Shushan Earthly Immortal

Chapter 462 Building Mountains and Altars, Using Heaven as a Law

"Boom!"

It was supposed to be the beginning of winter, but thunder was rumbling all over the Miao region!

The thunder was extraordinary; it was rapid, loud, and sharp, drilling straight into one's brain, like metal grinding against metal, or like a dragon roaring in anger.

The rumbling thunder echoed across the Miao region, startling hibernating insects into breaking through the soil prematurely, terrifying snakes and scorpions to death, and making beasts tremble in fear.

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.

Yuyang, such a warm place, yet in this early winter season, snowflakes are falling in the area east of the Xijiang River!

This snow was no ordinary snowfall; it was as large as a blanket. When it fell on grass and trees, they withered; when it fell on water, it froze instantly; when it fell on people, even their magical powers were affected. The snow blew from west to east, turning the east bank of the West River into a silver-white wonderland.

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 Nanpan River basin in Yunnan, encompassing Kunming Prefecture and Longchi Island, is known for its year-round spring-like climate, warm breezes, and fertile fields; a tree stump dropped anywhere will sprout. However, this early winter, the west bank of the Nanpan River is shrouded in a bitter, relentless downpour. The raindrops are mixed with fist-sized hailstones, pounding the ground into deep craters, shattering vegetation, sending birds crashing to the ground, and reducing insects and beasts to a pulp.

An east wind has been blowing here, heading south towards the west of the Panjiang River, and the chill seeps straight into one's bones.

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.

Southwestern Hunan is bordered by miasma.

The Earthly Fiery Cave of Rotten Peach Mountain erupted like a volcano, its bright, enchanting purple flames soaring hundreds of feet high like torches in the hands of a god, evaporating even the clouds. Large plumes of crimson miasma, carrying a rich, intoxicating fragrance of peach blossoms, erupted from the cave alongside the purple flames. The miasma, carried by the southwest wind, drifted towards the Hunan region, forming a dense, widespread purple fog that sealed off the entire southwestern border of Hunan.

Anyone who ventures into this purple mist will immediately collapse, their face turning purple, their body rotting from the inside out until they are nothing but a pile of bones. Even those at the second level will find it difficult to withstand and cannot remain there for long. As for ordinary plant spirits, they will be utterly and irrevocably killed.

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.

In the southwest of China, the celestial phenomena are in great chaos.

Such a bizarre celestial phenomenon was certainly not a natural disaster, but a man-made one.

In the southwest of China, only one person has the power to unleash such a massive calamity.

The Five Realms True Dragon, the Green-Robed Ancestor of the West River who merged with the Dao.

In fact, in the border region of the four realms, the blood energy, evil energy, and resentment generated by the deaths caused by bizarre natural disasters were all absorbed by a mysterious force and drifted towards Rotten Peach Mountain.

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.

Miao region, Hongmuling, Sanjiang Gorge.

Cheng Xinzhan erected a high altar here and performed the Great Law.

The altar was built on the largest flat-topped hill in the center of the Sanjiang Gorge. Cheng Xinzhan combed through the earth's veins, connecting the roots of this hill to the dragon vein of Hongmuling, the spiritual eye of the Sanjiang water vein, and the earth vein of southeastern Guizhou, making it solid and stable, and able to transmit spiritual energy.

The first level of the altar was a stone base, and he moved and refined stones from nearby mountains, specifically those old, decaying mountains that had lost their roots.

In recent years, the Miao region has been occupied by the demonic cult. Some of the old demons practiced techniques that relied on earth marrow as nourishment. They dared not use these techniques freely in the Southern Wilderness, but once they occupied the Miao region, they acted recklessly. In particular, the areas of southern and southeastern Guizhou, which are close to the Southern Wilderness, have the most demons who have built their mansions there. As a result, they have drained a lot of the earth's veins in southern and southeastern Guizhou, creating many rootless and barren mountains.

He rammed these rootless barren mountains into giant stones and bricks, using the "Bearing Stone Suffering" method from the Eight Sufferings of Xikang lineage. However, those demonic monks did not use barren mountains, but rather sacred mountains whose roots they had directly dug out.

