Chapter Forty: A Crescent of Cold Moon

With the boundless spiritual energy of the Divine Mansion of the Primordial Heaven aiding him, cultivating the True Explanation of the Raksha Yin Soldiers yielded twice the result with half the effort for Yang Nan. The Black Serpent battle soldiers, now guided by the secret arts, raised their heads and opened their mouths, swallowing vast amounts of heaven and earth’s spiritual energy at an astonishing speed and quantity.

Endless spiritual energy poured into Yang Nan’s body. The Black Serpent battle soldiers, containing the indestructible Yin Wheel, automatically refined this energy into pure essence and expelled it into his upper dantian. A mass of black mist at the center of Yang Nan’s brow grew ever denser, transforming from ethereal to tangible, from nothing to something, accumulating more and more magical power.

Within the vast sea of consciousness in his Upper Primordial Spirit Aperture, Yang Nan’s soul dwelled inside a black serpent, swimming freely amidst endless black mist. He continually inhaled and exhaled the dense mist around him, purifying it further. The spiritual energy, processed by the serpent’s breath, was transformed into pure black mist, making the sea of consciousness ever brighter.

To his delight, whenever he activated the Indestructible Yin Wheel, the Azure Dragon at the lower dantian spewed a stream of water upwards, passing into the Black Serpent’s mouth and transforming into Yin Sha energy. Under the conversion of the Indestructible Yin Wheel, these two forms of magical power seemed almost identical!

His soul could freely shift between the manifestations of the Azure Dragon and Black Serpent in an instant.

“Does reaching a higher realm mean the dragon can turn into a serpent, or the serpent into a dragon? Could water-path magic and the martial sect’s divine arts be freely interchanged?”

This revelation filled Yang Nan with secret joy. The Indestructible Yin Yang Wheel was truly the peerless art of the Kunlun Sect; the very ability to cultivate two arts simultaneously, supplementing each other, was enough to make cultivators across the world die of envy!

He had already reached the seventh tier of the Mysterious Yi Azure Water Art, which now greatly accelerated his cultivation of the True Explanation of the Raksha Yin Soldiers. The dragon and serpent complemented each other, his mind clear as water, and his progress became even smoother. The black mist accumulated in the upper spirit aperture thickened, and under the Indestructible Yin Yang Wheel’s guidance, even the Mysterious Yi Azure Water Art began to cultivate itself.

Within the ship, Yang Nan trained tirelessly for half a month. After continual exhalations from the Black Serpent, the black mist in the upper spirit aperture reached its peak, illuminating the aperture. The mist rolled and surged, vast and boundless, like an endless cloud sea.

Yang Nan opened his eyes, brimming with joy. After half a month of arduous cultivation, aided by the Indestructible Yin Wheel and water-path power, he had finally reached the first layer of the Yin Soldiers’ True Explanation. Though the initial stage was easier to attain, without fortune and opportunity, it would have been a daunting task.

The first layer of the True Explanation birthed an anomaly: when he infused Yin Sha energy from the upper aperture into the Yin-Eroding battle weapon in his hand, the crescent-shaped blade emitted an inch-long arc of Sha Gang. These two arcs seemed naturally grown from the weapon, their brilliance flickering, swallowing and spitting light. When stroked, they hummed ominously. With a single strike, they could sever flesh and even soul, ordinary armor and weapons sliced cleanly; far more potent than any legendary weapon of the martial world.

The Black Serpent, resembling a cold crescent moon, could, under Yang Nan’s spiritual command, kill a foe dozens of yards away effortlessly!

Holding this weapon, it seemed he could cleave all things beneath heaven!

Only now, as he saw the Yin-Eroding blade emit two arcs of Sha Gang sword energy, did Yang Nan secretly relax. The weapon contained boundless killing power; these two arcs were but a mere test of its might! Clutching the weapon, his fascination with the martial sect’s path grew ever deeper.

If he could transform the weapon’s power to harm enemies, how powerful would it be?

