Shushan Earthly Immortal

Chapter 461 Autumn goes and winter comes, water rages and metal roars

Hearing these familiar names, even Cheng Xinzhan couldn't help but feel a sense of longing.

"I wonder if any of these seniors have already attained the Golden Immortal realm."

Cheng Xinzhan said.

The innocent child shook his head.
"I don't know, we've been out of contact for too long, both in the air and on the ground."

On the table, Hong Changbao's heart skipped a beat once again!
I've heard some incredible news!
It should be noted that Hongmu Ridge has only been established for a few hundred years and has never produced any immortals. There is absolutely no news about heaven.

However, this was just something to listen to for fun. Whether it was heaven or not, it didn't really concern them. Hong Changbao didn't believe that the Redwood Sect could produce an immortal in the future.

"However, I believe that if there are any Golden Immortals, my master is definitely one of them!"

The innocent boy spoke loudly. Clearly, he had absolute confidence in Zhang Sanfeng.

Upon hearing this, Bai Long and Zhao Li exchanged a knowing glance and smiled knowingly. At that moment, they shared the same thoughts.

"That's only right."

Cheng Xinzhan also offered a compliment.

He chuckled innocently, then changed the subject.
"Now, your two recent poems have spread widely. With your current prestige, you might even lead a trend and encourage more people to choose to unite with the earth's energy when entering the fifth stage of life. To be more optimistic, if someone is moved by your aspirations and ambitions and chooses to unite with the earth in a desolate and barren place, that would be a great thing for this world, and you would have done immeasurable good deeds."

What Wen Tianzhen said was exactly right:

"A lofty and tranquil discourse is home; why seek the finest mists and clouds? Without attachment to the Way, one naturally attains enlightenment; with intention, one seeks the wondrous, yet the wondrous remains distant." — "Answering He Dao's Question, Part One" and "Do not say that a poor place is not good; wherever the heart finds peace, that is my home. Peach blossoms drift away on flowing water; the sounds of chickens and dogs carry the fragrance of wine." — "Answering He Dao's Question, Part Two"

Cheng Xinzhan smiled upon hearing this.

"If that is the case, then the merit should be attributed to Master Wen."

"Hey, you! I've already said this has nothing to do with me! I'm not talking to you anymore, I'm leaving! Kaiming, you can stay here. Have the people from Chiyou Cave come and pick him up."

Having said that, the innocent boy got up and left, disappearing in a flash of light, giving Cheng Xinzhan no chance to speak again.

"Master Wen..."

Before Cheng Xinzhan could finish speaking, the innocent child had already vanished.

"Master Wen is truly a remarkable person."

Hong Changbao said with a smile.

Cheng Xinzhan nodded with a smile.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

People came from morning until noon, and the number gradually decreased after 1 p.m. When the sun was setting and the sky was tinged with red clouds, most of the fellow practitioners had arrived, and Hong Changbao, who had stayed on Tiangou Cliff for two full days, also took his leave.

At this moment, the vast Redwood Ridge consisted only of Cheng Xinzhan, Bailong, Zhaoli, Shizi, Ji Kaiming, and Xianglong, who was awaiting disposal.

Cheng Xinzhan sent a message to Hong Jiawen in Chiyou Cave, asking him to come and pick up the chickens and dogs the next day.

Zhao Li was very curious and asked Cheng Xinzhan.

"Master, why send the white dragon there? Is it for the Miao people's heritage?"

Cheng Xinzhan glanced at Bai Long, a slight chuckle welling up inside him. He didn't answer directly, but instead said…
"Let Bailong come back and tell you."

"Oh."

Zhaoli rolled her eyes, seemingly lost in thought.

Just then, Cheng Xinzhan suddenly turned his head and saw a bolt of lightning flying from the eastern horizon. After arriving at the Redwood Ridge, it transformed into two figures: an adult leading a child.

The figures and faces of the two were clearly visible in the sunset, and Cheng Xinzhan recognized them at a glance—it was someone from her family.

Master Zhao led the way.

"Congratulations to the Master on attaining enlightenment."

Zhao Wuji stepped forward with a smile to greet him.

