One sword gleamed golden light—the very sword that had previously slain the Wu Hua clan member, its sharpest edge. Another sword glowed fiery red, its blade ablaze with raging flames, seemingly melting into molten iron. Yet another sword was frosty and translucent, appearing to be composed of solid ice.
The strange beggar has cultivated the upper part of the "Guangcheng Heavenly Book", and his cultivation is comparable to that of the Three Immortals and Two Elders. Now he is not only killing, but also determined to kill all the evil demons and ghosts in the world. Even if the Wonderful One True Man Qi Shuming were to face him now, he would have to temporarily avoid his sharp edge.
The saying goes, "The ruthless fear the stubborn, the stubborn fear the reckless, so what do the reckless fear?"
I'm afraid of a madman going berserk.
Even if you're fearless, you still have reason and judgment; even if you're fearless, you'll still feel it's not worth being killed by a madman; even if you're fearless, you're no more reckless than a madman. All you don't want is your own life, while a madman can give up anything.
Having no desires, what is there to fear in the world?
Clusters of purple flames shot up like beads, but they could only protect his body. Wu Hua was cleaved in two by a sword strike, and his head flew into the air.
A wisp of black energy emanated from the head, and the golden-armored corpse king could only die on the spot!
The divine dove spewed purple flames from its mouth, its strange eyes wide open, radiating brilliant light. With a shake of its wings, it soared into the sky from the sword light.
Just then, a voice, seemingly both near and far, suddenly rang out: "You beast, surrender now!"
In the blink of an eye, an old nun appeared in the void. A string of Mani beads on her wrist suddenly flew off and transformed into a rainbow ten zhang long, adorned with one hundred and eight golden orbs, each as large as a bowl, encircling the divine dove. Wherever the golden light touched, the purple flames vanished. Looking at the divine dove again, it held a ball of golden light in its mouth, and its entire body was surrounded by several layers of golden rainbow light. Its eyes were fixed in a daze, and its form instantly shrank.
Jiang Liu sensed it the instant Wu Hua was beheaded. However, he could only resign himself to fate and hope that Shen Jiu could escape. Jiang Liu had anticipated an ambush, but he hadn't expected it to come so quickly and so fiercely. In such a short time, the Golden Armored Corpse King was slain.
He couldn't help but feel secretly fortunate; if he hadn't been so cautious, he would most likely have been the one to die this time.
The young woman in Taoist robes, Yang Jin, and Ling Yunfeng searched the Wuhua Tomb thoroughly, but naturally found nothing.
Shi Mingzhu and Yu Xiao had already woken up. Jiang Liu put on the same expression as them and followed Yang Jin out of the Wuhua Ancient Tomb.
Shi Mingzhu and Yu Xiao did not suspect anything. They were still in a daze. Yang Jin only stared at him a few times, but fortunately, the high-tech nano-skin disguise was perfect and covered up the mistake.
Di Mingqi died, and their respective magical artifacts and immortal swords were also lost. Both of them looked dejected, but thinking that they had been spared, they couldn't help but feel that they had been protected by heaven.
Jiang Liu walked in the middle, his mind heavy with worry, and this was no pretense. He had finally obtained the Mysterious Pearl of the Green-Robed Ancestor and cultivated a second primordial spirit; if it were taken away, it wouldn't be a great loss.
After leaving the ancient tomb, Yang Jin and Ling Yunfeng flew away on their swords. Shi Mingzhu and Yu Xiao looked at each other in bewilderment. Shi Mingzhu said, "Gentlemen, we have lost all our magical artifacts, but at least we have saved our lives. Let's go back to Wudang and Kunlun first! It was our greed that made us fodder for the two elders of Songshan!"
Yu Xiao's lips twitched, and he clenched his fists, saying, "It's too late now, there's no going back. It's just a pity for my junior brother!"
Jiang Liu chimed in, "Senior brother, senior sister, this place isn't safe either. Let's leave and make further plans!"
