In the early morn, a gentle, cool breeze blew over Azure Ethereal Mountain, gently stirring the thin, misty veils that shrouded the dense forest. At the crossroads outside the Ancestral Shrine, the spectral figures of Ghost Li, Ghostly Sage, and the Elder Sweeper stood in a tense, almost palpable silence.
The wrinkles on the Elder’s face twitched, and with a raspy, measured voice he spoke, “You two are not from Azure Ethereal; what business do you have trespassing upon this sacred ground? What is it that you seek?”
Ghost Li remained silent, his eyes appraising the old man for a moment. Beside him, six feet away, stood Ghostly Sage. With their profound cultivation, there were few in the world who could make them quail. Yet, it was clear as day that no trust existed between them.
However, at this very moment, Ghostly Sage, with eyes hidden behind a black veil, stared intently at the elderly sweeper, his gaze filled with a peculiar intensity.
Sensing something, the old man turned tremulously towards Ghostly Sage, and asked, “Sir, you seem to be staring at me—do you have something to say?”
Ghostly Sage chuckled softly, replying, “You are merely an old caretaker of the Ancestral Shrine. Why involve yourself in matters beyond your station? As for this young man…” he gestured to Ghost Li, “He has heard much of the Enchanting Moon Cave and wishes to explore it. Would you allow him passage?”
Ghost Li, standing at a distance, snorted coldly, “Before we came here, we had already agreed that I would draw the attention of the Azure Ethereal Conclave by entering the Enchanting Moon Cave, while you would infiltrate the Ancestral Shrine and destroy the ancestral tablets, delivering a blow to the Azure Ethereal. Why are you hesitating now?”
Ghostly Sage paused, looking at Ghost Li, who wore a solemn expression, one that made it hard to doubt his words. After a long, thoughtful stare, Ghostly Sage seemed to sigh, shaking his head slightly.
The Elder gazed from Ghost Li to Ghostly Sage, his countenance gradually hardening, his eyes sharp and piercing. He said calmly, “It seems that no matter what, you both mean ill toward Azure Ethereal. But I have guarded this hallowed ground for many years, and if you wish to wreak havoc here, you will first have to pass over my lifeless body.”
As he spoke with such calm resolve, he straightened himself, facing the two mysterious and unfamiliar men.
In the deep, still morning, the crisp chirping of birds from the distant forests suddenly ceased, leaving only the lingering mists to drift around them.
Time seemed to slip by in that silence, etching lines of age into the corners of their eyes.
Ghostly Sage suddenly asked, “How is your left hand?”
Both Ghost Li and the Elder were taken aback. Ghost Li did not understand why Ghostly Sage would ask such a question, but the Elder’s body visibly shook, his eyes fixed on Ghostly Sage, unable to look away.
After a long, intense gaze, the Elder exhaled deeply, the shock on his face gradually fading. “Is that… you?” he asked slowly.
Ghostly Sage smiled, “Yes, it is I.”
He paused, his gaze sweeping over the Elder’s face, a hint of nostalgia in his voice. “Over the years, how have you aged so much? Who would recognize you now, once the famous Wan Jian Yi of Azure Ethereal?”
At the mention of “Wan Jian Yi,” the Elder’s body trembled, as if each word were a sharp blade cutting into his heart. Even the deep, time-worn scars on his face now showed a long-forgotten fervor.
“Wan Jian Yi, huh, Wan Jian Yi…”
He murmured the name, his expression a mix of pain and complexity. Ghost Li, standing nearby, frowned. He had heard of Wan Jian Yi when he was a disciple of Azure Ethereal, but never imagined that this legendary figure, long believed to be dead, was still alive. Moreover, he was surprised to find that the man who had caused so much strife within the conclave and whose betrayal had led to Cang Song’s defection, was now a mere, unremarkable old man.
A cold wind blew, rustling their robes. In this dreamlike, misty place, the past seemed to echo through the air.
Until, the once-glorious Wan Jian Yi, now a wrinkled elder, slowly raised his head.
There was a soft sound, and from his hand, fine dust fell as the broken broom he held crumbled under the force of his emotions, scattering to the ground.
The wind carried the dust away, and Wan Jian Yi, staring at the spot where the broom had been, then looked up at Ghostly Sage, saying, “If it weren’t for you, I would have been crippled long ago. I have always remembered your kindness.”
