Chapter 190: The Divine Lamp of Huashan

This ritual assembly was prepared over a long time, but lasted only a single day, for in essence it was merely a market for selling goods.

The next day, the practitioners of the Xuanmen gradually departed from the mountain.

They carried vast quantities of precious spiritual materials; though Huashan's scenery was beautiful, it could not restrain their eagerness to leave.

Some lineages and sects had people waiting below the mountain to meet them, and even those of the Panguan sects traveled in groups with acquaintances.

The Xuanmen is also the Some Jianghu; there are no shortage of evil sorcerers who kill and plunder.

"May all of you travel safely."

Wan Zhaung's eyes grew moist; he shook his head with a bitter smile. "At my age, I can't bear farewells."

He knew that after Huashan, Li Yan and the others would depart; the Some Jianghu was vast, and their next meeting might be years or even decades away.

He was old now; perhaps by then he would already be a handful of yellow earth.

Li Yan spared no words; he brought watered wine and drank three cups in succession with Wan Zhaung, his voice low: "You've aided me greatly—no need for many words. Please take care of your health."

After Wan Zhaung left, Yuan Ba and his disciples approached; Quan Quan Wanzhong's journey had gone smoothly, and he was in high spirits, smiling as he bowed: "If you ever go to Meishan, be sure to find me—I'll treat you well."

"Of course."

Soon, Huashan grew quiet.

The morning bell rang; from each Daoist temple came the sound of wooden fish and ritual bells, incense smoke curling as Daoists began their morning rites.

Near noon, Yu Luo Fengzi finally arrived, bowing repeatedly: "I had some last-minute matters to settle—now I'm free. Follow me."

"Thank you for your trouble."

Li Yan had already prepared: he carried Shoushan copper essence, the Twelve Zodiac Coins, and the two hundred-fold forged blades seized from Yao San.

These were forged from meteoric iron; though not magical artifacts, they were top-grade materials, more than sufficient as scrap.

The two walked onward, returning to the same small valley.

Inside the room, the old man took the Shoushan copper essence and Twelve Zodiac Coins, examined them, then tapped Yao San's treasure blade, and finally nodded: "Just barely enough. Go. Return in five days."

Clearly, these expensive treasures meant nothing to him.

Li Yan knew this mysterious old man was no ordinary figure, so he dared not ask further; after leaving the thatched hut, he and Yu Luo Fengzi climbed back up the mountain.

"Master, about the matter I asked of you."

"Li Daoist, rest assured—I've already arranged it," Yu Luo Fengzi smiled. "There are many vacant spiritual apertures on the mountain; I've chosen a good one for you, and all the required ritual artifacts are ready."

The matter Li Yan referred to was, of course, borrowing a cave heaven's spiritual aperture for cultivation.

Seclusion for cultivation inevitably required guardians; so first they went to Chongyang Palace to retrieve the ritual artifacts needed to build the tower, then returned to Chongyang Temple, taking Wang Wang Daoxuan and Lu San with them.

Sha Hearing Sha Lifei and Yan Yan Jiuling would remain at the temple.

The group first descended the North Peak, took a winding path halfway up the mountain, then climbed another peak five li to the north.

Here, layered rocks tumbled dramatically, pines and cypresses thrived, waterfalls cascaded, and atop the mountain stood a stone chamber, marked by a stone archway and even a thatched hut for the guardians.

This was a truly complete cave heaven aperture!

The stone chamber had been renovated specifically for Xuanmen cultivators to enter seclusion, unlike the one on Taibai Mountain, which remained primitive and undeveloped.

Before entering, the group saw a stone ram statue standing at the cave entrance; Wang Wang Daoxuan's eyes lit up: "Could this be the Yang Gong Stone Chamber?"

"Correct."

Yu Luo Fengzi smiled. "It is indeed the Yang Gong Stone Chamber."

Seeing Li Yan's curiosity, Wang Wang Daoxuan explained: "During the Warring States period, the great cultivator Yang Gong cultivated here, eating yellow essence daily and sleeping on vine mats. In the Western Han, Emperor Jing summoned him to court to teach the Dao, but he refused, transforming into a stone ram, its leg inscribed with the six characters: 'Yang Gong Declines the Emperor's Invitation.'"

