Chapter 230: The White Longshan and the Prophecy of the Eight Hundred Earth Immortals

Summer rain comes and goes quickly; in the blink of an eye, the downpour vanished into nothingness.

Just as the floodwaters of the river leveled off and the sandbar in the middle of the river rose above the ramparts of Nanchang City, the clouds scattered and the rain ceased. The sun shone brightly once more, as if the apocalyptic scene from just moments ago had been nothing but an illusion.

The Yellow Dragon and Green Tiger returned to Cheng Xinzhan's hands, condensing back into a jade ruyi. Cheng Xinzhan and his disciples rejoined the ceremonial procession, and the entire group set off again amidst the cheers and praises echoing from Nanchang City.

However, the eyes of mortals are limited; they could not distinguish between the cultivators of Mount Sanqing and those of the Wan Shougong. Seeing the procession cross the river toward Mount Sanyuan, they all shouted at the top of their lungs that the masters of Wan Shougong possessed boundless merit.

Once the procession had crossed the Ganjiang, Cheng Xinzhan and the others saw a brilliant light erupting from Mount Sanyuan:

Golden clouds filled the void, dyeing the sky into a sea of light, with eighty-one fish-dragons swimming and dancing within it.

Purple Qi surged majestically, condensing into vast patches of purple clouds within the golden sea of light, while thirty-six nine-colored luan-phoenixes soared among them.

And within this purple-gold canopy, vast clusters of divine palaces and halls suddenly manifested in the sky.

The white jade foundations of the palaces looked like pure white clouds, reflecting the nearby purple clouds. The multi-eaved hip-and-gable roofs stretched on continuously, their vermilion glazed tiles appearing like flames, almost merging with the golden sea of light, making them difficult to distinguish. The dragon-shaped eave beasts on the roofs looked like chi-wen, so lifelike it was hard to tell if they were real or fake.

On a high archway tower south of this palace complex hung an ochre-colored plaque the size of a small hill, inscribed with three vermilion-yellow characters:

Wan Shougong.

Immediately, starting from beneath the gate tower archway of Wan Shougong, countless snow-white jade lotuses bloomed out of thin air, gathering into a bright jade bridge that extended all the way to the feet of the procession.

Within the procession, Dong Shouren was startled by the spectacle at Wan Shougong. He moved from before the Three Pure Ones' sacred image to the very front of the group, his face and eyes filled with confusion as he looked toward Wan Shougong. Wasn't it agreed that they would welcome the guests with the "Nine Phoenixes Welcoming Guests" and "Fish-Dragons Leaping for Gold"?

What kind of formation was this?

"Golden Sea of Light," "Purple Qi Coming from the East," "Nine-Fold Fish-Dragons," "Six-Fold Luan-Phoenixes," "Pure Jade Lotus Bridge," "Bright Hall of Longevity."

Dong Shouren vaguely remembered that even during the six-thousandth birthday celebration of Ancestral Tian Shi Xu, Wan Shougong had not displayed such a grand procession.

A formation this grand could not be to welcome him, nor could it be just for the Three Pure Ones' procession. He suddenly looked at Cheng Xinzhan.

Was it because of this child?

But what did Cheng Xinzhan possess that was worth Wan Shougong holding him in such high regard?

But the next moment, Dong Shouren saw a scene that shocked him even more:

On the "Pure Jade Lotus Bridge," True Person Baoyuan had come out personally to welcome them!

And behind True Person Baoyuan were Deputy Sect Master Daoist Zhenchang, Head of Discipline Daoist Zhongzheng, High-Gong Scripture Lecturer Daoist Zhongde...

Within the Jingming Sect, every single person Dong Shouren could name had come out of the sect to welcome them!

Seeing such a formation, Dong Shouren felt dizzy, not to mention the crowd following behind the scripture-seeking procession to watch the excitement; the sound of them swallowing their saliva was deafening.

And with so many True Persons and Xuanzai on the "Pure Jade Lotus Bridge," the least of whom were Golden Core Feathered Masters, when they stood in formation together, even without intentionally releasing their aura, the mere dignity of these great cultivators caused the purple-gold canopy to ripple and swirl.