The Eight Sufferings Method has its merits. The "Bearing Stone Suffering" method creates perfectly square boulders, capable of transforming a hundred-zhang-high mountain into a mere three-zhang-square boulder. This method refines the essence, turning the ordinary into the extraordinary; the resulting boulders, called "Enlightenment Stones," can guide energy and connect with the spirit, rooted in the earth's veins. Piled up together, they interlock, impervious to wind and rain. Runes can be carved on these stones, their efficacy comparable to the finest talismans.

The "Enlightenment Stone" is divided into three grades: top grade white, middle grade yellow, and bottom grade gray. Cheng Xinzhan's stone was naturally the top grade white.

He piled up mountains and built altars, constructing an earthen base that was 99.81 zhang high, reaching straight into the clouds. His imposing presence frightened the lion so much that it trembled and almost ran away.

He carved talismans into the earthen foundation, painted the images and names of the true officials of various mountains and rivers, and the spirits of the land, and carved incantations to pacify the land and calm the spirits.

The second level of the altar is a jade base.

The jade was transported from Qinglong County in Xinggu Prefecture, Qianxinan Prefecture. There is a Qinglong jade mine there, which produces Qinglong jade. It was originally the ancestral property of Bailing Valley. After Bailing Valley was destroyed, Cheng Xinzhan decided to allocate the jade mine to Chiyou Cave. When Chiyou Cave heard that the Great Master needed a large amount of jade to build his altar, Bai Kaifeng, the White Dragon Gentleman of Chiyou Cave, personally mined the spiritually rich jade marrow from the jade mine and transported it over on the wind.

The jade from Qinglong is a deep green, resembling the accumulated emeralds of an old pine tree, with new moss soaked in rain. It feels damp and cold to the touch, and its sound is clear and melodious like a chime when struck.

The jade base is 6636 zhang high.

Jade is believed to possess spiritual power, so Cheng Xinzhan carved the gods in charge of celestial phenomena, such as the Wind God, Cloud Official, Mist Envoy, Rain Master, Sun Attendant, and Star Official, on the jade disc, and engraved talismans for praying for clear skies and rain.

The third level of the altar is made of gold.

The gold was transported from Woxi County, Yuanling Prefecture, Xiangxi. The gold was named "Sanguang Liuxuan Gold" and came from the Woxi Gold Mine. It was also known as "Woxi Fengshui Gold". It was the property of the Jinshui Chamber of Commerce and was divided between Sanqingshan and Haoran Alliance according to custom.

Everyone believed that the gold mine was accidentally discovered by the Jinshui Merchant Guild while trading goods in the mountains and rivers. But in reality, the gold mine had been mined by the Lost Soul Ravine for hundreds of years, but it had been done in secret. Moreover, the entire gold mine was under strict control, and outsiders could not find it at all.

Back then, when the Lost Soul Ravine was destroyed by Cheng Xinzhan, the little fox from the Celestial Master's Mansion was ordered to rebuild the Soul Sect in western Hunan, but was captured alive by Cheng Xinzhan. In order to survive, she revealed many secrets, one of which was the gold mine.

Deep within the underground fissures of the Lost Soul Gorge lies a hidden tunnel that leads directly to the Woxi Gold Mine. Protected by a sophisticated and rigorous Taoist restriction, it is clear that the Lost Soul Gorge could not have created such a tunnel.

At that time, a master from Sanqing Mountain intervened and lifted the restriction. At Cheng Xinzhan's suggestion, the Taoist sect recruited the Wuling gang to establish the Jinshui Chamber of Commerce here and publicly announced the mining of the Woxi Gold Mine.

However, very few people knew this secret; even within the Jinshui Chamber of Commerce, there were only a handful. Later, as refined gold became a bestseller, "Woxi Fengshui Gold" became a living brand for the Jinshui Chamber of Commerce.

This gold shines brightly, with veins resembling frost and snow, like gold leaf with silver veins, making it difficult to fake. In sunlight, it gleams with a bluish-white, cold light. The gold is extremely light; it does not sink in water, rises in the wind, emits no odor when burned, and leaves no mark when struck by electricity.

It is precisely because this gold is light and resistant to lightning and fire that it is the best choice for forging flying swords, hence its high price. The Goldwater Merchant Guild uses this gold to forge gold leaves as trade currency, which are extremely popular and are now even more sought after than snowflake silver and Fangzhu gold south of the Yangtze River. Many people carry gold leaves with them after obtaining them, using them for both trading and direct control with magic, using them as flying leaves.

