Chapter 65: The Mountain Spirit Seeks Recognition
The Fire Lotus instantly engulfed two people. Not only were the Qingzhou Army and the Thumb Mountain villagers stunned, but Hua Changxi herself also experienced a moment of blankness.
Two people. Just like that, gone!
Ever since embarking on the path of cultivation, Hua Changxi knew that due to limited cultivation resources, killing and plundering were inevitable. She had long prepared herself mentally.
However, no matter how many times she had rehearsed something in her mind, when it actually happened, she realized she wasn’t as calm and fearless as she had imagined.
The right hand with which Hua Changxi had conjured the Fire Lotus trembled slightly, her heart pounding violently. A belated fear began to spread in the depths of her heart.
What was she afraid of?
She had clearly crushed those two cultivators. Those two cultivators were so wicked, causing the mountain to collapse and disregarding the villagers at the foot of the mountain. She was acting on behalf of heaven.
“I am acting on behalf of heaven.”
“I am acting on behalf of heaven.”
Hua Changxi repeated the sentence over and over, as if only by doing so could she suppress the panic deep within her heart.
Suddenly, a dangerous aura struck from behind. Hua Changxi instinctively dodged.
“Boom~”
The small section of the mountain, several meters high, behind where Hua Changxi had been standing was pulverized.
Hua Changxi turned her head and saw a middle-aged man rapidly approaching her, standing on a Flying Sword.
“Bold thief, how dare you kill my Qingzhou Cui family member, pay with your life!”
Upon seeing this, Hua Changxi’s mind hadn’t even begun to process it before her body turned and fled, rushing frantically and hastily into the depths of Five Finger Mountain.
“Thief, don’t run!”
Five Finger Mountain is composed of five giant peaks, connected by their bases, with undulating ridges resembling five fingers. Thumb Mountain, as the first peak, is the best entry and exit point to the mountain.
Due to the difficulty of exiting Five Finger Mountain, since June, the various factions gathered here to contend for Five Finger Mountain have all been stationed on the outskirts of Thumb Mountain.
At this moment, seeing two figures, one fleeing and one pursuing, flash before their eyes, everyone became interested.
Initially, each faction sent their subordinates deep into Five Finger Mountain, but after three months, none had emerged. After that, no one dared to enter easily.
Now that someone was going in to scout again, everyone was happy to oblige.
“Cui Cheng, come back!”
Just as the pursuer was about to follow the fleeing person deep into Five Finger Mountain, a thunderous roar echoed above Thumb Mountain, stopping him.
The pursuer seemed unwilling, halted, stared at the fleeing figure disappearing into the mountain, and then returned with a grim face.
“Patriarch, Qingfeng is dead.”
The pursuer, Cui Cheng of the Qingzhou Cui family, gritted his teeth and reported the death of his biological son upon returning to the Cui family’s encampment.
The two people who had been fighting fiercely in the back of Thumb Mountain earlier were one from the Qingzhou Cui family and one from the Jizhou Jiang family.
For the past three months, various factions had either deliberately provoked or brought up old grudges, leading to fights at the slightest disagreement, all with the aim of probing each other’s strength.
As for the villagers around Five Finger Mountain, while people from Sanqing Palace, Taisu Palace, and the Demon Suppressing Division would show some consideration, other factions paid no mind when they fought.
Thumb Mountain was not far from the encampment, and all factions had actually noticed what had just happened.
Cui Yuanpeng, the Patriarch of the Cui family, carefully inquired about the events and, upon learning that the Fire Lotus had incinerated two Late Qi Refining cultivators in an instant, his expression became somewhat solemn.
Late Qi Refining was not considered weak, whether in the Cui family or other factions, yet now, they were killed in one move.
He truly hadn’t expected that this trip to Five Finger Mountain would unearth so many cultivators, and their cultivation levels were higher than one another.
Sanqing Palace and Taisu Palace were out of the question; they were true Daoist inheritances, so it was normal for their disciples to be powerful.
The Demon Suppressing Division, backed by the Imperial Court, had deep foundations and abundant cultivation resources, and their Demon Suppressing Army was formidable. He could understand that.
As the greatest rival to the Demon Suppressing Division, the Asura Gate’s combat power was above other factions, which he could also accept.
However, the Jizhou Jiang family, like the Cui family, was a local powerful clan. The emergence of an absolute powerhouse that could suppress the Demon Suppressing Army, Sanqing Palace, Taisu Palace, and the Asura Gate was something he found difficult to accept.
Did the Jiang family’s foundation surpass that of the Imperial Court and the Daoist sects?
In the Nine Provinces of Great Jin, the strength of the powerful clans in each province was roughly similar on the surface, but the sudden emergence of the Jiang family made the Cui family Patriarch feel a vague sense of unease.
The stable situation in the Nine Provinces was likely to be shattered.
Looking at Cui Cheng, who was furious and seemed eager to avenge his son, the Cui family Patriarch said, “You are no match for that person. Venturing deep into Five Finger Mountain will either lead to getting lost or being killed by that person.”
Cui Cheng was unconvinced. He was a Qi Sea Realm cultivator, and among the cultivators gathered at Five Finger Mountain, his combat power ranked among the top.
“Patriarch, that thief attacked Qingfeng by surprise. If she truly had the ability, she wouldn’t have fled into the mountain in a panic the moment she saw me.”
The Cui family Patriarch frowned. “That person’s speed was too fast, so fast that I didn’t even have time to act before they disappeared from my sight. Their cultivation might even be above mine.”
Hearing this, Cui Cheng’s expression changed. The Patriarch was a Late Qi Sea Realm cultivator, and he trusted his judgment.
“Is Qingfeng just going to die for nothing?”
The Cui family Patriarch looked towards the depths of Five Finger Mountain. “That person has gone deep into Five Finger Mountain; whether they can come out is still unknown.” He paused. “Issue an order to cease the sparring with other factions. Do not continue.”
Prince Dong’an has arrived. The villagers around Five Finger Mountain are, after all, his subjects. If too many die, it might displease him.
At the same time, other factions were also discussing the recent events.
Taisu Palace.
Daoist Qingyun smiled at his most outstanding disciples. “The Jiang family and Cui family members were killed. What do you think?”
Liu Yiyun, the Senior Disciple Brother of Taisu Palace, immediately said, “Well killed. If they wanted to spar and fight, they should have gone further away, not chosen a place close to the village. They disregarded others’ lives, and now their lives have been taken. One can only say, karma is a cycle.”
Daoist Qingyun nodded, neither agreeing nor disagreeing. “What about the others? Do you have any other opinions?”
Chu Junmo, the Second Senior Brother, spoke. “To deal with two Late Qi Refining cultivators and kill them in one move, the attacker’s cultivation must be at least Mid Qi Sea Realm.”
Liu Yiyun was puzzled. “Cui Cheng is only an Early Qi Sea Realm cultivator. Why did that person flee upon seeing him?”
“Perhaps they were scared.”
At these words, everyone looked at the speaker.
Yan Xiaoyang saw everyone looking at him and chuckled. “That person was probably encountering such a situation for the first time. Perhaps they weren’t ready to kill. When someone pursued them, they instinctively wanted to flee. Wasn’t it the same when we went out for experience?”
Hearing this, everyone couldn’t help but recall their embarrassing moments from their first experience, their expressions becoming somewhat awkward.
Yan Xiaoyang continued, “That person probably just wanted to save people. Killing the Jiang and Cui family members was likely not their intention, or at least they didn’t have the intention to kill them.”
Liu Yiyun nodded in agreement. “I believe Sixth Junior Brother. The fact that the person rushed into the depths of Five Finger Mountain when pursued by Cui Cheng shows how panicked they were.”
Other disciples chimed in, “That person’s temperament is not good.”
Chu Junmo noticed Hua Changxin, who had been silent beside them, and walked over to ask softly with concern, “Seventh Junior Sister, what’s wrong?”
Hua Changxin lowered the hand covering her left chest. “I don’t know what happened just now, but my heart suddenly started beating very fast.”
Chu Junmo’s expression tightened. “Let’s go, let Elder Qingyun examine you.”
Hua Changxin quickly pulled him back. “Second Senior Brother, I’m fine now. It’s probably because I haven’t rested well lately.”
Chu Junmo was still somewhat worried. “If you still feel unwell, you must tell me.”
