Wei State, Tianjiao Peak.
“Senior Brother Song, the remaining mortals and low-level cultivators have been sent to Tianjiao Peak for refuge. Cultivators from Yin, Mao, and Chen States have raised protective arrays in various locations to shield living beings from evil ghosts. However, as long as the Ghost Abyss remains unsealed, malevolent spirits will continue to plague the common people.”
Among cultivators, sword practitioners were known for their strongest attacking power and willpower. Yet, despite days of suppressing evil ghosts, they couldn’t withstand the endless stream of malevolent spirits surging from the Xiaquan Ghost Abyss.
“Daoshengtian…” Song Zhu had never felt such hatred in his life. He had personally witnessed Daoshengtian’s people retrieving a crown from the Xiaquan Ghost Abyss. His master, Meng Xiaolou, had fought valiantly to suppress the escaping evil ghosts but was trapped at the bottom of the abyss by them, his fate unknown.
To think that the cultivation world’s premier sect would resort to such vicious methods!
The other battered sword cultivators could barely contain their anger. “In just one month! Half of Wei State’s population has been devoured by evil ghosts. Don’t they fear heavenly retribution?!”
“No, this is their goal,” Song Zhu replied. “Did you hear what they said that day? After death, all the people of Wei State will belong to the Xiaquan River. The more people die, the stronger their control over the Xiaquan River becomes… They likely want to eradicate everyone in Wei State.”
“Madmen, a group of lunatics!”
Seventy percent of Tianjiao Peak’s high-level sword cultivators had already left to aid the people across Wei State. Only 30,000 sword cultivators remained to defend and suppress the ghosts. After this round of ghost slaying, they had hoped for a brief respite, but an urgent message arrived from afar.
“Senior Brother Song, Mao State… war has broken out.”
Everyone’s faces showed shock and dismay.
Mao State, nestled between Yin and Chen States, was home to Buddhist cultivators who rarely involved themselves in worldly conflicts. Even during wartime, they mainly focused on healing the wounded. It should have been the safest State, yet Daoshengtian chose to strike there first.
“Beneath the Sorrowful Mountain and Buddhist Sea lies a branch of the ‘Bitter Spring River.’ Daoshengtian is using two Styx Rivers to pressure the area, which could trigger the Bitter Spring River to break its seal… Once the seal is broken, Mao State will also become a sea of hell.”
A living hell on earth.
As everyone’s hearts grew heavy, Song Zhu suddenly exclaimed, “This is bad! They’re using the Xiaquan River to attack Mao State, which means they’ll need even more souls. Master is in danger!”
As he spoke, he was already flying towards the base of Tianjiao Peak.
By now, Tianjiao Peak had been uprooted and was floating in mid-air, supported by a sword formation. Below, where it once stood, the abyss had transformed into a sea of ghosts. Countless malevolent spirits howled as they surged forth. Despite Tianjiao Peak continuously unleashing sword energy to slay the ghosts, a third of them still broke through the layers of barriers. Upon encountering living people, they would possess and tear at them, leaving a trail of blood in their wake.
“Master! Master!”
Surrounded by countless strands of sword energy, Song Zhu bravely charged through the sea of ghosts, desperately searching for Meng Xiaolou.
After a while, a thread of sword energy shot up from the bottom of the abyss, striking Song Zhu out of the ghost sea. A stern voice followed: “Who told you to come? How reckless! Get out quickly!”
Song Zhu stumbled in mid-air before regaining his balance. “Master, the one who stole the Xiaquan River from Daoshengtian is now in Mao State, activating the Styx River. The ghost tide here will surely increase severalfold. When will you be able to break through the seal?”
Although Meng Xiaolou’s voice was severe, it betrayed a hint of weakness from his injuries. “I have my ways. You go back and take care of matters at Tianjiao Peak.”
Song Zhu couldn’t bear to leave. He urgently said, “Master, you were severely wounded by the Celestial Ruler of Daoshengtian, your primordial spirit already gravely injured. With this endless ghost tide, continuing to wear yourself down is unwise. I’ve heard that my friend Zhengyuan is facing off against a prison lord possessed by the Celestial Ruler’s divine consciousness at the Orthodox Law Hall. Her technique, the Seven Buddhas’ Karma Scripture, is impervious to myriad ghosts. Why don’t I go invite her to—”
“Not!” Meng Xiaolou shouted. “Daoshengtian would turn the world upside down to find her. Bringing her here would be walking right into their trap!”
“Master, I—”
“Say no more. This idea of yours is dangerous. I forbid you from meeting Nan Yan again.”
“???”
Before Song Zhu could react, the entire Xiaquan Ghost Abyss shook violently. From the depths of darkness, a massive black claw slowly extended, accompanied by a shrill laugh echoing from afar—it was the telepathic communication of a Nascent Divinity cultivator.
