Chapter 493: The Deception Scripture

The heavens roared with wind, the azure expanse vast and boundless—

At that moment, all present in the courtyard raised their eyes to see a young Daoist descending from the clouds, clad in loose robes with wide sleeves, wearing a golden crown of majestic height.

Around him, swirling clouds and pure qi spun in patterns, radiant auras flowing in cycles, manifesting a grand aura—as if a celestial immortal from a painting had stepped into the mortal world, his expression serene and distant, his bearing elegant and refined.

Whether from the Huangwu Zhou clan or the opposing demonic cultivators, all fell silent, stunned half in bewilderment, half in dread.

They were astonished by the young Daoist’s dignified bearing, which made it clear at a glance he was no ordinary mortal, inevitably evoking a sense of awe as if gazing upon a towering mountain.

They were also stunned that with merely a raised finger, he had effortlessly shattered the infamous sword, as if lightning had struck a withered pine.

It was precisely because of these two demonic artifacts—the sword and the fan—that the Zhou clan had been blocked at their own gate by two young demonic cultivators, mocked by surrounding powers, and utterly humiliated.

These two demonic artifacts had played no small part in their success!

Without these artifacts’ aid, the ancient dragon from the Western Crossing Sea might never have dared to send out his prized disciples to act on his behalf.

Yet now…

“I was entrusted by Elder Qilingzi to deliver his remains home. Who here is in charge?”

Amid the silence, Chen Hang’s voice suddenly rang out.

“Qilingzi?”

Zhou Zhen, head of the Zhou clan, looked bewildered; but when Chen Hang revealed that Qilingzi’s true name was Zhou Peng, the man did not display any dawning recognition—instead, his expression grew even more embarrassed, as if he had never heard the name before.

“Damn it! Even you can’t be relied on at a time like this?”

Zhou Zhen turned back in embarrassment, seeking help from the elder beside him, only to find the old man still stunned by the power of that thunderbolt, his face still pale with shock, his hands trembling faintly beneath his sleeves.

Zhou Zhen felt utterly helpless, silently cursing inwardly.

Just as he was carefully weighing his words, fearing to offend Chen Hang—

An ancient, frail old man, on the verge of death, suddenly shuffled forward, bowed deeply, and exclaimed in delight:

“What a coincidence! I happen to know the name of this clan elder!”

“Sixty years ago, while assisting my elder brother in compiling our clan’s history, I happened upon an old book…”

The old man cleared his throat, smiled proudly under the gazes of his clan members, and began to speak at length.

At first, Zhou Zhen was relieved that this clan ancestor had stepped forward to rescue him—but after half a cup of tea, he saw the old man’s topic drifting further and further off, dredging up every trivial, long-forgotten tale.

Zhou Zhen broke into a fresh sweat, tugging at the old man’s sleeve several times before finally steering him back to the matter at hand…

“And I suspect it was because his parents and kin passed away early.”

“This ancestor, Zhou Peng…”

“After leaving for the Great Tian Academy in Xudu, he returned to Miaobao only once, and even the then-head of the clan never learned his whereabouts.”

Soon after the old man finished recounting all he knew, he sighed:

“What a pity time turns so swiftly—this ancestor’s wish was to return to the ancestral lands of Huangwu Mountain to be buried.”

“Man lives between heaven and earth, like a white colt passing through a crack—suddenly, it is over. Alas, truly…”

Though the old man spoke with heartfelt sincerity, Zhou Zhen’s thoughts were already elsewhere.

As soon as the old man finished, Zhou Zhen hurriedly bowed to Chen Hang, vowing he would properly arrange all matters concerning Qilingzi’s funeral.

Then, under the guise of gratitude, he warmly invited Chen Hang to ascend the mountain for a visit, extending the same invitation to the demonic cultivators—his demeanor was effusively cordial.

Chen Hang understood at once that Zhou Zhen had seized him as a lifeline.

