Chapter 203: Tempering the Core

Since the crisis at Lost Track Lake was temporarily resolved, Cheng Xinzhan and the other four continued to stay there for a while to guard against the devils making a comeback, while simultaneously assisting Hong Changbao in rebuilding the mountain-protecting formation.

The mountain-protecting formation of Red Wood Ridge was quite interesting. The formation base relied on a type of red cedar, which the people of Red Wood Ridge called the Coiled Dragon Brocade Cedar. The leaves of this cedar were thin and soft; when the wind blew, they looked like fire, and also like a brocade dragon coiled on the tree. It was a spiritual wood that the Red-Haired Old Ancestor had sought from overseas.

The original Red Wood Ridge was named because it was planted with red cedars, and the current Lost Track Lake was also full of this stuff.

Although the red cedar belonged to fire, it was an overseas island wood, and its roots loved water, so it was very suitable for Lost Track Lake. After Hong Changbao led his sect members to plant it, he used secret arts to urge its growth, and now it had grown into a patch.

It was not just the scattered small islands in Lost Track Lake that were planted with red wood. This place was too small; it was crowded enough just for the remnants of Red Wood Ridge to live in, let alone Hong Changbao wanting to recruit all the side-sects of the Southern Wilderness.

So this time, the people of Red Wood Ridge planted red wood on the dozen or so large mountains on the north bank of the Wu River, and the mountain-protecting formation also encompassed a section of the great river where Lost Track Lake was located, plus these ten or so mountain peaks.

The new mountain-protecting formation was presided over by Song Jishu to harmonize Yin and Yang. There were many tricks to this; many adjustments and improvements were made to the original mountain-protecting formation of Red Wood Ridge. The mountain roots and water veins, above and below the water, the bright river and the dark caves, the fire-wood and the water mist—the flow of spiritual energy here was all controlled by Song Jishu.

Moreover, since it was located by the river, one had to guard against enemies triggering river floods to implement water attacks. For this reason, he had Wu Xuanmiao further expand the scale of the underground river under the lake to facilitate flood discharge, and he required Hong Changbao to firmly root the red cedars deep into the ground and into the water to consolidate the soil and absorb the flood.

Now, the water caves under the lake were intertwined with the tree roots, and the underwater passages were even more confusing than before, so much so that even Wu Xuanmiao had to be cautious when going down.

During the formation-setting process, Hong Changbao and Wu Xuanmiao watched nervously the whole time, because they no longer recognized the current formation at all. But could it be that they couldn't understand their own formation?

Song Jishu naturally would not keep his secrets. He treated this formation as his masterpiece to make his attainments in the Dao of formations leap forward, but he did not want to claim this formation as his own.

However, the gap between the side-sect practitioners and the Dao-seeds from thousand-year-old major sects like Gezao Mountain was still too large. This gap was not in terms of magic power realm, nor in battle consciousness, but in the understanding of the mysteries of the Five Elements and Yin-Yang. No matter how hard Song Jishu tried to guide them, Hong Changbao and Wu Xuanmiao were lost in the clouds and only understood half of it. In many places, Cheng Xinzhan, a layman, understood, while the two of them were still confused.

Later, seeing that the scale of the formation was getting larger and larger and the gathered spiritual energy was becoming more and more vigorous, the two sect masters simply stopped caring. It was something they couldn't even beg for to have Gezao Mountain sect members personally set up the formation. Now that it was happening, what was there to guard against? Once the formation was finished, just ask Daoist Song to teach them how to use it.

Now, in this section of the Wu River, the mist on the river remained, shrouding the great river and the mountain forests on the bank. At the same time, a patch of red light could be seen in the mist, illuminating the mist into a rosy glow.

Thus, under the suggestion of Cheng Xinzhan and the others, Hong Changbao and Wu Xuanmiao discussed and renamed Lost Track Lake to Fu Xia Lake. For one, Lost Track Lake sounded petty, and for another, it was to show a new atmosphere. The sect name was still Red Wood Ridge Sect, to show that they would not forget the ambition of the main altar. Hong Changbao named himself Hong Jiaozhu and appointed Wu Xuanmiao as Deputy Hong Jiaozhu.

Cheng Xinzhan and the others could not refuse, and under Hong Changbao's bitter pleading, they also became guest elders of Fu Xia Lake.

Fu Xia Lake regained its vitality, and the Southern Devil Sect had not continued to send people over during this period. It was said that they had encountered no small trouble when expanding toward Yu Yang and annexing Qiongzhou Island.

