Feng Shui - Chapter 13
The City of the Underworld is vast and boundless, like a sea shimmering with endless light. Within this infinity lie countless villages inhabited by the Su people. This is the lowest level of the Underworld, the so-called eighteenth level of hell. This is not the destination that Grass Ash seeks to reach; he is heading to the highest level—the Netherworld.
A series of ethereal sounds, played by instruments such as bagpipes, hand drums, violins, and harps, swirled in the sky of the "Netherworld," as if describing a spring night, with swaying leaves against a deep blue sky, branches swaying in the wind, and a group of people dancing silently and continuously.
A colossal palace stood in the center of the "Netherworld," piercing the clouds. Looking up, Cao Hui saw three majestic ancient characters, "Huangquan Palace," above him, and a gleam of excitement flashed in his eyes.
A beam of red light shot out from the top of the Yellow Springs Palace, enveloping the grass ash below, and at the same time, the grass ash disappeared.
In a palace hall the size of ten football fields, only a table stood in the center. A figure with floor-length hair sat silently, his face obscured, only his form shrouded in heavy clothing. An aura of death emanated from him, gradually transforming into wisps of shimmering black mist that rose to the ceiling of the hall, then coalesced into beams of light that drifted out of the palace, into the depths of the underworld.
"How's it going?" A low, hoarse voice, as if compressed inside a simmering pot, came from the man with floor-length hair.
In the distance in front of this person, only a small black dot can be seen, and this black dot is the ashes of grass that have come to the Yellow Springs.
"Everything is back on track," Grass Ash said calmly, keeping his head down.
"Is that man still called Feng Shui in this life?" the man asked.
“Yes, he is still cultivating as a demon in this life, and he is already with the demon butterfly, who should now be called Jiang Yao,” Cao Hui said in a deep voice.
"It's utterly laughable that the Demon Butterfly of the Demon Realm could fall in love with a former god. In this life, I'll help you rekindle your unfulfilled romance. What's the latest news from the Divine Tree of the Divine Heaven Realm and the Demon Fox of the Demon Realm?" the man asked.
"It's very peaceful, but those lower-level cultivators from the Divine Heaven Realm are still wandering around the mortal world. However, the emergence of the Demon Zheng has already severely weakened them, so they won't be making any major moves for the time being. The peace in the Demon Realm is somewhat abnormal, but I think the lower-level cultivators from the Divine Heaven Realm have already started to move, and they won't be peaceful for long," Grass Ash said slowly.
"The only demon cultivator in the entire spacetime who has the potential to refine the universe, how interesting! It seems that people in all cultivation worlds will gradually discover the secret of this demon cultivator's existence. At that time, the entire spacetime will become even more fun, hahahahaha." This person laughed hysterically.
The laughter was so loud it could only be described as ghostly wails, echoing endlessly throughout the hall. Even Cao Hui couldn't help but glance at it and frown. However, the person before him was his true master, the overlord of the Netherworld—Huang Quan.
"Huang Quan, do I still need to go undercover?" Cao Hui asked tentatively.
Cao Quan stopped laughing, and behind her long hair, one could vaguely see a pair of eyes radiating a bluish-green light. A chilling gaze began to envelop Cao Hui, and the entire hall fell silent. Cao Hui's breathing quickened; he had realized something.
Those chilling eyes were still fixed on the ashes, but the icy look in them had vanished.
2004-12-08 11:56:00
“Grass Ash, it seems your heart has already developed feelings,” Huang Quan said, staring at Grass Ash.
Grass Ash lowered his body even further, not daring to raise his head so that Huang Quan could see into his heart through his eyes.
"Huang Quan, I lost all feelings three thousand years ago," Cao Hui said coldly, head bowed.
"Really? Hahahaha~~~~~~~~~~~!" Huang Quan suddenly burst into wild laughter again.
