Chapter Thirty: Slaying Dragons and Severing Phoenixes – A Remarkable Master of Feng Shui Emerges (Part Two)
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“What ruthless methods! According to feng shui, the dragon veins are where the fortune of Eastern Hua resides. By severing the dragon veins, hasn’t this person cut off the very roots of Eastern Hua?”
Zhou Baiwei felt the hair rise on her scalp. The sight of that enormous phoenix, wings spread in flight, having its heart gouged out and its body filled with water, had been so shocking that even now she felt almost unable to breathe.
With nothing but a human body, he had slaughtered dragons and hacked down phoenixes, tearing out their hearts, drawing out their sinews, and breaking their bones. What manner of ruthless and savage person could he be?
“No. This person is indeed an unparalleled figure, possessed of extraordinary methods and ambitions that reach higher than the heavens. Even the ancient Liu Bowen cannot compare with him. Liu Bowen severed dragon veins to cut off the dragon qi and bring the world under a single ruler. That was an act against the harmony of Heaven, and it brought calamity upon the world.”
“But this person is different. He severed the dragon veins in order to bring blessings to all living beings beneath Heaven. I must meet such a person.”
A brilliant light flickered in Yi Beidou’s eyes.
“What do you mean, Master?” Meng Qianyuan asked, puzzlement showing in his eyes.
He had originally thought that certain people had done this to prevent turmoil from erupting throughout the world, their intentions much the same as those of the founding emperor of the Ming dynasty.
Sever all the dragon veins, prevent true dragons from being born, and the world would enjoy peace.
“Look closely. When this person slaughtered dragons and cut down phoenixes, what did he build at each of the crucial locations? Reservoirs, power stations, or signal towers.”
Yi Beidou had Meng Qianyuan bring up the image of the great phoenix-shaped dragon vein once more.
“The heart of a phoenix must be where the earth’s vital energy gathers. A reservoir built there can gather spiritual energy through the power of water. Where does that energy flow?”
“At the nodes of the earth’s veins, power stations, transmission towers, and signal towers have been built, gathering the spirit of the earth’s veins. Where do the electricity and signals go?”
Yi Beidou spoke in a low voice.
For a moment, Meng Qianyuan and Zhou Baiwei felt as though their heads had exploded. Their scalps prickled.
“The water from the reservoirs flows to countless households. The electricity and signals likewise serve the multitudes. This person did not slaughter dragons and cut down phoenixes to sever the roots of Eastern Hua, nor did he do it for a single family or surname. He wants to bless countless households, allowing every living being beneath Heaven to share in the dragon veins—to let every person become a dragon.”
Though Yi Beidou had never met the man, even with thousands of mountains and rivers between them, he had already sensed the breadth of his spirit.
Those who attained sainthood through the physical body were never ordinary people.
Feng Huachuan had offered himself to feed a tiger, forging his true form amid raging flames. Wei Cheng possessed the countenance of a Buddha yet harbored a killer’s heart, becoming a pillar of the nation. Fang Xiuyuan had slaughtered dragons and cut down phoenixes to bring blessings to all living beings beneath Heaven...
“Make the preparations at once. I’m leaving for Cloud Prison Mountain.”
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Yi Beidou rose to his feet and spoke with a calm expression.
The following day.
Cloudsea Province, Cloud Prison Mountain.
Cloud Prison Mountain was a primeval forest rarely visited by human beings. Its vegetation was extraordinarily dense, and it teemed with poisonous insects and wild beasts. The terrain changed drastically in elevation, while the weather was unpredictable. One moment the sky might be clear; the next, a mountain storm could break without warning.
Anyone with experience in trekking would know how dangerous such a primeval forest could be. One careless step might leave a person at the mercy of poisonous insects or wild animals. If a mountain storm came down, a person could lose body heat and die within a short time. Even fully equipped professionals had to proceed with extreme caution.
Yet there were always adventurers who loved a challenge and came here to test themselves against the majesty of nature. As a result, every year a considerable number of people disappeared or were confirmed dead within Cloud Prison Mountain.
The three of them arrived at the foot of the mountain.
Before they had even entered the forest, they spotted a camp belonging to a group of hikers preparing to make their ascent. Every one of them was fully equipped and carrying a heavy load; their gear alone weighed at least twenty or thirty kilograms.
All of them cast astonished looks at Yi Beidou.
Zhou Baiwei and Meng Qianyuan were dressed reasonably well for the journey, wearing at least some protective equipment. Yi Beidou, however, was still wearing what looked like a jogging suit.
Was he really planning to enter the mountains dressed like that? Did he have a death wish? Once the mountain storms came, would there be any chance of surviving?
The hikers were bewildered.
“I’ll go on ahead. Follow if you can keep up,” Yi Beidou said to Zhou Baiwei and Meng Qianyuan behind him.
“Yes, sir.”
The two nodded.
Zhou Baiwei did want to meet the person capable of slaughtering dragons and cutting down phoenixes, but she knew her own limits. In terrain like this, there was no way she could match Yi Beidou’s speed. She could only enter the mountains and hope for a chance encounter.
Meng Qianyuan still carried the Seven Star Needles for Subduing Demons, and his physical condition was now no better than that of an ordinary person. Keeping up with Yi Beidou was even more impossible for him. He had come along merely to challenge nature in a mortal body and temper his own will. He had never expected to witness a meeting with someone who had attained sainthood through the physical body.
Were these people really going to enter the mountains like this?
The hikers overheard their conversation and stared in astonishment. One of them was about to offer a word of advice when Yi Beidou lightly touched the ground with his foot. His figure shot forward like a ghost, flickering several times between the trees before vanishing without a trace.
What the hell...
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The hikers’ eyes nearly popped from their heads. They felt that even on level ground, they might not be able to match that speed in a hundred-meter sprint—much less in a mountain forest with terrain this treacherous.
What kind of person was he?
At the same time.
Across the ocean, inside an important secret laboratory belonging to the Pioneer Group.
“Doctor, we have news from Eastern Hua. One of the Wandering Immortal’s disciples has emerged. He has already attained sainthood through the physical body.”
A staff member quietly reported this to a tall man in a white coat.
“Oh?”
The tall man turned around and accepted the report from the staff member.
He had black hair and features that seemed to combine several different ethnicities. His blue eyes were as calm as an iceberg, leaving an unforgettable impression at a glance.
“So this must be the inheritor of the Wandering Immortal’s legacy who remained in the human world. He was unknown for twenty years, only to attain sainthood through the physical body in a single day. His cultivation should be based on the Freedom of Mind Formula. That method is extremely important. It concerns the development of the brain and will be of great assistance to our research. It is one of the greatest treasures left behind by the Wandering Immortal.”
“Report this to the committee. We need to bring him under our control. If necessary, we can restart the Physical Sainthood Hunt Program. It is time to let the world see the results of our research.”
The man known as the Doctor spoke with composure.
“Understood.”
The staff member nodded and turned to leave the laboratory.
The Doctor turned around, opened the computer, and accessed a case file.
The file contained passage after passage of text and photograph after photograph, all connected to a person named the Wandering Immortal.
“Although we have already found your remains, I refuse to believe that someone who embarked upon the path of the Corpse-Liberation Immortal would fall so easily, abandoning years of cultivation. He is much like those old monsters hidden behind the scenes within the Group. They would give anything to live as long as Heaven and Earth, preserving their authority and power until the very end of human civilization.”
A mocking smile curled at the corner of the Doctor’s mouth.
“So, Wandering Immortal, are you truly dead—or have you discovered a way to break free from the shackles of corpse liberation?”
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