Hua Changxin smiled and nodded, changing the subject. “Everyone who has come to Five Finger Mountain lately has been traveling in groups. That person, however, is alone. I really don’t know whether to call them brave or reckless.”
Chu Junmo: “Since arriving at Five Finger Mountain, haven’t there been many such self-righteous cultivators? Many people suddenly gain great power but their temperament can’t keep up, and they can’t control this power, leading only to their own demise.”
Demon Suppressing Division.
The Demon Suppressing Army soldier wearing a Kirin Mask was solemn and sharp. Even from a distance, one could feel the killing aura emanating from them.
“The Jiang family lost a cultivator, but what’s their reaction?”
“None. Cui Cheng of the Cui family still wants revenge, but the Jiang family has no reaction.”
“The Jiang family’s Old Ancestor entered Five Finger Mountain nearly three months ago.”
Chu Junyi, the Commander of the Demon Suppressing Army, stroked the hilt of his sword, his eyes as sharp and stern as a falcon’s. “What exactly is he trying to do by entering the mountain?”
The Jiang family Old Ancestor’s strength was unfathomable. If he were to unleash his full power, all factions would have to retreat, yet he didn’t act and instead entered Five Finger Mountain.
Was there something inside Five Finger Mountain that compelled him to enter?
“Commander, Prince Dong’an also seems to have entered Five Finger Mountain?”
Chu Junyi frowned. After Prince Dong’an arrived at Five Finger Mountain, he had remained in his tent and hadn’t come out.
What was he doing entering Five Finger Mountain?
Wasn’t he afraid of not being able to get out?
Prince Dong’an had guarded Qingzhou for many years, and his influence in Qingzhou far exceeded the Imperial Court’s imagination. His entering Five Finger Mountain must have a reason.
“Are there any movements from Taisu Palace and Sanqing Palace?”
“No, these two sides are very quiet, both appearing to be bringing their disciples out for experience.”
“Continue to monitor all factions. Report any movements immediately.”
Asura Gate.
“Yang Zuo Shi, the person we planted in Prince Dong’an’s Estate has successfully persuaded him, and he has secretly entered Five Finger Mountain.”
“Very good. Immediately gather our men. We will also enter. As long as Prince Dong’an dies, Qingzhou will surely fall into chaos.”
“Whoosh~”
Hua Changxi sped all the way, venturing deeper into the mountain. Once her emotions gradually stabilized, she stopped and looked up, finding ancient trees towering, blocking out the sun, the atmosphere solemn, and all sounds silent.
Uh.
Hua Changxi covered her face with her hands in annoyance. She had always considered herself calm and experienced, but when faced with a real situation, she realized how impatient she was.
In her panic, she only focused on escaping and forgot to counterattack.
Hua Changxi reflected on herself for a moment, then began to survey her surroundings.
Looking at the peaks piercing the clouds, Hua Changxi guessed she had arrived at the third peak of Five Finger Mountain.
“In the myths of my past life, the Monkey King was suppressed under Five Finger Mountain. I wonder if this Five Finger Mountain also suppresses a Great Demon?”
Hua Changxi moved swiftly through the mountain. After wandering for a long time, she realized she couldn’t fly out of the third peak’s area no matter what.
“Is this mountain truly only allowing entry and not exit?”
Hua Changxi’s expression became serious, but she wasn’t too worried. The Grandmaster who created the 《 Five Finger Mountain 》 cultivation method could get out, so she surely could too.
In her subsequent travels, Hua Changxi deliberately slowed down, carefully observing the terrain and mountain formations.
“Bang bang bang~”
Two groups of people were fighting fiercely.
Hua Changxi glanced from afar, ignored them, and quickly moved away.
“Roar~”
“Wail~”
Hua Changxi once again stumbled into a battle scene, but this time, it was a fierce tiger fighting a pack of wolves.
The fierce tiger spewed flames from its mouth, while the pack of wolves controlled the soil, creating sinkholes and mounds, fighting back and forth with great enthusiasm.
Hua Changxi watched silently for a while. Based on the fluctuations of Spiritual Energy, she knew the fierce tiger was a Qi Sea Realm Demonic Beast, and the pack of wolves were all Qi Refining Realm Demonic Beasts.
