manynovel Chapter 354 End-of-Volume Extra
Chapter 354 End-of-Volume Extra
[Cave]
The darkness was boundless, with only a faint, bluish-white light far above, barely illuminating the small patch of ground beneath our feet.
A strong, pungent smell of decay filled the air. Jiang Wen looked down and saw that he wasn't standing on stone steps, but on layers upon layers of bamboo slips and dry, brittle paper. The material itself would crumble at the slightest touch, yet the writing looked as if it had just been done; the ink and engravings even seemed to have a damp sheen.
Jiang Wen looked up and saw that the niches, stone walls, domes, cliffs, and even the horizon that stretched into the distance were all made up of densely packed, layered ancient books.
Bamboo slips were piled up like mountains, jade books were stacked into towers, and nameless silk books cascaded down from the dome like waterfalls. Tortoise shells and ox bones were also covered with all sorts of strange characters and illustrations.
Among these talismans, some are ancient seal scripts long lost from bronze artifacts, some are distorted taboo characters from the Taoist canon, and many more are chaotic symbols that don't seem like anything a human could write; they are just some trivial and disordered lines. But once you look at them for a long time, those lines will wriggle in front of your eyes like maggots, taking the opportunity to crawl into your brain and bring a long and piercing dizziness.
"Langhuan Paradise..."
Jiang Wen muttered to himself, his voice echoing in the empty space, stirring up countless tiny echoes, as if countless people were repeating those four words at the same time, which made him certain that he was in a desolate mountain cave.
Looking around, he finally understood what Langhuan Paradise, as described by Sang Yue, was like. It was indeed not some fairyland where immortals lived and where books were stored, but more like a tomb that buried nameless knowledge.
Jiang Wen looked up at the faint bluish-white light above his head, and suddenly remembered something. So he began to climb up a narrow, winding path made of crushed jade slips used as rubble.
In the darkness, it seemed as if some pitch-black vulture was circling, but it could also be just an overly fierce mountain wind. This twisting and winding road seemed to have no end, and the jade slip underfoot would shatter from time to time. If one was not careful, one would fall and plunge into the boundless abyss of books below.
After running for an unknown amount of time, Jiang Wen finally reached the end of the path. At the highest point of the enormous cave was a relatively flat platform, and in the very center of the platform, several feet above Jiang Wen's head, floated a person.
An old man wearing a tattered gray Taoist robe.
He stood with his back to Jiang Wen, silently suspended in the void, the hem of his Daoist robe motionless, as if frozen in time. Jiang Wen couldn't see his face, but just that back view alone gripped him with an indescribable, pure terror originating from the deepest part of his soul.
It wasn't fear of a powerful enemy, nor was it the fear of death. Rather, it was an instinctive and utter collapse when faced with something completely beyond comprehension, something that distorted the very rules of existence. It was as if the weight of the entire massive cavern, the mad knowledge recorded in countless ancient texts, and the thousands of oppressive and crawling figures were all condensed on that silent back, pressing down on Jiang Wen so much that he could hardly breathe, and his thoughts were almost extinguished.
Jiang Wen suddenly realized that his body was trembling uncontrollably, because several faint, shadowy figures were surrounding him in the shadows.
One of the clay figures of a child is less than three feet tall, with a powdered face and red lips covered in old lacquer, the skin cracked like a spider web; another is a deity in a twelve-chapter robe, his face as black as ink, his body covered in black hair, the original gold leaf covering his face half peeled off; yet another is a celestial official made of fired clay, his entire body charred black, wearing a broken crown with a sun disc, only a trace of crimson remaining on his cheeks; and yet another is an emperor shaped like a nanmu wood figurine, entirely white wood, without a single cut or chisel, his face smooth as a mirror, his brocade robe embroidered with the sun, moon and stars…
Countless tiny, shadowy figures seemed to stare blankly at the floating old man's back, waiting to be assimilated little by little and become a part of this blessed land.
Just then, a crisp "crack" sound came from above Jiang Wen's head, like a thunderclap exploding in his ears.
Jiang Wen looked up abruptly and saw that the stone dome at the top of the cave, which was covered with strange characters, had cracked open like a shattered ram's horn-shaped glass palace lantern, revealing a narrow and twisted fissure. The edges of the fissure shimmered with a blinding, pale light, and beyond it, there was neither starry sky nor darkness, but an indescribable, swirling, and nauseatingly chaotic color.
An irresistible, immense suction force suddenly emanated from the crack, and just as Jiang Wen was about to be sucked in, he seemed to see the old Taoist priest extremely, extremely slowly turn his face slightly to the side—
It was a face without eyebrows, eyes, mouth, or nose. As if facing a mystery that could not be seen, heard, or grasped, the old man finally chose to block out all his senses before confronting this elusive and mysterious ultimate existence.
The old man seemed to open a non-existent mouth, trying to tell him the deafening truth, but Jiang Wen was already being swept up against his will and flew towards the chaotic rift. He subconsciously reached out, trying to grab something from the ground, but all he grasped was a handful of jade slip fragments...
