Shushan Earthly Immortal

Chapter 413 Enlightenment Edict, Lord Shiyu

February 16th, Jia Chen day.

Spring rain falls softly, and thunder rumbles faintly.

Cheng Xinzhan spent fourteen days building an altar at the top of the Heavenly Ladder.

This is a "Five Thunder Altar," or more precisely, the "Responding to Things and Understanding Truth Altar" within the "Dragon Thunder Altar," the exact opposite of the "Heavenly Gang Dispelling Falsehood Altar" he performed not long ago. Heaven has the virtue of cherishing life, and this thunder altar is specifically used to awaken various false dragons with dragon shapes, endowing them with dragon spirit, dragon nature, and dragon might.

It was a simple three-tiered circular altar, covered with blue cloth. The top tier was inscribed with the "Supreme Heavenly Capital Register" in honor of Marshal Deng, with two pieces of lightning-struck wood carved into the Five Thunder Commands, placed on either side of the register. The second tier was covered with vines, laid out in a circle, end to end. The bottom tier was much larger than the previous two, and was engraved with the Seven Mansions of the East, the position where Cheng Xinzhan performed the ritual of stepping on the Big Dipper.

The Taoist priest flicked his finger, releasing a drop of divine dew that instantly transformed into a gentle rain, covering an area just the size of the altar. Simultaneously, the priest chanted incantations.

"Heaven and earth are natural, and impurities are dispersed."

The cave is mysterious and vast, its light shining brightly.

The mighty gods of the eight directions make me natural.

……

The evil and filth dissipate, while the Dao's vital energy remains.

After reciting the "Purifying Altar Mantra" and dispelling the evil spirits, it was exactly the hour of Chen (7-9 AM). Cheng Xinzhan lit three sticks of incense and recited the sacred proclamation.

"With utmost sincerity, I take refuge in the Divine Firmament Jade Palace, the Immortal Capital of Blazing Fire. Since the Primordial Ancestor's Kalpa, you have been separated from the True One, responding to the Origin with the One Qi to preserve destiny. May you be the creator of creation, supporting the rise of the Dao. Refined in the Southern Palace, you remain serene despite your extraordinary form; your voice resounds in mid-spring, bringing life to all things in harmony. Benevolence resides within you, your divine power is unfathomable. Great compassion and great vows, great sage and great mercy. Lord of Thunder in the Central Heaven, Law of Blazing Fire, True Lord of the Flame Emperor, Heavenly Venerable of Universal Transformation of the Great One Thunder."

The Taoist priest invited the deity to descend to the altar, performed a hand seal, bowed, and expressed his intentions. He then said...
"Burning incense, I proclaim to the Heavenly Lord Deng, the Law Master of the Swift Fire. Now there is a spirit of plants and trees, a green vine in the mountains, which has grown for a thousand years and been cultivated for a hundred years, finally taking the shape of a dragon, which is no easy feat. This vine has also endured being struck by heavenly lightning, tempered by earthly fire, and destroyed by human demons, experiencing three tribulations in heaven, earth, and humanity, but failed in the human tribulation."

"However, Heaven cherishes life, and thunder possesses the power of creation. Today, demonic forces are rampant between heaven and earth, and yin prevails over yang. It is precisely the time when human strength is needed. Therefore, Cheng Xinzhan, a disciple of the Thunder Palace, has set up an altar here, in accordance with the timing of heaven, responding to the nature of things, and communicating with the divine truth. He requests that the dragon thunder be used to confer the title of General Who Exterminates Demons, to sweep away the demonic forces, restore order to the world, and to invoke the mighty gods of the Thunder Department to command the power of the dragon and manifest the righteousness of heaven!"

As the gods made their wishes, thunder suddenly roared in the sky as if in response, and the spring rain suddenly intensified, pouring down like a waterfall.

The Taoist priest himself emitted a powerful dragon aura that spread across the top of the Heavenly Ladder. Clouds, thunder, and rain all converged, as if in worship. He drew his magic sword, "Gao Zhen," holding it in his right hand, pointing it towards the heavens, while his left hand formed a thunder formation. He then began his ritual steps, performing the "Eastern Constellation Transformation Formation," stepping on the four cardinal directions (Horn, Neck, Root, Room, Heart, Tail, Winnowing Basket) in sequence, while simultaneously chanting a thunder-summoning incantation.

"The New Year begins, and thunder roars."

Thunder Ancestor of the Nine Heavens, bestow upon me profound power.

With Marshal Deng personally present, his orders were obeyed without question.

"Not for personal gain, but to summon this dragon thunder."

