Outside Thousand Canals City, cannon fire roared and smoke filled the air.
In the height of summer, dark clouds loomed over Hongfu County as warships hovered beneath a murderous gloom.
The Thousand Canals defensive formation, bolstered by golden rays of luck, stood like an impregnable fortress.
Meng Heze and Wei Zhenyu led the Song Courtyard disciples into battle, suppressing the Nascent Soul cultivators from unleashing their divine abilities in the skies.
Reinforcements led by the minor Huawel Sect held off the ground assaults from other cultivators.
The remaining immortal alliance cultivators attempting to seize the city faced relentless barrages of cannon and musket fire.
After three days, every faction within the righteous immortal alliance had suffered losses, with none willing to serve as cannon fodder anymore.
"Those mortals have ample gunpowder and rotate shifts, while we need to recover our Spirit Qi."
"Peak Lord Zhao took half our forces. We must reconsider our siege strategy."
"Let's retreat to Hongfu County first and seek instructions from True Person Xuyun!"
Dark clouds blotted out the sun as howling winds swept across the land.
Gloom permeated the alliance warships, with some already contemplating withdrawal.
"The power of Thousand Canals' firearms exceeds our expectations. Our spies report they possess eighteen iron automatons—extremely durable and intricately constructed, operating freely on Spirit Stone energy. These puppets feel no pain yet possess combat strength comparable to Golden Core cultivators."
"Only Thousand Canals could produce such cultivator-countering weapons. They have both the Spirit Stone mines and Song Qianji's authorization."
"We underestimated the ingenuity of mortals. Even if we could conquer Thousand Canals now, the cost would be prohibitive—likely outweighing any gains."
To minimize casualties and secure victory through caution, Yuan Qingshi, head disciple under Xuyun, proposed a stratagem.
"All unorthodox cultivators! Henceforth, any who make significant contributions to the righteous cause shall have past transgressions absolved. You may serve as Guest Elders enjoying sect provisions," declared the Huawel Sect.
Unorthodox cultivators converged from all directions.
Lured by generous rewards and lavishly hosted with fine wines and delicacies in Hongfu County, they immediately unleashed their full arsenal—taunting from the city walls while deploying toxic fumes and venoms in rotation.
Soon demonic winds howled beyond Thousand Canals, crows swarmed overhead, scorched earth spread everywhere, and venomous insects infested the land.
The reinforcement troops grew increasingly harassed. Chen Hongzhu activated a Sound Amplification Talisman to shout: "Consorting with heretics and demons—you disgrace the name of righteousness!"
"Junior Sister, your naivety blinds you. Extraordinary times demand extraordinary measures. Only victors write history. Cease this obstinacy—return to Huawel Mountain where Master awaits you in Cosmos Palace," Yuan Qingshi urged.
Disciples of the minor Huawel Sect cursed the alliance's shamelessness.
"Truly astonishing what they'd resort to," Wei Zhenyu shook his head.
Any deranged heretic could now earn immense rewards and societal redemption through service in the Thousand Canals campaign—an irresistible temptation for those long hunted and hidden.
Meng Heze declared, "I've dealt with these heretics before. I'll handle this."
"Before? When?" Wei Zhenyu puzzled.
"What do you think?"
Wei Zhenyu suddenly understood: "The Three Lives Stone?"
Meng Heze retorted irritably, "No need to voice it aloud! Thousand Canals hunting squad—apply Anti-Miasma Talismans and follow my command!"
He could pinpoint flaws in unorthodox cultivation methods and combat techniques with his eyes closed.
The Thousand Canals hunters tore through the enemy ranks like tigers among sheep, leaving their foes wailing in defeat.Suddenly, Wei Zhenyu's voice rang out loudly: "Fellow cultivators who have traveled from afar, hear my words!"
"What's this? A peace talk?" Meng Heze transmitted his voice in inquiry.
"You keep fighting, don't mind me," Wei Zhenyu transmitted back.
