Water elemental became a god, ultimately becoming the master of heaven, earth, mountains, and rivers

Chapter 219 Immortal Shepherd's Wilderness, Living Together with Mortals

After a while.

Chen Shunan sat in the tea room, drinking tea as he slowly turned the pages of what appeared to be a handwritten commentary by Master Tieyu.

Upon seeing it, a look of shock flashed across his eyes.

It's not that it contains any profound or mysterious martial arts techniques.

Instead, the author describes, in a manner almost like sleepwalking or rambling, what he saw after his "spirit left his body"—a world that was both real and illusory.

This world is a place where the sky is round and the earth is square, its height unknown. Above the nine heavens, there seem to be towering buildings and jade palaces, Taoist pavilions and scriptures, and the wondrous shadows of flying immortals.

Beneath the netherworld lies the evil of the mortal realm, teeming with malevolent spirits, haunted by countless ghosts, where life is utterly extinguished.

Only in the central rivers and mountains, there are flowers, birds, insects and fish, all things change, and the years turn, where humans and spirits live together.

However, I have also seen immortals who fly away and hide in the world, roaming the four seas and living with a group of ordinary people;

Some people can turn back time and illuminate the entire world, knowing all the causes and effects of the past. They can even extinguish the causes and effects of a million people in a city, causing them to be banished from the world.
Wandering the gods and controlling the qi, stirring up rivers and seas, reincarnating and being reborn...

A dazzling golden light rose from the mountains and rivers, as if immortals sat high above, ruling over the territories. With a simple breath, countless white wisps of energy flew out from the tops of the heads of living beings, opening their eyes and flowing backward, all entering the immortals' palms.

In the end, it seems to have become the author's dream travelogue. Some parts of the content are extremely obscure and difficult to understand, with illegible handwriting, resembling ghost writing.

On the very last page, the author surprisingly concluded with a line of blood-red handwriting—

They've always been around us.

From famous mountains and great marshes to sacred scenic spots, and down to urban and rural ditches, brick and tile wells, all are its pastureland.

Upon seeing this, Chen Shunan seemed to be moved, and a look of shock involuntarily appeared on his face.

He vaguely felt that this commentary was probably left by Master Tieyu.

Even if it wasn't him, it was some other martial arts master.

The separation of the primordial spirit from the body is an extremely secretive realm in martial arts.

It is a martial arts supernatural power that arises after the complete annihilation of the six thieves, the suppression of the consciousness, and the complete liberation of the primordial spirit that was oppressed and obscured by the dark clouds.

Only when the true meaning is complete can there be any contact.

To truly achieve the state of one's spirit leaving the body, or even to travel through the void and perceive the universe, only a martial arts grandmaster might be capable of performing such a feat.

And the world I saw in my dream...

"Is this the true face of this world, the Holy Dynasty, and even other countries and territories? Immortals rule the world, shepherd the common people, and live together with mortals?"

Chen Shunan put down the annotations and placed them back into the wooden box, his expression slightly dazed and lost in thought.

He seemed to have grasped something, but there was still a fine line between that and a state of sudden enlightenment.

"Manager Chen, lunch is ready. Would you like to eat?"

As soon as Chen Shunan stepped out of the tea room, a martial artist dressed in short clothes perked up and quickly came over, seemingly there specifically to serve him.

Of course, there was still concern that Chen Shunan might wander around the restricted area and enter places he shouldn't.

So they sent someone to keep an eye on him.

Zhang Xiangling and the others have already left to visit the next place.

Zhang Xiangling was also curious about what secrets this book, which was suspected to be a relic of Master Tie, contained.

Seeing Chen Shunan so engrossed in his love, he refrained from interfering or trying to take her away.

It's all hers now, she can't escape it.

Neither agreeing nor refusing, it actually feels quite comfortable...

Have a meal?

Chen Shunan was somewhat absent-minded and casually said, "Keep it simple... Hmm, is there any porridge?"

