Winds Rising, Clouds Surging

Chapter 36: Winds Rising and Clouds Gathering

"Prince Shenwei Yang Tuo? He guards the frontier, yet his intelligence network is this well-informed?" Hong Xuanji said.

"You, a mere little Daoist, think you can interfere in state affairs and control the nation's sacred artifacts just because you've received a bit of favor! Do you want your sect wiped out and your home confiscated?"

"I, Hong Xuanji, have campaigned on the battlefield for years. I have never seen the path of ghosts and spirits achieve anything great. Even a Ghost Immortal, once on the battlefield, would have their soul scattered by the sheer surging blood-energy of thousands of men. To stabilize the world, one must walk the righteous path, rely on masculine strength, and wield military might." Hong Xuanji spoke as if he were indifferent, yet every word radiated incomparable confidence and power.

Qian Daozi, once he started talking, was unstoppable. When Hong Xuanji heard the name Meng Shenji, the leader of the Taishang Dao, mentioned by Xiao Anran, his eyes flickered, and a scene from the distant past flashed through his mind.

"Brother Daozi, since you have appeared here, surely it is not just to paint," Hong Xuanji asked.

"Brother Daozi, what brings you to Yujing Temple?" Hong Xuanji asked, dropping his stance. Xiao Anran also knew a fight wouldn't break out; with a thought, the Yuanyang Sword flew back beneath the statue of the Daoist Ancestor.

Hong Xuanji took a step forward, his immense power stomping into the ground. Simultaneously, his blood-energy circulated, his body temperature rose, and a massive wave of heat seemed to bear down on his opponent. The sword, which had been dancing and circling, seemed unable to withstand this invisible pressure of masculine blood-energy, its flight speed appearing to become sluggish.

Meanwhile, in the Osmanthus Chamber of the Marquis Mansion, Hong Yi slept until the sun was high in the sky before rising.

After speaking, a dragon-like hum rang out from the offering table of the massive Daoist Ancestor statue in the main hall. Then, a three-foot-long, two-finger-wide treasure sword, covered in blood-red patterns that looked exactly like human veins, flew up and began to dance and spin around Xiao Anran.

For the past two days, he had enjoyed unexpected peace in the Marquis Mansion. Nothing had happened; because Hong Xuanji was busy with state affairs, he had been living in the palace cabinet day and night and had not returned to the mansion, which reduced Hong Yi's worries by more than half.

Hong Xuanji watched the Blood Patterned Steel flying sword dance about without paying it the slightest mind; he simply took another light step forward.

"Hong Xuanji!"

"The Taishang Dao has emerged, and their women are all in the brothels. Why do you ask me about her, Brother Xuanji? She is currently the top talent of Yujing, Su Mu, residing in the Flower Scattering Pavilion," Xiao Anran sneered.

This treasure sword was forged from the legendary Daoist immortal steel, Blood Patterned Steel.

Qian Daozi spoke, looking at the statue of the Daoist Ancestor in the center of the hall, sighing: "This statue of the Daoist Ancestor possesses the essence of creating the world and evolving the sun, moon, and thunder, but it seems to lack a certain spiritual charm. It cannot encompass the entire Great Dao. If one were to contemplate it in their heart, I fear it would not achieve the effect of suppressing all things and repairing the soul."

"What? Brother Shenji has succeeded in his third corpse-shedding and body-refining? Preparing to emerge once more? It has been twenty years since we parted. He left in such a hurry just to enter the deep mountains to shed his corpse... Counting the time, he must be eighteen or nineteen years old now, but I wonder where he reincarnated after shedding his corpse? What face will he appear with?"

After laughing, Hong Xuanji's expression turned calm as he said: "Xiao Anran, is this the only reason you sought me out today? You are toying with a court official. According to the laws of the Dagan Empire, you would be exiled at least three thousand miles! Hmph! Sending notes to the cabinet—the Fangxian Dao has quite the means, actually managing to bribe the eunuchs who serve tea in the palace."

"Ah, scholars keep the sages in their hearts to govern the world, cultivate themselves, bring peace to the world, and maintain a vast, righteous spirit. Daoists keep the Daoist Ancestor in their hearts to create the world, evolve all things, and reach the infinite. Buddhists keep the Buddha in their hearts to understand the true suchness and their original face; even if the world is chaotic and illusory, it cannot move their original heart. The three teachings originate from the same source. It is a pity that the Buddhist temples have talent capable of manifesting that essence within a single painting."

The person who emerged from the main hall was none other than the Painting Saint, Qian Daozi. His painting skills were heaven-defying, capable of making the fake look real. Legend has it that he once painted a screen of a tiger for a high-ranking official; when someone walked in, they mistook it for a real tiger at first glance and were scared to death.

