The Clash

Su Xia was actually a Daoist cultivator, and a profoundly accomplished one at that—the strongest Fang Ming had ever encountered. She even had a supreme treasure protecting her.

Su Xia seemed to have noticed Fang Ming's probing, though perhaps she hadn't. After exchanging a few polite words, she began her performance.

Her voice flowed slowly, like a clear spring high in the mountains, as she recited:

"Where the High Person dwells in this world, what can compare to such purity?

Like the white lotus, in water yet untouched by water.

With true nature, I awaken to bubbles and illusions; with pure conduct, I leave the world's dust behind.

How long have I walked the path of cultivation? Body and mind have both arrived here.

Alas, the world's net has ensnared me; I cannot remain here long.

Though I cast off thoughts and merge with emerald clouds, they rise each morning and evening when autumn comes."

Her voice seemed to carry a peculiar Daoist resonance, drawing everyone into attentive silence.

With a soft "ding," Su Xia gently brushed the strings of her zither. The notes flowed like a mountain stream, a waterfall scattering pearls, or a crane's long cry answered by an oriole, carrying everyone into an indescribable realm.

When the piece ended, its lingering notes curled through the air, echoing beneath the rafters without end.

"Wonderful!" Wei Zhun was the first to come to his senses. He exclaimed, "When the strings tighten and the fingers choke, and the sound falls still, a thousand layers of deep feeling remain. I thought the ancients were exaggerating, but it seems I, Wei, was simply too ignorant. Truly, such a piece belongs only in heaven; how rarely can one hear it in the mortal world!"

Only then did the others come to their senses, and they, too, offered their praise. The banquet continued. Su Xia took her place among the guests, and then more songstresses and ordinary musicians came forward to perform.

From time to time, talented scholars stepped forward to present poems and compose paired verses, which the people in the elegant hall critiqued.

For a time, host and guests alike were delighted.

As the night wore on, the festivities at the Welcoming Guests Tower had long since ended, leaving only traces of fragrance and shifting shadows. It was as if the music still lingered, preserving the splendor of that evening.

Yet in the county yamen, Su Xia had not gone to bed.

She let her dark hair fall loose as a maid combed it for her. Though dressed as a servant girl, the maid had been born beautiful, with an exceptional appearance.

The maid said, "Holy Maiden, it's late. Please get some rest!"

Su Xia smiled. "Little He, I've told you before: our Supreme Purity Dao doesn't care for such formalities. You should loosen up. Even when our Dao Lord meets the emperor, he remains carefree and composed, his bearing entirely natural! You're one of our disciples, too; you mustn't lose your spirit. Besides, we still have guests to entertain. How could I rest?"

"Guests?" The maid called Little He was startled, and inwardly she gave a bitter smile. The closer she got to the Holy Maiden and the more she learned of the truth, the more she revered her. How could she possibly loosen up?

"Indeed. I was ordered to perform throughout the land and inspect the dragon energy of each province. Though I've tried to keep it secret, the other Daoist sects still found out. They'll surely come by to play the gracious host!" Su Xia said with a radiant smile, casually revealing a matter of great importance. Little He broke into a cold sweat. "H-Holy Maiden... This is a secret. It shouldn't be spoken aloud!" Little He reminded her.

"Heehee... Little He, you still lack that air of grandeur and confidence. No wonder your Daoist cultivation hasn't advanced a single step. The Dao Lord ordered me to perform throughout the land openly, so why would he fear the other Daoist sects trying to stop me? And what of being ordered to inspect the dragon veins of each province? In the previous provinces, even when they discovered us, didn't they still treat us with the utmost courtesy?"

"From what I've observed, dragon energy is rising throughout the provinces. It seems the land will soon descend into chaos. Wu Prefecture's dragon energy is especially strong, and it originates in the south. All that remains is for the right time to come!" Mischief danced across Su Xia's face as she teased Little He, but her eyes seemed to hold a trace of indifference.

"In southern Wu Prefecture, Vengeful Ghosts are causing havoc in Linjiang Prefecture, while a Land God is spreading its influence in Wenchang Prefecture. These are the roots of upheaval, the vanguard of a new king! Only when the land falls into chaos will a hidden dragon have the chance to rise!" Su Xia had a keen eye and saw the secrets of Heaven.