Hearing that Mr. Cheng urgently needed such precious gold, the Jinshui Chamber of Commerce rushed to send a boatload, almost emptying the cash reserves of the treasury.

Cheng Xinzhan didn't hesitate to use it, crafting a whole ship's worth of refined gold into the third layer of the Golden Foundation Altar.

The altar, built on a golden base, stood eleven zhang tall, and its effects were immediate. Even before the altar was fully formed and inscribed with runes, it had already begun to spontaneously gather the dense thunder that enveloped the sky above Qiannan.

The lightning struck the gold base, which quickly absorbed it and channeled it into the jade base below, activating the runes on the jade base. The surface of the gold base remained unharmed, showing no signs of damage, and instead shone even brighter.

Then, amidst the thunder and lightning, Cheng Xinzhan carved the inscriptions for the Jinji altar. The inscriptions depicted the gods of thunder, including twenty-four guardian deities who assisted in bringing rain and clouds, headed by Marshal Deng, and the attendants of the Thunder Ancestor, headed by the Thunder God General, the Demon-Subduing Thunderbolt True Lord.

On the golden summit, Cheng Xinzhan placed a golden memorial tablet, dedicated to only one deity: the Heavenly Venerable of Universal Transformation of Thunder in the Nine Heavens. This was the first time Cheng Xinzhan had invoked the Thunder Ancestor since he began cultivating thunder magic. Only upon reaching the Fifth Realm did he believe he was qualified to invoke the Thunder Ancestor.

In fact, he was not disappointed. The statue did not turn into lightning water, and he did not suffer from the backlash of lightning energy. In other words, the Thunder Ancestor allowed him to make offerings.

Before the statue of the deity, five offerings were placed: incense, flowers, lamps, water, and fruit. There were also nine jujubes, three cups of spicy wine, five stacks of gold crystal, three stacks of cloud horse talismans, six blue and red petitions, and nine pairs of golden buttons on the thunder chariot.

Thus, with its layers and steps, offerings and worship, the altar was completed.

The altar is 128 zhang high on the ground, divided into three layers of gold, jade and stone. In fact, if the soil layer of the mountain on the river is included, it is four layers and more than 200 zhang high.

The altar originated from the Five Thunder Altar, but it is not limited to the Five Thunder Altar. It could also be called the "Heaven and Earth Altar," which is roughly the highest level of altar magic he can perform at his current level.

The Celestial Venerable presides over the altar, the Golden Foundation wields thunder, and the Jade Foundation obeys commands; all are celestial deities. The altar's foundation is his place of union with the Dao, connected to his will. The stone foundation serves as the cornerstone, connecting the upper and lower realms, inviting the vast earth deities to the altar. It not only provides spiritual power to the Golden and Jade Foundation but also protects the mountains and rivers beneath it. In the event of any mishap at the altar, the thunderous might of the heavens will not backfire on the Redwood Ridge mountains and rivers, thus harming his place of union with the Dao.

As the altar was completed, the statue of Leizu immediately emitted a great light, and a beam of light shot straight into the sky, instantly dispelling the thunder and rain that had been lingering on Redwood Ridge.

Above Lei Zu, there must be no thunder.

At this moment, dark clouds covered the sky above Qiannan, thunder rumbled, and the sky was shrouded in darkness. Suddenly, a hole opened up in the sky above Hongmu Ridge, and sunlight poured down, turning into a bright pillar of light that was clearly visible for miles around.

The golden sunlight shone brightly beneath the dark clouds, creating a breathtaking sight. The 128-zhang-high altar stood like a pillar of heaven, clearly visible and majestic in the bright sunlight.

Especially the golden base of the altar, when illuminated by the sunlight, shines like light and flame, gleaming brilliantly.

At this moment, the Miao people, who were terrified by the thunderclouds, saw this scene and were immediately terrified. Then, the Miao people unanimously recalled the words of congratulations from the cave master of Chiyou when the True Man merged with the Dao a few days ago: "Teacher for all ages, a beacon for every household."

At this very moment, isn't that high mountain altar, illuminating the darkness, a beacon of light for the Miao region?
"His integrity and virtue brought peace and prosperity to all. He is a teacher for all ages and a guiding light for every household!"

"His integrity and virtue brought peace and prosperity to all. He is a teacher for all ages and a guiding light for every household!"

"..."

