Shushan Earthly Immortal

Chapter 445 Recapturing the Three Hunan Regions, Hibiscus Heroine

“Looking to the heart, looking to the heart.”

Cheng Xinzhan heard shouts in his ears.

"What's wrong, Master?"

Cheng Xinzhan replied that he recognized the voice as that of the Tongxuan Patriarch.

Where are you? Are you free lately?

Shi Tongxuan asked.

"I'm at Tiecha Mountain in Qilu. I have some free time. What's up?"

Cheng Xinzhan replied.

"Do you have time to come to Sanxiang? Our Sanxiang Taoist sect has driven away the Heavenly Silkworm Sect, recovered Mount Jiuyi, and also completed the recovery of the entire Sanxiang region, purging Furong. We are preparing to climb Mount Jiuyi to offer sacrifices to Emperor Shun, and we would like to invite you to be the chief officiant. I asked you to contact us."

Shi Tongxuan said, his tone full of joy.

"Yeah!"

Cheng Xinzhan was also very pleased to hear this, his joy evident in his expression, but then he said,

“I will certainly attend the ceremony to offer my congratulations, but I need not preside over the ceremony. I have not made any contribution to the recapture of Jiuyi Mountain, so how can I preside over the ceremony? That would be too much for me.”

Upon hearing this, Shi Tongxuan laughed heartily and replied,
"To tell you the truth, what people value is not your achievements, but your rituals. In recent years, the grandest rituals on the Chinese mainland have been performed by you, which is why everyone wants to invite you to oversee this event."

Cheng Xinzhan laughed upon hearing this and said,

"That's alright, I can go there earlier to offer advice, but the high priest absolutely cannot, I simply don't have that kind of shamelessness."

"Okay, come over here first and we'll talk then."

Shi Tongxuan didn't insist too much.

When is the ceremony scheduled?

Cheng Xinzhan asked.

"The Double Ninth Festival is a time for autumn sacrifices! It's because of this that everyone is risking their lives to exorcise demons."

Shi Tongxuan said loudly.

"That's only a few days away."

Cheng Xinzhan was startled. Today was already the second day of the ninth lunar month, which meant there were less than seven days left.

"That's why we need you to take charge! Come on over!"

"Coming, coming!"

Without saying a word, Cheng Xinzhan immediately flew out of Yunguang Cave and rode away on a lion.

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.

Autumn winds sweep across the land of hibiscus, evening rain falls on thousands of villages of ivy.

Amidst a gentle autumn drizzle, Cheng Xinzhan arrived in the land of Hunan. Along the banks of the Xiang River, lush hibiscus trees grew everywhere, their clusters of blossoms a tapestry of vibrant color, as radiant as rosy clouds. Scattered among the mountains and rivers were villages of all sizes, with creeping fig trees growing in front of and behind the houses. Their verdant vines, washed by the autumn rain, appeared even more verdant and lovely, swaying gracefully.

It is absolutely beautiful.

As Cheng Xinzhan traveled south along the Xiang River, he slowed his pace upon seeing such beautiful and colorful scenery along the way.

"Nothingness" is the beginning, and "all phenomena" is the end.

One's own path should be like this world, originating from "nothingness" and manifesting through "all phenomena." It cannot be superficial, nor can it be confined to nothingness. One must be internal and external, one must be in control and to expand, with a beginning and an end; only then can it be the Great Way.

He had another realization.

Enjoying the flowers and fragrances along the way, and contemplating the great Dao, he arrived at the upper reaches of the Xiang River, where the Jiuyi Mountains were clearly in sight.

At this time, the evil spirits have dissipated from the land of Hunan, and the mountains and rivers are clear. Even in this increasingly chilly autumn day, it still displays a vibrant atmosphere:
The chirping of insects on Mount Jiuyi has ceased, and white clouds drift by again, like silken ribbons. At the foot of the mountain, the Xiangfei bamboo remains verdant, its spots said to be the tears of Ehuang and Nüying mourning Emperor Shun. Where there is water, there are lotus flowers, blooming in full glory, a sea of ​​red blossoms—a unique sight on the land of Hunan.

Looking around, the people of Hunan are celebrating, especially on and around Mount Jiuyi, where lanterns and decorations are already on display in preparation for the ancestral worship ceremony. Everyone's face is beaming with smiles, which complement the hibiscus flowers blooming everywhere.

