Chapter 151 - 93: Jiao Dragon Makes Rain, The Wonder of the Celestial Waterfall

Chapter 151: Chapter 93: Jiao Dragon Makes Rain, The Wonder of the Celestial Waterfall

Fangmian Taoist mused, "How strange... Did either of you get a clear look at the one who made a move?"

Both replied that they had not. Fangmian Taoist’s brow furrowed even deeper as he muttered, "So Meng Fusheng’s disappearance is definitely confirmed."

At that moment, the horse-faced cultivator said, "Meng Fusheng wasn’t known for his Magical Power. Even if he were still around, I doubt he could have pulled this off."

Fangmian Taoist nodded and said thoughtfully, "A mysterious Nascent Soul has appeared out of nowhere at the True Form Temple. I must report this matter to my superiors and let the Venerable decide."

After a moment of contemplation, he turned to the horse-faced cultivator. "Senior Brother Jiang, I’ll trouble you to go to Yunlan Province and ’sound things out.’ See if you can find out who this sacred personage is, and how profound their cultivation might be."

The horse-faced cultivator let out a sly laugh. "You can count on me," he said. With no further ceremony, he strode out of the hall. His figure flickered and vanished without a trace.

——

It was the height of summer in Tianxia. Near the Celestial Waterfall Immortal Mountain, a peak had suddenly risen from the flat plains. Some of the more knowledgeable scholars recognized it as Lianyun Mountain, transported from thousands of miles away. Most people, however, didn’t know whether to believe this. The believers continued to call it Lianyun Mountain, but there were also plenty of skeptics who gave it a new name: Feilai Peak.

...

After setting down Lianyun Mountain, the party from the True Form Temple finally returned to their home sect.

The disciples who had been guarding Lianyun Mountain hadn’t dared to relax their vigilance for days and were utterly exhausted. Upon their return, Daoist Zhang dismissed them to rest and recuperate.

Watching as every last disciple returned to the sect, now bowing and taking their leave, Daoist Zhang felt a wave of relief wash over him. The worries that had plagued him for days seemed to evaporate in that single moment.

Turning around, Daoist Zhang saw Xuzhuang and Zeng Quanfeng conversing and sighed to himself in admiration. ’Having Junior Martial Uncle Xu arrive in this realm is a true blessing.’

As he approached the two, he heard Zeng Quanfeng exclaim with delight, "That couldn’t be better!"

Daoist Zhang asked in surprise, "Junior Brother Zeng, what’s the happy occasion?"

Xuzhuang saw him approach and said, "Nephew Zhang, you’re just in time. I’ll need you to make the arrangements for this."

Daoist Zhang’s expression turned serious. He cupped his hands and said, "Please give your instructions, Junior Martial Uncle."

Xuzhuang smiled. "Nephew, there’s no need for such formalities. Weren’t we just talking about how the sect is short-staffed and can’t even manage the summoning of clouds and rain?"

Daoist Zhang replied, "That is indeed the case."

Xuzhuang then slightly raised his sleeve. A single-horned jiaolong, covered in shimmering green scales and radiating a majestic aura, swam out. Its face, however, held a distinctly human-like expression of misery. It brought its front claws together in a semblance of a human salute and spoke in a human voice, "Sect Leader Zhang."

"This is... a jiaolong?!" A flash of astonishment and joy crossed Daoist Zhang’s eyes. The Celestial Waterfall Realm had no Dragon Race to speak of, and jiaolong were creatures of pure legend. Rumor had it that only a few of the Five Domains Great Sects possessed jiaolong, and all were revered as mountain-guardian spirit beasts.

Yet here was a jiaolong, right before his very eyes. And upon closer inspection, it had already condensed a Demon Pill; its cultivation was clearly profound. Daoist Zhang had a vague inkling of what Xuzhuang was about to propose, but he found it hard to believe.

Xuzhuang nodded. "This jiaolong is my spirit beast. His name is Lieyun, and he can bear the responsibility of regulating the weather in Yunlan Province."

Daoist Zhang hesitated. "Isn’t that... a bit of an under-utilization of his great talents?"

Lieyun’s spirits immediately lifted at the suggestion, but then Xuzhuang continued, "It’s fine. Lieyun has an innate Divine Technique for summoning clouds and rain, making him a perfect fit. However, this jiaolong is lazy, so I’ll need you, Nephew, to arrange a few disciples to watch over and supervise him." Lieyun instantly deflated.

Hearing Xuzhuang’s words, Daoist Zhang no longer protested. He said joyfully, "Rest assured, Junior Martial Uncle. I will arrange it properly."

Xuzhuang then turned to Lieyun and ordered, "Perform your duties well here in the temple. Do not defy your supervisors. I will be sure to credit you for your meritorious service. Besides, summoning clouds and rain will also aid your cultivation of the ’Dragon Power Art.’ Do you understand?"

Lieyun meekly complied. Xuzhuang gave a slight nod and said to Daoist Zhang and Zeng Quanfeng, "In that case, I will return to my estate to cultivate. If you need to discuss anything, feel free to come find me directly."

Daoist Zhang and Zeng Quanfeng both acknowledged his words. Without further delay, Xuzhuang rode a gentle breeze and flew away.

Daoist Zhang sighed in admiration. "Having Junior Martial Uncle Xu here to temporarily lead us is truly a great fortune for the sect."

Gazing at Xuzhuang’s receding figure, Zeng Quanfeng said with renewed vigor, "For a personage like Junior Martial Uncle Xu to come to this realm and take charge of the True Form Temple, it proves that our sect has not been forsaken by our superiors!"

Lieyun, standing to the side, curled his lip and thought, ’What a bootlicker. I’m certainly not going to pass on that flattery for you.’

...

While airborne, Xuzhuang scanned the entirety of the True Form Temple below, his mind abuzz with thoughts. He rode the wind, flying slowly, and only returned to his cave estate after some time. Upon entering, he saw Xue Yuren sitting silently in the main hall like a stone statue, lost in who knows what thoughts.

Xuzhuang asked, puzzled, "Why aren’t you resting in your room?"

Xue Yuren replied, "Master has not yet assigned me a room. This servant would not dare to presume."

Xuzhuang paused, taken aback. "The rules in my estate need not be so rigid," he said. "Feel free to choose any room for yourself."

Xue Yuren rose and gave a slight curtsy. "Yes, Master."

Xuzhuang said, "I’m surprised you could sit here for so long. Go on and get some rest."

Xue Yuren replied placidly, "This servant is accustomed to it. It is no bother."

Xuzhuang shook his head. ’This jade spirit is certainly different from ordinary people,’ he thought. Not dwelling on it further, he gave his wide sleeve a gentle flick. A Golden Talisman flew out and landed in Xue Yuren’s hand. "While I am cultivating," he instructed, "if anyone comes to the estate looking for me, use this talisman to contact me."

Still expressionless, Xue Yuren took the Golden Talisman and put it away. "Yes, Master," she replied.

Xuzhuang said no more. Though he’d mentioned cultivating, he didn’t head further into his estate. Instead, he turned and walked back out the main gate.

Xuzhuang walked to the edge of the cliff and gazed at the Celestial Waterfall, lost in thought for a moment. Suddenly, he raised two fingers. Magical Power swirled at his fingertips, condensing into a tiny pellet of mist. With a light flick, it shot like lightning into the Celestial Waterfall, only to instantly dissipate.

Xuzhuang’s brow furrowed slightly, then immediately smoothed out. ’The force of this Celestial Waterfall is truly incredible,’ he thought. ’But it’s not entirely unbearable. I’ll have to go in and investigate it myself.’

With a light tap of his foot, Xuzhuang leaped from the cliff’s edge, drifting against the wind and spray. As he reached the edge of the Celestial Waterfall, his ears were filled with a deafening ROAR AND CRASH. He paid it no mind, staring intently into the torrent for a moment. Then, with a sudden movement, he activated his Water Escape Skill and plunged into the falls.

Upon entering the Celestial Waterfall, Xuzhuang immediately felt an immense force descending from above. It was as if someone were casting a powerful Water Dao technique from the clouds, bombarding him relentlessly. Fortunately, by maintaining his Five Elements Escape Skill, he was able to evade the pressure.

Xuzhuang nodded to himself in approval. With a flick of his body, he passed through layer after layer of water, heading straight for the depths. Sure enough, the deeper he went, the more he felt a sense of purity in both body and mind, as if the torrent was washing away all filth and impurities.

Xuzhuang raised an eyebrow. The Celestial Waterfall truly possessed the wondrous ability to clear the mind and calm the spirit. ’Cultivating here could prevent many of the dangers of qi deviation and demonic influence,’ he mused. ’But whether it can accelerate the fusion of spirit and qi remains to be seen.’

The deeper he ventured, the more Xuzhuang could feel the waterfall’s crushing pressure intensify. He considered his options. With his Five Elements Escape Skill, he could certainly go deeper, but he wasn’t sure if he could withstand the pressure while actively cultivating.

Xuzhuang halted and took a moment to gauge the power of the falls. Without any overt movement, a thin layer of purple mist rippled out from his body. The torrent immediately slammed into it, causing it to flicker as if it were about to be extinguished. Xuzhuang remained unfazed, continuously channeling his elixir energy. The purple mist instantly stabilized. This glowing cloak grew thicker and thicker, its violet light intensifying until it illuminated the surrounding water in a dazzling purple haze.

When it reached its limit, Xuzhuang suddenly shouted, "Open!" The radiant light violently expanded, finally carving out a ten-foot-wide space within the heavy torrent.

Xuzhuang deactivated his Water Escape and stood securely within the sphere of purple qi. He nodded to himself in satisfaction. Now that he had refined the golden mercury, he had no fear of his elixir energy regressing. This level of consumption was well within his limits. With a flick of his robes, he sat cross-legged in the empty space, focusing his spirit and circulating his qi, gradually allowing them to merge.