Chapter 206: Mount Wuling

The Wuling Mountain region, with its thousands of mountains and ravines, caves, underground rivers, streams, great rivers, high mountains, dangerous peaks, old forests, and confusing miasmas, intertwined to form a vast and expansive deep-mountain wilderness.

The Wuling Mountain area runs north-south, sandwiched between the Shu Basin and the Two Lakes Plain, and is the east-west boundary south of the great river of the Divine Land.

East of this place is the Eastern Daoist Sect in the general sense, a place of peace and tranquility, and also the hometown of fish and rice wealth in the mouths of secular mortals.

West of this place has never been peaceful. Occupying the north is the Shu Xuanmen, which has gradually established its own sect over the past few hundred years, and occupying the south is the increasingly rampant Southern Devil Sect. In the eyes of secular mortals, this place is a poor mountain and evil water, a remote and backward place, with only the Land of Abundance worth mentioning.

Located at the east-west boundary and between the three major forces, the status of the Wuling Mountain area is also very special. In one word, it is chaotic.

The Eastern Daoist Sect looks down on this place for being full of gullies and having no immortal energy. The Xuanmen also feels that this place is poor, and it has never been heard that immortals have been born or ancient treasures have appeared here. The Southern Devil Sect doesn't dislike it and wants to pour in to occupy the place, but this is absolutely not allowed by the Eastern Daoist Sect and the Western Xuanmen.

So this place has become a place that no one cares about but everyone guards against each other, and it has gathered quite a few loose cultivators.

The largest gathering place for loose cultivators in the world is in Qingzhou, but the loose cultivators there are nothing more than these kinds of people: those who were smart when young but not necessarily good when grown, sent out by sects that didn't want to raise them for nothing; those whose sects were difficult to sustain and disbanded; mortals who bumped into opportunities, picked up lost treasures, and embarked on the path of Qi refining on their own; and others who were taken as apprentices by loose cultivators and naturally continued to be loose cultivators.

These people still have their roots in the righteous path. Although cultivation is difficult, they still look toward the righteous path, are content with eating Qi, and practice steadily.

The second largest gathering place for loose cultivators in the world is in this Wuling Mountain area. What kind of people are here?

Those who have broken precepts and betrayed their sects, those who have been expelled from their sects, those whose sects have been destroyed by strong enemies, and those who have been kidnapped by devil sects to refine treasures and methods and have escaped through great hardship, and so on. Regardless of whether these people come from the righteous or devil path, they have one thing in common: they are absolutely unwilling to be law-abiding and practice slowly. They either have great ambitions in their hearts or have great hatred on their bodies.

That is why they gather in this place where there is order in chaos, seeking opportunities.

However, there is the principle that there is a thousand-day thief but no thousand-day defense. The Daoist Sect and Xuanmen look down on this place and do not want to station here for a long time, yet they want to block the devil sect that is determined to seek this place. That is certainly impossible.

So for the past few hundred years, more and more devil-path loose cultivators have poured into the Wuling Mountain area, and finally, by gathering together, they have also developed several not-so-small forces. Moreover, the terrain here seems to be naturally suitable for the devil path to survive. All kinds of miasma and poisonous insects can be seen everywhere. The devil path has developed rapidly here, and more and more loose cultivators have joined it.

Jing and Chu clearly realized this and often sent people into the mountains to suppress devils. However, the devil path had already taken the lead and often used the terrain to surround and annihilate the righteous disciples who entered the mountains. And even if they couldn't beat them, these devil paths would drill into various mountain caves and underground rivers, and the righteous path would have no way. Now that there are so many loose cultivators taking root, can they still clear the mountains and sweep them away?

In addition, when there are many people, factions naturally appear, and territories are divided.

There are many east-west water veins in the middle of Wuling Mountain, which are natural boundaries. So these people divided the Wuling Mountain area into two territories: Shizhou and Xiangxi. Shizhou is in the north, bordering Ba-Shu and Jing-Chu, and Xiangxi is in the south, bordering Sanxiang and the Southern Wilderness.

