Chapter 144: Gu Chen, the Corpse Fiend

"Xinzhan, look over there."

Daoist Cunsi pointed toward the northwest and said.

Over there, a cluster of black smoke was rising from the western mountains. At first, it was just a thin wisp, but in the blink of an eye, the black smoke billowed and spread directly toward the east, swallowing the evening glow like a whale drinking water.

The sky darkened at a terrifying speed.

Cheng Xinzhan frowned. Was this a natural astronomical phenomenon, or Daoist magic?

If it were a natural phenomenon, he had never heard of such a bizarre one. If it were Daoist magic, what realm of cultivation was required to cast a spell capable of covering the heavens and blocking out the sun?

"Abominable fiend!"

"Rascal!"

Several furious shouts erupted from the place where the black smoke rose, echoing across the firmament.

Though it was impossible to tell how far away that place was, the voices sounded as if they were right beside their ears.

Accompanying the voices was a flash of brilliant light, originating from the spot where the black smoke had first risen, illuminating the dark smoke that was on the verge of merging with the night.

From the sudden darkening of the sky to the return of the light, mere breaths had passed, yet the black smoke had already surged outward, blanketing half the sky from the northwest to the southeast.

Daoist Cunsi and Cheng Xinzhan gazed at the source of the brilliance. That location now seemed to resemble the legendary Valley of Tang, radiating tens of thousands of beams of blinding light.

Within that radiance, dozens of dharma body images of ancient supreme deities were now clearly visible. Towering between heaven and earth, they wielded earth-shattering Daoist magic, attempting to trap the black smoke.

Aside from them, a divine bird radiating pure azure light flew out from the valley of light. Its wings were like clouds hanging from the sky, and its tail resembled a rainbow spanning the firmament.

"Juqu Mountain!"

Cheng Xinzhan and Daoist Cunsi spoke in unison.

Mentioning Juqu Mountain might draw blank stares from some, but if one spoke of Mount Mao, the Supreme Qing Altar, or Difei Mountain—the foremost of the seventy-two blessed lands—surely none would be ignorant of it.

Cheng Xinzhan recognized it as Juqu Mountain because of those dozens of ancient deity dharma manifestations. They shared the same dharmic essence as his own internal landscape deities—a fusion of the supreme deities of heaven and earth with the inner aperture deities of the human body.

In fact, the contemplation method he practiced and the *Scripture of the Hundred Apertures and Internal Landscapes of the Zhou Tian* both originated from the Daoist lineage of Deity Contemplation. Alongside the Primordial Spirit lineage, the Deliverance lineage, and the Five Thunders lineage, Deity Contemplation ranked among the supreme Daoist traditions, second only to the Internal Elixir lineage.

The Deity Contemplation lineage originated at the Supreme Qing Altar on Juqu Mountain, taking the *Scripture of the Yellow Court Internal Landscapes* as its foundational text.

Mount Sanqing primarily practiced Internal Elixir cultivation while concurrently mastering all methods, using myriad methods to mutually corroborate and enrich their internal elixir. Among them, the Deity Contemplation lineage could easily be counted as one of the most difficult traditions. Did one not see how the Five Thunders method—touted as the root of all methods—had managed to develop an entire branch lineage on Mount Sanqing?

Only the Deity Contemplation lineage had few who understood it, and even fewer who mastered it.

As for the two characters "contemplation," those who found it difficult could never grasp it, while those who understood it found it effortless.

Cheng Xinzhan's attainments in the way of deity contemplation were unique on Mount Sanqing.

Cheng Xinzhan had proven himself with the Star Official of Maori, the corpse of the Golden Qilin, and the Three Gods of the Thunder Department.

Later, when he wished to open his Earth Mansion, Wen Sukong personally descended the mountain to fetch for him the *Chart of Crown Prince Bingling Inspecting the Various Deities of the Three Mountains across the Seas* and the *Chart of the True Forms of the Five Sacred Mountains*.

When he sought to open his Wood Mansion, the Supreme Qing Patriarch and the Master of Ziyan Mountain unhesitatingly bestowed upon him the *Chart of the Great Dao Lord Qingtong of Eastern Glory Riding a Raft Out to Sea*.

When Beiyin caught sight of Cheng Xinzhan's exterior-projected phantom of an internal deity, he immediately gifted him his highest-grade contemplation chart, *Chart of the Supreme Monarch of the Moon Palace Slashing Demons*.

Contemplation charts were not common, but masters of deity contemplation were undoubtedly even scarcer!