“Brother Meng, truly worthy of being the world’s premier sword cultivator, to have held out until now. Before Yuan left, he placed a soul-devouring beast in this ghost abyss. After nurturing it all this time, it should be capable of destroying an entire State. Now is the perfect opportunity to use it. If the Sword Hero is willing to join our grand endeavor, Yuan He could plead with the Celestial Ruler. For the sake of our days studying under the Dao Sovereign together, Tianjiao Peak could be returned to you. What do you say…”
“Meng Xiaolou has never wasted words on defeated opponents,” Meng Xiaolou retorted. “If you’re dissatisfied, I can unleash my sword with thirty percent power for a duel. I only hope that this time, you won’t cower behind Ying Zewei like a dog.”
“You!” Yuan He, controlling the Styx River in Mao State, was so angry his voice trembled. Then he laughed coldly, “Fine, such backbone. Let me remind you, I’ve cultivated this soul-devouring beast to the Nascent Divinity stage. It has devoured hundreds of thousands of souls and can rival the great demon Yanshenhu. If you insist on dragging the entire Wei State down with you, then I’ll let the soul-devouring beast feast on the primordial spirit of the premier sword cultivator.”
Amidst the trembling earth and mountains, Song Zhu saw a terrifying monster with four arms and a massive cross-shaped mouth on its torso crawling out from the depths of the abyss. As the cross-shaped mouth opened, revealing rows of sharp fangs, Song Zhu noticed a glowing orb made entirely of sword intent at the center. Inside sat a person in meditation, continuously using a sword intent to suppress the soul-devouring beast.
However, as the soul-devouring beast continued to consume souls, it slowly crawled upward, emitting an eerie, cackling laugh.
“… You probably haven’t seen the scenery in Mao State. Tens of thousands of monks have cultivated bitterly for years, yet not one of them is clever. If they had cultivated the Buddha Repentance Sovereign’s Seven Buddhas’ Karma Scripture back then, who in the world would dare provoke them? I can only say they’re fools, and the Buddha Repentance Sovereign is an even bigger fool.”
Meng Xiaolou coldly replied, “Though I’m not in Mao State, Ao Guanghan and Nan Yi are not easily defeated. It’s laughable to think you can take Mao State.”
Yuan He sneered, “Sword cultivators are the real joke. Don’t forget, that Daoshengtian still has the Celestial Ruler. Nan Yi and Ao Guanghan each govern a State. If they dare leave, the Celestial Ruler could destroy their States with a wave of his hand. Especially Ao Guanghan, I see him as a coward. After witnessing the Celestial Ruler’s immortal body last time, he’s probably already—”
Yuan He suddenly stopped mid-sentence, his voice filled with shock and anger. The next moment, the soul-devouring beast began to sway uneasily. Its enormous body seemed to sense something terrifying, and it started to retreat into the abyss for shelter.
“Go on, why did you stop talking?”
In the sky above Wei State, which had been dark for an entire month, a golden light suddenly split the thick clouds. As people mistook it for the sun breaking through, an indescribably huge dragon shadow coiled across the heavens. The dragon raised its head, and with a low roar, sweet rain began to fall. Wherever the rain touched, large swathes of the ghost tide retreated into the ground.
Dragons, the kings of all beasts, command respect from all creatures within their gaze.
“You… how…” This dragon was so immense that it seemed like a deity descending to earth. The soul-devouring beast, which had appeared so terrifying moments ago, now looked like a mere chick before this dragon.
Yuan He suddenly remembered the origins of the Ao clan from Chen State—they were descendants of true dragons and humans. Dragons, being spiritually born creatures of heaven and earth, adhered to the five virtues and six conducts, disdaining association with flesh-eating demons. Although they had assimilated into human society over thousands of years, they hadn’t forgotten that their ancestors once reigned supreme over all beasts, with every creature in the world required to pay homage.
Yuan He had carefully nurtured the soul-devouring beast for years, and it was because of this beast that he was chosen by Daoshengtian to be the prison lord of the Xiaquan River. But conversely, if the soul-devouring beast were killed, he would be ruined, if not dead.
Daoshengtian had no use for useless individuals.
A heavy black shadow descended from the sky as the massive dragon claw reached for the soul-devouring beast in the ghost abyss.
Faced with this life-threatening crisis, Yuan He screamed, “Ao Guanghan! No, Dragon Lord! You know how much the Celestial Ruler values the Xiaquan River. If you destroy my soul-devouring beast, your Chen State will be next!”
“Is that so?” The giant dragon swung its long tail, instantly clearing the clouds for hundreds of miles. It slowly descended from the sky, its enormous body completely sealing off the entire Xiaquan Ghost Abyss.
Elder Yuan, panicked as the Devouring Void Beast opened its massive cross-shaped maw. A torrent of ghosts, as intense as molten lava, surged towards the crumbling Tianqiao Peak.
“You, a State’s ruler, stoop to deal with me alone,” Elder Yuan sneered. “Even if I lose the Devouring Void Beast, I’ll drag your Wei State down with me! Ghost tide, heed my command! Engulf Tianqiao Peak!”
Refugees still sheltered atop Tianqiao Peak. The Devouring Void Beast’s onslaught was fierce, its ability to spew forth ghost tides overwhelming. In an instant, spectral entities submerged half of the giant dragon’s body. This attack would likely leave no survivors on Tianqiao Peak.
