bookbashuk Chapter 43 Heart Lake Serpent
Chapter 43 Heart Lake Serpent
In the northwest corner of Lihentian, there is a desolate cliff.
The clouds and mist churned, and there was no one around.
Jinjiao stood on a protruding rock, his expression suddenly darkening.
"This is troublesome!"
The bell in the young Taoist priest's hand was realistic enough, but he forgot to erase the traces of its ritualistic refinement.
Because that bell was one he had personally crafted.
His spirit and vitality are still imprinted on the clock.
But will that little Taoist priest know?
Golden Horn lowered its eyes, its gaze piercing through the clouds and mist, as if trying to see through the Thirty-Three Heavens, landing on the Taoist priest in the lower realm.
If that Taoist priest were astute enough, he might have noticed something amiss inside the bell...
Will he stop the ritual?
I will still gather that last bit of energy and spirit, trace it back to its source, and find it here.
The hand hidden in the golden sleeve slowly clenched, and his eyes gradually turned cold and ruthless.
What if it causes a scene?
Following the clues to find Laozi's disciples—absolutely not!
He closed his eyes.
Once this matter escalates, it will be extremely difficult to control.
Golden Horn recalled the demons he had encountered when he descended to the mortal realm with Laozi.
Covered in fur and horns, amidst bloodshed and carnage, they were hunted down by immortals like stray dogs!
Who knows, I might also be banished to the mortal realm and fall back into that state.
He stood there on the edge of the cliff, motionless for a long time, his face growing increasingly grim.
"elder brother."
Silver Horn's voice suddenly rang out from behind.
Jinjiao snapped back to his senses and turned around; his face had returned to normal.
Silver Horn stood a few steps away, his eyes filled with worry: "Has something happened?"
"It's nothing." Jinjiao shook his head and walked back to his side.
He looked down at the sea of clouds: "That little Taoist priest, I feel he's still a menace if left unattended. I'm thinking of finding an opportunity to kill him, to destroy his soul, so that people can have peace of mind."
Silver Horn frowned: "The master is going to start refining pills again soon, and neither of us can get away."
Jinjiao chuckled lightly, a hint of arrogance in his expression.
"I have a wide circle of friends; I can just ask a few of them to help."
Golden Horn patted him on the shoulder: "Go back and refine that treasure properly, don't worry about it."
Silver Horn nodded, and the two brothers walked back side by side.
The clouds surged behind them, gradually engulfing the rock where they had just stood.
In the distance, a huge, invisible sound could be faintly heard rolling by.
.....
.....
The night passed quietly without incident.
Nestled in the verdant mountains, in the Peach Blossom Valley.
At dawn, the mountain god was studying talismans when he was suddenly startled by a child's cry.
A little tiger woke up and roared loudly, like a naughty child who didn't know his own strength.
The shout woke everyone up one by one.
It turns out that this hastily rebuilt mountain god temple is really small, and everyone slept together in one place last night.
Whether it is a tiger, a fox, a rabbit, or a monkey, they are all creatures covered in fur.
As they squeezed together, they slept with unusual peace and tranquility.
"Awoo!"
A little tiger suddenly rushed out the door, its body creating a gust of wind as it ran.
The wind swirled faster and faster, and it excitedly leaped several meters high, circling the mountain god temple.
He was also shouting things like "I've broken through."
The other three tiger cubs quickly followed, chasing each other and running together in a chaotic frenzy.
The tiger demon excitedly rushed into the lively scene, instructing them on how to better control the wind.
Several little fox spirits and rabbit spirits huddled together, chattering excitedly about their respective changes.
One little fox spirit was particularly proud, wagging her newly grown second white tail and showing it off to her companions.
Zhong Xuan smiled as he looked at the thriving scene.
These are all creatures under his rule; it's always a good thing that they've made progress.
He turned to Feng Lisheng and asked, "What level of progress do these little guys make?"
