Chapter 228

"Are you tired?"

Huh?

Cheng Xinzhan was a bit puzzled, looking at the Hong Jiaozhu.

Ji Hehe then repeated it,

"Are you tired?"

Cheng Xinzhan shook his head, not understanding the meaning.

The joy on the Hong Jiaozhu's face disappeared without a trace. He said,

"The dharma lineage of Xu Zhenjun is naturally lofty, miraculous, and all-encompassing, but I think the only thing that would require you to go and seek the true scriptures with such great fanfare must be the water techniques for cutting down water monsters, right!"

Cheng Xinzhan was silent upon hearing this and nodded.

"You, this child, have refined the five elements and unified Yin and Yang; your path is steady and secure. At this time, you propose that you want to specifically cultivate Xu Zhenjun's water techniques—is it to prepare for sweeping away the Southern Demonic Sect and the Overseas Demonic Sect?"

Cheng Xinzhan nodded again.

"Child, you have great ambitions, but I am afraid you are living too tiredly. Let me ask you: you have come to see me with your bamboo body carrying your Shuangling primordial spirit, but what are your Mingtai primordial spirit, Youjing primordial spirit, and physical body doing?"

Cheng Xinzhan was stunned, then whispered, "The Mingtai primordial spirit resides in the physical body, opening apertures and making up for the deficiencies of the second realm, while also refining treasures to block tribulations. The Youjing primordial spirit is driving the lotus incarnation and has returned to Xiangxi."

Ji Hehe shook his head and sighed,

"Previously, when you returned from traveling outside the mountain, you were always able to rest and relax for a while, balancing work and rest. Especially that time you returned from Mount Longhu, you even knew how to tend to flowers and plants, stealing leisure from a floating life; I thought that was excellent. But after that time, not only did you not continue that habit, but you became even busier."

"I know your soul is stable, and I know you have many incarnations, but did Su Kong not tell you that long-term distraction and splitting of incarnations, exhausting the heart and energy, will shorten your lifespan!"

Ji Hehe's tone already carried a hint of blame.

"Master did say so."

Cheng Xinzhan replied hurriedly. It was not that Master hadn't warned him; when Master bestowed the bamboo staff, he had mentioned this matter. Moreover, Cheng Xinzhan could also feel that the reduction of his lifespan on his life-wheel seemed to be slightly faster than the passage of time in the outside world.

He had calculated that if the three souls resided in three bodies, one year of lifespan reduction on the Jiang Palace life-wheel would correspond to about eleven months of time passing in the outside world.

But it didn't matter; it was still a profit.

He thought this way, but Ji Hehe did not think so,

"You know, why are you still so anxious? Righteous and demonic have never stood together, and in recent years, the demonic path has been rampant. Suppressing demonic atmosphere has gradually become a consensus of the righteous path. We are building the Haoran Alliance together, Mount Longhu is building the Zhengyi Alliance, the Northern Dao is building the Chongyang Alliance, and the Shu Dao is building the Xuantian Alliance. Everyone is slaying demons and eliminating devils; they don't lack you! You should take care of your own affairs first! Even if you have gained longevity by breaking through realms, is lifespan something for you to squander like this?!"

Ji Hehe was rarely angry.

Cheng Xinzhan was silent for a long time. He knew the Hong Jiaozhu's good intentions, but he was not a hermit who lived in seclusion, eating clouds and drinking dew; he was a Daoist who traveled the Divine Land and repeatedly entered demonic dens!

He had seen the Southern Demonic Sect refine Gu with humans, seen the Northern Demonic Sect treat humans like slaves, seen the Overseas Demonic Sect eat humans like vegetables, and not long ago, he had seen the Xiangxi Demonic Sect hook human souls and slaughter villages to refine corpses.

Having seen such a hellish scene, how could he calm his heart and sit peacefully in the mountain?

After a long silence, he raised his head, looked at the Hong Jiaozhu, and slowly replied,

"The common people are hanging upside down and have yet to be saved; how can I avoid it for the sake of cherishing my own body?"

Ji Hehe choked, then took a deep breath to change his air, and only then said,

"It's not that I won't let you save the common people, it's just that I want you to cultivate yourself and cherish your life, and wait until your cultivation is sufficient before doing those things. Forget it, forget it, I know your intention. You can't wait, and you can't sit still."

At this time, Ji Hehe slapped his knee and sighed,

"Fine! If everything is weighed by pros and cons, and every matter is planned before being decided, it would lose the human touch. Perhaps, you are the one who is right, and we are the ones who are wrong."

