Shushan Earthly Immortal

Chapter 383 Dragon Spine Scenic Spot, Three Intents Dao Sect (5.7K words, last day, please support with monthly tickets~)

One year later, in the dead of winter.

Niuweitang.

What was once an unremarkable, desolate, and quiet coastal spire has, after countless tamping and raising, become a renowned sacred site along the Kuaiji coast. Because it is the gateway to the Central Plains and the Dragon Ridge Road, it is constantly bustling with people. As a result, streets and markets were built, tall buildings and palaces were erected, and the sounds of vendors hawking their wares and calling out their wares filled the air.

On this day, a young man and a young woman came to Niuweitang, tried the local famous red-roe pickled crab and yellow croaker soup, and then strolled around the market.

"Senior brother, look at this."

The woman was tall and slender, with fair skin and a radiant aura; she was a beauty unlike any other. At that moment, she stopped in front of a stall, pointing to two strings of colorful prayer beads in an exquisite wooden box.

"You have excellent eyesight, fairy!"

The stall owner immediately chimed in, then cheerfully offered an explanation.

"This is called the 'Five Blessings Demon-Suppressing Bracelet,' and it's extremely popular in Niuweitang. I only have two left. Look at the glass beads on this bracelet—the colors are vibrant, bright but not gaudy, perfect for a fairy-like figure. Moreover, these aren't ordinary glass beads; each one has a remarkable history!"

"Oh? What's your background?"

The woman asked about her senior brother, a man with a straight back, gentle and refined demeanor, and a calm and composed manner.

The stall owner then answered,

"Since the Immortal Master has asked this question, then we must explain it in detail. You two, look, these red beads are crystals formed when the Sunset Array of Red Cloud Island was broken by Master Guangfa. The red clouds were shattered and fell into the sea, sinking to the bottom of the sea and solidifying. You can see the ribbon-like red clouds here."

"Look again at this white one with gold flecks. It's a crystal formed from the white sulfur ore beneath Yellow Sulfur Island. It's said that this ore was discovered by Mr. Guangfa. He used this as a pretext to sell Yellow Sulfur Island to Fire Dragon Island, which led to all the exciting events that followed."

"Furthermore, this black and red intertwined one is even more extraordinary. It is a bead formed when the True Man Cheng Chu used the divine script in the 'Shangqing Jade Treasure Primordial Spirit Secret Decree' to kill the demonic script in the 'Mysterious Yin Gathering Beast Banner' in the hands of the demon corpse Gu Chen. The sparks that erupted from the two fell into the sea and condensed into a bead."

"Look at this one, so lustrous and shimmering with golden light. It's because when Zen Master Zhenxie performed his 'Heavenly Dragon Chant,' the golden Buddhist light shone on this pearl at the bottom of the sea, causing it to change color and become what it is today."

"And another thing, look at this one, it has fire patterns on it. This is the inner core of the Red-Haired Ancestor. It was refined into an external avatar by the Red Corpse Wu Lao, and then forced to self-destruct by True Person Cheng Chu and Zen Master Zhen Xie. This bead was made from the fragments of the inner core that were retrieved from the sea!"
"Look, gentlemen, these five kinds of beads all have extraordinary origins, and they are all bright reddish-gold in color, which is very beautiful and has extraordinary significance. Especially on this Dragon's Backbone Road, as you walk from Niuweitang to the sea, passing Hongxia Island, Huangliu Island and finally to Huolong Island, following in the footsteps of Mr. Guangfa, wearing a string of these beads will have a unique charm! So, how about we get two strings?"

The woman, captivated by the stall owner's eloquent words, couldn't help but smile, a smile so beautiful it would put the moon and flowers to shame. Seeing this, the man said...

"I took both skewers."

The stall owner's eyes lit up, and he quickly took out a box, packed it up, and handed it to the man before saying,
"Immortal Master, please accept ten taels of gold."

The man nodded, didn't haggle, and took out gold from the cave and handed it over.

The stall owner thought to himself:

That's too low!
However, when the stall owner took the gold, he was startled again. There were inscriptions on the gold ingot:

"Gold and water control coins".

This is Haoran Alliance's money!
Are these two members of the Haoran Alliance?
After the man paid, he asked again,
“Fellow Daoist, do you know where we can find a guide nearby? We have come here because of its reputation and want to walk the Dragon Spine Trail, but we are new to the place and do not know it well. It would be great if we could have a guide to accompany us and explain things.”

