doitstory Chapter 1900 11899 The Painted Wall Demon
Chapter 1900 11899 The Painted Wall Demon
Chapter 1900 1.1899 The Painted Wall Demon
"The old monk with the bald brush." Upon receiving Wu Chen's telepathic message from afar, Princess Xiahou Ying of the Later Jin Dynasty immediately realized what was happening.
"Could the old monk be the 'Laughing Buddha'?" Sai Xiaojing, a female general of the Later Tang Dynasty, blurted out. Before entering the mural, everyone naturally assumed that the old monk with the bald brush was the same as the monk with the lamp wick. Only after Wu Chenyi reminded them did they realize that the old monk with the bald brush's identity was questionable.
Recalling the lifelike beauties depicted on the murals, Princess Li Huixin of the Later Tang Dynasty shook her head and said, "I have never heard of 'Master Gufeng (Budai Monk)' being good at painting beauties."
“It’s him.” Princess Xiahou Ying of the Later Jin Dynasty, who had been listening attentively, suddenly had a flash of inspiration; “It is indeed the ‘Stubborn Stone Monk’ Wei Yangsheng, whose Dharma name after becoming a monk is ‘Stubborn Stone’.”
"Yes. This man prides himself on being a womanizer. His learning is unorthodox and deviant, and his erotic songs and poems are all for seeking pleasure and seducing respectable women. He is especially skilled in erotic art with beautiful women." Princess Li Huixin of the Later Tang Dynasty said with disdain.
"In other words, the enlightened 'Stubborn Stone Monk' used the ink bridge to send all those 'obsessed' into the painted wall." Princess Xiahou Ying of the Later Jin Dynasty immediately connected the plot: "Including the invaders from 'Martial Arts World: Prison City Conquest'."
"That's probably the case." Sai Xiaojing, a female general of the Later Tang Dynasty, also agreed.
"The Taiping Guangji of the Former Tang Dynasty records the story of the 'Five-Colored Divine Brush'." Princess Li Huixin of the Later Tang Dynasty, who was well-read and knowledgeable, said: "The worn-out brush in the old monk's hand may also have this supernatural power."
The story goes that during the Tang Dynasty, Lian Guang was gathering herbs on Mount Tai when he encountered a divine being who gifted him a five-colored magic brush while seeking shelter from the rain. Everything he painted possessed supernatural power. At the request of the magistrate of Zhongdu County, he painted ghostly soldiers on a wall. That night, a bizarre battle unfolded, causing panic, and he destroyed the painting and fled. In Xiapi County, he was forced to paint a dragon. Upon completion, clouds surged and rain poured down, leading the magistrate to suspect sorcery and imprison him. In a dream, a divine being instructed him to paint a large bird to escape. He eventually returned the magic brush to the divine being on Mount Tai, and from that moment on, he lost his painting skills.
"Lian Guang lost his divine brush because the figures he painted either caused war or natural disasters, and he ultimately lost it due to the leakage of spiritual secrets. I wonder if the old monk's worn-out brush is the 'Five-Colored Divine Brush,' or if it was transformed to conceal his whereabouts?" Princess Li Huixin of the Later Tang Dynasty implied that the worn-out brush in the old monk's hand was the legendary Five-Colored Divine Brush, which he deliberately transformed into to prevent the leakage of heavenly secrets.
The sisters shared a deep understanding, their conversation flowing effortlessly. This did not prevent Princess Xiahou Ying of the Later Jin Dynasty from exchanging fluent words with Gu Xianniang, the master of the Huitian Pavilion: "I did not know that the Pavilion Master has graced us with her presence; what brings you here?"
"Having heard of the arrival of new guests, I came to see them in person." Gu Xianniang, the master of Huitian Pavilion, smiled broadly: "I wonder if the three ladies have a place to stay?"
"So what if I have it, so what if I don't?" Princess Xiahou Ying of the Later Jin Dynasty said calmly.
"If you have it, great fortune will follow. If you don't, great misfortune will befall you." As expected of the shrewd and worldly Master of Huitian Pavilion, this statement is as good as saying nothing at all.
"I would like to hear the details." Princess Xiahou Ying of the Later Jin Dynasty would certainly ask.
"Settling down here is equivalent to having a lover, which can save you from bloodshed and monsters." Gu Xianniang, the master of Huitian Pavilion, took a few more steps closer: "There is also the growth of inner demons, making you neither human nor ghost."
"What do you think of this dilapidated temple?" Princess Xiahou Ying of the Later Jin Dynasty suddenly changed the subject.
“This dilapidated temple is drafty on all sides; how can it provide shelter for long?” Gu Xianniang, the master of Huitian Pavilion, spoke earnestly: “It would be better to make plans sooner rather than later.”
"Are you human or demon?" Princess Xiahou Ying of the Later Jin Dynasty glanced subconsciously at the glowing Hunyuan Golden Pill.
"I came as a human, but now I am a demon." With that, Gu Xianniang, the master of Huitian Pavilion, transformed herself, revealing her true form as a female demon.
"Huh?" Princess Xiahou Ying of the Later Jin Dynasty felt that there was something strange about the female demon that Gu Xianniang had transformed into: "What kind of demon is the Pavilion Master?"
