The young Heavenly Master remained vigilant, yet somewhat bewildered.
How could this black-clad youth be so utterly impolite?
Demanding that he call him "Grandfather" right off the bat?
"I am your Grandfather. How old are you, demanding I call you grand-uncle? You don't seem like a Japanese pirate... If you're looking for a disciple, I'm sorry, I have no interest in learning from a recluse like you. Besides, I already have my own lineage."
The young Heavenly Master's expression conveyed disdain, and his tone was arrogant.
After all, he was the future Heavenly Master of Longhu Mountain, the leader of all Daoist sects. Which reclusive cultivator dared to claim they could teach the Heavenly Master of Longhu Mountain a lesson?
Did they even know their own limits? Such overconfidence...
"I deeply understand and fully empathize with your current feelings."
"After all, I appeared out of nowhere, and it's normal that you don't know me. However, if you call me Grandfather, I won't object. How about this: you call me Grandfather, and I'll help you with one thing?"
Ji Xiang displayed a roguish and sinister smile. "For instance, I can help you kill these Japanese pirates in Yuanshan City, leaving none alive."
The young Heavenly Master was about to retort that he didn't need Ji Xiang's help, but then his spirit suddenly jolted as if he'd realized something. He asked with disbelief and suspicion:
"Wait... Katō Kiyomasa's Mountain Mother God appeared here... Could you be... the 'Ming Dynasty Immortal' spoken of by those demons?"
"But who are you? I don't remember any cultivator like you in the world."
The young Heavenly Master couldn't recall Ji Xiang's appearance. Although Ji Xiang spoke some arrogant words, their handsomeness was something they shared.
How could he not remember!
Moreover, that black attire was too distinctive... Wait, black attire?
"You... why are you wearing the clothes for sacrificing to the gods?"
"It's just black attire; it can't be considered solely for sacrificing to the gods, right? If it were anyone else, I wouldn't bother explaining. You are the young Heavenly Master of Longhu Mountain. Heavenly Master Zhang wears black attire; you must have seen it, right?"
"This, how is that possible! The Heavenly Master's black attire is personally bestowed by the Emperor, the only one in the world who can wear it. It is the highest-ranking Dharma robe in our Daoist attire. You are only around my age, are you trying to say your clothes were also bestowed by the Emperor!" The young Heavenly Master found Ji Xiang's words laughable, and he certainly didn't believe them.
But...
"You know quite a lot! These clothes were indeed bestowed by the Emperor, and I address your Grandfather Heavenly Master Zhang as 'Senior Brother.'"
"?"
Question marks appeared above the young Heavenly Master's forehead, his brows furrowed. "This is absolutely impossible! You and Heavenly Master Zhang can address each other as Senior Brothers? I don't remember my great-grandfather taking in such a young outer disciple! You dare impersonate my Grandfather's junior brother...!"
"Incorrect, I am your Grandfather's senior brother. Moreover, 'Senior Brother' is not exclusive to fellow disciples but can also be a term used between fellow Daoists."
Ji Xiang calmly interrupted the young Heavenly Master, his tone tinged with helplessness. "It's understandable that you don't believe me, but the truth is right before your eyes, and the 'Ming Dynasty Immortal' you suspect is indeed me."
"Child, for cultivators, the art of maintaining youth is not a difficult spell. Why are you so fixated on my appearance?"
The young Heavenly Master's small face stiffened, and he said sternly, "No! It's not the art of maintaining youth. It's your life aura. Life and death are the gathering and dispersal of Qi. In youth, Qi is vigorous; in middle age, it declines; in old age, it decays. Even with great magical power, the force of time will still cause Qi to settle; this cannot be changed."
"Your aura is vigorous and full of vitality, which are signs of youth. You are definitely not an old person maintaining their youth. Such an aura cannot be faked; there are no traces of time whatsoever!"
"You can't fool me. Longhu Mountain's 'Sixteen Revolutions of Sensing Qi' is unparalleled in the world."
Ji Xiang was taken aback and couldn't help but praise, "This is truly a powerful spell, far more potent than Qi-gazing techniques."
With that, he looked towards Yuanshan City in the distance. The thirty-six Mountain Gods were steadily retreating. Although the Mountain Mother, a newly added force, was present, the Japanese defenders in Yuanshan City were numerous and formidable.
