Free Web NovelChapter 26: Chapter 21: Great Freedom Profound Lord, Six-Marvel Jade-Turbid Son of Heaven (Part 2)
"Junior Brother, you should handle your personal affairs in the next few days, then report to the Beiji Pavilion."
’So that’s how it is.’
Xu Zhuang gave a bitter smile. No wonder he felt something was off. No matter how perfunctory Moonlight’s actions were, they still went through the motions and approached the Tai Su Sect, so the sect naturally had to give them an ’explanation’.
Fortunately, ten years wasn’t a short time, but for a Golden Core Cultivator with a lifespan of eight hundred years, it was merely the blink of an eye. He had just formed his Golden Core, so this was a good opportunity to enter seclusion to settle himself, stabilize his realm, and practice his Spells. More importantly, he needed to make up for the deficiencies in his True Inheritance Technique.
Thinking this way, this minor ’punishment’ really didn’t amount to much. Xu Zhuang composed himself and said respectfully, "I accept the order." He took the decree from Han Wang’s hands. Just as he was about to say more, he was interrupted by the sudden sound of a bell ringing from outside his grotto-mansion.
"I didn’t expect the Celestial Time to be so late, and for you to have another guest, Junior Brother," Han Wang said in surprise. "I’ve very much enjoyed our conversation today, and the official business has been taken care of. Since you still have a guest to entertain, I will take my leave."
Xu Zhuang wasn’t expecting any guests and was a little puzzled himself, but he didn’t say much. He simply stood up as well and said, "I’ll see you out, Senior Brother."
Han Wang didn’t refuse. The two of them walked through the main hall and out the gate of the Grotto-mansion. It was already dusk outside, but the sunlight had not yet fully faded. The purple moon had not yet risen, but the bright moon was already in the sky, so it wasn’t dark. However, there was no one in front of the gate, only a small golden sword floating silently in the air, a folded message talisman tied to its tassel.
"A Communication Golden Sword? Which Senior Brother sent this message?" The golden sword was an item unique to True Disciples. Xu Zhuang took the golden sword and looked closely at the inscribed name, only to find one he didn’t quite recognize. "Chen Zongyu?" he asked, puzzled.
"This is..." Han Wang frowned, suspicion rising in his heart. ’Chen Zongyu? What is his purpose in sending a letter to Xu Zhuang?’
Xu Zhuang pondered, "I seem to have seen this name in the Jade Register... Senior Brother Han, do you know this person?"
"Junior Brother Chen was once a True Disciple of our generation," Han Wang said pensively. "But... after ’that incident,’ he withdrew from the ranks of True Disciples, never left the Junyang Six Islands again, and vanished from sect life."
"’That incident?’" Xu Zhuang raised an eyebrow but didn’t press further. He gave a faint smile. "So it really is the Junyang Chen Clan? I’d like to see what this Senior Brother Chen has to say to me."
He reached out and took the message talisman from the golden sword. The sword immediately vanished into the void, disappearing without a trace. Xu Zhuang didn’t pay it any mind. As soon as his fingers touched the talisman paper, he could tell it was of the highest quality.
Xu Zhuang just figured that the Junyang Chen Clan was indeed rich and arrogant, and didn’t think much more of it. He unfolded the talisman paper and fixed his gaze on it. The paper was mostly blank, with only a few symbols scrawled in the center like graffiti. They were a messy, crooked scrawl, exuding a bizarre aura in their distorted forms.
Strangely, although the symbols bore no resemblance to any human script, Xu Zhuang understood them at a glance. Their meaning instantly surfaced in his mind: ’Great Freedom...’
"Not good!" Xu Zhuang snapped the paper shut, his eyes squeezed tight as he instantly sealed his six senses. But the twisted characters were like a brand, seared deep into his mind, emitting a searing, spectral glow.
Great Freedom Profound Monarch Six Marvelous Jade Muddy Heavenly Son!
A sense of dread washed over Xu Zhuang. He immediately summoned his Heart Sword to sever it, but the very next second, the memory that should have been forgotten strangely returned to his mind. Xu Zhuang then silently recited a Tao Scripture and chanted an exorcism mantra three times in a row, but it had no effect...
No matter what Spell Xu Zhuang cast, the eleven words "Great Freedom Profound Monarch Six Marvelous Jade Muddy Heavenly Son" remained in his mind, impossible to dispel.
Han Wang only saw Xu Zhuang unfold the paper, cry out, "Not good!", then snap it shut. Immediately after, Xu Zhuang’s eyes clamped shut and his body went rigid, completely motionless.
Han Wang’s heart sank. He immediately formed a hand seal, his spiritual sense spreading out to scan the heavens and the earth. But everything was normal; there wasn’t the slightest anomaly.
Han Wang frowned. His gaze fell upon the paper in Xu Zhuang’s hand, and he was hesitating, about to investigate, when Xu Zhuang suddenly opened his eyes. With a grim expression, he clenched his fist, crushing the talisman paper to dust.
"Junior Brother Xu!" Han Wang didn’t even have time to feel relieved. Seeing something was wrong with Xu Zhuang’s expression, he quickly asked, "Just now, what was that?"
"Great Freedom Profound Monarch Six Marvelous Jade Muddy Heavenly Son."
Xu Zhuang silently repeated the strange honorific a few times as a shadow fell over his heart. When Han Wang questioned him, he hesitated for a moment before omitting the bizarre name and explaining the other details. After hearing Xu Zhuang’s description, Han Wang’s expression turned grave. He formed a hand seal and began to chant, "Tai Su True Form, in endless transformation. Expel evil, bind demons, preserve life, protect the self. Let wisdom be bright and clear, let the heart and spirit be at peace..."
"The Dao follows nature, foul qi disperses. Within the grotto, profundity, radiant Grand Origin... Demon Kings are bound, guarding my chamber; malevolent filth scatters, the Dao Qi shall forever remain..."
He continuously recited seven or eight different exorcism, blessing, and purification mantras from the Tao Scriptures. Only when he saw Xu Zhuang gently shake his head did he stop, release his hand seal, and say with a bitter smile, "Sigh. If even a cultivator of your skill, Junior Brother, cannot dispel this demonic evil, then I am truly powerless as well."
"Senior Brother, you don’t need to worry about it," Xu Zhuang said. "Do you know what kind of evil art this is? I need to understand its root to find the right countermeasure."
Han Wang said in a low voice, "If I’m not mistaken, some method was used to make you receive a call from a Celestial Demon. What you saw was the true name of an otherworldly demonic evil. Being unable to dispel it is equivalent to having your name registered with this being. It will use every means possible to ruin your cultivation and tempt you into the demonic path... all in an attempt to seize your body, transform into a human, and descend upon the Profound Yellow Realm."
"It’s like that? Is there a solution?" Xu Zhuang’s expression changed slightly.
"A solution... Our Tai Su Orthodox Sect is a great sect of the Profound Gate. The exorcism and demon-dispelling mantras passed down are the most effective solutions. However, we both tried multiple times just now to no avail. The demonic evil you’ve been afflicted with, Junior Brother, is likely no ordinary one," Han Wang said pensively. "I will return to my clan later and check our records. I will definitely find a method for you."
"I’ll be confined to the Beiji Pavilion soon, so I can only trouble you, Senior Brother," Xu Zhuang sighed. "An otherworldly demonic evil, a true name’s call... it’s incredibly bizarre. If I don’t get rid of it soon, I fear my future cultivation will be fraught with demonic tribulations."
"Junior Brother, do not be anxious. Just focus on your cultivation. Within the Tai Su Sect, no demonic evil can hope to stir up any trouble," Han Wang reassured him. "To secretly harm a True Disciple is an unforgivable crime. I will certainly get you an answer for this matter."
"Oh? And how do you intend to handle this, Senior Brother?" Xu Zhuang asked.
Han Wang was silent for a moment, then took out a Talisman Book from his sleeve. In a low voice, he said, "Junior Brother, please make a formal accusation that Chen Zongyu attempted to harm a True Disciple. I will immediately return to the Law Enforcement Hall, muster the Dao Soldiers, and go to the Junyang Six Islands to apprehend him for questioning."
"...Then I must thank you in advance, Senior Brother." Xu Zhuang nodded, gazing in the direction the Communication Golden Sword had flown. He thought to himself, ’But since the Chen Clan dared to make a move, they must have already made arrangements. Chen Zongyu... for such a blatant attack, what kind of backup plan could he have?’
"Senior Brother Han, could you tell me about Chen Zongyu? When he withdrew from the ranks of True Disciples, was it because he lost his passion for cultivation and went to become an idle elder?" Xu Zhuang asked.
"It’s not what you think. Junior Brother Chen was also a determined and resolute person, devoted to the Dao. It’s a pity." Han Wang sighed. "He withdrew from the ranks of True Disciples because his Golden Core was shattered, cutting off his path of cultivation... We were once fellow disciples, so I don’t wish to speak much of it. But if Junior Brother Chen truly did this, the sect’s laws will show no mercy."
Xu Zhuang was startled by this, but seeing that Han Wang was not inclined to talk, he just nodded silently. The conversation had died. After a moment of silence, Han Wang cupped his hands and said, "Junior Brother, please get some rest for now. I will return to the Law Enforcement Hall immediately to handle matters... If I find anything, I may need you to make a trip to the Law Enforcement Hall tonight."
Xu Zhuang cupped his hands in thanks. Han Wang said no more, nodded, and then shot up from the ground, transforming into a streak of rainbow light and disappearing.
Xu Zhuang stood quietly in the evening breeze for a while, his mind calming considerably.
He knew that no matter the outcome of Han Wang’s trip, he had already become entangled in a web of karma with the Junyang Chen Clan. Although he was now a True Disciple, he was likely still powerless to do anything against a deeply rooted and powerful house like the Chen Clan. freewebnøvel.com
However, if he were to one day shatter his Core to form an Infant, or even reach the Primordial Spirit realm, it would be a different story entirely. Therefore, the most important thing for now was to focus on his cultivation.
’The sect is protected by the Grotto Heaven Array,’ Xu Zhuang mused. ’An otherworldly demonic evil couldn’t possibly cross the array to cast its Magic on me. I need to sever the influence of its true name and focus on my cultivation.’
’Thinking about the ten-year confinement in the Beiji Pavilion, I don’t have anything else important to do anyway. I’ll just go to the Beiji Pavilion tomorrow and begin my seclusion.’
