Chapter 126: Chapter 92: Increase and Loss_1
Translator: 549690339
Three days later, at Peach Blossom Mountain.
“Atop Peach Blossom Mountain lies the Peach Blossom Taoist temple, within which resides the Peach Blossom Immortal!”
“It’s said that here upon this mountain resides a true cultivator, truly a marvelous abode of the Taoist way!”
“Last time at this Peach Blossom Taoist temple, the Taoist bestowed upon me a dose of immortal elixir that proved miraculously effective upon my return.”
“No wonder, Brother Zhang, you’ve recently been so full of vigor, slaying all comers at the Spring Breeze Pavilion. So it was the Peach Blossom Taoist’s divine elixir that you had!”
“Such a fine thing, and you didn’t share it with us good friends sooner? You must be punished for this!”
“Alright, alright. Tomorrow, I’ll treat you at the Spring Breeze Pavilion. Is that okay?”
“Hahaha…”
A group of reckless young masters, accompanied by their house servants and attendants, were climbing up Peach Blossom Mountain for pleasure, until they arrived at the gates of the Peach Blossom Taoist temple.
“Cough cough!”
Upon seeing this, the handsome young master in the lead lightly coughed, reminding his companions, “Be a bit more serious. The Peach Blossom Taoist is a true cultivator who holds the law. We cannot be disrespectful. If we displease the Taoist…”
“Don’t worry, we understand!”
Hearing this, the group restrained their frivolity slightly and tidied up their clothes before entering the temple.
But no sooner had they stepped through the gates than the whole party was rooted to the spot in shock.
“This…!!”
Inside the Peach Blossom Taoist temple, the courtyard was laid out with stacks of yellow talismans and sealed jars surrounded by a ghastly aura. There were also several undecayed corpses and fully skeletal remains on the ground.
The carefree young masters had never seen such a horrifying sight. After being stunned for a moment, they finally came to their senses and, in a panic, scrambled and tumbled out of the Peach Blossom Taoist temple.
And so, a day passed.
The following day, at noon, a procession climbed the mountain in a rush.
Leading them was an official, followed by a group of constables. Accompanying them were a monk and a Taoist, both outsiders in their own right.
The group made haste up the mountain and into the Peach Blossom Taoist temple, where they saw the Yin altar bone cups, the corpses and skeletons, and a pink peach blossom garment on the ground.
“This…”
“Has the Peach Blossom Taoist met with misfortune?”
“Was it an attack by demons, or a haunting by ghosts?”
The officials looked on at the corpses and skeletons with unease, while the monk and the Taoist paid more attention to the piles of Yin altar bone cups and the pink peach blossom garment.
“Yin altar bone cups!”
“Reeking of ghostly qi!”
“Certainly the work of a ghost demon, evil cultivator!”
“Was the Peach Blossom Taoist secretly harmed by a demon?
“That can’t be right. If a demon had come to secretly harm the Peach Blossom Taoist, why would they leave these items behind?”
The monk and the Taoist exchanged glances, both full of doubt and uncertainty.
At that moment…
“Creak~!”
With the sound of a door opening, a person emerged from the inner hall.
He wore a tall hat, his robe covered with a black veil. His sword-like eyebrows were akin to a tiger’s wings, and his piercing eyes glinted with a severe light. His middle-aged face had temples touched by frost, yet he did not show his age. A beard as graceful as willow leaves flowed elegantly, yet he bore no hint of the ethereal bearing of a Taoist sage, displaying instead a formidable aura of swift and decisive action that made one’s heart tremble and feel the pressure.
As he opened the door and stepped out, the assembled group was startled. The head constable beside the official felt the stimulation of the man’s powerful presence and unconsciously drew his blade halfway.
Seeing this, the monk and the Taoist were also taken aback, but as cultivators above the ordinary, they quickly composed themselves and watched the newcomer with wary eyes.
He, on the other hand, paid no heed to them and stepped into the courtyard facing the gathered officials, the monk, and the Taoist. “This place’s Peach Blossom Taoist was a ghostly demon, an evil practitioner,” he declared. “He has been slain by me!”
With that, he pointed his two-fingered sword-like gesture. “These Yin altar bone cups and corpses are the evil works of witchcraft unearthed from within this temple!”
Then, turning to the crowd, he spoke in a cold voice, “I, a wandering cultivator, have come here to enforce justice on behalf of the heavens, slaying this demon. From now on, Peach Blossom Mountain and the Peach Blossom Taoist temple shall be renamed Mount Jilei and Mingxiao Taoist temple. Does anyone object?”
“This…”
The people looked at each other, unsure of how to respond.
The monk and the Taoist narrowed their brows, filled with doubt and disbelief.
“What’s the matter?”
Xu Yang swept over them with a cold gaze. “Do you all believe I am unfit to occupy this Taoist sanctuary?”
As he spoke, beneath his robe, thunder and lightning swirled like dragons, startling everyone.
