Sacred Mountain Gui Zhe
Dao Qiongcang stood before the Saint Hall, his robe gently swaying in the light breeze of the snowy night.
As he gazed into the distance, the night sky seemed to trace the path of a wandering star, ephemeral as a firefly, vanishing in the blink of an eye at the edge of sight.
"It's cold…"
For the first time, Dao Qiongcang felt the chill of a snowy day. He reached into his sleeve, covering his forearms, sensing the coldness in his palms. This was not a good sign.
Just moments ago, he had received a bow from Five Decays of Heaven and Man. He searched, purified, and self-inspected himself… yet found no trace of the curse left on him.
Even after bathing and changing clothes promptly, as if attempting to wash away bad luck, he still felt a sense of unease.
It was akin to the most common curse in the mundane world: "May you bear children without an anus." Once uttered, who knew if it might come true?
In the realm of Spiritual Cultivation, curses could manifest invisibly, leaving imprints either in spirit or in the soul, always traceable.
But Dao Qiongcang found nothing!
Perhaps his own cultivation level was too low, or maybe the curse of Five Decays of Heaven and Man was of a higher order? His single bow, like that shooting star across the night sky, came and went without a trace.
"Perhaps… it's fake?"
Dao Qiongcang took out his Divine Sinan.
He considered another possibility: perhaps Five Decays of Heaven and Man simply couldn't lock onto him. He might have been blowing hot air, appearing to curse extensively but leaving nothing behind.
Setting up an altar, burning three incenses, then removing everything afterward… it could all be for show, making enemies believe they had been cursed.
Unable to find anything and unable to solve the problem at its root, he felt increasingly anxious—this curse was more sophisticated!
Especially since Five Decays of Heaven and Man knew he was targeting the unpredictable Dao Qiongcang…
Dao Qiongcang was confident in his abilities. He thought that perhaps Five Decays of Heaven and Man, in order to prevent his curse from being discovered by Divine Secret, made it seem like a curse had been cast when it hadn't. This tactic was very likely.
By "attacking the heart," it could make one feel cursed, obstructing subsequent actions and attributing all obstacles to this curse.
In time, even if one hadn't been cursed, they would feel cursed, resenting heaven and blaming others, causing everything to go awry.
However, the more one feared, the more adversity they encountered, worsening their situation. Thus, one could be trapped in a vicious cycle.
"A curse without a curse is more ingenious than a curse with a curse!"
Dao Qiongcang believed that if he mastered the art of curses, he would use this technique of non-cursing even more, especially against clever opponents.
But now, unable to find the curse's imprint, he had no idea what Five Decays of Heaven and Man was planning.
How would that one bow affect him? Would he truly fall into misfortune…
"Phew."
The scent of osmanthus interrupted Dao Qiongcang's thoughts.
The night breeze condensed into the figure of the Nine Sacrifices Spiritual Body.
"Just now, crimson approached the mountain. The great array was defenseless. I wanted to stop it; why didn't you let me?" The Ninth Divine Priest approached the Saint Hall with a puzzled expression.
"That was aimed at me. If you took it, then it would be my fault."
"What was that?"
"The curse of Five Decays of Heaven and Man."
Upon hearing those words, the Ninth Divine Priest's eyes flickered with surprise. After a while, she said, "Impressive?"
Dao Qiongcang did not answer, lowering his eyes and grabbing his Divine Sinan.
The Ninth Divine Priest's gaze followed, observing as Dao Qiongcang cast his divinations. The usual colors of gold and white, symbols of good fortune and regularity, were absent.
In their place shone only a crimson glow!
Dao Qiongcang calculated nine times, and each time the Divine Sinan flashed crimson.
The Ninth Divine Priest was shaken. Even though she didn't understand Divine Secrets, she could read colors.
It was the first time she saw Dao Qiongcang deduce such an ominous omen!
"What are you calculating?"
"Myself."
At these words, the Ninth Divine Priest's expression turned reproachful.
