The stability of the Five Elements Formation lies in the continuous cycle of generation and transformation among the elements. Mei Qing’s Reverse Five Elements Formation, hastily set up and facing three opponents, initially seemed incapable of causing any significant disturbance. However, by fully utilizing the Earth Evasion technique, he drained all the Earth Spirit energy from the formation. When the Reverse Five Elements Formation activated, chaos ensued.
Without the reverse counteraction of the Reverse Five Elements, the Three Talents Five Elements Formation would have merely paused due to the lack of one element, resuming once the missing element was replenished. But the Reverse Five Elements Formation activated precisely during this replenishment gap. The absence of Earth support in the Three Talents Five Elements Formation caused the remaining four elements—Metal, Wood, Water, and Fire—to go berserk. The pressure from all sides converged at the center, instantly crushing the three formation generals.
The Three Talents Five Elements Formation is still based on the Five Elements. This time, Mei Qing’s approach was similar to the previous one, targeting the formation’s core. However, instead of forcefully attacking the center, he manipulated the Five Elements, draining the Earth Spirit, causing the formation to collapse under the pressure induced by the Reverse Five Elements.
With the Five Elements chain broken, chaos erupted under the influence of the Reverse Five Elements. The Earth Spirit generals at the core of the three formations turned to ash, and the surrounding warriors went mad. Over a dozen weapons were raised, accompanied by the surge of Metal, Wood, Water, and Fire energies, attacking indiscriminately.
The cycle of generation and restraint among the Five Elements—Metal restrains Wood, Wood restrains Earth, Earth restrains Water, Water restrains Fire, and Fire restrains Metal—was disrupted due to the lack of Earth. The generals went wild, and the battlefield was filled with flashing blades and soaring killing intent. Metal generals rose, Wood generals were cut in half; Fire generals spewed flames, Metal generals melted. If the formation were complete, new bodies would regenerate. But with the chain broken, regeneration was impossible, resulting in flying limbs and armor, and the formation’s energy was thrown into disarray. After a brief moment, the energy veins exploded, and the remaining generals, along with the formation’s base, were obliterated in a terrifying explosion.
The formation was filled with flying debris and chaotic energy veins, shaking the entire space. Sound was silenced, light vanished, as if a dark void had swallowed everything within and around the formation.
“That little thief!” The two river maidens were severely outsmarted by Mei Qing, their killing intent soaring, teeth clenched in anger. However, Mei Qing had used the Earth Spirit energy from the Three Talents Five Elements Formation to escape, leaving the two river maidens with no outlet for their rage.
With the destruction of the Three Talents Five Elements Formation, the two river maidens barely escaped with their lives. Their forms became blurry, indicating that the summoner’s true essence was nearly depleted after the immense expenditure.
Hearing the distant incantations, the two river maidens exchanged glances and sighed. Rings of light surrounded their bodies, and their forms gradually faded until they disappeared completely. The Shi residence was enveloped in a quiet night, as if everything had been a dream.
“Huh?” Shortly after the two river maidens disappeared, two shadowy figures suddenly appeared nearby.
“Old Yuan? Didn’t we summon Nightmare Spirits and River Maidens to lead the charge? Hmm… the Nightmare Spirits should be here, but they seem to be suppressed. I wonder by whom?” A fat monk, one of the Enchanting Sect’s protectors known as the Laughing Maitreya, spoke with a bitter smile.
The one he called Old Yuan, another protector named Yuan, was thin and wiry. After scanning the area, he said, “There seems to be the aura of River Maidens and paper soldiers here. Could it be…”
Meanwhile, Bi Zhen, who had split into two groups, had been secretly keeping an eye on Mei Qing. She only relaxed after seeing Mei Qing deliver a thunderous strike, destroying one of the enemy’s Five Elements Formations. Although she was startled by the appearance of the River Maidens leading troops, Mei Qing’s decisive strike, which annihilated the enemy forces, boosted her confidence. She left Mei Qing to deal with the paper soldiers and River Maidens while she hurried to the rear courtyard of the Shi residence, where Shi Mengzhu and his family were in chaos under the protection of their servants.
The River Maidens’ troops didn’t immediately descend but instead maneuvered in the air, stirring up wind and thunder. The River Maidens, seasoned in battle, used the fear of mortals to their advantage, not rushing to attack but driving the people into chaos before striking. The mortals, never having witnessed such a spectacle, knelt and kowtowed, cried for their parents, or fled in terror.
As Mei Qing began to engage the two River Maidens, the aerial soldiers gradually lost focus on the ground, only occasionally sending a few ghosts to harass. Bi Zhen, without hesitation, summoned her Slaying Hairpin, chanted an incantation, and with a shout of “Strike!”, a brilliant light shot across the sky like a meteor, instantly obliterating two ghosts that were howling in mid-air.
