Under the Plum Blossom Tree, Seeing a Youth Discussing the Dao with an Old Man

On the great Dao, a carriage slowly came to a halt.

The other pedestrians on the surrounding road, upon seeing the emblem on this carriage, all retreated in unison.

Even those who drove luxurious carriages, adorned with silk and satin, with extremely overbearing coachmen cracking their whips, changed their expressions upon seeing this carriage and hastily retreated, allowing this plain carriage to proceed. The coachman driving this carriage sat up straight and politely offered thanks.

The others quickly returned the courtesy.

Only after the carriage had gone far away did they finally breathe a sigh of relief.

Not for any other reason.

It was because the beasts pulling this carriage were no ordinary creatures.

These were from the direct lineage of the Cui Family of Qinghe County.

And ahead of the road lay a range of mountains, shrouded in clouds. When the carriage stopped, a white-haired Daoist master was already waiting at the foot of the mountain. He smiled and cupped his hands, saying, "Is it the young lady from the Cui Family of Qinghe? This poor Daoist has been waiting for a long time."

A clear voice answered from within the carriage, "Thank you for waiting here, Daoist master."

"This junior feels truly ashamed."

Immediately, a person stepped down from the carriage. It was a maiden of about fourteen years old, with a pair of sword-like eyebrows and eyes like autumn water. Her features were already exceptionally beautiful, and her demeanor was exceedingly heroic. However, her straight sword eyebrows were perhaps a bit too rigid, and there was a small red mark between her brows. Her hair hung down by her temples, and she held a long sword in her hand. As she glanced around, a hint of ferocity added to her presence.

She looked like an immortal sword descending to the mortal world.

Besides her, two others alighted from the carriage: one was a young girl in red with her hair still in tufts, who looked mischievous and spirited; the other was an elegant young man.

The maiden with the red mark between her brows held a visiting card and bowed, announcing loudly:

"Cui Yuanzhen of the Cui Family has come to pay respects to the mountain."

The old Daoist master smiled and returned the bow.

Seeing that the maiden was clearly fourteen years old, yet her Primordial Qi, Primordial Essence, and Primordial Spirit were all well-nurtured, he sighed inwardly. It was a pity about her innate ferocity. He suspected that although her talent for cultivation was immense, she would likely face many tribulations. He collected his thoughts, stroked his beard, and chuckled:

"I have long heard that the youngest daughter of the Cui Family is exceptionally talented, like an immortal descending to earth. Seeing you today, it is indeed true."

"You flatter me, Daoist master."

The maiden bowed crisply and then turned to point at the young man, saying, "This is my clan elder brother."

"This is Su Yue'er, the daughter of Mr. Su Shengyuan. She has accompanied me up the mountain today."

The old Daoist master smiled and said, "The disciples of the Cui Family are indeed talented."

"I have also heard of Young Master Su's reputation. He is a wise man."

"You two are also welcome."

Su Yue'er asked in surprise, "You know my father?"

The old Daoist master chuckled, speechless.

He replied, "When your father was your age, he asked me the same question."

Without waiting for Su Yue'er's astonishment, he stepped aside and calmly swept his sleeve.

Behind him, clouds rolled and unrolled. The scene that had been visible suddenly rippled, as if a great curtain had been drawn open—

Majestic mountains soared, and cranes flew.

A grand and magnificent sight unfolded before their eyes.

"The three of you, please."

Cui Yuanzhen's eyes lit up. She looked up at the towering mountain gate, where a couplet was inscribed. Gripping her sword, she murmured:

"The Dao permeates Yin and Yang, the Three Realms connect to the spirit of the Earth Store."

"Clouds span Mount Tai, ten thousand mountains bow in reverence to the Heavenly Venerable."

"Magnificent!"

The old Daoist master chuckled. With a sweep of his sleeve, clouds surged, and the mist beneath their feet rose, lifting the three of them.

With such ease, they rode the clouds and entered the mountains.

