The Daoist Descends the Mountain, Heroes Gather

The Daoist Descends the Mountain, Heroes Gather

Another stretch of quiet days passed as Jiang Sheng continued his secluded cultivation in the Daoist temple.

Yet news that Qingshan County was preparing to slay demons and vanquish evil had already spread like wildfire throughout Dongjun.

Many places across Qing Province had even learned that the magistrate of Qingshan County in Dongjun had sent out invitations far and wide, calling upon cultivators from every road to travel to Qingshan County and slay demons and vanquish evil.

Whoever could kill that demon would receive Qingshan County's patronage and be allowed to establish a Daoist sanctuary within the county.

What was more, the Qingshan County magistrate would report the matter to the imperial court and have them appointed as Daoist officials of Great Qi, granting them official status under the Great Qi court and a salary from the imperial treasury!

To Rogue Cultivators lacking cultivation resources and profound techniques, such a good thing was practically joy falling from the heavens!

One had to know that upon becoming a Daoist official of Great Qi, the Great Qi Dao Palace would certainly bestow cultivation techniques, along with all manner of cultivation resources.

The Great Qi court would also provide a corresponding salary, and they could even establish a Daoist sanctuary in any county under Great Qi's rule!

For Rogue Cultivators without backing or resources, this was undoubtedly gaining the greatest patron in the entire Qi Kingdom!

Thus, for a time, many Rogue Cultivators from the various prefectures of Qing Province who considered themselves highly skilled flocked to Qingshan County in Dongjun, hoping to use the demon of the Taiping River to carve out a bright future for themselves.

The Moon-Embracing Sect, one of Qing Province's three great sects, also announced that it would dispatch inner-sect Foundation Establishment disciples to Qingshan County to slay demons and vanquish evil, preserving peace in the region.

The Moon-Embracing Sect's declaration was undoubtedly due in part to Zhang Qing's friendship with Xu Xiao.

Besides, earning themselves a fine reputation while gathering more incense offerings along the way was no loss to the Moon-Embracing Sect.

As for whether the demon of the Taiping River could affect the Moon-Embracing Sect, that was simply the greatest joke in the world!

Who did not know that the sect master of Qing Province's Moon-Embracing Sect was a renowned Golden Core Realm cultivator?

With that Golden Core Realm sect master present, the Moon-Embracing Sect would remain free of worry for eight hundred years!

And so, as Zhang Qing continually sent people out to spread the word and stir things up, quite a few young cultivators became eager to make a move, hoping to seize this chance to make their names known throughout Qing Province.

This included quite a few young cultivators from Dongjun, but in the end, all of them were stopped by their own families.

The waters of the Taiping River ran deep—so deep that even many Dongjun aristocratic families could not make sense of what lay within. They only knew that the affairs of the Taiping River were not to be provoked, and that it was best to let sleeping dogs lie.

But to cultivators from outside Dongjun, the demon of the Taiping River was an excellent chance to rise to fame and advance their standing.

They did not fear danger. They only feared seeing no future ahead.

In the 39,825th year of the Shanhe Calendar, Qingshan County sent invitations far and wide, inviting Qing Province's heroes and young champions to gather at Qingshan in the depths of winter and join in this grand undertaking!

"Town Chief Tian, your Magistrate Zhang has certainly stirred up quite a commotion."

In the depths of winter, most of Qingping Mountain's trees had already withered yellow, and the weather had suddenly turned bitterly cold.

The mountains were even colder than outside, yet Jiang Sheng still wore only a thin azure Daoist robe.

By comparison, Tian Guofu, dressed in brocade robes and a sable cloak and looking like a giant field mouse, was freezing terribly. His hands were tucked into his sleeves, and his face had turned red from the cold.

"Daoist Jiang, you truly are one of the immortals," Tian Guofu said, deeply envious of Jiang Sheng. Through all four seasons, he wore but a single azure Daoist robe, unafraid of wind and rain, frost or cold.

"If this poor Daoist were truly one of the immortals, I would not be unable to settle my heart, nor would I be watching the affairs beyond the mountain."

Jiang Sheng stood in the front hall and raised a hand slightly. A Luo Sparrow flew over and landed upon it, chirping away as it occasionally tilted its head to glance at Jiang Sheng.

Naturally, Tian Guofu understood what Jiang Sheng meant.

