Invasion Myth: Starting with the Schoolteacher

Chapter 1045 Begging for Alms Everywhere
After acquiring the treasure from the Old Dragon King, Xu Xuan didn't even rest for a moment. In a flash, he traveled across the land of Kyushu.

The reason is simple: I suddenly realized that the "underworld situation" I was about to face was like a "single-player game".

Well, now their most effective tactic of "gaining popular support" has become completely useless.

Since we can't bring any helpers in, we can only desperately arm ourselves and maximize our special equipment for hell in order to regain a sense of security.

Interestingly, over the years, Xu Xuan has never stopped working on tactical simulations and cultivating supernatural abilities, but his fervor for collecting magical treasures has gradually faded.

After all, his equipment was already top-notch. If it weren't for the terrifyingly strong spirituality of the White Lotus Divine Soul, he wouldn't have been able to use these divine weapons even if he had them.

Besides, with top-tier supporters like Bai Suzhen, Xiaoqing, and Shi Wang around, it would be a waste of resources to go to the trouble of carrying around those treasures.

Unless one day cultivates the great supernatural power of "three heads and six arms", at that time, not to mention each of the six hands holding a magic weapon, I'm afraid I'll even need to prepare three helmets for my head.

We sped along and first arrived at the misty, rainy Jiangnan region.

The first person I need to find is naturally Senior Brother Ruoxu.

As everyone knows, a senior brother is someone even closer than a biological brother on the path of cultivation.

Sure enough, when Xu Xuan revealed that he had once again provoked Huang Quan, and might even have gotten himself into the Northern Capital Luo Feng Youquan Hell, Ruo Xu's face remained unmoved, but instead a hint of admiration flashed in his eyes.

I think my junior brother's "daring to explore" behavior is quite good.

"This is how a person who cultivates himself should be."

Ruoxu spoke calmly, yet with an undeniable certainty: "Only by traveling through all realms and experiencing many strange dangers can one absorb knowledge from the outside world and the wisdom of heaven and earth to fill the gaps in one's own realm. In this way, one's path can become higher and higher, and one can go further and further."

He himself is the most steadfast practitioner of this path, and the fruitful results he has achieved are obvious to all.

Recalling how he could charge straight into the Sixth Prison without a word and go head-to-head with the Black Mountain Demon, one can see how brave and skillful his style of doing things was.

Xu Xuan nodded repeatedly, feeling that his senior brother's words truly resonated with him.

However, Ruoxu was not entirely unmoved; this junior brother before him was truly a rising star.

The frequency and intensity of their "stirring up trouble" had reached a level that even he found unbelievable.

After going through so many tribulations, even the exaggerated progress of three realms in three years was actually quite reasonable.

With so many incredible experiences, this speed is to be expected even if it were on par with the White Lotus Saintess.

I wonder how long it will take to reach the Fourth Realm, it should be soon.

Calming his mind, Ruoxu refocused his attention on the important matter at hand:
"With the protection of the 'Fengdu Plantain' given to you by the Dragon Lord, there should be nothing in the Yellow Springs Ghost-Chasing Prison that can truly trap you. Not only the Yellow Springs, but the restrictions of the other eight prisons will also pose a much smaller threat to you."

"We could even take this opportunity to actively draw upon the aura of those Netherworld Springs to carefully temper our physical body and soul."

“Each of the Nine Springs has its own characteristics. Although dangerous, they also contain fragments of laws, making them rare whetstones. Don’t waste this… well, ‘opportunity’.”

From the perspective of a monk who once tempered his body in the Avici Hell, his junior brother's seemingly suicidal act did indeed contain a great fortune.

"I will not become a Buddha until hell is empty." Ruoxu himself is a practitioner who seeks breakthroughs in the face of extreme suffering.

However, every word of advice must be given.

His expression turned slightly solemn, and his voice became a bit more somber:

"But remember, that place is ultimately the core and most important place of the Daoist underworld, under the jurisdiction of the Great Emperor of Fengdu in the Northern Yin. The Great Emperor holds the highest position among the gods of the underworld, ruling the underworld and being the ancestor of all ghosts in the world. He commands thousands of ghosts and gods, not only in charge of life and death and reincarnation, but also presiding over judgment and guiding the deceased to transcendence. Under him are seventy-five departments, with strict functions and rules, which are by no means ordinary."