After saying that, the three of them headed down the mountain. Without flying swords, they had no choice but to walk.
However, the continued existence of his second primordial spirit did offer Jiang Liu a partial respite. Why the lingering relief? Because he felt his connection with his second primordial spirit was intermittent, as if it were sealed off!
Jiang Liu couldn't help but think of what was written in the book: that the divine dove was subdued by the god Nifenda. Now it seemed that this was very likely the case.
Helpless, they followed Shi Mingzhu and the other person, traveling for several days until they reached the Xiangjiang River region. Jiang Liu then found an excuse and drifted away. As for the Divine Dove, they could only wait until their strength increased before trying to retrieve it.
Chapter 123 A Triumphant Return (Bonus Chapter)
Having obtained the sacred treasure of the Holy Mausoleum, Jiang Liu dared not covet any other treasures. He wanted to take advantage of Emei's lack of reaction time and make his own plans. He believed that learning from his mistakes would make him wiser; now that Emei was on guard, any further attempts to harm them would be disastrous.
Since it wasn't time to return yet, Jiang Liu decided to digest the treasures he had obtained and transform them into combat power.
Although the world is vast, famous mountains and rivers are all owned by people, and Jiang Liu did not want to be wiped out while he was cultivating.
The refining of magical treasures and cultivation practices are often accompanied by unusual phenomena, such as the purple light of the "Ten Thousand Year Warm Jade" and the nine golden flowers of the "Nine Heavens Primordial Yang Ruler." If these were revealed, they would definitely attract attention. Other magical treasures that have been seized all belong to someone else, and they would be detected if taken out.
These are turbulent times, and the river flows with many hidden treasures, so we must be extremely careful.
After much deliberation, Jiang Liu decided to go to the capital. As the saying goes, "A minor hermit hides in the wilderness, a moderate hermit hides in the city, and a great hermit hides in the court," so Jiang Liu sought refuge in the imperial palace.
Those who cultivate are most wary of karma. Although they are powerful, they will stay as far away as possible from anything related to human dynasties and dare not provoke them.
If you don't consider that the entire Shushan world took place during the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, when the righteous path was so prosperous and Emei was almost the only dominant force, you won't see them restore the Han dynasty or drive out the Manchus.
Those who cultivate seek ascension and immortality. Human dynasties, after a long period of unity, inevitably divide and then unite again; this is the will of Heaven. Those who defy Heaven with great power and supernatural abilities to change dynasties will face calamity even before they can carry it out.
In his previous life, Yang Jin killed dozens of evil cultivators, which resulted in excessive karmic debt. He needed to undergo physical transformation and rebuild his cultivation before he could possibly ascend. However, if he attacked a mortal army and killed hundreds or thousands of people, the karmic debt from that killing would not be absolved until he had reincarnated three times.
Therefore, cultivators rarely enter the mortal world and pay no attention to the rise and fall of dynasties.
Jiang Liu has the ability to "escape" and sever ties with cause and effect, so he is naturally not afraid. Moreover, he did not enter the palace for any purpose of overthrowing the Qing and restoring the Ming. Although he did not like the Manchus, he would not recklessly kill indiscriminately just because of his "Han" sentiment.
He came here to find a safe place to cultivate, and the Qing Dynasty Imperial Palace was suitable.
It was the third year of the Kangxi Emperor's reign, and the young emperor had just turned eleven. Although he was young, he was exceptionally intelligent.
Jiang Liu had to use a lot of persuasion to convince him. So he began to cultivate in a side hall of the Heavenly Empress's palace.
The first to be presented were six flying swords: the Invisible Sword of the Ascetic Monk, the Howling Sky Sword of the Seven Cultivators of Emei, the Cicada Sword and Autumn Dew Sword of the White-Haired Dragon Girl, the Surging Wave Sword of Tong Yuanqi of Ten Thousand Miles Flying Rainbow, and the last one was the Green Ox Sword given to Shi Mingzhu by the Half-Body Old Nun.