Cheng Xinzhan said upon hearing this, "Hong Jiaozhu, cherishing the body leads to losing the hero, forgetting the body leads to losing the immortal. This disciple naturally understands the principle that going too far is as bad as not going far enough. This disciple's slaying of demons is not for a moment."

Ji Hehe nodded, and his worry turned into joy.

Cheng Xinzhan said again, "This disciple has a sense of proportion in how to act, and has never had any regrets. It's just that this time I want to go to Wan Shougong to seek the true scriptures, but I still have to borrow the sect's face; this is the place that makes this disciple feel ashamed and embarrassed."

Seeking scriptures and transmitting dharma between different sects is not a simple matter of a few words; one has to owe a great karmic debt!

When Master Sa of the Shenxiao Sect sought thunder techniques from Master Zhang of Mount Longhu, the Shenxiao Sect's thunder techniques were thereafter considered a step below those of Mount Longhu. Even now, many people believe that the Shenxiao Sect's thunder techniques, after thousands of years of careful study and development, are extremely complete, both comprehensive and profound, and can be called the Thunder Department on Earth, crowning the world in the path of thunder techniques alone.

But precisely because Master Sa once sought dharma from Master Zhang, Mount Longhu could openly and honestly say that Mount Longhu's thunder techniques were the best in the world, and the Shenxiao Sect had to acknowledge it even if they were unhappy.

Ancestor Ge Hong of Mount Sanqing once sought talisman and alchemy techniques from Ancestor Ge Xuan of Mount Gezao. Therefore, to this day, even with the relationship of the two Ges being of the same clan, Mount Mo'ya and Mount Danxia still have to send people to Mount Gezao every year to pay homage to the dharma statue of Master Ge.

If there were any celebration or dharma assembly where both families were present, Mount Sanqing would also have to yield the upper seat to Mount Gezao. This is partly because Master Ge Xuan had a higher seniority, but also because of the past seeking of dharma.

And the matter of Mount Juqu rushing to let Cheng Xinzhan view their classics is a rarity in ten million years, and is by no means a common example.

Now Mount Juqu and Mount Sanqing can be considered close family friends, with each family having people who are elders transmitting scriptures to each other. This is a relationship of seeking scriptures and transmitting dharma that makes many people envious.

However, with such a relationship, the karma between the two families is naturally deep. If one family's visualization method were to lose its inheritance, the other would have to do its utmost to continue its dharma lineage.

And among the various great sects passed down through generations, the Jingming Sect is famous for not transmitting its dharma to outsiders; they have never sought dharma from others, nor have they ever transmitted dharma to outsiders.

Even now, with the demonic path rampant in the south and along the coast, and the Haoran Alliance in urgent need of water-method cultivators, the Jingming Sect has the heart to slay demons and eliminate devils, and can be called hateful of evil. Their disciples are basically divided among Three Corpses Island, Yu Yang, and the Southern Wilderness, and their casualties are the highest in the Haoran Alliance.

But even so, the Jingming Sect has never said a word about being able to transmit their demon-slaying water techniques to outsiders.

This is the most difficult part.

If Cheng Xinzhan were to rashly go to their door to seek it, being driven out would be a small matter, but offending the friendship between the two sects would be a big matter.

Hearing Cheng Xinzhan's words, Ji Hehe wanted to pretend to be angry, but he couldn't bring himself to be angry at this disciple, so he simply laughed out loud,

"If Xinzhan can manage not to cherish his body, how can I, this Hong Jiaozhu, retreat because I cherish my reputation?"

Cheng Xinzhan also smiled upon hearing this. Looking back over forty years, whether in Zhangxiang Town or Mount Sanqing, his elders had never let him down.

Ji Hehe said,

"You go back and wait for my news first. I will communicate with the True Person of the Jingming Sect, lower our posture, and then go over with the full ceremonial guard. Plus, because of the matter of the Mount Longhu seal, they still owe us a favor; this matter might not necessarily fail."

Cheng Xinzhan nodded in agreement, stood up, and took his leave.

————

Five days later, still in the Sanqing Palace, Cheng Xinzhan came upon summons.

"True Person Baoyuan has loosened his stance."

The first sentence Hong Jiaozhu Ji said upon meeting him gave him good news.

Cheng Xinzhan was also happy to hear this; True Person Baoyuan was the Hong Jiaozhu of Wan Shougong.

However, at this time, Ji Hehe said again,

"But he wants to see you before talking. True Person Baoyuan said that Master Xu's water techniques are not so easy to learn. If you are indeed exceptionally gifted and are someone who can inherit Master Xu's dharma lineage, then our two families can imitate the story of Mount Juqu. If your aptitude is not as good as the legends say, then everyone will just go through the motions for the sake of appearances."

