved the selection of a site for the Daoist union by Master Renhui Guangfa, the three Miao people were extremely cautious and dared not speak rashly. After a long while, it was the elder village chief who spoke. And it was clear that the three had communicated internally, giving a cautious answer that had been repeatedly discussed and confirmed among themselves: He said,
"Sir, we believe that if we only consider the aspects of preventing and attacking demons, the banks of the Mengjiang River would be a suitable choice. However, considering safety and depth, it would be best to choose the upper reaches of the Mengjiang River, at the source of the Lianjiang River, which is not far from the Immortal Cave."

"Oh? Why?"

Cheng Xinzhan finally heard the answer he wanted and, intrigued, asked a question.

The old chieftain replied,
"The journey of the Green Robe into the South China Sea began in the lower reaches of the Peach Blossom River within the territory of the Southern Wilderness, then rushed into the Qianjiang River, followed the Xunjiang River, and arrived in the territory of Yuyang. It then entered the sea via the Xijiang River. Therefore, the place where he first joined the Dao was this section, involving the central and eastern parts of the Southern Wilderness and the western part of Yuyang."

"However, after he transformed into a dragon and unified the Southern School, he was soon dissatisfied with this. If we want to explain this clearly, we must first discuss the issue of the legitimacy of the Western River."

"Please speak."

Cheng Xinzhan listened attentively.

Then the old chieftain began to speak in detail.

"Xijiang is just the name used within Yuyang, based on the direction of the source of the major rivers in Yuyang, namely Beijiang, Zhongjiang, and Dongjiang. However, because Xijiang flows into the sea in Yuyang, it holds a unique position, so the entire river is collectively called Xijiang."

Cheng Xinzhan nodded; he was well aware of this.

The old chieftain continued.

"Going upstream, at the border of Nanhuang and Yuyang, two great rivers merge into one, and the place where they meet is where the West River was first called. The two great rivers that converge are the Xun River from the west and the Li River from the north. The Xun River is larger and flows in the same direction as the West River, so the Xun River is the main stream of the West River and the Li River is a tributary."

"Going upstream along the Xun River, we arrive at Xunzhou Prefecture in the southern wilderness. Here, two streams merge into one, and the confluence is called the Xun River, from which this place derives its name. The two streams, the one flowing from the north, is called the Qian River, and the one flowing from the south, is called the Yu River. The Qian River is named for its dark appearance from a distance, and because its water is greater than the Yu River, the Qian River is considered the main stream of the Xun River, while the Yu River is considered a tributary."

"Continuing upstream along the Qianjiang River, we arrive at Xiangzhou Prefecture, where two streams converge again, and the confluence is where the river is called the Qianjiang River. The two streams are the Hongshui River from the west and the Taohua River from the north. The Hongshui River is named for its reddish water, while the Taohua River is named for the peach blossoms that adorn its surface as it flows past Lantao Mountain. The Hongshui River is wider and larger, so it is considered the main stream of the Qianjiang River, and the Taohua River is its tributary."

"Therefore, when the Green Robe Ancestor traveled along the river, he followed the main and orthodox route in the Qianjiang-Xunjiang-Xijiang line, only taking a branch and parallel route in the Taohuajiang River."

"So this is what Green Robe is dissatisfied with?"

Cheng Xinzhan asked.

The old village chief nodded.

Cheng Xinzhan was puzzled, so he asked again.

"The Red River and the Peach Blossom River merge in Xiangzhou Prefecture, which is still within the territory of the Southern Wilderness. So why did Green Robe enter the water from the Peach Blossom River instead of the Red River?"

The old chieftain explained,

"This is because in the early years in the southwest, basically all the major forces in the four realms knew the true forms of the Green Robe and the Red Hair. At that time, the Xuanmen was particularly worried that either of the Green Robe or the Red Hair could travel by river or sea, so they made special arrangements in the Red River basin. The Red River is the middle section of the entire West River, and the upper reaches of the Red River are located at the junction of Miao territory and Southern Wilderness. The people of the Xuanmen guarded this place, so they could defend against both sides."

"The person in charge of guarding the area at the time was the Grand Elder of the Emei Sect, Miechenzi, who was at the peak of the Fourth Realm. His primordial spirit cultivation was extremely advanced, and he could travel thousands of miles in his spirit without any problem. With him stationed there, his divine sense could basically cover the entire Red Water River. So I guess Green Robe probably didn't dare to take the risk back then, which is why he had no choice but to choose Peach Blossom River, located in the eastern part of the Southern Wilderness."

"No matter what, the Peach Blossom River is a major river that spans two borders, and its source is still within our Miao territory. It is the largest tributary of the Qianjiang River. Compared to going directly from the Qianjiang River, he can travel nearly a thousand miles further by going into the middle and upper reaches of the Peach Blossom River, which is extremely beneficial for his transformation into a dragon."

