Yellow Court Daoist

Ever since the Primordial realm was birthed, it has been constantly expanding.

For eons, its heights have been inscrutable, its depths immeasurable, its periphery unknowable, its expansiveness undefinable!

After the Sealing God Tribulation, Primordial was shattered, splitting into the Four Great Continents, known as the Earth Immortal World.

It became the sanctuary for countless immortals, the cradle for the revered saints.

The Four Great Continents: one is the Eastern Continent, one is the Western Continent, one is the Nan Zhanbu Continent, one is the Northern Continent.

On the Eastern Continent, they revere the heavens and earth, heart light and spirit calm; they honor the Immortal Dao, worshipping the most sacred True Immortals.

On the Western Continent, they live without greed or killing, nourishing their spirit and concealing their divine light; though absent of supreme truths, all men live long, devoting themselves to Buddhism.

In the Nan Zhanbu Continent, rampant are lust and schadenfreude, killings and conflicts abound; it's rather chaotic, with Daoism, Buddhist Sect, demons, and other sects all vying for dominance through teachings and constant strife.

In the Northern Continent, though life is taken, it is for survival; the people are crude and distant but not overly harmful; rough landscapes, rife with behemoths from the times of ancient Honghuang roam freely.

Beyond the Four Great Continents vast are called the Four Seas.

Above them is the Celestial Cycle; below them, the Nine Nether.

Outside the Four Great Continents and the Four Seas also lies the Endless Void. Within the Void, countless major and minor worlds circle the Primordial heart of the Four Great Continents and Four Seas, like stars orbiting the moon.

Beyond these realms, the starry skies dazzle. Among the Celestial Cycle Stars countless life spirits are nurtured!

...

Earth Immortal World.

Nan Zhanbu Continent.

This continent is vast and boundless, its scale incomparable even to the myriad Constant Sand Worlds. Located somewhere within it, there lay a mountain range of danger and steepness—

High are the mountains, sheer are the ridges; precipitous are the cliffs, profound are the gorges; resounding are the springs, vivid are the flowers.

In these mountains and ridges: the lofty peaks touch the azure skies, the deep ravines give the appearance of reaching the netherworld.

In front of the mountains, there are spiraling white clouds, rugged strange rocks, and countless Soul-clamping Cliffs that words can't fully describe. Behind the cliffs are the winding Hidden Dragon Caves, with the Dishui Rock chiming inside.

One can also spot fork-antlered deer, dazedly staring like musk deer; coiled red-scaled pythons, playfully frolicking white-faced monkeys. At dusk, the tigers of Ba Mountain seek their dens; with dawn, water dragons surface, rippling the cave entrance. Birds dart from the grass, fluttering aloft; forest beasts roam, their movement rustling. Suddenly, a swarm of wolves and insects pass by, startling hearts into frantic pounding.

It's the very place where the echo-filled caves sound the mountain's resonance. The green slopes dyed to look like layers of jade, the blue gossamer veils covering heaps of mist.

Named 'Yellow Wind Ridge'.

Now, this Yellow Wind Ridge is truly extraordinary as it harbors two great Demon Clan kings.

The elder king is known as the 'Yellow Wind Great Saint', with an intimidating reputation. It is said that in bygone years, he once battled with the Western Buddha Sect's Combat Buddha, and when his Sanmei Divine Wind was unleashed, all heaven and earth darkened instantly; there was scarcely a match for him above the ground or below the sky, a true fierce and unrivaled demon.

The second king styles himself the 'Green Fox Great Saint', yet he is one level short of the first. But his origins are shrouded in mystery, and his methods are manifold. Twelve thousand years ago, he came from the Western Heaven, seeking refuge at Yellow Wind Ridge under the Yellow Wind Great Saint. This Yellow Wind Great Saint had high standards, and though he commanded a host of demons, he preferred solitude.

Many Demon Kings in the world, coveting Yellow Wind Ridge as a prime site for cultivation and with such a paramount demon as Yellow Wind Great Saint as its guardian, desired to pledge allegiance but were all turned away by the Yellow Wind Great Saint.

Only the 'Green Fox Great Saint', upon his arrival, was granted entrance to Yellow Wind Ridge. He was welcomed as a brother by the Yellow Wind Great Saint, who even entrusted him with command over a hundred thousand demon followers. In just over ten thousand years, his fame spread far and wide, marking him as extraordinary indeed.

On this day.

Outside Yellow Wind Ridge.

Two Monks strode along, taking big steps.

One is always seen with a broad smile, belly rounded and bulging, lugging a cloth bag on his back.