Ghostly Sage replied, “We met as kindred spirits in the northwest wilderness, along with the monk Pu Zhi…”
Ghost Li, who had been silent, suddenly tensed, his eyes blazing with intensity.
Unaware of Ghost Li’s reaction, Ghostly Sage continued, “Though we came from different paths, we forged a strong bond. Pu Zhi has long since passed, and you disappeared, but I never thought I would see you again here at Azure Ethereal. It is a bittersweet reunion.”
Wan Jian Yi’s face, which had been taut, now relaxed. “Indeed, I never expected to see an old friend again… Stop!”
Mid-sentence, he shouted, noticing Ghost Li turning to leave. Without a moment’s hesitation, Wan Jian Yi moved, his dry, withered hand suddenly expanding and reaching out like a giant claw to grab Ghost Li.
Ghost Li stopped, not turning back. He raised his hand, drawing a circle in the air. A brilliant light appeared—the Tai Chi Diagram, glowing with azure radiance. The giant claw was repelled, but in that instant, Wan Jian Yi stood before Ghost Li, his face once more filled with astonishment. “Tai Chi Xuan Qing Dao? Who are you?”
Ghostly Sage’s voice drifted from behind, “He is a great figure of the Demon Sect, the Ghost King Clan.”
Ghost Li scowled but remained silent. Wan Jian Yi studied him for a moment, nodding, “You are Zhang Xiaofan, the one expelled from Azure Ethereal a decade ago, who joined the Demon Sect?”
Ghost Li’s face was as cold as frost. “Move aside.”
Wan Jian Yi did not budge, but after a moment, he sighed, “To think that Shifu Tian could raise such a disciple… truly impressive.”
Ghost Li’s expression flickered, but he sneered, disregarding the once-renowned Wan Jian Yi as he walked forward. Wan Jian Yi stood tall, not retreating.
As they drew closer, Wan Jian Yi’s brow furrowed. He leaped into the air, and the ground beneath him cracked, revealing the dark, menacing aura of the Devil-Devouring Staff, which shot out from the earth, chasing after him.
Wan Jian Yi, mid-air, roared and grabbed at the staff with his bare hands. The Bloody Bead at the top of the staff glowed red, and a dark red aura intertwined with the black light, rushing forward.
Black shadows swirled, and red light flashed. The surroundings dimmed, but Wan Jian Yi, with a burst of strength, pushed the aura back. Ghost Li, witnessing this, felt a chill run down his spine; this was the first time he had seen someone of such high cultivation.
As Wan Jian Yi was about to grasp the devilish object, a strange symbol appeared on the Bloody Bead, growing from small to large, from dim to bright, emerging from the black and red aura, a golden Buddhist mantra, “卐.” A pure, yet eerie force, it repelled Wan Jian Yi’s hand.
Both retreated, and the Devil-Devouring Staff returned to Ghost Li. Hovering in mid-air, Wan Jian Yi, pale, looked at Ghost Li, “Great Brahma Prajna!”
Ghost Li, though outwardly calm, was shocked. This man’s cultivation was truly unfathomable. For the first time in years, he had seen someone who could resist the staff’s power with bare hands.
Equally shocked, Wan Jian Yi, once a prodigious talent, realized that this young man was formidable. Despite his misfortunes, the innate pride in his heart remained. But his battle with Ghost Li left him reeling. The Bloody Bead’s malevolent power, though seemingly unchanged, had stirred his vital energy. And Ghost Li’s integration of the Great Brahma Prajna with demonic and Taoist arts was seamless, forcing him back.
Cold winds blew, and the mists began to dissipate. Wan Jian Yi looked at Ghost Li, nodding, “Truly, every generation produces its own heroes. To meet you in my twilight years is a blessing.”
Ghost Li, frowning, did not fully understand. Ghostly Sage, standing behind, sighed, reflecting on the enduring spirit of his old friend. But his eyes, filled with a strange light, remained fixed on Wan Jian Yi.
Ghost Li, coldly, “Move aside.”
Wan Jian Yi, seeing the young man’s haughty demeanor, felt a familiar sense of déjà vu. He laughed, a hint of sorrow in his smile, but soon, a fierce determination took over. “Very well, young man. Show me your true strength.”
With a long cry, Ghost Li lunged forward. Wan Jian Yi, his pupils narrowing, retreated to the edge of the forest, grabbing a massive pine tree. With a mighty roar, he uprooted it, holding it aloft like a colossal arm.