The stall owner's eyes lit up, and he said repeatedly,

"To be honest, I am a native of Taizhou, a wandering cultivator from Niuweitang. I witnessed the great battle a year ago and saw the Dragon Ridge Road built from scratch. I also work as a guide. I am willing to accompany you on your tour!"

Upon hearing this, the man replied,
"So, fellow Daoist, you're not going to take care of your stall either?"

The stall owner replied,
"I find the two immortals to be exceptionally handsome and extraordinary, and I am particularly drawn to them. I am willing to pack up my stall and accompany you on this journey."

The woman laughed upon hearing this.

"Fellow Daoist, you are indeed eloquent. It is fate that we have met. It is good that you are willing to accompany us on this journey. However, we will not have to compensate for the losses incurred in closing up shop, will we?"

The stall owner shook his head upon hearing this.
"How could that be? I'm a legitimate businessman. One thing at a time. Since I've chosen to be a guide, I naturally only charge the price for an escort. Besides, to be honest, Your Excellency is generous and doesn't haggle. The two 'Five Blessings Demon-Suppressing Bracelets' have allowed me to make a small profit, so I'll give Your Excellency a discount on the escort service. I'll take you all the way to Fire Dragon Island, stopping whenever you want, regardless of the time. Three taels of gold per trip, how about that?"

The man and woman exchanged a glance, then nodded in agreement.

So the stall owner started packing up.

The two waited nearby. The woman had already put on the bracelet and, at the same time, asked the man in her mind's eye,
"Senior brother, do you think the beads on this string of beads are genuine?"

The man then returned.

"Apart from the white sulfur crystals, everything else is fake."

"Then why are you in such a hurry to buy it?"

The woman said angrily.

The man smiled and said,
"Although the origin is fake, those beads are all spiritual objects in themselves. For example, that golden pearl is definitely not from the Buddha's light, but it is still quite rare. The others are all natural refined gold minerals, each with its own characteristics. Just like the stall owner said, the colors are vibrant, bright but not gaudy, which is indeed suitable for my junior sister."

The woman was pleased to hear this and said,
“I can tell it’s fake too, but it’s interesting that this person was able to find all five colored beads and connect them with what Master did. And the price isn’t too expensive either, so I’ll keep it as a souvenir.”

"Exactly."

While the two were chatting, the stall owner had already packed up and led them to the stall, introducing himself.
"My surname is Hou. Because I am good at diving and can understand the language of fish, people who know me call me Old Hou or Water Monkey. You two immortals can call me whatever you are comfortable with."

Then the man said,
My surname is Lin.

The woman said,

My surname is Zhu.

The three set off, heading towards the sea.

"Are you two immortal masters highly respected figures from the Haoran Alliance?"

"I asked the water monkey," he said. The water monkey was a rogue cultivator who had been struggling in the second realm for many years. He looked to be in his forties or fifties, but in reality, he had been cultivating for a hundred years. However, he couldn't discern the specific realms of these two who looked extremely young. They might be in the second realm, or they might have already formed their core. Therefore, the water monkey remained quite respectful.

The two of them didn't try to hide anything and nodded.

These two extremely young people, one surnamed Lin and the other surnamed Zhu, addressed Cheng Xinzhan as their master and were members of the Haoran Alliance. Their identities were naturally quite obvious: they were Cheng Xinzhan's two cheap disciples from the Lixue Mountain lineage, Lin Mingxu and Zhu Mingyue.

"To be honest with you two immortals, I have also been working for the Haoran Alliance, and quite a lot of it. In previous years, the Haoran Alliance had been issuing long-term jobs along the coast of Kuaiji, with rewards given for the heads of the Three Corpse Sect demons. From last year to this year, they also issued jobs to carry stones and sand to build the Dragon Ridge Road, which I have received."

"Moreover, last year the Haoran Alliance built a new Level 4 branch in Niuweitang, and I was among the first batch to be officially registered there. With my ten years of experience leading troops, after another two-year probationary period, as long as I don't make any mistakes, I will definitely be a registered disciple of the Haoran Alliance!"

Old Hou said proudly.

"congratulations."

Lin Mingxu and Zhu Mingyue smiled and clasped their hands in congratulations.

Old Hou smiled and led the way, introducing the two of them.

