Chapter 105: Chapter 104: A Solution for Zhuo Qingyan: The Wind Moon Sect?
In the following days, Gu Zhao spent most of his time in the Otherworld, studying arrays with Zhuo Qingyan.
Gu Zhao had thought Zhuo Qingyan was just a musical prodigy and that grasping the Spirit Gathering Skill was already quite an accomplishment for her. He never expected her to have such a knack for combining magical arts as well.
In just a few days, they had already buried eight wooden stakes in the ground around Cui Mountain Village and crafted a Wooden Token to act as a remote control. By channeling Magical Power into it, they could activate the array.
Unfortunately, both the Spirit Gathering effect of the Purple Sandalwood and the magical arts themselves could only be triggered by Taoist True Qi. Neither Zhuo Qingyan, with her Ghost Qi and Yin Qi, nor the Silk Embroideress and Bai Ke, with their Demon Power, could activate it.
"This has its advantages," Zhuo Qingyan said, handing the Wooden Token to Gu Zhao. "At least we don’t have to worry about someone stealing this token and using it against us."
The Silk Embroideress nodded repeatedly. "Exactly!"
Gu Zhao accepted the Wooden Token with a smile. "Thank you. The Spirit Gathering Skill is incredibly useful. If it weren’t for you, I don’t know how long it would’ve taken me to figure out this array."
Zhuo Qingyan said softly, "I’m just glad I could help. But for now, only the Great Dragon-locking Talisman is working. Integrating it with the Shangqing Great Forbidden Dragon Binding Talisman is proving much more difficult than we imagined."
"Let’s take our time." Gu Zhao pointed to the newly repaired Spirit Official Hall. "We have plenty of it."
Zhuo Qingyan looked up at the Spirit Official Hall, its flying eaves and upturned corners visible on the mountainside. Then, she thought of the Daluo Palace blueprints she had seen and couldn’t help but shake her head and laugh at herself. ’I’ve been too impatient.’
’I was trapped in the old Zhuo Family residence for thirty years and never felt this anxious. What’s wrong with me now?’
Just then, the voice of Taoist Yi Hong came from the Five Thunders Order in Gu Zhao’s Sea of Consciousness, asking to be brought back to the Otherworld.
So, Gu Zhao made an excuse and left. Crossing over to the modern world, he found Taoist Yi Hong already back at his house. Beside him was a large wooden crate, over two meters tall and half a meter square.
"Is everything in here?" Gu Zhao asked.
"For the first batch, I had an Yanyue Saber, a Bright Silver Spear, and a Seven-Star Sword forged," said Taoist Yi Hong. "Following these, there will be several more sets of the Eighteen Weapons, as well as individual sabers, swords, spears, and staves."
Gu Zhao brought Taoist Yi Hong across to the Otherworld. The two of them then opened the crate and removed the styrofoam packing.
Taoist Yi Hong took out the Cyan Dragon Crescent Saber. Its shaft was 1.7 meters long and the blade was 50 centimeters, making for a total length of 2.2 meters. It weighed 32 kilograms—the average person would struggle just to lift it.
"It’s beautiful!" Gu Zhao exclaimed in admiration.
His Bright Silver Spear was a little shorter and its shaft a little thinner than the Yanyue Saber. Gu Zhao picked up the Long Spear and hefted it; it weighed just over 20 kilograms.
The handguard of the Yanyue Saber was shaped like a devouring cyan dragon, while the Bright Silver Spear was decorated with silver dragon patterns. Both shafts were etched with shallow Dragon Scales to prevent slipping from a sweaty grip.
"Where’s Senior Brother Yan Song?" Taoist Yi Hong asked, pointing to the last sword in the crate.
Just as Gu Zhao was about to speak, the Five Thunders Order in his Sea of Consciousness received a wisp of Evil Qi.
"Martial Uncle Yan Song, where are you?" Gu Zhao asked.
"I came back to Xiuyue County and got rid of that rat in the teahouse," Taoist Yan Song’s voice replied in his Sea of Consciousness. "While I was at it, I took a stroll down the county’s Spring Street. And I have to say, the quality is pretty good."
Gu Zhao was speechless. "..."
"Don’t get the wrong idea," Taoist Yan Song said. "I just heard from Miss Zhuo that there were harmful Fairies hiding in the brothels on Spring Street, feeding on men’s Essence, so I came to take a look."
"So, I take it there was no Evil Qi?" Gu Zhao raised an eyebrow.
"None. They just cultivate by absorbing men’s yang energy. They even give them medicinal soups to help them recover after they’ve taken their fill. They’re quite professional about it."