"So it is Brother Qian Daozi." Seeing the man holding the paintbrush, Hong Xuanji's expression softened slightly.

"I have come to paint the Supreme Daoist Ancestor portraits for the three sects. The Past Amitabha Sutra, one of the three scrolls from the Great Zen Temple, is hailed as the number one scripture for soul cultivation. By contemplating this scripture, one can achieve the Yang God and attain the immortal Great Dao. Actually, I think that scripture may not be as miraculous as claimed. Its cultivation methods may not be superior to the various contemplation and visualization techniques of the Daoist sects, but that scroll contains an image of Amitabha that fuses all the temperament, charm, and momentum of Buddhism into one. Contemplating this image and keeping it in one's heart can suppress all demons, clarify the past, and reveal one's original face. The reason my Daoist sect lacks a supreme secret method is simply the lack of a Daoist Ancestor statue that encompasses the Great Dao."

"Is that so!" Hong Xuanji put his hands behind his back, his eyes fixed on Xiao Anran. "When our Dagan Empire first stabilized the world, the people supported us and the public heart was with us; even ghosts and spirits had to submit. Letting your three sects suppress the rebellion was giving you a chance. If you had not complied, you wouldn't be here today opening a temple to receive incense; you would have ended up just like the Great Zen Temple!"

It was sharp enough to cut jade and gold, and it increased the power of soul-controlled swordplay tenfold, making the flying sword as flexible as one's own arm.

Hearing Hong Xuanji speak this way, Xiao Anran's pale golden face changed, and his hand moved slightly: "Don't keep spouting off about court officials and confiscating homes! You might scare those other officials, but you're still lacking if you want to scare me! Back when we besieged the Great Zen Temple, if it hadn't been for the experts of our three sects holding the line, you would have died under Monk Yinyue's Tathagata Fist long ago. You wouldn't be so arrogant now!"

However, he quickly recovered from his memories and laughed out loud: "So what if he has shed his corpse three times? As long as he does not pass the lightning tribulation and become a Yang God, he is merely a Ghost Immortal. At most, his soul is stronger and his Daoist arts are more profound. So what if he finds me? Could it be that I, a dignified court official, would care about a wild Daoist from outside the secular world?"

"Of course, but he cannot spare the time. He says the Wusheng Dao and the Zhenkong Dao are no small matters. It is very likely that the Future Non-Birth Sutra from the three scrolls of the Great Zen Temple fell into the hands of certain people, leading to the creation of these two major Daoist sects that focus on causing chaos in the world. These two mysterious evil cults, plus the Eight Great Demon Immortals of the World, would be no small threat if they really started making trouble. Furthermore, the Taishang Dao has also sent people out. We must cooperate for the time being to find the right moment to wipe out the demons and the evil cults." Xiao Anran finally got to the point.

"The Taishang Dao sent someone out? Where?" Hong Xuanji's heart stirred.

With that step, a boom echoed, the ground shook, and more than a dozen blue stone tiles arched upward. Even the Dandan Hall behind them trembled, and the statue of the Daoist Ancestor emitted a creaking sound.

"Who is the first to awaken from the Great Dream? I have known it all my life." The two seemed on the verge of a life-or-death struggle.

"Sigh..." Xiao Anran let out a long breath. "Since that is the case, I would like to see how your 'Wheel of Heavens Life and Death' can wipe out my Fangxian Dao."

"Xiao Anran, do not try to show off these little tricks in front of me. Killing you would be as easy as turning over my hand. We are only twenty paces apart; I guarantee that before you can even launch your flying sword, your physical shell will be shattered by me. Moreover, your soul could never get near my body."

Just then, a man holding a paintbrush and wearing light yellow silk robes walked out of the main hall. The man had graying hair and appeared to be around fifty years old.

"Then let me see if your physical body is harder, or if my Yuanyang flying sword is harder!" Xiao Anran was furious and rose to his full height.

"Brother Xuanji is still as heartless as ever."

"Of course not. Prince Shenwei invited me to mediate. Brother Xuanji, do you know about the Eight Great Demon Immortals of the World? And the eight characters: 'Unborn Parents, Vacuum Hometown'? Now, monsters and evil cults are disrupting our court. Relying on you alone, I fear it will be difficult to contend with them, especially since the monsters have now set their sights on you. You wouldn't tell me you don't know the background of Consort Yuan, would you?"

...Xiao Anran, as the leader of the Fangxian Dao, was famous throughout the world for his Yuanyang Sword.