When asked about her family while wandering, Nan Yan would say:
“I have three brothers, all a bit slow-witted, so I became a nun to support them. My second brother is a spendthrift who never met a skirt he didn’t like. My third brother has a split personality—one moment he’s seriously punishing you with copying classics, and the next he’s spinning tales from a simple wooden fish. I can’t tell if he wants to marry me or kill me.”
“Who else is in your family?”
“I have an eldest brother.”
“What’s he like?”
“My eldest brother… even Confucius couldn’t predict what he’d say next. He’s a devil with words.”
…
Hu Rui, who had escaped from the Insect Mother Tree, was nervous. The silver moth larvae could only let him transform into someone he’d seen in the tree once, for a short time. The Shen Region people knew him too well, and Nan Yan was female with a vastly different demeanor. He could only impersonate Mu Zhanting, planning to change into someone else and escape once fully recovered.
However, he hadn’t expected Nan Yan to follow.
Remembering her fierce attacks, which rivaled demonic cultivators, Hu Rui’s once-shattered spine ached. Not daring to linger and raise suspicion, he asked, “Evil ghosts roam everywhere on Ten Karma Mountain. Do you have any good strategies?”
Nan Yan gazed at him intently, “Brother, have you forgotten? My Buddhist methods specifically counter demons and evil ghosts. Even Mo Xingzheng wanted to recruit me for help. Did swallowing that Fire Ghost Marquis muddle your mind?”
Hu Rui coughed dryly, “Indeed, I’m feeling some discomfort…”
As the last ray of sunlight sank into the dark sea, even the comforting starlight was gradually obscured by heavy clouds. The roar of the ghost army descended from Ten Karma Mountain like a tsunami.
Nan Yan felt her jade ring vibrate. As she raised her hand, Mo Xingzheng’s voice emerged:
“Fellow Daoists, the ghost tide is approaching. We must be fully prepared. With each wave we repel, the city wall will advance one line towards Ten Karma Mountain, using the towers as foundations. If we can’t hold, the destroyed towers will become entry points for the ghost tide to attack the Nine Tribulation Seas!”
“Though our human-defended towers may seem insignificant to the entire Nine Tribulation Seas, we fight for our destinies! Holding the towers allows us to support each other! Success means a chance at the great Dao; failure means obliteration. As the direct disciple of Dao Sheng Tian’s Mysterious Ruler, I declare—let the battle begin!”
Mo Xingzheng wasn’t a prince, nor even officially confirmed as a regional heir. But his one title was enough to overshadow all geniuses—the direct disciple of Dao Sheng Tian’s Mysterious Ruler, the strongest practitioner of the ultimate existing Dao. This identity commanded respect and caution, far surpassing countless worldly titles.
Yet Nan Yan detected a hint of sorrow in his voice. Soon, a ghost’s roar echoed from beyond the tower. Hu Rui hurriedly said:
“Go upstairs, I’ll defend here!”
The tower had two levels; the upper one offered a wide view but little protection.
Nan Yan smiled, now at ease. If it were truly one of her unreliable brothers, they’d never let her go to a dangerous place alone.
Given this… Nan Yan recalled Si Region’s plan targeting Mu Zhanting. Silently apologizing, determination flashed in her eyes.
A tattered flag stood atop the wall, covered in unknown demonic script, emitting a hazy purple light. The vanguard ghosts dissipated upon hitting this light barrier.
Though strong, the purple barrier dimmed under the relentless ghostly assault. Nan Yan noted the flag’s resemblance to her second brother’s Ten Thousand Nuo Flag.
Looking down, she saw a familiar ghost—similar to the ox-head ghost from You Quan Valley, wielding a massive axe. It swung at the purple barrier, shattering it with a crack. Ghosts cheered, flying and crawling up, drawn by the living energy of the Nine Tribulation Seas. Suddenly, a golden Buddha statue enveloped the entire tower, disintegrating any ghosts touching its light.
The ox-head ghost leader looked up, its eye sockets blazing with ghostfire. It leaped, axe aimed at the Thousand-Hand Guanyin’s face.
With a soft “ding,” the Bodhisattva effortlessly caught the axe tip with one hand. Then, five or six palms simultaneously grasped the ox-head ghost. Unable to retreat, it screamed as the Thousand-Hand Guanyin crushed it in its palms.
“Buddha purifies karma. You… return to the cycle of rebirth.”
However, unlike Nan Yan’s previous experiences, the ox-head ghost didn’t ascend. Instead, it transformed into a gray spirit, flying towards Ten Karma Mountain’s peak.
“These ghosts… can’t be guided?” Nan Yan looked up. Amidst the various magical lights and sword glares on both flanks, defeated ghosts didn’t dissipate but all turned into spirit mists flying to the same place.
It was the same as in Si Region—the dead couldn’t be reborn, lingering in their respective hells after death.
As the first ghost tide was repelled, the demonic flag behind Nan Yan suddenly emitted dazzling purple light. A rumbling sound came from the four regions, and the tower beneath her feet seemed to come alive, moving forward through rock and soil.
Nan Yan saw other towers moving forward too, drawing close enough to see who occupied them.
“Fellow Daoist Zhen Yuan.” Mo Xingzheng, no longer feigning familiarity by calling her junior sister, walked along the wall during the lull. Glancing into the tower, he asked puzzled, “I thought Chen Region’s battle line was twenty li away. Why is Brother Mu here?”
As Hu Rui broke into a cold sweat, Nan Yan timely descended from the tower, saying, “My brother was just worried about me. Mo Daoist, are you here about our previous agreement in Yin Region?”
