Chapter 121: Night Journey, Enlightenment, Yin Mission

In the deep mountains, his breath turned to mist.

With Li Yan leading, the three had no fear of darkness, but the mountain wind was strong, causing their torches to flicker wildly, casting the surrounding trees into grotesque, clawing shadows.

Not long after, they spotted a pool of water, chilling to the bone, emitting a faint haze, beside which stood a massive stone inscribed with three vermilion characters: “Three Officials Pool.”

Though it seemed eerie, Li Yan activated his spiritual sense and detected no foul odor—only a crisp, cold breath filled his nostrils, clearing his mind.

“This is the Three Officials Pool.”

Wang Daoxuan spoke: “In old times, those in Guanzhong seeking rain all took this path. The route is perilous, yet full of strange sights—ahead lies Aihao Platform, which is especially dangerous.”

As he said, not long after, a winding mountain trail appeared, so narrow one could only press against the cliffside—treacherous indeed.

Fortunately, all three were in good physical condition, moved with caution, and safely crossed this treacherous path.

After leaving it behind, Wang Daoxuan exhaled in relief, wiping sweat from his brow: “Thank heaven it hasn’t snowed yet—if it had, I truly wouldn’t dare climb this mountain.”

“Look!” Sha Lifei suddenly pointed behind them.

Li Yan looked up and saw another flicker of firelight on the steep mountain path—someone else had chosen to ascend under cover of night.

His vision was extraordinary; he immediately recognized the woman from before, narrowed his eyes, and murmured: “Master, this woman is unusual—can you tell what sect she belongs to?”

“Let’s talk as we walk.”

Wang Daoxuan led the two onward.

This stretch of path was relatively wide; he turned to glance back and explained: “That’s an Yao hunter from Changancheng.”

“Unlike Daoists, these people possess extraordinary martial skills and various esoteric arts, specializing in capturing spirits, subduing corpses, and slaying demons. They also take imperial bounties to hunt heretical cultivators—and they’re ruthless.”

“I’ve heard whispers of this woman—I can’t recall her name, but I remember her nickname: Red Nightfork. A notorious brute.”

“She’s clearly a high-level adept—she should already have a Dao permit. Why rush up the mountain at night…?”

As they walked and chatted, they soon reached another peak.

The forest here was dense; though darkness surrounded them, the night sky was unusually clear, stars blazing brilliantly, the Milky Way stretching across the heavens.

“Wow, what a sight!” Sha Lifei blew on his hands and rubbed them, unable to help exclaiming.

Wang Daoxuan gazed at the sky and smiled: “The ‘Record of Marvels’ states: ‘The essence of Venus fell upon the western peak of Zhongnan’s Guifeng, transforming into white stone like fine jade, often surrounded by purple aura.’ That’s the origin of the name Taibai Mountain.”

“This place is a grotto-heaven, ideal for stargazing—many elders of the Doumu Court excel in star-reading and divination.”

“Master, which one do you specialize in?”

“This… I understand a little of all, but none thoroughly.”

“Let’s go. After crossing Panlong Mountain, we’ll find a place to rest.”

The two walked and joked, trying to ward off the cold—how bold they’d been when setting out, how ragged they were now.

But Li Yan gradually fell silent.

The mountain’s darkness made vision impossible; even with torches, distant paths remained unseen.

He had to constantly activate his scent-sense to lead the way—and precisely because of this, his perception of the grotto-heaven deepened.

This mountain range was vast and majestic, its primordial gangqi immense and boundless, like an ancient giant linking earth’s veins to the stars.

And he, was but a flea walking upon its body.

At that moment, he suddenly recalled the old woman from Tianzhu Mountain.

Mortal life is fleeting—a spark flickering, even with the path to heaven, one cannot go far.

