Chapter 242: 2 feet are called sheep, and the mountains are a blind spot

Chapter 242: 2 feet are called sheep, and the mountains are a blind spot

Chapter 242: Two-legged sheep, mountains blocking the view

"Oh?"

Cheng Xinzhan heard this and said,
"What's the point of competing for merit?"

Wu Mei explained,
"Now Xikang is a hunting ground. The various sects of Xuanmen are competing for merit. Before the demonic plague in Xikang is quelled, whichever sect kills more demons will have a louder voice when choosing a site for Xuanmen to enter Xikang.

“Emei Sect also has internal competition. Killing demons will be rewarded according to merit. The sect is generous this time, and we can even exchange for top-notch flying swords.

"The seven great sword pavilions also have to compete for merit, which is more related to the selection of the next head of Emei."

Cheng Xinzhan understood, and he asked again,

"So which one are you targeting now?"

Wu Mei pointed to the east and said,
"Just behind our Xichuan Jiange, a hundred miles away, there is a lake called Hanwei Lake. Beside the lake there is a demonic temple called Hanwei Temple. The abbot, Monk Hanshi, is a demonic monk who likes to make people happy."

The two of them talked as they walked.

"Is this monk Hanshi related to the monk Chuanxin?"

Cheng Xinzhan asked.

Wu Mei shook her head.
"It doesn't matter. If you insist, they are all disciples of the Eight Bitterness King. In the past, the Eight Bitterness King almost unified Xikang. Now, most of the local demons in Xikang can be related to him.

"In addition, because of the Eight Suffering Kings and Maha religion, the demons in Xikang are basically called monks, ascetics, bodhisattvas, and vajra. In fact, they are all demons."

Cheng Xinzhan nodded and said, "So that's it."

"This monk has the second level of cultivation and is good at freezing techniques. He occupies the Hanwei Lake, which should be a relic of an ancient glacier. There is unmelting ice floating on the lake, and the cold fog never dissipates on the lake surface all year round. This should be the reason why this demon is reluctant to leave.

"I went there twice, but the monk was guarding the lake. With the cold fog, the speed of my sword was greatly reduced. He also had many mortals to threaten him, so I couldn't do anything to him. I thought Yunlai practiced fire magic, so I asked you to help me."

Cheng Xinzhan raised his eyebrows.
"And there are mortals?"

Wu Mei nodded.
"Xikang is like this. There is a magic temple in every corner, and every magic temple raises mortals. But in their mouths, these mortals are called "two-legged sheep", meaning animals that can be slaughtered at will.

"These demonic temples have a population of 20 to 30 mortals, and some, like the White Bone Monastery, have over 10,000. The Hanwei Monastery alone has 200 to 300. And I heard that the Putuo Heavenly Palace of the Tibetan Maha Sect has as many as 100,000 mortals in captivity."

Hearing this, Cheng Xinzhan's expression changed completely.

No wonder he has hardly seen any mortals since he came to Xikang. He is still a little confused. Although the mountains here are high and the waters are deep, and it is not suitable for living, human life has always been as hard as stone and as tenacious as weeds. Wherever there is land, there must be people. People can survive by farming, fishing, hunting, and nomadism. Why are there no mortals in this land?
It turns out that there was someone there, but they were abducted by evil spirits!
But how dare they!

The North and South Demon Sects were so powerful, but they only went to the mortal world to plunder. The overseas demon sects were so cold-blooded, but they only sneaked onto the shore to eat people. He really didn't expect that there would be a demon who would dare to treat people like two-legged sheep!

“What do they feed people for?”

Cheng Xinzhan's tone at this time was colder than the howling wind on the snowy mountains.

Wu Mei could naturally understand that every righteous person who heard this kind of inside story would be angry.

“It has many functions, but the biggest one is to spread the Dharma.”

"What's the meaning."

Wu Mei explained,
"The demons here are very evil. For example, the White Bone Temple practices 'Bone Contemplation', so after the mortals they raise reach adulthood, they only give them enough food to survive, and they all become as thin as bones. This is to spread their White Bone Buddhism, and also to provide a place for the demons in the White Bone Temple to practice bone contemplation.