Wei Zhenyu continued shouting: "Righteous cultivators are cunning and treacherous. To protect their reputation, they will never acknowledge your contributions. Once Thousand Canals falls, you'll be the next ones they turn on. If you don't believe me, think about history - when has it ever been different?"
Someone below the city walls shouted: "Do you think we're fools? The Huawel Sect has sworn to fulfill their promises!"
"Who made that oath? Can they truly represent the Huawel Sect? Even if they die keeping their vow, others can still move against you. Oh, they don't even need to die - they can first give you Spirit Stones, Magical Artifacts, and elder positions. After fulfilling their promises, they can have their sect members kill you. Once Thousand Canals' gates are broken, this place will be swarming with righteous cultivators - how could you possibly escape?" Wei Zhenyu pleaded sincerely. "Don't fall into the righteous cultivators' trap! Look behind you - while you're fighting for your lives here, they're relaxing comfortably in their Cloud Ships!"
Meng Heze roared: "Wei Zhenyu, enough nonsense! I was just warming up and haven't had my fill of killing yet!"
Though he said this, he knew they couldn't push the enemy to desperation. If they provoked the enemy's will to fight to the death, it would only deplete their own forces.
While shouting fiercely, Meng Heze deliberately left openings in the battle formation, giving the enemy paths to escape.
Wei Zhenyu added: "Meng Heze, I know you're powerful, but our enemies are only the 'Righteous Immortal Alliance'. These fellow cultivators were deceived by villains to come here. Heaven values all life - please spare them a way out."
Meng Heze: "Heaven may value all life, but I don't. Anyone who dares cause trouble in Thousand Canals will meet their end."
Wei Zhenyu: "I hate this attitude of yours the most! Ah, there's an opening to the southwest, fellow cultivators should hurry and charge through!"
The two played their roles - one the harsh enforcer, one the reasonable mediator - performing their Thousand Canals duet.
The demonic cultivators, beaten by Meng Heze while being swayed by Wei Zhenyu's persuasion, couldn't hold out for more than half an hour before scattering like birds and beasts.
As the crows flew away and poisonous creatures retreated, heaven and earth returned to clarity.
Cheers surged like ocean waves from Thousand Canals' walls as Meng Heze returned triumphant.
...
In the largest and most magnificent Cloud Ship above Hongfu County gathered the decision-makers of various sects from the Righteous Immortal Alliance.
Everyone discussed countermeasures with worried expressions, anxiously waiting.
Finally, a faint shadow materialized out of thin air. Yuan Qingshi hurried forward to bow: "The poisonous smoke and fog dropped from the sky were all blocked by formations. We also tried poisoning Hongfu County's water sources, but when Hongfu's waters flow into Thousand Canals, they first pass through a water purification formation. When Song Qianji originally diverted the waters and opened the canals, he casually made many such arrangements."
"North of Thousand Canals lies the Poison Miasma Forest. The people of Thousand Canals spend their days hunting there with firearms, dealing with all kinds of poisonous creatures. Poison won't work against them, and those demonic cultivators have been driven back by Meng Heze. Master, your disciple has exhausted all strategies."
Though the various sects voiced agreement on the surface, they secretly harbored resentment toward the Huawel Sect. With Xu Yun's power at the half-step Transformation Stage, if he would only come personally, how could Thousand Canals' gates remain unbroken? What was Xu Yun waiting for?
"You are now the Alliance Leader, and the foremost in our generation. We beg you to think of a solution."
"So far, we have consumed tens of millions of Spirit Stones. Yet those mortals in Thousand Canals don't need to replenish Spirit Qi. We cannot outlast them."Xu Yun's shadow cast upon the wall appeared immensely tall.
He spoke slowly: "You've forgotten there exists something formless and colorless yet infinitely powerful—something no formation can block."
"Does such a thing exist in this world?"
Xu Yun replied indifferently: "Sound."
With a sweep of his sleeve, the illusory shadow dissipated.
As everyone stood bewildered, a loud announcement suddenly echoed from outside the Cloud Ship:
"The arrival of Fairy Wangshu—"
Colorful clouds drifted as light veils fluttered. Over a dozen beautiful female cultivators, smiling like blossoms, cleared the path while holding qins, zithers, pipas, and konghous.
