Chapter 265

Cheng Cheng Xinzhan had just arrived; though he spoke of obeying orders, Yan Yan Renying and the Zhan Biyun Nunnery folk naturally wouldn't have him take on duties immediately.

After six of them chatted with him for a while, they each went about their business, and Yan Yan Renying personally arranged Cheng Cheng Xinzhan's lodging.

Because the Sword Pavilion's master, Yan Yan Renying, and Zhan Biyun Nunnery's Elder Lu—the Drunken Hermit—both resided on the lowest floor, the height of the pavilion had nothing to do with realm or status; which floor one lived on was purely a matter of personal preference.

On the second floor, Cheng Cheng Xinzhan's room was placed near Daoist Daoist Tanbai, and because he had attendant disciples, Yan Yan Renying specifically chose him a large guest mansion.

Inside were multiple quiet chambers, a study, an alchemy room, a tea parlor, a flower hall, and more—all fully equipped—and adorned with rare flowers, exotic trees in pots, screens, calligraphy and paintings, incense burners, pure vases, lamp stands, and peculiar stones scattered throughout.

Even so, Yan Yan Renying repeatedly apologized.

"Brother Yunlai takes mountains and rivers as friends, enjoying the vastness of heaven and earth; now that you've come to my place, you're confined to this tiny space—it's truly a Weiqu."

Cheng Cheng Xinzhan insisted it was already more than sufficient.

As he saw Yan Yan Renying off, he made one request: he needed geographical records and legends of spirits and demons from Little Xikang; if any Xuantian Sect disciples recovered such materials during demon-slaying, he was willing to pay for them.

Yan Yan Renying assured him not to worry at all—any such materials would be sent to him immediately, and he needn't mention payment; as a Jin Dan cultivator lending strength to the Sword Pavilion, Yan Yan Renying ought to be offering him tribute.

Cheng Cheng Xinzhan accepted without refusal and smiled in agreement.

After Yan Yan Renying left, Cheng Cheng Xinzhan re-examined the room and soon realized its furnishings were unusual: the pure vase held spiritual water, the peculiar stones emitted golden qi, and when linked with the incense smoke, the exotic potted trees, and the Shushan painting, it clearly formed a Five Elements spiritual array, enhancing spiritual energy flow within the guest mansion while simultaneously nurturing the pavilion itself.

If every room and object in this pavilion bore such clever design, its power as a magic treasure would be truly formidable.

In Daoist refinement, there exists a technique called 【Grouping】: using low-grade materials, arranged with ingenuity and layered with spiritual seals, one can ultimately forge an extraordinary magic treasure—"A nine-story terrace begins with piled earth"—this is precisely what it means.

Cheng Cheng Xinzhan viewed the Sword Pavilion: its entire structure was carved from spiritual stone, with hidden magical seals inside, already a high-grade magic treasure; further adorned with various furnishings, the 【Grouping】 method elevated its power even higher.

Though he knew Mount Emei would hardly tamper with such a pavilion, he still circled it twice, just in case.

During this, he shifted several objects' positions and affixed talismans along the Five Elements and Nine Palaces directions, ensuring no one could eavesdrop—only then did he relax.

He selected a quiet chamber with a northern-facing window and told the two attendant disciples to choose their own preferred rooms.

He sat cross-legged, five points toward heaven.

Whenever arriving at a new place, he always made plans—and adjusted them according to unforeseen variables.

His journey to Little Xikang had been planned since he copied sutras through the wall in his sect: posing as a recluse, choosing Bai Longqi Mountain as his base, making friends, and using the compilation of a geographical record as an excuse to probe the Xuantian Sect's true nature—all were part of the plan.

He had two purposes for coming to Little Xikang: one, to slay demons, especially to observe how ancient Western Buddhist-corrupted demons differed from northern and southern sect demons and overseas ones; the other, to enter Shu and truly witness the Xuantian Sect's aura.

After meeting Daoist Daoist Tanbai, he thought he'd first focus on probing the Xuantian Sect, with demon-slaying as secondary—but unexpectedly, a decree from Xuantian Sect summoned his acquaintances to Little Xikang to slay demons.