Without disturbing them, she quickly moved away.
“Huh?”
Not long after leaving the tiger and wolf battlefield, Hua Changxi suddenly stopped, looking around warily.
She had just sensed that something seemed to be following her.
After looking around several times, Hua Changxi found nothing. She continued to move through the mountain, flying and scanning her surroundings, still finding nothing. Yet, she had a feeling something was watching her.
She trusted her intuition and became increasingly cautious along the way.
Before long, she encountered a third battlefield.
This battlefield was somewhat strange. Six people were fighting against dozens, yet the minority was suppressing the majority.
This was because one of the six people was controlling a six-petaled Black Lotus.
The Black Lotus hovered in mid-air, spinning rapidly, continuously flinging out Black Lotuses burning with Black Flame.
As soon as an opponent was hit by a Black Lotus, their eyes would immediately ignite with raging Black Flame, and then they would turn to attack their own allies.
“Wu Yang, Prince Dong’an’s Estate and the Asura Gate have always minded their own business. Why are you ambushing me?”
Hua Changxi was initially only interested in the Black Lotus and didn’t care about the combatants. However, upon hearing “Prince Dong’an’s Estate” and “Asura Gate,” her expression changed.
This Prince
Hua Changxi looked at the brocade-robed middle-aged man surrounded by several cultivators, somewhat surprised. Was that Prince Dong’an?
Great Jin had four kings of different surnames: the King of Zhenbei, the King of Dong’an, the King of Dingnan, and the King of Pingxi.
The four feudal lords had made indelible contributions to the stability of Great Jin’s borders.
As a part of Great Jin, Prince Dong’an was in danger. She shouldn’t just stand by.
Hua Changxi glanced at the people from the Asura Gate again. Dressed in black robes and controlling a six-petaled Black Lotus, they looked extremely sinister.
This was not a sect that followed the righteous path!
Hua Changxi took a deep breath and made her move.
Six Fire Lotuses shot out, and the air instantly became scorching hot.
“Ah~”
The Black Robed Person from the Asura Gate was engulfed by the Fire Lotuses, and flames immediately ignited on their body.
“Bang~”
Wu Yang, who was controlling the Black Lotus, could not withstand the burning of the Fire Lotuses. His concentration wavered, and the Black Lotus fell to the ground.
As soon as the Black Lotus fell, the Black Flame extinguished.
However, the subordinates of Prince Dong’an who had been hit by the Black Flame did not regain consciousness and continued to attack their comrades.
Wu Yang wanted to pick up the six-petaled Black Lotus, but Prince Dong’an made his move. A surge of Spiritual Power sent the Black Lotus flying far away.
Seeing this, Wu Yang was filled with rage. The flames on his body spread too quickly, and he was powerless to resist. If he went to pick up the Black Lotus, the flames would consume him.
He could sense that once consumed by the flames, he would surely die.
Looking at the direction the Fire Lotuses flew, Wu Yang truly wanted to flay the attacker alive. The next moment, he abandoned the other five Asura Gate members, crushed a Teleportation Talisman, and fled.
The other five Asura Gate members… a few breaths later, they turned to ash and disappeared into the heavens and earth with a gust of wind.
Facing such a scene for the second time, although Hua Changxi was still somewhat unaccustomed to it, she was much calmer than the first time.
Prince Dong’an, who thought he was surely going to die this time, unexpectedly found someone intervening to save them when they were on the verge of complete defeat. He quickly said loudly, “Many thanks to Fellow Daoist for your rescue. I implore Fellow Daoist to reveal yourself for an audience.”
There was no response.
Prince Dong’an immediately understood that the rescuer did not wish to reveal themselves. He said again, “I am Prince Dong’an. If Fellow Daoist ever needs help from Prince Dong’an’s Estate in the future, please do not hesitate to inform me. I will do my best to assist.”
Hua Changxi was not seriously listening to Prince Dong’an’s words. Instead, she looked at the six-petaled Black Lotus not far away, her expression somewhat hesitant.
Although it was her spoils of war, she didn’t really want it.
She felt that the Black Lotus was not a good thing.