The other, built like a powerful warrior, with broad shoulders and a sturdy waist, commands a presence that both impresses and soothes, inspiring purity and discipline at a glance.

"The king told me to patrol the mountain, yay, yo-ho, yay, yo-ho.

I've circled South Mountain and now North Mountain, yay, yo-ho, yay, yo-ho.

The king told me to patrol the mountain, yay, yo-ho, yay, yo-ho.

Beware of that laughing monk, yay, yo-ho, yay, yo-ho.

He carries a big cloth bag, yay, yo-ho, yay, yo-ho.

A perpetual smile, that's the scariest thing, yay, yo-ho, yay, yo-ho.

The king told me to patrol the mountain, yay, yo-ho, yay, yo-ho."

Deep within Yellow Wind Ridge.

From behind the mountain, clanging and clinking bell sounds could be heard. Upon closer inspection, it was a little demon, carrying a command flag, with small bells dangling from his waist and a wooden clapper in hand, walking from north to south.

He was about three and half feet tall.

With his feet turned out, he strutted along, singing an indecipherable tune while inspecting the south and north of the mountain.

Two burly monks entered the mountain and stumbled upon this little demon, listening to his peculiar song.

The strong monk remained impassive.

The laughing monk burst into laughter, "Ah, the Green Fox knows fear after all. It's one thing to steal the poor monk's Mountain Opening Pearl, but to dare uproot even the Quiet Bamboo from the elder brother's courtyard!"

Shaking his head, the laughing monk wobbled forward, stopping the little demon in its tracks.

"Eh?"

"You're quite the ignorant monk, aren't you even aware of what realm this is to be trespassing so brazenly?"

The little demon impatiently waved his command flag, "Move along, move along! You old monks' tough skin would taste awful even if steamed, just wait until the local Gale Demon flays and debones you to make a side dish for my drinks!"

With that, he made a shooing gesture, looking fierce and menacing.

The laughing monk, hearing this, only laughed harder and opened his mouth to ask, "You little Gale Demon, your Demon King has tasked you with patrolling the mountain to watch out for a laughing monk carrying a cloth bag. Take a good look at me."

The laughing monk took a spin in front of the little demon.

Ever-smiling and carrying a cloth bag.

"Tsks!"

"You really do know how to flatter yourself," the little demon scoffed, giving the laughing monk a closer look. Seeing his plump mortal body, the demon burst into even louder laughter, almost doubling over.

The laughing monk asked curiously, "What's so funny, little demon?"

Bored of patrolling the mountains, the little demon was happy to find company and eagerly explained through a wide grin, "Let me enlighten you, mortal monk. My second Demon King once beat every challenger on Spiritual Mountain, pummeled the Western Spiritual Mountain Eighteen Arhats until they ran away in disgrace, and even snatched the Mountain Opening Pearl from the Budai Arhat. Old monks hold grudges, you see, which is why our second Demon King has us patrolling demons on high alert, not for a direct fight, but for those sneaky tricks old monks might pull."

The boastful smile spread across the little demon's face.

Mentioning the exploits of the second great king, he seemed to be unrivaled, as if the one who fought throughout Spiritual Mountain wasn't the 'Green Fox Great Saint', but him, this little demon.

"Yin Jie Tuo Venerable."

The smiling monk saw that the little demon couldn't remember the honorable title and couldn't help but remind him.

"Right, right, right."

"It's that 'what's-his-name' Venerable, all joy and satisfaction; he has a huge cloth bag that can hold a person. It's said he was quite accomplished in the Western Heaven. Pity he crossed paths with our second great king and ended up in a pickle. Even the mighty 'Mountain Opening Pearl' that could split mountains and crack the earth was snatched away by the second great king."

"Truly pitiable."

The little demon shook his head and spoke, seemingly feeling a bit sorry for the cloth bag monk.

Defeating all on Spiritual Mountain, unbeaten.

The Eighteen Arhats tumbling and pissing themselves.

The smiling monk turned to the strong monk and apologized with a smile, "Little Green Fox doesn't know the immensity of heaven and earth, slandering our fellow brothers and venerables. Please forgive him."

The strong monk was calm and peaceful; he slowly said, "However you wish to deal with Green Fox is fine by me. I have come merely to reclaim the 'Qingjing Method Bamboo.'"

"Of course."

"This 'Qingjing Method Bamboo' was begged by you, elder brother, from the Handsome Mountain of Heavenly Daoist little sect hierarch and planted in the courtyard especially for sitting and cultivating. Green Fox, ignorant, stole it at will. Once I catch this miscreant, he must personally apologize to you."