Plans simply couldn't keep up with change.

Finding another Daoist Daoist Tanbai with similar ideals within Bai Longqi Mountain wasn't impossible, but it would waste time—and ultimately feel forced.

There was no need for such artifice.

So Cheng Cheng Xinzhan followed along—it was better this way: he wouldn't delay compiling the geographical record, and could simultaneously learn the Xuantian Sect's combat methods and demon-slaying techniques.

Moreover, the tensions between Zhan Biyun Nunnery and Mount Emei, the relationships among Qinzhou hermits, Dianwen Zen Sect, and Mount Emei, and Yan Yan Renying's hidden loyalty despite his position—all these, Cheng Cheng Xinzhan believed, warranted deeper investigation.

Now, residing in this Sichuan Sword Pavilion was an opportunity.

Cheng Cheng Xinzhan glanced again out the window—she was here too; he still owed her a debt from the Fuxia Lake battle, and he must find a chance to repay it.

Next, the overt tasks: first, cooperate fully with Yan Yan Renying in demon-slaying; Daoist Daoist Tanbai was right—if Yan Yan Renying became Mount Emei's Sect Master and Dao and Xuan merged, it would benefit all Daoist sects.

Second, complete the geographical record; the more time he invested in it, the stronger his feeling grew—that this book was more than just the Yang Jing method, or an aid for contemplation and Five Elements. It seemed deeply tied to his future Dao path, a sensation as profound as when he first awakened his Jingwei aspiration—etched into his soul, as essential as demon-slaying, to be pursued relentlessly.

Beneath the surface, in his own cultivation, his focus remained on comprehending the Taiyin Spell, the Houfeng Bird Divination, and visualizing the Inner Spirit of the Wind Dwelling.

These three were merely immediate concerns; looking further ahead, how to accelerate his Dan Lei Jie and comprehend his Jin Dan's form required constant contemplation.

————

Yan Yan Renying acted swiftly; the next day, numerous Little Xikang geographical records and fengshui maps arrived. These records were mostly divine histories, rarely mentioning mortals; the fengshui maps themselves delighted Cheng Cheng Xinzhan—such complex terrain was exceedingly rare.

The only drawback was that most text used a script called "Tengwen"—long, twisted, like vines entwining upward, utterly incomprehensible.

Cheng Cheng Xinzhan had previously encountered Yunli, Leizhuan, Fengcao, and Long Zhang Fengshu; though their scripts varied greatly, all possessed a graceful expansiveness. Only Tengwen had tightly entangled, constricted strokes—truly unique.

Daoist Daoist Tanbai, upon seeing it, volunteered to translate for Cheng Cheng Xinzhan: categorizing, extracting the essence, discarding the dross, and even offering to teach him Tengwen.

Learning a new script delighted Cheng Cheng Xinzhan—he lost track of time.

Three days later, Wu Mei came calling, inviting Cheng Cheng Xinzhan to join her on a demon-slaying mission.

Cheng Cheng Xinzhan readily accepted.

Daoist Daoist Tanbai wished to accompany him, but Cheng Cheng Xinzhan told him to stay—he hadn't fully recovered from his injuries, and the newly acquired Mahayana monk's travel notes remained untranslated; he should focus on translating, and Cheng Cheng Xinzhan would return soon.

Wu Mei added her own counsel: this senior uncle had suffered a Dao injury years ago when breaching Mount Emei Mountain, and recently been wounded again by a demon's counterattack—he truly shouldn't move.

Cheng Cheng Xinzhan gave a glance; Bai Long and Zhao Li each took one of Daoist Daoist Tanbai's arms, and in the blink of an eye, Cheng Cheng Xinzhan and Wu Mei vanished.

Outside the Sword Pavilion, Wu Mei explained the mission.

Since the Xuantian Alliance made major moves, establishing Sword Pavilions along the border, demons in Little Xikang sensed the Xuantian Sect's hostility.

