Chapter 998: Miscalculating the Plan

Rong Yun personally escorted Ji Yuan outside the mountain gate. After exchanging greetings with Ji Yuan and the others, he watched Ji Yuan, Xie Zhi, and Lu Min fly away on clouds before turning around. None of the high cultivators of Changjian Mountain had left; they were still waiting in the previous council hall.

When Rong Yun returned, he saw dozens of high cultivators from Changjian Mountain sitting silently on their respective meditation cushions. They seemed quiet, but in reality, while those who had left were seeing Ji Yuan out of the mountain, arguments here had already erupted multiple times. This quiet was merely a temporary lull.

The council hall was a circular building, its interior filled with meditation cushions. Even the Sect Master Rong Yun's seat was just a cushion, without a table. In the center of the hall were the last three volumes of "Yellow Springs." The books were not open, but their texts appeared as faint golden shadows, densely projected into the air of the hall, making the content visible to everyone.

"Are you done arguing?"

Rong Yun approached the hall, still detecting the lingering tension from before. While Ji Yuan was present, everyone united against external issues, so there was no argument. As soon as Ji Yuan left, and Rong Yun himself went out to see him off, it would have been strange if those who remained hadn't squabbled.

Rong Yun returned to his meditation cushion and sat down. From his sleeve, he took out Ji Qian's immortal sword and placed it before him. The golden scabbard on the immortal sword had been removed; instead, Ji Qian's original scabbard was back in place. However, a long talisman was wrapped around the sword's body, like a circle of talismanic rope.

Everyone's gaze instinctively fell upon the immortal sword.

"To think that Ji Qian, who had already attained cultivation, harbored such immense malicious intent, alas!"

"Perhaps he had his own ideas, but his actions were truly despicable. Even if he wished to advance further, attempting to do so at the cost of harming all living beings—isn't that the path of a demon?"

Rong Yun shook his head.

"Alright, let's not speak of Ji Qian anymore. His actions were little different from betraying his master and ancestors; he truly deserved his death. I only hope this immortal sword will eventually understand this truth and find a destined owner in the future."

"Ji Qian had previously strongly advocated for Changjian Mountain to withdraw from the world. Now that I have granted Ji Yuan's request, our mountain sect naturally needs to make early preparations and gain a deeper understanding of the changes in the world."

Although both Changjian Mountain and Jiufeng Mountain were managed by their respective sect masters, Changjian Mountain's Sect Master Rong Yun was clearly unlike Zhao Yu of Jiufeng Mountain. Rong Yun was an absolute authority within Changjian Mountain. When he made promises to Ji Yuan earlier, no one dared to object. But now that the topic was raised again, a cultivator on the side spoke up.

"The decision made by the Sect Master is naturally the decision of Changjian Mountain. However, I, your junior brother, still wish to ask: why does the Sect Master trust Ji Yuan so much?"

Ji Yuan had previously caused Changjian Mountain to lose a lot of face. It was fortunate that the Sect Master's cultivation was profound, otherwise Changjian Mountain would have been utterly disgraced.

This cultivator's question echoed the sentiments of many within Changjian Mountain. Most of them disliked Ji Yuan. Even if they didn't reject him outright, they felt he should have been given a vague answer, leaving him to guess.

Rong Yun understood the thoughts of some present. His gaze swept over the few who had previously clashed with Ji Yuan; their expressions were calmer than the others. Then, Rong Yun's gaze settled on the faint golden texts floating in the air of the hall.

"The return of the Yellow Springs is already a fact; the balance of heaven and earth has changed. With a master as unfathomable as Ji Yuan appearing in the human world within a few decades, don't you think you can discern whether his actions are truly as he claims?"

All the cultivators of Changjian Mountain frowned slightly. While Ji Yuan was disagreeable to them, it had to be admitted that his cultivation and demeanor were both impressive. His words carried weight, and his actions were traceable, making him convincing.

"Our relationship with Tianji Pavilion has always been good, and Xuanjizi holds Ji Yuan in great respect. It's likely that a master of Ji Yuan's caliber has perceived the calamities of heaven and earth, and has emerged from seclusion in response to them..."