Cheng Xinzhan was delighted to see Zhao Wuji. He knew that the Lord of Lei Mansion had been busy with his tribulation recently, and since he had taken the time to appear, there must be good news. So he asked...

"Is that enough?"

Zhao Wuji nodded with a smile.

"Thanks to the blessing of the master, I have completed the nine washings a few days ago. When I return to the mountain, I will prepare for the divine illumination."

Cheng Xinzhan was so happy he couldn't stop smiling, and kept saying,
"Good, good, you don't rely on me at all. It's because you have a solid foundation. My goodness, nine washes, that's rare even in our Sanqing Mountain."

Zhao Wuji then returned.
“The master of the classics does not perform nine washes, yet it is better than nine washes.”

Cheng Xinzhan smiled and waved his hand.

Immediately, Zhao Wuji flipped his hand, producing a dark, misty bead, which he handed to Cheng Xinzhan, saying,

"Thank you for lending me this pearl, Master. Without it, I fear I would have had to wait for decades longer."

Cheng Xinzhan accepted the Mysterious Pearl, which he had lent to Zhao Wuji when he returned to the mountain to serve as deputy instructor. It had indeed proven very useful. At this moment, he thought to himself that Master Wen had left too early and Mountain Lord Zhao had arrived too late; otherwise, he could have returned it just in time. Oh well, the Jiazi agreement hadn't been reached yet; he could return it next time they met.

Then, Zhao Wuji pushed the path forward a little further and said with a smile,
"The sect leader asked me to send Lu... Xiao Lu here. The sect leader said you are good at shirking responsibility. You said you went out to undergo tribulation, but it turned out to be a demonic tribulation. You said you would be back soon, but you ended up achieving Dao in another place. The sect leader said he can hold on to the sect affairs for a while longer, but Xiao Lu is your disciple, so you have to take care of him."

Cheng Xinzhan gave an awkward smile and quickly waved to lead Xiao Lu onto the path. As for the sect leader's complaints, he pretended not to hear them. Yesterday, after the Dao Integration Ceremony, the sect leader's voice transmission had been ringing in his ears for several hours. Everything that needed to be said and scolded had been said and scolded.

"The sect leader won't have to hold on for much longer."

Cheng Xinzhan said with a smile.

Zhao Wuji gave a wry smile. He knew he had been targeted for a long time and that he couldn't escape it. However, it seemed that deep down he wasn't really resisting it. Sitting in the office was like cultivation, and reviewing documents was like contemplating scriptures—it was quite an interesting thing, wasn't it?

Zhao Wuji raised his wine cup, toasted Cheng Xinzhan, and then said,
“Master, I won’t disturb you any longer. I will return to my sect now.”

Cheng Xinzhan nodded.

"Okay, everything went smoothly."

"Thank you for your kind words, Master. I'll take my leave now."

Zhao Wuji came and went in a hurry, disappearing in the blink of an eye. "Xiao Lu, this is my training ground. You will stay here for a while. The scenery in Miao territory is very beautiful. You can explore it more."

Cheng Xinzhan said.

Xiao Lu was very sensible and didn't mind at all that her master, whom she had only known for a short time, had run away and forgotten her in the mountains. She just nodded obediently.

Immediately afterwards, Cheng Xinzhan instructed Bailong to lead the group in cutting down trees and building the temple, while he himself went to the back mountain and found Xianglong.

The dragon had previously been suppressed by Cheng Xinzhan's fifth-realm magical power, revealing its true form. Later, as the pressure and the strange phenomena in the sky dissipated, it transformed back into its fat, human form. Even though Cheng Xinzhan hadn't had time to deal with it since yesterday, the dragon dared not make the slightest move.

There was nothing he could do. This man had already overwhelmed him when he was at the fourth level, leaving him utterly powerless. His dragon power was even greater than his own, and his dragon lightning was the natural nemesis of the dragon race. There was simply no reasoning with him. Now that this man had already entered the fifth level of the True Realm, and he was still in the man's training ground, if he didn't behave himself, he would be courting death.

Moreover, this real person was able to spare the life of that demon with the wooden dragon staff, so he probably wouldn't kill himself, right?

