Chapter 41: A Golden Core River God Hides Nearby

"A disaster is coming?"

"Me?"

Looking at Zha Liangping's solemn expression, Jiang Sheng could not help laughing. "Fellow Daoist, are you joking with me?"

"Ever since I arrived in Dongjun, I don't recall offending anyone."

Jiang Sheng was not lying.

Since coming to Green Screen Mountain in Dongjun, he had only crossed paths with a handful of adversaries. The Eight Wolves of Dongjun and Young Master Kongxu had already become things of the past, and even the River Deity of Taiping River had been reduced to dust.

Moreover, Jiang Sheng did not actively provoke people; he had simply been cultivating in seclusion on Green Screen Mountain. How could a disaster possibly be coming for him?

Zha Liangping warned him, "Fellow Daoist, think carefully. Have you truly offended no one?"

Jiang Sheng pondered, and an inexplicable sense of warning arose in his heart.

For a cultivator, a sudden stirring of the heart was undoubtedly a warning from the heavens. Jiang Sheng understood that trouble might indeed be heading his way.

Yet, even with this premonition in his heart, Jiang Sheng remained calm and breezy on the surface. "Ordinary trouble surely wouldn't warrant Fellow Daoist Zha traveling thousands of miles from the commandery city all the way to Green Screen Mountain."

"Allow me to guess. Could it be that the matter concerning the River Deity has not yet concluded?"

Zha Liangping's pupils constricted. He had not expected Jiang Sheng to be so astute, deducing the crux of the matter in mere moments.

"Why would Fellow Daoist Jiang make such a guess?" Zha Liangping grew curious, eager to know what other hidden talents this practitioner from Penglai possessed.

Seeing Zha Liangping's subtle reaction, Jiang Sheng knew he had guessed correctly.

Realizing it was related to the River Deity, Jiang Sheng felt a measure of certainty, making his demeanor all the more natural. "It is merely deduction."

"After coming to Green Screen Mountain, I focused entirely on my cultivation. Generally, others took the initiative to trouble me, and the only person I proactively offended was that River Deity."

With that, Jiang Sheng retrieved a golden particle from his robes and displayed it to Zha Liangping.

"When I was battling the River Deity back then, I distinctly sensed that he began to lack sustained strength toward the end."

"Even though he unleashed the rudiments of a divine ability, making a grand show, he was actually hollow inside."

"At the time, I assumed his magic power was severely depleted after the River Deity flooded half of Qinghan County."

"Yet, after I slew the River Deity, his body shattered, leaving only this behind."

Jiang Sheng's voice was warm and serene. Holding the golden particle, his slightly closed eyes made it impossible for Zha Liangping to read his thoughts.

As Zha Liangping looked at the particle in Jiang Sheng's hand, turbulent waves surged in his heart.

He had originally assumed Jiang Sheng joined forces with others to slay the River Deity. But looking at it now, Jiang Sheng had evidently fought and killed the River Deity entirely on his own.

Now he understood why Zha Liangtian had urged him to come. Jiang Sheng was truly a latent dragon worth investing in!

Straightening his thoughts, Zha Liangping said, "Does Fellow Daoist Jiang know that there are thirteen counties in Dongjun, and every single one of them worships the River Deity?"

Jiang Sheng nodded.

Zha Liangping continued, "What Fellow Daoist Jiang might not know is that my Zha family is actually involved in this matter."

A slight shift crossed Jiang Sheng's expression. He had thought Zha Liangping was merely passing along information to earn his favor, never expecting the Zha family to be implicated in the River Deity affair!

Zha Liangping briefly recounted the ins and outs of the matter to Jiang Sheng.

He explained the bottlenecks currently faced by the Zha family, their helplessness, and how his eldest brother Zha Liangtian had accidentally encountered the River Deity and forged an alliance with him.

When Jiang Sheng learned that the Zha family had helped the River Deity build temples across the commandery city and the thirteen counties to gather incense merit, in exchange for the River Deity's future assistance in helping the Zha family forge a Golden Core, Jiang Sheng's expression finally changed.