Fairy Wangshu arrived riding a Jet-Black Gold Carriage, transcendent and ethereal.
Yuan Qingshi exclaimed joyfully: "Master truly foresaw everything!"
With Fairy Wangshu's arrival, the morale of the Righteous Immortal Alliance stabilized.
Formless, colorless, and infinitely powerful—wasn't this precisely the sound attack techniques of the Celestial Sound Sect?
Wangshu was Xu Yun's close friend and the current sect master of the Celestial Sound Sect.
After the fall of Qin Xian and Jiangyun's death, she stood as the foremost master of sound cultivation in the world.
Everyone gathered on the Cloud Ship's deck, watching as Fairy Wangshu set up her qin platform and burned incense to announce her intentions to heaven.
"This piece I play is named 'Song of Great Sorrow'," Wangshu stated calmly. "When the melody concludes, the power of faith and vows in Thousand Canals will be at its weakest. You must seize this opportunity to breach their formations."
Yuan Qingshi cheered: "We thank you, Senior! We shall not fail your earnest efforts!"
The Cloud Ship advanced, closing in on Thousand Canals.
Ethereal qin notes drifted down from the clouds like autumn rain pattering on roof tiles—drop by drop, swirling and scattering.
"What melody is this? It sounds so beautiful," Thousand Canals residents murmured, gazing skyward with dazed expressions.
Heaven and earth were enveloped in the sorrowful qin music, reminiscent of autumn rain.
As the melody intensified, flowing clouds gathered, darkening the blue sky like a weight upon human hearts.
Though prepared, the Immortal Alliance members still found themselves captivated by the music. Hearing it evoked all manner of human sorrows.
Life held no meaning, cultivation held no meaning, battle held even less meaning—everything was emptiness and void, destined to return to dust.
They only wished to lose themselves in the qin's melody, no longer caring for mortal turmoil.
Noticing tearful eyes among them, Yuan Qingshi shouted: "Awaken quickly! Guard your minds!"
Startled, the crowd broke free from the music's grasp, then swelled with exhilaration.
If Fairy Wangshu's music could affect even seasoned cultivators with sorrow, how much more vulnerable were the mortal inhabitants of Thousand Canals, who were specifically targeted by this celestial sound technique?
Mortals lacked Spirit Qi for protection and possessed fragile souls. Once ensnared by the music, they would be invaded by grief and despair, wishing to bite their tongues and end their lives.
After news spread of Song Qianji's survival, Thousand Canals' morale had been rising, their power of faith and vows growing stronger.
But after this melody concluded, the people's morale would surely shatter, their fighting spirit would collapse!
"With Senior Wangshu here, they truly have no countermeasures!"
"This battle's great victory shall credit Senior Wangshu as the foremost contributor!"
Hearing the surrounding praise, Fairy Wangshu allowed a faint smile to touch her lips, her fingers moving across the qin with increasing fluidity.
Though she had prevailed over Jiangyun, the Celestial Sound Sect had suffered heavy losses during internal strife. Both Miaoyan and He Qingqing had gone missing in the secret realm.
She needed a major battle to solidify her position as sect master and prove her faction as the true lineage of the Celestial Sound Sect.
Thousand Canals lay silent as a city of the dead.
Wangshu's ten fingers flew like butterflies weaving through flowers.
The qin's melody resounded across heaven and earth like a violent storm!
The Righteous Immortal Alliance's morale surged as they cheered loudly.
Cultivators drew their Magical Artifacts, eager and ready for battle.
Yuan Qingshi proclaimed: "Everyone! The qin melody approaches its end. Today marks the fall of Thousand Canals city. Follow me—"Before the words faded, a song suddenly drifted from the direction of Thousand Canals.
The singing began faint and low, like a child humming softly, then grew louder, lively and cheerful like a babbling brook.
Finally, it converged into a mighty river, powerful and majestic.
Everyone was stunned and bewildered.
