Chongming Xianzong

Chapter 563 A Serendipitous Encounter: The Situation in Huozhou
————Shanbei Road, Yuanzhou, Wumu Mountain
The mornings at Wumu Mountain are as fresh as ever. Before the sun rises, the ridges are tinged with the pale light of dawn, while a thin mist has already fallen from the sky, enveloping the entire Wumu Mountain.

The morning breeze that penetrates the forest is even more refreshing and pleasant than the "Snow Gall Flower" brewed in Wumu Mountain.

The two men and one woman sitting cross-legged in the dense forest, not uttering a word, all had indifferent expressions, showing no sign of comfort whatsoever.

Only when the thin mist gradually dissipated and the bright, warm sunlight dappled through the broad leaves of the trees did the solitary Star-Picking Pavilion Master speak again.

The Taoist priest merely glanced at the Moon-Hidden True Man before him, his expression showing no unusual reaction. He simply asked in a cold, indifferent tone:
"Fellow Daoist, your lifespan is limited, why insist on getting involved in this mess?"

Master Yueyin maintained a composed demeanor, but his tone of voice did not quite match his expression when he replied.

"Your family is wealthy and powerful, yet you are unaware of the hardships of ordinary families. I have been nurtured by the sect for many years, and I must consider the future generations and the sect before I can have peace of mind."

Bai Canhong chuckled lightly, then said, "Regardless of the circumstances, you, Master Yueyin, have always protected that damned Duke of Qin. Your family was one of the first Nascent Soul sects to support him, so why would you need to risk your life like this?"

After speaking, he stopped talking to Master Yueyin and turned to the stunningly beautiful face beside him.

The Immortal Jiangxue is over a thousand years old, yet her appearance remains as youthful as ever.

The liveliness in her eyes surpassed that of many young women in their late teens. Those outside, lacking discernment, would hardly recognize her as a seasoned immortal capable of moving mountains and filling seas.

Bai Canhong's tone softened considerably when addressing such a being, and he said softly, "What are your thoughts, Fellow Daoist Jiangxue?"

Jiangxue Zhenren chuckled softly, unlike Yueyin Zhenren, who was of similar cultivation and had a solemn expression. When Bai Canhong asked her question, the beautiful woman simply covered her mouth and chuckled.

That silvery laughter, though undeniably alluring, made Bai Canhong, sitting opposite her, wary and furrow his brow.

After all, the seductive arts of the Hehuan Sect were renowned throughout the Great Wei Immortal Dynasty. Moreover, over the past few thousand years, there had been several True Immortals who, after joining the Hehuan Sect, never emerged again and disappeared without a trace.

Fortunately, at this moment, Master Jiangxue clearly had no other thoughts. He only smiled lightly for a while, and soon after, he said gently, "Everyone has their own path to follow. Why should Master Bai worry about us?"

My Hehuan Sect is willing to relocate its five disciples from the capital region to Shanbei Road, so that we may come under the jurisdiction of the Duke of Qin's mansion and be at his command. How could this resolve be easily swayed by a few words from Master Bai? In my humble opinion, Master Bai should not waste his time and should abandon the darkness and embrace the light as soon as possible.”

Bai Canhong raised an eyebrow slightly upon hearing this, but the smile on his face also subtly faded:

"Heh, Fellow Daoist Jiangxue, please don't misunderstand me. It was you two who invited me here today, and I, Bai, was just reminding you out of old friendship. As for whether you two appreciate it or not, that's all irrelevant."

The moment these words were spoken, the expressions of True Person Jiangxue and True Person Yueyin changed. However, Bai Canhong seemed completely unfazed by their challenge and continued in a deep voice:
"Yueyin, you're old and useless, so you need to plan for your future; Jiangxue wants to save face for that person in Xuanqiong Palace, which is why she's come from afar. As Jiangxue said, each family has its own path to follow, and I have no reason to criticize them,"

Bai Canhong's tone became even more forceful at this point, and he continued, "But my Zhaixing Tower has stood firm in Shannan Road for thousands of years. Back when we established our dynasty, we even offered the lives of our disciples and the resources of women to this damned David Immortal Dynasty!! There is no reason for us to just let this guy surnamed Kuang become our prey!!"