"Porridge……"

The man hesitated for a moment and said, "Recently, ice has been everywhere, and many people have collapsed inside and outside the county. Our Martial Arts Academy, together with other martial arts schools, has set up tents to distribute porridge... but it's just thin porridge. I wonder if Manager Chen would find it unpalatable?"

Thin porridge for disaster relief?
Chen Shunan paused for a moment, then shook his head and said, "If you don't mind, scoop out a jar."

Before long, when Chen Shunan returned to the quiet room, there was a small earthenware pot filled with thin porridge beside him.

Chen Shunan was still recalling the contents of the annotation he had just read when he casually scooped out a bowl of thin porridge.

The porridge was millet porridge, steaming hot, and went down smoothly, but the taste wasn't very good; it had a slightly astringent flavor.

Fortunately, there was no sand or mold.

It tastes much better than the disaster relief grain that Chen Shunan received when he fled to Longnan.

Thinking of this, Chen Shunan's heart stirred, and various thoughts swirled in his mind.

All sorts of past events came rushing back.

Back then, Longnan was devastated by floods. He and his three deceased wives, along with countless other corpses, were swallowed up by that massive flood.

Could it also be the work of some celestial being tending the sheep?
Chen Shunan and his group were like shepherds, only they were driven from one pasture to another.

Natural disasters and man-made calamities are all gifts from the immortals.

In that instant of understanding the crux of the matter, Chen Shunan suddenly felt that his body was no longer illusory, but had something to rely on and a place to go.

The Water Element became a god, bestowed titles upon various saints, and took charge of mountains, rivers, and lakes.

Is this not the ritual and process by which he welcomed back the authority of the Water Emperor, but also the final counterattack of the divine path against the immortal path?
"It's done." Chen Shun'an showed no anger or joy. He simply reached out and took the purple iron calamus milk, tilted his head back and swallowed it. His teeth were like files, and he chewed it into powder.

Immediately afterwards, my mind suddenly became chaotic and turbulent.

Golden light of the sexual orifice, the great medicine of dragon and tiger, the acquired qi, the precious fluid embracing the liquid, billions of blazing fires, the restless mind and wandering thoughts.

The six scenes rotated in turn. Then, beams of divine light shot out from between Chen Shun'an's eyebrows.

A primordial spirit awakens.

……

Opposite the Liangjiang Military Academy, on a tall building, is a tavern.

Tianxuan Saintess watched Zhang Xiangling walk into the martial arts hall from afar, a hint of apprehension flashing in her eyes.

"The Zhang family of Tongzhou, what brings this woman here?"

Zhang Xiangling is the apple of the Zhang family's eye and a young prodigy with an extremely low probability of becoming a martial arts grandmaster.

The Zhang family would naturally not allow her to come alone.

Therefore, there will definitely be protectors who secretly follow and protect you at all times!
The Yueshan Taoist Academy emphasized literature over martial arts, governing itself with the eight-legged essay and strategic classics; while the Aoshan Taoist Academy emphasized martial arts over literature, becoming famous for archery, horsemanship, and martial arts techniques.

Between the two, there are ideological differences, factional differences, and almost irreconcilable contradictions!
The presence of members of the Zhang family and people from Aoshan Taoist Temple here inevitably stirred up the imagination of Tianxuan Saintess.

"Holy Maiden".

"Holy Maiden".

Two figures hurried up the stairs.

It was Guan Sheng and Huang Xing, the two owners of the mill.

Guan Sheng carefully observed Tianxuan Saintess's expression, and seeing that she showed neither anger nor joy, he then spoke.

"We've exhausted all the methods we could think of: inciting a demonic tide at the Three Crossroads, bribing a few down-on-their-luck Bai Shan people to block the well, even scattering treasures, martial arts techniques, and various opportunities at the Three Crossroads to lure Chen Shunan away from the Martial Arts Academy, but..."

"I already know."

A hint of weariness flashed across Tianxuan Saintess's eyes.

