Heaven-Subduing Scripture

”Master, with how you treated the Horse-Riding line’s saintess, did her sect not object?”

Zhang Qianyang gave a cold laugh. ”They did — and most bitterly. More disgusting still: hit the small one and the old one comes; this master had no choice but to…”

”Go ask the Grandmaster to intervene?”

Li Daoxuan asked; the Old Celestial Master of Longhu was all but a heaven-reaching pillar of the Daoist gate — in this age with immortals and Buddhas hidden, he was a walking nuclear weapon.

Zhang Qianyang knocked Li Daoxuan smartly on the head and cursed. ”Am I so useless, your master? ’No choice’ meant this master had to demolish the Horse-Riding line’s mountain gate and give their old patriarch a beating.”

Li Daoxuan went wholly blank.

Gave their old patriarch… a beating?

Earlier Wang Bo had said their Horse-Riding line’s old patriarch, in his youth, had been guided by the Lady in Green, later cultivated to the Yang-Spirit realm — only to fall beneath the tribulation of becoming immortal…

”As it happens, the Lady in Green intervened to mediate back then; else there might be no Horse-Riding line today.”

Li Daoxuan was speechless; he could only secretly raise a thumbs-up.

Master — you are something else; when you cannot solve the problem, you solve the one who raised it…

The Lady in Green had smiled without a word until now; only now she cut in. ”Daoist Zhang, parted years, yet your grace is unchanged — that move of yours, the mountain-moving, sea-calming art, already grasps the very essence of the Old Celestial Master’s method.”

Zhang Qianyang, who a moment before had been swelling with pride and swagger, at these words at once clasped hands and bowed, his face solemn. ”The Lady overpraises; that I spoiled the Lady’s feast, this poor Daoist is truly sorry!”

The Lady in Green shook her head. ”This seat’s purpose in holding the feast is already met; Daoist Zhang, you have taken a fine disciple!”

Zhang Qianyang started, and looked at his own disciple with some surprise.

”Did the Lady choose him?”

The Lady in Green nodded. ”Indeed — yet your precious disciple looked down upon my Blue Netherworld, and would not be the Blue Netherworld Envoy.”

Zhang Qianyang was the more astonished; he knew his own boy — though of rare talent, his Dao was yet shallow.

He had sent the boy to the feast only to broaden his sight and let him taste the Lady’s hand-brewed nectar, to raise his cultivation.

Never had he imagined the boy would truly win the Lady’s favor!

And what he had not imagined either was that the boy would refuse.

After a moment’s thought he understood his disciple’s misgiving.

Li Daoxuan said a little abashed, ”Master, I was thinking—”

Zhang Qianyang patted his shoulder, gratified. ”To hold fast to your true heart beneath heavy treasure — well done; you are worthy to be my Zhang Qianyang’s disciple!”

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”I am your master, not your father; your own affairs are for you to decide; if you will not be it, then you will not — no need to explain.”

Li Daoxuan warmed within; he knew his master was shielding him — even before a ghost-immortal of unfathomable depth, the master stood by him without the least hesitation.

The Lady in Green glanced at the master and disciple and gently shook her head.

Zhang Qianyang reckoned on his fingers and said, ”Disciple — your master came this time to back you up; after all, being my Zhang Qianyang’s disciple, you are bound to have a few more enemies.”

”This master is but a Yin-Spirit outing, and must return to my flesh before sunrise; the hour grows late, so your master must first be off.”

Li Daoxuan started and hurried, ”Master, take me with you!”

Zhang Qianyang smiled bitterly. ”Silly boy — you have not yet shed your mortal flesh; a commoner’s body is heavy as a mountain; how could this yin-soul of mine carry you?”

”Go back by yourself; as it happens your master means to travel far — into the deep mountains, to see if I can find the adjuvant herbs to refine the snake-demon’s inner pill for you.”

So saying Zhang Qianyang instinctively reached to ruffle his disciple’s head, but then seemed to think of something and froze, his mien a little lost.

”Off I go!”

Zhang Qianyang formed a hand-seal; the yin-soul rose on the wind like a streak of light and in a blink was gone.

Watching the direction his master left, Li Daoxuan was pensive.

This feast had let him learn much of his master’s past, yet left many doubts.

Why had his master fallen from the Yang-Spirit realm?

He had said it was the senior sister who rebelled from Longhu — yet others said he had violated the sect rule and been run through by the Old Celestial Master’s sword.

Why, being a personal disciple of Longhu, did his master never speak of returning to the mountain?

Li Daoxuan could feel that his master held deep feeling for Longhu and the Old Celestial Master; especially when the Old Celestial Master was mentioned, there was in him no trace of resentment, only reverence and remembrance.

”Lady, my master… why did he fall from the Yang-Spirit realm?”

The Lady in Green said flatly, ”This is your master’s own secret; I know it, but may not speak of it lightly. When he unlocks the knot in his heart, perhaps he will tell you of his own accord.”

Li Daoxuan nodded, then bowed. ”Many thanks for the Lady’s guidance; this poor Daoist too takes leave—”

Before he finished, the Meiling Mountain God, who had fainted dead away, stirred and suddenly woke.

”Zhang Qianyang — I will kill you!”

He flung himself forward like a madman, fists swinging.

A cold hum sounded.

The Meiling Mountain God, as if struck by lightning, stood stock-still; cracks appeared upon his body, like a shattered porcelain.

The Lady in Green dropped her gentle air; phoenix-eyes august, she gazed coldly upon the Meiling Mountain God.

Crack!

Cracks multiplied over the mountain god’s body; even as he worked his Meiling divine-power it would not ease — his flesh was on the verge of collapse, of body-and-Dao perishing.

At last the Meiling Mountain God came to his senses and cried for mercy. ”Lady, spare my life — this little god knows his wrong!”

The cracks ceased to spread.

The Lady in Green withdrew her august gaze and said flatly, ”Meixuan, this is but a small punishment and a great warning; if next time you dare strike at my feast unbidden, then the seat of Meiling Mountain God — I think it time to change it.”

At these words the Meiling Mountain God trembled all over, fear filling his eyes.

Were he stripped of the mountain-god seat, he would have no choice but body-and-Dao perish, not even a chance of rebirth!

”This little god understands — this little god dares not again!”

The Lady in Green flicked her sleeve. ”Begone.”

The Meiling Mountain God fled at once, not daring even to lift his eyes again.

Li Daoxuan’s heart chilled; the same subduing of the Meiling Mountain God — his master’s means, though thunderous and astonishing, next to the Lady in Green’s light touch, that feeling of ”hearing the thunder where all is silent” made her the more unfathomable.

Li Daoxuan too meant to slip away.

”Li Daoxuan — you stay.”

The Lady in Green pointed at the bronze ancient mirror. ”I know you will not be the Envoy, but do not decide in haste; look a while first.”

Li Daoxuan was puzzled — look at what?

He walked to the mirror; its rippling light no longer showed the tortured corrupt official, but another scene.

”The Dacheng Temple?”

Li Daoxuan said in surprise; the picture was plainly the scene of his earlier stay at the Dacheng Temple.

Nothing strange at first; but after night fell, in the mirror an old man appeared, leaning on a staff, passing straight through the wall toward his room.

With each step his form grew taller, until at last he burst his skin to reveal fangs and claws, and a long yellow tail.