Most cultivators present were from the Mortal State, and many had heard of the Bloody-Handed Guanyin over the past half year.
“Is it the Bloody-Handed Guanyin?”
“Have you ever seen another Buddhist cultivator so fierce?”
“Hiss… She’s truly terrifying.”
Over a thousand demonic cultivators had boarded the whale ship, while five to six hundred Mortal State cultivators had rushed out from the city. However, these demonic cultivators, hailing from the Upper State with superior cultivation resources, quickly overwhelmed the Mortal State cultivators. Within a quarter of an hour, the Mortal State cultivators lay dead or wounded, with survivors retreating to the protection of the formation.
In this situation, Nan Yan stood out starkly.
Instead of retreating, she advanced. Though her sleeves were stained with blood, her movements remained graceful. A mist of blood marked her path, as demonic cultivators of her level perished upon close contact. Those who followed hesitated to approach, resorting to long-range magical attacks.
Yet, Buddhist cultivators were known for their formidable defense. Nan Yan formed a lotus seal, and a faint image of the Thousand-Armed Guanyin flashed behind her. Though the light was dim, it deflected all incoming spells and magical weapons, sending them clattering back.
“Useless!” This scene angered a Foundation Establishment demonic cultivator who had just boarded the whaleship. A giant of a man among them glared at Nan Yan and strode towards her.
“A fine Buddhist cultivator indeed. Letting you live would surely make you an enemy of our demonic path in the future!”
Seeing the Foundation Establishment demonic cultivator, the Mortal State cultivators behind Nan Yan retreated, shouting:
“You can’t face a Foundation Establishment demonic cultivator head-on! Quick, return to the city!”
Nan Yan remained motionless. Through her bloodstained veil, her eyes fixed on the coffin on the giant’s back. “The Divine Coffin Sect?” she asked.
Now within five zhang of Nan Yan, the giant sneered, seeing she neither dodged nor retreated. “Just a false Core Formation cultivator, but you’ve got guts! I won’t bully you—I won’t use my corpse puppets today!”
Nan Yan stared at him for a moment, then expressionlessly put her left hand behind her back. “Buddhist methods counter demonic techniques. I’ll give you a one-handed advantage.”
The giant raged, “You, a mere false Core Formation, dare to handicap yourself against me, a true Core Formation? Fine, I’ll set aside one of my axes!” He tossed an axe far away.
Nan Yan, refusing to be outdone, coldly laughed, “Mere demonic cultivator, I only need fifty percent of my power to defeat you. This nun will restrict her abilities and still finish you within thirty moves.”
Hearing this, the giant’s anger peaked. Seeing the younger demonic cultivators watching, he not only threw his coffin far away but also sealed seventy percent of his spiritual power. He charged forward, roaring, “You damned nun, today we fight to the death!”
Perfect.
As the giant approached, Nan Yan suddenly released her self-imposed restrictions. Her left hand, supposedly kept behind her back, came into play. Brimming with spiritual power, she let out a soft, mocking laugh.
“Vairocana purifies the world, the Buddha enters nirvana. Pity you, evil demon, for your lack of wisdom.”
The Mortal State cultivators on the city wall craned their necks to watch. They saw Nan Yan strike with a single palm. The giant, left with only thirty percent of his spiritual power, was sent flying back. He left a trail of dust as he skidded across the ground for two hundred zhang before splashing into the sea.
Both the observing Mortal State cultivators and the surrounding demonic cultivators froze in shock.
After a while, some demonic cultivators whispered, “Are Buddhist cultivators these days always so… unorthodox?”
Having dealt a decisive blow—the giant would be out of commission for at least half a month, if not dead—Nan Yan noticed other Foundation Establishment demonic cultivators turning their attention to her. She decided not to linger and gracefully retreated into the protective formation.
Simultaneously, over a hundred figures darted out from the city, whistling through the air. These were Chen State cultivators who had regained control of the chaos within the city and were now joining the counterattack against the demonic cultivators.
