[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-watching-the-immortals-fall":3,"chapter-watching-the-immortals-fall-watching-the-immortals-fall-chapter-252":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Watching the Immortals Fall",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2260125,4410,"Chapter 252: Celestial and Terrestrial Phenomena","watching-the-immortals-fall-chapter-252",252,"\u003Cp>In the Qingyun Realm, demonic remnants were always a minor matter; two years ago, before the Qiling incident, corpses of these descendants that refused to decay were found scattered throughout forests everywhere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some woodcutters in the wild and passing scholars who accidentally wandered into the mountains often vanished without a trace because of them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But for cultivators, if these bloodthirsty bodies were only a few individuals, they posed no real threat and could be safely ignored.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet the Si Xian Jian feared a repeat of the Qiling incident—where demonic remnants surged in vast numbers, plunging the realm into chaos.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When the Inspection Office arrived at Sanli County, the county magistrate was already waiting with his government office runners.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My lord, demonic remnants have indeed been found in the county.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>According to the magistrate, Shitang Village had suffered constant livestock disturbances recently; the government had assumed wild beasts were to blame and paid it no mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But after hearing that the son of the Minister of Personnel had met with misfortune here, they immediately ordered a search of the mountains.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The search indeed uncovered a group of demonic remnants lurking in the ravine between Hengshan’s ridges.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Being ordinary mortals, they had no idea how to handle them, so they merely posted guards and waited for the Inspection Office to send help.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When the Inspection Office’s personnel, escorted by the county’s runners, reached the site, they saw the demonic remnants wandering back and forth through the dense forest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The chief inspector, Mu Jing, was a newly appointed official who had previously worked with Kuangcheng on relocating refugees after the Qiling incident.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon discovering such a large number of demonic remnants, Mu Jing dared not act rashly; he devised a plan to capture one and send it to Shengjing, then dispatched men to seal off the area.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How many demonic remnants are there in Sanli County?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Just those visible to the naked eye in these past few days, at least a hundred.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inspector General He Jingyuan frowned: “Have any people gone missing in Sanli County?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mu Jing shook his head: “No missing persons have been reported.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So these demonic remnants haven’t harmed anyone? The only unfortunate one was Dou Yuan Kong, son of Minister Dou?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“These things remain in a soulless state unless they catch the scent of humans; they rarely reveal their bloodthirsty nature. Sanli County is sparsely populated, with many mountains, and the forests where the remnants were found are virtually uninhabited—perhaps that’s why they’ve remained peaceful. It was simply bad luck for Dou Yuan Kong to end up like this.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deputy Inspector General Peng Dongyang lifted his eyes: “Another outbreak of demonic remnants—could this be a leftover group from the ruins left behind after Qiling, overlooked during the purge?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mu Jing thought for a moment, then shook his head: “Cannot confirm.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Have you reviewed all official records from Sanli County since the Qiling incident?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I have. When our Si Xian Jian investigated demonic remnants’ haunts, Sanli County never reported anything.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Jingyuan set his teacup on the table: “These officials are always colluding with local immortal estates—when they can cut corners, they do. They didn’t even report such a disaster.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mu Jing pursed his lips: “But there’s one problem.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What problem?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We found no new ruins near Sanli County.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Jingyuan glanced at Peng Dongyang: “The priority now is to notify Zhenbei Army and dispatch troops to exterminate these demonic remnants before they harm civilians, then conduct a thorough investigation afterward.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mu Jing nodded: “Understood!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the barbarians abandoned large-scale invasions, half of the Zhenbei Army was redeployed to garrisons outside Shengjing, the other half stationed in Fengzhou.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon receiving the Si Xian Jian’s message, the nearest major camp sent hundreds of elite troops into Sanli County to begin exterminating the demonic remnants—cutting off their heads and dumping their corpses into the wilderness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kuangcheng was the Chief of the Reception Office, not under the same system as the Inspection Office, yet he took extraordinary interest in this matter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because during the demonic remnants’ earlier outbreak, too many civilians were devoured alive—he never wished to see such a thing happen again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mu Jing and Kuangcheng were close; during this time, they discussed at length the origin of these demonic remnants.