Cheng Xinzhan smiled and nodded, "I will certainly not let the two True Persons down."

Ji Hehe also smiled upon hearing this and brought up another matter, "You are going to Wan Shougong to seek scriptures; it's not good if your status is too low. You are currently a direct descendant of Mount Mingzhi, a Bai Hu Envoy, and the Master of Mount Lixue. These identities are still acceptable within the sect, but once you go out, no one will recognize them. I am thinking about what other identity I should add for you before you go out."

Cheng Xinzhan repeatedly declined.

Ji Hehe glared, "Although I don't cherish my reputation, I am not one to disregard it. Just listen to me on this matter."

Cheng Xinzhan had no choice but to agree.

As soon as Cheng Xinzhan left, Ji Hehe immediately began calling people into the Sanqing Palace to discuss matters.

Two more days passed.

News spread from Mount Pingding that Cheng Xinzhan, direct descendant of Mount Mingzhi, Bai Hu Envoy of Bai Hu Mountain, and Master of Mount Lixue, was appointed as the Wanfa Scripture Master of Mount Sanqing, to take office immediately, and was bestowed with a scripture-lecturing dharma robe, a ruyi, a hu tablet, a wake-up bell, and a bright mirror.

After the news spread, the disciples in the mountain were shocked, but after the shock passed, they quickly accepted it.

A Wanfa Scripture Master is naturally not a position anyone can hold. Generally speaking, it is a position held before being promoted to the Vice Hong Jiaozhu of the Pure Yang and Pure Yin Halls from the eight branch masters of the Lotus Blessed Land, and it can also be simply considered as a candidate for Vice Hong Jiaozhu.

A Wanfa Scripture Master must, of course, be well-versed in the five elements and Yin-Yang, the classics of various peaks, and the techniques of the hundred schools. Cheng Nandou was indeed considered suitable.

Thus, another half a month passed. Mount Sanqing chose an auspicious day, prepared the ceremonial guard, and prepared to go to Wan Shougong to seek the true scriptures.

This day was the 448th year of the Ming era, the 17th day of the sixth month. It was suitable for traveling, forming alliances, ritual offerings, and breaking ground; there were no taboos.

The head of the Department of Affairs personally made a trip to the Wuyou Cave of Mount Mingzhi to deliver the scripture-lecturing dharma robe and all the scripture-lecturing magic treasures to Cheng Xinzhan. When he came out of the cave fully dressed, the head of the Department of Affairs clapped his hands and praised him repeatedly, saying he had never seen anyone so young wearing a scripture-lecturing dharma robe, and it was so good-looking.

Gu Xinshu's eyes could not bear to move away from Cheng Xinzhan for even a moment.

Sanmei, Deng Ge, and Lao Bai naturally exclaimed without stopping.

They saw this young Daoist:

On his head was a Five Sacred Mountains Lotus Crown, with the true form characters of the Five Sacred Mountains painted on the five petals.

He wore a plain white inner garment close to his body, and over it a sky-blue silk robe, with a pattern of black immortal cranes ascending to the blue clouds embroidered along the collar. Around his waist was a five-colored sash, with a two-colored Yin-Yang fish jade ring threaded in the middle.

On the outermost layer was a purple silk dharma cloak, a true purple dharma robe with large sleeves and a wide front. Gold thread was used to embroider the patterns of the sun, moon, and stars on the front, and the Mount Sanqing mountain mist pattern was on the chest, with the Yin-Yang Bagua diagram on the back.

The purple clothes were like clouds, floating with the sun and moon, the mountain mist drifting, and the Yin-Yang rotating.

Besides this, he held a Dragon-Tiger Ruyi in his hand.

This Ruyi was carved from a piece of warm jade in blue and yellow colors, one foot and three inches long, warm and lustrous throughout. The yellow end of the head was carved with a swimming dragon, the dragon's body entwined with Ruyi cloud heads, and the dragon's mouth contained a bit of red, as if it were a fire pearl. The blue jade tail was carved into a fierce tiger lying on the ground, the tiger's tail curled back into a handle, and a cluster of white dots pressed under the tiger's paw, as if it were ice and snow.

The middle of the Ruyi was engraved with the four characters "Wanfa Hunyuan," and the magic treasure spiritual prohibitions inside the Ruyi circled these four characters like stars, swimming slowly.

