Walking with Leisurely Ease!

"May I ask, sir, what are the procedures required to see the portrait of the patriarch and inherit his mantle?" Zhou Hao asked, bowing respectfully after hearing the white-haired old man's sigh.

"You're quite polite, young man," the white-haired old man said with a slight bow. "This is outside Mountain of Ten Thousand Longevities. Follow this Qingshi path forward, and you'll see the gate in front of the mountain. After passing the gate, two divine generals will block your way."

"Unlocking the secrets of the Heaven-Earth Spirit Mirror is only the first test of comprehension. Starting with those two divine generals, the test will continue to assess the candidate's strength, perseverance, and character, among other things."

"Back when our ancestor was in charge of the Earth Immortal Realm, every time he gave a lecture, the number of cultivators who came to listen was in the millions. However, the vast majority of them could only catch a few words from outside the mountain. If they wanted to truly hear the Great Dao, they had to at least climb halfway up the mountain to hear it."

"As for wanting to see the portrait of the patriarch and inherit his mantle, just keep going up the mountain. When you see the celestial child in Five Village Temple, you'll know what to do."

"So there are celestial children on the mountain." Zhou Hao nodded, indicating that he understood.

"Of course, besides the trials on the mountain path, there are many other benefits on Mountain of Ten Thousand Longevities," the white-haired elder added. "After each trial, there are numerous Dao Sect secret techniques left by the ancestor, which those who pass the trials can freely learn. However, there are restrictions; generally, one cannot learn more than two or three techniques on each level."

"In addition, there are stone carvings and murals left by the celestial beings and immortals who came to listen to the lectures back then, when they gained some insights. There are no restrictions on those, and you can look at them freely. Just be aware that each person with a predestined connection can only stay on Mountain of Ten Thousand Longevities for fifty years. Once the time is up, they will be teleported back, and the old man will decide how many Ginseng Fruit to give you based on your performance on the ancient path on the mountain."

"Many people come here with the greatest purpose of obtaining Ginseng Fruit. On Mountain of Ten Thousand Longevities, this old man only has the authority to distribute the fruit." The white-haired old man looked at Zhou Hao with a smile, "Just because you are polite and respectful to your elders, even if you fail to complete any of the tests, I will give you thirty fruits, so that your trip will not be in vain."

"Then thank you, sir." Zhou Hao suppressed the urge to roll his eyes and bowed stiffly in thanks.

Old man, you don't actually think that those who were fortunate enough to receive something didn't reveal how much they benefited after they left, do you?

It's no secret that anyone who obtains the Heaven-Earth Spirit Mirror and comes to Mountain of Ten Thousand Longevities can take away at least thirty Ginseng Fruit...

Despite his inner grumbling, he still gained a better understanding of the rules here through the white-haired old man's explanation.

Yes, we should appreciate it.

Actually, I have only myself to blame.

My senior brother Lü Dongbin had come to Five Village Temple and even received the highest reward of five hundred Ginseng Fruit. How could I have forgotten to ask him about it?

So be it.

It's just a few tests, how difficult could it be?

Not to boast, but even his senior brother Lü Dongbin, when he was a celestial being, couldn't possibly be stronger than him now.

If even I can't complete the test, then I really can't understand what kind of strength is needed to pass all the tests.

"Old man, I'll be off now."

Zhou Hao bowed slightly to the white-haired old man, then walked towards the Qingshi mountain path.

"Youth is wonderful..." the white-haired old man muttered with a smile, then his figure seemed to melt into the earth, disappearing Shadowless.

Meanwhile, Zhou Hao set off alone onto the Qingshi mountain path. As he walked, he saw the pine-covered slopes indifferent and the bamboo paths secluded.

Sure enough, a mountain gate archway made of huge stones came into view in a short while.

On the stone pillars on both sides of the mountain gate archway, there are ten large characters that read "Mountain of Ten Thousand Longevities, Blessed Land; Five Village Temple Heaven".