A smile also bloomed on Cheng Xinzhan's face. He had served as the deputy leader of Langshan for two years and had a special affection for this land. Seeing the thriving and vibrant scene in Hunan, he immediately became interested.

He took out paper and pen and began to paint with ink.

His painting, completed in one go, is passionate and unrestrained. It depicts the landscape of the Xiaoxiang region at dawn, with clusters of hibiscus flowers in the foreground like fiery clouds, their petals, painted with vermilion, leaping among the dark green leaves. In the middle ground, sails float on the river, the delicate brushstrokes creating ripples that intertwine with the blank spaces to form shimmering waves. At the foot of the mountains, crowds adorn the landscape with lanterns and decorations. In the distance, the mountain peaks, rendered in light ink wash, are hidden in the morning mist and clouds, while the horizon is painted with the warmth of the first rays of dawn.

This painting is unrestrained and bold in its technique. The scattered brushstrokes sweep out the rugged rocks, and the splashing and layering of ink allow the mist and water vapor to naturally seep into the paper. The hibiscus and figures are precisely outlined with meticulous brushstrokes, forming a harmonious coexistence of boldness and delicacy. The whole painting, through the layered changes of ink and water, captures the beautiful morning scenery of Hunan in a single moment.

Cheng Xinzhan admired the huge painting and was very satisfied. He then picked up his brush and wrote a poem in the upper left corner of the painting, a seven-character regulated verse.

Signature at the end of the poem:

"In the late autumn of the year Renyin, Guangweizi congratulated the Taoist community of Sanxiang on their joint sacrifice to Emperor Shun at Jiuyi."

Dropped seal:

"The mountains and rivers are safe and sound."

Cheng Xinzhan put down his brush and seal. Immediately afterward, he sent out the Earth Book, swept it across the painting, captured its essence, and placed it into the Earth Book "Sanxiang Chapter". As for the original work, he rolled it up and placed it in a long brocade box, intending to give it as a congratulatory gift to the Taoist community of Sanxiang.

After doing all this, he felt he had already wasted a lot of time, so he put away the painting and patted the lion repeatedly, signaling to leave quickly.

As they approached Mount Jiuyi, the people both on and off the mountain saw a young Taoist priest riding a magnificent snow lion flying through the air. Everyone recognized him and began to shout in recognition.
"It's Mr. Guangfa!"

"Mr. Guangfa is here!"

"..."

Cheng Xinzhan smiled and waved. Soon, a beam of light flew out from Mount Jiuyi and arrived in front of the snow lion, transforming into a middle-aged Taoist priest.

The newcomer wore a dark blue Taoist robe, a wooden hairpin in his hair, hemp shoes on his feet, and a long ancient sword hanging at his waist. He had a weathered face and was none other than Deng Qingyang, the leader of the Hengshan Sword Sect.

"Thank you for making this trip, Master."

Upon seeing him again, the sect leader's sorrowful expression had vanished, replaced by joy. He smiled and bowed to Cheng Xinzhan. Cheng Xinzhan dismounted from the lion's back, returned the bow, and noticed that Deng Qingyang's hair, which had previously only had a few strands of white, was now completely silver. He exclaimed in surprise,
"Master Deng, what's going on?"

Deng Qingyang smiled and said,
"It's nothing. I was caught off guard during the battle with the demon and got bitten by an insect. I lost some of my energy, but it's nothing serious."

Deng Qingyang said so, but Cheng Xinzhan couldn't really think it was harmless. Hair is the surplus of blood and the essence of the kidneys; white hair due to injury must mean a serious injury, leading to severe deficiency of essence and blood. But what kind of insect could bite a fourth-realm cultivator so badly?

"Is it the Golden Silkworm Gu?"

When Cheng Xinzhan asked, the first thing that came to mind when talking about the Heavenly Silkworm Sect was this kind of infamous Gu worm. In particular, the golden Gu worm he encountered when he was cursed and descended into the Lingdingyang last time left a deep impression on him.

Deng Qingyang wasn't surprised to hear the term "Golden Silkworm Gu" from Cheng Xinzhan. Although this creature was a specialty of the Heavenly Silkworm Sect and initially only had a fearsome reputation in the Xiangnan region, its fame spread widely more than a decade ago after the strategist's plan to conquer Red Cloud Island in the East China Sea and kill countless crocodile demons. Moreover, that year, the Three Corpses Sect purchased a large quantity of Golden Silkworm Gu from the Heavenly Silkworm Sect, which indirectly alleviated the pressure on Xiangnan.

