Chapter Thirty-eight: The Compassionate Vessel Draws All into Its Embrace

Shangguan Chuanyun gazed at the flagpole at the distant corner of the city wall, where a ribbon spiraled in the wind. Upon closer inspection, he realized it was a centipede spirit, its black body laced with a streak of purple. Seeing the hint of purple, Shangguan Chuanyun thought to himself that trouble was at hand; clearly, this centipede spirit had absorbed the Emperor’s Purple Qi.

Only with such a gain—absorbing the Dragon Qi—would the centipede spirit dare to so brazenly hover atop the flagpole. Otherwise, the Dragon Qi would have destroyed it long ago. Dragon Qi was the manifestation of the people's will, the collective aspiration of the realm condensed in the imperial city—a form most revered, ever changing like the heart of man, soaring to the heavens, diving into the earth, summoning clouds and rain, noble beyond compare.

Should any demonic aura arise here, it would be forcefully rejected. Within the field shaped by Dragon Qi, demon energy was suppressed to the point of impotency; those of lesser cultivation would even revert to their true forms. This centipede spirit had managed to wield some power only by virtue of deep cultivation and, likely, the Emperor’s edict, which bestowed instant fortune and allowed it to begin absorbing the True Dragon’s Qi.

Shangguan Chuanyun considered the emperor’s actions to be courting disaster. Cultivators possessed myriad methods, and though the fate of humanity could not be wholly controlled by the emperor, his decrees held power. Once the emperor gave his assent, the centipede spirit could openly draw upon humanity’s fortune—no wonder its back now bore those purple lines.

A pair of soldiers passed beneath the flagpole. One, sensing something amiss, looked up into the sky. The flag’s fabric fluttered noisily in the wind, but he saw nothing unusual and, feeling a touch nervous, shook his head and moved on.

Only then did Shangguan Chuanyun realize the truth: the centipede spirit had circled the flag’s fabric in its original form, blending its movements with the flag’s swaying to evade the patrolling soldiers’ gaze and conceal itself.

Even after absorbing some Dragon Qi, the centipede spirit could only avoid rejection; to employ illusions would risk leaking demonic energy, which might be detected by the Dragon Qi, resulting in a fierce backlash and a severe loss of power—or even capture and imprisonment, its soul denied peace after death, unless it survived until the kingdom’s doom. But who could be certain of living to see that day?

The dungeons were guarded by prison gods, their power backed by the nation’s very fate. Even a Golden Core true man would struggle to escape, let alone a demon cultivator at the Great Return Pill stage.

Suddenly, Shangguan Chuanyun sensed a fluctuation of vital energy a hundred yards away—just a trace, yet enough for him to notice. It was the leak of a spell’s power. He knew someone was in that corner, but dared not probe with his spiritual sense; to do so would be to invite discovery.

Even as he watched the centipede spirit on the flagpole, he relied solely on his instinctive night vision, maintaining a thoughtless state of mind, not daring to focus his will upon it.

Cultivators’ senses were keen, their intuition sharp; they could perceive the slightest change, especially when it concerned themselves. Unless their minds were clouded, they would be hypersensitive to such things. Some true immortals and patriarchs could sense their name being spoken anywhere in the myriad worlds.

Thus, disciples of the Daoist sects burned incense and recited scriptures daily, seeking resonance with the ancestral way and the blessing of the patriarchs.

Shangguan Chuanyun pondered a moment and decided to investigate the source of the energy. He edged toward the spot where the fluctuation had appeared. As he neared, he spied, out of the corner of his eye, a figure busying himself in a narrow alley. Looking closely, he recognized Monk Wuchen.

Wuchen was arranging a ritual altar, covering it with all manner of talismans, and had donned a bright yellow kasaya—though his hair remained styled in a Daoist topknot, making his appearance rather odd. He paced irregularly about, planting small flags in the ground, seemingly setting up a formation. Judging by the incense smoldering on the altar, he had only just begun.

Shangguan Chuanyun realized that Wuchen must have discovered the centipede spirit long ago; it was no surprise he could track it from a thousand miles away, for he was well-versed in its traces.

Suddenly, two squads of soldiers crossed paths atop the city wall, creating a brief blind spot in the direction of the flagpole.

The centipede spirit seized the chance, transforming into a streak of black light and shooting outward like an arrow.

“What was that?” a commander asked, sensing something amiss.

“It seemed something flew past up there.”

“Go, search thoroughly.”

“Yes, commander.”

A group of soldiers carefully searched every corner but found nothing. The commander, feeling he might be overthinking things, gave orders to increase vigilance and then left.

The centipede spirit, having left the city wall, descended to hover about three feet above the ground, skimming just over the earth—not daring to fly higher. Several times already, the force of the people's will had nearly dragged it down while airborne; though it had absorbed some Dragon Qi, it could not yet disregard the power of human destiny. Moreover, flying above the imperial city was a grave transgression—the people's will would instinctively try to force it down.

Carefully, the centipede spirit crossed the moat before the palace and, reaching the far bank, breathed a sigh of relief. It thought to itself that lingering within the palace was too suffocating, a single misstep threatening exposure of its true form. But feeling the Dragon Qi it had absorbed, determination returned to its eyes. If it could fully absorb this Qi, it would certainly achieve Golden Core, and then, nourished by a nation’s fortune, transform its spirit and attain immortality—it would only be a matter of time.