Taoist Yan Song continued, "Besides, they have quite a few skills. You could come learn a thing or two from them. Look at you—it’s been months, and you haven’t even won over a single girl. It’s a real disgrace to the master of the Five Thunders Order!"
Gu Zhao’s mouth twitched. "Just get back here. Martial Uncle Yi Hong brought the weapons."
"That fast?" Taoist Yan Song asked, then immediately added, "I’m on my way. I’ll be there soon."
Gu Zhao ended the conversation with Taoist Yan Song and turned to Taoist Yi Hong. "He went to Xiuyue County to collect some Evil Qi. He just eliminated a Mouse Demon and is on his way back now."
Taoist Yi Hong’s eyes widened. "He went to hunt a demon without me?"
Gu Zhao was speechless. "..."
"But no matter." Taoist Yi Hong hefted the Cyan Dragon Crescent Saber in his hands. "I wonder when the Mountain Master of Three Extremes Mountain will finally realize his second son is missing."
Gu Zhao said, "Qingyan and I have already set up a simple Dragon-locking Array in Cui Mountain Village and at the Daluo Palace construction site. If the enemy trespasses, it will trigger the effect of the Dragon-locking Talisman and trap them inside."
"How is it triggered?" Taoist Yi Hong asked.
"Celestial Spirit Talismans," Gu Zhao replied.
Taoist Yi Hong understood. Celestial Spirit Talismans automatically activate when they encounter sinister or evil qi. If the enemy were to sneak nearby and secretly use their Magical Power, the talismans would sense it and expose them.
"But there’s a problem with that," Taoist Yi Hong said. "What about Miss Zhuo?"
Although Taoist Yi Hong hadn’t been here long, he knew Zhuo Qingyan’s story and sympathized with her plight, so this was the first thing that came to his mind.
"There’s no way around it." Gu Zhao sighed. "If she uses her powers, the Celestial Spirit Talismans will mistake her for an enemy and trigger the effect of the Great Dragon-locking Talisman. But it’s not a major issue. After all, she has no reason to use her powers in the village."
"Can’t she learn our Cultivation Techniques?" Taoist Yi Hong asked.
Gu Zhao shook his head. "She can’t."
He had tried teaching Zhuo Qingyan from the Tao Scriptures, but she was unable to perform either the Shangqing Heavenly Heart Righteous Method’s Breathing and Absorbing Three Lights True Qi or the Golden Locking Jade Technique’s Absorbing Heaven and Earth Spiritual Energy.
Taoist Yi Hong frowned. "If the Golden Locking Jade Technique doesn’t work, then the Qi Body Origin Flow and the Great Pill Direct Pointing probably won’t either. After all, the Golden Locking Jade Technique is considered a foundational classic for Quanzhen Dao cultivation."
"So, once Daluo Palace is built, we’ll let her absorb the Incense there," Gu Zhao said. "After the Ghosts from the Golden Wind Divine Sect absorbed Incense, their Divine Souls all gained a trace of Divinity."
Taoist Yi Hong pondered for a moment and nodded. "That’s one way to do it. But your mention of a ghostly body possessing Divinity reminds me of a certain sect."
"What sect?" Gu Zhao asked.
"The Fengyue Sect!" Taoist Yi Hong declared.
Gu Zhao sucked in a sharp breath. "The Wind Moon Sect?"
"Correct," Taoist Yi Hong said, stroking his beard.
Gu Zhao swallowed hard and asked tentatively, "So... if she and I were to dual cultivate, her True Qi would merge with Taoist Magical Power, and she wouldn’t be targeted by Taoist Skills anymore?"
Taoist Yi Hong: ???
"What are you thinking?" Taoist Yi Hong snapped.
"You said the Wind Moon Sect!" Gu Zhao retorted, feeling perfectly justified.
"I said ’Feng’ as in Emperor Fengdu! And ’Yue’ as in the East Mountain Emperor!"
Taoist Yi Hong fumed, "The Daoist Canon contains scriptures about Emperor Fengdu! They originated from the Shangqing school, later evolving into the Northern Emperor’s lineage. Eventually, a branch split off to become the Fengyue Sect. They cultivate the Beiyin Fengdu Technique and the East Mountain Earth God Skill. Though part of the Taoist Sect, their Magic Communicates with the Underworld. Perhaps Miss Zhuo could practice their methods—they are orthodox Taoist Spells!"
Just then, the door was pushed open by Taoist Yan Song. "You two should keep it down next time. Also, where’s my sword?"
Gu Zhao and Taoist Yi Hong turned around and saw the Silk Embroideress and Zhuo Qingyan standing not far from the door.