No longer the withered old man, Wan Jian Yi stood proud and mighty, his former glory restored. “Come,” he roared, “See how my Azure Ethereal tree fares against your Bloody Bead!”
He swung the tree, and a storm of branches and leaves engulfed the area. The howling wind drowned out all other sounds.
Ghost Li, surrounded by the swirling tree, struggled against the relentless onslaught. The wind, like a whirlpool, consumed everything, and Ghost Li, at its center, felt the sharp gales like knives against his face.
Wan Jian Yi, laughing madly, seemed to return to his heyday. Focused on Ghost Li, he reveled in the battle. Ghost Li, gritting his teeth, raised his hand, and the Devil-Devouring Staff, glowing with dark red light, flew out, striking the tree. The tree splintered, and the Bloody Bead’s red aura entwined around it, causing it to crack and disintegrate.
But Wan Jian Yi, smiling, cut the tree with an invisible force. The red-tinged portion crumbled to dust, and he held the remaining trunk aloft, majestic and unstoppable.
From the sky, Wan Jian Yi descended, swinging the tree with a mighty roar.
The wind screamed, and the earth shook. Ghost Li, his robe billowing, stared at the falling tree, his face pale.
The ear-splitting roar approached, and Ghost Li, teeth clenched, summoned the Tai Chi Diagram, which rose to intercept the tree.
The two forces clashed, causing the ground to tremble. Ghost Li’s feet sank into the earth. The tree, under the force of the Tai Chi Diagram, shattered, but the remaining trunk pierced through, pressing down. Ghost Li’s face grew even paler, and the Devil-Devouring Staff’s glow intensified. A golden Buddhist mantra appeared, forming a second layer of protection.
The gale howled, making it almost impossible to breathe. The two men, lost in the fury of battle, were unaware of the shadow lurking nearby.
Wan Jian Yi, his face alight with excitement, seemed to relive his youth. He let out a dragon-like roar, feeling the fire of his blood burning.
Laughing, he descended, pouring all his cultivation into the tree. His entire life’s work burst forth like a flame.
The Buddhist mantra vanished!
The overwhelming pressure bore down, and Ghost Li, blood trickling from his mouth, suddenly flushed. He spat blood onto the Devil-Devouring Staff, which absorbed it, radiating a cold, eerie aura.
His eyes turned blood-red!
At this critical moment, the howling wind stopped, and the killing intent dissipated. The towering figure in the sky wavered, then weakened.
A dark shadow darted from behind Wan Jian Yi, and Ghost Li, with his suppressed power unleashed, struck. The combined might of the azure, golden, and dark red forces hit Wan Jian Yi’s chest. The sound of bones breaking echoed, and Wan Jian Yi, suspended in the air, slumped, his body withering.
Ghost Li, stunned, caught Wan Jian Yi, feeling the old man’s frailty. Turning him, he saw a black palm print on his back.
Landing, both breathing heavily, they turned to see the dark figure, revealed to be Ghostly Sage.
Ghost Li’s eyes, burning with a fierce, infernal light, demanded, “What have you done?”
Ghostly Sage ignored him, looking at Wan Jian Yi, who, dying, gazed back with a complex expression.
Ghostly Sage’s veil fluttered, his voice calm, “After all these years, you still trust so easily, without any suspicion?”
Wan Jian Yi, trying to speak, coughed up blood. His face paled, life slipping away.
He smiled weakly, turning to Ghost Li, his eyes soft.
Ghost Li, taking a deep breath, his eyes watering, couldn’t look at the old man. Laying him down, he said, “If you had the Sword-Slaying Blade, I wouldn’t stand a chance.”
Wan Jian Yi, trembling, looked at the young man, then at Ghostly Sage.
Ghostly Sage, unmoved by Ghost Li’s contemptuous glare, seemed indifferent.
Ghost Li, staring silently, then turned and walked towards the Enchanting Moon Cave, disappearing into the mists.
Left alone, Wan Jian Yi lay on the ground, bleeding, his gaze fixed on the sky.
Footsteps sounded from afar, and Lin Jingyu, emerging from the mists, saw the scene.
His expression froze, disbelief filling his eyes. The old man, his mentor, lay bleeding, weakened.
“Ah!…”
Lin Jingyu rushed to him, despair in his eyes, not noticing the dark shadow that flitted behind him.
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage