Chapter 226: The Lotus Lantern Shines as Benevolence Awakens; Seeking the Demon in the Southern Barbarian Lands

Say what you will, Yang Chan is, after all, an immortal deity who has existed for over ten million years; she has long grown accustomed to the impermanence of Life and Death.

To her, mortals with their mere few dozen springs and autumns are no different in essence from the insects that live in the morning and die by dusk in the eyes of mortals.

Never mind that she was never as kind-hearted as the legends of her past life claimed; even if she truly possessed a heart of benevolence for all living things.

The objects of her benevolence would only be all living things, not merely mortals.

Under such circumstances, maintaining a certain level of rationality is the simplest thing in the world~

After a flurry of thoughts, Fang Longye looked at the somewhat distracted Yang Chan and flattered her: "The Immortal is right~ As long as the root cause is not eradicated, saving them once is merely letting them experience the pain all over again."

"It would be better to let them enter reincarnation early and be reborn as humans."

Yang Chan sighed and said: "You are overthinking it~ They have no next life; once they die, their souls will be devoured by the Plague Poison, making the power of this plague even stronger."

"This Plague Poison was created by that unknown cultivator; in essence, it is meant to aid cultivation, and it is not as simple as an ordinary plague."

"It can be said that after this plague, who knows how many people will return to nothingness!"

Seeing her expression was unreadable, it was clear she was not entirely heartless toward this and still felt some emotion.

Hearing this, Fang Longye's brows twitched. He had been too focused on observing the Qi earlier, and later, he had been taken aback by Yang Chan's act of healing that stray dog.

Until now, he had not truly understood the Plague Poison ravaging the southwestern frontier.

This would not do~ As the saying goes, know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated. In a while, he would be following Yang Chan to witness the practitioner of the Pestilence Dao.

He could not be careless~ After all, he was not familiar with the Pestilence Dao.

"Hmm~ It is just as well to take this opportunity to gain an understanding."

Thinking of this, Fang Longye reached out and grabbed at the void, capturing a wisp of Pestilence Qi. He opened his Dharma Eye, his gaze piercing, and began to discern the details of this wisp of Pestilence Qi.

In Fang Longye's eyes, this wisp of Pestilence Qi magnified continuously. After being magnified a thousand times, the gray Pestilence Qi revealed countless thread-like objects.

Layer upon layer, mysterious and unfathomable.

Under the Dharma Eye, this was all that could be seen.

Fang Longye immediately unleashed the 'Dharma Eye of Insight' divine ability to perceive the minute details. Those thread-like objects continued to magnify, actually turning into fuzzy little worms.

Millions and billions of these fuzzy worms gathered together to form a single thread visible to the Dharma Eye.

"Good fellow, this Plague Poison is truly extraordinary!" Fang Longye sighed in wonder, flicking a wisp of True Fire from his hand to refine the Pestilence Qi in his palm into ash.

He had originally thought that although this Plague Poison was potent, it would likely only be effective against ordinary mortals.

Unexpectedly, after some investigation, he discovered that not only mortals, but even Primordial Spirit Realm cultivators who had not yet attained immortality could be killed by this plague; it was truly unexpected.

He turned his head to look at the courtyard not far away.

Mimicking Yang Chan's movements, he channeled his Dharma power and sprinkled Creation Immortal Dew, washing it over the five ragged, pus-covered men and women.

The Plague Poison was completely removed, and the ulcerated skin on their bodies recovered as if new. The five people sat up in surprise, their faces blank.

"It is indeed just as Yang Chan said~" Fang Longye paid no mind to the five recovered people kneeling toward the void.

He merely kept his gaze fixed, his eyes shining with divine light, watching for the subsequent changes.

He saw that as his Dharma power receded, wisps of gray Pestilence Qi once again lingered around the five people.

Each of these five had blackened foreheads and were permeated with the aura of death, a certain sign of impending doom.

His gaze pierced through their physical bodies and shone upon their souls, where he saw nothing but those thread-like Plague Poisons, spreading continuously.

Just as Yang Chan had said, this Plague Poison not only penetrated the bone marrow but also delved deep into the soul.

Like a Curse, once infected, even if cleaned away, it would recur before long.