When those ancient deity phantoms over Western Kunlun had made their appearance, many people's first reaction was that it was a Golden Elixir dharma manifestation, and their second reaction was that it was an expert from Juqu Mountain. Never in their wildest dreams had they imagined this was a commotion stirred up by a disciple of Mount Sanqing.

After that incident, it was not as though no one from Juqu Mountain came to Mount Sanqing to discuss the matter; it was simply that Ji Hehe flatly turned them away and kept it hidden so Xinzhan remained unaware.

Comparing the three talisman mountains horizontally, Mount Longhu had few people because it was a lineage of a single surname and its methods were not passed to outsiders; Mount Gezao had few people because the karmic burden of practicing the Deliverance lineage was too heavy, and they dared not accept many disciples; whereas Juqu Mountain had few people simply because the Deity Contemplation lineage was too difficult, making it impossible to recruit many disciples.

Conversely, Mount Sanqing, which advocated the mutual corroboration of all methods and the continuation of the sages' severed teachings, had the most disciples.

Juqu Mountain was located in Jinling, and the reason Daoist Cunsi knew from so far away that it was Juqu Mountain was because of that azure divine bird.

Legend had it that the guardian deity of Juqu Mountain was an ancient divine bird—the Azure Luan, one of the five phoenixes. However, because practically no one had ever laid eyes on it, many assumed it was mere boastful exaggeration. Yet today, everyone was witnessing it, proving the tales were true.

What on earth had happened? And what was the origin of that black smoke that had startled even the Azure Luan of Juqu Mountain, which rarely left its abode?

The black smoke swept eastward at high speed, looking as though it was about to cross Taihu Lake and head toward Kuaiji.

"Friends of Siming and the Three Heavens! Lend our sect a hand to intercept this fiend!"

The high adepts of Juqu Mountain were in hot pursuit of the black smoke, but alas, the black smoke was simply too fast, maintaining a vast distance ahead. Only the Azure Luan, flapping its wings, rapidly closed the gap.

To force the Supreme Qing Altar to open its mouth and ask for help—it seemed they had truly been driven to their wits' end.

The billowing black smoke came sweeping south from Jinling, and Mount Siming lay directly in its path of advance. At this moment, the red vapor above Mount Siming grew increasingly dense, indicating that the mountain-guarding grand array had been fully activated.

Sharing the same Daoist roots and facing each other across the lake, regardless of whether Mount Siming had previously intended to offer assistance or remain neutral, upon hearing the cries of the Juqu Mountain disciples, Mount Siming could no longer afford to sit idly by. Otherwise, Mount Siming would find it impossible to hold its head high among the eastern Daoist sects in the future.

Cheng Xinzhan saw brilliant light erupting from the main peak of Mount Siming. A Daoist ascended into the air, hoisting a magical treasure shaped like a gatehouse archway—fully a hundred zhang tall—which squarely blocked the path ahead of the black smoke.

As Mount Siming blazed with brilliant light and the black smoke drew closer, those within the mountain gained an even clearer view of the dark vapor.

"Are those flocks of birds?"

Daoist Cunsi squinted and said.

As the black smoke pressed closer, it did not look like true clouds or mist, but rather like countless densely packed flying creatures gathered together, resembling migrating birds or a swarm of bees leaving their hive.

At that moment, the purple bamboo basket tied around Cheng Xinzhan's waist began to vibrate violently.

This was the insect corpses issuing a warning.

Cheng Xinzhan's expression shifted. He channeled his Dharmic Eyes, only to discover that the sky-darkening black smoke was no flock of birds at all; it was clearly countless baring-fangs-and-claws twisted beast souls and hideous, ferocious walking corpses!

"Guchen is here! Who dares block me?"

The black smoke surged like a tide, and at the crest of the wave stood a handsome man holding a banner.

Seeing Mount Siming deploy a magical treasure to block his path, the man sneered dismissively, merely giving the banner in his hand a light wave. The black smoke did not slow down; instead, it sped up, countless beast souls and walking corpses surging forward like sea waves crashing against the gatehouse magical treasure.

Before the tide of beast souls and walking corpses, the gatehouse treasure looked as small as a pebble. At this moment, the black smoke was directly overhead, and everyone in the mountain saw it clearly: those beast souls had the heads of apes, the bodies of bears, upturned mouths, and long fangs, each standing over a zhang tall, looking like demon gods descended to the mortal world. As for those walking corpses, all possessed human forms with varying attire and hairstyles, yet every single one of them had pale green faces and white eyes, completely devoid of any trace of vitality, resembling unwelcome guests from the underworld.

