Chapter 1017: The Yellow Spring
Chapter 1017: The Yellow Spring
In the darkness of the night, Zhang Dazhanglao and Feng Zongzhe sat facing each other, drinking and deep in thought.
"Brother Zhang, are you saying... the Yellow Spring?" Feng Zongzhe's eyebrows furrowed.
As soon as the words "Yellow Spring" were mentioned, the atmosphere in the room turned a few degrees colder.
Zhang Dazhanglao nodded and said solemnly, "It seems that someone wants to open the path to the Yellow Spring in Kan Zhou..."
Feng Zongzhe frowned, "Who?"
Zhang Dazhanglao shook his head, "Even our ancestors couldn't predict this..."
Feng Zongzhe's face grew more somber. After a moment, he asked in a grave tone, "Is there really such a thing as the Yellow Spring?"
Zhang Dazhanglao's expression turned grim as he slowly replied, "The ancient records of Kan Zhou mention the Yellow Spring, describing it as a great disaster that would wipe out the entire state."
"But what exactly is this Yellow Spring?"
"Is it a great demon, a powerful ghost, or a massive corpse?"
"Is it an ancient demon's lair, an ancient cultivator's doing, or a heavenly calamity, a consequence of karma, or a natural disaster... No one really knows."
"I don't understand how the Yellow Spring can be opened, or what it truly signifies."
Feng Zongzhe said, "Since we know nothing about it... Brother Zhang, how did you come to know that there are signs of the Yellow Spring opening in Kan Zhou?"
Zhang Dazhanglao's voice turned cold, "Our ancestors appeared in my dreams, foretelling a dire omen. The Canglan State is about to be destroyed, and the eerie waters of the Yellow Spring flow along the underground river, inundating the entire Kan Zhou and distorting all living beings."
"The entire Kan Zhou will become a Yellow Spring underworld, where the living and the dead are indistinguishable."
Just thinking about this scene made Feng Zongzhe shiver in fear.
Zhang Dazhanglao sighed, "The calamity of the Yellow Spring is recorded in the ancient texts of every state."
"The cultivation world is divided into nine states, with Dao State at its center, and the remaining eight states arranged according to the principles of the Eight Trigrams, guarding the central state."
"My Zhang Clan resides in Kan Zhou, which represents water."
"The Yellow Spring is also known as the water of the Nine Underworlds."
"Following the principles of the Eight Trigrams, the disaster of the Yellow Spring will likely originate from Kan Zhou, the source of the Nine Underworlds, where the Yellow Spring begins."
"If the Yellow Spring disaster strikes Kan Zhou, my Zhang Clan will be the first to bear the brunt of it. Our clan's ancestral heritage is here, and we cannot afford to be unprepared..."
Feng Zongzhe fell into deep thought for a moment, his eyes filled with worry, but also confusion:
"Brother Zhang, there's something I don't understand."
"Please speak, Brother Feng," Zhang Dazhanglao said.
Feng Zongzhe said, "You and I observe the Qianxue State, bustling with people, a thriving scene. We know that the world is peaceful, the states are prosperous, and everything is flourishing..."
"But..." Feng Zongzhe frowned, "As you said, Kan Zhou is afflicted by the Yellow Spring, and Nan Huang is in turmoil. In other places, there are also occasional..."
Feng Zongzhe hesitated to mention those two words, pausing for a moment before gathering his courage and lowering his voice:
"The Dao's evil is causing chaos..."
"So, is this world truly peaceful and prosperous, or is it filled with inequality and turmoil?"
Feng Zongzhe's voice carried a deep sense of confusion.
Zhang Dazhanglao remained silent for a moment before lifting his gaze, looking deeply into Feng Zongzhe's eyes, "Brother Feng, you truly don't know?"
Feng Zongzhe's eyes flickered, but he shook his head.
Zhang Dazhanglao spoke slowly and deliberately, "The noble families are prosperous, and you, as an elder of a noble family, perceive the cultivation world as prosperous."
"But this prosperity comes at a cost."
"Whoever bears this cost is also enduring inequality and turmoil..."
Zhang Dazhanglao's gaze was profound, his tone carrying a weight of meaning.
