Mountain Serenity as a Dojo

"Click."

With a soft sound, Jiang Sheng sheathed his sword.

The dark clouds had scattered completely. The moon shone bright amid sparse stars. Jiang Sheng said, "The tiger demon has been eliminated. You two can rest in this Mountain God Temple for the night. Head down the mountain early tomorrow."

The old man snapped awake from that immortal tableau and hurriedly asked, "Daoist, where are you going?"

"This place has clear mountains, beautiful waters, and abundant life. It is an excellent place indeed. This poor Daoist intends to establish a Daoist temple here as a place to settle." As he spoke, Jiang Sheng lifted the tiger demon's thirty-foot corpse and sprang into the air, streaking toward the mountaintop.

The old man and his young grandson watched Jiang Sheng effortlessly carry away the tiger demon's corpse, huge as a small mountain, and could not help sighing. "He truly is one among immortals!"

"Grandson, you must study hard and learn your letters well. If you ever get the chance to enter the Daoist's tutelage and learn even thirty percent of his skill, your grandfather would dare ask for nothing more."

The next morning, the red sun had just risen.

A thin mist had already risen through the forest, while clouds and fog coiled around the mountaintop, obscuring one's vision.

Jiang Sheng sat cross-legged upon a smooth stone slab, watching the great sun slowly rise above the sea of clouds. Morning clouds reflected against the mist, rays of rosy light streamed forth, and birds sang in the air.

It was time for morning practice.

Practitioners of the orthodox mystic path often gathered morning glow at dawn and moonlight at dusk.

The morning sets the course for the day. The spiritual essence of heaven and earth contained within the violet qi of dawn was the gentlest, and also the easiest spiritual qi to absorb.

Jiang Sheng drew in the violet qi of dawn and circulated it through his heavenly cycle, refining strand after strand into pure spiritual power within his dantian. Only after three quarters of an hour did this practice come to an end.

He slowly exhaled a breath of turbid air, ending his cultivation and rising to his feet. The great sun cast down countless rays of light. Standing atop the mountain, wreathed in clouds and mist, Jiang Sheng seemed like a divine being standing above the clouds beneath that golden radiance. "It is time to build a Daoist temple."

Any Dao Sect disciple who successfully established their foundation would build a Daoist temple outside the sect as their own Daoist ground.

On one hand, it made it convenient for them to share the sect's burdens beyond its gates. On the other, it allowed disciples to cultivate and train on their own, tempering their resolve in preparation for the great path of the Golden Core Realm.

Most Dao Sect disciples were scattered abroad in this manner, whether they were in the Dao Foundation Realm or the Purple Mansion Realm. Jiang Sheng was no exception.

"Qingping Mountain stretches twelve hundred li from end to end. Its mountains are fair, its waters lovely, birds and beasts gather in flocks, life flourishes, and spiritual veins lie hidden beneath the surface. What a fine place!"

"No wonder that tiger demon had occupied this place and refused to leave. Cultivating here, reaching the Purple Mansion Realm would hardly be difficult." Jiang Sheng murmured, then turned and walked down the mountain.

From the summit to the halfway point was no more than riding the wind down for a cultivator like Jiang Sheng, who had already forged his Dao foundation. It was effortless.

Yet when Jiang Sheng reached the mountainside, he discovered that the place had become exceptionally lively.

The original Mountain God Temple had been torn down by a group of strong young men. Now, quite a few people were enthusiastically laying bricks and setting tiles, seemingly building something.

The old man from yesterday was speaking to a prosperous-looking middle-aged man in brocade robes. When he saw Jiang Sheng arrive, he immediately cried, "The Daoist has come! The Daoist has come!"

Hearing this, the brocade-robed man turned and looked. The newcomer seemed to be around twenty.

His face was fair as jade, his eyes bright as stars. He wore a blue Daoist robe, his hair tied in a Daoist topknot, and stood straight and elegant as an immortal crane.

He was truly handsome and striking, with an extraordinary bearing!

At a glance, the man knew this Daoist was no ordinary person!

Thus, the middle-aged man immediately stepped forward and bowed. "Tian Guofu, on behalf of the thousand households of Qingping Town, thanks you, Daoist!"

