Fu Luan Temple lay at the foot of Huayin Mountain, neither too near nor too far from the city, borrowing a measure of mountain serenity while touched by a measure of mortal bustle.
When Daoist Dehong reached the foot of the mountain, the sun had just begun to slant westward. Looking up, he saw several patches of blue tiles peeking through the green waves, nestled amid the embrace and concealment of the forest. It was truly a secluded and excellent place for cultivation.
"What a fine place, yet it has been occupied by an improper ghost of the Outer Dao!"
Daoist Dehong narrowed his eyes and secretly shook his head.
The reason he had delayed entering Fu Luan Temple was, at its root, the incompatibility of their Dao lineages. The moment he set foot here, discomfort seeped through his entire body.
Yet human lives hung in the balance, so he had no choice but to come.
After passing beneath the memorial archway, following the mountain path, and climbing toward Fu Luan Temple, Daoist Dehong had only just stepped into the Hall of the Three Pure Ones when he caught the attention of a Daoist boy.
That high-collared long gown of his was simply too conspicuous among the incense-burning worshippers.
The Daoist boy hurried forward to speak with him. Upon learning that he was a disciple of Qingwei Palace in Yunzhou, he was somewhat bewildered, but still led him into the reception hall. After serving tea, he hastily went to summon the temple master.
At this time, Fu Luan's old Daoist priest was teaching scriptures and expounding the Dao in the ancestral hall, with only Wang Sheng and Xuan Yun as students.
When he heard the Daoist boy's report, his heart gave a sudden thump.
"You said the visitor claimed to