Shushan Earthly Immortal

Chapter 398 The Dragon Emerges from the Mountain, Robbers on Emei Mountain (5K words presented, please support with monthly votes~)

A streak of light came from the northeast, moving at incredible speed, accompanied by the sound of wind and thunder, creating a tremendous spectacle. At the same time, a terrifying aura spread out, and even the clouds in the sky parted to make way for it.

This aura could only have originated from an old monster who had been immersed in the four realms for many years, and the strong dragon might also indicated that the newcomer was a person of extraordinary status.

This is someone who far surpasses Mulongzhang in both realm and dragon might.

This person comes from Wumeng Mountain, so the answer is obvious: he should be the Wumeng Demon Ancestor, the Fiend Dragon, Xiao Youshi.

"Brother, put out the fire first! Put out the fire quickly!"

Seeing the streak of light heading straight for Cheng Xinzhan, Mu Longzhang shouted loudly. He certainly wanted that thief to die soon, but he was also afraid of Cheng Xinzhan's endless protective techniques, worried that Xiao might not be able to achieve his goal in one strike. At this moment, he dared not wait a moment longer at Ailao Mountain.

The light heard this, hesitated for a moment, and continued to move straight, but couldn't stop the Dragon Staff from shouting. So after traveling a distance, it chose to change direction, descend, and arrive above the Ailao Mountains.

The flowing light condensed into a human shape, transforming into a rather burly old man.

The old man appeared to be in his fifties, showing early signs of aging, with a sinister face, but also exuding a youthful vigor. He was burly, with a muscular physique, and wore a black bird-feather cloak over his shoulders. His skin was somewhat dark, and he had a sharp, hooked nose. His head was bald on top, but the sides were thick and bushy, growing upright like wild grass, somewhat unruly, and from a distance, they resembled the ears of an owl.

The most peculiar thing was its eyes, exactly like those of a night owl—yellowish-red with bloodshot eyes, appearing deep and fierce beneath its prominent brow bone.

Cheng Xinzhan was looking down at him, and he was looking up at Cheng Xinzhan, as if he could see through the cloud-like barrier surrounding Cheng Xinzhan. Their eyes met.

The eye contact was brief, and Xiao Youshi quickly looked away. Then, he summoned a magical artifact.

This is a feather fan, about ten feet long, with a fan surface four feet wide, as large as a door panel, shaped like an inverted gourd, wider at the top and narrower at the bottom. The handle is over half a foot long and as thick as a child's arm. The handle is whitish and looks like a slender bone, while the fan surface is completely covered with feathers in four colors: black, yellow, blue, and red, with a satin-like sheen.

The demon, holding fans in both hands, stood suspended in mid-air to the east of the firefall, then vigorously waved the fans. Almost simultaneously, an east wind arose, a powerful, vast east wind carrying moist air, howling towards the firefall.

This magic fan, I don't know what kind of treasure it is, the wind it blows is extraordinary, and it really works. This powerful wind blows onto the fire waterfall, and actually makes the fire waterfall bend over and fly westward with the east wind.

The western side of Ailao Mountain is, of course, also mountain, a continuous range of mountains, but Xiao sometimes doesn't care where the fire blows or how it burns.

Xiao sometimes ignored it, but Cheng Xinzhan couldn't let it go unchecked. He took a deep look at the magic fan, his expression somewhat solemn. He could clearly smell the scent of the four elements—earth, water, wind, and fire—on it. This was the post-heavenly world, where the five elements reigned supreme. The four elements were magical restrictions commonly used only in ancient treasures. He hadn't expected that this Xiaolong was still using them, and with considerable power at that.

Seeing that the dragon could indeed handle the flames, Cheng Xinzhan used the gourd to retrieve the fire waterfall and also collected all the magical treasures. Then he patted the lion, signaling to leave.

He never imagined that a single trip out of the mountains would be enough to subdue a thousand-year-old demonic sect like the Ailao Mountains, which had four borders guarding it, especially in a place as complex as Dianwen. He simply wanted to find the weaknesses of the Ailao Mountains and the Dragon Staff, to secretly prepare for his next move, and at the same time, he wanted to see who would come to his aid and how quickly they could arrive.

Now that all these goals have been achieved, it's time to leave.

In addition, he was somewhat relieved that Ren Ying did not take action.

Cheng Xinzhan's magical power was severely depleted. Fighting against the Four Realms and continuously using magical treasures and spells had left him feeling physically and mentally exhausted. Fortunately, the Lion had been resting and conserving its energy, and now was the perfect time for it to unleash its power.

Upon receiving the command, the lion kicked off the ground with all four paws and ran wildly.