Bai Canhong's sudden shout caused Yueyin Zhenren to tremble almost imperceptibly, and also made Jiangxue Zhenren, who had been smiling sweetly, look even more serious.

After hesitating for a moment, the latter still spoke up: "Why does Lord Bai have to do this? You should know that in the past, Zhaixing Tower and the David clan were as close as family. The current emperor is wise and without fault, and has devoted himself to cleansing the world with all his might and tireless efforts."

Talented individuals have also emerged from the royal family. The Duke of Qin has already achieved the highest level of alchemy and is receiving personal instruction from the Palace Master of Lanmeng Palace. It is possible that the reunion of the Outer Sea and Central Continent factions will begin from this point.

Afterwards, the scene of a prosperous and peaceful court was no longer described as "expected," for it had all become a reality. Furthermore, there was no inherent separation between the Star-Picking Tower and the Celestial Dynasty, and the White Tower Master had a very close personal relationship with the two princes. So, I, this humble servant, know nothing of why the White Tower Master would attempt such a futile act.

After the beautiful woman finished speaking, Master Yueyin remained indifferent as usual, but Bai Canhong sneered again, implying something: "I never thought that Master Jiangxue would be such a persuasive person. He is truly remarkable."

To be honest, Bai Canhong did not have much difference in his views on the "preserving the regime" and "destroying the regime" factions. If he were to speak from the bottom of his heart, he might have been more inclined to the former because of the earnest teachings of his master and elders back then.

However, since Kuang Liuting took up residence in Yunjiao Prefecture, apart from the Southern King Kuang Shenzhi exchanging a few letters with Bai Canhong out of consideration for their long-standing friendship, not a single word from Xuanqiong Palace has ever appeared on his desk.

This contradicted the widely known rumors that Emperor Wei was courteous to scholars, which greatly displeased Bai Canhong.

Despite the fact that the Zhaixing Tower had a small number of members, even though the founding emperor had been trapped in the ancient forbidden land for over a thousand years and the world was in turmoil, the disciples of the Zhaixing Tower had always focused on their cultivation and rarely did anything out of line.

In this light, although Zhaixinglou no longer provides much material support to the royal family of David, who are far away in the capital, its words and actions are quite different from those of the arrogant Blood Sword Sect of Lianghedao.

However, it was only natural that Bai Canhong was treated coldly by Emperor Wei and his thoughts were not clear.

After all, even if he were to follow his own ideas and bring the Star-Picking Tower back under the banner of the Immortal Dynasty, Emperor Wei should not expect to be able to command the cultivators of the Star-Picking Tower at will like Emperor Taizu.

However, his inclination towards the "preservation and restoration" faction remained unchanged.

If Zhaixinglou continues to serve the royal family of David, will it be like Yueyin Zhenren, at the mercy of others; or like Hehuan Sect, willingly being driven; or like Liangxi Qingyulou, mutually supporting the royal family of Kuang and working together to revive the dynasty?
The difference between these two is not something that can be measured in miles.

Bai Canhong knew that the plan of "murdering, arson, and accepting amnesty" was not without its consequences, but that was a matter for the future.

After all, if someone were to be as shameless and subservient as Master Yueyin, with only a few disciples in his Zhaixing Tower, driven at will by the Kuang family, how could he possibly survive until the "future"?

Bai Canhong didn't bother to explain his grievances to the two people in front of him. As soon as his mocking words fell, he stood up and made a farewell gesture, without even looking at their expressions, and then stopped talking.

However, when he reached the Wu Laoshan archway, Bai Canhong stopped again. He didn't turn around, but instead examined the cloud patterns and seal script on it, before speaking again with his hands behind his back:

"I must make this clear to you two fellow Daoists upfront: if you two still insist on facing the brunt of the danger for the Kuang family, disregarding your own lives in the slightest, then I, Bai, will no longer hold back. Let's see what this supposedly revived David clan can do to me, with just a mere brat."

Bai Canhong was feeling agitated at this moment, so he stopped talking about the generous words of the Star-Picking Pavilion Master and strode away.

