Chapter Five: Wudang Disciple

Zhang Hupan was stunned. He didn't know what he had done to offend the two young Taoist priests in front of him. He carefully recalled what he had said and felt he hadn't offended anyone. Although Zhang Hupan knew he was naive about worldly affairs, he was certain about whether he had said anything offensive. He had just been inexplicably attacked by a young girl and called a stinky Taoist priest, and now that he had arrived at his own sect, he was being coldly shut out. Even the simple Zhang Hupan was starting to get annoyed. While his cultivation level meant that even a thousand such Taoist priests wouldn't stop his progress, as a disciple of the founding ancestor of the Wudang Sect and the sect's current highest existence, Zhang Hupan still had his dignity. Although he didn't need a grand reception from the Wudang Sect, he couldn't bring himself to lower his face and force his way in.

"Kuye, come out and see me!" Although Zhang Hupan only spoke softly, his slightly angered voice carried a hint of immortal energy. That small amount of immortal energy was enough to shake the entire Taoist temple.

The two young Taoist priests who bore the brunt of it immediately collapsed onto the ground, unable to withstand Zhang Hupan's imposing aura that could swallow mountains and rivers. Meanwhile, Kuye, who was cultivating in the back hall of the temple, opened his eyes in surprise, two beams of solid golden light shooting from his eyes before vanishing. Because Kuye had cultivated to the Core Formation Stage, despite being over 300 years old, he looked as young as thirty. Although Zhang Hupan had only used a little immortal energy, to Kuye, who had only cultivated to the middle stage of Core Formation, it sounded no less than a clap of thunder. What was even stranger was how familiar that trace of immortal energy felt, almost identical to his own cultivation in the Wudang Celestial Arts. But who else in the Wudang Sect possessed such a high level of cultivation? Though Kuye was filled with doubt, he dared not delay. He rose and headed towards the main hall, where dozens of past elders of Wudang were already standing, each with an expression of surprise. Seeing Kuye emerge from the back hall, everyone consciously made way, forming a path, and then followed behind Kuye towards the entrance.

If anyone were to see these Taoist priests at this moment, they would be extremely shocked, because every single Taoist priest here was once a renowned figure in the martial arts world, who then suddenly withdrew from society and disappeared without a trace. Most of these Taoist priests had an immortal demeanor, with white beards and eyebrows, while only two looked as young as Kuye. These two Taoist priests should have also cultivated to the Core Formation Stage.

Although any one of these Taoist priests could have gone out and been a master of the congenital realm in the martial arts world, and even possessed considerable cultivation in the path of cultivation, Zhang Hupan still shook his head inwardly. He was dissatisfied that most of these Taoist priests, who were over two hundred years old, were still stuck in the 'Qi' realm. He didn't consider how fortunate he was, not only possessing great talent but also growing up in a valley filled with spiritual energy from childhood, eating precious spiritual herbs like they were meals. Even more terrifying was having Zhang Sanfeng, a cultivator at the Void Breaking realm, personally teach him for a full 100 years. It would be difficult not to become a master!

Contrary to Zhang Hupan's thoughts, these old Taoist priests were astonished by him. They couldn't see through his cultivation, just as they couldn't see through Kuye's. This indicated that the Taoist priest before them should have the cultivation of the Core Formation Stage. The Core Formation Stage was an incredibly remarkable cultivation level; it was the same realm as Daoist Kuye and two others! For these old Taoist priests, reaching the 'Dan' stage, even the early stage of Core Formation, would be immensely satisfying. As for the Nascent Soul stage, they wouldn't even dare to dream of it, as it was rumored that only the sect's ancestor, Zhang Sanfeng, had reached that realm in the entire Wudang Sect, and even that was just a legend. Kuye was even more surprised because he found that even he couldn't discern the depth of this young Taoist priest with an ordinary appearance. He only felt that the Taoist priest before him was as unfathomable as the sea and as majestic as a high mountain. Generally, one could only fail to see through another's cultivation if the other person was two levels higher. Kuye, already at the middle stage of Core Formation, couldn't see through Zhang Hupan's realm, so Kuye estimated that the person before him had at least reached the initial stage of Core Condensation.

At this moment, Zhang Hupan had already withdrawn his imposing aura. The two young Taoist priests who were slumped on the ground finally came to their senses. Seeing that all the old ancestors from the palace had come out, although the previous situation still left them with lingering fear, with so many senior experts present, they finally regained their composure. They quickly got up from the ground and stood beside the old Taoist priests. Just as they were about to report the situation to the ancestors, they saw Zhang Hupan still looking calm, smiling and nodding at Kuye, saying, "You must be Kuye!"

"How dare you casually utter our Grand Ancestor's name!" Seeing so many seniors present and recalling his earlier embarrassment, the fat Taoist priest shouted with a bit of borrowed bravado, completely forgetting that he had no right to speak when so many seniors were present.

"Qingteng, don't be rude!" Kuye lightly reprimanded the plump Taoist priest. At this, the Taoist priest named Qingteng remembered his status and quickly retreated subserviently.

"May I ask how this fellow Daoist is called?" As soon as he finished speaking, Kuye was stunned because he saw the Universe Ring on Zhang Hupan's thumb. In fact, Zhang Hupan had intentionally made the Universe Ring visible since entering Yuzhen Palace, but how could those secular disciples recognize the supreme Universe Ring of the Wudang Sect!

Just because those secular disciples didn't recognize it didn't mean Kuye and the others didn't. On the contrary, they were extremely familiar with the Universe Ring. From the day they advanced from the acquired to the innate realm, meaning they truly entered the cultivation world, their masters had solemnly told them that the Universe Ring was the highest artifact of the Wudang Sect, and possessing the Universe Ring meant being the true sect leader of the Wudang Sect. They were on a completely different level from the sect leader of the Wudang Sect presented to the world today. However, it was said that the Universe Ring had never been passed down and had always been in Zhang Sanfeng's possession. Yet, it now appeared on the thumb of a complete stranger. But this could not negate the authority of the Universe Ring. All the old Taoist priests, including Kuye, knelt down in unison, except for the two young Taoist priests who were still standing there foolishly, unaware of what was happening, but they quickly came to their senses and knelt down. It was a joke; even the Grand Ancestor and the others were kneeling so uniformly, how could they dare to stand? (To be continued)