Shushan Earthly Immortal

Chapter 365 Earthly Corpse Island, A Sudden Mood (5K words presented, please support with monthly votes~)

"come in."

Tang Yusheng said.

Cheng Xinzhan then stepped into the hall and stood in front of Tang Yusheng.

Tang Yusheng introduced the thin Taoist priest sitting beside him,

"Your Highness, this is Lai Youde. He is the most skilled cultivator among those from Huangliu Island besides Protector Huang. He is also clever and capable. He is now the head of the Attendant Hall of my Funiu Guard."

Then, Tang Yusheng said to Cheng Xinzhan,

"Youde, let me introduce you. This gentleman is the young island master of Diyin Island and also the personal disciple of the Yin King. Please pay your respects immediately."

Cheng Xinzhan was genuinely puzzled. Wasn't this guy from the Southern School of Dharma Aspect? How did he become Gu Chen's personal disciple?
"I have met His Highness."

Regardless of what he was thinking, Cheng Xinzhan naturally wouldn't show it, and immediately cupped his hands in a salute.

The thin Taoist priest, however, adopted a courteous and respectful demeanor, rising to return the greeting and smiling as he said...

"Brother Lai is clearly a man of great talent. He has been lying low on Huangliu Island for many years. Once he entered the Lihuohai, he was fortunate to rise to prominence."

Cheng Xinzhan said in succession,
"Your Highness flatters me. It is only thanks to the good fortune of the Prince of Li and the kindness of the General that I was promoted from humble beginnings, which is why I am where I am today."

The thin Taoist smiled with satisfaction upon hearing this, then said to Tang Yusheng,

"Brother Lai is grateful; he is the kind of person we in the Corpse Sea should value. In comparison, those traitors who abandoned the sea are truly disheartening!"

"That's what His Highness said."

Tang Yusheng also stood up and nodded in agreement.

"Sit, everyone, sit down."

As the thin Taoist priest sat down, Tang Yusheng and Cheng Xinzhan also took their seats. The thin Taoist priest picked up his teacup and drank some tea. Tang Yusheng understood the implication, knowing that he was being asked to speak, so he looked at Cheng Xinzhan and said...

"Youde, it's like this. As you know, during the island's closure, the surrounding demon kings have been quite agitated, especially those from Daduhai. There's a woman in Daduhai called Aunt Hong Er, whom you should be familiar with. She took advantage of the island's closure to seize a significant portion of the territory of Diyinhai, and her mouth isn't exactly clean either."

"Now, all three of us are launching a counterattack, and Your Highness's first target is Hongxia Island, belonging to Aunt Hong Er. When we were all under the same sect, Yin Wang focused on land, Qing Wang focused on Qiantang Sea, and Li Wang focused on Dadu Sea. We, who were under Li Wang's command, are quite familiar with Dadu Sea and Hongxia Island. Therefore, Your Highness approached Li Wang, wanting to borrow someone to offer some advice."

"Li Wang thinks it might be more appropriate to find someone from Huangliu Island to handle this matter, since you all worked under Tuo Wang before and are more familiar with each other."

“Of the old comrades from Huangliu Island, Tianzhi is currently in charge of the First Guard and cannot leave. Apart from that, you have the highest cultivation level and have spent the most time in Daduhai. So you should go with His Highness. I will temporarily take care of the affairs of the hall for you.”

Tang Yusheng had already put things this way, leaving Cheng Xinzhan no choice. Cheng Xinzhan, of course, wouldn't refuse; he was just worrying about how to enter the Yin Island, and this was like a godsend, so he immediately agreed.

"As ordered!"

Seeing Cheng Xinzhan agree without hesitation, the thin Taoist nodded slightly, a satisfied smile appearing on his face. He then put down his teacup, rose, and took his leave.

"Many thanks to General Tang for his generous assistance, and also to Brother Lai for his help. I will take my leave now. Brother Lai, this is your token for entering and leaving Diyin Island. Please accept it. You are also a hall master, and I suppose you need to give some instructions before you leave. How about this, come to the island tomorrow at Chenshi (7-9 AM)? Just tell them you are looking for me, and someone will bring you here."

The thin Taoist handed over a black oval token, with a fanged, glaring ghost head carved in the center, looking like it was about to devour someone.

"As ordered."

Cheng Xinzhan responded and took the token, which was icy cold to the touch.

The thin Taoist nodded, strode out of the hall, and then turned into a streak of gray light and disappeared into the distance.

As soon as the thin Taoist left, Cheng Xinzhan immediately asked Tang Yusheng,
"General, who is this man?"

