Chapter 737: Chapter 26: 9 Dou Chapter 737: Chapter 26: 9 Dou The Bone Talisman Practitioner hurriedly approached the main temple but, unfortunately, it was too late. The strange giant skeleton finished reciting its bizarre poem and dispersed, leaving behind remnants of black smoke rising like countless ascending ghosts. Glancing back, Ma Ling and Li Jiang were still fiercely battling, leaving ruins and rubble in their wake. The glorious Heavenly Mother Ashram was now in complete disarray.

Looking around, the practitioner could do nothing but heave a long sigh.

…

“I’m saying, the mess you’ve caused has nothing to do with me–I clearly warned you. Anyway, what exactly did you take earlier?”

After leaving the main hall, Li Yan ignored Saint Watson. He dared not stop, his body shimmering with ripples of light as palaces and towers flashed before his eyes. In roughly the time of ten breaths, he suddenly passed a crystal-clear, moonlit sweet osmanthus tree, under which stood a Taoist in a white robe, facing away and weeping mournfully.

Li Yan’s eyelids twitched violently. Pretending not to see the practitioner, he quickened his pace, almost turning into a streak of rainbow light. Soon, the two arrived at an ancient well, its paint as red as vermilion. The white-robed Taoist still sat there, face covered, crying bitterly.

After several attempts, Li Yan couldn’t shake off this odd practitioner and finally stopped.

He looked up to see the glimmering waves of the sea above. They were still on the ocean floor with no clouds in sight, preventing him from utilizing the Driving the Nine States escape technique. Seeing the Taoist cry so heart-wrenchingly, he hesitated for a moment, knowing nothing good would follow but still mustered the courage to greet him, “Old sir, why are you crying so painfully?”

The practitioner turned around, his black eye sockets staring intensely at Li Yan, two tiny flames flickering like soybeans as he sobbed in response, “My master has traveled afar and tasked me with guarding the household. I’ve managed to maintain it all these years, but today two evildoers came and left destruction in their wake before departing without a word. I feel I have let my master down. I thought about hanging myself but couldn’t reach the belt; considered jumping into the well, but feared dying in vain as it is deep and dry. I apologize for showing you such an embarrassing scene, I hope you don’t mock me.”

Li Yan had thick skin and took it in stride as if oblivious to the practitioner’s insinuated criticism, he said casually, “Although I have never met your master, I’ve heard that everyone appreciates her compassion and mercy. If by chance someone offended her, she would surely not blame them. How could such a person possibly hold you responsible? I don’t think you need to kill yourself. You should go back and see if you can salvage anything, as there may still be hope.”

“…”

After a moment of silence, the Bone Talisman Practitioner replied with effort, “Though my master is forgiving, the mess those evildoers made is too great. They committed such a shocking crime, and I did not stop them in time, how can I not atone with my death?”

Li Yan coughed twice and said, “I don’t think that person did it on purpose. He has ties with your master, and I’ve heard that your master intends to entrust her entire estate to him. Perhaps what happened was in line with your master’s wishes.”

The old man gave Li Yan a stern look, “There is indeed one with family connections among the two guests, but there was never any talk of entrusting the estate! Where did you hear that? If he came as a guest, I’d happily offer a few cups of tea or some treasures, but it’s unforgivable that they caused such a commotion and smashed the place. They even let an earthshaking demon escape, and now I fear the whole world will suffer.”

Li Yan smacked his lips and finally presented a shameless air, “Old sir, let’s not beat around the bush! We did indeed accidentally break the Heavenly Mother’s demon-suppressing vase, but it’s not inscribed that by uncovering it, we’re responsible for calamitous consequences. It’s a heavy accusation that I cannot accept. If there’s a way to remedy this, please guide us. But the real chaos in the Heavenly Mother Ashram was caused by Ma Ling and Li Jiang. At most, we were a catalyst and cannot be held solely responsible for the wrongdoing.”

He kept referring to “we two,” and since Saint Watson’s command of Chinese was limited, he didn’t retort.

Following that, Li Yan recounted how Li Jiang captured him, how the Pig Dragon King incited a tumultuous battle among the monsters, and how Ma Ling and Li Jiang turned against each other. His tale, full of coincidences, caused the Bone Talisman Practitioner’s jaw to tremble.

The Bone Talisman Practitioner appeared thoughtful, “I suspect your Pig Dragon covertly chewed on Ma Ling’s fruit, which provoked the usually gentle creature into fighting with Li Jiang. The Heavenly Mother once said that Ma Ling is beloved by heaven and earth, born with the potential for nine transformations that lead to ascension if left to grow naturally. When a vine fruit matures and falls from its head, Ma Ling’s consumption would render it seemingly dead, but upon awakening, it completes a transformation and its powers grow immensely. Counting the days, Ma Ling’s seventh transformation was about to mature. Unfortunately, a petty dragon picked the fruit, and it’s likely to hinder its progress henceforth. No wonder even the calm would be enraged.”

