Going Down the Mountain

The white-faced, long-bearded Daoist looked somewhat despondent. "If the seventh-generation patriarch hadn't vanished with our sect's Fundamental Great Law, the Great Method of Ghost Control, and the sect-protecting Dharma Artifact, the White Bone Soul-Driving Banner, how could our Soul-Driving Sect have fallen to such a state?!"

"Yes. I grew up in the sect. Back then, there were countless Elders and disciples in the sect, every one of them highly accomplished. Whenever the elders gave a sermon, the seats before the lecturing platform were always packed. If you did not arrive early, you could not even enter the lecture hall. The White Bone Sect and Ghost Refining Gate fawned over us like grandsons, and could only take in the useless rejects our sect disdained as disciples." The black-faced Daoist stared at the oil lamp before him, his face filled with yearning for those beautiful memories.

"Sect Master Senior Brother, I still remember when I had first entered the sect. Those who came from all directions, drawn by its fame and wishing to learn the Dao, would always kneel across the open ground outside. A little disciple like me, when I walked past them, received nothing but envious, jealous looks. I still remember that feeling even now." The white-faced Daoist also sank into memories of the past.

"Why? Why did I have to watch helplessly as the sect declined? Since the seventh-generation patriarch disappeared, how many people in the sect have died fighting for the position of Sect Master? How many senior Elders? How many exceptionally gifted disciples? They all died! Tell me, what use was there in fighting for it? Even if they became Sect Master, there was still no Fundamental Great Law or sect-protecting Dharma Artifact!" The black-faced Daoist grew agitated.

The white-faced Daoist seemed long accustomed to this. "Sect Master Senior Brother, that is why I say we should go down the mountain. This sect has long been finished. We can only cultivate those crude, shallow techniques. If we did not know how to draw talismans, we would not even match ordinary experts of the Jianghu. Expanding the sect? Restoring its former glory? Do not even dream of it. We might as well enjoy wealth and splendor properly."

The black-faced Daoist gazed at the oil lamp without speaking for a long while. Only when the white-faced Daoist could no longer sit still and was about to say something else did he slowly open his mouth. "Junior Brother, how long have you been persuading me like this? One year, or three? I imagine my three disciples have been talked around by you as well?"

Seeing the white-faced Daoist about to reply, the black-faced Daoist waved a hand. "Actually, I understood long ago. I simply could not let go. Could not let go... Over this past month, I walked through every corner of the sect. It seemed every corner held beautiful memories from my youth. But what use was refusing to let go? Junior Brother, you are right. While my body can still hold up, I should go down the mountain and see the world. I should not spend my whole life wasting away on this cold, lonely mountain, slowly withering to death like that locust tree behind us."

Seeing the Sect Master's tone soften, the white-faced Daoist secretly rejoiced and said eagerly, "Sect Master Senior Brother, it is wonderful that you have come around. You have labored for the sect for half your life. Do not throw away the second half here as well."

As though he had made up his mind, the black-faced Sect Master abruptly rose to his feet and said to the white-faced Daoist, "Junior Brother, wake my three disciples. Pack our things. We are going down the mountain now!"

The white-faced Daoist jumped in fright and muttered, "Sect Master Senior Brother, it is the middle of the night. It will not be too late to go down tomorrow morning."

"Go. We go now. I am afraid that when I wake tomorrow, I will regret it again!" The black-faced Daoist insisted with a bitter smile.

"Good, good, good. I will wake my martial nephews. Senior Brother, you should pack up as well." Having finally persuaded his Sect Master Senior Brother, the white-faced Daoist naturally refused to let this chance slip away.

After the white-faced Daoist left, the black-faced Daoist stood blankly for a long time. At last, he let out a long sigh and began packing in his room. Before long, he had packed a bundle.

