Chapter 92
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Yun Qin asked in confusion: “Harassed by a bald donkey?”
Old Yellow Ox immediately realized he had misspoken and hurriedly said:
“Ah, Little Yun Qin, don’t learn that term. Your father might be fine with it, but if your mother finds out, Uncle Niu won’t have a good time.”
The young girl blinked. “Uncle Niu, do you recognize this egg?”
Old Yellow Ox stroked his chin and pondered: “I can only say that I have a rough guess about its type.”
“But whether it is as I suspect depends on its quality.”
“When Little Wuhuo contacts you, Uncle Niu will be there to take a look as well.”
“I’ll help the two of you appraise it.”
[All things in the world possess spiritual essence—how could humans be an exception? Humans stand above all beings, receiving the mandate of Heaven, and thus their nature and reason are complete.]
“This is the path of cultivation in the Profound Connection.”
Qi Wuhuo put down his brush, letting the ink on the white paper spread.
Although he had stayed up late, there was no sign of fatigue on his face. On the contrary, his skin appeared smooth and lustrous. This was because he had already cultivated the initial chapters of the [Hunyuan Sword Canon]’s Seven Orifices Exquisite Sword Heart section. This stage was meant to lay the foundation across all Three Talents, preparing him for the divine abilities of the sword path in the future. At this moment, Qi Wuhuo’s foundation was incomparably solid, and his comprehension was sharp—his cultivation progressed naturally, like a river flowing to the sea.
However, he wished to consolidate his own insights and create a divine ability that did not involve the inheritance of Senior Sister Yumiao’s sword canon.
Yet, this was rather difficult.
Up until now, Qi Wuhuo had only managed to establish the first part, which roughly corresponded to the [Xuantong Aperture] of the Seven Orifices Exquisite Sword Heart.
Thinking about how Senior Sister Yumiao had already created such a method when she was still at the Three Talents Complete stage, before reaching the realm of Innate One Qi, Qi Wuhuo couldn’t help but feel that there was always someone stronger, always a higher sky. Compared to his senior sister, he was indeed still far behind.
The young Daoist fetched some well water and washed his face, feeling a bit more refreshed.
As usual, he sprinkled a drop of Qi-condensing elixir onto that unknown bird egg.
After finishing breakfast, he took out the items he had purchased and once again set up a Xuantan, this time directly aligning it with the [Ox Mansion of the Seven Mansions in the Xuanwu Constellation]. Yet, just as he was about to proceed, he suddenly recalled a certain flick to the forehead. The young Daoist hesitated for a moment. Twenty-four ritual drums, three sticks of pure incense to guide the way—this seemed a little excessive. Last time, when he was within the earth veins, he had no idea who he had encountered, but he had ended up being laughed at for it.
He wasn’t too familiar with the Earth Spirits, but this time, if he followed the same ceremonial rites as before, he knew exactly whom he would be meeting.
The original text of the ritual made it very clear.
—Directly reaching the presence of the Supreme Dao of Boundless Perfection, the True Jade Emperor.
Would that mean… As the Jade Emperor might be feasting with the assembled immortals, where all the True Ones had gathered, as the enchanting sounds of silk-stringed and bamboo instruments fill the air. Just as he was raising his cup for a drink—
Whoosh.
A bundle of osmanthus cakes would suddenly go flying past his face?
With a soft plop, the osmanthus cakes would land directly on the Jade Emperor’s table.
The young Daoist suddenly felt a bit uneasy, his confidence wavering slightly.
Last time, he had been fine because he held the Mountain God’s Talisman and possessed the status of an Earth Spirit, so no harm had come to him.
But he had no such status as a Celestial Official.
In fact, the rules of the Heavenly Court were notoriously strict.
If he actually did have the rank of a celestial official and still disturbed the Jade Emperor’s presence, that would be even more troublesome.
Perhaps, he should lower the ritual’s specifications a bit?
After thinking it over, Qi Wuhuo decided to start with a single ritual drum and slowly increase it. When he reached the sixth drum, the ritual altar finally managed to establish a connection with the [Ox Mansion]. The young Daoist let out a slight breath of relief—only to suddenly realize something. Did Ox Mansion really require only six ritual drums?
Then, using twenty-four drums last time was truly excessive.
Who exactly had he disturbed within the Earth Spirit lineage…?
The Celestial Officials and Earth Spirits mirrored each other.
Among the Earth Spirits, there are also holders of the [Great Emperor Title] who govern famous mountains and great rivers.
The young Daoist immediately reached out to touch the small lump on his head, which had yet to subside. He let out a slight sigh of relief and murmured to himself: “Judging by their tone, they don’t seem too angry, right?”
