Chapter 424: The Secret of Wushan

"Who are you really?!"

A woman shouted sharply, her eyes filled with wariness.

The others said nothing, their faces veiled in white gauze, yet their killing intent grew even stronger.

Outside the hall, insects as tiny as sesame seeds had crawled out from the flowerbeds and cracks in the bricks, hopping wildly with astonishing speed…

On the rafters inside the room, a dark, horned serpent slithered out from the shadows, its tongue flickering…

The entire mansion was instantly brimming with lethal intent.

Whoosh!

Sha Li Fei leapt to his feet, drawing two pistols from his robes and pointing them left and right at the women, cursing, "Damn cowards, all of you born dogs—turn on a dime!"

Wu Ba scrambled up too, grabbing his large battle-axe, yet still shoving a chicken leg into his mouth…

Lu San's face was cold; he had already secretly formed a spell gesture.

Wang Daoxuan sighed, touching the satchel on his right side—nothing inside except a small clay jar sealed with the words "Black Illness."

Li Yan narrowed his eyes but said nothing.

"Wu wu~"

Sobs rose—Wu Chaoyun and Wu Xingyu, the two little girls, were overwhelmed and began crying.

Their crying broke the tense atmosphere on the verge of explosion.

The old woman Bai Wan sighed, "I told you—the children's return was strange, and then there was that 'Fog Walker' blocking our path…"

"Let's speak plainly—are you all here at the Salt Guild's behest?"

"Salt Guild?"

Li Yan immediately realized a misunderstanding had occurred; he raised his hand and ordered everyone to lower their weapons. "I have no connection whatsoever with the Salt Guild."

The old woman spoke sternly: "Then how did you learn of this matter?"

Li Yan replied: "I have another identity—I am a Living Yin Officer."

"Oh?"

Bai Wan's pupils contracted slightly; after a moment of silence, she spoke: "If you are a Living Yin Officer, do you have a Soul-Grabbing Warrant?"

Without hesitation, Li Yan pulled out the warrant and showed it.

Only then did the old woman exhale in relief and gesture: "You may all withdraw. It was a misunderstanding."

"Yes, Master."

Though puzzled, the women obeyed and left.

At the banquet table, only the old woman, the two girls, and the Cultivation Sect's Long Yan remained.

"So you're a Living Yin Officer…"

The old woman nodded, her face filled with apology. "I'm truly sorry. The Salt Guild's methods are cruel and invasive—they've driven us to paranoia, seeing enemies in every leaf."

Li Yan mused: "I haven't even explained why I'm here—how did you know a Living Yin Officer is connected to Divine Gang?"

The old woman replied calmly: "Young Master, you've already captured escaped demonic qi, haven't you? To be honest, one of my ancestors once became a Living Yin Officer by accident."

"Moreover, last year, I assisted a fellow cultivator in capturing a demonic qi near Wuxi. So I understand a few things."

"Oh?"

Though he'd suspected it, Li Yan still felt a surge of relief.

During the Divine Enthronement War, the seventy-two Demon Lords were suppressed, leaving behind long-lived evil arts like a bomb ready to detonate.

Li Yan wasn't the type to shoulder the sky when it fell, but this thing had weighed on his heart, heavy and unrelenting.

So the world truly wasn't just him alone!

"Where is that elder now?"

Li Yan asked urgently.

Someone who could be called a "fellow cultivator" by this old woman must be ancient.

Bai Wan hesitated, then shook her head: "Living Yin Officers wander between the Netherworld and the mortal realm; many harbor ill intent. I cannot reveal the name of that fellow cultivator."

"Understood."

Li Yan nodded and dropped the subject.

He had no sect, no lineage; the cultivation line that gave him the Soul-Grabbing Warrant had been reduced to a dying old woman—effectively extinct.

Revealing his identity brought many advantages.

But it also carried grave risks.

Had he known this earlier, he never would have spoken—so he changed the subject: "What exactly is Divine Gang? Is the Salt Guild also seeking it?"

Bai Wan sighed: "Since you're a Living Yin Officer, you'll eventually learn this anyway. I'll tell you now—it'll help you prepare."

"Between Heaven and Earth, there are two primordial energies: Gang and Sha. Vague and elusive, they transform endlessly, neither good nor evil, neither joyful nor sorrowful."

"Majestic mountains and great rivers gather primordial Gang energy, becoming sacred grottoes and blessed lands; dark, yin places accumulate primordial Sha energy, becoming deadly perilous zones. Though the Profound Dao has countless schools, none escape the transformations of these two energies."

"Divine Gang is Gang energy gathered by deities."

"In ancient times, every mountain and river had its deity—inhaling yin and exhaling yang, summoning wind and rain—by gathering Divine Gang to wield great divine arts…"

"But after successive cosmic upheavals, the wild splendor faded. Since the Divine Enthronement War, those capable of gathering Divine Gang have grown ever rarer. Perhaps only those earth spirits whose shrines have received continuous worship for a thousand years still have a chance…"

"Also, some deities post-Enthronement, like the Eight Gods of Qi and the Ten Gods of Chu—but they too vanished as human civilization changed."