"This one?"

"Of course not—this statue was carved later in his honor."

"This Yang Gong was also an ancestor of the Yang clan, known as the White Ram True Person; his works include the 'Inscribed Mountains' and 'Seventy Talismans to Subdue Tigers, Leopards, Wolves, and Bears,' recorded in the 'Biographies of Immortals' as a great cultivator!"

Li Yan, upon hearing this, felt deep admiration.

He had already met Mao Nu; this Yang Gong was likely real too, possessing transformation arts—if not illusion, then truly akin to an immortal.

Yu Luo Fengzi smiled: "This aperture, even among Huashan's many, is among the finest—and it has a name."

"Whenever a cultivator practices here, if fortune favors, at night one may see lights like lamps upon the cliff's peak—three or five, flickering and shifting—known as the Divine Lamp of Huashan."

"It's also a sign: the more Divine Lamps of Huashan that ignite at night, the greater one's potential."

"Oh?"

Li Yan grew even more puzzled. "What's the reason behind this?"

Yu Luo Fengzi chuckled. "Everyone says so, but no one knows why. Yet when the mountain's gang qi gathers, this phenomenon does appear. This aperture is highly sought after."

"Thank you, Master."

After another round of thanks, Yu Luo Fengzi departed gracefully, leaving only the three of them.

Beside him, Lu San muttered: "Hurry and cultivate. Let's leave as soon as we're done."

"Oh? What's happened?"

Li Yan frowned, immediately asking.

His brother Lu San disliked socializing, usually silent; but when he spoke, there was always a reason.

Lu San gestured, and with a cry of a hawk, the falcon landed on his arm's leather sleeve, chirping repeatedly.

He listened closely, then shook his head: "Many soldiers have descended the mountain. I thought they were escorting the sorcerers away, but now they've gone to the Tang Mausoleum outside Huayin, dug up all the bodies we buried, and are searching the area meticulously."

"They've now blockaded the base of Huashan—likely hostile."

"Oh?"

Li Yan understood at once, coldly smiling: "It seems the Commandants of the Commandery Headquarters still haven't calmed down…"

The Commandery Headquarters oversaw military forces across regions.

Nearby Tongguan was a strategic junction of Shanxi, Shaanxi, and Henan provinces, the gateway into Guanzhong; thus the Tongguan Garrison Battalion Command had considerable strength, stationing three thousand troops.

At this three-province crossroads, a military stronghold—if no higher order was given, they would never act independently. Clearly, these men had decided to move.

First, they sought evidence of gunpowder use; though they had already ruined the site, if the enemy insisted on framing them, there was nothing to be done.

These old military ruffians were greedy and reckless; once provoked, such actions were not surprising—after all, during the Maitreya Rebellion, these men had even slaughtered civilians to claim merit.

They had merely escaped reckoning then.

Li Yan thought for a moment, quickly pulled out paper and brush, and wrote a letter: "Lu Feng Feng Shixiong, please deliver this to Sha Hearing Sha Lifei."

Lu San nodded; a hawk's cry echoed as the falcon took flight toward Wangxian Temple.

Soon after, a reply arrived.

The reply came from Yan Yan Jiuling himself.

He decided to descend first, return to Chang'an, and obtain an official order from Li Li Siyuan, the Provincial Administration Commissioner of Shanzhou, to drive them away.

Though this man was low-key, Sha Hearing Sha Lifei had uncovered his background.

Yan Yan Jiuling's grandfather had been a renowned Confucian scholar of the Bai Lu Academy; though long dead, some still remembered the master-disciple bond—Li Li Siyuan, the Provincial Administration Commissioner of Shanzhou, was one of them.

Commandant Tang Yang, at the start of the year, sensing the wind had turned, aligned himself with the Li family; regardless of whether this matter involved him, his word would carry weight.

Wang Wang Daoxuan, upon reading this, nodded, stroked his beard, and smiled: "This young Yan has a blessed countenance, harbors righteous qi—he will surely achieve great things."