“Indeed. I thought promising you a seventh-grade Nascent Soul was generous, but it seems your growth doesn’t require such things anymore.” Mo Xingzheng looked at her, pondering something. He took out a jade scroll and said, “Our sect forbids Buddhist teachings, but these are notes my senior brother secretly collected and wrote. He mastered various schools, and these insights on Buddhist Divine Transformation have been acknowledged by high monks. They’ll benefit Buddhist cultivators. I have no use for them, so I’ll give them to you.”
This handwriting was so familiar…
Nan Yan carefully stored the Buddhist scroll and bowed in gratitude: “Thank you. Time is short, so this humble nun won’t engage in small talk. What do you need me to do, Daoist Mo?”
Mo Xingzheng noticed a hint of unusual emotion in her eyes despite her outward calm. He explained, “Typically, since we can’t directly set foot on Ten Karma Mountain’s soil, we’d need to rely on these walls to gradually advance towards the peak and compete for the Mountain River Sea Crown. This approach would take ten to fifteen days. However, I have a faster method, approved by the various regions, though it’s more dangerous. Since Brother Mu is here too, I’ll explain it to both of you.”
Hearing “dangerous,” Hu Rui hesitated. As he stepped back, Nan Yan eagerly pulled him forward, saying, “With the strongest from all regions present, and my brother here, it should be much safer. Please continue, Daoist Mo.”
“During my last visit to this secret realm, I saw my senior brother suppress an evil ghost called ‘Earth Loather.’ It’s Half-Face-Ghost, half-demon, turtle-like, capable of carrying people on its back without being corroded by ghost energy. We won’t need to wait for the walls to move step by step. By riding on its back, we can reach the Mountain Sea Palace atop Ten Karma Mountain in just a day and night.”
Nan Yan asked, “Can you break your senior brother’s seal?”
Mo Xingzheng paused briefly, then said, “…He always looked after his juniors. Despite his irritating words, he’d ultimately provide for others.”
“…”
Nan Yan clenched her fist, feeling the Reversed Reincarnation Mirror shard from Wanbao Pavilion grow warm in her palm. She asked softly, “My brother is driven by his duty as a prince. What compels you to reach Ten Karma Mountain’s peak, Senior Brother Mo?”
Mo Xingzheng replied meaningfully, “Because not all lies in this world will necessarily have their truths revealed, but for every injustice, there will always be someone seeking to right it.”
Before the second dawn, the initially spirited cultivators gradually quieted, conserving energy for the endless ghost tides.
Except for Chen and Si Regions, seasoned in warfare, all other regions showed signs of fatigue.
“How many more can there be? Are there truly so many reincarnated ghosts in the world?”
On the eastern wall line.
As if changing shifts on the Qitain battlefield, Mu Zhanting seized a brief respite to urgently contact Nan Yan via his ring. After struggling through various demonic and spiritual interferences, he finally connected and immediately began scolding her:
“Why did you run off to some remote corner of the western line to be a lone wolf? Who’s that bastard with you? I heard a man’s voice. Is it Song Zhu? I don’t see him! He must have snuck off to find you… Listen here, I forbid it, your second brother forbids it, and your third brother forbids it too! You’re only twenty-seven, come back right now!”
Nan Yan held the ring at arm’s length, listening to Mu Zhanting’s roars. When she found a gap, she replied, “What bastard? I’m surrounded by reliable fellow Daoists from various regions. Oh, ghosts are coming. I need to fight now. We’ll talk later.”
Beneath her feet was a skeletal turtle shell, long suppressed underground, now released with a mix of hatred and fear.
“Fellow Daoist Zhen Yuan, who were you talking to?”
Nan Yan: “No one. Can we begin?”
“We can. Please assist from the side, using Buddhist incantations to control the Earth Loather beast.”
Nan Yan nodded and chanted the Great Bright Mantra. Instantly, golden Buddhist words formed chains, binding the Earth Loather’s head. With a tug, the beast shrieked and charged up Ten Karma Mountain, crushing the small ghosts in its path.
Mo Xingzheng hadn’t invited many. Besides Dao Sheng Tian’s home region and the neutral Hai Region, he brought the Si and Wei Regions. Seeing Nan Yan’s fierce demeanor as she restrained the massive, ferocious beast, everyone looked at her with complex expressions.
“Truly, one can’t judge a book by its cover…”
As the Earth Loather climbed the peak, a distant rumbling and collapsing sound was heard. Everyone looked back down the mountain.
On the dark red Ten Karma Mountain, the black ghost tide split the purple aura, clashing with the territory-guarding demon clans. A fresh red line suddenly expanded. Though distant, the roars of demon beasts and the gnashing of evil ghosts seemed to echo right beside them.
“What happens after this wall is destroyed?” Nan Yan asked.
Mo Xingzheng replied coolly, “The ghost clan will charge in, but other demon clans in the heart of the Nine Tribulation Seas will annihilate them. Once the ghost clan in the Nine Tribulation Seas accumulates a massive number, they’ll dominate this realm.”
Nan Yan pressed, “When will that be?”
Watching the ghosts greedily tear at flesh, Mo Xingzheng said, “Maybe in ten years, maybe in a hundred. Ghosts, like humans, need to eat. Preventing their reincarnation shifts this cost to the rulers… I wonder what kind of being in the Mountain Sea Palace can bear such a cost.”
“…What kind of cost?”
“With too many ghost-nurturing things, immortals have immortal energy, gods have divine power, demons have bloodlines… It’s always the most important thing.”
Nan Yan struggled to hide the tremor in her voice: “What if humans bear this cost?”
“Humans? Humans have many things. First, they’d consume the living’s yang energy, then flesh, then bones, then internal organs. After devouring it all, there are still the three hun and seven po souls. When the body dies and the soul perishes, there’s still a spark of attachment to the mortal world. When that spark extinguishes… there’s nothing left.”