Like an autumn wind sweeping away fallen leaves, or even more fiercely than towering waves shattering reef rocks, the hundred thousand beast souls and walking corpses smashed into the gatehouse magical treasure. The latter blazed with precious light and must have been a treasure of extremely high grade, yet it failed to hold out even for a fleeting moment, instantly shattering into four or five pieces while the Daoist who had cast the treasure vomited a mouthful of blood and plummeted from the sky.

"sect master!"

Daoist Cunsi cried out in anguish, immediately flying toward him.

The man atop the black tide chuckled softly and continued his journey south.

Watching the beast souls and walking corpses sweep past like a dark cloud passing overhead, Cheng Xinzhan's thoughts stirred. He opened the purple bamboo basket at his waist, and the insect corpses fluttered their wings and flew out, transforming into an inconspicuous little dot that landed on a walking corpse and burrowed into its garments.

Daoist Cunsi had gone off to check on the Mount Siming sect master. Faced with such earth-shattering events, Cheng Xinzhan had no time to bid farewell to Elder Cunsi. He grabbed Third Sister, stuffed her into his bosom, and flew to the mountain gate of Mount Siming, intent on leaving.

He had to leave the mountain, and he was chasing not the dark clouds, but the Azure Luan.

The grand array currently permitted exit but no entry, and the on-duty Daoist advised Cheng Xinzhan not to leave at present, suggesting he wait until safety could be verified. However, Cheng Xinzhan insisted on departing, and the on-duty Daoist had no choice but to let him pass.

Once out of Mount Siming, Cheng Xinzhan pursued the black smoke southward, his heart filled with shock.

The *Scripture of the Transformation and Birth of Cyan-Winged Cicadas* stated that the corpses of Gui water were objects of extreme yin, notoriously difficult to form. Once formed, they became supreme demons—evil corpses or demonic corpses—which must never be raised and must be eliminated upon sight.

When speaking of Gui water corpses in the text, an example was given: the great demon king from several hundred years ago, the demonic corpse Guchen.

Yet wasn't it said that Guchen had been captured and suppressed by the Patriarch of Emei, Master Changmei, deep beneath the earth within the baleful fires?

Why had he manifested in Juqu Mountain?

Moreover, how was this ability to wave banners and manipulate beast souls so uncannily familiar?

He gazed toward the direction where the dark clouds were speeding across the sky—that was precisely the location of Mount Tianmu and Mount Tiantai. He wondered if those two mountains could manage to block the fiend. As for Mount Tianmu, it could only be considered lucky; situated to the northwest of Kuaiji, it had managed to evade this calamity.

He saw a golden shuttle fly out from Mount Tianmu, and a vast, hazy white sword qi fly out from Mount Tiantai, slashing toward the dark clouds.

Yet this time, the man atop the dark clouds couldn't even be bothered to move, letting the golden shuttle and sword qi charge straight into the wave of beasts and corpses. Those items failed to stir up even the slightest ripple and were swiftly ground down and dissipated.

Cheng Xinzhan, lagging far behind, could see it clearly: Mount Tianmu and Mount Tiantai had recognized the terrifying might of the dark clouds and witnessed the fate of the Mount Siming sect master. They dared not obstruct the edge of the dark clouds at all and were merely putting on a show.

Though the three mountains had made their move, the speed of the dark clouds had not diminished in the slightest; it looked as though they were heading straight for the East China Sea.

However, the speed of the high adepts from Juqu Mountain was also extremely fast, especially the leading Azure Luan. When it flew past above Cheng Xinzhan's head, there was none of the roaring wind or flying sand and stones he had imagined; he merely felt a gust of pure breeze sweep past, and then watched the azure rainbow streak into the distance.

Cheng Xinzhan similarly exerted all his strength, treading his self-created Four-Unlike footwork, transforming into a blurred afterimage as he followed far behind the Azure Luan.

In this world, what wind god contemplation chart could ever compare to a living Azure Luan?

The eastern firmament was pitch black, but the pure light emitted by the Azure Luan was like a bright moon, illuminating its surroundings.

The oncoming wind carried the scent of moisture. As the coastline hove into view, the Azure Luan finally caught up with the black smoke.

Ignoring the beast souls and walking corpses entirely, the Azure Luan charged straight into the dark clouds. Wherever its pure light shone, beast souls dissolved and walking corpses plummeted, tearing a gaping seam right through the dark clouds in its wake.