Tang Yusheng explained,

"He has quite a background. After the Yin King established the sect, he took in such a disciple and doted on him. Before the sect split up, his status on the island was second only to the three sect leaders. Now that the sect has split up, his status on Earth Yin Island is second only to the leader and above all others."

Cheng Xinzhan looked very surprised and asked,

"What is so special about this person that made the King of Yin favor him and take him as a disciple?"

Tang Yusheng then replied,

"I heard about it from others. It is said in the sect that when King Yin was still trapped, this person accidentally entered the place where King Yin was trapped, brought a lot of things, and helped King Yin a lot. It can almost be said that he saved King Yin's life. Later, King Yin was freed and came to the sea to establish his sect. This person came to join him. King Yin was very happy and accepted him as his personal disciple."

"This person is also remarkably talented. When he first arrived on the island, he was only at the second realm. Over the years, thanks to the cultivation of the Yin King and numerous opportunities, coupled with his own supernatural abilities, he has now reached the second realm. Moreover, this person's methods are superb. He possesses a banner that bears some resemblance to the 'Mysterious Yin Gathering Beast Banner.' Let alone those in the lower three tribulations, even ordinary people in the middle three tribulations would not dare to test their strength lightly."

Cheng Xinzhan nodded, surprised that this man had such an unexpected connection with Gu Chen. However, he had previously stated that he was a disciple of the Faxiang Sect, so why would he switch allegiance? Was it a betrayal of his sect? Or was there another reason?

"General, what was this person's background before he went to sea? Was he also a member of my Demonic Sect?"

Tang Yusheng nodded.
"Yes, this man is remarkably thin and quite conspicuous. He made a name for himself before even entering the sea. His real name is Yuan Fachen, and his nickname is the Thin Taoist. He was originally a disciple of the Southern School of Faxiang Sect. However, I heard that the Faxiang Sect refused to submit to the Green Robe Ancestor's rule and was wiped out. That's probably why he came to join the Yin King."

After a brief explanation, Tang Yusheng stared at Cheng Xinzhan again and said,

"It's fine for you to ask me, but you wouldn't dare ask about these things once you get to the Underworld Island!"

"Understood, Your subordinate understands."

Cheng Xinzhan responded in unison.

"No, you don't understand. Don't be fooled by his amiable demeanor just now. In reality, he's ruthless; he eats people!"

Tang Yusheng said in a low voice.

Cheng Xinzhan was shocked to hear this. Eating people was something that demons of the demon race did more often. Although demons of the human race would kill people to practice magic, they rarely ate people, unless they were practicing some kind of special demonic art.

The skinny Taoist was a human, and I had inquired about him before when I was a guest at the Jinxiang Sect in Poyang Lake and when I was traveling in the Southern Wilderness. I had only heard that he was good at robbing money, but I had never heard that he could eat people.

"Is he human, demon, or a member of the Yin race? I'm too blind to tell."

Cheng Xinzhan also looked surprised and asked Tang Yusheng in a low voice.

"A human, a real human, but he eats people more casually and skillfully than a demon. I saw it with my own eyes. He sucks them up and swallows them whole, leaving not a bone or a scrap. Otherwise, how do you think his cultivation level rose so quickly? This person has eaten quite a lot of people at all three realms."

Tang Yusheng said, "Let's continue..."
"I think his plan to target Aunt Hong is not just for revenge. I guess he's been craving food for months after the island was sealed off, and he's looking for a powerful demon to prey on."

"He has no dietary restrictions; he eats both humans and demons. Back when the Sea of ​​Ten Thousand Corpses was expanding and conquering, all the humans and demons who were defeated by him ended up in his stomach. At that time, I heard the people from the Tomb Raider Hall complain in private that they couldn't collect any corpses if they followed him."

"So that's it."

Cheng Xinzhan nodded slightly.

"So, once you're there, be careful what you say and do, and don't anger that evil star. Come back as soon as you're done. And let me remind you, remember you're from the Sea of ​​Fire, don't let the Sea of ​​Yin lead you astray."

Tang Yusheng reminded him.

Cheng Xinzhan repeatedly agreed.

"Thank you for the reminder, General. Please rest assured, I will return as soon as this matter is settled." "Alright, go ahead, and be careful."

"Yes."

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Returning from Yulong Bridge, the sky was already ablaze with the glow of sunset. After chatting with Tang Yusheng for a while, he left Funiu Guard again, only to find it was already dark. In the darkness, Cheng Xinzhan left Funiu Guard and went to the prison guard, where he met Huang Laosan.

It took him more than an hour to carefully inquire about Aunt Hong and Red Cloud Island from Huang Laosan. Before leaving, he said in his heart,

"Liu Jushui, the deputy head of the Funiuwei Faqiu Hall, is also one of our people. When I'm not on the island, please keep an eye on things. If there are any unforeseen changes or major emergencies, go to Che Liangcai and follow his orders."

Huang Laosan nodded, already numb to this kind of news; he felt like this person was everywhere now.

Afterwards, Cheng Xinzhan returned to his cave dwelling, pondering whether his trip to the Yin Sea would affect the subsequent plans for Fire Dragon Island, and how to deal with it.

Time slipped away quietly amidst his wandering thoughts, and soon it was the end of the second day. Although the thin Taoist said that he only needed to arrive at Chen Shi (7-9 AM), Cheng Xinzhan couldn't possibly arrive right on time, so he set off as soon as it was just beginning to lighten.

He traveled southwest towards the nearshore waters, entering the Earthly Yin Sea. He discovered that the islands here were more numerous and densely packed than those in the open sea, and the spiritual energy was indeed more concentrated. Furthermore, on each of these islands, a black flag was planted; although the colors and styles differed, this practice was identical to that in the Li Huo Sea.

Meanwhile, the number of people in the Earthly Yin Sea far exceeded that in the Fire Sea. Squadrons composed of demons, zombies, and beast souls could be seen patrolling the sea, maintaining a high level of vigilance. Cheng Xinzhan was stopped several times, but was allowed to pass each time after showing his token.

Before long, Diyin Island came into view.

This island was originally named Bijia Mountain, and it is indeed a sacred and famous mountain. This mountain is not an isolated island in the sea like Huolong Island, nor is it an extension of the land veins of China in the sea like Putuo Mountain. Rather, it is a point where the land veins of China and the East China Sea veins meet.

Logically, such a sacred mountain should have long had a renowned master who established a sect. However, due to the mountain's unique terrain, both land and sea desired it, but each feared that occupying the island would sever the island's ley lines, causing instability. This resulted in a stalemate, with no one able to obtain it. Ultimately, the island became the boundary island between Putuo Mountain's Sea-Sky Buddhist Kingdom, the Canghai Qiantang Sea, and the Canghai Dadu Sea, with the island's spiritual resources being mined by the three parties in rotation.

Until more than 30 years ago, the Three Corpses occupied the island, breaking the deadlock. They used two precious spiritual objects, the Earth Lung Xuanhuang Qi and the Xuan Yin Gathering Beast Banner, to stabilize the earth veins and sea veins, forming a protective array for the mountain. They then announced that the island would be renamed Three Corpses Island, and the famous mountain has had an owner ever since.

After the island came into the possession of the Three Corpses, they used it as a base to expand outwards, disgusting the forces of Mount Putuo, Qiantang Sea, and Dadu Sea.

Then the three corpses separated, and the island was renamed again, becoming the Earthly Yin Island, belonging to Gu Chen. The surrounding sea was also renamed the Sea of ​​Ten Thousand Corpses.

Regardless of its name, the appearance of this mountain island has never changed. This island is vast, larger than three Fire Dragon Islands combined. In the middle of the island, there is a continuous mountain range running north to south, high in the middle and low on both sides, resembling a pen holder. This is the original origin of the name of this mountain.

This island was originally a misty, cloud-shrouded spiritual island in the sea, but ever since Gu Chen set up a protective array with eighty-one Xuan Yin Gathering Beast Banners, the island has been shrouded in a blackish-yellow mist all day long. Sunlight cannot enter, sea breeze cannot penetrate, and flying corpses and beast souls wander in the mist, making it seem like a ghostly realm at sea.

As Cheng Xinzhan approached the island, the flying corpses and beast spirits in the mist all looked over. An ordinary person would surely be intimidated by this eerie spectacle. However, he remained unmoved, holding the token given to him by the thin Taoist priest, and walked into the ghostly mist.

Upon seeing the token, the mist and flying corpse beast souls indeed parted to make way, and Cheng Xinzhan set foot on an island for the first time.

The moment his feet touched the ground, his heart skipped a beat.

He immediately looked inward and observed himself, discovering that the flow of the blood river in his heart had suddenly accelerated, surging and churning endlessly, like the Qiantang River tide, with blood waves reaching the sky, as if it were about to transform into a dragon and fly away.

What's happening here?
Cheng Xinzhan was surprised and uncertain. Why did he suddenly have this idea?

The number of times I act on impulse can be counted on one hand, and each time there is a reason: opening the heart, obtaining dragon blood, crossing the dragon thunder. But this time, how could it happen suddenly without any warning?

"Who's there! What are you spacing out for!"

At that moment, a shout woke him up, and a person dressed in the standard robes of the Yin Island walked over.

Cheng Xinzhan snapped out of her daze, raised the token, and released her third-realm aura at the opportune moment, saying,

"We are from Fire Dragon Island, sent to serve Your Highness. This is our first time on the island, please show us the way."

