Learning to Endure Hardship

"Did you feel that? This is more exhausting than climbing a mountain usually is."

After climbing a few more flights of steps, Zhu Guang panted and asked the two of them.

"Definitely. It's as if we're constantly in a state of exhaustion, and I can't use the inner energy in my body."

Zhang Zhe took a deep breath, feeling the fatigue in both body and mind, along with the inner energy he could no longer summon.

By now, the other two had noticed it as well.

"This isn't normal. But the fact that it's abnormal means we haven't come to the wrong place."

Ling Qing looked at them and said, "Don't you think this feels more like a trial?"

"Right!"

"Exactly!"

Zhang Zhe and Zhu Guang immediately perked up at that.

As the saying went, they were already here, and they'd already climbed this far.

If they didn't achieve their goal, wouldn't all their suffering have been for nothing?

So the three of them pressed on, step by step, despite being at the limits of their endurance.

Strangely enough, since setting foot on this mountain path, they hadn't felt hungry at all.

And though Ling Qing had thought Zhu Guang would give out, he hadn't expected that no matter how tired Zhu Guang got, as long as he wanted to keep walking, he could.

So the three of them didn't dare stop along the way. They gritted their teeth and trudged uphill, all their efforts focused on reaching the top.

They had no idea how long they'd been walking. The daylight didn't seem to change, until the sound of a bell rang out.

"Dong—"

The three of them suddenly came to their senses and looked up. Amid the swirling clouds and mist, a complex of Taoist temples built from gray tiles and green bricks stood atop the mountain.

At the end of the path, a plaque hung above an ancient-looking temple gate. Three large characters were written on it.

"Shangqing Palace!"

"Shangqing Palace?! We finally made it!"

The sight immediately washed away their exhaustion, and the three hurried forward.

In his delight, Ling Qing didn't notice that the moment he heard the bell, his fatigue and the negative effects of having his energy sealed had vanished.

He only realized it when the three of them reached the gate and paused to catch their breath.

But he had no time to dwell on it. He straightened his clothes, took a deep breath, and gently knocked on the door.

"Knock! Knock, knock!"

"Creak—"

The door suddenly swung open, and a middle-aged Daoist in a coarse gray robe stepped out and looked the three of them up and down.

"You've come to seek immortality, have you?"

"Indeed. We beg you to take us in, Immortal!"

The three hurriedly bowed to him.

"This poor Daoist is no immortal. Come with me for now. We'll make arrangements after you've met my master." The Daoist spoke, then turned and walked inside. The three hurried to follow.

"Thank you, Daoist." They exchanged glances, clasped their hands, and thanked him before falling silent.

They simply followed close behind the Daoist into the courtyard.

Ling Qing and the others followed the middle-aged Daoist every step of the way, not daring to wander off.

Still, their eyes darted about, curious to see what a celestial temple looked like.

The Taoist compound wasn't lavish. Green bricks and black tiles were everywhere, with emerald bamboo and moss covering the grounds. Here and there, a few exotic flowers and plants added splashes of white and crimson.

Before long, they reached a great hall, and the middle-aged Daoist led them straight inside.

Within the hall, fragrant smoke curled from the censers on either side, hazy as mist and as ethereal as an immortal realm. Its scent calmed the mind, cleared the thoughts, and soothed the whole body.

At the far end of the hall, an old Daoist sat on a Biyu Bed, his white hair falling to his collar and his expression clear and vigorous.

He wore a Purple Gold Lotus Crown, a Three Flowers Five Qi Robe, a Water and Fire Silk Sash at his waist, and Clean Socks and White Cloud Boots.

A silver-threaded horsetail whisk rested on his arm. His eyes were half-open, half-closed, and his gaze shone with a pure light. He truly looked every bit an immortal.

"Master, more people have come today to seek immortality and study the Dao."

The middle-aged Daoist entered the hall and bowed to the Old Immortal.

