Chapter 456: Refusing to Endure Hardship
No wonder the calamity in the Chaotic Cloud Mountains had persisted for so long without resolution—it turned out that sages were forbidden from intervening arbitrarily.
Xu Sanyan asked, “I heard the Sect Leader intervened recently…”
He was referring to the palm strike that annihilated Hua Gu.
The Mad Daoist nodded. “That’s why the Blood Food has increased lately.”
“Blood Food?” Xu Sanyan raised an eyebrow.
The Mad Daoist offered no further explanation, simply stating, “Becoming a sage is actually quite simple. You need only fully comprehend one heavenly dao, then draw the Gang Wind into your body. Endure it, and you attain sagehood; fail, and your body and dao perish.”
Xu Sanyan asked curiously, “What is the Gang Wind?”
The Mad Daoist pointed skyward. “Have you ever ascended to the Nine Heavens?”
Xu Sanyan shook his head. “Never.”
Why bother climbing so high for no reason? He had always preferred to keep his feet firmly planted on the ground.
“Above, the Gang Wind rages, a layer of azure Heaven’s Veil enveloping this realm. You’ll see it when you go there.”
Xu Sanyan grew even more curious. “Has anyone ever ventured beyond the Gang Wind?”
The Mad Daoist shook his head and sighed, his mood suddenly turning somber. “I don’t know. Perhaps only those who have attained immortality are qualified to see what lies beyond…”
Xu Sanyan pondered this deeply. If the Mad Daoist’s words were true, he wasn’t far from attaining sagehood. He merely needed to fully comprehend the heavenly dao within him, then attempt to draw the Gang Wind into his body, breaking the mirror to attain sagehood.
This was largely thanks to the Soul-Gathering Brilliance-Preserving Grand Formation, which had propelled him to Perfected Dao Harmonization in one fell swoop, saving him considerable effort.
Yet the Mad Daoist’s words cast a shadow of doubt. Attaining sagehood didn’t seem as glorious as he’d imagined, leaving Xu Sanyan feeling somewhat bewildered. And what was this “Blood Food” the Mad Daoist had mentioned? Did sages still need to eat?
He longed to witness the state of a sage firsthand.
Unfortunately, such an opportunity remained elusive. Even seeing the sage of their own sect was a rare occurrence, let alone the other four sages.
“Very well, since you’ve returned, I’ll entrust the mountain affairs to you. This old man can finally rest easy.”
The Mad Daoist swayed on his feet, ready to leave, when Xu Sanyan quickly interjected, “Hall Master, wait. I might be leaving soon too. You should choose someone else.”
The power over the Controlling Lineage was being passed back and forth between them, neither wanting it.
Neither man coveted authority. Xu Sanyan was single-mindedly pursuing immortality, avoiding such trivial matters like the plague. The Mad Daoist was even worse, spending his days drunk and often vanishing entirely.
Power struggles were unheard of within the Crimson Heart Faction; they found such matters too bothersome.
“Hmm? You’re leaving too?” The Mad Daoist paused, his expression puzzled. “Do you realize the Qian Kingdom is searching the world for you? After what you did, even those bald donkeys from the Demon Subduing Temple won’t let you off the hook.”
“Heh, no matter. Let them come,” Xu Sanyan chuckled, dismissing the threat entirely.
The Qian Kingdom had no sages. He feared no number of void harmony realm cultivators, even if they were joined by the bald donkeys from the Heaven’s Will Demon Subduing Temple.
“Very well, make your own decisions then.”
Seeing Xu Sanyan’s confidence, the Mad Daoist said no more. Even he could no longer discern Xu Sanyan’s cultivation level, proving his strength had already surpassed his own.
Watching the Mad Daoist depart, Xu Sanyan turned and strode toward the mansion. The courtyard he had previously occupied remained empty; no one dared to move in.
As he walked along the familiar path, disciples on the mountain greeted him with respectful bows.