"I don't know either." Gu Xianniang, the half-human, half-demon master of Huitian Pavilion, stroked her fluffy long tail and said with a wry smile, "It is already a blessing to be able to transform into a 'half-demon.' Otherwise, she would become a monster. Miss, you must remember to 'eat three meals a day and sleep in a roof over your head,' and never 'leave yourself exposed in the wild without any cover.'"
"Thank you. This is a perfect match, I will remember it." Princess Xiahou Ying of the Later Jin Dynasty said this all.
Looking up again, Gu Xianniang, the master of Huitian Pavilion, had already quietly left. "Sister Ying, could it be painted by the 'Five-Colored Divine Brush'?" Princess Li Huixin of the Later Tang Dynasty asked softly.
"Hmm." Wu Chen had already informed Princess Xiahou Ying of the plot via telepathy: "My lord calls it the 'Painted Wall Demon'."
“A demon that has entered the painted wall.” Princess Li Huixin of the Later Tang Dynasty seemed to be deep in thought.
"It was the old monk who altered the painting with his worn-out brush," Princess Xiahou Ying of the Later Jin Dynasty corrected. "The person who used a worn-out brush to cross the ink bridge into the painting was transformed into a demon in the painting. Just like Gu Xianniang, the master of Huitian Pavilion, who was originally a mortal, came with Zishan Linghu, crossed the ink bridge into the painting, and transformed into a demon."
"The old monk actually possesses such supernatural powers!" Even Sai Xiaoqing, a female general of the Later Tang Dynasty, couldn't help but gasp in astonishment.
"My lord also said: If you have no treasure to protect yourself, do not expose yourself to the outside world." Princess Xiahou Ying of the Later Jin Dynasty looked around the dilapidated temple: "My lord calls this temple the 'beginner's village.' As long as we guard this temple, we can rest easy."
"In that case, both the Dugu Nine Swords and the Wu Hook can be used for protection." How could Sai Xiaojing, the female general of the Later Tang Dynasty, not realize this?
"And the Ruyi Jewel." Princess Li Huixin of the Later Tang Dynasty remembered correctly: "The sword-making woman Honghua had three magical treasures: the Heavenly Eye, the Wu Hook, and the Ruyi Jewel."
"There is also an unforged 'Jia Yuan Divine Axe'." After being reminded by Princess Chang'an, Sai Xiaojing, a female general of the Later Tang Dynasty, also remembered more details.
"My lord said that the sword-forging furnace also possesses divine power." Princess Xiahou Ying of the Later Jin Dynasty then revealed the secret of the dilapidated temple.
"A sword-forging furnace?" Sai Xiaoqing, a female general of the Later Tang Dynasty, was taken aback: "We had a drink around the furnace earlier and didn't notice anything unusual."
"The golden elixir on the sword had not yet been lit, and I had no idea that the sword-forging furnace was actually a magical artifact." Princess Xiahou Ying of the Later Jin Dynasty naturally had no doubt about Wu Chen: "Thinking about it this way, a furnace capable of forging divine weapons must be an extraordinary object."
“Sister Ying is absolutely right.” Princess Li Huixin of the Later Tang Dynasty nodded with delight: “Has the Lord explained what this incense burner actually is?”
"The Tiger-Headed Cabinet," replied Princess Xiahou Ying of the Later Jin Dynasty. "It was originally the Heavenly Emperor 'Wu Tian Xiao Jiu Zhou's' divine artifact used to suppress evil spirits. Anyone who descended to the mortal realm without permission and disobeyed orders was imprisoned in this cabinet and could never rise again. After Wu Tian's defeat and death, this cabinet was obtained by the new Heavenly Emperor 'Xing Tian Zhen Yi Xin'. It eventually fell into the hands of the sword-forging woman Hong Hua and was used as a sword-forging furnace."
"So it's a great prison." Princess Li Huixin of the Later Tang Dynasty had a thought: "Is the Heavenly Emperor imprisoned in the axle of law?"
"It is impossible to know." Princess Xiahou Ying of the Later Jin Dynasty gently shook her head: "Even the lord has not been able to figure it out."
"The sword-forging woman, Hong Hua, was born to the Heavenly Lord of Dan Huo. Could she be the god who controls fire?" This question must have been asked by Sai Xiaoqing, a female general of the Later Tang Dynasty.
There's a saying: "Zhurong, the god of summer, the master of fire." When discussing the god of fire, Zhurong is always mentioned. However, in the timeline of the story "The Heavenly Sword Maiden," Zhurong didn't hold a position at the beginning of the Heavenly Court's establishment. The Heavenly Emperor, whether "roaring across the nine provinces" or "pacifying the heart of the heavens," is not from the well-known pantheon of Chinese gods. He is an original deity of this timeline. Yet, the legend of Nuwa mending the sky remains the same. Isn't that amazing?
That night.
The world was dark, and a strange wind began to rise.
Ghostly figures loomed overhead, and a menacing aura filled the sky.
Although the dilapidated temple was drafty on all sides, the door was tightly closed.
A direct assault would surely alert the people inside the temple. After whispering amongst themselves, the demons transformed into gusts of demonic wind and stealthily made their way towards the damaged area.