Like the Luo Feng Jing he possessed: eighteen levels, six palaces, each more difficult than the last—mortals could never see its end…

Like this Daoist grotto-heaven, Taibai Mountain—its origin unknown. Perhaps, as Wang Daoxuan said, the essence of Venus fell here—but even so, it must have taken countless eons to form such a structure…

“Ah, Young Master Li…”

Sha Lifei noticed Li Yan’s strange expression and opened his mouth to speak, but Wang Daoxuan halted him with a hand, shaking his head.

He knew: Li Yan was in sudden enlightenment.

Many cultivators, upon first entering a grotto-heaven, experience this—it’s a minor opportunity, not to be interrupted lightly.

Sha Lifei didn’t understand, but he wisely fell silent.

The two said nothing, following Li Yan in silence.

Fortunately, Li Yan now moved like a machine—torch in hand, climbing the mountain, leading ahead without a word, always finding secure footing, never faltering.

But gradually, the other two began to lag behind.

Another hour passed; the freezing cold intensified. Wang Daoxuan felt his entire body numb, his legs stiffening, unable to hold on—he slipped, nearly falling.

“Young Master Li!”

Sha Lifei couldn’t help calling out.

“Huh!”

Li Yan snapped back to awareness, looked around, instantly understood, and apologized: “Lost my head—let’s find a place to rest.”

He turned to survey the surroundings and realized they’d passed Panlong Mountain; he led the two off the trail, through a small grove, to a cliff face.

A hundred meters ahead stood a modest cave.

Before approaching, Li Yan pulled out the Divine Tiger Talisman, stepped the Nine Stars, formed a hand seal, and chanted: “Nuo Gao, open for my descendant Wang Jia—Six Jia Azure Dragon, Six Yi Meeting Star, Six Bing Bright Hall… Urgent as the decree!”

Hoo~

Wang Daoxuan and Sha Lifei felt a sudden gust of icy wind.

At that moment, Li Yan seemed to transform into a mountain tiger.

Whoosh!

From within the cave burst forth a black bear, disheveled and terrified, avoiding the trio, fleeing headlong into the dense forest without looking back.

Simultaneously, around them rustled and scurried mice, wild rabbits, black ratsnakes, and rock lizards, scattering in all directions.

What Li Yan used was, naturally, the Baopu Mountain-Climbing Art.

He had mastered it thoroughly, and with the Divine Tiger Talisman’s enhancement, it was perfect for driving away beasts.

“We are unwelcome guests indeed…”

Wang Daoxuan chuckled helplessly, though his exhaustion was unmistakable.

Inside the cave, the stench of bear still lingered.

The three paid it no mind; soon they lit a fire, warmed wine to ward off the cold, and gnawed on dried rations.

The night wind howled; even wrapped in sheepskin coats and blankets, they still felt the chill seep into their bones.

Suddenly, Li Yan’s brow tightened; he slowly gripped his blade’s hilt, gazing at the howling wind outside the cave, hesitated, then spoke: “Friend, if the night road is hard, come in and rest.”

“Thank you, but no.”

A cold voice replied from outside, then footsteps faded into distance.

Sha Lifei knew it was the female Yao hunter; once she was far gone, he shook his head: “What a strange person.”

“Forget it. Ignore her.”

Li Yan said firmly: “Master, you two don’t need to keep watch tonight—rest well. Tomorrow’s journey—I have some insights I need to clarify.”

“Oh?”

Wang Daoxuan paused, but asked no further.

After days of riding and climbing at night, he was utterly spent; he pulled his blanket tighter and soon fell asleep.

Sha Lifei dropped instantly into slumber, snoring loudly.

Only Li Yan sat before the fire, staring blankly at the cave’s mouth.

Since acquiring the Luo Feng Jing, he had been meditating on it—but several passages remained unclear.

This method was of great importance; he could not speak of it to others.

Yet just now, as his spirit sank into Taibai Mountain’s primordial gangqi, many secrets suddenly unlocked.

“The body is the vessel of the spirit. To ensure the spirit’s lasting dwelling, nothing surpasses erecting pillars. Pillars are the master of house and chamber—establish the qi as the structure, neither sinking nor floating…”

This was the foundation of constructing a Tower-View.