"What are they singing?"
"It’s so catchy—it must be a folk song."
The song soared into the sky, striking the Cloud Ship. When the listeners made out the lyrics, their faces instantly turned pale:
"My home lies in the fields of Thousand Canals.
You ask if my home is fair, with streams flowing and apricot blossoms fragrant.
You ask how we live, with meat hanging from beams and granaries full of grain.
You ask who we owe this to—the immortal descended as King Song.
You ask why we must fight, for demons and monsters run wild, run wild…"
Wangshu’s fingers slipped, the zither strings tightened, and cold sweat dripped from her forehead.
She forced herself to gather her energy, raising the zither’s pitch, barely skirting the low notes and climbing to a higher peak.
The song from Thousand Canals continued, growing even louder.
Tens of thousands roared in unison, their voices like a raging flood, scattering the dark clouds and sweeping across the heavens:
"In the clear skies of May, every household harvests wheat in haste.
How can we endure the vicious hounds? How can we tolerate the ravenous wolves?
Hands steady, hearts calm, we lay down our sickles to fight!
Rise up and battle for our children’s sake, for our ancestors’ glory.
United we stand to protect our homeland, protect our homeland.
When spring breezes green the willows next year, we’ll gather again in the fields of Thousand Canals!"
"Snap!"
The zither strings suddenly broke, and Wangshu spat out a mouthful of blood.
"Sect Leader!"
"Fairy Wangshu!"
Everyone rushed to her side, offering spirit medicine and channeling Spirit Qi.
"Senior, don’t push yourself. Take this spirit medicine first, heal your old wounds, and we’ll fight again tomorrow," Yuan Qingshi said.
Hearing this, everyone recalled Wangshu’s great battle with Jiangyun and assumed her old injuries had flared up, offering words of comfort.
Wangshu wiped the blood from her lips, her face as pale as paper.
She put away her zither, leaning on a disciple’s hand to slowly rise, shaking her head despondently. "No, it’s no use. I’m going back."
Yuan Qingshi’s heart sank. Hearing someone humming behind him, he flared up in anger: "That’s the war song from Thousand Canals! Why are you singing along?"
The lyrics of the "Thousand Canals War Song" were simple and easy to understand, its melody catchy. By the time the song was repeated for the third time, millions in Thousand Canals were singing at the top of their lungs.
Even the cultivators of the Immortal Alliance couldn’t help but hum along.
After Yuan Qingshi called them out, everyone hurriedly sealed their hearing and resorted to telepathic communication.
But the melody of this song seemed bewitching, almost like a demonic chant flooding their ears. Even if they couldn’t hear it, it looped incessantly in their minds.
The more they tried not to listen, the clearer it became. No amount of chanting could drive "In the clear skies of May, every household harvests wheat in haste" from their minds.
"Get out of my head! Stop singing! Shut up!"
"How can we endure the vicious hounds? How can we tolerate the ravenous wolves, hey~"
For a moment, the expressions of the Immortal Alliance members twisted in agony.
Wangshu, having regained her composure, shook her head. "It’s not your fault. There is a master of the Sound Dao stationed within Thousand Canals."
"How is that possible?" Yuan Qingshi exclaimed in shock.
At the Huawei Sect’s celebration banquet back then, Song Qianji had borrowed a jade flute to single-handedly challenge the Immortal Sound Sect’s experts—without any assistance.
None of the Thousand Canals cultivators he brought with him were versed in music.
"How could an ordinary farming song break my Heavenly Sound Art? This tune may seem simple, but every beat, every note, was crafted by a master, subtly aligned with the Spirit Qi circulation of Thousand Canals and drawing upon its luck. Whenever I attack with sound, this song mobilizes the Spirit Qi of Thousand Canals to counter me. Who could this person be?!"Wangshu couldn't figure it out, and the others were even more perplexed.
Where could Thousand Canals possibly find a musical prodigy?
To defeat Wangshu before thousands of troops would be the perfect opportunity to gain fame—why hadn't this person stepped forward to challenge her?
