Chapter 266: The Roots of a Dead Enemy

The evil cultivators of Jiangzuo are infamous within the Xuanmen.

There is a story behind their origins.

During the Three Kingdoms period, a strange incident occurred in the household of Zhu Zhu Huan, a general of Eastern Wu.

One night, a woman rose to light a lamp for her nighttime needs and noticed the sleeping posture of a maid in the same room looked unnatural; she leaned closer to look—and nearly fainted from terror.

The maid's head had vanished; only her body lay on the bed, her chest rising and falling slowly in steady breath, as if sound asleep.

The woman, overcome with fear, instinctively pulled the quilt over the headless body, covering it completely.

Before dawn the next day, someone heard a "thump, thump" sound outside the door, as if something was striking the floor; following the noise, they found the maid's head hopping on the ground before the bed, its face filled with sorrow.

Upon hearing footsteps approaching, it strained to turn its face and cried out: "Please lift the quilt—I cannot return my head!"

The person, terrified, lifted the quilt.

The head fell back onto the body; flesh and bone fused seamlessly, and after a moment, the eyes opened. It thanked them—then fainted the servant outright.

Both servants were drained of their essence and blood.

Upon hearing the report, Zhu Zhu Huan was both shocked and bewildered; he executed the maid and inquired among his colleagues, only to discover that many court officials in Eastern Wu kept similar monstrous servants, said to have been brought back from southern campaigns against the Baiyue.

Of course, Zhu Zhu Huan's matter ended there.

But Zhu's household had a sorcerer with corrupt intentions; upon learning of this, he secretly investigated and uncovered a race called the "Flying-Headed Liao."

Members of this race occasionally gave birth to aberrant children, marked by faint red veins around the neck and eyes without pupils; when grown, they could fly their heads.

Some secluded themselves in isolation; others directly preyed upon humans.

This Zhu sorcerer secretly captured Flying-Headed Liao and, using various dark arts, forged terrifying poison charms.

At the time, Xuanmen rules were chaotic, and the Tai Da Xuan Zhengjiao had yet to emerge; this Zhu lineage used dark arts to grow powerful, and no one in Jiangzuo dared challenge them.

Members of this family devised many cruel techniques.

The infamous "Beast Creation Art" was their invention.

Today, though suppressed by the Xuanmen Zhengjiao, the once-glorious Zhu family has long declined, yet disciples and descendants still secretly preserve their lineage.

They are known as the Jiangzuo Evil Cultivators.

Hearing Li Yan's mockery, the tiger's eyes showed no concern; it growled low: "In heaven and earth, all beings are ants, struggling desperately to cross. I once was human, acting with chivalry; now I am a tiger, devouring humans without restraint."

"I have seen too much. In the end, it is all illusion."

"The rules of mortal society are chains. The Netherworld has the 'Nether Laws,' the Heavenly Court has the 'Celestial Edicts'—many have broken them."

"If you cling to such things, you will never go far."

Li Yan's face turned icy; he said nothing.

At that moment, he suddenly understood Luo Luo Mingzi's words.

"Those who tread this path are mostly no longer human!"

The tiger demon, seeing he was silent, continued: "The Ghost Sect's leader came to us, bringing a secret scripture called the 'Taiyin Liàn Xíng Shù,' requesting temporary shelter for a woman named Tongtian San Niang."

"The 'Taiyin Liàn Xíng Shù' was well known; we had heard of it, so we agreed. Later, seeing Tongtian San Niang's cleverness, we took her as a disciple."

"The 'Taiyin Liàn Xíng Shù' is a Daoist secret art; though it grants the lowest form of corpse liberation immortality—a lifetime spent in darkness—it at least spares one the torment of reincarnation and return to life. We began practicing it."

"For us, the method was not difficult—but we never imagined it was all a trap. Tongtian San Niang struck directly, returning to life fifty years early and seizing my body."

"Fortunately, a rare tiger was born in the mountains; I willingly took its womb, cultivating a demonic body. But Tongtian San Niang used my wife's body as leverage, forbidding me from approaching the Earth Immortal Grotto."

"I have received word: Tongtian San Niang intends to use my wife's body as a womb, performing rites to resurrect her master, Huang Liushi."

"The Earth Immortal Grotto was built by me; every trap and secret art within can be dismantled—except that Tongtian San Niang now possesses my corpse, making her hard to counter."

"When I fight her, you must immediately cast your Gou Die—then you may take her away."

"If you accomplish this, I will let you leave, deliver what I promised, and swear by my soul—I will never break my word!"

So Tongtian San Niang was hiding in the Earth Immortal Grotto!

In Unlike Yichang, Li Yan had received intelligence that behind the Ghost Sect in Ezhou stood Tongtian San Niang, directing affairs.

He never imagined the chaos in Dangyang was also tied to her.

Yet Li Yan sensed something amiss and asked coldly: "If such an opportunity exists to let the Ghost Sect's leader Zhang Zhang Huaisu return to life, wouldn't that be more suitable?"

"That man has long returned to life."