And the meaning of Green Robe was that Yu Yang was adjacent to the South Sea and was as important as the Southern Wilderness, so the coast of Yu Yang must be taken, and Qiongzhou Island went without saying. So they were now focusing their main energy there, which gave Fu Xia Lake a chance to breathe.

After the formation was built, Song Jishu still did not want to leave and chose to continue staying at Fu Xia Lake to do some work of checking for omissions and perfecting the mountain-protecting formation. It could be seen that he had already fallen in love with this formation, which he named the "Chi Ming Lu Shui Shu Heng Tong Yue Formation."

For this reason, he also ignored the opposition of the crowd and set the incantation for entering and exiting the formation as a poem he wrote himself:

Red wood burns the sky to draw the Li fire, vast waves condense Qi to transform the Kan essence.

Black dragon long chants to stabilize the mountains, the Zhou Tian rotates to clarify the Dao pivot.

Clarify the Dao pivot, clarify the Dao pivot—doesn't this mean that everyone entering and exiting the formation must say that he, Song Jishu, is amazing?

After the formation was basically built, Cheng Xinzhan, Shen Zhaoming, Li Chengyan, and Wang Chengyi set off. The group decided to separate.

Li Chengyan and Wang Chengyi prepared to go south to slay devils, while Cheng Xinzhan thought that the Wu River was already very close to Ba-Shu, so he thought of going north to the Shudong area. Shen Zhaoming heard that Cheng Xinzhan was going to Shudong, so he also wanted to follow.

————

Shudong, Kuizhou, at the foot of Mount Chijia, on a giant rock in the middle of the river, two figures stood side by side.

At this time, the sky was dark, the remnant stars had not yet left, and the shadow cast by the pitch-black Mount Chijia spread over the river, making the two figures appear even more lonely and lofty.

Not long after, dark red light began to roll over the blue-gray clouds in the east. At this time, most of the sky was still dark, but the Chijia mountain wall was no longer pitch-black, but rather like a tea mug that had been used for many years, showing brown tea stains.

When the sun completely leaped out of the cloud sea, the orange light split the Kui Gate, and the entire mountain body suddenly came alive—the rust-colored rock layer spat out gold sand, and the dirty tea stains suddenly turned into flowing amber. The reefs and large rocks in the river made the river surface not so smooth, but rather rippled with bits of broken gold. The waves clustered the rosy light and squeezed toward the foot of the mountain, and the two ancient seal characters "Chi Jia" on the cliff wall glowed with dampness, like bloodstains that had not yet dried.

"Without Ancestral Tian Shi entering Shu and going to sea, how could the Jiao dragons of the world be as peaceful as they are now."

Cheng Xinzhan responded to Shen Zhaoming's words.

Shen Zhaoming nodded, feeling a sense of honor in his heart.

"However, everything should be done in moderation. Humans are the leaders of all things, knowing the numbers of Yin and Yang, and are good at using things to seek truth. Often, in a few hundred years, they can reach the thousand-year cultivation of spirits and monsters. Therefore, for evil monsters, one must naturally suppress and kill them to return clarity to heaven and earth. But for those monsters who are law-abiding, one should keep in mind that their cultivation is not easy, and one should apply gentle education, rather than using the guise of eliminating monsters to plot for their skin and flesh."

The direction of Cheng Xinzhan's words was self-evident, so Shen Zhaoming said,

"Is Xinzhan referring to the several Jiao-slayings by the Shu Xuanmen?"

Cheng Xinzhan nodded and gave a hum.

The most recent Jiao-slaying by the Shu Xuanmen was caused by the "Heavenly Wind Pine Snow" in Gu Yi's hands. It was said to be slaying demons and eliminating devils, but in reality, it was looting treasures to celebrate the birthday of some Lady Miaoyi. Is it not ridiculous?

"Since the rise of Emei, the reputation for acting domineering has been removed from the head of my Jingming Sect. I don't know whether to be happy or worried."

Shen Zhaoming shook his head and said.

Cheng Xinzhan said no more, merely admiring the sunrise, the morning glow sweeping away the darkness.

After admiring the sunlight on Chijia, even though it was a clear and sunny day, thunder suddenly sounded from the very high sky.

Cheng Xinzhan looked up and thought to himself: It has come.

The reason he came to Kuizhou was because he heard that this place was rolling with thunder all year round, and he wanted to use this place to practice his "Taiyi Hunyuan Core Embryo Thunder Fire Tempering Secret Method."

And Shen Zhaoming heard that he was coming to Kuizhou, but in his heart, he recalled that his ancestor had slain Jiao in the Shu region and left many deeds in Kuizhou. He thought of visiting the ancient sites along the river and incidentally observing the water to refine his methods, so he followed along. He could also protect Xinzhan; releasing a Golden Core had no small risks, and having someone to protect him was for the best.