Feng Lisheng said, "According to the cultivation levels of humans, the Green Sheep Spirit has been cultivating its demon body for over eight hundred years, which is truly a great tonic. These little tiger spirits probably already have the foundation of the late stage of Qi Induction, and with the inherent strength of their tiger bodies, it wouldn't be a problem for them to crack a large rock with a full-force palm strike."
As they were talking, Fox Little Red came closer.
She bowed gracefully to the mountain god, mimicking the manner of a human woman, and shyly greeted him with a "Good morning." Only then did she interject, "If we're only talking about brute force like breaking stones, we fox spirits, and rabbit spirits like Rabbit Xiaoyu, are no match for humans at the same level."
Zhong Xuan then asked them how their injuries were.
The two little demons waved their hands and feet happily, indicating that they were all healed.
The meat of that green sheep demon is incredibly nourishing; it's truly miraculous.
Zhong Xuan waved his hand, signaling everyone to move to the side.
He harnessed the power of the earth's veins, causing several rough mounds to rise from the ground, forming a circle.
In the center is a low earthen table, with a surrounding mat for sitting cross-legged around it.
"Come on, try this." Zhong Xuan said with considerable pride.
The demons, curious, gathered around and sat down cross-legged as instructed.
Feng Lisheng shifted his body and said, "It's quite comfortable."
The two little demons nodded in agreement.
Zhong Xuan smiled and said, "The key lies in the details. I adjusted the curvature, so it's naturally comfortable to sit in."
Upon closer inspection, the three demons indeed saw that the mound of earth was concave inward, with a small arc that was just the right size.
At this moment, the old stone toad slowly crawled over, with Tao Yaoyao on its head.
The little thing was a bit shy, shrinking back timidly.
Zhong Xuan beckoned the little guy over to sit on the table.
Tao Yaoyao then became happy and jumped onto the table.
They both looked much better than last night, and their injuries should have healed to about 70-80%.
Feng Lisheng asked Tao Yaoyao curiously, "What abilities do you have? I only know that the Mountain God has many abilities, and the Old Stone Toad can spew stone gas that can petrify things."
Tao Yaoyao shook her peach-like little head and thought seriously for a while: "Before... I could make peach trees sprout and make peaches grow bigger and sweeter. Yesterday, after listening to the Mountain God's teachings, I also learned how to make the grass in the ground grow quickly. Does that count as a skill?"
Upon hearing this, Feng Lisheng scratched his ears and laughed, "Count, count! This skill is amazing. Do you know that there is a Peach Garden in the Heavenly Court? Even the peach growers are celestial officials! If you practice hard in the future, you might be able to go to Heaven and become a fairy maid or something that grows peaches."
Tao Yaoyao's eyes immediately lit up, as if she had suddenly found the "meaning of life".
It nodded vigorously, indicating that it was determined to practice its skills diligently.
Rabbit Xiaoyu and Fox Xiaohong also came over, asking curiously what about them.
The group of little foxes and rabbit spirits around them, about eight or nine in total, also pricked up their ears.
Feng Lisheng snorted, not very politely: "You two? That's difficult. Your birth background is very important. One of you is a fire fox, and the other is a jade rabbit. Perhaps your ancestors were some notable figures, which is why you awakened your spirituality."
The two little demons were delighted to hear this.
Feng Lisheng abruptly changed the subject: "But there are countless rabbit and fox spirits like you in the world. Nine out of ten are destined to be lowly demons their entire lives—and even among the millions of mortals, how many can truly become immortals?"
The two little demons immediately looked gloomy, and the little demons beside them also wilted.
After Feng Lisheng finished speaking, he and the others looked at the mountain god.
Zhong Xuan said leisurely, "Yes. If you don't awaken this bit of intelligence, you will still be ordinary rabbits and foxes, living your lives in ignorance."
"Now that I have spirituality, I am instead experiencing distress."
"Even if you can't become demon immortals or ascend to the Heavenly Court, are you willing to squander your spirituality and return to being wild beasts?"
The demons all shook their heads.
"Of course not!"
A loud reply came from outside the door.
The tiger demon led her cubs in and happened to overhear this conversation.
