Shushan Earthly Immortal

Chapter 448 The Azure Dragon Hides Its Head, Heaven Does Not Protect the Miao

Nestled amidst the mountains of southeastern Guizhou, there lies a flat, empty piece of land that appears quite abrupt. The surrounding mountains are riddled with caves inhabited by demons, their stench filling the air.

Suddenly, a crack appeared in the void, and a crimson gourd appeared out of thin air. Then, the gourd's stopper was opened, and golden yang fire burst out, transforming into a hundred or so golden chickens that flew towards the demon cave in the mountains.

The golden rooster entered the cave and flew back in the blink of an eye. No screams came from the various demon caves, and the vegetation on the mountain was unharmed, but the demonic aura had been completely swept away and could no longer be smelled.

"Those demons and monsters dare to surround the Azure Dragon; they're courting death."

A cold voice echoed through the void, reverberating among the mountains.

Immediately afterwards, a young Taoist priest rode a green-maned snow lion the size of a white elephant out of the void, grasped the gourd, and withdrew the yang fire.

The Taoist priest looked towards the center of the flat ground, nodded, formed a hand seal, bowed, and then said loudly.
"Fellow Daoists of Azure Dragon Cave, the spiritual atmosphere outside has changed, demons have diminished and Daoists have increased. The righteous sects are sharpening their swords, ready to sweep away evil. This is a turning point in the overall situation, a once-in-a-millennium opportunity, and the perfect time for your sect to emerge from seclusion and subdue demons. I have already burned and killed the evil villains and cleared the obstacles in front of my gate, and I have come here to welcome you all out of seclusion!"

However, the empty, flat ground before him remained undisturbed, and no one responded to his words. Instead, a demonic aura surged into the sky from the west, hurtling towards him.

Cheng Xinzhan remained unmoved, still standing in the air, looking down at the flat ground.

He remembered clearly that when he first came here, a mountain peak stood abruptly in the center of this flat land. The mountain peak was high and rounded, covered with lush vines and trees, like a large green bronze bell standing on the ground, clearly a place of auspicious feng shui.

He still remembered the name of the mountain, Wangchun Mountain.

But now, the flat ground is completely empty.

Cheng Xinzhan knew that the mountain had not disappeared, nor had it been moved; it had simply been hidden, deliberately hidden by the people living in the mountain.

The demonic aura from the west was rapidly approaching. A streak of yellow light sped towards them, quickly reaching the edge of the plain and landing atop a mountain, where it transformed into a human figure. This figure was tall and stout, easily over ten feet in height, with limbs as thick as a human waist, a large belly, a pair of large ears, a thick nose, and protruding long teeth, exuding a dense demonic aura. Judging from its aura, this was a rare fourth-realm great demon, and within this soaring demonic aura lay an extremely domineering dragon energy.

The newcomer stared intently at the suddenly appearing Taoist priest. Although he had never seen him before, the snow lion beneath him was so famous that it was easy to recognize him. The fat man's eyes revealed deep apprehension, and he merely observed from a distance, not daring to make a rash move.

Cheng Xinzhan seemed oblivious to the fat man, staring intently at the void in the center of the flat ground. After waiting a while, seeing that the people in the Azure Dragon Cave were ignoring him, he spoke again.

"Some say: The Azure Dragon of the East is supremely benevolent and divine. Between its horns and tail, it shines brightly in the imperial court. With its green banners and jade pendants, it stands solemnly in the shrine, winding and undulating, bringing forth auspicious blessings."

"Azure Dragon, Azure Dragon! You exhale spiritual clouds and breathe in vital energy, you ingest thunder and utter heavenly roars. You soar to the farthest reaches of the eight directions, you roam beyond the four netherworlds. Azure Dragon, Azure Dragon! You possess the righteous energy of heaven and earth, you wield the benevolent winds of Jia and Yi! You ride the flying clouds and exhale auspicious mist, you ride the thunderbolts and reveal your true form. Azure Dragon, Azure Dragon! How can you hide your head?! Azure Dragon, Azure Dragon! How can you close your eyes?! Azure Dragon, Azure Dragon! How can you imprison yourself?!"

Cheng Xinzhan's shouts were deafening, rolling across the Miao region and carrying for hundreds of miles.

