Shushan Earthly Immortal

Chapter 330 Tranquil Mountain Life, Spreading Fame and Influence (5K words, requesting monthly votes~)

After becoming a disciple, the lion was dizzy and unsteady on the way, as if he were drunk. He didn't even get a good look at the scenery of the immortal mountain. He was led by Cheng Xinzhan and landed in front of the Worry-Free Cave on Mount Meiji.

"The master is back!"

Bai Yongliang was squatting in the medicinal herb field, loosening the soil with a small jade hoe in his hand. When he saw Cheng Xinzhan return, he immediately let out a loud shout of excitement.

"Wow--"

As soon as Bai Yongliang finished speaking, the surface of the Crystal Pool churned, and a girl in green flew out.

"Brother!"

Xin Shu landed next to Cheng Xinzhan, blinking her eyes with joy.

Cheng Xinzhan then asked with a smile,

"Why are you in the Crystal Palace at this hour, instead of studying the Dharma with your master?"

Xin Shu was delighted to hear this.

"Master has come down from the mountain!"

Cheng Xinzhan had originally planned to greet his master upon his return, but upon hearing Xinshu's words, he knew there was no need to go. Seeing Xinshu's happy expression, he smiled and said...
"Master is gone, but Senior Brother is back. Don't think you can just sleep in the Crystal Palace every day."

Upon hearing this, Gu Xinshu laughed even more heartily.

"Will you be staying at the mountain for a long time this time, Senior Brother?"

Cheng Xinzhan nodded.

"I will stay for a while."

Xin Shu's eyes immediately narrowed into crescent shapes.

"Where are Bai Long and Zhao Li?"

Cheng Xinzhan looked around but didn't see the two children, so he opened his mouth and asked.

Bai Yongliang replied,
"Master has forgotten that at this hour, Zhao Li is still studying magic at Danxia Mountain, and Zhao Li has a Taoist name now, called 'Wei Yi'."

Cheng Xinzhan smiled upon hearing this, and patted his forehead.
"Yes, she's already taken on a master, 'Wei Yi.' 'Yi' means 'dedicated, enduring, and beautiful.' My third sister is lively, but also too impulsive, so 'Wei Yi' is just right. Hmm, it's a good name. What about Bai Long?"

Bai Yongliang then said,
“Just a month ago, he came out of the mountains, saying that he also wanted to follow in the footsteps of the master and go out to make his way in the world.”

Bai Yongliang smiled and said again,
"Master's other two disciples have already entered the second realm. Their cultivation is progressing rapidly, and they have repeatedly made meritorious contributions in killing demons. They have already gained considerable fame in the alliance. There is now a saying in the alliance about the Twenty-Eight Generals of Ziwei, and both of Master's disciples are among them. I think Bailong is getting a little restless."

Cheng Xinzhan smiled and nodded. It seemed that despite being a hands-off manager for so many years, Cheng Yi and Cheng Yan had taught their two apprentices quite well. It was a good thing that Bai Long was eager to gain experience and make a name for himself; having a competitive spirit on the path of cultivation was also a good thing.

Then, he introduced the lion to Xinshu and Yongliang.
"This is a mount I acquired while I was away. Its surname is Shi and its given name is Baolu. From now on, it will also be a member of Meiji Mountain."

Bai Yongliang had noticed the lion early on, feeling its strength was unfathomable and awe-inspiring. He didn't care much about the mount; Mingzhi Mountain didn't care about hierarchy. Even a mere plant spirit like himself could become a worshipper of Sanqing Mountain, Zhaoli was a cat bought from a stall, and Bailong was a dog given to him. But now, one was a disciple of Danxia Mountain, and the other a protector of Mingzhi Mountain—that showed the master's magnanimity.

He bowed and said...

"You're very polite, fellow Daoist. Once you've entered Meiji Mountain, you're one of us."

Xinshu looked at the lion and was amazed by the lion's fluffy fur and bright color, and couldn't help but reach out to touch it.

Cheng Xinzhan then said to the lion,

"This is my junior sister, surnamed Gu, Daoist name Xinshu. This is the mountain's retainer, currently in charge of all the trivial matters of Meiji Mountain, surnamed Bai, name Yongliang."

The lion looked at the girl and thought to himself that she was another dragon descendant, and with very pure dragon blood. Her surname was Gu, so she was a descendant of the Chilong Gu Yi? Was this why the master made a special trip to the Demon Locking Tower? Considering that she was the master's junior sister, the lion decided to let her touch him and gave her a smile.

The lion then looked at Bai Yongliang and immediately recognized him as a wood spirit, with a strong presence of the Yi wood element. His background seemed decent, though his cultivation level was rather low. However, he sounded like a manager in the mountains; could he be an official? So the lion replied politely.
"Greetings, fellow Daoist."