Li Yan nodded: "We must repay what we owe. When we reach Unlike Yichang, we'll go directly to his home to treat his illness."

With this arranged, the three entered the cave heaven aperture to inspect it.

Inside, it was empty and spotlessly clean; the walls were built of blue stone, the center held a stone platform arranged in the pattern of heaven's roundness and earth's squareness. Since each lineage's method of building the tower differed, Chongyang Palace had added no extra arrays—only a square stone altar, properly arranged, became the ritual altar.

After all this preparation, night had fallen.

As before, Li Yan spread a yellow cloth, pasted yellow talismans around the perimeter, and lit twenty-four Soul-Guiding Lamps in a circle according to the Earthly Branches.

The number of lotus lamps had doubled from last time.

This time, he had also purchased a Yin-Yang Bagua bronze mirror—a disposable artifact, inexpensive, yet capable of stabilizing yin-yang balance during cultivation.

When finished, Lu San and Wang Wang Daoxuan pulled the stone door shut; with a rumbling sound, darkness engulfed the chamber.

Li Yan paid it no mind, sat cross-legged, calmed his spirit, and adjusted himself to peak condition.

Unaware, Zi Hour approached.

Li Yan suddenly opened his eyes, lit a fire-stick, and ignited every lotus lamp; the dark cave glowed with dim yellow light.

He had built a tower before, and after cultivating the Northern Emperor's Yinshan Method during this period, activating the ritual altar was now second nature.

!.

He stepped the Nine Stars, each step a constellation, mind intensely focused, as if paying homage to immortals, while forming the Reverse Lotus Luo Feng Seal with his fingers.

Soon, a cold, chilling aura rose from beneath the earth, like a blade thrusting forth; Li Yan dodged effortlessly, raised his seal, and spat a mist of water.

Instantly, wind surged from the ground.

The lotus lamps flickered; the primordial gang and sha qi of the aperture connected with the altar, surging from all directions.

Li Yan sat cross-legged, chanted the Luo Feng Scripture into meditation, feeling the surroundings darken further, the lotus lamps guarding his spirit as he entered deep contemplation.

The surroundings shifted again, entering the world of spirit visualization.

Below, black mist surged like an ocean; above, Bai Qi spun like clouds; a black mountain rose from the yin sea—this was the visualized Luo Feng Mountain.

On Luo Feng Mountain stood an ancient divine temple, where the spirit resided—this was the Luo Feng Divine Palace, also called the Nightlight Palace, beneath which lay the Yin Sea.

In previous cultivations of the Yinshan Method, Luo Feng Mountain had grown taller, now displaying a steep, imposing aura; the temple atop had also expanded considerably.

Li Yan slowly formed the seals, carefully sensing.

Gradually, he merged with the spirit within the temple, forming the seals: first the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches Seal, to govern heaven's transformation, then the Fist-Seal to stabilize.

The surrounding space seemed under his control; using the external gang and sha qi, he continuously expanded the scope of his visualization realm.

Boom!

Soon, the black yin sea below rapidly expanded, surging like waves, violently crashing against Luo Feng Mountain.

At this second level, the key of cultivation was no longer opening yin and yang, but raising heaven one chi and sinking earth one chi, to further condense yin and yang qi.

Of course, the danger was no small matter; under the pounding of the yin qi tide, Luo Feng Mountain seemed ready to collapse at any moment.

Li Yan dared not slacken for an instant, guarding his mind with utmost care.

Gradually, Luo Feng Mountain began to stabilize, slowly rising once more.

At the same time, atop the Shenque, yin and yang shifted again, and thick black-and-white mists churned and swirled—as if something within was being gestated.

"Master, look quickly."

Outside the Jing Lingqiao Cave of Yang Gong's Stone Chamber, Lu San, who had been guarding, suddenly felt something stir and looked up.

Wang Wang Daoxuan also quickly raised his head, his eyes widening in shock.

There, atop Bai Yang Peak, a faint glow suddenly appeared, drifting like a ghost flame, yet devoid of any chilling aura.