Just as Cheng Xinzhan finished reciting the first paragraph, lightning struck down from the sky, hitting the magic sword in his hand with tremendous force. The Taoist priest gripped the magic sword tightly, swung it down, and pointed it at the green vines on the altar.

"boom!"

With a loud bang, silver lightning, like a white dragon, landed on the altar, intertwining with the vines and making a hissing sound, causing the vines to tremble violently.

"All things have a spirit, and the most spirited is the dragon."

May thunder prosper and trees flourish.

Seeking truth through falsehood reveals the boundless possibilities of creation.

"Dragon thunder serves as the guide, dragon wood is imbued with spiritual power!"

As the second section was recited, the green vines rose from the altar on their own, bathed in lightning, their bodies growing larger and larger, sprouting whiskers, teeth, mane, scales, and toes—all these details were revealed one by one. Moreover, it was not merely an external appearance; nourished by the dragon lightning, the wooden orifices, wooden beads, and wooden embryo within the wooden dragon's body were all revitalized, awakening from the inside out, undergoing a complete transformation.

An aura of power from all four realms spread out.

Cheng Xinzhan's steps quickened, the star map beneath his feet shifting, the seven eastern constellations forming a luminous azure dragon. His sword danced with impenetrable speed, summoning lightning that poured down on the altar like a torrential downpour. The silver lightning illuminated his face, making him appear ethereal and divine, while his incantations continued unabated, booming like thunder and rapid as raindrops.

"Thunder is the father, and dragon is the mother."

Spring is the matchmaker, and vines sprout.

Deng Shuai, Deng Shuai, let's awaken his spirit!
Mengzhang, Mengzhang, let me give it form!
Eastern King, Eastern King, heed my command:
"Quickly lead the immortals to welcome us!"

"hold head high--"

Amidst the deafening thunderous incantations, a dragon's roar resounded.

The green vine had now fully taken on the form of a green dragon, stretching 120 zhang from head to tail, shaking its head and wagging its tail as it flew away from the altar. The wooden dragon roamed in the wind and rain, circling the top of the sky and earth, emitting long and stirring dragon roars, as if celebrating its new life.

However, at this moment, the wooden dragon had already gained sentience, but its eyes remained closed, as if they were merely a pair of prosthetic eyes carved from wood. Unable to see this vibrant world, perhaps due to its own frustration, even its roar carried a hint of urgency.

Cheng Xinzhan could sense the urgency contained in the dragon's roar. He smiled and said...

"Don't rush, don't rush, it's coming right away."

After going through six steps, including purifying the altar, inviting the gods, expressing the meaning, summoning thunder, shaping the form, and awakening the spirit, this ritual came to the seventh and final step: conferring the title.

Cheng Xinzhan pointed his sword at the wooden dragon and demanded an explanation.

"A worm growing in the rain, is it wood or a dragon?"

Then, the giant blue shadow in the wind and rain raised its head and shouted.

"Be a dragon! Be a dragon!"

Cheng Xinzhan nodded, then asked,
"Now that you've transformed into a dragon, are you ready to serve?"

The dragon answered,
"I am willing to obey your command!"

The Taoist priest asked again,

"Will you do good or evil in the future?"

"Do good! Do good!"

Cheng Xinzhan smiled and asked one last question.
How many good numbers are there?

However, this last question clearly stumped the Wood Dragon. He stammered, unsure how much to say. Too few vows might prevent him from advancing to the Dragon Realm, while too many might lead to failure to fulfill them and ultimately result in a loss of true power.

"How many good numbers are there?!"

Cheng Xinzhan continued to ask questions, his tone becoming more intense.

The wooden dragon panicked, its roar echoing, but it didn't know how to respond.

"Boom!"

Another thunderous boom resounded, and the wooden dragon, startled, had a flash of inspiration and answered.

"I am willing to obey your command!"

Faced with Mu Long's clever, irrelevant answer, Cheng Xinzhan smiled, somewhat satisfied. She then decided not to press Mu Long further and took the initiative to speak.

"Is it possible to perform 800 good deeds?"

"It can do it! It can do it!"

Mu Long answered happily.

Cheng Xinzhan nodded, then bowed again to the statue of Marshal Deng on the altar, and said,

"Reporting to the Heavenly Lord Deng, the Law Master of the Swift Fire: A spirit, adorned in the form of a vine, has attained enlightenment and is wholeheartedly devoted to good deeds. He has been granted eight hundred merits. To reward his heart and honor his will, he should be promoted and granted his true form. Disciples of the Thunder Palace, Taoist priests of utmost devotion, are willing to vouch for this spirit, to paint his eyes and add the dragon's touch, and appoint him as the 'General of the Azure Tassel Who Controls Thunder and Binds Demons,' to slay demons and protect the people!"