Among all the Daoist Sects in the world, the one honored as the leader was called the Sect.

Here, clouds and mist flowed, permeating the peaks. Spiritual treasures and jade fungi grew everywhere; exotic beasts and rare birds roamed nearby. Celestial cranes flapped their wings in the heavens, and spiritual deer chased each other through the grasses on the ground. Ordinary people, upon entering, would forget their worries.

It was truly the foremost blessed land in the world, nurturing all life and contemplating the Dao.

Ordinary people, without fate, could hardly enter this Daoist Sect. Even ordinary disciples had to cultivate at the foot of the mountain. Only after cultivating the Primordial Prenatal Qi could one enter the mountain gate. Upon reaching the level of a True Person in this world, one could claim the right to use a mountain peak, establish their own sect, and recruit disciples widely to pass on the lineage they created.

As the old Daoist master rode the clouds, he introduced the mountain gate to the three of them.

Su Yue'er's eyes sparkled as she asked, "Old immortal, are you a True Person?"

The old Daoist master chuckled, speechless. "I am not a True Person. You may simply call me old Daoist master."

Su Yue'er nodded. She looked around at the various beautiful landscapes and felt that it was truly wonderful to have left her small town this year and come out. Otherwise, how could she have seen such scenery? Not to mention meeting someone like Cui Yuanzhen.

This youngest daughter of the Cui Family, one of the Five Clans and Seven Sects, had also invited them to participate in the Daoist Sect's trial.

It seemed to be an illusion called [Heart Refinement], testing wine, lust, wealth, and anger.

It was a pity, however, that Su Yue'er could not see through the wealth.

The youth who was full of vigor and went to town to pick them up had already failed the test of "wine."

Wine wasn't just about drinking, but about luxurious enjoyment.

Wealth wasn't just about gold and silver, but about all sorts of prosperity.

The Cui Family Miss, who was beautiful as an immortal, remained unfazed. Within the time it took an incense stick to burn, she experienced wine, lust, wealth, and Qi without her Dao heart wavering. She then rose and drew her sword, shattering the jade pendant used for the trial. The Daoist master was extremely pleased, saying, "You are one of us," and immediately took her as a disciple. This is why she could come here to pay respects to the mountain.

The two of them were not qualified to enter the mountain gate and could only see Cui Yuanzhen off. They felt regret in their hearts and said:

"What a shame, what a shame... it's truly too difficult."

The old Daoist stroked his beard and chuckled, "That was merely a simple refinement of the heart."

"If you can't even see through an illusion, then what if someone in reality were to give you a thousand taels of gold and a carriage, or introduce you to a superior affinity, promising you a lifetime of fulfillment? What if someone promised you thousands of years of lifespan, how could you possibly let go?"

"And yet you can't see through or let go of these things."

"If one day, as your lifespan is about to end, there's another method to harm all living beings to extend your life."

"You definitely won't be able to let go."

"Thus, you cannot be taught the orthodox Dharma, nor the orthodox Dao."

Su Yue'er asked, "Can anyone truly let go of these things?"

The old Daoist smiled and replied, "Perhaps?"

Su Yue'er pondered for a moment and curiously asked, "Then what is the greatest refinement of the heart?"

The old man thought for a moment, then shook his head:

"I haven't heard of the greatest or most difficult, but the Daoist canon does mention a method."

"It seems to make people experience an entire lifetime."

"Many people become lost in it, unable to extricate themselves."

Su Yue'er said:

"That's too difficult."

Thinking that she couldn't even endure a single illusory dream, the thought of a dream spanning an entire lifetime made her feel afraid and apprehensive.

She subconsciously shrank her neck back.

The old Daoist, riding the clouds, took them to one of the mountain peaks. They saw majestic mountains and beautiful scenery. Cui Yuanzhen was admiring the view when she suddenly looked up and saw the highest peak in the center. She curiously asked, "Senior, why does this mountain peak seem to have no Dharma lineages?"

