Venerable Sage Gong Temple

Chapter 39: Venerable Sage Temple

Flower Fox was still a little confused. "There's the Immortal Ape Qi Cultivation Chapter, but without a teacher, we can't learn it either," she said.

Su Yun flipped through the Immortal Ape Qi Cultivation Chapter as he continued walking. Thoughts of his experiences in another world behind the Heavenly Gate surfaced in his mind, filling him with a surge of courage. "Then I'll be your teacher and teach you the Immortal Ape Qi Cultivation Chapter."

The little foxes looked worried.

Being a teacher wasn't something anyone could do.

If one misunderstood the cultivation method, not only would they practice it incorrectly themselves, but they would also pass it on to their disciples, causing great harm!

However, Flower Fox and the others understood Su Yun's intentions. Yuanjia Ridge would discover Yuan Wu's body sooner or later and would surely hunt them down.

Know yourself and your enemy, and you will win a hundred battles. Understanding Yuanjia Ridge's cultivation method now would be a precaution!

The road ahead was covered in snow and very difficult to traverse. Su Yun dressed warmly and, with Flower Fox and the others, trudged through the snow, walking several miles before becoming breathless with exhaustion.

The snow was waist-deep, making it impossible to see Flower Fox, Qingqiu Yue, and the others while walking.

Moreover, it began snowing again.

The sky, which had been clear moments ago, was now filled with swirling snow. To make matters worse, the sky was growing darker and darker.

"Now that it's snowing, we don't have to worry about being chased," Su Yun said.

He breathed a sigh of relief, took out the Immortal Rope, and tossed it into the air. The four little figures in the snow leaped up, grabbed the rope, and were lifted into the sky.

Su Yun also grabbed the rope and ascended.

The Immortal Rope was an extraordinary treasure, but how to use it was the key. He had only figured out one way to use it: tossing the rope into the air.

This rope could carry them a distance of one rope's length. When thrown high into the air, the rope would unfurl forward.

When the rope shortened, it was just a seven-foot-long noose, barely long enough to hang from a tree and tie a knot for a person. But when it lengthened, it could reach seven hundred zhang. Therefore, one rope's length was seven hundred zhang.

Su Yun and the others stepped onto the rope and traveled seven hundred zhang forward before grabbing the end and sliding down.

It was colder at high altitudes, and they were so frozen they could barely hold onto the rope. Qingqiu Yue almost fell, but Su Yun caught her.

Upon landing, Su Yun said gravely, "The snow is vast, and it's still falling. The sky is gloomy, so the ape demons of Yuanjia Ridge definitely won't find our tracks!"

They continued to advance through the wind and snow. Hu Buping, finding it too slow to walk in human form, took off his clothes, packed them in his bag, and transformed back into a fox.

However, after a moment of burrowing in the snow, the little fox demon transformed back into a child demon and quietly put his clothes back on.

Li Xiaofan quietly asked, and Hu Buping remained silent for a moment before saying, "It's cold. My butt and ears are freezing."

Flower Fox teased, "It's easy to go from frugality to luxury, but hard to go from luxury to frugality. You used to not wear any clothes in winter, but now that you've worn them, it's hard to take them off."

After walking another six or seven miles, the sky grew increasingly dim. Su Yun, being tall, looked around and, through the dim wind and snow, spotted a low-hanging lintel.

Snow covered the temple, and from a distance, only the white roof was visible, blending with the surroundings. The lintel, free of snow, was still somewhat recognizable.

They walked towards the temple against the wind and snow. Upon reaching it, Su Yun looked up. The snow on the plaque made the characters difficult to discern.

He opened his mouth and blew, scattering the snow. The words "Venerable Sage Temple" were revealed.

Su Yun breathed a sigh of relief. "The Venerable Sage Temple enshrines the Sages of Confucianism. Confucian Sages conduct themselves righteously, so we should be safe here for the night."

He reached out and knocked on the door, but after a long while, there was no answer. He then pushed the door open and went inside.

The courtyard of the Venerable Sage Temple was not large. Besides the main hall, there were east and west wings. The east wing was where the temple keeper kept firewood and cooked, while the west wing was for guests to stay and rest.

Su Yun led Flower Fox and the others to the main hall. Inside, they saw a statue of a Confucian Sage, bowing with one hand holding a book and the other pointing at the text, as if asking for guidance or explaining it to someone.

Su Yun found incense beneath the altar, lit it, and placed it in the censer. Everyone bowed to the Confucian Sage before exiting the hall.

He and Flower Fox went to the east wing to gather some dry firewood, while Qingqiu Yue and Hu Buping tidied up the rooms in the west wing. There were no bedding, so they just cleaned and swept away the dust.

Su Yun set up a small bonfire, lit it, and then placed a simple rack over it, putting a small pot on top.

Flower Fox brought a large snowball and placed it in the pot. The snowball gradually melted.

Su Yun took out a Luomou from his bag and roasted it by the fire until it exuded the aroma of dough and eggs. He then distributed it to everyone.

They ate it all in large bites. The water had boiled again, and they each drank some. Hu Buping went to the door to check the weather outside and saw that it was getting late, but the wind and snow had gradually stopped.

The sky after the snow was not dark; instead, they could faintly see into the distance.

"Close the door, close the door!"

Everyone behind him urged, "It's so cold! Don't let the cold wind in!"

Hu Buping stood at the door and looked back, saying, "It's so lively outside!"

Everyone was surprised. Su Yun stepped forward and looked out of the dilapidated temple wall. The area outside the temple was indeed bright and lively.