The loose cultivators and devil-path forces in Xiangxi are toward the Southern Devil Sect and have close relations with the Southern Wilderness. Many of them are even sent into the mountains by the Southern Devil Sect. Recently, with the dragon transformation of the Green Robe Old Ancestor, the power of the Southern Devil Sect has greatly increased, and the devil-path forces here have become even more rampant.

There are more loose cultivators in Shizhou, and there are also devil-path forces. But these people are either loose cultivators passed down through generations in Wuling Mountain and have a sense of belonging to Wuling Mountain, so they are disgusted by the nails of the Southern Devil Sect that have poured in to stir up trouble. Others have come from all over the world and are disgusted by the style of the devil path in their hearts, not wanting to become dogs under the Green Robe Old Ancestor.

After having factions and disputes, this place became even more chaotic, with swords and lights everywhere, and secret struggles.

And among the many water veins that serve as boundaries in the middle of Wuling Mountain, at the western end, there is a river called the You River. In the middle of the You River, there is a place called Mount Tulong.

Mount Tulong has been extremely lively recently. This is because it is the time for the decennial Water and Land Thoroughfare Assembly. This Water and Land Thoroughfare Assembly is also a name that has been used for the past hundred years to follow the trend. Before this, this place was a market. Every ten years, the Water Gang and Lu Bang of the Wuling Mountain area would jointly hold a trade fair here. Later, after a long time, it was called the Water and Land Thoroughfare Assembly.

What is the background of this Water Gang and Lu Bang?

Although it is mixed with fish and dragons in this great mountain and the devil path is rampant, it is not fighting and killing all day long. They also need to practice. Practice requires resources, but the forces here are small and dense, and there are more loose cultivators, so they cannot be self-sufficient like the major sects on the east and west sides. Resources are obtained through exchange and circulation. Thus, trade was born.

The Water Gang and Lu Bang are simply trade caravans. One takes the waterway, and the other takes the land route. Correspondingly, one is rich in aquatic products, and the other has many strange mountain goods. These two gangs are neither righteous nor devil, only caring about doing business. They dare to buy things from the righteous path and also dare to sell things from the devil path, somewhat like the Bai Yu Capital in Wuling Mountain.

The large market of Mount Tulong was built by these two families. Now that the time for the Water and Land Thoroughfare Assembly has arrived, many people and monsters from the mountain gullies have come out and gathered here, hoping to find some favorite treasures.

This day, the sun fell behind the mountain, and the twilight was dark. Tens of millions of tung oil lanterns on Mount Tulong were lit one by one, like a fire dragon, crawling out of the You River and climbing along the mountain trend to the mountainside.

The mountain-carrying turtles and river-drinking toads used by the Water Gang to carry goods were all as large as small mountains, almost filling the You River. Perhaps for the sake of liveliness, the people of the Water Gang tied ribbons and bright pearls to these turtle monsters and toad monsters, but this made these monsters look even more terrifying.

The Lu Bang had a new caravan arrive today. The large green ox and the mountain-coiling centipede were lying by the river drinking water. They looked extremely thirsty and did not move, letting the people of the Lu Bang unload goods from their backs.

The river beach was full of large and flat giant rocks, each as large as a bamboo mat for drying grain. At this moment, they were already occupied. A layer of cloth was spread on the rock, and goods were placed on it, which was a small stall. They were densely packed, leaving only enough space for people to step.

As for the mountains, it was even more lively. They were all stilted buildings built hanging on the mountains. Three-story ones were few, and five, six, seven-story ones were everywhere. What shops, what gambling dens, what restaurants—there was nothing you couldn't think of that wasn't here.

Bai Yu Capital is elegant and wealthy, while Mount Tulong is rough and noisy, but both are extremely lively.

"Hey! Have you heard?"

In a restaurant on the mountain, a table started blowing and bragging again, starting with the usual rhetoric.

"What's wrong?"

Someone immediately took the conversation.

