I became an immortal in the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 68 Prince Qi Visits a Taoist Temple

Upon hearing this question, the middle-aged man recalled what he had seen during the day.

With a casual wave of his hand, he summoned all the spirits below the cliff and converted them all. It seemed effortless, just a casual gesture.

When he descended the mountain, he did not use any magic or supernatural powers, but walked down calmly, just like any ordinary mortal.

Speaking of levels...

The middle-aged man said carefully:
"At least he's much better than you all, and even better than your master."

Sanshui asked curiously, "Is it possible to ride the energy of heaven and earth and travel several miles?"

That's definitely possible, even he can do it... The middle-aged man recalled what he had seen during the day, but he couldn't quite figure out how profound that person's Taoist skills were. He glanced at his two disciples.

scolded:
"Just keep it to yourself. It's already past 7:45 PM, go to sleep!"

"Be more respectful to others in the future, and don't make such a fuss like you did today."

They sent the two teenagers to bed.

The courtyard was much quieter now.

The middle-aged man slowly exhaled. He went back to his room, lit candles, and wrote a letter to the mountains, sending back news of what he had seen and heard that day, as well as the news of his senior brother's passing.

When discussing the cause of his senior brother's death, he inevitably had to explain a great deal to the sect, and then talked about the vengeful spirits under the cliff.

Speaking of encountering a senior with profound Taoist skills, I wonder who he is and from which immortal abode he came.

After finishing writing, the middle-aged man put down his pen, read the letter once, and sat in his chair, speechless for a moment.

He opened the window to let in some fresh air and saw the cold moonlight. He was also affected by the cold, almost inhuman moonlight.

My thoughts drifted through my mind.

The path to enlightenment is arduous.

After fifty years of spiritual practice, my old friends have gradually passed away.

It is unknown where he died when he reached the end of his life.

……

……

Early the next morning.

A eunuch arrived at Hongdao Temple, spoke with the abbot for a while, and then the temple closed its doors to visitors. Two young disciples, having finished their morning prayers, saw a group of guards patrolling the temple.

I stared at it curiously for a long time.

There were no guards on the mountain. They had been to Hongdao Temple before and had never seen these people before. They looked very imposing in their clothes.

The guard noticed the two children staring at them.

They went up to the Taoist priest and asked him what the two men did.

The Taoist priest explained, "This is a disciple of an old friend of mine from Hongdao Temple. He came to visit the temple a few days ago, unaware of your presence."

"Also a Taoist? Which temple?"

The Taoist priest said, "It is called Yunmeng Mountain. There are no temples here. People just live in seclusion in the mountains."

After the guards left.

Sanshui and Chuyi eagerly asked, "What kind of benefactor are you talking about?"

Who is coming today?

Is the official position very high-ranking?

The Taoist priests were very patient with the disciples of Yunmeng Mountain. The health-preserving methods their Hongdao Temple uses today originate from Yunmeng Mountain. The abbot had hinted to them that the practices of Yunmeng Mountain are true immortal Taoist arts…

It can prolong life.

One can also roam freely in the world.

The Taoist priest felt a pang of envy as he looked at his two young disciples.

He smiled and said, "Today, a distinguished person from the imperial family is coming, so we need to avoid the worshippers and burn incense in the temple to purify the place. The guards are there to prevent thieves from appearing."

A noble person from the imperial family...

Was it the Li Tang royal family?
The two teenagers listened with curiosity.

With her little head tilted back, she asked, "Should we retreat too?"

The Taoist priest couldn't help but touch their heads; the small buns they had coiled together were soft and fluffy.

The Taoist recalled watching them practice in their morning class. They could skim across the ground like dragonflies touching the water, their movements light and graceful, like feathers.

He said, "Of course not."

“You are not of this world.”

The two children were somewhat bewildered, but they knew that they were cultivators, unlike those living down the mountain.