Cao Hui felt he would never truly understand Huang Quan, for Huang Quan's very existence in Cao Hui's world had been a mystery. To this day, Cao Hui still didn't understand why Huang Quan had chosen him as a disciple to mentor and guide, and why he had been sent to deduce the feng shui and Jiang Yao's development. However, Cao Hui knew he was no longer the emotionless demon he had been when he was sent to the human realm. Whether this change was good or bad for him, Cao Hui dared not ponder, for he felt that Huang Quan was about to discard his value, meaning Cao Hui's existence was now insignificant.
"You can leave now," Huang Quan said coldly, stopping his laughter.
"Are you going to make me go back to be an undercover agent?" Grass Ash paused for a moment, then asked curiously.
"You can do whatever you want, as long as you're willing," Huang Quan said coldly.
Grass Ash was stunned; he didn't understand Huang Quan's meaning at all. However, he knew that Huang Quan's words would never change, and would only be said once. Grass Ash bowed deeply to Huang Quan, then turned and disappeared.
The hall fell silent once more, leaving Huang Quan alone there, making no sound as if he were dead.
Suddenly, Huang Quan moved. She gently stood up, revealing herself to be wearing a large, opulent blue-green robe reminiscent of those worn by kings during the Seven Kingdoms period. Her long hair still reached the ground. Slowly, she raised her arms, revealing two pale, bloodless hands. Judging from the slenderness of her palms and fingers, they were clearly a woman's hands. These woman's hands gently moved to her face, parting the long black hair that had been obscuring her features, revealing an even paler face.
It was a face of breathtaking beauty, cold and elegant, like a cloud drifting in the sky. Words could not describe its beauty, for it was not a human beauty, but a face transcending even the gods.
"Why did Feng Shui choose the Demon Butterfly in the first place? Why was I so reserved back then? Why? Was it all for that worthless pride? In the face of love, my pride actually betrayed me. Is all of this my fault, or your fault? Feng Shui…!" Huang Quan murmured to himself as if in a dream.
Her expression was filled with the melancholy of a young girl and an unreleased emotion.
Slowly, the long hair that had been obscuring Huang Quan's face once more was revealed. Two shimmering green lights could be faintly seen emanating from the corners of her eyes behind her hair, falling to the ground along the strands of hair that obscured her face. Huang Quan collapsed weakly to the ground again, burying her stunning face and frail body in her silky hair and loose robes. Her body trembled slightly before settling back down, and the hall fell silent once more.
Chapter Twenty: Drinking with Autumnal Sorrow
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
My dream takes me to the Moon-Gazing Pavilion in Jiangnan. The moonlight is enchanting, so gentle. We hold hands, our eyes meeting. Laughter is hard to contain, tears are hard to hold back.
How many autumns have passed in this mortal world? Who will accompany me on my journey? I want to ask, but am too shy to. On a moonlit night, I stand on Orange Isle in the north of the Xiang River. A lone boat floats atop Half-Moon Mountain.
Shaofeng, a place long considered a fairyland, rises majestically, its three peaks piercing the sky like strokes from a brush. Of the 360 famous mountains in the world, this is the foremost peak in southern Hunan. Shaofeng, also known as Fairy Peak, is one of the eight scenic spots of Shaoshan, with its "Shaofeng Soaring Green" view. At its summit once stood a large stone temple, enshrining the statue of the Great Emperor Zhaosheng of the Southern Mountain. The statue, twelve feet tall, was fully armored, with glaring eyes, wielding two axes, and standing on a golden-eyed beast—a lifelike carving. People called him Grandfather Emperor. Above this temple, thick, ethereal clouds perpetually hung, seemingly for millennia. Locals called it the abode of "immortals," but whether immortals actually existed, no one had ever seen them. Nevertheless, this place was blessed with outstanding people and abundant incense offerings.
Above those clouds, there was indeed a "celestial" palace nestled among the mists, swirling above the vast expanse. But this celestial palace was not the same as the other, for this was the headquarters of the Illusion Sect, the "Cloud Palace."
