Zanxing (Retranslated)

Chapter 257 - The Last Page (2)

To be honest, she really wanted to go to Yue Mountain.

At present, all the major sects have set up restrictions against demons around their mountains, making it nearly impossible for her to sneak back to Gufeng Mountain to see Gu Baiying. However, sneaking into Yuge Mountain was different, she might not only be able to see Gu Baiying but also meet Meng Ying, Tian Fangfang, and others. She also wondered how Hong Su was doing now. The cultivation world should not trouble a young human girl too much. But given Hong Su’s temper, she might have left Taiyan Sect after a falling out with the sect. Yuecheng’s Yang family might distance themselves from her, and it wouldn’t be easy for such a young girl to survive in Duzhou.

Going to Yuge Mountain would allow her to see old friends. There were many people she wanted to meet and many questions she hoped to answer on this journey.

But the problem was, if she faced Gui Yansheng and the Demon Extermination Army, could she make it out unscathed?

She couldn’t act recklessly with just passion, otherwise, she might become a burden before rescuing anyone.

Over the past two years, the seed of the Qinchong had fully grown into a tree within her body, the tree bore fruit, then withered, its branches and leaves turning into tree mud, completely merging with her spiritual root, repairing the spiritual root damaged by the Ten Thousand Killing Formation, leaving no more flaws.

However, her Golden Core had not reformed because Zanxing’s Demon King bloodline had awakened.

As a demon, she could no longer use the cultivation methods of the cultivation world, including the inheritance given to her by Fairy Qinghua, all of which were now useless. She had started a new cultivation method. The Peerless Heart Sutra was indeed a remarkable book, but when Zanxing reached the last page of the sutra, she found that the final page was not filled with sutra content.

She extended her hand, and a tattered paper book immediately appeared in her palm. Zanxing turned to the last page, which still bore familiar, messy handwriting:

During my youth, I cultivated the Dao, with a brilliant spiritual root and exceptional talent. By chance, I was trapped here, and after failing to find a way out, I continued to cultivate. In the present day, the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth is divided into Immortal and Demon paths, ascending to immortality or falling into the abyss of demons, yet both paths have their shortcomings. I wrote this sutra to follow a path neither immortal nor demonic, with a divine but non-material body. If one achieves the true fruit, they will transcend the rules of the Heaven Dao, becoming the peerless saint of the Three Realms.

My spiritual root has been forged, and this sutra has not been completed. Thus, I leave this sutra here, waiting for a fated person. Heaven and Earth give rise to all things, valuing people above all. I hope that all cultivators dare to try new things. Climbing the mountain is not a reason to stop because of its difficulty, one will surely reach the peak. The Dao lies in the void and natural harmony, only then will one know that their fate is not dictated by Heaven.

The last sentence was written with great care, as if filled with immense anticipation:

— Fellow cultivator, good luck.

Zanxing let out a deep sigh.

This Peerless Heart Sutra was written by someone whose identity remained unknown. From the description on the final page, it seemed to be the product of someone’s passionate creation after being trapped in a certain place. There was no prior cultivation experience, and due to the nature of the spiritual root, the writer could not cultivate themselves. The sutra’s author did not concern themselves with whether the content was flawed and left the book in a certain place, waiting for a fated person to arrive.

The book was probably later found by someone, but due to the harsh cultivation conditions and the alarming warning: ‘If you forcefully practice, it will go against the principles, resulting in heavenly punishment and instantaneous death’  the ‘fated person’ hesitated for a long time before taking it up. After several twists and turns, it ended up in the hands of someone who fell into the Sacred Tree’s trap and was turned into flower fertilizer, only to be retrieved by Mimi from the pile of skeletons. This is how the sutra was brought back to light.

If Zanxing hadn’t been in such dire straits in the Abyss of Extreme Ice, she wouldn’t have thought to practice this obscure sutra. And indeed, she had faced the Heaven’s Thunder Tribulation, but fortunately, Mimi had consumed the tribulation cloud to ensure her safety, otherwise, she might have truly met with ‘instantaneous death’.

She had practiced the sutra extensively, but without the exploration of predecessors, she was unsure if continuing to cultivate would pose any problems or how effective it might be. She also questioned her chances of success against Gui Yansheng and the Demon Extermination Army.

The rain outside drifted through the open window, dampening the soft white carpet on the long couch.

The open book’s final page was densely filled with characters, as if the writer was in a hurry to move on to the next place. Zanxing’s gaze lingered on the four words: Fellow cultivator, good luck.

Mimi turned over, its tail occasionally brushing against the soft couch, like the muffled sound of a bell in the quiet rainy night.

After a while, Zanxing extended her hand and placed the Peerless Heart Sutra back into her Qiankun Bag.

Good luck... She smiled.

Bad luck should be over. If one were to say, her good fortune should be on its way.

*

The next morning, Zanxing went to the Yao Ming Palace.

Bu Jiang was sitting on a high seat, reviewing the financial records of Heishi City for the past two months. The golden accounts were stacked higher than a person. The former steward who used to handle these records had been killed by Gui Yansheng, and now Bu Jiang was the only one overseeing the city’s taxes and expenditures.

Seeing Zanxing enter, Bu Jiang paused for a moment: “Have you made up your mind so quickly?”

Zanxing replied, “I’m going to Yue Mountain.”

Xiao Shuang led the surrounding attending demon cultivators out of the hall. Zanxing took a seat in a chair, and Bu Jiang put down the accounts: “Have you not thought it over any further?”