Among the Miao people heading south, someone took the lead and shouted first, and then others followed suit. Soon, more and more people echoed the shouts, gradually forming a wave that rivaled the thunder in the sky.

These people shouted slogans, which also served to encourage themselves. As they shouted, they exorcised demons and monsters.

Under the bright sunlight and amidst the shouts of praise, Cheng Xinzhan, dressed in his ceremonial robes and wielding his ceremonial sword, ascended the altar to perform the ritual.

"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 Lingbao talisman is proclaimed throughout the nine realms.

……

Qianluo Dana, Donggang Taixuan.

His travels to the Five Sacred Mountains have made him known throughout the world.

The Demon King bowed his head, and his guards stood before me.

The evil and filth dissipate, and the Daoist Qi endures!
……

Slaying demons and binding evil, saving countless people.

Zhongshan Divine Incantation, Primordial Jade Script.

Reciting it a hundred times can cure illness and prolong life.

Those who hear my incantation, recite it aloud.

Those who hear my incantation, recite it aloud!

After ascending the altar, Cheng Xinzhan performed the ritual steps and recited the purification mantra. During the recitation, he flicked his finger, sending out a drop of divine dew that flew into the sky.

The dew flew against the pillar of light that pierced the clouds, soaring over the dark clouds. When it reached the highest point, it exploded with a bang, transforming into a colorful and bright golden rain of light that fell down.

It is precisely "the sun wields its light and rain."

Under the bright sunshine, raindrops of light fell, each drop reflecting the sun's brilliance. Wherever the raindrops touched, the dark clouds immediately dispersed, and without the clouds, the thunder naturally disappeared.

As a result, the demonic clouds that had been hanging over Qiannan, centered on the redwood altar, were rapidly dissipating, as could be seen with the naked eye.

As the rain of light fell, it touched people. Those who cultivated the righteous path were invigorated and radiant. But those demonic disciples burdened with karmic entanglements and resentment showed pain on their faces and immediately hid, fearing to be touched.

Cheng Xinzhan is using celestial phenomena to fight against Green Robe.

The reason for doing this is that both Cheng Xinzhan and Green Robe understand one thing: no matter how high their cultivation level, how many incarnations they possess, or how vast their Dao-merging realms are, it is still far from enough in the face of the five realms of Yunnan, Miao, Hunan, Yu, and Wilderness, encompassing tens of thousands of miles of territory. A person is ultimately just a person; no matter how powerful they are, they cannot possibly take care of everything.

This is not a contest of martial arts between two people, nor is it about determining who is superior. In a war like this, which has a wide-ranging impact and is a battle for survival between the righteous and demonic factions, a war for the Dao and the land, the main force of the war still depends on a sufficient number of cultivators at the mid-to-low level.

As a person with great supernatural powers, one can only use one's own great magical power to change the celestial phenomena and spiritual atmosphere, and try to create conditions for the people below.

Without a doubt, Green Robe was well-versed in this art. Before transforming into a dragon, Green Robe fought with Red Hair. Because the people of Redwood Ridge practiced fire magic, he often summoned wind and snow. Later, when the demon transformed into a dragon, his ability to control celestial phenomena became even more remarkable and skillful. He used this method to stop lightning from attacking Miao, floods from attacking Yu, and cold waves from entering Yunnan.

Now, he wants to try the same trick again, but Cheng Xinzhan will not let him succeed this time. He initially chose to join the Dao in Miao territory with this intention, because Miao territory is in the center, especially in southeastern Guizhou, where it can directly face the southern wilderness and also take care of four other places.

At this moment, as he chanted the purification mantra for protecting the altar, he showered the altar with a rain of light, consecrating and activating the spirit of the altar, making the divine light even more dazzling. Moreover, at the reminder at the end of his mantra, everyone who heard his mantra repeated it, and the shouts of the crowd spread in all directions, forming an endless wave.

In this way, the incantation is bestowed upon the reciter, allowing them to become closer to the spiritual energy of heaven and earth under the bathing light and rain. Moreover, with so many people reciting the incantation, the spiritual energy is fed back to the altar, making the altar's influence on this world even deeper and wider.

The use of light and rain to drive away the clouds was merely a side effect of his purification ritual; he had not yet unleashed the true power of the altar. His struggle against the Green Robe was not limited to just southern Guizhou.

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(End of this chapter)