The top of "Cloud Palace" is where the Illusion Sect contemplates celestial phenomena. It is the very top of the entire headquarters and is said to be the closest place to the Immortal Realm. In reality, it is just an astrological platform. However, this place has an elegant name: "Spirit Cloud Peak".
It was already night. A beautiful woman, her black hair and simple face only accentuated her pure and ethereal beauty. She stood by the carved jade railing of "Lingyun Peak," her eyes filled with sorrow, overflowing with unyielding longing and deep affection. Her phoenix eyes gazed into the distance at the edge of the clouds, seemingly in prayer, yet only adding to her profound helplessness.
Suddenly, a soft cough came from behind me: "Ahem, Eting, you're still awake so late?"
This woman was none other than Gui Eting, who had participated in the "Forbidden Artifact" operation last time, while the one who coughed lightly was Han Zheng, who was about to enter the realm of immortality. However, Han Zheng looked somewhat pale at this moment, as if she was recovering from a serious illness.
"Your Excellency, why are you here so late? The wind at Lingyun Peak is too cold. Your body has just recovered. If you are exposed to the cold again, it will harm your health," Gui Eting said with concern.
"Heh! Little girl, you underestimate your master too much. Although my power is only two-thirds of what it used to be, it's not enough to be invaded by the cold evil. I just sensed a melancholy aura emanating from Lingyun Peak, so I came up to take a look. It turns out to be you, little girl." Han Zheng looked at Gui Eting with a loving expression.
"Your Excellency." Gui Eting blushed and shyly began to act coquettishly when she heard Han Zheng reveal her innermost thoughts.
"Hehe, I know you already have someone you love. But we cultivators must never be trapped by love, otherwise we will fall into the tribulation of love and be unable to overcome the heavenly tribulation, and it will be easy to go astray and become possessed by demons," Han Zheng said with concern.
“Your Excellency, Eting understands,” Gui Eting said earnestly.
"It's good that you understand. There are some things in this world that are beyond our control, and love comes first. You must control your desires well and never be too attached to them, otherwise you will not only damage the cultivation techniques you have practiced over the years, but also your mind and spirit. Sigh, never mind, you should think it over yourself. I'm going to rest now, you should rest early too." Han Zheng said this helplessly and turned to go back to rest.
Gui Eting was fully aware of the meaning behind Han Zheng's words, but feelings are not something that can be controlled at will. Now, Gui Eting's mind was filled with Feng Shui's image: his seemingly casual smile, the smile on his face when he gave her the astrological chart, and the kindness of the chewing gum that completely transformed her body—all of these things haunted her. At first, Gui Eting hadn't realized she had fallen for Feng Shui, but when the "Forbidden Artifact" was subdued, and the Heavenly Annihilation Formation that had trapped her and Han Zheng was broken—all thanks to Feng Shui—and being a beauty who loves heroes, Gui Eting's heart was opened. The one knocking on the door was none other than Feng Shui. What frustrated Gui Eting most was that she didn't even know Feng Shui's name and could only suffer unrequited love.
Gazing at the countless stars in the deep blue-black sky, Gui Eting's heart remained unsettled for a long time, her thoughts once again soaring to the heavens.
"When will we be able to meet again...?" Gui Eting looked at the sky and sighed with emotion and sorrow.
I stand leaning against the high tower, a gentle breeze blowing.
Gazing into the distance, spring sorrow rises darkly on the horizon.
Amidst the fading light of the setting sun and the verdant grass, who can understand the unspoken thoughts of one leaning on the railing?
I intend to indulge in unrestrained revelry and get drunk, singing and drinking, but forced joy is tasteless.
I will not regret growing thinner and thinner for you, for I am wasting away for you.
2004-12-08 12:01:00
Leaves fall in a flurry, autumn sounds mingle with dew, geese fly over the sandy desert. Fine grass and mist still linger green, distant mountains grow even more verdant at dusk. A new moon, faintly visible on the edge of the clouds, shines white. The setting sun casts its light on a thousand houses, curtains hang low, and from where do we hear the flute's notes from a nearby tower? Autumn colors are everywhere.