"Crack!"

A thunderclap exploded in the clear sky, and lightning suddenly struck in broad daylight, as if even the heavens were surprised and enraged.

The fat man behind him turned pale with fright, and a flash of light appeared in his hand as he gripped a giant axe with a black lacquer pattern, as if he were about to strike at any moment.

However, the flat land in the mountains remained silent, and there was no response.

Upon seeing this, Cheng Xinzhan shook his head and then waved his hand.

A dazzling sword light flew out.

A golden sword light flashed and struck the center of the flat ground.

"clang--"

There was a loud noise and the ground shook.

The fat man immediately sensed the aura of the immortal sword and involuntarily took a step back. At the same time, he couldn't understand why the Taoist priest could change his attitude so quickly and attack without warning.

The sword rainbow didn't pierce the ground; instead, it struck an invisible wall in mid-air, its path blocked. From the impact of the flying sword, a gigantic bell phantom suddenly appeared on the previously empty ground. This phantom was taller than the surrounding mountains, reaching towards the clouds. The bell was serene and radiant with a jade-green light; the lower half was carved with dense forests, while the upper half depicted eastern landscapes. Between the stars and the forests stood a majestic statue of a blue dragon, connecting heaven and earth.

“Master Guangfa, our sect has been secluded and isolated for many years, not concerning ourselves with worldly affairs. Why do you insist on pressing us and making things difficult for us?”

A voice came from the giant bell.

Upon hearing this, Cheng Xinzhan's eyes showed disappointment, and he then said,
“I have one request. If you can fulfill it, I will naturally not play the villain. At that time, even if you close the mountain for a hundred or a thousand years, I will not care. I will have no reason to interfere then.”

"Mr. Guangfa, please go ahead."

The person inside the giant bell still didn't show himself, but could still hear his voice. Even though he had taken a sword for nothing, one could still sense his cautious attitude from his tone.

This is understandable. The Demonic Sect's power is too great, so it's best to avoid it. But if it offends the Daoist Sect, then the Azure Dragon Cave will truly have no way out.

However, in the speaker's view, as a great sect with a thousand-year history, Qinglong Cave has already humbled itself to this extent. Neither the Daoist nor the Demonic should push it too far. After all, even a rabbit will bite when cornered, let alone Qinglong.
Cheng Xinzhan could roughly guess what the speaker was thinking. At the same time, he didn't think his request was unreasonable. He said,

"Fifty-six years ago, I traveled through the Miao region and first came to Qinglong Cave. I saw a memorial archway in front of the Qinglong Gate, with a plaque that read 'Spiritual Protection of the Southwest,' and a couplet that read: 'The Azure Dragon coils, the spirits are refreshed; the grotto hangs high, protecting the homeland.' These words left a deep impression on me. The saying 'Occupying a piece of land, protecting its peace' truly applies here. These words later became one of my guiding principles, and I have always practiced them. However—"

Cheng Xinzhan's voice was heavy.
"However, the actions of Qinglong Cave are clearly no longer worthy of these words, nor do they conform to the Qinglong Way in my heart. Therefore, I urge your sect to remove the mountain gate archway, so as not to let the wise words in my heart be tarnished, nor to let those who cultivate the Qinglong Way in the world feel disheartened."

After Cheng Xinzhan said this, the Qinglong Cave remained silent for a long time.

"Please invite Mr. Guangfa into the mountains to speak."

After a while, a voice came from inside the giant bell, but it was not the same person as the previous voice. This voice sounded exceptionally old.

As the ancient voice rang out, a round hole appeared at the dragon's mouth position on the giant bell, through which one could see the vast green mountains inside the bell.

"You Gaomin! Have you thought this through? Don't make a mistake!"

The fat man who had been watching from the side suddenly spoke, his voice sharp and stern.

Cheng Xinzhan waved his hand, and "Taodu" disappeared into the sky.

Upon seeing the sword light, both the fat man and the Qinglong Cave realized just how much strength the Taoist had held back when he challenged the mountain with his sword.

The flying sword pierced through the void, lacking the imposing grandeur of the golden rainbow from before, but its speed was many times greater, arriving almost instantly. The fat man only had time to swing his giant axe to chop, when a crisp sound rang out.
"Ding!"