"This Dragon's Backbone Path has been under construction since Mr. Guangfa established the Zhenyi Sect on Fire Dragon Island. It has been sixteen months since then. In fact, the general outline was completed a year ago, ensuring that from Niuweitang to Fire Dragon Island, regardless of the tide, there would be earth and rocks above the sea level for easy footholds. But the widening and lengthening of the Dragon's Backbone Path has never stopped."

"The foundation of the entire Dragon's Spine Road is a long earth vein that runs from Niuweitang to Huolong Island. What we are walking on now is like the spine of this earth vein that emerges above the sea, hence the name Dragon's Spine Road."

"Truly a masterpiece!"

Lin Mingxu exclaimed in admiration.

"Who says it isn't?"

Old Hou responded and then said,

"This Dragon's Spine Road is incredibly useful, dividing the East Sea's nearshore waters in two. This allows us land-based cultivators to directly access the deep sea and enjoy marine treasures. Things like the famous East Sea's sunken iron, pearls, and jade snails were extremely expensive to buy from sea monsters before. If you tried to retrieve them yourself, it would be a near-death experience. To be honest, I was in this business when I was young, and I still do it now, delivering goods to the Golden Water Merchant Guild of the Haoran Alliance. Although I don't earn as much as before, it's safer and more stable."

Hearing this, Zhu Mingyue smiled.

"Fellow Daoist Hou has done a lot."

Yes, just from this person's own description, there are five things to do: setting up a stall, guiding a husband, hunting demons, carrying stones, and diving.

Old Hou smiled upon hearing this, "That's how we independent cultivators are; we have to make a living, after all."

After exchanging a few words, Old Hou continued his explanation.

"Furthermore, Dragon's Spine Path has another advantage. We have ventured more than 1,500 miles into the sea, with Fire Dragon Island serving as a lookout point. It will definitely be impossible for overseas demons to stir up waves and attack the land like they did more than 30 years ago. Now we have Zhenhai Tower in the far sea and Dragon's Spine Path in the near sea. Even if something happens to Zhenhai Tower, Dragon's Spine Path alone can provide enough reaction time for the near shore to warn us and break through the giant waves."

"Indeed wonderful."

Lin Mingxu nodded in agreement.

Old Hou continued to explain the many advantages of the Dragon's Spine Pass, and the various changes it brought to the near-shore situation, terrain, ocean currents, and aquatic products, both positive and negative. The Haoran Alliance has been working for years to maximize the benefits and minimize the drawbacks of the changes brought about by the Dragon's Spine Pass.

The three of them strolled along leisurely for half a day before finally arriving near Red Cloud Island.

"Look, my two friends, that's Red Cloud Island ahead."

Old Hou pointed to the suddenly widening island in front of him and said,

"This Red Cloud Island was originally the dojo of a bat demon under the command of the Big Belly Sea Crocodile Demon. Later, Master Guangfa used the strategy of driving a tiger to devour a wolf, driving the demon of the Earth Yin Island to break through Red Cloud Island. Then, he used the strategy of turning the guest into the host, and used the power of the Earth Yin Island to set up Red Cloud Island, laying the foundation for the earth energy of the Dragon Ridge Road."

"When the Dragon Ridge Road was built, Hongxia Island was widened. It was originally a round island, but after the widening, it became a gourd-shaped island with a north-south orientation and equal head and belly size, which was divided in two by the main road of the Dragon Ridge Road."

"Currently, Master Rongyi, the head of Gezao Mountain, is stationed on Hongxia Island. The Lingbao School of Taoism and the Yinlong School of Zen Buddhism both have branch sects on this island, called Guiyi Sect and Bichen Nunnery respectively, one in the north of the island and the other in the south. Master Rongyi is in seclusion within Guiyi Sect, but apart from the great battle last year, he has not been seen since."

"The two sects have been newly established, and most of the personnel are transferred from our sect. They have also recruited a lot of supplementary disciples from the Haoran Alliance. I think that after I become a registered disciple and work in the alliance for three years, I can be promoted to a supplementary disciple. At that time, I will report to the alliance and inform your sect. After all, it's close to home and I'm familiar with the area! If you don't want me, hehe, I will accept the assignment. I'm fine with going anywhere. We rogue cultivators don't pick and choose."

