Chapter 182: Jingwei (A chapter I am very satisfied with; I hope everyone likes it.)

The Jingwei bird carries a tiny twig, intending to fill the vast sea.

Legend has it that Jingwei was the youngest daughter of the Flame Emperor. While playing by the East Sea in her youth, she was swept away by a great wave and, after death, transformed into a bird. Once she became a bird, she constantly carried pebbles and twigs from the shore to drop into the East Sea, thinking that one day she would fill it level.

Some say this is Jingwei's revenge, to fill the sea that killed her; others say it is Jingwei's compassion, to prevent more people from being swallowed by the waves.

Later generations have seen many virtues in Jingwei: an ultimate spirit of revenge, a benevolent heart of salvation, the perseverance of carrying twigs to fill the sea day after day, the ambition to set a grand vow and carry it out, and the spirit of daring to challenge the great power of heaven and earth.

Many people admire Jingwei, though their reasons are not all the same. The Jingwei totem is very common; some embroider her on flags, some carve her on steles, and others have built a giant city floating above the clouds, naming it after her.

On the walls of this city, countless Jingwei birds are depicted, mouths holding tiny twigs, casting them into the vast sea. This city has a ritual: whenever a newborn arrives in the city, the child's family must paint a new Jingwei bird on the city wall.

Such a ritual, combined with this city suspended in the sky, easily makes one think this must be a tribute to Jingwei's spirit of daring to challenge the great power of heaven and earth. For humans are born to live on the earth, yet some were unwilling to submit to this arrangement; they wanted to live in the sky, so they did it, and they succeeded, building such a city.

Later, many people came to see this city out of admiration. They also had their own Jingwei in their hearts, so they petitioned the City Lord, wishing to paint their own Jingwei on the city wall as well.

The City Lord gladly agreed and inscribed a short verse on the wall, which read:

"Human strength may have its limits, but the Jingwei's will is boundless."

Thus, the Jingwei birds on the walls of this city became more and more numerous, becoming a world-famous sight known as the "Jingwei Wall."

Cheng Xinzhan felt a moment of dizziness, and as his vision blurred, the sky full of golden fire, silver thunder, and black waves vanished. What met his eyes now were elegant blue birds with wings spread wide, soaring amidst the wisps of clouds.

It was as if he had suddenly arrived in an immortal realm from hell.

He blinked, only then discovering that those birds had never moved; they were merely paintings. The birds had white beaks, red feet, colorful crest feathers, and fluttering tail feathers. He recognized them at a glance: these were Jingwei.

He cast his gaze further and saw a giant city standing upon the heavenly clouds, and thus he knew that before him was the Jingwei City of Bai Yujing.

In just an instant, he had come from the depths of the waves to above the heavenly clouds.

"Little friend, it has been a long time."

A warm, gentle voice filled with a smile sounded from behind him.

Cheng Xinzhan turned his head and saw a man in white robes with a long sword strapped to his back standing there, looking at him with a smile.

Cheng Xinzhan hurriedly bowed, "Greetings, Sword Immortal."

Standing before him at this moment was none other than the Master of Huanzhu Tower.

Li Shanshou looked Cheng Xinzhan up and down and said with a smile,

"Little friend, where have you come from in this state?"

No matter how mysterious or leak-proof the "Mysterious Leakless Talisman" was, it naturally could not deceive a Sword Immortal standing right before him.

Cheng Xinzhan realized this belatedly, quickly performed a hand seal to restore his original appearance, and explained,

"I have truly disturbed you, Sword Immortal; please forgive me."

The Sword Immortal was somewhat curious; he invited Cheng Xinzhan to sit and talk, and offered him tea.

Cheng Xinzhan sat down, and just as he was about to speak, he heard the Sword Immortal say,

"No rush, drink some tea first. The malevolence on your body is quite heavy; you don't look like the famous mountain Daoist I saw last time."

Cheng Xinzhan acknowledged this.

He adjusted his breathing, calmed his mind, and told himself that this was Huanzhu Tower, not the Thunderstorm Sea.

He took a sip of tea; it was worthy of being an immortal-grade item. In an instant, it smoothed away the fatigue and irritability in Cheng Xinzhan's heart, as well as the malevolence on his body. A surge of abundant spiritual energy nourished his limbs and bones, and even his three souls and seven spirits felt a coolness, like a spring breeze brushing his face.

He steadied himself, first raised his hand to bow, and said solemnly,

"First, I must thank you, Senior. If not for the teleportation formation map you gifted me, I would never have been able to escape after being trapped in the demon den."