"There are no Bodhisattvas or Arhats to back us up on this trip, nor is there any Buddhist luck to mediate and balance things. If we really encounter dangers that even 'Fengdu Cheqian' cannot resolve, we must not try to fight them head-on."

"We could try to find the palace ruins left by Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun in the underworld. Although the Tianzun is not in the Three Realms, his divine power still lingers, and no ghost dares to invade his temple. Perhaps we can find a glimmer of hope there."

What my senior brother said was extremely true.

Knowing all too well how turbulent this fellow disciple "Fahai" was, his actions were like boiling oil over a raging fire, leaving no room for compromise.

That is precisely why it is even more necessary to point out a way out in advance, a way to escape from a desperate situation.

Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun is a compassionate deity with extensive functions. His great vow is to save the suffering beings of the Three Realms. Whether they are the souls of the dead or the living in danger, all are within his compassionate salvation. He is a first-class benevolent and righteous deity in the underworld.

His sacred site was undoubtedly the rarest place of peace in that cold and cruel underworld.

After Ruoxu finished speaking, he took something out of his sleeve and carefully handed it over.

It was a dark golden grain of sand, seemingly tiny and inconspicuous. As soon as it appeared, the surrounding air seemed to freeze for a moment.

A warm halo surrounds the surface of the sand, radiating a sense of peace, compassion, and tranquility that seems to soothe all anxiety and fear.

Xu Xuan reached out and took it, only to feel a sudden weight in his palm; this tiny grain of sand seemed to bear the weight of a mountain.

Isn't this the treasure we managed to salvage from the brink of death? It looks like it's been blended with other fragments of sacred soil, giving it an even stronger Buddhist aura.

“The traces left behind in Ksitigarbha Pure Land contain the true meaning of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva’s great vows.”

"As far as I am concerned, I have already grasped the true meaning of it. You may take it. It may protect you on your journey through the underworld."

Xu Xuan didn't stand on ceremony, thanked him, and solemnly accepted the gift.

He knew this object was extraordinary. Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva held a revered position in the underworld, and the vows and laws contained in its Pure Land fragments would undoubtedly be an excellent talisman for him as he was about to enter the Yellow Springs.

As for his senior brother's generous gift... Xu Xuan already had a plan in mind and prepared a return gift. The treasure was still in the final "processing" stage. Once it was successfully retrieved, he was confident that he could help his senior brother Ruoxu take this opportunity to attain the Arhatship.

Of course, since my senior brother still has unresolved emotional entanglements in the mortal realm, he's not in a huge hurry.

He bid farewell to Ruoxu and went straight down the mountain.

There's never too much of a good mentor, especially this one from the West Lake, who has stood the test of time and is both a teacher and a friend.

He effortlessly slithered into the hidden depths of the lake, and upon seeing that ethereal figure, Xu immediately adopted an expression that said, "I had no choice," and preemptively spoke in a sincere tone:

“Miss Bai, this time it really wasn’t me who started the trouble! It was Zheng Lian, the prefect of Xingyang, who was ignorant of fate and acted recklessly for his own selfish interests, which actually broke the seal of the Yellow Springs!”

"With 200,000 people about to be annihilated, and countless lives lost right before our eyes, we, as cultivators, still possess this much compassion. We cannot simply stand by and watch such a tragedy unfold, can we?"

This statement, coupled with that "compassionate" expression, actually seemed quite convincing.

After all, his public persona has always been that of a "good monk" who cares about all living beings, so it seems perfectly normal and logically consistent for him to do something like "If I don't go to hell, who will?"

Bai Suzhen listened quietly to his story, her beautiful face remaining calm and undisturbed, without even blinking.

It's been more than three years.

Since our first encounter on the Qiantang River, every single time this guy has caused something earth-shattering.

In comparison, this time it was just dealing with a leaked portal to the underworld, which even seemed a bit... bland.

"wait for me a while."

