The capital, the National Preceptor's manor.
Chief Secretary Yun Yang hurried in to report. "National Preceptor, there has been unusual activity in Yongzhou City. The upper and middle echelons of the Heavenly Demon Cult have gathered there in large numbers. Countless bandit leaders appeared, and then the City Lord's mansion in Yongzhou simply vanished into thin air, leaving behind nothing but bare ground."
The National Preceptor of Yankang was reading through various memorials the Emperor had sent over. Without looking up, he said, "Noted."
Chief Secretary Yun Yang hesitated. "National Preceptor, this is the Heavenly Demon Cult — the foremost sect of the demonic path. With something like this happening now, we cannot afford not to be on guard..."
The National Preceptor looked up. "Yun Yang, do you know who the ancestor of the Heavenly Demon Cult is?"
Chief Secretary Yun Yang shook his head.
The National Preceptor said calmly, "If you knew who he was, you wouldn't be this flustered. He was originally the Grand Libationer of our Imperial Academy."
Chief Secretary Yun Yang's heart lurched. "It was him? National Preceptor — the ancestor of the Heavenly Demon Cult served as Grand Libationer of the Imperial Academy for so many years? That's treason! All those years — how many officials and generals did he educate? His influence must have spread deep into the court and the military! National Preceptor, this matter must be investigated. Our armies may already be filled with his people!"
The National Preceptor was taken aback and shook his head. "You're overthinking it. The Heavenly Demon Ancestor taught scholars — does that make them members of the Heavenly Demon Cult? If that were the case, wouldn't I have to be dragged in and killed too?"
He rose to his feet and paced slowly, his gaze sharp. "Back in the day, I traveled the world to learn the strengths of every sect. I found that each sect across the land operated in isolation, hoarding their knowledge and restricting the progress of divine arts and cultivation methods. So I went door to door, hoping to break down the barriers between the great sects. The first person I met was the Heavenly Demon Ancestor. He was the first to set aside sectarian prejudice and teach me wholeheartedly — the one who pointed me toward the right path."
A look of reverence appeared in his eyes. "After that, he personally recommended me, sending me with his letter to meet the Daoist Master of the Daoist Gate. The Daoist Master treated me with special regard because of his letter, and granted me access to read the Fourteen Chapters of the Dao Sword. It was also he who sent me to the Great Thunderclap Monastery, where I met the Tathagata and received the transmission of his scriptures. Although the Ancestor never revealed his identity, he couldn't hide it from me — nor did he ever try to."
Chief Secretary Yun Yang was utterly stunned beyond words.
The National Preceptor continued. "I invited him to take charge of the Imperial Academy. Why? Not because of his abilities, not because he was the ancestor of the Heavenly Demon Cult, but because of the breadth of his vision. He was the first person I had ever met with such magnanimity, such purity of heart. No one else but he could have governed the Imperial Academy! He has left now, presumably to attend to the matter of the Heavenly Demon Cult's next Cult Master."
"The next Cult Master of the Demonic Cult?"
Chief Secretary Yun Yang steadied himself and said, "The Heavenly Demon Cult has been without a Cult Master for over forty years. And now they've actually chosen one? National Preceptor, this matter is of great significance. Should we report it to the Emperor?"
The National Preceptor said, "Write up a memorial and submit it to the Emperor. As for the Heavenly Demon Ancestor's origins, there's no need to say much."
Chief Secretary Yun Yang acknowledged the order, then added, "There's news from the Imperial Academy — the Emperor has ordered Gu Linuan to succeed as Grand Libationer."
"Noted."
The National Preceptor waved his hand. "My influence is too great, and it's only right for the Emperor to be concerned. Otherwise, I would be uneasy myself. But Gu Linuan's talent and virtue are simply not worthy of the position of Grand Libationer. He's adequate as Guardian of the Hereditary Prince, but as Grand Libationer, he's far from qualified. However, I cannot say too much about this matter."