Ji Xiang observed, using these divine generals to probe, creating divine forms for the spirit tablets, then constructing bodies with the primordial Qi of heaven and earth, and finally commanding them to fight, all to gauge the depth of Yuanshan City's defenses.
It seemed the waters were a bit deep, but still manageable.
"[Six Paths Underworld Officials Sacrifice], invoke the Six Underworld Officials of Fengdu: Heavenly Path Underworld Official Cao Qing, Ghost Path Underworld Official Tian Yan, Earth Path Underworld Official Cui Cong, Divine Path Underworld Official Ji Bie, Hungry Ghost Path Underworld Official Chen De, and Animal Path Underworld Official Gao Ren. With turbans, red headbands, black robes, and green boots, to curse the living."
"[Western Yue True Man Sacrifice] [Great General Sacrifice] [River Arrival Sacrifice] [High Mountain Sacrifice] [Ghost Qi Sacrifice]..."
Yuanshan City now resembled a fireworks display. Due to the sudden addition of the Mountain Mother God, the Onmyoji were unable to maintain their sacrificial formations. Thus, Saitō Tokumasa, while maintaining the Great Sacrifice of the Yatogami, released his Shikigami to transform into avatars and perform other sacrificial spells.
"This Great Onmyoji is truly formidable."
"What? Who did you see?"
The young Heavenly Master listened to Ji Xiang's muttering. Ji Xiang said indifferently, "There's a powerful Great Onmyoji in that city. If he's not killed, these formations and sacrifices won't cease. However, he seems to be very skilled in curses, which is quite troublesome."
Ji Xiang slightly raised his head. The Red Dust Calamity above him had become immense. Previously, by helping to deduce the 'Emergency First Aid Method for Worldly Affairs,' the Red Dust Calamity had further increased. However, the progress in attacking Yuanshan City seemed to be going smoothly so far.
But the great disaster, he didn't know when it would descend.
Could it be the curse of this Great Onmyoji?
Ji Xiang was cautious about this. Curses, as a method of killing opponents of higher cultivation, were indeed effective. Chen Taichu was once struck by his curse, falling from True Immortal to Banished Immortal. For immortals, this was perhaps the only spell they feared when facing mortals. However, not all curses could affect beings at the immortal level.
"Hmm?"
The wind began to gust, and it seemed someone was approaching from the direction of Yuanshan City.
Rumble!
A colossal divine sword descended from the sky!
Mountains, rivers, and seas, their Qi surged and boiled. Ji Xiang pulled the young Heavenly Master, positioning them on the other side of the strike. From the direction of the strike, a swordsman radiating divine power walked forth.
"Yagyū Munenori!"
Upon seeing this person, the young Heavenly Master gritted his teeth. During the capture of Yuanshan City, Yagyū Munenori had caused them immense trouble!
After all, he was the foremost great swordsman among the Japanese pirates. In terms of swordsmanship alone, he had reached the level of a Sword Immortal, lacking only the power of an immortal!
"It's him. Be careful. No matter who you are, you're from my Great Ming Dynasty, right!" the young Heavenly Master warned Ji Xiang.
"So, a great swordsman comparable to the peak of Pure Yang. Besides his divine position, how much personal cultivation does he possess?"
Ji Xiang looked at the surging hostility emanating from the other party, and the text of the Inner Scenery Divine Tablet already appeared in his eyes.
"I see... Hmm, I understand completely."
"A massive sword, a divine sword capable of cleaving mountains with a single strike. I didn't expect it to be an immortal artifact. No wonder its power is so immense."
Yagyū Munenori approached from a distance, his gaze fixed on Ji Xiang. Of course, his peripheral vision also caught sight of the young Heavenly Master, causing him a moment of surprise, followed by a subtle darkening of his expression:
"I see, isn't this the young Heavenly Master from Longhu Mountain? You're not dead yet. It seems Heaven has not forsaken you, and you've found a way to bring reinforcements from the Great Ming Dynasty, is that right?"
The young Heavenly Master wanted to say that he didn't have such capabilities, but then he thought, why should he reveal the truth to this scoundrel? So, he rolled his eyes and made a dismissive, mocking gesture.
