Shushan Earthly Immortal

Chapter 428 Offering timely help and testing the waters (6.2K words, please support with monthly votes~)

"Boom!"

The fetal heartbeat was so loud it could be heard for miles around.

Several people at the foot of the mountain at the top of the Heavenly Ladder heard it.

At this time, the top of the Heavenly Ladder had been completely swept clean. Apart from Cheng Xinzhan, who was in seclusion at the top, and his personal spirit beast, there was no trace of living people. Even Zuo Feizi, who was stationed halfway up the mountain, had been driven down and sent to guard the coastline south of the Cloud Ladder Mountain.

Of course, Zuo Feizi wouldn't blindly follow orders, but he wasn't entirely without discernment either. The two vice leaders of Sanqing Mountain had come together to protect their master, and they clearly didn't trust him, so there was no need for him to insist on starting a conflict.

However, the commotion caused by this master's attainment of enlightenment was truly significant, and his breakthrough at Yunti Mountain was quite impressive.

This is what Zifei thought.

At that moment, at the foot of the Heavenly Ladder, Xu Shiren, Dong Shouren, and Shi Tongxuan gathered together, spontaneously protecting Cheng Xinzhan. Upon hearing the fetal heartbeat, all three smiled. Shi Tongxuan clapped and cheered.

"As expected, it's a full-fledged fetus entering the fourth stage!"

Xu Shiren was naturally happy, but at the same time he was also very worried, so he said,

“Three days ago, Master Jing told me that he was going back to the mountain to go into seclusion. I thought he meant Sanqing Mountain, but I didn’t expect it to be Yunti Mountain. It’s too close to the South China Sea and the Southern Wilderness.”

Upon hearing this, Dong Shouren and Shi Tongxuan exchanged a glance, their thoughts echoing the same thing:
Yes, this seems far too risky. He has always been cautious in his cultivation, advancing to the second and third stages always at home, specifically within the Five Prefectures Mountain. Furthermore, the sect has intervened to help conceal any unusual phenomena, fearing that too much commotion would attract attention. The same applies to his Core Cleansing Tribulation; aside from the first time when he was tricked and forced to undergo it hastily, he has always chosen a safe place for his tribulation. Even now, very few within the sect know exactly how many Core Cleansing stages he has undergone. But why is this breakthrough from the third to the fourth stage so high-profile? He chose to cultivate in seclusion at the gates of the Demonic Sect, and with such alarming fanfare, as if he desperately wants everyone to know.

However, after hearing Xu Shiren's words, the two felt much more at ease. Xin Zhan had decided to "return to the mountain for seclusion" three days ago, which meant that this breakthrough was something he had planned and decided on in advance, and was not something he had done out of necessity like the first time he was harmed by someone during the Dan Tribulation.

This is a good thing.

Moreover, given the current situation, he naturally couldn't reveal the truth to outsiders, lest it damage the reputation of his family's sutra master. Therefore, Dong Shouren cupped his hands in thanks for Xu Shiren's protection, and then said...
“The sutra master has always been discerning and decisive. He must have had his reasons for doing this.”

Xu Shiren listened and found it reasonable, so he agreed.
"That is, that is."

As they were talking, a bolt of lightning came from the northeast, moving with lightning speed, and arrived in an instant, landing in Cloud Ladder Mountain.

Shi Tongxuan and Dong Shouren were naturally familiar with that lightning bolt, so they did not try to stop it.

"what's the situation?!"

The lightning struck the three of them, transforming into a human figure that opened its mouth and asked a question, its voice a mixture of surprise and shock.

Dong Shouren replied with a smile.
“Unlike the first wash, this time he chose it himself. Don’t overthink it. Now that he’s here, just stay here and watch over him.”

Fu Shouzhen chuckled and nodded in agreement.

"Why did you come so fast?"