The tiger demon's eyes flickered with rare malice: "He schemed against my wife and me—how could I let him off lightly?"

"Over the years, I've secretly investigated and uncovered a secret: Zhang Zhang Huaisu, after exhausting all his schemes, had the Ghost Sect ally with the Jin Tent Wolf Kingdom just as his golden fortune was about to end."

"He caused great turmoil in the mortal realm, disrupting yin and yang; long ago, he became a thorn in the Netherworld's eye. Knowing death would bring great disaster, he secretly plotted, hiding in the far northern ice plains, stealing the Wolf Kingdom's qi to obscure heavenly signs and return to life anew."

"But no matter how cunning, he could not defy fate."

"When the Great Da Xuan launched a northern campaign to exterminate the Later Jin, the Tai Da Xuan Zhengjiao severed his dragon vein—unintentionally breaking his setup, forcing his premature return to life, damaging his foundation, and driving him into desperate flight."

"By the way, his current incarnation is named Zhao Zhao Changsheng."

"What?!"

Li Yan clenched his fist, eyes wide with shock.

Zhao Zhao Changsheng was one of his greatest enemies; he knew the man was dangerous, but never imagined his origins were so astonishing—repeatedly returning to life, stirring chaos across Shenzhou.

The tiger demon narrowed his eyes: "You know him?"

Li Yan drew a deep breath: "To be honest, I bear a mortal grudge against him—my father and grandfather both died because of him."

"Oh?"

The great tiger first looked surprised, then let out a low chuckle, gazing upward: "It seems fate has arranged this."

Then it turned its head toward the distance and growled: "Let's go. Use the Jia Ma—we must reach the Earth Immortal Grotto before dawn!"

With that, it roared sharply into the night sky.

"Roar!"

Under the night, the tiger's howl shook the forest; birds scattered in panic, beasts fled in terror.

The tigers lying or crouching nearby all rose, joining with low roars, like soldiers marching into battle.

A terrifying, brutal aura spread through the entire forest.

Li Yan could feel not only the rats in his waist pouch trembling, but even the demonic gourd dared not move.

Shhh!

Then Liu Gang's transformed great tiger seized Lu San in its jaws and leapt—suddenly soaring twenty to thirty meters, landing with a thunderous crash on the ground, stones flying everywhere.

Li Yan's eyes twitched.

This creature's body must rival the Earth Dragon of Mount Qinglong Mountain.

Meanwhile, the other tigers leapt down the hillside slope; the ghostly retainers ran on all fours like beasts, following close behind.

Li Yan did not hesitate; he drew another Jia Ma, bound it to his legs, and chanted the incantation to activate the Northern Emperor's Divine Speed Technique.

Amid howling winds, he leapt off the cliff.

Under the moonlight, the tigers surged forward, the ghostly retainers scaling the slopes swiftly.

In that instant, Li Yan felt as if he had returned to that savage, bloody age—beasts rampant, demons and ghosts rampant. Yet he grew even colder, calmer.

Perhaps he and Liu Gang shared the same enemy—but that did not mean they could become allies.

Had it not been for his role as a Living Yin Officer, he would already be dead.

This old demon may once have been human—but now he is a monster.

Recovering Lu San was the top priority.

Thinking of this, he grew even more cautious, watching silently.

What slightly eased his mind: Lu San, after being carried by the old demon for only a short while, was handed over to nearby ghostly retainers, who carried him forward.

The group moved swiftly, never stopping.

Li Yan, using the Jia Ma, easily kept pace.

After an hour, they saw the Zi Gai Mountain Cave ahead.

The great tiger abruptly turned, leading the group around Zi Gai Mountain, heading southwest; soon they climbed another hill.

!.

Under the moonlight, distant rivers and lakes were visible, along with a temple halfway up the mountain—candles still flickering in the night.

Li Yan's heart stirred; he ventured cautiously: "Elder, the Tian Sheng Sect and Ghost Sect's alliance must have a purpose—do you know what it is?"

The great tiger kept moving, not turning its head: "Inside the Zi Gai Mountain Cave, in the Upturned Well, lie two treasures."

"One is the Long Hu Kanli Dan, forged by the Immortal Ge Ge Xianweng; though it cannot grant immortality, it is an ultimate treasure, Haofei countless celestial and terrestrial essences."

"Its greatest power is to harmonize Kan and Li, balancing the body's energies; Tongtian San Niang seized my body and left many hidden flaws—she has long sought this pill to harmonize the alien qi."

"The other is the spirit of a dragon captured by the Daoist Lu Lu Dongbin, imprisoned in the Upturned Well, sealed with the incense and divine power of Captain Guan Sheng Di Jun—hence their arrangement."

Li Yan narrowed his eyes: "There truly was a dragon?"

Liu Gang sneered: "Who taught you Dao? You know nothing. Of course, dragons exist in heaven and earth—but like ghosts and gods, they are invisible, born of heaven's and earth's Gangsha qi, capable of growing or shrinking, hidden within mountain and river dragon veins."