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Such a large concentration of demonic remnants appearing together was rare in the Qingyun Realm—unless a major ruin had been opened, but after Qiling, nearly all large ruins had been secured.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the Dou Yuan Kong incident, Kuangcheng reviewed all case files on demonic remnants from the past year and found no anomalies in any major ruins.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To verify the reports, Kuangcheng even sent letters to officials guarding these sites across the realm—all replied that everything was peaceful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, another possibility was that demonic remnants from small ruins had unconsciously converged here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the problem was—if they came from all directions, how could their arrival have been so silent?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Mu Jing quickly dismissed Kuangcheng’s theory: after exterminating the remnants, the Inspection Office returned and scoured dozens of li in every direction, finding no unrecorded ruins.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In Kuangcheng’s view, the only possible clue might lie in the unconscious Dou Yuan Kong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was not until early spring, in the third month, that Dou Yuan Kong, rescued and returned, finally awoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was a cultivator; though his realm was low, spiritual energy protected his body, making him distinct from ordinary mortals—mere injuries or hunger were not fatal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dou Yuan Kong’s years of associating with cultivators had not been in vain; people occasionally came to his manor to channel spiritual energy to sustain his life, allowing him to finally open his eyes one evening in March.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon hearing the news, Kuangcheng arrived by carriage, accompanied by Wei Rui and the Princess of Changle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Nine Provinces had been plagued by continuous rain, flooding streets with water deep enough to reach the ankles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The three stepped out under oiled paper umbrellas; Wei Rui, weak of strength, immediately had her umbrella tilted by heavy raindrops, and Kuangcheng caught her arm to steady her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Princess of Changle glanced once, said nothing, and stepped forward into the Dou manor first; the two followed, passing through the corridor to the eastern annex courtyard—before their eyes could even enter the yard, a sudden scream pierced the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They walked under their umbrellas into the annex room and saw Dou Yuan Kong curled in a corner, trembling violently, shrieking, his left hand flailing before him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dou’s father and family stood before him, but due to his violent resistance, none dared approach, only staring in stunned silence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this, the Princess of Changle fell silent for a long while; Wei Rui’s eyes instantly reddened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though Wei Rui disliked Dou Yuan Kong, they had grown up together; she was not heartless, and seeing him now—this monstrous, half-dead thing, one sleeve hanging empty with every movement—sadness was inevitable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kuangcheng, seeing this, pulled a silk handkerchief from his sleeve, hesitated a moment, rolled it into a corner, and gently wiped the tears from her eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet he felt no sorrow within.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once, Dou Yuan Kong had schemed to betray Ji You, intending to send him to a foreign land to die; though he failed, Ji You’s two arms nearly were ruined—the danger was unimaginable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kuangcheng always believed good deeds bring good rewards, evil deeds bring evil retribution—it’s not that justice doesn’t come, only that the time hasn’t come.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now seeing Dou Yuan Kong like this, he felt only that he had gotten what he deserved.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet as he thought of this, Kuangcheng’s brow tightened involuntarily.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dou Yuan Kong was mad—so some questions could never be answered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A mentally broken man could not speak coherently; even if he could, valuable clues would likely be few.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But seeing Dou Yuan Kong again reminded Kuangcheng of something.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had been obsessing over where the demonic remnants came from, yet forgotten to ask why Dou Yuan Kong had been in Sanli County at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dou Yuan Kong was a nobleman, accustomed to luxury and fine living; even if he fled the capital out of fear of Ji You, he should have gone to bustling cities to drink and revel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sanli County was destitute, surrounded by no prosperous towns, and Dou Yuan Kong had no habit of hunting—why had he come to this remote, wild mountain forest?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unless he was brought there—or kidnapped.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But why? What purpose was served by leaving him there?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If Dou Yuan Kong truly had not gone there willingly, could his presence be connected to the demonic remnants’ appearance? Kuangcheng pondered long, yet still felt something was missing—something preventing these events from connecting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kuangcheng’s only hope now was that the demonic remnants in the mountains were merely leftovers from the earlier purge, not newly emerged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because if they were merely leftovers, once exterminated by the Zhenbei Army, no further major incidents should follow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kuangcheng then left the Dou manor and returned with Wei Rui.