At this moment, Mu Longzhang was focused on returning to the mountain and paid no attention to him. The demon knew that the mountain-protecting formation was now at its last gasp and needed to be repaired quickly, otherwise, if the Taoist priest launched a counterattack or other powerful enemies came knocking, then it would be truly over.

Xiao cursed inwardly when he saw this. He thought that the lion was guarding the house for him, but he didn't even try to delay. He was really short-sighted. The lion was fast and went far away in a short while.

However, at that moment, a golden light suddenly shot out from the northern sky, moving at great speed and arriving in an instant, blocking Cheng Xinzhan's path.

The lion's pupils contracted, but its speed didn't stop; it opened its mouth and let out a roar.
"Roar--"

The lion, with its high stance, had previously relied on brute force, thus burying its talent. In recent years, however, it had received instruction from Marshal Kui, and its power and energy had become more disciplined. At this moment, it let out a roar of extraordinary power, causing the void to churn like waves as it struck the person blocking its path.

"Roar--"

However, to everyone's surprise, a lion's roar also rang out from the other side.

The two sonic booms collided like real waves in the water, creating a thunderclap that echoed down from the sky and reverberated among the mountains.

Upon seeing the commotion, Xiao did not hesitate at all and immediately gave chase.

The void creased, forcing the lion to stop.

Cheng Xinzhan looked closely and saw that the person blocking his way was a fat, big-eared monk. Moreover, this monk exuded a pure and righteous aura, unlike the demonic monks of Xikang and Tubo. Somewhat surprised, he said...
"When did monks become highway robbers?"

The monk burst into laughter.
"Everyone says that Master Guangfa is incredibly powerful and has profound insight, but he's actually a fool who can't distinguish between Buddhism and Taoism. Let me let you, you wicked Taoist, know that I am Zhong Yuanjue, 'Brahma Flying Light,' from Leidongping, Mount Emei. Don't mistake me for someone else again!"

Cheng Xinzhan suddenly realized that he had heard of this Zhong Yuanjue before. He had heard from Master Fashan that Zhong Yuanjue was the one who led the Buddhist sect to return to the Xuan realm in Dianwen, and he was also the one who forced Doumu Pavilion before. He was a natural-born Buddhist in the Xuanmen sect who could please both Buddhism and Taoism.

He let out a sneer.
"Who do you think you are? It turns out you're an even more despicable opportunist than a highway robber. Hah, if we're talking about blurring the lines between Buddhism and Taoism, who in the world can compare to a two-faced scoundrel like you!"

Zhong Yuanjue never expected Cheng Xinzhan to be so undignified, uttering such vile words in front of others. He clenched his teeth in anger, his fat face jiggling, and pointed his thick, radish-like finger at Cheng Xinzhan.
"You bastard! You bastard!"

Cheng Xinzhan, however, was too lazy to argue with him and asked directly,

"I don't care whether you are a Buddha or a Taoist master, I'll just ask you one question now: are you a demon?"

Zhong Yuanjue was furious upon hearing this.
"Our Emei sect is irreconcilably opposed to demons. We have a long history of slaying demons and eliminating evil, and our achievements are well-known to all. What do you mean by asking this question?"

Cheng Xinzhan replied,
"You're helping the demon to block my path, and you still say you're not a member of the demonic sect?"

As they were talking, Xiao Youshi caught up and blocked Cheng Xinzhan's path, but did not make a move immediately. Instead, he watched with interest as Zhong Yuanjue and Cheng Xinzhan confronted each other.

Zhong Yuanjue roared in anger upon hearing this.

"Don't make false accusations. I just happened to be passing through Dianwen and saw someone practicing the Emei sword technique, splitting the sword into threads. That's why I came to investigate, only to find that it was you, the thief who stole the technique! Stealing other people's magic is to corrupt the lineage and endanger the inheritance. Of course, I have to intervene."

At this point, he gave a cold laugh.
"Return my Emei magic to me, and I will naturally let you go."

"Oh? How do I return it?"

Despite being attacked from both sides by two forces from the fourth realm, Cheng Xinzhan remained calm and showed no sign of panic.

Zhong Yuanjue witnessed this, which only heightened his vigilance. He thought to himself that this boy must not be allowed to live; he hadn't even entered the Fourth Realm yet, and he dared to attack the Ailao Mountains. Now, being intercepted and surrounded, he showed no sign of panic. Considering Cheng Xinzhan's past actions, Zhong Yuanjue became even more determined to capture him today.

Zhong Yuanjue's arrival was not as coincidental as he claimed. He was indeed in Yunnan, handling business at Kaiyuan Temple at the time, but upon noticing the commotion in Ailao Mountain, he rushed over immediately. He then lay in ambush in the air, observing the battle from afar, and blocked Cheng Xinzhan's return to Wuliang Mountain by land. Only when he realized Cheng Xinzhan was about to leave did he reveal himself to intercept him.

He naturally knew that Cheng Xinzhan hadn't stolen the technique; he had legitimately obtained the Emei magic from the Sword Pavilion through his merits in slaying demons. However, this was just a pretext. As long as there was a legitimate reason, that was enough. Whether it could withstand scrutiny was actually not important; many things are like that.

Zhong Yuanjue understood perfectly well that the Demonic Sect was nothing more than a minor ailment, rampant for a time and unlikely to last. The current leader of the Demonic Path was merely a disgraced disciple of Emei, demonstrating that good will ultimately triumph over evil. However, the Eastern Path was different. With a long and enduring lineage of immortal sects, it was the only force in the world capable of posing a real threat to Emei, and thus, it had to be guarded against.

Before, things were alright in the East. The sects were mostly hermits who advocated seclusion and cultivation, and there were many evergreen figures among them. However, the boundaries were clear, and the lineages were different. A single outstanding figure cannot form a forest, so this did not pose a threat to Emei. But since Cheng Xinzhan appeared, everything began to change. He began to connect with various sects. Now, in Yuzhang, which is known as the capital of the Dao, all the sects within its territory, except for Longhu Mountain, are so close that they are practically inseparable. He even managed to create the Haoran Alliance outside of the Eternal Righteousness Alliance.

Not only that, this man traveled throughout the East, making connections everywhere. He preached at Juqu Mountain, established a sect at Langshan Mountain, underwent tribulation at Bamian Mountain, and even created land overseas, among other things. His influence extended to many places including Kuaiji, Jinling, Yuyang, Jingchu, Miaojiang, and Hunan. But even so, this fiend was not satisfied. He skillfully maneuvered, colluding with the northern routes such as Laoshan to the north, with the Yellow Sea to the east, and establishing connections with various Buddhist sects along the coast to the south. What ambition this was! It is truly shocking!

Such a person, the apple of the eye of Sanqing Mountain, Yuzhang Daodu, and even the entire Haoran Alliance, had a cultivation career of less than sixty years, yet he spent nearly ten years in Xikang in hiding after forming the Golden Core.

What does this mean?
The Haoran Alliance has long had its eyes on the Xuanmen!

They want to take over Xuan Gui Dao!
Before, when the host country didn't make a move, you could say you were just worrying unnecessarily, but now look what's happened, they've come knocking on our door!
We've taken over Doumu Pavilion and Wuliang Mountain!
Ha, what are they doing coming from the east to the southwest? One is a acting leader, the other is a supreme leader. What about protecting the star veins and changing the demon to the other? They're all just talking nice words. In essence, aren't they just occupying land and expanding their territory?
The host is the most hypocritical!
Emei Mountain was openly merged with another prefecture, a fact known to all, and thus it was destined to be condemned. However, the eastern route, which actually merged with another prefecture, was given the pretext of "preservation," and thus gained worldwide renown.

How many fools are there in the world!

Okay, we occupied Weibaoshan and Wuliangshan yesterday, and today we're going to attack Ailaoshan. So what are we going to do tomorrow? Head north to Emei?

Their wolfish ambitions are blatantly obvious!
However, this thief, having had a smooth journey, must have become arrogant and forgotten that he was still in Yunnan, not in the East. He actually went out of the mountains alone to fight the demon, and finally, I seized the opportunity to intercept him.

So even if there are demonic cultivators present today, or if there is any suspicion of impropriety, I will never let go of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!
Seeing Cheng Xinzhan's calm and composed question, he smiled, leisurely, and deliberately humiliated her,

"Alright then, although you're only at the third realm, you're still a person of status, so I won't have you come back to Emei with me to be punished. To use the 'Taiyi Dividing Light Sword Technique,' the magic power must flow through the 'Jiaji acupoint,' and the right hand must form the 'Xuwen Divine Weapon Sword Instruction.' Now, cripple your 'Jiaji acupoint,' sever your right middle finger, and swear an oath not to pass on the technique. Then I'll consider it your fulfillment, and I'll have an explanation when I return to my sect."

"puff--"

Before Cheng Xinzhan could laugh, Xiao Youshi, who was behind him, laughed first.

Zhong Yuanjue glared angrily.

Seeing this, Xiao waved his hand repeatedly, then reached out to signal the two to continue.

The Demon Ancestor Wumeng was thinking that Cheng Xinzhan was said to be proficient in all techniques and a renowned Daoist in the East, while Zhong Yuanjue was a practitioner of both Buddhism and Daoism, having entered the fourth realm at a young age and now being one of the leaders in Emei. Both of these were great threats to the Southern Sect, yet they unexpectedly harbored a deep-seated grudge; otherwise, why would he have said something like telling someone to cripple their own cultivation? This was getting interesting; it would be best if these two fought to a standstill, causing a rift within the Xuandao sect.