"As for why the Xuanmen didn't manage the Peach Blossom River, it's precisely because of its unique location straddling two borders. The Peach Blossom River originates in the Sanjiang Gorge area of ​​Nanping Prefecture in Miao Jiangnan, bordering Hongmu Ridge, but most of its basin is under the control of the Green Robe of the Southern Wilderness. Therefore, whichever of these two enters the Peach Blossom River, the other can sense it immediately. "These two are natural enemies, a contest of the Great Dao, and are bound to be wary of each other, never willing to yield the great river. However, alas, no one expected that a hero like Red Hair would die silently at the hands of the Crimson Corpse, allowing the Green Robe to succeed."

At this point, the old chieftain bowed to Cheng Xinzhan again and said,
"Fortunately, the master has great supernatural powers, bringing the dead back to life and enlightening the red-haired man. Now he alone has the power to enter the sea from the North River, which is also a great fortune, and he has achieved enlightenment."

Cheng Xinzhan waved his hand, indicating that the two were not the same thing.

The old chieftain nodded and then continued.

"After Green Robe unified the Southern Wilderness, although he was not satisfied with starting from a tributary and moving up the river, it was still his place of origin, so he occupied the entire Peach Blossom River as soon as possible. The first thing he did after becoming a dragon was to take over Redwood Ridge and set up the Southern School headquarters on Rotten Peach Mountain."

"Afterwards, he went east to Yuyang and south to the sea, released the demon dragon of Dinghu Mountain, and summoned the two villains of the South China Sea to guard the Xijiang section of Yuyang and its estuary."

"After finishing these tasks, Green Robe couldn't wait to turn his gaze to the northwest."

"Traveling upstream along the Hongshui River to the northwest for over 5,000 li, we arrive at a place where four rivers converge, which we call 'Thunderbolt Pass'. This is because the terrain here is complex, with many river branches, resembling a thunderbolt, and the river is swift and its sound is like thunder, hence the name."

"The confluence of these four rivers refers to the Mengjiang River, Caodu River, and Buliu River flowing into the Hongshui River. Among them, the Mengjiang River and Caodu River on the north bank are rivers of my Miao region, while the Buliu River on the south bank is a river of the Southern Wilderness. With 'Pilikou' as the boundary, the upper reaches of the Hongshui River are the boundary river between my Miao region and the Southern Wilderness."

“If you go up five hundred li westward from here, there is a river coming from the north and a river coming from the south, which together form the Hongshui River. This place is called ‘Erhekou’. The name Hongshui River originated from here. It continues until it merges with Taohua River in Xiangshan Prefecture in the southern wilderness and is renamed Qianjiang River. It is a total of six thousand li long.”

"The two rivers that make up the Hongshui River are the Beipan River and the Nanpan River. The Beipan River is within the territory of my Miao region, while the Nanpan River originates from the Maxiong Mountain in Yunnan, where it draws a '匚' character on the eastern Yunnan plateau, and then flows eastward. After leaving Yunnan, it becomes the boundary river between my Miao region and the southern wilderness, and is also the main trunk of the Hongshui River."

Having said that, the old chieftain finally explained the entire Xijiang River from its source to its mouth. And so,
"Since the Green Robe Dragon was formed, for the past forty or fifty years, he has basically been circling around the Xijiang River. He attacked Yuyang to secure the Xijiang River, attacked Miao territory to secure the Taohua River and Hongshui River, and attacked Dianwen to secure the Nanpan River."

"Over the years, he has been constantly using his magic to corrupt the river waters and expand his territory. His intention is all too clear: he wants to start from Mount Maxiong, travel along the Nanpan River-Hongshui River-Qianjiang River-Xunjiang River line, and retrace the entire Xijiang River from its source to its mouth."

"However, it is naturally not that easy, and everyone is actively responding. The Western Shu Xuanmen took over Biji Mountain as a separate residence, intending to use it as a base to cut off the Nanpan River. Although Biji Mountain is out of control now, the Xuanmen forces have never stopped their offensive against the Nanpan River. The Yuyang Daomen is the same, always wanting to reclaim Xijiang. The battle is fierce and in full swing. My Miao region is not sitting idly by either. We have joined forces with the Immortal Cave to secretly make many arrangements in Mengjiang and Caodu River, trying to cut off the Hongshui River."

"The Xijiang River has many tributaries within the Miao region. In terms of scale, the Taohua River is the largest, followed by the Beipan River, then the Meng River, and finally the Caodu River. There's no need to mention the other smaller rivers. Among them, the Taohua River is firmly controlled by the Green Robes, and the Beipan River originates from the Wumeng Mountains, guarded by the Wumeng Mountain Dragon, and also protected by Niangniang Mountain and Bailing Valley along its course, so we have no way to attack it. The Meng River and the Caodu River are among our few opportunities."

Now, let's get back to the main topic.

Cheng Xinzhan understood and replied,

"That's why the old chieftain said I could join forces on both sides of the Mengjiang River; this was actually a threat to the Hongshui River."