Cheng Xinzhan's gratitude was from the heart. If he hadn't had the teleportation formation map gifted by an immortal, he would never have dared to enter the Thunderstorm Sea. After all, that was a restrictive barrier set up by two Fifth-Rank great demons of the sea. If his identity had truly been exposed, he would have had no wings to escape.

On the night he entered the Thunderstorm Sea, he had specifically sought out a reef. Under the cover of the "Mysterious Leakless Talisman" and the sea's lightning, he had quietly set up the teleportation formation map gifted by the Master of Huanzhu Tower. Finally, amidst the sky full of Yang fire, he retrieved his flying sword and Gu insects, activated the formation map, and successfully escaped at the very last moment.

Facing Cheng Xinzhan's solemn thanks, Li Shanshou merely smiled and waved his hand. He had gifted the formation map to give this young man a chance at survival; this was only right and proper. Could it be that he had really done it just to save him a few steps?

Subsequently, Cheng Xinzhan began from the Three Corpses occupying the island to establish a sect, speaking all the way to his final escape amidst the Yang fire.

Li Shanshou listened quietly until the end, pointed at Cheng Xinzhan, and said,

"Little friend, you truly have high skill and bold courage."

Cheng Xinzhan hurriedly said he dared not accept the praise; who would dare claim high skill in front of a Sword Immortal?

"So, little friend, do you have the ambition to purge demons?"

Li Shanshou asked again.

Cheng Xinzhan did not hide it, merely nodding lightly.

"Human desires are boundless, and beastly nature is innate, so the demonic path will never die. This principle, I understand. I dare not speak of exterminating the demonic path; I only hope that this beautiful world can have a little less filth, so that the weak and powerless will not end up as food in the mouths and bellies of the strong."

There was one more sentence Cheng Xinzhan did not say: he wanted the evil people of this world to only dare to hide the demonic path in their hearts, and not dare to truly act upon it!

Li Shanshou then said, "Even so, that is very difficult."

At this moment, Cheng Xinzhan looked out the window, saw the wall full of blue feathers, and suddenly smiled brightly.

"I, Xinzhan, also have the ambition of the Jingwei."

"Hahaha! Good! A cultivator should have such spirit. Little friend, no matter what achievements you have in the future, do not lose this spirit!"

Cheng Xinzhan stood up and bowed, "I will certainly not let you down, Senior."

"Let me see the sword you have newly refined."

Li Shanshou said.

Cheng Xinzhan immediately summoned "Youdu" and handed it to the Sword Immortal.

Li Shanshou did not take it, merely forming a sword seal with his hand and swaying it left and right. The flying sword was guided, following the swaying. The Sword Immortal looked at it, then flicked his finger, striking a point of spiritual light into it, and said,

"A very good flying sword. Although it is taken from your own bone and exists outside the Five Elements, it is full of spirituality. However, a sword is a weapon of slaughter, and the metal nature is indispensable. I have pointed a drop of Yuan Magnetic Titanium into it. This kind of metal essence has excellent affinity with bone quality; it will not destroy the connection between the bone sword and yourself, nor will it destroy the bone sword's characteristic of being outside the Five Elements, but it enhances the sword's rigidity, lightness, and sharpness."

Cheng Xinzhan thanked him again. He and the Sword Immortal were mere acquaintances, yet he had constantly received many favors from the Sword Immortal.

The Sword Immortal returned the flying sword to Cheng Xinzhan and handed him a new formation map, taking back the teleportation formation map Cheng Xinzhan had used.

"Let's go. It just so happens that my Huanzhu Tower is currently parked at Jingwei City. I will take you to meet the City Lord, Yuan Xiuyong; he is also a fascinating person."

Cheng Xinzhan agreed.

Yuan Xiuyong is a loose immortal who has already survived six loose immortal tribulations; he is a figure with a high probability of transforming into a Heavenly Immortal. Li Shanshou told him of Cheng Xinzhan's ambition of the Jingwei, and Yuan Xiuyong was very pleased to hear it, gifting Cheng Xinzhan a token and telling him that if he lacked anything in the future, he was welcome to come to Jingwei City to see him.

Finally, he invited Cheng Xinzhan to leave a painting on the Jingwei Wall.

Cheng Xinzhan naturally agreed, painting a Jingwei bird on the city wall. For the crest feathers on its head, he painted three long green feathers, and in its mouth, it held a small sword.