“Next time, I must be more careful.”
“I can’t do something like this again.”
The Xuantan was activated, beginning with the [Precious Invocation of the Dao Sovereign Wuhuo] and aiming toward [Ox Mansion of the Seven Mansions in the Xuanwu Constellation]. The young Daoist saw that the osmanthus cake and the scripture scroll placed upon the Xuantan had disappeared. Then, he sensed a change in the bronze mirror—its surface quivered faintly, spiritual light flowing across it as an image gradually formed, triggering the [Round Light Manifestation Technique].
Originally, he should have first used this mirror to cast [Round Light Manifestation Technique] and establish contact with Yun Qin.
Only then should he have performed the Xuantan ritual.
Yet at this moment, Qi Wuhuo once again felt the inadequacy of his cultivation.
At the Three Talents Complete Realm, his Primordial Qi had yet to merge with his Primordial Essence to form Innate One Qi. Without that, he could not separate it from his body while maintaining its original properties. Thus, when casting techniques, he had to physically touch the ritual implements with both hands. As a result, even though Qi Wuhuo’s Primordial Spirit was strong, he was ultimately unable to perform multiple techniques at once.
His Primordial Qi was indeed abundant.
But all he could manage was to swing his palm, causing the Primordial Qi to disperse and stir up a small gust of wind—nothing more.
Qi Wuhuo had seen in the manuscript given to him by Elder Ao Liu a method to transform Innate One Qi into cloud qi, yet he was entirely incapable of executing it.
However, cultivation was a path of gradual refinement and inner perfection. The young Daoist remained composed, unperturbed by his current limitations. He watched as light flowed across the bronze mirror’s surface, dissolving all traces of patina. Before a face even appeared in the mirror, a cheerful girl’s voice rang out: “Wuhuo, Wuhuo! I got it! The osmanthus cake is so sweet!”
The young Daoist replied: “Mm.”
“As long as you like it.”
Before his eyes, the flowing light coalesced into the image of Yun Qin. She wore a red robe with a jade belt around her waist. On one side, a few strands of her hair were tied with fine five-colored threads, while the rest was pulled back, lending her a striking and heroic air. Then, she coughed lightly and said:
“Fellow Daoist Wuhuo, that bird egg of yours is truly elusive. I, Yun Qin, Celestial Maiden of the Xuanwu, have searched for days yet still haven’t found it.” Her solemn demeanor was commendable, but it never lasted long. In the next moment, she stepped aside, extended her hand toward the Old Yellow Ox standing beside her, and, unable to suppress her amusement, said:
“Ta-da!”
“So instead, I found Uncle Niu!”
“Uncle Niu recognizes it!”
The Old Yellow Ox, with a face full of simple honesty, grinned and waved. “Hey, little Wuhuo.”
“Uncle Niu.”
The Old Yellow Ox wore an expression of utter sincerity and asked: “Wuhuo, have you run into any bald donkeys recently? Ah, what Uncle Niu means is, have you met any of those great monks?”
The young Daoist was momentarily stunned. He recalled that monk from before, the one who had chased a fortune teller all the way into a brothel, and he nodded.
The old yellow ox immediately looked as if he had expected this—his face full of displeasure and contempt.
Qi Wuhuo pondered for a moment and asked: “Does this bird egg have something to do with Buddhism?”
He recalled how the Medicine Spirit in the mountains had mentioned that when the egg was discovered, there had been a monk’s corpse nearby, along with a lotus flower and some relics. The Old Yellow Ox nodded solemnly and let out a long sigh. “In the future, stay far away from those bald donkeys. This egg’s species isn’t recorded anywhere in the Shangqing Library, but Old Niu knows what it is. And do you know why?”
“That damn plague-ridden monk… Eight hundred or so years ago, back when Old Niu was the Great Demon King of the Mountain, I lived such a carefree and joyous life! I didn’t fight, I didn’t eat people—I just dabbled in selling some ancient artifacts, made some money, and spent my days drinking and making merry with my brothers. We feasted on spiritual fruits from the mountains, drank pure springs from the heavens—and out of nowhere, some bald donkey set his sights on me.”
“That monk saw that I was strong and sturdy, the most handsome among oxen, overflowing with grace and charisma, so he captured me and made me his mount.”
“That monk had real skill. I couldn’t beat him, so I got caught.”
“That’s how I know about this bird egg.”
“I also had quite a few dealings with the Buddhist sects.”
Qi Wuhuo was stunned for a moment. He suddenly felt that this Uncle Niu had such a wealth of experiences—it was as if he had seen and done everything.
“Then, how did you escape, Uncle Niu?”