"Boom—"

Dry thunder darted, echoing repeatedly in the river gorge, deafening.

"I trouble you, Zhaoming."

Cheng Xinzhan said.

"Xinzhan, just focus on refining your method."

Shen Zhaoming said with a smile.

Thus, Cheng Xinzhan transformed into an escape light, flew straight up, and submerged into the clouds.

The celestial phenomena here were truly strange. The clouds were bright, with no ink color and no raindrops, but the thunder was incessant, rumbling. Looking up, the white clouds were like a magnolia forest in full bloom in early spring, and the cyan-purple branches among them were the thunder.

He stood in the clouds, operating the core-traveling tips in the "Taiyi Secret Method." The Golden Core traveled up along the Du Meridian and leaped out from the Baihui acupoint. This was the first time Cheng Xinzhan's Golden Core had appeared in the world; it was the size of a dragon's eye, shining for ten miles, and there was the sound of dragon chanting and tiger roaring.

However, as soon as the Golden Core appeared, it sensed the thunder gathering outside. It was immediately like a wild rabbit poking its head out in the snow seeing a mountain eagle, and it immediately wanted to return to his body. However, it was forcibly controlled by him. The Golden Core was so afraid of the thunder that one certainly could not count on it to take the initiative to undergo the thunder tempering. Fortunately, there were special talismans for drawing thunder in the "Taiyi Secret Method."

He summoned the "High Truth," his wrist moving lightly, the tip of his sword acting as a brush, using lightning Qi as ink and captured clouds as paper, writing a talisman in the air. The talisman head read: "Imperial Decree: Nine Heavens Responding to the Origin Mansion of the Thunder Department." The talisman core was a twisted and complex "Bìng" character. As the core took shape, the thunder in the clouds was startled and surged toward this side. Finally, he finished with the Big Dipper Star Gang talisman foot, and a white-based, purple-lettered Cloud-Lei Fu was formed, which was:

"Nine Heavens Response Yuan Thunder-Drawing Talisman." He pinched a thunder posture and pressed it on the talisman. The talisman flew like an arrow off a string to chase the Golden Core that had already sensed something was wrong. The Golden Core circled around Cheng Xinzhan, not wanting to be chased by the thunder talisman. However, Cheng Xinzhan was biased, suddenly reaching out to block the Golden Core, and the thunder talisman was imprinted on it.

"Nine Heavens Response Yuan Venerable, the sound of thunder moves the universe!"

He chanted the thunder incantation, and the thunder talisman on the core flashed with light. The heavenly thunder was drawn over, but the weight and landing point of the thunder were controlled extremely well. The continuous thunder only brushed past the Golden Core, using the electric light to virtually scorch the Golden Core, and not a single one actually hit it.

But even so, the Golden Core was like a banana leaf in a rainstorm, shaking incessantly, as if it were about to fall from the clouds.

The Golden Core was tied to his entire spiritual energy. As the Golden Core was brushed by the thunder, Cheng Xinzhan himself felt as if he were being repeatedly crushed by a thunder cart. His whole body felt as if it were being pricked by needles, and the rumbling sound echoed through his Inner Landscape Realm.

However, Cheng Xinzhan was someone who had experienced the true evil spirit rushing through his acupoints. These sufferings were nothing to him, and he was not affected; even his expression did not change.

After a series of eighty-one thunderbolts brushed past, the Golden Core finally adapted a bit. Thus, Cheng Xinzhan immediately started the second talisman, "Five Directions Thunder Drum Suppressing Evil Talisman."

He drew his fingertip across his magic sword, his fresh blood merging into the lightning Qi. The sword was flourished into a sword flower, and as the talisman head commanding the Five Thunder Seal was completed, the "Boom" at the center had already triggered five-colored lightning. With the four-directional thunder beast cloud-treading pattern as the talisman foot, the second thunder talisman was also struck into his Jin Dan.

"Five Thunders Refine Evil Qi, break filth to see the true origin!"

This was a talisman to remove the wild evil spirit in the heavenly thunder. The true tempering of the core with thunder had just begun.

!

Subsequently, he continuously drew the "Purple-Green Divine Heaven True Lei Fu," the "Heavenly Canopy Demon-Subduing Thunder-Driving Talisman," the "Yin-Yang Dual Qi Combined Lei Fu," and the "Primordial One Qi Merged Lei Fu." The four talisman cores of "Dá," "Quán," "Yǎn," and " " were imprinted onto his Jin Dan, drawing thunder like dragons that viewed the Dan as a pearl, repeatedly swallowing and spitting it out.