When Jiang Wen opened his eyes again, he found himself standing in a boundless chaos.
There is no ground beneath your feet, no sky above your head, only constantly swirling, multicolored chaotic air currents all around. Floating within those air currents are countless fragmented images and sounds: battlefields of slaughter, palace intrigues, Taoist chanting, and the bloodshed of the martial world. All these things are superimposed and mixed together, forming a frenzied sound that makes people restless and mad.
Things kept approaching from all sides. Some wore tattered animal armor, held rusty spears, and had empty faces; some wore Taoist robes, but their bodies were tilted and their heels were turned backward, with countless hands waving at their sides; some didn't even have a fixed shape, just clumps of writhing flesh with countless eyes and sharp teeth on them.
The first monster pounced, and Jiang Wen swung his sword, the blade flashing like lightning, cleaving it in two. But the two halves of the monster reformed, becoming two smaller monsters that continued to attack Jiang Wen. More and more monsters surged forward, densely packed and endless, surrounding Jiang Wen like a tidal wave!
Jiang Wen's swordsmanship grew faster and faster. A long sword, seemingly appearing out of nowhere, transformed into a rainbow in his hand. With each swing, countless monsters were slain, but for every one he killed, dozens or even hundreds would take its place, as if he could never finish killing them all.
After fighting for an unknown amount of time, Jiang Wen's vision began to darken, and his strength was almost completely exhausted. He leaned against a rock that had appeared out of nowhere, panting heavily, while his longsword was stuck diagonally in the ground, supporting his swaying body.
Just as Jiang Wen was frowning and pondering how to wake up from his upside-down dream, a hand gently patted his shoulder.
A familiar, warm voice, tinged with a hint of surprise, suddenly rang in his ear:
"Brother Jiang Wen, what brings you here too?"
Jiang Wen was startled and turned around abruptly.
Where is it?
The grand martial arts tournament in Wuyishan, with its dramatic twists and turns, has finally come to an end. Like the countless glories of this martial arts world, it has ultimately faded into scattered rumors, leaving those far away somewhat astonished.
Yuan Chengzhi was the first to arrive, and now he is also the first to leave.
He seemed to have gained a deeper confidence in the martial arts world, with a simple and hearty smile on his face, which didn't look like that of a forty-year-old middle-aged man at all. He quickly hired a carriage and took the injured Gui Xinshu back to heal.
Feng Daode left decisively. He had plenty of ways to block news from Dawang Peak, so he didn't care much about the movements of ordinary martial arts people. Before leaving, he specifically sought out Jiang Wen and invited him to Wudang Mountain for a chat in a tone that was almost threatening.
Of course, there are also those who don't want to leave.
Shang Baozhen visited the mountain every day, hoping to bring Tian Qingwen, who had run away from home, back home.
Jiang Wen's attitude toward the matter was extremely casual. He only arranged for the two parties to meet once. Tian Qingwen said that she no longer had this father in her heart and was now determined to change back to her biological mother Nie's surname. She also heard that Fu Ningdie had learned the poem "The mulberry and the catalpa, we must be respectful" from the Book of Songs. From now on, she would only be Nie Sangqing.
Zhao Banshan naturally didn't want to leave either.
He was over fifty years old when he finally enjoyed family life, so naturally he cherished Hongdou and Hong Wending immensely. After all, his parents had passed away, and no one would criticize his past misconduct. However, this caused Lu Feiqing great distress, who could only linger in Xiamei Town, urging his old friend to make plans as soon as possible, whether it was returning to Taijimen or going to Guangzhou again.
Jiang Wen finally made a decision. His family relationships were currently in a mess, and things would have to be sorted out eventually. He sent Master Ji, Hongdou, and Hong Wending along, first to the Tai Chi School in Wenzhou, then on to Yangzhou to find Zhu Xiaoqian. Once everything was settled, they would return to join Jiang Wen.
Upon hearing this, Yuan Ziyi, Yan Yongchun, and Luo Shuang'er also decided to travel together.
Jiang Wen always felt that the three of them had reached some secret agreement, but he thought it was good to have more people around, at least it would be more lively. Master Ji's injuries weren't serious, but his madness these past few days had worsened. With everyone around, at least there would be someone to look after him, which showed that Jiang Wen was thoughtful and respectful of the elderly.
Schools like Yanqing Fist, Drunken Eight Immortals, Duck-Shaped School, Innate Fist, Earth Hall Fist, Double Swords School, and Five Lakes School began to roam the martial arts world. Their narratives consistently focused on a hidden "Langhuan Blessed Land" on Mount Wuyi, a place that held the secrets of martial arts classics from across the land.
They all witnessed firsthand how the mediocre Xiandu Sect leader transformed overnight, even managing to beat the Wudang Sect leader, Feng Daode, to the point of vomiting blood!
This rumor is quite fascinating, and there are many knowledgeable people in the martial arts world who refer to "Langhuan Paradise" as a reference to Zhang Hua of the Western Jin Dynasty. Zhang Hua served as a Taichang Doctor, so some people also call Jiang Wen a "Martial Arts Doctor," a double entendre that also means "a learned scholar," intending to flatter the newly rising Jiang Wen.
