Chapter 1009: Chapter 577: Unspeakable, Unseeable, Unhearable (Double-Length) (2)

The Old Saintess waited for a while, but Chen Yi didn’t ask any questions, leaving her somewhat surprised.

"Where is this Taiyi Water you mentioned?" Chen Yi asked the stupid girl.

"It’s..."

Donggong Ruoshu thought hard, her eyes wide open, tracing the flow of Dream Qi as instructed by the Holy Emperor.

The wind drove the sea of clouds toward this place; invisible streams seemed to flow over numerous divine statues, converging deep within the cave. As Donggong Ruoshu turned her gaze, she saw firelight revealing a pitch-black, narrow entrance amidst the statues.

"It’s inside there."

Chen Yi sheathed his sword, pondered for a moment, then said:

"Let’s go take a look."

.......

They squeezed into the cave, a long and narrow passage beneath their feet, moving toward the depths of the mountain.

Compared to the eerie journey under the tower, the interior of the mountain was rather ordinary, allowing them to focus on what lay ahead.

As they ventured deeper, they seemed to glimpse water vapor in the air, carrying a faintly intoxicating scent. Donggong Ruoshu was a bit wobbly, squinting her eyes, unsure if she was asleep, but with a large bubble of nasal mucus on her face.

Can souls have nasal mucus bubbles?

Chen Yi casually slapped his hand, the sound waking Donggong Ruoshu up.

Before the stupid girl could wake fully to chastise Chen Yi,

a voice echoed from deep within: "Haha, you, a grown man, why disturb a young girl’s sweet dreams?"

Oh?

The presence of someone deep inside was unexpected; Chen Yi hurried deeper, only to find a bright and clear pool. In the middle stood a small, grassy island, where a long sword, similar to the Tai Sha Sword, was erected.

The Tai Sha Sword seemed to have found a long-lost friend and flew over immediately.

Chen Yi didn’t stop it, instead searching for the person who spoke earlier but couldn’t find them right away.

"No need to look, we’ve met before."

Chen Yi paused and followed the voice’s direction, spotting a roughly carved stone statue by the pool’s edge, holding a Taoist Magical Sword in one hand, the right hand forming the Fearless Seal.

The Zhenwu Bodhisattva statue?

As he pondered, a figure hazy and ethereal emerged from the statue, not quite a Taoist nor a monk, a blend of both essences, mirroring the impression given by the statue.

Chen Yi took out half of a prayer bead string from his bosom, previously used to dirty the statue, raising his eyebrows to ask: "So there really is such a Divine being."

"Though lacking talent, I’ve gone over a thousand years without incense offerings; it’s not surprising you don’t know."

As Zhenwu Bodhisattva spoke, his form appeared both illusory and fading, prompting the two women by Chen Yi’s side to worry lest he disappear altogether.

Chen Yi’s focus wasn’t entirely on him, instead gazing at the clear lake water, its shimmering waves dreamy and enchanting, inviting one to fall into a timeless dream.

"That must be the Taiyi Water..."

As soon as the words fell, Zhenwu Bodhisattva said: "Young friend, with Taiyi by your side, why concern with this small amount of spring water? Over two millennia, it has been used to pacify the grievances of countless divine beings."

He had seen through Yin Weiyin’s identity; Chen Yi glanced sideways, pondering how to respond.

"But we are here to retrieve it; the Holy Emperor asked me to assist." At this moment, Donggong Ruoshu spoke directly.

"If it’s him, then there’s no need to take it all. He only needs a little."

Zhenwu Bodhisattva’s tone softened, and if there was any trepidation before, the mention of the Holy Emperor’s name left none.

Chen Yi remained cautious, intentionally saying: "How do I know you’re not just sleep-talking?"

The implication was to probe whether all this was yet another illusion dream.

Zhenwu Bodhisattva understood the insinuation, and facing Chen Yi, he said: "Young friend, you’re mistaken. I’ve guarded this place for thousands of years, never resting even for a moment."

Chen Yi glanced up and down, then asked: "Guarding this place, what’s your story?"

"Story? I was originally a statue created by mortals who couldn’t distinguish between Emperor Zhenwu and the Bodhisattva Guanyin. My temple was shorter than the Earth God’s. Any spare incense, they’d spare me a bit; any unspoiled tribute, they’d let me smell. Over the years, I absorbed nature’s spiritual energy and gradually became a local deity.

