Chapter 22

She had intended to probe Zhuang Yan's true capabilities, only to be outmaneuvered by him instead. Her failure before even gaining a victory left her deeply dejected, and she had even considered abandoning her incarnation and fleeing back to Spirit Mountain. But when she thought of the hundred thousand Purple Coins she had spent and the humiliation she had endured, she found it truly hard to let the matter rest.

The clash of weapons rang without end atop Danchi Ridge.

Amid the peach grove outside the Mountain God Temple, Zhuang Yan, Fire Spirit True Immortal, and Chi Ling sat around a stone table laden with fruits. Ahead of them, Vanguard Hu and Sun Wukong were locked in fierce combat, sparks flying amid flashing blades and whirling staff shadows.

Sun Wukong feinted, then flipped through the air as Vanguard Hu dodged, bringing his iron staff down with the force of wind and thunder. Vanguard Hu raised his blade to block, retreating several steps amid the ringing clash of metal. Seeing Sun Wukong pursue without pause, he suddenly stopped and unleashed an earth-shaking tiger roar with all his power.

Roar—

A wild gale sprang up, and the soundwave sent Sun Wukong flying more than thirty yards away. After staggering to the ground, he laughed. "Brother Hu, that move was truly formidable!"

Vanguard Hu withdrew his stance and laughed. "Your staff techniques are exquisite as well, worthy brother."

"It is all thanks to Master's guidance." Sun Wukong scratched his head. "I have only just begun training and am still far from proficient."

"Cultivation depends on perseverance." Vanguard Hu patted him on the shoulder. "To fight me to a draw at the Refining Essence into Qi realm is already remarkable. Come, let us rest for a while."

The two came to the stone table, and Sun Wukong respectfully bowed to Zhuang Yan. "Mountain Lord."

Zhuang Yan pointed to the stone stools and smiled. "Please, sit."

After the two sat down, Zhuang Yan took out a Mountain Peach and handed it to Sun Wukong. Sun Wukong hurriedly rose to accept it. "Thank you, Mountain Lord."

Zhuang Yan nodded with a smile, then turned to Vanguard Hu. "No need for formalities. Help yourself."

"Sure!" Vanguard Hu answered, picking up an August melon and taking a bite.

Looking at Sun Wukong, Zhuang Yan asked, "Wukong, in the past, it was always the two young attendants Xianyun and Guhe who delivered the Longevity Immortal Peaches. Why were you sent today?"

"Master specifically instructed me," Sun Wukong replied, "to thank the Mountain Lord in person for saving my life."

Zhuang Yan shook his head with a soft laugh. "It was hardly life-saving grace. Your master sent you here to settle karma."

Sun Wukong seemed to understand. At that moment, Vanguard Hu finished his fruit and cupped his hands. "Mountain Lord, this subordinate wishes to go to Guangci Prefecture City and reforge his saber."

As he spoke, he presented the curled-blade saber.

Sun Wukong laughed at the sight. "Brother, staffs are the most practical weapons. Why not switch to staff techniques?"

"I have trained with the saber since childhood. I cannot get used to using a staff," Vanguard Hu replied.

Zhuang Yan commented, "A blade forged from ordinary iron remains a common object, no matter how many times it is tempered."

"But... this subordinate has no heavenly materials or earthly treasures to forge a divine weapon." Vanguard Hu spoke with difficulty.

Zhuang Yan pondered for a moment. "Wait patiently. Your opportunity will come."

Vanguard Hu scratched his head and clasped his fists. "This subordinate will obey the Mountain Lord's instructions."

Sun Wukong turned to look at Chi Ling. The little girl was sprawled across the stone table, her ruby-like vertical pupils staring fixedly at the Mountain Peach.

Sun Wukong teased her, "Little worm, once Old Sun's divine powers are perfected, I will definitely spar with you again."

Chi Ling flicked out her tongue, revealing steel teeth like a saw.

"What does that mean?" The sight of those sharp teeth made Sun Wukong's skin crawl.

The taciturn Chi Ling glanced at him and slowly spat out three words. "Sharpening stone."

Sun Wukong immediately jumped up, scratching at his ears and cheeks. "Fine, fine, fine! Once I achieve fruition, I will knock every tooth out of your mouth!"

He then bowed to Zhuang Yan. "Mountain Lord, I must return to the mountain to cultivate. Farewell."

Zhuang Yan nodded with a smile. "Go."

Sun Wukong formed a hand seal and summoned an auspicious cloud, returning directly to Mount Fangcun.

Zhuang Yan gently stroked Chi Ling's hair and asked, "How many characters did you learn today?"

Chi Ling sat upright and stammered, "Spirit... Platform... Mountain."

"Very good." Zhuang Yan gave her another two Longevity Immortal Peaches. "This is your reward."

Chi Ling immediately hugged the immortal peaches to her chest, her tongue eagerly tasting their fragrance.