Shi Tongxuan asked with a smile, somewhat surprised. He explained that he, Shouren, and Shiren were closer and had seen the celestial phenomenon, which was why they had come first. However, the ancestral court was far away in northern Yuzhang and should not have been able to see the celestial phenomenon. How could Shouzhen have arrived so soon after the fetal heartbeat had been heard? And how did he immediately determine that the fetal heartbeat came from Xinzhan?
Fu Shouzhen laughed upon hearing this.

"The incense in the ancestral hall at home is emitting blue smoke, which is forming clouds above the Sanqing Palace. Coupled with the earth's trembling sounds, if I still can't figure it out, I might as well find a pillar and kill myself."

Shi Tongxuan suddenly realized.

Just as Fu Shouzhen arrived, still in the northeast direction, two more long rainbows flew in, one green and one yellow.

"Those two families have arrived."

Dong Shouren said this, and then emitted a beam of light to guide the two down.

"Why are they moving so fast? Could it be that the sect's fortune has also been affected?"

Shi Tongxuan laughed. At this time and in this place, the more people came, the happier he was.

Two beams of rainbow light descended and transformed into two Taoist priests, namely Master Zhenchang of Sanyuan Mountain and Master Nengyue of Juqu Mountain.

Seeing the four groups of people gathered at the foot of Cloud Ladder Mountain, all looking relatively relaxed and not at all on high alert, the two immediately felt much more at ease. They exchanged a glance, smiles appearing in each other's eyes. Master Zhenchang then said,
"It seems we were overthinking it."

"How did you get here so quickly?"

Fu Shouzhen asked, as he was also curious.

Master Zhenchang then replied,

"There is something unusual about the Gan River, with golden lotuses emerging from the water. Coupled with the sounds of the earth's embryonic development, we knew that Xinzhan was about to break through to a higher realm. However, the source of the sounds of the embryonic development was the battlefield of Yuyang. We were worried that Xinzhan might have been framed and had no choice but to break through to a higher realm on the spot, so the sect hurriedly sent me to check. But now it seems that this is not the case."

In fact, there were many people and many noises around, so there were some things that Master Zhenchang couldn't say. The strange changes in the Gan River were far more than just the emergence of golden lotuses in the water. More importantly and more noticeably, the White Dragon Sandbar in the middle of the river suddenly emitted a divine light and roared like a dragon. The high-ranking members of the Jingming Sect almost thought that it was about to transform into a dragon and leave. Fortunately, a sage living in the mountains was quick-witted and managed to cover up the strange phenomenon in time.

"The earth shook violently, the earth beneath the mountain gate seemed to breathe, and the earth's energy rose and condensed into a dark yellow canopy on the mountaintop. In addition, the earth's fetal sound resounded throughout the mountain. Who else could be making such a commotion but Master Guangfa? Daoist Zhenchang and I had the same thought. When we heard the fetal sound in Yuyang, we were worried that something was wrong, so we rushed over."

Master Nengyue replied.

Everyone was both surprised and astonished. It turned out that the Ziwei phenomenon on Yunti Mountain was just one of the phenomena of a master breaking through to a higher realm. Phenomena appeared in places where there was a connection with the master's energy.

The Taoist priests looked up, their anticipation for the figures on the mountaintop growing even stronger.

At this moment, before the trails of the three streaks of light in the northeastern sky had completely dissipated, another streak of black and white light flew in from the northwestern sky, its speed no less than that of the three streaks in the east.

"It's Fellow Daoist Wen who has arrived."

Shi Tongxuan said. His Taoist temple was in Sanxiang, which was next to Wuling. He also knew that Tianzhen Tongzi had been kind to Cheng Xinzhan, so after establishing his sect in Langshan, he took the initiative to contact Zhenwu Temple. The two of them, one practicing Yin and Yang and the other practicing Xuanwu, got along quite well and became very familiar with each other.

He unleashed a beam of magical light, drawing Wen Tianzhen down.

"congratulations!"