The centipede spirit rolled on the ground, transforming into a plump, kasaya-clad monk—the esteemed Master Universal Salvation, much favored by the emperor. Anyone unaware of his true nature would surely take him for a great and enlightened monk.

Universal Salvation produced a string of prayer beads, plucked one off, and tossed it to the ground, murmuring a chant. Suddenly, the bead transformed into a winged centipede, which fluttered in place, circled, and stopped before him.

Universal Salvation took out a piece of clothing. Shangguan Chuanyun’s eyes narrowed—it was his own garment. With Shangguan Hongyun’s abilities, obtaining one of his personal items was no difficulty. Even his treasured sword trembled slightly; this was a tracking spell, and he knew trouble was near. Hurriedly, he dashed toward the formation Wuchen was setting up, seeking cover.

The winged centipede sniffed the air, locked onto a direction, and flew straight toward Shangguan Chuanyun.

“Not good,” Shangguan Chuanyun muttered anxiously. He needed a shield between himself and Universal Salvation, for if the two faced off, his only recourse would be flight.

He quickly took shelter near Wuchen’s formation, finding a concealed spot. The winged centipede soon approached, Universal Salvation following unhurriedly.

At that moment, Wuchen finished laying out the formation, though he remained alert to his surroundings. Seeing Universal Salvation employing a tracking spell and heading his way, Wuchen was overjoyed. He had been racking his brains for a way to lure the spirit into his trap, only for it to come willingly. His excitement was palpable—his body trembled uncontrollably, like a prisoner meeting an old lover after years of separation.

Shangguan Chuanyun shivered at Wuchen’s display, suppressing his own aura as much as possible, uncertain if he had been detected. Even if Wuchen noticed him, in such a state, he would likely pay him no mind. All Shangguan Chuanyun needed to do was wait in a safe spot, ready to strike Universal Salvation with a thunderous blow—killing him outright, if possible.

Having resolved on a plan, he patted the pouch of explosive talismans at his waist and felt assured. He climbed a tall tree, moving slowly, not daring to use any spell, hiding himself in the leafy crown.

Universal Salvation followed the winged centipede, covering great strides with each step. Sure enough, the centipede darted straight into Wuchen’s formation. Universal Salvation was about to follow when he suddenly stopped.

Both Wuchen and Shangguan Chuanyun, hidden in the tree, held their breath, not daring to make a sound. Shangguan Chuanyun even ceased breathing, switching to internal respiration, his thoughts stilled as he watched for Universal Salvation’s next move.

Universal Salvation sensed something amiss, as if danger awaited him ahead. Yet, after some thought, he reasoned that only someone extraordinary could make him feel such a chill and resolved to proceed cautiously, lest he fall into a trap.

He decided that once he found Shangguan Chuanyun, he would not act rashly but first observe to see what formidable means the youth possessed.

At first, Universal Salvation had thought Shangguan Hongyun had sought his help due to inconvenience in acting himself. But now he saw it was not a matter of inconvenience, but inability. As a third-rank general, if Shangguan Hongyun wanted to kill a youth, it would be the easiest thing in the world. Even for a less favored prince, Hongyun could act with impunity. This matter, then, was far from simple—Universal Salvation would only make a move once certain of success. With his current status, he could not risk everything to repay a favor.

Having made up his mind, he felt much steadier and stepped directly into Wuchen’s formation.

Instantly, a sensation of strangeness overcame him; the world seemed to turn upside down, and he was enveloped in a field of white. Before he could react, a voice echoed from all directions.

“Demon-slaying Formation—activate!”

Wuchen brandished the Glazed Gold Banner and shouted. Instantly, thick mist swirled everywhere. Universal Salvation drew a breath and found his magic hindered, but as the Emperor’s Purple Qi circulated within him, much of the discomfort faded. Though his abilities were still somewhat suppressed, it remained within tolerable limits. Laughter echoed through the void.

“Hahaha! Monster, prepare to die. I have awaited this day for so long!”

Universal Salvation cursed his luck. Wuchen had pursued him for years—he had thought the monk dead or given up, never expecting him to turn up in Shengjing.

Sensing his power suppressed by the formation—effective against his demonic energy but not the Emperor’s Purple Qi—it seemed Wuchen had prepared this trap just for him. He spoke out.

“Master Wuchen, is that you? What will it take for you to let me go?”

The mist parted before him, opening a path straight to Wuchen, who stood on a high platform behind a ritual altar covered in talismans and magical implements. In his hands was a five-foot banner glowing with golden light.

Universal Salvation’s eyes narrowed in recognition. “The Glazed Gold Banner!”

“So you know it. Yes, this is the Glazed Gold Banner of Master Golden Light. Surprised?” Wuchen caressed the banner, glaring at Universal Salvation.

“Hand over the Golden Light Codex and I will let you die and be reborn in peace,” Wuchen snarled, his face contorted with ferocity. “Otherwise, I will extract your soul and spirit, casting you into the deepest hell where you will never know release.”

Universal Salvation’s heart tightened with dread. How did Wuchen know about the Golden Light Codex, his greatest treasure, a scripture that could make one a true master? The only ones he had told were his sons, and they would never betray him.

Suddenly he recalled, with a chill, that though he had many sons, only a few achieved sentience, and several had died each year without a trace. He had thought them killed for their misdeeds, but now saw it must have been Wuchen, who had long plotted against him.

Now, Universal Salvation realized there would be no peaceful resolution. As he secretly mobilized his power, he prepared to attack at a moment’s notice.