However, several martial arts elders from Jiangling soon stepped forward, arguing that martial arts are not just about winning and losing, but also about a martial artist's understanding of the world, life and death, and human nature. They believed that this Gentleman Sword Jiang Wen was too young to be so greedy for the credit of heaven. Even if he was skilled, he could only be proficient in the art of martial arts.
The criticisms raised by these individuals were valid, and after the intervention of several elders, this unhealthy trend that had spread from the Fujian and Guangdong regions was finally stopped. People in the martial arts world also began to call him "Doctor of Martial Arts" in a more pragmatic way.
However, when this title reached Jiang Wen's ears, he immediately thought of a certain so-called strongest third generation leader. He had already been ashamed enough to inherit the mantle of an old eunuch, so there must be someone behind this deliberately stirring up trouble and trying to make him take all the blame.
But for Sect Leader Jiang, this was nothing more than a minor setback.
After cremating Dongxuan's body, he found a piece of jadeite marrow less than a foot long in his corpse. It was a semi-transparent dark green color with fine wood grain patterns on the surface. If it had not been found in the bones, it would probably have been regarded as a unique and exquisite piece of jade.
After Jiang Wen obtained it, he excitedly announced to the Wuyi Sect members that he was going to the sect's forbidden area in the back mountain for a day and a night of seclusion, and no one was allowed to disturb him.
On the way, he remembered Jiao Wenqi, who was imprisoned in the hanging coffin cave. So he released one of the six demons of Guandong who was starving and exhausted, crippled his martial arts, and handed him over to Shang Baozhen to take away.
In the cold cave, Jiang Wen lay back on the stone coffin of the Little Ming King once again. He held the Mani Jewel in one hand and the jade marrow in the other, counting sheep. Then he had a very long dream, but he kept silent about its contents. Even his closest disciples could not glimpse its secrets.
The moment Jiang Wen emerged from seclusion, the Holy Mother of the Red Lotus and the Goddess of the Six Ding arrived together, asking him what his next plans were.
Jiang Wen glanced at the dilapidated Tongtian Palace, which was almost in a sorry state, and realized that the other party needed his help. So he took the initiative to say that he planned to go to Fuzhou City.
This statement was not a mere excuse. He sensed that Geng Jingzhong had been enjoying smooth sailing lately and was becoming somewhat dissatisfied with the status quo. Regardless of his reasons, he was determined to thoroughly sort out the affairs of the Jingnan Prince's Mansion.
Lin Zhennan was naturally delighted with this suggestion. He, the Hongyang Sect, and Zhao Banshan were jointly funding the renovation of the Wuyi Sect's mountain gate, ensuring it would be renovated to its former glory. Since they had nowhere to rest during this time, why not visit his Fuwei Escort Agency?
Jiang Wen also thought this was a good idea, so he began to organize the people and supplies, and planned to transport all the men, women, and children of the Wuyi Sect to Fuzhou, leaving only Old Ye, who was unwilling to travel far, and the four stone lions to stay in place to guard the house.
Geng Jingzhong, feeling proud and self-satisfied that he had control of eight hundred personal guards, naturally welcomed Jiang Wen to Fuzhou. He even offered to give him the position of head instructor of the personal guards. However, when he saw that Jiang Wen was not interested, he stopped mentioning the matter.
The most gratified by the temporary departure of the Wuyi Sect and the departure of the Jingnan Prince's personal guards were naturally the magistrate of Chong'an County, Guan Shengjun, and the various powerful clans. However, before they could even celebrate, they heard that although Jiang Wen had left, a group of highly skilled wandering beggars and a long-haired monk who looked like he had come down from the mountain were preparing to stay in Chong'an County for a long time, also serving as spies for the Prince's mansion to keep an eye on things.
Having arranged everything, Jiang Wen could finally breathe a sigh of relief and focus on teaching his apprentices cultural knowledge. Otherwise, he always felt that his disciples would be inextricably linked to the security guard profession...
"Heaven created high mountains, which Your Majesty has abandoned."
“He has done it, and King Wen has brought peace to it.”
“They have gone there; Qi has a peaceful journey. May their descendants protect them.”
Inside the dilapidated main hall of the Wuyi Sect, several disciples were still reciting the Book of Songs. Jiang Wen felt that every word and phrase was about himself.
The Holy Mother of the Red Lotus suddenly appeared outside the main hall, saying she had something to tell her.
They haven't been idle these past few days either. Out of reflection on this incident, they've thoroughly searched every nook and cranny of Sanliting Song Village to ensure there are no other unstable factors there, thus finally fulfilling their wish to mend the fence after the sheep have escaped.
But when Jiang Wen walked out of the hall with a book in his hand and heard her recount her discovery, his expression immediately turned extremely strange.
"Wait a minute, wait a minute, what do you mean you stubbornly excavated the area around Sanliting and then unearthed a stele saying that Sanliting used to be called 'Hidden Village'?" (End of Chapter)