Shushan Earthly Immortal

Chapter 393: The Changing of the Guard, Reform and Innovation (5.3K words, please support with monthly votes~)

Yunnanese script, Dali Prefecture.

The Pushui River flows endlessly, and Mount Weibao stands tall and majestic, just like the Doumu Pavilion atop the mountain.

The so-called:
In what year did they clear the dangers and build the star palace, a jade palace and magnificent tower embedded in the azure sky?

The mountain mists and water vapors obscure the sky, while the benevolent light of Doumu shines upon central Yunnan.

Nothing more than that.

Among the mountains and pavilions, there is a grand hall with purple tiles and silver walls, called the Ziguang Hall. It is the place where Doumu Pavilion entertains distinguished guests and has witnessed the rise and fall of Doumu Pavilion.

The atmosphere in the hall was tense at that moment.

"Leader Zuo, those who understand the times are the wise ones!"

A man dressed in a black and silver sword-style robe sat at the head of the guest seats. He looked to be around forty years old, with a face like cold jade and eyebrows like cold swords. He held a teacup in his hand, his face was extremely gloomy, and he coldly uttered a sentence.

Seated in the main seat was an elderly man with white hair. The radiant glow that once belonged to a high-level cultivator had faded from his face, which now appeared as a dull yellow with age spots. If it weren't for his magnificent star robe and towering star crown, he would look no different from an ordinary person.

The old man wasn't angry when the guest spoke such rudely; he simply said calmly,
"You are a hero in Emei, while I, an old Taoist priest, am wise in the mountains. What do the two have to do with each other?"

"Ah!"

Upon hearing this, the man in the sword-robed robe smiled contemptuously and said,

“Dianwen is remote and Weibao is in a corner. Master Zuo may have been in the mountains for a long time and is unaware of the changing times outside. How can he understand the current situation in such a mountain? Now Dianwen is half righteous and half demonic. Under such circumstances, Doumu Pavilion is even struggling to maintain its four borders. How can it survive in the cracks?”
"call out--"

As he spoke, the man lowered his head, took a sip of tea, and then said slowly,
"However, as long as you join my Xuanmen, if any demonic forces come to harass you, Shu warriors will naturally come out of the mountains to help your sect overcome the crisis! If you become a branch of my Emei Sect, there will be countless magical treasures, scriptures, elixirs, and immortal texts for you to choose from. Sect Leader Zuo, do not make a mistake!"

At this point, the man paused, looked at the old man in the main seat, and smiled slightly.
"Of course, these things may not matter to Master Zuo, but as the leader of a sect, you can't completely ignore what will happen after you pass away. You have to think about the eight thousand disciples on Mount Weibao!"

This person practically made it clear that the old man was dying and had no one to rely on, but the leader of the Left Sect remained unperturbed. He even let out a soft chuckle and then asked in return,
"Who is stirring up the ever-changing external world? Who created the Yunnan script, which is half righteous and half demonic?"

The old man ignored the furious glare in the sword-wielding man's eyes, picked up his teacup, didn't drink, just held it in his hand, and then said...

"Heh, I'm not afraid of the Demonic Sect coming to my door, I'm afraid of the people from Shu coming as guests."

"Snapped!"

The man in the sword-robed robe slammed his teacup down on the table, then abruptly stood up. He said coldly,
"If you refuse a toast, you'll have to drink a forfeit. No one dares to reject the Shu people's kindness like this. The Shu people will come again, but next time it won't be me. Fourth Realm, Fifth Realm, Immortal Realm! I'd like to see just how tough the Left Sect Leader can be!"

"A fairyland? Is it that rare?"

A sneer accompanied by dazzling starlight flew into the Purple Light Palace.

The starlight was dazzling and radiant, filling the palace and causing the sword-robed man to instinctively close his eyes. When he opened them again, he found a person standing just inches away in front of him.