The black and white light descended, transforming into a handsome young boy. Seeing that everyone was relaxed and unguarded, the boy probably understood the situation and then cupped his hands to congratulate them.

"Thank you, thank you. Xinzhan has received guidance from the Daoist Master, and you have been a mentor to him, so we should share in the joy. In addition, I would like to thank the Daoist Master for coming from afar to protect Xinzhan."

Shi Tongxuan smiled and replied, genuinely grateful. This was Yunti Mountain, not Sanqing Mountain, where conflicts could erupt at any moment. Their presence to protect him was not just adding to his glory, but a timely act of kindness.

The innocent child waved his hand.

"Why say such things? When I was conceived, it was Xinzhan who protected me. I only came here because I saw that everyone from the four eastern regions was rushing here and I thought that Xinzhan was in danger. Please don't blame me."

At the same time, Wen Tianzhen also had some doubts:
When I broke through to a higher realm, I used myself as bait to lure Xin Chenzi into a trap. Could Xin Zhan's breakthrough at Yunti Mountain be influenced by me?
Yunti Mountain was extremely lively today. Just as Tianzhen arrived, someone else came from the direction of Yuzhang. This time it was a yin-yang mysterious light. Judging from the speed of its escape, it seemed to be a fourth-realm expert as well.

"The main character has arrived."

Shi Tongxuan said with a smile.

The Yin-Yang Mystic Light descended, transforming into a female Taoist priest dressed in a purple bat robe, with cold and stern eyes.

Wen Sukong was slightly surprised to see so many people from the four realms present. She made a hand seal in front of her chest and nodded in greeting.

The crowd returned the greeting.

At this moment, there were eight Fourth Realm experts present at the foot of Cloud Ladder Mountain. Shi Tongxuan felt much less pressure and relaxed, even joking with Wen Sukong.

"Su Kong, your esteemed disciple is about to surpass you and enter the fourth realm. Are you worried?"

Wen Sukong's lips curled up slightly upon hearing this.

"The student surpasses the teacher, that's a good thing, there's no need to rush. It would be best if he entered the fourth realm as soon as possible. I will pass on the position of mountain lord to him, and I will no longer have to worry about the inheritance of the lineage. I can slowly refine my elixir myself, wouldn't that be wonderful?"

"Ha ha ha ha--"

Shi Tongxuan burst into laughter upon hearing this.

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 China Sea, Penghu Island, Zhibo Cave.

The evil devil locked his cave and was healing himself. He had received the body of the Sea-Turning Azure-Scaled Ape from the Green Robe, which was originally an excellent husk. But now, the scales had all fallen off, revealing pale flesh covered in rotten pus, emitting a foul stench, making him look like a corpse buried in mud.

The demon's aura was weak, his breathing was unsteady, and his breathing was like a broken bellows. In this state, it was hard to tell that he was a great demon of the fourth realm.

At this moment, the evil devil also heard the fetal heartbeat, but he had no desire to go out and take a look. He only wanted to get rid of the evil poison rooted in this body.

"who!"

The devil suddenly screamed and turned his head sharply, but his body was severely rotten. In that instant, the rotten flesh on his neck was torn off, and his head fell off, hanging crookedly from his neck bone.

However, this also allowed him to see the person who had come.

The Green-Robed Ancestor.

The evil devil's heart skipped a beat. He really didn't want to see this person again. Since he escaped, this person had come to Penghu Island twice and made him do two things. The first was to protect Yunti Mountain, and the second was to curse that Taoist priest. After doing these two things, he almost lost his life.

What is he doing here again?
"What are your instructions, Ancestor?"

He moved gently, turning around and carefully lifting the head back into place.

"I want you to descend again."

The Green-Robed Ancestor said.

"Clap!"

The devil's heart skipped a beat, his hand trembled, and his head fell off again, tearing off several more clumps of rotten flesh.

“Ancestor, look at me, I’m already in this state, I’m afraid it’s difficult for me to descend any further.”