But when they looked up, they saw the heavily guarded men not far away, and the Taoist priests greeted and spoke with them. Many Taoist priests they knew were waiting outside to welcome them.

Servants knelt on the ground, cleaning and sweeping away dust. I felt a deep sense of unease.

Sanshui looked at the kneeling servant and remained silent. She stood under the tree for a while, until her legs were numb, then ran to find her master, dragging him all the way back. Pointing to someone, she asked:

"Master, can someone like that learn the Way like us?"

The middle-aged man looked over.

He was a servant dressed in grayish-brown clothes, and looked to be in his forties.

He stroked his beard and said, "I'm too old, and my aptitude isn't good enough. I'm not suitable to enter the Dao."

Why are you asking about this?

Sanshui remained silent.

The middle-aged man, having discerned something, asked her, "He looks to you. He's over forty, and at the foot of the mountain, he should be of age of forty, with children and grandchildren. Would he be willing to give up everything and go into the mountains to cultivate himself?"

The two children remained silent.

The middle-aged man sighed.

He carefully considered how to explain the reality in a way that a child could understand.

"Even if he were to join a sect and devote himself to cultivation, what do you think would happen?"

Grade 7: "There's no need for that."

The middle-aged man said, "I am over forty years old and have come to seek a master to pursue the Tao. My aptitude is low, and I am destined to live no more than fifty, sixty, or seventy years. How many years will it take for me to enter the Tao and prolong my life?"

"He also has a family to support, including his grandmother and parents, and his children and grandchildren."

"Although it's hard work, you can also enjoy family time."

"Compared to entering a monastery for solitary cultivation."

"In my opinion, he would rather be favored by a nobleman and become a minor official, or a wealthy merchant who will never lack money. Or he could be freed from his social status, given a hundred acres of fertile land, and become a minor gentry in the countryside."

"A life of wealth and honor, surrounded by wives and concubines, with a house full of children and grandchildren."

"That's what he wanted."

Sanshui and Chuyi lowered their heads, believing that cultivating Taoism was the best thing in the world.

Only then did I realize that some people were unwilling to ask.

The two didn't stay down for long.

Then they heard sounds coming from outside, the sound of many people's footsteps, and the abbot talking to someone.

A man in apricot-colored brocade robes walked in, surrounded by Taoist priests, officials, and a large group of guards, in a grand procession.

The abbot of Hongdao Temple, Taihe Daoren, personally accompanied them. When discussing matters of the Daoist sect, the nobleman occasionally spoke a few words, but it was mostly the subordinates who did the talking.

The nobleman's face was pale, as if he were unwell.

He coughs occasionally.

The officials were deeply worried.

He said, "I've heard that the abbot is skilled in alchemy and has transcended the mundane world, and is also well-versed in medicine, making him a master in this field. I wonder... how should this chest tightness and shortness of breath be treated?"

……

Sanshui and Chuyi were still looking around, attracting a lot of attention.

The middle-aged man, not wanting to cause any more trouble for Hongdao Temple, took his two disciples back to the courtyard.

The two returned to the house and asked.

"Is this the king from the foot of the mountain?"

"How impressive! I haven't even gotten a good look at what he looks like yet."

Cultivators have keen hearing and eyesight, and can sense the universe to a certain extent. The middle-aged man had only overheard a few words of their conversation. "This is Prince Qi. He is unwell and has come to seek elixirs."

Before the two children could continue asking questions...

The middle-aged man glanced at them.

"Pack your things, I'll take you out to visit that senior in a bit."

Be respectful!

A young disciple asked, "How respectful should we be?"

Because of their talkativeness, the middle-aged man decided to punish the two disciples by making them copy scriptures to temper their minds.

I recall that Taoist priest who had revealed a glimpse of himself.

The middle-aged man stroked his long beard, stared at the two of them, and spoke slowly.

"The more respect the Taoists at Hongdao Temple have for you, the more respect you two should show to that senior."

(End of this chapter)