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because something troubled him, Kuangcheng had no appetite to cook; since Wei Rui was beside him, they entered a restaurant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Due to the rain, the restaurant had few customers; the staff clustered at the kitchen door, gesturing wildly, looking frantic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Where did so many cockroaches come from?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Definitely Chef Zhang—every time he finishes cooking, he never puts the oil ladle away properly. Luckily there are only a few—step on them, step on them!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Shopkeeper, buy some insect powder—it’s useless just stepping on them!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Buying powder costs money!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Shopkeeper, don’t take offense at my bluntness…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then will you take offense if I step harder? You really must buy powder—my hometown has a saying: when you see one cockroach, your house already has a nest.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wei Rui looked at Kuangcheng and softly spoke: “Shall we go somewhere else?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kuangcheng looked up and saw where her gaze fell—a cockroach: “A restaurant that attracts cockroaches? This was Ji You’s favorite.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The kitchen must be filthy.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then let’s go elsewhere.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>News of the demonic remnants in Sanli County spread quickly; given the Qiling incident, major immortal sects and clans paid attention.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But after the Si Xian Jian submitted its investigation report and no further demonic remnants appeared, the matter stirred no great commotion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kuangcheng felt slightly reassured, temporarily set aside his doubts, and returned to Fengzhou under Cao Jingsong’s escort.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fengzhou’s spring plowing had long begun; having hired many laborers over winter, the people were still clearing vast tracts of land to expand cultivation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, when Ji You left, he had told Kuangcheng that with increased grain yields, livestock farming should be pursued.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, farm projects also needed to be initiated; amid this busyness, Kuangcheng was escorted back to Fengzhou by Cao Jingsong’s group.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They inspected land reclamation, checked farm construction, and even attended a wedding ceremony.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The groom was a cultivator from Tianyuan Shanzhuang named Zhang Pingyang, a clansman of the Zhang family of Yunzhou, a Ninghua realm cultivator, and one of the earliest members of the Combined Harvest Team.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But his bride was not from an immortal sect—she was a peasant girl named Lanlan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Pingyang was now the squad leader of the fifth squad of the Combined Harvest Team, responsible for Lanlan’s village’s farming; Lanlan often brought tea to the fields, and the two had grown familiar over time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was rare for a nobleman—even a minor branch member—to marry a mortal woman.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Many didn’t understand his thinking, yet they saw how happy he was on his wedding day.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kuangcheng felt this was perhaps exactly what Ji You had wanted to see.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ji You had once said: cultivators and mortals alike were all human—but no one knew why, over time, cultivators had stopped seeing themselves as human.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, with Fengzhou like this, it would surely become better, just as Ji You had envisioned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What Kuangcheng hadn’t expected was that soon after, the Nine Provinces were struck by torrential rain, lasting for months.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Such weather had rarely appeared in the history of Qingyun Tianxia; the sky, dark and heavy, seemed ready to collapse, filling the people of the Nine Provinces with unease.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon after, floods broke out across many regions, and the duties of the Imperial Spirit Monitor grew increasingly burdensome.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lingzhou, where hundreds of rivers meet the sea, saw frequent breaches, especially along the Nujiang River, where waves surged wildly and drowned the surrounding lands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After spring plowing, vast fields had yet to sprout green seedlings; when the floodwaters passed, an entire year’s harvest was lost.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fortunately, Lingjian Mountain sent an Elder to assist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With sword qi, they split mountains and moved earth and stone to build dikes, restraining the river amid relentless rain, while experts of the Upper Fifth Realm used immense magic power to guide the waters into the sea.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This weather—why has it suddenly become so erratic?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The winds and clouds have changed; it must be the Dao growing capricious.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Where did that notion come from?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The common folk all say it’s the heavens angry.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What do mortals know? I suspect some great cultivator has achieved mastery in the Four Symbols Art.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lingzhou was the domain of Lingjian Mountain, so the floods naturally troubled the mountain as well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was Yan Shuyi who ordered the disciples to descend and aid the Imperial Spirit Monitor in controlling the floods; in building dikes and embankments, they saved countless lives.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the duration of this rainstorm far exceeded all expectations; no one could say when it would end. If it continued like this, Lingzhou might lose a third of its land to flooding.