Xianglong made wild guesses in his mind; these past two days had felt like an eternity.

Upon seeing Cheng Xinzhan approaching, Xiang Long stepped forward, bowed, and immediately said...
"My lord, please be wise. I was originally a carefree beast in a well, drinking from the spring and eating from the soil, living a peaceful and happy life. But I was forcibly conscripted by that demonic dragon, driven out of the well, and made an accomplice. If I did not agree, the demonic dragon would slaughter my entire clan. My lord, this is not a fabrication. I fought with the demonic dragon and was unable to resist, so I surrendered. All three caves in Miao territory know about this. You can verify it with a simple investigation."

"Master! My Earth Elephant Clan is the only one of its kind in the world. If I do not comply, the Earth Elephant Clan will be wiped out! With the executioner's blade hanging over my neck, I have no choice but to comply. Master, please understand! Master, spare my life!"

Xianglong wept bitterly, tears streaming down his face.

Cheng Xinzhan remained silent upon hearing this. He did indeed know about this matter; otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to keep the elephant demon alive until now.

Xianglong is different from Cannibal. Cannibal is ambitious and has a demonic heart. When the demon dragon summoned her, she immediately attached herself to him, disregarding the long-standing friendship between Chiyou Cave and the various Miao villages. She also sought to expand her territory, invaded Sanxiang, and committed endless killings in Sanxiang. She used human brains to cultivate Gu, creating the evil insect, the Hundred Poison Golden Silkworm Gu. She truly deserves to die.

Xianglong was indeed a mild-mannered person. After leaving the mountain, he guarded Hongmu Ridge and besieged Qinglong Cave. He usually cultivated himself in the mountains and rarely committed any evil deeds. The only time he went on a killing spree was when he was summoned by Green Robe and went north with Xin Chenzi to attack Bashu with troops from Loushan Pass. He was very ruthless that time.

However, there was a reason for this. Before the demonic transformation, during the peaceful times, Xuanmen disciples often came to Miao Jiang and the Southern Wilderness for trials. The ivory of the Earth Elephant Clan of the Divine Elephant Well was excellent material for forging flying swords, so they were frequently harassed and slaughtered by the Xuanmen. On that occasion, Elephant Dragon found an opportunity and went on a killing spree in the Shu-Nan region, taking severe revenge. Even Mie Chenzi, who was guarding Shu-Nan at the time, was kicked in the chest and seriously injured.

Xiang Long, Xiao Long, Wan Gaoming, Yan Renying, and even the benevolent corpses from the Three Corpses Sect—these people are all of the same kind. For various reasons, they were coerced by the demons and thus had no choice but to act. After joining the demonic sect, they merely went through the motions, committing acts of murder without real effort.

The Eight-Armed Dragon King Cao Jin, the Silkworm Maiden, and even the Blood God Child are of a different kind. They inherently possess demonic tendencies. In times of peace, they may be law-abiding, but when the demonic calamity descends, their demonic thoughts are stirred, causing them to immediately succumb to demonic possession, unleash carnage, and disregard human life. These people cannot be allowed to live.

As for creatures like the Wooden Dragon Staff, the Demonic Dragon of Dinghu Peak, and the Twin Fiends of the South Sea, they are inherently demons who cultivate demonic arts. When the demonic tide rises, they seize the opportunity to gain great fortune and deserve to be killed.

Cheng Xinzhan categorized the members of the Demonic Sect into these types, and the methods of dealing with them naturally differed.

Xianglong stared at Cheng Xinzhan for a long time without speaking, his heart filled with extreme fear, anxiety, and despair. He cried out again.

"Master, I am the only one who has fallen into demonic possession; the blame lies entirely with me. My Earth Elephant Clan still dwells peacefully in the Earth Well, without causing any trouble. This was the condition I negotiated with the Demon Dragon back then. If you are angry, you may exile one of my men, but please do not harm my people!"

At this moment, Cheng Xinzhan already had an idea in mind, and said,
"Let's go to Loushan Pass."

"what?"

Xianglong thought he had misheard; how did the conversation suddenly veer off to that other topic?

"Didn't you go to Loushan Pass? You should be familiar with the situation there, right?"