"Where is the gatekeeper that the old man mentioned?" Zhou Hao asked. He saw that the surroundings were quiet and there was not a sound. There were towering cypress trees nearby, and not a single living creature in sight.

"No matter what obstacles you may present, I will only move forward."

It was also because of his skill and daring that he remembered what the old man had said earlier. He only needed to climb the mountain, paused for a moment, and then passed straight through the mountain gate archway.

Wow~~~

The seemingly ordinary mountain gate rippled as he stepped inside, as if he had entered another dimension.

Zhou Hao then found himself in a vast plaza, roughly Baili in size.

The square was paved with smooth Qingshi, and thick clouds and mist surrounded it, making it impossible to see through.

Only in the center of the square stood two golden-armored generals, each sixteen feet tall, one wielding Copper Staff and the other Iron Mace.

"Hmph!" The divine general, wielding Copper Staff, his hair disheveled and face flushed, shouted, "You want to climb the mountain?"

"Ha!" another general, bald and blue-faced, wielding Iron Mace, chimed in, "Get past us first!"

"..." Zhou Hao stared blankly at the two divine generals.

Perhaps he's drunk and still hasn't sobered up...

"Take this first!" the red-faced general roared, taking two thuds to get close and slamming his Copper Staff down.

At the same time, the red-faced general didn't forget to make a sound through his nose again.

"Snort!"

Zhou Hao felt a sonic force that shook his very soul strike him, attacking him before the Copper Staff came crashing down in fury.

"Go back to where you came from!" Zhou Hao laughed and flipped his palm to meet the incoming Copper Staff.

With his divine body having reached the sixth level after cultivating the Eight-Nine Arcane Art, he refused to believe that the first obstacle god could possibly harm him.

"Boom."

A loud bang followed.

The Copper Staff that cleaved down, along with the red-faced deity, was instantly thrown back to its original position by the immense force.

If there had been markings on the Qingshi ground earlier, it would have been clear that the red-faced general had even accurately located the footprints.

"Huh?" The red-faced general shook his head, still a little dazed from the shock, and turned to ask, "Brother, did I move just now?"

"You don't even know whether you moved or not, yet you ask me?" the blue-faced general roared.

"Hahaha." Zhou Hao couldn't hold back any longer and burst into laughter. "Are you two divine generals the Dao Sect protectors ' Hum-Ha Generals '?"

"Brother, this kid has some knowledge; he even knows our names. But when did we become protectors of the Dao Sect?" The red-faced general was somewhat puzzled.

"We guard the mountains and forests for the Dao Sect patriarch, so naturally we are the Dao Sect protectors." The blue-faced general raised his bald head and said happily, "This lad is not bad, we won't stop him. Second brother, make way."

"I'll listen to my elder brother." Although the red-faced general didn't know what was so good about the human boy in front of him, he naturally obeyed his elder brother's orders since he had spoken.

The two gods separated, one on the left and one on the right, revealing the path behind them.

After they made way, the mist that shrouded the square dispersed, revealing a passage—the familiar Qingshi mountain path—that led straight into the depths of the mist.

"Then thank you both very much." Zhou Hao smiled and continued walking.

At this moment, he had already discerned the true nature of these two divine generals; they were Dao Sect soldiers created by scattering beans and refining Daoist soldiers.

Xu Jingyang, one of the Four Great Celestial Masters under his command, was particularly skilled in this art. When the Limitless Palace Dao Treasury Hall, he even recorded a copy of the "True Explanation of Dao Soldiers," which Zhou Hao had once read out of curiosity.

Before the Three Realms were formed, when it was still the ancient Pangu World, this chaotic world did not yet have the art of puppetry. At that time, cultivators wanted some servants to guard their homes and do chores, but did not want to use living beings, so they used secret techniques to refine them, just like refining treasures, to create Dao soldiers and divine generals.

The most powerful of these crafted Dao soldiers and divine generals are stripped of their intelligence and controlled by their masters.