“Master Shi, do not panic. These mere ghosts and spirits are nothing to fear. Please calm your family and follow me,” Bi Zhen declared, standing on her jade bracelet, her voice clear and commanding.
The servants below finally noticed Bi Zhen. Seeing her chant and gesture, then release a radiant beam that destroyed the terrifying ghosts in the sky, they were both shocked and delighted. Recognizing the young girl who had stayed at the estate a few days prior, they were filled with awe.
When Bi Zhen first arrived at the estate, no one knew her background. However, given Shi Mengzhu’s extensive connections, the servants had a broad perspective. Though they didn’t know her name or origins, her demeanor and aura suggested she came from a wealthy and noble family, earning their respect.
Bi Zhen, however, was utterly unpretentious, unaware of any difference she should make. Having spent her life in the imperial palace, she was unfamiliar with worldly affairs. At the Shi residence, she had little to do, spending her days discussing cultivation with Mei Qing, Zhang Shisan, and Master Ku, or wandering around the estate, fascinated by everything.
One moment she was watching people feed livestock in the backyard, the next she was at the pond observing people catching fish and shrimp. Occasionally, unable to resist, she would roll up her sleeves and try her hand at it, much to the dismay of her attendant, Ah San.
Fortunately, Bi Zhen, though naive, was not willful. Realizing her enthusiasm made others uncomfortable, she would pout and put down the fishing net. Moments later, seeing the fishermen catch a big fish, she would cheer and jump with joy, forgetting her earlier frustration.
The local villagers, simple and kind-hearted, gradually grew fond of Bi Zhen, especially the children who received sweets from her daily. They would bring her any treasures they found.
Unexpectedly, that night, ghosts and demons appeared in the sky, their swords flashing and howls terrifying, waking everyone from their dreams and scattering their souls in fear.
Amid the chaos, Bi Zhen descended like a celestial being, swiftly vanquishing the demons. Standing on a green glow, her clothes fluttering, she appeared as a divine figure. The servants, seeing her, immediately knelt and cried, “The Goddess of Mercy has descended!” “Bodhisattva, save us!”
Bi Zhen, wide-eyed, was at a loss seeing the familiar faces kneeling and kowtowing. She had always viewed cultivation as a natural part of life, never imagining her actions would be seen as divine. She felt a pang of frustration, realizing her efforts had been mistaken for those of a Buddhist deity.
She silently resolved to wear her Taoist robes next time, so people would call her “The Goddess of Bi Xia” instead.
The servants, seeing Bi Zhen’s calm expression, were puzzled. Ah San, among them, was particularly shocked. The young lady he had accompanied around the estate was now flying through the air, emitting green light, and slaying demons. Hearing others call her the Goddess of Mercy, he panicked, clasping his hands and praying, “Merciful and compassionate Bodhisattva, I didn’t know it was you the other day. I didn’t let you fish and even ate the tigerhead fish your child gave you. I am guilty, guilty. Please forgive me, forgive me…”
Bi Zhen, with her profound cultivation, heard Ah San’s prayer clearly. Hearing him repeatedly call her “your venerable self,” she felt goosebumps and nearly fell from the sky.
She began to realize that her open display of magic might not have been appropriate. However, given the urgency, she had no time to dwell on it. She quickly retracted her bracelet and landed before Shi Mengzhu, saying, “Master Shi, Master and A Qing are holding off the enemy. Let’s take shelter for now. Please gather your family and follow me.”
Shi Mengzhu, though startled by Bi Zhen’s magic, was experienced. Seeing that they could be of no help and might even hinder Zhang Shisan and the others, he nodded, “Thank you, young lady.”
He then instructed his servants to gather the family, young and old, and prepare to leave.
Had it not been for the Reverse Five Elements’ counteraction, the Triple Heaven and Earth Five Elements Formation would have simply paused momentarily due to the missing earth element, and once the formation’s master noticed and compensated for it, the formation would have resumed functioning. However, the Reverse Five Elements Formation suddenly activated precisely at the moment when the Triple Heaven and Earth Five Elements Formation had not yet been completed. As a result, the four elements—metal, wood, water, and fire—within the original formation lost the support of earth, instantly becoming wild and uncontrollable. The pressure from all four directions simultaneously converged toward the center, instantly crushing the three generals at the core of the Triple Heaven and Earth Five Elements Formation.
The Triple Heaven and Earth Five Elements Formation was still constructed based on the Five Elements. This time, when Mei Qing launched his attack, it wasn’t much different from the previous attempt—he still targeted the formation’s core. However, the last time, he had forcefully attacked the central position, while this time, he attacked the Five Elements themselves, draining all the earth element energy, causing the formation to collapse under the pressure generated by the Reverse Five Elements.
