Chapter 109: Righteousness and Demonic Nature

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Nearly two hundred people gathered at Jadeflower Peak.

Huo Jingyan, Master of the Outer Affairs Court, turned his hand over. A point of white light flew from his palm, swelling as it met the wind until it finally transformed into a gigantic cloud vessel.

“Everyone, get aboard.”

Cheng Xinzhan had never seen such a large flying artifact. Once aboard, he looked this way and that, trying to discern the refining formations hidden within it.

When everyone had boarded, Huo Jingyan counted them and, after confirming that no one was missing, activated the treasure and set off.

The cloud vessel became a streak of radiance and rapidly vanished into the horizon.

Size Alteration, Turning the Void into Reality, Summoning Clouds and Controlling the Wind...

Cheng Xinzhan wandered through the vessel, examining the formations and sensing them in minute detail.

“What are you looking at?”

Someone patted him on the shoulder from behind.

Cheng Xinzhan turned and exclaimed in delighted surprise, “Brother Daoist!”

It was Feng Jihu.

Looking around, he saw that several others from Huangshan’s group were there as well. There had been so many people at Jadeflower Peak that he had failed to notice them earlier.

But He Jiyuan was nowhere to be seen.

Cheng Xinzhan sighed inwardly. He understood. Compared with the others, Brother Jiyuan’s progress had simply been a little slower.

Under the pressure of True Baleful Qi surging into his acupoints, Cheng Xinzhan had opened his Heart and Lung Palaces among the Five Palaces, opened three additional Thunder Acupoints, and mastered thunder arts, sword arts, refining arts, talisman arts, and incantations without neglecting any of them.

Sun Miaoshu had reached the Second Realm at the end of the year before last. She now stood among the direct disciples of Purple Mist Mountain and cultivated the exceedingly difficult Grand Void Method.

Xu Jishen had entered the Second Realm at the end of last year. He, too, was a direct disciple, belonging to Mount Yaoguang, and cultivated the profound art of divination.

When Wang Miaoyuan first opened her palaces, she opened the Metal and Water Palaces simultaneously. Last year, she went on to open the Earth and Wood Palaces in succession. In addition, she had opened the Throat and Ear Acupoints among the Three Mansions. Her accumulated strength had erupted all at once, and her progress was astonishingly swift.

Zhu Jianmo had opened four palaces, but he devoted too much time to puppets. Even so, he was already a much-discussed young talent in the Puppet Court.

Feng Jihu appeared to have decided to focus on Wood cultivation, supplementing it with the ways of Water and Fire. He had currently opened the Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth Palaces, as well as all three mansions. His mastery of the transformations of grass and trees was exquisite, and he possessed his own unique insights into the preparation of medicines.

The names of all these people had reached the ears of the mountain lords and vice leaders in charge of the various branches. Once they reached the Second Realm, they would be qualified to contend for the position of direct disciple.

In truth, there was an even more straightforward criterion for becoming a direct disciple: entering the Second Realm before the age of thirty.

Among these people, only Wang Miaoyuan and Feng Jihu were struggling somewhat. One was twenty-nine and the other twenty-eight. In other words, they had to open another palace and successfully break through into a new chamber within the next year or two.

He Jiyuan was the same age as Feng Jihu, but had opened only the Water and Metal Palaces. His hope of becoming a direct disciple was extremely slim.

When Cheng Xinzhan had first entered the mountains, those with whom he had been familiar on Lantern Street, Watercolor Street, and Ancient Vine Street were either still laboring in the Lesser Ten Thousand Mountains to open their palaces, or had become true disciples but performed only ordinarily within the mountain branches of their respective lineages, leaving them with no hope of becoming direct disciples.

The gap had slowly begun to widen.

Because of their low realms and limited potential, those people had not been summoned for this expedition to suppress the demons. They were certainly safer within the sect, but compared with those who had come, the disparity between them would only grow greater with time.

“I heard this matter is quite serious,” Wang Miaoyuan said.

Everyone looked toward Cheng Xinzhan. Because everything had happened so hurriedly, they had merely been informed that they were heading northwest to suppress demons. They knew nothing more specific.

Everyone had also heard the words inscribed upon the jade tablet at Jadeflower Peak: “Cheng Xinzhan has been specially elevated to direct disciple and is to enter the Thousand-Jun Hall for deliberations.”

