The map of the Shushan World in the Central Earth portion is consistent with traditional Chinese history, similar to the Eurasian Continent, but only the East Asia part is a complete match.

The continent is surrounded by oceans on all sides, with the North Sea being the smallest, stretching all the way to the furthest North Pole Mountain, and even the perpetually dark Long Night Island is tens of thousands of miles away. The East Sea is the largest, with the Great Wilderness Mountain at its edge, and the South Sea is the furthest, ending at the Southern Pole Bright Realm, where it has been in eternal daylight for millions of years, more than a million miles away from Central Earth.

The Central Earth Continent itself, since the times of Nuwa and Fu Xi, who successively pioneered civilization with matriarchal and patriarchal societies, has gone through the age of the Three Emperors and Five Sovereigns, the three generations of Xia Qi, the prosperous eras of the Han and Tang dynasties, all the way to the Song and Yuan dynasties. It is now the late Ming Dynasty.

In a few years, the Ming Dynasty will fall, the Manchu will enter the pass, and at the time the Shushan Chronicle begins, it is the second year of Kangxi.

When he first read the book, Shi Feiyang was very puzzled. Within Shushan, many chivalrous individuals were unwilling to be ruled by different ethnic groups during the transitions between the Song-Yuan and Ming-Qing dynasties. They even faced persecution and eventually retreated to remote areas to hide, spending generations to build a utopia.

There were also those who met Immortals and became Sword Immortals, yet while they were mortals, they held onto their homeland and fought against foreign invaders without hesitation, spilling their blood. However, once they became Sword Immortals, they seemed to forget all about the Human World and only partook in the fighting among Sword Immortals. They did indeed return to the Mortal World to accumulate good deeds, to manage disasters, to eliminate the wicked, and even to slay corrupt officials, but they never involved themselves in matters of dynasty changes.

Otherwise, characters like Caiwei Monk Zhu Youmu, a royal descendant of the Ming Dynasty, with his mana, truly had the power to move mountains and seas. With merely a wave of his hand, he could uproot a mountain and throw it elsewhere; his mentor, Bai Mei Zen Master, was even more formidable, the ceiling of Shushan's combat strength, a super-first-class Buddhist leader. If he had participated in the resistance to overthrow the Qing Dynasty and restore the Ming, what could the Manchus have possibly done to resist?

Was there really a predestined fate?

After meeting Situ Ding, Shi Feiyang thought of this and became somewhat curious about this Hundred Households Military Officer who could wield a Flying Sword. According to the evolution of events, how did he end up dying in the end? Or did his entire family encounter disaster…

It was a pity that he had always studied Yi Shu for its principles and not put much effort into divination. Now, in his heart, he quietly constructed a model of the past, present, and future as if setting up three sets of divinatory trigrams, attempting to predict Situ Ding's future fate. The outcome he arrived at was no longer that of an entire family dying tragically.

Was his own ability insufficient? Or had Situ Ding's fate changed because he encountered me?

Since it changed, is the destined still considered destiny? Or was I myself a part of that preordained fate?

But if it was during the Wanli reign period, then Zhu Zaiyu should still be alive, right?!

Shi Feiyang thought a lot in his mind, but his demeanor remained calm and unaffected, "I usually cultivate in peace overseas, seldom setting foot in Central Earth. I hope you won't mind my asking you about local customs and human sentiments."

Situ Ding was a picture of flattery and surprise, bowing profusely again and again, "Encountering a True Immortal like you is a blessing that commoners like us couldn't have accumulated enough good fortune to deserve in several lifetimes. We burn incense daily and pray to the heavens, hoping to see a True Immortal once in our lifetimes. Not to mention, just a moment ago, you saved my life. For such a life-saving grace, akin to being given a second birth, I dare not show the slightest disrespect. In my heart, there is only profound respect, and I curse my inability to do more to repay your great kindness. Whatever you command, I am prepared to go through fire and water, and it would be my absolute honor. Asking about some local customs is nothing; I would not hesitate to give my life if you asked for it!"