This world lacks spiritual qi, but possesses primordial gangqi and sha qi, forming various “structures” and “currents.” To build a Tower-View means, after stabilizing the spirit, to visualize using the gang and sha qi, forming a miniature structure within the mind.

Famous mountains and great rivers contain grotto-heavens and blessed lands—these are the structures of heaven and earth.

The structure within the spirit manifests externally as a Tower-View. Stabilizing the spirit is like a deity being born within a grotto-heaven; when casting spells, one may summon or borrow divine gangqi.

The Luo Feng Jing is a method of the Yin Court’s ghostly deities—naturally far more extraordinary.

Ordinary cultivators need only borrow the structure of a grotto-heaven, absorbing some primordial gangqi, to build a Tower-View. Some heretical arts even borrow yin sha qi or poison gu qi.

As for Luo Feng Mountain: above lies the Nightlight Palace, below nine courts of Yin, where yin and yang, life and death, nurture and affliction pause.

The metaphor in this passage reveals the key to constructing the Tower-View in the Luo Feng Jing: balance of yin and yang.

He would not only absorb Taibai Grotto’s primordial gang and sha qi, but also perform a ritual, simultaneously drawing upon the earth’s yin qi to form the Tower’s foundation.

According to the scripture, when this method reaches profound depth, the Tower-View radiates myriad lights; beneath it, yin qi transforms into the Six Great Demon Kings, like disciples serving a god, able to leave the body at will, as if extending one’s own limbs.

Of course, one must first complete three levels and form the first palace—the Gan Si Lian Wan Lü Tian Palace—before using this secret technique.

Yet Li Yan still had a question.

Thanks to his cheap master, he had already obtained the first Yin Court spiritual power: the Soul-Grabbing Chain. He wondered: would this enhance the Chain, or grant him a new power…?

As Li Yan pondered, thick fog suddenly rose around him.

!.

Again?!

Li Yan frowned, face darkening.

He knew this well—he formed the hand seal, but his spiritual sense would not activate. He was trapped in a dream again.

But he had already received the transmission from his master—

Why was he pulled into the dream once more?

Could it be…

Li Yan felt a premonition of misfortune rise in his heart.

Could it be that the Nether Court has assigned a task?

He had experience now, and moved swiftly through the mist.

Indeed, after running an unknown distance, the scenery ahead changed once more—a stone well appeared, ancient in design, its era and style unidentifiable.

Li Yan was about to advance when suddenly his heart stirred.

He began to visualize, and the well’s form shifted.

Yet the stone well remained utterly unmoved.

Seeing this, Li Yan vaguely guessed something.

The previous vision of the “Gan Si Lian Wan Lu Tian Gong” was likely the result of his cheap master’s visualization, hence its ability to change.

This one before him, perhaps, was an object of the Nether Court.

He cautiously approached the well’s rim and leaned down to peer in.

The water surface lay barely half a foot below the rim, pitch-black, like a mirror of obsidian, without a single ripple.

He stared for a long time, but the water showed no change.

How does one use this high-end Nether Court artifact?

The “Nether Code” given to him by the old woman of Tianzhu Mountain mentioned that living Nether Officials sometimes received tasks from the Nether Court, but gave no specifics—only that each person saw different visions.

Some heard voices from shadowy figures in dreams; others saw written characters; some even woke up with Nether Criminal information, completely unaware how they obtained it.

What was happening to him now?

Li Yan was bewildered and cautiously touched the well’s edge.

Splash!

The instant he touched it, the water began spinning rapidly.

The pitch-black surface first formed a vortex, then rose into thick mist, and gradually, light and shadow began to swirl.

This… resembles the Round Light Technique Master Wang Daoxuan mentioned…

As Li Yan puzzled over it, the vision finally sharpened.

First, a cavern filled with ice; then, in its depths, an open space where the ground gradually turned transparent.

Three feet beneath the surface lay a large black jar.