Zhuang Yan gave one each to Fire Spirit True Immortal and Vanguard Hu as well, then instructed, "Vanguard Hu, go to Liu Zhen Peak and deliver an order to Golden Sparrow Fairy."

Vanguard Hu put away the immortal peach and accepted the command. Zhuang Yan waved his sleeve, producing a Talisman Token. Vanguard Hu accepted it and departed on a cloud.

Vanguard Hu arrived at Golden Sparrow Fairy's cultivation grounds on Liu Zhen Peak and called out, "Is Golden Sparrow Fairy present? Vanguard Hu of the Mountain God Temple of Lingtai seeks an audience."

Golden Sparrow Fairy emerged from her cloud dwelling upon hearing him and smiled. "So it is Vanguard Hu. What urgent matter brings you here?"

Vanguard Hu took out the Talisman Token and presented it. "By the Mountain Lord's command, I have come to deliver an order."

Golden Sparrow Fairy accepted the Talisman Token, swept it with her divine sense, and said calmly, "Please tell the Mountain Lord that Golden Sparrow obeys."

"Farewell." Vanguard Hu cupped his hands and left.

Upon returning to the Mountain God Temple, Vanguard Hu saw Chi Ling practicing calligraphy. With a smile, he took out a candied hawthorn skewer. "Little Chi Ling, try this."

Chi Ling raised her head and gave it a glance, then curled her lip. "I... am three hundred years old." With that, she lowered her head and continued writing.

Vanguard Hu shook his head with a laugh, then turned to Fire Spirit True Immortal in the peach tree. "General, is the Mountain Lord at the Eight Immortals Pavilion?"

Fire Spirit True Immortal answered with his eyes closed:

Vanguard Hu rode the wind to the Eight Immortals Pavilion and reported to Zhuang Yan. "Mountain Lord, Golden Sparrow Fairy has accepted the command."

Zhuang Yan nodded. "Very good."

Vanguard Hu was about to take his leave when Zhuang Yan suddenly said, "Wait." He took out three Longevity Immortal Peaches. "Take these back for your wife and children."

Vanguard Hu's tiger body trembled as he dropped to his knees and kowtowed. "Thank you, Mountain Lord, for this gift!"

Zhuang Yan waved his sleeve. "Go."

Vanguard Hu carefully put away the immortal peaches and respectfully withdrew.

Elsewhere, at Liu Zhen Peak on Spirit Platform Mountain.

Golden Sparrow Fairy returned to her cloud dwelling, Buddhist light rising around her body. Far away in the Stone Buddha Cave of Spirit Mountain, the golden peacock Kong Ling suddenly awoke. Seeing the manifestation of the Peacock King, he hurriedly knelt in worship. "Kong Ling pays respects to the Bodhisattva."

The Peacock King said indifferently, "Go to the Asura Tribe and fetch a Spirit Artifact saber."

Kong Ling was puzzled. "The Bodhisattva has never used weapons..."

"Deliver it within seven days." The Peacock King brooked no objection.

Kong Ling solemnly replied, "I shall obey the dharma decree." The Buddhist light dissipated, and the cave mansion returned to silence.

The Peacock King withdrew her manifestation, slowly opened her eyes, and let out a soft sigh.

The Talisman Token Zhuang Yan had previously given her had instructed her to find a precious saber no lower than Spirit Artifact grade. She had sent her mount to the Asura Tribe because that tribe was brave and warlike, especially skilled in forging weapons, with saber forging being their greatest specialty.

After receiving the command, Kong Ling immediately set out and soon arrived at the armory estate of the Asura Tribe. This place was overseen by Jie Hanli, the fifteenth son of the Asura King. As the divine bird beneath the Peacock King's command, Kong Ling naturally received the utmost courtesy here.

Seeing his arrival, the gate guards hurried forward to welcome him while sending word inside. Upon hearing the news, Jie Hanli personally came out to receive him. The imposing prince, broad of frame and stern of face, respectfully bowed. "Welcome, honored envoy. Tea has been prepared inside. Please follow me."

Kong Ling gave a slight nod and entered the estate with his hands behind his back. After taking a seat, Jie Hanli offered him Spirit Tea and asked, "May I ask the purpose of the honored envoy's visit?"

"By the Bodhisattva's dharma decree, I have come to collect the Heavenly Sin Blade and ten Spirit Artifact sabers," Kong Ling said calmly.

"The Heavenly Sin Blade?" Jie Hanli's expression changed abruptly. "What does the Bodhisattva need that blade for?"

That blade was an Immortal Artifact forged a thousand years ago. Its power was astonishing, but every killing with it increased Sinful Karma tenfold, so it had been sealed away ever since. Hearing that it was to be taken, Jie Hanli could not hide his shock.

Kong Ling swept him with a cold glance. "How dare you question the Bodhisattva's will? Go fetch it immediately."

Seeing Jie Hanli's strange expression, Kong Ling frowned. "What is wrong?"

"I would not dare!" Jie Hanli hurriedly rose. "This subordinate will fetch it at once. Please wait, honored envoy."

