Chapter 189 Eight Great Demon Immortals
The Great Empire of Zhongzhou, with its capital at Yujing.
The Marquis of Wuwen's mansion was located in the southeast of Yujing City, covering an area of a hundred acres. The terrain was open and spacious, and a pair of red lacquered stone-carved kylins, each as tall as three people, stood at the main gate. The vermilion gate was decorated with gleaming copper nails and copper rings. It could be said that this was the most powerful family in the Great Gan Empire besides the royal family.
The protagonist, Hong Yi, is handsome with delicate features, around fifteen or sixteen years old. His physique is slightly thin, indicating he hasn't yet cultivated. He's studying in a secluded courtyard in the northwest corner of the Marquis's mansion, preparing for the imperial examinations. A charcoal fire burns, and the table is piled high with books. Despite his impoverished circumstances, he possesses immense confidence and unwavering determination.
Wu Wenhou, also known as Hong Xuanji, is the son of Daqian and the father of Hong Yi, the protagonist of "Yang Shen". He joined the army in his youth, was granted the title of Wu Wenhou, and later pursued a literary career, achieving the third-highest rank in the imperial examinations, becoming a renowned Neo-Confucian scholar. He has now risen to the position of Grand Tutor. Twenty years ago, he was already a half-human immortal; after twenty years of honing his skills in the court, he has broken through from Martial Saint to Human Immortal. Through cultivation and other pursuits, he created the supreme martial art "The Wheel of Life and Death of the Heavens".
After visiting Hong Yi, Jiang Liu decided to take a look at Hong Xuanji. However, as soon as he approached Hong Xuanji's study, he attracted the man's attention. Jiang Liu exchanged a palm strike with him and then vanished in a flash.
Upon the return of his primordial spirit, Jiang Liu frowned. This Hong Xuanji was not the martial saint as rumored, but a true immortal.
"The number one martial artist in the Great Gan Empire truly lives up to his reputation."
Jiang Liu's primordial spirit exchanged a blow with the palm strike, and even after returning to its original state, his soul was still somewhat shaken, demonstrating the immense power of that strike. Not daring to linger, he immediately entered the mountains west of Yujing City that very night. He learned that these western mountains were the burial site of Hong Yi's mother. According to the book, Hong Yi had come here that winter to guard the grave and study, which led him to encounter Bai Ziyue and Yuan Fei, two of the Eight Great Demon Immortals, thus befriending the White Fox Clan and obtaining a copy of the Great Zen Temple's most precious treasure, the "Past Amitabha Sutra."
Meanwhile, undercurrents were already surging within Yujing City. His palm strike against Hong Xuanji had put the capital on high alert. It's important to know that Hong Xuanji's close friend, Emperor Yang Pan of the Great Gan Empire, possessed the strength to undergo seven tribulations of lightning. However, he was currently at a crucial stage in his cultivation and couldn't leave; otherwise, Jiang Liu would have had no choice but to flee.
Xishan is a large mountain outside Yujing City, covering an area of nearly a hundred miles. Although it is not considered majestic, it is densely forested, with complex terrain, numerous peaks, flowing springs and waterfalls, as well as chaotic rocky forests.
Finding a nest of white foxes deep in these mountains, especially fox demons that have cultivated themselves and are skilled at hiding, would be like finding a needle in a haystack for an ordinary person, but for Jiang Liu, it wasn't too difficult.
With a sweep of his primordial spirit, he could see all the demons and monsters within a radius of several miles.
Who are you?
As night fell, Jiang Liu stood atop a mountain, overlooking the valley where faint lights flickered. Jiang Liu's eyesight was excellent, and he could vaguely make out white foxes circling around a campfire.
Just as Jiang Liu was watching the fox pack, a woman suddenly emerged from the campfire, swiftly riding the wind towards him. She looked at Jiang Liu from afar, extremely wary, but her voice was clear and sweet.
Jiang Liu looked at the newcomer. She was a graceful and elegant young woman dressed in a pink lady's gown, around eighteen or nineteen years old, and stunningly beautiful.
A beauty under the moon!
"Before asking who someone is, shouldn't you introduce yourself first?" Jiang Liu said calmly.
