Chapter 15

Qinxi Province, Mount Zhongnan.

Chongyang Palace.

The bright moon was in the sky, washing the firmament with a few touches of white. In front of the ancient, simple palace, an old man on the verge of death sat cross-legged beside the door. Under his withered skin, there wasn't a trace of blood, as if he were like the setting sun, passing away in an instant.

However, at this moment, he raised his head to look at the sky, watching the distant north, and his originally dim eyes flashed with an unusual luster.

"'The northern sky is exceptionally bright tonight...' the old man chanted in a deep voice."

"'The northern land of Xuanming has given birth to the essence of fire, soaring thirty thousand miles into the sky...'"

"'That is where Zhenwu Mountain is located...'"

Just at this moment, a middle-aged man wearing Daoist robes slowly walked out from the palace, standing respectfully beside the old man.

His gaze was as focused as a line; reaching this realm, he could naturally see things that many others could not.

"'Neither absolute nor extinct, the seventy-third generation will have a rest... the Zhenwu Mountain Dharma lineage is facing a great calamity...'"

"'Calamity and fortune, calamity and fortune... under a great calamity, there must be great fortune. If this fire is not extinguished, it can win another six hundred years of fortune for Zhenwu Mountain...' the old man couldn't help but sigh solemnly."

"'Win another six hundred years of fortune? Could it be that where that fire is located, one can be like Ancestor Lu in the past?' The middle-aged Daoist's expression changed slightly, and he was not a little surprised."

"'Zhenwu Mountain... has produced a figure like Chu Chaoran; could it be that among the younger generation, there can be another supreme expert?'"

As he spoke, the old man slowly closed his eyes.

The middle-aged Daoist couldn't help but be moved. He knew that the "supreme expert" the old man spoke of, if one truly appeared, would certainly be able to prove that Pure Yang Limitless Dao, as stunning and unparalleled as Ancestor Lu was in the past.

"'Pure Yang! Pure Yang! Who can be like Ancestor Lu, entering a dream of yellow millet, to prove that Limitless Pure Yang...'"

"'Only this obsession, a lifetime of no hope...'"

As soon as the words fell, the old man's fingers drooped, and he actually had no more breath.

The middle-aged Daoist was silent for a long time, bowed to the old man, and performed a deep salute.

"'Respectfully send off Martial Uncle!'"

As the words fell, the middle-aged Daoist slowly turned around, looking toward the north, his deep pupils seeming to hide ten thousand miles of starry sky.

"'Zhenwu Mountain...'"

At this time, Zhenwu Mountain, inside the Qingwei Palace.

Firelight scorched the sky. Looking from afar, above Zhenwu Mountain, it was a patch of crimson like cinnabar clouds.

Inside the deep, ancient courtyard, Zhang Fan had become unlike a human. Mysterious firelight sprayed out from his 【eyes, mouth, and nose】, entwining his whole body, appearing strange and not divine...

He seemed to have lost his own consciousness, instinctively walking forward. With every step he took, the floor tiles under his feet vaporized in that terrifying flame light, and the heat waves stirred up terrifying fluctuations, pressing everyone into silence, not daring to get within half a step.

"'Daoist supernatural ability, Samadhi True Fire... this is impossible... how can this be possible!?' Gan Shaokun's eyes trembled; he simply couldn't believe everything he was seeing."

A kid who could barely be counted as a 【Qi-Worker】, a worm he could have kneaded at will... how could he awaken a Daoist supernatural ability? Supernatural ability, supernatural ability—it can connect with the divine; it is heaven-bestowed, not something obtainable through cultivation.

Even the current living True Person, Chu Chaoran, only awakened his own Daoist supernatural ability when he proved his 【Celestial Master】 position at the age of thirty.

"'He... what kind of person is he!?'"

In the distance, Xia Weisheng's beautiful eyes trembled, and her pretty face was covered with an expression of disbelief.

Man is the root, True is the fire, thought is the firewood; once Samadhi is set, ten thousand fires call him king...

This is the Daoist supernatural ability, Samadhi True Fire, which can make demons vanish and all arts return to stillness.

In 【Journey to the West】, there is the Samadhi True Fire. This strange book hides many metaphors of both Buddhism and Daoism. The Holy Infant King, Red Boy, represents the essence of Li Fire within Daoist Internal Alchemy, and the method he comprehended was the Samadhi True Fire.