Most of these swords already had owners. Except for "Cicada's Cry" and "Autumn Dew," which were quickly refined because Cui Wugu was already dead, the rest had to have their spiritual imprints erased before they could be refined.
Among them, the "Invisible Sword" is the most difficult and the most dangerous!
The danger lay in the fact that the ascetic monk had sensed the invisible sword from thousands of miles away and pursued it. However, when he landed in the palace and saw the surrounding army, he could only sigh and fly away on his sword.
Before leaving, a voice transmission reached Jiang Liu's ears: "Unless you don't leave the palace, if you do, this old monk will kill you!"
Jiang Liu pursed his lips and said in a low voice, "You may not have that chance."
Thinking of the Divine Dove again, he frowned and thought to himself, "If I leave the Shu Mountain World, my second primordial spirit will still remain in this world. Will I be able to come back next time? I'm thinking too much. Let the Mysterious Female Pearl go. I've already obtained enough treasures."
After imprinting his spiritual mark on each of the six flying swords and successfully refining them, Jiang Liu began refining various magical treasures he had obtained.
The "Nine Heavens Primordial Yang Ruler" was injured by Yang Jin and could not be delayed any longer. It was taken out every day at sunrise to nurture and refine it facing the rising sun. Golden flowers bloomed, dyeing half of the hall golden. Fortunately, it was the imperial palace; if it were in the wilderness, it would have attracted the attention of countless people.
The "Haotian Mirror" needs to be refined constantly. Every dawn, a white light, like a searchlight, streaks across the sky, shaking the entire capital city.
This shook Emei Mountain and the righteous path of the world.
He also refined the "Jinyun Pouch" contained in the Seven Treasures Amethyst Bottle. This treasure is adept at capturing flying swords and can also attack enemies. By activating the essence of the Five Clouds with true energy, it can also envelop people in mist and haze, extinguishing the Five Elements True Fire, causing them to die from stagnation of qi and weakened bones.
The remaining unused magical artifacts include Hou Yi's Sun-Shooting Divine Bow, the Poisonous Dragon Armor-Piercing Bow, and so on.
As for the rare treasures, Jiang Liu also took stock of them.
A piece of blood jade cicada contains a wisp of dragon soul, the soul of the Yangtze River Dragon King, but there is no sign of being able to communicate with it yet.
A small, silver calf with a faint bluish tinge is the transformation of "Eastern Taiyi Yuanjing," which is the condensation of the formless essence of wood and contains a large amount of wood-elemental energy.
A "Sun Palace Ice Silkworm" is formed from the essence of the Five Elements Water and the condensed Yin Ice Qi of ten thousand years!
A piece of "Ten Thousand Year Warm Jade", the essence of the five elements of earth, formed from ten thousand years of dark yellow soil!
A small jar of spiritual oil, along with a lamp wick, were both items from the sacred tomb.
Several materials for refining weapons and several pills.
Unbeknownst to him, Jiang Liu had been cultivating in the palace for over a month. During this time, he was attacked by many people, including Master Miaoyi Qi Shuming, who tried to assassinate him but failed.
As time passed, Jiang Liu gradually felt that the Journey to the West world was calling him from another dimension, while he was gradually rejected by the Shu Mountain world.
Just as he felt the bronze gate was about to open, the goddess Nifenta appeared openly in the palace, entering as a goddess to request an audience with the Empress Dowager of the Western Palace. Then she appeared in front of Jiang Liu, looking at him with a mocking expression.
Jiang Liu put away the "Haotian Mirror" and sneered, "Unless you can suppress me with a single move, as long as I have the slightest chance, this palace and this capital will be destroyed by you, and you cannot escape the consequences!"
"Are you threatening me?" The nun chanted a Buddhist prayer, then sneered repeatedly.
In an instant, several sword lights shot into the sky in the capital city.
