Volume One: All Things Awaken, Spring Reigns Over the Four Seasons Chapter Forty-Five: Seeking to Sever Karma with the Buddhist Order

At this moment, the white-fronted tiger with piercing eyes was surrounded by a bizarre black mist. Its body had swelled several times its normal size, pushing its bloodline powers to the extreme, intimidating the figures within the mist and keeping them at bay. Yet, as the little tiger’s divine abilities gradually faltered, it was only a matter of time before it could no longer hold out.

When the little tiger caught sight of Mo Wen, apprehension deepened in her eyes. At this life-or-death moment, if he chose to intervene, her situation would become even more precarious.

“Coalball, work to do again—come out and greet the guests!”

Mo Wen looked helplessly at the little tiger. Though she belonged to the demon clan, he could hardly stand by and watch her be consumed by such strange forces.

“I can’t take any more!” Coalball emerged reluctantly, but swiftly absorbed all the malevolent black mist from the ruins of the earthen city.

Seeing herself rescued, the little tiger withdrew her bloodline powers, returning to her normal size, and looked at Mo Wen with a complicated expression. “Thank you, you lecher!”

Mo Wen couldn’t help but laugh, realizing that the label of “lecher” had now been firmly fixed upon him.

Sword Dog appeared at just the right moment, grinning mischievously. “Kid, this little tiger’s not bad—her bloodline is pure. Why not take her as a mount?”

The little tiger roared furiously at this, chasing Sword Dog in circles as Mo Wen chuckled. “Sword Dog, you can’t even handle a Divine Core tiger, yet you’re always boasting!”

As he fled, Sword Dog retorted, “I just don’t bother stooping to quarrel with juniors—ah! Don’t bite me, get away!”

Laughter echoed. As the apex of the canine family, the tiger naturally exerted a bloodline pressure over other canines.

The stifling, deathly atmosphere was instantly swept away by mirth.

Another shift of the map brought them to yet another mirror space, but this time Mo Wen’s heart sank—for there was no sign of humans or demonkind in this realm. Most likely, they had all been devoured by the strange black mist.

Just as Mo Wen was preparing to enter the next mirror space, the world spun. The illusion of sky and earth dissolved like a dream, and the two humans and one tiger found themselves once again inside the Golden Hall atop Heaven Pillar Peak.

They were back.

Mo Wen looked around and realized that, among the humans, only he and Zhuo Xin had returned from the mirror space. As for the demonkind, apart from the little tiger he had rescued, only the Young Roc King remained.

The Young Roc King looked wan and battered, his body marred by wounds—a sorry sight.

“Twelve hours have passed. For you to return, that is indeed impressive.” The Daoist master Chen Xuzi nodded with a smile. He had not mentioned beforehand that the initial realm would last only one day. For two humans and two demons to emerge alive was no small feat.

“My sister—what about my sister!” The little tiger was heartbroken. Clearly, the other tiger had already perished in the initial realm.

A series of deep chimes resounded. Chen Xuzi announced the results of the second trial, his voice ringing across every corner of Wudang Mountain.

“In the Wudang Spring Gathering’s second trial, four have passed. First place: Mo Wen. Second: Zhuo Xin. Third: Tiger Yan. Fourth: Young Roc King.”

The Young Roc King had not brought out a single token, likely spending most of his time fleeing for his life. Zhuo Xin and Tiger Yan, meanwhile, had benefited most by picking up the tokens Mo Wen had left behind.

Chen Xuzi then announced the commencement of the third trial. This stage was simple: pairwise duels, with the winners contending for the ultimate first place.

By now, the Young Roc King had lost all his earlier arrogance. With a bitter smile, he said, “Master, I forfeit. Farewell!” With that, he spread his wings and flew off without a backward glance.

Zhuo Xin also conceded without concern. The little tiger, after a complicated glance at Mo Wen, forfeited as well.

Thus, the final test of the Wudang Spring Gathering ended in dramatic fashion!