"By the way, Yongliang, these days you can take the lion around the mountains, introduce him to the local customs and rules. Once he's familiar with the place, I'll send him to Goddess Peak to learn magic. From then on, he'll be like Third Sister, going out early and returning late."

Cheng Xinzhan said.

Bai Yongliang nodded repeatedly, thinking to himself that it was indeed more than just a mount.

Cheng Xinzhan told the lion to do as it pleased, and the lion found a shady spot on the north side of Wuyou Cave where the snow had not yet melted and lay down. Having just entered the immortal mountain and suddenly become a disciple, the lion was a little confused and needed to calm down.

Turning his head, Cheng Xinzhan inquired about Xinshu's cultivation. Before he had even finished speaking, the girl blinked her emerald eyes, her gaze shifting, and said…

"Oh, Senior Brother, I already made plans with Sister Jixuan to go collect sunset photos today. Look, the sun is almost setting behind the western mountains, so I have to go now. Senior Brother has just returned from the mountain, you must be tired, so please get some rest!"

After saying that, without waiting for Cheng Xinzhan's reply, the girl lifted the hem of her dress and flew away like a butterfly.

Cheng Xinzhan smiled upon hearing this, watching the girl fly away, and said...
"Yongliang, did you see that? Junior Sister has changed."

Bai Yongliang also smiled.

"This is all thanks to you, sir."

Cheng Xinzhan shook his head.

"No, this is how she was meant to be."

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.

When Cheng Xinzhan returned to Wuyou Cave, he put the lichen, yin-yang futon, sandalwood table, and stone crane oil lamp back in their original places after being away from this place for more than ten years.

He sat in his familiar spot, looked up, and saw the persimmon tree by the door. After enduring the winter's wind and snow, several dried persimmons still hung on it, their red color resembling clusters of flames in the setting sun.

Looking at the crimson flames and feeling the warmth of the crane lantern, a strong sense of warmth and deep weariness welled up within him. He yawned deeply, then propped his forehead with his hand, intending to close his eyes and rest for a while. But as soon as he closed his eyes, he fell into a deep sleep.

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.

The next day.

White Tiger Mountain, Tongchasi (a local administrative office).

Chief Judge Lu Jingming was sitting in his office.

"Tuk-tuk-tuk."

There were three knocks on the door.

"Enter."

Lu Jingming put down the case file in his hand and looked at the person who had come in.

"Master."

The visitor bowed; he appeared to be quite young and was the head of the Southwest Second Bureau of the Censorate. Seeing his excited expression, Lu Jingming smiled and said...
"Ji Zhuo is here. Is there some good news?"

"Master, this is fantastic news!"

Yan Jizhuo's voice trembled slightly.

Lu Jingming smiled, gestured for him to sit down, and indicated that he should speak slowly. After all, this was the Tongcha Si (通察司), and they only investigated outside news; even if there was good news, it wouldn't be from home. As for what kind of news outside could be considered truly great news, Lu Jingming didn't hold out much hope. Yan Jizhuo was in charge of investigating news from the Western Shu region; could it be that the Emei Sect Leader failed his ascension tribulation and died?

However, Lu Jingming also knew that this possibility was unlikely.

Yan Jizhuo sat down, still unable to hide his excitement, and said,

"Master, the latest news is that the Hermit of Clouds from Kanli Mountain in Xikang killed the Five Poisons Heavenly King of Zhuanxu Dragon Cave! Just yesterday!"

"what?!"

Lu Jingming was taken aback.

Yunlai Sanren is a rising star in Xikang in recent years. Lu Jingming naturally knew his name. Moreover, he claimed to be from Qingzhou and never concealed that he practiced the Eastern Taoist method in Xikang, which made the Tongchasi (the Bureau of Investigation and Statistics) pay special attention to him.

Last year, this person slew eight demons in the Xuanmen Demon-Locking Tower, each with a higher cultivation level than the last, demonstrating combat prowess unmatched in the three realms, which greatly shocked the Tongcha Si (Imperial Censorate). The Tongcha Si immediately dispatched someone to Yicheng, Qingzhou, to investigate this person's background and see if they could find an old acquaintance to put in a good word for them. Ideally, they would invite him to be a guest elder at Sanqing Mountain; if that wasn't possible, a position as a retainer at the Haoran Alliance would suffice. At the very least, they would have to persuade him not to be deceived by the Xuanmen's sweet talk.

Last year, I made several trips to Qingzhou to no avail, as if this person had simply appeared out of thin air.

"He's entered the fourth realm?"

Lu Jingming exclaimed in surprise.

Yan Jizhu shook his head.

"I haven't heard of it. It should be that he killed the Five Poisons Heavenly King while at the third level of cultivation."

"what?!"

Lu Jingming exclaimed again, this was even more unbelievable than breaking through the fourth realm. "Is the news true?"

he asks.