Just like the eighteen demonic corpses of the Corpse Puppet Old Devil, in fact, they are also a method used by the Demonic Sect to cultivate Heavenly Corpse Demonic Soldiers.

Although Hum-Ha Generals possess their own intelligence, they are not living beings, nor are they innate spiritual treasures. No matter how intelligent they are, how high can they go?

Therefore, Zhou Hao easily fooled them, and they happily made way for them.

Of course, this was also because Zhou Hao was too lazy to actually take action.

Although the Hum-Ha Generals before him seemed pitifully weak, in reality, if they were to actually fight, any cultivator below the Heavenly Immortal level would be shaken by the sound of "Hum Ha," their souls would be shattered, and they probably wouldn't even be able to withstand a single blow.

"The Daoist soldiers at Five Village Temple are truly ancient. It's a pity about the materials used to forge these two divine generals. If Master Xu had forged them, these Hum-Ha Generals would have been comparable to ordinary celestial gods," Zhou Hao thought to himself.

The art of turning beans into soldiers is now vastly different from what it used to be. Combined with the many mysteries of puppetry, these puppets not only possess intelligence comparable to normal living beings, but their power far surpasses what it once was.

However, when Zhenyuan Patriarch fell, it was during the ancient war of destruction, when the Lord of All Things the Chaos Alien race had not yet fallen.

The origin of the puppetry tradition dates back to the Lord of All Things, so it's normal that the Daoist soldiers within Mountain of Ten Thousand Longevities cannot keep up with the times.

Above the thick clouds and mist stood two young children.

Seeing Zhou Hao so easily overcome the obstruction of the Hum-Ha Generals, the boy named Clear Wind couldn't help but rub his forehead and say, "These two big idiots have been fooled again. I told you, replacing them and just tying Da Bai to the door would be a hundred times better than these two fools."

Da Bai is a dog, or more precisely, a pet created by two boys using the method of refining Dao soldiers, to keep them company and relieve their boredom.

"Nonsense." Another boy named ' Mingyue ' shook his head. "Didn't you see that this human has cultivated physical supernatural powers? He casually blocked the Copper Staff's attack with a single palm strike, and his soul was not disturbed by the 'hum' and 'ha' sounds. Ordinary Void Return Divine Demon are not this powerful."

"Mingyue, do you think highly of the human race?" Qingfeng couldn't help but ask.

"This is just the beginning, there's no need to be too excited yet," Mingyue Tongzi laughed. "However, judging from the experience of those who have come here before, humans have the highest potential and the strongest comprehension. Perhaps this person will make it to the end and be qualified to meet us."

Qingfeng nodded, and seeing Zhou Hao below following the Qingshi mountain path to a hillside, he exclaimed, "Look, he's reached Hundred Battles Slope. I wonder if this place will allow him to reveal more of his strength."

"Hmm." Mingyue Tongzi also looked down.

"Call."

A mountain breeze blew, causing fallen leaves along the mountain path to tumble and dance in the air.

"Where did this wind come from?" Zhou Hao turned his head and saw that ten soldiers wielding swords had suddenly appeared on the flat ground outside the mountain path.

A chilling killing intent emanated from the ten soldiers, locking onto Zhou Hao from afar.

"This is Hundred Battles Slope. Defeat all the soldiers' attacks and successfully pass the stone tablet in front of you to pass the test."

A hollow voice, indistinguishable between male and female, rang in my ears.

Zhou Hao looked up and saw a stone tablet standing by the roadside on a hillside ten miles ahead.

At the same time, it seemed that some array restrictions had been activated around him, which not only stopped the spatial fluctuations and prevented him from teleporting, but also caused an invisible, immense weight to press down on him, making him feel as if a small mountain was pressing down on him.

"Aren't we allowed to use speed to cheat?" Zhou Hao suddenly realized, and then started walking towards the hillside.

"Kill!"

Ten soldiers charged down from the open ground.