Since the matter was not overly troublesome, and remembering the three Yellow Dragon Eggs Qilingzi had left behind, Chen Hang gave a slight nod.

“Then I shall not refuse your kind invitation.”

He spoke, meeting Zhou Zhen’s gaze, who immediately relaxed, breathing out as if freed from a heavy burden, his clothes soaked in sweat.

“…”

The bear demon pondered several moments, exchanged a glance with the deer-horned girl, hesitated—but at the final moment, gritted his teeth and nodded in agreement.

“Good! Good! Today, Huangwu Mountain is truly graced by distinguished guests—what fortune!”

Zhou Zhen beamed with joy, and many Zhou clan members perked up, smiles spreading across their faces.

These two demonic cultivators had blocked Huangwu Mountain for over a month—fighting them was unwise, killing them impossible.

They were like a fishbone stuck in the throat, neither going down nor coming out, leaving the Zhou clan stifled with frustration.

Now that Chen Hang had intervened, even if the outcome remained uncertain, at least there was now a chance for reconciliation—they naturally rejoiced.

Along the way, Zhou Zhen was unfailingly attentive, volunteering as guide and servant, introducing Chen Hang to the Zhou clan’s Daoist halls, towers, gardens, and pavilions.

He waited only for Chen Hang to hint at interest—then he would gladly offer them all as tribute.

Yet throughout the journey, Chen Hang’s gaze lingered only briefly on the white stone archway that concealed heavenly secrets; for all else, his reaction was indifferent—as if none of it merited his notice.

Zhou Zhen was first disheartened, but upon reflection, he shook his head in understanding.

As his clan ancestor had said, Qilingzi Zhou Peng was born into the Huangwu Zhou clan of Miaobao, but as a youth he was taken by the Fire Xia Ancestor to the Great Tian Academy in Xudu—his entire cultivation and arts were forged within Xudu, with no true connection to Miaobao.

Thus, the one who had obtained Qilingzi’s final writings and endured great hardship to bring his remains to Miaobao—

Even if this man had never revealed his sect affiliation—

It was almost certain he was from the Great Tian Academy in Xudu!

And for a cultivator of such a great academy to care little for local treasures—though embarrassing and a blow to Zhou Zhen’s pride—was entirely reasonable.

At this moment, Zhou Zhen gathered his thoughts and became even more enthusiastic.

Soon after, as the group entered the Zhou clan’s grand hall and seated Chen Hang upon the main seat—

Before Zhou Zhen could order music, dance, and wine, Chen Hang suddenly interrupted:

“Wine and feast can wait. First, I beg you all to tell me the full story. I, Chen, am no one who imposes power to bully others.”

“One cannot illuminate hidden truths without clear investigation. Since I have the fortune to serve as mediator, I shall do so wholeheartedly.”

Though spoken politely, these words caused Zhou Zhen to hastily lower his hand, which had already risen to signal the banquet, and bowed respectfully in assent.

In truth, Zhou Zhen had never intended to use Chen Hang’s power to force the two demonic cultivators into groveling apologies.

This banquet was not malicious—it was meant solely to have Chen Hang act as mediator, so both sides could speak openly and resolve their misunderstanding swiftly.

If so, Zhou Zhen had every confidence—he feared nothing!

On the other side, the bear demon and deer-horned girl were genuinely surprised.

They had entered Huangwu Mountain only because they were terrified by Chen Hang’s thunderous power, fearing that any sign of defiance would mean instant annihilation.

But now, hearing Chen Hang’s words…

“Brother, it seems we won’t lose our lives today!”

The deer-horned girl had just whispered this to the momentarily stunned bear demon when the wound from the sword flared again.

Even after taking a spiritual pill to protect her organs, a malevolent aura still gnawed at her spirit, causing her eyes to redden faintly.

This was only because she was a demonic cultivator with strong physical cultivation, able to reattach severed limbs—if a mortal cultivator had been struck by that iron sword, the outcome would have been far worse.