Once the Five Elements’ chain was broken, it immediately descended into chaos under the disruption of the Reverse Five Elements. The earth element generals at the cores of the three Five Elements Formations were reduced to ashes, and the surrounding warriors instantly went berserk, raising more than a dozen different weapons. Accompanied by the surging energies of metal, wood, water, and fire, they attacked indiscriminately, friend or foe alike.
In the cycle of the Five Elements, metal overcomes wood, wood overcomes earth, earth overcomes water, water overcomes fire, and fire overcomes metal. However, with earth missing from the formation, the balance of mutual generation and destruction was lost. As all the generals simultaneously launched their attacks, blades and sword shadows crisscrossed, sending bloodthirsty energy into the sky. When the metal general attacked, the wood general was cut in half at the waist; when the fire general spewed flames from his mouth, the metal general melted away. If the formation had been intact, the generals would naturally regenerate. But with one link broken, there was no regeneration, resulting in limbs and armor flying everywhere, and the formation’s vital energy thrown into complete disarray. It could barely hold on for a moment before its energy channels burst, scattering violently in all directions. The remaining warriors and the foundation of the formation exploded in a terrifying tremor, vanishing in an instant.
The entire formation was filled with flying debris—shattered blades, spears, and streams of elemental energy—pulling and tugging at the space itself, making it tremble and sway. Sound was silenced, light and shadows vanished, as if a vast, dark mouth had suddenly appeared, swallowing everything within the formation and its surroundings in one breath.
“What a cunning little rogue!” The two Xi Nü (Stream Maidens) were deeply deceived by Mei Qing’s maneuver, their fury boiling over as they clenched their silver teeth in rage. However, Mei Qing had just used the earth element energy from the Triple Heaven and Earth Five Elements Formation to escape—who knew where he had vanished to? Despite their rage, the two Stream Maidens had no way to vent their anger.
As the Triple Heaven and Earth Five Elements Formation was destroyed, the two Stream Maidens barely managed to escape the collapse of the magic formation. Now, their forms had become somewhat hazy, clearly indicating that their summoner’s true energy had been nearly depleted after handling the massive expenditure earlier.
Hearing the distant incantation echoing in their ears, the two Stream Maidens exchanged glances, then sighed deeply. Rings of light encircled their bodies, and gradually their figures became lighter and fainter. Within moments, they finally vanished into thin air. Above the Shi residence, the night remained silent, as if everything that had happened was merely a fleeting dream.
“Hmm?” Not long after the two Stream Maidens disappeared, two dark shadows suddenly emerged not far away.
“Old Yuan? Wasn’t it said that the Nightmare Spirit and the Stream Maidens were summoned to lead the attack? Hmm… the Nightmare Spirit should be here, but seems to have been suppressed. I wonder who could have done this?” A fat monk with a wry smile said. He was one of the protectors of the Incense Sect—the Laughing Maitreya.
The one addressed as Old Yuan was naturally the other protector, Yuan. He was thin and wiry, his eyes darting around before finally speaking, “This place seems to carry the presence of the Stream Maidens and paper soldiers. Could it be…?”
As for Bi Zhen, although she had said the plan was to divide forces into two groups, she had secretly been keeping a close watch on Mei Qing the entire time. When she finally saw Mei Qing unleash a thunderous strike, destroying one of the enemy’s Five Elements Formations, she finally felt relieved. Although she was somewhat alarmed that the Heavenly Stream Maidens had actually arrived with their troops, seeing Mei Qing successfully land a decisive blow that reduced the enemy forces to dust and ashes significantly boosted her confidence. She decided to leave Mei Qing to deal with the paper soldiers and the Heavenly Stream Maidens, while she hurried toward the back courtyard of the Shi residence, where the Shi family was in chaos under the protection of their servants.
Earlier, the Heavenly Stream Maidens had not immediately launched a direct attack. Instead, they flew through the air, creating storms and thunder, skillfully manipulating the fear of the ordinary people below. Having experienced many battles, the Heavenly Stream Maidens skillfully controlled the battlefield, not rushing to attack but instead driving the people into confusion, waiting for the right moment to strike. The ordinary people had never seen such a spectacle—some knelt and kowtowed, others cried out for their parents, and many more, too terrified to think clearly, simply fled to wherever they could find shelter.
At this point, Mei Qing had begun entangling with the two Stream Maidens, and the aerial troops gradually lost interest in this area, occasionally sending a few evil spirits to harass the courtyard. Bi Zhen did not speak much. Seeing the moment was right, she quickly summoned her Lümi Hairpin into the air, chanted the incantation, and shouted, “Now!” Instantly, a brilliant light shot forth like a meteor across the sky, leaving a long trail of rainbow-like brilliance. In the blink of an eye, it struck down two evil spirits screeching in midair, reducing them to nothingness.
