3: Descending the mountain, Huang Tianjiao

Behind Yuxu Temple, in front of Xuan Chengzi's grave.

"Master, for the sake of my cultivation, I am preparing to descend the mountain..."

Yu Xuzi sat before the headstone, softly whispering his plans for the future.

He had come here frequently over the past half-year.

Whether it was encountering difficulties in cultivation or simply feeling lonely, he had made it a habit to talk to his Master.

He believed that his Master would surely understand and support him.

Early the next morning.

Having packed his belongings, Yu Xuzi took one last look at Yuxu Temple, then personally closed the old gates and turned to descend the mountain.

*Whoosh!*

As a dazzling yellow spiritual light bloomed in the Void Realm, the thin Heaven And Earth Spiritual Essence slowly gathered.

Hard rock transformed into yellow quicksand and surged downward.

This was the first-rank Spell recorded in the Basic Qi Refining Art: "Quicksand Art."

A moment later.

Halfway up Cangqing Mountain, the only winding stone path leading up the mountain vanished, replaced by a bare, sheer cliff face a hundred zhang high.

Although Cangqing Mountain was located deep within a dense forest and the surrounding area was sparsely populated—with the nearest village over ten li away—

Yu Xuzi did not wish to see Yuxu Temple disturbed after he left.

Otherwise, there was no telling what state the temple would be in when he returned in a hundred years if it were left unguarded.

His Master's grave was still on the mountain, after all.

"Cliffs on all sides, no one to disturb it."

"Master, rest well."

"I'm leaving."

Yu Xuzi bowed toward the mountain one last time, and then his figure quickly disappeared into the dense forest at the foot of the mountain... Early April, the nineteenth year of the yonghe era of the Yu Kingdom.

Nanlin Commandery.

Dust flew along the official road.

After leaving Cangqing Mountain, Yu Xuzi traveled east toward the commandery capital.

Carrying a small knapsack and wearing a brand-new set of cyan Daoist robes, his features appeared even more refined.

However, the cold solitude in his eyes was completely at odds with the warm spring sun.

Cultivators at the Qi Refinement Stage could actually fly through the air, but the consumption of magic power was immense and the speed was not fast, so Cultivators usually relied on the power of a Magical Artifact.

For example, flying on a sword was not only fast and more efficient with magic power, but it could also be used for combat.

However, Yu Xuzi didn't even own a Magical Artifact, let alone have seen one, so he usually traveled on foot.

Two days after leaving the mountain, the number of pedestrians on the official road increased, and they began to encounter Yu Xuzi head-on.

Most were moving with their entire families, faces filled with panic, their ox carts and wheelbarrows crammed with tattered household goods.

The sounds of children crying, women sobbing, and the heavy sighs of men mixed together, and the air was thick with an aura of unease and despair.

"Something is not right."

"I heard that the imperial court of the Yu Kingdom is still relatively upright and Nanlin Commandery has always been stable. There were no natural disasters last year or this year, so why are there so many refugees?"

Yu Xuzi's heart stirred slightly. He stopped a middle-aged man on the road and gave a Daoist greeting:

"Greetings, brother. This humble Daoist wishes to know, what is happening with everyone?"

Seeing it was a young Daoist, the man sighed, the furrows on his brow deepening. "Young Daoist, you don't know? We've just come from Qichuan County, and that place is not to be visited!"

"Oh? Why is that?"

"It's the rebellious Yellow Heaven Cult! They've attacked!"

The man lowered his voice, fear etched on his face. "Qichuan County was occupied by them a few days ago. The government officials either fled or were killed. We are escaping as refugees."

"Although they are distributing porridge outside the city, who knows if those rebels will press-gang us or start killing people indiscriminately..."

The Yellow Heaven Cult?

Yu Xuzi's eyes flashed.

Although he had lived deep in the mountains for a long time and knew little about the situation below, he had heard of the Yellow Heaven Cult.

They were primarily active in the neighboring Guishan Commandery, held some prestige among the common people, and had a large following.

They had actually rebelled?

"When did this happen?"

"It started a few months ago. The momentum is huge. They've fought several battles against the government and won them all. I heard that the neighboring Guishan Commandery has been completely taken over by them, and now they've reached us. *Sigh*."

"I see. Thank you for telling me, brother."

Yu Xuzi's expression remained unchanged, but he was already calculating in his heart.

In times of chaos, the rise and fall of individual fates are at their most intense, making it the best time for observation and recording.

This Yellow Heaven Cult chose a perfect time to rebel.

He had encountered them just as he descended the mountain.

"With the Cultivators of the State Preceptors Mansion around, this Yellow Heaven Cult actually dares to rebel. Interesting."

He did not follow the flow of refugees back. Instead, he quickened his pace toward Qichuan County.

The closer he got to the county town, the more tense the atmosphere became.

Checkpoints were set up on the official road, but they weren't manned by government soldiers. Instead, groups of men with yellow turbans wrapped around their heads and wielding a motley assortment of weapons were inspecting travelers.

Though their clothing was disorganized, their eyes were fierce and carried a sense of Evil Qi; they were clearly no ordinary bandits.

Yu Xuzi restrained his aura, appearing no different from an ordinary wandering Daoist. He passed the inspection smoothly and arrived outside Qichuan County.

On the city walls, the Black Bird Royal Banner of the Yu Kingdom had been torn down and replaced with massive yellow flags bearing the words "Huang Tian."

The city gates were wide open, and many people were entering and leaving, a scene starkly different from the refugees seen along the way.

This was because over a dozen large porridge sheds had been set up in the open space outside the city, and the aroma of steaming rice porridge filled the air.

Countless gaunt and sallow-faced commoners stood in long lines, staring longingly at the bubbling porridge pots.

Some cult members with yellow turbans were maintaining order nearby, loudly preaching:

"Fellow countrymen, the Yu Kingdom is without Dao, and its officials are like tigers!"

"The leader of our Yellow Heaven Cult is the son of the huang tian supreme god. He follows the will of heaven and has come specifically to save you commoners!"

"As long as you join the Yellow Heaven Cult, we shall eat together and clothe ourselves together..."

The voice was resonant and highly inflammatory.

Many commoners who received porridge knelt and kowtowed, shouting "Huang Tian bless us."

Even more young men were being led to the side to be registered, clearly a recruitment post.

"Buying people's hearts—a direct method indeed."

Yu Xuzi sneered inwardly.

To starving people in a chaotic world, a bowl of thin porridge could buy their life-long loyalty.

As for how the chaos began or how the famine was created?

That was not their concern.

His gaze swept over the porridge sheds, past the fanatical cultists and commoners, and finally rested next to the recruitment post.

Upon a temporary wooden platform.

The most people were gathered around the platform, and the atmosphere there was the most fanatical.

Standing on the platform was a man in his thirties wearing yellow Daoist robes. He had a lean, capable face and sharp eyes, and was surrounded by several burly guards.

This person's aura... Yu Xuzi paused. He actually felt a faint ripple of magic power from this man!

Although it was nowhere near as pure as his own—as if the man had only just succeeded in his cultivation—it was undeniably the unique aura of a Cultivator.

"A Cultivator!"

Yu Xuzi's pupils constricted. "No wonder the Yellow Heaven Cult dares to rebel and does not fear the Yu Kingdom's State Preceptors Mansion. It turns out there are actually Cultivators among their high-ranking members!"