Invasion Myth: Starting with the Schoolteacher

Chapter 870 Xu Daoren

Actually, the plot has reached a point where there won't be any more twists and turns.

Xu Xuan's Golden Light Mantra swayed in the wind and rain, yet it never faded. He walked forward step by step, the mud churning beneath his feet, the wind like knives, the demonic energy like a tide, but that thin layer of golden light was like the most solid barrier in the world, unshaken by mountains and seas collapsing or calamities befalling him.

"Cultivating for countless eons..."

He chanted softly, and as the golden light flowed, it seemed to carry a faint sense of "invulnerability to all laws".

Finally, he stood before the white snake.

The enormous head drooped, and within its scarlet vertical pupils, a chaotic soul struggled fiercely.

For a moment, the demonic aura subsided slightly, and a glimmer of clarity appeared deep within the snake's eyes. It was Xiaobai's consciousness, briefly regaining control of its body.

His gaze fell on Xu Xuan, without fear or anger, only with deep pleading.

It's not about survival.

Instead, he sought death.

She was still herself after all. Even with immense magical power and an ancient demonic body, even with her soul corrupted by violent demonic nature, her heart never changed.

Xu Xuan's hand holding the sword trembled slightly.

He was just an ordinary person who had traveled half a month, not some unparalleled hero, not a chosen one. Yet at this moment, he was more resolute than anyone else.

"I promised you..."

He took a deep breath, and the Golden Light Mantra suddenly erupted. He raised his longsword high and aimed it at the white snake's brow, stabbing it down fiercely.

The sword's edge pierced through the demonic power, tore through the scales, and sank deep into the flesh.

The power of the Taiyin was like a flood bursting its banks, flowing away wildly and being devoured by the higher being. But Xu Xuan simply gripped the sword hilt tightly, letting his power be drained away.

"It's alright..." he said softly, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth, "You can have whatever you want."

The power of the Demon-Suppressing Divine Sword instantly pierced through the giant snake's body, cleansing both its physical form and its soul.

The moment the sword pierced through, golden light spread like a tide, flowing along every inch of the snake's scales, and wherever it passed, the demonic aura dissipated and black mist rose.

The white snake's massive body trembled violently, as if enduring excruciating pain, yet gradually calmed down amidst the golden light.

Her soul was peeled away layer by layer, and the chaotic memories, twisted desires, and violent demonic power that had been devoured were all cleansed by the purifying power of the divine sword.

Then, just like the ending of a movie.

A dazzling golden halo burst forth from the snake's body, sweeping across all directions like ripples.

The wind stopped.

The rain has stopped.

The raging floodwaters ceased their rampage and instead receded slowly like the ebb tide, revealing the submerged villages, streets, and fields.

Sunlight pierced through the thick clouds, and golden beams of light spilled onto the earth, dispelling the gloom that had enveloped Yongzhou.

It was as if justice had triumphed over evil.

The giant serpent completely broke free from its madness, and its enormous body began to shrink.

The power of the Taiyin True Scripture dissipated from her body, transforming into specks of light that returned to the heavens and earth.

These forces seeped into the earth, repairing the mountains and rivers ravaged by floods and nourishing the withered vegetation. The world, once ravaged, was reborn from the ashes.

The autumn wind has lost its malevolent aura, swept away the gloom, and revealed the blue sky.

In the end, Xiaobai stood in the same spot again.

A thin golden mark, as delicate as a willow leaf, adorned his brow, like the final imprint left by a divine sword, or perhaps a mark of destiny.

She smiled, a beautiful smile, yet also a smile of sadness.

A single tear slid down her cheek, crystal clear, reflecting the sunlight and revealing countless complex emotions.

There was reluctance, pain, resentment, love, and grievance.

The tear fell into the soil and vanished in an instant, as if it had never existed.

Xu Xuan rushed forward, wanting to hug her. But his arms only caught a gust of wind.

His figure vanished like smoke and mist the instant his fingertips touched him, leaving not even a last word.

It's very simple, with no melodramatic deathbed confessions or unexpected twists and turns.

Even the hairpin that was used at the last moment turned into a ray of light and flew into the sky, eventually merging into a cloud and drifting away.

Love and hate are but illusions of yin and yang; clinging to a single thought leads to reincarnation.

The Great Dao is ruthless in giving birth to all things; I too will transform into light and return to the Great Void.

Her existence was nothing but a dream. Now that the dream is over, everything has returned to dust.

In just half a month, Xu Xuan experienced love, hate, passion, and separation by life and death.

"Hanwen, you should understand now."

Above the clouds, the real Bai Suzhen gazed at him silently, her eyes filled with anticipation.

Xu Xuan, lying on the ground, had indeed realized something at that moment.

He stood still, unmoving, letting the wind and rain blow and the sun rise and set.

Three days and three nights passed, and as the morning light of the fourth day shone down, he finally let out a slow breath, his eyes no longer filled with confusion.

"I see."

Looking down at his hands, he saw that the Yin energy that had once flowed through them had long since dissipated, but his physical body had been tempered to be incredibly tough.