The man formed from starlight bore a striking resemblance to the Left Cult Leader, both being quite old and dressed in magnificent star-patterned robes. However, while he appeared old, his spirit and energy were remarkably youthful. Though his hair was white, his face was free of age spots, and his back was ramrod straight, like a pine or bamboo. His star-patterned robe also differed from the Left Cult Leader's. The Left Cult Leader's robe was adorned with a constellation of stars, with the Big Dipper shining brightly, while this newcomer was led by the Four Divine Lords, who commanded the entire celestial sphere.

The man in the sword-robed robe gazed at the star-studded robe, his thoughts drawn into the sea of ​​stars. His gaze then met that of the four divine lords, who seemed to be alive as they swam within the starry sea. Seeing the man looking over, the four divine lords simultaneously swam towards the chest area of ​​the robe, as if they were about to leap out and devour him.

"what--"

The man was startled and cried out. He hurriedly backed away, but he forgot that there was a chair behind him. He took one step and his heel hit the chair leg. The man's legs were already weak with fright, and the chair's impact made him lose his balance. He leaned back and fell into the chair.

The chair moved back a short distance, scraping against the ground with a piercing noise.

The man formed from starlight looked down at the sword-robed man and smiled disdainfully.
"A Shu person? A coward?"

These words pierced the sword-robed man's chest like a sword, filling him with extreme anger while simultaneously jolting him from the intimidation of the star-robed figure. He rose again, looking at the newcomer whose cultivation level was clearly far superior to his own, but without fear, he shouted loudly,
"Who are you! How dare you slander the people of Shu like this!"

The visitor, still wearing a disdainful expression, simply said...
"Given your level of cultivation and background, you are not worthy to know my name."

The man flew into a rage upon hearing this. Whether it was from his habit of lording it over others in Sichuan, or from the Zuo Sect Leader's restraint earlier that had given him a false impression, he sneered, pointed his halberd at the newcomer, and shouted,
"You don't even dare to say your name? I think you're the cowardly rat hiding your head and tail!"

The man in the sword-robed robe spoke loudly, as if he wanted to expel the humiliation he felt from being frightened and falling to his seat along with his words.

Fa Wujiu raised an eyebrow, more surprised than angry. He thought about it carefully and realized that he had never been scolded like this in his life. He never expected that after entering the fourth realm, he would be scolded like this by someone in the third realm.

He was so angry that he laughed instead and raised his hand to strike.

The man in the sword robe was surprised that the newcomer dared to make a move. He tried to dodge, but under the starlight, he was already immobilized. He could not move an inch no matter how hard he tried, and could only watch helplessly as Fa Wujiu's hand swung towards him.

"Snapped!"

A loud slap echoed in the Purple Light Hall.

Half of the sword-robed man's face swelled up rapidly, his jaw was knocked crooked, and all his teeth were knocked out, stuck in his mouth with blood.

The man covered his face, speechless with shock, now certain that the newcomer was from the Fourth Realm.

The stinging pain on his face finally brought him to his senses, and he realized that he had just insulted a fourth-level expert to his face.
The man belatedly realized that fear quickly replaced anger in his heart.

The man swallowed the mouthful of teeth and blood, then, not daring to look at Wu Jiu, he mumbled something.
"Master Zuo, since another guest has come to visit, it seems I have come at an inopportune time. Farewell!"

Having said that, the man bypassed Fa Wujiu, his feet barely touching the ground, and quickly walked towards the palace gate.

"Did I let you go?"

The law is without fault.

Upon hearing this, the man was terrified and dared not stop. Instead, he transformed into a sword of light and tried to flee the place.

"To fight and surrender is to the weak."

Fa Wujiu formed a hand seal, pointed his index finger at the fleeing sword light, and chanted a spell.

The starlight fell on the sword light, immediately knocking it back to its original form. The man fell to the ground, his aura weakening considerably in an instant.

The man struggled to his feet and walked out of the hall.

“The battle has been lost.”

Fa Wujiu recited the incantation again.

As the starlight faded, the man became lame, walking with a limp and staggering gait.

The man was terrified, opened his mouth in fear, and instinctively cried out in pain.