The person patrolling the island's shore was only at the second realm. Sensing Cheng Xinzhan's third realm power and seeing the token, his expression immediately changed, replaced by a forced smile, and he said...

"Yes, sir, please follow me."

Cheng Xinzhan followed behind the man, walking deeper into the Yin Island, his eyes scanning the surroundings and observing the terrain. At the same time, his heart remained filled with astonishment and doubt, and his worries deepened.

This sudden impulse was not fleeting; rather, it persisted, and the impulse grew increasingly turbulent as he ventured deeper into the island.

What is the reason?
What things could stir one's emotions? The Fire Dragon's Treasure? The Yang Fire Spirit Flame? The Pleiades' Relics? Or perhaps there is great danger on the island, a warning from the unseen realm?
Cheng Xinzhan couldn't guess.

But this unexpected turn of events upon his arrival on the island put him on high alert, and he carefully observed and dealt with the situation.

The ghostly mist only permeated the area around and above the island of Yin, gradually opening up the view the further inland one went. Within the island, beneath the dark yellow ghostly mist in the sky, numerous bubbles floated, their pale blue hue emitting a soft light that bathed the entire island in a mesmerizing blue glow. The shimmering water on the bubbles reflected off the mountain walls, creating ripples that spread across the slopes, as if one were on the seabed.

As they ventured deeper into the island, the buildings became increasingly dense, and the demonic cultivators appearing in Cheng Xinzhan's field of vision reached increasingly higher levels.

The guide led Cheng Xinzhan to the mountainous area in the middle of the island, and then to a mountain peak on the southernmost side of Bijia Mountain. He pointed to a palace on the summit and said,
"My lord, that is the Star-Picking Hall of Cloud-Covered Mountain, the residence of the young island lord. Please make yourself at home, I will not go there."

Cheng Xinzhan nodded, thanked him, and then flew up to the front of the palace at the mountain peak.

Given its name, this place must have once been a place shrouded in mist and starlight. However, now it's enveloped in a dark yellow ghostly fog, and the poetic imagery of its mountain and palace names is completely gone. And given that this strategically important island, surrounded by enemies on three sides, is surrounded by a powerful defensive array that remains constantly active, it's understandable that it's protected.

The main hall in front of us was built entirely of dark blue Xiuyan jade. If it were illuminated by bright sunlight, it would surely be clear and bright. However, it was shrouded in ghostly mist at this moment, making it appear dark and gloomy, exuding a sense of eeriness, like a hellish palace in the underworld.

Meanwhile, Cheng Xinzhan stood atop Bijia Mountain, feeling an even stronger tremor in his heart. He had a feeling that the source of this tremor might be right beneath Bijia Mountain.

As soon as he arrived at the palace, a voice came from inside.
"Youde has arrived, come in."

It was the voice of the thin Taoist priest.

The palace gate was large, slightly ajar, just wide enough for one person to pass through. Cheng Xinzhan stepped inside, scanning the interior at the same time.

Inside the hall, the thin Taoist sat on a high platform, with a huge bronze screen behind him, embossed with a beast's face with its mouth wide open. Two lamps were lit at the eyes of the beast's face, positioned on either side of the thin Taoist, illuminating the hall while making it difficult to look directly at the person seated there.

Below the high platform, on either side of the main hall, there were a dozen or so chairs on each side, some occupied, some empty. A quick glance revealed eight people, all of whom were at the Golden Core stage. Although most of them were still unwashed, it was clear that the thin Taoist held a high position.

When Cheng Xinzhan entered, everyone in the hall looked over.

"sit."

The thin Taoist priest spoke.

Cheng Xinzhan first cupped his hands in a gesture of respect to the top, then to both sides, and finally found a chair in the middle of the right side to sit down.

After he sat down, the conversation continued in the hall. Cheng Xinzhan listened attentively and discovered that the topic of discussion was the conquest of Hongxia Island.

About fifteen minutes later, around 6:45 AM, another person came in. Cheng Xinzhan's cultivation level was not bad, estimated to be around level three or four. Touching the tail of the middle three tribulations, he sat down in the front seat on the left.

At this moment, there were exactly ten people on both sides of the main hall, including Cheng Xinzhan.

After this person sat down, the thin Taoist spoke again, saying,

"Everyone's here. Let me introduce you. This is the reinforcement Xiao Wang invited, Lai Youde, the head of the Fire Dragon Island. He used to be the number one figure on Huangliu Island in Daduhai. Now, let's have him tell us about Hongxia Island."

Everyone inside the hall turned their gazes toward it.

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(End of this chapter)