"Why didn't you activate the great array? Why didn't you let Saint Mountain defend itself? The mountain possesses great vital energy…"
"Has there been any news of Godhood Sword Xuan Cang?"
The Ninth Divine Priest was taken aback, unable to speak.
Dao Qiongcang chuckled. "I'm starting to hear bad news. This is the first one, and I believe it won't be the last."
The Ninth Divine Priest was speechless.
She could tell Dao Qiongcang was implying that the Cang Godhood Sword, which guarded the mountain's vital energy, was still missing.
If the curse tainted the vital energy of Saint Mountain, the blame would fall squarely on him.
Yet how incredibly vast was the vital energy of Saint Mountain?
Even without the Cang Godhood Sword, other divine objects could guard it.
The audacity of Five Decays of Heaven and Man to curse Saint Mountain's vital energy would undoubtedly provoke a massive backlash. Death on the spot was even possible!
However, matters had come to this point, and saying more was futile.
"You have a solution, right?" The Ninth Divine Priest looked at Dao Qiongcang with expectant eyes. Dao Qiongcang was exceptionally knowledgeable, far beyond the reach of ordinary people.
Dao Qiongcang glanced at the deep crimson on his Divine Sinan, then looked back at the Ninth Divine Priest, shaking his head with a wry smile.
The Ninth Divine Priest grew anxious.
"You must have a way!"
"Since I've received a bow, then I shall accept it calmly rather than panicking like a sparrow."
"How is that a solution? Think of something using your… Divine Secret!"
"Divine Secret can foresee trouble but never resolve it. It's a process, not a result."
"What do we do then?"
"Since it's received, then accept it."
The Ninth Divine Priest was furious.
This was the child she had watched grow up. She worried for Dao Qiongcang, but he seemed not to care about his own safety.
What was to be done?
"You must give me an explanation!" The Ninth Divine Priest furrowed her brow, her expression stern.
"Well…" Dao Qiongcang shrugged helplessly. "Misfortune and blessings are intertwined?"
"What kind of reasoning is that?"
"If misfortune has already arrived, will blessings not follow?"
The Ninth Divine Priest was once again silenced, her face stiff with a cold glare directed at Dao Qiongcang.
"Fine."
Dao Qiongcang shrugged and took out his crimson Divine Sinan, glaringly conspicuous, and showed it to her. "I'll read my fortune up to ten times at most."
"What about the tenth reading?"
"I haven't cast it yet."
"You better do it!" The Ninth Divine Priest was angry.
"Is it really important?" Dao Qiongcang put away the Divine Sinan and walked over to a silver table, sitting down. "What if, once again, it's death… I mean, red? Isn't that tantamount to absolute death with no chance of survival?"
"Don't speak such words!"
Dao Qiongcang fell silent, refusing to engage further with the Ninth Divine Priest.
Setting down the Divine Sinan, he gazed into the distant night sky, his expression enraptured. His hands moved through the air in front of him, grasping at something intangible.
"What are you doing?" The Ninth Divine Priest approached, watching him act strangely again.
Dao Qiongcang closed his eyes, his expression entranced, and lamented, "Fate, toying with the uncertain."
"I choose to spare him, and in doing so, spare myself. I choose the unknown and the uncertain, which is why I cannot cast the tenth reading."
"And this kind of unknown and uncertainty…"
Dao Qiongcang opened his eyes, looking at the Ninth Divine Priest with a wry smile. "This is what makes me Dao Qiongcang."
The Ninth Divine Priest couldn't make sense of what he was rambling about.
But now that he was older and she couldn't just hit him, she could only change the subject helplessly.
"Qingyuan Mountain, your demi-saint incarnation—how is the situation being handled?"
Dao Qiongcang wiped all expressions from his face, answering seriously, "Perhaps an unexpected event is about to occur…"
The Ninth Divine Priest's eyes widened at this revelation. After taking a deep breath, she turned and left the Saint Hall.
What a waste of a trip!
