Chapter 182: The Tian Shi Emerges from Zhenwu! Spiritual Powers Association (5k Chapter)

Jiangbei Province, Zhenwu Mountain.

At dawn, as the sky just began to lighten, chants echoed from the Golden Summit of Zhenwu Mountain.

The scenic area had not yet opened, and no tourists had climbed the mountain—yet the morning liturgy had already begun.

Incense curled upward; the chanting reverberated before the mountain gate, mist and rosy clouds rose in the air, birds sang in the empty valleys, exuding the aura of a sacred immortal mountain.

"Brother Daoist Pojie, I brought you something good from down the mountain."

Inside Qingwei Palace, Xia Xia Weisheng handed Brother Daoist Pojie a smart foot-soaking tub—a third-generation smart chip model, with temperature control, targeting acupoints on the soles, and nineteen massage modes…

"Brother, I remember you love foot baths the most."

Xia Xia Weisheng's gift was not unthoughtful; with this tech-equipped foot tub paired with Zhenwu Mountain's own herbal concoctions, Brother Daoist Pojie would no longer need to trek far down the mountain just to soak his feet.

"…"

Brother Daoist Pojie looked at the gift Xia Xia Weisheng brought back from Shangjing, a subtle, knowing smile crossing his face.

"Xia Weisheng, what did you gain from your trip to Shangjing?"

Not long ago, Xia Xia Weisheng descended the mountain to attend the 【National Daoist Mid-Young Cadre Symposium】 in Shangjing City, returning just yesterday.

"Fat Uncle said they'll organize a group study session in a couple days, and asked me to convey the meeting's spirit." Xia Xia Weisheng sat on the corridor, barefoot.

Though deep autumn had arrived, and the mountain air was chilly, she remained barefoot—perhaps due to her cultivation of the Dan Method.

"I also visited Bai He Guan," Xia Xia Weisheng suddenly said, a peculiar light flashing in her beautiful eyes.

Brother Daoist Pojie stirred slightly, murmuring softly: "Did you meet Li Li Changgeng?"

Though little known to the public, this heir of Bai He Guan was a household name among the upper echelons of every Daoist sect.

Especially for talents like Xia Xia Weisheng—had it not been for Zhang Fan, the Zhenwu Jade Register might have passed into her hands—she naturally paid close attention to the heirs of other sects.

Among them, the one she cared about most was Li Li Changgeng.

The world spoke of him as a once-in-a-century genius, even said to have mastered the legendary 【Heaven and Earth Stealing Fate】 technique.

This time, Xia Xia Weisheng came to Shangjing specifically to meet him.

"I didn't see him… I heard he wasn't in Shangjing." A look of regret crossed Xia Xia Weisheng's lovely face.

Her carefree nature had only agreed to attend the 【National Daoist Mid-Young Cadre Symposium】 to witness this Bai He Guan heir's prowess and test her Dao with him.

And yet, she had made the journey for nothing.

"Strange. I heard Li Li Changgeng rarely leaves Bai He Guan—how could he not be in Shangjing?" Brother Daoist Pojie couldn't help but speak.

He had heard many tales of this man: a prodigy born of heaven, a Star Lord reincarnated… a figure so divine, it seemed he had no interest whatsoever in worldly affairs…

Even those within Bai He Guan rarely saw him, let alone outside the mountain or beyond Shangjing.

"Who knows? I heard…" Xia Xia Weisheng said casually.

Before she finished, she froze, leapt down from the corridor railing, and stared toward a distance.

Brother Daoist Pojie instinctively turned—and saw a man approaching. His wide Daoist robe could not hide his upright frame; his streaked temples bore the weight of years; his deep gaze radiated quiet authority.

Before this man, even Xia Xia Weisheng and Brother Daoist Pojie bowed respectfully.

"Greetings, Master Liu!"

Liu Liu Nan Xu, one of Zhenwu Mountain's Three Tian Shi, and the youngest among them.

"Has the Master awakened?" Liu Liu Nan Xu asked calmly.

"He has already taken his morning meal," Brother Daoist Pojie replied respectfully.

"Hmm."

Liu Liu Nan Xu murmured, passed the two, and walked straight toward Chunyang Palace.

"Why did Master Liu come down?" Xia Xia Weisheng watched his retreating figure, unable to help asking.

Liu Liu Nan Xu was extremely reclusive, spending years in seclusion behind the Golden Summit, rarely descending except to occasionally visit the southern cliffs of Nanxuan Palace to debate Dao with that madman practicing 【Heart Demon Inducement】.

"Probably something important."

Brother Daoist Pojie pondered, a faint glint of insight flashing in his eyes.

…

Inside Chunyang Palace, a wisp of incense drifted before the portrait of the Chunyang Ancestor.

