Chapter 37

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On the main road, a carriage slowly came to a halt.

The other travelers on the road, upon seeing the emblem on this carriage, immediately stepped aside and kept their distance.

Even those who themselves rode in luxurious carriages adorned with fine silk and brocade, driven by domineering coachmen wielding their whips, turned pale at the sight of this particular carriage. They hurriedly made way, allowing the simple-looking carriage to pass. The coachman of this carriage sat upright and politely offered his thanks as he drove onward.

The others quickly returned the gesture with respectful bows.

Only after the carriage had moved far ahead did they finally breathe a sigh of relief.

Not for any other reason—

But because the horses pulling this carriage were no ordinary beasts.

This was the carriage of the direct line of the Cui family from Qinghe County.

Ahead on the road lay a range of mountains, shrouded in mist. When the carriage stopped, a white-haired Daoist was already waiting at the foot of the mountain. He smiled and cupped his hands in greeting, saying: “Is this the young lady of the Cui family from Qinghe? This humble Daoist has been waiting for some time.”

A clear voice from inside the carriage replied: “Thank you for waiting, Daoist Master.”

“This junior truly feels ashamed.”

With that, a young girl, around fourteen years of age, stepped down from the carriage. She had sharp sword-like brows and eyes as clear as autumn water. Her features were exceedingly delicate, and her bearing was both graceful and heroic. However, her sword-like brows were perhaps too stern, and there was a small red mark at the center of her forehead. Her hair flowed down at her temples, and in her hand, she held a long sword. Her gaze was sharp, exuding a faint aura of killing intent, adding a sense of danger to her already striking presence.

She appeared like a sword immortal who had descended into the mortal world.

Two more people descended from the carriage after her. One was a young girl in red with a mischievous demeanor, and the other was a refined young man.

The girl with the red mark on her brow held a formal letter of introduction, bowed respectfully, and spoke in a clear voice:

“Cui Yuanzhen of the Cui family, here to pay my respects.”

The old Daoist smiled and gave a polite bow.

He could see that, though the young girl was only fourteen, her Primordial Qi, Primordial Essence, and Primordial Spirit were all well-nourished. Unfortunately, the natural killing aura surrounding her suggested that, despite her extraordinary talent, her path of cultivation would likely be fraught with disasters and tribulations. Calming his thoughts, he stroked his beard and smiled:

“I’ve long heard that the young daughter of the Cui family is extraordinarily gifted, like a banished immortal. Seeing you today, it’s clear the rumors were not exaggerated.”

“Daoist Master flatters me.”

The girl returned the gesture swiftly and without fuss, then turned to gesture towards the young man beside her, saying: “This is my cousin.”

“And this is Su Yue’er, the daughter of Su Shengyuan, Mr. Su, who is accompanying me up the mountain today.”

The old Daoist smiled: “The children of the Cui family are indeed remarkable.”

“The name of Young Gentleman Su, I too have heard of it. He is a man of virtue.”

“You are all most welcome.”

Su Yue’er was surprised and asked: “You know my father?”

The old Daoist chuckled and replied: “When your father was your age, he asked me the very same question.”

Then, without paying attention to Su Yue’er’s astonishment, he turned slightly, calmly sweeping his sleeve.

Behind him, the clouds rolled and shifted, and the scene before them rippled like water. It was as if a grand curtain had been drawn open—revealing towering mountains and soaring cranes.

A majestic and awe-inspiring landscape unfolded before their eyes.

“Please, all three of you.”

Cui Yuanzhen’s eyes sparkled as she looked up at the towering mountain gate and saw a grand couplet inscribed there. Holding her sword in hand, she softly muttered to herself:

“The Dao encompasses Yin and Yang, and through the Three Realms, Kṣitigarbha governs the souls.”

“Clouds spread across Mount Tai, the myriad mountains bow in reverence to the Heavenly Lord!”

“What grandiose presence!”

The old Daoist laughed, swept his sleeve, and with a flourish, the clouds surged beneath them. A cloud rose up and gently lifted the three of them into the air.

With such ease, they rode the clouds, soaring directly into the mountains.

In the world, the Daoist sects all honor the supreme leader, known as Zong.