The smiling monk said, time and again.

The strong monk nodded slightly.

Then the smiling monk added, "However, this scourge has taken refuge in Yellow Wind Ridge, under the tutelage of Lingji Bodhisattva, and that Yellow Wind Demon possesses fierce Sanmei Divine Wind. You must be cautious, elder brother."

"Amitabha Buddha!"

The strong monk pronounced the Buddha's name calmly and then nodded again.

Two great monks were conversing.

The little demon was utterly confused, and it was a long while before he understood—

"Look at you, monk, you're the real deal!"

He recognized them and was immediately alarmed.

Waving the Command Flag in his hand, a gust of Wind and Fire flared up, spirit light flickered—it was a signal being sent into the mountain.

The smiling monk didn't bother with the little demon.

Step by step, he headed into the mountains.

The strong monk moved forward as well.

"Disaster!"

"Disaster!"

"The monks from the Western Heaven have come!"

The little demon didn't dare to block them, quickly running into the mountains to spread the message.

Just at this moment—

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!

Boom, boom, boom!

Clouds and winds converge at Yellow Wind Ridge, thunder roaring, revealing all kinds of miraculous visions that caught the attention of all the big and small demons on the ridge.

"An immortal ascension!"

"Which leader has become an immortal?"

Baring their teeth and brandishing their claws, they pointed at the sky, shouting excitedly.

The smiling monk and strong monk also stopped and looked up.

Above the cloud sky, various mystical phenomena appeared.

Winds gathered, forming clouds.

Winds raged, thunder rolled.

Lightning slithered like dragons and snakes.

...

Bursts of light shone forth, truly a grand sight. Even among them were strands of pure Qi, which made one feel refreshed and pleased at a glance.

"Excellent, excellent, excellent!"

"This child has profound virtue and a solid foundation, showing a strong Buddhist nature. Upon my arrival, he has become a True Immortal. He is fated with our Buddhist sect, surely he should join our fold!"

The smiling monk laughed heartily, looking at all the wonders in the sky and the ground, overjoyed without end. He wasn't in a hurry to move forward anymore and just stood at a distance, calmly watching the transformations and waiting for that person to become an Immortal.

He was pondering taking a disciple.

The strong monk looked up at the sky, and amid the hazy vision, seemed to see a piece of Green Bamboo, its branches and leaves like jade, exuding a sense of purity. He felt familiar Qi waves, which made the strong monk's expression shake, "After sixteen thousand years, has this Qingjing Method Bamboo truly realized the Immortal Dao and become a Mahayana True Immortal?!"

"Qingjing Method Bamboo?"

The smiling monk heard this, his face full of joy suddenly stiffened, and he hastily looked up at the sky, where, vaguely, a Green Bamboo seemed to be growing. With wonder and doubt in his heart, he turned to the strong monk and asked in amazement, "Elder brother, are you saying that the one who has become a True Immortal in this mountain is the 'Qingjing Method Bamboo' that was stolen from your courtyard by Green Fox?"

This shock was no trivial matter.

The Qingjing Method Bamboo, though a spiritual object similar to the 'Six Roots Purification Bamboo' in the hands of a saint from the Western Continent and nurtured by the little sect leader of Heavenly Dao from a split branch of the Six Roots Purification Bamboo, which was also quite rare.

Even Arhat Venerables of the Buddhist Sect could not obtain it.

Like the smiling monk.

He was the Budai Arhat, Yin Jie Tuo Venerable, from the Western Buddha Sect's Eighteen Arhats, with widespread Divine Skills, carrying a Qiankun Cloth Bag on his back that could hold all things under heaven.

His name was known throughout the Four Great Continents.

But even he could not obtain a Qingjing Method Bamboo.

His brother, the strong monk, was also one of the Eighteen Arhats, known as 'Nuojuluo Venerable', the 'Sitting Arhat', with an even greater reputation than the Budai Arhat.

It was only through a fortunate coincidence that he requested one from the little sect leader of Heavenly Daoist who was cultivating at Black Wind Mountain and treasured it highly.

Such a spiritual object.

Benefiting from the mysteries of heaven and earth's creation, it had many wondrous abilities and applications but rarely awakened Spiritual Wisdom to embark on the path of Cultivation. Throughout history, there had never been any record of a Qingjing Method Bamboo practicing cultivation and achieving the Dao.

But today it was witnessed.

Even the Budai Arhat was taken aback by the sudden turn of events.