This caused the two True Immortals, Moon Shadow and Crimson Snow, who were sitting side by side, to look at each other in bewilderment. This was because, although the battles between the three True Immortals in the past could only dazzle outsiders, they were still restrained. This was not the same as the battle between True Immortal Moon Shadow and Wen Fengzi back then.

However, if Bai Canhong were to truly challenge them after this incident, then facing the number one cultivator in the three southwestern sects, the two might actually be in mortal danger.

"Sigh," after another sigh, Master Yueyin picked up the leftover tea, which had been warmed by the sun, took a small sip, and then gave a bitter smile: "What are Fellow Daoist Jiangxue thinking?"

These words sounded familiar to Jiangxue Zhenren, but her reply remained unchanged: "Our Hehuan Sect is willing to relocate its Five One Disciples from the capital region to Shanbei Road, so that they may be placed under the jurisdiction of the Duke of Qin's mansion and be at his command. Our loyalty is evident, how could we shrink back?"

"If that's the case, then I wonder if you know your sect's Sect Leader Xiao?"

The hopeful undertone in Master Yueyin's voice was quickly dispelled by the beautiful woman's words. Master Jiangxue gently swayed her head and said in a clear voice:
"Fellow Daoist, do not assume that Guandong Dao, located in the capital region, is a peaceful place. It is still treacherous and surrounded by wolves. Moreover, it is the ancestral home of the Hehuan Sect in this realm. How could my Wan'er dare to make a move there lightly?"

"Heh," Master Yueyin gave a bitter laugh, thinking that at least Master Jiangxue had disciples and followers far away in Guandong as a source of confidence. But from the day he boarded the ship of the Duke of Qin's mansion, what room for maneuver had he had?
Ultimately, it was his own choice to take this path, so Master Yueyin had no resentment whatsoever.

Moreover, Kuang Liuting has become a de facto imperial heir without a formal title. Even if the Kuang family has always been cold-hearted, and even if Kuang Liuting is not yet comparable to a giant like the Master of Zhaixing Tower, it is not difficult for Master Yueyin to risk his life for a noble scion like him who always values ​​face. It would not be difficult for him to spend some effort later to preserve the Wumu Mountain lineage and properly cultivate the Wumu Mountain disciples.

Having read this far, the Moon-Hidden Immortal was already satisfied.

He then tilted his head back and downed the remaining tea in one gulp. Afterward, he made a series of hand seals, calculated his remaining lifespan, and then, disregarding the presence of Master Jiangxue beside him, muttered, "Not bad, not bad at all."

The latter frowned slightly. She had initially disapproved of Master Yueyin's self-deprecating words and actions, but upon seeing the dim look in the Taoist's eyes, Master Jiangxue felt a pang of pity.

She moved gracefully, bringing a fragrant breeze as she approached Master Yueyin. Before the latter could react, her soft, sweet voice reached his ears: "If you, fellow Daoist, are truly at odds, I will do my best to take care of the disciples of Wumu Mountain and will not leave them with nowhere to go."

"Thank you," said Master Yueyin, but before he could finish speaking, he suddenly felt the alluring scent of a mature and beautiful woman inexplicably seep into his seven orifices, startling him so much that he quickly blocked his six senses and took several steps back.

"Fellow Daoist, what is this?" The Daoist frowned, but True Person Jiangxue showed no sign of embarrassment.

But the beautiful woman had once again adopted that charming, alluring smile. A soft, seductive word slipped from between her pearly teeth, causing the Moon-Hidden Daoist to freeze in place:

"Bai Canhong is indeed a remarkable figure, but the situation is far from irreversible. Fellow Daoist Yueyin may not know, but our Hehuan Sect possesses its own secret methods for cultivating ethical relationships. If Fellow Daoist Yueyin is interested, then..."

The rustling wind in the forest gradually drowned out the clear voice of the Crimson Snow Immortal.

The forest breeze eventually merged into some white cloud, drifting leisurely to Huangpi Road, a real battlefield of flesh and blood.

————Huangpi Road, Huozhou

"Sword puppets! Sword puppets!! Don't be stingy with your resources any longer, quickly send them up and cut down these shaman soldiers and warrior monks!"

"The alchemist slowly retreats back to the camp; he is not to be ordered to move lightly!"

"All formation masters, listen to my command! Move forward! Move forward! See if you can find any flaws in the formation ahead!!"