Upon landing, three cultivators appeared, exuding an air of otherworldly grace; they were none other than the Three Immortals of the East Sea.
"The mortal dynasty cannot protect you! Hand over the Haotian Mirror, and you will be reincarnated."
"If we were to take action, we would annihilate your soul!"
"Haha...you all should try and see if you can handle the consequences!"
Jiang Liu let out a sinister laugh, and suddenly the blue sky was filled with swirling winds and clouds. A lightning bolt as thick as a bucket struck down, instantly destroying a palace. Countless people fled in panic, which also triggered lightning and fire, billowing thick smoke.
"Thunder Magic?"
"It's a superior thunder technique, and it has set up a thunder array. It will unleash a torrent of thunder that we cannot withstand! Let's set up the array!"
"Okay! Proceed according to plan!"
In an instant, a hazy blue light enveloped the area, and the god Nifenta stretched out a large golden hand, reaching out to grab Jiang Liu.
Jiang Liu smiled faintly, activated the lightning array, and then pushed off with both feet, retreating rapidly.
At that moment, a massive bronze gate suddenly appeared behind him, and the moment he made contact, he was swallowed up by darkness.
Chapter 124 Bloodstained Mountains and Rivers (Bonus Chapter)
In the world of Journey to the West, in the Tang Dynasty of Central China, in the Jiangnan region, outside the city of Jiangyin.
The night was dark and the wind howled.
Jiang Liu stepped out of the massive bronze gate. It seemed like only a blink of an eye had passed between his departure and return. He then lifted the tent flap and saw Xie Chou, the giant water buffalo, standing outside like an iron tower, clutching a blood-red giant axe. A white egret perched on its massive horns. The two demons stood firmly in the sky, their expressions solemn.
Li Jian, dressed in white robes, stood before the army, his blood-red aura dominating half the sky behind him, clashing with the soaring ghostly energy.
Everything was the same as when he left; the great battle had not yet begun.
"Master? You...you've recovered?"
Xie Chou stared at Jiang Liu with wide eyes, his face full of shock. Just a moment ago, he was seriously injured, but he recovered in just a few seconds!
The egrets also curiously observed the river, their eyes filled with disbelief, but they kept their questions to themselves.
"I used a secret technique to heal my injuries!" Jiang Liu made up an excuse, then looked up at the sky.
Li Jian, dressed in white robes, shouted sternly, "The human realm is not something your ghost soldiers can touch. The land of the Nine Provinces belongs to the human race. Gui Li, tonight is your death night."
"Heh heh... I'm afraid you don't have the strength! The thirty-six kingdoms of the East Sea have come with the full force of their nation, and you've only defeated one of them today! During the day, you're attacked by a large army, and at night, my ghost soldiers attack in turn. How can you possibly win?"
"Hahaha... Now that the Maoshan Qi cultivators are gone, you can use human lives to fill my ghost soldiers!"
Li Jian's face remained calm, showing little concern. The northwestern lands were home to incredibly powerful foreign tribes, far beyond the reach of a mere "Ghost King Sect" plus a group of island nations. Under the iron cavalry of the Tang Dynasty, they would gain no advantage. Some had been annihilated by the Tang, others crushed.
Last year, Li Jian's father, Li Jing, led an expedition and, with the cooperation of fierce generals such as Hou Junji and Li Daozong, conquered the Dangxiang Qiang and Tuyuhun, achieving a great victory. Tuyuhun was one of the important bases of the Demon Clan in the Southern Continent, and it was completely wiped out, with the Demon Clan also losing several of its princes.
Pointing his finger to the sky, he saw the Wuqu star of the Big Dipper suddenly shine brightly, echoing Li Jian's gaze from afar.
This is the power of destiny, a special ability possessed by emperors, civil and military officials, and generals of the mortal realm, who can borrow the power of the stars to gain powerful supernatural abilities.
Fate is related to identity and connected to the fate of the nation. The stronger the Tang Dynasty, the stronger the power of fate.