I forge immortality with spiritual treasures.

Chapter 5 To Xuandu

They say time stands still in the mountains.

Having grown up in a Taoist temple deep in the mountains, Ying Chan naturally had this understanding long ago. However, since descending the mountain to travel, he has often been in the mortal world, and his understanding has gradually faded.

It wasn't until we entered the Dawanshan Mountains that we were able to taste this flavor again.

The Taoist's words were true. Ying Chan had traveled all this way, and wherever he went, there were green mountains. Occasionally, he would cross a turbulent stream, go around a few bends, and then he would be back in front of him again.

Sometimes, in the rush of travel, not only do we forget where we've been, but even the time seems to slip away. We need to stop and think things through, to do the math...

At first, Ying Chan also felt exhausted, but he persevered with sheer determination.

But as time went on, Ying Chan gradually realized that the deeper they went into the Da Wan Mountains, the more precipitous and majestic the mountains became, and the terrain continued to rise.

Although this made his journey more difficult, it also brought him a completely new feeling.

Sometimes, when you climb to a high place, you can see layers of mountains shrouded in mist and clouds reaching the sky in front of you, and the verdant mountains stretching down in layers behind you. This gives you the illusion that you are climbing up the steps between heaven and earth.

Before they knew it, a month had passed.

On this day, a light drizzle fell.

It is rainy in the mountains, and now it is the rainy season, so the weather is like this almost every day.

Therefore, Ying Chan should not have avoided such light rain.

However, recently, Ying Chan was quite exhausted and hungry, so he found a place under a stone wall to rest for a while.

After being in the mountains for more than ten days, Ying Chan had long since run out of food. However, the Da Wan Mountain was rich in resources, so he was not going hungry.

Unfortunately, today was a bad day. I didn't see any familiar mountain fruits or wild vegetables along the way, nor did I encounter any small animals to hunt. I can say that I came up empty-handed.

However, Ying Chan was not in a hurry. He leaned against the stone wall and watched the rain for a while, when he saw a familiar rainbow flash by.

A colorful sparrow, carrying a handful of berries with branches and leaves still attached, flew out of the rain and mist. Upon seeing Ying Chan, it landed on his shoulder and dropped the berries.

"Taoist priest, catch!"

From the day they retrieved the spiritual spring, Cai Que'er accompanied Ying Chan on his journey, not only guiding him but also sometimes helping him find food.

Ying Chan caught the berries, thanked him, took out the water pouch, rinsed them briefly, and began to eat.

While eating, they listened to Cai Que recount the situation.

According to Caique, he was getting closer and closer to the Taoist academy, but Caique went to look for it several times but found nothing, as if the Taoist academy had never existed at all.

Recently, Ying Chan's travel has slowed down, and this is one of the reasons.

"It's really strange. I was here just last time and I could see that Taoist temple from afar."

"Why can't we find it this time?" Cai Que'er asked, full of doubt.

Ying Chan wasn't too surprised.

Xuandu Taoist Temple is a place of cultivation, so it's perfectly normal for it to have some mystical features. Perhaps it can be viewed from afar but not approached? Or perhaps the temple seen by the colorful bird is just a mirage, and it is actually far away elsewhere? All are possible.

Fortunately, even if the colorful bird could not be found, there were still the leaves given by the Taoist priest, which could guide Ying Chan in the right direction.

He finished off the berries and felt he had regained some strength. Then he took out a small cloth bag from his pocket, opened it, and revealed a green leaf inside.

Although the magic on this leaf is mysterious, it is not a magical artifact after all.

Ying Chan was afraid that he might damage the leaf while climbing rocks or crossing water during his journey, so he carefully put it away and only looked at it occasionally.

But now, we have to rely on it.

He took out the leaf, pressed it in his palm, and sure enough, he soon saw the tip of the leaf turn and point in another direction.

"Huh?" Cai Que'er peeked out from Ying Chan's shoulder, quite surprised: "Why is it over there?"

"There was clearly only a vast expanse of forest over there, very secluded and dark, without a single bird in sight..."

Cai Que'er muttered to herself, while Ying Chan simply smiled and said, "We'll only know once we get there, no matter what."

With that, he jumped up, slung his bag over his shoulder, and strode away.

The colorful sparrow hurriedly followed, but after flying for a while, it landed on Ying Chan's shoulder again, shaking its colorful feathers and complaining, "When will this rain finally stop?"

Ying Chan glanced at the sky. The light rain that had been falling for so long showed no signs of clearing up; in fact, it seemed to be getting heavier.

Although the colorful sparrow has become a spirit, it is still a bird after all, and it is by nature that it dislikes getting wet in the rain.

However, Ying Chan felt that it was still within acceptable limits, so he comforted her, saying, "The weather is unpredictable, and we don't know when it will stop. If the fairy cannot bear it, you can take refuge in my arms."

"It doesn't bother me."

The colorful sparrow folded its wings tightly, its fine feathers keeping the rain out, and said, "Taoist, just focus on your journey."

Ying Chan nodded and said no more.

For some reason, the rain seemed to come faster and faster, and with the flashes of lightning and thunder, it turned into a torrential downpour in the blink of an eye, and showed no signs of slowing down.

Seeing that the sky seemed about to collapse, Ying Chan felt a slight tension in his heart and wanted to stop again, but there was nowhere to avoid it along the way.

Soon, a torrential downpour began.

Ying Chan was already soaked to the bone, and the torrential rain made him feel as if he were drowning.

Moisture filled his mouth and nose, making it difficult to breathe. Even more deadly, the heavy rain completely blocked Ying Chan's vision.

The complex terrain and limited visibility in the mountains greatly slowed down Ying Chan's progress.

The colorful sparrow wanted to fly up and scout the way for him, but it was too shaky in the downpour, so it quickly landed back down and forgot to be brave, hiding in his clothes.

He could only keep his head down, shoulder the wind and rain, and proceed cautiously step by step. He didn't know how long it had been before he finally arrived at a mountain forest before his strength was exhausted.

This forest is filled with the same kind of trees, whose species I don't know. Each tree is towering and has very lush branches and leaves, growing and intertwining with each other, like a dome woven together.

Upon entering, Ying Chan immediately breathed a sigh of relief.

Although the dense forest could not completely block out such a torrential downpour, it did give him a chance to catch his breath.

Ying Chan hid under a tree, wiped the rain from his face, and let out a long sigh. Only then did he have a moment to glance into the depths of the forest, thinking, "This is not a place to stop; I should continue on my way."

After all, he had some cultivation, and once he caught his breath, his strength returned, and he immediately felt five or six parts of his fatigue subside.

Moreover, there are neither tree hollows nor caves here. The trees cannot provide shelter from the wind and rain, nor can they provide a place for him to rest.

Ying Chan made up his mind and set off immediately, but before long, he encountered another difficulty.

The trees in this forest are all tall and straight. Walking through them feels like entering a palace, with pillars on all sides. At this moment, it is pouring rain, and everywhere is shrouded in mist, making people feel extremely confused.

As Ying Chan walked, he lost his sense of direction and could only raise his hand to look around, hoping to find his way again by following the guidance of the green leaves.

But what he didn't expect was that as soon as he opened his palm, a gust of wind carrying rain swept by, swirling the leaf up and sending it flying into the air.

"what?"

Ying Chan's expression changed. Without thinking, he leaped up and reached out to grab the leaf back.

But he was a beat too slow. His fingertips barely brushed the tip of the leaf, and he still couldn't grab it back. He staggered back to the ground and could only watch the green leaf fly away in the wind.

Ying Chan's gaze was fixed on that peculiar leaf. He took off chasing after it, calling out as he went:
"The Fairy of the Colorful Birds!"

"The Fairy of the Colorful Birds!"

For some reason, he received no response even after calling out several times. Ying Chan had no time to think about it and could only do his best to chase after it. He didn't know if the magic on the leaf had lost its magic, but he would never give up. With a glimmer of hope in his heart, he ran through the torrential rain.

The torrential rain pelted Ying Chan's face, but he had no time to feel the pain or wipe it away.

The unpredictable wind carried the green leaves back and forth, and he could only dodge and weave among the trees, trying his best to keep the green leaves in his sight.

Already disoriented, the frantic run made the world seem to spin even more.

Ying Chan knew he had completely lost his way and his strength was rapidly depleting. If this continued, even if he caught up with the falling leaves, he probably wouldn't be able to get out of this jungle.

But even with eyes wide open and through the blurry rain, one can still see the green leaves fluttering in the wind.

Ying Chan steeled his resolve and did not slow down.

Strands of strength were reborn from the depths of his body, only to be drained away in an instant. Exhaustion gradually spread throughout his entire body, from every joint. This went on for an unknown amount of time, until suddenly—

Like a fish leaping out of the water, Ying Chan burst out of the vast rain and mist, and the endless jungle retreated behind him.

A blue stone and a long staircase suddenly appear before your eyes.

The wind seemed to have stopped, and the green leaves swirled and fell onto the blue stone, which fixed Ying Chan's gaze.

There was a blue stone like a stele with two characters written on it. Although the characters were illegible, their meaning was clear.

Xuandu!

"Xuandu...!"

As Ying Chanzheng was speaking, Cai Que'er suddenly poked her head out of his arms: "What Xuandu?"

"Huh?" Ying Chan finally realized what was happening and asked in surprise, "Fairy, what happened to you just now?"

"Just now?" Cai Que'er paused, then hesitated, "Just now, I think I fell asleep?"

Listening to it, it's as if even they themselves aren't sure.

Ying Chan nodded thoughtfully, saying only, "I see..."

The colorful sparrow was completely bewildered, but being simple-minded by nature, it didn't think much of it and asked again, "What was the Taoist priest chanting just now?"