The flying sword struck the giant axe, instantly shattering a piece of the blade and leaving a fist-sized gash on the axe head, with cracks extending along the gash towards other parts of the axe surface. Simultaneously, the axe, struck by the immense force, flipped backward, the back of the axe striking the fat man squarely on the forehead, sending him flying dozens of feet away. The fat man felt dizzy and his hands went numb, but as a demon king, his reaction was extremely swift. Without any intention of fighting again, he instantly transformed into a beam of light and vanished.

The power of a single sword strike is unparalleled!
Cheng Xinzhan looked in the direction Xianglong had fled, which was the location of Redwood Ridge. But he didn't chase after it at the moment; the monk might run away, but the temple would.

The lion strode forward, leading Cheng Xinzhan into the dragon's mouth on the giant bell.

Passing through the giant bell, Cheng Xinzhan's vision suddenly opened up, revealing verdant mountains and the sound of birdsong in the gentle breeze.

"Mr. Guangfa, your words have truly shamed everyone in Qinglong Cave."

As soon as Cheng Xinzhan entered Qinglong Cave, Liu Tianfang came to greet him.

"Master Tianfang".

Upon seeing the newcomer, Cheng Xinzhan finally smiled, nodded, and bowed.

He recalled some past events. Years ago, when he and his friends from the Haoran Alliance entered Miao territory to relieve the siege of Fuxia Lake, they had sought help from Qinglong Cave. At that time, Qinglong Cave had agreed, but only Liu Tianfang actually arrived. Even then, Cheng Xinzhan knew that Qinglong Cave contained both brave and cowardly individuals. Reassuringly, Daoist Liu Tianfang, a friend of his master and Hong Changbao, was among the former.

"The Taoist priest has made great progress in his cultivation."

Cheng Xinzhan said that when he last met Liu Tianfang, he was still a lower-level practitioner, but this time, he could clearly feel the change in Liu Tianfang's aura, and he had already entered the middle-level practitioner stage.

"Who would dare to talk about self-cultivation in front of you?"

Liu Tianfang smiled bitterly and said, "Let me tell you..."
"Our ancestor wishes to see you. Please come with me."

Please show me the way.

Cheng Xinzhan was naturally not intimidated.

"The one who spoke first was my sect leader, who advocated closing the mountain. The one who spoke later was my ancestor, the previous sect leader. After stepping down, he has been cultivating in the cave and basically doesn't concern himself with sect affairs, but he also nodded in agreement to this mountain closure."

Liu Tianfang communicated with Cheng Xinzhan from the bottom of his heart.

Cheng Xinzhan nodded, indicating that he understood.

Breaking the stalemate in Miao territory was an idea he had long ago, and participating in the Jiuyi Sacrificial Ceremony to finalize the attack direction of the Sanxiang Daoist sect was merely a matter of following the trend. So, without further ado, Cheng Xinzhan came directly to Miao territory.

Before this, he had already done his homework on the various sects of Miao territory. The leader of Qinglong Cave was named Yin Qifeng, a cultivator at the sixth level of the purification realm, who took over the position of leader at the fourth level. In the secret realm of Qinglong Cave, there was also an ancestor who had lived for many years, named You Gaomin, the previous leader, a cultivator at the fourth level of the purification realm, and the only surviving cultivator at the fourth level of the purification realm in Qinglong Cave. He was the one who truly held the reins in Qinglong Cave.

Liu Tianfang led Cheng Xinzhan to the summit of Wangchun Mountain, where a straight, tree-like green vine grew. The vine's leaves were shaped like willow leaves, but were at least three feet long. The leaves grew in a very regular pattern, one layer at a time, forming a spiral staircase around the vine.

Liu Tianfang stepped forward, followed closely by Cheng Xinzhan.

As they walked, the willow-leaf steps under their feet had somehow turned into bluestone steps, and the two of them stepped onto the steps and arrived at the front of a small courtyard.

The courtyard gate was ajar, and the courtyard was full of flowers. Among the lush flowers and trees, an old man stood with his back to the gate and his hands behind his back.

"Ancestor, Mr. Guangfa has arrived."

Liu Tianfang stood outside the courtyard and spoke.