Now that you understand, go and do it.

He walked towards the battlefield ruins, stripped the dark-patterned robe from the emaciated corpse of the Grand Preceptor, shook off the dust, and draped it over his own body.

"This is a good thing, we can't waste it."

Then he began to clean up the mess, gathering broken weapons, scattered talismans, and shattered magical artifacts into his bundle. He also carefully wiped Xiaoqing's twin swords and Xiaobai's Lilong Cold Light Sword, wrapped them in cloth, and carried them on his back.

These are all things left behind by deceased friends.

I found Baoqingfangzhu, who was taking stock of the losses, and gave him a brief greeting:

"I go first."

The shop owner's fox ears twitched slightly, as if he wanted to say something but hesitated, and in the end he just waved his pipe.

This guy is too strong, or rather, too terrifying. I don't need to say anything more.

Xu Xuan did not lose sight of his objective after leaving the battlefield.

Although he lost his magical powers, his physique, tempered by the Taiyin True Scripture, remained, making him a top-tier expert in external martial arts in the martial world.

Naturally, he did not retreat to the mountains and forests, nor did he pursue the ethereal path of immortality. Instead, he went to the collapsed houses, the flooded farmland, and the grieving disaster victims.

The first step is to send the villagers back to their homes.

The snake-catching village has been completely transformed; the suspension bridge is broken, the wooden stakes are crooked, and the vines on the cliff face have been washed away by the flood.

The villagers stood before the ruins; some sobbed softly, some remained silent, and others numbly searched for any usable belongings.

The village chief, leaning on a broken wooden stick, coughed twice and stepped forward.

"What are you crying about? If the house collapses, we'll rebuild it; if the bridge breaks, we'll repair it!" His voice was hoarse, but he forced himself to stand up straight. "Once we've cleaned up, we'll continue catching snakes!"

Someone muttered under their breath, "But all the snakes have run away..."

"If they've all run away, we'll just look for more!" the village chief glared. "The officials don't care if we live or die; not a single snake is missing from the list of snakes we're owed!"

Xu Xuan, standing at the back of the crowd, suddenly spoke up: "The official should no longer accept the snakes."

Silence fell over the surroundings. The village chief froze, slowly turned to look at him, blinked his cloudy old eyes, and suddenly burst into tears.

"You're not collecting snakes anymore? Then... then how are we going to pay taxes? What are we going to exchange for grain?" He grabbed Xu Xuan's sleeve, trembling. "Xuan, are you telling the truth?"

The other villagers panicked as well. Catching snakes was a life-threatening job, and if they lost even that chance, they would die even faster.

Xu Xuan supported the village chief's trembling shoulders: "It's alright, I'll help everyone."

The village chief's crying stopped abruptly.

Yes, three days ago when the flood raged, Ah Xuan single-handedly carried an entire roof beam to save people, wading through the waves as if walking on flat ground. Ah Xuan today is no longer the half-baked doctor he once was.

Although I don't know why he suddenly became so powerful, it's still a good thing.

Xu Xuan didn't plan to stay in the village for long afterward, so he immediately got to work.

With his strong physique, he helped the elderly ram the earth and build walls, and taught the young people to weave new bridges with vines; pointing to the direction of the cave in the distance, he whispered to the hunters where they could dig up wild ginseng and which forest would grow mushrooms after the rain.

None of them are legitimate paths.

The villagers' eyes lit up. They lived off the land, barely surviving. When the tax collectors arrived, they'd hide in the caves to avoid trouble, and then…

"I'll figure out the rest." Xu Xuan patted his mud-covered trouser legs and smiled.

Above the clouds, Bai Suzhen silently watched everything below.

"It's still that Xu Hanwen..." she sighed softly, a ripple appearing in her eyes.

Even though the karmic entanglement of love had been severed, this world still hadn't disappeared. She frowned slightly, then relaxed.

Well, it's normal for feelings to linger; time will heal all wounds.

Three days later, in Yongzhou City.

The city was devastated after the floodwaters receded.

The streets were piled with blackened silt, and collapsed roof frames lay scattered about. Several yamen runners were directing laborers to wrap unclaimed corpses in straw mats and transport them by cart to the mass grave outside the city.

"Hurry up! If we keep covering it up, there'll be an epidemic!"

A muffled cry came from the street corner. A woman was sitting in a pile of rubble, holding her young child. There wasn't even a piece of white cloth to be found.

The cloth shops have long been ruined by the flood, and now it's impossible to find even a single piece of intact linen to make a funeral banner.

Suddenly, a figure walked against the flow of people.

He was wearing a purple Taoist robe with the sleeves rolled up high, carrying a shovel on his shoulder, and his boots were covered in mud.

"Auntie, give me the child." Xu Xuan squatted down and took out a clean piece of coarse cloth from his pocket. "I'll wrap him in this."

The woman stared blankly up at the Taoist priest, who then used his teeth to bite his finger and draw a crooked talisman on the cloth.

"The Rebirth Mantra, I just drew it off." He grinned. "But it's better than nothing."