"It's true. When this person killed the Five Poisons Heavenly King, the Grand Elder of Emei, Miechenzi, and the Ailao Mountain Sect Master, Mulongzhang, were both present. The news came from Qionghai Sword Pavilion and has now spread throughout the Xuanmen and the Kangdian region."

Lu Jingming suddenly stood up, paced back and forth in the government office, and then said,

"Investigate, investigate again, go to Qingzhou again, we must find out this person's background, ask all the hidden sects in Qingzhou. Also, send someone directly to Kanli Mountain in Xikang, go and talk to them, we must persuade them to come back!"

Lu Jingming frowned. This was a combat power comparable to the fourth realm, and in the current situation, its role would be enormous.

Yan Jizhuo remained seated, a cryptic smile on his face.

Upon seeing this, and recalling that the man had said he had some incredibly good news as soon as he came in, Lu Jingming immediately realized something and asked,

"Have you ascertained this person's identity and background?"

Yan Jizhuo's eyes gleamed.
"I have come to report to the Chief Judge that I need his verification."

Lu Jingming immediately replied,
“Tell me which family you’re from, and I’ll go there myself to find out. If my word doesn’t work, there are mountain lords and religious leaders above us.”

Yan Jizhuo looked at Lu Jingming and said,

"Does the Master know that Master Cheng returned to the mountain yesterday afternoon?"

Lu Jingming was taken aback by this. He was unaware of this matter; he hadn't left the government office all day yesterday, and had been meditating there all evening, just as he was today. Why was this being brought up all of a sudden? He asked.
"I don't know. What's wrong? Did you get your information from the scripture master?"

Yan Jizhu shook his head and said,
"I didn't run into Master Jing yesterday when he returned, but this morning, after learning from Xishu that Yunlai Sanren had killed the Five Poison Heavenly King, I rushed here to report to the Chief Inspector. On the way, I met a friend who happened to see Master Jing returning and greeted him. He told me that Master Jing had acquired a mount this time, a large, imposing lion with white fur and green mane..."

Upon hearing this, Lu Jingming's eyes widened like copper bells as he stared intently at Yan Jizhuo.

Yan Jizhuo nodded slowly.
"The Five Poison King was killed around noon yesterday. After killing the Five Poison King, Yunlai Sanren rode a lion and left northern Yunnan. Yesterday afternoon, Master Jing returned to the mountain."

Lu Jingming listened, forgetting to breathe, holding his breath for a long time until his face turned red, before finally recovering and letting out a long breath. He then asked Yan Jizhuo,
“Ji Zhuo, I remember that Master Jing entered the sect later than you? And he was much younger than you, right?”

Yan Jizhu smiled helplessly.
"Why are you comparing me to a scripture master?"

"Too."

Lu Jingming chuckled, then strode out of the government office, shouting loudly,
"I'm going to find the mountain lord!"

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.

Pingdingshan, Sanqing Palace.

After learning about this, Gong Weijian did not go directly to Mingzhi Mountain to find Cheng Xinzhan, but instead took Lu Jingming to find Ji Hehe.

"Sect Leader, are you aware that Yunlai Sanren of Kanli Mountain in Xikang is the Scripture Master?"

Gong Weijian asked, he had more to think about. If the master was deliberately sent by the sect and had an unfinished mission, then the fewer people who knew about this, the better. He might even have to issue a gag order to those who saw the lion.

Ji Hehe nodded as he looked at the two who had suddenly arrived. He didn't know about this at first, but he naturally found out when Gu Yi was released.

Gong Weijian and Lu Jingming exchanged a glance, thinking to themselves, "As expected, the sect leader knew."

Gong Weijian looked at Ji Hehe and said again,

"Then, Sect Leader, do you know that before Master Jing returned to the mountain yesterday, he personally killed the Five Poisons Heavenly King?"

"what?!"

Ji Hehe's eyes widened in surprise.

Gong Weijian and Lu Jingming exchanged another glance, realizing that the sect leader was still unaware.

"Tell me carefully!"

Ji Hehe Liandao.

Gong Weijian looked at Lu Jingming, who then said...

"Master, please allow me to report that the person in charge of overseeing the southwest in the Surveillance Bureau is a disciple named Yan Jizhuo, who is currently waiting outside the mountain. Shall I call him in?"

"Please come in, please come in."

……

After listening to the details of the battle that Yan Jizhuo had inquired about, especially the final use of flying swords and magical fire to kill the Five Poison Heavenly King, Ji Hehe couldn't help but smile.

He understood the demands of the Censorate and replied,

"You wait here, I'll call Xinzhan over."

So, Cheng Xinzhan, who had slept soundly until dawn, was called over.

"I killed him."

In front of the four people, Cheng Xinzhan admitted to the matter.