But these demons had no desire to leave Little Xikang: first, they'd been rooted here for years and were accustomed to it; second, this land was vast and rich, with dense spiritual energy—the finest region. Around Little Xikang—in traditional northern sect territory (Xihai and Longyou), southern sect territory (Dianwen and Miaojiang), and the west (Tibet)—all prime spiritual mountains had already been seized; to go elsewhere meant unfamiliar terrain, submission, and exclusion.

Demons choosing to remain in Little Xikang could be divided into four types.

The first type sought refuge with Chuanshin Monk, crossed the Nujiang River, and shaved their heads at Xuexin Temple.

Xuexin Temple was indeed a good haven: located at the Little Xikang-Tibet border, its Baiguan Mountain had unique terrain, easy to defend, and was a former Daoist site left by the Eight Sufferings Bodhisattva—certainly extraordinary.

If Mount Emei's show of force proved hollow, they'd follow Chuanshin Monk to retake Little Xikang; if Mount Emei came seriously, they could abandon Xuexin Temple and flee deep into Tibet.

Moreover, since Chuanshin Monk had only recently broken his seal and was still recovering his strength, he welcomed all who came, accepting demons without hesitation.

Thus, the Xuantian Alliance's grand display indirectly aided Chuanshin Monk.

The second type sought refuge with the Bai Gu Bodhisattva, chanting sutras at the Bai Gu Chan Monastery.

The Bai Gu Chan Monastery lay in northern Little Xikang, backed by Xihai, rumored to have ties to the Blood God Cult—its background was formidable.

Yet precisely because of its powerful backing and decades-long roots in Queer Mountain, its abbot, the Bai Gu Bodhisattva, was a legendary figure who'd escaped from Elder Changmei True Person's hands long ago—already a major power. Thus, entering Bai Gu Chan Monastery was far harder than Xuexin Temple.

Still, many demons, drawn by its backing and its reputation for survival, desperately sought entry.

Bai Gu Chan Monastery accepted a few demons with minor fame in Little Xikang and rich offerings, permitting them to cultivate near Queer Mountain—clearly offering protection.

Other demons knelt before the monastery, begging to remain where they were, paying annual tribute, merely requesting that if the Xuantian Sect attacked, the monastery would aid them—or at least grant them safe passage if they fled there later.

The Bai Gu Bodhisattva agreed to this peculiar request.

The third type were those who considered themselves capable—mostly veteran Jin Dan demons—who neither wished to leave Little Xikang nor submit to others.

Deep down, these demons believed that even if Shu's Xuantian Sect was powerful, it couldn't kill every demon in the world; with so many demons across Shu, so many long-established great demons, why would they bother hunting only them?

The fourth type shared similar thoughts but were weaker—first- or second-rank minor demons—who believed Little Xikang was so vast, if they hid in some mountain ravine, who could find them?

Beyond these four types, those rejected by both Xuexin Temple and Bai Gu Chan Monastery, and too timid to stay, had already fled Little Xikang entirely.

"That's the current state of demonic affliction in Little Xikang," Wu Mei said.

Cheng Cheng Xinzhan nodded, then asked,

"So what's your plan now?"

Wu Mei replied,

"There's nothing we can do about Chuanshin Monk—he's too close to Tibet, and Nujiang is too treacherous; as long as he doesn't cross the river, we won't interfere.

"The Bai Gu Chan Monastery is under explicit orders to be eradicated, but now is not the time.

"For the last type, we have no real solution—Little Xikang is too vast, and these minor demons too numerous. We simply kill them if we encounter them; if not, we don't hunt them down. Perhaps in a hundred years, when Little Xikang becomes like present-day Shu—with Xuantian Sects everywhere and orthodox Dao flourishing—these minor demons will vanish naturally.

"What we must do now is eliminate the third type, and demons affiliated with the Bai Gu Chan Monastery.

"Once we've cleared them—or forced them to flee and fully join Xuexin Temple or Bai Gu Chan Monastery—that's when we strike the Bai Gu Chan Monastery."