With the situation temporarily stabilized, Nan Yan withdrew to the city wall to meditate and recover. Her gaze, however, remained fixed on the Night Crying Snake, which continued its incessant wailing.
The giant snake’s cry threw the divine sense of all cultivators below the Nascent Soul stage into chaos. Nan Yan had to temporarily seal her divine sense, but even so, her five senses remained far sharper than those of ordinary cultivators.
“This won’t do,” a nearby Foundation Establishment cultivator maintaining the grand formation said grimly. “The beast’s power comes from the moon. Tonight is a full moon, and when it rises, the Night Crying Snake’s wail will intensify. I fear the silk scroll bestowed by the Dragon Lord won’t hold then.”
Nan Yan pondered briefly. Having been in the cultivation world for some years, she believed in doing what she could when possible. However, in situations like this, with a Nascent Soul demonic cultivator leading an army to besiege the Chen State whale ship, it was an insurmountable force. It would be wise to prepare for the worst.
The Chen State Foundation Establishment cultivator beside her said, “Fellow Daoist, you’ve slain over thirty Foundation Establishment demonic cultivators and outsmarted a higher-level enemy—unprecedented feats. Your spiritual power must be depleted. The battle registrar has recorded your military merits. You may return to the Northern City’s Elixir Pavilion and claim a Blood Dragonkin Pill with your merits.”
At the mention of the Blood Dragonkin Pill, the surrounding Mortal State cultivators’ eyes burned with envy, their gazes full of admiration.
This renowned Chen State item, refined from true dragonkin blood, could instantly grant one the physical strength of a dragonkin and double one’s spiritual power. It was a prized possession for both survival and combat. Thus, cultivators with sufficient military merits prioritized exchanging them for these Blood Dragonkin Pills.
Nan Yan glanced at the city tower nearby, where an elderly cultivator sat observing the entire battlefield. His eyes gleamed with an odd light as his magical brush continuously inscribed characters onto floating bamboo slips around him.
It seemed that the enemies she had slain had indeed been recorded by this battle registrar.
After that skirmish, Nan Yan’s spiritual power was down to thirty percent. After brief consideration, she decided it would be wise to obtain the Blood Dragonkin Pill first, in case she couldn’t hold out later. She nodded and descended from the city wall.
Several Foundation Establishment cultivators were flying overhead. To avoid colliding with higher-level cultivators, those at the Foundation Establishment stage who weren’t in a hurry chose to walk instead of fly.
Nan Yan did the same, making her way through the slightly chaotic crowd until she reached a pavilion.
The place wasn’t very crowded. Only an elderly Foundation Establishment cultivator sat in the main hall, looking somewhat agitated as he continuously sent messages via jade talismans. Seeing her approach, he raised an eyebrow and asked, “Are you the Bloody-Handed Guanyin who killed thirty demonic cultivators of the same level and incapacitated a Foundation Establishment cultivator?”
It seemed he already knew why she had come.
Nan Yan nodded, “This humble nun is ashamed of the attention.”
“Not bad. If this journey to Chen State goes smoothly, you’re welcome to join the Chen State Battle Palace.” The Foundation Establishment elder was amiable. He tossed her a jade talisman, saying, “I’m busy with urgent matters. Take this talisman to the third floor and help yourself.”
With that, the elder returned to his work.
Nan Yan said no more and headed up to the third floor. There seemed to be a barrier at the third-floor stairway, but after sensing the jade talisman in Nan Yan’s hand, it no longer obstructed her. Upon reaching the third floor, she saw that the entire level was filled with treasure shelves. Following the talisman’s guidance, she walked to a golden jade box at the far end. She gently pressed the talisman against it, and the box trembled before slowly opening. Inside were five or six rows of smaller jade bottles. One floated out, with “Blood Dragonkin Pill” engraved on it.
