Chapter 40: The Wind And Moon Cross The Rivers And Seas (Part 2)
Lying in bed, Bai Chunsheng had his first bout of insomnia.
And it was all because of that detestable Yan Jingqiu.
Compared to his initial confusion, now he was even more at a loss.
What was he supposed to do about this?
Bai Chunsheng flipped over, facing the screen that separated him from Yan Yi. The large peonies embroidered in golden thread seemed like the blade of a sword about to strike at his head. He felt it was an ominous sight, so he turned again.
This time, he faced the mountain wall of the cave. The cracks in the wall, formed by water patterns, looked like the sword that Yan Jingqiu would use to chop off his head. Ugh, so unlucky.
Helpless, Bai Chunsheng had no choice but to lie flat on his back. The ceiling of the cave was pitch-black, not a good omen either.
He had never had trouble sleeping before—whenever he closed his eyes, he’d fall into a deep sleep immediately.
All thanks to Yan Yi.
Besides his insomnia, this was the first time Bai Chunsheng began to miss the Yan Jingqiu who hadn’t lost his memory.
At least the old Yan Jingqiu could understand human words, and he didn’t have any improper intentions toward him.
Bai Chunsheng cursed Yan Jingqiu in his heart for being a pervert.
Bai Chunsheng closed his eyes.
Bai Chunsheng fell asleep.
He started dreaming, smacking his lips in his sleep. His feathers were white as snow, with a flat beak and feet hidden beneath his belly, soft as cotton.
Yan Yi, hearing Bai Chunsheng’s sighs and tosses from behind the screen, thought Bai Chunsheng might eventually give in and try to talk to him. However, after waiting for a while, Yan Yi noticed that Bai Chunsheng was still completely silent. He got up again, moved past the screen, and saw Bai Chunsheng peacefully sleeping.
He looked completely innocent.
Just a moment ago, Bai Chunsheng had been worried that he had ulterior motives toward him, yet now he was already asleep without a care in the world.
Really, quite amusing.
In the early hours, the deep mist surrounded Tian Nan City, and Yusheng Sect seemed like a floating leaf trapped in a swamp.
At the peak of the highest mountain, inside the towering palace, thousands of lamps burned brightly. Usually, the palace was bustling with servants coming and going, but now, not a single shadow could be seen. The palace was filled with a chilling aura. The head of Yusheng Sect, along with the major peak leaders and elders, were kneeling respectfully in the main hall, waiting for the arrival of the disciples from Tianqing Sect.
Xu Suifeng was also among those present, kneeling behind the sect master. He noticed the sect master, whose hair and beard were entirely white, sweating profusely from his forehead. Yet, the sect master didn’t dare to wipe it away, remaining fearfully kneeling on the ground.
Though the people of Yusheng Sect suspected that the incident at the Fuyu Mountain was caused by a demon, facing the truth was another matter entirely.
More importantly, they still hadn’t caught the demon.
They still have no clues at all.
They had no leads, no idea where it came from, or where it had fled. Demons were insatiable creatures and wouldn’t pass up the opportunity to devour fresh, living flesh when it was right before them. At the time, Mu Tingting and Gong Yuanzhi were unconscious, the perfect prey. The demon couldn’t have just let them go.
The ground had been covered with dried blood and flesh, and they did consider whether the demon might have died.
However, judging by the density of demonic energy in the bamboo forest, it wasn’t something an ordinary Nascent Soul cultivator could handle. There were only a handful of Nascent Soul cultivators in the Shattered Stone Mortal Realm, and none were near the Fuyu Mountain during those days. It seemed unlikely the demon would spontaneously disintegrate and die.
The only possibility was that the demon had left on its own, but why would it flee in such haste?
This major incident occurring during his tenure likely meant he would be demoted and punished again. The sect master let out a long sigh. Unlike the native inhabitants of the Shattered Stone Mortal Realm, he had been exiled here after committing a grave mistake.
The old sect master gave a bitter smile, thinking how, even in his final centuries, he hadn’t had a moment of peace. He could only hope his wife and daughter wouldn’t be implicated by his troubles.
This matter couldn’t be hidden or covered up; it was too significant. The issue with the demon touched upon the very foundations of the cultivation world. Even a slight oversight could lead to catastrophe, and then it would be too late.
The people of Yusheng Sect knelt there, waiting from dawn until the early morning hours, yet no message came from Tianqing Sect.
This was very unusual.
In the past, even the slightest hint of demonic activity would prompt Tian Qing Sect to immediately dispatch envoys for thorough investigation, leaving no clue unchecked. But this time, it was a genuine demon!
Amid the kneeling crowd, someone suddenly muttered, “Could something have happened at the upper sect as well…?”
“Impossible!” someone quickly retorted.
The sect master sternly rebuked, “Silence! Shut up!”
No one spoke again, but the suspicion lingered in their hearts.
… Could the demon’s trouble not be confined to their Shattered Stone Mortal Realm?
The Sword Sovereign had only recently passed, and the seemingly stable world was on the verge of chaos once more.
A wave of realization and dread surged through their minds.
The speculations of these people were not unfounded. However, the reason Tianqing Sect neglected the Shattered Stone Mortal Realm was not due to the demon but because they were struggling to protect themselves.
The news of Daoist Changping’s death had spread thoroughly across the grand world. This formidable Tribulation Transcendence cultivator, who, given his age, should have been in his prime, had quietly passed away at Qiuru Mountain in the Eastern Sea.
His corpse was intact, his expression peaceful, as if lost in a long, serene dream.
But Changping Zhenren* was unmistakably dead.
Note: Zhenren means Daoist master.
His cultivation had completely dissipated, and the fragments of the Great Dao he carried had merged into Qiuru Mountain, as if the sacred mountain had absorbed him entirely.
Qiuru Mountain produced a peculiar stone fruit resembling a stone gallbladder. When cracked open, it was filled with a milky white liquid, highly toxic and inedible. The sole purpose of these stone fruits was that, once opened and left to sit, the liquid would slowly gather into an intricate pattern containing Dao symbols.
Before anyone could unravel its mysteries, Qiuru Mountain suddenly uprooted itself a few days ago and vanished from a corner of the Eastern Sea.
Changping Daoist’s death dealt a nearly fatal blow to Tianqing Sect, far more significant than Bai Jianghan’s demise at the hands of the Ten Thousand Demon Sect.
The reason was simple: Bo Yan had taken up residence in the Ten Thousand Demon Sect. The demon clans of Water Abyss Realm were not weak. Though no one had yet seen Bo Yan’s true form, his cunning and meticulous nature set him apart from Bai Jianghan. He left no trace, smoothly evading any major confrontations with large factions. This slippery dragon seemed to have no weaknesses.
Under his leadership, the overall strength of the Ten Thousand Demon Sect had not diminished but rather increased.
Most crucially, with Changping gone, Tianqing Sect had no capable successors. Much of the Middle Realm’s power rested under Tianqing Sect’s dominion, making it a coveted prize for many.
In the past few days, some had even sought to probe the opinion of the patriarch of the Yan family. Despite the loss of their Sword Sovereign, Yan Jiexing’s survival ensured that the Yan family remained largely unscathed.
Yan Jiexing, nearing the end of his lifespan, had no intention of perishing in a disastrous calamity like Bai Jianghan. He cheerfully remarked on the fickleness of fate, lamenting for his grandson just like the Tianqing Sect lamenting for Daoist Changping.
Since this mighty Transcendence cultivator chose not to partake in the current chaos, Tianqing Sect, devoid of its protector, became an unguarded cake for anyone to devour.
The cultivators under Tianqing Sect were either fleeing or had already escaped. The chaos had persisted for several days, and the situation was far from settled. The major sects that once had close ties with Tianqing Sect took advantage of the disorder, tearing away substantial benefits for themselves.
The cultivators of Yusheng Sect were unaware of these events. They continued to wait in the main hall for seven days.
Finally, the jade token connecting them to the higher sect emitted a soft white glow.
The previously drowsy cultivators were awakened by the light and eagerly urged the old sect master, “Is it news from the emissary of the higher sect?”
The old sect master raised both hands, activating the special technique designed to summon back the jade token.
The glowing token floated unsteadily in the air, and a strange female voice they had never heard before echoed, “From now on, this region will be managed by Cuiwei Palace.”
“Yusheng Sect’s annual tribute remains the same, but the tribute of Fire Spirit Stones will be doubled.”
The few people in the hall were momentarily stunned upon hearing this.
After a brief silence, someone with quick reflexes immediately shouted:
“Thank you, emissary!”
“It’s an honor for us.”
The old sect master flipped his hand, retrieving the token, and carefully placed it back on the shelf. Following his instructions, the elders and peak masters of Yusheng Sect lit incense and bowed in worship.
Their faces were all grim, but with the token present, they dared not let the emissary from Cuiwei Palace notice their discontent.
After everything was handled, the old sect master reactivated the sealing formation within the hall, carefully securing the token and preparing for the next instructions from the higher sect.
Once the hall’s doors were slowly closed by the attendants, Xu Suifeng, after pondering for a long time, slowly spoke, “Something has happened to Tianqing Sect.”
They didn’t know the specifics, but it was undoubtedly a significant event.
Someone sighed, “Doesn’t this mean… our ancestor might be…” in grave danger.
Most cultivators who ascended from Yusheng Sect would join Tianqing Sect. Because of this, those in Yusheng Sect who were aware of the grand world felt a sense of shared destiny with their higher sect.
Though they didn’t know exactly what had happened to Tianqing Sect, for the higher sect to abandon its direct subordinate sect, it was evident that things were not going well.
After a few incense sticks’ time, someone asked, “Does the emissary from Cuiwei Palace know about the demonic presence on Fuyuu Mountain?”
“She didn’t mention it. Perhaps when we relayed the message, Tianqing Sect had just encountered trouble, and no one was available to handle the issue.”
—Later, Yusheng Sect was taken over by Cuiwei Palace. However, the new emissary from Cuiwei Palace didn’t pay much attention to Yusheng Sect’s affairs, merely reviewing the previous information.
“Should we bring it up again?”
Someone hesitantly suggested.
This could potentially become a disaster threatening the world. The demon had not been captured yet, and it would require an emissary from the grand world to come and catch it.
The old sect master, with his hair white and face lined like the bark of an old tree, smiled kindly, “No need.”
“We have already sent the message. Whether it gets handled—”
He swallowed the blood welling up in his throat and coldly continued, “That is now Cuiwei Palace and this new emissary’s problem.”
His hand, hidden within his sleeve, was carefully touching a silver token engraved with a name—his wife’s, who had served as an outer sect attendant at Tianqing Sect.
Now, the token was broken.
Author’s note:
Bai Chunsheng (yelling desperately): Where is everyone? Where are the people hunting down Yan Jingqiu?!
Yan Yi: ⊙ω⊙
Bai Chunsheng: ( ’ – ’ * )
Huge shoutout to @_nyanmaru_ on Discord for commissioning this! The chapter will be posted regularly, show your support for Ciacia at Kofi.