After months of sailing, the Wang family fleet finally arrived at the Immortal-seeking Mansion of the Kunlun territory, the end of the Hunjiang River. Beyond lay the vast sea, and Yang Nan packed up his divine talisman mansion and stepped out onto the deck. The sky above was high and wide, clouds billowing; at the river’s mouth, a white haze stretched across, with the Eastern Sea close at hand.

Here, the journey switched from ship to land toward the Immortal-seeking Mansion. The battle at Star Lake could not be concealed from those with intent; whether from Mount Dragon-Tiger or the assassins sent by Fourth Uncle Yang Cheng, they would surely have noticed such commotion. The swarm of killers would soon arrive by water, so Yang Nan’s move to disembark and shelter under the Kunlun Sect was indeed the wisest choice to avoid misfortune.

Having bid farewell to Captain Wang, Yang Nan stowed General Crab and his monster soldiers in the Mountains and Rivers ring, keeping only the two women, Lotus Butterfly and Chiyang, by his side. Once at the Immortal-seeking Mansion, he no longer needed to disguise himself as a woman, reverting to his appearance as a young master. Here, mortal powers could not intrude, easing his worries.

The steward and a dozen servants hired at Wenquan Pass, having witnessed their master’s divine nature, could not bear to part with such rare immortal fate. They pleaded with Chiyang to be taken in, and Yang Nan, seeing the steward’s reliability, accepted them as true retainers.

However, Yang Nan’s sudden transformation from lady to young master amazed the servants, but their longing for immortal fortune left them with no complaints. Since ancient times, immortal fate was hard to come by; to follow a young master associated with immortals, even as a servant, promised blessings.

At the docks outside Immortal-seeking City, a stream of varied people bustled by. Some groups, seeing Yang Nan accompanied by Chiyang, Lotus Butterfly, and a dozen servants, guessed he was a wealthy youth seeking immortality. Immediately, a crowd surged forward—monks, Daoists, monsters, and mortals alike—brandishing staffs, dusters, bronze mirrors, alchemy furnaces, and prayer beads, each adopting a dignified, mystical demeanor.

Yang Nan watched in astonishment as these people promoted their sects, arts, and divine abilities. One said, “Young master, why bother with Kunlun? My Ten Thousand Arts Sect’s magic is unrivaled. Once our treasure is unleashed, rivals surrender. Look at this artifact!”

Another boasted, “Young master, if you wish to cultivate the Dao, come to my Three Origin Temple. We excel in weapons, magic, pills, and arrays—our arts are profound, long life awaits!”

“Amitabha, you have great wisdom, young master. Why not join me at the Grand Buddha Temple as a lay disciple? The boundless Buddhist Dharma will surely lead you to become an Arhat or Bodhisattva!”

Dozens of cultivators swarmed, extolling their sects’ virtues, some even casting spells and showcasing treasures to entice Yang Nan.

In a flash, spells flew, treasures were brandished, talismans tossed. The sky shone with Buddhist radiance, magical artifacts hovered, clouds glowed, and auspicious energies danced!

…

After observing for a long while, Yang Nan finally understood: these people were what his past world called “shills”! Most belonged to sects outside Kunlun’s territory. The Kunlun Sect did not restrict them from luring away those with weak resolve, so these people could freely recruit outside Immortal-seeking City. With a blast of their magic horn, they extolled their sects to the heavens, making it seem as if joining them guaranteed instant immortality!

Chiyang frowned, rebuking, “Such petty tricks, how dare you show off? Begone!”

He saw at a glance that these so-called Arhats and True Men were merely low-level cultivators, fit only to deceive mortals, and their dazzling artifacts were hollow, with little spiritual power.

Seeing Yang Nan’s wealthy attire, the crowd pressed in, extolling various benefits, unwilling to let go.

Yang Nan chuckled softly, and with a faint hum, a cold crescent moon appeared in his hand. This deadly aura swept around him; the prayer beads, dusters, and so-called “immortal treasures” fell to the ground like scattered petals!