Rong Yun seemed lost in distant thought, then returned to himself and looked at everyone.

"Since we already intended to act, as sword cultivators, let us be decisive. We have already lost face; wouldn't further hesitation invite ridicule? Let it be so, and let no one mention this matter again! And regarding the affairs of the human world, although we will not withdraw from it, there is no need for us to involve ourselves in worldly politics. While the human Dao's momentum is undeniable, our Changjian Mountain cultivates the immortal Dao; we need not strive for fame or profit because of it!"

After speaking, Rong Yun stood up, effectively shutting down many topics others might have wanted to discuss. He then left directly. The cultivators of Changjian Mountain also had no desire to remain and dispersed one by one.

Currently, many immortal masters, some even from major immortal sects, commonly came to assist the great nations of the human world. However, the words of Changjian Mountain's Sect Master clearly defined their direction: Changjian Mountain would only focus on diligently cultivating the sword dao as its foundation.

Over the vast ocean, Ji Yuan, Xie Zhi, and Lu Min were flying on clouds. Eliminating Ji Qian was a major problem resolved, and Changjian Mountain, under any circumstances, was a force that no one could ignore.

Therefore, Ji Yuan was in a very good mood—at least the best he had been since embarking on this journey.

"Ji Yuan, I'm not criticizing you, but if you didn't want Ji Qian's flying sword for yourself, you could have considered giving it to me! Why return it to Changjian Mountain?"

Xie Zhi couldn't help but grumble. He had long witnessed the power of the Azure Vine Sword, and with an immortal sword right before him, even he couldn't help but covet it.

Hearing Xie Zhi's words, Ji Yuan turned and glanced at him.

"What? Are you good with a sword?"

"Uh, just because I'm not good with it doesn't mean I can't have it! I can get an immortal sword first and then learn swordsmanship, as long as you're willing to teach me."

"No, I'm not willing. Besides, immortal swords have their own spiritual essence. You helped slay Ji Qian; even if the sword spirit understands right from wrong, it would still despise you."

Xie Zhi grimaced, still unwilling to give up, and glanced at Lu Min beside him before speaking again.

"Well, there's also Daoist Lu Min! You could give it to him! The people of Changjian Mountain..."

Lu Min quickly interjected.

"I wouldn't dare, I wouldn't dare!"

Ji Yuan, however, shook his head.

"Actually, the immortal sword should have been allowed to leave freely. But these are extraordinary times, and it's best to guard against any avoidable errors. Entrusting it to Changjian Mountain is also good. Still, now that Ji Qian is dead, what will 'they' do?"

Xie Zhi understood who Ji Yuan meant by "they." Dispelling his unrealistic fantasies about the immortal sword, he sneered.

"Hmph, they're just cowardly rats hiding their heads and tails. They'll probably go into hiding for a while."

"If only that were the case."

Ji Yuan understood that, to those ancient evils, he himself was, in a way, the primary lurking danger in the current world. Of course, it would be even better if they hadn't realized it yet, but that was unlikely.

"Heh heh, Ji Yuan, if you're thinking they'll plot against you and then deliver themselves to your doorstep, you're overthinking it. They might not be very clever, but they aren't that stupid. They probably already know I'm with you."

Ji Yuan also shook his head and chuckled.

"Perhaps, if they realize Zhu Yan's disappearance is connected to me."

Whether they came or not, it wouldn't be a bad thing for Ji Yuan. If they came, the opponent would surely pay a significant price and very likely fail to stop or even severely injure Ji Yuan. If they didn't come, and avoided Ji Yuan everywhere, that would also be acceptable, because Ji Yuan's current sphere of activity was quite extensive.

However, regardless of Ji Yuan and Xie Zhi's conjectures, the death of Ji Qian awakened Yue Cang, who was in seclusion recovering. Originally, Ji Qian had always acted very cautiously, and his cultivation had reached the True Immortal level, making it unlikely for him to encounter trouble. Yet, not only had something gone wrong, but he was utterly destroyed, body and soul.