As everyone sank into confusion, a light laugh echoed from outside the Cloud Ship:
"Who else could it be but your dear disciple!"
The newcomer wore a cyan gown, her cloud-like hair piled high, her face as radiant as a lotus blossom, her beauty sharp as a blade.
"He Qingqing!" Wangshu's gaze turned icy. "So you're still alive!"
He Qingqing, accompanied by hundreds of Celestial Sound Sect disciples, strode boldly onto the Cloud Ship and declared with a clear laugh:
"Wangshu, the Celestial Sound Command is here. Why do you not kneel before your sect leader?"
The moment she spoke, the entire area fell into dead silence.
Wangshu roared in fury, "How did the Celestial Sound Command end up in your hands? Celestial Sound disciples, follow my orders and capture this traitor!"
The division within the Celestial Sound Sect resurfaced.
"Senior, please calm your anger," Yuan Qingshi stepped between them. "My master previously said that unity is paramount during this great battle, and personal grudges should be set aside."
Wangshu glanced around and saw that everyone seemed to be watching indifferently, weighing the situation, with no intention of intervening.
"Earlier, when I spat blood publicly, I revealed weakness. They dare not take sides and instead try to restrain me. Fine, I'll spare this witch for now."
Though Wangshu was willing to let He Qingqing go, He Qingqing had no such intention:
"Wangshu, you killed my master. Do you admit it?"
"Yes, I admit it. What can you do about it?"
Wangshu lifted her head and smiled silently.
With the entire righteous path gathered here and Xu Yun's shadow looming at any moment, could you kill me?
With a great enemy at hand and the pressing times, who would allow you to kill me?
Suddenly, He Qingqing also smiled: "I won't kill you. I want you to have no place to hide in this vast world."
...
Unaware of the upheavals above, the people of Thousand Canals were celebrating their victory with songs.
Instructor Zhu Sheng organized the children of Thousand Canals Academy to teach them songs.
The children marched through streets and alleys, singing "The War Song of Thousand Canals," followed by "The Wheat Harvest Song," "The Wheat Planting Song," "The Fishing Song," and "The Harvest Festival Hymn."
Songs filled Thousand Canals, and the people sang with growing vigor.
"Instructor Zhu, did you write all these songs?" Wei Zhenyu stopped Zhu Sheng.
"I wrote the lyrics, but the melodies were composed by a young woman. I dare not take credit," Zhu Sheng replied with a smile.
"What kind of woman was she? Could she play the qin? Was she beautiful?" Wei Zhenyu frowned.
"I never heard her play," Zhu Sheng thought for a moment. "She must have been the daughter of some farmer. She wore an old cloth cloak, had short, messy hair, and didn't like to talk. She taught the children at the academy to sing, beat drums, and play gongs. As for her appearance, I'm an instructor—how could I stare at a young woman's face? But if she were truly beautiful, surely word of her beauty would have spread."
"Coarse cloth and plain attire..." Wei Zhenyu shook his head. "Probably not. Never mind, it's nothing. Please carry on with your work, Instructor."
...
The "Righteous Immortal Alliance" split into two fronts: one suffered defeat attacking Thousand Canals, while the other gained no advantage either.
Zhao Taiji led his men aggressively to White Dragon River, expecting smooth progress and rapid success, but the local gangs caught them off guard.
By the time they regrouped and regained their footing, those people had vanished into the mountains like mountain spirits and wild demons.
The small riverside gangs, living off the river, knew the terrain well and covered for each other, while the various factions of the Immortal Alliance began blaming one another.
They had yet to realize that this was only the beginning.Along the way, all sorts of minor nuisances emerged—traps and hidden arrows that were impossible to guard against completely.
Sects like the Great Yan Sect and the Flower Stream Sect would confront them head-on, while some Rogue Cultivators, knowing they couldn’t win in a direct fight, would trip them up covertly before fleeing, never lingering in battle. This constant harassment left them utterly exhausted.
Zhao Taiji had no choice but to send a message seeking Xu Yun’s help.