“This…”
“Thunder magic!!!”
Seeing this display, the pupils of the crowd constricted, and the monk and the Taoist were horrified.
For a moment, the atmosphere was tense and at a standstill.
In the end, it was the official who broke the silence.
“Taoist master, please hold back your divine skills!”
The official chuckled lightly and stepped forward to diffuse the tension. “I have long felt that both the Peach Blossom Taoist temple and the Peach Blossom Taoist were odd and eerie, unlike the benevolent sort. To find out he was an evil cultivator, masquerading as a genuine Taoist true man, and now for you, master, to have slain him and are willing to station yourself here to deter demons and evils—this is indeed a blessing for the people of North City!”
Having said this, the official saluted with cupped hands and inquired with a smile, “May I ask for your respected name and the place of practice, Taoist master?”
Xu Yang remained indifferent, stating coldly, “I am Shi Jian, a loose cultivator.”
“So, it is Taoist Shi Jian!”
Despite his aloof demeanor, the official didn’t mind and continued with a smile, “Master Taoist, by slaying the demon and taking over this Taoist temple, you protect the safety of these lands, and for that, you are indeed a blessing to the local people.”
“I will immediately report back, and have this mountain renamed Mount Jilei, this temple as Mingxiao Taoist temple, and henceforth, it will be recognized as your sanctuary.”
Then turning to the monk and Taoist, he asked, “Master White Mountain and Daoist Green River, what are your views on this matter?”
“This…”
After exchanging glances, they looked at Xu Yang again, then bowed in unison.
“We have no objections!”
“This Peach Blossom Demon hid so deep; it is only thanks to Daoist friend’s penetrating vision that we weren’t caught in its scheme!”
“Whether we live or die is of small consequence; the catastrophe it could have brought upon the common people is what truly matters. Your actions, Daoist friend, are of immeasurable merit. It is only right for you to enter this mountain.”
Their words were not flattery but clarification and detachment.
Although they did not know the origins of the person before them, the display of Thunder Skill alone was enough to prove his identity.
After all, Thunder Skill is the most revered among the various methods of Taoism, encompassing the pivot of heaven and earth and holding the greatest authority. It is vehemently opposed to all Evil Path cultivation methods, except for some deviant thunder, demonic thunder, and sinister thunder spells. Thus, Thunder Skill is the hallmark of a true practitioner of the Taoist Path, the pillar of the Righteous Path.
The thunder and lightning he had just summoned were of pure energy and formidable power, certainly not the thunder of trickery and evil. He was undoubtedly a high-ranking figure of the Righteous Path.
Although he claimed to be a loose cultivator unwilling to disclose his sect, this did not affect his status as a Thunder Cultivator of the Righteous Path in the slightest. His slaying of the Peach Blossom Taoist was an act of exorcising demons and guarding the Dao.
As local cultivators, they could not only find no fault in him but also needed to quickly dissociate themselves, especially since they had had dealings with the Peach Blossom Taoist. While not extensive, their interactions were not insignificant.
If they didn’t clarify and the other party suspected them of being Evil Cultivators, what then?
It is known that Thunder Cultivators act swiftly and decisively, abhorring evil as if it were their sworn enemy, and ready to strike at a moment’s notice.
They certainly did not wish to clash with such an individual.
“Then it is settled,” said Xu Yang, without further comment. He waved his hand, and thunder roared, lightning like fire, shattering the Yin Altar, bone cup, and skeleton on the ground into ash.
Witnessing this scene, everyone was startled and filled with even greater reverence.
“Truly pure Thunder Skill!”
“This person’s strength must not be underestimated!”
“If that Peach Blossom Taoist really was a Ghost Path Evil Cultivator, dying at his hands was destined!”
“Having this person in North City County is also a good thing; at least, he can suppress the arrogance of that Old Demon from Orchid Temple!”
The White Mountain Monk and Daoist Green River were secretly alarmed but kept their composure as they bid farewell to the crowd and left.
Xu Yang didn’t see them out and soon returned to the temple.
This world, although not as overrun with deities and Buddhas as the Black Water World, is not to be underestimated.
The transmissions of the Three Teaching Sect, the various powers, and the multitude of demons, evil spirits, and hidden dragons and crouching tigers are all present.
In such a world, it’s impossible to establish a firm foothold without an official identity.
That’s why Xu Yang staged this whole play-to occupy Peach Blossom Mountain as his Daoist ground under the identity of “Shi Jian,” avoiding later accusations of being a demon or an Evil Path cultivator when recruiting disciples and expanding his influence, which would attract the suppression of high-ranking figures from the Three Teachings.
Additionally, with such an identity, he might gradually join the Taoist sects and strive for the core Divine Soul cultivation methods.
Of course, that was for later.
The immediate priority was to enhance his strength.
In the secret chamber, Xu Yang sat on a meditation cushion, with three Taoist scriptures laid out before him.
