That’s… that’s it?
Deep beneath the earth, Li Changshou’s paper avatar, along with his paper avatar legion, halted within a rocky crevice, distantly ‘observing’ the battle in the sky.
After witnessing the Seven Treasures Potted Garden face off against the sect’s elder, and now watching several Celestial Immortals pecking at each other in the sky, Li Changshou could barely muster any interest.
He even felt like laughing…
Well, his worries had been for nothing.
Come to think of it, it was rather ‘far-fetched.’ What kind of being was Kong Xuan? How could he possibly appear now to devour humans without reason?
Kong Xuan, the greatest powerhouse of the Investiture of the Gods, possessed the innate divine ability of the Five-Colored Divine Light, which swept through everything during the Great Calamity of the Gods’ Investiture.
This divine ability was a hundred times more effective at capturing treasures than the Treasure-Collecting Copper Coin, and when it came to capturing living beings, it could even affect the Sacred Honored Preparer.
However, during the Great Calamity of the Gods’ Investiture, in his confrontation with the Sacred Honored Preparer, Kong Xuan used the Five-Colored Divine Light to capture him, but the Sacred Honored Preparer manifested his sacred body from within the divine light, breaking the Five-Colored Divine Light, leading to Kong Xuan’s defeat…
From another perspective, though Sacred Honored Preparer was a ‘please leave the group’ level sage, he had still achieved sagehood.
Although Kong Xuan couldn’t defeat him, forcing the Sacred Honored Preparer to reveal his sage body demonstrated just how formidable Kong Xuan’s divine ability was.
He was completely on par with the senior disciples of the Three Schools!
Thus came the first doubt—why did this fellow meddle in the Great Calamity of the Gods’ Investiture for no reason?
According to the information Li Changshou understood, Kong Xuan was the first peacock in heaven and earth, born with the innate Five Elements Qi, seemingly possessing the bloodline of the Original Phoenix of the Phoenix Clan…
—These were some ‘Primordial Chaos rumors,’ and Li Changshou couldn’t verify their authenticity.
In the internal records of the Immortal-Guiding Sect, there was such a record:
[During the ancient war between demons and immortals, when humanity struggled to survive, suddenly a divine peacock bird came from the south, swallowing humans and devouring demons for amusement.
Later, due to accumulating too much killing karma, it attracted heavenly punishment, and the Great Master appeared to strike it down.
The divine bird was defeated, captured by the Great Master, and sent back to the south.]
This recorded Kong Xuan’s first appearance in ancient times and was also one of the few recorded instances of the Great Master taking action.
Looking at the one currently battling the Immortal-Guiding Sect’s immortals in the sky, it was indeed just a peacock demon, ten zhang in length, with sharp claws and beak, its feathers mostly golden-blue in color, and its cultivation realm merely at the Celestial Immortal level.
By now, it had been subdued by several elders of the Immortal-Guiding Sect, along with You Qin Xuanya.
You Qin Xuanya stood in the clouds, her delicate hands forming sword seals, leaving traces of afterimages as she cast spells. Sixteen flying swords emanating an icy blue radiance weaved back and forth, causing the peacock demon’s feathers to scatter chaotically and its body to be covered in wounds.
A true battle: throwing bricks across thousands of miles, with the sages’ spiritual treasures and primordial supreme treasures lightly clashing, causing heaven and earth to lose color as if the sky would collapse and the earth would split.
A false battle: most spectators’ attention was drawn to the immortal maiden standing in the clouds. She wore an ice-blue dress with her dark hair simply tied up, her figure neither seductive nor alluring yet intoxicating, perfectly embodying the essence of immortal elegance.
Overall, the situation here was completely under control.
Li Changshou glanced at his paper avatar and the paper avatar legion temporarily summoned from the East Sea, his mouth twitching slightly.
Since they were already here, might as well watch a bit longer.
Best to stay steady, and once the Immortal-Guiding Sect’s immortals succeeded and withdrew, his paper avatar would retreat along with them.
On the ground were dozens of armor-clad generals, most with cultivation at the Returning Void or Return to Dao realm, with five or six generals having combat power comparable to…
‘Turbid Immortals.’
These mortal generals had arranged formations below, not daring to charge up to capture the demon. Although they hadn’t contributed much effort, they would still be credited with a share of the merit later.
This specific location was in the southwestern corner of the Eastern Victory Divine Continent, very close to the Southern Jambu Continent, only about six thousand li from the valley where the black leopard couple resided.
The mortal world was constantly expanding.