She had several tiger cubs say goodbye to the mountain god, saying that she was leading them back home.
Zhong Xuan asked, "You haven't finished eating the Green Sheep Demon's meat yet, and you're already leaving?"
The tiger demon said, "We can't let them get fat, or they'll be craving something every day. We can only eat that meat for a few more meals. We'll take some back, but we'll need the mountain god's permission."
Zhong Xuan nodded, and with a flick of his wrist, several leaves appeared in his palm.
These were the green leaf talismans he made throughout the night, and their effects wouldn't last long.
But the power is not much different, and it's enough for temporary self-defense.
He flicked his fingers, and the talismans floated to the foreheads of the tiger cubs and gently affixed to them.
"I am the mountain god of this place, and I have many enemies in secret."
He looked up at the distant mountains: "This is a newly made wind-summoning talisman from last night, which I've slightly modified. When you activate it with your demonic power, just think of which way the wind will blow, and it will blow in that direction, thus empowering yourself. If you encounter danger, you can either use the wind to escape quickly or direct the wind in the opposite direction."
The tiger demon blinked, glanced at the few little tigers who were only focused on their own enjoyment and completely unaware of the talisman's value, then looked at Zhong Xuan: "Does the Mountain God... want to take us as his guardian spirit beasts?"
Zhong Xuan shook his head: "Since you are the creatures of this mountain, as long as I am the mountain god, I will protect you. My thoughts and actions are none of your business, so don't worry about them. You may leave now."
Upon hearing this, the tiger demon revealed a sly smile: "With the words of the Mountain God, I feel embarrassed to leave just like that. How about this, I'll take them around the area and inquire about the movements throughout the mountain for you, as a way of repaying this meal of green sheep demon meat."
With that, she reached out and grabbed the mischievous little tiger that was trying to pluck the green leaf from its companion's forehead. She pinched the scruff of its neck, lifted it up, and gave it two loud slaps on the bottom, yelling, "Don't bully people!"
After the filming was finished, her face suddenly stiffened as she remembered that the Mountain God was watching from the side.
The tiger demon's face flushed slightly. Without saying anything more, he hurriedly waved his hand, creating a gust of demonic wind that carried away several tiger cubs.
Zhong Xuan then distributed the green leaf talismans to each of the little rabbits and fox spirits present.
He then told Rabbit Xiaoyu and Fox Xiaohong that they could stay and keep him company, or they could leave, it was up to them.
Feng Lisheng also got up to say goodbye, saying he was going to take a stroll around the neighborhood.
It also tried to find out some information, just like the tiger demon, as a way of repaying the kindness of the meal last night.
Before leaving, he asked again, "Mountain God, how's the incense offering coming along?"
Zhong Xuan smiled and said, "We are still short by more than two thousand pillars."
Feng Lisheng shook his head upon hearing this, said "Take care," and then left.
Rabbit Xiaoyu and Fox Xiaohong also need to lead the little ones back home.
The temple fell silent immediately.
The old stone toad let out a soft cry and slowly moved to the entrance of the mountain god temple.
Then he lay down on the ground and stopped moving.
Zhong Xuan chuckled to himself.
However, one person was left to volunteer as a door god.
……
A few miles east of Taoxi Valley.
Deep within the Cuiyun Mountains, at the apex of a spiritual vein, sits a rare and wondrous cave.
The spiritual energy around the cave was surging and lingering.
Nourished by the spiritual energy year after year, the plants and trees grew ever more lush and verdant.
It was quiet all around.
Only the gentle rustling of the breeze through the branches and leaves conveys a sense of secluded tranquility.
The Rakshasa woman stood in front of the cave entrance and raised her hand to straighten her clothes.
Her imbalance of the five elements has never been resolved.
Previously, she had harmonized Yin and Yang with that young man, which allowed her to experience the normal feeling of smooth flow of the five elements.
I've been struggling with this decision all night, but I still can't bring myself to let it go.
Even if not for the purpose of restoring the five vital energies, it is for the sake of the restlessness and palpitations in one's heart.
This time, we set off straight for Jisa Kingdom.