Chief Secretary Yun Yang pondered, then asked, "How should we respond to the Heavenly Demon Cult choosing a new Cult Master this time?"
The National Preceptor said indifferently, "Prosper in compliance; perish in defiance. This is not something you need to worry about. I will go to meet this new Cult Master myself."
Chief Secretary Yun Yang withdrew from the room.
The Daoist Gate, Dao Mountain.
Danyangzi strode quickly up the mountain and arrived at the Hall of the Dao Saint. A white-haired, white-browed elder sat upon the ground, gazing at the pool of clear water before him.
Danyangzi quickly said, "Daoist Master, there has been unusual activity at the Heavenly Demon Cult's stronghold. Their experts have gathered in Yongzhou. With a single sweep of their great banner, they vanished — the City Lord's mansion included."
The white-browed elder opened his eyes and spoke slowly. "It seems the Heavenly Demon Cult has a new Cult Master. The Heavenly Demon Cult fabricates history, assuming the name of a sage to spread false teachings across the world, bringing chaos to the living. Within their sect, infighting reigns — the Saintess slaughtered the Cult Master, violating all moral order. The Cult Master married his own disciple, breaking the bonds of propriety. Many of their practitioners cultivate forbidden arts, using human lives to power their cultivation, and they embrace all without distinction. They went forty years without a Cult Master, and now they've chosen one. I fear this is no blessing for the common people."
Danyangzi asked, "What should our Daoist Gate do?"
"Discover the identity of this Demonic Cult Master and find the opportunity to eliminate him."
"As you command."
Danyangzi continued, "The National Preceptor of Yankang has adopted the Heavenly Demon Cult's teachings as his guiding principle. The State of Yankang itself is nothing short of a vast Heavenly Demon Cult, embracing all without distinction. What should our Daoist Gate do about that?"
The Daoist Master's gaze was deep and unfathomable as he quietly regarded the pool of clear water before him. He spoke without haste. "The National Preceptor of Yankang is immensely ambitious, but his ability cannot sustain his ambition. Throughout history, there have been empires grander than Yankang, geniuses more extraordinary than the National Preceptor — but they all ultimately turned to dust, becoming ruins. This world is more complex than he imagines. When he crashes into the wall and is shattered beyond recognition, he will understand."
Danyangzi dared say no more and bowed as he withdrew.
"Your Holiness, the followers of the Heavenly Demon Cult vanished from within Yongzhou City without a trace. The City Lord's mansion disappeared along with them."
At the Great Thunderclap Monastery, an old monk arrived at the jeweled hall to seek an audience with the Tathagata. "The prefect of Yongzhou — that is the Jade Forest Elder of the Heavenly Demon Cult, a formidable figure. Yongzhou has already become an impregnable stronghold of the Heavenly Demon Cult. Furthermore, someone in Yongzhou spotted the woman who defeated the Buddha's Disciple, and it is speculated she belongs to the Heavenly Demon Cult."
The Tathagata opened his eyes in surprise. "Isn't that woman a student of the Imperial Academy? Why would she be part of the Heavenly Demon Cult?"
The old monk said, "That woman's name is Si Yunxiang. She only entered the Imperial Academy this year — they haven't even had time to teach her anything. How could she possibly have the ability to defeat the Buddha's Disciple? This woman comes from the Si family, the same clan as the former Cult Master's wife, Si Youyou. The Si family is also a great and powerful house in the State of Yankang."
The Tathagata said, "Then could the Heavenly Demon Cult's new Cult Master also come from the Si family?"
"Unknown. There is no news yet."
The Tathagata nodded. "The Imperial Academy used the Heavenly Demon Cult's Saintess to best our Great Thunderclap Monastery's Holy Son. This matter cannot be left unresolved. Go now, and continue having the various temples gather intelligence."
The old monk received his instruction and said, "There is one more matter — Ma Wang Shen has emerged from the Great Ruins." With that, he turned and descended the mountain.