"The greatest power of Divine Gang is to enhance divine arts, eliminate the Six Yang Roots, and even condense other divine techniques."

Upon hearing this, Li Yan's pupils shrank sharply.

No wonder he could draw Divine Gang from the phoenix ornament—it was condensed from the Ten Gods of Chu.

No wonder capturing demonic qi granted such merit—it was repaid with Divine Gang. This was more than worthy.

A new doubt rose in his mind: "I've tried before—Divine Gang cannot be absorbed by the Six Yang Roots."

"That's because you don't know the method."

The old woman shook her head: "Divine Gang is gathered by deities. Though we are cultivators, we are still mortal. Even ordinary Gang and Sha energies can sometimes backlash against us—how much more so Divine Gang?"

"Thus, even those who know the method rarely dare attempt it. Only those with absolute resolve are willing to risk it…"

"I see."

Li Yan nodded slightly; his doubt was finally resolved.

After a pause, he asked: "Why does the Salt Guild seek Divine Gang? Do you need our help?"

Since learning his identity, the old woman had spoken openly; as a sect leader, she wouldn't act so recklessly—she must have another motive.

"The Salt Guild isn't seeking Divine Gang…"

The old woman fell silent, her gaze turning to Wu Chaoyun and Wu Xingyu beside her, filled with sorrow. "My two granddaughters… their fate is cruel…"

This cryptic remark only deepened Li Yan's confusion.

"What's there to hide?"

Long Yan suddenly spoke, her tone bold: "Grandma can't say it plainly—I'm an outsider, so I have no such restraint."

"I come from the Cultivation Sect. My senior brother is Wu Haishan—he came here to wish Grandma good health, but fell in love with Bai Gu, the mother of Chaoyun and Xingyu."

"They wandered together through Wushan, were tricked into consummating their love on the Cloud Rain Peak, and conceived these two children."

"It should have been a joyous union between two sects. But when the girls were just one month old, someone came down, named them Chaoyun and Xingyu, and ordered them to ascend the mountain for harsh cultivation at age seven. 'By morning, they are clouds; by evening, rain.' The Wushan Goddess once aided Yu the Great in flood control and became an earth spirit—she has not appeared to mortals for a thousand years. Someone still clings to hope, using these girls as a vessel to bring the goddess back into the mortal world…"

"Originally, my elder brother and Grandma secretly planned that once he became sect master, he would secretly retrieve the girls."

"But trouble arose on the other side—the Yang family of Bozhou schemed, helped others seize the sect master's position, murdered my elder brother, and forced me to become Sacred Maiden. So I fled."

Sha Li Fei exclaimed: "Being Sacred Maiden isn't bad, is it?"

Long Yan sneered: "Have you heard of 'Fallen Flower Cave Maidens'? Sacred Maidens are the Cultivation Sect's 'Fallen Flower Cave Maidens'—married to the Cave God, living a life worse than death. Want to try it yourself?"

"Some Cave Gods don't care about gender—they adore types like you…"

"No no no!"

Sha Li Fei shrank back, "Old Sha ain't got that taste."

Their banter lightened the mood slightly.

The old woman Bai Wan sighed: "The girls' father is dead, leaving no path forward. My daughter climbed the mountain herself on a stormy day to plead—but she never returned."

"The Office of Destiny is divided into inner and outer circles. My Bai family in Dachang City has never been troubled—because of those on the mountain. Now that we've angered them, they've withdrawn their protection."

!.

"Wushan blocks the Yangtze River, dividing Ezhou from the Shu Sects. It has remained stable because, since ancient times, countless external experts have gathered here to seclude themselves. If the Proficient Dao intervenes, they unite in resistance."

"I don't know the Salt Guild's true goal, but my two granddaughters carry Divine Gang. They've been kidnapped, yet not harmed—instead, they've been sent to the Saltwater Tribe's cursed land. They must have another plan."

Li Yan frowned: "Do you have any leads?"

The old woman shook her head: "The Saltwater Tribe is equally ancient. When Lord Lin shot the Saltwater Goddess, though later the Ba people honored her as Deji Niangniang and many integrated into Ba Kingdom, one tribe still harbored hatred."

"The Saltwater Tribe was a vassal state of the ancient Witch Xian Kingdom, descendants of Wu Peng. They once clung to hope of revenge, but then the Ba people rose, and even Witch Xian Kingdom fell."

"In despair, they performed a vile witchcraft, turning it into a curse that has lingered here for generations—known as the 'Fog Walker.'"

"It was once suppressed by Yunling Temple, but someone on the mountain conspired—unwilling to confront the Proficient Dao head-on—so they lured invading troops to destroy the temple, allowing the 'Fog Walker' to escape."

