Invasion Myth: Starting with the Schoolteacher

Chapter 670 Cleansing Up and Getting Back on Land
A monster, pieced together from the spines of hundreds of humans, swam in the water, each bone crimped with rusted arrowheads. As it devoured those who fell into the water, the friction of its bones produced a distorted version of an ancient war song.

Nine-headed birds circled low in the sky, their severed necks sprouting new flesh. Most terrifying of all were their cries—if you listened closely, they were the mournful cries of "Wind Queen! Wind Queen!"

When Xu Xuan listened to the story, he could roughly tell that there were many monsters from the Classic of Mountains and Seas, such as the classic Ghost Bird, also known as the Nine-Headed Bird.

"In the end, Brother Ziye took a desperate gamble and played the 'Xianchi' melody left by the Yellow Emperor." Shen Shanzhang suddenly slammed his hand on the table, and the tea set on the table jumped up. "As soon as the melody started, the roar of the human race came from the ancient Yunmeng. The demons were in chaos and began to kill each other indiscriminately."

The old mountain chief calmed his breathing: "After the battle, the water level of Yunmengze dropped by three feet, and the experts who were chasing us were almost completely wiped out."

"When the fog cleared, we left the place."

"After we came out, we consulted some ancient texts and learned that it was the site of an ancient battlefield."

Wow... Is it that dangerous over at Dongting Lake?

Xu Xuan felt something was off. It was normal for Professor Shi to be dragged into the Ancient Yunmeng because of his special ability to communicate with ghosts and gods. So what exactly was the Ancient Yunmeng?

Headmaster Shen said he didn't know either.

"I've been to Dongting Lake several times over the years, but I've never found that ancient lake again." The tone shifted: "You, a monk, want to go to Dongting Lake?"

Xu Xuan clasped his hands together, his face solemn and dignified: "Amitabha. Recently, demons have been disturbing the water system, and this humble monk has gone to suppress them in accordance with the true meaning of the Pure Land School." He added, "While I am at it, I will offer sacrifices to the ancestors of the human race and help my master retrieve the zither."

"I see." Headmaster Shen seemed to freeze in place, his expression shifting back and forth, clearly troubled by something, and showing a fierce internal struggle.

A normally kind person would leave immediately in this situation, or say something comforting to ease the other person's predicament.

But who am I? A kind person.

So he sat there motionless, waiting patiently, and even gave her an expectant look.

Sure enough, it was right for someone to sit here and put pressure on me. Old Shen slapped his thigh and thought, "I can't let this kid surnamed Xu look down on me."

"You wait."

A full hour passed, and a rustling sound came from the back mountain of the academy. Headmaster Shen crouched down and emerged from the bamboo forest.

"Ahem." He looked around suspiciously before lifting the layers of burlap. "Take this with you."

The exposed bronze vessel gleamed in the setting sun: the handles were cast in the shape of a kui dragon, and two beads of blood amber were inlaid in the dragon's eyes. Dried bloodstains could be faintly seen between the four characters "黍稷非馨" on the body of the vessel. It contained five-colored rice grains, among which the red grains seemed to be beating slightly like a heart. The ash at the bottom formed a peculiar star pattern.

The moment Xu Xuan's fingertips touched the handle of the ritual vessel, the entire vessel suddenly vibrated with a "hum".

The scene from last year's sacrificial ceremony appears amidst the mottled patina of the bronze, and even as time moves forward, more sacrificial scenes are revealed.

"This!" Xu was overjoyed. "What a wonderful thing!"

The *fu* is a vessel used in sacrificial ceremonies during the pre-Qin period to hold offerings such as millet and sorghum. The object before us can be considered one of the most prized sacrificial vessels of Bailu Academy.

The power of wishes entwined above is almost visible to the naked eye, promising a bountiful harvest.

There is also a massive amount of righteous energy remaining within it, which would be terrifying if it were manipulated by someone skilled in using this special power.