The old Tathagata was momentarily stunned.
At Sacred Descent Mountain, wondrous sounds whispered into Qin Mu's ears — strange and marvelous. Suddenly, his vision blurred, and he found himself as a traveler walking through the mountains. The sound of chopping wood echoed from the distance.
He followed the sound forward and saw a woodcutter felling trees beneath a pine. The woodcutter's axe traced mysterious traces as it fell upon the pine — once, and again — mesmerizing Qin Mu, who felt he might gain some profound insight from watching.
He stood nearby, gazing dazedly at the woodcutter's axe. The blade fell upon the pine, carving a deep mark into it. But when the axe was lifted, the wound on the pine healed smooth, leaving not a single scar.
Each blow of the woodcutter's axe left a different impression on him.
"Traveler, you've been watching here for so long. What have you seen?"
The woodcutter sheathed his axe and turned to look at him. "The people in your family have long since turned to yellowed bones buried in the earth. Your children have grown older than you. Your grandchildren have already started families and have children of their own. Traveler, you have been watching here for a hundred years."
...
"Please, Master, teach me."
...
Qin Mu watched as the woodcutter sat upon a stone beneath the pine and imparted his teachings to him.
He listened as if intoxicated, overwhelmed by a torrent of profound truths. Qin Mu stood beside the stone and listened for what seemed like decades. The unified cultivation method of the Great Nurturing Heavenly Demon Sutra was transmitted to him through this wondrous discourse.
The woodcutter reached out and placed a hand atop his head. Qin Mu opened his eyes to see Grandma Si stepping back.
He was still at Sacred Descent Mountain. He was still in the present. He had not traveled back in time.
This was the previous Cult Master of the Heavenly Demon Sect's apex transmission — flooding the next Cult Master with the founding ancestor's original experience, passed down from generation to generation, the sacred fire never extinguished.
Qin Mu sat dazedly upon the stone. A sage touches my crown; with bound hair I receive eternal life. The unified cultivation method of the Great Nurturing Heavenly Demon Sutra had not been written into words or drawn into diagrams. It could only be transmitted through apex transmission, from one Holy Cult Master to the next.
His mind was filled with a great deal of intricate information, not yet systematized.
This apex transmission had not raised his cultivation level, but it had brought him far too much that still needed to be organized and contemplated.
Only now did he understand why the Ancestor said the unified cultivation method could only be passed from Cult Master to Cult Master.
That was because the Great Nurturing Heavenly Demon Sutra had no completed unified cultivation method to begin with!
Or rather, the unified cultivation method had never been finalized.
The unified cultivation method of the Great Nurturing Heavenly Demon Sutra was hidden within the woodcutter's stone-discourse teaching. However, each generation of Cult Masters had to comprehend it from the discourse on their own. How much one could grasp, and what one grasped, depended entirely on each Holy Cult Master's own wisdom, chosen direction, talent, and fortune.
It could be said with certainty that the unified cultivation method comprehended by each Holy Cult Master of the Heavenly Demon Sect was different from all the rest. Perhaps some concepts were similar, but the unified cultivation method practiced by any given Holy Cult Master was absolutely unique!
Three hundred and sixty Cult Masters would yield three hundred and sixty methods of practice. Ten thousand Cult Masters would yield ten thousand methods.
Qin Mu's first thought was: a scam.
A terrible scam. The legendary unified cultivation method couldn't even be used directly — one had to comprehend it on one's own.
His second thought was: this is the true imparting of teachings. This is what it means to be a sage-teacher.
What you comprehend is your own. What you simply learn belongs to another. The way the Heavenly Saint Sect passes on its teachings has something that no other sect — not even the Imperial Academy — can match.
The Ancestor heaved a sigh of relief and looked toward Grandma Si. From Grandma Si's mouth came the voice of Cult Master Li Tianxing: "Teacher, I am no longer the Holy Cult Master. This is my chance to break free from my inner demons — please do not stop me!"