Nan Yan pocketed the talisman and returned to the third-floor entrance. Just as she was about to descend, she suddenly felt a stirring in her heart.
Although her divine sense was in disarray, her six senses had always been keen. In that instant, Nan Yan sensed someone watching her through a crack from the fourth floor.
Nan Yan’s expression suddenly changed as she turned and approached the stairway leading to the fourth floor. She saw a barrier blocking the entrance, with the fourth floor seemingly filled with darkness. When she tried to reach into that darkness, it felt like touching solidified air, impenetrable.
The feeling of being watched intensified.
It was as if someone on the other side was intently observing her.
“Who are you?” Nan Yan couldn’t help but ask.
There was no response. However, the Foundation Establishment elder downstairs heard the commotion and instantly appeared on the third floor. Frowning, he swept his sleeve, dispersing the dark barrier on the fourth floor to reveal shelves of books that had been rummaged through.
“An intruder has sneaked in!” The elder was furious. He rushed to the fourth floor, quickly scanning with his divine sense. With a wave of his hand, he returned all the fallen jade talismans and books to their places, only to discover an old book missing. His expression turned grim.
The elder immediately returned to the third floor and questioned Nan Yan: “How did you discover this?”
Nan Yan replied, “My senses are keener than most. I heard a slight disturbance.”
“Did you see who it was?”
“No, but it felt… like a demonic cultivator.”
The elder’s gaze flickered with uncertainty. He swiftly cast several jade talismans, then said to Nan Yan, “Given the tense situation in the city and to prevent any demonic cultivators from collaborating from within, I’ll place a three-day tracking talisman on you. You don’t object, do you?”
Nan Yan was speechless. She had only come to collect a Blood Dragonkin Pill but now found herself implicated. As the other was a Foundation Establishment cultivator, she had no right to refuse.
For the next three days, she likely couldn’t leave the city or join the battle.
The Foundation Establishment cultivator questioned her further before letting her go. As she left the pavilion, the sky gradually darkened, and a light rain began to fall.
The surrounding cultivators, however, were delighted.
“Heaven favors us! With no moon tonight, the whaleship might survive until morning!”
With the tracking talisman on her, Nan Yan could only return to the inn to meditate. As she entered the hall, she saw Yin Ya coming down from upstairs, sitting in a chair drinking tea. Seeing her appear again covered in blood, he spat out his tea.
“How is it that every time I blink, you’ve gone out killing again? Doesn’t that old bald monk care about your vows against killing?”
“Amitabha,” Nan Yan replied, her expression as compassionate as Guanyin Bodhisattva. “I was helping demonic cultivators transcend. Haven’t you noticed the battle outside?”
“Of course, I know about the Night Crying Snake.” Yin Ya might not know much else, but he was well-versed in matters concerning magical beasts. “That creature’s not good for much, but it’s especially effective against the whale beneath our feet. If we don’t resolve this tonight, the whale will surely sink into the deep sea before dawn.”
Nan Yan made a sound of surprise. “But they said it’s a rainy night, so the Night Crying Snake’s influence wouldn’t be as strong.”
“Rain doesn’t mean much. Don’t forget, the enemy has a Nascent Soul demonic cultivator. We should prepare to flee with the Nascent Soul cultivator from our whale ship.”
Sure enough, as Yin Ya predicted, in the middle of the night when the rain was heaviest, a dark purple light suddenly shot up from the Night Crying Snake’s direction, piercing the rain clouds. It then exploded, the power of a Nascent Soul cultivator sweeping away the local weather phenomena, revealing the moonlight that shone upon the Night Crying Snake.
The Night Crying Snake’s infant wail abruptly ceased, replaced by a shrill, grating cackle. All the cultivators flew out from their dwellings, landing on the rooftops.
Soon after, the whale’s mournful cry resonated through the trembling city above it, accompanied by towering waves surging from all directions, growing increasingly terrifying.
