Invasion Myth: Starting with the Schoolteacher

Chapter 846 The Purple Bamboo Forest, in Danger!
A piece of bad news.

Xiao Qing took a very dangerous path during her last Dragon Gate evolution.

So even though the genes collapsed and Xu Xuan managed to recover using unknown methods, he is still in a coma and has even begun an irrational molting process.

Shedding skin...that's really something.

Throughout history and across cultures, scriptures have imbued "molting" with a mystical concept, a concrete manifestation of the idea that "the physical body is finite, but the spirit is immortal."

The Yunji Qiqian states: "A snake sheds its skin, just as a Taoist changes his physical form; this is called the perfection of both form and spirit." The Taoist school regards the snake's molting as a concrete manifestation of "the renewal of the Taoist body," with each molt signifying a leap in the level of life.

Buddhist scriptures also say, "A snake sheds its old skin, just as a practitioner breaks free from attachment to self." This resonates with the Zen concept of "no-self," where letting go of attachment to the "permanent self" is the only way to touch upon one's true nature.

This is also a sign of the transformation from dragon to snake, where the interaction of Kan and Li (water and fire) allows the Yin and Yang energies to merge within the body, achieving evolution.

Even the experienced Bai Suzhen couldn't say for sure when Xiaoqing would wake up, because this molting had gone beyond the scope of normal cultivation.

Of course, this is actually a good thing.

That little snake, who always loved to make a fuss, certainly had a lot of good luck after meeting the Father.

The power of her hometown's vows, the remains of the Cloud Lord, the destiny of leaping over the Dragon Gate... She risked her life several times to obtain such an opportunity, and this is what she deserves.

When it wakes up, it might really evolve from "Little Green" into "Super Little Green"... with its combat power skyrocketing.

Therefore, the bad news for Xu Xuan was not about the skin shedding.

It was because Xiaoqing was unconscious that... she was put into Bai Niangniang's sleeve and carried with her at all times, making her very safe and completely turning into a "trinket".

Then someone's little tricks instantly become ineffective.

All tactics like "trading space for time" and "trading the local for the overall" fail in the face of absolute power.

They simply took the person and the snake away together, leaving no room for maneuver.

This is the cruel manifestation of overwhelming power.

Do you understand the concept of "a universe within a sleeve"? If it can create space within a jade pot, how could a traditional Taoist medium like a sleeve not possess supernatural properties?

However, Xu Xuan remained unfazed, as if he wasn't the one who had made excuses to delay.

He nodded calmly and said, "We will meet in three days and go to the Purple Bamboo Forest together."

The reason is also very good.

The first important thing is to readjust to this completely transformed body.

From being critically injured and on the verge of death to being fully recovered, one must thoroughly grasp the current state. After all, one is going to a place like the Purple Bamboo Forest to handle important matters, and every bit of strength adds to one's composure.

The second thing is that I need to ask for leave from Chongqi Academy.

Although the imperial examinations were over, the academy's teaching work did not stop. As a responsible educator and a highly paid teacher, I had to follow the proper procedures, receive my due salary... cough cough, and fulfill my obligations without any slack.

As for the third item...

“Since it is a Buddhist secret realm, senior brother should naturally go with me.”

Xu Xuan spoke these words with an upright expression, as if he were purely considering the interests of the orthodox tradition.

In fact, these three days were mainly reserved for me and Ruoxu to exchange information.

If I were about to be killed by Lady White Snake in the Purple Bamboo Forest, and my senior brother thought we were just flirting and he was refusing to help, that would be truly unjust.

Bai Suzhen nodded slightly, agreeing to all the arrangements. To her, these were all trivial matters.

Although she was only one step away from breaking through the tribulation of love, her Dao heart was inevitably stirred by some ripples, but her 1,700 years of cultivation allowed her to maintain her transcendent composure.

Amidst the fluttering white robes, the person has already vanished like a streak of light.

The courtyard returned to silence.

Xu Xuan stared in the direction she had disappeared, his brows furrowed. How was he going to explain this mess to his senior brother?
Little did I know that my senior brother was also pondering how to clearly explain the relationship between a human and a demon. Of course, as an enlightened person, he respected all genuine feelings, but...

"Fine, someone has to point it out eventually."

Just as the two brothers were struggling with their own dilemmas, Xu Xuan suddenly stomped his foot hard.

He couldn't bear to lie to his good senior brother, and he also wanted to ensure his own safety.

So what Ruoxu heard was a confession that was nine parts truth and one part falsehood:

"Senior brother, I might... have a past life karmic entanglement with Miss Bai." Xu Xuan's voice was calm and composed, as if he were talking about what he had eaten that evening.

"Moreover, this tribulation also affects her ability to break through the boundary and ascend... so it is both a tribulation of love and a tribulation that hinders her path."

"What?!" Ruoxu's prayer beads snapped with a "crack," and he immediately took two steps back, scrutinizing his junior brother with a surprised look.

Xu Xuan was furious!
Senior brother, what do you mean? Am I not worthy to be someone's love tribulation?
Ruoxu understood that his junior brother had misunderstood. He felt that although love was more dangerous for cultivators, it also allowed them to break free from certain worldly constraints.

I never expected it would lead to disaster.

"Junior brother, are you sure?"

Xu Xuan is 100% certain.

I know the White Snake Lady thinks I don't know, but I do know.

As he thought about it, his heart grew heavier. As a saint who had weathered countless storms, he knew better than anyone what breaking the calamity meant.

It wasn't just a matter of nine out of ten people dying, it was a matter of ninety-nine out of ten dying.