About a hundred paces from the temple was a large mansion, covering more than ten mu. It was brightly lit, with sounds of music and laughter coming from within, as if a banquet was being held, with people drinking and enjoying themselves.

Not far away, another mansion, like a palace, was filled with singing and laughter. They could vaguely see people coming and going, and carriages and horses like a dragon.

In the distance, on the snow-covered plains and mountains that were desolate during the day, palaces and large houses rose from the ground, brilliantly lit and bustling with activity.

There were also maids and young masters who came out to admire the snow and play in it under the cover of night, while children were having snowball fights in the snow, causing the foxes beside Su Yun to stir and want to run out into the snow to frolic.

However, this scenery, these houses, were not visible during the day. At night, they seemed to appear from nowhere, making it particularly eerie.

"Those are the large tombs we saw during the day."

Su Yun looked around and guessed, "It's probably nighttime, and the spirits have come out to play."

Just then, a knocking sound came from outside the temple. Someone asked, "Venerable Sage Gong, Venerable Sage Gong! Are you home?"

"What is it?" a voice replied from the east wing.

The fur of the four little demon children around Su Yun stood on end. Flower Fox trembled, "There's clearly no one in the east wing..."

Faintly, they heard the sound of a door opening. Someone outside the temple said, "I am from the East Mausoleum. My master says the snowy scenery is beautiful and invites Venerable Sage Gong to visit. My master has prepared fine wine and delicacies, and the seat is ready. Please inform him."

"Wait a moment, I'll go inform him."

Footsteps approached, growing closer, passing by the front of the west wing. Su Yun and the others saw no one, only hearing the footsteps gradually move toward the main hall.

The sound of a door opening came from the main hall. It sounded like people were whispering inside.

After a moment, the footsteps returned, gradually drawing nearer, and went to the temple gate.

"The Sage says that we have guests staying in the west wing. If the host were to leave for a banquet, it would be disrespectful to the guests and violate etiquette. Therefore, we must decline. Please forgive us, Master of the East Mausoleum."

"That's a pity. My master has also invited several other Sages this time."

"Which Sages are they?"

"Who else could be around? None other than Qinqi Shuhua."

"Allow me to inform him again."

A short while later, voices returned to the temple gate: "Please tell the Master of the East Mausoleum that the Sage will arrive shortly. We can only ask the guests in the west wing to bear with us."

"As long as the fire isn't extinguished, would anyone dare cause trouble in the Venerable Sage Temple?"

"That's true."

In the west wing, Su Yun and the four little fox demons exchanged glances.

At this moment, the main hall door opened. Su Yun quickly closed the door to the west wing. He heard the footsteps arrive at the west wing door and stop. The person and four foxes inside felt their hearts race, guarding the bonfire and not daring to move.

A deep, gentle voice came from outside the door: "A guest is staying overnight, and the host should not leave for a banquet. However, since it's an invitation from close friends, I cannot refuse. Please do not extinguish the bonfire tonight. As long as the flame is still here, I will be able to discern the temple's direction at night and arrive in an instant."

Footsteps sounded, the temple gate opened, and then closed.

By the bonfire, one person and four foxes stared at each other, silent for a long time.

Su Yun said, "I've been studying the Immortal Ape Qi Cultivation Chapter on the way and am almost done. You guys sleep first, I'll read a bit longer. In the latter half of the night, whoever wakes up can take my place."

Qingqiu Yue, Li Xiaofan, and Hu Buping each transformed into foxes and slept by the fire. Flower Fox took care of them. After a while, the three little fox demons fell asleep, and Flower Fox also gradually drifted into dreams.

The bonfire occasionally crackled, spitting out sparks.

Su Yun finally finished reading the Immortal Ape Qi Cultivation Chapter by the firelight. His heart stirred, and he mobilized his Origin Energy, carefully controlling his Blood Essence to enter his eyes.

Ever since he cultivated the sixth level of the Great Furnace Transformation, his Blood Essence had pushed back the Immortal Sword and the brand of Tianmen Town that blocked his pupils. However, neither the Immortal Sword nor Tianmen Town had disappeared; they remained superimposed on his vision!

If he didn't look closely, one wouldn't be able to see the abnormality in his eyes. But in Su Yun's view, what he saw, besides the world around him, was also flying Immortal Swords, the magnificent North Sea, and the never-destroyed Tianmen Town!

Of course, there were also the eight majestic Chao Tian Que that stood tall into the sky!

"Another world, here I come!"

Su Yun urged his Blood Essence, which surged towards the eight Chao Tian Que.

Last time, he couldn't see the form of the Chao Tian Que clearly, nor could he see how it opened the Heavenly Gate. This time, he finally saw it clearly.

He saw reliefs of divine beasts and strange creatures on the Chao Tian Que. When his Blood Essence approached, it was absorbed by the reliefs, and those reliefs actually began to transform into flesh and blood!

Before Su Yun could get a closer look, the eight Chao Tian Que were already activated!

All sorts of strange beasts and divine beasts on the Chao Tian Que came back to life, soaring into the sky and landing on the Heavenly Gate of Tianmen Town!

The Heavenly Gate changed, and light flowed out from the gates, converging on the central gate.

Buzz!

Su Yun felt a strange vibration. His vision turned white. As his sight gradually recovered, he found himself once again in another world behind the Heavenly Gate!

In the distance, immortal mountains loomed, immortal platforms floated in the clouds, and long stone bridges snaked like dragons in the clouds.