So he replied,

"It's not an ordinary Golden Silkworm Gu, but the secret-refined Hundred Poisons Golden Silkworm Gu that the female demon presented to the Green Robe Ancestor."

"The Hundred-Poison Golden Silkworm Gu? What does it look like?"

Cheng Xinzhan asked repeatedly.

Deng Qingyang then answered,
"It looks similar to the ordinary Golden Silkworm Gu, except that it's covered in golden powder, shimmering brightly. However, while the ordinary Golden Silkworm Gu is only good at biting, the Hundred Poison Golden Silkworm Gu is extremely toxic and likes to devour human brains, making it incredibly ferocious. I was fortunate to have a jar of 'Peach and Orange Sweet Spring Dew' that I obtained from Su Xianling many years ago with me, which allowed me to detoxify and survive, though I lost my life essence."

Cheng Xinzhan suddenly realized what he meant.

So that thing was called the Hundred Poison Golden Silkworm Gu, secretly refined by the Silkworm Maiden and presented to Green Robe. It seems that the ones who tried to curse him to death on the Lingdingyang that day were Green Robe and the evil devil. Moreover, I'd long heard of Su Xianling's exceptional medical skills, but I never imagined they were this good—the detoxification was so immediate. You see, it took Master Dong over a year to remove the poison from Lion.

At this moment, he took out a pill bottle from the void and handed it to Deng Qingyang, saying,
"Master Deng, this is my self-made 'Black Ginseng Blood-Nourishing Pill,' which replenishes essence and blood. I don't know if it will work on these poisonous insects, but you can give it a try."

This medicine was refined by Cheng Xinzhan in his spare time while treating the lion at Feixia Mountain. It was of a high grade, on par with the "Three Elements Nourishing Spirit Pill". When it was refined, it transformed into a black sable, which was also a remarkable phenomenon.

Before Deng Qingyang could refuse, Cheng Xinzhan reached out and stuffed him into his arms, saying,

"Leader Deng, please lead me into the mountains so we can offer incense at the ancestral temple."

"Well, thank you, Master. Please come with me."

Deng Qingyang led Cheng Xinzhan to Luoshan.

The Imperial Temple is located at the highest point of Mount Jiuyi, where the mountaintop was leveled and the temple was built. Constructed according to imperial standards, the temple is grand in scale, resembling a royal garden. Although it has survived the invasion of demons for decades and has not suffered any actual damage, many parts have fallen into disrepair. Covered in dust and overgrown with vegetation, it is an eyesore. Therefore, many Taoist practitioners from Hunan are currently repairing and cleaning the site.

The two disembarked at the entrance and walked inside. Deng Qingyang introduced things to Cheng Xinzhan as they walked.
"In this recapture of the Imperial Temple, our Hunan Taoist community has deeply reflected on our painful experience. After much discussion, we have united to establish a Taoist association called the 'Jiuyi Association.' Every family is contributing manpower and resources, not only to rebuild the Imperial Temple but also to organize dedicated personnel for its protection and to construct a new protective array. This will ensure that in the event of another demonic invasion, we can provide immediate warning, immediate defense, and immediate assistance, resolutely ensuring that our ancestors will never be disgraced again."

Cheng Xinzhan comforted him upon hearing this.
"Master Deng need not worry too much. As our Sanxiang Taoist sect prospers, demons and evil spirits will naturally not dare to invade."

Upon hearing this, Deng Qingyang nodded repeatedly and smiled.
“Master’s words are true. As long as there are people, nothing else matters. I have always said that the greatest credit for the recovery of the Three Xiang regions lies with Langshan. If it weren’t for the establishment of the sect in Langshan and its rapid expansion, which quickly gathered two fourth-realm cultivators and hundreds of Golden Core cultivators to stabilize western Hunan, we would not have been able to catch our breath and free up our hands to drive out the demonic forces in southern Hunan and recover Jiuyi.”

Cheng Xinzhan, the vice leader of Langshan, shook his head repeatedly upon hearing Deng Qingyang's words, and said...

"Master Deng, you are always too modest. Whether it is merit or hard work, the recovery of Hengshan Sword Sect in Sanxiang is the greatest achievement, which is obvious to all. Countless Hengshan comrades sacrificed themselves for this cause, their blood staining Xiaoxiang. Now that Jiuyi has been recovered, I think a hall should be built in the ancestral temple to enshrine the memorial tablets of the Hengshan comrades who died for their cause."