Cheng Xinzhan, upon hearing Zhong Yuanjue's words, was not angry. He merely smiled wryly, then formed the "Xuwen Divine Weapon Sword Technique" in his hand, pointed it at the man, and said,
"Clouds lock a thousand peaks!"

"Taodu" responded and transformed into a golden wind, striking towards Zhong Yuanjue.

After resting for a while, he made the first move.

Zhong Yuanjue naturally knew that Cheng Xinzhan would not agree, but he did not expect that Cheng Xinzhan would directly use the Emei sword technique to control the Emei flying sword to attack him. He immediately felt that he had suffered a great humiliation, so he roared and summoned his own flying sword to meet the enemy head-on.

This person's flying sword had also been refined to the formless realm, transforming into a golden rainbow as thick as a water vat, which plunged into the golden wind like a swimming dragon.

Seeing that the two had finally started fighting, Xiao smiled slightly. His hand, hidden in his sleeve, moved and pointed, a faint light flashing between his fingers as he caught a black feather. The feather had a metallic sheen and a narrow white edge.

The demon ancestor carefully observed the battle, seeking an opportunity. He held a black feather between his fingers and gently swayed it in his sleeve. The void around the black feather was like water, constantly being cut open and then merged again under the manipulation of the feather.

However, Zhong Yuanjue and Cheng Xinzhan had only been fighting for a short while when a streak of azure light stretched out from the northern horizon, like a pair of azure scissors cutting through white silk. The trail of the azure light was extremely long and lingered for a long time, like a azure rope hanging horizontally in the sky.

Cheng Xinzhan looked at this scene and felt it was extremely familiar.

The azure rainbow landed directly in the center between Cheng Xinzhan and Zhong Yuanjue, at the place where the golden dragon and the golden wind were locked in combat.

So the two of them sheathed their swords at the same time.

The blue rainbow faded, revealing the figure of a woman with long hair and a yellow dress.

"Qingyun, what are you doing here?!"

Zhong Yuanjue said.

Zhou Qingyun, with her back to Zhong Yuanjue, looked at Xiao Youshi and replied,
"I was ordered to guard Qionghai Sword Pavilion and monitor Wumeng Mountain. Seeing that the Demon Ancestor suddenly left the mountain, I naturally had to come and see what was going on."

After saying that, she turned back to look at Zhong Yuanjue and asked,
"When I saw the sword intent swirling around here, I thought it was my Emei disciples fighting against demons. But when I got closer, I realized it was Uncle Zhong fighting against Master Cheng. Why did they let the Demon Ancestor watch?"

Zhong Yuanjue's face was very ugly. He had heard that Qing Suojian and the thief in front of him had a close relationship, but he never expected that she would actually question her elders to their faces in order to protect this thief!
"He stole the Emei sword technique, so naturally he has to give an explanation!"

Zhong Yuanjue said in a deep voice.

"Oh? I wonder which kind of magic it is?"

Zhou Qingyun countered with a question.

"Qingyun!"

Zhong Yuanjue did not answer, but instead called out Zhou Qingyun's name heavily.

Zhou Qingyun didn't answer, but turned her head to look at Xiao Youshi again, or the Taoist standing directly in front of Xiao Youshi.

Four people in one line.

'Um? ! '

Just then, Cheng Xinzhan's eyes widened suddenly. His calm and composed expression, which had remained unchanged since the burning of Ailao Mountain, turned panicked in that brief moment.

"Hey! What are you doing?! Stop!"

He rebuked the lion with a resounding voice.

The lion ignored them and carried Cheng Xinzhan at a trot all the way to Zhou Qingyun.

Cheng Xinzhan was completely flustered. She didn't know whether to jump down or not. Her fists were clenched tightly, gripping the lion's skin, while she had to control the expression on her face.

But lions are so thick-skinned and don't feel pain at all. In the blink of an eye, they were in front of Zhou Qingyun and put their heads close.

Zhou Qingyun was momentarily at a loss when she saw the lion suddenly run over, but she quickly noticed something from Cheng Xinzhan's subtle expression and saw a sly smile in the lion's beautiful and majestic golden eyes, so she immediately realized what was going on.

Her face remained unchanged, but her eyes revealed a captivating smile, magically transforming her expression from anger to joy.

She reached out and touched the lion, then said without turning her head.
“Uncle Zhong, Master Cheng said that the Demon Ancestor finally left Wumeng Mountain. Why don’t we take this opportunity to join forces, prioritize eliminating the demon, capture the Demon Ancestor, and rid the southwest of this great scourge before discussing anything else?”

Cheng Xinzhan was surprised.

Zhong Yuanjue hesitated.

Xiao was sometimes greatly alarmed.

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(End of this chapter)