“We sword cultivators of Wei State never retreat!” Song Zhuyi gritted his teeth, brandishing his sword before the mountain gate. Just then, as the Devouring Void Beast opened its maw to unleash another ghost tide, sword energy ravaged its insides. It howled in agony and plummeted back into the abyss.
Moments later, sword light flashed, and Meng Xiaolou emerged from the ghostly abyss. “The Devouring Void Beast is vanquished. I’ve done my part, but I wonder how Mao State fares.”
“Those prison lords… Baoqi Rulai can hold them off for a while, but Ying Zeweiβ”
Before they could finish, Elder Yuan He’s enraged voice echoed from the depths of the ghostly abyss. “Ao Guanghan! Meng Xiaolou! Xuanzai won’t let you off!”
The giant dragon slowly lowered its head, its claws grasping the Devouring Void Beast’s remains, shredded by sword energy. It tightened its grip mercilessly. “Let me put it this way,” it rumbled. “Although I’d love to tear Ying Zewei to pieces, I must admit, apart from him and his wayward disciples, the rest of you Daosheng Tian are nothing but weaklings, not worth worrying about.”
…
“Achoo!”
“If you need to sneeze, don’t hold back. I’m starting to think I’ve caught a cold too… Achoo!”
Nan Yan had been sneezing all afternoon, wondering who might be talking about her. Eventually, even Ji Yang showed signs of discomfort.
“I’m fine,” he assured her. “But you… let me check your pulse.”
Nan Yan, feeling inexplicably agitated, shook her head. “I suddenly feel much better. Let’s keep moving… These people are following too closely. I fear they’ll set traps with Nascent Soul cultivators once we enter Huigu, just like they did to my mother.”
Years ago, when Nan Rao forcibly broke out of Huigu, she immediately encountered Daosheng Tian’s ambush. Her cultivation base collapsed, forcing her to recuperate in the Mortal State.
The reason their pursuers hadn’t acted yet was likely because this was the Mortal State, and Ji Yang was the Lord of the Yellow Springs Prison.
A river of netherworld water controlled an entire State. Beneath this complex world of mortal cause and effect lay the Yellow Springs.
“Although the Mortal State lacks spiritual energy, even the leader of Daosheng Tian, the strongest in the cultivation world, is reluctant to tread here lightly.”
“Why?” Nan Yan asked.
“Because the mortal realm easily sparks emotions, causing cultivators to develop feelings.”
Ji Yang’s pointed gaze as he spoke reminded Nan Yan of her childhood experiences here. This place was the origin of her familial and romantic bonds, the birthplace of all her karmic connections.
“How long until Huigu opens again?”
“Ten days.”
As Nan Yan pondered how to broach a subject, Ji Yang seemed to read her mind, proposing the same strategy.
“Ah Yan, can you transcribe the first chapter of the Seven Buddhas’ Karma Sutra?”
Nan Yan looked up. “I can. Are you suggesting…”
“Wasn’t that your initial idea? Let the world witness the power of the Seven Buddhas’ Karma Sutra, spread this technique, and then lure them to Huigu to rescue the Buddha Repentance Lord.”
Ji Yang smiled, his palm revealing a small, starry shell. “It resembles the night sky and contains spatial fluctuations…”
Recalling her brief education on worldly treasures in Chen State, Nan Yan suddenly remembered another of Daosheng Tian’s treasures.
“Could it be the Firmament Boundary Breaker?”
Sensing Nan Yan’s inquiring gaze, Ji Yang continued, “I know you’re reluctant to lead people into a trap that might result in Daosheng Tian’s slaughter. This Firmament Boundary Breaker can instantly teleport people within a certain range elsewhere. You needn’t worry about harming those drawn to Huigu.”
Nan Yan beamed. “It seems you’ve grasped the true essence of Buddhist compassion.”
Ji Yang replied graciously, “It’s all thanks to the Bodhisattva’s guidance, teaching her followers to lay down their weapons and seek Buddhist truths together. Xing Zheng, come here. I have something to tell you.”
“Finally remembered your unworthy junior brother?” Mo Xing Zheng fed up with their public displays of affection, rolled his eyes. He truly couldn’t fathom how Nan Yan’s two brothers had endured this for so long. He certainly couldn’t. “No need for pleasantries. You wouldn’t call me unless you needed an errand run. Get to the point.”
Ji Yang smiled. “It’s like this: Five hundred li north of here, there was a small sect called the Yangye Sect about twenty or thirty years ago. It was where your senior brother’s karmic journey began.”
Mo Xing Zheng quipped, “What, you want me to tour the holy ground of your romantic awakening?”
Ji Yang replied, “Your senior brother would love to show you around, but unfortunately, the Yangye Sect was wiped out by the Zhengfa Palace’s Enforcer years ago. Anyone you ask would know this story. Later, take some jade talismans inscribed with the Seven Buddhas’ Karma Sutra and spread them nearby. Soon, cultivators will head to Huigu. Gathered together, they’ll surely venture into Huigu seeking the second half of the scripture.”
“What are you planning?”
Ji Yang turned to look at Nan Yan, who took a deep breath and declared, “I want the world to know that the Buddha Repentance Lord has emerged from seclusion.”