How could shoddy artifacts withstand a King-tier battle weapon’s strike?

With a gentle gesture, Yang Nan summoned the Yin-Eroding weapon back to his hand. Its two arcs of Sha Gang flickered ominously, chilling all who beheld it. Yang Nan smiled, “So-called sages, true men, Arhats—leave now!”

Seeing this refined young master destroy all their artifacts with a single move, the crowd shrieked and scattered like frightened birds.

Lotus Butterfly and Die Yi smiled quietly, while the steward and servants burst into laughter. Their young master had met even true immortals like Bu Xu—these impostors dared try their tricks?

Yang Nan shook his head, realizing that entry to Kunlun was not easy. Anyone with weak resolve could be lured away by these shills, losing countless fortunes at best, failing to learn any real Daoist arts, and wasting their youth in vain.

The Immortal-seeking Mansion, among the twelve prefectures of Tianzhou, was the most remote. The founding emperor of the Great Yuan Dynasty, seeking to win over the lofty immortals of the Kunlun Sect, decreed that the thousand-mile Immortal-seeking Mansion be gifted to Kunlun as private property. Here, no official government or harsh laws existed; Kunlun only collected taxes in the form of spiritual items from shops, never taxing the common folk. Thus, it became a paradise for the people.

Whenever ordinary folk in other prefectures could no longer survive, they fled to the Immortal-seeking Mansion. As a result, the mansion flourished, its population booming, bustling streets livelier than even Chang’an.

Within a thousand miles, demons, monsters, ghosts, and humans coexisted peacefully, so long as they caused no trouble. Whether monster or fiend, all were guests here, free to enter and leave Immortal-seeking City.

Though the Kunlun Sect stood aloof from the world, it could not neglect its private domain. An inner disciple was stationed here, with registered and outer disciples overseeing affairs. At the easternmost end of the mansion lay the majestic Kunlun mountains.

From anywhere in the mansion, one could glimpse the fantastical peaks drifting among the clouds. The Immortal-seeking Mansion resembled a town at the mountain’s foot, gathering those seeking immortality, herbs, and treasures.

Yang Nan strolled through the famed Immortal-seeking Mansion, witnessing its prosperity, and silently nodded at the Kunlun Sect’s conduct. Though Daoist sects did not meddle in dynastic affairs, if they could not care for the common folk beneath their feet, what meaning was there in cultivating immortality or attaining the Dao?

Combat was forbidden within the mansion; violators were executed instantly! This was Kunlun’s rule—no matter how ancient or powerful a monster, upon entering, they must obey even the weakest Kunlun disciple. Otherwise, did they think Kunlun’s sword lacked edge?

Sects could only recruit outside the city; within, such actions brought swift retribution.

The locals were accustomed to immortals and monsters and were unimpressed by cultivators flying overhead. Most commoners longed for immortals to choose them, but those born with miraculous features were one in ten thousand, and true cultivation potential even rarer. Though Kunlun selected Daoist children yearly, few ever achieved greatness.

As Yang Nan wandered the city, Chiyang suggested buying a house in the Immortal-seeking Mansion. To ascend Kunlun, one needed the sect leader’s command; monsters could not be brought up the mountain. Legend held that the Kunlun gate possessed a divine mirror, shining across the world and piercing the soul—anyone entering was revealed entirely, even the Mountains and Rivers ring could not hide from its scrutiny. Smuggling monsters up the mountain was impossible.

Thus, purchasing a house in the mansion was essential; otherwise, after Yang Nan ascended, Chiyang, the steward, and the crab and goldfish would have nowhere to settle.

Land here was precious—gold and silver often paled in comparison to rare treasures. Fortunately, Yang Nan had amassed plenty of wealth on his journey. To buy a house, he needed to visit the Immortal-seeking Marketplace and negotiate with merchants. Most Daoist sects had a marketplace at their mountain’s foot, collecting herbs, spiritual materials, iron, and stones. Many locals earned a living gathering herbs, while cultivators came to buy materials for forging and alchemy.