Officials' promotions were governed by strict rules. Even a hidden dragon, once inside the system, would be bound and unable to show his full strength. Only amid great upheaval could he seize the opportunity to rise, earn military honors, and climb the ranks quickly. Later, when warfare shattered the old rules, a new system centered on the hidden dragon could naturally be established, with authority and rewards in his hands.

"Speaking of this Land God, I find it rather interesting! Could it be some unusual Ancestral Spirit? If it joined our sect, it might also benefit the immortal path!" Su Xia's cultivation was profound; she had also noticed Anchang's unusual nature. And because the Land God was at its center, she couldn't help becoming somewhat interested.

"Does Miss mean to recruit this spirit?" Seeing that Miss had stopped talking about affairs of the world, Little He let out a long breath and changed the subject.

"Oh! For Little He's sake, I'll give it a chance! If it won't behave, I'll suppress it and send it back..." Though Su Xia spoke with a smile, teasing Little He, her words revealed that her will was Heaven's will; once spoken, they became thunder, and none could resist.

"Miss... you're teasing your servant again..." Little He blushed.

"Come to think of it, once southern Wu Prefecture falls into disorder, a hidden dragon can seize the opportunity to emerge and take control of the south. Then he can hold the natural defenses of Great Green Mountain, and with the passes as his shield, a few thousand men can withstand tens of thousands. With that time, he can settle the rear, lay a solid foundation, strengthen his roots, and store his Fortune deep. How enviable! White Cloud Temple has made an excellent opening this time, wouldn't you say, Daoist Yuheng?"

Su Xia's bright eyes shifted subtly as she spoke toward the window.

"Heh... I never expected my humble reputation to have reached the Holy Maiden's ears. I'm truly honored. Holy Maiden, please come out and speak with me!" A clear, resonant voice came from outside.

"Miss?" A gray blur flashed, and another person appeared beyond the window, exceptionally handsome yet dressed as a servant. He held a long sword, a faint cold gleam leaking from it. It was none other than the former "Amorous Sword Hero," Hou Bai, whom Su Xia had subdued and taken on as a servant.

"It's nothing... I'll go meet this person. You all stay at your posts." Her lingering voice drifted away; a white shadow flickered, and Su Xia had vanished.

The gray and white figures darted away. In the blink of an eye, they reached a secluded spot: a large garden, deserted in the dead of night.

The gray shadow stopped. It was a young man dressed in Daoist robes.

The young man saluted and said, "Yuheng of White Cloud Temple pays his respects to Holy Maiden Su Xia!"

He looked Su Xia over carefully, then sighed. "I've heard that Holy Maiden Su is a once-in-a-century prodigy of the Supreme Purity Dao. After ten years of cultivation, you've already reached the realm of Attaining Emotion. If you can only forget emotion, you'll become a True Person."

"I never expected the rumors to have underestimated your talent. Holy Maiden Su has already taken half a step into the realm of Forgetting Emotion. You'll become a True Person within the next few years!"

Inside, however, he was bitter. He had sent word back to his sect, and they had taken the matter extremely seriously, ordering him to set aside the Land God and focus entirely on gathering information about the Holy Maiden. Reinforcements from the sect were already on their way. Yet on the very first night, she had discovered him—and had even learned his background.

"I heard White Cloud Temple has a true disciple who can open his spiritual eye and see people's Fortune. That must be you!" Su Xia's playful manner vanished; her expression turned solemn, her eyes indifferent.

"That's right. May I ask why the Holy Maiden has come here? White Cloud Temple can send someone to attend to you and do what we can to play host." It was a blatant lie, but he had to say it all the same, to claim the courtesy of the host first.

"I came to experience the myriad aspects of mortal life and perfect my zither skills. I've been performing throughout the land, and I happened to arrive here without notifying your sect. That was discourteous of me. Still, these are minor matters, and my servants can handle them. There's no need to trouble yourself." Su Xia's gaze shifted; she returned to her usual demeanor, smiling radiantly. Her peerless grace stirred even Yuheng, who had cultivated from childhood.