“Last night, on New Year’s Eve, a northern demonic sect called the Blood God Cult attacked West Kunlun and destroyed the West Kunlun Sect.”

Cheng Xinzhan had just begun to speak when Huo Jingyan’s voice rang out through the cloud vessel, beginning to explain the matter to everyone. There was naturally no need for Cheng Xinzhan to continue.

The cloud vessel erupted in uproar.

“But we have never heard of this Blood God Cult before, nor of its leader, the Blood God Son. There is one thing you must understand, however. The ancestors of the West Kunlun Sect once produced an immortal. The present leader of the West Kunlun Sect had reached the perfection of the Fourth Realm, and West Kunlun Mountain possessed a mountain-protecting grand formation. Such a great sect was destroyed in a single night, without the slightest warning beforehand.”

Huo Jingyan’s voice was solemn.

“When you arrive, do not wander about. Follow orders in every action. They use the Blood God as their name, so they must cultivate arts centered on vital essence and blood. The only question is whether they are like the Asura lineage, burning their own blood to increase their magical power, or like the Nether Spring lineage, skilled at controlling the vital blood of others from afar.

“We have no way to deal with the first possibility. We can only respond cautiously when the time comes. If it is the second, everyone must be especially careful. Control your breathing so that your blood flows more slowly. The sect has prepared Tortoise-Breath Blood-Slowing Pills for everyone, two per person. If you encounter that situation, take one as soon as you are struck. Jianmo, distribute the pills.”

A young man stepped forward. His Daoist robe bore vermilion trigrams of Separation on its sleeves, marking him as a disciple of Mount Danyang, one of the Eight Lotus Branches.

The young man took out bottle after bottle of pills and distributed them to everyone. Taking advantage of the opportunity, those who were unfamiliar with one another also began to converse.

At that moment, Zhu Jianmo said to several people nearby, “With a demon lord of such formidable origins, what use is there in sending people like us? In my opinion, Mountain Lords Zhao, Gong, and Ying would be enough. Aren’t we merely a burden by coming along?”

Sun Miaoshu smiled when she heard this.

“If every crisis requires the mountain lords and sect leaders to stand in front of us, then when those mountain lords and sect leaders grow old or ascend, will we rely on people like us, who spend all year cultivating in the mountains, to become mountain lords and sect leaders?

“The reason a mountain lord is a mountain lord, and a sect leader is a sect leader, is that when they were young and their realms were low, they had already undergone trials of life and death.

“So you needn’t worry. Whenever the righteous and demonic paths clash, young disciples like us will certainly serve as the vanguard. We regard demon lords as stepping-stones, while demon lords regard us as whetstones. Once the losses on either side become so great that the elders can no longer bear to watch, they will personally enter the fray. When the elders on one side descend, the elders on the other will follow. Once the battle becomes sufficiently brutal, the ancestors of every sect will take the field. From the young to the old, that has always been the way.”

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Zhu Jianmo nodded and smiled. “I see.”

“I happen to know an example,” Wang Miaoyuan interjected. “During the former Song dynasty, there was a sect that cultivated Earth of the Celestial Stem. Its founding ancestor was called the Mountain-Backed Ancestor, so the sect was named the Mountain-Backed Sect. The Mountain-Backed Ancestor had risen from obscurity and was a renowned hero. After founding the sect, he cherished his disciples and descendants like treasures. Whenever danger arose, he would rather wade into it himself than let them become involved. His disciples and descendants considered this not shameful but glorious. Whenever anything happened, they would say that they had the Mountain-Backed Ancestor to rely on and obediently hide behind him.

“One day, the Mountain-Backed Ancestor was wounded. Others began coveting his legacy and resorted to every form of trickery and seizure. Once their mountain had fallen, not one of his disciples or descendants could step forward to speak. Within only a few years, the entire sect had vanished.”

Everyone listened thoughtfully.

The cloud vessel traveled for roughly two hours before gradually slowing down. This alone was enough to show how far West Kunlun Mountain lay from the southeastern heartland.

The young people aboard the cloud vessel were all visiting the Western Sea for the first time. Looking down from above, they saw northwestern scenery they had never encountered before.