Even a seasoned veteran like him wouldn't dare say he could escape unscathed; that was a calamity that had ensnared countless powerful figures.

Although I have some ability, I dare not say that my mindset is superior to those big shots; that would be pure self-deception.

The most critical issue is that Bai Suzhen is determined to break free from the calamity.

That's the real problem. What method will she use to avert disaster? How many dangers lie ahead? Everything is unknown.

How much danger will Xu Hanwen, the "prop" who was borrowed, have to face? That remains to be seen.

In a sense, this is equivalent to handing your life over to someone else.

But rather...

From their first encounter in Qiantang when she slew Lu Pan with her sword, to protecting his physical body from destruction during the divine punishment in Guobei County, and then to her repeated secret assistance... Bai Suzhen practically traversed the entire path of someone's cultivation.

Even the foundation resources of Baoan Hall and the protection it provided during its early development were inseparable from her influence.

A perfectly good, independent, and self-reliant saintly father has been fed and turned into a gigolo.

Now that they are about to break through their tribulations and attain enlightenment, how can I not help them?

If you don't help, are you even human?

Ruoxu sighed as he looked at his junior brother's ever-changing expression.

He knew his junior brother well; although he usually broke his vow of silence as easily as drinking water, he would never lie on matters of life and death.

"Hey……"

You tell me, this isn't love, it's a love tribulation.

Just like your cultivation speed, it's astonishing.

Thinking of this, Ruoxu suddenly felt that Bai Suzhen's ability to maintain such a peaceful attitude was already an immense act of kindness. If it were any other powerful being, they probably would have already…

"Junior brother, you should rest and recuperate in the courtyard."

He suddenly stood up, his monk's robes fluttering even without wind.

"I'm going back to the Donglin Ancestral Temple."

Before she finished speaking, she had already raised her hand and opened up space. Before leaving, she gave Xu Xuan a deep look, her gaze filled with indescribable complexity.

He needs to go back and rummage through his hidden treasures, and also see what protective magic items his master has left him that he can unlock so he can equip his junior brother with them.

On one side is her junior brother, entangled in a love affair; on the other is a thousand-year-old demon about to attain enlightenment…

This pressure is even greater than when I was possessed by a demon back then.

Three days later, at Hospital B3.

In the dim light of dawn, three figures stood silently in the courtyard.

Xu Xuan, dressed in a blue robe, calmly adjusted his cuffs and polished his intricately carved jade belt until it shone brightly; Ruoxu, dressed in white, stood smiling, holding Buddhist prayer beads, with a faint glimmer of precious light emanating from his body.

Only Bai Suzhen remained—her plain white dress was still there, but the gentleness in her eyes had gained a touch of sharpness.

Standing there quietly, his aura was as deep and boundless as the ocean, causing even the old bamboo in the courtyard to bow slightly.

The undercurrent began to surge.

...A white cloud pierces through the fierce winds of the heavens.

On the shores of the South China Sea.

The sound of the tide has ceased, and even the sea breeze seems to have frozen.

The once auspicious Purple Bamboo Forest, now only has a sickly pale purple membrane remaining, like the last breath of a dying person.

Xu Xuan stood outside the purple bamboo forest, gazing at the sacred place he had longed for, his heart filled with mixed emotions.

"Tsk tsk, this is the sacred site of Guanyin Bodhisattva..."

He squinted as he surveyed his surroundings. Although the outer area appeared somewhat dilapidated, the remaining purple bamboo still shimmered with a faint Buddhist light, hinting at its former glory.

"I wonder if there are any guardian deities inside? Are there any carp spirits in the pond?" Xu Xuan muttered to himself, then suddenly thought of a crucial question: How exactly did Bai Suzhen, a Taoist disciple, get involved with Guanyin Bodhisattva?

Normally, given his personality, he would have asked directly.

But today... I choose to remain silent.

Because Bai Suzhen's condition was clearly not right.

Beneath that gentle and refined demeanor, there was a hidden undercurrent of long-suppressed restlessness.

An extraordinary intuition sends a frantic warning, like a frog being stared at by a venomous snake, its hair standing on end.

When a powerful backer becomes a threat, a sense of security can instantly transform into extreme danger.

Even with Ruoxu standing right next to him, the oppressive feeling did not diminish in the slightest.

Xu Xuan even noticed that his senior brother's prayer beads had started spinning very fast and were no longer as smooth as before.

Bai Suzhen held a willow leaf and gently stroked it, causing a pale purple light membrane to ripple outwards like water.

The seemingly fragile barrier actually contains power that transcends human boundaries. Without a token, even if one is right next to it, this secret realm cannot be seen or touched.

The moment the three stepped into the barrier, a rotten, sweet, and fishy smell wafted towards them.

It was a strange smell of rotting seaweed mixed with a sweet and bloody odor, a sign that the blessed land was about to perish.

Xu Xuan remained calm. Over the years, he had witnessed countless instances of the decline of secret realms, but he felt sorry for the decay of this famous site.

If one were to show compassion, one would put one's hands together and chant the Buddha's name repeatedly. As a disciple of orthodox Buddhism, it would be heartbreaking to see the Bodhisattva's sacred site in such a dilapidated state.

Bai Suzhen led the way, her steps light yet firm. The two brothers followed closely behind, passing through the Tide Sound Cave, forest paths, dried-up lotus ponds, and dried-up Sweet Dew Spring.

Although Xu Xuan looked around curiously, he remained cautious and dared not take a single extra step. Ever since entering, his spiritual senses had been frantically warning him, as if the entire secret realm was telling him that anyone who acted rashly would die.

(End of this chapter)