Cheng Cheng Xinzhan nodded; the strategy made sense, but he asked,

"Yet Little Xikang is still dominated by demons. With so few of you, if they surround you—or if the Bai Gu Bodhisattva or Chuanshin Monk directly attack—what then?"

But now Little Xikang is dominated mostly by demons; if you strike with few against many and get surrounded, or if the Bai Gu Bodhisattva or the Piercing Heart Monk directly target you, what then?

"We Xuantian Sect have our own experts. I'd actually welcome these two demons attacking—I only fear they'll hide and refuse to show themselves.

"As for being surrounded—hah."

Wu Mei chuckled,

"You, Yunlai, don't know: these past few days, the Xuantian Sect has focused on defense in the north, east, and south; only in the west—Little Xikang—is it on the offensive.

"Amid this great demonic crisis, internal Xuantian Sect rivalries have been set aside; the Xuantian Alliance was formed, and its first decree was to concentrate forces and seize Little Xikang. Yunlai, do you know why?"

Amid this great demonic tide and imminent peril, the inner squabbles of the Daoist sects have been set aside, and the Xuantian Alliance has been formed. The first thing the alliance proposed after its establishment was to concentrate forces and seize Little Xikang. Yunlai, do you know why?

Cheng Cheng Xinzhan smiled in return,

"Are you testing me, Tuyan?"

Wu Mei nodded with a smile.

But she'd picked the wrong person—Cheng Cheng Xinzhan's vision far surpassed the ordinary; moreover, during this time, he'd discussed Shu affairs extensively with Daoist Daoist Tanbai—he knew this well.

"Simply put: the Xuantian Sect has grown too prosperous; even the Du Guang Zhi Plain can no longer contain it—they must expand. Looking around Du Guang Zhi Plain: eastward, they'd face resistance from eastern Dao sects; southward lies the union ground of the Five Realms' True Dragons; northward, not only do northern sect demons resist, but the land is too barren to interest them.

"Also, the Xuantian Sect favors warfare, swords, and Geng Metal cultivation; from the Five Elements' directions, east is wood, north is water, south is fire, and west is metal—so naturally, they must continue westward.

"For nearly a millennium, northern and southern sect great demons and great sects have taken turns rising and falling, but Little Xikang has never produced a major demonic sect; the only one with potential, the Eight Sufferings Bodhisattva, was slain by Elder Changmei True Person with thunderous force, who then declared the Five Realms forbidden from entering Little Xikang. Thus, annexing Little Xikang has long been their goal."

Over the past millennium, the great demonic sects of the north and south have taken turns rising and falling, yet Little Xikang has never produced a great demonic sect; the only one to emerge with any stature, the Eight Sufferings Bodhisattva, was slain by the True Person Elder Changmei with thunderous force, who then wielded his victory to declare that none of the Five Realms may enter Little Xikang—thus, annexing Little Xikang has long been your ongoing objective.

"How long have you been in Little Xikang, Yunlai, to understand this so thoroughly?"

Though Cheng Cheng Xinzhan internally felt the Xuantian Sect's power demanded caution, from another angle, no matter what, the Xuantian Sect seizing Little Xikang meant orthodox Dao reclaiming land from demonic hands—there was no arguing that.

"A vast tide, inevitable trend—if you pay attention, you'll see it clearly."

A vast flood flows onward, driven by the tide of fate; if you pay close attention, you will naturally see it.

"Yes. Too few have insight into such grand trends—like those demons clinging to false hope, unaware their end draws near.

"You worried about being surrounded? Let me be frank: starting this month, large numbers of Xuantian Sect disciples are streaming west—not just us and Mount Emei, but Qingcheng Mountain, He Ming Mountain, all will send forces.

"So it's not demons surrounding us—it's we who will surround them. And not just surround: within the Xuantian Sect itself, we'll compete to slay demons and claim merit.

"Precisely because of this, I've boldly asked you to assist the Xichuan Sword Pavilion in gaining merit."

"Precisely because of this, I have presumptuously asked Yunlai to lend his hand and help the Western Sichuan Sword Pavilion claim the merit."

(End of chapter)