"We yearn for the immortal Dao. We beg you to take us in!"

The three hurriedly clasped their hands and bowed in supplication.

The Old Immortal asked softly, "Since you wish to seek the Dao, you must be able to endure the hardships of life in the mountains. Do you think you can bear them?"

"We can! We only ask that you take us in, Master. We can certainly endure hardship."

The three were overjoyed. Seizing the opportunity, they immediately went a step further and answered.

"Good. In that case, stay here for now. Every day, you'll join your fellow disciples in the temple to carry water, chop wood, wash clothes, cook, and sweep the courtyards.

"Go."

The master nodded, swept his whisk, and closed his eyes without another word.

"Yes, Master!" The three bowed, as did the middle-aged Daoist, and they all left the hall together.

"Lu Qing." Once they were outside, the middle-aged Daoist called out. A young Daoist boy of about fifteen or sixteen came over.

"Senior Brother!"

"Find these three a place to stay, and have Junior Brother Zhang find them some work."

The middle-aged Daoist instructed the boy named Lu Qing.

"Yes, Senior Brother." The boy clasped his hands and replied.

"Go with Lu Qing." The middle-aged Daoist gave the three of them a slight nod, then turned and left.

"Yes." The three hurriedly bowed.

"Aren't you...?"

Once the Daoist was gone, Zhang Zhe and Zhu Guang looked at the boy named Lu Qing in confusion.

"Mr. Zhang, Mr. Zhu, and you as well, sir, please follow me."

The boy smiled slightly and gestured for them to go ahead.

"You're with the Special Affairs Department, aren't you? One of the thirty-six Special Affairs Department members following Daoist Lingguan."

"Yes. My name is Lu Qing, and I'm directly attached to the Shandong Provincial Branch of the Special Affairs Department."

Through their conversation with Lu Qing, the three learned more about the situation.

In the real world, Daoist Lingguan was already a Daoist of Mount Lao Shangqing Palace. He'd grown up in the temple.

After entering the instance last time, he'd joined the sect directly.

The temple's disciples could roughly be divided into several ranks. Those who had yet to formally join were students of the Dao, also called unregistered disciples.

Those formally listed in the temple's records were entry-level disciples, also called registered disciples.

Those personally taught by a master were indoor disciples, also called direct disciples or lineage disciples.

Finally, there were true disciples who had learned everything their master could teach them. They were essentially the next generation of inheritors of a Daoist tradition.

Unlike people like them, who had climbed the mountain but had yet to join a master's sect, and unlike Lu Qing and the others, who were registered disciples, Daoist Lingguan had truly become his master's disciple and received his teachings.

When the instance ended, he'd received a mission to go down the mountain and undergo trials.

He could bring back any promising talent he encountered in the secular world.

That was how they'd gotten the chance to enter the instance a second time.

Though Shangqing Palace didn't throw open its gates to welcome guests from all corners, it wasn't the sort of temple where Daoists shut themselves away to study the Yellow Court scripture.

Anyone who climbed the mountain was seeking immortality and studying the Dao, so they could all be called students of the Dao.

The temple wouldn't turn away anyone from the secular world who sought the immortal path.

Just like Wang Sheng in The Daoist of Mount Lao, or the people seeking immortals and visiting Daoist temples, as the waiter had said.

Ling Qing and the others belonged to this group. They had to come to Mount Lao and seek the Dao on their own.

Daoist Lingguan's situation was different from theirs. He had brought the thirty-six Special Affairs Department members who'd been given formal credentials and taken them straight to the foot of Mount Lao.

While everyone else was still making their way to Mount Lao, they'd already joined the temple and become entry-level disciples, officially beginning their cultivation.

Of course, they still had to undergo the usual trials and tests. Like Lu Qing, they had to serve their masters and senior brothers as Daoist boys.

But they were still far better off than everyone else. It was clear that Daoist Lingguan had some reason for giving the Special Affairs Department those places.

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