Longhu Mountain, the Ancestral Court of Taoism.
Here, towering mountains and steep ridges rose beneath swirling clouds and mist, shrouded in myth and legend.
Legend had it that Zhang Daoling, founder of Zhengyi Dao and foremost of the Four Heavenly Masters of Taoism, had once refined pills here.
On the day the pills were completed, a wondrous vision of dragons and tigers had appeared, and Longhu Mountain had gotten its name from it.
Longhu Mountain had three famous sights.
They were the Celestial Master's Mansion, Zhengyi Temple, and Taishang Qing Palace, all of which were home to Daoists.
But in terms of influence and renown, the Celestial Master's Mansion was by far the greatest.
At that moment
Below the mountain gate, four or five people dressed in Daoist robes had gathered.
Among them stood an elderly Daoist with graying hair, wearing a crimson robe and standing at the front.
In Taoism, the color of one's robes could distinguish a cultivator's seniority and status; crimson ranked just below purple.
And this elderly Daoist
was Daoist Master Yuyang, the junior brother of the current Celestial Master of the Celestial Master's Mansion on Longhu Mountain.
The others wore simple blue robes.
They were all juniors.
By rights, Longhu Mountain was a scenic destination.
Even on ordinary days, tourists came and went without end, but today there wasn't a soul in sight.
The reason was that the Celestial Master's Mansion was receiving a group of important guests today, so they had specially closed the mountain for the day.
"Grandmaster, it's almost ten. Why haven't they arrived yet? Could you have remembered the wrong date?"
A short while later, a young Daoist craned his neck to peer into the distance. Seeing no sign of anyone, he couldn't help speaking in a low voice.
In Taoism, there were ranks of seniority, but not many rules.
That was why the young Daoist dared speak so casually.
After all, he knew his grandmaster was over ninety.
"Don't worry, don't worry." True Person Yuyang smiled and spoke, telling him not to fret.
He had calculated that they should arrive around this time, so there shouldn't be any mistake.
"Grandmaster, look."
Just then, a sharp-eyed Daoist spoke up and pointed ahead.
Everyone looked up. In the distance, a bus appeared and slowly pulled over. Five or six people stepped off. They ranged in age from thirty to fifty, but without exception, they all had an air of distinction and wore fine clothes. Anyone could tell they came from wealthy families.
"Welcome, benefactors, to the Celestial Master's Mansion on Longhu Mountain. This old Daoist would like to thank you once again for your donations."
"Today, I will personally lead you in choosing the Lay Disciple Dojo that suits you best."
True Person Yuyang went forward to greet them, bowed slightly, and saluted.
As it turned out,
these people were wealthy donors who had contributed recently. Since their donations had reached a certain amount, they were entitled to come to Longhu Mountain and choose a Lay Disciple Dojo.
No wonder the junior brother of the current Celestial Master of the Celestial Master's Mansion had come out to greet them in person.
"True Person, you're too kind. We ordinary people are the ones who ought to feel ashamed."
"This junior is Liu Qing. True Person, you can call me Xiao Liu."
A plump, middle-aged man with greasy hair hurried forward, a briefcase tucked under his arm. He spoke in a refined manner, clearly having prepared this speech on the way.
Seeing this, the other wealthy men shot him a glance, inwardly disdainful, though they kept their feelings off their faces and stepped forward to exchange greetings.
They had learned on the bus that the Daoist receiving them this time was highly senior.
So even they didn't dare put on airs.
People often said
that the wealthier and more powerful one became, the more one believed in certain things.
The wealthy men before them were just such people.
"It's about time, True Person. Should we head up to the Celestial Master's Mansion?" President Liu asked, eager to try the Ancestral Court of Taoism's vegetarian food and bask in a bit of immortal aura.
The other wealthy men naturally felt the same way.
"It seems there's still one person who hasn't arrived."
Beside them, a young Daoist opened the register, counted the names again, and continued, "Yes, someone still hasn't arrived."
The wealthy men were briefly taken aback, then showed their displeasure.
Usually, other people waited for them.
And now they were expected to wait for someone else?
But when they saw True Person Yuyang still standing there, none of them felt they could say anything. They remained where they were, awkwardly waiting.
Before long, a Black G-Wagon came into view, and a young man stepped out.
He came straight over without hesitation and said apologetically, "Daoist Master, I drove here from Shanghai City, so I got caught in a bit of traffic along the way."
The young man was Lu Yuan, who had driven all the way from Shanghai City.
"It's all right. You're here now, and that's what matters."
True Person Yuyang didn't mind. They hadn't lost much time, anyway.
Then he led the way, taking everyone up the mountain to the Celestial Master's Mansion.
This made some of the wealthy men worry. The old Daoist was over ninety—could he really climb the mountain?
As it turned out, although True Person Yuyang was old and looked frail, he had remarkable stamina. He walked all the way up from the foot of the mountain for over an hour without the slightest sign of fatigue, his eyes still clear.
By contrast, the wealthy men led by President Liu were all panting heavily and guzzling water.
Even the young Daoists looked a little pale. They were clearly tired, too.
"Benefactors, there's still plenty of time. Why don't we take a break first?"
True Person Yuyang had seen this many times before and suggested they stop.
Most of the people present readily agreed. One by one, they collapsed onto the ground, clutching their chests.
But soon, the old Daoist's expression shifted slightly. He had spotted Lu Yuan nearby, still standing tall and perfectly composed. He looked almost exactly as he had at the foot of the mountain, as if the long climb had been nothing to him.
"Is he in such good shape because he's young? No, that can't be the reason."
True Person Yuyang glanced sideways. He had spent so many years on Longhu Mountain.
He had seen countless people climb it.
But never had he seen anyone as unaffected as Lu Yuan.
Though he found it a little strange, he didn't ask. He simply stood there with his eyes closed, resting.
Lu Yuan had naturally noticed the old Daoist's gaze too. He mused, After the changes, Longhu Mountain was one of the few famous mountains where major figures emerged early and established themselves in the new era. Several old Daoists later became unfathomably powerful. They must have been prepared as well. Take True Person Yuyang, for example. He's over ninety, yet his stamina surpasses that of young people.
Ordinary people might explain it by calling him a master who has attained the Dao, but in truth, I'm afraid there's more to it than that.
He knew very well that famous mountains steeped in myth had deep foundations.
Perhaps they carried the legacy of their predecessors, but the world had been suppressed, so that legacy had never been able to manifest.
After the changes, the shackles of the world had vanished. The methods of cultivation practiced by certain monks and Daoists had suddenly become tremendously effective. This was especially true for old Daoists who had spent years in seclusion; they could immediately receive that mysterious power.
In ancient times, the Qi Refiners of the pre-Qin era had been able to refine pills, cultivate, and wield all manner of wondrous methods.
Those in the modern world who had inherited these methods could naturally do the same once the world was unsealed.
In other words, the true power of these old Daoists had been sealed away.
When the changes began, the seal was lifted.
Just as he had experienced himself, certain figures had been able to grow rapidly in strength within a short time after the new era began.
Such people had already spent years building a foundation and laying the groundwork.
Lu Yuan couldn't help feeling envious.
But that was all.
After all, how many years had someone like True Person Yuyang spent cultivating the Dao?
And he had only needed a few months to prepare in advance.
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