"Fellow Daoist Zha, do you mean to say that the River Deity has a full thirteen avatars at the early Purple Mansion realm scattered across Dongjun, while his true body has always resided at the riverbed outside the Dongjun commandery city?!"

Zha Liangping gave a bitter smile. "Indeed. My eldest brother never imagined that the River Deity's power would be so formidable."

"If my eldest brother merely intended to cooperate with him at first, we are now riding a tiger and unable to dismount."

Jiang Sheng fell silent. He had anticipated that the waters surrounding the River Deity ran deep, but he had not expected to fish up a massive fish suspected of being a Golden Core expert!

Possessing thirteen Purple Mansion avatars meant the true body of the River Deity far exceeded the capabilities of the Purple Mansion realm.

The Golden Core realm!

Even a lower-grade Golden Core was a genuine terrestrial immortal blessed with eight hundred years of life, wielding true divine arts and spells capable of suppressing an entire state single-handedly.

"The River Deity previously made an agreement with my eldest brother: as long as his incense offerings remained uninterrupted for fifty years, he would certainly help my eldest brother forge a Golden Core in the future."

"Now, there are only two years left out of those fifty years."

Jiang Sheng nodded, stood up, and said, "Fellow Daoist Zha coming here today to pass along this message means you treat me as a friend."

"I, Jiang Sheng, will remember this kindness."

Zha Liangping stood up to take his leave, offering a sincere and earnest piece of advice before departing: "Fellow Daoist Jiang, you are a true heaven-gifted prodigy. It is simply not worth clashing with the River Deity right now. Leaving Dongjun early might just be a way out."

After sending Zha Liangping off, Jiang Sheng stood before the mountain gate with his hands behind his back, thoughts swirling in his eyes.

"Master, Magistrate Zhang is waiting at the foot of the mountain with Miss Zhang, saying they wish to come up and offer a stick of incense," Tian Mingan said softly.

Jiang Sheng glanced down the mountain, turned, and walked back into the temple. "Tell the Magistrate that I appreciate his intent, but coming up is unnecessary."

"By the way, chase away all those people waiting at the foot of the mountain. Do not let them linger and disturb the peace."

Tian Mingan hurriedly agreed and hurried down the mountain to convey Jiang Sheng's message.

Hearing that he did not need to ascend the mountain to offer incense, Zhang Qingyun was momentarily uncertain whether to feel relieved or annoyed.

In the end, Zhang Qingyun could only say dryly, "Sorry to trouble you, little Daoist priest. Qingyun will take his leave now."

Seeing that even the magistrate of Qinghan County could not gain an audience with Daoist Master Jiang, the various gentry gathered at the foot of Green Screen Mountain realized the futility of staying and dispersed.

Before long, tranquility returned to the foot of Green Screen Mountain.

Yet within Jiang Sheng's heart, turbulent waves raged.

A Golden Core cultivator lurking in the shadows, whose true strength remained unknown, had already developed a grudge against him!

To a Golden Core expert, Foundation Establishment was no different from an ant.

No matter how extraordinary Jiang Sheng considered himself, in the eyes of a Golden Core master, he was merely a slightly larger ant.

For now, that Golden Core expert was inexplicably in seclusion—perhaps cultivating some divine art, or perhaps recovering from severe injuries.

Yet, in two years, that Golden Core expert would emerge from seclusion!

The wrath of a Golden Core true person was undoubtedly an unbearable burden for Jiang Sheng.

Yet, to make Jiang Sheng tuck his tail and flee from Green Screen Mountain was something he was even less willing to do!

Doing such a thing would harm his Dao heart, and Jiang Sheng refused to stoop to it.

Standing with his hands behind his back before the portrait of the patriarch in the main hall, gazing at the immortal-like figure on the canvas, Jiang Sheng muttered to himself, "Two years left?"

"No matter what, I must fight for it. If I were to run away without even facing the enemy, how could I ever speak of pursuing the Great Dao?"