"Oh... There's a little mouse here, too! I'll leave it to you to deal with, Daoist. I have to continue my journey tomorrow, performing throughout the land. Traveling by carriage and boat is quite exhausting, you know. I'll take my leave first!" Su Xia smiled again, speaking with a coquettish air. Her hand moved, and a glimmer of light flashed. Her figure flickered, and when she reappeared, she had changed into someone else.

"What a marvelous art of swapping flowers and trees! It can even change one person into another. I'm no match for you!" Yuheng exclaimed.

He looked at the newcomer. The man had an ordinary face and was dressed like a farmer. Sensing something strange, Yuheng opened his spiritual eye and looked. At once, the farmer's appearance changed: a refined young man in an official's attire, wreathed in red energy, with only a trace of white energy at its base. Waves of power radiated from him, quite intimidating.

Yuheng couldn't help asking, "Who are you? Why have you been following me?"

"Heh... weren't you the one who came looking for me? Why say I was following you?" Fang Ming replied with a smile, though his heart was in turmoil. After the banquet ended, he had followed Su Xia back to the county yamen without even realizing it. At this point, the county yamen could no longer hinder him, aside from the county magistrate's residence.

As a result, he had overheard plenty of secrets—and stumbled upon Yuheng as well. Now it seemed Su Xia had discovered him long ago but had said nothing along the way. Had she spoken those things on purpose, for him to hear?

"So you're the Land God!" Yuheng realized, then asked sharply, "What exactly are you? If you're an Ancestral Spirit, how can you leave your altar? And why do you take human lives?"

"I'm just a slightly unusual Ancestral Spirit. Heaven granted me a divine ability that lets me move about within the area covered by my rites. That's all."

"As for the Zhang family, all I can say is: 'Man harbors no intent to wound the tiger, yet the tiger has a heart that would devour man!'"

"What sophistry!" Yuheng didn't believe him. His eyes shifted, and he seemed ready to attack.

Fang Ming smiled faintly. "When all's said and done, this world still comes down to strength! And you're a core true disciple of a major sect. Good. Very good..." Seeing that the other man's Fortune was pure red and far thinner than his own, Fang Ming felt much more at ease. If this was the level of a major sect's core true disciple, he had little to worry about.

He flipped his hand, and the Golden Seal appeared. It radiated ripples that surged toward Yuheng.

Yuheng was startled. He formed a hand seal, and the Daoist robe's runes flashed, blocking the ripples. But the trees around them suddenly shuddered, shedding a flurry of leaves.

He formed another hand seal and chanted a few incantations. Four golden-armored divine warriors suddenly appeared around them, dressed like generals, fierce and valiant, their Killing Intent pressing down on Fang Ming.

These... seemed to be some kind of spiritual entities. A glint of interest flashed in Fang Ming's eyes. The Golden Seal emitted a crimson light, forming a barrier. The four warriors hacked and slashed at it with their blades, but it stood as firm as a mountain.

Fang Ming took his time observing them and learned a few things. These divine generals seemed to have been made from Vengeful Ghosts. No wonder they were so fierce. But the Daoist sects couldn't use human energy to replenish them; they could only sustain the generals with their own magical power. It seemed to consume a great deal. After a short while, Yuheng's face had gone pale, and sweat covered it.

Fang Ming smiled and urged his power again. A mighty force descended, smashing the four divine generals into fragments. The fragments turned into golden light and returned to Yuheng's sleeve. Yuheng's expression changed drastically, and he spat out a mouthful of blood, his shock beyond words.

"It actually broke through my sect's guardian spirits..." Yuheng murmured. His master had captured Vengeful Ghosts, erased their minds, then refined them with all kinds of precious materials. White Cloud Temple had only a few. Before Yuheng left, his master had given him four for protection. Even Evil Ghosts could be held off for quite some time. He'd never expected them to be shattered today. They could still recover if nourished with magical power, but they were no help in this urgent moment.

"Enough. For now, I'll spare you. If you want to discuss this with me again, send your sect elders." Fang Ming saw that he had achieved his goal of intimidation and knew when to stop. He turned and left at a leisurely pace.

Thanks to True Person Qingyun for the review, and to all the readers for your rewards.