Creak—
The main gate swung open, revealing a line of maids waiting in the courtyard. Each was tall and strikingly beautiful, and two had already reached the Foundation Establishment Realm, yet they remained here as servants.
These were the same women Chi Yu had selected for him when he first became the holy son, and they had never been replaced.
Xiang Tan, dressed in new robes, stood at the head of the line. Seeing Xu Sanyan’s return, she bowed deeply and proclaimed, “Welcome home, Holy Son.”
“Welcome home, Holy Son!” the maids echoed in unison.
Inhale… Exhale…
Xu Sanyan narrowed his eyes, taking a deep breath of the fragrant air that filled the courtyard. A sliver of tension eased from his heart.
This is where I belong. Even the air here felt free. In the demonic sect, unburdened by worldly morality, he could act as he pleased.
Though Xu Sanyan had never been particularly burdened by morality to begin with.
“Change my clothes.”
“Yes, sir…”
Rip—
The sheer curtains billowed gently in the room as the young woman danced gracefully on the desk, her colorful silk robes swirling around her like a peacock spreading its tail—a vision of breathtaking beauty.
Xu Sanyan drank wine and watched her dance, reveling in his carefree indulgence. Even the lingering murderous intent in his heart seemed to dissipate somewhat.
Having slaughtered millions across five cities, it was inevitable that he would carry the taint of killing intent. Though he cared little for it, its dissipation was still preferable.
Two days later, the singing gradually faded, eventually returning to silence.
In the courtyard’s stone pavilion, Xu Sanyan sat on a stone bench, draped only in an outer robe. He gazed at the tender green shoots budding on the treetops, a rare sense of contentment settling in his heart.
He wasn’t an ascetic. Having attained such power, he naturally deserved to enjoy it. Otherwise, what was the point of all his arduous cultivation?
Wasn’t the whole point of cultivation to achieve comfort and ease? If he truly craved hardship, he could simply abandon his cultivation and revert to mortal status—there would be no shortage of opportunities for suffering.
He had never advocated for asceticism, and he scoffed at the world’s sayings like “No pain, no gain” and “Suffering tempers the will.”
The common people of the world already endured so much hardship, yet they rarely rose above their station. On the contrary, the more they suffered, the more suffering awaited them. Such sayings were nothing more than psychological consolation.
As his thoughts drifted, Xu Sanyan recalled many things: his early experiences upon entering the Central Region, the Ghost Realm on Desolate Sheep Mountain, and the Soul Realm on Great Solitary Mountain. He felt he should revisit those places.
In that Ghost Realm, he had encountered a nunnery—utterly bizarre and malevolent—which had taken considerable effort to resolve.
The Soul Realm was even more perilous. The Soul-Startling Wood in Xu Sanyan’s possession had been obtained from that very place. If not for his cheat protecting his consciousness, he would likely have been trapped there, his fate sealed.
Then there was Desolate Sheep Mountain, site of the ancient Four Venerables Seeking Immortality Sect. This sect was extraordinary; the Soul-Gathering Brilliance-Preserving Grand Formation had been jointly created by its four immortals, their aim to explore realms beyond immortality. Though they ultimately failed, leaving behind a trail of slaughter, their spirit of daring exploration deserved respect.
The more Xu Sanyan pondered, the more restless he grew. He felt compelled to visit these places, as if drawn by an invisible force.
Without hesitation, Xu Sanyan tightened his belt and rose to leave.
Just then, Xiang Tan emerged. Seeing his preparations, she hurriedly asked, “Holy Son, are you leaving again?” Her voice was filled with reluctance.
“Mm-hmm. Be good and wait for me at home.” Xu Sanyan lightly kissed her lips, casually patted her shapely rear, and whispered something in her ear, causing her fair cheeks to flush crimson, as if they might drip with moisture.
“Then please be careful.”
“I will.”
(End of the Chapter)