Invasion Myth: Starting with the Schoolteacher

Chapter 953 Immortal Rabbit Sword-Pounding Pill

Carrying the mission of the Long-Browed Immortal, Xu Feiniang flew quietly southeast, bypassing the rolling mountains of Sichuan.

She dared not be careless, knowing full well that the Long-Browed Immortal's methods were extraordinary, and even if she was thousands of miles away, she would not escape his perception if she made the slightest move.

Several days later, they finally arrived at the border of Yichun County, Ancheng Commandery, Jingzhou, and saw the location of the target of this mission.

Mingyue Mountain.

This mountain is located in the northern section of the Luoxiao Mountains on the border of Hunan and Jiangxi provinces. The mountain range is long and the peaks are lush and green.

Its main peak forms an elegant semi-circular arc, which, when viewed from afar, resembles a half-moon hanging in the sky, hence the name "Bright Moon".

Even more peculiar is that the rocks in the mountains will gleam with a faint silvery-white luster under certain lighting conditions.

Especially on moonlit nights, the entire mountain seems to absorb the moonlight on its own, shimmering and sparkling, reflecting the bright moon in the night sky, creating a truly spectacular sight.

If it were a bloodthirsty and impetuous demon like Deng Yin, he probably wouldn't have been able to restrain himself and would have directly used his blood shadow technique to rush towards the mountain peak.

They used overwhelming magical power to brutally sweep and search, regardless of the earth's veins, spiritual energy, or mountain spirits, forcibly subduing and investigating them all.

Other demons probably use similar methods; cultivating demonic arts inherently has the drawback of reducing one's intelligence by 1 to 10086.

However, Xu Feiniang practiced unorthodox martial arts while also cultivating some orthodox mental techniques, so she was definitely not such a reckless person.

She was entrusted with important responsibilities by Changmei because she was meticulous and reliable, far superior to ordinary villains.

Back then, she single-handedly navigated between the righteous and demonic paths, secretly orchestrating the demons' attack on Mount Shu, a feat that can be considered the highlight of her demonic career.

If it weren't for the fact that the Long-Eyebrowed One was a step ahead, and that his demonic flames were even more intense, forcefully suppressing the demons and reversing the tide, the situation in the southwest would probably be completely different now.

That is why she understands the importance of caution.

From the moment he stepped into the territory of Jingzhou, he completely concealed his demonic aura and silently blended into the mountains and forests.

First, secretly investigate the surrounding towns and places where independent cultivators gather, and collect all information about Mingyue Mountain.

However, the more he investigated, the more his heart sank.

Jiangxi, this land nestled among the Gan and Po rivers, has always occupied a unique and pivotal position in the long history of China.

It is situated in a truly strategic location, dominating the south of the Central Plains, guarding the throat of Yizhou's eastward expansion, and controlling the vital passage of Yangzhou's westward advance.

It is also a crossroads for those heading north to the Central Plains and south to Jiaozhou and Guangzhou, and has been a strategic hub that military strategists have fought over since ancient times.

Its land is fertile and stretches for thousands of miles. The Gan River, Fu River, Xin River, Xiu River, and Rao River converge here, nourishing the prosperity of this land of fish and rice. The canal transport is frequent, and merchants gather here, making it the economic artery that sustains the southern border of the empire.

Moreover, this place boasts a flourishing literary tradition and profound cultural heritage. Numerous academies stand here, a strong academic atmosphere prevails, and many great scholars and famous figures have emerged, weaving together a continuous cultural lineage.

With its strategic, economic, and cultural flourishing, this land is blessed with outstanding people and abundant resources, naturally giving rise to countless magnificent and wondrous myths and legends.

Immortal traces and Taoist practices are hidden among mountains and rivers, while strange tales and legends circulate in the cities and countryside.

Mingyue Mountain, though not as famous as Wugong Mountain to the west, which is known for its vast meadows and cloud-shrouded Taoist temple.

However, its profound history and mystery should not be underestimated.

The entire mountain range seems shrouded in a veil of hazy legend. This can be glimpsed from the names of its main peaks alone:
The main peak, Taiping Mountain, is majestic and symbolizes peace and prosperity. At the foot of the mountain lies the ancient Taiping Xingguo Temple, an important birthplace of the Weiyang School, one of the five schools and seven sects of Zen Buddhism. The temple is filled with the sounds of chanting and the fragrance of sandalwood, and its lineage is long and profound.