She looked at the two maids guarding the cave entrance and solemnly instructed them, "I'm going out for a while. You two guard the cave well, don't get into any conflicts with anyone, and just behave yourselves."
The maids, puzzled, asked in unison, "Master, are you going to visit a friend?"
The Rakshasa woman shook her head and replied, "Go and seek an opportunity to restore the imbalance of the five elements."
Having said that, she said no more, and with a wave of her hand, summoned a gust of demonic wind.
Leaping into the wind, flying swiftly all the way.
It headed straight towards the eastern suburbs outside the borders of the Kingdom of Jisa.
She planned to go to Qingyang Temple to ask around, hoping to find out some information.
……
Meanwhile, inside the Qingyang Temple on the eastern outskirts of the Kingdom of Jisa.
Only Zhong Xuan and Monkey were in the abbot's bedroom.
A thin layer of spiritual smoke filled the room.
The ethereal smoke, white as morning mist, slowly swirled within the room.
The whole room exudes a vibrant spiritual energy, thanks to the clever location of Qingyang Temple.
Zhong Xuan sat upright on the ground, slowly closed his eyes, and took a long breath.
The spiritual smoke filling the room seemed to be drawn by an invisible force.
Like a whale sucking in water, these inspirations manifested and surged towards his mouth and nose.
This inhalation lasted for a full three minutes.
The monkey stood to one side, its eyes shining brightly.
It was filled with joy, and it even deliberately held back its shouts.
After all, he had been restrained by Zhang Chengming's talisman and was powerless to resist.
The battle between Brother Ren and Zhang Chengming was also fraught with danger!
It sincerely hoped that its brother would become stronger.
Only when the brothers are strong enough to fight the bad guys together can they truly avoid being bullied.
The monkey then recalled his days in Dongsheng Shenzhou when he first left Flower Fruit Mountain.
It was only a short time after it was born, yet it was already able to punch a tiger and kick a black bear.
Even the great ape general in the mountains was impressed by it, and that's when it established its proud spirit.
Later, at a small gathering on land and water near the West Sea, it learned the method of recovering energy during combat.
He felt that his strength had improved again, but in the end he still failed because of a small talisman.
Thinking of this, the monkey secretly began to make plans.
When Brother Ren opens his eyes later, I must ask him!
How should it deal with the strange power of that talisman?
Otherwise, you might suffer all sorts of losses in the future!
At this moment, Zhong Xuan was immersed in introspection.
Last night's fierce battle with Zhang Chengming made him realize the importance of strength even more.
To protect the path to immortality, one must have sufficient strength to uphold it, whether seeking the Dao or longevity.
Otherwise, if one dies and one's spiritual essence dissipates, everything will be in vain.
In his previous life, he created his own unique inner landscape within the imagery of the Tai Xuan Jing, visualizing the "Heart Lake".
The visualization method involves transforming one's own profound divine will into a bright moon hanging high above the lake of the heart, penetrating one's own mental state, and from then on, constantly adjusting one's physical and mental state to achieve non-action and emptiness.
Now that we've arrived in this Journey to the West world, the rules of heaven and earth have also been raised to a new level.
As a result, all aspects of his Tai Xuan Dao Foundation naturally rose accordingly.
Various abilities that were originally unremarkable are constantly becoming strange.
For example, the mindfulness of contemplating the lake also changed accordingly.
At this moment, in the lake of his heart, besides the original four things:
Beyond the Tai Xuan Divine Will Bright Moon, the Clear Heart Lake, the Evil-Slaying Flying Sword, and the Wind-Summoning Talisman.
Now, something else is quietly evolving and taking shape.
After seeing Abbess Jingyuan off late at night, he focused on absorbing spiritual energy and refining his magical power.
Then he reflected his own magical power onto the lake of his heart, which became known as the Dharma Serpent.
This serpent was entirely blue, about four or five meters long, and resembled a python—it looked exactly like the solid column of magical energy he exhaled.
This column of smoke, over ten feet long, is the symbol of the perfect completion of Qi cultivation.