"No, you have to get off."

The green-robed man spoke decisively. However, seemingly realizing that the pitiful state of the skinless ape before him stemmed from his orders, and also realizing that his tone had been too harsh, he added in a softer voice,
"This time, I don't want you to curse him to death or maim him. Just try to disrupt him, to disturb his mind or his qi circulation, even if it's just for a moment."

"Whom does the Ancestor intend to curse?"

The evil devil struggled to speak.

“It’s the same Taoist priest from last time, Cheng Xinzhan of the Wanfa Sect. You heard the fetal heartbeat too; he’s forming a fetus. I need you to interrupt him,” the green-robed man replied.

"Boom!"

The devil knelt down abruptly, his head slamming against the ground with a dull thud, flesh flying from his face as he cried out in agony.
"I beg you, Ancestor, to spare my life!"

The man in the green robe frowned.

"I don't want your life. I just want you to interrupt him. Is that so hard?"

"I beg you, Ancestor, to spare my life!"

The evil devil cried out again. He wasn't stupid. That Taoist priest had managed to turn him into this ghostly state when he was still in the third realm. Now that he had one foot in the fourth realm and dared to break through to the next realm in seclusion by the South China Sea, who knew what kind of support he had? Wouldn't it be suicide to curse him?

The last time Green Robe cursed this Taoist was when he saw him daring to act in Yuyang, but not knowing his exact location, he couldn't make a move and thus sought out me to cast a curse. Now, everyone in the world knows he's on Cloud Ladder Mountain, so why doesn't Green Robe just come to kill him directly, but instead comes to me to cast a curse? What does he want? Does he really expect me to be able to stop him from breaking through his cultivation realm? No, no, it's merely a test.

I am that stone.

I certainly don't want to be that rock.

You must curse!

The man in the green robe watched as the devil knelt repeatedly, kowtowing until the flesh on his face peeled away, revealing his bare bones. But he did not soften because of this; instead, he became indifferent again, his tone leaving no room for doubt.

"I humbly request, Ancestor..."

The devil was still wailing, but this time, before he could finish speaking, he stopped abruptly—a strange, golden insect landed on his face, its sharp, barbed mouthparts poised to strike.

……

The fifth day after the fetal heartbeat was detected.

"I'll give you one more hour. If the altar doesn't rise, I'll send you to be reincarnated."

The voice of the Green-Robed Ancestor echoed within the Still Wave Cave; only his voice could be heard, not his person.

"Ancestor! It was agreed that it would take at least ten days! If the altar isn't built properly, the power of the incantation won't be great! Besides, this time we have no medium, only our names!"

The devil responded incredulously, looking around in panic.

"I don't care, I can't wait any longer, the spell must be cast within an hour!"

The Green-Robed Ancestor's voice was icy cold; the incessant, fetal-like zither music was driving him to utter irritation. Now, the whole world was watching him make a fool of himself; he couldn't bear to wait even an hour, let alone five more days.

After saying this, his voice disappeared, and he did not respond to the devil's cries for mercy.

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 China Sea, Xianglu Islands, Dayu Island.

"See the ancestor!"

A green figure appeared, and the Hu brothers knelt down to pay their respects.

"Get up and talk."

Across from the Hu brothers, the green-robed man's complexion was much better than the evil devil's, and his tone was also much more amiable.
"How is Kaitaki's injury?"

Hu Hailong bowed again and replied,

"Thanks entirely to the 'Mysterious Netherworld Female Demon' and the true dragon's essence bestowed upon me by the Ancestor, my injuries have healed considerably."

The man in the green robe nodded and then said,
"Don't rush about the inner core. I'm keeping an eye out for it. The Sand Sea Sky-Supporting Granny has a Black Water Serpent at the fourth realm. I think that inner core would be suitable for you."

"Thank you for your concern, Ancestor!"

Hu Hailong was visibly excited, bowing repeatedly.