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially near the Xuan Sea, where the land was already low-lying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fortunately, the storm did not persist—it gradually softened to drizzle by mid-afternoon on the sixteenth day of the sixth month, then ceased entirely by evening.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the morning after the rain, though the sky remained gloomy, it was at least noticeably clearer than before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet water still surged across mountain and valley, and even the waterfalls between the peaks flowed violently without pause.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After enduring the violent storm, many cultivators, longing for sunshine, could not help but leave their chambers—hoping to wait out the clouds and mist—but as soon as they stepped outside, their gazes were drawn to the coastline, eyes widening, unable to look away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After learning the rain had stopped, Yan Shuyi relaxed slightly, entered deep meditation until noon, then opened her eyes and sat in silence for a long while before retrieving the secret technique hidden beneath her pillow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As she read, footsteps suddenly sounded outside the hall; she hastily shoved the book back under her pillow and assumed a cold, imperious expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Master, blood mist.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What blood mist?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ding Yao, slightly breathless, stood in the hall: “This morning, many fishermen saw a vast red mist over the Xuan Sea. They reported it to the authorities, who then reported to us. Some disciples on the mountain claim they saw it too—covering the entire sky.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Shuyi furrowed her brow, then floated gracefully from the hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Wujiang Realm could ignore distance within its range; Ding Yao knew the Master had gone to the Xuan Sea, so she turned to follow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But in the next instant, as spiritual energy rippled through the air, Yan Shuyi returned to the hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ding Yao: “?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Shuyi looked at her diligent maid: “Cui’er, do not tidy my bed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cui’er, who had just begun to fold the quilt, froze. Confusion flickered in her eyes, but she obediently released the quilt and whispered, “Yes, Master.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In a flash of Xuan light, the young Master of Lingjian Mountain appeared on the shore of the Xuan Sea, her skirt fluttering as it settled, gazing at the sea.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Xuan Sea was vast, boundless; after the storm ceased, the tides calmed, yet shattered homes and fishing boats still littered the shores, scattered and broken.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Countless fishermen gathered along the coast, gazing toward the endless horizon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Shuyi turned her head as well, golden immortal light faintly gathering in her gaze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In her sight, the southern sky burned crimson—the very mist the fishermen had described—though now it had receded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>According to the fishermen on the Xuan Sea’s shore, the red mist had stretched all the way to the coastline that morning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ding Yao and Zhuo Wanqiu were also staring in the same direction, then turned to Yan Shuyi: “Master, what is this?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“First, endless rain; now, blood mist spreading. Such celestial omens—if not man-made—must mean the Dao is unbalanced. It bodes ill.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a moment’s thought, Yan Shuyi spoke: “Ding Yao, investigate Lingjian Mountain’s historical records. See if there is any mention of red mist over the sea.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ding Yao nodded: “Yes, Master.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Shuyi turned to Zhuo Wanqiu: “Ask the Outer Mountain Travelers across the realms—has anything strange occurred recently?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhuo Wanqiu bowed: “Yes, Master.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Shuyi stood by the sea for a long while, then swept her sleeve and departed, landing atop Xuanjian Peak, gazing northward across the Nine Provinces, her elegant brow slightly furrowed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ding Yao returned at dusk, carrying a scroll to Yan Shuyi: “Master, I found no record of red mist over the sea. Only accounts of red tides.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So this is the first time blood mist has appeared over the Xuan Sea?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“According to the texts, yes, Master.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Shuyi’s brow tightened, her eyes flickering with shifting light.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Torrential rain, violent winds, surging tides, and mist—all were manifestations of the Four Symbols, the most direct laws of the Dao.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their sudden appearance now signaled chaos among the Four Symbols, instability in the Dao. In Qingyun Tianxia’s tradition, such omens foretell disaster—not blessing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The troubling part: no such phenomenon had ever been recorded. That uncertainty made it all the more ominous.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As she pondered, Zhuo Wanqiu hurried in: “Master, the local government reports: demonic seeds have appeared in western Lingzhou.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“All ancient ruins are under surveillance—how could demonic seeds emerge now?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",2977,"2026-06-19T15:28:41.422Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","458c521278577760cddb7fca01f7bd40e07f19777917315577bdb47e92dd0822","watching-the-immortals-fall-chapter-253","watching-the-immortals-fall-chapter-251",430,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fwatching-the-immortals-fall-cover.jpg"]