Shi Xuan and Chu Wan'er had watched from outside the window for so long that they could already tell the Ghost Control Sect had truly declined, and it held none of the information Shi Xuan needed. Now that the others were leaving as well, he naturally took Chu Wan'er and left the Ghost Control Sect ahead of them.

Chu Wan'er was still young and felt nothing much, but Shi Xuan had sensed the faint sorrow in that room. Still, he could hardly return the Great Method of Ghost Control to them. Shi Xuan had long destroyed such a vicious cultivation method.

Tonight's task was not yet complete, so Shi Xuan pulled the wildly excited Chu Wan'er, who had witnessed the marvels of sorcery, deeper into the mountains. They had not gone far uphill before flames shot into the sky from the Ghost Control Sect.

Standing on high ground and looking into the distance, Shi Xuan saw the great cluster of buildings belonging to the Ghost Control Sect engulfed in raging flames. Amid the firelight, several figures headed down the mountain. One of them cried out miserably, "The Ghost Control Sect is gone! Gone! Gone!..." Judging from his clothes, it was precisely that black-faced Sect Master.

"Master, look! The place we were just at is on fire!" Chu Wan'er pointed toward the Ghost Control Sect and shouted.

"It is nothing. Someone merely burned away his own past." Shi Xuan sighed. Chu Wan'er seemed to understand, yet not understand, and said nothing.

Over the following hours, Shi Xuan and Chu Wan'er traversed all the places on Mang Mountain where Yin Energy was strongest. Unfortunately, they still found nothing. They visited one Yin dwelling after another, leaving Chu Wan'er with several extra packets of fruit in her arms, until she was so tired that she complained without end.

Standing atop one of Mang Mountain's peaks and gazing toward the Divine Capital, Shi Xuan saw that though the sky was still dark, it was nearing the hour when many households rose to begin their busy days. Lights gradually came on in several parts of the city. Those scattered points of radiance were incomparably beautiful, complementing the blaze soaring skyward from Mang Mountain's slopes.

"It is so beautiful." Leaning against Shi Xuan's waist, Chu Wan'er watched the vibrant lights of countless homes below and sighed in admiration.

After returning to the Divine Capital, Shi Xuan stayed idle for several days. Chu Wan'er had only just begun Body Tempering and needed to focus on consolidating her foundation, making travel inconvenient. Moreover, Shi Xuan's own cultivation had encountered a bottleneck and required careful contemplation.

Since breaking through to the Soul Departure Realm, Shi Xuan's cultivation had advanced by leaps and bounds. He could now send his soul wandering more than thirty zhang. After visualizing the True Form Diagram of the Five Thunder Gods, the strengthening of his soul cultivation had steadily heightened his soul's perception of heaven and earth. As a result, his physical body's lungs and viscera had also become much more sensitive to heaven and earth.

Yet recently, Shi Xuan could barely sense any growth in his cultivation. He constantly felt there was some barrier he could not penetrate. Old Daoist Xu must have been in this very situation back then, which was why he had resolutely set aside his family estate and traveled everywhere seeking the immortal Dao. Unfortunately, he had still gained nothing. If Shi Xuan could not comprehend this barrier, then even if he slowly tempered himself through cultivation, by the time he reached Old Daoist Xu's age, his cultivation would likely not surpass Old Daoist Xu's by much.

By the time Chu Wan'er had consolidated her foundation, Shi Xuan still had not figured out the key. Yet it was time to set out. Only by finding the Daoist Sect sooner could he resolve his doubts sooner.

First, he needed to send Chu Wan'er home and also gather some information from the Demon Empress. Then he would visit Huilong Temple in Luojing. If there were still no traces of the Daoist Sect, he could only set sail and head out to sea.

Chu Wan'er was too young to explain exactly where she lived. She only knew that after leaving by carriage, their first stop had been a small city near Luojing. Thus, Shi Xuan brought Chu Wan'er here by traveling day and night.