[TL_Note: Zong = Patriarch / Founder]

Here, amidst the flowing clouds and mist that filled the peaks, spiritual treasures like jade mushrooms grew in abundance; rare beasts and precious birds roamed freely. In the sky, immortal cranes spread their wings and soared into the clouds, while on the ground, spirit deers chased each other among the myriad herbs. Any ordinary person who entered would forget all their worries.

This place was, indeed, the foremost of all celestial paradises in the world, nurturing countless living beings and providing insight into the Dao.

For ordinary people, without the right fate, entering such a Daoist sect was nearly impossible. Even regular disciples had to cultivate at the foot of the mountain. Only those who had cultivated Innate Qi could pass through the mountain gate. Once someone reached the level of a True Person, they could claim one of the peaks, establish their own sect, gather disciples, and pass on the lineage they created.

As the old Daoist rode the clouds with them, he introduced the mountain gate to the three.

Su Yue’er, her eyes sparkling with wonder, asked: “Old Immortal, are you a True Person?”

The old Daoist was speechless and said: “I am not a True Person. You may simply call me Old Daoist.”

Su Yue’er nodded, looking around at the breathtaking scenery. She thought to herself how fortunate she was to have left her small town for this New Year’s festival. Otherwise, how could she have witnessed such a magnificent landscape? Let alone meet someone like Cui Yuanzhen.

This young lady, from the renowned Cui family of the Five Surnames and Seven Sects, had invited them to participate in the Daoist sect’s trial.

It seemed to be an illusionary trial known as [Tempering the Heart], where one is tested against the desires for wine, wealth, lust, and ambition.

Unfortunately, Su Yue’er had failed to see through the trial of wealth.

And that vibrant young man who had come to fetch them from the town in high spirits had already been defeated by the trial of wine.

Wine here was not merely about drinking but about indulging in luxurious pleasures.

And wealth was not simply gold and silver but the allure of opulence and grandeur.

The beautiful young lady from the Cui family, who seemed as if she were a celestial being, passed through the trials of wine, wealth, lust, and ambition without wavering in her Dao Heart, all within the time it takes for a stick of incense to burn. With calm and composure, she even stood up and shattered the jade pendant used for the trial with a single sword strike. The Daoist overseeing the trial was extremely pleased and immediately welcomed her into the sect, which was how she earned the right to come here to pay her respects.

The other two, however, had not qualified to enter the sect’s mountain gate. They could only accompany Cui Yuanzhen for a farewell at the mountain’s foot, leaving them both with a sense of regret as they said:

“What a pity, what a pity… it was just too difficult.”

The old Daoist stroked his beard and smiled: “That was just a simple test for tempering the heart.”

“If you can’t even see through an illusion, what would you do if someone in reality offered you thousands of gold, dozens of fine carriages? Or perhaps, presented you with an excellent marriage opportunity, promising you a life of fulfillment? Or even offered you an extended lifespan of hundreds or thousands of years—how could you let go of such things?”

“If you cannot see through and relinquish these attachments now.”

“Then one day, when your life is nearing its end, if a method is offered to you that would harm the lives of others to prolong your own.”

“You would surely be unable to let it go.”

“In that case, you would be unfit to inherit the true teachings of the Dao, the proper path.”

Su Yue’er asked: “Is there really anyone who can let go of all of that?”

The old Daoist laughed and replied: “Perhaps.”

Su Yue’er thought for a moment and curiously asked: “Then, what is the greatest Heart Tempering?”

The old man pondered for a moment and shook his head, saying:

“I’ve never heard of the greatest or most difficult trial, but the Daoist scriptures do mention a certain method.”

“It seems to involve making a person experience an entire lifetime.”

“Many people fall into it and are never able to extricate themselves.”

Su Yue’er exclaimed: “That sounds far too difficult!”

Reflecting on how she couldn’t even make it through a simple illusion, and imagining what it would be like to endure a long, dreamlike life, a sense of fear and dread filled her heart.

Instinctively, she shrank back and tucked her neck in slightly.

The old Daoist rode the clouds, taking them to one of the mountain peaks. The towering mountains and magnificent scenery were breathtaking. As Cui Yuanzhen was admiring the landscape, she suddenly looked up and, from afar, spotted the highest peak in the center. Curiously, she asked: “Senior, why does it seem that this mountain peak has no lineage or sect?”