Dong Shouren hurried forward, reaching True Person Baoyuan first to offer a bow, a bitter smile on his face.

"True Person, what is the meaning of this?"

True Person Baoyuan grabbed Dong Shouren's hand and laughed heartily.

"Daoist Shouren, our two houses both established our sects in Eastern Jin, a friendship of six thousand years—what formation is too much? You don't know how happy we were when I heard from True Person Hehe that your sect was coming to seek scriptures to deepen the ties between our two sects!"

Dong Shouren naturally did not believe this. His own Sect Master and True Person Baoyuan had debated back and forth for many days; the Jingming Sect's initial attitude had been nowhere near as enthusiastic as True Person Baoyuan claimed.

And behind True Person Baoyuan, that group of Xuanzai and Feathered Masters were equally bewildered.

At this moment, among everyone present, besides True Person Baoyuan, only Shen Zhaoming's master, Daoist Daoist Liang Yuan, had witnessed Cheng Xinzhan's actions from start to finish. Moreover, he held a high position in Wan Shougong and knew some secrets others did not. He led Shen Zhaoming forward with a smile and bowed to Dong Shouren.

"The Sect Master is absolutely right. With people from the Three Pure Ones coming, our Wan Shougong has been waiting with the whole sect! Our two houses have been connected for generations without interruption. When my unworthy disciple and your sect's Wanfa Scripture Master were slaying demons in Western Hunan, they were jointly called the Northern and Southern Kui Stars. My heart is extremely comforted."

Shen Zhaoming looked at his master in astonishment. He had never seen his master so shocked and composed as he had been just moments ago, nor had he ever seen him laugh so joyfully as he was now. Was this still his master?

"Yes! Yes! Where is the Wanfa Scripture Master of your sect? Please come forward and speak."

True Person Baoyuan took over the conversation. Although he was speaking to Dong Shouren, his gaze had already shifted to Cheng Xinzhan in the procession.

Dong Shouren knew then that he had guessed correctly, so he called Cheng Xinzhan over.

"Immortal wind and Daoist bones."

True Person Baoyuan looked at Cheng Xinzhan as if he were looking at some immortal who had left the world behind.

"The bearing of a Grandmaster."

Daoist Daoist Liang Yuan looked at Cheng Xinzhan, his eyes full of awe.

Cheng Xinzhan felt uncomfortable being watched and hurriedly bowed.

"I have seen the True Person and the Daoist. You two are too kind with your praise."

However, before Cheng Xinzhan could bend his waist, the two hurriedly dodged, both saying,

"Absolutely not!"

Cheng Xinzhan was bewildered, unable to figure out what these two Daoists were doing.

Dong Shouren was equally unable to understand. His mind began to race with various guesses, and after thinking it over, he felt the most likely possibility was that Cheng Xinzhan was the reincarnation of a predecessor from Wan Shougong.

"Enter the mountain and talk in detail."

True Person Baoyuan said with a smile.

Thus, Shen Zhaoming and other designated greeters led the bewildered Huo Jingyan and the Three Pure Ones' procession toward the Scripture Depository. Those many Golden Core Feathered Masters whom True Person Baoyuan had temporarily called upon had merely stood in the welcoming formation and shown their faces before Cheng Xinzhan; now, equally bewildered, they returned to their respective residences.

As for Dong Shouren and Cheng Xinzhan, they were welcomed by True Person Baoyuan and several Xuanzai to the Yuzhen Treasure Hall.

————

Wan Shougong was magnificent and resplendent. Its uniqueness lay in the fact that its palace complex sat facing south, symmetrical from east to west, and while built into the mountain, it was also rich in formal aesthetic beauty, like an imperial garden on the mountain.

The Yuzhen Treasure Hall was located at the end of the central axis of Wan Shougong and was the hall where the patriarchs were enshrined.