Dim and hazy, it resembled someone carrying a lantern, floating up and down in midair, transformed into a divine lamp.

"So this strange spectacle truly exists."

Wang Wang Daoxuan stroked his beard with a smile, his eyes brimming with curiosity.

After watching for a while, he shook his head and sighed: "Daoist cultivators align with heaven and earth, yin and yang—but the Dao's mysteries are endless; how could human effort ever fully probe them?"

"Many things, even among Daoist sects, remain incomprehensible, so they are simply labeled as divine or immortal phenomena—seeming profoundly mysterious. This Divine Lamp of Huashan is likely one such case."

At that moment, another light appeared.

"Two lamps lit!" Lu San's face broke into a childlike smile; such wonders were rare even for him.

As he spoke, a third lamp ignited—three divine lamps, like fireflies, linked end to end, circling left and right.

At the same time, two old Daoists sat cross-legged on the opposite mountain.

One of them was Master Jingxu Zi, the abbot of Chongyang Palace.

"This youth is indeed extraordinary."

Master Jingxu Zi smiled: "Lighting three lamps is no less impressive than an ordinary orthodox disciple. I hear he cultivates alone, without a master's guidance—such talent is uncommon."

He turned and added: "But that's all there is to it, Feng Feng Shixiong—you're probably overthinking."

Beside him sat an elderly man.

Even seated cross-legged, his back remained straight, his eyes faintly gleaming with swordlight—yet age had overtaken him, and his frailty could not be hidden.

The old man said calmly: "A few days ago, I gazed at the heavens at night and noticed a faint yin-yang qi below the mountain—weak, yet startling."

"Later, the immortal pines on the mountain bloomed—a sign of good fortune. Indeed, when this man ascended, he averted a great calamity from Huashan."

Master Jingxu Zi laughed in disbelief: "Feng Feng Shixiong, your qi-reading skill is famed throughout the world—I am in awe."

The old man glanced at him coolly: "No need for empty flattery."

He sighed, his gaze growing more weary: "I've spent my life striving to be strong. In youth, I wielded my sword to contend with others, believing myself above the mundane. But now, a hundred years later, I remain trapped in the mortal world."

"Our Huashan Chongyang Palace seems ablaze with glory, but heaven and earth are changing, and human destiny is shifting. None among our disciples can yet stand alone to uphold the mountain—we must act swiftly and achieve martial liberation, if we are to protect you for another century."

Master Jingxu Zi's eyes filled with urgency: "Feng Feng Shixiong…"

Before he could finish, the old man waved him silent and shook his head: "My decision is final. While I still have breath left, hesitation will leave me unable even to achieve martial liberation."

Master Jingxu Zi's eyes were filled with reluctance; he turned to look at the opposite peak: "Feng Feng Shixiong, perhaps you've misread him. Even if he has fortune, it may be limited—if anything goes wrong…"

His words had barely ended when his eyes widened.

On the opposite mountain, another lamp ignited.

As if a hidden key had been unlocked, the divine lamps lit one after another—until nine blazed in total.

The nine flames converged, growing noticeably brighter, linked end to end, swirling up and down, resembling a coiling dragon.

"This… nine lamps?!"

Master Jingxu Zi could hardly believe it.

The old man burst into laughter: "Just as I once was! If no accident befalls him, he has surely received the blessing of the White Emperor. On Huashan, using his hands for martial liberation, he will surely succeed at once!"

"Remember: only you within Chongyang Palace know of this. Whether he succeeds or fails, do not blame anyone."

"Yes, Feng Feng Shixiong."

Though his eyes were filled with sorrow, Master Jingxu Zi could only reluctantly agree.

Below, Li Yan suddenly showed signs of change.

Inside the stone cave, a divine light suddenly illuminated the space, bathing the surroundings in brilliant white.

Li Yan, absorbed in deep meditation, remained unaware.

At the same time, beyond the yin qi ocean within his spirit space, a human-shaped shadow stepped across the sea, moving swiftly like a streak of light.

With a "whoosh,"

it plunged directly into the misty second level of his spirit realm…

The third chapter will follow shortly.

(End of Chapter)