Shen Shanzhang rubbed the fu ear with a pained expression, then hesitated again.

Am I doing something wrong?
But this kid is going to suppress the demonic threat in Dongting Lake. Giving him full support wouldn't be unreasonable, right? Seeing the struggle in the other's eyes, Xu Xuan immediately said, "If you could also bring out the bronze cauldron and the Azure Jade from the back mountain..."

"Don't even think about it!" The old mountain chief quickly stuffed the basket into his hands. "Remember, never use it unless absolutely necessary. If you encounter a life-threatening situation, just scatter a handful of grain."

"If anything happens to this bronze vessel—" Headmaster Shen gripped the vessel's handle tightly, his knuckles turning white, "at my age, I'll have to become a fugitive!"

Xu Xuan patted his chest loudly, "You can rest assured!" He casually quoted a classical Chinese story, "I've been familiar with 'Returning the Jade Intact to Zhao' since I was a child, I guarantee the jade will be returned intact!"

The old abbot reluctantly let go, his gaze still fixed on the bronze vessel.

"That's good. Ziye's zither was lost in the ancient Yunmeng. You've given me so much support, you must find it." Headmaster Shen's tone was very heavy. That zither was both an ancient treasure and the heart of his friend.

The old man watched Xu Xuan leave the academy with almost reluctance.

Once the other person's figure disappeared at the end of the official road, the old abbot suddenly straightened his hunched back. Without making a sound, he bypassed the professors, returned to his room, and immediately locked the door.

A wooden plaque with the words "Having gained insights from studying the classics of the ancients" was hung on the door, announcing his seclusion. The Spring and Autumn Annals were spread out on the desk to conceal his presence.

In reality, he dragged a sandalwood box from under the bed, and when he opened it, a cold glint appeared: a bronze halberd inscribed with "Exterminate Evil" lay there quietly.

The old mountain chief stroked the several notches on the blade of the spear—each one corresponding to the life of a prominent figure from back then.

"You brat!" he said, straightening his clothes in front of the bronze mirror. "If you dare to lose my Fu, I'll just go to Dongting Lake and cause a huge uproar."

Meanwhile, Xu Xuan, who had successfully recruited reinforcements, was in high spirits, as he hadn't expected to gain anything other than intelligence.

Looking back at the distant, mist-shrouded mountain peaks, I thought, "The title of 'First Academy' is truly well-deserved."

"Let's go to the Donglin Ancestral Temple."

Xiaoqing suddenly tugged at his sleeve: "Wait! Is it appropriate for a demon like me to go to the ancestral temple of Buddhism?"

“It is precisely because you are a monster that you need me, the academy instructor and Pure Land Buddhist Zen Master Fahai, to personally guide you to pay your respects.” As Xu Xuan spoke, he even counted on his fingers to explain her identity to the little monster.

Certified by three major academies, blessed by the Buddha's light at the Donglin Ancestral Temple, registered with the Wu County government as the temple keeper of the Xishan Yuwang Temple, and the deputy head of the Baoan Hall who has established numerous industries around Taihu Lake, and a major taxpayer in Yangzhou.

With all of these things in place, Xiaoqing would be the monster with the cleanest identity in the world.

If it weren't for the rejection by the human race's destiny, I would even have liked to donate money to her to give her an official position.

"As long as he gains the approval of these powerful forces, Taihu Water King can openly declare himself a member of the Justice League. This is called 'going live a clean life'."

"We can help each other out when we encounter trouble in the future, and at least we won't be misunderstood as evil demons."

The little demon only now understood Xu Xuan's good intentions and was deeply moved.

Actually, this is because someone wanted to be lazy, so they arranged for an energetic professional manager to do more work, so that someone could share the official social duties in the future.

The two moved swiftly, arriving at the last stop of the rescue operation.

Suddenly, the bronze bell of Donglin Temple on the mountaintop rang, the mountain gate opened wide, and an unnamed old monk was already waiting there.

(End of this chapter)