Chapter 6

"All sacred beings stationed in the mortal realm fall into this category," the Earth God said, listing them as if reciting treasures. "Such as Guanyin of the South Sea, Samantabhadra of Emei, the Great Emperors of the Five Sacred Mountains, True Lord Erlang of Guanjiang Pass, True Person Yuding of Golden Cloud Cave, Daoist Lord Yunzhong of Zhongnan Mountain, True Person Taiyi of Qianyuan Mountain, and even the Buddhas of Spirit Mountain... Of course, this also includes local deities such as yourself, Mountain Lord."

At this point, the Earth God sighed. "How could a humble Earth God like me possibly invite such Great Powers?"

Zhuang Yan pondered briefly before replying, "Allow me to consider the matter."

The Earth God hurriedly pleaded, "Mountain Lord, even if you cannot agree, please submit a memorial to the Heavenly Court on my behalf."

Zhuang Yan readily agreed. "That will not be difficult."

He immediately took up his brush and wrote a memorial, detailing the entire course of events. He respectfully placed it within the shrine and submitted it to the Heavenly Court.

The memorial soon arrived on the desk of the Edict Messenger of the Department of the Mortal Realm. After reading it, the Edict Messenger immediately rose and delivered it to the Hall of Grotto-Heavens.

The Department of the Mortal Realm belonged to the Divine Firmament Jade Palace, with its offices located in the Palace of Great Mystery of the First Heaven. The Hall of Grotto-Heavens was the residence of Emperor Shaoyang of the Purple Mansion, Grand Minister of Grotto-Heavens for the Department of the Mortal Realm. Emperor Shaoyang accepted the memorial and asked the immortal official beside him, "Which of the eight Demon-Subduing True Persons is currently in the palace?"

The immortal official reported, "True Person Lan Caihe is presently awaiting orders in the palace."

Emperor Shaoyang nodded and commanded, "Issue an edict ordering Demon-Subduing True Person Lan Caihe to descend to the mortal realm immediately to slay demons and save the people. Deliver this memorial to him and see it done at once."

The immortal official bowed. "I obey your decree."

An hour later, a handsome immortal suddenly appeared in the Mountain God Temple of Lingtai. He wore blue garments patterned with small flowers, a wooden sash around his waist, and carried a flower basket over his arm. Though dressed as a woman, his hair was bound and adorned with a ceremonial hairpin, making it impossible to distinguish his gender.

Zhuang Yan had been speaking with the Earth God. Seeing this, he cupped his hands and asked, "May I ask where this fairy has come from?"

Lan Caihe's bright eyes shifted as he stared at Zhuang Yan. "What did you call me?"

His voice was clear and resonant, impossible to identify as male or female. Zhuang Yan answered calmly, "Is there anything wrong with calling you a fairy?"

"I am a man," Lan Caihe said bluntly.

"Uh..." Zhuang Yan looked mildly surprised, then smiled. "No matter. Men dressing as women is hardly unusual."

At those words, Lan Caihe's expression darkened slightly. The Earth God, however, was quick-witted and immediately bowed. "May I ask if you are one of the Eight Immortals, True Person Lan Caihe, the current Demon-Subduing Envoy of the Department of the Mortal Realm?"

Lan Caihe said flatly, "This Earth God has a better eye than that Mountain God."

Zhuang Yan laughed aloud. "You two carry on. I will return to my retreat first."

"Wait." Lan Caihe caught Zhuang Yan by the sleeve. "As the master of this temple, how can you leave your guests speaking outside while you hide away in the inner chambers?"

Zhuang Yan's smile did not fade. "I do not mind."

"..." Lan Caihe said helplessly, "I mind."

Zhuang Yan suddenly understood. "So the Immortal Master is being so courteous. Then please, the two of you may continue your conversation outside the temple. That way, you will not disturb my cultivation."

Lan Caihe shot him a sidelong glance, studied him briefly, and said, "You are only at the Spirit Refinement and Return to Void realm. Why should I bother arguing with you?" He turned to the Earth God. "You are the Earth God of Xiaotian Village? Take me to where the villagers vanished."

With an immortal's aid, the Earth God immediately felt emboldened. He respectfully led the way. "This way, Immortal Master."

In a flash of immortal light, the two had already flown out of the mountain temple. Zhuang Yan remained where he was and cupped his hands from afar. "Farewell, Immortal Master."

Western Ox Continent, Dark Gold Cave of Dacang Mountain.

Yin winds gusted through the cave, and the stench of blood filled the air. Pale bones littered the ground, while horrifying objects hung all over the rock walls.

Miserable screams rang out without end as groups of demons escorted terrified mortals and drove them into separate cells. Witnessing the horrific scene within the cave, some wept bitterly while others fainted on the spot.

In the spacious cavern hall at the deepest part of Dark Gold Cave, a golden-winged, sharp-beaked demon was feasting heartily. In its left hand, it held a bloody human leg; in its right, a goblet brimming with blood. It took a bite of flesh, then a drink of blood, letting out satisfied roars.

"Great king." A Demon General below the steps reported, "This time, we have captured over two thousand mortals. That will be enough for you to enjoy for several months."

The demon threw back its head and laughed. "Excellent! There will be great rewards!"

The Demon General hurriedly knelt and thanked him. The demon tossed down a silver pestle. "Piyiluo, this Three Treasures Silver Pestle is a spiritual treasure bestowed by the Bodhisattva. Today, I award it to you."

Piyiluo accepted the treasure and kowtowed excitedly. After devouring the entire human leg and draining the blood wine, the demon slumped against its throne and sighed. "Wonderful! At Spirit Mountain, it was nothing but rules and precepts—vegetarian meals and sutra recitation every day. My mouth was practically growing feathers from the blandness!"

All the Demon Generals echoed in unison, "We will certainly let the great king enjoy himself to the fullest!"

--·--·--·--

Following the guidance of divination, Lan Caihe arrived outside Dark Gold Cave on Dacang Mountain. The sight before him horrified him. White bones lay piled among jagged rocks, and gruesome objects hung from withered trees.

"Evil creature! You have slaughtered so many living beings!" Lan Caihe was enraged. He formed a hand seal and cast a spell. Massive trees suddenly burst from the ground and crashed toward the cave roof.

The mountain trembled, and shattered stones flew everywhere. The Lesser Demons guarding the entrance cried out in panic, "Who is this madman who dares invade our Dark Gold Cave Mansion?"

Immortal light descended, and Lan Caihe appeared with a flower basket in hand. "I am Lan Caihe, Demon-Subduing Envoy of the Palace of Great Mystery. Quickly summon your master to meet me."

Seeing his imposing immortal aura, the Lesser Demons hurried inside to report. The demon king within had just been about to rest when the violent shaking enraged him. Upon hearing the report, he sneered. "Forget Lan Caihe—even if all Eight Immortals came together, what could they do?"

He then led his Demon Generals out of the cave to meet the enemy.

The Demon Generals responded in unison and followed the demon king out of the cave dwelling.

The demon king emerged outside with his Demon Generals and saw the graceful Lan Caihe before him.

Lan Caihe also saw the demon king clearly. What shocked him most was the faint Buddhist Aura winding around the other's body.

Lan Caihe's expression abruptly turned solemn, and he immediately cupped his hands in salute. "Lan Caihe, Demon-Subduing Envoy of the Department of the Mortal Realm under the Palace of Great Mystery, pays respects to the great king."

The demon king pressed his palms together in return. "True Person, what brings you to Dark Gold Cave?"

"May I ask, great king, are the people from beneath Spirit Platform Mountain here?"

"They are indeed in my cave."

"Devouring living beings defies the Way of Heaven. I hope the great king will release these mortals."

"These mortals are burdened with sinful karma. By eating them, I help them attain liberation. How does that defy the Way of Heaven? True Person, you are clinging to appearances."

Lan Caihe's tone sharpened. "I have come under decree from the Heavenly Court. Great king, release them immediately."

"True Person, do not press the matter."

"Then do not blame this humble Daoist for being discourteous." Lan Caihe instantly formed a hand seal.

The demon king burst into laughter. A pair of golden wings suddenly spread from his back, and he soared into the air. "Let this king witness the True Person's divine abilities!"

Lan Caihe said no more. As his hand seal moved, every tree on Dacang Mountain grew wildly, wrapping Dark Gold Cave in an emerald prison in the blink of an eye. All the Lesser Demons were bound, while the Demon Generals' weapons could not harm the vines. One after another, they were trapped.

Towering trees erupted from the earth and surged toward the demon king like crashing waves. With a light flap of his golden wings, the demon king unleashed towering flames that instantly burned all the lush greenery to ash.

Startled, Lan Caihe drew out a Luo River Goddess Flower and threw it. The flower scattered into streams of azure and crimson light that shot toward the demon king. The demon king struck his palms together, shattering the immortal light with a thunderous blast.

Before Lan Caihe could cast another spell, the demon king had flashed before him. His Body Protection Immortal Light shattered at once, and the golden-bladed claws pierced through his chest. Lan Caihe spat blood and fell into his flower basket, but formed a hand seal and transformed into green light, fleeing into the forest.

"Great king, he escaped!" Piyiluo hurriedly reported.

The demon king gave a cold smile. "Lan Caihe belongs to the Xun Wood aspect. So long as there is wood aura, he can keep fleeing through it. Once I burn this forest to ashes, let us see where else he can hide."