Beside it is Yujing Mountain, named after the celestial atmosphere of "the Jade Capital in the heavens, with twelve towers and five cities". The rugged rocks have an ethereal quality, and when shrouded in clouds and mist, they seem to reach straight to the heavens and become a magnificent palace.

Beside it is Yangshan Mountain, a name that seems plain, but at a certain point in history, the "Yangshan Xingci" was a place of great prosperity, and its faith was once widespread across half the country, hiding immeasurable folk divine power and ancient imprints.

Despite its many legendary names, everything in the mountains has been normal lately.

That's almost too normal.

However, the Yangpo Sword Pellet of the Long-Browed Immortal deviated from its intended trajectory and landed here.

There must be a demon in the abnormal situation!
Xu Feiniang frowned slightly, cursing inwardly, "That old man with the long eyebrows deserves to die a horrible death! He clearly sensed something was amiss here, but dared not risk it himself, so he sent me to be his scout!"

"If there really is a dangerous ambush that can be hidden from the Haotian Mirror, wouldn't I be walking into a trap?"

"If I had known, I should have gone up north to make a living."

Despite feeling immense resentment and anger, she was unable to resist the restrictions imposed by Changmei.

Suppressing my turbulent emotions, since there's no way to avoid it, I can only deal with it carefully.

Transforming into a faint, almost invisible shadow that blended into the mountain breeze and night, Xu Feiniang quietly darted toward the half-moon.

Hopefully, I won't be that unlucky.
Extremely cautious, he concealed all his demonic energy, skillfully bypassed the Taiping Xingguo Temple, which was thriving with incense on the mountainside, and avoided several thatched huts and bamboo houses that exuded an aura of quiet cultivation. Sensing the faint Buddhist power and Taoist charm flowing in the air, he dared not disturb any potential local bullies.

Following the faint guidance imprinted in his mind by the long eyebrows, he stealthily made his way towards the cliff at the mountain peak.

The closer you get, the more you can feel a pure and sharp spiritual energy gathering there.

Finally, she arrived at her destination.

It was a secluded cliff rarely visited by people, backed by the clear blue sky and overlooking a vast sea of ​​clouds.

Amidst the jagged cracks in the rocks, a blazing white light floats silently, slowly rotating, radiating a pure and powerful masculine sword intent—it is the lost Yang Soul Sword Pill!

However, Xu Feiniang's gaze was instantly drawn to the figure beside the sword pellet.

Right beneath that sword pellet, on a smooth, mirror-like blue stone, sat a rabbit.

Its fur was as white as snow, without a speck of dust, but its pupils were not the usual crimson of rabbits, but clear as red amber, staring intently at the blazing white sword pellet that seemed to resonate with it.

Small in stature and seemingly harmless, it was enveloped in an extremely faint yet incredibly pure moonlight. This created a subtle and harmonious balance with the clouds atop the mountain and the aura of the Yang Soul Sword Pill.

This scene was so bizarre that even the well-informed Xu Feiniang dared not make a move for a moment.

Upon closer inspection, it became even more horrifying.

A wild rabbit inexplicably exuded an ethereal, otherworldly air, as if it fed on the clouds and drank the dew, untouched by the mortal world.
Xu Feiniang almost doubted whether her consciousness had been secretly injured by Monk Qingyou's Arhat Fist, which was why she was having such an absurd illusion.

She actually thought a rabbit had a rather ethereal appearance?
A chill ran down his spine, and he instinctively took two steps back, his fingertips twitching slightly as he quietly gripped a protective magic item.

This situation was far too bizarre, far exceeding the scope of ordinary spirits and monsters, and was definitely not something she could easily handle alone.

His first thought was to immediately report this strange occurrence back to Longbrow and let the old demon decide for himself.

Her small frame simply couldn't withstand such inexplicable danger.

However, just as his mind was slightly distracted and he was about to leave, his gaze swept over the white rabbit again, and the scene that had been slightly obscured by the clouds was now clearly visible.

The blazing white sword pellet, containing the pure Yang sword essence, was now being held in the rabbit's two front paws.