“So, you mean my subordinate from the Pig Dragon lineage isn’t dead?”

Li Yan’s eyes brightened; it was his duty to collect Yang Zichu’s corpse. At the time, even he hadn’t expected the usually cunning and greedy Pig Dragon King to truly risk grave danger by drawing in a horde of monsters, and ultimately suffering fatal injuries. Therefore, in his haste to escape, Li Yan had not only neglected the more valuable Abyssal Aliens but also insisted on taking Yang Zichu’s body with him.

The explanation from the Bone Talisman Practitioner caused Li Yan to suddenly see the light. According to the Bone Talisman Practitioner, Yang Zichu was not only alive but had also encountered an incredibly fortuitous turn of events.

“That may not necessarily be the case. Ma Ling gained the power to undergo an additional transformation after eating the fruit, but it’s uncertain if a minor creature like the Pig Dragon might have such luck.”

Seeing Li Yan willing to own up, the Bone Talisman Practitioner stopped speaking in riddles, though his intent to demand answers was still apparent. He started by bowing to both of them: “May I have the honor to learn the esteemed names of you two gentlemen?”

He had actually met Li Yan before, when entering the South Seas. Li Yan’s Red Flag fleet had encountered the Heavenly Mother Crossing the Sea, and he had also witnessed the Bone Talisman Practitioner’s wager of ten cups with Li Jiang, but the Bone Talisman Practitioner himself did not remember it.

“Tianbao.”

Li Yan nudged Saint Watson, who, after sucking on his teeth, finally answered: “Martin, Saint Watson Dewey Martin.”

The Bone Talisman Practitioner nodded: “This old man’s name is Holding-Sun.”

After he finished speaking, a series of words appeared before Li Yan’s eyes.

Mr. Holding-Sun
A famous official of the Southern Song era, renowned for “Holding the Sun.” His drowned corpse was enchanted by the Heavenly Mother and transformed into a Monster.

“Another one…

Holding-Sun stopped talking: “I see Ma Ling and Li Jiang still have a battle ahead. We’d better stay further away.”

As he spoke, a black tower ship approached from the sky and descended above the three men,
“Gentlemen, please follow me.”

With those words, a lotus flower rose from the ground beneath the Bone Talisman Practitioner’s feet. Li Yan did not hesitate to step onto the lotus, and Saint Watson, after inspecting the lotus for a moment, finally jumped on it prompted by Li Yan’s urging.

The lotus then grew in size, lifting the three men onto the tower ship before withering and vanishing. Holding-Sun led Li Wo into the cabin. Without any need for summoning, three tea cups flew towards them on their own, followed by a teapot boiling water and tea leaves clinking into the cups. Hot water was poured in, and in no time, three steaming hot cups of tea were ready.

“Please, help yourselves.”

Holding-Sun held up his teacup and then slowly said, “When I said that escaping demon threatens to bring disaster upon the world, it was no exaggeration. Do you know its origin?”

“Could it be of an even greater consequence than the origins of Li Jiang and Ma Ling, with even higher magical powers?”

Mr. Holding-Sun shook his head, “That monster is mockingly called the Jiudou Sect Master. In terms of magical power, he’s no match for Ma Ling and Li Jiang, but he is cunning and cruel. The weight of his sins and the depth of his karmic retribution, I’m afraid, are more than ten times that of both Ma Ling and Li Jiang combined!”

As he spoke, the previously refined and gentle Mr. Holding-Sun unexpectedly gnashed his teeth, the firelight in his eyes flaring up with overflowing rage.

“How is that so?”

————————-
On the abandoned ship at Meizhou Island’s reefs.

“Ma Ling the monster, the squid Li Jiang, it’s all so bizarre, just like the ‘Ramayana’,” Ruchika marveled, his youthful curiosity compelling him to ask, “What about this Jiudou Sect Master?”

The man with blackened teeth peeled back the flapping canvas on the earthen wall, revealing a picture marked with the four red seal characters of the Jiudou Sect Master; it depicted a dignified Taoist with an air of celestial grace.

The man with blackened teeth said, “There are many evil creatures imprisoned within the Heavenly Mother Ashram. However, after the Heavenly Mother’s teachings, some could repent, their sins not too severe, and might even shepherd the land and nurture life. Then there are those with towering blood debts that are beyond forgiveness, the great demons that are sealed into the Heavenly Yi Suppressing Demon Vase, where over long years they transform into pus and blood, never to transcend. Jiudou is one of the representatives. He has killed more than a million common people; even the Heavenly Mother would not forgive him.”

“What did he do?”