Deng Qingyang was not good with words, but he was genuinely happy today and talked a lot. Now, hearing Cheng Xinzhan say this, he burst into tears on the spot.
"The young men are all outstanding; it is I, as their leader, who has failed them. Our 'Jiuyi Society' shares the same idea as the Master: to build a new Hall of Heroes within the temple grounds to commemorate our comrades who died on the battlefield of Sanxiang. The hall is already under construction, and the memorial tablets are being made as quickly as possible, ensuring they will be ready for the Double Ninth Festival autumn sacrifice. To be honest, Master, more than half of those memorial tablets belong to members of Hengshan."

"Though they die, their chivalrous spirit remains, worthy of being heroes of the world. The elegance of the Hengshan swordsmen is like the lotus in autumn, rooted in the Xiaoxiang region, pure and beautiful with a touch of frost."

Cheng Xinzhan praised it sincerely.

Upon hearing this, Deng Qingyang was startled and muttered to himself.

"Rooted in the Xiaoxiang region, pure and elegant despite the frost." Excellent, excellent, well said! This is the virtue of my Hengshan disciples, and it should be the virtue of all future generations of Hengshan disciples! I will have Master Jing's words engraved on Huiyan Peak of Hengshan, so that the entire sect of today and future generations can see them!
“Master, please grant my request.”

Deng Qingyang looked at Cheng Xinzhan.

What else could Cheng Xinzhan say? He could only say,
"This is a great honor for me."

Both of them were masters of the "Stepping the Dipper" technique. Although they were walking, their speed was extremely fast. In the short time it took to talk, they arrived at the sacrificial hall of the Imperial Temple.

The two entered the hall. Cheng Xinzhan looked up and saw that the stone statue of Emperor Shun in the center of the hall was dressed in imperial robes, tall and majestic, yet with a touch of benevolence, gazing into the distance.

Looking at the statue, Cheng Xinzhan felt a surge of reverence and pride. If it weren't for the pioneering efforts of our ancestors to open up the mountains and forests, how could the human race have achieved its current glorious era?
Cheng Xinzhan bowed three times and offered incense.

Immediately afterwards, Deng Qingyang led Cheng Xinzhan to the temporary headquarters of the "Jiuyi Society," located in the Hanxu Hall outside the west gate of the temple garden.

Here, Cheng Xinzhan saw the Tongxuan Patriarch and some elders from Langshan, as well as several peak masters from Hengshan and several managers of the Haoran Alliance in Hunan. There were also some people that Cheng Xinzhan did not recognize.

When these people saw Deng Qingyang leading Cheng Xinzhan in, they all stood up to greet him.

"The leader."

"Mr. Guangfa."

"The teacher of scriptures."

"..."

And they all have their own names.

Cheng Xinzhan returned the greeting, asked everyone to sit down, and then offered his congratulations.
"I am delighted to hear of the recapture of Hunan and have come to witness the celebration. I have prepared this humble work as a small gift, and I hope you will not find it offensive."

As he spoke, he handed the brocade box to Deng Qingyang.

Seeing the expectant looks on everyone's faces in the hall, Deng Qingyang, also quite curious, asked...
"Master, may we open it now so that everyone can feast their eyes on it?"

Cheng Xinzhan naturally wouldn't stop him, simply saying, "Please go ahead."

Deng Qingyang opened the brocade box and, upon seeing a scroll inside, became even more gentle, carefully taking it and suspending it in the air before unfurling it with his magic. Thus, a landscape painting of Hunan under the autumn morning sun, bold in color, vibrant in content, and unrestrained in technique, unfolded before everyone's eyes.

There was silence in the hall for a moment.

After a while, someone noticed the poem inscribed in the upper left corner of the painting and read it aloud in a low voice.

"White clouds fly over Mount Jiuyi, and the emperor's son rides the wind down the verdant hills."

A single bamboo branch sheds a thousand tears, while countless red clouds adorn a hundred layers of clothing.

The waves of Dongting Lake surge like snow reaching the sky, while the songs of the people of Changdao Island resonate like poetry across the earth.

I wish to dream of boundless expanse, where the land of hibiscus is bathed in the morning glow.

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(End of this chapter)