After Bai Suzhen finished speaking, she turned and walked into the inner room. With a light tap of her fingertip, layers of jade slip bookshelves suddenly appeared on the previously empty wall.

Since meeting Xu Xuan, she has been reorganizing and classifying the miscellaneous classics and unorthodox techniques that have been buried in her sect for many years.

After all, this troublemaker always manages to encounter some strange and unusual situations, and this obscure knowledge often comes in handy.

Slender fingers gently stroked the jade slips that gleamed with a bluish light, finally stopping on a bamboo slip containing the "Records of the Nine Netherworlds," which could be considered a prose biography of a senior disciple's travels through the three realms.

After carefully reviewing the document for a moment, he nodded slightly: "It's dangerous, but not a hopeless situation."

The bamboo slips clearly record that although the Yellow Springs are fierce, there is still a gap between Yin and Yang, which leaves a lot of hope for those who are skilled in escape techniques.

He closed the bamboo slips, his expression turning serious.

“I remember that last year or the year before, you broke through the Ghost Gate of Zhou Jue Yin Tian Palace and caused quite a commotion there.”

"We must be careful of any unforeseen circumstances this time. Although the Nine Hells and Nine Springs and the Six Heavens of Luo Feng each reside in a corner of the Netherworld, they are all under the jurisdiction of the Great Emperor of Beiyin Fengdu. It is quite normal for them to be connected by secret passages."

"The Taoist elders in the underworld wield immense power, and their rules are extremely strict and rigid. Once you get there, remember not to... cause trouble."

The last two words were spoken with exceptional clarity, clearly indicating a deep understanding of his past actions.

Having said that, he gently pointed his finger into the void, and a clear, melodious dragon roar immediately resounded throughout the Water Palace.

A long, pure white sword appeared in response, its blade adorned with dragon patterns—it was her personal divine weapon, the Dragon Sword.

"This sword belongs to the water element and contains pure dragon energy, which naturally has the power to intimidate ghosts in the underworld."

She handed the longsword to Xu Xuan; the hilt felt warm to the touch, as if it still carried her body heat.

"The sword also contains a powerful divine ability to summon wind and rain. If a calamity occurs, it may be able to... solve the problem."

Before he could finish speaking, he quickly changed "there should be no problem" to the more cautious "there shouldn't be a big problem".

Having spent years with Xu Xuan, she had long since learned to leave some room for maneuver before making any promises. After all, even the most secure arrangements could encounter unexpected changes when dealing with this guy.

Xu Xuan accepted the Chilong Sword, overjoyed.

This sword is not only incredibly powerful, but its design is also elegant and refined, making it a top-tier weapon that is both powerful and stylish.

Even better, it can transform into a dragon to carry people and fly. Whether traveling, fighting enemies, or... in some other situations that are best left unsaid, it is an essential item for home, travel, murder, and robbery.

He immediately flicked his wrist, executing a beautiful sword flourish, and a sincere yet slightly obsequious smile spread across his face:
"I cannot express my gratitude enough. I will certainly repay Miss Bai's kindness in the future..."

Unfortunately, before he could finish his impassioned remarks, a gentle yet irresistible current of water suddenly appeared, gently but firmly "inviting" him out of the West Lake.

Standing on the shore, Xu Xuan was not annoyed at all. Instead, he chuckled and turned to flee towards Bao'an Hall.

In the secret chamber of the Water Mansion, Bai Suzhen shook her head helplessly, her fingertips flowing with magical power as she continued to refine the Divine Weapon that floated in the air.

She's recently become quite obsessed with this, after all... she can't just keep waiting for Xu Hanwen to solve it, can she?
It's always good to do more preparation.

Xu Xuan, on the other hand, found his way to the other side of Baoan Hall with practiced ease.

The headquarters warehouse was filled with all sorts of rare treasures, but unfortunately, many of them had not yet found a suitable time to be used.

Now, it can finally be used to solo the "Yellow Springs Dungeon".

We first went to take a look around the area under Yan Chixia's control.

During these three years, the other party did not rest during occasional vacations, but traveled all over the country to collect the divine weapons that were scattered in all directions when the fortune of the old Shu Mountain collapsed.

(End of this chapter)