“Master Shi, please do not panic. These are merely minor demons and spirits, nothing to worry about. Please calm your family and follow me,” Bi Zhen said loudly, standing atop her jade bracelet’s green glow.
Only now did the family members below notice Bi Zhen. Earlier, they had seen her chanting spells and making hand signs, somehow releasing a rainbow beam that instantly obliterated the terrifying spirits in the sky, leaving them both astonished and delighted. Hearing her speak from above, they finally recognized her as the young girl who had stayed at the estate a few days earlier.
When Bi Zhen first arrived at the estate, no one knew her background. However, since Master Shi was well-connected, the household naturally had a broader perspective. Although they didn’t know Bi Zhen’s name or origins, they could tell from her appearance and demeanor that she must have come from a noble and wealthy family, earning her instant respect.
Bi Zhen, however, was extremely simple-minded and never thought of herself as different. Having grown up only in cultivation and the imperial palace, she had little understanding of the mundane world. Since arriving at the Shi estate, she had nothing much to do. Every day, she either discussed cultivation with Mei Qing, Zhang Shisan, and Master Ku, or wandered around the estate, finding everything fascinating.
One moment she was watching people feeding livestock in the backyard, and the next she was at the pond helping catch fish and shrimp. Occasionally, when she couldn’t resist the urge, she would roll up her sleeves and try her hand at it, much to the dismay of San, who accompanied her.
Although Bi Zhen was playful and innocent, she was never willfully disobedient. When she realized that her joy was making others uncomfortable, she pouted and reluctantly put down the fishing net. A moment later, when she saw the fishermen catch a big fish, she was jumping up and down with excitement, completely forgetting her earlier disappointment.
The local people of the harbor were simple and kind-hearted, not easily awed by authority. Seeing Bi Zhen’s kind heart and natural behavior, they gradually grew fond of this young lady. Especially the children, who had been spoiled with sweets and snacks by Bi Zhen, would bring her anything nice they found as soon as they got their hands on it.
No one expected that tonight, suddenly, strange and eerie things would happen—no one knew where these demons and ghosts had come from, appearing in the sky with swords and blades flashing, spirits howling and wailing, scaring everyone who had been peacefully asleep out of their wits.
Just as the chaos reached its peak, Bi Zhen suddenly appeared like a celestial fairy from the sky, swiftly defeating the demons with clean and decisive moves. Now, standing on a glowing jade bracelet, her robes fluttering, her face as beautiful as a celestial being, the people below, seeing this figure, all thought she was a divine being descended from heaven, a living Buddha, and immediately, a group of disheveled servants and maids dropped to their knees, shouting, “Guanyin has descended!” “May the Bodhisattva protect us!”
Bi Zhen’s large, bright eyes widened in surprise. Seeing people she had known all along kneeling before her, she was momentarily at a loss. She had always considered cultivation a natural thing, never imagining that her actions would appear to others as something only legendary immortals could perform. Naturally, they would worship her as such.
Yet, Bi Zhen felt a bit annoyed in her heart. Because she had begged her grandmother for a magical robe, she had stopped wearing her Taoist robes. As a result, after all her hard work battling demons, she was mistaken for Guanyin, and all her efforts had unintentionally benefited the Buddhist sect. Bi Zhen secretly plotted that next time she came out, she would definitely wear her Taoist robes properly so that people would shout, “Bi Xia Yuan Jun has descended!”
The people below saw Bi Zhen’s calm expression, as if she were deep in thought, and felt puzzled. Among them was San, who had often taken Bi Zhen around the estate. Seeing the young lady he used to run around with now flying in the sky, emitting green light, and slaying demons, and hearing everyone calling her Guanyin, he was greatly alarmed. Seeing others praying, he quickly joined in, clasping his hands and chanting, “Merciful and compassionate Bodhisattva, savior of suffering, forgive me! A few days ago, I didn’t know it was you in disguise. I didn’t let you fish, and I even cooked the tiger-head fish you gave to the child. My sins are unforgivable! Please, please forgive me…”
Bi Zhen, with her high cultivation, clearly heard San’s prayer. Hearing him repeatedly call her “you venerable one,” she felt goosebumps all over and nearly fell from the sky.
At this moment, Bi Zhen vaguely realized that openly revealing herself in the sky like this might not be very appropriate. However, the current situation was urgent, leaving no time for reflection. She quickly retracted her magical bracelet and landed before Master Shi, saying, “Master Shi, my master and Qing are holding off the enemy. For now, we must temporarily retreat. Please gather your family and follow me.”
Although Master Shi was shocked by Bi Zhen’s magic, he was still a man of experience. Looking around, he realized that his family could not help and that retreating quickly would prevent them from becoming a burden to Zhang Shisan and the others. He nodded and said, “Thank you, young lady.”
He then quickly ordered his servants to carry the elderly and lead the children, preparing to leave.
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage