The Yang Spirit’s flying speed was extremely fast. Even covering a thousand miles took only a few seconds. Li Yundong and Su Chan only flew for a little while before arriving at the distant Mount Longhu in Jiangxi.
The last time Su Chan stepped on Mount Gezao, one of the sacred lands of the Daoists, she had still felt fear and trepidation. This time, when she looked at the magnificent scenery under her feet, she was filled with excitement.
Although it was late winter, Mount Longhu was covered in lush green vegetation, and the top of the mountain was swathed in clouds and fog, making it look like a land of Shenxian, an otherworldly sort of place.
Su Chan took a deep breath and sighed deeply. “It deserves to be the first Zu Ting of the Taoists. I just took a breath here and I feel more rejuvenated than if I’d cultivated for a month!”
Li Yundong smiled slightly and said, “The Lingqi of Mount Longhu is so sufficient and it is one of the best in the world. Cultivating here yields twice the results for half the effort.”
In an avaricious tone, Su Chan said, “I’m really envious that there is such good Zu Ting in the Zhengyi School. If only our Fox Zen School had such good stuff.”
Li Yundong smiled and said, “Don’t be silly. Isn’t Mount Tianlong a good place? As the saying goes, home is home, no matter how humble.”
Su Chan grinned. She looped her arms around Li Yundong’s arm and said obediently, “Anywhere you go, I’ll be by your side. I don’t care about Mount Ling.”
Li Yundong laughed, tweaked his companion’s nose, and said, “Well aren’t you sweet. Let’s go down.”
Su Chan descended with Li Yundong and found herself standing at the door of a Taoist temple which was covered in dense jungle and sprawling ancient trees. She couldn’t help but ask in surprise, “Yundong, what Taoist temple is this?”
He grinned and said, “This is the Linggong Sect’s Taoist temple of Zi Yuan. You haven’t been here before, have you?”
Su Chan’s eyes brightened. “Sister Zi Yuan’s Taoist temple? I have to take a good look at it!”
Li Yundong laughed warmly. “I knew you hadn’t seen it before, so I thought I’d bring you here today.”
“Have you been here before, Yundong?”
He nodded at her, still smiling. “Yes, do you remember the last time we went to Mount Gezao, you encountered Zi Yuan and me just in time when you flew out of the house?”
“Ah, I remember it now. You told me that you came here with Sister Zi Yuan that night, right?”
Li Yundong nodded and sighed with emotion. “Zi Yuan taught me Five Thunders Spell here that night. At that time, I had only just reached the Yangshen phase. I never imagined that in a flash that I would reach the Jinshen phase.”
Su Chan also sighed emotionally. “Yes, Sister Zi Yuan is very kind! When she chased me, I thought she was a bad guy.”
Li Yundong smiled and pointed at the end of her nose. “She used to think that you were a naughty little Fox Spirit who had committed all manners of crimes!”
Su Chan giggled mischievously. “Fortunately, the sun comes after the rain. Otherwise, conflicts would arise between people on one’s own side, and the family would not recognize family.”
Li Yundong couldn’t help but think of something when he heard this. He thought, “Family… What does Zi Yuan mean to me? Is she a friend? A confidante? A cultivation partner? A teacher? A benefactor who has guided me to the Tao?”
Li Yundong knew very well that even though Su Chan had led him into the world of cultivation, the one who had truly turned him into a cultivator was Zi Yuan!
It was this gentle, noble, and virtuous woman who had helped him quietly along the way, pushing him to new heights along the road of cultivation.
“What does such a person mean to me?”
Li Yundong was lost in thought when Su Chan suddenly interjected, “Yundong, it will be the grand ceremony for Sister Zi Yuan taking over the Linggong Sect soon. At that time, we have to help her. She has helped us a lot!”
Gathering his wits, Li Yundong smiled and touched Su Chan’s cheek, saying softly, “That’s one of the reasons why I came to Mount Longhu.”
Su Chan was startled and asked curiously, “Are you here for Sister Zi Yuan’s inauguration ceremony of the Linggong Sect? But, there’s still a month left until then!”
“Zhengyi School is the biggest factor affecting whether Zi Yuan can take up the position of leader of the Linggong Sect. If they want to stop it, there will be endless twists and turns. But the main people in Zhengyi School who have always been against us are Zhang Ling and the others. I have never known what the Leader of Zhengyi School is thinking, so I came here to see him. Consider it as me throwing a stone to clear the road and trying peaceful means before resorting to force.”
Su Chan said in wonderment, “But, I heard from my master that the Leader of Zhengyi School meditated in seclusion ten years ago! Is he out of seclusion now?”
Li Yundong smiled and said, “When I was chatting with Ao Wushuang privately, she mentioned that several Masters of the Lightning Retribution phase appeared near Tiandu Peak during the battle. Two of them were from Zhengyi School, and one of them was the leader. Since his Yang Spirit has come out, it means that he may have come out of seclusion.”
Su Chan was shocked. She opened her mouth wide and said, “Two masters of the Lightning Retribution phase? Two of the five Lightning Retribution phase masters are members of the Zhengyi School?”
Li Yundong said laughingly, “How else would Zhengyi School be known as the world’s most powerful Taoist sect?”
Su Chan suddenly became a little scared. She looked around in a panic and whispered, “Yundong, Masters of the Lightning Retribution phase are not to be trifled with. Let’s go.”
Li Yundong smiled and caressed Su Chan’s cheek. “You’re a seven-tailed fox spirit. What are you so scared about? You were full of confidence just a moment ago, weren’t you?”
Su Chan was a little embarrassed and said bashfully, “It hasn’t been long since I became a seven-tailed fox spirit… To be honest… I’m afraid I’m going to drag you down!”
“We’re not here to pick a fight,” Li Yundong grinned. “If we can’t defeat him, we can always just run away!”
Su Chan immediately became complacent, and said, “That’s enough. When it comes to escaping, I’m unbeatable!”
“You are not ashamed, you’re actually proud of it! Your master is so powerful. How dare you say such a thing? Aren’t you afraid of disgracing her?” he replied teasingly.
Su Chan pulled a face at Li Yundong and said with a smile, “I’m not afraid. Master was not as powerful as me in the past! She only became powerful after meeting Wang Yuanshan!”
Li Yundong took Su Chan’s hand. “Let’s go. Let’s pay a visit to the Leader of Zhengyi School and see if the matter can be resolved. Even if it can’t be settled, we can at least explore the background of the Zhengyi School, so that we can make preparations ahead of time.”
Su Chan saw that Li Yundong was very relaxed, but she knew very well that what he was doing was no different from breaking into a dangerous place. If Zhengyi School really had evil intentions, it was very likely that the two of them were walking into the lion’s den, and it was more than possible that they would not come back out again.
However, Li Yundong was still calm and composed, and went with great presence of mind. Such confidence was founded on the basis of his strong fighting strength and talent.
Yundong had already been so powerful when he was in the Yangshen phase. Now that he was in the jinshen phase, how powerful could he be? Could he beat a Master of the Lightning Retribution phase?
When Su Chan thought of this, she couldn’t help but become curious. Her fear faded and she actually became a little excited. On the way, she kept talking to Li Yundong.
Along the way, they passed through the 99 peaks and 24 rocks of Mount Longhu, went past the divine wells, pools, and waterfalls, which were bright, beautiful, graceful, and elegant, flanked by steep peaks, various shaped rocks, and a lush green bamboo stand. Everything they saw made them feel like they were traveling through a fairy land, and the scenery they saw was as beautiful as a painting.
Su Chan was amazed by the landscape. Li Yundong also felt completely relaxed and happy in such an environment. Before they knew it, they had already arrived in front of the mansion of a Taoist master of Zu Ting in Zhengyi School.
At first glance, Li Yundong saw the south-facing mansion of a Taoist master and the Shangqing River, with its back to North Mount Huashan, with Shangqing Temple in the east and the main peak of Mount Longhu in the west. It was surrounded by clusters of solemn, mysterious camphor trees and ancient trees towering into the sky and casting thick shade on the ground, .
In front of the gate of the mansion of a Taoist master, there was a palace-style building with an overhanging gable roof. It was tall and majestic, facing a stream. A plaque which read: “Sihan Mansion of a Taoist master” was hanging on it, and a couplet was engraved on a huge stone pillar. Li Yundong looked at it and read it: “Shenxian Guests in the Kylin Temple! The Prime Minister’s Home in Mount Longhu!”
These words in the couplets were magnificent and majestic. There was a sense of deep history and pride embedded in every line, and the imposing manner of the world’s most powerful Taoist could be felt in an instant!
Li Yundong couldn’t help but sigh. “He is a Shenxian in heaven and a prime minister on earth! He deserves to be the only great religion in China that can be compared with the Confucian school! It deserves to be number one in the South!”
At this time, in front of the double eaves, red columns, walls, and door leaf of the magnificent and splendid mansion, Su Chan was awe-struck. She didn’t dare to laugh loudly, just opened her eyes wide and looked curiously at the core Zu Ting of the Zhengyi School.
Although it was winter, the Zu Ting of Zhengyi School was full of worshippers, and it was swarming with tourists. Li Yundong and Su Chan followed the tourists into the mansion. When they arrived at the second door, they saw the Black Altar Temple, Law Record Office, Supervisorate, Zanjiao Hall, and other splendid halls on both sides of the corridor.
The layout of these two doors was the same as that of the front doors. They were slightly smaller in size and lower in level than the first door. On them was a plaque which read: “The Sovereign Command of the Buddha”. There were three pairs of gates and six majestic-looking, lifelike gate gods. In the middle of the gate were couplets on the two pillars, which read: “Profound Tao makes even dragons and tigers submit, virtue makes devils and spirits awe-struck.”
Su Chan was entranced by what she saw. She noticed the surrounding tourists heading towards Jade Emperor Palace through the third door to burn joss sticks and worship the gods at the altar.
Su Chan looked around and only felt that the doors, windows, girders, pillars and eaves of the surrounding buildings were utterly magnificent. The atmosphere was quiet and elegant, showing the style of rich and powerful families everywhere. It could be called the deep sea gate. As soon as they got through the gate, they felt as if they had entered an aquatic world. It was unfathomable!
Su Chan couldn’t help but lean against Li Yundong tightly, as if she was afraid that he might disappear in the next second. She took Li Yundong’s arm and asked nervously in a low voice, “Yundong, do you know where the leader of the Zhengyi School is?”
Li Yundong said with a smile, “I don’t know either.”
Su Chan was stunned. “Ah? You don’t know? So what are you doing here?”
“It doesn’t matter if I don’t know. I can ask!”
As he spoke, he saw a Taoist priest dressed in Daopao not far away with his back to him. He pulled Su Chan forward and asked, “Brother of the Tao, may I ask where your leader is? Can you introduce him to me?”
The Taoist priest turned around and saw Li Yundong and Su Chan standing there. He was shocked and cried out, “It’s you?”