"Ah—uh—"

The next moment, the man became even more terrified; he realized he was mute! He couldn't speak!
"The battle was won because of illness."

As the starlight faded, the man began to cough violently, coughing up blood until he couldn't straighten his back.

"The fight ends in old age."

As the starlight faded, the man's temples instantly turned gray, his skin sagged, and his once jade-like white turned a dull yellow, then large patches of age spots appeared. His close-fitting sword robe had even become somewhat loose. In the blink of an eye, this imposing man looked older than the Left Cult Leader.

Fear overwhelmed the man's reason like a flood. He could no longer hold on, staggered around, and then knelt down with a thud, speaking through his divine sense.
"This junior has been rude and deserves punishment. I beg you, senior, to spare my life!"

Upon seeing this, Fa Wujiu laughed, realizing that even the knees of the Emei sect were only worth four spells. So he stopped casting the spell, thinking it would be good to let this person return to Emei, so that Emei would know that Yunnan was not a place ruled by a single family.

"get out."

He spoke casually. The man in the sword-robed robe was taken aback, not expecting to survive so easily. However, he quickly recovered and, without delay, rose tremblingly. But at this moment, his energy was weak, his body old and frail, and he was plagued by illness. He couldn't even use his sword escape technique to fly away. Fortunately, he had a flash of inspiration and pulled out a flying artifact he had used when he was at a lower level many years ago from the cave. It was a small shuttle boat. He scrambled into the boat and fled in a sorry state.

The Left Cult Leader, who had been sitting in the main seat, had been watching all this with a smile. At this moment, he stepped down from the main seat, walked slowly to Fa Wujiu, then cupped his hands, bowed deeply, and performed a grand salute.

"With Wujiu gone into the mountains, our sect can rest easy!"

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.

South of Weibaoshan Mountain, in the lower reaches of the Lancang River, lies a continuous mountain range running parallel to the river. Unlike the beautiful Weibaoshan Mountain, with its buildings nestled against the mountainside, this place is rife with miasma, ancient trees and vines, lush and verdant, and filled with eerie caves and underground rivers—clearly an extremely treacherous area.

Because this mountain is vast, deep, and dark, it is difficult to measure precisely, hence it is called Wuliang Mountain. Since ancient times, it has been a place where demons and monsters have been entrenched.

Poems as proof:

River mist swirls around the secluded mountains, and the miasma dissipates only to return.

The chirping of insects mingles with ghostly sounds, darkly shrouding the southern sky.

At this moment, in the secluded center of this mountain, on a precipitous peak with a spring at its top and streams flowing on all sides, several figures stood together.

"With you in charge, our school is sure to flourish!"

One of them shouted loudly, then knelt down and prostrated himself before the other person as if a mountain of gold and a jade pillar had been overturned.

The person he was kneeling before wore a green robe painted with the scene of Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun breaking through the twenty-four hells. Behind him stood a snow lion the size of a white elephant, making him appear ethereal and exuding an aura of majesty that was hard to look directly at.

Cheng Xinzhan helped Wan Gaoming up and explained,

"My purpose in coming here is solely to oversee the reform of the sect and the protection of the Dharma against the enemy. You will remain as the sect leader, and you will also be in charge of the specific implementation. You need not feel any burden. Once the reform is successful, the sect members and I will naturally leave. Wuliang Mountain is a damp and shady place, teeming with insects and snakes. However, yin and yang are in balance, and all things have spirits. It's not that dampness is bad, nor that insects and snakes are lowly. It's just that we cultivators are indeed not used to living here. You can rest assured."

Wan Gaoming's attitude was very humble; he followed Cheng Xinzhan's lead and spoke...
"I will do whatever you ask me to do, and I will stay as long as you wish."

To Wan Gaoming's left and right were two other people. One was dressed in purple, with a square face and broad shoulders, tall and imposing; the other wore a white robe, with a round, slightly plump face and delicate skin. The two were amazed to see Wan Gaoming, who was usually a smiling tiger, now completely subservient to them.

