Ascending Longhu Mountain, Ancestral Court of Taoism

Longhu Mountain, the Ancestral Court of Taoism.

Here, majestic mountains and perilous terrain are shrouded in mist, carrying a sense of myth and legend.

Legend has it that Zhang Daoling, the founder of Zhengyi Dao and the foremost of the Four Great Celestial Masters of Taoism, once refined elixirs here.

On the day the elixir was perfected, it transformed into a wondrous spectacle of dragons and tigers, giving Longhu Mountain its name.

On Longhu Mountain, there are three famous scenic spots.

They are the Celestial Master's Mansion, Zhengyi Temple, and Taishang Qing Palace, all of which have Taoist priests residing within.

However, in terms of influence and fame, the Celestial Master's Mansion is the greatest.

At this moment, Below the mountain gate, four or five people dressed in Taoist robes were gathered.

Among them was an old Taoist priest, his hair graying, wearing a crimson robe, standing at the forefront.

In Taoism, the color of one's robes can distinguish the seniority and status of a cultivator, with crimson being second only to purple.

And this old Taoist priest.

He was the contemporary Celestial Master's junior brother at Longhu Mountain's Celestial Master's Mansion, Daoist Master Yuyang.

The others were all wearing simple blue Taoist robes.

They belonged to the younger generation.

Logically speaking, Longhu Mountain is a scenic resort.

Even if it wasn't a holiday, tourists would flock here, but today, there were none.

The reason was that the Celestial Master's Mansion was hosting an important distinguished guest today, and thus had chosen to close the mountain for the day.

"Grandmaster, it's almost ten o'clock, why haven't they arrived yet? Did you perhaps misremember the date?"

Soon, a young Taoist priest craned his neck, looking into the distance. Seeing no sign of anyone, he couldn't help but speak softly.

In Taoism, although there are distinctions in seniority, the rules are not overly strict.

This was why the young Taoist priest dared to speak this way.

After all, he knew that his Grandmaster was over ninety years old.

"No need to rush, no need to rush." True Person Yuyang said with a smile, telling him not to worry.

Because he had calculated, it was around this time, and there should be no mistake.

"Grandmaster, look."

At this moment, a sharp-eyed Taoist priest spoke, pointing ahead.

Everyone looked up and saw, in that direction, a bus appearing and slowly pulling over to the side. Five or six people alighted from it. Their ages ranged from thirty to fifty, but without exception, they all possessed excellent demeanor and wore fine clothes, clearly indicating they came from affluent backgrounds.

"Welcome, esteemed benefactors, to Longhu Mountain's Celestial Master's Mansion. Here, this old Daoist once again thanks all benefactors for your donations."

"Today, this old Daoist will lead all benefactors in selecting a personal Lay Disciple Dojo of your preference."

True Person Yuyang stepped forward to greet them, bowing slightly and performing a ritualistic salute.

It turned out.

These individuals were all wealthy donors from recent times. Having reached a certain donation threshold, they were permitted to visit Longhu Mountain and select a Lay Disciple Dojo.

It was no wonder that the Celestial Master's junior brother was personally coming out to host and welcome them.

"True Person, you are too kind. We laypeople are truly ashamed."

"This junior, Liu Qing, you can call me Little Liu, True Person."

A middle-aged man, corpulent with greasy hair, quickly stepped forward, carrying a briefcase. He spoke in a refined manner, clearly having prepared this speech on the way.

The other wealthy donors glanced at him, feeling disdain in their hearts, but outwardly, they remained composed and came forward to greet him.

Everyone on the bus knew that the Taoist priest receiving them today held a very high position.

Therefore, even they dared not presume their own status and act presumptuously.

People say.

The more wealth and status one attains, the more they tend to believe in certain things.

The wealthy individuals before them were precisely this type of person.

"It's about time, True Person, can we head up to the Celestial Master's Mansion now?" That Director Liu spoke, thinking of trying the vegetarian meal at the Ancestral Court of Taoism and absorbing some of the celestial energy.

The other wealthy donors naturally felt the same.

"It seems one person hasn't arrived yet."

Nearby, the young Taoist priest flipped open a roster, counted the heads again, and continued, "Indeed, one person is missing."

This statement caused the wealthy donors to pause slightly, then reveal expressions of dissatisfaction.

They were accustomed to others waiting for them.

Now, they were expected to wait for someone else?

However, upon seeing True Person Yuyang still standing in place, the few people didn't say much and awkwardly remained where they were.

Before long, a Black G-Wagon appeared in everyone's sight, and a young man got out.

Without hesitation, he walked closer and said apologetically, "Daoist priest, I rushed here from Shanghai City, so there was some traffic along the way."

The young man was Lu Yuan, who had driven himself from Shanghai City.

"It's alright, as long as you're here."

True Person Yuyang didn't mind; it hadn't taken too long anyway.

Immediately, he walked to the front, leading everyone towards the Celestial Master's Mansion on the mountain.

This made some of the wealthy individuals a little worried. After all, this old Daoist priest was over ninety years old; could he really climb the mountain?

As it turned out, although True Person Yuyang was old and looked frail, his stamina was extraordinary. He walked from the foot of the mountain all the way up, for over an hour, without showing any signs of fatigue, his eyes clear.

In contrast, the group of wealthy individuals, led by CEO Liu, were all panting heavily and constantly drinking water.

Even the young Daoist priests had slightly pale faces, clearly tired as well.

"Esteemed benefactors, since there's still plenty of time, why not rest for a bit?"

True Person Yuyang was used to this and suggested they stop.

This suggestion was naturally agreed to by most people present, who slumped down, clutching their chests.

However, the old Daoist priest's eyes shifted slightly as he saw Lu Yuan not far away, still standing tall and composed, looking almost the same as he did at the foot of the mountain. It seemed that climbing for so long had been nothing to him.

Is it because he's young and has good physical fitness? No, that shouldn't be the reason.

True Person Yuyang glanced sideways. He had lived on Longhu Mountain for so many years.

He had seen countless people climb the mountain.

But never had anyone been like Lu Yuan, completely unfazed.

Although he found it strange, he didn't ask further and stood there with his eyes closed, resting.

Lu Yuan naturally noticed the old Daoist priest's gaze and thought to himself, After the anomaly, Longhu Mountain was one of the few famous mountains that produced great figures early on and established themselves firmly in the new era. Some of the old Daoist priests later became unfathomably powerful. They must have been prepared, just like this True Person Yuyang. At over ninety years old, his stamina is better than that of young people.

People might explain it as a highly accomplished cultivator, but in reality, it's probably not that simple.

He knew very well that famous mountains with such mythical reputations had very deep foundations.

Perhaps there were inheritances from their ancestors, but they were suppressed by the heavens and earth and could not manifest.

After the anomaly, the constraints of heaven and earth were removed, and the cultivation methods practiced by certain monks and Daoist priests became immensely effective. Especially for old Daoist priests who had been in seclusion for many years, they could immediately accept that mysterious power.

In ancient times, there were Qin Dynasty Qi refiners who could concoct elixirs, cultivate, and possess various mystical techniques.

Those who inherited these methods in modern times could naturally achieve this after the world's restrictions were lifted.

In other words, the true power of these old Daoist priests had been sealed.

The beginning of the anomaly was the day of their unsealing.

Just as he had experienced himself, certain individuals could rapidly become powerful in the new era after its commencement.

Such existences were powerful because they already had years of foundation and groundwork.

Lu Yuan felt a sense of emotion and envy.

Of course, it was only that.

After all, how many years had figures like True Person Yuyang cultivated the Dao?

As for himself, he only needed to prepare for a few months beforehand.