Seeing this, Li Shanshou and Yuan Xiuyong looked at each other; this young man wanted to cast his sword to suppress the sea!

After leaving the painting, Cheng Xinzhan bade farewell to the two high-level experts, flew down from the Third Heaven, and headed straight for his sect.

————

Landing on the mountain gate, on the high mountain lawn, the grass was a deep green and the wildflowers were even more vibrant. Cheng Xinzhan calculated that he had left in late spring and returned in the height of summer; it turned out that this trip had only taken two months, yet it gave him the illusion that a long time had passed.

"Master Cheng!"

Just as Cheng Xinzhan landed on the lawn, a disciple on duty shouted loudly, ran over quickly, and bowed.

He returned the bow, looked at the person who had come, and asked,

"Greetings, fellow Daoist, but I wonder, who are you?"

"Replying to Master Cheng, this humble Daoist is Qingrong, registered under the name of White Tiger Mountain, and currently serving in the External Affairs Court."

!

"Greetings, fellow Daoist, but why do you address me this way?"

The little Daoist replied respectfully, "Master Cheng, you opened a course on Talisman Dao at Mo Ya Mountain. I audited it and never missed a single session, so naturally, I must address you as my teacher. Moreover, I am also a clerk in the External Affairs Court branch governed by the Gongzhi. It is all thanks to Master Cheng; after the Gongzhi was established, we laborers have had a voice and mouthpiece, making it convenient to ask for leave and rest, and our working hours and salaries have been aligned. It has become much more convenient for fellow practitioners to exchange information, introduce each other, and trade treasures and discuss the Dao."

Cheng Xinzhan smiled and nodded, "Don't thank me; this is all due to the sect handling things properly."

The little Daoist nodded and asked again, "When will Master Cheng open another lecture?"

"I have just returned to the sect, so that will likely take a while. Keep an eye on the course schedule; it will be there when the time comes."

"Alright, alright, I have delayed Master Cheng. Please return to the sect to rest."

Cheng Xinzhan walked into the mountain gate with a smile. When he returned to Mingzhi Mountain, he discovered that his Master was not there either; she had also gone out. Thus, he went to find his Grandmaster, wanting to tell him that the "Nine Yang Returning Form Pill Pupil" he had taught him was very effective against the demon race. But his Grandmaster was currently in charge of Yuqing Peak and was too busy to listen. After glancing at Cheng Xinzhan and seeing that his body was fine, he quickly sent him away.

Cheng Xinzhan went to find the Sect Master, because he felt it was strange not to talk to his elders after returning to the mountain.

The Sect Master was indeed very free, sitting alone in the Three Pure Ones Palace like a statue.

"Xinzhan is back!"

The Sect Master was indeed very enthusiastic, greeting Cheng Xinzhan happily when he saw him coming.

Cheng Xinzhan also smiled and sat down beside the Sect Master. Although he had already told the Master of Huanzhu Tower about his experiences over the past two months, that did not prevent him from happily telling the Sect Master all over again, and in great detail.

"Good! Xinzhan, you have worked hard."

"Abominable! What sin did the whale commit?!"

"Good, Xinzhan, you are truly clever! To actually disguise yourself as a member of the Blood God Sect."

"What, you even refined a new flying sword? Quickly take it out and let me see."

"Yin-Yang Twin Swords, Pure Yang physical body, good idea!"

"A disciple of Xin Chenzi? Heh, now that Green Robe has become a Fifth-Rank, his subordinates have risen with him, and Xin Chenzi has also risen to the Fourth Rank."

"Harvesting and supplementing? Demonic path and evil ways, they deserve to be killed!"

"Oh? It is actually the legacy of the Plague-Suppressing Envoy?"

"This Dao Gang is indeed interesting."

"It was actually that dangerous?"

"The Master of Huanzhu Tower? So there was such an opportunity."

The Sect Master was completely different from the Master of Huanzhu Tower. Every few sentences Cheng Xinzhan spoke, he would respond, and sometimes he would discuss a detail with Cheng Xinzhan for a long time, using it to bring up many things in the cultivation world. For example, when Bai Yujing was built, the Cloud Whale clan contributed a lot; for example, the Blood God Sect had recently begun to open its mountain gates for the first time to recruit disciples, and many giants of the demonic path had gone to observe the ceremony; for example, what gods the various ancient immortals on Nine Dragon Island had been conferred, and so on and so forth, letting Cheng Xinzhan know many things.

This also resulted in Cheng Xinzhan taking a long time to finish speaking about this journey.