"Oh dear, I've gone off-topic. Red Glow Island is still called Red Glow Island because the new island-protecting formation also uses the glow of the sunset as a backdrop. However, the north side of the island is red with a hint of purple, while the south side is red with a hint of gold. The Three Glows of Gourd Island is also the first scenic spot on Dragon Ridge Road. The sun will be setting soon, and when the sunset glow over the sea and sky and the three-colored glow on the island reflect each other, that will be truly beautiful. You two can stay and enjoy the view for a while longer."

The two naturally agreed.

Old Hou was a competent guide and had connections on Red Cloud Island. He led the two to a suspended restaurant in the north of the island and secured a good spot.

Although it's convenient for cultivators to ride the clouds and enjoy the scenery, lying on a soft couch in a high-rise building by the window, watching the clouds drift by, waiting for the sunset, sipping fine wine, listening to traditional music, and tasting local delicacies, feels quite different.

"This is the property of the Golden Water Chamber of Commerce in the alliance. There are many such floating restaurants on Dragon Ridge Road, all managed by Chairman Xiao. As you two probably know, Chairman Xiao comes from Baiyujing and is good at this."

Old Hou gave a brief introduction, then led the person into the private room before exiting and going downstairs to wait on the island.

After witnessing the truly magnificent sunset, the two went downstairs and met up with Lao Hou, continuing their journey into the night. Not long after they left, stars began to twinkle in the sky, and soon, the entire sky was filled with countless stars.

After leaving Red Cloud Island, the Dragon's Spine Road began to narrow again, and Old Hou seemed to be intentionally controlling his speed. Around midnight, the Dragon's Spine Road narrowed to its narrowest point, no more than five hundred paces from north to south. Surprisingly, at this point, the dirt and stone road suddenly transformed into three parallel bridges with carved railings, which shone brightly under the starlight and moonlight.

Beneath these three bridges, each has twenty-four enormous semi-circular arches, which, together with their reflections on the sea, form a total of seventy-two perfectly round floating moons.

At this moment, the starlight is at its brightest, and a dazzling Milky Way is reflected in the sea, spanning three jade bridges and surrounding seventy-two bright moons.

"Gentlemen, this is the Seventy-Two Moon Bridge, a breathtaking night view that you must see on Dragon's Spine Road. It is the middle and narrowest section between Red Cloud Island and Yellow Sulfur Island. However, don't be fooled by its narrowness; it is extremely difficult to breach. These three bridges are actually a set of top-grade magic treasures. At the end of last year, the demons sent a third-realm narwhal to ram this bridge, but before it could even get close, it was cleaved into countless pieces by the twenty-four moon sword lights emitted from the North Bridge."

"gorgeous!"

Zhu Mingyue sighed.

Perhaps it was an innate love for the moon, for the woman was captivated by the scene of the moon reflected in the water, lingering on the bridge, sometimes walking on the north bridge, sometimes on the south bridge, sometimes on the middle bridge, and sometimes even leaping out to stand on the sea and look at the bridge. From different angles, the view of the moon reflected in the water was different each time.

The three walked very slowly. They hadn't even finished crossing the three-mile-long jade bridge in an hour. When the hour of Chou (1-3 AM) had passed and the starlight began to dim, Old Hou urged them on.
"Gentlemen, if you'd like to see 'Moonlight over Huangshan' and 'Fire Dragon Holding the Sun,' then we'd better hurry."

"Oh? And what is that?"

The woman asked.

Old Hou, however, kept it a secret.

"The fairy will know when the time comes."

So the three of them quickened their pace and arrived at Huangliu Island while the moonlight was still relatively bright.

"Fairy, please look, that is 'Moonlight over Huangshan'."

Old Hou pointed to Huangliu Island in front of him and said.

Having gotten this close, without Lao Hou needing to remind them again, Zhu Mingyue and Lin Mingxu saw it clearly. Their expressions first showed surprise, then understanding, and finally admiration.

"It really is 'Moonlight over Huangshan'!"

At this moment, the entire Yellow Sulfur Island was billowing yellow smoke, clearly visible under the bright moonlight. Moreover, this smoke didn't gradually disperse after rising; instead, it gradually converged into a peak, resembling a yellow mountain. In addition, wisps of pale blue smoke rose, clinging to the surface of the yellow smoke, like pine trees on a mountain.

"It's so lifelike!"

Lin Mingxu sighed.

Seeing the two men's surprised expressions, Old Hou appeared extremely satisfied and began to speak slowly and deliberately.

