Chapter 1

In the midst of the vast and rugged mountains, with their steep and dangerous peaks stretching endlessly, countless fierce birds and strange beasts are said to dwell. In the areas near water sources, which are relatively gentle and surrounded by dense forests, various tribes, large and small, are scattered. Deep into the night, under the twinkling stars, the outlines of the mountains are faintly visible. People have already fallen asleep, and most wild beasts and nesting birds have returned to their lairs, leaving the wilderness in a tranquil state, the scene of the starry sky and the mountains appearing both beautiful and mysterious.

In this quiet night, however, various unseen dangers lurk. The nocturnal tigers have left their dens, retracting their hook-like claws and padding silently through the forests in search of prey. In the depths of the dense forest, if one listens carefully, one can occasionally hear the rustling and the faint sounds of snuffling, as animals like the tapir leave their nests at night, sniffing the air and listening for any movement, cautiously avoiding predators while nibbling on sweet and juicy roots.

Occasionally, an owl spreads its wings and glides through the sky, its long, sharp beak gleaming in the starlight. With eyes adapted for night vision, it can spot rodents in the darkness and swoop down like a meteor, extending its talons to snatch its prey. They move so swiftly and silently that they vanish in the blink of an eye, leaving one to wonder if it was just an illusion.

Among the faintly visible mountains, there stands a peculiar peak, where a type of tall and unusual tree grows. The thick trunk branches out into numerous curved branches that reach towards the sky, resembling dragons about to take flight. The entire tree looks like a giant, monstrous hand reaching towards the heavens.

This is the rare Dragon Blood Tree, which typically grows in arid, sunny areas far from human habitation, drawing moisture and spiritual energy from the mist that envelops the area at dawn and dusk. Its bright red resin, which resembles human blood, is not only a healing elixir but is also said to possess the power to grant mystical abilities. For most people, the Dragon Blood Tree is merely a legend, and few have the chance to see it with their own eyes. However, on this mountain, hundreds of these trees grow on the sunlit slopes of the rocky terrain.

If, under the scorching midday sun, one cuts a wedge-shaped incision along a slanted arc on the bark of a Dragon Blood Tree with a small knife, the resin will slowly seep out, emitting a rich and unique fragrance. When the thousand-year-old Dragon Blood resin first seeps out, the fragrance it releases is so invigorating that just smelling it can make one feel refreshed and relaxed, as if their blood and organs have been purified, subtly dispelling ailments.

If the seeping Dragon Blood resin is not collected, it will flow down the trunk and onto the ground under the sun, gradually solidifying into a semi-transparent, dark red substance known as Dragon Tree Blood. Dragon Tree Blood is both a healing medicine and a precious dye, and ordinary people would try to collect it if they encountered a Dragon Blood Tree.

However, in the eyes of those with supernatural powers, collecting Dragon Tree Blood in this manner would waste its most important spiritual effects. They have their own magical techniques to collect and preserve the more valuable Dragon Tree Lipid before the fragrance dissipates. Dragon Tree Lipid is a spiritual medicine that can be further refined to have even more miraculous effects. However, the secrets of collecting and refining it are beyond the reach of ordinary people, and even if they knew, they could not accomplish it.

On this mountain peak, in addition to the rare Dragon Blood Trees, another even more precious plant grows. Near the summit, where a light mist often lingers, there are trees several meters tall, slender and graceful, with a jade-like luster on their trunks and branches, making them stand out among the surrounding vegetation. What is even more extraordinary is the fruit they bear.

The leaves are emerald green and nearly translucent, growing in clusters of five around a central flower. After the flower withers, it produces a small, bead-like fruit the size of a thumb, initially milky white and glossy like freshly cut ivory. This fruit takes many years to fully mature, gradually becoming translucent and crystal clear like jade. When held between the fingertips, it feels soft and elastic, with a faint, colorful glow flowing within.

It is called the Lánggān Tree, also known as the Immortal Jade Tree. On this mountain peak at night, it is particularly noticeable because the Lánggān Tree emits a soft, gentle light. The branches and fruits of the Lánggān Tree glow continuously, day and night. In the sunlight, the tree appears surrounded by a flowing rainbow, and at night, it is crystal clear, faintly illuminating the surrounding area, visible from a great distance.

If ordinary people might occasionally discover naturally growing Dragon Blood Trees in the wilderness, the Lánggān Tree is purely a legend, and no one has ever seen it. According to ancient myths, the Lánggān Tree grows in the palace and courtyard of the Heavenly Emperor. Sitting under the Lánggān Tree at night, the gentle light it emits is said to purify the body and mind. A grove of Lánggān Trees is called a Jade Forest, and the Lánggān Fruit is a delicacy for the Heavenly Emperor and food for the auspicious beasts and birds that guard the divine land.

In ancient folk legends, there is a story of an ancient human emperor who obtained the elixir of immortality and ascended to heaven, becoming the Heavenly Emperor and opening the divine land. He bestowed the elixir of immortality on his descendants, who, upon consuming it, could ascend to the divine land and become immortals. Whether these legends are true or not, the path to immortality and the divine land are beyond the reach of ordinary people. The Lánggān Fruit is also said to be one of the elixirs of immortality.