"Haven't you heard?"

"Heard what?"

"The North and South Kui Stars!"

"Haven't heard, what's wrong?"

"Are you from Xiangxi?"

"Yes."

"That's no wonder."

"Stop selling the punchline, hurry up and tell me."

"Good, good, good. They say there are two Daoist priests, one named Kui Nandou and the other named Kui Beichen. I don't know where they popped out from, but two months ago, they entered Shizhou from Kuizhou and went on a rampage. Their sword techniques are formidable, and their magic is also powerful. The tiger demon of Tiger Head Mountain had its head severed, and hundreds of attendant ghosts were all transcended. The Blood Gu Sect of Tenglong Cave was flooded with water, the Thousand Spider Cliff of Shimen River was burned down by heaven-sent solar fire, and the Dream-Gathering Maidens of Butterfly Cliff on the Qing River were struck into ash by heavenly thunder."

"This, this, this, the Poison Old Lady of Thousand Spider Cliff is a figure who has crossed the thunder tribulation, and she didn't escape?"

"No, not one escaped."

"These are all evil people who were killed. These are the four with the worst reputations. Was it an elder from a major sect on the east side who took action? Have you figured out the background?"

"No, these two only reported their names when killing, not their sect, but I heard they are both very young. You say they killed those with bad reputations, that's not false, but those with bad reputations in our Shizhou are just these. There are many with bad reputations in your Xiangxi, especially those who wag their tails at the Southern Nan Nan Chen Laozu."

"Sigh, mention them less. It's better if they die. Xiangxi has been unbearable recently. I am also preparing to move to Shizhou. We loose cultivators, where can't we go?"

"Brother is right, have a cup!"

"Come! Xiangxi has been truly chaotic recently!"

"Oh? Tell me, tell me." "How about it, haven't you heard?"

"Haven't heard."

"Are you from Shizhou?"

"Yes, sigh! Brother, you are waiting for me here!"

A table of people laughed loudly, and the offense and defense changed.

"Brother, I was wrong, I was wrong, hurry up and tell me."

"Haha, brother, don't be anxious, just listen to me. But don't be scared after hearing it. It is said that the Eight-Armed Long Wang among the Eight Great Vajras is coming!"

"Ah?! Eight-Armed Long Wang Cao Jin? He is coming, coming to Wuling Mountain? What is he coming here for?!"

"Don't know, right? It's because half a year ago, the Yin River Ghost Master Yang Xuanla among the Eight Great Vajras died in Fu Xia Lake, so the Eight Great Vajras have been missing one person. The Southern Nan Nan Chen Laozu feels it is unlucky, so he let Cao Long Wang come to Xiangxi to recruit one to complete the quota. So, now the Xiangxi Devil Sect is all fawning!"

"So that's it, so that's it. It seems that we are going to be chaotic. If brother wants to come to Shizhou, he must be fast."

!

"Yes, taking advantage of this Thoroughfare Assembly, I am preparing to find more things, and then go to Shizhou to rebuild my cave dwelling."

"Welcome! Does brother have any acquaintances in Shizhou? If not, you can come to our Deer Tree Slope. We have over a hundred loose cultivators there now, and we can join together. Brother, let me say something unpleasant. I see that brother is old, so let the juniors do the fighting and killing. There is no hatred that cannot be let go. We should retire."

"Sigh, brother is right! Brother, accept a fellow-sound Gu from me. After this assembly disperses, I will definitely come to find brother."

"Good, good. I'll wait for brother!"

"Haha, good, eh?"

"What's wrong, brother?"

"Look."

"What's wrong? Who is that? An old brother's nephew?"

"No, look closely. Two Daoist priests, young, with the demeanor of experts. There are two swords on the table."

"Hiss, could it be those two Kui Stars?"

"Oh, old brother, keep your voice down!"

"Right, right, right, keep it down. Don't say it, they really do look a bit like..."

"..."

"Xinzhan, this Cao Jin is not easy to deal with."

"Yes, I didn't expect him to come."