The young woman's eyes gleamed, and she finally clasped her hands in a fist and said, "Imperial Consort of the Great Gan Empire, Princess of the Yuan Tu Empire, greet you, Your Excellency!"
Jiang Liu suddenly realized, nodded, and said, "So it was you! Don't worry, I have no interest in those foxes. I heard that this fox pack has a collection of Buddhist scriptures from a great Zen temple. If possible, I'd be willing to buy them!"
"The secret scriptures of the Great Zen Temple? With your cultivation level, the Taoist techniques and martial arts in those scriptures will have no effect on you..." Yuanfei looked at Jiang Liu, her eyes narrowed, like those of a fox, and a seductive charm suddenly arose.
In an instant, Jiang Liu caught a faint floral scent, and a ripple of emotion stirred within him, as if he were about to become completely captivated by it. But then, his eyes flashed, and a glint of light, like a sword of wisdom, severed the ripples in his mind.
Just as Consort Yuan was about to make a move, she noticed a glint of "wisdom" in Jiang Liu's eyes. A thought struck her again, and she abruptly withdrew her supernatural powers, whispering, "With the sword of wisdom, instantly sever all distracting thoughts..."
This was naturally the supernatural power that Jiang Liu had comprehended from the "Buddha's Robe," the "Diamond Perfection," which, with its sharpness and wisdom capable of cutting through everything, led him to the other shore. Although Jiang Liu had only grasped the basics, he had instantly awakened from his trance when he was captivated by the fragrance, demonstrating the immense power of this path to the other shore.
Jiang Liu looked at Yuan Fei, his pupils flashing with five-colored light, and asked curiously, "Just now you were about to cast an ice spell, which had the power to freeze heaven and earth... Why did you stop?"
“Since the real person has no hostility, I naturally cannot make an enemy!” Yuanfei looked at the five-colored light in Jiang Liu’s eyes, and her alluring fox eyes suddenly turned serious.
"Hehe... If I had woken up a little later, you wouldn't have said that! But that's normal... Like I said, I'm willing to buy the scriptures and classics from those great Zen temples, are you interested?"
Although it was a clever question, five sword pellets flew out from her sleeve and spun around the river. For anything, force is the simplest and most direct method.
Upon seeing the five sword pellets, Consort Yuan's eyes widened in horror, and she blurted out, "The Peacock King's Five Elements Sword Aura!"
"You know this supernatural power? That's right, as one of the Eight Great Demon Immortals, you, Fragrant Fox King, would naturally recognize it!"
Jiang Liu's words caused the girl's face to fill with surprise, her whole body stiffened for a moment, and a murderous glint appeared in her eyes.
She was originally a fox spirit, later reincarnated as a princess of the Yuan Tu Empire. For certain reasons, she married Emperor Gan, Yang Pan, a secret known to only a handful of people. If Emperor Gan were to find out, or if it were to be leaked, not only would his plan to conquer the Great Gan Empire fail, but he would also lose his life in the Jade Capital. Therefore, she had no choice but to be cautious.
"Don't worry, I won't tell anyone. How about we exchange this secret?" Jiang Liu flicked his finger, and the fire-attribute sword pellet instantly lit up, like a sun, illuminating almost the entire mountain. The remaining four sword pellets remained stationary, releasing a hazy sword aura, like inverted bowls, sealing off this space and preventing light and heat from appearing in the night sky to avoid causing unnecessary trouble.
"What is your relationship with the Peacock King?" the Fragrant Fox King's Consort asked in a deep voice. As she spoke, her body was covered in ice, and snowflakes fell from the void. However, under Jiang Liu's blazing flames, they were evaporated as soon as they appeared.
"He tried to kill me with one of his clones, but I killed him instead..." Jiang Liu smiled, the sword pellet on his finger slowly spinning before he put it into his sleeve. He laughed and said, "How about this! I'll add the Five Elements Sword Fiend cultivation method from this sect. I think that should be enough!"
Consort Yuan remained silent for a moment, then looked directly at Jiang Liu. Seeing the purity in his eyes, she said, "You are the butcher, and I am the fish. I hope you will keep your word!"
“No problem! This piece of jade contains a divine thought of mine, which records the cultivation method of the Five Elements Sword Fiend!” As he spoke, the jade floated to the front of the Fragrant Fox King.