However, on this unknown mountain peak, dozens of Lánggān Trees grow around the summit, forming a grove that faintly resembles a divine land. The gentle light of the jade trees surrounds the peak, making it appear like a sacred place. But from the foot of the mountain or the surrounding peaks, this light cannot be seen at night because the mountain is enveloped by an invisible magical barrier, making it disappear in the wilderness. From the summit, one can clearly see the surrounding scenery, but the outside world cannot detect its existence.

The gentle light of the Lánggān Trees resonates with the starlight, as if the light of the Milky Way is flowing and sprinkling down, forming an invisible river of starlight. The crystal-clear branches and leaves of the Lánggān Trees seem to absorb the spiritual energy of the starlight. However, in the early hours of the night, clouds rise from the distance and gradually spread, thickening and covering the mountain and the surrounding wilderness, causing the brilliant starry sky to gradually disappear.

The magical barrier protecting the mountain peak was also quietly breached, and a group of people dressed in dark, tight-fitting clothes, armed with various weapons, climbed the mountain. They passed through the grove of Dragon Blood Trees and entered the Jade Forest, where the faint light of the jade trees illuminated their faces. They were expressionless, lips tightly closed, but the white knuckles on their weapon-holding hands revealed their tension.

In the darkness, it was difficult to distinguish the Dragon Blood Trees, but the Jade Forest was clearly visible. The group was filled with surprise and awe, but they quickly regained their composure, forming a circle around the summit, silently waiting for something. The discovery of such a large grove of Lánggān Trees made them both excited and tense, but they tried to remain calm.

On the summit, where the light of the jade trees did not reach, lush auspicious grasses and flowers grew, hidden in the darkness. Not far from the summit, there was an exposed rock cliff, with a stone niche carved into it, about ten feet square, resembling a semi-open hall. Inside the niche, there was a door leading to a stone chamber, making it look like a divine dwelling.

In front of the niche, there was a stone platform about a few feet high, resembling a screen or an altar. On the platform, a figure sat motionless, like a statue, but it was a living person. If one approached closely enough, one could sense the faint signs of life.

The light from the jade trees at the summit reached the stone platform, and the figure wore a plain green robe, not the animal skin clothing commonly seen in the mountains. His face looked young, but there were fine wrinkles at the corners of his eyes, and his temples had a few inconspicuous silver strands, giving him a sense of沧桑 (cāngsāng, meaning "weathered" or "aged").

The figure in the green robe had his eyes closed and was not breathing, as if his soul was not present. About ten feet away, another figure stood, his back and feet hovering in the air. In the darkness, his face was not visible, but he wore a long robe with a white background and golden patterns, made of a special material that ordinary people could not possess or wear.

The man in the white robe with golden patterns said, "Qingsha, since you won't speak, I will take action."

He said he would take action, but he did not move. In the distance at the foot of the mountain, a fire broke out. It was a valley plain, about several miles in diameter, with a clear river flowing beside it. In the midst of these rugged mountains, such a place was a rare treasure for tribes to settle, and the most powerful tribe in the region lived there, building a fortified village.

The village was like a small city, with high walls and gates on all sides, surrounded by wooden fences. The main purpose was not to prevent wild beasts, which rarely appeared in human settlements, but to guard against attacks from other tribes. However, the village was usually peaceful and safe, with over a thousand and six hundred people, including many powerful warriors.

In the early hours of the night, the village was quiet, and the people were asleep. With the protection of the high walls and wooden fences, they did not need to keep fires burning all night like smaller tribes in the deep mountains. The fire broke out outside the village, and the thick wooden fences with sharpened tips were forcibly broken down. Houses in the village were set on fire.

The sleeping people were awakened, and the men rushed out of their houses with various weapons, confronting a group of dark-clad attackers. In the blazing firelight, the sounds of men shouting, roaring, and screaming, and the cries and pleas of women and children, pierced the darkness and the silence of the night.

The figure called Qingsha on the stone platform remained motionless, his eyes still closed. The man in the white robe with golden patterns spoke to himself, "We seven are known as the Seven Evils of Bapian, and the person I fear and admire the most is you, Qingsha. I have waited for decades, and today I finally have the chance to obtain the secret I desire. ... If you don't speak, the Qingshui clan will be completely destroyed."

The figure on the stone platform, Qingsha, finally spoke, but strangely, he did not open his eyes or move his lips. His voice sounded naturally in the listener's mind, "Bai'e, people call you Bai Sha, and you call yourself Bai Sha, taking pride in it. Among the Seven Evils of Bapian, you are the most deserving of the name.

This is not a sign of respect or admiration, but rather a reference to your power and your fear. For a hundred years, I have never made anyone feel afraid, only respect and hope from the people within a two-hundred-mile radius. Bai Sha, please call me Lishuishui, not Qingsha, who is mentioned alongside you."

Bai Sha laughed, "There's no point in arguing over names. Lishuishui, I have only ordered the attack on the village, not the extermination of the clan. Do you really want to watch the Qingshui clan disappear before your eyes?"