“To shatter the Wu Shui Ghost Punishment Sword, forged by our master himself, with a single finger—this level of cultivation, though perhaps not equal to our master’s, must be very close! When did such a powerful figure appear in Miaobao?”

The bear demon watched as his disciple swallowed another spiritual pill, slowly suppressing the malevolent aura.

Even this single sword wound had reduced her to such a state.

What of the one who had destroyed the entire magical sword?

A chill suddenly ran through the bear demon’s heart; and when he recounted the truth to Chen Hang, he dared not conceal a single detail—he spoke plainly and fully.

He revealed all he knew.

After a long while, the voices of Zhou Zhen and the bear demon gradually faded in the grand hall.

When they finished, both held their breath, their gazes fixed on Chen Hang.

“Reincarnation, rebirth, awakening to past-life mysteries—because of karmic debts, come to collect?”

After a moment, Chen Hang frowned slightly:

“Such conduct is truly deceitful sorcery.”

…

…

The bear demon’s name was Pan Kong; the deer-horned girl was Zhuang Ling’er.

Both were disciples of the ancient dragon from the Western Crossing Sea, possessing great influence in Miaobao—no one dared lightly offend them.

The ancient dragon was a rare dragon-blooded being in Miaobao—not only powerful, but born with the innate ability to command aquatic spirits and monsters. Moreover, his father and grandfather had both been former rulers of the Western Crossing Sea, making him one of the few great cultivators in Miaobao, who had left behind several life-saving artifacts before his passing.

Thus, though the ancient dragon’s wealth was immense,

Few in Miaobao dared to covet him; instead, they treated him as an honored guest, striving to maintain goodwill.

The reason Pan Kong and Zhuang Ling’er had come to the Huangwu Zhou clan was because the ancient dragon had recently acquired a Water Lord’s Fungus.

This was a rare and precious herb capable of enhancing the cultivation of dragon-blooded beings—though effective only for them, it was exceedingly rare.

Even with his status, the ancient dragon had spent considerable favors and even added several family heirlooms to obtain it.

Yet the Water Lord’s Fungus was inherently cold, yin, turbid, and damp. If swallowed hastily, it would not enhance cultivation but instead damage meridians from chilling frost—requiring three years of cultivation in a yang-generating place to break its outer shell before consumption.

Huangwu Mountain was such a yang-generating place, near the Western Crossing Sea, and the ancient dragon had previously dealt with the Huangwu Zhou clan several times—they were not strangers.

Thus, he naturally entrusted the Water Lord’s Fungus to the Huangwu Zhou clan, and generously gifted them a substantial reward as compensation for its care.

For the first two years, all went smoothly—but in the final year…

The bear demon shook his head and said to Chen Hang:

“Master, forgive this humble demon for repeating myself—on that day, Zhou Zhen suddenly came to us, hesitated, then confessed the Water Lord’s Fungus had been stolen.”

“He said a few days prior, an old monk had arrived uninvited. After being hosted, the monk suddenly claimed he was the reincarnation of a woman whose wealth Zhou Zhen had stolen in a past life—because of Zhou Zhen, she had starved and frozen to death, and now she had come to collect her debt. The Water Lord’s Fungus, he said, was merely the prelude.”

“After saying this, the old monk and the Water Lord’s Fungus both vanished.”

“Such nonsense is clearly treating me and my master as if we were three-year-old children!”

The Water Lord’s Fungus is…

My master worked hard to obtain it; Zhou Zhen is no dragon descendant, and even if he did, it would be useless—please, Elder, show mercy and take charge on our behalf!

Upon hearing this, Zhou Zhen naturally cried out his innocence, swearing and vowing repeatedly.

The events of that day were indeed as he described.

Even the old monk, as he departed, deliberately manifested a solemn holy visage, radiating ten thousand li of auspicious light; in an instant, the clouds and sky transformed into a realm of Liuli , with golden dragons swimming through the air, jade tigers crouching upon the earth, and four towering sacred pillars standing majestically at the four cardinal points.

