Chapter 118: The Yellow Weasel Bows Before the Temple of the True Lord

In the Western Aparagodaniya continent, the landscape is a tapestry of rolling mountains and winding rivers, dotted with countless small states. Cities here are often referred to as nations.

On this day, in the state of Qindao, before the Temple of the True Lord.

The elderly temple keeper appeared quite nervous. Standing before the temple, he seemed to be watching for something, his mind clearly elsewhere. Qindao was little more than a single city, so the news of the frequent theft of lamp oil from the True Lord’s temple had spread quickly.

Seeing the old man’s state, someone couldn’t help but remark, "Old man, haven't you caught the thief yet? Why not just report it to the authorities? The True Lord sits high upon his pedestal; surely he wouldn't concern himself with such trivial matters."

"Go on with you! You young pup, don't speak of what you don't understand. I am waiting here today because the True Lord appeared in my dreams and told me that the little oil thief would come to present himself."

Hearing this, the man found it curious and decided not to leave. He squatted down in front of the temple, determined to see if this supposed thief would actually show up.

A couple of hours passed. Many came to the temple to pay their respects to the True Lord, but the thief was nowhere to be seen. The temple keeper’s heart began to falter, wondering if he had merely had a foolish dream.

Suddenly, his gaze sharpened. He saw a yellow-furred sable, as agile and intelligent as a human, approaching from a hundred paces away. It moved with a kowtow at every step, as if on a pilgrimage to pay homage to the Compassionate True Lord Who Rescues from Calamity.

"What a large sable! This creature has gained intelligence."
"It’s bowing to the True Lord. Could it have become a spirit?"

Huang Feng had arrived as promised to confess his transgressions before the temple. His actions drew a crowd, who watched with wide, astonished eyes.

As Huang Feng made his way, several visiting merchants stood among the crowd, their eyes gleaming with greed. Such a large sable—if captured and skinned, it would surely fetch a fortune. Thinking this, they prepared to step out of the crowd, clutching clubs, intent on seizing the creature.

"What are you lot doing? This sable has come to ask the True Lord for forgiveness! The True Lord is watching!" the temple keeper shouted, his face flushed with anger.

The merchants ignored him, their eyes fixed on the profit before them. One of them scoffed, "What True Lord is watching? He’s just a clay statue; you actually believe in that? Finders keepers—hey, what are you doing?"

As the man spoke, he felt a sharp pain in his waist; his companion had pinched him. He looked up, only to find himself surrounded by townspeople with hostile expressions. He panicked. In Qindao, named for its reverence to the Way, the people’s faith was deep, especially after the recent manifestations of Hu Yan and others. They could not tolerate such blatant disrespect toward the Compassionate True Lord Who Rescues from Calamity.

Faced with the angry crowd, the merchants’ desire to catch the sable vanished. Not daring to even mumble a complaint, they fled. They did not realize that the townspeople’s actions had, in fact, saved them from a great calamity.

Huang Feng’s gaze was dark as he watched them flee. Though he had promised Cao Kong he would do no more evil, he would not have been lenient had those men truly attacked him. He kowtowed once more on the prayer mat before the clay statue, then shook his body and transformed into a gust of yellow wind, disappearing from sight. The onlookers were stunned, viewing the event as a miracle.

As for the greedy merchants who had spoken disrespectfully of the True Lord, no one in the city would trade with them that evening, and no inn would offer them a room. They were forced to spend the night on the streets and, the following day, slunk out of Qindao in disgrace.

From that day on, the story of the sable that kowtowed to the True Lord and vanished into a yellow wind spread through every street and alley, becoming the talk of the town. Invisibly, the incense for the Compassionate True Lord Who Rescues from Calamity became even more firmly established.

***

In the Hidden Mist Mountains, Cao Kong watched these events with a smile. Feeling the depth of the people’s faith in him, a sense of responsibility grew within his heart. Since they worshipped him with such sincerity, he would protect this land from natural disasters and demonic calamities.

However, he felt a headache coming on. The incense for the Compassionate True Lord was growing, but the statue looked exactly like him. It would be quite inconvenient if he were to walk among mortals in the future. After a moment of contemplation, he decided to take on a different appearance when he manifested in the future, though there was no immediate rush.

His expression shifted as he noticed Huang Feng had returned to the Hidden Mist Mountains. The creature was cozying up to Cao Xiang and the others, volunteering for chores like tending to spiritual herbs and weeding the soil.

"This little sable, I wonder what his game is," Cao Kong murmured, shaking his head. He chose to ignore it; after all, his own attainment of the Samadhi realm originated from Huang Feng, so it would be improper to drive him away. Besides, Huang Feng had a powerful background, and Cao Kong had no desire to involve himself in such matters.

He sat with his heart focused, clearing away all stray thoughts. To quiet the mind and remain unmoved is the essence of "Samadhi," also known as "Sitting in Oblivion." It was a marvelous method of cultivation that complemented the gathering of the world’s energy, aiding both his practice and his understanding of the Dao, perfectly suited for the cultivation of the Fire Rising to the Origin. By drawing upon the fire energy of the south, he fueled the growth of his internal Cinnabar fire essence and propelled his Daoist cultivation.

He continued to seek the "Yellow Matron." He could now walk over three hundred paces amidst the howling wind and sand, and this was not his limit—his limit was four hundred paces without breaking the integrity of his Golden Core. This progress reflected the steady rise of his cultivation.

When Cao Kong opened his eyes again, two hours had passed.

"The Yellow Matron, the Yellow Matron... truly hard to find," he sighed. It had taken him ten years to find the "Wood Mother," yet decades had passed, and the Yellow Matron remained elusive. "So be it. The path is long and difficult, but if one persists, one will eventually arrive."

That evening, Huang Feng approached Cao Kong, looking bashful. "True Lord?"

Cao Kong feigned confusion. "What is it? Why do you still linger in my Hidden Mist Mountains?"

Huang Feng swallowed hard. "You said before that the oil was a small matter, but the theft was a great one. I have resolved to steal no more and do no more evil. Might you grant me some lamp oil to eat? I smelled it yesterday... it smelled so good. I... I can work for you."

Cao Kong couldn't help but laugh. He could see that Huang Feng’s cultivation was profound—likely having refined the three treasures of essence, energy, and spirit, or he would not have had the power to blow away Zhu Gang with a single breath. Yet, with such power, he remained obsessed with lamp oil. It was a testament to the strange nature of all living things, blending natural instinct with human desire.

"Very well," Cao Kong said. "I shall grant you half a catty of lamp oil."

Huang Feng beamed, bowing with his hands together. To him, it was not that he couldn't take human form, but he felt more at ease in his beast form.

For over a month, Huang Feng lived in the Hidden Mist Mountains, working for oil and practicing diligently. In this daily companionship, Cao Kong observed him closely.

Then, one day, without him even realizing it, the energy within his body stirred and the wind rose. Wind stirred in his liver, was controlled by his gallbladder, and circulated through his triple burner, following the cycle of the Great Heavenly Circuit.

And thus, the Samadhi Divine Wind was born.

Cao Kong: "..."

He really hadn't meant to copy it.