From then on, a strange Taoist priest appeared in Yongzhou City.

In the early morning, he helped his father-in-law clear the blocked ditch in the south of the city, and at noon he went to the north of the city to repair the leaky roof for a widow. When a child fainted from hunger by the roadside, he would magically pull out half a steamed bun from his sleeve; when he encountered thugs extorting disaster victims, he would rush over without saying a word.

He relied solely on his physically strong physique and powerful iron palms to beat the thugs until they cried for their parents.

He inspired everyone with his passionate emotions.

As the floodwaters receded, Yongzhou City gradually returned to life.

Xu Xuan's work was not yet finished.

He began performing religious rites throughout the city.

When the old patriarch of a wealthy family died, he carried a peach wood sword, walked in the Seven Star Steps, and recited a half-true, half-false "Scripture of Salvation," while also checking the feng shui of the family's ancestral graves.

When a poor family lost their child, he squatted in the corner and drew a crooked talisman for the deceased with charcoal. Before leaving, he secretly slipped a few copper coins into the talisman.

Excellent service, flexible pricing, and fair dealings for all ages.

"Master Xu, with your skills, how come you don't even have a Taoist temple?" one day, a local gentry couldn't help but ask.

Xu Xuan was gnawing on the roast chicken that someone had given him when he heard this. He wiped the grease off his mouth and laughed, "Who said there isn't? The Huilong Pagoda outside the city is my territory."

The gentryman's expression froze: "But that... looks like a Buddhist pagoda?"

“Hey~~Buddha is the Tao!” Xu Xuan flicked his sleeves, speaking with righteous indignation.

Goodness, those words really stirred up a hornet's nest.

The monks of Yongzhou City were outraged!

"You madman! How dare you insult our Buddhist community!"

That afternoon, three large, fat monks blocked the entrance to the Huilong Pagoda, wanting to "meet fellow practitioners through Buddhist teachings."

result……

In the debate over scriptures, someone suffered a crushing defeat, but in the physical sparring, the former Taiyin Body Tempering was no joke. Three monks piled up together couldn't hold him down as firmly as he could with one hand.

From then on, Huilong Pagoda officially changed its name to "Xu".

The anecdote of "the Taoist priest seizing the Buddhist pagoda" spread throughout Jiangnan West Road, and Xu Xuan's reputation grew ever stronger.

Some say it's the rampant spread of evil spirits, while others praise it as the descent of a true immortal.

After that, Master Xu began to rebuild the Huilong Pagoda brick by brick.

Unhurried and patient, he would carry his tools up the mountain every morning and return only at sunset. When asked why he didn't use magic, he waved his hand and laughed, "With enlightenment gained in cultivation, ten or a hundred years are but a snap of the fingers."

The owner of Baoqing Workshop once rode in on a wooden ox, leaning against a half-ruined wall, and asked him:

"Are you short of manpower and materials? This shopkeeper can build a seven-story pagoda for you in one night."

Xu Xuan was squatting on the ground kneading mud, not even looking up: "No rush, take your time."

The shop owner rolled his eyes, wagged his tail, and walked away.

Gradually, "Master Xu" became the most unique figure in Yongzhou.

He wore that altered Taoist robe, yet he always went to the pagoda; he repaired roofs for the common people for free, asking for only a few bricks; he consulted feng shui for wealthy families, and his reward was several cartloads of timber.

The most ingenious thing is that when the Huilong Pagoda finally had a roof to shelter it from the wind and rain, he actually moved the position of the Buddha statue and placed a Taoist statue on the left.

"Paying respects at two temples is never wrong," he said confidently.

Later, he began to take in orphans from the war.

The children were crammed into the unfinished tower, while Xu Xuan sat cross-legged on a futon, with a copy of the Book of Changes open in front of him.

"Master, what is the meaning of the phrase 'Hidden dragon, do not act'?"

Xu Xuan scratched his head, then suddenly picked up a wooden stick and drew a crooked dragon on the ground: "That means you have to act like a coward before you fight!"

"What about 'the dragon soaring too high will regret it'?"

"Don't get cocky after you win!" He slammed the book shut. "Ask, ask, ask what? You'll know once I show you how it's done."

No one can say for sure how many influential figures have emerged from this dilapidated tower, which is half Buddhist and half Taoist. The conflicts in Kyushu are gradually being resolved, and some say that an even greater war is brewing.

It is said that even the emperor offered him the position of Imperial Preceptor, but he could not persuade him to serve.

Time flies, and ten years have passed in the blink of an eye.

Bai Suzhen, who was in the clouds, could no longer contain herself. This dream had evolved on its own to this day, far exceeding her expectations.

"Could something have gone wrong?" she whispered, her brows furrowed, a resolute glint in her eyes as she calculated with her fingers.

So he decided to offer his guidance once again.

Today, an ordinary-looking woman came to Yongzhou City, carrying a brocade box. Inside the box lay an ancient bronze mirror, its rim polished smooth by the dragon patterns.

(End of this chapter)