Li Changshou’s divine consciousness swept across tens of thousands of li, seeing plains and mountains all bearing traces of mortals, developing into several powerful nations and dozens of small countries, constantly warring with each other.
The ‘You Qin Kingdom’ mentioned by Sect Leader Ji Wuyou was You Qin Xuanya’s homeland—the Hong Lin Kingdom of the Eastern Victory Divine Continent.
The Hong Lin Kingdom’s geographical position was naturally advantageous, located at the southern end of the Eastern Victory Divine Continent, and had now extended its influence into the Southern Jambu Continent.
Although the Three Realms had countless mortals and numerous countries and tribes, the Hong Lin Kingdom was one of the rare ‘cross-continental’ powers, with a relatively prosperous national fortune.
In today’s mortal world, becoming a nation’s ruler meant receiving a portion of humanity’s fortune.
But it was precisely because of this fortune that they could not step onto the path of cultivation.
There was no other reason—it was heaven’s restriction.
There was a phenomenon that Li Changshou found quite interesting.
—In the great mortal nations, a small portion of the generals and marshals possessed cultivation, originally being cultivators.
Li Changshou’s Sea God temples were spread throughout the South Sea coast, and he had once sailed to travel through the Southern Jambu Continent, conducting detailed investigations.
The cultivators who entered the mortal world in the Southern Continent mainly came from three sources.
First, many immortals who felt their cultivation breakthrough was hopeless, or whose dao hearts were heavy with desire, would come to the mortal world to enjoy life.
How did they enjoy it?
They naturally looked down upon the temporary tribulation experience establishments in the mortal world.
They either became a nation’s ‘immortal minister’ or concealed their identities to become generals or marshals, striving to accumulate wives and concubines, enjoying the extremes of wealth and glory…
The rolling red dust was a kind of tempering, but few immortals who came to the mortal world to serve as officials could walk back.
With dao hearts polluted, foundations contaminated, and lifespans shortened, the immortal path became difficult to recover.
Between gain and loss, the Heavenly Dao maintained a delicate balance.
Second were nations with strong immortal sect backgrounds, where major sects would directly dispatch disciples and followers to serve these nations.
This situation was mainly concentrated in the central region of the Southern Jambu Continent.
Many mortal kingdoms had already become spokespersons for immortal sects, providing endless ‘wealth’ and ‘immortal seedlings’ for the sects.
Third were those like Yuan Qing from back then, who wanted to follow the path of becoming disciples, cultivating, and then returning to the mortal world.
These three situations had begun appearing after Emperor Da Yu returned to the Fire Cloud Cave, and had now become the norm in the mortal world.
The great nations of the Southern and Eastern Continents either had royal families that developed powerful ‘king-protecting forces’ or were puppets controlled by certain immortal forces behind the scenes.
The more powerful mortal royal families would also use various means to secure their support.
The Immortal-Guiding Sect was the Hong Lin Kingdom’s backing, enjoying continuous offerings from the Hong Lin Kingdom.
Otherwise, how could they support batch after batch of disciples with just the limited spiritual veins within two thousand li around the mountain gate?
[The mortal order being controlled by immortal forces was itself chaos;
Immortals’ private desires being infinitely magnified in the mortal world were already approaching demonic deviation from the dao.]
Li Changshou had a couple of bold ideas about this, but the time wasn’t right—violent ‘reform’ might shake the foundation and fortune of the dao path…
“Execute this demon on the spot!”
A shout came from above as one of the sect elders called out. Li Changshou focused his attention upward, seeing several of their Celestial Immortal realm cultivators attack with full force, launching dozens of streams of light that struck the peacock demon simultaneously.
The peacock demon let out a miserable cry and quickly fell from the sky;
You Qin Xuanya pointed her sword fingers forward, her graceful figure diving down. Her dozen flying swords gathered before her, condensing into a three-zhang-long great sword, slashing directly at the peacock demon’s neck!
The peacock demon struggled desperately, turning its head to glare at You Qin Xuanya. A streak of flame emerged from its forehead, quickly enveloping its entire body in flames as it crashed to the ground like a meteor, splashing waves of fire.
You Qin Xuanya touched her jade arm with her left hand, her right hand’s sword fingers lightly trembling. Her figure suddenly paused then flew backward, immortal power swirling around her like an ice-blue flower blooming in the night sky.
That great sword had already cut through the fire waves, wrapped in ice-blue immortal light, striking directly at the peacock demon’s head!
Without warning, Li Changshou felt a spiritual premonition in his heart.