"The Salt Guild's goal is likely tied to the Ten Witches…"

"Could it be the Elixir of Immortality?"

Wang Daoxuan exclaimed.

The most famous thing linked to the Ten Witches is the Elixir of Immortality—they were servants of another great deity, the Queen Mother of the West.

"I don't know."

The old woman Bai Wan shook her head and continued: "On Wushan, all twelve peaks harbor reclusive masters. We've lost protection, and the Salt Guild has guidance from behind the scenes—hence their boldness."

Now, everything was finally clear.

Li Yan said gravely, "I wonder what the elder requires of us?"

Bai Wan's gaze hardened. "My family has served them for generations, yet those on the mountain remain utterly ruthless—we must leave."

"To be honest, I have an old acquaintance among the Daoists of Mount Qingcheng. I've secretly sent word for aid, and Mount Qingcheng has agreed to let us reside at its foot under their protection."

"But the journey ahead will be perilous. We dare not make a sound, so we quietly invited several experts to escort us—but the Salt Gang's wealthy men have been bribed, and all have refused."

"You are all wandering immortals—would you be willing to take on this task?"

Fearing they might refuse, the old woman added, "If this succeeds, I am willing to offer you a secret cache from the Shangming Hui—a hidden cavern vault in Ba-Shu, obscure and unknown to outsiders."

"Once you reach Mount Qingcheng, someone will meet you."

"Oh?"

Li Yan pondered for a moment, glanced at the others, saw no objections, and nodded. "Done!"

Mount Qingcheng is about to open a major secret vault—and it's of the highest caliber.

They had seen the situation on Mount Hua.

Those secret caches, valued by silver, had long been inflated beyond reason; without sect or lineage backing, ordinary cultivators could only keep their distance.

The best solution is barter.

If we obtain a batch of secret caches, we gain the right to exchange them.

Hearing this, the old woman's eyes eased slightly, then she spoke again: "But before we leave, we must ascend the mountain once more."

"The life tablets of the two children are being held by those on the mountain. If we depart from Mount Wushan, they will use cursed arts to kill them—so we must retrieve them first."

Wang Daoxuan frowned slightly. "Forgive this Daoist for speaking out of turn, but I fear we are no match for those on the mountain."

Some things Li Yan had not concealed.

The orthodox Daoist sects harbor Earth Immortals in hiding—protected by their mountain gates, serving as their hidden reserves, unseen by the world; these are called "Hidden Immortals."

There are also external Earth Immortals, neither wholly good nor evil, likewise hidden deep in ancient forests, known as "Mountain Immortals."

Those on Mount Wushan are most likely "Mountain Immortals."

"Hahaha…"

Long Yan laughed. "You don't understand. One thing always subdues another—if not for the support of those on the mountain, we would have left long ago."

"But this young man is a Living Yin Officer. If he reveals his identity and walks up the mountain openly, they'll all hide themselves away!"

The old woman Bai Wan also nodded gravely. "What I fear are these 'Mountain Immortals.' If Young Master Li can suppress them, the rest is up to me!"

As she spoke, a flash of ruthlessness passed through her eyes.

Li Yan believed her.

Old woman Bai Wan, though speaking politely, was no less formidable than the Dragon Subduer of the Five Dragon Palace—and her witchcraft was strange, specializing in insect and poison charms.

Without higher power to stop her, she truly feared nothing.

Thinking of this, Li Yan nodded. "Since the elder has made a decision, you must already have a plan—could you share it?"

The old woman replied, "In two days, heavy clouds and rain will come. Every year at this time, we ascend the mountain to pay homage and offer tribute to the Witch Mountain Goddess, and our sect members also seek opportunities on the Goddess Peak."

"At that time, you may accompany us. Meanwhile, let this young man seek his own opportunity—the mountain folk will assume I've come to submit."

"I don't wish to drive things to extremes. When the time comes, the young man need only reveal his identity—they will retreat. Those below will be ready to retrieve the life tablets, and we will leave Mount Wushan immediately for Shu!"

"Good!"

Li Yan nodded in agreement.

The old woman's plan was already perfect—he could think of no better solution.

What were these "Mountain Immortals" to him? Merely yin offenders—he'd already raided a nest on Mount Xianshan.

But some things shouldn't be pushed too far. For instance, when he climbed Mount Wudang, he feigned ignorance—even if his soul ledger reacted, he pretended not to notice.

If they angered him, he could always sweep Mount Wushan clean again!

…………

In the following two days, everyone stayed in Dachang.

With sufficient "Witch Mountain Divine Tea" nourishing him, Lu San's injuries rapidly improved.

Meanwhile, the Shangming Hui members worked tirelessly in secret.

Having lived in Dachang for years, they had left behind many hidden assets.

Finally, after three consecutive overcast days, thunderclouds gathered on the horizon—rain was coming…

Second update, afternoon

(End of chapter)