The old Daoist looked up, stroked his beard, and sighed, "That is Heavenly Pillar Peak."

"My sect has seventy-two peaks, with the great summit, Heavenly Pillar Peak, as the head of the seventy-two. It corresponds to the Three Heavens, surveys a vast expanse of ten thousand li, observes the rising and setting of the sun and moon. For thousands of years of transmitting the Dharma, Heavenly Pillar Peak has indeed had no Dharma lineages. It is said that there is nothing on it, only a very ordinary Daoist temple."

There were no spiritual beasts, nor any disciples.

Only one Daoist, seated within.

Even the sect leaders and True Persons in their prime had no opportunity to set foot on this mountain gate.

Normally, when people came and went for cultivation, some did not hear this Daoist's name when they ascended the mountain, and until their death, they never saw this person's face, as if this person did not exist on Heavenly Pillar Peak.

"Who is that person?"

"Hahaha, good question, this old Daoist also wants to know."

"Perhaps an immortal?"

The old man sighed with a smile, "I came to the mountain at your age, and two hundred years have passed since then."

"That mountain is still like this."

"Perhaps when my lifespan ends, this mountain will still be like this."

"Come, come, let's not talk about this. I'll take you to meet the True Person who is the head of our lineage."

The old Daoist led them to pay their respects to the True Person. That True Person had an ethereal aura and was dignified and composed. Cui Yuanzhen, with a solemn expression, was about to pay her respects when she saw the True Person's expression falter. He slightly raised his eyes, and amidst the swirling clouds in the void, the clear sound of jade chimes could faintly be heard. The True Person's expression changed drastically, and he suddenly said, "You three wait here. I have something to attend to. I must go!"

Before his words had even landed, this True Person transformed into a streak of light and flew away.

Everyone was astonished. They looked outside and saw vast and heavy yellow auspicious clouds. Streaks of light flew away, some riding the clouds, others mounted on the backs of immortal cranes, heading straight for the highest Heavenly Pillar Peak. It was dazzling and astonishing. The old Daoist seemed to recall something, his eyes widened, and he stepped forward, saying, "This, this... could it be..."

Cui Yuanzhen asked, "Has that Daoist master emerged from seclusion?"

Su Yue'er and the young man from the Cui family exclaimed, "I wonder what important matter it could be."

Numerous True Persons gathered before the simple Daoist temple on Heavenly Pillar Peak.

The Daoist, whose age was unknown, had already emerged from the temple.

At this moment, he held a piece of paper in his hand, on which newly written verses were inscribed in ink.

He was gazing down at it.

The many True Persons were extremely respectful.

After an unknown amount of time, the Daoist, who had meditated there for a thousand years, put down the white paper and suddenly spoke:

"As I was meditating just now, it was like a dream, yet not a dream. I seemed to see a scene, and thus awoke."

The many True Persons were curious.

When practicing Daoist meditation, one must sever the four gates and gather the Primordial Spirit.

What kind of significant matter could startle this person awake from their meditation?!

One person stepped forward and asked:

"May I ask, senior, what did you see?"

The Daoist placed the white paper on the table, pondered for a long time, and lowered their gaze to look at the world. They recalled the Qi they had sensed during their meditation. They had control over this realm, and despite its vastness, there was truly someone who could approach them so closely without them noticing. If not for the young man deliberately revealing his presence, they would not have been able to detect him at all...

They then recalled the young man's smiling eyes, the old man stroking his beard, and the plum blossoms in full bloom, which seemed illusory. Yet, this falling white paper made it all feel incredibly real.

They possessed such means, yet they revealed their presence.

It was too deliberate.

Could it be a reminder that meditating here is meaningless, that simple meditation and cultivation are futile?

"Immortal strokes my crown, tie hair and receive longevity..."

Was this poem a self-declaration?

Their heart stirred with emotion. After a long while, with a touch of complex emotion and a sigh, they said faintly:

"Beneath the plum blossom tree, I saw a young man discussing the Dao with an old man."

"That is all."