The old brothers who felt like old friends at first sight not far away hadn't guessed wrong; the Northern and Southern Kui Stars were right beside them at this moment.

These two had stayed in Kuizhou for nearly two months, tempering themselves with heavenly thunder and observing the great river. Both had gained much, but they never encountered the Emei disciples hunting the dragon again. From this, one could guess that Yuchi Zhenyan and the other two, whom they had released, hadn't revealed the matter after returning and hadn't called for reinforcements.

After staying in Kuizhou for two months, not daring to forget the great task of subduing demons, the two entered the Wuling Mountains from Kuizhou and arrived in Shizhou territory. They heard about several evil demonic sects in the area and spent two months exterminating them one by one.

Later, they heard that the Water and Land Thoroughfare Assembly was to be held, so they rushed over, thinking it would be just right to continue deeper into Western Hunan and wait for an opportunity to slay demons.

They didn't expect that as soon as they found a place to sit, they would hear people discussing them, and even less did they expect to hear a major piece of news upon arrival.

"Emei, how much evil must you do before you are satisfied!"

Shen Zhaoming cursed in a low voice.

However, he wasn't cursing without reason. This Cao Jin had become famous even earlier than Xin Chenzi; he was a heterologous eight-clawed Shu dragon. This dragon hadn't been on the path for long, only at the third realm, but because of its dragon body and heterologous bloodline, it had repeatedly escaped from the hands of Emei fourth-realm sword cultivators, thus rising to fame.

Yet even such a figure couldn't withstand Emei's repeated dragon-slaying and river-cleansing. So, after being critically injured and near death once, he joined the Demon Sect in a fit of rage. He immediately gained the appreciation of the Green-Robed Ancestor, and under the Green-Robed Ancestor's guidance, his cultivation advanced by leaps and bounds. Later, several times when the Southern Demon Sect raided the Western Shu Xuanmen, it was he who led the charge.

To this day, he is ranked among the top one or two of the Eight Great Vajras. If converted to the human race, he likely has the strength of no less than the fifth purification.

"Once we enter Western Hunan, be careful above all else. During this assembly, we must also gather more information about this person."

Cheng Xinzhan said.

Shen Zhaoming nodded.

By the time the two had tasted dozens of fine wines, including the local Wuling Vine Wine, Miao Village Wine-Worm Gu Wine, and Qing River Cold Wine, the Treasure-Singing Assembly held every night at the hour of the Rat began. Only at this point could it be considered the truly lively time.

When the treasure bidding began, the voices of onlookers calling out prices could drift for several miles.

However, for both Cheng Xinzhan and Shen Zhaoming, neither had any interest in browsing stalls for bargains or bidding at the Treasure-Singing Assembly. Could the treasures in such a backwater compare to those in their own sect?

So, upon arriving, they simply chose a lively restaurant to taste the local wine and listen to what the people around them were saying. Even now, as the Treasure-Singing Assembly was about to start, they hadn't moved an inch.

Truth be told, this Treasure-Singing Assembly was quite lively. Above the You River beach and outside the stilt houses of Tu Long Mountain, a nine-story floating glazed pagoda radiating precious light was erected. The glazed pagoda had windows on all eight sides and was crystal clear, allowing people from all directions to see the items inside.

Each floor of the pagoda was filled with many treasures, and handsome men and beautiful women hosted the bidding, making the scene extremely lively.

After some opening remarks, the bidding began. From the bottom floor to the top, the origin of each treasure was announced, the price was set, and then the bidding voices surged like waves, rushing straight into the sky, chasing away the clouds and mist, revealing the round moon hanging at the tip of the pagoda, making this pagoda even more brilliant.

"The 'Jingming Three Tribulations Finger,' a magic technique of the Yu Zhang Jingming Sect. One finger can cut off rivers and break flows. Please, everyone, place your bids."

The two, who were tasting wine and clinking glasses, were suddenly stunned.

Now, it seemed they couldn't stay out of it.

(End of chapter)