The “Supreme Cave True Spirit Cultivation Scripture” needs no further mention, for it is a True Scripture of Taoism. To cultivate the mana and Taoist Cultivation of this world, one must study this scripture and practice diligently day and night.
The “Nine Heavens’ Responsive Thunder Sound Universal Transformation Heavenly Venerable Jade Shu Sutra” is a True Scripture for Thunder Skill, capable of greatly enhancing his power to guard and battle for the Dao. Since it is a Righteous Way of Cultivation, there are no shortcuts to rapid success. One can only rely on their own foundation—the stronger the foundation, the stronger the Thunder Skill.
Therefore, there wasn’t much to be said about these two matters—it was all about enduring!
On the contrary, the “Xuanming True Person’s Ghost Controlling Method” offered several shortcuts.
In the world of Taoist cultivation, there are six major realms, namely Taoist Children, Taoist Man, Taoist, Mage, True Man, and True Monarch.
According to Xu Yang’s understanding and comparison, Taoist Children, Taoist Man, and Taoist correspond to the three realms of Inner Yuan in the Martial Path, the early, middle, and late stages of Qi Cultivation respectively. There was nothing much to say about these, as they were all about diligently practicing Taoist methods to increase Taoist cultivation (Divine Soul).
The fourth realm, the Mage, corresponds to the Martial Path Condensing Spirit, completion of Qi Cultivation, where one can cultivate a Yin Soul and cast Curse Spells.
The fifth realm, the True Man, for Martial Path Golden Core practitioners who have established their foundation, can project their Yin Soul out of their body, so that even in death, their spirit does not perish.
The sixth realm, the True Monarch, correlates to levels beyond Golden Core, where practitioners can transform Yin into Yang and travel from the North Sea to Cangwu in a single day.
The Peach Blossom Taoist was a Mage, who had already cultivated a Yin Soul, capable of casting a variety of Curse Spells, undeniably strong.
Unfortunately, born from an illegitimate line and being an Evil Cultivator, he was caught by Xu Yang at an opportune time and subdued with the power of thunder, which obliterated him completely.
If he were a cultivator from a proper lineage, with Xu Yang’s current state of being at a mere third realm of Martial Path True Gang, he wouldn’t have been able to touch him.
Too bad, this ‘if’ does not hold.
The Peach Blossom Taoist is dead.
But the Ghost Enslaving Skills he left behind have something extraordinary about them.
Although the Thunder Series is powerful, it requires a foundation. Without a hundred or eighty years of arduous cultivation, one shouldn’t even dream of seeing results.
This Ghost Enslaving Skill is different, though, offering many shortcuts and various wonderful uses.
Now, Xu Yang had his eye on a specific technique involving Underworld Soldiers and Ghost Generals.
“Increase Life and Damage Fate” two Generals!
This skill requires the malevolent souls of Underworld Soldiers as the base, preferably the souls of generals who died on the battlefield. Once captured and fed with a large number of evil spirits, when a certain level is reached, they can be refined into the “Increase Life General” and the “Life-shortening General,” also known as the Increase and Decrease Two Generals.
The Increase and Decrease Two Generals only kill and do not save. By slaughtering evil ghosts and devouring them, they can grow rapidly, and they can even provide their own Yin Yuan to their master through the “Increase and Decrease” method, enhancing their master’s mana, boosting their master’s Taoist cultivation, and even extending their lifespan.
The benefits are numerous.
However, the drawback is also clear—it is extremely easy to lose control.
Since a General’s soul is naturally unruly and is the most ferocious of Underworld Souls, after being refined into the Increase and Decrease Two Generals and consuming millions of evil spirits, they essentially become an embodiment of “evil.” If something goes wrong and they can’t be controlled, the two Generals will become great Ghost Kings and turn on their master.
Therefore, without sufficient power to suppress them, one should never cultivate the Increase and Decrease Two Generals, or else it is tantamount to giving away one’s life.
Like the Peach Blossom Taoist who had the sense to understand this, he would rather spend time and effort to gather the “Three Aunts and Six Wives,” the nine ghosts, than cultivate the more powerful and beneficial Increase and Decrease Two Generals for fear of losing control and being devoured by them.
But Xu Yang had no such worry.
With just the methods from “Xuanming True Person’s Ghost Controlling Method,” he might not be able to suppress the Increase and Decrease Two Generals, but what if he added the “Nine Heavens’ Responsive Thunder Sound Universal Transformation Heavenly Venerable Jade Shu Sutra” to the mix?
Let them rebel and see what happens?
Therefore, Xu Yang decided to find a way to refine the “Increase Life and Damage Fate” two Generals.
At the same time, he would study the Taoist Scriptures, diligently practice the Thunder Series—three pronged approach.
In this way, before long, he would be able to acquire a significant fighting force and securely establish himself in this world filled with demons and strangeness!