The book says, Liver-Wood can give birth to Heart-Fire, Heart-Fire causes Spleen-Earth to be level. Spleen-Earth gives birth to Metal, Metal turns into Water, Water can give birth to Wood, thoroughly connecting the spirit. Birth and transformation are all because of fire, fire covers the long sky, and all things condense. Demons have long comprehended the Samadhi, forever suppressing the West as number one.

Once this fire is formed, it kills the Heart-Monkey so it cannot resist, and startles the Intent-Horse into madness.

Roar...

Just at this moment, a shrill roar echoed through the moonlit night. The huge worm, which looked like a shadow, swept its tail horizontally, smashing toward Zhang Fan with ten thousand jun of force, breaking through the air and splitting the wind.

Hum...

Zhang Fan raised his head mechanically. He stood still, the flame light jumping around his body like swimming snakes. Before the huge long tail could even descend, it turned into ashes... The shadow evaporated, revealing the Difficulty-Worm's true form.

It was a worm that looked like a strange bird, with vivid wings, carrying a long tail, and on the tail were dense, countless worm feet...

Difficulty-Worm! Difficulty-Worm! In ancient pictographs, "difficulty" is the image of a bird. The ancients believed that whenever one saw this type of worm-bird, it was inauspicious and would surely lead to many disasters.

Precisely because of this, the Difficulty-Worm cultivated a false image, like hiding in a shadow, making it difficult for mortals to see its body.

However...

"'Samadhi True Fire can make demons vanish...' Pojie whispered."

Even the Difficulty-Worm had nowhere to hide under the Samadhi True Fire.

Roar...

The Difficulty-Worm let out a roar, its trembling voice filled with anger and fear. It vibrated its wings, wanting to soar into the sky and fly away from this place.

Hum...

Almost at the same moment, a shadow pressed down horizontally. Zhang Fan was like fire appearing and disappearing; in an instant, he had actually blocked the Difficulty-Worm's path, reached out a hand, and violently grabbed the latter's skull.

Rumble...

The Samadhi True Fire was fierce and wild. In the blink of an eye, it spread over the 【Difficulty-Worm】's entire body. The latter flapped its wings, struggling crazily, and the terrifying power shattered the ground...

However, in Zhang Fan's hands, the Samadhi True Fire made its form vanish in an instant, turning it into ashes and scattering it.

"'Too... too strong... that... that was the Difficulty-Worm...'"

"'So what? That was the Samadhi True Fire!'"

"'Too terrifying... is this the Daoist supernatural ability, making demons retreat and sweeping away everything invincible?'"

Inside the Qingwei Palace, one shocked gaze after another stared fixedly at Zhang Fan, their eyes overflowing with reverence.

That was a true Daoist supernatural ability, yet it appeared on a man on whom it should not have appeared.

Tonight, due to karmic opportunity, the mystery within was truly extraordinary.

"'It is time, it is fate!!'"

Just at this moment, a long sigh echoed through the Qingwei Palace, pulling everyone's thoughts back.

A breeze blew, and an old Daoist priest appeared in front of Zhang Fan. The Samadhi True Fire surged with grandeur, but it could not get within a fraction of an inch of him.

"'True Person Chu!'"

"'Master!'"

"'As expected of True Person Chaoran, even the Samadhi True Fire cannot get near him!?'"

Gan Shengwu and Gan Shaokun looked at each other, their trembling faces revealing fear. Just as they wanted to retreat, the Zhenwu Mountain Daoists led by Pojie had already blocked their path.

"'Sleep.'"

Chu Chaoran reached out a hand and placed it on Zhang Fan's forehead. In an instant, the Samadhi True Fire dissipated, and Zhang Fan staggered, actually falling directly into Chu Chaoran's arms.

"'Master... these two juniors of the Gan family are the culprits of tonight.'"

Just at this moment, Pojie walked over, pressing down on Gan Shengwu and Gan Shaokun.

"'Kill them!'"

A wave of indignant voices suddenly echoed. Tonight, these two were daring enough to wreak havoc on Zhenwu Mountain, killing and injuring people, unleashing the Difficulty-Worm, and even destroying the Jade Tablet Transmission Assembly...

Such a great crime, every count deserves death.

"'Fusheng Wuliang...' Chu Chaoran chanted the title longly: 'Heaven has the virtue of loving life; how can we, who cultivate the Dao, speak recklessly of killing!?'"

Once these words were spoken, everyone lowered their heads, revealing expressions of shame.

"'Send them to the back mountain, to your Martial Uncle... let him have his fill of fun.'"

Just at this moment, Chu Chaoran changed the subject, grinning and revealing a mouthful of yellow teeth.

(End of chapter)