In the past few days, Yunmiao Palace has suddenly been shrouded in a five-colored aura, which lingers around the palace day and night, while the incense at the Shengwang Temple atop Fairy Peak in Shaoshan has become even more abundant. This is because some local spiritual practitioners with a slight "half-immortal" level of understanding (the so-called fortune tellers and charlatans) have also sensed that the location of Yunmiao Palace is somewhat different. The clouds swirling above the Shengwang Temple have also been dyed in five colors.
As a result, some busybodies started spreading rumors that "the gods have appeared."
Rumors spread like wildfire, and this one-to-ten, ten-to-hundred story turned the place into a sacred site for Buddhist and Taoist believers across the country. This was actually a good thing, as it not only promoted religious culture but also boosted the local economy. The local government, overjoyed, opened its doors wide, even launching an official website and launching a large-scale tourism promotion campaign. This attracted even more bored tourists, causing the local economy to double again.
And what brings about these colorful clouds is what everyone calls "immortals".
Inside the "Cloudy Palace"—the "Heaven and Earth Hall," there were only two people present. The other disciples and followers had all retreated and avoided showing themselves within ten meters of them.
The Venerable Han Zheng of the Illusion Sect sat below the Sect Master's throne, while a woman exuding an aura of transcendence sat in the Sect Master's seat. This woman gave off a completely different feeling from that of a cultivator; just looking at her evoked an urge to kneel and worship, for this woman was… an "immortal."
"Fairy Caixia, what brings you to my humble abode?" Han Zheng indeed possessed the demeanor of a grandmaster. Although the person at the head of the table was an immortal, Han Zheng now also possessed the cultivation techniques for ascending to immortality and would soon become an immortal herself. Therefore, she did not show much reverence to this immortal from the celestial realm and treated her with a normal mindset.
This fairy, known as the Fairy of Rainbow Clouds, was not arrogant at all; a sense of calm and composure was evident on her face.
"Han Zheng, it's been a long time. I didn't expect that after nearly a thousand years, you'd be close to becoming an immortal. But why does it feel like your cultivation technique isn't very stable?" Fairy Caixia asked, her eyes narrowed and her face radiating an ethereal elegance as she looked at Han Zheng below.
"Hey~~~~~~! Lian Linlan, we're old friends, so I won't stand on ceremony with you. I think you've come here because you've noticed something strange happening in the mortal realm." Han Zheng no longer addressed this immortal as "Fairy Caixia," but instead called her by her given name.
"Hehe, Junior Brother Hanzheng, it's been so long since I've heard anyone call my name. It feels so warm and familiar. Actually, I came down from the Immortal Realm this time entirely to find a cultivator in the mortal world," Fairy Caixia Lian Linlan said with emotion.
"I wonder what kind of cultivator could possibly warrant the presence of an immortal?" Han Zheng asked curiously.
"You are also a cultivator, so you should understand that the path of cultivation is not only the path of cultivating gods, immortals, and the Tao, but also the path of cultivating demons." Lian Linlan suddenly became serious and looked at Han Zheng as she spoke.
"Of course I know that, but cultivating demons is just a heretical path, so why bother with it? Senior Sister Linlan is already an immortal, so why would she care about those demons who cultivate demons?" Han Zheng asked, puzzled.
"Those demons who cultivate demonic arts are certainly not a threat, but I wonder if Junior Brother knows of an even more bizarre cultivation method in this world?" Lian Linlan said mysteriously.
"Could it be that Senior Sister Linlan is referring to 'demonic cultivation,' which is considered a taboo in cultivation?" Han Zheng couldn't help but become cautious and asked tentatively.
“That’s right. A while ago, the divine tree in the Divine Realm suddenly started to act strangely.” Lian Linlan said, becoming more respectful.