On one side, Hu Haitao's face also showed gratitude and joy, but deep in his eyes, a trace of worry appeared - this Dragon King's favor was not so easy to take.

"It doesn't matter, it doesn't matter."

The man in the green robe waved his hand, then changed the subject, saying...

"I do have a job here, and I'll only feel at ease if I entrust it to the two of you."

coming soon.

Hu Haitao's heart stirred, and he listened intently.

"But it depends on the ancestor's orders!"

Hu Hailong said loudly.

The man in the green robe nodded, then spoke slowly.
"I want you two brothers to go to the sea and stir up waves to drown Cloud Ladder Mountain."

"what?!"

Hu Hailong's expression changed.

"What, what's the problem?"

The man in the green robe narrowed his eyes and asked in a deep voice.

Hu Hailong lowered his head, his eyes darting around rapidly. To stir up waves and attack the land, to use water to overcome earth—even a Fifth Realm expert would have to think twice about such a thing. The backlash from the earth's energy was no joke. The Green-Robed Ancestor himself was a Fifth Realm Dragon King; the South Sea was his, and he didn't even want to do it. How could it possibly be the turn of his two brothers to do it?

Besides, flooding Yunti Mountain is simply to prevent that Taoist priest from achieving enlightenment. Of course, I don't want the thief to succeed, but at the same time, I don't want to be the one to stick my neck out. Yunti Mountain looks peaceful, but who knows how many masters are lurking inside? The Xin Chenzi incident happened only a few years ago; how can I get involved in this mess?

However, these are things that cannot be said directly.

“Ancestor, it’s March now. The mountains have thawed, and the ice and snow have turned into streams. It’s also the rainy season. The four major rivers in the west, north, central and east are increasing in volume every day and flowing south into the sea. If they start to surge and flow backward at this time, I’m afraid it will be a lot of trouble for little reward!”

Hu Hailong's mind raced, and in the blink of an eye, he came up with a reasonably suitable excuse.

"Do not worry about Kaitaki."

Upon hearing Hu Hailong's words, the green-robed man flipped his hand and produced a shimmering, water-like magical artifact, handing it over and saying,
"I have a magical artifact here called the 'Ruyi Water Smoke Net,' which can help you control the seawater and counteract the power of rivers. This item can also be used for self-defense; ordinary methods cannot break through the water's shimmering light on this net. Its offensive and defensive variations are entirely at your command. Your old injuries have not yet healed, so take this treasure with you; it will put my mind at ease. Once this matter is resolved, I will give this magical artifact to you."

Hu Hailong stared at the magical artifact, a thin silk cloth upon which water shimmered and the sound of surging tides could be heard, as if it contained a boundless ocean. His eyes flickered, as if he were about to be moved.

"Ancestor!"

Just as Hu Hailong was about to speak, Hu Haitao suddenly interrupted, cutting off the words his younger brother Hu Hailong was about to utter.

"Hmm? What does Hai Tao have to say?"

The man in the green robe squinted at him.

Hu Haitao looked up and spoke earnestly and frankly.

“Ancestor, stirring up waves is not difficult, the difficult part is Yunti Mountain.”

Upon hearing this, the man in the green robe immediately frowned, and his tone, no longer as warm as before, became serious as he said,
"Oh? What's so difficult about that? Does Hai Tao also fear that brat?"

"No, no."

Hu Haitao shook his head, then looked directly at the man in green robes, his tone generous and his words sincere.
"He's just a child, what's there to be afraid of? I have other concerns. Ancestor, Yunti Mountain is too close to Huangmaoyang!"

"My brother and I are fellow dragons from the sea. When it comes to the ability to control water and create waves, we are certainly no match for our ancestor. But if we combine our strength, we are definitely a cut above other dragon descendants."