Yue Cang, now showing no trace of the Sitting Earth Ming King, looked at his right hand. A faint blue line appeared on his middle finger, then gradually dissipated.

"Was he detected by Changjian Mountain? Or..."

Yue Cang couldn't help but think of Ji Yuan. After the Yellow Springs appeared, an ethereal feeling became particularly strong.

"No wonder after our last meeting, I couldn't grasp any 'chess piece' aura. It wasn't a lack of contact; I misjudged him! No wonder such an immortal could appear. Hmph, you were never an immortal of this current era! We all establish ourselves after breaking through heaven and earth. Do you, Ji Yuan, intend to monopolize power by leveraging the forces of heaven and earth? What an immense ambition!"

Ji Yuan had already been placed by Yue Cang in an equal, or even more dangerous, position. However, it was clear that Yue Cang could not comprehend Ji Yuan's aspirations, and so naturally assumed Ji Yuan wanted to transcend everything and completely control the cosmos.

It was another spring with blooming flowers when Ji Yuan returned to Yunzhou. He didn't go anywhere else but headed straight for the Underworld. However, when Ji Yuan reached the former location of the Underworld City, he could no longer see the ghost city hidden within the Yin energy.

"Huh, where's the Underworld City?"

The barren land where Underworld City once stood was now lush with wildflowers, and bees and butterflies fluttered among them everywhere.

Xie Zhi had merely asked the question instinctively; as soon as he spoke, he seemed to realize something. Lu Min, who had been following quietly, simply watched, while Ji Yuan had already turned his cloud and flew directly towards the nearest city.

"Underworld City is no longer in the mortal realm; it must have truly merged with the netherworld, so its original site is no longer visible..."

Ji Yuan spoke as he flew. Soon, they were outside a county town. The Dharma Cloud headed directly towards the City God Temple. As they descended, they crossed the boundary between Yin and Yang. When Ji Yuan and the two others landed, they were already in the netherworld, with the Gate of Ghosts not far away.

The Yin guards at the Gate of Ghosts immediately became wary upon seeing someone descend from the sky. However, when they clearly saw the appearance of the person in front, their hearts leaped in surprise.

"Greetings, Mr. Ji!"

Whether in famous mountains and great marshes or various netherworld bureaus, quite a few spirits and gods within the Dazhen realm could recognize Ji Yuan.

Ji Yuan returned a slight bow and stated directly.

"I am going to Underworld City and wish to pass through this Gate of Ghosts. I hope you will facilitate my passage and not obstruct my way."

"We wouldn't dare, we wouldn't dare! Please, Mr. Ji!"

The Yin guards certainly didn't have the courage to block Ji Yuan's path. Besides, they didn't believe anyone would dare impersonate Mr. Ji. Even if someone did, they wouldn't be able to stop them anyway. Their only course of action was to report to the City God after Ji Yuan left.

The Yin guards opened the gate. Ji Yuan and the two others nodded and entered. Once past the gate, they immediately ascended into the air, flying with the wind towards the distance, where the sound of a river grew increasingly distinct.

"The Yellow Springs! It really is the Yellow Springs!"

In the air, Xie Zhi looked in disbelief at the great river in the distance. It was incredibly similar to what he remembered.

"Very similar?"

Hearing Ji Yuan's question, Xie Zhi finally turned to look at him.

"Doesn't it look similar to you? I haven't seen it for tens of thousands of years! I can't believe a true Yellow Springs has manifested!"

Ji Yuan shook his head.

"I no longer have a memory of it. But if you think it's similar, that's good, because from now on, it *is* the true Yellow Springs!"

As he spoke, he turned with the wind and flew directly upstream along the river. If all went as expected, the source of the Yellow Springs in the netherworld would be near Underworld City.

Lu Min stood silently by Xie Zhi's side, not uttering a word. However, hearing Xie Zhi and Ji Yuan's recent conversation still made his heart tremble slightly. He had heard some things while at Changjian Mountain, only understanding that Xie Zhi was a transformed ancient divine beast. But now, the information he could infer from just these few words was sufficiently terrifying.