An old man, as plain as a peasant, sat before the portrait, scrolling through short videos on his phone.

"Master…"

At that moment, Liu Liu Nan Xu walked forward respectfully, stopping ten steps away and bowing deeply.

"Wait a moment—the morning liturgy is almost over," Chu Chu Chaoran said, head lowered.

"Click the link below the video to get Double Eleven flash sale prices…"

After the frantic shouts ended, Chu Chu Chaoran put down his phone and slowly stood up.

"Little Liu, speak."

"Master, the 【Spiritual Powers Association】 sent a document this morning."

As he spoke, Liu Liu Nan Xu placed the document on the desk—the title clearly printed:

《Several Opinions on the Investigation of Spiritual Power Anomalies in Dongshan Province》

"Last night, Dongshan Province was very active…" Liu Liu Nan Xu spoke in a solemn whisper.

Spiritual Powers—capable of reaching the divine—when activated, produce strange phenomena, naturally drawing attention.

The Spiritual Powers Association is a specialized Daoist organization that both recruits awakened individuals and monitors and controls such powers.

Chu Chu Chaoran of Zhenwu Mountain currently serves as Vice Chairman of the 【Spiritual Powers Association】, so such matters must be reported to him.

"Dongshan Province…" Chu Chu Chaoran mused.

"Li Li Changgeng of Bai He Guan was in Dongshan Province yesterday. His 【Golden Light Ground Stride】 is a fourth-rank spiritual power—based on last night's anomalies, it matches." Liu Liu Nan Xu spoke calmly.

At his level, he could perceive what ordinary cultivators could not; with the intelligence at hand, he could deduce much.

"Moreover…"

"Where is Zhang Fan?" Chu Chu Chaoran suddenly asked.

"From Bai Buran's intelligence, he's also in Dongshan Province," Liu Liu Nan Xu paused, then added: "Three Pure Fire is a third-rank spiritual power. Last night, crimson light pierced the sky, outshining the moon—likely him…"

Spiritual Powers, bestowed by heaven, are ranked in seven tiers.

For most cultivators, awakening a sixth- or seventh-rank power is already a tremendous blessing.

For example, Meng Qing's 【Reverse Aging】 is a sixth-rank power; Wu Wu Qilu's 【All Things as Talismans】 is a fifth-rank power.

A fifth-rank spiritual power is already profoundly mysterious and terrifying; such beings are exceedingly rare and are always under close watch by the 【Spiritual Powers Association】.

Li Li Changgeng's 【Golden Light Ground Stride】 and 【Regeneration After Decapitation】 are both fourth-rank powers—far rarer still.

"Master, Zhang Lingzong spent ten years whitewashing this boy's identity—but…" Liu Liu Nan Xu said gravely.

"Though he now stands as your disciple, one day his true identity will be revealed to the world."

To Bai He Guan, to Li Li Changgeng, Zhang Fan is the son of the Great Spirit Lord Wang, a cultivator of the Divine Demon Holy Embryo.

Yet now, he still bears the title of Zhenwu Mountain disciple.

One day, he will stand before all, bearing both identities.

Then the world will know: this last disciple of the transcendent master is the very boy—the Divine Demon Holy Embryo—who was supposed to have died beneath Long Hu Mountain ten years ago.

"So what if they know?" Chu Chu Chaoran said calmly.

This simple sentence left Liu Liu Nan Xu, one of Zhenwu Mountain's Three Tian Shi, silent.

After a long pause, he spoke: "Perhaps he has already clashed with that boy from Bai He Guan."

A faint heaviness appeared on Liu Liu Nan Xu's face.

"That boy carries three spiritual powers."

At this, Liu Liu Nan Xu instinctively glanced at Chu Chu Chaoran—whose face showed no emotion whatsoever.

"I think little Zhang Fan has a very hard life."

"Even if he survived, the 【Spiritual Powers Association】 has surely sent people to Dongshan Province already—he's not registered, not documented…" Liu Liu Nan Xu said gravely.

"Dongshan Province… the closest should be Laoshan… come to think of it, I haven't seen Little Li in years…" Chu Chu Chaoran mused.

"Little Li" was, of course, Li Li Chengge, the abbot of Laoshan.

In the entire world, only Chu Chu Chaoran dared address the Laoshan abbot this way.

"Little Liu, go yourself."

At that moment, Chu Chu Chaoran spoke.

"Master…"

"Go to Dongshan Province yourself."

"Me?" Liu Liu Nan Xu pondered: "If I go, what stance should I take?"

If lower-ranking officials handled it, there would still be room for maneuver and explanation—but if Liu Liu Nan Xu, one of Zhenwu Mountain's Three Tian Shi, appeared, the interpretation would be unmistakable.