As the great sword fell, the flame-wrapped peacock demon had no way to respond, already lowering its head in resignation. The next instant should have been its head flying off, the great demon slain.
At that very moment!
The dispersing fire waves suddenly froze, the falling great sword suspended in mid-air, as a flash of cyan light passed by incredibly swiftly, and the peacock demon instantly vanished.
Li Changshou immediately realized that the stillness of the fire waves and great sword was an illusion, merely because that cyan light had been too swift.
The great sword slashed through empty air, the flames dissipated, You Qin Xuanya slightly furrowed her brows, several Immortal-Guiding Sect elders were filled with bewilderment, and the group of Hong Lin Kingdom generals below had no idea what had happened.
“Hmph!”
A cold snort came from the horizon.
Looking toward the sound, they saw a figure quietly floating in mid-air under the moonlit night sky, at an indeterminate distance.
Then, this newly appeared person took a step forward, five-colored light flickering around them, and directly appeared before You Qin Xuanya and the several Immortal-Guiding Sect elders.
Before anyone could see the newcomer’s appearance, a cyan light flashed, and the peacock demon appeared behind them…
Before the several immortals of the Immortal-Guiding Sect, the newcomer raised their hand and lightly pointed. The flames around the peacock demon quickly retracted into its body, its demonic form visibly shrinking at great speed, transforming into the appearance of a young maiden sitting cross-legged in the clouds.
Several elders immediately stepped forward, protecting You Qin Xuanya behind them;
You Qin Xuanya’s right hand’s sword fingers moved slightly, the great sword splitting into more than ten flying swords, circling around her as she warily watched this suddenly appearing…
Man?
This person didn’t emanate any pressure, had a tall and slender figure with casually scattered long hair, and wore a jade-green brocade robe, but their face somewhat resembled a woman’s, quite beautiful.
Most peculiar was that they had neither any masculine vigor nor the slightest feminine grace. Yin and yang seemed to blend perfectly in them, purely interpreting an inexplicable kind of beauty…
When this person spoke, their voice was also indistinguishable between male and female, carrying a hint of pride.
“How many people did she kill?”
“What do you mean, fellow Daoist?” An Immortal-Guiding Sect elder frowned.
“To settle karma,” the newcomer said calmly. “Either this master kills everyone here, or you tell me how many humans she killed, and this master will save a corresponding number of humans. Thus, we’ll be even.”
The Immortal-Guiding Sect elder’s gaze flickered uncertainly. The newcomer’s teleportation technique just now had already revealed an extraordinary dao realm.
You Qin Xuanya let out a light snort, about to speak in refutation, but a strand of voice transmission instantly entered her mind:
“Don’t speak, we can’t afford to offend them.”
You Qin Xuanya’s delicate brows furrowed slightly as she gently bit her lower lip.
The newcomer raised an eyebrow and said calmly: “Come out, the one underground.”
Li Changshou’s mouth twitched several times, but he didn’t hide further. His paper avatar flew up three thousand zhang, dispelling the earth escape technique, appearing before the group of mortal immortal generals.
He was using his ‘Minor Master’ middle-aged Daoist appearance, now standing with hands behind his back, looking up at the sky with some dignity.
“Fellow Daoist is truly formidable. This poor Daoist is the Minor Master of Xuandu, merely passing by today. These people all come from our Human Dao lineage, please show mercy, fellow Daoist.”
“Minor Master?” This person frowned slightly. “What relationship do you have with that Great Master?”
Li Changshou clasped his hands and said: “Same sect.”
“What proof do you have?”
Li Changshou took out that jade tablet and casually threw it up;
This person pointed a finger, already returning the jade tablet midway, staring at Li Changshou below with a complex gaze.
“How… how has he been lately?”
How…
Eh?
Li Changshou was instantly filled with question marks, this tone, this inflection, and the fluctuation that appeared in the other’s eyes.
What was going on?
The Heavenly Emperor Zhengde Monument was still warm, how come everyone wanted to make another ‘Primordial Chaos Breaking News’!?
While Li Changshou’s mind was wandering, the newcomer had already mounted a cloud, bringing the maiden transformed from the peacock demon straight down.
Above, the several Immortal-Guiding Sect elders only now reacted, bowing and saluting to Li Changshou, while You Qin Xuanya slightly furrowed her brows.
Human Dao Minor Master… wasn’t the one who just transmitted voice to her Senior Brother Changshou?
Just then, another strand of voice transmission entered her ear:
“A great expert is present, we absolutely must not act rashly today. If my conjecture is correct, this expert is one of the few great powers between heaven and earth.”