Snow-white downy fur surrounded the sword pellet, which shone with inner brilliance. Its eyes were full of focus and curiosity. Occasionally, it would tilt its head, and its long ears would sway gently, revealing an extremely focused yet innocent and naive look.

First, it tentatively touched the surface of the sword pellet with its pink nose, and then began to clumsily paw at the sword pellet, making it roll around among the snow-white fur.

The blazing white sword pellets then appeared and disappeared among the clouds of white fur, leaving faint yet clear streaks of light, like stars gliding across a snowfield.

Xu Feiniang held her breath, her surprise and doubt growing even stronger.

This is by no means the usual reaction of mountain spirits to unclaimed magical artifacts, nor is it some kind of ignorance.

unless……

A thought flashed through my mind.

This rabbit has a serious mental problem!

Xu Feiniang felt somewhat relieved.

If it had maintained its ethereal appearance from the moment it first appeared, she would never have dared to approach it so easily.

He secretly activated his demonic power, and a "Heavenly Grandson Brocade" as thin as a cicada's wing, embroidered with intricate star, moon, and cloud patterns, silently slipped out from his sleeves and quietly covered his entire body.

This treasure can conceal all her aura and even the traces of her physical form.

Using the Heavenly Brocade as cover, he minimized his presence and slowly and cautiously approached the white rabbit on the bluestone.

One step, two steps... the other party remained completely unaware.

Xu Feiniang felt a little more at ease.

In the cultivation world, the soul is of paramount importance; it is the foundation of all cultivation and also the greatest vulnerability.

Throughout history, countless powerful figures have ultimately fallen because of their flaws in the way of the soul.

It could be a backlash from inner demons, a clouded Daoist heart, or a strange curse cast by an enemy targeting the primordial spirit.

She even had a dark thought: if that old man with long eyebrows were to really perish one day, it would most likely not be by being directly killed.

It is likely that all his myriad calculations will ultimately come to naught, and will instead devour him.

Or perhaps the great trend of the rise of demons and the fall of the Tao that he painstakingly created made the Jiangnan Baoan Hall a group of "monsters" who did not play by the rules, so that his own path collapsed and his beliefs crumbled.

By then, the outcome of the sword duel would have already been decided on a higher level.

The demise of the physical body and the collapse of the spirit are merely the final outcome.

This has always been the style of the Shu Mountain Sword Sect, or rather, it is the method that Master Changmei is most skilled at.

Often, he doesn't need to take action himself; he only needs to deduce the secrets of heaven, lay out the pieces, send out "suitable" disciples, bestow "suitable" divine weapons and magical treasures, and arrange for "just right" opportunities to appear.

They could then use others to bring down seemingly invincible demonic giants or evil gods.

The whole process seemed to be ordained by fate and proceeded naturally.

Xu Feiniang has struggled to survive under the shadow of Mount Shu for so many years, engaging in open and covert battles, maneuvering, and forced cooperation with Changmei. She can be considered to have become a good doctor through long illness.

I gradually learned some of the essence of this "precision strike" and "using someone else's strength against them" approach.

But to her surprise, just as she silently crept up to within arm's reach, the rabbit seemed to lose interest in the toy in its paws.

Holding the gleaming sword pellet, it leaped and bounded lightly to a simple, ancient stone mortar beside it.

The stone mortar was the color of deep ink, its texture resembled jade but was not jade, and its surface was engraved with ancient cloud and thunder patterns. The mortar's belly was deep, and its inner wall was as smooth as a mirror, faintly flowing with an obscure spiritual light. One glance was enough to tell that it was no ordinary object.

Rabbit tilted its head, its eyes scanning the mortar as if it had been thinking for a moment, before it did something that left Xu Feiniang speechless.

With a soft "plop," it dropped the Yangpo Sword Pill into the deep, dark jade mortar!
Then, something even more unbelievable happened.

The snow-white ball of fluff stood upright, and its two front paws produced a jade pestle out of nowhere.

The jade pestle and stone mortar are clearly a set, with a warm, lustrous white texture and a smooth, full pestle head.

With great effort, it lifted the jade pestle, which seemed a bit too big for it, and wobbled as it actually began to pound the sword pellet in the mortar!
"Boom-"

A soft sound rang out, unlike the sharp clash of metal and stone, but rather like clear spring water dripping into a deep ancient pool, ethereal and carrying a strange rhythm.

(End of this chapter)