With that, Jiang Sheng's eyes cleared completely. All the distracting and chaotic thoughts were ruthlessly severed, leaving behind a mind as still as stagnant water.

"Mingan."

"This disciple is here."

Tian Mingan stood respectfully behind Jiang Sheng.

Looking at Jiang Sheng's not particularly imposing yet towering figure, which inspired a sense of awe, an inexplicable premonition arose in Tian Mingan's heart.

"Your physical frame is nearly tempered enough. In three days, I will help you guide Qi into your body."

"This disciple obeys Master's instructions." Tian Mingan felt no joy; instead, he sensed that something momentous was about to happen.

Three days passed. Jiang Sheng had Tian Mingan sit on a straw mat in the main hall to calm his mind and sense the spiritual energy.

When Tian Mingan vaguely sensed a ball of Qi gathering in his lower abdomen, Jiang Sheng decisively took action to help him guide the Qi into his body.

With Jiang Sheng's assistance, a wisp of spiritual Qi was successfully drawn into Tian Mingan's Dantian.

From that moment on, Tian Mingan officially stepped onto the path of cultivation, becoming a first-tier Qi Condensation cultivator.

As Tian Mingan clumsily maneuvered this wisp of spiritual Qi to circulate through his meridians for a single cycle, feeling the spiritual Qi generate spontaneously within him and the warm nourishment suffusing his flesh and bones, joy finally bloomed on his face.

Jiang Sheng quietly watched Tian Mingan execute the circulation with delight, a faint smile lingering in his eyes.

Although half the reason he took this disciple was due to that slippery old fox Tian Guofu, Jiang Sheng was quite satisfied with Tian Mingan.

After all, this was his very first disciple.

After manipulating the spiritual energy for a moment, Tian Mingan suddenly snapped back to his senses, hurriedly stood up, and said, "This disciple became carried away by the moment. Please forgive me, Master."

"What is there to forgive? When I first guided Qi into my body, I was no better than you," Jiang Sheng chuckled.

With a flick of his finger, Jiang Sheng suddenly tapped the center of Tian Mingan's brow.

Tian Mingan felt a stream of abstruse and profound scriptures pour into his mind, making him feel drowsy.

These scriptures automatically rearranged themselves in his mind, forming a complete Daoist scripture.

Jiang Sheng said, "This is the Azure Origin Talisman Scripture. It is not an exceptionally profound cultivation method, but its strength lies in being balanced and orthodox, making it suitable as a foundation for cultivation."

"This method can take you all the way to the ninth tier of Qi Condensation. It includes two defensive arts, two offensive arts, and four talisman-making techniques."

"You must diligently study this scripture. When you thoroughly understand and comprehend it, the Dao Foundation will be within your reach."

Hearing Jiang Sheng's words, the ominous feeling in Tian Mingan's heart grew stronger. He could not help asking, "Master, has something happened?"

Jiang Sheng smiled lightly. "I will not conceal it from you. At most two years from now, my enemy will come looking for me."

"Is the enemy very powerful?" Tian Mingan asked anxiously.

Jiang Sheng looked out toward the mountains beyond the temple and said softly, "Indeed. That is why I must enter seclusion to cultivate."

"You should descend the mountain. I will leave you enough medicinal pills and spirit stones to easily support your cultivation up to the ninth tier of Qi Condensation."

Tian Mingan said without hesitation, "This disciple does not wish to descend the mountain. I want to stay and serve my Master."

Jiang Sheng scoffed, "What use would you be staying on the mountain?"

"Go down the mountain. Do not act foolishly."

Yet Tian Mingan knelt stubbornly on the ground and said, "This disciple insists on staying in the mountain."

Jiang Sheng's gaze remained calm and unruffled. "Do you know that what I must face is a Golden Core true person?"

"A single blow from a Golden Core true person is enough to destroy the city of Qinghan County, and their divine abilities far surpass what Foundation Establishment or the Purple Mansion can resist."

"Even if I face them, it will mean certain death."

"I am giving you sufficient resources, and the purpose of your attending to me all this time has been achieved. Why refuse to go down the mountain?"