"Treating the symptoms but not the root cause." Fang Longye shook his head; he still had to find the source of this Plague Poison, that unknown cultivator whose whereabouts were unknown.

Otherwise, even if he used his methods to purify all the surrounding Pestilence Qi, it would not be long before it swept back again.

However, by the time he actually killed that unknown cultivator, it was feared that not many of these mortals would still be alive.

"Should I just kill all these mortals? Better to die early and be reincarnated, sparing them from suffering."

Looking at the scene of the thousand or so mortals in the city wailing incessantly, Fang Longye's thoughts jumped as he said to himself in his heart.

As for using the Creation True Fire and the Creation Purifying World Bead to protect them for a while, it was not impossible.

But this Plague Poison covered the entire southwestern frontier, spreading for who knows how many miles.

To actually do it would require no small amount of effort, and the naturally selfish Fang Longye was unwilling to do such thankless work.

As for the favor of the Human Dao or the blessing of destiny, others might take note, but Fang Longye would not take it to heart.

"Let us go!" Yang Chan scanned the surroundings and said coldly: "Find that Demon and eradicate the root cause."

Her voice was cold, like the frost and snow of midwinter.

Clearly, although she remained calm on the surface, her heart was not without ripples.

The two rose together, but just as they reached mid-air, Yang Chan's body suddenly stalled.

Fang Longye followed her gaze and had an inkling of her actions.

He saw that in a dilapidated small courtyard in the city below, there were two children, a boy and a girl.

Neither was very old. The boy was about eleven or twelve, and the girl was about eight or nine.

Under such a plague, regardless of whether they had lived in luxury before, they now looked like beggars.

"Little sister!"

"Look at what your brother found today?" The boy dragged his sickly body, his face sallow, having just returned from outside.

He took two yellowed, blackened steamed buns from his bosom and stuffed them into the hands of his sister, who was curled up in the corner of the wall.

The sister's eyes brightened, and she immediately took a bite of the bun, but then, thinking of something, she licked her cracked lips.

Then, she shakily held up the bun.

"Brother, you eat too~"

Just these few words took a great deal of effort; clearly, she was already hanging by a thread.

"I've already eaten, you eat~" The boy stroked his younger sister's withered, yellow pigtails, picked up a bowl of clear water, and brought it to her lips, smiling on his face.

The girl took a sip of water, then bit off a piece of corn bun, swallowing it down with the clear water.

"Then I'll save one for the next meal."

"Alright~"

The boy smiled, then said, "Little sister, you eat first, I still have some things to do. If nothing goes wrong, tomorrow I can let you eat a meal of meat."

"Really?"

"Really~"

Still carrying a faint smile.

The boy bid his sister farewell, turned, and left the courtyard he was staying in, arriving at the empty house next door.

He found an open space, picked up a small knife polished until it shone, prepared some cloth, gritted his teeth, and was about to cut into his own thigh.

Just at this moment, a stream of light flashed by, blocking his movement.

A man and a woman, two immortals dressed in exquisite clothing, appeared before him.

……

Above mid-air.

Fang Longye looked around, having taken the brother and sister into his own Divine Dao Dharma Realm, and touched his nose at Yang Chan, whose eyes were still red.

Well~ this is her being moved by the scene again!

It seems this thankless task is unavoidable.

"Brother Fang!"

Yang Chan's dress fluttered, her body surrounded by Divine Light, and a palm-sized green jade divine lamp was held up by the auspicious clouds above her head.

The lamp layers were stacked, resembling a Green Lotus.

The flames shone with brilliance, like clouds and mist spreading out, clustered and intertwined, the five-colored lamp flames swaying back and forth.

It shone with great brilliance, illuminating all directions.

"Brother Fang, help me out in a moment!"

Divine Light was dense, with five colors presenting themselves.

Five Elements Divine Fire gushed out from the lotus lamp, filling the sky and covering the earth, burning away the gray Pestilence Qi invisible to countless mortals.

The lamp flames swept across the city, neither harming people nor objects, flashing and vanishing, and the Pestilence Qi of the entire city was swept away.

Whether human or livestock, all were healed without medicine.

Yang Chan, pausing in mid-air, did not pay attention to the crowd of mortals who were kneeling and thanking her for appearing and revealing divine miracles. Instead, she said to Fang Longye: "Brother Fang, I intend to first completely remove the Poison in this southwest region, then take all these living beings into the Mountain and River Map of State, and isolate them."