Children's insults were always straightforward, even for the highly cultivated young Heavenly Master, who was, in reality, still just a fifteen-year-old child.
"Very well, this time, you will all die here. I sensed something was amiss earlier, and it seems you are the one controlling our nation's great god!"
"Engaging in such skulking, manipulating our nation's spirits to rebel. If you truly possessed the power of a Heavenly Immortal, why would you engage in such demeaning acts!"
Ji Xiang raised his eyelids. "I am waiting for the False Immortal of your Yuanshan City."
"It's impossible that there isn't a False Immortal. Could it be you?"
Yagyū Munenori narrowed his eyes at this moment, staring directly at Ji Xiang with killing intent. "I see. So, you are the one who killed Tachibana Muneshige?"
"There is indeed an immortal in Yuanshan City, but it is not me. However... you can consider me an immortal now, because that immortal's power... is attached to me!"
Resentment suddenly surged from Yagyū Munenori's body, and surging power erupted, reaching the level of an immortal!
Ji Xiang was dumbfounded. "This is truly the first time I've seen this. The application of False Immortal power seems quite flexible. Immortal energy can be directly bestowed upon a peak Pure Yang master. I've learned something. However, from what I know, the more a False Immortal uses immortal energy, the closer their form and spirit are to annihilation. It seems the False Immortal who granted you power is nearing their end."
"Was the power depleted during the last attack on Yuanshan City?"
Yagyū Munenori remained silent, but his expression revealed everything. Ji Xiang looked at the young Heavenly Master again, who nodded. "There was indeed an old man, but he only made one move, and our Longhu Mountain's lightning formations are not to be trifled with."
"If Tachibana Muneshige hadn't suddenly appeared, we wouldn't have lost."
Ji Xiang: "Then it adds up. Before I came from my homeland, it was said that a False Immortal had possibly appeared; it must have been that old man."
He then looked at Yagyū Munenori again. "However, you don't seem to have fully inherited his power, but after all, a False Immortal cannot compare to a True Immortal."
"Yagyū Munenori, I humbly request a match!"
A tremendous aura of divine Dao erupted into the sky. Yagyū Munenori no longer wished to exchange further words; he only wanted to spar with Ji Xiang before him, to be killed by Ji Xiang or to kill Ji Xiang!
His form also began to change. Both arms held the divine sword, heavy black and red armor appeared on his body, the intertwined forms of tortoise and serpent soared into the sky, and a circle of Buddha's light shone behind his head.
"Myōken Ten!"
Upon seeing Yagyū Munenori's form, Ji Xiang was first stunned, then utterly astonished, as if he had witnessed something amusing.
"Myōken Ten, among the gods worshipped in Japan, a sword-wielding martial god of the Buddhist Heavenly Realm! The Yagyū family has always been close to Japanese Buddhism, and his treasured sword, Juzumaru Tsunetsugu, is the personal sword of the ancient monk Nichiren!"
The young Heavenly Master looked at Ji Xiang with some concern. "Are you... truly an immortal? Can you really do it...?"
Before he could finish speaking, Ji Xiang's expression changed, revealing excitement.
"I see, Myōken Ten. I know of it. A powerful martial god born from the unique blend of Daoism, Esotericism, Buddhism, and Onmyōdō, characteristic of Japan. I know of it. Unfortunately, it's truly unfortunate."
Ji Xiang stepped forward. Yagyū Munenori had already raised his dual swords, about to cleave down from the air!
Thunder roared throughout heaven and earth, Buddha's light intertwined, and the stars revolved, creating an immensely grand spectacle!
"Let me personally experience the capabilities of this Ming Dynasty Immortal!"
"Is that so? Do you know who the earliest origin of the martial god Myōken Ten's image is?"
Ji Xiang's appearance also began to change in an instant! His black clothes transformed into black and white interlaced armor, with a similar colossal shadow of intertwined tortoise and serpent. However, his face lacked a beard, making him appear like a young and handsome warrior. This sight caused Yagyū Munenori's expression to change drastically:
"You, you are?!"
Clang! The Raijin's divine sword was drawn, and Ji Xiang's figure also began to grow taller. "Of course, it's your Grandfather."
"Great Emperor Zhenwu!"