CHAPTER 429: CHAPTER 408 SHU MOUNTAIN_2

As Yang Yuhuan, a born celestial favored by heaven, she was already accustomed to being the center of attention. Although Li Qing had earned her acknowledgment, it was merely the affection of a teammate, the camaraderie of friends.

Simply put, having been doted upon since childhood, Li Qing’s over-eager gestures of devotion failed to move her. She even felt that all of this was naturally deserved.

The favored are fearless, while the unfulfilled hearts are ever restless.

Compared to Li Qing, who embodied a subtle insecurity and was overly compliant, Yang Yuhuan found herself intrigued by Jing An, a peculiar monk whose occasional disdainful glances at her sparked her interest.

Ever since childhood, Yang Yuhuan had never encountered anything beyond her reach. Jing An’s attitude ignited a rebellious streak within her—what she couldn’t have, she desired all the more!

As for Jing An, having reincarnated countless times as Jin Can, his primal stage affection for the Mosquito Daoist arose solely from the limited choices among fierce beasts. His self-centered arrogance led him to believe that only Mosquito Daoist could pair with him, but to claim it as love was nothing more than empty talk.

Now thrown into countless smaller worlds by the Buddhist sect for tempering, he hardly retained any romantic interest in the opposite sex, which had long since faded away.

"Women would only slow down my rhythm of smashing demon skulls with the zen stick!"

If Yang Yuhuan hadn’t displayed some abilities, Jing An wouldn’t have acknowledged her in the first place. Contrarily, he had a significant liking for Li Qing, whose gentle temperament and calm demeanor stood in stark contrast to his wild tendencies. Despite his association with the Buddhist sect, moments of battle often triggered an inexplicable ferocity within him. During these times, Li Qing’s rational kindness frequently helped him regain a peaceful state of mind.

Thus, the three of them developed an odd and complicated relationship, unwittingly provoking intrigue among the observing cosmic figures.

Even Nezha, who occasionally took breaks to watch their "live broadcast," found himself lost in contemplation. "Is this how the struggle between Buddhism and Daoism is supposed to unfold?"

He had even received a direct message from his mentor. Nuwa seemingly suspected that the tangled web of emotions among the three was Nezha’s doing. As someone who thrived on the drama, she kept praising Nezha for orchestrating it well, even suggesting using the Red Embroidered Ball to tie more such knots.

But truth be told, this was not something Nezha had intervened in. He was equally baffled and had made a personal trip to Tushan in search of answers. If the cause-and-effect lines of the Primordial realm had grown complex, fine—why had the threads of romance also become so convoluted?

Saint Taiqing and Saint Zhunti appeared unaccustomed to Daoist Ancestor’s revised system of the Primordial realm, inadvertently causing some minor "errors" in their operations. But it seemed too late to switch players now; one misstep led to a chain of missteps.

The ongoing contest between Buddhism and Daoism now boiled down to a question of pride—who could outshine whom? Despite the countless minor missteps, the three-member group clearly leaned toward Daoism. Li Qing represented Daoism, and Yang Yuhuan was nominally with Daoism as well. The Daoists thus maintained an edge over the Buddhists, which was still an acceptable outcome.

Oblivious to how their emotional entanglement had become the buzz of the Three Realms, the trio shared but one aspiration: Cultivation and Ascension (to Immortality/Buddhahood).

Boarding a flying vessel, they ventured toward Sichuan, only to be met with shocking news—the destruction of Emei, one of the two great immortal sects in the region. Sect Leader Master Gu Yue, with a century of cultivation, had perished and vanished. Her sole disciple from Xuantian Sect was recuperating in Shu Mountain.

In the Primordial realm, Emei Mountain actually spanned a vast territory, within which lay Zhao Gongming’s Luo Fu Mansion. However, this mansion had not been used since its last destruction. Another renowned figure here was Puxian Bodhisattva, one of the Four Great Bodhisattvas of Buddhism, stationed at Emei Mountain’s Golden Summit.

From the perspective of immortals, the mortal concept of Sichuan effectively fell within the boundaries of Emei Mountain.

The peak once graced by Saint Taiqing’s Taiqing God Talisman had been renamed Shu Mountain by mortals, owing to Bai Mei’s establishment of the Shu Mountain Sect there.

Upon hearing this news, the trio found themselves profoundly startled. Master Gu Yue of the Emei Sect was revered by both Buddhist and Daoist circles. It was said she was but a step away from ascending to immortality—now, unexpectedly, she had perished in unexplained circumstances. The thought that some unknown demon could wreak such devastation was truly incomprehensible.