Lishuishui: "It's useless. No matter what you do today, you won't get what you want."

Bai Sha's voice grew colder, "You settled by the clear water and were enfeoffed here, known as the Qingshui clan. The people here are called the Qingshui clan because of your ancestor. Are you being too selfish, watching the entire clan be destroyed? They will die for you, because of you!"

Lishuishui, though motionless and with his eyes still closed, a cold smile appeared at the corner of his mouth, "I am a commoner by birth, once served as a judge in the former state of Ba, responsible for litigation and punishment, and after retiring, I took my official name as my surname, calling myself Lishuishui, and the clan also took Qingshui as their surname. I have apprehended and punished countless criminals and villains, never yielding to threats or coercion."

Bai Sha: "But the Qingshui clan are not criminals. If you don't give me what I want, these innocent people will die because of you. Don't you feel guilty?"

Lishuishui: "How ridiculous! You know they are innocent. The killer is you, not me. They die because of your desires and your blades, and this is your sin."

Bai Sha: "So you will just watch this sin happen and not try to save them?"

Lishuishui: "If I could save them, I would. You have waited and prepared for years to get my secret, using the threat of exterminating the Qingshui clan. The only way I can save them is by killing you and suppressing your Chiwang Hill lineage. Unfortunately, I can no longer do that. The only thing I can do now is prevent you from succeeding.

I understand you and this situation. You have already taken action, making no room for retreat, and many people have already died at your hands. If you get what you want, you will kill me to silence me, and the entire Qingshui clan will still be buried with me. Whether I tell you the secret or not, I cannot save them.

You are my enemy, and the enemy of the Qingshui clan. Knowing I will die, how can I let my enemy achieve his goal? I have lived for so long and practiced for so many years; how could I not see this? If you act, act. Whether in sorrow or regret, I am powerless to stop you, but you will not succeed."

Bai Sha's voice seemed to carry an unbearable pain, "You understand, so I won't waste words. If you agree, at least I can spare you from witnessing the destruction of the Qingshui clan. Many people understand this, but they cannot bear the pain. You don't have to suffer this torment."

Lishuishui's voice in Bai Sha's mind was filled with a terrifying oppression, "If you understand, why go against it? Many people know but cannot do it, but I am not one of them. I have seen countless lives and deaths over the centuries. Everyone dies eventually. If I must die, I will not let you succeed. The pain and guilt are mine to bear, and I will face them."

At that moment, a black-clad man flew from the village, holding a blood-dripping sword, passed through the magical barrier, and stopped at the edge of the Jade Forest, bowing, "Evil Lord, we have been ambushed. The village was prepared, and they concentrated all their strong warriors to ambush us in the center of the village. Our losses are much greater than expected."

Bai Sha did not speak, but he waved his hand backward, making a cutting gesture. Everyone surrounding the summit silently received the order, quickly turned, and disappeared into the night, joining the massacre of the Qingshui clan. These were all strong warriors under Bai Sha's command, and even with the village's preparation, they could not resist their fate.

Bai Sha knew that even with the threat of extermination, he could not make Lishuishui yield. Lishuishui also understood that once Bai Sha took action, having already killed nearly a hundred people in the village, he would not stop, regardless of whether he obtained the secret or not. He would kill the entire clan to silence them.

Everyone else left the mountain, leaving only the famous Qingsha and Bai Sha on the summit.

Lishuishui's voice sounded again, "It's truly laughable that you like to be called Evil Lord by your subordinates! The Qingshui clan cannot escape their fate today, but why don't you do it yourself? That way, you wouldn't lose so many subordinates, most of whom are from your Bai'e clan. I have heard rumors that harming living beings and the resulting hatred are the ultimate obstacles on the path to immortality. It seems you still have delusions of transcending the mundane."

Bai Sha: "This is not a delusion but a great wish. Struggling and toiling in this world, if there is a chance to step onto the path of immortality and enjoy the divine land forever, who would not strive for it? If not, why would I do all this? Even you, Lishuishui, have been seeking it for centuries without giving up.

But I did not expect the Qingshui clan to be prepared and to set an ambush in the village. The more they resist, the more tragic their deaths will be, and the more pain and anger you will feel watching it happen. I am curious, how did they know about this operation? There was no leak of information."

This was also what puzzled Bai Sha. The operation was theoretically known to no one. Despite waiting and preparing for a long time, he had never shared his thoughts or goals with anyone. He led over two hundred subordinates from his base at Chiwang Hill, quietly infiltrating the wilderness, claiming to be hunting a demon king with a blood feud against Chiwang Hill.

Before setting out, none of his subordinates knew their destination was the settlement of the Qingshui clan. Bai Sha led them through the wilderness and suddenly gave the order. Lishuishui was in seclusion, unaware of the outside world and could not be disturbed, which was the opportunity Bai Sha had been waiting for.

Lishuishui's voice was calm, "The reason is simple. I am the mountain god worshipped by the tribes within a few hundred miles. The shaman of the Qingshui clan heard the warning from the mountain god at