Meanwhile, Song Qianji and Xian Jianchen traveled lightly and swiftly.
The two journeyed over Purple Cloud Mountain, flew across the Quicksand River, crossed the White Dragon River, waded through the Venomous Snake Marsh, and traversed the Jade Gate Ridge...
Finally, they entered the snowy plains.
The snowy plains were bitterly cold, with howling winds.
For the first two days, they were occasionally attacked by demonic beasts like Lightning Wolves, Snow Cloud Leopards, and Ice Mountain Bears. Song Qianji used these encounters to hone his swordsmanship.
Of Xian Jianchen’s nine swords, he had already obtained five: Shadowless, Spring and Autumn, Hold Still, Crossing Rivers, and Waning Moon. They were like five friends with vastly different temperaments, circling around him every day, chattering and keeping him company.
By the third day, even the shadows of demonic beasts had vanished.
The scenery remained monotonous, as if only two colors existed between heaven and earth—blue and white.
Between the ice-blue sky and the endless snowy mountains, a Shadowless Sword cut through the air.
To conserve Spirit Qi, the sword didn’t fly too high.
One of the riders on the sword said, “This journey is so long and dreary. Sing a song to entertain your master!”
The white-robed youth controlling the Sword Kinesis Flight replied, “I don’t know how.”
“Then tell a joke.”
“I don’t know how to do that either.”
Xian Jianchen let out a soft hiss. “Surely you can tell a story?”
Song Qianji thought for a moment. “Have you ever heard of a mortal legend called ‘The Journey to the West’?”
“What’s interesting about a monk’s story?” Xian Jianchen swung his legs. “Tell another one!”
Song Qianji: “But this story has four people, just like us, always heading west.”
Xian Jianchen: “Does the monk also have a sword, placed at the edge of the continent?”
“The monk has no sword. The monk journeys to the Western Paradise to obtain scriptures to save all living beings.”
Xian Jianchen grew interested. “A mere monk dares to harbor such a grand ambition? Tell me in detail.”
Stories are excellent tools for passing time.
The sun set, the moon rose, and another day passed.
The moon over the snowy plains was exceptionally bright, casting a glaze-like sheen over the ice and snow.
Song Qianji finished recounting the eighty-one tribulations.
Xian Jianchen, still craving more, asked if there was a sequel.
Song Qianji smiled. “Don’t you think one of the main characters in this story resembles you a lot?”
Xian Jianchen puffed out his chest. “Surely I’m the Golden Cicada, subduing my rebellious disciple and steadfastly journeying west?”
Song Qianji shook his head. “Wrong.”
“Then I must be Sun Wukong, with seventy-two transformations and fiery golden eyes?”
“Still wrong.”
“Zhu Wuneng? The Marshal of Heavenly Reeds, foolishly sentimental?”
“Guess again.”
“Sha Wujing! The Curtain-Lifting General, the Golden-Bodied Arhat!”
“Very close, but still a little off.”
“Hey, what are you playing at? There are only four main characters!”
“Oh, doesn’t the White Dragon Horse count?”
Xian Jianchen froze for a moment, then raised his fist. “So I’m a mount? You little brat!”
Song Qianji dodged left and right, causing the Shadowless Sword to sway violently.
Song Qianji hurriedly controlled the sword to descend. “Hey, what are you doing? You’re the one who wanted to hear the story!”
“Daring to call your master a mount? You’re asking for death!”
The Shadowless Sword crashed to the ground, kicking up a cloud of snow.
Amid the laughter and scuffle, Song Qianji’s expression suddenly changed. “Someone’s coming.”
“Finally,” Xian Jianchen retracted his fist and gazed at the shadow covering the moon.He chuckled softly, "A mount is a mount then. Without the White Dragon Horse, no matter how powerful Golden Cicada and his three disciples were, they still couldn't have reached the Western Paradise or retrieved the true scripture."
No journey, however long, eventually comes to an end.
No matter how many enemies there are, they will eventually be wiped out.
No matter how difficult the journey to the Western Heaven is, it will ultimately be reached.
OpenNovel