The old man turned around and looked directly at Cheng Xinzhan.

Cheng Xinzhan was also looking at him.

This was indeed a very, very old man, with white hair and beard, and deep wrinkles on his face and hands.

The old man opened the courtyard gate for Cheng Xinzhan and said,
"Please come in, sir."

Cheng Xinzhan walked into the courtyard, and Liu Tianfang voluntarily left.

Only two people remained in the small courtyard.

Cheng Xinzhan remained silent, waiting for the old man to speak.

"Although my Azure Dragon Cave cannot compare to the Three Pure Immortal Sect in terms of its long history and prosperity, it has been passed down for nearly three thousand years since our ancestor established the sect in the Tang Dynasty and began to worship the Divine Lord Mengzhang. The incense has never been cut off. We have seen plenty of demonic tides, calamities, and wars. As for closing the mountain to seclusion, this is the first time in history."

After a long silence between the two, the old man finally broke the silence and began to talk to himself.

"This calamity is different from any other. A true dragon has emerged from the Southern Wilderness, a true dragon that has merged with the Xijiang River. Do you know how many tributaries the Xijiang River has in our Miao region? The Qingshui River, the Baishui River, the Huangni River, the Kedu River, the Yueliang River, the Dabang River, the Liudong River, the Duliu River... The entire water system of southern Guizhou basically flows into the Xijiang River."

"Our Qinglong Cave reveres the Azure Dragon, and you, Master Guangfa, were honored with a title by the Yellow Sea. A few years ago, you issued an order to seal off the dragon in Yuyang, and the scale of the event was so great that I, an old Taoist priest, have heard about it even in this small courtyard. So we all know that the Dragon King is the master of rivers and lakes. When the Dragon King is angry, our entire southern Guizhou will be flooded. In addition, the Dragon King is also the master of thunder and rain. If he is unhappy, he can seal off thunder and rain, and he can also control lightning to cause floods."

“The tributary of the Xijiang River extends deep into the Miao region, and the southern wilderness borders the Miao region. We are now right at the Dragon King’s doorstep, so how dare we go against the Dragon King’s will?”

"In the 440th year of the Ming Dynasty, the Rongjiang River flooded, the water reaching the rooftops, resulting in a complete crop failure. In the 444th year, three months of continuous summer rains turned southern Guizhou into a vast swamp. In the 446th year, thunder rumbled in winter, killing countless insects and beasts. In the 450th year, a demonic dragon invaded the territory, plundering the region. In the 452nd year, dark clouds obscured the sun, day and night, for a month without dissipating. In the 458th year, spring thunder failed to sound, insects and beasts remained dormant, and crops failed to sprout..."

"The southwest is remote and deserted, with little news. Mr. Guangfa may know some of these things, but most of them are probably unknown to him. Yet, my Miao tribes and ordinary people have persevered for eighteen years amidst these natural disasters and calamities."

"The Miao region is remote and not as prosperous as the East. There are no great supernatural beings here. There are very few like me who have cultivated to the fourth realm. No one can fight the Green Robe from afar and influence the fate of heaven. We in the Miao region do not have that many lives to fill the void. In the 458th year of the Ming Dynasty, we in the Miao region chose to submit. Heaven did not bless the Miao. We submitted not to the demonic tide, but to natural disasters. The Azure Dragon will not bow to evil, but if it is for the sake of the people's livelihood, I think the Divine Lord will do so."

After saying this, the old man paused, and then said,
"If Master Guangfa can guarantee favorable weather for Miao territory, or even slay the evil dragon, not only will we be able to go out and exorcise demons, but not only my Qinglong Cave, but all the righteous sects of Miao territory will surely become your most loyal vanguard."

Cheng Xinzhan listened quietly, then replied earnestly.

"Slaying dragons is not possible right now, but ensuring favorable weather and abundant harvests in Miao territory is achievable."

The old Taoist priest chuckled wryly and shook his head.
“Words are not enough. Miao territory belongs to the Miao people. Only we Miao people care about the wind and rain in the sky. Sir, you are just making things up. It’s too easy for you to say such things casually.”

Cheng Xinzhan remained calm in the face of the old man's questions.
"What if I were to become a Daoist in the Miao region?"

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