"Even so, if we want to create a huge wave that can submerge Cloud Ladder Mountain, and take into account the righteous path's countermeasures, then we must start building up the momentum at least six or seven hundred miles away from the shore. In this way, the wave will be over a thousand feet high when it reaches the shore. But at the same time, such a high wave will be at least five hundred miles wide when it reaches the shore."

"Ancestor, Yunti Mountain is less than two hundred li from Huangmaoyang. When the big waves come, they will flood the cliff gate and may disrupt your dragon energy!"

After saying this, Hu Haitao kowtowed deeply.

The moment Hu Haitao mentioned the name Huangmaoyang, the Green-Robed Ancestor's expression changed. He listened quietly to Hu Haitao finish speaking, remained silent for a long while, and then said...
"Hai Tao, you are indeed a clever man. You are absolutely right. The brat you mentioned is also an extremely clever man. He didn't choose Yunti Mountain to break through his cultivation level randomly. He wanted to humiliate me and prevent me from using the South China Sea's geographical advantage to deal with him. Yunti Mountain is too close to Yamen, and this person's control over the earth's energy and veins is unparalleled in the world. He can use powerful methods such as tsunamis, earth dragons turning over, earth fire erupting, and thunder and floods. If we are not careful, Yamen will collapse."

At this moment, Green Robe felt a little fortunate. He was glad that when he crossed the river to the sea, he diverted the flow after passing Heshan and entered the Yamen River, taking control of the Tanjiang River and the sea, thus gaining sole control of Huangmaoyang. If he had followed the old route to the sea through Modaomen, the situation today would probably be even worse.

In addition, he had a vague guess in his mind that perhaps the reason why that child chose to undergo tribulation in a grand manner on Yunti Mountain and used the Cliff Gate as a hostage was to force him to come ashore and force him to climb Yunti Mountain to take action.

Can I go by myself?
It's not that we're afraid, it's that we need to test the waters first before making a decision.

Ultimately, the reason I've ended up in this awkward situation is because these sea monsters are so bad-natured, so they should be the ones to ask for directions.

He had spent years managing the Xijiang River, with guards at its source, along its banks, and at its mouth. Nothing went wrong there, except at the estuary. He released the wicked devils to guard Yunti Mountain, but they were driven away as soon as they showed up. He arranged for the Hu brothers to provide support on Kowloon Island, but they watched helplessly as Yunti Mountain was occupied without making a move.

Now, even when I personally come to ask them to do things, they all make excuses and refuse. Which of my land-based connections and former generals from the Southern faction dares to be so outwardly compliant but inwardly defiant?

No, it's not necessarily that sea monsters are harder to control than land monsters. The real reason might be that my temper improved after I transformed into a dragon, and I stopped eating people. The methods I used to subdue these monsters in the South China Sea were too lenient, which made them lose their fear, and that's why they dared to act so recklessly!
"That's right, Ancestor! That's right! So, it's not that Xinglang is unwilling, but that he is truly unable. I hope Ancestor will reconsider!"

Upon hearing the words of the Green-Robed Ancestor, Hu Haitao repeatedly agreed, pressing his forehead tightly to the ground.

"Yes, that's why I came to you to take action, not because I'm stirring up trouble myself."

"The old man in the green robe said with a smile."

Hu Haitao slowly raised his head, looking puzzled, and said,
"This subordinate does not understand what the ancestor means."

The Green-Robed Ancestor maintained his smile and explained,

“My meaning is very simple. You two brothers just need to do your best to create waves and crash against Yunti Mountain. It doesn’t matter if the waves affect both sides. When the seawater comes ashore, we can take the opportunity to reclaim the lost territory. As for the part that reaches Huangmaoyang, you don’t need to worry about it. I will take action to cut off the incoming waves and protect Yamen.”

Seeing the two brothers' expressions change drastically, the man in green robes maintained his smile.

“I know, I know that in this way, the force of suppressing the water and stopping the waves will directly backfire on you two brothers. It has indeed been tough on you two brothers, but I will remember it, and I will remember your merits.”

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(End of this chapter)