Wow~~~

The ' Heavenbeam Divine Needles ' hovered in front of Zhou Hao, and then he activated it with the two secret techniques of ' Great Five Elements Extinction Divine Light ' and ' Heaven Escape Needle Art ', transforming it into ten five-colored needle beams that instantly pierced through ten soldiers, causing their bodies to disintegrate while they were still running.

Call!

Another thirty soldiers emerged from the ground.

Then fifty, eighty, one hundred!

The closer Zhou Hao got to the stone tablet, the more soldiers appeared.

Moreover, as their numbers increased, they eventually began to join forces and unleash a combined attack formation, making their attacks increasingly powerful.

"If it were an ordinary Celestial Immortal, not even at the half-step Pure Yang level, even if they could barely survive this ordeal with the help of a Pure Yang magic weapon, their magical power would probably not be able to withstand such endless consumption." Zhou Hao did not stop moving, and with just 18,000 Celestial Rank top-grade Heavenbeam Divine Needles, he defended against all the soldiers' attacks.

With his current spiritual power, mental strength, and Dao realm, he is comparable to Pure Yang True Immortal wielding a magical weapon.

What is an insurmountable obstacle for a celestial being is merely a leisurely stroll for him.

"Destroy!" Zhou Hao's heart stirred, and the Five Elements Natural Evil Qi that had been nurtured within his Purple Mansion surged forth, pouring into all the flying needles.

Then, 18,000 Heavenbeam Divine Needles, grouped into sets of 180, formed five-colored sword-shaped needles that transformed into a sky full of rosy light, enveloping all the soldiers.

Puff puff puff puff...

The hundred soldiers scattered almost simultaneously, and Zhou Hao happened to walk to the stone tablet with the three characters "Hundred Battles Slope" engraved on it.

Call!

The clouds and mist behind the stone tablet dispersed.

Only then did Zhou Hao realize that he had unknowingly almost reached the mountainside.

Standing here, you can already see the Daoist temple on the mountaintop. Behind the temple, there is a large, lush tree with verdant branches and shady green leaves.

The tree was estimated to be only a little over a thousand feet tall, with leaves resembling banana leaves, and among the branches and leaves, there were specks of golden light shimmering.

Zhou Hao used his supernatural power, the "Eye of the Candle Dragon," to examine the fruit closely. He discovered that the scattered golden rays were actually fruits that looked like infants less than three days old, wriggling and nodding on the branches. However, each fruit had a stem on its head, resembling a small braid, which prevented it from staying on the tree.

"That must be the Ginseng Fruit Tree." Zhou Hao's eyes lit up. "It really does look like a living baby. No wonder when I read novels in my past life, even when it was put right in front of him, Tang Sanzang didn't dare to eat it."

Seeing the rare treasures from his previous life's mythological novels appear before his eyes, Zhou Hao also felt a sense of novelty.

However, with array formations and restrictions all around, he dared not act recklessly and fly directly to the mountain peak. He could only obediently follow the mountain path forward.

At the end of the mountain path ahead stood a palace.

"Finally, I've seen a palace. The old man at the foot of the mountain must have mentioned the benefits of each level we pass. This palace must be the place." Zhou Hao, impatient with the slow pace, used his escape technique and instantly appeared in front of the palace halfway up the mountain.

The palace's front courtyard was quite spacious, spanning several miles, and the ground was covered with futons.

In front of the courtyard walls, there are eight Qingshi screens arranged according to the Bagua (Eight Trigrams) orientation, each screen covered with densely packed graphic characters.

"Let's first see what level of secret technique the Ancestor Zhenyuan left on the mountainside is." Zhou Hao walked towards the screen closest to the courtyard gate.

First update.

I reread Journey to the West today because of Five Village Temple.

I read the original novel when I was in junior high school, but I've forgotten most of it; all my impressions come from the TV series.

Upon closer inspection, the characters' speech and mannerisms, resembling rural slang, are quite interesting and even more entertaining than television dramas.