Finally, the Sect Master asked a question the same as the Master of Huanzhu Tower,

"Xinzhan, do you have the ambition to purge demons?"

Cheng Xinzhan once again clarified the Jingwei in his heart.

When it came to this topic, the Sect Master did not say much, merely nodding and saying one sentence,

"Do not speak of this to outsiders, and do not work yourself too hard."

Subsequently, the Sect Master changed the subject and asked,

"What are your thoughts on Core Formation?"

Cheng Xinzhan clearly already had his own ideas about this major event and spoke them out slowly,

"The disciple currently has one catty, two taels, and eight zhu of 'Purple Fire Rotten Peach Malevolence', through which I have realized the dry evil and decay within the Yin nature. I have six stalks of 'Yangming Yangming Yangming Yun Tang Gang', through which I have realized the brightness and illusion within the Yang nature. In addition, I have the Yang malevolence 'Yellow Huang Ji Zheng Wu Malevolence' of one tael and eighteen zhu, and the Yang Gang 'Dragon Chant Water Lei Gang' of three taels and six stalks that I have not yet had time to refine and fully realize."

"'Dragon Chant Water Lei Gang' was just obtained, and I have not yet had time to refine and realize it in detail, but from initial contact, it is undoubtedly the tyrannical side of the Yang nature."

"As for the 'Yellow Huang Ji Zheng Wu Malevolence', during the time I was at sea, I was constantly realizing the Dharma meaning within it. I can only say that the more I ponder it, the more I can realize its extraordinariness. This is different from the other three types of Gang and Malevolence I have come into contact with; it does not have the common violent nature of Gang and Malevolence, but instead presents the side of the Yang nature that is full of vitality and stimulates all things. Yet it is not as scorching as the blazing sun; it is itself upright, peaceful, and inclusive of all things, and it has a sense of stability, sitting and watching the wind and thunder while remaining unmoved. It is the virtue of Yang Earth."

"The disciple believes this is suitable for me. Moreover, I have obtained one tael and eighteen zhu of this malevolence, so I should be able to use this malevolence to plow the court and open the apertures first. The Yellow Court Dantian resides in the center of a person, as the foundation of longevity and the source of strength, and it also conforms to the Earth virtue. Using 'Yellow Huang Ji Zheng Wu Malevolence' to plow the court should be just right, striving for success in one attempt."

"The so-called malevolence is heavy and the Gang is light. 'Yellow Huang Ji Zheng Wu Malevolence' has already obtained the weight of thick earth, so the Yin Gang should take the lightness of the Heavenly Spirit. The Yang malevolence is stable and inclusive, so the Yin Gang should nourish and stimulate. Therefore, the 'Yangming Yangming Yangming Yun Tang Gang' and 'Dragon Chant Water Lei Gang' I currently possess are not suitable; I need to find another rain Gang that specializes in nourishing and moisturizing."

"In addition, Earth produces Metal, and Metal produces Water. The Metal nature is immortal, and it happens to be catalyzed by the Water and Earth that advocate vitality. Therefore, even if the rain Gang and Earth malevolence do not have Metal quality, the Metal nature is conceived between Water and Earth. Thus, Yin and Yang intersect, and Water and Earth meet, allowing for the formation of a Golden Core that governs vitality, serving as a seed of longevity."

"However, the disciple knows that a rain Gang is hard to come by, so I am not in a hurry. After plowing the court, I will slowly search for it."

The Sect Master listened quietly until the end this time, not interrupting even once, but instead nodding repeatedly. When Cheng Xinzhan finished speaking, he felt deeply gratified and said,

"Xinzhan, after hearing your views on the Golden Core, I can finally be sure that you truly harbor the ambition of the Jingwei."

After hearing Cheng Xinzhan's ambition to purge demons, Ji Hehe was very worried that his killing intent was too heavy and that he was eager for quick success, forming a Golden Core that governed only attack. Therefore, he immediately asked Cheng Xinzhan about his thoughts on Core Formation. Now, after hearing it, he knew that the Dao name Wen Sukong was not taken wrongly.

With a broad vision and a foundation in longevity, only then can speaking of purging the demonic path be convincing. Otherwise, if a heart of chivalry falls into practice, it is nothing more than the courage of a reckless man. The demonic path is like grass, cut and regrown. If one does not attain longevity, how can one speak of purging it?

Jingwei filling the sea is also not a task of a single day.

In heart, tireless in doing good; in life, longevity equal to heaven. Only then can one be called an immortal hero!

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 183 =====