Free Web NovelChapter 607: He Lingchuan's Opportunity
The audience below fell silent, each person imagining what sort of terrifying strength a monster over three hundred meters tall would possess.
He Lingchuan, however, thought of the Wind Demon of the Ethereal Sect. That too had once been an immortal sect’s guardian spirit beast, yet several centuries ago, it had been defeated by the Baoshu King.
“For a natural element to receive fortune’s favor and grow into a sentient monster is one chance in countless millions, even in the Ancient Era,” Xu Shichu said. “Otherwise, with so many clear winds, so many volcanoes, so many rivers, lakes, and great marshes in the world, why would the number of powerful aberrant creatures born from them be so limited?”
He Lingchuan immediately thought of the constantly churning lava inside Tianshu Peak’s crater.
It seemed his imagination back then had been right. A giant beast truly did lurk within.
Was Fleeting Life’s warning because of it?
Good thing I hadn’t taken even one more step forward then.
Someone below asked at once, “If it’s such a powerful monster, why would it submit to Beijia?”
It had become someone’s mountain-guarding spirit beast. Put plainly, was that not just a gatekeeper? How was that not submission?
“For the same reason, it once submitted to the Grand Return Sect.” Xu Shichu said slowly, “Its opponent was stronger.” He then continued, “According to the records, after the Grand Return Sect fell, this rock-fire aberrant creature was also subdued by the gods and the Monster Emperor. It continued serving as the guardian spirit of Mount Shou’an, now Mount Xu, and accepted new masters. However, the records are vague on how the northern monster state defeated the Grand Return Sect and how Juju was subdued.”
“The whole of Mount Xu is Juju’s territory.” He Lingchuan suddenly spoke up. “Could the northern monster state really defeat the local master there?”
A little Wind Demon that had slumbered for years returned to Mount Fengmo and absorbed the North-South Divine Wind for only a few days, yet it had already caused the Baoshu State’s seed-protection unit heavy casualties. That was the advantage of fighting on home ground. The whole of Mount Xu was Juju’s home ground—or rather, the whole of Mount Xu was practically one with it. How then had the Monster Emperor defeated it?
Besides, the Grand Return Sect was no pushover. If its own guardian beast was being beaten, would the sect really sit by and do nothing?
“Many factors determine victory on the battlefield. It is never a simple comparison of strength,” Xu Shichu said gravely. “Moreover, although Juju survived from antiquity to the present and its mind has not been worn away, its strength has likewise diminished. It is no longer the greater monster it was three thousand years ago.”
“So long as one is a living being of this world, one prospers and suffers with the mortal realm. To think of standing apart from it, or enriching oneself at the expense of the whole, is to go against Heaven.” Xu Shichu’s voice slowed. “In the end, such a path brings no good result.”
He Lingchuan felt there was meaning behind his words.
And Beijia had gods standing behind it. That was the monster state’s confidence and trump card.
When the northern monster state attacked the Grand Return Sect, it had not yet reached the peak of its power. Though the Grand Return Sect may already have been burdened by endless accumulated problems and weakened long before, for the northern monster state to take it down, it most likely needed divine assistance.
Xu Shichu was tactful and did not say this outright.
He Lingchuan asked directly, “Does this giant monster itself have any weaknesses?”
Unless something unexpected happened, he might later have to go up Star-Plucking Tower and search for that divine artifact. If he wanted to climb the mountain, would he first have to pass the mountain-guarding spirit beast?
The people nearby laughed. “What, you planning to test yourself against it?”
“Broken Blade, we know you’re strong, but you’re not really thinking of challenging it alone, are you?”
He Lingchuan laughed as well. “Estimate the enemy generously. If we know this fire creature’s weaknesses, perhaps we can infer Beijia’s abilities and methods. Such valuable intelligence, do we not need it?”
The laughter around him thinned at once.
Xu Shichu nodded. “Well said, well said. Every piece of intelligence, every correct inference, may become the key to defeating an enemy. Before the northern monster state launched its surprise attack on the Grand Return Sect, it must have tried every possible way to do its homework. By contrast, the Grand Return Sect was numb, complacent, and arrogant. That was how disaster struck.” He added solemnly, “According to the historical facts I have verified, during that ten-day-and-ten-night battle, Juju did not suffer serious injury. After the northern monster state captured Mount Shou’an, it even obeyed its new master’s request and moved two mountain peaks.”
It could move mountains?
Everyone was shaken.
Xu Shichu saw their expressions and knew what they were thinking. “Juju was born from earth fire. It is a child of the Mother Kun[1] and also serves as a guardian spirit. For it to move one or two peaks there is nothing strange. Have you heard of the Ethereal Sect’s guardian spirit beast, the Wind Demon?”
Everyone shook their heads. Only He Lingchuan nodded.
“That Wind Demon was born from the North-South Divine Wind. During the Ethereal Sect’s peak, the Wind Demon could even carve and erode mountain forms, open terraced fields and channels across high ridges, and carry several hundred thousand kilograms of heavy goods up mountains without using manpower. As for altering terrain, that is even more Juju’s specialty.”
He Lingchuan let out a soft breath.
No wonder Beijia had been able to reshape the Grand Spirit-Gathering Array, aligning the main peaks on earth with the stars in the sky, even making their shapes and positions closely resemble one another. So the guardian spirit had helped!
“However, at the time, it only moved away two small peaks, and that took more than half a year. Presumably, this work consumed tremendous energy and time.” Xu Shichu returned to the main topic. “According to the Grand Return Sect materials I have studied, Juju’s intelligence is very high, no inferior to a human’s. It even negotiated and bargained with the Grand Return Sect. In this respect, it differs completely from other elemental aberrant creatures of wind, earth, fire, and water.”
“If the immortal sect failed to meet its demands, Juju would slack off or cut corners. Because of this, the Grand Return Sect had to specially assign people to soothe it and even negotiate with it. One could say that Juju itself was an anomaly.”
“After heaven and earth spirit qi declined, Juju still demanded a sufficient supply of spirit qi. In the early Middle Era, the Grand Return Sect could still grit its teeth and persist. But as time passed, that supply became increasingly difficult to maintain.” Xu Shichu picked up his cup and drank some water. “On one hand, Juju demanded too much, nearly twenty percent of the spirit qi gathered by the Grand Return Sect. On the other hand, the Grand Return Sect’s old enemies had all vanished during the Great Catastrophe, while new powers capable of threatening the sect had not yet arisen. For them to continue spending enormous effort to support Juju was no longer worthwhile.”
The crowd fell silent. freeweɓnøvel.com
Juju was simply too voracious. After the immortal sect declined, it naturally could no longer afford to feed it.
“Later, the conflict between Juju and the Grand Return Sect grew sharper and sharper. It often flew into rages, sometimes even triggering volcanic eruptions.” Xu Shichu sighed. “Seeing that the mountain environment was no longer suitable for habitation, most of the Grand Return Sect simply moved back down to the ground. One can imagine that from then on, the relationship between the sect and the fire creature likely became even more distant.”
If neither side needed the other anymore, then they had probably grown sick of each other.
“Connecting this with what was said earlier, the northern monster state’s battle to destroy the Grand Return Sect lasted ten days and ten nights. Both sides suffered heavy casualties, yet Juju was largely unharmed.” Xu Shichu finally gave his conclusion. “From this, it seems that it was not deeply involved in the battle, did not exert itself to the death for the Grand Return Sect, and perhaps even...”
He did not continue, merely sighing.
The evidence was insufficient, so he could not say too much. But clever people all understood his implication. Juju might even have been turned by the northern monster state, striking its former master from behind at a critical moment.
Once both sides in a battle were spent, whoever received fresh reinforcements would greatly increase their chances of victory.
He Lingchuan’s eyebrows knitted tight.
This Juju was indeed a fire creature with personality, but what use were these secrets to him?
Without question, Lingxu City’s Grand Spirit-Gathering Array, completed more than ten years ago, must have involved Juju, the local master. In other words, whether he wanted to obtain Zhu Erniang’s molted shell or the divine artifact atop Star-Plucking Tower, he might not be able to avoid this enormous creature.
It was the landlord of Mount Xu. It might be even more sensitive to his intrusion than the gods or the Lord Emperor.
Was he supposed to try turning Juju again?
Between Beijia and him alone, how stupid would Juju have to be to choose him?
“In the late Middle Era, aberrant creatures like Juju still had earth fire nourishing them, which was why they did not disappear like other monster immortals. But likewise, obtaining spirit qi became increasingly difficult for it. Otherwise, it would not sleep for a hundred years at a time. The more intelligent it is, the more it understands the need to preserve strength and avoid injury.” Onstage, Xu Shichu continued, “No matter what, Juju possessing intelligence is a good thing.”
Someone could not help but ask, “Having intelligence can count as a weakness?”
If that were true, who among the present did not have weaknesses everywhere?
“With intelligence, there can be conversation. It is unlike other natural elements that keep all living beings away. If there can be speech and exchange, then there is a possibility of persuasion, defection, or even negotiation.” Xu Shichu smiled. “Six hundred years ago, the northern monster state most likely did precisely that. They have already given us an example.”
He Lingchuan stroked his chin.
In other words, gathering information on Juju’s current state is also necessary work for me?
This fire creature’s appetite had been so great that even its original master could not afford to keep it. Would Beijia find feeding it effortless?
In reality, at least a little over ten years ago, Juju had still been working for Beijia, exerting itself for the new Grand Spirit-Gathering Array. By now, the strength of such an aberrant creature would not be increasing. If it could avoid declining, that would already be cause for thanks.
The conflict between Lingxu City and Juju was probably not small. If everyone were so harmonious and friendly, why build a grand array to suppress it?
* * *
The vast Fleeting Thoughts Manor took a full three days of cleaning before it basically met the conditions for moving in.
The old dust inside the buildings and the overgrown courtyards outside all had to be cleared. Guards went in and out constantly, purchasing every kind of daily necessity.
Thus, when He Lingchuan came to Fleeting Thoughts Manor again three days later, he felt that everything had been refreshed.
The weeds on the outer walls and the cobwebs in the corners were gone. Even the wildflowers in the garden had been ruthlessly removed. Only bougainvillea remained, spilling down from the side wall like a waterfall, blooming more wildly in autumn than it would in spring. Aside from that, the manor retained only several hundred ancient trees, including golden osmanthus, parasol, camphor, and others. All were at least two hundred years old, their branches and leaves swaying gracefully.
Fleeting Thoughts Manor had originally been famous for its potted landscapes. After the Chunyu Family was convicted, those who knew their value carried the potted plants away. Only seven or eight pots remained near the weasels’ den. After being pruned, they were now all placed on either side of the entrance to welcome guests. New flowers and trees would have to wait until spring next year.
Although it was late autumn, the manor still glowed with fresh vitality.
Even the rear mountain had new residents: a hive of contracted bees.
What great noble’s rear garden did not keep a few beehives? Sweet, fragrant pastries had to be made with the freshest first-hand ingredients.
“I’m telling you, this place really isn’t bad!” Fushan Yue dragged him behind the beehives, pushed aside several clumps of shrubs, and said, “Look.”
1. Note that the kun (坤) here is the same one as in qiankun (乾坤). It represents the second part of the cosmic pairing derived from the Book of Changes, and it could also be taken to refer to earth in heaven and earth. ☜