Some enjoy prosperity while others bear the cost. That's why the cultivation world is filled with chaos, and signs of the Yellow Spring's origin are appearing in Kan Zhou.
Feng Zongzhe seemed to understand, but it was evident that he didn't fully grasp the concept.
Zhang Dazhanglao didn't intend to delve deeper into this topic. His primary concern was still Kan Zhou.
Zhang Dazhanglao sighed and said sincerely, "I won't hide it from you, Brother Feng. I came to Qianxue State personally for three reasons: first, to witness the Lunjian Ceremony and admire the talents of Qianxue Tianjiao, so that my clan's disciples can understand that there are always greater beings, and they should never lose their pursuit of the Dao..."
"Second, to visit an old friend;"
"And third, to investigate the Yellow Spring calamity."
Zhang Dazhanglao looked at Feng Zongzhe with utmost seriousness, "Qianxue State is a Five-Rank State, with ancient noble families and vast Daoist collections. There must be many ancient books and records within."
"If given the opportunity, I'd like to examine them."
"If possible, I'd also like you to introduce me to some knowledgeable elders and fellow cultivators in Qianxue State."
"I want to uncover the origin of the Yellow Spring."
"The Yellow Spring calamity is vague and elusive. If it doesn't exist, that would be for the best."
"But if it's real, it will be a great disaster. As a clan residing in Kan Zhou for generations, we have a responsibility to find a way to suppress it and resolve the crisis in the state."
Zhang Dazhanglao, a cultivator in the Yu Hua realm, stood up and bowed to Feng Zongzhe, saying earnestly, "I ask for your assistance, Brother Feng."
Feng Zongzhe quickly stood up to return the gesture, saying, "Brother Zhang, there's no need for such formality. I truly can't accept this."
He thought carefully and spoke honestly, "To be honest, with my cultivation level and connections, I can't help you with something as significant as the Yellow Spring."
"But if it's just about examining ancient books and introducing some elders, I'll gladly do it."
Zhang Dazhanglao's heart was at ease, and he clasped his hands together, "Thank you!"
The two continued their conversation in the darkness, discussing specific details until it was late. They eventually bid each other farewell.
Zhang Dazhanglao returned to the Zhang Clan's guest room, as was customary, and lit a candle. It was the hour of the pig, and most of the clan's disciples had returned, except for one.
Zhang Dazhanglao's gaze darkened, "Where's Zhang Lan?"
The Zhang Clan members looked at each other, afraid to speak.
It wasn't that they didn't want to hide it, but their thoughts and cultivation were too shallow. In front of the Grand Elder, they were like a hair, and their intentions were easily seen.
It was better to tell the truth.
If they tried to hide it, everyone would suffer.
Just as the disciples were feeling anxious, a blue-robed cultivator hurried in, bowed, and said, "Grand Elder."
Zhang Dazhanglao glanced at him and asked, "Where did he go?"
Zhang Lan replied, "He went to visit a... fellow cultivator..."
Zhang Dazhanglao's mind was heavy with thoughts, and for a moment, he didn't think much of it. He waved his hand and said, "Fine, come back earlier next time to avoid trouble."
"Yes, Grand Elder." Zhang Lan breathed a sigh of relief.
After that, everyone dispersed and returned to their rooms to rest.
Zhang Dazhanglao returned to his room, sat in meditation, but no matter what, he couldn't calm his mind. He got up, sat at the desk, and under the candlelight, he flipped through ancient books and incomplete jade slips, seeking an answer.
However, the calamity of the "Yellow Spring" was difficult to discern, and its records were hidden in ancient books. It was a rare and unusual event.
Zhang Dazhanglao flipped through the books, but his findings were still scarce. He couldn't find the origin or any method to suppress it, and he couldn't help but sigh in frustration, muttering to himself:
"May the ancestors bless us, I hope this trip to Qianxue will find clues to suppress the 'Yellow Spring' and lift the calamity from Kan Zhou..."
But he also knew that the hope was too slim.
Zhang Dazhanglao shook his head and continued to read and think. However, the more he thought, the more he felt his mind was exhausted and his thoughts were in disarray.
At that moment, the scenes from the day's Lunjian Conference inexplicably resurfaced in his mind.
On the Fangtian Huayin, a figure moved like a startled swan and a swimming dragon. Under the meticulous and impenetrable sword light of the Feng Clan's Tianjiao, he moved with ease and grace, not a single sword blade touching his body...
His name, Zhang Dazhanglao remembered clearly:
Mo Hua.
Zhang Dazhanglao was stunned for a moment, and for a while, he didn't think deeply, but he couldn't help but exclaim:
"Indeed, the Qianxue Tianjiao is extraordinary. A young boy with such graceful movements, his body technique surpasses even the Feng Clan's genius from the Xiao Yao Gate. It's truly unbelievable..."
Especially his body technique.
Zhang Dazhanglao was a Yu Hua cultivator, and his family had a body technique legacy.
He could see better than anyone else the subtleties and intricacies of Mo Hua's water-type body technique.
Such a refined body technique couldn't be achieved without countless hours of practice, great effort, and immense mental energy. It was impossible to cast it.
High talent, high comprehension, and a willingness to endure hardship, resulting in an exceptional body technique.
"If only this young genius were a member of my Zhang Clan, how wonderful it would be..."
Even Zhang Dazhanglao couldn't help but feel admiration and envy.
But after a moment of admiration, he suddenly froze.
The words Feng Zongzhe had spoken during the day resurfaced in his mind.
At this quiet hour, Zhang Dazhanglao's thoughts calmed down, and he repeatedly replayed Mo Hua's body technique in his mind.
He carefully analyzed every move and pause.
In everything, he feared scrutiny.
Even more, he feared overthinking.
Zhang Dazhanglao flipped through the books repeatedly, pondering for several dozen times, and finally, he sucked in a breath, "This boy's body technique seems to have some similarities... to my Zhang Clan's Shishuibu?"
But he used the technique too skillfully.
Even better than the Zhang Clan's disciples.
Many of his moves, with powerful divine perception control, were so subtle that ordinary cultivators couldn't replicate them.
Moreover, it incorporated various other body technique moves.
Additionally, there was a misty water vapor.
Therefore, at first glance, it was difficult to distinguish.
But at this moment, Zhang Dazhanglao analyzed the body technique, breaking it down and scrutinizing it repeatedly, and finally discovered that it indeed contained traces of the authentic Shishuibu.
"But... this is impossible..."
"How could a Tai Xu Gate Tianjiao, who has nothing to do with our Zhang Clan, learn our clan's secret technique, Shishuibu, which is never passed down?"
Zhang Dazhanglao frowned in confusion.
"It doesn't make sense..."
"Could it be that someone in my Zhang Clan has broken the ancestral teachings and committed a sin?"
Zhang Dazhanglao's gaze became increasingly dangerous.
...
Next door.
Zhang Lan, who had been lazily lying down, suddenly felt a chill run up his spine, and his heart skipped a beat, almost jumping up.
"Is there danger?"
Zhang Lan's face changed, but seeing the quiet night and the peaceful moonlight outside the window, he slightly calmed down and began to think about the cause and effect.
"Mo Hua is a bit dangerous."
"He's attracting a lot of hatred now."
"Maybe because I interacted with Mo Hua during the day, I'm being affected when he's hated..."
Zhang Lan nodded, feeling there was some logic to it, and then lazily lay back down.
But this time, he couldn't sleep peacefully.
...
Tai Xu Gate.
Xun Laoshi also couldn't sleep that night.
In the Qian Xue Prefecture, the Lunjian Conference raged on, and the old patriarch of the sect found himself entangled in a web of intricate affairs, leaving him little time for genuine rest.
The most vexing issue, however, remained Mo Hua.
The situation had taken a turn he hadn't anticipated.
He never imagined that Mo Hua, with his handsome face, would become so adept at provoking hatred.
Using only basic low-grade Wu Xing Fa Shu, he managed to infuriate a group of talented disciples from various sects, who gnashed their teeth at him.
In the many rounds of the Lunjian Conference, Mo Hua stood out as a unique case, a first in the history of the event.
Xun Laoshi was truly caught off guard by this development.
Moreover, the situation was gradually spiraling out of control.
Xun Laoshi frowned, and after a long silence, he couldn't help but sigh,
"Perhaps... this is fate?"
In the past, a young man named Zhuang Daoling had possessed astonishing talent, looking down upon the world and attracting the envy and hatred of countless Tianjiao, making him an enemy of all.
Xun Laoshi wondered if there was a hidden connection between Mo Hua and Zhuang Daoling's lineage.
Initially, Mo Hua seemed fine, but as time passed, he seemed to have veered off course.
He was "repeating history," following in his master's footsteps.
Like his master, he was becoming a target of hatred.
However, there were differences between the two.
Zhuang Daoling was hated for his unparalleled talent and arrogance.
Mo Hua, on the other hand, was despised for his peculiar and irritating nature.
The current Mo Hua seemed like a different version of Zhuang Daoling.
Xun Laoshi felt helpless.
After much contemplation, he couldn't find a solution, and in the end, he could only sigh.
"Forget it. 'Enemies everywhere' might just be the path that he and his master are destined to walk..."
"Some fates are inescapable..."
Fortunately, Mo Hua wasn't truly "enemies everywhere" at this point.
While many hated him, there were also many who cared for and liked him.
Although Mo Hua's path resembled Zhuang Daoling's, he wasn't the real Zhuang Daoling.
He was...
"Mo Hua."
Xun Laoshi murmured, recalling Mo Hua's sincere expression and pure Dao heart, and gradually, his worries subsided.
...
The next day, the Lunjian continued.
The conference progressed, and more cultivators began to pay attention to Mo Hua.
Some cared for Mo Hua.
Some hated him.
Most were infuriated by Mo Hua and wanted to see him fail, taking pleasure in his misfortune.
Zhang Dazhanglao, in his search for friends and the secrets of Huang Quan, also started to focus on Mo Hua.
He watched almost every Lunjian match involving Mo Hua, curious to see if the mobility technique Mo Hua was using was the Zhang Clan's Shishuibu.
Zhang Lan, too, was eager to watch Mo Hua's Lunjian.
In this way, he unknowingly aligned with Zhang Dazhanglao.
However, Zhang Lan's heart remained anxious.
The gaze of the great elder was sharp and penetrating.
Without any clues, Zhang Lan couldn't guess anything.
But if the great elder caught even the slightest hint, and then started unraveling the truth...
That would be the end.
To avoid suspicion, Zhang Lan could only sit quietly in the crowd, silently observing Mo Hua's Lunjian, without uttering a word or showing any sign that he knew Mo Hua.
He was just a passerby, an unknown spectator from another place.
As for Mo Hua?
A complete stranger.
...
On Lundao Mountain, the spectators' atmosphere grew increasingly tense.
Hatred accumulated, and more Tianjiao sharpened their blades, eager to cut Mo Hua down.
But the Xuan Character Division's Lunjian was already nearing its conclusion.
Most of the Lunjian matches had been completed, and the situation was largely settled.
Those who wanted to target Mo Hua had few opportunities left.
Moreover, Mo Hua's remaining opponents weren't particularly strong.
After a series of victories, Mo Hua emerged victorious, and his wins were relatively smooth, without much targeting.
The overall situation, though seemingly dire, carried an air of calm before the storm.
Amidst this peculiar atmosphere, the Xuan Character Division's Lunjian concluded without much fanfare.
Unexpectedly, Tai Xu Gate managed to maintain its third-place position.
This third place was not only due to Mo Hua's undefeated record but also to the efforts of other disciples.
Even within Tai Xu Gate, a group of initially ordinary disciples underwent a "metamorphosis" through the tempering of the Lunjian, and some of them even advanced to the "Di" Character Division.
Mo Hua was astonished by this development.
The sect's elders and higher-ups were delighted.
After a brief rest following the Xuan Character Division's Lunjian, the "Di" Character Division's Lunjian officially commenced.
The four Tianjiao from the sects began to showcase their strength.
The true formidable opponents finally emerged, revealing their prowess...
(End of Chapter)
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