Cheng Xinzhan saw that everyone was staring at him and knew that this outfit was too flashy, but the Hong Jiaozhu had ordered it, and he had no choice but to comply.

He did not bring anyone from the mountain, bid farewell to the head of the Department of Affairs, thanked him for making the trip, and told the others to stay in the mountain and wait for his return, not needing to follow. Afterward, he stepped into the air and walked toward the mountain gate.

When he reached the mountain gate, he found that the ceremonial guard for seeking scriptures had already been prepared and was waiting for him, and the scale of this guard was so vast that even he felt shocked looking at it.

The "Front-Leading Ceremonial Guard" alone consisted of thirty-six disciples in black caps and crane cloaks, arranged in nine rows, holding banners and canopies. On the banners and canopies were scenes of the Four Symbols, the Twenty-Eight Mansions, and the Three Mountains and Five Sacred Mountains.

Behind the "Front-Leading Ceremonial Guard" was the "Sanqing Dharma Carriage." A three-zhang-high Three Treasures Cloud Carriage broke through the clouds and mist, with the holy image of the Three Pure Ones hanging high on the carriage, and the mirror wheel behind the holy image was like the sun in the sky. At the four corners of the carriage stood jade maidens holding swords, constantly scattering gilded cloud-seal talisman paper into the air, which turned into ten thousand golden butterflies.

Behind the "Sanqing Dharma Carriage" was the "Scripture-Protecting Dharma Array." Seventy-two blue-robed Daoists formed the Big Dipper Xuanji Array, holding long swords and jade bells. In the center of the array floated a treasure-light scripture sedan chair; now, of course, it was empty inside, and presumably, everyone was looking forward to it being filled with true scriptures upon the return journey.

Behind the "Scripture-Protecting Dharma Array" was the "Heavenly Music Ceremonial Guard." On the clouds, twelve musicians sat on the backs of white deer; the front row of four held drums, the middle row of three held chimes, and the last row of five played flutes.

Behind the "Heavenly Music Ceremonial Guard" was the "Five Elements Dharma Flags." Twenty-five flag-bearing warriors held the blue flags of the East Jia-Yi Wood, the red flags of the South Bing-Ding Fire, the white flags of the West Geng-Xin Metal, the black flags of the North Ren-Gui Water, and the yellow flags of the Center Wu-Ji Earth, five by five.

Behind the "Five Elements Dharma Flags" were the "Dharma-Protecting Divine Generals." There were three hundred and sixty yellow-turban warrior talisman puppets with angry eyes and weapons, patrolling in all directions.

Cheng Xinzhan had been in Mount Sanqing for over twenty years and had never seen such a formation.

"Xinzhan, come here!"

In front of the holy image of the Three Pure Ones, Dong Shouren and Huo Jingyan were standing there. At this moment, Huo Jingyan was beckoning to Cheng Xinzhan.

Cheng Xinzhan then entered the ceremonial guard.

"You are the protagonist today."

Huo Jingyan said, looking at Cheng Xinzhan.

Dong Shouren, who was usually not one to smile, also nodded with a smile as he looked at Cheng Xinzhan,

"This purple silk dharma cloak still looks good on a young person."

As the Vice Hong Jiaozhu of the Pure Yin Hall, Dong Shouren had naturally worn a purple silk dharma cloak as well.

Afterward, he looked at Huo Jingyan again and said,

"Let's go, don't keep the fellow Daoists of Wan Shougong waiting too long."

Huo Jingyan nodded and shot a talisman paper into the sky, which exploded into a firework.

Immediately, the banners moved and the music started, and the ceremonial guard set off.

Wan Shougong of the Western Mountain was to the west of Yu Zhang, and Mount Sanqing was to the east, so the ceremonial guard traveled westward all the way.

It was just that the movement of this ceremonial guard was too large. As it traveled through the sky above Yu Zhang, the mortals on the ground saw the immortals manifesting their holiness and bowed down one after another. There were also disciples of other sects and loose cultivators of the side paths in the clouds who saw such a large formation and were also amazed, so they followed behind, wanting to watch the excitement.

The ceremonial guard was for the sake of showing solemnity and majesty, so it moved very slowly, and more and more people gathered behind to watch the excitement.

However, no matter how slow the ceremonial guard was, they were all figures who had achieved success in cultivation, and Wan Shougong and Mount Sanqing were both in Yu Zhang, so it naturally didn't take too long.

Two hours after setting off, the Ganjiang was in sight. Wan Shougong was on the west bank of the Ganjiang, so the ceremonial guard was also slowly lowering its altitude.

(End of chapter)