Arrival at Mount Lao

After exchanging greetings, the three shared their respective experiences.

Ling Qing spoke of receiving the Mud Pellet from the Land God and the process of fighting the tiger.

He also mentioned a portion of the Spirit Restraint and Transformation Method, though he did not reveal everything.

Zhang Zhe had encountered a ghost fox capable of charming people along the way, but managed to slay it using the power of his Clear Heart Ring.

He had also met a Daoist who taught him a method for consecrating artifacts.

This consecration did not refer to the implements used in sacrificial rites.

Rather, it involved imbuing an object with power through rituals or chanting, allowing the practitioner to wield it with increasing proficiency through long-term refinement.

The efficacy of an artifact refined in this manner was deeply linked to the inherent nature of the object, the rituals performed, and the meaning imbued by the scriptures.

It could be considered a form of artifact refining.

As for the specifics, the others did not press him for details, and he did not ask further.

As for Zhu Guang, whether by misfortune or luck, he had encountered a novice evil cultivator who practiced the White Bone Ghost Soul Method.

The cultivator could command white bones and wandering spirits, but such netherworld entities were precisely what Zhu Guang was best at countering.

After his Ghost-Repelling Pill exposed the sneak attack of a ghost, Zhu Guang raised his hand to release an artifact that blocked the white bone skeleton, protecting his physical body.

He then scattered talismans as if they were worthless, drowning his opponent in the blink of an eye and eventually seizing the cultivation manual for himself.

This manual detailed how to cultivate using white bones and wandering spirits, as well as how to refine evil artifacts from them.

Its foundation was a path to achieving the status of a Ghost Immortal.

Although it was far inferior to the Spirit Restraint and Transformation Method obtained by Ling Qing, it was much better than the artifact consecration method Zhang Zhe had acquired.

However, its flaw lay in the words "ghost" and "evil."

He was unwilling to give it up, having obtained it through his own efforts, yet practicing it—using spirits and bones as materials—would likely mean living under the constant scrutiny of the Special Affairs Department in the modern era.

It was impossible to practice such a method without them finding out, and Zhu Guang had no intention of challenging the capabilities of the Special Affairs Department.

He did not want to live such a life, which left him deeply conflicted.

Ling Qing felt helpless upon hearing this and could only pat his shoulder in consolation.

Zhang Zhe, meanwhile, laughed heartily from the side, clearly having known about it for some time.

"Let's rest here."

As noon approached, Ling Qing pointed to a clear stream ahead and suggested.

By mid-morning, the three had already entered the mountains, where the cliffs were high and the forests dense, with lush, sprawling foliage.

Ling Qing was fine, moving with ease thanks to his Forest Walk skill, but Zhang Zhe and Zhu Guang were not as comfortable.

There were no paved mountain paths, only a narrow, winding trail, most of which was obscured by branches and leaves.

Along the way, the three could be said to have hacked out their own path.

"I didn't expect this mountain road to be so difficult."

Zhang Zhe was doing alright, being highly skilled in martial arts with a deep foundation of internal energy.

Zhu Guang, however, was plump and had long since been drenched in sweat, gasping for breath.

Unlike the other two, Zhu Guang's skills were focused on drawing talismans, curing ghosts, and fighting zombies, with little emphasis on physical conditioning.

His physical fitness could not compare to theirs, and he had suffered the most throughout the journey.

Yet, he was a man of grit; he did not complain or moan, simply gritting his teeth to keep up with the others.

After all, the three were traveling together in pursuit of immortality, and there was no reason for others to accommodate him and slow their progress.

After resting for a while to catch their breath, Zhang Zhe took roasted chicken and dry rations from his pack and shared them with the others.

"Why does it feel like this mountain is much harder to traverse than those in the modern era? And have you noticed, doesn't this mountain seem much taller than those back home?"

He gestured toward the mountain they were on, then pointed to the highest peak visible in the distance.

"The highest peak of Mount Lao is only a thousand meters or so, and that's its elevation. The mountain in front of us is already over a thousand meters, not to mention that even higher one in the distance."

"Although I don't know the reason, it is indeed much taller, and the range covered by the Mount Lao mountains is also larger than in the modern era."

Ling Qing said while eating the roasted chicken and rations, washing it down with the clear mountain stream water.

"According to that waiter, it takes two or three days to reach the Shangqing Temple."

"But fortunately, he also said there are no legends of man-eating beasts or ghosts in these mountains, and most who come to seek immortality return safely."

"As long as we don't stray from the path, it's just a matter of walking for a couple more days."

"Then let's go. We've rested enough; if I stay any longer, I'm afraid I won't be able to move at all."

Zhu Guang finished his food in a few bites, stood up, and said.

"Let's go then." Ling Qing and Zhang Zhe did not object, finished their remaining food, and stood up.

The joy of their first meeting and the excitement of seeking immortality had been worn down by the rugged mountain road.

Everything that needed to be said had been covered that morning. Once they rose to continue their journey, the three of them moved forward in silence, offering each other a helping hand from time to time.

They made do with a cliff cave for the night, and as soon as the sky brightened the next day, Ling Qing roused the two groggy companions to keep moving.

Fortunately, just as the waiter had said, aside from some harmless elk, rabbits, and monkeys leaping through the branches and over cliffs, they truly did not encounter any wild beasts.

By the morning of the third day, the group finally arrived at the foot of Lao Mountain Shangqing Palace.

This mountain was definitely more than a thousand meters tall!

Gazing at the winding bluestone path that vanished into the clouds, Ling Qing pondered to himself.

The three of them exchanged a glance, nodded, and began their climb.

After all, they had already come this far.

Although this phrase sounded somewhat perfunctory and helpless, it was precisely this sentiment that inexplicably allowed people of China to persist in any given endeavor.

"Hm?"

The moment he stepped onto the bluestone stairs, Ling Qing was taken aback.

"What's wrong?" Zhang Zhe and the other turned to ask.

"It's nothing, let's keep climbing."

Ling Qing shook his head and stepped forward, simultaneously focusing his mind to perceive his surroundings carefully.

Sure enough, these stone steps were strange.

After taking two steps, he thought to himself.

Possessing the Forest Walk skill, he could move as if on flat ground even when walking on stone paths, provided he was surrounded by forest.

However, not only was his skill failing to take effect now, but his connection to nature had been severed as well.

At the same time, a sense of exhaustion was rising rapidly, as if he had returned to his former life as an ordinary person.

When he opened his panel, he immediately discovered the difference.

Status: Healthy (Exhausted, Qi-Sealed)

In the status bar, a parenthesis had appeared after "Healthy," containing the words "Exhausted" and "Qi-Sealed."

The "Exhausted" status was pale yellow, and as he watched, the color deepened until it turned crimson.

Meanwhile, "Qi-Sealed" appeared in black, capable of suppressing the circulation of his own energy.

He sensed carefully and confirmed that his Heart of the Druid, usually so active, had now come to a complete standstill.

Aside from occasionally emitting a faint glow to remind him that the Heart of the Druid wasn't broken, it no longer provided any buffs.

Seeing the "Exhausted" status turn crimson without affecting his health points, Ling Qing looked up toward the depths of the clouds, his anticipation growing even stronger.

To be able to suppress the Heart of the Druid meant that there was a power on this mountain no less formidable than it.

As long as he could successfully become an apprentice, then he could say there was hope for his path to begin.

Although the Druid heritage contained spells to resist the passage of time, allowing one to live ten years as if they were one, that merely delayed aging; it was not as satisfying as the prospect of eternal life.