After leaving the hall, Jie Hanli rushed straight to the treasure armory. The garrison commander Meng Tunnan was about to bow when he saw his lord's deathly pale face. "It is over... Meng Tunnan, I am finished..."

Jie Hanli collapsed into a chair, cold sweat pouring down his brow. He said to Meng Tunnan in a trembling voice, "Kong Ling has come under the orders of Mahamayuri Bodhisattva, suddenly demanding the Heavenly Sin Blade."

Meng Tunnan froze at those words and hesitated. "But Your Highness lent the Heavenly Sin Blade to Great Black Yaksha..."

Indeed, only yakshas feared no backlash from tenfold Sinful Karma. The blade had been forged for yakshas from the very beginning.

"Exactly!" Jie Hanli's teeth chattered. "If the Bodhisattva learns that I made a sworn brother of one personally designated by the Buddha and even lent him the Heavenly Sin Blade..." Before he could finish, his whole body was already shaking like a sieve.

Meng Tunnan pressed a hand to his shoulder. "Your Highness, remain calm. Since you and Great Black Yaksha are sworn brothers, send him a message at once and ask him to return it immediately."

Jie Hanli barely steadied himself. "But Envoy Kong Ling is waiting..."

"This subordinate is willing to stall him." Meng Tunnan cupped his hands. "Your Highness need only focus on contacting him. As for those Spirit Artifact sabers..."

"Take them all!" Jie Hanli grabbed ten precious sabers gleaming with cold light and thrust them into his hands. After Meng Tunnan left the treasure armory, he hurriedly wiped away his sweat and formed a hand seal, a dim communication light blooming at his fingertips.

In the front hall, Kong Ling lightly tapped the table with his finger. When Meng Tunnan presented the ten Spirit Artifacts, his feathered brows drew tightly together. "Where is the Heavenly Sin Blade?"

"Reporting to the honored envoy." Meng Tunnan bowed deeply. "The elder of the Artifact Refining Pavilion borrowed the blade three days ago to test a furnace. His Highness has personally gone to urge its return."

"How long?"

"At most four days, at least half a day." Before Meng Tunnan finished speaking, Kong Ling's sleeve swept out, and two cracks split across the table.

"Two days." Golden light flared in the Peacock envoy's eyes. "After that, I will not wait."

Meng Tunnan urgently summoned Asura Warriors to pass on the message, while he himself stood with lowered head at the side of the hall. At that moment, the spirit mirror in Jie Hanli's palm suddenly lit up, and Great Black Yaksha's hoarse voice broke through amid the sound of ocean waves—

Within the image of towering blood waves, yaksha war drums shook the mirror. When the blood-soaked Great Black Yaksha bared his fangs, Jie Hanli's gaze locked onto something behind him.

"Second brother, why are you so flustered?" The Yaksha King wiped the blood from his face.

Jie Hanli remained silent, his trembling finger pointing past his elder brother's shoulder. "Big brother... behind you, that is..."

Great Yaksha turned, revealing an enormous bloodstained dragon head, his face full of pride. "Second brother, look! This is the head of the Ninth Crown Prince of the West Sea, just severed by my Heavenly Sin Blade."

Jie Hanli's vision went dark, and he nearly could not remain standing. After a long while, he pleaded in a tearful voice, "Big brother... can you return the Heavenly Sin Blade immediately? I beg you."

Great Yaksha was about to reply when a monstrous wave suddenly rose from the sea behind him. Hundreds of water dragons shot into the sky, and countless Shrimp Soldiers and crab generals surfaced. Amid thunderous war drums, more than ten colossal dragons soared into the air beneath the lead of a golden dragon, spreading rain.

"Not good!" Great Yaksha looked back. "The Dragon King of the West Sea has come with an army! Once I slaughter that old dragon and seize the Dragon Palace, I will return your precious blade!" Before his words had faded, the image and clamor vanished together.

In the silent treasure armory, Jie Hanli stood dazed for a moment before suddenly letting out a shriek and collapsing to the floor.

Autumn sunlight shone brilliantly over Danchi Ridge. Though the Hu brothers were growing older, they still retained the appearance of children and were currently chasing one another through the peach grove.

Vanguard Hu and his wife Lan'er taught Chi Ling to write. This mountain couple often interacted with mortals and deeply admired human culture and education. Whenever they descended the mountain, they sought instruction from schoolmasters, all so they could personally teach their children.

Two streams of immortal light suddenly descended outside the Eight Immortals Pavilion.

"Please, fellow Daoist. The Mountain Lord is inside." Fire Spirit True Immortal led the way with a smile.

The Peacock King followed him into the pavilion. Catching sight of Lan Caihe seated within, she stepped forward as usual and bowed. "This lesser immortal, Golden Sparrow, pays respects to the Mountain Lord."

Zhuang Yan smiled and gestured as he introduced them. "This is Golden Sparrow Fairy, newly arrived at the mountain. This is True Person Lan of the Upper Cave Eight Immortals."