"All fish, snakes, centipedes, and insects seek to become dragons, merging with heaven and earth to achieve immortality."

A flash of insight struck Li Yan: "Like Earth Spirits?"

"Something like that."

Liu Gang growled: "At least in the mortal realm. Thus, when transforming into a dragon, the earth's Gangsha qi surges violently, triggering countless calamities."

"Once, in the Inside Shennongjia, a rare serpent demon cultivated for years, nearing dragonhood; it plunged into the Han River, causing floods that drowned farmland along the banks."

"Lu Lu Dongbin slew it, but its dragon spirit had already formed; he could only imprison it in the Upturned Well."

"Think of it as a unique form of Gangsha qi; once injected into the earth vein, it triggers violent earth qi, causing landslides and flash floods."

"Beyond Captain Guan Ling lies the Ju River; recently, it has behaved strangely. I suspect they intend to trigger a flood, drowning the imperial troops stationed above in Baokang County, while carving a waterway to connect with the Yangtze."

"If so, the situation opens wide—they could ally with the Miao tribal lords and possibly swallow Jingzhou and Unlike Yichang."

Li Yan was stunned: "Can it really be done this way?"

"What's so surprising about that?"

The tiger's eyes were cold: "Since ancient times, the Xuanmen has been inseparable from war. The Battle of Zhuolu, the Divine Enthronement War—didn't countless Xuanmen practitioners take part in them?"

"Zhuge Liang himself once used this method."

Li Yan was stunned, silently committing this to memory.

The information he gained tonight was too important.

These ancient demons perch high and see far, peering through the river of history—they know countless secrets.

Thus, the Heavenly Saint Cult's arrangements were now crystal clear.

Defaming the God of War, ambushing Yuquan Temple, and setting up the Zi Gai Mountain cave—all were done to obtain the Jiaopo.

The Nine-Headed Phoenix Blood Jade Cong and the Jiaopo were both targets the Ghost Cult and the Heavenly Saint Cult sought to seize through their series of actions.

Li Yan faintly began to understand.

This was how the Xuanmen participated in war.

Just as, long ago, the imperial court sent its armies to crush the northern frontier rebellion, secretly engaging in magical duels to destroy the Later Jin Dragon Vein.

No!

This ancient demon is hiding something.

He hides near Dangyang City, secretly watching Captain Guan Ling—he likely has no good intentions, he's just too afraid to act.

Li Yan sneered inwardly, yet feigned astonishment, playing the part of an unworldly novice, and asked: "Elder, I have another question: how do you evade the False Yin Si's surveillance?"

"Hahahaha…"

The tiger suddenly laughed, his voice thick with mockery: "What? Are you eager to serve the False Yin Si, hunting us down?"

"I once thought as you do—serving the False Yin Si with all my heart, believing I'd be rewarded after death, perhaps even become a Yin God. But it was all a joke."

"After death, you're no different from a common wandering ghost. If you harbor resentment, you'll inevitably walk the same path as me!"

"This is common knowledge—I'll tell you: simply borrow the power of heaven and earth, and the vital fortune of human dynasties. Neither the False Yin Si nor the Heavenly Court can touch you."

"Do you think those orthodox Xuanmen sects are good people?"

"Their celestial grottoes and blessed lands teem with ancient Xuanmen ghosts—only fear of the Heavenly Code and Yin Law keeps them from showing their faces."

"Zhang Zhang Huaisu—now known as Zhao Zhao Changsheng—has stirred up chaos in the mortal realm for years, parasitizing imperial dynasties, feeding on their vital fortune. Even the False Yin Si can't touch him."

"My treasure is the 'Da Xuan Huang Tian Fu,' one of the thirteen imperial treasures of the Tang Dynasty. Each one can evade False Yin Si detection. After the An Lushan Rebellion, the thirteen treasures scattered. What I possess is merely one of them."

"Some things, you'll understand if you think for yourself…"

With that, he fell silent and accelerated fully.

Even though he had learned many secrets tonight, Li Yan was still bewildered.

He had heard rumors of the Tang Dynasty's thirteen imperial treasures.

Their origin was mysterious: they appeared in the first year of Zhai Tianbao, when the Retired Emperor Li Longji died and Emperor Suzong's illness worsened—then they came into imperial hands.

When Suzong saw the treasures, he summoned Crown Prince Li Yu and said: "You were made crown prince from Prince of Chu. Now heaven has bestowed these treasures—precisely upon your fiefdom, Chu Prefecture. This is heaven's will!"

Li Yu bowed and accepted the treasure, then changed the era name to "Bao Ying."

Legend says these treasures were born during the An Lushan Rebellion, meant to counter the calamity and prolong the Tang's vital fortune—but clearly, they failed.

During the late Tang's chaos, the thirteen imperial treasures scattered.

So they were all seized by these ancient demons.

Every dynasty had such imperial treasures—the He Shi Bi, the Sui Hou Pearl—likely belonged to this category.

Yet all of them had vanished without a trace.

How many ancient demons still hide across the Shenzhou land…?

(End of Chapter)