As soon as the Taoist finished speaking, the wooden dragon had already swum to him and was bowing its head to wait.

Cheng Xinzhan cut his finger, and blood mixed with lightning paste gushed out, intertwined with crimson and silver. He raised his hand and tapped two spots on the wooden dragon's eyeball.

Blood-red light, lightning, and azure light flashed alternately, and then the gaze of the Vine Dragon appeared. The Vine Dragon's eyes were silver with azure pupils, and within them, lightning flashed and clouds and rain gathered.

"Greetings, my esteemed teacher. Please bestow upon me a name."

Tenglong lowered his eyes and bowed.

Cheng Xinzhan smiled broadly.
"It is by chance that I have chosen you to be a dragon. It just so happens that the reason I learned thunder magic back then was because of the guidance of a master named Shi. So I have given you the surname Shi and named you Yu Jun, hoping that you can become the messenger of timely rain and do more good deeds."

Tenglong raised his head, his dragon eyes gleaming, and said loudly,
"Thank you, my dear teacher!"

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 upper reaches of the Xijiang River in Yuyang, Huding Mountain, and Heilong Temple.

The once sacred Zen temple has now become a den of demonic dragons. Li Dongmiao, the Yue King of the Southern School and the master of the western border of Yuyang, stands in mid-air, facing south, looking towards Yunti Mountain. He squints at the wooden dragon that is roaming and roaring in the wind, rain and thunder, his face ashen and his eyes dark.

Yuyang is not a large city, and with the sudden addition of three fourth-level experts, it felt crowded and uncomfortable.

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.

Across the Lingdingyang Sea lies Kowloon Island.

The Hu brothers stood in mid-air, watching the azure dragon soaring and roaring amidst the wind, rain, and thunder, their eyes gleaming with a divine light. One of them said,

"I never imagined he could also conjure a spirit dragon?"

Another nod,
"It truly is the ability to turn the rotten into the miraculous."

"Wouldn't following someone like that just benefit that brat Mu Longzhang?"

"It's true."

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.

Penghu Island is located in the South China Sea, where it meets the East China Sea.

The evil demon, appearing in the form of a nascent soul spirit, watched this scene from afar, his face extremely grim. After a long while, he managed to utter a single sentence.
"Let's see how long you can hold out!"

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.

Three more days.

Cheng Xinzhan rode a lion away from Yunti Mountain, crossed the Lingdingyang, and arrived directly at Yinping Mountain on the other side of the bay.

Yinping Mountain is located in the very center of the five-mountain defense line in eastern Yuyang, serving as the pivot and backbone of the Yuyang Taoist sect in its defense against the demons of the South China Sea. Master Zou, the leader of the Yuyang Taoist sect and the abbot of Luofu Mountain, is stationed here.

This is similar to the situation of Deng Qingyang, the leader of the Hengshan Sword Sect. With the demonic tide surging, if the sect leader doesn't intervene, the Southern Sect will attack right at their doorstep. This would be a huge blow to the reputation and prestige of a long-established sect. If they still can't defeat the demonic sect at this point, the next step is to fully activate the mountain-protecting formation, cutting off access and sealing off the mountain for self-defense. This is similar to some of the major righteous sects in Miao Jiang and Longxi today.

Doing so would mean declaring to the world that I am no longer concerned with the struggle between good and evil; I am only concerned with the continuation of the Daoist lineage. However, this is not something to be ashamed of. Many reclusive sects established this rule at the beginning of their sects: regardless of the situation in the world, they only care about seeking the Dao and immortality.

However, doing so would also mean another problem: they would lose control of their own sects, the common people under their rule, and the mountains, lakes, and mines outside the mountains. As a result, after the great war, when the righteous path reclaims the lost territory, these reclaimed things would have nothing to do with the secluded sects that had closed the mountains; they would only be distributed to the sects that had made meritorious contributions in eliminating demons.

Throughout history, many reclusive sects have suffered setbacks and disappeared without a trace. For example, the once-powerful Northern Dao sect, Louguantai on Zhongnan Mountain, repeatedly suffered defeats and went into hiding, a cycle that had become ingrained. Now, clinging to their ancestral legacy, they are barely surviving, and it's said they didn't last long during this demonic tide either, closing their mountain retreat once more.

Many smaller sects also distinguished themselves in the war against demons, receiving substantial rewards afterward and rising to prominence. For example, the Western Kunlun Sect rose to power during the last demonic tide, becoming a dominant force in the southwest. Unfortunately, this current demonic tide was barely begun when this powerful sect was destroyed by the Blood God Child.