"Your presence is the stance," Chu Chu Chaoran said solemnly.

"I understand."

Liu Liu Nan Xu nodded, bowed, and walked out of Chunyang Palace.

…

Dongshan Province, Wu Qilu City.

Luoxia Town. Zhang Fan had rested here for two days and gradually recovered.

During these two days, members of the Dongshan Province Dao Alliance did come—still led by Wei Wei Qingsong, who, as a Laoshan disciple, wielded great influence within the Dongshan Dao Alliance.

The commotion at Luoxia Mountain naturally drew investigation; Wei Wei Qingsong had long regarded Zhang Fan as a stepping stone, convinced that this young talent, even if not the legendary Li Li Changgeng, must be an important disciple of Bai He Guan…

Thus, during this time, he placed great trust in Zhang Fan's emissaries, Shi Shi Shougong and Su Su Shiyu, even assigning his own subordinates to them for free command, successfully capturing several Daoists attempting to approach Luoxia Mountain.

To Wei Wei Qingsong, having worked alongside Master Bai He, his transfer to the capital seemed merely a matter of time.

In Wei Wei Qingsong's heart, one foot was already inside the Dao Alliance headquarters.

"Recently, many Daoists have come to Luoxia Mountain, but Wei Wei Qingsong turned them all away, arresting and interrogating anyone suspicious."

That day, the sky was clear and bright; Zhang Fan stepped out of the hotel, sat at a roadside teahouse sipping tea, and listened to the Liu brothers' report.

"He's really putting in the effort," Liu Liu Xingyu couldn't help saying.

"He's trying to curry favor with Brother Fan," Liu Liu Xingchui chuckled.

"I only gave him a letter of introduction from the Jiangnan Dao Alliance. Surely that shouldn't be enough—do Dongshan and Jiangnan really have such a close relationship?" Zhang Fan was puzzled.

Clearly, Wei Wei Qingsong's enthusiasm had gone beyond mere courtesy—he was almost treating him like a father.

"I doubt they'll find anything," Liu Liu Xingchui said offhandedly.

The Prisoner Immortal Temple had been reduced to ruins. After the fifteenth full moon passed, it became even harder to find—vanished without a trace. No one would ever know what had truly happened inside the temple on that night in Luoxia Mountain.

"There's been no movement from the capital either. I wonder if Li Li Changgeng survived," Zhang Fan mused.

Zhao Zhao Jiexuan had said that in this battle, Li Li Changgeng would surely rot inside his own belly—if he couldn't suppress Zhang Fan by his own power, he would inevitably give birth to a demonic mind.

The next time the two met, it would be to the death.

"All dust has settled. It seems time to pack up and return to Bai Yujing City," Zhang Fan breathed in the fresh air deeply.

The matter here was resolved; Jiang Lai had been found.

Next, he needed to meditate on the 【Golden Mist Iron Box】 and find the method of 【Union Soul】 as soon as possible—that was the top priority.

After all, who knew when Li Li Changgeng might return to kill him?

Remember, that day inside the Prisoner Immortal Temple, Zhao Zhao Jiexuan had methodically plotted; after the 【Map of Demons Celebrating Longevity】 and the 【Golden Mist Treasure Box】 had weakened the monster, it still possessed such combat power—it was truly Zhang Fan's greatest concern.

Only through 【Union Soul】 could Zhang Fan truly gain the ability to protect himself and stand without fear.

Besides that, he needed to find Zhang Lingzong—he was his own father, and it couldn't go on like this, with him wandering endlessly.

"Let's wait until we get back," Zhang Fan murmured softly: "Pack up. Tomorrow we'll…"

Before he finished speaking, Zhang Fan froze—he saw the Liu brothers sitting there, utterly motionless, as if frozen in place, not even blinking.

"Young man, could we have a chat?"

At that moment, a soft voice came from beside him.

Zhang Fan looked up and saw a man walking over—dressed in a suit, refined and composed. Without waiting for Zhang Fan's reply, he sat down on his own.

"Who are you?" Zhang Fan asked warily.

"Li Li Chengge."

"Master of Laoshan!?" Zhang Fan was startled and quickly bowed: "Disciple greets the elder."

Whether or not this man was truly the Master of Laoshan, the power and aura he revealed made Zhang Fan dare not move.

"Elder, what about them…?" Zhang Fan glanced at the Liu brothers.

"It's fine. Let's talk," Li Li Chengge gestured with his hand.

"Three Pure Fires… I never expected someone so young to awaken such a divine skill."

At that moment, Li Li Chengge cut straight to the point—just one sentence made Zhang Fan's third eye throb.

"Elder, I…"

"No need to deny it. This is Dongshan. If I say it's you, then it is you…"

Li Li Chengge's words carried immense confidence, an undeniable authority.