Cheng Xinzhan asked.

"Yes Yes."

Xiang Long nodded. What could Loushan Pass possibly be like? It was a pass directly facing the Xuanmen. He glanced at Cheng Xinzhan's expression. He had heard that this master's relationship with the Xuanmen wasn't good; the current Imperial Uncle of Huanghai was someone the master had released from the Xuanmen's Demon-Locking Tower. Thinking of this, he realized that the master wanted him to provoke the Xuanmen, using war as punishment.

Attacking the Xuanmen is something Xianglong is willing to do. The Earth Elephant Clan used to have a branch in northern Yunnan, but over the years, it has been slaughtered and exterminated by the Xuanmen and the Buddhist sects of northern Yunnan. Now, the branch in southern Guizhou is also frequently suffering from it. This is a blood feud of extermination, and Xianglong has no burden in his heart no matter how many Xuanmen disciples he kills.

However, what kind of result does the Great Master want to see? Ordinary Xuanmen disciples are naturally easy to kill, but the Xuanmen force closest to Loushan Pass is Lingyun Sword Pavilion, which is the Emei Young Master's dojo. Surely the Great Master doesn't want me to take his life?
Thinking of this, Xianglong's heart skipped a beat, and he asked cautiously,

"What should I do after I go down?"

"Clear out the southern demons stationed at Loushan Pass, then you will stay there and guard against the Xuanmen's southward advance."

Cheng Xinzhan said.

"That's it?"

Xianglong was delighted upon hearing this.

If it were that simple, it would be an easy task.

"Ah."

Cheng Xinzhan nodded, then looked at Xianglong.

"What else do you want to do?"

"No, no, this is good, very good. This servant will swear to defend Loushan Pass to the death!"

The dragon thumped its chest so hard it shook the heavens.

“Go ahead. The Divine Elephant Well is in Qiannan, not far from Hongmu Ridge. I will take care of it. The Green Robe can’t touch them.”

Cheng Xinzhan waved his hand and said.

Xianglong felt a chill run down his spine, and repeatedly agreed. He then transformed into a rainbow and headed straight for northern Guizhou.

Cheng Xinzhan watched the elephant dragon depart into the distance.

Next, a major change is about to occur in Miao territory. All righteous forces will move south, leaving northern Guizhou vulnerable, which must be guarded against. However, I hope I'm just worrying unnecessarily and overthinking things.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Five days later, Cheng Xinzhan reached the seventh day of his union with the Dao.

On the 17th day of the ninth month of the 482nd year of the Ming Dynasty, it was the Beginning of Winter.

Following the Double Ninth Festival Autumn Ceremony, the Taoist sects of Hunan gathered again at Mount Jiuyi for the Winter Ceremony to announce their military campaign. During the ceremony, Deng Qingyang, the leader of the Jiuyi sect and the head of the Hengshan sect, beheaded the Heavenly Silkworm Fairy with his sword, offered a sacrifice to Emperor Shun to wash away the shame, and formally announced his military campaign against the Southern Wilderness before the statue of Emperor Shun to avenge his humiliation.

Coincidentally, on this very day, all the sects of Miao territory, including Chiyou Cave, Immortal Cave, Qinglong Cave, and Fuxia Lake, were unsealed and entered the world. They jointly issued the "Proclamation to Punish the Southern Demon," proclaiming to the people of Miao territory that the dark and humiliating history of forty years of submission would come to an end, and that the blood of the demon would be used to wash away the shame.

On the same day, the Yuyang Taoist sect and the Sanjiang Water Palace launched a major attack, dividing their forces into three routes to attack the Dingshan, Heshan, and Yashan sections of the Xijiang River, causing the waves to crash against the shore.

That wasn't all. With the sound of dragon horns, the Yunnan Wenlu Mountain sect, along with its branch sects from Wuliang Mountain, marched towards Fuxian Lake, their aim being the Nanpan River. On Weibao Mountain, starlight shone brightly, the Big Dipper pointing towards the Jade Rooster.

Throughout the southwest of China, the waters rage and the metal clanges.

Winter winds arrive, frost and snow fall, and the world is desolate.

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(End of this chapter)