Seeing this, Chen Xuzi declared Mo Wen the final victor.

Zhuo Xin and the little tiger left the Golden Hall, leaving Mo Wen alone with the Daoist master. In the tea room of the inner hall, they sat facing each other across bamboo mats.

“Congratulations, young friend, on claiming the laurels of this Spring Gathering,” said Chen Xuzi, producing a wooden box from thin air. Inside, on a yellowed sheet of aged talisman paper, was the prize.

“This is the Wu Wang Talisman. With your profound cultivation, if you make use of this talisman, you need not fear deception or delusion.”

Mo Wen expressed his gratitude, carefully putting away the talisman. In his heart, he reflected that the greatest gain from this journey into the initial realm was uncovering the Buddhist sect’s conspiracy. After this, he would never again practice their inner breathing techniques.

“I have a question, Master. Do you know where, within the yin-yang fish space, this place is?”

Mo Wen even suspected the Daoist master had known everything all along and had planned accordingly.

“This is the origin land of the Strange Ones. All that is bizarre takes root here, though over the millennia, the place has changed. I sent you in to temper yourselves and prepare for the future,” Chen Xuzi explained with a smile. He seemed unaware of Mo Wen’s affairs with the Buddhist sect, and Mo Wen, for his part, did not fully trust him, so he did not elaborate.

“Master, I wish to purge all Buddhist inner energy from my body and pursue another path. Is there a way?”

Since returning from the initial realm, Mo Wen’s resolve was set—he wished to sever all ties with the Buddhist sect.

“The Buddhist inner breath is pure and inexhaustible, ever growing deeper. Unless you abandon your physical form and seek a new body for your spirit, there’s no way to be rid of it…” At this, Chen Xuzi paused, deep in thought, then continued, “There is another way, though—it may work.”

“What is it? Please, enlighten me, Master!”

To abandon his own physical body was a hard pill for Mo Wen to swallow. His spirits sank, but as the master’s words hinted at a turning point, he became eager.

“Your teacher, Zhao Tiansheng, cultivates only the Sword Heart, not the physical body. If you can emulate him and attain the supreme Sword Heart, the Buddhist inner breath will fade away on its own.”

Follow his teacher’s path?

Mo Wen had never considered it. Zhao Tiansheng himself had said that his path might well be a dead end, but now Mo Wen was caught between a rock and a hard place.

If he used Buddhist techniques to break through delusion, he would become a devout disciple of the sect, aligned with the Strange Ones. If he refused, he would be forever stuck at the Divine Core realm, doomed to grow old and die.

He thanked the master once more and took his leave. Exiting the Golden Hall, he found a group waiting for him: Mi Lu, the Red Bamboo Demon King, Zhuo Xin, Tiger Yan, and a few other human evolvers.

“Mo Wen, you’re out!”

“Brother Mo, you won the crown yet you seem a bit gloomy. What’s wrong?”

Mi Lu’s delight and Zhuo Xin’s concern greeted him, but Mo Wen only smiled in reply.

The Red Bamboo Demon King approached, sword in hand, and gave a respectful salute. “Thank you this time. Until we meet again.”

Clearly, the loss of the other little tiger had hit him hard. His eyes were rimmed with red as he led the surviving little tiger away without looking back.

“Let’s go,” Mo Wen said, beckoning the dazed Mi Lu, and began his descent from the mountain. Zhuo Xin, like a faithful shadow, followed closely behind.

“Mo Wen, where are you going?” At the foot of Wudang Mountain, Mi Lu asked, reluctant to part, though she already knew the answer in her heart.

“Back to the Demon City. Lin Xi isn’t here, so I can’t play host. You’re free to do as you please.” Mo Wen smiled faintly. How could he not understand Mi Lu’s feelings?

Of the three thousand rivers, a gentleman draws just a single ladle.

Back in the Demon City, on campus, Mo Wen stood for a long while before the familiar small building, unmoving.

“Since you’re here, come in. There’s no need to stand guard outside.”