The Yuzhen Treasure Hall was divided into nine sections. True Person Baoyuan did not lead the guests in through the main gate of the first section but instead landed in the last three sections. Accompanied by the high-ranking True Persons of the Jingming Sect, Dong Shouren and Cheng Xinzhan successively offered incense to the sacred images of the Three Pure Ones, the Mother of Stars "Doumu Yuanjun," and the Filial God of the Water Mansion "Filial Feeling Lady," finally arriving at the very last section: the Patriarch Hall.

Here was enshrined the sacred image of Xu Xun, Ancestral Tian Shi and the founder of the Jingming Sect.

Inside the hall, one could see this Ancestral Tian Shi sporting three long strands of beard, with high-arched eyebrows and eyes slightly lowered in a compassionate expression. He was dressed in a Bagua crane-cloak Daoist robe, standing solemnly on the sacred platform.

The Tian Shi's left hand formed the Jingming Dharma Seal, and his right hand held the Dragon-Slaying Sword, with the seal script "Loyalty and Filial Piety Thoroughly Bright" engraved on the blade. His feet stepped on a stone-carved dragon head, with copper nails embedded in the dragon's eyes.

After the two guests finished offering incense, the group went to a side hall to be seated.

Dong Shouren spoke first, saying,

"True Person, there are no outsiders here. To be honest, the formation you displayed today truly frightened this humble Daoist!"

Cheng Xinzhan nodded along; having a True Person come out of the mountain to welcome them was truly too frightening.

True Person Baoyuan laughed upon hearing this, "Forgive me, forgive me!"

Dong Shouren said again,

"True Person, it was agreed that today, when seeking the true scriptures, Daoist Daoist Liang Yuan would receive the procession, and after meeting, we would worship at the Patriarch Hall. You would wait for us here at the Patriarch Hall, and after the examination, we would go to the Scripture Depository. Is that not so?"

True Person Baoyuan nodded with a smile.

"But when we arrived at Mount Sanyuan, nothing went according to plan. You even changed the etiquette for receiving the procession. True Person, let's speak plainly; you must give me a clear explanation."

True Person Baoyuan was still smiling, but his eyes were fixed on Cheng Xinzhan as he said,

"But that heavy rain was also outside the plan!"

"Heavy rain?"

Dong Shouren was puzzled. Wasn't it because Cheng Xinzhan was the reincarnation of a Wan Shougong ancestor?

"Heavy rain!"

True Person Baoyuan affirmed.

"Alright, my True Person, stop keeping me in suspense!"

Dong Shouren was anxious.

When True Person Baoyuan had come out of the mountain to welcome guests and first saw Cheng Xinzhan, he had been quite agitated and lost his composure. Now that everyone was sitting in the Patriarch Hall, he was instead calm and collected, tapping his knuckles on the table and sighing,

"It is time, it is fate!"

Subsequently, without waiting for Dong Shouren to press further, he took the initiative to ask Cheng Xinzhan,

"Fellow Daoist, the sandbar in the middle of the river that you used to accumulate mountain stones today—have you seen it before?"

Cheng Xinzhan replied immediately,

"I cannot bear the title of 'Fellow Daoist' from you, True Person; you may call me by my name, Cheng Xinzhan. In reply to the True Person, this junior has indeed seen the sandbar before, but the last time I saw it, it was not as large as it is now; it was just a bit of white sand."

True Person Baoyuan was clearly very interested in this matter and asked repeatedly,

"Then when did Cheng Xinzhan first see the sandbar?"

Cheng Xinzhan had recalled this question on the way here, so he naturally answered quickly,

"It was twenty-two years ago. At that time, the sandbar was only the size of a small boat; if you didn't look carefully, you couldn't even see it. The year before that, twenty-three years ago, when I crossed the Ganjiang, I didn't see the sandbar at all."

True Person Baoyuan's smile deepened upon hearing this, and he asked again,

"Then when did Cheng Xinzhan begin to cultivate?"

Cheng Xinzhan did not know why the True Person was asking this, so he answered honestly:

"Twenty-four years ago."

Upon hearing this, True Person Baoyuan and several Xuanzai exchanged glances and then burst into laughter simultaneously.

This again left Dong Shouren and Cheng Xinzhan confused. Was this something worth laughing about?