"Why haven't the magical artifacts that were entrusted to the rear camp for repair returned yet? If they don't come soon, I'll drag all those fat and strong artifact makers here and have them fight alongside me shirtless!"

"Ah, Wulang, Wulang, don't be afraid, you haven't been hit by an arrow, you haven't been hit by an arrow. Your brother will take you back! Take you back, Wulang, Wulang!"

Ye Zhengwen was usually quite composed, but seeing the blood flowing like a river among the disciples of the Chongming Alliance on the battlefield, his eyes turned red, and he uttered a hateful cry:
"What kind of useless cultivators are those from the Red Powder Temple and the Thousand Buddha Forest? My family has slaughtered so many Golden Core cultivators from the Cloud Ze Witch Lord Palace for them, how can they let these witch soldiers and warrior monks be pulled back from the front?!"

Those in charge of various clans within the jurisdiction who heard this sighed, saying that the senior disciples of the Great Sect Leader Kang had truly risen with the tide. A mere Foundation Establishment cultivator dared to criticize a superior cultivator and was not afraid to overstep his bounds. This was something that many of their Pill Masters would not dare to do.

Standing beneath the banner, Sect Leader Kang was not as excited as Ye Zhengwen, after all, he had long known that his family only had a slight understanding with the Hongfen Temple and Qianfo Forest.

Huang Mi's decision to send his disciples back from Sizhou to Huozhou to protect the sect certainly made it difficult for the Chongming Sect to move forward, but it also greatly reduced the pressure on the disciples of Hongfen Temple and Qianfo Forest, who were fighting against the remaining main force of Yunze Witch Lord Hall.

This was a very worthwhile deal for the two teams, which had just suffered the loss of a Golden Core cultivator and whose morale had plummeted. There was no reason for them to waste lives on the Chongming Sect, which had no kinship with them, and to drag the disciples of the Yunze Witch Lord Hall back.

However, since both of their Golden Core cultivators are still gathered in Sizhou, Huang Mi cannot act rashly. As for the other hall masters of Yunze Witch Lord Hall, who would have a full chance of defeating Headmaster Kang?
Kang Dabao, standing beneath the banner, did not rush to act. He simply stared intently at the scene before him without uttering a word.

The blazing sun hung high in the sky, and a dazzling spiritual light suddenly appeared in one of the formations of Chongming Sect, instantly smashing a gap as tall as a person into the ten-zhang-high Vajra Battle Formation in front of it.

The leading bare-chested warrior monk's neck veins bulged, and his dantian Dao Foundation instantly shone brightly. The incessant chanting was accompanied by the sound of bones cracking. His leopard eyes were wide open and red as fire, showing no sign of retreat.

However, the Chongming Sect disciples in front of them would not give up this opportunity to press their advantage.

The various formations suddenly surged towards the gap. The bare-chested warrior monk, whose fighting spirit was outstanding, could not hold on for more than a few breaths before his foundation collapsed, and his entire body turned into a pool of blood mist that merged into the Vajra Battle Formation's light shield.

Immediately afterwards, more and more warrior monks met the same fate as him. A group of warrior monks holding shields immediately formed the lotus mudra, with golden Sanskrit characters flowing around the thick calluses on their tiger's mouth.

Seven chains wrapped with lightning-attracting talismans suddenly appeared, tearing through the air. The fake alchemist under the First Bright Alliance, who had been advancing rapidly, had become the target of someone else's attention. The moment the lightning-patterned chains ruthlessly pierced his lungs, his entire body, along with his magic robes and magical treasures, was blasted into dust, barely intact.

However, this unexpected turn of events did not frighten the cultivators of the Chongming Alliance. The gap outside the battle formation of the warrior monks visibly widened, and eventually even another battalion of shaman soldiers was implicated and surrounded, leaving them with no choice but to fight like cornered beasts.

Just then, Yu Nian'en, the fourth hall master of the Yunze Witch Lord Hall who was in charge of the war in Huozhou, came out. However, the long-waiting Grand Master Kang ignored the former's anxious expression and hurriedly went up to greet him with his halberd.

Once this fellow is dealt with, Huozhou will be under our control in no time!
(End of this chapter)