***
Below Qingyuan Mountain.
The night was calm, devoid of malevolent forces.
Mei Siren held a folding fan and led a small donkey. Just as he was about to ascend the mountain, he noticed a restless young man.
"Young man, come over here."
With those words, he halted the young man, who stood as sturdy as a tree stump.
Cao Erzhu was in a hurry on his journey. Upon turning around, he saw an ethereal old divine figure tying his small donkey to a tree. After a moment's thought, he untied it again.
For some reason, his restlessness was subdued by the old man's calm actions and words.
Cao Erzhu hurried forward, dusting off the dirt from his robe and kneeling.
"Cao Erzhu pays respects to the venerable deity!"
At this moment, Cao Erzhu had no thoughts of silence or concealment; not even the various reminders from his late father crossed his mind.
He was undeniably a good person!
The dignified aura, the affinity with nature, and the irresistible charm that drew people near at first glance…
Cao Erzhu didn't need to think twice.
With one look, he saw the myriad illusory sword-wielding disciples behind the venerable deity, all facing toward the Formal Path.
He knew that this was a true old deity, someone who could stand up for him!
Cao Erzhu might have doubted Lord Li's intentions, but he would never doubt this universally recognized good person!
"Please, venerable deity, stand up for Erzhu! My father… he…" Cao Erzhu burst into tears, unable to continue.
Mei Siren stroked his beard, pondering for a moment, unable to recall having taught this person.
He helped the young man to his feet and calmly asked, "Take your time. What happened to your father?"
"He… he was killed, his head chopped off and put in a wine barrel. I don't know who the murderer is. Lord Li said the murderer might be on the mountain, so I want to go up and find him…"
"Your father's name?"
"He's called Cao Yihan, and I'm Cao Erzhu. He lived in the town. I just stopped by the mountain for a day, and when I returned, he… he…" Erzhu clung to the old deity's arm, sobbing uncontrollably.
Honestly, Mei Siren was startled by the name "Cao Yihan."
Soon, he realized it was likely a misunderstanding, probably just a coincidence.
After all, he sensed mostly the aura of the Ancient Sword Technique from this child.
"Don't cry… don't cry…"
Mei Siren comforted the stout man taller than himself, finding it difficult to pat his back.
Once Cao Erzhu calmed down a bit, Mei Siren asked, "Who is Lord Li?"
"Lord Li? It's Lord Li!" Cao Erzhu wiped his tears in confusion.
Mei Siren pondered briefly before asking, "How do you know that the murderer who killed your father is on the mountain?"
"That thing!" Cao Erzhu pointed at the great array of Qingyuan Mountain. "Divine Secret!"
Cao Yihan, Divine Secret…
When so many coincidences came together, Mei Siren couldn't believe it was merely a coincidence.
"Child, have you heard of the Ten High Nobles?"
"I have; my father is one of them."
Below Qingyuan Mountain, a sudden hush descended, leaving only the sound of the small donkey crunching snow and leaves by the tree.
This Cao Yihan was the same as that Cao Yihan?
Moreover, Kui Leihan was dead?
The one who killed him with the Divine Secret… was Dao Qiongcang?
Tonight felt more surreal than a dream to Mei Siren.
He had casually encountered a child on the road, someone who exuded the aura of a friend, only to discover he was a child of the Ten High Nobles.
The news this child brought could potentially shake the entire spiritual cultivation world.
The karma of this person seemed no less significant than Xu Xiaoshou's.
"Why do you call me old deity? Do you know me?" Mei Siren scrutinized the child again, wary that this might be Dao Qiongcang's scheme.
"You are a good person," Cao Erzhu said, his eyes shining brightly.
Mei Siren stared at the child.
Cao Erzhu met his gaze with wide eyes.
Through the darkness, through his eyes…
The old Sword Saint saw the child's pure heart, untainted by the world—like the last pristine land amidst chaos.
"What do you see in me?" Mei Siren finally spoke up.
He recalled a legend about how the innocence of a child could discern the essence of a person's spirit.
But as the words left his lips, Mei Siren chuckled wryly.
Before his sanctification, he had been certain of his path as an ancient swordsman, rooted in tradition and nurturing others.
Never had he imagined that he would now be lost, needing to rediscover himself through a child.
Was this not a kind of failure?
Cao Erzhu glanced at the old deity's back, about to speak, when Mei Siren halted him with a raised fan.
"No need to speak."
Cao Erzhu hesitated, looking at the fan unfurled by the old deity. It was devoid of any writing, instead adorned with an ink painting.
The painting depicted a simple schoolhouse with two trees out front—one peach and one plum—both withered and fruitless.
Inside the schoolhouse sat an elderly man on a cushion, clearly very aged, with not a soul beside him, just his solitary figure.
The painting seemed to convey "solitude," yet Cao Erzhu could not see it that way.
From his perspective, within the fan's depiction of the schoolhouse, there was only the old deity himself, with no one else.
Yet behind the old deity, Cao Erzhu saw countless illusory sword-wielding disciples.
They were devout and reverent. This power could form mountains and oceans, transforming into anything!
The old deity in the painting was merely trapped in his chamber, willingly turning away, thus unable to see the scenery outside the schoolhouse.
Cao Erzhu stared for a long while, somewhat lost in a daze. After a moment, scratching his head, he asked, "Old deity, do you ever feel lost?"
Mei Siren's eyes flickered in surprise, glancing curiously at the big child.
He lowered his gaze in thought for a while, then looked up at Qingyuan Mountain and the night sky, murmuring somewhat puzzledly:
"Yes, suddenly I can't see the road ahead."
"Because I am not truly an old deity. Among my disciples, there is one who has become a great deity."
Cao Erzhu tilted his head in contemplation, pointing behind the old deity.
"They will help you."
Mei Siren was momentarily stunned, turning to look behind him, only to find there was nothing but a small donkey.
"Hahaha!"
Mei Siren burst out laughing.
He glanced at Cao Erzhu, then turned the fan over, scrutinizing the self-portrait on it. He continued to laugh, gradually releasing his worries.
The laughter echoed melodiously through the forest below the mountain.
"Good!"
After a while, Mei Siren finally stopped laughing. He reached out to pat the boy's head but ended up patting his arm instead.
"Come with me up the mountain. I'll help you find the one who killed your father."
"Be careful; Qingyuan Mountain is very dangerous tonight. You must not stray far from me until I say so, then you can leave."
"Alright." Cao Erzhu nodded as if his father had come alive again, finding a renewed sense of purpose.
Mei Siren didn't bring the small donkey into the mountain, taking only Cao Erzhu.
As he slashed with his fan, a green Mo Sword emerged, cutting through the great array of Qingyuan Mountain as they made their way through it.
Cao Erzhu's eyes lit up. Mo Sword Technique!
Mei Siren asked as they walked, "Have you studied swordsmanship?"
"Yes!"
"Is it Ancient Sword Technique?"
"Yes, they said it was."
"Have you met an old man who also looked like a deity, but less charismatic than me, who taught you swordsmanship?"
"Um…" Cao Erzhu hesitated, then nodded vigorously. "Yes!"
"Do you know the old man?" Cao Erzhu asked in return.
Mei Siren smiled without saying a word, feeling quite content. Even the night scenery in the mountains seemed a bit more beautiful.
He pulled out a sword case and handed it to Cao Erzhu, but it remained unresponsive.
Cao Erzhu opened the sword case to find a three-foot sword of purplish-red, exceptionally splendid and unique.
He took out the sword and examined it closely.
This time, the three-foot sword reacted, trembling slightly—not in resistance, but in excitement.
This sword was sharp, its murderous intent palpable, quite different from the old deity's aura… Cao Erzhu asked:
"Whose sword is this?"
Mei Siren stroked his beard, looked up, and laughed heartily.
"This is his sword."