The expressions on the faces of the four people then became quite interesting.

"Does the Scripture Master still need to conceal his identity as 'The Recluse of Clouds'?"

Lu Jingming asked several questions.

Cheng Xinzhan shook his head.

Lu Jingming's face lit up with joy.
"Sect Leader, Scripture Master, then I'll spread the word!"

"Promote?"

Cheng Xinzhan looked at Lu Jingming in surprise and then said,

"Isn't that unnecessary?"

Lu Jingming then explained with a smile.

“Master, you are not fond of fame, but our Sanqing Mountain and Haoran Alliance both need it. Right now, we are in the midst of a demonic calamity, and many disciples have died or been injured, both in the mountain and in the alliance. With the great calamity approaching, manpower is the most precious resource, so we need to recruit new people in the mountain and the alliance.”

"Recruiting people naturally means recruiting rogue cultivators. This isn't something only Haoran is doing; the Zhengyi, Quanzhen, and Xuantian Alliances are all doing it, and even the demonic path is involved. I remember you mentioned a long time ago that many rogue cultivators, especially in the Huangshan area, are flocking to the Xuanmen sect. If we want to curb this, we can only absorb them ourselves first."

"Master should know that in the past, all the schools and sects in the East had ancestral rules for accepting disciples. Basically, they would recruit them from a young age and start teaching them from the Qi Refining stage. As for independent cultivators, unless they were truly exceptionally talented, had a very good affinity with a certain lineage in the mountains, and possessed excellent character, they were generally not accepted."

"Emei has an inner sect and an outer sect, and Qingcheng has a front mountain and a back mountain. So other sects in Xuanmen follow suit and recruit rogue cultivators under the name of outer sect or front mountain. Although there are good and bad ones, their strength has indeed developed very quickly in this chaotic world, and it is easy to attract rogue cultivators from other places."

"Currently, the ancestral rules for accepting disciples in each of our sects are still difficult to change. However, with the establishment of the Haoran Alliance, we can arrange for the recruited rogue cultivators to join the alliance. We don't actually need to provide much—pills, spiritual materials, and some insignificant spells and magic treasures—but we can get the rogue cultivators to work for us and prevent them from joining other sects or even the demonic path. With this balance, this becomes a force that cannot be ignored."

"Moreover, we can observe the skills and character of these rogue cultivators up close. If they are all of the best, we can further guide them into the sect to become guest elders or register them as disciples."

"Recruiting rogue cultivators, or rather, competing with other forces for these rogue cultivators, depends on two things: treatment and reputation."

Lu Jingming looked at Cheng Xinzhan and said,

“Like you, Master, you transformed into a rogue cultivator and created a great reputation in Xikang. This reputation was recorded on the Xuanmen, attracting many rogue cultivators, especially those from Yicheng in Qingzhou.”

"Now that you're back, Master Jing, all I have to do is spread the word, and the reputation you've built up in Xikang—slaying the demonic monk, sweeping the pagoda in spring, and killing the Five Poison Heavenly King—will naturally fall to our Haoran Alliance and Sanqing Mountain. Moreover, we can easily say that you haven't even used many of your methods yet to conceal your identity, which is also true. When this fame is combined with your original reputation, there's something to talk about."

Lu Jingming said with a smile.

Cheng Xinzhan hadn't expected there to be so many intricacies, but since it was beneficial to the mountain and the alliance, he had no reason to refuse, so he immediately nodded in agreement.

Upon seeing this, the three men from Baihu Mountain were overjoyed. They then inquired about some specific matters concerning Cheng Xinzhan in Xikang before happily bidding farewell to Ji Hehe and Cheng Xinzhan.

Seeing that things had been explained clearly, Cheng Xinzhan also got up to take his leave of the sect leader.

However, Ji Hehe wore a sad and lonely expression, nodding and sighing.
“Let’s go, let’s go. Xinzhan has grown up now, and he’s even more different since becoming a scripture master. Before, when he came back from his travels, he would always come to talk to this old man, but not anymore. If Weijian hadn’t come to my door, I wouldn’t even know that you had killed the Five Poison Heavenly King.”

Upon hearing this, Cheng Xinzhan was both amused and exasperated, so she sat down again and said repeatedly,

"I wonder if the sect leader is available now? This disciple has many things to ask the sect leader for guidance on."

He wasn't just saying that to appease them; he genuinely had a lot of questions to ask, such as the nurturing of the Immortal Sprout, the condensation of the Dao Domain, the intricacies of the Three Calamities, and what strategy to take against Wuliang Mountain in the future—whether to let it run wild or guide it, etc. He had planned to find another time, but he didn't expect the Sect Leader to be so impatient.

"I'm available, I'm available."

Ji Hehe immediately turned from worry to joy and nodded repeatedly.

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(End of this chapter)