Before his words had faded, the demon king spewed blazing flames from his mouth, sending them rushing toward the mountain forest stretching hundreds of miles below. At that moment, a brilliant Buddhist light descended from the heavens and extinguished all the demon fire in an instant.

The demon king's expression changed in alarm. He hastily withdrew his flames and turned toward the source of the Buddhist light.

A young monk clad in a kasaya, his bearing solemn and dignified, approached upon the clouds. From afar, he called out, "Garuda, do not be discourteous to an immortal official."

This demon king was none other than Garuda, the Golden-Winged Divine Bird under Akashagarbha Bodhisattva.

Garuda recognized the newcomer and quickly pressed his palms together in salute. "So it is Elder Jinchan. This humble monk pays respects."

Jinchanzi drifted closer and asked, "That Immortal Master just now seemed to be Lan Caihe of the Upper Cave Eight Immortals. Why were you fighting him?"

Garuda immediately replied, "In answer to Elder Jinchan, this humble monk has recently been cultivating quietly in this cave when Lan Caihe suddenly came to seize me. This humble monk has committed no evil, yet he provoked me without cause. That is why we came to blows."

Jinchanzi swept his gaze over Dacang Mountain below. Because of the earlier shaking of the mountain and cave, those bones had already been buried under earth and stone. Though he still harbored doubts, he advised, "If there is a misunderstanding, resolve it properly. Do not injure an immortal official."

"This humble monk will heed Elder Jinchan's instruction." Garuda replied respectfully, then asked, "May I ask what brings Elder Jinchan here?"

Jinchanzi smiled. "Great Immortal Zhenyuan invited this humble monk to Wuzhuang Temple for a Sutra Altar. Passing through this place, I saw you fighting Lan Caihe and came specifically to mediate."

Garuda sighed in relief. "Rest assured, Elder Jinchan. This humble monk will not trouble Lan Caihe again. Time is pressing, so please continue on your journey without delay."

Jinchanzi nodded. "Excellent." With that, he transformed into golden light and vanished.

Once the Buddhist light had disappeared into the distance, Garuda's kindly expression abruptly twisted into a vicious one. He sternly ordered the Demon Generals, "Quickly capture all the Earth Gods from the nearby town and three villages, along with the Mountain God of Lingtai! They must have informed the Heavenly Court. Today, they will learn who truly rules Western Ox Continent!"

The Demon Generals answered in unison, "As you command, Great king!"

--·--

Lan Caihe used his wood-escape technique to flee back to Spirit Platform Mountain, falling blood-soaked into the main hall of the Mountain God Temple of Lingtai. The heavy scent of blood immediately alerted Zhuang Yan in his retreat.

Zhuang Yan flew out and saw Lan Caihe's face was deathly pale, with a bloody hole gaping in his chest. He hurried forward to support him.

"Who injured True Person so badly?" Zhuang Yan asked urgently.

Lan Caihe took out an immortal pill and swallowed it. After his injuries eased slightly, he said weakly, "It was the demon of Dacang Mountain. All the people beneath the mountain have fallen victim to him. I escaped while grievously wounded, and my magical power is now completely gone. I beg Mountain Lord to quickly report this to the Department of the Mortal Realm and have someone escort me back to Heaven."

Zhuang Yan agreed at once, turned to write a memorial before the shrine, and burned it to send it upward.

Light suddenly flashed within the shrine, and the memorial vanished in an instant. Yet moments later, a ball of blazing fire surged out from the shrine.

Zhuang Yan moved like lightning and reached out to intercept the fireball, sparing the red silk curtains on either side from destruction. Once the flames died out, he looked closely and saw that the burning object was the memorial he had just submitted, now reduced to half a sheet of charred ash.

"The route has been cut off," Zhuang Yan said gravely.

Lan Caihe grew anxious upon hearing this. "That demon must have pursued me here. Mountain Lord, quickly devise a countermeasure."

Zhuang Yan chuckled. "Even a heavenly immortal like you was no match for him. How could someone at the mere Spirit Refinement and Return to Void realm like me do anything but throw eggs at a rock?"

"You still possess the Azure Sea Pearl. Perhaps it can hold him off for a while," Lan Caihe reminded him.

"I already gave that item to someone else," Zhuang Yan admitted.

Lan Caihe stared in disbelief. "You gave away such a supreme treasure so casually? You truly are generous."

Zhuang Yan suddenly looked pleased. "Speaking of giving things away, I have an idea."

"What is this good plan?" Lan Caihe pressed.

Zhuang Yan stepped closer. "Handing you over to that demon. After all, I bear him no grudge."

Lan Caihe's eyes widened. "Are you serious?"

Seeing Zhuang Yan's solemn expression, Lan Caihe's face changed several times. Trembling, he asked again, "You... are not joking, are you?"

He struggled to inch backward, his voice shaking. "This is the crime of betraying one's master. Under the Heavenly Laws, it is punishable by execution..."