"How is this possible? Wasn't the Divine Tree sealed inside the Supreme Divine Realm of the Divine Heaven Realm?" Han Zheng asked in surprise.
“That’s right, but I think Junior Brother should know that a demonic dragon appeared in the human realm some time ago! And a forbidden artifact that was sealed by the ancient ancestor has also broken the seal and returned to the human realm.” Lian Linlan asked.
"That's true. A demonic dragon did appear in the mortal realm some time ago, but its power was too immense. The cultivators and I were no match for it. Fortunately, the demonic dragon didn't cause any trouble in the mortal realm and disappeared without a trace. The 'forbidden artifact' is also difficult to deal with. My current power is less than two-thirds of what it used to be, all because of this forbidden artifact," Han Zheng said with lingering fear.
2004-12-08 12:02:00
"Junior Brother Hanzheng, do you know that the demonic dragon is the supreme demonic treasure of the Demon Cultivation Realm, the Dragon Release Disc, whose power is enough to overturn the Three Realms and the Lesser Thousand Worlds? And that forbidden artifact is the Enchanting Kite used by the Demon Butterfly in the Demon Luo Domain, which is also a very domineering demonic artifact. Although these two demonic artifacts are worlds apart in level, their simultaneous appearance has already alarmed both the Divine and Immortal Realms. My second mission in coming to the mortal realm is to find out where these two treasures are now." Lian Linlan said with some shock.
"How could this be? I thought it was just an ordinary magical artifact. I never expected it to be such a super treasure," Han Zheng said in shock.
“Even immortals dare not touch such a thing lightly. The Divine Heaven Realm is also quite wary of it. Do you know what it means to overturn a minor world? I think the demon cultivation world in the Demon Realm should already be aware of this, and the human world will definitely be in chaos in a while,” Lian Linlan sighed.
Han Zheng certainly understood what kind of power could overturn the Lesser Thousand Worlds. Hearing Lian Linlan's words, Han Zheng was already terrified and broke out in a cold sweat.
The world: the flow of time, past, present, and future, the three worlds.
Boundary: the division of space, including east, west, south, north, up, and down, the ten directions.
The world: a spacetime illuminated by the sun and moon, equivalent to a galaxy.
The Small Thousand Worlds: 1000 worlds.
The Middle Thousand Worlds: 1000 Small Thousand Worlds.
The Great Thousand Worlds: 1000 Middle Thousand Worlds.
The Three Thousand Great Thousand Worlds: also known as the Great Thousand Worlds, it is called the Three Thousand Great Thousand Worlds because it consists of three thousands multiplied together. It contains 1,000,000,000 Milky Way galaxies.
"Senior sister, what should we do?" Han Zheng finally calmed down and asked anxiously.
"The emergence of these two magical artifacts is a complete omen," Lian Linlan said mysteriously.
"A sign? What does it mean?" Han Zheng pressed.
"You should have heard an ancient legend, a legend about cultivating demonic arts," Lian Linlan said, looking at Han Zheng with a strange expression.
"Are you referring to that legend about 'refining the entire universe'?" Han Zheng's mental endurance had reached its limit, and she even came up with more outrageous ideas.
“That’s right, the demon cultivator who once refined the entire universe may have been reincarnated again, and he should be in this human world now.” After saying these words, Lian Linlan leaned weakly on the throne of the Han Zheng Sect Master, as if she had exhausted all her strength.
Han Zheng was completely dumbfounded, and she slumped weakly into a chair, utterly terrified.
The ability to refine the entire universe is completely beyond the comprehension of the cultivation path. The existence of that demon cultivator who once refined the universe is merely a legend in the cultivation world. Because it's simply impossible for anyone to cultivate to that level, not even a god.
The fact that this demon cultivator, who refined the universe, has reincarnated in this mortal realm means that he is no longer just a legend. The most urgent task now is to find this reincarnated demon cultivator at all costs…