Exorcist Master - Chapter 82 - Sacred Mountain in Myanmar (Part XXXVI)

A group of people lay on the ground, panting heavily.

After resting for a while, the injured checked their wounds. Fortunately, they were only superficial and showed no signs of infection. With some simple disinfection and bandaging, they were not in much trouble.

Settling down, Chen Shaoxian felt a bit hungry. Glancing at his watch, he saw it was already 4 AM. He discussed with Song Yumu and decided to have a meal and rest for a while.

Everyone pulled out their rations and gulped them down with cold water. Song Yumu nudged Chen Shaoxian and asked, “Shaoxian, why did the Mahoraga help us?”

The others were curious as well, their eyes fixed on Chen Shaoxian. Thomas, in particular, moved closer, looking at Chen Shaoxian like a child eager for a story.

Chen Shaoxian pondered for a moment and said, “Maybe it’s gratitude.” Then recalling the yellowish hue on the Mahoraga’s shedding spot, he added, “This Mahoraga is about to become an Immortal.”

This statement left everyone startled. Song Yumu exclaimed in astonishment, “There really are Immortals in this world.”

If Chen Shaoxian had mentioned this to Song Yumu before, Song would have thought he was crazy. But after everything that had happened, Song Yumu had no choice but to believe.

Chen Shaoxian scanned the crowd. He saw their mouths agape, and some still had food in their mouths, especially Thomas, who had drool trickling down his chin. So he nudged closer to Song Yumu and said, “I honestly don’t know if there are Immortals, but by ‘Immortal,’ I mean a transformation, you could say a form of transcendence.”

Everyone responded with a collective “Oh,” but their eyes remained fixed on Chen Shaoxian.

Seeing this, Chen Shaoxian realized he needed to explain further. After sipping some water to moisten his throat, he continued, “Every species has a fixed lifespan. For humans, it’s actually possible to live to one hundred twenty or one hundred fifty, but few reach that age. Generally, eighty or ninety is considered long-lived, which relates to both innate and acquired factors.”

“People with strong innate constitutions can easily live longer with proper conditioning, but most people have deficiencies either inherently or in their lifestyles.”

“Ancient people, in their quest for longevity, observed the natural world and devised numerous methods to strengthen their bodies and thus achieve a prolonged life. Over time, our ancestors discovered that among these methods, some not only fortified the body but also replenished inherent deficiencies and nurtured acquired energies. With time, these practices could lead to a transformation that elevated life itself.”

“This elevation was not just about extending one’s lifespan; it also resonated with nature and allowed practitioners to master exotic techniques, akin to supernatural abilities. The ancients referred to this method as ‘Dao,’ and those who achieved it were known as ‘immortals.'”

“Moreover, this transformation was not a singular event but occurred multiple times, each ascension bringing numerous benefits, the greatest of which was longevity. Legends speak of figures like Peng Zu, who lived to the age of eight hundred, and Zhang Sanfeng, who reached two hundred and twelve. More recently, there have been modern discoveries of sages living up to five hundred years, and many who have lived past one hundred seventy-eight. These individuals are also referred to as ‘immortals.'”

Chen Shaoxian took a bite of his dry food and sipped a little water before continuing, “The reason I say that Mahoraga has become an immortal is that it has reached a transformative phase. I noticed its newly grown skin has turned yellow, and after its transformation, Mahoraga no longer belongs to the serpent class but can be called a ‘loong’.”

This revelation left everyone in astonishment.

Chen Shaoxian went on, “All beings can cultivate the ‘Dao’; the methods and difficulties just differ. Serpents are Yin, and Mahoraga, being of extreme Yin, finds transformation easier than ordinary serpents. Of course, this is relative; other serpents must first achieve extreme Yin, which is a rare and precious state for them.”

“In fact, this Mahoraga is barely clinging to life, lacking the energy to confront us further, or else we would have perished back on that concrete platform.”

“This Mahoraga can only survive through another transformation, but I didn’t expect that it has already reached the stage of transforming into a loong.”

“Normally, this Mahoraga would be awaiting its end, because to transform at this level, it needs to find something with extreme Yang, which for Mahoraga, is nearly impossible.”

“When we fired that signal flare, the Mahoraga chased after it, swallowing it despite the high temperature. This surprised me. I hadn’t realized that the signal flare represented extreme Yang to the Mahoraga, and I only understood this when I saw it consume the flare.”

“This is why I wanted to spare it. It has had such a hard journey, and perhaps fate brought us together. It wasn’t meant to die, or maybe the heavens arranged for us to help it. There is a destiny in the unseen.”

“If we had taken its life just for ourselves, we might not be here now,” Chen Shaoxian reflected, “You reap what you sow.”

Chen Shaoxian noticed Thomas’s eyes darting around and smiled knowingly at him, saying, “Dear Thomas, I advise you not to target the Mahoraga. After transforming into a loong, even a tank won’t help you.”

Thomas indeed had intentions toward the Mahoraga. Embarrassed that Chen Shaoxian had read his mind, he quickly said he wouldn’t dare.

Yet, Chen Shaoxian kept smiling at him, making Thomas uneasy. He quickly swore that he would not seek out the Mahoraga.

Only then did Chen Shaoxian let him off the hook. He genuinely meant well for Thomas, as trouble with the Mahoraga could end him without knowing how. There was much Chen Shaoxian hadn’t explained, and revealing everything could drive everyone mad.

“In fact, we’ve gained a lot-not just escaping danger, but also carrying the scent of the Mahoraga. From now on, insects and rodents will avoid us, and more importantly, malevolent spirits won’t invade our bodies,” Chen Shaoxian shared, throwing a welcome surprise to the group.

Chen Shaoxian looked at Song Yumu and the others and said, “I hope that once we return, no one will speak of the Mahoraga. Fate allowed us to aid in its transformation for a reason. I don’t want to speculate too much, but I will say that there’s divine retribution for our actions.”

Just as he finished speaking, a thunderclap echoed through the cavern, and Thomas turned pale, relieved that he had abandoned any thought of pursuing the Mahoraga.

Chen Shaoxian thoughtfully gazed toward the source of the thunder and mused, “It turns out to be true.”