The old chieftain agreed, and said,

"This is one of them. In addition, the Mengjiang River originates from Zhuyang Prefecture in the heart of Miao territory and flows south through southern Guizhou. It has countless tributaries along the way and is the gateway for Miao territory to face the southern wilderness. From the perspective of celestial phenomena, this place is also suitable."

Cheng Xinzhan nodded, pondered for a moment, and then suddenly asked,

"What about Peach Blossom River? Wouldn't it be better to join Peach Blossom River?"

The chieftain was taken aback, thinking to himself that Mr. Guangfa's words were as unpredictable as ever, skipping over the Mengjiang River and focusing directly on the Xijiang River, the largest tributary in Miao territory. However, perhaps he had said too much just now, and wasn't sure if he had mixed things up or if Mr. Guangfa had misremembered, so he repeated himself, saying…
"Sir, the Beipan River is heavily guarded along the way, and the Taohua River is the place where the Green Robe Ancestor achieved enlightenment. Even if you look down on the Mengjiang River, you must be referring to the Beipan River, right?"

Cheng Xinzhan shook his head and said,
"That's Peach Blossom River."

The old chieftain seemed bewildered upon hearing this, but after a few breaths, a look of realization dawned on his eyes. Then, his expression changed drastically, and he exclaimed in surprise,
"Are you trying to cut in line and steal the fruit?"

Upon hearing this, Hong Jiawen's expression changed drastically, while Bai Kaifeng remained bewildered, clearly having never heard of the term before.

"Grabbing the path and plucking the fruit." What they are grabbing is the place where others have cultivated themselves, the path they have taken to advance. What they are plucking is the fruit of their cultivation, the position they have attained as immortals.

Throughout history, attaining the Dao has been difficult, celestial phenomena are rare, and terrestrial energy is hard to find. Yet, there are so many cultivators that it is inevitable that two or more people will simultaneously notice a celestial phenomenon or a place of terrestrial energy. This is especially common when dragons fight over a river.

If two people haven't yet attained the Dao, but instead compete for a celestial phenomenon or terrestrial energy, this is called "competing for the Dao and vying for the fruit." Previously, the red-haired man and the green-robed man had this relationship, vying for the dragon energy and water veins of the Southern Frontier. If one person has already attained the Dao, but the others still refuse to give up and try to seize it, this is called "stealing the Dao and picking the fruit."

The former is perilous, with constant mutual surveillance and few suitable opportunities for Dao attainment. However, there is always hope, and successful examples can be found in history, the most recent being the Green Robe. The latter, on the other hand, goes beyond peril; it is practically impossible. How could someone at the fourth realm possibly seize celestial phenomena or earthly energy in a fifth-realm Dao field?

This is why there are very few examples of people successfully "stealing the way and picking the fruit" in history. The only one that is recorded is Zixu Yuanjun, the founder of the Shangqing School.

Yuanjun possessed extraordinary talent and profound Taoist knowledge. Legend has it that after overcoming three calamities during her time in the Four Realms, she attained enlightenment and created the Inner Landscape Divine Preservation Method. She then sought a place to establish a Taoist temple and founded a sect. As Yuanjun traveled the world, she explored mountains and rivers, observed the qi and stars, and arrived at Yingtian Prefecture in Jinling. She saw a mountain with extremely abundant earth qi, recognizing it as a treasure land, and thus decided to go there to build a palace and open a temple.

However, at that time, Mount Ling was occupied by a yellow dragon. This yellow dragon was extremely tyrannical. When it slept, it would absorb the earth's energy. After a while, its mouth would become bland, and when it woke up, it would eat people to change its taste. It forced the surrounding people to offer young boys and girls as a sacrifice. This was an out-and-out demonic dragon, but at the same time, it was also a fifth-realm true dragon of Mount Ling who had attained the Dao.

When Yuanjun arrived at this place and heard the people's grievances, she was furious and came up the mountain. At that time, Yuanjun's cultivation had reached the state of returning to simplicity and nature, and she looked exactly like a young girl. When Huanglong saw Yuanjun coming up the mountain, he thought she was a sacrificial offering from the foot of the mountain, and opened his mouth to bite her, but was suddenly beaten half to death by Yuanjun.

Huanglong wanted to rely on the terrain to suppress Huanglong with the earth's energy, but Yuanjun immediately seized the earth's core and killed Huanglong with a wave of her hand.

This sacred mountain is now known as Juqu Mountain. The dragon-slaying maiden of yesteryear attained the Golden Immortal realm as an Earth Immortal and was later revered as the Purple Void Primordial Sovereign. The yellow dragon that the Primordial Sovereign slayed transformed into what is now Dragon Tomb Mountain, where it is said that one can still see dragon bone remains when climbing the mountain.

Besides these, there are other legendary examples, but they are mostly far-fetched embellishments by later generations and cannot withstand scrutiny.

So many years have passed, and suddenly someone says they want to "steal the road and pick the fruit." How could the old village chief not be alarmed?
Cheng Xinzhan did not deny it, only saying,

"So, compared to Mengjiang, isn't Hetao River a better choice?"

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(End of this chapter)