Of course, there are also some great sects with backbone who fought bloody battles, refusing to hide or close down, even having their ancestral halls reduced to ruins, but ultimately revived their lineage. The Hengshan Sword Sect, for example, has such an experience. Looking at it today, the Anqi Temple of Baiyun Mountain and the Hongmuling Sect of Fuxia Lake also share some similarities.

Clearly, the fact that the leader of Luofu Mountain was willing to venture out of the mountain to establish a stronghold, rather than simply retreating and sealing off the mountain, demonstrates that those within Luofu Mountain are also resilient and determined. Sometimes, such a signal alone is enough to boost morale and influence the battlefield.

Cheng Xinzhan arrived at the foot of Yinping Mountain.

He had only been in Yuyang for a short time when he defeated the evil devils and subdued Yunti Mountain. Now he was famous throughout Lingnan, and everyone knew him. As soon as he appeared, he was led into Yinping Mountain and waited in an elegant pavilion. Someone then informed him that Master Zou was there to receive him.

"The gentleman has arrived!"

Soon after, Master Zou arrived. The old Taoist priest was beaming with joy, his face radiant with happiness. He had been under considerable pressure lately. Not only on the west bank, but even Kowloon Island on the east bank had calmed down considerably. He knew that all of this was thanks to the young Taoist priest before him.

"Master Zou, greetings."

Cheng Xinzhan greeted him with a smile.

"Don't mention it, don't mention it. Come, sir, to my humble abode, and let's try some fresh wine from Lingnan."

Zou Shizheng grabbed Cheng Xinzhan's wrist, intending to personally lead him into the mountains.

Upon seeing this, Cheng Xinzhan said,
"Master Zou, thank you for your kindness, but I came in a hurry not to taste the wine, but because I have a favor to ask."

"Oh?"

Master Zou stopped in his tracks and asked,

"Is there something important?"

Cheng Xinzhan took out a letter from his person, handed it to Zou Shizheng, and said,
"It's nothing important, just a personal matter. I wonder if Luofu Mountain could do me a favor."

Zou Shizheng took the letter and saw six small characters written on the front: "To Master Shizheng." He turned it over and saw "Respectfully sealed in harmony" written on the back seal.

A letter arrived from a real person. The old Taoist priest immediately became solemn and carefully opened the envelope in front of Cheng Xinzhan, beginning to read it meticulously. He read very slowly and carefully, but after finishing, he seemed to stop abruptly. He asked in bewilderment,

"That's it?"

Cheng Xinzhan didn't understand his meaning, so she replied.

"That's how it is. Is there any difficulty?"

Master Zou chuckled to himself.
“What difficulty could there be? Just say the word, sir. Why bother sending a letter from a Taoist priest? It has startled this old Taoist.”

Upon hearing this, Cheng Xinzhan breathed a sigh of relief and smiled.
"That's good, I'm really sorry to have bothered you."

Upon hearing this, Master Zou waved his hand repeatedly.
"It's alright, it's alright. Are you going now, sir?"

Cheng Xinzhan nodded.

"Yes, before the baby is born, I am ultimately unable to do so, and there is indeed some urgency."

Master Zou nodded, took out a blue lotus-shaped jade pendant from his robes, and handed it to Cheng Xinzhan, saying,
"With this token, you may freely enter and exit Mount Luofu and Lotus Cave."

Cheng Xinzhan accepted the gift with both hands and thanked him repeatedly.

After a few pleasantries, Cheng Xinzhan took his leave.

Master Zou personally escorted Cheng Xinzhan out of the mountain, watching him head towards Mount Luofu, then murmured to himself,
"He calls this 'being unable to do something'?"

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.

Meanwhile, in the South China Sea, on Penghu Island, at Zhibo Cave.

Inside the cave, the evil spirit in his Nascent Soul form sat down heavily on the ground, a huge furnace in front of him, into which he was throwing spiritual materials. Within the furnace, a human figure could be vaguely seen slowly taking shape.

Just then, a figure in green robes suddenly appeared behind him. The figure looked at him for a while, and seeing that the devil hadn't noticed, the figure spoke first.
"Stop refining it, I'll give you a new spiritual body."

"what!"

The devil was startled and jumped up, already holding the grappling hook in his hand.

However, upon recognizing the person who had arrived, he quickly put away his magical artifact and bowed respectfully.
"Greetings, Great Sage."

The man in the green robe nodded.
“I’m giving you a new spirit body. You can do one thing for me, which is also avenging yourself.”

　Requesting monthly votes and recommendations! Comments and messages are welcome!
　　
　
(End of this chapter)