The Black Flames flung by the Black Lotus felt like ‘pollutants’ to her. Judging by the encounter of Prince Dong’an’s subordinates, once contaminated by the Black Flame, their minds would be controlled.
She didn’t have a box to isolate the aura, and if she put it in the Shen Nong Cauldron, she would worry about the Shen Nong Cauldron being contaminated.
Forget it, she didn’t want it.
There were so many cultivators; she would surely find Magic Tools in the future. At worst, with cultivators like her who practiced Alchemy, there would surely be Artifact Refiners. She could find an Artifact Refiner to help her forge a Magic Tool then.
She left.
Prince Dong’an looked at the quiet forest. He never received a reply until his subordinates subdued the people whose minds had been consumed by the Black Flame, and then his attention shifted.
“Your Highness, the Asura Gate’s Black Lotus…”
Prince Dong’an took out a box from his Storage Bag, personally walked over to put the Black Lotus into the box, and after placing the box back into his Storage Bag, he looked around again.
Who was the rescuer?
Why didn’t they even want the Black Lotus?
Hua Changxi encountered a fourth battlefield in Five Finger Mountain: a group of cultivators fighting a willow tree.
Looking at the willow tree, which continuously emitted green light and whose branches grew visibly longer and larger, Hua Changxi let out a “whoosh.”
Good, she had seen Demonic Beasts before, and now she saw a Demonic Plant.
“Crack crack crack~”
The cultivators were whipped away by the willow tree, but for some reason, instead of running away, they returned to be whipped again.
“This…”
“Are they training their reaction speed?”
Hua Changxi couldn’t understand, shook her head, and left.
“Who?”
“Come out!”
“Grandma saw you!”
Not long after leaving the willow tree battlefield, Hua Changxi sensed something spying on her again. She immediately circulated her Spiritual Energy, and instantly, the surrounding plants began to sway.
Then, countless leaves floated in the air, shooting towards a certain spot like bullets, from all directions.
“Ah~”
A baby’s cry sounded out of thin air.
“Don’t hit me, it hurts, it hurts so much, it hurts to death, it hurts to death…”
The baby’s voice, with its childish tone, stunned Hua Changxi. The next moment, a five-colored ball of light appeared. The ball of light seemed unstable, sometimes transparent, sometimes solid.
“Don’t hit me, don’t hit me…”
Hua Changxi looked at the ball of light jumping around curiously. Not sensing any danger, she withdrew her Spiritual Energy.
The surroundings returned to silence, and the leaves fell to the ground.
The ball of light, certain that Hua Changxi would not harm it, gradually moved closer to her. After approaching, it circled her a few times, and then…
“Mmm~”
“Mmm~”
The ball of light made sounds like a baby suckling vigorously. Slowly, the ball of light condensed two arms, then two legs, and finally, it formed a round head.
Hua Changxi felt the aura emanating from the ball of light was very comfortable, and her wariness lessened. She stared at the ball of light in confusion, inwardly exclaiming, what on earth is this thing?
A mountain spirit?
“Fairy, Fairy, what do I look like?”
The ball of light, with its baby voice, gestured and hopped in front of Hua Changxi.
Hua Changxi naturally didn’t know what this ball of light was and didn’t speak, watching it.
Seeing her silence, the ball of light “whooshed” and hugged her leg. “Fairy, Fairy, what do I look like?”
Its tone was still filled with a strong sense of coyness. Even though the ball of light had no eyes, Hua Changxi felt it was giving her a flirtatious look.
Thinking this, a corresponding image appeared in her mind. Looking at the humanoid ball of light clinging to her leg, Hua Changxi chuckled and said, “I think you look like a person.”
As soon as she spoke, a miraculous scene occurred. Spiritual Light of five colors—gold, wood, water, fire, and earth—emerged from the ground and continuously flowed into the ball of light’s body.
As the five-colored Spiritual Light continuously gathered, under Hua Changxi’s dumbfounded gaze, a fair-skinned, chubby baby boy appeared on the ground.
When the five-colored Spiritual Light disappeared, the baby boy nimbly got up from the ground and stood, cupped his fists, and bowed repeatedly to Hua Changxi.
“Many thanks to Fairy for bestowing the title.”
“Many thanks to Fairy for bestowing the title.”