With a quick glance, Yuanfei's eyes flashed with a sharp light. The reason why the Peacock King could become the leader of the Eight Great Demon Immortals was because of his powerful Five Elements Sword Fiend.
"With this divine power, even if my Five Elements Sword Aura cannot reach the level of the Peacock King, it can still be verified with my Ice Soul Dao divine power, refining and improving it further... Could there be some supreme treasure hidden in the Great Zen Temple's scriptures? Impossible! The White Fox Clan has had those books for twenty years, they've been thoroughly read and examined, and I've seen quite a few myself, there's nothing unusual about them!... Master, come with me!"
Jiang Liu sheathed the sword pellet, looked at the night sky to the east, frowned slightly, then unfolded it and said, "No rush, no rush, someone's coming!"
Sure enough, not long after, a faint singing voice drifted from afar, accompanied by a faint aroma of wine carried on the cold wind.
Consort Yuan was startled again, thinking to herself, "Such strong senses! To be able to sense Bai Ziyue's arrival from such a distance, it was truly a wise move not to launch a sneak attack!"
"Good wine...good wine comes from our hands..."
After drinking our wine, your breathing will be smooth and you won't cough...
Drink our wine, it'll nourish your yin and strengthen your yang, and your breath won't smell bad...
After drinking our wine, one person dares to venture into Qingsha Pass...
"Drink our wine, and you won't have to kowtow to the emperor..."
In the moonlight, a young man dressed in moon-white robes emerged. His long hair, tied in a bun, fell loosely at his temples. His eyes, gazing at Jiang Liu and Yuan Fei, radiated a soft light, like warm jade.
He held a purple gourd over two feet long in his hand and carried a long sword on his back, giving him an otherworldly and otherworldly air.
Seeing that the Fragrant Fox King stood quietly on the mountaintop, and there was no sign of conflict or battle between the two, the man breathed a slight sigh of relief and said, "Yuan Tu Bai Ziyue greets fellow Daoist!"
Although she was speaking to Jiang Liu, her gentle gaze was fixed on the Fox King.
"Jiang Liu greets Fellow Daoist Bai! Fine wine, fine poetry!"
The newcomer was none other than Bai Ziyue, the White Ape King, one of the Eight Great Demon Immortals. Before his reincarnation, he cultivated in the mountains with the Fragrant Fox King, and they were originally Daoist partners.
Fragrant Fox Queen Yuanfei coughed lightly and said, "Ziyue! Fellow Daoist Jiang, please wait a moment. I need to discuss this with Elder White Fox Tu!"
After saying that, he headed towards the valley.
Jiang Liu took out two gourds of wine from his storage space, tossed them to Bai Ziyue, and said, "How about trying my wine?"
This wine is the finest wine in the "Battle Through the Heavens" world, comparable to the Monkey Wine in Bai Ziyue's gourd.
After taking a small sip, Bai Ziyue smacked his lips and exclaimed, "Good wine, brewed from five grains, and it contains some spiritual herbs that I can't identify..."
The two drank and chatted under the moonlight, and Bai Ziyue couldn't help but feel a sense of kinship. Jiang Liu's understanding of the Five Elements was naturally remarkable, and he was also quite accomplished in poetry—though this was plagiarized. Naturally, it suited Bai Ziyue's taste perfectly!
After an incense stick had burned, the two were chatting animatedly when Yuan Fei floated over and said to Jiang Liu, "Fellow Daoist, please follow me!"
Chapter 190 The Past Amitabha Sutra
Jiang Liu followed Yuanfei into the valley. Around a huge bonfire in the center of the valley sat dozens of snow-white foxes.
These foxes, half-squatting and half-sitting, looked at Jiang Liu with hostile gazes, as if they were human.
It's normal that they're not friendly; Jiang Liu came to take their books.
"Come with me!"
The speaker was an old fox, standing upright like a human, with his hind legs on the ground and leaning on a cane. His voice was very stiff and his tone was strange, as if he had a fishbone stuck in his throat, but at least his pronunciation was fairly clear and understandable.
"Then we'll take our leave!" Fragrant Fox Queen Yuanfei and White Ape King Bai Ziyue clasped their fists at Jiang Liu, then turned and left together.