Jiang Sheng frowned slightly. Just as he was about to step back, Tian Guofu said, "Daoist, you may not know this, but that vicious tiger occupied Qingping Mountain. Before and after it became a demon, none can say how many lives it claimed from Qingping Town! It was not as though we had never invited cultivators to deal with it, but all of them ultimately perished in that vile tiger's jaws."

"By eliminating that vicious tiger, Daoist, you have avenged the thousand households of Qingping Town. Everyone in the town is overwhelmed with gratitude!"

"I heard that Daoist intends to establish a Daoist temple here. As Qingping Town's mayor, Tian has already called upon the townspeople to voluntarily build a Daoist ground for you, Daoist, as a small token of our gratitude."

Jiang Sheng glanced at the old man, then at the earnest Tian Guofu before him. After a moment of silence, he nodded. "Then I shall trouble Mayor Tian."

"Not at all, not at all. It is enough that we can ease the Daoist's burdens." Tian Guofu spoke with great sincerity, his manner practically humble.

As the mayor of an entire town, Tian Guofu could act so humbly despite not knowing Jiang Sheng's origins or identity. Jiang Sheng was certain it was not merely because he possessed cultivation, but because Tian Guofu had something else he sought!

Jiang Sheng remained calm and spoke unhurriedly. "To be frank with Mayor Tian, this poor Daoist slew the tiger demon last night only because it had occupied Qingping Mountain and taken the Daoist ground I had chosen long ago. It was not because of however many lives it had devoured. Does Mayor Tian understand?"

Tian Guofu paused, then smiled. "No matter the reason, Daoist has removed a scourge from Qingping Town. Since ancient times, one judges deeds, not hearts. Daoist has vanquished demons and defended the Dao, and such merits are yours. What need is there to speak of the reason?"

Jiang Sheng looked at Tian Guofu, and Tian Guofu looked back at Jiang Sheng. The two seemed to be confronting one another, yet also probing for something.

After a long while, Jiang Sheng finally broke the silence with a smile. "Mayor Tian is quite an interesting man. This poor Daoist is named Jiang Sheng, and I am from Penglai."

Tian Guofu looked at Jiang Sheng in surprise. "So Daoist Jiang is a great adept from Penglai!"

Jiang Sheng gestured with his hand. Tian Guofu naturally fell into step beside him, and the two chatted as they headed toward the forest to one side.

Morning dew still clung to the trees in the woods. Now and then, a light breeze stirred, carrying the fresh air of the mountain straight toward them.

Jiang Sheng casually asked, "Mayor Tian knows of Penglai?"

Tian Guofu explained, "Of course I have heard of it. Or rather, who in the Qi Kingdom has not heard of Penglai?"

"They say Penglai lies in the Eastern Sea, a true orthodox mystic sect, a land of Daoist immortals. There are immortals who ride clouds and mist, who move mountains and sever rivers! I have long admired it from afar."

Jiang Sheng nodded, as though acknowledging Tian Guofu's words. "Then how did Mayor Tian decide that this poor Daoist truly is a Penglai cultivator, rather than some swindler? Because that old man said I slew the vicious tiger, Mayor Tian believed him?"

Tian Guofu chuckled. "I am not a blind fool, either. How could Daoist Jiang's bearing possibly be possessed by those wandering Daoists who cheat and swindle?"

"Besides, the traces before the Mountain God Temple cannot be faked, and neither can the death of that vicious tiger. If Daoist Jiang truly were a swindler, then I would simply accept it."

"Heh!"

Jiang Sheng could not help but laugh. "This humble Daoist was right—Mayor Tian, you truly are a fascinating man. You were so humble just now, taking the initiative to thank me and even offering to build a Daoist temple for me. Could it be that you have something to ask of me?"

Tian Guofu's smile grew even more sincere. "Nothing can escape the Daoist Master's discerning eye."

"Perhaps you do not know, Daoist Master, that Qingping Town bears this name not only because of Qingping Mountain, but also because of the Taiping River. With mountains and water alike, Qingping Town's thousand households have their vitality."

As he spoke, weariness and conflict surfaced on Tian Guofu's face. "But Qingping Mountain has vicious tigers, and the Taiping River is not so peaceful either..."

Gentlemen, following a new book is very important. It determines whether it can receive recommendations and whether it can continue. Simply flipping to the final page each day is the greatest support you can give Linyuan. My thanks, gentlemen.