After these people had laughed enough, True Person Baoyuan said to Xuanzai Daoist Liang Yuan,

"Daoist Liang Yuan, you tell Cheng Xinzhan what happened twenty-four years ago."

Daoist Daoist Liang Yuan nodded with a smile and then said to Cheng Xinzhan,

"In the middle of the Ganjiang between our Wan Shougong and Nanchang City, there has actually always been white sand accumulating and settling. The existence of this sand reef has been for thousands of years. It's just that the process of white sand accumulation is extremely slow, so the sand reef has always been below the river surface. Except for us at Wan Shougong and the boatmen familiar with the Ganjiang, no one knew about it.

"It wasn't until twenty-four years ago that this sand reef finally emerged from the river surface and became a sandbar. So, Cheng Xinzhan, you didn't see the sandbar twenty-three years ago not because it wasn't there, but because it had just emerged, and you didn't notice it.

"After this sandbar emerged from the river surface, the speed of accumulation suddenly accelerated, expanding by several inches a day. So by the time you passed the Ganjiang for the second time, which was twenty-two years ago, the sandbar was already very obvious."

Cheng Xinzhan was still somewhat puzzled, so he guessed, "Could it be that the growth of this sandbar has some connection to this junior's cultivation?"

True Person Daoist Liang Yuan did not answer directly but said,

"This sandbar has had three rapid growth periods. The first was in the spring seventeen years ago, the second was in the spring of last year, and the third was in the autumn of last year. Moreover, after last autumn, the sandbar had completely transformed into the shape of a dragon. Cheng Xinzhan, did you have any progress in your cultivation during these times?"

Cheng Xinzhan's words carried astonishment, "Those were the times when I advanced to the Second Realm, the Third Realm, and crossed the Golden Core Tribulation."

True Person Daoist Liang Yuan clapped his hands and laughed, "That is it."

"Then I wonder what karmic connection this sandbar in the river has with our Cheng Xinzhan?"

Dong Shouren asked anxiously.

This matter could not be taken lightly. The Myriad Worlds are full of wonders, and some people's karmic fate is connected to the landscape of a place, but such things have both good and bad sides.

The so-called "a place's water and soil nourish a place's people"—if the water and soil are excellent, the feedback on the person whose fate matches it is that their cultivation realm advances by leaps and bounds, and everything goes smoothly. Once their cultivation reaches an extremely high level, it is even more possible to rely on this karmic connection to merge with the Dao of that place and become a Fifth-Rank Great Cultivator.

However, if someone were to discover or calculate this in advance and destroy the landscape, the karmic damage inflicted on the person whose fate matches it would be catastrophic.

If Cheng Xinzhan really had some karmic connection with this sandbar in the middle of the river, then even if this place were right next to Wan Shougong's bed, Mount Sanqing would have to build an imperial palace here!

True Person Baoyuan saw Dong Shouren's urgency and said,

"Daoist Shouren, there is no need to worry. Cheng Xinzhan and the sandbar don't have any karmic connection; it's just that there are some causal ties in the prophecies."

Dong Shouren steadied his mind and said,

"I would like to hear the details."

True Person Baoyuan nodded. This time, he did not let others speak for him but recounted it himself:

"That was five thousand two hundred and forty years ago. Our Ancestor Xu's Daoist magic was naturally perfected, and he was waiting for the imperial decree to ascend. At that time, the Mother of Poyanghu Dragons, Ao Xue, led the Poyanghu Dragon Prince, Po Feiyu, to visit relatives in the South Sea, borrowing the Ganjiang to head south.

"Po Feiyu was only ten years old at the time, a young dragon who had never left Poyanghu since birth. The Dragon Mother was taking him back to the South Sea specifically for his relatives to see.

"The mother and son, along with their entourage, traveled up the Ganjiang and left Yu Zhang to enter the territory of Yu Yang. The closer they got to the river's source, the narrower the river channel naturally became. Po Feiyu thought the river channel was narrow and did not lead to the South Sea, which damaged his mother's face in returning to the sea to visit relatives, so he transformed into a true dragon and plowed the soil to widen the river in front, wanting to open the river directly into the South Sea.