“Xuan Du,” Ying Chan repeated, then pointed to the bluestone: “It’s what’s written on this stele.”

"Xuan Du?" Cai Que'er realized and immediately jumped for joy: "Is this the 'Xuan Du' that the Taoist priest mentioned? We've arrived!"

"I wonder if it's the Xuandu Sect or the Xuandu Dao Academy?"

But as he was talking, his tone suddenly became very low, and it was unclear what he was thinking.

He was asked a few questions, but he only gave vague answers and brushed them off.

Seeing that it was distracted, Ying Chan simply let it be and walked over the bluestone, going up the long steps behind it.

Before long, a large expanse of black tiles appeared at the edge of the horizon.

As Ying Chan approached, the general outline of the building came into view; it was a vast Taoist temple that occupied the entire hilltop.

The layout of this Taoist temple is different from many other temples that Ying Chan has visited.

There is no mountain gate or ornamental column. After climbing the long steps, you will find a square that is very spacious. Only in the center stands a giant incense burner with smoke curling around it.

Beyond that lay a magnificent palace complex, and in the distance, one could also see the bell tower, the drum tower, and numerous tall pavilions…

Ying Chan, with his sharp eyes, could also see some Taoist priests coming and going, seemingly in a hurry, as well as young boys and girls carrying brooms, sweeping and cleaning everywhere.

It truly is a place for cultivation.

He was momentarily lost in thought, but subconsciously, he continued walking in without stopping.

After passing the giant incense burner, a road paved with solid stone can be seen extending into the depths, with pillars on both sides shaped like tortoises and snakes, all carved with cloud patterns and crane designs.

Before Ying Chan could take a closer look, he noticed a figure approaching along the main road.

Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be a middle-aged Taoist priest. He had a dignified appearance and proper manners. When he saw Ying Chan, he stopped and made a hand gesture, which seemed to be a simple Taoist greeting, before slowly asking, "May I ask where you come from, friend?"

"Greetings, Daoist Master." Ying Chan returned the bow and replied, "I am Ying Chan, a Daoist from Dachang."

"Greetings. I am Lü Cheng, and I am honored to serve as your guest master." The middle-aged Taoist nodded. "So you are a fellow Taoist from Changguo. May I ask what brings you here?"

I had rehearsed in my mind countless times how to respond and what words to use, but at this moment, I found myself somewhat hesitant.

All the words in the world, in the end, boil down to just one sentence: "Coming towards the Way."

"Coming for the Dao?"

"Exactly."

The Taoist Master Lü Cheng was clearly not surprised. He simply smiled and nodded, saying, "Fellow Daoist, you have traveled thousands of miles to seek the Dao, which shows your firm resolve."

"However, this place is outside the Xuandu Mountain, and it is not where the Dao Academy is located."

Although Ying Chan was astonished that such a magnificent Taoist temple was only located on the outer mountain of Xuandu, he was more concerned about what was to come and hurriedly asked, "Where does the temple go next?"

"Fellow Daoist, do not worry, I will take you there myself."

Ying Chan breathed a sigh of relief: "Thank you for your trouble, Daoist Master."

“It’s alright.” Lü Cheng smiled slightly, looked Ying Chan up and down, and then pondered for a moment: “Although our Daoist sect advocates naturalness, fellow Daoist is new here, and this appearance is rather unseemly.”

Ying Chan was taken aback, and only then did he realize what was happening, feeling somewhat embarrassed.

He ran wildly through the wind and rain, getting soaked to the bone, his hair half-undone, and his clothes and shoes covered in mud. To call it unsightly was an understatement.

As he was considering whether he could find a place to change his clothes, Lü Cheng continued, "I apologize for my inconvenience, fellow Daoist."

After speaking, he flicked his sleeve, and Ying Chan felt a gentle breeze, making his whole body feel light.

Large clumps of water and mud detached from its body, carried by the breeze, and scattered into the air.

"This...!" Ying Chan raised his arm and sleeve to look, and sure enough, there was no moisture left. He was amazed by the exquisite magic of Lü Cheng.

"Thank you, Taoist Master."

"If you don't mind the trouble, please come with me."

After saying this, Lü Cheng turned around and led the way inside.

Ying Chan saw that after turning left and right, instead of going deep into the Taoist temple, he turned halfway up the mountain and climbed onto a jade platform.

"Fellow Daoist, please wait."

Lu Cheng raised his fingers and made a hand seal, his lips barely moving as he chanted something. A moment later, a clear cry was heard from the air.

Ying Chan looked up and his eyes showed surprise.

A crane descended from the clouds, landing gracefully on the jade platform. It stood proudly on one leg, towering several heads above him.

"Fairy Crane, please escort this fellow Daoist on his way."

As Lü Cheng spoke, the crane lowered its head slightly, as if it were truly listening, before proudly raising its head again.

Seeing this, Lü Cheng just smiled and said to Ying Chan, "Go up, Fairy Crane will take you to the Taoist temple."

(End of this chapter)