“The Jiudou Sect Master has tens of millions of incarnations, as long as one escapes, he cannot be killed. Over seven hundred years ago during the Song Dynasty, he took the name Lin Lingsu, claiming to be a wise immortal, and bewitched the emperor of the time. The exorbitant tribute and myriad taxes in the name of worshipping immortals brought untold suffering to the people and weakened the Song Dynasty day by day. Later, when the Heavenly Mother descended and drove him away, he changed his name to Guo Jing, claiming he could summon heavenly soldiers and generals to resist the invading tribes from the North. The emperor was deceived by his honeyed words, granted him much gold and silver, and even appointed him as a general. But when tens of thousands of troops arrived, he and his heavenly soldiers and generals fled, leading to the fall of the Northern Song Dynasty. The two emperors were also captured, a period in history known as the Jingkang disgrace. Later, the Heavenly Mother captured him and sealed him in a vase, he’s probably turned into pus and blood by now.”

“Is all this true?”

Ruchika was skeptical, but recalling the majestic and magnificent oddities witnessed at sea that day, he half believed it in his heart.

The man with blackened teeth picked up the platter on the table, spitting out a dark betel nut; he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, “I have fulfilled my promise, laying out all the secrets of the Heavenly Mother Crossing the Sea. Whether you believe it or not is your choice. If there is nothing else, I am going to have to ask you to leave.”

“Please wait.”

Ruchika, unable to keep calm, asked, “Do you have a way to enter the Heavenly Mother’s temple?”

The man with blackened teeth narrowed his eyes, “I knew it, the East India Company is eyeing the treasures of the Heavenly Mother Ashram.”

“You’ve got it wrong,” Ruchika quickly explained, “My teacher Watson might have been captured by that giant squid called Yan Gong. Even if there’s a sliver of chance, I want to rescue him back, and if you have a way to help me, I am willing to pay a hefty reward.”

The man with blackened teeth glanced at the painting of the menacing squid in the center of the earthen wall and shook his head, “If it was indeed Yan Gong who took action, your teacher is most likely buried in the belly of a fish.”

“No, Saint Watson must still be alive,” said Ruchika with determination in his demeanor.

“Even if he’s not dead, do you really think you have a chance to save him after what I just told you? That is a veritable den of demons.”

“I believe in Saint Watson, with my coordination with Jane, he will surely escape to safety,” Ruchika replied with confidence.

The man with blackened teeth remained skeptical.

After hesitating for a moment, Ruchika continued, “If that doesn’t work, I can only seek help from Mr. Hesting. His Ship of Arrogance might find a way to explore the Heavenly Mother’s temple.”

The man with blackened teeth pondered for a while before replying, “The occurrence of the Heavenly Mother Crossing the Sea has never followed a fixed calendar nor weather conditions; it also requires the extraordinary phenomenon of the sun and moon shining together, it’s a matter of chance rather than certainty.”

“Aside from luck, there’s no other way?”

“If you don’t want to spend seven or eight years wandering the sea… perhaps you could try your luck to the west of Borneo.”

Ruchika’s eyes lit up.

“Borneo?”

The man with blackened teeth brought out a brand-new sea chart, took a vermilion pen to mark it, drew several navigation lines, and pointed firmly at one spot, “I have compiled the locations and approximate ranges of where the Heavenly Mother Crossing the Sea has occurred over the past hundred years, and these spots are the most frequent. But be warned, the danger of the Heavenly Mother Crossing the Sea is very high, you must be prepared for total annihilation.”

Ruchika frowned, “But I’ve heard that as long as you don’t fire guns during the Heavenly Mother Crossing the Sea, you generally don’t encounter any danger.”

The man with blackened teeth answered unflinchingly, “Firing guns will surely lead to destruction, but even without them, it isn’t necessarily safe. The Heavenly Mother Ashram is teeming with demons; how could there be no danger?”

Hearing this, Ruchika put away the sea chart and tipped his hat to the man with blackened teeth, “Thank you. On behalf of Mr. Hesting and the Sacred Academy, I express my sincere gratitude to you.”

“Just taking the money and warding off disaster,” the man with blackened teeth replied with a smile.

Having obtained the information to rescue Saint Watson, Ruchika lost no time and hurried away.

The man with blackened teeth watched Ruchika’s figure disappear into the lush thicket and finally couldn’t help but let out a sardonic cackle, “The audacious little Red Head thinks he can covet the treasures of my Heavenly Mother? Borneo hangs isolated overseas, right at the intersection of summer and autumn, when the Black Tea Tide rages on the sea, leaving no survivors to those who encounter it. Go on, take your Mr. Hesting and march to your death!”

The man with blackened teeth laughed, and the sailors and courtesans on board joined in. For a moment, the ship was filled with the laughter of men and women.