“There’s nothing more to think about,” Zanxing said. “Gui Yansheng has had the Xiao Yuan Pearl for two years, so his cultivation must have increased significantly. With your demon king’s power diminished, you’re no match for him, otherwise, you wouldn’t have been trapped in the Abyss of Extreme Ice. In the entire demon realm, I’m the only one who can go. Besides,” Zanxing glanced at the stack of accounts, “if you go to Yue Mountain, what am I supposed to do here in Heishi City? I certainly won’t be reviewing these accounts. Good heavens, isn’t it enough that I’m cultivating? Do I still have to be stuck in this office work fate?”

The Demon Queen was taken aback, then chuckled and stood up from the steps, walking down to Zanxing’s side. She said, “Alright, although I expected you would agree, I didn’t expect you to decide so quickly. This decisiveness and temperament already have the semblance of the next master of Heishi City.”

Zanxing cleared her throat: “Where is Yue Mountain?”

“Yue Mountain is in the far west of Duzhou. Very few in the cultivation world venture there because there’s nothing much there.”

“Nothing there? Then why is Gui Yansheng there?” Zanxing asked, puzzled.

“Because there’s the Five-Wheel Pagoda there.”

“Five-Wheel Pagoda?” Zanxing thought for a moment. “I haven’t heard of it.” She had read numerous books on the geography and features of Duzhou in the Taiyan Sect’s library but hadn’t come across any mention of this tower.

“The Five-Wheel Pagoda was built by monks five hundred years ago. It consists of five wheels representing earth, fire, water, wind, and void. Each wheel corresponds to a trial. Completing a wheel grants rewards from that trial. Over a hundred years ago, a cultivator managed to pass through four wheels and take the rewards from the first four wheels. However, once a wheel’s trial is completed and the reward taken, that wheel becomes empty. If someone comes again to face the trial, there will be nothing left to take.”

“The first four wheels?” Zanxing noted the key point in her words. “What about the fifth wheel?”

“No one has been able to pass the Fifth Wheel.”

Zanxing was taken aback: “In five hundred years, no one has succeeded?”

“Yes. There were once some prodigies who attempted the Fifth Wheel, but none ever emerged. Several hundred years ago, people still dared to challenge it, but gradually, no one was willing to go. So, in recent years, very few have ventured to Yue Mountain.” After a pause, Bu Jiang continued, “Gui Yansheng has gone to Yue Mountain, likely for the Fifth Wheel trial of the Five-Wheel Pagoda… For several hundred years, no one has dared to attempt the Fifth Wheel. He is truly insane. If it weren’t for his capricious nature, I’d even admire his bravery.”

Zanxing pondered for a moment: “What is the reward for passing the Fifth Wheel of the Five-Wheel Pagoda? Since he is so determined, the reward must be substantial.”

Bu Jiang shook her head: “I’ve never heard of it.”

Zanxing remained silent. After a while, she gathered her resolve: “In any case, I need to go to Yue Mountain. But Mother, will I be going alone?”

Did they overestimate her?

Bu Jiang chuckled: “How could that be? Facing Gui Yansheng, a terrifying figure, and a team of extermination soldiers with such vicious methods, how could you, a child, handle it alone? I’ve selected some people to accompany you. These are elite members of the demon clan, so even if you’re not victorious, they can ensure your safe retreat. Also, Xiao Shuang will go with you. Since you’re not familiar with the demon clan’s subordinates, having Xiao Shuang by your side will give me more peace of mind. Zanxing,” she sighed, “this journey seems simple but is actually fraught with danger and perils. You must take good care of yourself. In critical moments, don’t think about any sense of righteousness. You are a disciple of Taiyan Sect, but more importantly, you are the master of Hueshi City.”

Zanxing said, “I understand.”

After discussing for a while longer, Zanxing finally left. After she had gone, Xiao Shuang entered from outside the hall.

Bu Jiang sat on the high seat, looking at the thick stack of account books in front of her, deep in thought.

Xiao Shuang stepped forward and took out a wooden tablet inlaid with a large red gemstone the size of a pigeon’s egg from his bosom and said, “Your Highness, the list of candidates for the trip to Yue Mountain has been prepared. Please have a look.”

Bu Jiang’s gaze shifted to the wooden tablet in Xiao Shuang’s hand, but she did not reach out to take it. Instead, she contemplatively asked, “Xiao Shuang, you have been with Zanxing for such a long time. What kind of person do you think she is?”

“Her Highness is open-minded, decisive, and benevolent, though she lacks in majesty,” Xiao Shuang replied.

“You’re quite honest,” Bu Jiang said with a half-smile, giving him a sidelong glance. “Aren’t you afraid she might hear what you’ve said behind her back and accuse you of disrespect?”

Xiao Shuang also smiled: “Her Highness is compassionate and wouldn’t mind such trivial matters.”

“She is compassionate,” Bu Jiang’s expression grew wistful. “Her father and I have only given her the gift of life but not raised her, and yet we forced her to take on such a mess. Despite that, she accepted and has shown no grievances from the beginning when we met at the Abyss of Extreme Ice. Isn’t that the mark of a Bodhisattva?”

Xiao Shuang gently advised, “The past is past. Both Her Highness and you should look forward.”

“If only she could look forward in everything,” Bu Jiang sighed. “You know why I’ve asked you to accompany her to Yue Mountain. The young lady holds on to old sentiments, but now her situation is different, and everything from the past has changed. She has a pure heart, but people’s hearts are easily swayed. When meeting old acquaintances, it’s inevitable that things and people have changed. I don’t want her to be heartbroken, so you know what you need to do.”

Xiao Shuang bowed: “Understood.”