Ever since Qingshan County Magistrate Zhang Qingyun had sent out invitations far and wide, who in all of Qing Province did not know that something major was about to happen in Qingshan County?

Quite a few Rogue Cultivators with genuine skill had rushed to Qingshan County, intending to slay demons and make names for themselves here.

Many of these Rogue Cultivators were Foundation Establishment cultivators. After arriving in Qingshan County and receiving Zhang Qingyun's warm hospitality, they grew even more full of themselves. Each believed that the moment to slay demons, vanquish evil, win fame, and establish merit had arrived.

As a result, not only did these Rogue Cultivators develop conflicts among themselves, each finding the others displeasing and believing them to be here to steal their credit.

They even took offense at Jiang Sheng, who had remained unseen in Qingping Mountain. They believed he was merely putting on the airs of an expert, when in truth his abilities were mediocre and he was simply fishing for fame.

Had they merely thought so, it would have been one thing. But some truly believed themselves formidable enough to come to Qingping Mountain and seek trouble with Jiang Sheng, hoping to first make their names by stepping on him.

Naturally, Jiang Sheng did not show such people any courtesy. Over this period, he had already dealt with four or five Rogue Cultivators who had come looking for trouble.

These Rogue Cultivators were not particularly capable, yet they could still disturb Jiang Sheng's quiet cultivation. Naturally, that left him displeased.

Thinking of those Rogue Cultivators who had been beaten down the mountain, gray-faced and filthy before fleeing in haste, Tian Guofu could not help but chuckle.

"Daoist Jiang's abilities are extraordinary indeed. How could those Rogue Cultivators compare with a great Penglai adept like you?"

Jiang Sheng glanced at Tian Guofu and said no more.

Ever since that day when Jiang Sheng had called Tian Guofu an interesting fellow, this town chief had frequently come up the mountain to visit him.

He sought neither immortal fortune nor favors. Every few days, he simply came by to tell Jiang Sheng amusing tales and rumors from outside, helping him pass the time. He truly deserved to be called an interesting fellow.

Jiang Sheng tacitly accepted this. After all, he had long lived in the mountains in secluded cultivation and truly needed to stay informed about the outside world.

As they went back and forth, the two had indeed come to resemble friends. Jiang Sheng tacitly allowed Tian Guofu to come up the mountain, and even permitted him to bring his grandson to burn incense and pay respects.

Jiang Sheng glanced at the young master of the Tian Family, who was reading beneath the portrait of the Penglai Patriarch in the front hall, then looked toward Tian Guofu. "Town Chief Tian, you should know what this poor Daoist truly means."

"If all Magistrate Zhang has invited are Rogue Cultivators with nothing but three-legged-cat tricks, then this demon-slaying and evil-vanquishing venture may as well be nothing more than a shout in the street."

"Every one of these people thinks highly of himself, yet none possesses much skill. When the time comes, will they be here to help, or to drag us down?"

"If they are all like this, then this poor Daoist truly must consider returning the red envelopes and fruit gifts."

Tian Guofu smiled. "Daoist, if you truly wish to know what they are capable of, why not go test them yourself?"

Jiang Sheng raised his head to look at the sky, then glanced at the Luo Sparrow in his hand and said softly, "Winter is good. The winter wind is bleak, and winter snow kills with solemn chill."

"Town Chief Tian speaks reasonably. Tomorrow, this poor Daoist shall descend the mountain and meet the heroes from all across Qing Province of the Qi Kingdom!"

Early the next morning, after cultivating in meditation through the night, Jiang Sheng had already adjusted his spirit and state of mind.

After straightening his robes and cap, Jiang Sheng closed the Daoist temple, leaped into the air, and rode the wind straight toward Qingshan County.

At the same time, within the Qingshan County yamen, Zhang Qingyun looked helplessly at the heroes from all over Qing Province who had gathered there to drink wine and eat meat.

The clamor made the place seem less like a government office and more like a hall where outlaws swore brotherhood.

There were forty or fifty people in the hall. Though most were Qi Refinement Rogue Cultivators, every person seated in the chairs to Zhang Qingyun's left and right was a Foundation Establishment cultivator!

Cultivation was already difficult for Rogue Cultivators, and to establish one's foundation alone was even more a blessing from heaven.

Though these Foundation Establishment Rogue Cultivators possessed no fine techniques or magic artifacts, every one of them had fought their way free from struggles with other Rogue Cultivators. The fact that they had established their foundations showed that they possessed at least some real ability.

Among them, several were especially famous. One was a brawny middle-aged man with loose hair and bare feet named Wenren Jie. He carried a heavy sword on his back, possessed formidable skill, and had already reached mid-stage Foundation Establishment.

Another was a young gentleman in white brocade robes with a treasured sword at his waist. Known as Young Master Kongxu, he was a Rogue Cultivator, yet he had inherited the legacy of a senior cultivator and had likewise reached mid-stage Foundation Establishment.

Then there was an old man wearing a patchwork robe and holding a green bamboo cane: Old Master Qiao Xuan.

He possessed the highest cultivation among these Rogue Cultivators, having reached late-stage Foundation Establishment. He had actually come to seek a future for his disciple.

The child of around thirteen or fourteen standing behind Old Master Qiao was his disciple. Though still young, he had already reached the fifth level of Qi Refinement and had every hope of establishing his foundation.

Aside from these renowned Rogue Cultivators, there was also a female cultivator who drew particular attention.

She did not sit together with the others, but instead sat with Zhang Qing, the magistrate's daughter, chatting and laughing.

With almond-shaped eyes, arched brows, and elegant features, she wore a jade hairpin, a fox-fur cape over her shoulders, and a goose-yellow gauze skirt. Her bearing was ethereal and extraordinary.

This female cultivator came from Qing Province's renowned Moon-Embracing Sect. She was the disciple of Elder Konglan, a Purple Mansion Realm cultivator of the Moon-Embracing Sect, and her name was Xu Xiao.

She too was at mid-stage Foundation Establishment and was a famed fairy throughout Qing Province. Countless young talents admired her deeply.

As everyone ate and drank, someone suddenly said, "Come to think of it, didn't the county magistrate also invite some Daoist from Penglai? Where is that Penglai Daoist?"

The moment those words were spoken, someone immediately echoed, "That's right! Isn't he some great Penglai adept? Didn't he slay a tiger demon with his sword? If he's so impressive, why hasn't he shown himself?"

"If he truly had the ability, he would have dealt with the evil creature of the Taiping River himself long ago. Why would he need us?"

"Hahaha! The county magistrate had to personally invite him, yet we've been here for so many days without seeing him appear. He's probably just an embroidered pillow, fishing for fame and reputation!"

These Rogue Cultivators spoke over one another, laughing and joking as though Jiang Sheng were beneath their notice.

Meanwhile, powerful and reputable Foundation Establishment cultivators such as Wenren Jie, Young Master Kongxu, and Old Master Qiao did nothing to stop them. Instead, they continued their own conversations, as though expecting a fine show.

At last, one Foundation Establishment Rogue Cultivator slammed his hand against the table and rose. "I, Wang Tianfang, have established my Dao foundation, yet I still do not dare look down upon the heroes of the world!"

"These days, heroes from throughout Qing Province have gathered here for this grand undertaking. Never have I seen so many heroes and champions!"

"What ability does Jiang Sheng possess? How dare he treat the many heroes of Qing Province as though they were nothing, still refusing to show himself even now!"

Just as the Rogue Cultivators continued to chime in, an azure-clad figure suddenly swept in from afar. Before the man arrived, his voice had already reached them:

"A bunch of people with mediocre methods and ordinary cultivation dare call yourselves heroes? Are you planning to deliver a few more chunks of flesh to the demon of the Taiping River?"

"Who is so arrogant?!"

The Rogue Cultivators looked around in every direction before someone suddenly said, "Look east!"

Everyone raised their heads and looked toward the eastern sky. Sure enough, they saw an azure figure swiftly drawing near. In only a few breaths, he had arrived before the county yamen hall.

The newcomer wore an azure Daoist robe and a jade crown. His face was as fair as polished jade, and his appearance was handsome and spirited.

The newcomer was none other than Jiang Sheng!

Heh, this chapter is nearly three thousand characters. Lin Yuan had been stuck at around two thousand characters, and it wasn't satisfying to write. The honored readers probably weren't enjoying it either.

Since it's still the new-book period, Lin Yuan will aim for three thousand characters a chapter from now on. That's how it'll be, more or less. I'll do my best to make it comfortable reading for you all.

(End of Chapter)