"Which sect trained you?"

"Zhenwu Mountain!" Zhang Fan felt overwhelming pressure—invisible waves radiated from Li Li Chengge, blurring the entire street.

Zhang Fan's heart surged with turmoil—he had never seen such an aura: all-encompassing, towering like a mountain, crashing like a tidal wave. Merely sitting there, it crushed him, making it hard to breathe.

"When did Zhenwu Mountain produce a disciple like this?" Li Li Chengge's eyes held a trace of doubt.

"Didn't your elders teach you that divine skills must not be used lightly?"

"Huh? Is there such a rule?" Zhang Fan shook his head.

"Is that so!?"

Li Li Chengge's expression turned cold; the doubt in his eyes deepened.

"Do you know what Daoist methods are? What divine skills are?"

At that moment, Li Li Chengge shifted tone, suddenly asking an unrelated question.

Zhang Fan paused, then humbly replied: "I humbly ask for your guidance."

"The nature of this world is impermanence—everything is constantly changing…"

"Daoist methods, divine skills—they are all forces of impermanence…"

As he spoke, Li Li Chengge picked up a sticky note on the table and flicked it with his finger.

"Can you shatter it?"

Zhang Fan hesitated. He could reduce the note to ash, but he had never learned a technique to tear or fragment it.

Tssss…

As Zhang Fan thought, a sharp sound rang out.

Li Li Chengge picked up the sticky note and tore it into pieces with his bare hands.

"This…"

"Whether Daoist methods or divine skills—even humans themselves—they are all forces that alter this world, methods to bring forth impermanence…"

"Their commonality lies in the 【Mind First】…"

First comes the thought, then the action—whether through divine skill or personal will, changing the form of the sticky note, creating the phenomenon of shattering.

Thought is the most terrifying force—and the most wondrous—on this earth.

There is a saying: the world arises from the mind; thus, it is illusory, impermanent, easily changed.

To some extent, this idealist view is not wrong.

For example, people wanted warmth, so they created fire; they wanted shelter, so they built nests; they wanted to record, so they invented writing…

As human thoughts multiplied, the world slowly transformed into what it is today.

Whether through divine skills or human effort, the method doesn't matter, the form doesn't matter—the result is the same.

Thought created this material world—the tangible yet empty world.

The Buddhist school holds a crucial theory called 【Dependent Origination and Emptiness】: what did not exist before will vanish later—just like this sticky note, it was created by human thought, and one day it will decay, decompose, disappear…

This resonates with Daoism's 【False Borrowing for True Cultivation】: all is void, merely a means to cultivate truth.

"What are you trying to tell me, Elder?" Zhang Fan asked, confused.

"There is a saying: all things arise from thought—the most important is the very first thought…"

"The first thought?" Zhang Fan murmured softly.

"The first thought… that is the origin of all things. The Daoists call it Tai Chu…"

"The 'One' in 'Embrace the One'—because of that thought, all things came into being, cultivation methods arose, and wondrous divine skills emerged…" Li Li Chengge's voice grew mysterious.

"That thought is the Dao. All heavenly-given divine skills originate from it."

Li Li Chengge's words sounded like myth.

All things arise from that thought; divine skills are strange powers derived from it—transcending time and space, shifting at will, awakening in unknown people at unknown times.

"That is why divine skills must not be shown lightly—they create too much impact, too many variables…"

Like a perfect framework, if one point flickers too often, it disrupts the whole structure.

This is one of the key reasons the Divine Skill Association exists.

"If you truly were a disciple of Zhenwu Mountain, your elders would have warned you."

Li Li Chengge slowly stood, his gaze toward Zhang Fan filled with deep suspicion.

As he spoke, Li Li Chengge reached out and placed his hand on Zhang Fan's shoulder—the unyielding force descended like a mountain, pinning Zhang Fan's Nascent Soul immobile.

"Is this what a Master is like?" Zhang Fan thought inwardly.

Li Li Chengge, who governed Laoshan and was the youngest among the Ten Great Daoist Mountain Masters, must have reached at least the 【Abbey Master】 realm, possibly even attained the 【Three Tian Shi】 realm.

Such a being was beyond Zhang Fan's capacity to resist.

"I don't care if you're from Zhenwu Mountain. Using divine skills without permission—you're coming with me."

Li Li Chengge spoke coldly, gripping Zhang Fan, preparing to leave.

"Master Li, it's been many years."

At that moment, a slow, casual voice echoed through the frozen street.

Thunder rumbled in the sky; as dark clouds surged, a figure appeared at the street's end—wearing a Daoist robe, fluttering in the wind, his indifferent gaze piercing through space like a drifting sword.

(End of Chapter)