"With him making such a scene, the two banks naturally suffered. Because the Dragon Mother had been injured giving birth to her son, she had only barely been able to set off after ten years of recuperation, so she was naturally unable to stop Po Feiyu at this time. Those shrimp soldiers and crab generals were even more afraid to block a true dragon, and the Dragon Mother could only bitterly persuade him.

"But Po Feiyu had grown up in Poyanghu, raised closely by his parents, and his copper-like muscles and iron bones had never had a chance to release their power. Now that he had left the great lake and seen the outside world, his playfulness flared up. He did not know how to restrain himself and would not listen to the Dragon Mother's words, causing heavy casualties among the people on both banks and destroying countless crops and farmland.

"The crying on both banks awakened the Patriarch who was sitting in meditation and participating in the Dao. The Patriarch calculated with his fingers, knew the cause and effect, and chased after him with his sword. How could that little dragon be a match for the Patriarch? While still hundreds of miles away, his tail was sliced off by the sword energy the Patriarch sent flying from afar. By the time the Patriarch arrived, he was about to cut off the dragon's head to comfort the people on both banks.

"At this time, the Dragon Mother, protective of her son, came to stop the Patriarch. The Patriarch raised his sword and severely injured the Dragon Mother. The Patriarch also wanted to discuss the crime of poor discipline by her and the Poyang Long Wang.

"The Dragon Mother knelt at the Patriarch's feet, grabbing the Patriarch's sword-wielding hand and begging bitterly. But how could the number of mortal mothers and sons who died because of Po Feiyu be small? The Patriarch naturally could not agree and wanted to kill the dragon son on the spot.

"It was just that the Patriarch had not expected that the Dragon Mother had only conceived this one dragon son in thousands of years and truly valued him more than her own life. Seeing the Patriarch determined to kill the dragon son, she actually offered her life in exchange. Before the Patriarch could object, she stretched out her neck and committed suicide under the Patriarch's sword.

"At this time, the Poyang Long Wang also arrived here after hearing the dragon son's wailing from his severed tail. As soon as he arrived, he saw the Dragon Mother dead under the Patriarch's sword. He immediately asked the Patriarch to kill him as well, only asking to spare the dragon son's life.

"At this time, the Dragon Mother's determination to die was absolute, and her vitality was already gone. The white dragon's corpse fell among the mountains and turned into a white mountain on the spot. The Long Wang and the dragon son cried tears of blood. The Patriarch could not bear it, ordered the Long Wang and the dragon son to handle the aftermath on both banks, and ordered the dragon son never to leave Poyanghu for the rest of his life, thus letting the dragon son go."

"This place was later called White Longshan and also called Mother-Harming Mountain. It is also the source of the Ganjiang. The Gan water washes over White Longshan and also brings the pure white dragon sand downstream."

"Half a year after this incident, the Patriarch who had returned to Mount Sanyuan suddenly saw the white sand at the bottom of the river. The Patriarch sighed at the love of parents for their children, regardless of species. At this time, it was destined by heaven, and it just so happened that the Patriarch's time to ascend had arrived. The Patriarch pulled his house and ascended. Before entering the Heavenly Gate, the Patriarch looked down at the white sand at the bottom of the river, suddenly had a flash of inspiration, and left a prophecy for his disciple, who was the second-generation patriarch of our Wan Shougong."

"What prophecy?"

Dong Shouren asked repeatedly, feeling that after listening for so long, this last sentence was the point related to Cheng Xinzhan.

True Person Baoyuan looked at Cheng Xinzhan and said slowly,

"In the five thousand two hundred and forty years after I ascend to immortality, in the territory of Yu Zhang, within the Five Tombs, eight hundred Earth Immortals shall emerge. Their master shall come from Yu Zhang and greatly promote my sect. A dragon-shaped sandbar shall suddenly emerge in the middle of the county river; that is the time. He who adds white sand to the dragon's spine to make it higher than Nanchang City is that person. If there are dragon-monsters or water-monsters causing harm at this time, those eight hundred people shall follow the Earth Master's orders and slay them."

(End of chapter)