After comforting Wan Gaoming, Cheng Xinzhan turned his gaze to the man in purple and the man in white. He really hadn't expected that the two people leading the group when the sect leader said he would arrange for some disciples from the Cardinal Mountain and White Tiger Mountain to come over in batches would be these two. No wonder, no wonder the sect leader's smile was so mysterious when he said that.

"Brother Jianmo, Brother Jiyuan."

Cheng Xinzhan's smile was exceptionally gentle. He had also been smiling broadly when he spoke to Wan Gaoming earlier, but the two smiles gave completely different impressions.

Zhu Jianmo waved his hand and laughed upon hearing this.

"No, no, Xinzhan, it's come to this point. It's polite and modest of you to call us fellow Daoists, but if we were to respond, it would be arrogant and presumptuous of us. Don't make me seem impolite. Let's just call each other by our Daoist names, then we'll all feel more comfortable."

He Jiyuan nodded in agreement.

Cheng Xinzhan smiled and agreed, and said,
"Both the Xuanmen and the Momen have their eyes on Dianwen, and our Daoist sect cannot lag behind. However, after a day's work in conquering the southwest, it seems that the three of us brothers will have to spend some time together."

"So good!"

Zhu Jianmo and He Jiyuan said in unison.

The three of them then burst into laughter.

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.

Mount Emei, Leidongping, Yangxin Hall.

"Master!"

The sword-robed man who had just been spouting nonsense in the Purple Light Hall of Doumu Pavilion flew into this hall in his shuttle boat, then tumbled down, rolled to the ground, and cried out in pain.

The man practicing in the hall was a portly man, who looked to be in his thirties or forties. He was naturally bald, with a large head and ears, and was fair-skinned and plump. He had twelve yellow birthmarks on his head, which naturally formed the shape of ordination scars. He wore a loose, bright yellow robe without an undergarment, exposing his chest and breasts. He looked exactly like the Maitreya Buddha enshrined in the temple.

But this is the Xuanmen!

Western Shu promoted the orthodox lineage of Taoism, which was relative to the Eastern Dao. They claimed to be the orthodox lineage of Taoism, which had nothing to do with Buddhism or Zen.

It's quite surprising that this person dared to dress as a monk in the Xuanmen leader's Emei Mountain.

However, the people of Mount Emei and the various sects of Taoism have long been accustomed to this.

Because this person has a naturally Zen-like appearance, he can't lose weight no matter what. You can't force him to cut off his flesh to show his resolve, can you?
Of course, if it were an ordinary person, even if they were born with such a Buddha-like appearance, since they had chosen the Taoist path instead of the Buddhist path, they should have consciously worn Taoist robes and headscarves to avoid criticism. Instead, they would be bald with their ordination scars showing, wearing a yellow robe that resembled a kasaya.

There is an even more important reason behind this.

This man was no ordinary person; he was Zhong Yuanjue, the second of the Seven Immortals of Flying Truth of the Emei Sect, also known as "Brahma Flying Light." He was the prized junior brother of Master Miaoyi, who had been accepted as a disciple on behalf of their master, and he and Qi Shuming were like father and son. In the mountains, unless the Emei Sect Leader gave the order, who would dare to care about his clothes and attire?

Moreover, this person was deeply trusted by the Qi couple. In previous years, the seven sword pavilions were divided into four regions, with the new generation of Qi Xiu as the pavilion master and the previous generation of Qi Fei as the pavilion elder. Among them, it was he who went to Lingyun Sword Pavilion to take care of Qi Jinchan!
Two years ago, Zhong Yuanjue broke through his cultivation level and entered the fourth realm. He was transferred back to Emei by Qi Shuming to assist in religious affairs and take charge of the Yangxin Hall. Now he is a high-ranking and powerful figure in Emei Mountain.