This nearly caused Zhou Zhen to kneel and prostrate himself in worship, convinced he had committed sins in a past life that brought upon him this calamity.

Seeing the two of them exchange words back and forth, another quarrel seemed imminent.

Chen Hang frowned slightly, then ordered Zhou Zhen to bring forth the tea bowl the old monk had used that day, letting it hover lightly in midair.

He pinched his fingers and calculated for a while, then smiled knowingly.

“Elder?”

The bear demon ventured cautiously.

“Three hundred li west of here, the Shuigongzhi grows within an underground river,” Chen Hang deliberately paused, then spoke casually, fabricating a location.

As soon as he spoke, the crowd erupted in uproar, voices of discussion rising everywhere.

Pan Kong and Zhuang Ling’er were naturally both astonished and delighted.

As for Zhou Zhen, though somewhat doubtful, he dared not voice his skepticism, only puzzling silently within.

Just as the crowd stirred, and after a while, several individuals, having paid their respects, could no longer contain themselves—they leapt into the air and headed toward the underground river.

As Chen Hang stepped toward the temple’s exit, passing beside a young Zhou clan man with a sallow complexion, he suddenly turned.

Before anyone could anticipate it, Chen Hang reached out, seized the man’s shoulder, and laughed:

“You thought you could fool me?”

The young cultivator, caught off guard, showed no great surprise; after a few breaths, he returned Chen Hang’s smile:

“You have keen insight, young one. Why not join my sect and cultivate the Supreme Bodhi with me?”

As he spoke, he exhaled a white breath; instantly, celestial music rang out, auspicious clouds gathered, and a solemn holy visage appeared faintly in the clouds—pure, perfect, and endowed with extraordinary merit!

“The Great Awakened One…”

Zhou Zhen trembled all over; only the support of a nearby clansman prevented him from collapsing.

Witnessing this, even Pan Kong and Zhuang Ling’er were stunned, and began to believe Zhou Zhen’s absurd tale a little more.

“Playing tricks with ghosts and spirits!”

Chen Hang sneered.

A clear light shimmered above his head; a phantom image of a mixed-gold thunder pearl appeared in the air, radiating immense power, with countless thunderclaps echoing faintly, as if ready to strike!

Under this latent pressure, the holy visage in the air instantly vanished like a bubble, gone without a trace.

The young cultivator was terrified, hastily released his shoulder, sank into the ground, and fled in panic.

Chen Hang did not rush to pursue; he first glanced at the still-dazed crowd inside the hall, then activated a ground-traveling technique and followed underground.

This chase, one fleeing and one pursuing, lasted barely half a cup of tea before the young cultivator began to run out of strength.

Before he could devise another strategy, Chen Hang merely unleashed his magic power; the young cultivator felt the earth spin and the sky whirl, forcibly dragged out of the ground.

“Where did this big yellow rat come from, so good at pretending? Where did you learn such trickery?!”

The young cultivator tumbled onto the ground, every inch of his body aching, revealing his true form as a field mouse.

Before he could kneel and beg for mercy, the Five Qi Qiankun Ring, unable to contain itself any longer, leapt forward, seized his neck, and exclaimed cheerfully:

At that moment, a flash of yellow light appeared as Chen Hang calmly stepped out from underground.

“Excellent illusion technique. Excellent concealment method.”

Chen Hang first praised him, then asked:

“I wonder, what scripture do you cultivate?”

“P-p-p…”

The field mouse stammered, unable to form a coherent sentence.

“Pretend? You’re already in my master’s grasp—what more are you trying to deceive?!”

The Five Qi Qiankun Ring, enraged, immediately delivered a solid barrage of punches; the field mouse covered his head, hopping left and right, inwardly cursing his fate.

“The Deception Scripture! It’s not about deception!”

Only when he finally dodged behind Chen Hang and saw the Five Qi Qiankun Ring had not followed did the field mouse finally find his chance to speak.

He was on the verge of tears, and spoke honestly:

“I cultivate the Deception Scripture!”