"However, I fear that the Demon hidden in the shadows will seize the opportunity to act. I ask Brother Fang to look after me from the side."

"Mountain and River Map of State?"

Fang Longye's heart shook.

Good heavens, even the Mountain and River Map of State is in her hands.

What kind of treatment is this?

"That's right, the Mountain and River Map of State~"

Yang Chan flicked her fair hand, holding up a scroll in her palm. Even though it had not been unfurled, the Innate Aura it revealed already made Fang Longye yearn for it.

"The Fairy truly has boundless great love, and I admire you. Just this great compassion alone, I reckon only that Guanyin who saves the suffering could compare to the Fairy even slightly."

"Since it is the Fairy's request, I will naturally lend you a hand."

Fang Longye's face was righteous and awe-inspiring, but his mouth was still full of flowery words.

Then, auspicious clouds grew above his head, and the Creation Divine Fire and Creation Purifying World Bead swayed within them.

This drew Yang Chan's sidelong glance.

In particular, that cluster of Creation Divine Fire made the Lotus Lantern above her head stir.

Ripples could not help but arise in her heart. An indescribable feeling fell into her heart, permeating all around.

Shaking her head, she sank this feeling to the bottom of her heart. Casting aside all distracting thoughts, Yang Chan pointed at the Lotus Lantern above her head, the lamp shining upon the world, incomparable.

The lamp flames crossed the sky, eliminating everything.

Fang Longye followed closely behind, the Creation Purifying World Bead and Creation Divine Fire both emerging together.

The light of purification fell upon the universe, and the Creation Divine Fire burned the Pestilence Qi; for a time, Divine Light and auspicious mist were constant.

Of course—

Compared to a top-grade Innate Spiritual Treasure like the Lotus Lantern, it naturally paled in comparison.

But it could also be considered as having done its part.

Under the cooperation of the two, the Pestilence Qi that had originally filled the entire southwest frontier receded like melting gold under the scorching sun.

Of course, it only receded temporarily.

Fang Longye could feel that gray Pestilence Qi coming from the void, only to be blocked by the Dao Rhyme of the Innate Spiritual Treasure, the Lotus Lantern.

Once the Spirit Treasure was put away, it would inevitably sweep back again.

"Rise!"

Yang Chan did not hesitate, reaching out to throw the Mountain and River Map of State, her hand seals moving, chanting the Curse.

Boom—

The Mountain and River Map of State slowly unfurled and rapidly flew upward, in an instant filling the sky and covering the earth, turning into a real world, suppressing the universe.

Mountain peaks towering into the clouds, winding rivers flowing, flat and vast plains, mountain forests full of frosted leaves, birds, beasts, fish, and insects moving back and forth, and so on and so forth...

Vast and boundless.

"Mountain and River Map of State?"

"This Aura, is it the Map of Mountains and Rivers?"

In the dark, countless great figures sensed the Spirit Treasure's Aura and cast their gazes over one after another.

A single Map of Mountains and Rivers drew the attention of the entire world.

Yang Chan did not care about any of this.

The hand seals she held changed, and the Map of Mountains and Rivers swayed; with a single roll, it gathered all the mortal beings in the southwestern borderlands of the Great Han within it.

She had completed her previous plan.

The entire process was smooth and fluid, without the slightest hesitation.

Unlike what was previously guessed—

Until she retracted her various Spirit Treasures, and even the Lotus Lantern had returned to her auspicious clouds, that anticipated opponent had not revealed the slightest trace.

However, if the enemy does not come, I shall go myself.

Yang Chan sat cross-legged in the void, adjusted her breathing for a while, and restored her state.

She gazed at the southern dense forest and sneered, "Brother Fang, follow me! I have already sensed where this Demon is."

……

Southern Barbarian Lands, Endless Great Mountains.

Yang Chan followed her own senses and brought Fang Longye along as they rode the clouds and mist.

Along the way, the surroundings were full of steep ridges and dangerous peaks, winding and crouching, with deep valleys and evil ravines scattered like stars.

All kinds of monstrosities lurked within, and the stench hit their faces. Giant trees lay helter-skelter, reaching up into the clouds. Mournful howls rose and fell one after another.