Shi Feiyang felt this guy knew how to behave, seeing the sincerity in his expression, and so he conversed with him a bit more. Finally, he said, "There is an ancient demon beast in this lake named Gun. I wish to subdue it. I'm worried that if it is driven into a corner, it might lash out in desperation, causing a flood tens of feet high that could drown the nearby villages. I am hesitant because of not wanting to harm the innocents. If you can lend me a hand, we can ensure absolute safety."

Situ Ding heard the words and said with a touch of excitement, "To slay demons and suppress devils is the lifelong wish of our clan. To be of service to the Immortal is precisely what I've been seeking."

Shi Feiyang raised his hand and released the Mica Tent, transforming it into milk-white clouds that enveloped an area of several miles, covering Yan Lake and the surrounding region. He then chose a high peak and instructed Situ Ding to stand there, "When you see the creature rise up, send your Flying Sword to slay it."

Situ Ding widened his eyes and peered downwards, his face filled with difficulty, "Senior, please forgive my incapability. The mist is too thick, I can't even see the pine tree a yard away..."

Shi Feiyang laughed heartily, "You don't need to worry about that. When the time comes, you'll naturally be able to see. Besides, no matter what strange things you see or what sounds you hear, don't pay them any mind. However, there's one thing; the demon has cultivated its Dao Level for several thousand years, you certainly can't match it, and there may come a time when your life is in danger."

Situ Ding puffed up his chest, "My father was from Qiji Army and I have long since looked beyond life and death. If I can save the thousands of families around us, even sacrificing my own life is worth it!"

"Good! Good!" Shi Feiyang exclaimed twice, then flew to the north, also finding a high ground for himself.

He found a large rock and with a swipe of his hand, being of Dragon Body himself, a rub of his hands possessed the force of ten thousand tonnes. Stone powder scattered, and in a moment, he had smoothed it all out. He flew onto it, sat down with his legs crossed, and started to play the Cave Spirit Zither.

This time, he was plucking the strings of the zither with his hands. The tune was "Joy," cheerful and melodious, with each musical note like a frolicsome child skipping home from school, brimming with life and freedom.

As the sound of the zither filled the air, the surface of the water also started to ripple and dance, first with small ripples as if fine rain were gently sprinkling down. Gradually, the ripples grew denser and beads of water began to leap from the surface, resembling fresh springs gushing and splattering on rocks.

His playing of the zither was not insignificant, for the sound waves enveloped the whole of Yan Lake. Around the lake, not a single sound could be heard, while within the lake, the sound traveled clearly to the very bottom.

The creatures within the lake—fish, turtles, shrimps, crabs—all became lively along with the music, darting back and forth, even jumping out of the water.

Meanwhile, in the Red Valley Stone Prison at the bottom of the lake, the divine figure God Gong felt his heart startle and his thoughts scatter at the rise of the music, and quickly mustered his Effort to resist. He had eight thousand years' Effort, and for the time being, the Cave Spirit Zither could not trouble him.

Soon, the piece "Joy" finished and the tune shifted to "Golden Snake Dance." Shi Feiyang played extremely fast, linking note to note and harmony to harmony. The dense sound shot into the water, turning the water into serpentine streams that stood vertically, writhing and leaping. Ultimately, the water burst into chaos like successive Water Bombs exploding, generating a multitude of bubbles until it seemed as though the entire Yan Lake boiled over.

At this, God Gong could no longer bear it. He let out a thunderous roar underwater, activating his Dan Qi to stir up the thousands of acres of lake, raising twenty-eight gigantic water columns each several yards in diameter and a hundred yards high, moving and rumbling as they searched for the source of the sound, ready to lock on their target.

However, Shi Feiyang's Immortal Law was exceedingly ingenious, having already merged the source of sound into nature. The zither music reverberated with no exact point of origin. As he sat there, God Gong's Divine Sense swept over the lake for the time it takes to brew a cup of tea, but he couldn't find the source of the sound. And still being attacked by the music, his circulation felt as though each vein danced accordingly. He felt as if the blood within him had also become tiny snakes, writhing and leaping within his veins and muscles. A while later, even his Dan Qi turned serpentine, uncontrollably darting throughout his body.

God Gong had no choice but to withdraw his Divine Sense and concentrate on internal defense. The twenty-eight water columns collapsed thunderously, crashing onto the lake's surface, and whipped up towering waves.

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