Although Luojing was not far from the Divine Capital, two consecutive days of travel left little Chu Wan'er utterly exhausted. The two rested for a night in the small city, then the next day, following Chu Wan'er's hazy memories, began feeling their way toward the little village where she lived.

Chu Wan'er had quite the talent for getting lost. One moment, she pointed down one road. "Master, Master, this was the road mother took when she brought Wan'er into the city to play." The next, she pointed toward another. "Master, that one seems like the road Wan'er passed under in the carriage. Wan'er still remembers that crooked-necked tree."

At last, standing in the middle of a fork in the road, she frowned for a long while before finally telling Shi Xuan, "Master, Wan'er thinks both roads are right. What should we do?"

Shi Xuan said helplessly, "Then let us take this road first. If it does not work, we will take the other one. Let us hope we do not encounter another fork along the way. Otherwise, would we not have to try every road?"

Chu Wan'er stood beside Shi Xuan, looking at the road ahead. Imitating Shi Xuan's helpless expression, she sighed in her crisp, childish voice, "Ah, Wan'er never remembered the roads whenever she went out before."

Shi Xuan took Chu Wan'er's hand and headed down the road to the left. Riders on horseback continually came and went along the way, all carrying an air of grim slaughter. Quite a few Peak Experts passed by as well.

Had something major happened in the Jianghu? The thought merely flashed through Shi Xuan's mind before he stopped paying attention. Matters of the Jianghu had nothing to do with him.

However, Shi Xuan was a young Taoist priest carrying an eerie Black Banner in one hand and leading a delicate, doll-like little girl with the other. He was especially conspicuous on the road. Those Jianghu figures riding past could not help glancing sideways at them, drawing furious glares from Chu Wan'er.

At that moment, an expert riding swiftly from the opposite direction passed Shi Xuan's group. When he saw Chu Wan'er, he gave a soft cry of surprise, even slowing his horse and turning around to stare intently at her. Seeing this odd reaction, Shi Xuan thought, Could this fellow have seen the Demon Empress before?

The expert pulled his reins and rode back. Before Shi Xuan and Chu Wan'er, he dismounted in a fluid motion and respectfully saluted. "May I ask which expert of the Sacred Sect has come to lend aid?"

Shi Xuan understood a little. Rather than answering his question, he asked, "Where is the Saint Empress?"

The northwestern man answered respectfully, "The Saint Empress and our gang leader are on Little Absolute Ridge, surrounding those young heroes and heroines inside the mountain temple. But they unexpectedly encountered the Mysterious Robe Hermit there, and both sides are currently deadlocked. Our gang leader ordered me down the mountain to gather more men. It would be best if we could take this opportunity to kill the Mysterious Robe Hermit."

"Oh, this humble taoist merely came to deliver Wan'er to the Saint Empress. I did not expect to arrive amid such an affair. Why must you kill those young heroes and heroines?" Shi Xuan followed the thread of the conversation.

"That is so. I saw the Saintess once before, which was why I dared to come forward and pay my respects." The expert answered respectfully. Chu Wan'er bit her finger and thought for a while before saying, "Why does Wan'er not remember meeting you?"

The expert gave a flattering smile and continued, "It began when the White-Clad Young Master Liu Suiyun learned of some secret matter concerning our gang and the Sacred Sect, then stole some kind of token. That was why we pursued and killed him all the way here. Unexpectedly, along the road, he encountered the Iron Sword Young Master Du Yuhan, the Jade Flower Fairy Meng Yuqiong, and several other experts. There seemed to be people from the second-rate Xu Family among them. They broke through our encirclement and fled to Little Absolute Ridge, but our gang leader soon arrived and surrounded them again inside the mountain temple."

Upon hearing Meng Yuqiong and the Xu Family mentioned, Shi Xuan understood that little Xu Jinyi was most likely in that mountain temple as well. He had no choice but to save her, so he continued probing for information. "Your gang leader has surrounded them without attacking. Is it because the Mysterious Robe Hermit is also inside the mountain temple?"