At a glance, it was a place of dangerous mountains and evil waters.

The Southern Barbarian Lands are located south of the southern border of the Great Han, already outside the territory of the Great Han.

Of course, this is not a realm dominated by demons. On the contrary, although the demons here can be called fierce, they have always been in the position of prey.

Just because—

Here, Humans and the Witch Clan live together; it is a realm dominated by the descendants of the Witch Clan.

They do not follow the Buddhist or Daoist paths, do not worship the Three Pure Ones or the Two Sages, do not offer sacrifices to Fuxi or Nüwa, and do not revere the Flame Emperor or Yellow Emperor as ancestors—they only sacrifice to Pangu and the Ancestral Witches! On this journey, Fang Longye did not know how many Witch Tribe settlements he had seen.

The people in these tribes were each several zhang tall, with bronze skin, knotted muscles, poisonous snakes pierced through their ears, tiger-skin skirts wrapped around their waists, and various divine weapons in their hands, shuttling through the mountain forests, hunting strange beasts and demons.

Although they were still very weak compared to a Golden Immortal, that style, distinct from the present age, could not help but make Fang Longye look at them with interest.

On the cloud, Yang Chan was still introducing the situation here to Fang Longye.

"Back then, after Houtu Niangniang opened up the cycle of reincarnation, a large portion of the Witch Clan moved to Youming."

"The rest scattered across Honghuang, merged with the Human Race, and created the Witch Dao era that lasted for an unknown number of yuanhui."

"The Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors, including that Yu the Great, mostly possessed the Bloodline of the Witch Clan."

"Afterward, the Profound Gate rose, and the Witch Dao declined. The pure-blooded Human Race and the human-witch hybrids were separated once again."

"Later, the Witch lineage was heavily marginalized, from originally spreading across Honghuang to shrinking into the remote areas of Nanzhan Buzhou."

"They were even contemptuously termed by the orthodox Human Race as Eastern Yi, Western Rong, Northern Di, and Nanman."

Fang Longye nodded; he had some understanding of these things, but there were some aspects he was not clear about.

For instance, the origin of the terms Eastern Yi, Western Rong, Northern Di, and Nanman in this world.

"However~"

"The fortunes of the world turn~ every drink and every bite is predestined."

Yang Chan blinked and smiled.

"Previously, when the Luck Dynasty of the Human Race ruled the Four Seas and the eight wildernesses, the Witch lineage, which had been squeezed into the nooks and crannies of Nanzhan Buzhou, was naturally insignificant compared to the Human Race's Luck Dynasty that encompassed the Four Continents."

"But nowadays, the orthodox dynasty of the Human Race is confined to Nanzhan Buzhou, and its territory has even shrunk to an unbearable degree because various forces have wantonly folded space."

"And those nooks and crannies, such as these Southern Barbarian Lands, have escaped the fate of being invaded by others, and instead are many times larger than the territory of the Human Race's dynasty."

Fang Longye looked at this Southern Barbarian Land that had no end in sight, nodded, and said, "So, that is how the name Endless Great Mountains came about?"

Yang Chan nodded and said, "So, don't look at the fact that we have been riding the clouds and mist for hundreds of thousands of miles. We are still just on the shallow outer perimeter!"

"No wonder those Witch people all look so weak!"

Fang Longye suddenly realized.

Afterward, he thought of the target person for their trip and complained, "The Owl Demon you are looking for seems to be one who bullies the weak and fears the strong~"

"Leaving the Witch lineage right before its eyes, it doesn't go to wreak havoc there, but instead goes to harm the living beings within the Great Han."

Yang Chan shook her head and smiled, "Perhaps, this Demon is a practitioner of the Witch Dao?"

"Don't forget, the Witch Clan doesn't solve all problems with their fists. The Witch Gu Technique can also be considered a famous kind of Gu Poison Dao."

"That is true; the path of Gu Poison can still be linked to Plague Poison." Fang Longye thought for a moment and had to admit that what Yang Chan said made a lot of sense.

Especially combined with the billions of caterpillars that made up the Plague Poison under the 'Grid-Distance Insight' earlier.

The black hand spreading this Plague Poison is very likely a practitioner of the Witch Dao.

(End of this chapter)