"The food these mortals eat on a daily basis is specially made by the White Bone Temple. It is barely enough to fill their stomachs, and it will turn their bones into gold and stone. These people will die in agony, and after they die in agony, the White Bone Temple will collect their bones to refine magic and weapons.

"The Xuanxin Temple practices the 'no-mind meditation'. When a person reaches adulthood, their heart is removed and replaced with a stone. They believe that the heart is the root of all troubles. If there is no heart, one will enter the 'empty state' where there will be no fear or troubles, and there will be no obstacles in practice.

"Those hearts that were plucked were hung in temples for them to practice evil dharma. They could still beat even after being out of the body for years."

Cheng Xinzhan listened and clenched his fists.
"Then why is this Hanwei Temple arresting people?"

Wu Mei said,

"This demon monk practices the 'cold and heat view', and the cold in it can freeze people's bodies. They believe that external cold and heat are ultimately illusory, and that after the body feels the extreme cold and heat, the mind will become clearer. Therefore, most of the mortals in Hanwei Temple are missing limbs, all of which are frozen."

"You in the Xuan Sect have known for a long time that these demons have been testing people? Why haven't you announced it to the world?"

Cheng Xinzhan asked, he had never heard of it before.

Wu Mei shook her head when she heard this.
"Not too early, because this place has been a wild land since ancient times, and no one cared about it before. Not to mention Xikang, even our Shuzhong is considered by you in the East as "remote and backward with barbarians, rugged and full of obstacles", right?

“It was only in the past hundred years, when we Shu people entered Kang and expanded our territory, that we discovered the filth beneath this land.

"And Yunlai would never guess, just by listening to the population kept in those demon temples I just mentioned and the suffering they endured, how many Xuanmen disciples died tragically because of them. Yunlai would never guess, how many mortals our Xuanmen has rescued from these demon temples in recent decades."

Cheng Xinzhan was silent for a long time after hearing this, and then he said,

"The world's knowledge is shallow, and it has caused great misunderstandings."

The world that Cheng Xinzhan was referring to, especially the people in the East, naturally included himself.

It is true that Emei is domineering and Xuanmen is belligerent, but when it comes to slaying demons and protecting the land and the people, it should be said that they do a better job than the East, which has enjoyed peace for many years.

And now in the Eastern Taoist sect, the impression of Shuzhong is still as Wu Mei said, that it is still a land of ferocious and aggressive barbarians.

If it is spoken, it must be criticized; if it is heard, it must be despised.

But when I went there myself, I found that there are also elegant scholars who enjoy drinking and enjoying the mountains, as well as hermits who admire Huang Lao. The Biyun Temple alone is already home to many talented people. I really don't know what Emei Qingcheng is like.

If I hadn't come here in person, would I have always had this impression?
At this time, Wu Mei said again,
"As for what Yunlai said about not making it public, that's out of the question. This is not some secret treasure that shouldn't be made public for our Xuanmen. Look, haven't I told you now, Yunlai? The Xuanmen in Shu is also well known, and countless Xuanmen disciples have sacrificed their lives for this.

"Could it be that Yunlai wants us to set up a ceremonial guard and go to your Eastern Land to parade and sing, begging the gods and immortals in the mountains for help?
"what."

Wu Mei laughed.
"If this is really done, it would be fine if you from the East are willing to come, but if not, I'm afraid you will blame us from the Xuanmen sect for spreading rumors and stirring up trouble!
"What's more, why should we seek help from outsiders to eliminate demons and defend the Way? Since Yunlai is such a righteous man who has taken the initiative to come here, we will naturally entertain him with good wine and be very happy. If no one else comes, Xuanmen will take care of it alone!
"Yunlai, in my opinion, the mountains surrounding Duguang Wilderness are not only inaccessible to mortals, but also seem to be insurmountable for Eastern immortals!"

Listening to Wu Mei's sarcastic words, Cheng Xinzhan could only accept it sadly.

Yes, prejudice in people’s hearts is like a mountain. When you hear bad things about a person for a long time, you will naturally think that this is a completely bad person. However, you don’t know that people can never be defined so simply.