At this, the Old Yellow Ox’s face lit up with pride. He puffed out his chest and replied smugly:
“That thieving bald donkey may have had some skills, but how could his tricks outmatch mine?”
“Your Uncle Niu acted all accommodating on the surface while secretly carrying out my real plan.”
“On the surface, I chanted sutras and ate vegetarian meals with him—but behind his back, I secretly contacted my eighteen sworn brothers.”
“And thanks to this, I even built up connections with a bunch of Buddhist Arhats.”
“For hundreds of years, though he suppressed me, not once did I neglect my cultivation.”
“Finally, I seized an opportunity—the moment he ascended to the Western Heavens, I flipped him straight onto the ground, smashed his temple, revealed my true form, took a huge bite out of his lotus, chewed up his lotus roots, swallowed his eighteen lotus seeds, and scattered his disciples to the four winds.”
“Then I snatched the relics from his Buddhist pagoda and used them as my pledge of allegiance. Stepping on auspicious clouds, I rushed straight from the Western Heavens to the Thirty-Six Heavenly Gates of the Daoist Celestial Court, seeking refuge…The Northern Emperor instructed his subordinates, and the sages of the North Star Palace reviewed my records. Upon confirming that I had committed no great sins, they granted me a position as a Star Official. That was how I shed my demonic form, became a Celestial Star Lord, and earned the right to receive offerings.”
The Old Yellow Ox, with his short hair and an honest, guileless face, recounted his past with great enthusiasm.
Between the lines of his story, the demeanor of a great demon could still be glimpsed.
The two juniors listened with great interest.
The Old Ox sighed: “The Buddhist sects have many branches, all of which derived their teachings from the Bodhi Tree in the Western Heavens.”
“Little Wuhuo, you must be careful.”
Yun Qin laughed and said: “But Wuhuo isn’t like you, Uncle Niu. It’s not like those monks can make him their mount.”
The Old Yellow Ox lowered his gaze, then suddenly let out a sneering chuckle. “Who said humans can’t be turned into mounts?”
The girl was startled.
The Old Yellow Ox’s deep eyes fixed on Qi Wuhuo, and he said: “The Buddhist sects are most adept at ‘enlightenment’ and proclaim that ‘all appearances are non-appearances’.”
“Demons can become human.”
“Dragons can turn into horses.”
“Men can be changed into women.”
“Fathers can be turned into beasts, so that their sons may slay them; mothers can be sent into reincarnation, so that their sons may wed them—to prove that the cycle of rebirth is endless, that all things are impermanent, and to guide beings into Buddhism.”
“I have seen monks with boundless compassion, but I have also seen lunatics who tread the ‘White Bone Path’.”
“If you were to encounter an extremist monk who practices ‘all appearances are non-appearances’, it is entirely possible that with a single Buddhist art, a person could be transformed into a beast and used as a mount—to prove the concept that [all forms are empty, and all beings are equal].”
Yun Qin was so startled that she dropped her osmanthus cake.
The Old Yellow Ox said solemnly: “The teachings are not wrong. The Dao is not wrong. But people, people are different.”
“Buddhism is not the same as monks, just as Daoists do not represent the Dao itself.”
“Not all monks are evil, and not all Daoists are good. However, the Three Pure Ones still exist, guiding the path forward. Even the worst Daoists, at most, commit murder—but the Heavenly Court’s Northern Pole Exorcism Institute ensures order. Buddhism, on the other hand, traces its origins to a tree that cannot speak. Its various branches argue endlessly, with no definitive authority to guide the way. The so-called Western Paradise is merely a place where Buddhas gather to debate the Dao.”
“The Buddha has yet to manifest in this world, so there is no one to guide the way. Monks fumble forward, exploring the path of Buddhism, and when they stray, they are fully capable of committing so-called [good-hearted evils].”
“You must be careful.”
Seeing the boy deep in thought and the girl too unsettled to eat her osmanthus cake, the Old Yellow Ox suddenly reverted to his honest and guileless expression. Scratching the back of his head, he burst into laughter. “Alright, alright, don’t be so serious! Just think of it as Uncle Niu telling you a ghost story.”
“It’s nothing to worry about.”
“Hahaha! Got scared, didn’t you?”
Yun Qin let out a breath and then began grumbling at the Old Yellow Ox.
The seemingly simple-minded ox had no choice but to plead for mercy.
But as an old hand, he knew—by calling it just a story, he helped dispel their immediate fear.
Yet the impression of it would remain in their hearts. When they encountered such things in the future, they would naturally be wary.
That was enough.
Scratching his head again, he shifted the topic with a hearty laugh:
“Now then, let Uncle Niu take a look—so it’s that one behind you, huh?”