You Qin Xuanya nodded in agreement.
The newcomer seemed to have heard Li Changshou’s voice transmission, revealing a slight smile.
This smile seemed to have some soul-enchanting magical power, like a woman’s charming laugh amidst blooming flowers, yet also like a refined and gentle man’s smile…
Very contradictory, yet also harmonious.
As if to confirm what Li Changshou had said, five divine lights flickered behind the newcomer, emanating an extremely powerful pressure.
These divine lights and pressure flashed and disappeared, but those mortal immortal generals were terrified; the several Immortal-Guiding Sect elders and You Qin Xuanya also turned pale, their dao hearts trembling.
The newcomer didn’t look at anyone else, only staring at Li Changshou’s paper avatar, maintaining a height of three zhang above the ground, saying proudly:
“Your guess is correct, I am Kong Xuan.
Some days ago, my niece’s bloodline went berserk, losing control of her mind. I had just awakened from closed cultivation and tracked her here.
She must have eaten some humans. Tell me the number, and I shall go save people, then come back to converse with you.”
Li Changshou looked toward the several Immortal-Guiding Sect elders, who all dared not speak;
You Qin Xuanya, who had landed beside Li Changshou, spoke up: “Saving people and killing people are two different matters.”
“Back then when my mind went berserk, I devoured a hundred thousand humans, so what?” Kong Xuan snorted coldly. “Later when the demon race was refining the Slaughter Shaman Treasure intending to exterminate the human race, I stepped in to protect a million humans, repaying that karma.
If karmic obstacles and merits can offset each other, why can’t killing and saving people offset each other?”
You Qin Xuanya stepped forward, enduring the pressure Kong Xuan inadvertently emanated, and said firmly: “Are those killed and those saved the same people?”
Kong Xuan’s phoenix eyes narrowed, saying coldly: “Heaven’s numbers are clear, increases and decreases offset each other.”
“Those who were devoured…”
“Ah, Xuanya!” Li Changshou quickly stepped forward, blocking before You Qin Xuanya. “Say less, say less.”
An elder nearby immediately said: “This demon has brought calamity to the mortal world, devouring dozens of people.”
“Hmph!”
Kong Xuan’s figure flashed and disappeared from the spot, instead leaving behind their niece—the peacock demon who had harmed people earlier.
Several sharp whistles resonated through heaven and earth, with lights constantly flickering in the depths of the night sky;
Shortly after, that cyan light reappeared, flashing past Li Changshou’s front, leaving behind iron cages containing several hundred mortal men and women…
Kong Xuan’s figure stood above the iron cages, looking at You Qin Xuanya, saying calmly:
“These are food prisoners captured by demon kind, returned tenfold.”
You Qin Xuanya pressed her lips together, some unwillingness in her eyes.
Li Changshou sighed and directly said: “Xuanya, are you a match for fellow Daoist Kong Xuan?”
“No,” You Qin Xuanya said softly.
Li Changshou said: “Neither am I, let’s endure it.”
You Qin Xuanya made a Daoist salute to Kong Xuan, standing behind Li Changshou, saying nothing more.
Kong Xuan again revealed a slight smile, saying: “You, this Minor Master, are quite an interesting person.
By the way, has your Great Master… ever mentioned me?”
Li Changshou pondered in his heart whether speaking the truth would anger this ‘ambiguously positioned’ Primordial Chaos tough character.
“I haven’t spent many years with Great Master…”
Kong Xuan’s expression visibly darkened.
“But, I have heard Great Master mention you once or twice!”
Kong Xuan instantly brightened like clouds parting, smiling with narrowed eyes, asking: “What did he say?”
Li Changshou: …
Great one, are you male or female?
Without clarifying this question, he felt things would become… extremely stimulating.
“Fellow Daoist,” Li Changshou frowned and said, “This concerns my Great Master’s pure reputation. Pardon my presumption, but let me ask, is your dao title written as the ‘xuan’ in ‘daylily,’ or the ‘xuan’ in ‘proclaim’?”
“If you want to ask whether I belong to yin or yang, just ask directly. Just now I thought you were forthright and had a nice personality.”
Kong Xuan snorted, saying calmly: “I have not yet decided my yin-yang attribution.”
Pausing briefly, Kong Xuan’s eyes showed a hint of remembrance, saying casually: “If he hadn’t avoided meeting me back then, I might have already made my choice.”
Does this work too?
No, there seems to be a story here, but for safety’s sake, Shou didn’t dare say more, nor dare ask more… yeah.