Chapter 400 - Wind, Rain, Thunder, Lightning
If it was an ordinary malicious spirit, with one thought Shen Lian could vanquish it with his unbreakable sword will. However, he was afraid that the demonic god that dealt him this damage could be considered as one of the rarest formidable figures in this entire universe and galaxy. The essence of that thread of malicious force was far beyond Shen Lian's expectation. He tried to visualize the innate god of the Mastery of Senses to defeat this malicious force, but the force could actually sense it and disturb his state of mind before Shen Lian uses the Mastery of Senses. It caused his clarified bier to be dimpled with ripples like the surface of the water, Shen Lian was unable to visualize the innate god like this.
At the same time, Shen Lian also understood that this malicious force had its own spirituality. Just this point was enough to astonish anyone beyond compare. In this universe, besides the demons and human who cultivated Dao, it was hard for spirituality to appear on other matters. If a top grade instrument had its own spirituality, it would be like the carp that had not leap over the dragon's gate. If it could leap over the dragon gate, then it could evolve into a magical talisman and cultivate by its own since then.
Even a wisp of mana could breed its own spirituality. This was simply like the 'Primordial Spirit within the Dharma' state in the legends. Once one had reached this step, it was almost impossible to die.
No matter just how vast and stalwart this other party was, Shen Lian still needed to get rid of this malicious force. Furthermore, it was a blessing in disguise. At least this difficult situation served as a warning to himself to be alert. If he went to Mount Zhong with a heart filled with complacent, even if he was a man of practice, the possibility of him surviving would not be big.
Zhao Xiaoyu had already long return to the Luoism headquarter in Mount Jimo. She cleared out all the subordinates that were unloyal and took the opportunity to re-organized Luoism. Its system became stricter. Anyone who did not give it their all would be punished according to the sect's rules and those who could accomplish matters were rewarded and promoted.
The force of the entire Luoism was not what it once was but with Zhao Xiaoyu's control over it, it was finally pushed to its peak. In each important spots in the entire Yuan Continent, three hundred and sixty branches being laid down according to the number in the circle of Qi. Every altar master had his own unique abilities. Even when they encounter cultivators of the Huandan level, they would have the means to deal with it.
Meanwhile, with the noble deity, Zhao Xiaoyu conferred four auxiliary deities to help her control Luoism. The people called the Wind, Rain, Thunder and Lightning, The Four Oracles. All of them had abilities that were undetectable even by the spirits and gods.
Within a short span of time, she completed each magnificent feat. If one were to look through the entire cultivation world, there was no one that was equal to Zhao Xiaoyu's execution ability. However, she did not have much-enlightened sentiments. She stood on top of a huge rock that had been weathered. The broad moonlight was like a layer of thin satin that covered her lithe and graceful figure. Her beautiful face that was enough to topple the masses was slightly contorted. There was also some coolness to it.
Until then, she still could not find traces of Fairy Tianmeng. Also, after the fleeting of that huge organization, it vanished without a trace. Even with the Zen masters of the eight Buddhist sects coming together, they came to a unanimous decision to send out the 'Four Nobles of Sramana', which were Daosheng, Sengzhao, Daorong, and Sengrui to enter into the world and scout out. They too did not even catch any odds and ends of that organization.
Zhao Xiaoyu deeply suspected that the leader of that terrorizing organization was Yanxu. However, there was no way for her to prove that even Fairy Tianmeng was in that organization. She once again held up the piece of fabric in her hand. This was the item that the Wind Oracle of the Four Oracles brought back. It only had three words on it, 'Mid of July', the date of the Hungry Ghost Festival.
It was obvious that it was a date. Furthermore, mid of July had passed and there was still less than ten months before the next mid of July. What did that day actually meant? After careful calculation, that day would most probably be the day Shen Lian arrived at Mount Zhong.
Zhao Xiaoyu lightly sighed. She hoped he could come back alive, for official and personal reasons. Otherwise, she found it hard to go on in this gradually tough times, let alone establishing a grand immortal sect.
After the death of the monarch of Jinji Country, all of the peasant, most of the government officials and the rich people celebrated. This was because the monarch of the Jinji Country used his power to squeeze his own people dry which made him truly not popular with the people.
But a country could not go on a day without a leader. Most of them wanted to elect Shen Lian as their monarch and accept their support. However, when they went to search for Shen Lian, this mysterious Daoist from the east had vanished without a trace.
A Daoist in green and a young female with a sword appeared on the boundless wasteland. The coagulated black dirt was left with one person's footprints. The footprints were not of the young female, but it was of the Daoist in green with the empty flocket.
This was the permafrost of ten thousand years. It was even hard for the cultivator's flying sword to leave a mark on it. However, with every step that the Daoist in green landed on the ground, there was a full three-inch mark appearing on it.
The distance between the footprints was one feet. No more, no less.
Fang Yanying followed behind her uncle-master, the worry in her eyes could not be wiped away. This was because her uncle-master was going through unimaginable pain and he was deliberately suppressing it. Although he intentionally hid the fact from her, his footprints revealed the truth.
If it was not for the energy that needed to be vented out, her uncle-master would not even leave marks on the thinnest snow.
One of Shen Lian's hand was fair like jade, his other hand was wrapped in white cloth. He did not speak when he was crossing over mountains, neither did he speak when they crossed the big crack in the ground. Shen Lian had not spoken a word for a good ten days, he only walked continuously like a machine.
Fang Yanying was even glad that her uncle-master left his footprints because sometimes when she was in a daze, she would realize that her uncle-master had no vital force at all. He seemed to only have a deathly stillness to him.
At one moment, Fang Yanying passed her uncle-master's silhouette by and her eyes were filled to the brim with snowy white.
This was because it was as though all of the snow storms of this universe had arrived at the mountain in front. Besides the white endless snow, there was no other scenery that could be seen.
Shen Lian finally stopped in his tracks and he stretched his back for comfort. With a slight yawn, he said, "We're finally here."
With this stretch of his body, it was like the icy layers that covered the river current had suddenly melted off. Even though it was still very cold, but it was clear that spring was coming. There was nothing or anything that could stop the arrival of spring.
One of Shen Lian's hand was still wrapped in a white cloth, it was snuggly dressed. However, his entire person had swept the deathly stillness away at that period of time. He was exceptionally refreshed and genuine.
The permafrost beneath his feet actually had green young buds sprouting out. In a blink of an eye, its height grew to half a feet and golden flowers bloomed. Shen Lian walked towards the Great Snow Mountain at a leisurely pace. Wherever he walked by, there were wild grass and flowers that grew. The small golden flowers were laid out on the permafrost, as though a golden road was being laid.
There was a story in Buddhism. Back then, when Buddha came down to the mortal world from the ninth heaven, there was Indra who used the Vajra Technique and transformed golden stairways for Buddha to step on to descend to the mortal world. This was to propagate Buddha's immense dignity.
Of course, Shen Lian did not have Indra as his company but the little golden flowers beneath his feet were infected by the Vajra Technique. Even though it still was not the same as the profound Indra's technique, subtle and far-reaching, but it had gotten the meaning of the Vajra.
The snowstorm could not stain it, the permafrost could not stop it.
One small golden flower after another grew luxuriantly and finally spread to the top of the mountain following Shen Lian's footsteps.
From here, a golden winding path was opened and it directly connected to the deepest part of the Great Snow Mountain.