Departing from the demon-suppressing bureau in Sichuan, the trio set off immediately for Shu Mountain. Shu Mountain was no longer the modest grass hut where Nezha had once resided during his Emei days. The Two Forms Microdust Array, though impossible for Bai Mei to fully amplify, had seen some partial usage.

Using the array as a foundation, Bai Mei moved a colossal floating island and built the Dao Palace known as Shu Mountain Sect upon it.

Arriving at Shu Mountain Sect, the trio couldn’t help but be awed by the immortal mountain suspended high in the air. While Chang’an, as the mortal capital, was filled with marvels, those were structures comprehensible to them. Shu Mountain, however, perched atop its elevated peaks, defied imagination.

At the foot of the mountain was a reception area. The trio, having shed their haughty airs, approached humbly and presented their demon-suppressing bureau tokens. The welcoming disciple, clad in white with a treasure sword strapped to his back, bore the demeanor of a wandering swordsman rather than a cultivator.

Upon seeing the spirit pendulum from the bureau, the disciple quickly sent word while hosting the trio. Soon, a resolute-faced man clad in armor and bearing iron wings arrived. The disciple immediately saluted and said, "Greetings, Senior Brother!"

The man acknowledged the disciples with a nod before scrutinizing the trio from Chang’an. "I am Dan Chenzi, Senior Disciple of Shu Mountain Sect. Greetings, Daoist friends."

"Yang Yuhuan (Li Qing, Jing An) greets Dan Chenzi, Daoist Brother."

Dan Chenzi didn’t give Yang Yuhuan, who appeared to be leading the group, any special attention but instead focused his appraisal on the unassuming Li Qing.

"Brother Li, are you of the Great Tang royal family?"

Li Qing responded genially, "I am indeed of the Li clan from the royal family, though not of the main lineage."

Dan Chenzi didn’t seem to mind and led the trio to an open space. With a tactic-rich gesture, he summoned a massive flying sword magic artifact, which landed there. Yang Yuhuan, long regarding herself as the captain of the group, felt somewhat displeased, wanting to prove herself.

"I’ve heard that Shu Mountain is the foremost sect in Sichuan, and is blessed by Taiqing Heavenly Venerate. Could you allow us a demonstration of your wonders?"

Although Dan Chenzi’s aptitude wasn’t equal to Yang Yuhuan’s, he had cultivated for a century and understood her intentions easily. If it weren’t for Li Qing, he wouldn’t mind giving this arrogant girl a lesson, but circumstances differed. His gaze fell back on Li Qing.

Li Qing couldn’t quite understand Shu Mountain’s apparent connection to the royal family. Nonetheless, as his goddess had spoken up, he didn’t want to refute her and chose to smooth things over, saying, "We’ve long been in Chang’an and heard of Sichuan’s towering luminaries. Shu Mountain Sword Sect’s Immortal Law is said to be unparalleled. Naturally, we’re deeply curious."

Dan Chenzi let out a hearty laugh and said, "I’ve also long wanted to witness the marvels of Chang’an cultivators. Would you care to use the mountain gate as our goal and compete?"

Before Li Qing could respond, Yang Yuhuan readily agreed.

Seeing that neither Li Qing nor Jing An objected, Dan Chenzi pulled out a treasure sword and said, "Let it land and serve as the signal."

He then hurled the treasure sword into the air.

As the sword soared, Yang Yuhuan instantly activated her mana, forming auspicious clouds underfoot. With deft hand seals, she leapt skyward the moment the sword embedded itself in the ground.

Dan Chenzi gave Li Qing a glance, unfurled the iron wings on his back, and transformed into a streak of silver light charging upward. Li Qing, actually indifferent to winning or losing, nevertheless ascended on clouds to stay in sync with his goddess.

Jing An, though silent throughout, also joined the race. His feet trembled, shaking the earth, before launching himself into the sky like a cannonball.

The contestants were all promising talents of the younger generation, so their full prowess rendered outcomes unpredictable. However, Yang Yuhuan was set on winning, while Dan Chenzi, cautiously lingering around Li Qing, didn’t exert himself fully. Meanwhile, Li Qing, mostly indifferent, simply played along. Lastly, as a Buddhist monk, Jing An’s cultivation techniques emphasized strength over speed, making him the only male to give his all.

As anticipated, Yang Yuhuan emerged victorious. Yet, the win held little significance for her—"So Shu Mountain is merely this," she thought, for she had never lost since childhood.

Dan Chenzi, paying negligible heed to Yang Yuhuan, cared even less about victory or defeat. He exchanged a few polite words before leading the trio to meet his master, Master Bai Mei.