Towering peaks stretched endlessly into the distance, their summits blanketed in gleaming snow. Numerous blue-green lakes were scattered among them like jewels.

The sunlight here was exceptionally bright. Snow and lakes alike reflected its brilliance, blazing with radiance. Seen from the sky, the landscape resembled a length of luminous silk embroidered in the Suzhou style.

“Look over there!”

Someone pointed.

Everyone turned to look and saw, amid the endless snowy mountains, an immense blue sea.

“That is the Western Sea. The vast land surrounding it also takes its name from the sea.”

Huo Jingyan had noticed it as well and told everyone the name of that body of water.

“And that is West Kunlun!”

He pointed toward the northwest.

Everyone looked over. In the distant land, a giant silver-backed dragon lay coiled upon the earth, magnificent beyond compare.

Yet at the highest point of its ridgeline there now grew a blood-colored cloud. It radiated a thousand yards of bloody light, dyeing the snowy mountains for miles around in a dim crimson hue.

Ying Jingsong and Huo Jingyan wore grave expressions.

“Jingsong, judging by this aura, there’s no way it could have been created in a single night!”

Ying Jingsong nodded and spoke bluntly. “The blood cloud and the mountain range have already merged into one. I’m afraid this was nurtured long ago. This blood-light mountain-protecting grand formation looks even more powerful than the West Kunlun Sect’s original Grand Formation of the Returning Hundred Dragons.”

Huo Jingyan agreed. Following Ying Jingsong’s line of thought, he said, “Precisely. In my view, the West Kunlun Sect was probably infiltrated by the demonic cult decades ago, perhaps even more than a century ago. They merely chose last night to launch their attack. The demonic path has concealed this extraordinarily well and made painstaking preparations. The moment they revealed themselves, they gave us a humiliating blow!”

There was one thing they understood the instant they saw the blood cloud, but neither of them voiced it.

The demonic path succeeds through secrecy. This magnificent mountain range in the northwest already belonged to them. If the righteous path wanted to take it back, no one knew how great a price would have to be paid.

But the truth was that West Kunlun Mountain was simply too far away. For the sake of a West Kunlun sect that had already been destroyed, neither the eastern Daoist sects nor the mystical sects of Shu would be willing to expend such effort.

This campaign was destined to end with thunderous noise but little rain.

Still, such words were not suitable to speak before the younger disciples.

The cloud vessel slowly descended toward the southern foothills of the great mountain. The young disciples gazed at the blood cloud with resolute eyes and uplifted spirits, as though they had already sworn to scatter it with their swords.

Ying Jingsong and Huo Jingyan had put away their worry and sorrow, but no matter what they did, they could not display the same high-spirited vigor as the young people.

---

The Summit of Kunlun, Cloud-Mo Palace.

No. It should now be called Bloodcloud Palace.

Within the lofty and spacious Bloodcloud Palace stood a bizarre existence.

A blood shadow stood there: a tall, humanoid blood shadow. No clothing or features could be seen. It seemed to be nothing more than a mass of blood-colored light given human form.

The blood shadow paced through the great hall. It was the core and source of the enormous blood cloud over the mountain. As it moved, crimson light swayed throughout the heavens.

“Cult Master, another group from Three Pure Mountain has arrived.”

A person stood outside the hall doors, bowing as he reported to the blood shadow.

“Three Pure Mountain? Hm. They certainly think highly of me, Lord Deng. How many sects have come in total?”

The blood shadow’s voice was just as strange. At times it seemed distant, at times near; now loud, now faint, hoarse and chaotic, disturbing the mind.

“Seven renowned Daoist sects have come, along with three Buddhist sects and one sword sect. Cult Master, shouldn’t we first recall the children? The righteous forces are gathered less than two miles from the children’s stronghold. They are practically breathing down our necks.”

The man sounded anxious.

“Heh heh.”

The blood shadow chuckled. “Are the leaders of each sect currently bringing a great crowd of younger disciples?”

“Cult Master, exactly so!”

The man was startled. “But there are truly many of them. Three Pure Mountain and Emei have already established camps. We must not underestimate them, Cult Master!”

“Heh.”

Mockery colored the blood shadow’s laughter.

“Let me tell you something. The Fourth-Realm and even Fifth-Realm figures from every sect have already come to investigate. Two of them have even exchanged blows with me.”