The jar was wrapped in thick red cords, densely hung with copper coins, and sealed with countless Huang Fu, resembling a Soul-Draining Jar.

Then the jar itself became transparent.

Seeing what was inside, Li Yan’s pupils shrank slightly.

Inside the jar sat an old Daoist, clad in black Daoist robes, his face ancient and wrinkled, his white hair and beard tangled like spiderwebs, his fingernails grown several inches long and curled.

His appearance was nearly identical to that of an ancient zombie.

Yet his chest rose and fell…

Li Yan swallowed hard, and vaguely deduced the identity of the Nether Criminal.

A cultivator who used forbidden arts to prolong his life!

These people were not immortal—they had no vital energy left, yet forced their Three Souls and Seven Spirits to remain within their bodies, accumulating deathly qi like malevolent spirits.

Perhaps they hoped to resurrect themselves.

But such acts disrupted Yin and Yang, violating the Nether Court’s prohibitions.

The problem was, this ancient zombie might have been a high-level Xuan Gate master from centuries ago—how could a novice like him handle it?

Thinking of this, Li Yan quickly shook his head.

“I can’t take this task…”

No sooner had he spoken than he abruptly awoke.

The bonfire still burned, but outside, a light rain had begun falling—soft patter echoed in the darkness.

What had just happened felt like a fleeting dream.

“Being a living Nether Official… clearly isn’t easy…”

Li Yan gave a slight shake of his head and paid it no further mind.

For now, building the pavilion remained his priority—everything else could wait…

…………

The light rain fell all night and finally ceased just before dawn.

Sha Lifei and Wang Daoxuan had been thoroughly chilled, but after a night’s sleep, their spirits had recovered somewhat.

Li Yan had spent the entire night in spirit retention.

Spirit retention required meditation and was not tiring.

“Why did it suddenly start raining?”

Sha Lifei stared at the muddy ground outside and grumbled.

Wang Daoxuan shook his head. “Mount Taibai is the crown of the Qinling range, the highest peak in eastern Shenzhou—its climate is notoriously unpredictable.”

“Even the ‘Commentary on the Water Classic’ mentions that when marching through its foothills, one must not beat drums or blow horns—doing so summons sudden storms and downpours, proving its capriciousness.”

“We’re still at the mountain’s base; the higher we climb, the colder it gets. One day may bring wind, frost, rain, and snow. Fortunately, we don’t need to reach the Immortal Ascension Platform—just Doumugong will suffice.”

“Let’s go—the road is still long…”

“Master, have you ever been to the Immortal Ascension Platform?”

“It’s far too steep—I have no interest in climbing it. But legend says it’s where the Grand Duke enshrined the gods, and even retains the ritual altar from that time. If I ever get the chance, I’ll go see it…”

As they spoke, the three packed their belongings.

Leaving the cave, they continued onward under Wang Daoxuan’s guidance—crossing suspension bridges, traversing ancient Three Kingdoms plank roads, occasionally witnessing waterfalls and drifting clouds, sometimes observing cliffside carvings.

As one of the Grotto-Heavens, Mount Taibai’s path was arduous, yet its scenic wonders were plentiful.

Of course, the environment grew increasingly harsh.

As altitude increased, Wang Daoxuan developed altitude sickness, gasping for breath. Luckily, they encountered a Mountain God shrine along the way, rested another night, and regained their strength before continuing.

Higher still, light snow began to fall, and the path grew even more treacherous.

As Sha Lifei had said, the mountain trails were blocked by snow and ice, trapping many travelers halfway.

Among them were sorcerers and shamans from near Chang’an, terrified they’d fail to obtain their Dao Certificates next year, and came to borrow spiritual orifices.

Unfortunately, their bodies were even weaker than Wang Daoxuan’s—they couldn’t proceed further, and could only watch helplessly as the trio moved on.

One day later, the three finally reached Doumugong.

Amid towering peaks and strange rocks, the mountains resembled hands cradling a magnificent palace, gazing up at the heavens…

(End of Chapter)