He did not know how the Golden Core was, but Cheng Xinzhan felt as if hundreds of people were holding chisels and chiseling at him. Every place hurt, and thousands of people were holding gongs and beating them by his ears, ringing in his brain.

Cheng Xinzhan always watched the Golden Core, but fortunately, the Golden Core survived. He did not see a trace of damage, and the dragon and tiger on it seemed to be coming alive.

After being tempered by thirty-six thunderbolts, the Golden Core was wrapped in a layer of purple thunder light. When the thunder hit the Golden Core, it made a clear sound like a chime. The Golden Core was no longer so afraid of the thunder, but rather felt it was fun and took the initiative to find the thunder to play.

Seeing that the Golden Core was having fun and was about to go to a place where the thunder was more intense, Cheng Xinzhan smiled when he saw this and slowly followed behind.

"Xinzhan!"

Shen Zhaoming suddenly called out urgently.

Cheng Xinzhan's expression changed, and he immediately commanded the Golden Core to return.

But just at this moment, a huge purple gourd suddenly darted out from the thunder clouds, its mouth aimed at Cheng Xinzhan's Golden Core, emitting brilliant spiritual light.

Cheng Xinzhan immediately felt the returning Golden Core being pulled by a huge force. Fortunately, with Zhaoming's early warning, the Golden Core was already very close to Cheng Xinzhan at this moment. He flew forward, opened his mouth, and the Golden Core, which had just been playing wildly and was now scared out of its wits, hurriedly drilled in and was swallowed by Cheng Xinzhan into his Huangting.

At this moment, Cheng Xinzhan only sensed it slightly and realized that the tribulation cloud in his Huangting was a bit closer to the Golden Core.

It really worked!

He was overjoyed in his heart.

"Where did the thief come from! Quickly hand over the Thunder Treasure Spirit Pearl!"

Just at this moment, a person suddenly appeared in the clouds. Looking at his age, he was only in his early twenties, and his features were considered handsome, but he was born with a black face, as if it had been wiped with wood ash. The purple gourd was held in his hand, and he raised his other hand with a sword finger to question Cheng Xinzhan.

Cheng Xinzhan frowned, thinking to himself what kind of idiot this was. He ignored him and flew out of the clouds to find Shen Zhaoming below.

"Where are you going!"

The black-faced person also flew to chase.

After coming out of the clouds, he saw that in the high sky, Shen Zhaoming's whisk had become extremely long, like a white snake, and the end had already bound a person. At the same time, he was waving his sword with one hand and still fighting with another person.

Cheng Xinzhan now had "Gao Zhen" in hand and waved to slash out an arc of light, hitting that person.

"Good courage!"

The black-faced person followed closely behind Cheng Xinzhan. Seeing that one of his fellow sect members had already been subdued and another was being flanked, he roared, then slapped the gourd, and a crimson sword light darted out from inside. It was a flying sword, stabbing toward Cheng Xinzhan.

Cheng Xinzhan sacrificed "Taodu," and the Yang sword naturally went to seek that flying sword.

"Are you alright?"

Shen Zhaoming asked.

"Nothing, how about you?"

"Nothing. I don't know where these three muddled goods came from. Seeing the magic light flashing in the thunder cloud, they wanted to rush in. I already said someone was refining methods, but they still wouldn't listen. That's why we started fighting, and I called out to you."

Shen Zhaoming had an angry expression.

"Thanks to your reminder."

Cheng Xinzhan was also a bit angry. "Take that person in."

Shen Zhaoming lifted the whisk, and the whisk quickly shortened. That person was still struggling, cursing incessantly.

Cheng Xinzhan performed a divine ability and directly put the Yin-Yang Five Elements Hoop around his neck. Now he couldn't speak, and his face turned the color of a pig's liver.

"Stop!"

The one carrying the gourd shouted, taking the initiative to withdraw his flying sword, and another person also put away his offensive stance.

"Release the people!"

Cheng Xinzhan wondered if this dark-faced man had a brain made of elm wood, as he kept spouting nonsense. He frowned and asked,

"Whose people are you, and what is your purpose in coming here?"

As his thought moved, the Yin-Yang Five Elements Hoop tightened, and that person looked as if he could no longer breathe.

"You!"

The dark-faced one widened his eyes, wanting to curse, but seeing that his fellow sect member had already begun to gag, he hurriedly replied,

"Let it be known to you, I am Yuchi Zhenyan, a disciple of the Bearded Immortal Li Yuanhua of Flying Thunder Ridge on Mount Emei. These two are both my Emei sect members. Release the people in your hands at once!"

(End of chapter)