The old Daoist raised his gaze, stroked his beard, and sighed: “That is Tianzhu Peak.”

“Our sect has seventy-two peaks, and Tianzhu Peak, the grand summit, is the foremost among them. It connects to the Three Heavens above and overlooks ten thousand miles, witnessing the rise and fall of the sun and moon. Though the sect has passed down its teachings for thousands of years, Tianzhu Peak truly has no sect lineage. It’s said that there is nothing up there except for a very simple Daoist temple.”

There are neither spirit beasts nor disciples.

Only a single Daoist sits there in meditation.

Even the heads of various sects and worldly True Persons have no fate to set foot on that mountain gate.

Those who come and go for their cultivation often have never heard the name of the Daoist on Tianzhu Peak. Even when they pass away, they’ve never seen his face. It’s as though that person doesn’t even exist on Tianzhu Peak.

“Who is that person?”

“Hahaha, a good question. Even this old Daoist would like to know.”

“Perhaps an immortal?”

The old man sighed and said: “When I was your age and first came to this mountain, two hundred years have since passed.”

“And yet, that mountain remains unchanged.”

“Perhaps when my lifespan ends, that mountain will still be the same.”

“Come, come, let us not dwell on this. I’ll take you to meet the True Person of our lineage.”

The old Daoist led them to pay respects to the head of the sect. The True Person they were about to meet radiated an ethereal aura, serene and dignified. Cui Yuanzhen, with a solemn expression, was just about to bow when she noticed the True Person’s face suddenly freeze, eyes lifting slightly. In the void, clouds drifted, and faintly, the crisp sound of jade chimes could be heard. The True Person’s expression changed abruptly, and he suddenly said: “The three of you stay here. I have urgent matters to attend to!”

Before the words even fully left his lips, the True Person transformed into a streak of light and disappeared.

Everyone was stunned, raising their eyes to look outside. They saw a vast and heavy expanse of yellow auspicious clouds, with streaks of light flying away in all directions. Some were riding the clouds and mist, while others flew on the backs of celestial cranes, heading straight for Tianzhu Peak. The dazzling scene left everyone in awe. The old Daoist seemed to realize something, his eyes widening as he stepped forward and said: “This, this… could it be…”

Cui Yuanzhen asked: “Has that Daoist finally emerged from seclusion?”

Su Yue’er and the young man from the Cui family marveled: “What could be so important?”

Numerous True Persons had gathered before the simple Daoist temple on Tianzhu Peak.

The Daoist, whose age was unknown, had already stepped out of the temple.

At this moment, he held a piece of paper in his hand, freshly inked with a poem.

He gazed down at it.

The many True Persons stood before him in utter reverence.

No one knew how much time had passed, but eventually, the Daoist, who had sat in meditation for millennia, set the piece of white paper down and suddenly spoke:

“While I was meditating, between waking and dreaming, I seemed to witness a scene, and it startled me awake.”

The many True Persons were filled with curiosity.

When one is in meditation, the Four Gates must be closed, and the Primordial Spirit reined in.

What could be so significant that it would cause this Daoist to be awakened from his meditation?

One person stepped forward and respectfully asked:

“May I ask, Senior, what did you see?”

The Daoist placed the blank paper on the table, pondered for a long time, lowered his gaze over the world, and recalled the aura he sensed during meditation. He had already mastered this land, yet in such a vast world, someone could approach him this closely without him noticing. If that youth hadn’t [deliberately] revealed his aura, he wouldn’t have detected it at all…

He also recalled the youth’s smiling eyes, the old man stroking his beard, and the plum blossoms blooming. It all seemed like an illusion, yet the white paper falling was undeniably real.

To possess such abilities, and yet intentionally expose his aura.

Too deliberate.

Could it be that he was reminding me not to merely sit in meditation? That simple meditation and cultivation have no real meaning?

An immortal strokes my head, tying my hair to grant me immortality…

Was this poem a self-declaration?

These thoughts caused waves of emotion to stir within his heart. After a long while, with a mixture of emotions, he finally spoke softly:

“Under the plum blossom tree, I saw a young man and an old man discussing the Dao.”

“And that was all.”