But... Chen Shunan just stayed holed up in the military academy and refused to come out no matter what.

She even took a risky gamble, personally going to Wohu Well, intending to actually poison the well, ruin the reputation of Wuqing Water Village, and force Chen Shunan to show himself.

However, there was an old man in Crouching Tiger Well who had slain five thieves, whose life force was about to be severed and whose soul was about to dissipate, so Tianxuan Saintess had no chance to make a move.

Huang Xing coughed and said with his head down,
“Holy Maiden… Yu Xiaoquan, Yu Mingzui is urging you to hurry up and deal with Chen Shunan. She’s going to give a lecture at the Yishu Tea House, and she wants you to stop delaying.”

Tianxuan Saintess was somewhat speechless.

Am I the one stalling?
Am I unwilling to deal with Chen Shunan?

Tianxuan Saintess suddenly felt a little irritable.

Why were there so many setbacks on this trip down the mountain?
Could it be that I, the Holy Maiden Tianxuan, am having a bad year and have offended Tai Sui?

Perhaps sensing that Saintess Guan Tianxuan was growing impatient, Guan Sheng suddenly offered a plan in an extremely confident tone.

"Holy Maiden, do not worry, I have a plan that may lure Chen Shun'an out!"

"Speak." Tianxuan Saintess glanced at Guan Sheng again.

"Judging from Chen Shun'an, he is cunning but lacks wisdom and has no great talent. In particular, he is lecherous. It's one thing for him to have an ambiguous relationship with a widow, but he also keeps a canary and even goes so far as to lay hands on a nun..."

With a smile on his face, Guan Sheng continued, "I have already selected several beauties, some are modest and demure, some are dignified and virtuous, and some are alluring and seductive. With just a little bit of seduction, they will surely distract him and make him unable to break through! Given time, why should I be afraid that he will not come out?"

Guan Sheng also had his own little schemes.

"The Holy Maiden is in dire need of talent right now. If I make a great contribution this time, not only will I impress her, but I might even be guided to cultivate immortality, become a king or ancestor, and take on the role of a god! A mill manager? I wouldn't even be a dog!"

Huang Xing stood to one side, seemingly somewhat foolish, and remained silent throughout.

"Fine, give it a try..."

Before he could finish speaking, a loud bang suddenly came from the tall building below, like a cannon blast, and the wall dust was falling in a flurry.

"What happened?" Guan Sheng asked in a panic.

Then, from downstairs, came the painful wails of the members of the rice-pounding gang.

"People from Shuiwozi? How dare you attack us!"

"How dare you! You actually dared to plot against Master Jiang and steal the ten thousand taels of tax silver that were supposed to be paid! Your mill has indeed committed countless evil deeds!"

"We didn't do it!"

"Denied? Denial is an admission, so it was you guys who did it! Brothers, grab your weapons and get in! Let your boss come down here and talk to us!"

Upstairs, Guan Sheng was somewhat dumbfounded.

A plot against Jiang Yutang?
You're just spouting nonsense because you have evidence?!

We are the four major mills, not the four major black pots!

Who would be so kind as to prepare ten thousand taels of tax silver to hand over to the imperial court?!

Even Huang Xing's face twitched involuntarily, and he became even more silent.

I, Huang, know nothing and have no desire to know.

Just do your job.

In Tianxuan Saintess's perception, a series of martial arts auras were rapidly entering, seemingly guided by some means, and quickly surrounding the tall building.

Not only are there people from Shuiwozi, but also powerful figures from the martial arts world and bandits from the Guolu Society lurking in the shadows.

Tianxuan Saintess nodded slightly, walked slowly to the window, and looked through the window frame with her cold gaze toward the Martial Arts Hall in the distance.

Then she saw that, without her noticing, Fifth Master Hong, wearing shackles on his head, stood in front of the Iron Duke's Temple, his eyes like sharp blades, staring intently at her.

(End of this chapter)