Having surpassed Ye Yuanjing and become the first to enter the fourth realm, Zhong Yuanjue was given an important position to manage the southwest and facilitate the restoration of Longxiang Temple and Kaiyuan Temple. This was the time when Zhong Yuanjue was most proud and self-satisfied. Moreover, he lived a life of ease and comfort in Yangxin Hall, issuing orders and indeed everything went smoothly for him. His appearance also became more and more harmonious.

He was reviewing papers when a strange old man suddenly flew in, startling him. But seeing that the man was wearing an Emei robe and could enter the Thunder Cave Plain's protective barrier, he knew he must be one of his own. Before he could examine him closely, he heard the old man call out "Master," which made him even more astonished. How could he have such an old, dying disciple? He asked...

"who are you?"

Upon hearing Zhong Yuanjue's question, the man in the sword-robed robe realized that he was now unrecognizable, and overwhelmed with sorrow, he wept bitterly.

"Master, it is I, Mingyu!"

"what?!"

Zhong Yuanjue was startled. He transformed into a beam of light, flying from the table behind the hall to the man in front, helping him up, and then carefully examining him. He was immediately filled with rage and demanded...
"Who injured you like this? Was it Zuo Taichong? He did it?!"

The residual power of the Four Realms Stars on the sword-robed man was so clear and abundant that Zhong Yuanjue could still recognize it.

The man in the sword-robed robe replied,

"No, it's not him. It's a stranger, also from the Fourth Realm, and also wearing a star robe."

Zhong Yuanjue frowned and said,
"Tell me carefully!"

The man in the sword-robed robe nodded and replied,
“At that time, I was negotiating with Zuo Taichong at Weibao Mountain when that man suddenly barged in and attacked me without any explanation, slapping me hard across the face. Master, look!”

The man pointed to his face and opened his mouth wide for Zhong Yuanjue to see; indeed, there were no teeth left inside.

"I went on behalf of you, on behalf of Emei, and on behalf of the Xuanmen! How could he have slapped my face?!"

The man in the sword-robed robe burst into tears and continued to sob.

"When I was humiliated, I immediately left Doumu Pavilion, intending to return to my sect for help. However, that person wanted to kill me, and cast four spells on me in succession: weakening, insufficiency, illness, and aging! The next spell might be fatal! I escaped with my life and was able to see my master!"

Zhong Yuanjue frowned. It was easy to judge which of his disciple's words were true and which were false. Escaping from someone else's dojo or the Four Realms was definitely false; that person must have deliberately let him return to show off. But that person's disrespect for Emei and Xuanmen was definitely true.

who can that be?

He wears a star robe and cultivates the star path. Could he be a reclusive elder of Doumu Pavilion who has been traveling outside all this time?
But that shouldn't be the case. In the past two years, Doumu Pavilion has been humiliated by me. If there is such a person, he should have returned to his sect long ago. Why did he have to wait until today? Moreover, isn't Doumu Pavilion good at starlight and praying to the gods? How could he have such powerful spells?
Just as Zhong Yuanjue was filled with doubt and uncertainty, he suddenly heard two loud announcements coming from the south.

"Fellow Daoists of Yunnan, I, Zuo Taichong of Doumu Pavilion, feel old and weary, and thus I resign from my position as leader. I hereby invite Wujiu Xuanzai of Sanqing Mountain to enter the mountain to serve as acting leader and manage the affairs of the sect. A ceremony will be held on the eighth day of the fourth month, and I cordially invite you to attend!"

"Fellow Daoists of Yunnan, I am Wan Gaoming of Wuliang Mountain. Recommended by my followers, I have been elected as the leader of the sect. I am deeply ashamed and pained by the fact that the Five Poisons Sect's methods are sinister and detrimental to the harmony of Heaven. Fortunately, under the guidance of Master Guangfa of Sanqing Mountain, I have been able to refine the teachings and reform the sect. Therefore, I hereby honor Master Guangfa as the Supreme Leader, change the Five Poisons Sect to the Wuliang Sect, and begin practicing unorthodox methods. A ceremony will be held on the ninth day of the fourth month, and I sincerely invite you to attend!"

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(End of this chapter)