Coincidentally, I was later summoned by Emperor Zhenwu to serve him, fighting evil spirits as his aide. This granted me an official divine status, and due to my background, I am also loosely connected to Buddhists. In those years, there were many divine beings like me, although their outcomes varied."

So this Wild God had been promoted to a True God, such stories were common, nothing surprising. Chen Yi nodded, indicating for him to continue.

"Compared to my past peers, I’ve fared much better, with duties to uphold," continued Zhenwu Bodhisattva, his gaze shifting to the island in the pool, "the Evil-Slaying Sword, I’ve protected it for a thousand years."

Entering the Dragon and Tiger Mountain tower was to seek the Evil-Slaying Sword, now being led by a self-proclaimed Sword Spirit Hidden Crown Prince; finding the sword right there brought mixed feelings for Chen Yi.

Yin Weiyin, recalling all their encounters and experiences, couldn’t help but ask: "What exactly is the Evil-Slaying Sword suppressing here? The tower’s residual spirits’ grievances are overwhelming, suggesting a dream covers the tower’s base to soothe them, but there are still loose ends like the Wushan Goddess."

"Suppressing? It suppresses nothing."

Zhenwu Bodhisattva’s response was unexpected.

Chen Yi slightly raised his eyebrows, listening as he spoke slowly:

"It was the Holy Emperor who placed it here, for it to turn back."

"Turn back?" asked Chen Yi.

Zhenwu Bodhisattva sighed deeply and said: "This goes back a long way; you likely heard from Dragon and Tiger Mountain—Evil-Slaying Sword vanished from the Fourth Generation Heavenly Master Zhang Sheng’s hands. Yet Dragon and Tiger Mountain claims it suppresses numerous residual spirits within the tower... doesn’t it strike you as contradictory?"

"Indeed," Chen Yi hadn’t thought much about it before, but now hearing this, he realized the truth, asking: "Why is this?"

"Because the suppression of countless residual spirits didn’t come from the Evil-Slaying Sword, but from the Holy Emperor, who wasn’t initially the Holy Emperor but was..."

Zhenwu Bodhisattva paused, then spoke:

"Second Generation Heavenly Master, Zhang Heng."

Upon hearing this, Yin Weiyin, knowledgeable about Taoist matters, looked utterly flabbergasted,

"Taiqing Teachings’ Wonderful Tao Lord? Him? Wasn’t he... ascended as an Immortal?" 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

"If one can find peace and freedom, anywhere is an immortal realm; is it necessary to ascend to the Heavenly Palace?" Zhenwu Bodhisattva spoke gently, with an undertone of admiration, continuing: "After Dragon and Tiger Mountain demolished temples, leaving devastation, his immortal heart was uneasy. He retrieved the Evil-Slaying Sword from Dragon and Tiger Mountain, forging He Shen Kingdom in the Demon Refining Abyss, offering residual spirits a pure land."

Chen Yi snorted, saying: "Sounds grand—demolishing people’s mountains and temples, carving out land as pure soil, is this his immortal heart’s unease?"

The remark wasn’t meant to voice grievances for Chu Land deities, but to probe further information. The grudges involved were none of Chen Yi’s concern.

"You’re right, young friend. The Holy Emperor also felt hypocritical, striving for compensation. Dragon and Tiger Mountain’s Taoist sect was family; these divine residual spirits were conscience; both were dear to him. He could have easily vanquished all residual spirits but chose this path, which alone proves his nobility."

Zhenwu Bodhisattva spoke disinterestedly in dividing truth, continuing:

"Returning to the subject, the Holy Emperor retrieved the Evil-Slaying Sword, placing it here to halt Dragon and Tiger Mountain’s demolition strides. Yet despite his intentions, successive Heavenly Masters pursued the demolition, exiling regional gods as demons, without discerning fact, all suppressed within the Demon Refining Abyss, perhaps... following someone’s decree."

"Who could command Dragon and Tiger Mountain?"

"Cannot be said, cannot be seen, cannot be heard."

These words enveloped them in clouds, and Chen Yi was baffled, though Yin Weiyin gasped, eyes wide and lips slightly parted in utter disbelief.

She wished to speak, but Zhenwu Bodhisattva shook his head and gestured silently for her to stay quiet.

Chen Yi narrowed his eyes slightly.

It seemed that the existence of this "someone" couldn’t be mentioned by anyone, even the Taiyi, Holy Emperor, or Zhenwu Bodhisattva.