"Screeech!"

With a clear cry from the Azure Luan, a breach was torn open in the clouds above. Gale-force winds roared down from the vault of heaven like a celestial river pouring forth, surging toward the man riding the crest of the dark cloud waves.

Anything that touched the gale-force winds—beast souls and walking corpses alike—was ground into dust.

Even a supreme demon who had weathered multiple tribulations did not dare to be careless when facing such an ancient divine bird that had roamed the world since primeval times. The man finally frowned, chanting incantations and shaking his banner, causing countless wisps of yellow Qi to escape from it.

Who knew what divine object this yellow Qi was, but it actually showed no fear of the gale-force winds. Remaining dense amidst the howling tempests, it moved against the wind and coiled outward, wrapping around the Azure Luan.

The Azure Luan seemed to recognize the terror of this yellow Qi. It flapped its wings slightly, elevating itself higher before spitting out an azure pearl.

The azure pearl radiated brilliant light. The man's robes fluttered without wind, and the muscles on his body trembled involuntarily like a sieve. A look of pain appeared on his face, as if a fierce wind had started blowing from within his body, threatening to tear his very physique apart.

Yet the man continued to wave his banner, inhaling the billowing yellow Qi into his nose and mouth. While this yellow Qi was something the Azure Luan wished to avoid, to him it seemed like a tonic, quickly calming the strange wind that had arisen out of nowhere within his body.

Yet in the time it took for these two exchanges, the high adepts of the Shangqing Sect had also arrived. Filled with righteous fury, they wasted no time; each brandished magical treasures and unleashed Daoist spells, launching a coordinated attack.

For the man, dealing with these people was evidently far easier than dealing with the Azure Luan. Spiritual light flashed on his banner, and tens of thousands of ape-and-bear primordial spirits cried out in unison. The deafening sound of ghostly wailing sent ripples through the void, and ordinary Daoist spells and treasures couldn't even approach him.

"Truly an abominable star of slaughter! Apes and bears are gentle, mild-tempered beasts with sturdy builds yet timid hearts; in the western mountains, they feed on snowmelt, numbering barely a hundred thousand in total. You actually massacred their entire clan just to forge your magical treasure!"

Among the pursuers from Juqu Mountain, an elderly man with hair standing on end in fury shouted sternly. He formed a spell seal, projecting his internal deity outward to transform into a dharma manifestation towering between heaven and earth.

Well-read as he was, Cheng Xinzhan recognized at a glance that it was the manifestation of a righteous deity of the Thunder Department—the Great General of Flowing Gold and Fiery Bells.

The dharma manifestation reached out to grab him, while golden thunder descended from the sky and crimson fire surged from the earth—thunder and fire being the natural nemeses of yin entities. Yet as the demonic corpse shook its banner, yellow Qi poured into the ape-and-bear primordial spirits and the flesh of the walking corpses, rendering them fearless even against thunder and fire as they roared and lunged at the people of Juqu Mountain.

Among the arrivals from Juqu Mountain was a woman of solemn and dignified bearing. Seeing the beast souls and walking corpses pounce, she likewise manifested her dharma manifestation. The entity that appeared this time was even more extraordinary: a goddess wearing a crown of pearls and jade strings, dressed in rosy garments adorned with landscapes of great mountains and earth.

This was the dharma manifestation of Bixia Yuanjun!

The dharma manifestation formed a hand seal, causing a giant mountain to manifest in mid-air, brimming with majestic grandeur.

The shape of that mountain was so familiar to Cheng Xinzhan that he recognized it at a single glance.

Mount Tai.

Once Mount Tai appeared, it seemed to open the gates of the netherworld, and all the rushing beast souls and walking corpses were sucked toward it.

Guchen's expression shifted. He shook his banner to recall the beast souls and walking corpses, while simultaneously deploying another magical treasure—a crimson-glowing chain densely carved with runes, with leaping flames clinging to its surface.

Guchen grasped one end of the chain and swung it around in a full arc like a whip, lashing outward.

The chain blazed with ferocious flames, tearing through the darkness. More importantly, it seemed imbued with immortal might of unknown origin, leaving everyone with no choice but to evade it.

Having merely bought a brief respite from the crowd, he was still outnumbered. Guchen fled once more, heading straight for the East China Sea while shouting at the top of his lungs,

"Lady Cui! Jailer Wu! Why haven't you come over yet!?"

(End of this chapter)