The Eastern Taoists were worried that the Xuanmen would invade the East, and he was worried that Emei would swallow up Qingzhou, but in fact, they didn't even look towards the East!
They have established Jiange at the mouth of the Wujiang River, and are still on guard against the hostile forces attacking from behind while the Shu people are killing demons and expanding their territory!
The people of Shu marched westward with great ambition, but they were afraid that one day, places like Xikang, Tubo and Xihai would become the land of Taoism, while the East would still talk about the vastness of the Central Plains and the prosperity of the Jiangnan region!
The prejudice and hostility between the two sides are so deep!
"Yunlai, I'm talking about the masters of the great sects in the Eastern Mountains. Of course, I'm not talking about you."

Wu Mei seemed to feel that her words were a bit sharp. There was no one else here at the moment, and Yunlai was from Dongfang Qingzhou, so she had to avoid causing any misunderstanding.

Cheng Xinzhan smiled bitterly and said,

"Not here yet?"

"Here we are. Look, that's it."

Wu Mei pointed and Cheng Xinzhan looked and saw a lake in front of him, shaped like an eye. However, because there was a blue-gray fog floating above it, the color of the lake water and the things hidden in the fog could not be seen clearly.

As for the temple on the lakeside, it is clearly visible.

The two of them stood in the air, watching from afar.

"I attacked twice, and the evil monk was on guard. Now he is not in the temple, but hiding in the middle of the lake." Wu Mei said.

"What about the mortals?"

Cheng Xinzhan asked.

“Mortals in the temple cannot stand the cold fog on the lake, but the fog on the lake has been refined by the devil monk. With just a thought, it will spread to the temple and reap the lives of mortals.

“The last time I came, he used this trick to drive me away, so if you want to kill the demon, you have to hit it with one strike.

"My sword's cloud is too loud and could easily alert the enemy. Moreover, the cloud's speed drops sharply after entering the cold fog. Last time we had a competition at the banquet, Yunlai used a spark to break my cloud curtain, which left a deep impression on me. Your sword is extremely fast and hard to defend against, so please give it a try."

Cheng Xinzhan nodded upon hearing this.

"Is Yunlai sure? Or does he need my cooperation in doing anything?"

Wu Mei asked.

Cheng Xinzhan thought about it and said,
"Why don't you fight him again? I want to see his reaction ability and the toughness of his skin. When he gets angry and threatens to kill a mortal, you can withdraw. Since these demons want to keep mortals captive to test their magic, they will definitely not kill them at will until the last moment."

Wu Mei nodded.
"it is good."

So, Cheng Xinzhan stood still, and Wu Mei summoned her flying sword.

This is a ball of rosy clouds.

Cheng Xinzhan knew what was going on and asked,

"Fellow Daoist, have you refined your flying sword from a tangible form to an intangible form? I wonder which round it is?"

Wu Mei was very surprised when she heard this and said,

"Yunlai is really proficient in flying swords. Apart from our Shuzhong Xuanmen, few people outside know the "formless" refining method. As for how many times this is, Yunlai laughed at me. Naturally, it is the first round."

The reason why Cheng Xinzhan knew and could use it was naturally from the "Ji Ji Sword Sutra". The flying sword refining method of Toujian Mountain still had the shadow of magic swordsmanship, which mainly roamed and ran in the meridians and the Huangting Dan furnace, and was polished with magic power and Gangsha.

"My flying sword is called "Lonely Wook", come and take a look."

As Wu Mei spoke, she turned into a sword light and flew away. The "Guwu" flying sword turned into a dazzling stream of light, like a falling star, and shot straight into the Hanwei Lake.

"escape!"

Watching Wu Mei go away, Cheng Xinzhan made seals and chanted a spell. When the wind blew, he disappeared silently on the spot.

The rosy glow usually hangs high in the sky, but at this moment, a rosy glow falls from the sky like a waterfall or rain. The rosy glow falls very quickly, collides with the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, and ignites fire, like the fiery clouds after the summer rain in Longyou area, as if it is going to burn a hole in the sky.

In this sky full of fiery clouds, there is an extremely condensed red-orange dazzling sword light. If you don't look closely, it is difficult to find it under the cover of the fiery clouds. But once you see it, you will be amazed by its brightness and can't take your eyes away.

It is like the surface of a lake under the setting sun, the waves shining like fire and gold, and a lone wild goose is flying in the waves and glow above the lake.

This has to do with the sword, the sword technique, and the sword master. As soon as Wu Mei made a move, there was such a momentum.

The fiery clouds fell from the sky like flowing water, and the cold lake below looked like a cooled charcoal, with a bluish-gray color, as if it would be extinguished by the fiery clouds in the next moment.

However, if this cold lake were really that simple, this fiery glow wouldn't have come over here again and again.

Just as the flames poured down, the cold charcoal seemed to have the ashes on its surface blown away by the breeze, and suddenly a raging flame ignited - that was the blue-green cold mist rising up.

"呲-"

When the rosy clouds and cold fog intersected, they made the same sound as when water and fire collided.

"You hag! Why are you here again?"

Then, a shout was heard in the cold fog.

"Your grandma can come whenever she wants!"

Wu Mei responded bluntly.

Although the cold fog could block the sunset glow, it could not stop the lone wild goose. The wild goose flew out from the sunset glow, flew into the cold fog, and headed towards the source of the curse.

The evil monk also had weapons in his hands, and immediately heard a clanging sound coming from the cold fog.

But when what was heard was not the sound of a sharp blade entering the body, but the sound of swords clashing, Wu Mei already knew that this attack would end in failure again.

Because the fire cloud comes from his own magic power, but the cold fog comes from the glacier in the lake that has not melted for thousands of years. Human power is limited, but the glacier is not. Moreover, the speed of the fire cloud flying sword will only get slower and slower when killing enemies in the cold fog.

Although he was not afraid of fighting, and he was also patient enough to wait for the demon monk to make a mistake, the lives of hundreds of mortals within reach depended on the demon monk's single thought.

But Wu Mei did not give up. She still used all her strength to control the flying sword to fight the evil monk, hoping that this would allow Yun Lai to find the evil monk's weakness.

"Mother Yasha, you want to play, but the monk doesn't want to play with you. If you don't retreat, I will kill people one by one."

Not long after the two fought, the evil monk lost his patience and started shouting.

In order to prevent the demon monk from doing something wrong out of haste, Wu Mei's flying sword immediately slowed down.

At this time, a gust of wind suddenly blew.

In Kangxi, the wind blows every moment. Although the wind is cold, the cold fog and the fire haze are both magical skills of the immortals. How could they be moved by a gust of wind?
However, to their surprise, this wind that came from nowhere really lifted the tangled cold fog and fiery clouds, revealing the deep blue lake and the evil monk on the floating ice in the middle of the lake.

The demon monk was very thin, with a green face and a bald head. He controlled a silver pestle and fought with Wu Mei's flying sword. The clanging sounds were continuous.

The demon monk was naturally alerted when the wind blew in. He looked around, but only saw invisible wind filled with snow and ice. It was the most common wind in Kangxi and there seemed to be nothing special about it.

However, this demon monk had practiced "Cold and Heat Contemplation" for many years, which was of some use after all. The bone-chilling cold fog made his mind extremely clear, and he immediately realized that real danger was about to come.

The floating ice he was sitting on was melting rapidly where his body was in contact with it, and his body was sinking, as if he was trying to hide inside the ice.

In a blink of an eye, most of his body was sunk into the ice, leaving only his head. He shouted loudly,

"No matter who comes, retreat immediately, otherwise all the mortals in the temple will die!"

He didn't seem to be joking, as the cold fog was already spreading towards the temple by the lake.

But just when his neck was about to be immersed in the ice, a cold light suddenly flashed in the wind, as bright and cold as autumn water under the moonlight.

"Gudong."

The demon monk's head suddenly fell off his neck and rolled on the ice. At this moment, half of his neck was completely submerged in the ice along with his body.

"If Han Wu enters the temple, I will burn your soul."

Then a voice colder than the sword light came from the wind.

(End of this chapter)