"This magnificent scene was specially created by the masters of the Fayi Sect. It cannot be seen during the day; it is simply the island's protective formation. It only becomes visible when the bright moon shines at night. Moreover, the smoke is pure Yang sulfur gas, and the green gas is Jia wood gas. It is not only beautiful to look at, but also has the effect of dispelling dampness and cold when smelled or soaked."

"Fayi Sect?"

The two asked.

"Yes."

Old Hou explained,

"Now, the sect leader of Bingfeng Mountain, Master Yixuan, is guarding Huangliu Island, so the Shenxiao Sect has established a branch here, namely the Fayi Sect."

Zhu Mingyue asked curiously,
"I have heard that Mr. Guangfa established the Zhenyi Sect on Fire Dragon Island, and now the Lingbao Sect and Shenxiao Sect have established the Guiyi Sect and Fayi Sect on Red Cloud Island and Yellow Sulfur Island respectively. Is this a coincidence or intentional?"

Old Hou smiled and said,
"I don't know about that, but it must be intentional. We often refer to these three Taoist sects together as the 'Three Intentions of the Dragon's Spine.'"

Old Hou gave a brief explanation, then led the two towards the island.

It is currently the dead of winter, and the deep sea is even colder, but as soon as you arrive at Huangliu Island, you are immediately enveloped in a warm feeling, like the winter sun, which makes you feel comfortable all over.

"Gentlemen, you can stay on Huangliu Island a little longer to get rid of the cold. Huangliu Island is very close to Huolong Island. We just need to get to Huolong Island before sunrise."

Old Hou reminded him.

Of course, Old Hou also had his own motives. He was a frequent seafarer, and his body was covered in a heavy layer of dampness that seeped into his bones. In the past, when he fell ill, he would be in excruciating pain, and if someone were to expel the cold, the price would be extremely high. However, since the establishment of the Fayi Sect, he had often come to this "Huangshan" to soak in the cold, and the frequency of his cold-related illnesses had significantly decreased.

This time, while accompanying someone on a trip, I also took the opportunity to soak in the water. After soaking, I'll feel comfortable for several months and won't need to come here again.

This further solidified his idea of ​​joining a major sect through the Haoran Alliance. The scenery attached to such a free formation alone has such a miraculous effect. I wonder what kind of life the disciples of real major sects lead.
Old Hou had considered submitting a petition to join the Fayi Sect, but he was still timid. He felt that the Fayi Sect was too far out at sea, and he feared there might be danger if they fought with sea monsters. So, after much thought, he decided that the Guiyi Sect was more suitable for him.

After spending more than an hour on the island, the three set off again at dawn.

"what is that!"

Lin Mingxu exclaimed in surprise, pointing to two enormous silhouettes on the northern sea. It was just before dawn, and the two shadows, which were very close together, looked like two mountains floating on the sea, but the two mountain shadows were also moving, like two primordial beasts.

"Oh, those are the left and right protectors of the Zhenyi Sect, two corpse generals under Master Guangfa. The left protector can spit sand to create land, and the right protector can carry mountains and float on the sea. The Dragon Ridge Road was built so quickly, and these two deserve great credit."

"I heard that after the Guiyi Sect and Fayi Sect were established, Master Baoyuan, who was stationed on Huolong Island, also wanted to build a branch of the Jingming Sect in the sea. He chose Panlong Island as the site. Now, the disciples of the Jingming Sect and the two great protectors are working day and night to create land, hoping to connect Huolong Island and Panlong Island as soon as possible."

"I see."

Lin Mingxu nodded, relaxing upon hearing this. Indeed, with his master in charge, how could any demons dare to invade?

Old Hou had traversed the Dragon's Backbone Path countless times, and his timing was impeccable. Just as sunrise arrived, he led the two onto Fire Dragon Island. At that moment, the sun rose in the east, its fiery red glow resembling a giant, steaming, freshly baked elixir.

Led by Lao Hou, Lin Mingxu and Zhu Mingyue boarded the island from the west via the Dragon Ridge Path. Just then, they saw a mighty fire dragon emerge from the fiery clouds above the island, facing east, as if it were about to devour the sun.

Above the dragon's head, a Taoist priest can be seen sitting cross-legged facing east, right in the center of Danyang, absorbing the purple energy.

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(End of this chapter)