The whale ship was about to sink.
Nan Yan sighed softly, realizing they couldn’t protect the whale ship after all. Just as everyone shared her sentiment and prepared for close combat with the demonic cultivators, a zither melody suddenly rang out from within the city.
At first, the music was extremely faint, almost drowned out by the commotion. But suddenly, everyone found they couldn’t speak. Simultaneously, the voice of the city’s Nascent Soul cultivator, filled with wild joy, echoed throughout the small city:
“It’s the Night Quiescence Ballad! Fellow Daoist from Dao Sheng Tian, if you wish to remain anonymous, just do your best. I’ll assist with all my might!”
The Nascent Soul cultivator then deliberately used his power to silence all noise in the city, leaving only the ethereal zither music that seemed to emanate from everywhere, its source untraceable.
The music grew louder, spreading beyond the city to where the menacing demonic cultivators waited.
The Nascent Soul demonic cultivator atop the Night Crying Snake’s head, upon hearing this melody, had a drastic change in expression: “It’s the Night Quiescence Ballad! Those who can play this tune… there aren’t even five in the world… Damn our luck!”
At his curse, the Night Crying Snake beneath his feet trembled upon hearing the tune. Its monstrous voice seemed to fade, and as the music continued, the Night Crying Snake gradually fell silent. It even began swaying its head gently to the rhythm, as if enchanted.
The surrounding demonic cultivators were stunned: “Ancestor, what kind of song is this? Why has the Night Crying Snake stopped?”
“This is…” The Nascent Soul demonic cultivator’s face turned purple with anger, but he was helpless. “Years ago, that person from Zi State, a prodigy in all four gentlemanly arts, only admitted defeat in zither skills to a blind zither master. The two became zither friends, often honing their skills together. This Night Quiescence Ballad was composed by that blind zither master and that person from Zi State. It can pacify and subdue magical beasts across the world. However, this tune embodies the great Dao, and few in the world can learn it. Currently, only Dao Sheng Tian has cultivators who have practiced this tune… Forget it, since we’re at war with Chen State, let’s not provoke Dao Sheng Tian.”
In the city, all cultivators were watching the demonic cultivators’ movements outside. As the music continued, the whale gradually calmed down, and they knew the demonic cultivators would likely retreat in the face of difficulty.
“It’s so beautiful, like Chang’e playing,” Yin Ya, also of the magical beast lineage, said with a blissful expression, resting his face on his hand.
Seeing him engrossed in the music, Nan Yan slowly walked out the door. After turning two streets, she scanned the area and spotted a talisman partially hidden behind a tree. She went forward and pushed aside the branches to find a complex sound transmission talisman, the source of the music.
But… the material of that talisman.
Nan Yan stared at it for a long while, her fingers trembling as she touched it.
When she was young, she had wanted to give Qi Yang a brush, but it was taken by Chu Jing. So she only gave him a few beast-skin talismans. Being mischievous then, she had drawn a fish on the back of each talisman.
Nan Yan gently lifted a corner of the talisman and saw a crudely drawn fish on its back.
“…Shao Cang,” she murmured.
Ten years had passed, and these two words, whenever recalled, felt like cold alcohol down her throat—both intense and painful.
As if echoing her anticipation, an unexpectedly calm voice sounded behind her.
“Bodhisattva, may I have my talisman back?”
Nan Yan turned around in a daze. In the soft night light, she saw a person carrying a zither and holding an umbrella, standing quietly a few steps behind her.
He was as clean and gentle as she remembered.
He had grown taller, now a dignified young gentleman. Seeing her look up, he stepped forward slowly, tilting his umbrella to shelter her while exposing himself to the misty rain.
“…Shao Cang?” Nan Yan felt a warm raindrop fall from her eye and down her cheek. She repeated, “Shao Cang?”
Qi Yang lowered his gaze to look at her intently and spoke softly.
“How does the Bodhisattva know my courtesy name?”