“What?!”

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The man at the hall entrance was plainly astonished.

“They investigated the situation, realized that the deed was done and could not be undone, and naturally left. Those who have come now are merely preserving appearances and training their troops.”

“Preserving appearances? Training troops?”

The man did not quite understand.

“You wouldn’t understand. There is no need to withdraw the children yet. The important figures of the righteous path have not all arrived. The Dragon-Tiger and Wudang sects have yet to come, do they not? We must wait until all the leading actors have assembled. Some actors, after all, must make their entrance as the grand finale.”

---

At the foot of Kunlun Mountain, on the southern slope, lay a place called Righteous Spirit Slope. It had only just been given that name.

Cheng Xinzhan and the others disembarked from the cloud vessel and landed, only to discover that the area was already packed with people. Daoists, monks, and swordsmen could all be seen. Stranger still, every sect and school was setting up temporary dwellings on the open ground. A marketplace seemed destined to take shape before long.

He spotted people from Pivot Mountain and White Tiger Mountain, who had arrived earlier and occupied a central section of the emerging marketplace, but he did not see Zhao Wuji or Gong Weijian.

Once everyone had disembarked, Huo Jingyan formed a hand seal. The cloud vessel transformed into a Daoist temple and settled upon the empty ground in the center.

Seeing the disciples’ curious looks, Huo Jingyan smiled and explained, “The demonic cult has occupied the mountain and will defend it. This battle is certain to last a long time, so we need a place to rest and rotate our forces.”

Everyone nodded, finding his reasoning sound.

In that brief span of time, the others heard that the person in charge of Three Pure Mountain had arrived and gathered around. Huo Jingyan greeted them one by one.

Ying Jingsong led two or three hundred disciples into the temple, where they sat cross-legged and regulated their breathing.

After a while, someone announced, “Wudang Mountain has arrived!”

A considerable amount of time passed before another announcement came.

“People from Dragon-Tiger Mountain have arrived!”

---

Bloodcloud Palace.

“Cult Master, nearly everyone has arrived. May we recall the children now?”

The blood shadow shook its head.

“Not yet. They will certainly hold a grand assembly of heroes to slay the demons. This is their way of telling the world that the righteous and demonic paths are irreconcilable. Now that a demon lord has appeared, they cannot simply ignore it. They must also demonstrate that the righteous sects stand together and will support one another.”

---

Righteous Spirit Slope.

“Fellow Daoists! A new demon has appeared and brought about such a horrifying massacre that an entire sect has been destroyed. Thanks to the gathering of our fellow cultivators here, we shall be able to wage war against the Blood Demon. I have carefully counted our forces and found that no fewer than nineteen sects are present! I propose that we deliberate together on the campaign against the demon and choose someone to coordinate our efforts!”

---

Bloodcloud Palace.

“Cult Master, their assembly has concluded. In the end, after Emei fought hard for the position, they appointed someone named Jian Bingru to direct the overall operation.”

“Jian Bingru?”

The blood shadow laughed.

“They actually made him commander? It seems the righteous path still does not take us seriously.”

“Then may we recall the children now?”

The blood shadow shook its head again.

“If you call everyone back now, the people at the foot of the mountain will be unable to attack the summit. How will this play continue? The righteous path cares most about appearances. If you truly recall everyone and hide behind the mountain without emerging, the great figures will probably have no choice but to intervene personally and fight in earnest.”

The man was confused. “Then what should we do?”

“Have the children exchange blows with those younger disciples. Let them retreat while fighting, and occasionally launch counterattacks down the mountain. In short, there must be a back-and-forth struggle. The children have not cultivated the Blood God Incarnation Scripture for very long, so let them gain some practical experience.”

“How long will this battle have to continue?”

The blood shadow threw back its head and laughed.

“Do not be anxious. It will not last long. After some time, everyone under heaven will know that the righteous path is guarding this demonic land and that it will no longer continue expanding or harming others. Naturally, they will stop directing their attention here. After all, something new happens somewhere in the world every day.”

“And what happens after that?”

“After that, once the eyes of the world are no longer fixed upon this place, the righteous path will naturally have no need to continue guarding it. Then we may do whatever we wish.”

The man outside the hall suddenly understood.

“So that is how it is.”

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