On the south side of the valley is a huge stone cave, which is obviously where the foxes live. The cave is large and wide, about five or six hundred paces in circumference, and about five or six people tall. Once you go inside, it feels like a palace, and you don't feel restricted at all.
The cave walls were carved with many small holes, and oil lamps were lit in each hole. The oil was of unknown origin, but it had a pleasant fragrance and produced no smoke. The light was bright, and the flames did not flicker.
The cave was surrounded by wooden bookshelves, each filled with books of all kinds: large ones, small ones, handwritten copies, lithographs, woodblock prints, and various types of paper, including bamboo paper, sandalwood paper, silk books, parchment scrolls, and even iron certificates with cinnabar inscriptions!
Beyond the four walls and dozens of large bookshelves, countless yellowed books were piled up in the corners. Some were incomplete ancient texts, others were scriptures.
This stone chamber is filled with books, conservatively estimated to contain at least 100,000 volumes.
"These books were all carried out of the Great Zen Temple by us at great personal risk. For twenty years, our white fox clan has been hiding and running, but not a single one of these books has ever been lost. With just these books, our fox clan will at least not live a life of ignorance and ignorance, like beasts that only know how to eat raw meat and drink blood. If you take these books away, it's like severing our roots... severing our roots..."
As he spoke, the old fox squeezed out two lines of tears, looking pitifully at Jiang Liu.
Jiang Liu looked at the vast sea of books and felt a headache coming on. He knew the "Past Amitabha Sutra" was among them, seemingly hidden within a "Martial Scripture." Finding it was both difficult and easy. If you didn't know it, even if it were placed right in front of you, you wouldn't recognize it. The material was definitely extremely special, impossible for a primordial spirit to perceive; otherwise, it wouldn't have remained undiscovered for twenty years. It was only revealed when the protagonist, Hong Yi, accidentally burned the "Martial Scripture."
"Did you just burn it all down?"
Jiang Liu shook his head secretly and said, "How about this! I'll take the Martial Arts Scripture and the Taoist Scripture, and I don't want anything else!"
The old fox wiped away his tears, bowed to Jiang Liu, and said, "Thank you, Master! Thank you, Master! Can we also cultivate the Five Elements Sword Fiend?"
"If you want to cultivate, then cultivate..." Jiang Liu looked at the sea of books, and what caught his eye most was the prominent position on the bookshelf in the very center, where two large books were placed, one of which was [the book title] and the other was [the book title].
Both books are quite large, each consisting of dozens of thick volumes.
Both books were compiled at the founding of the Great Gan Dynasty.
It is a book that compiles martial arts techniques from all over the world.
It is a book of cultivation compiled from Taoist books collected from all over the world.
Of course, these were all basic martial arts techniques and cultivation methods. Jiang Liu flipped through them casually and then lost interest in the contents.
Then, under the watchful eyes of the old fox and the little fox, they put the fox into their storage space.
"This should be it! Hmm, I'll keep looking, but... this is such a mixed bag!"
Jiang Liu pondered for a moment, then with a thought, the 100,000 books floated into the air, filling the entire huge cave, their pages turning without wind.
"Splash..."
The entire cave was filled with the sound of turning pages.
Amidst the horrified gazes of the foxes, books were neatly stacked, piled up, piled up... orderly and efficient!
"A divine intervention!" The old fox's jaw, which seemed about to dislocate, finally closed. The little foxes, who were peeking out, had stars in their eyes, while the adult foxes, who had gained some knowledge, were already performing a deep bowing ceremony, muttering incantations, just like the foxes worshipping the moon.
Jiang Liu looked at the two large piles in front of him, pointed to the other dozen or so piles of books, and said, "I'll take these two piles first. The others have already been sorted for you. I don't think you'll be staying here for long. Pack up and get ready to leave!"
“Immortals, has our whereabouts been discovered by humans? Yes, we have lived here for three years, it’s time to leave. If we don’t leave now, our entire race will be wiped out. But… in this world, is there any land that is truly a paradise?”
Amidst the old fox's sighs and the little fox's admiration, Jiang Liu swept his hand, and the two large piles of books, each taller than a person, disappeared from sight, entering his storage space.