The Underworld City now had even denser Yin energy than before. When Ji Yuan flew there, he saw that the end of the Yellow Springs was a hazy mist, within which Yin and Yang energies seemed to flow.

Similarly, the ghost cultivators in the direction of Underworld City had long since noticed the arrival of someone, as immortal light was particularly conspicuous in the netherworld.

Naturally, Xin Wuya was extremely excited by Ji Yuan's arrival. He personally recounted the changes in the netherworld, clearly stating that various netherworld bureaus had begun to establish connections, and that he also intended to carry out grand endeavors there. However, Ji Yuan was already well aware of these matters. What surprised him most was Master Dizang.

In the myths of Ji Yuan's previous life, there was a Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva who vowed "not to become a Buddha until hell is empty." He also knew that the person here was formerly Zhao Long, or rather, Monk Jueming. Yet, he hadn't expected such a similar connection between the two.

Behind Underworld City, a small Zen courtyard had been established, housing only one monk.

Accompanied by Xin Wuya, Ji Yuan and the others arrived outside the Zen courtyard. Ji Yuan paused, seeing no plaque or gate to the courtyard, and then stepped directly inside. Xie Zhi, Xin Wuya, and the others remained outside.

The netherworld was always relatively dim. In this Buddhist hall, there were no Buddha statues, only bright yellow eternal lamps lit. A simply dressed monk sat cross-legged on a meditation cushion, slowly opening his eyes only after Ji Yuan entered the courtyard.

"Amitābha, this humble monk greets Mr. Ji!"

Monk Dizang stood up and performed a Buddhist salute to Ji Yuan, who naturally returned the gesture without delay.

"Having learned of Master Dizang's grand vow, I have come specifically to pay my respects!"

"Mr. Ji, there's no need for such formality. This humble monk is merely contributing a small effort for the common people; my merits are not even a fraction of yours!"

Monk Dizang spoke with deep emotion, looking at Ji Yuan with a slight daze. What he said was not mere politeness; he could now perceive merit as if it were a tangible substance. Compared to Mr. Ji, his own merits were utterly insignificant.

"Master, there's no need to belittle yourself. If not for this aspiration that stirred heaven and earth, how could the Yellow Springs have appeared so early? The karmic forces of the world are endless. I hope Master will soon attain Buddhahood and resolve them with Buddhist teachings!"

"This humble monk's aspiration lies here, and I will not fail to live up to expectations!"

Monk Dizang did not say "I will try my best." As a monk, he certainly wasn't speaking idly, but with unyielding confidence.

"By the way, Mr. Ji, as the netherworld gradually connects, this humble monk perceives great danger brewing within it."

"Indeed, it must be the malevolent ghosts and wicked souls hiding in various parts of the netherworld, having escaped the jurisdiction of the netherworld bureaus. Though the netherworlds across the lands are connecting, many of their bureaus have long been destroyed, leaving no gods or spirits to govern them. The netherworld naturally faces its own calamities. Let the Underworld Emperor deal with them. If he cannot overcome this tribulation, what right does he have to hold his position?"

Xie Zhi and Lu Min instinctively looked at Xin Wuya. The latter frowned, his expression not very good. Since even Mr. Ji called it a tribulation, they absolutely couldn't take it lightly. Previously, they had thought it would be at most some vengeful spirits and malevolent ghosts hiding in the cracks.

In the courtyard, Monk Dizang merely recited a Buddhist name and said nothing more. It seemed Mr. Ji would not intervene in this tribulation.

In truth, it wasn't that Ji Yuan didn't want to get involved, but rather that he couldn't manage it. The netherworld was vast; even if it wasn't as expansive as the mortal realm, it still spanned continents. He didn't have the energy to attend to so many minute details. This was, after all, the tribulation that the Underworld Emperor and the various gods and spirits of the netherworld had to face.

In Ji Yuan's view, given the current state of heaven and earth, the netherworld's tribulation would most likely coincide with the final cataclysm of the mortal realm. It would indeed be difficult to attend to everything. Whether it could be overcome was not about the gain or loss of one place, but the victory or defeat of the entire cosmos.