Sanqing Mountain Jade Talisman Grand Ceremony

That night, Lin Yuan watched SpongeBob SquarePants with Han Shuyu. As they watched, she drowsily fell asleep on the sofa.

Perhaps she was tired from crying earlier.

Lin Yuan gently carried her into the bedroom and tucked her in. Then, he lay down on the living room sofa by himself.

He took out his phone, opened Feixin, and sent his mother a message saying, "Not coming home tonight." Just as he was about to go to sleep, he was drawn in by the messages in the [Young Heroes Group].

At that moment, the chat was lively.

Lin Yuan scrolled through the messages one by one.

"Jade Talisman Grand Ceremony?"

The topic was initially brought up by Wu Zhongze of Wu Style Tai Chi.

In two days, Sanqing Mountain would be holding a grand ritual called the "Jade Talisman Grand Ceremony."

Wu Zhongze, whose elder relative practiced at Sanqing Palace, invited everyone to witness this grand Taoist event.

He mentioned in the group that many renowned figures from the Taoist community in Yuzhang Province would be attending, such as Zhang Xuanji from Longhu Mountain, Ge Chongxu from Yuxu Temple on Gexian Mountain, Li Songlin from Chongzhen Palace on Gezhao Mountain, and Deng Hongyu from Ziyang Nunnery on Magu Mountain...

Furthermore, he added that after the Jade Talisman Grand Ceremony, disciples from various sects would spar to test the results of their cultivation.

"So, is everyone interested?" Wu Zhongze followed up with a message in the group. "This is a great learning opportunity."

Yang Wanrou: "What a shame. I have a competition the day after tomorrow, otherwise I'd definitely go see it."

Yang Yikun: "I'm going, I'm going! I'll be the first to sign up. I want to see what these Taoists are really made of."

Wu Zihan sent a scornful emoji. "You? You won't even get a chance to get on stage."

"How strong can those Taoists be? They live in the mountains eating plain food every day. What kind of skills can they develop?"

Wu Zhongze: "Brother Yikun, you're completely mistaken if you think that. Not to mention you, I wouldn't even qualify to be on stage. Last year, I went with my great-grandfather to Longhu Mountain and sparred with an unknown young Taoist priest there. Guess who won?"

"Just tell us, don't keep us in suspense."

"I lost, and the opponent used less than ten moves."

Among their group, Wu Zhongze's martial arts level was at least in the top five.

His statement instantly silenced the group chat.

"Those Taoist priests who cultivate in the deep mountains aren't that simple. It's just that most of them aim for self-cultivation and don't like to compete fiercely."

"Brother Zhongze, I'll go too. I'm just free at home, and visiting Sanqing Mountain would be nice," Wu Zihan said. "I heard Sanqing Mountain is known as the 'Number One Immortal Mountain Under Heaven' and has many wonders."

"Sister Zihan is right. Sanqing Mountain is indeed a magical place with many natural wonders. When we get there, I guarantee you'll have your eyes opened."

"Is anyone else going?" Wu Zhongze continued to ask.

"I'm going too." Dong Yifan, who rarely spoke, suddenly sent a message.

Sun Xuemei immediately chimed in: "Brother Yifan, are you finally coming out of your shell?"

"..."

"Little Brother Wu, count me in."

Yang Yikun: "Sister Sun, this isn't a spur-of-the-moment decision, is it? [doge]"

"None of your business."

"Alright, so that's everyone who's going, right?"

At this moment, Lin Yuan sent a message, "I'm signing up."

"Brother Lin, great, great. Hearing about it is not as good as seeing it. We can get acquainted then."

"[Hands clasped in greeting]"

"Okay, then it's settled. The six of us will meet at the foot of Sanqing Mountain. Follow me in, and you won't need to buy tickets."

As a sacred site for Taoism in Yuzhang Province, Lin Yuan had naturally heard of Sanqing Mountain.

To ordinary people like them, Taoism carried a certain mysterious aura.

Although in history books, Taoism wasn't that fantastical, but rather a school of thought like other philosophical schools.

Yet, when people mentioned them later, it was easy to associate them with concepts like "qi cultivation for longevity" and "achieving immortality," which transcended worldly affairs.

Moreover, Taoism had indeed produced many legendary figures, such as Zhang Daoling, Chen Tuan, Lü Dongbin, Ge Xuan, and Zhang Sanfeng...

Therefore, he also wanted to go and broaden his horizons.

As the saying goes, "Read ten thousand books and travel ten thousand miles." This applies not only to scholars but also to martial artists, who need to travel more and interact with more people, rather than just staying closed off.

Sanqing Mountain is located at the border of Raoyang City and Yunchuan County.

The area where Lin Yuan's home is located is about five hundred kilometers away from Sanqing Mountain.

There were no direct trains, so Lin Yuan had to transfer midway.

They had agreed to meet at 7 AM on October 27th at the foot of Sanqing Mountain.

Therefore, Lin Yuan arrived in Raoyang City a day in advance.

By the time he arrived, it was already around 8 PM.

Lin Yuan first went to the city and found a seafood buffet restaurant to take care of his hunger.

But he didn't enjoy it fully because he couldn't stand the resentful gaze of the manager, so he left halfway, reluctantly.

He then wandered around Raoyang city, trying some of the local delicacies.

For example, Dengzhan Fruit and Maciguoe. These snacks were a bit like the rice cakes from his hometown, except his hometown's were simpler.

Different lands, different cuisines. Every place has its own unique food culture.

After filling his stomach, Lin Yuan bought a few bottles of water and put them in his backpack, then headed straight towards Sanqing Mountain.

He checked the map on his app; it was about eighty kilometers from the city, not too far.

It was about the same distance as four round trips from his hometown, Songping Village, to their city, so he decided to walk. It would also be a good opportunity to see the local landscape and customs.

He set off around 10 PM.

The city lights were bright.

Lin Yuan followed the map's guidance, heading in the direction of Sanqing Mountain.

With every step he took forward, the city's silhouette gradually receded, and the scent of nature grew stronger.

The closer he got to Sanqing Mountain, the sparser the human settlements became.

Lin Yuan ran along the rugged path, neither too fast nor too slow.

At this moment, only the bright moon accompanied him, and the gentle breeze kept him company.