Dao Qi Wu Zang Guan Guan: I became a Daoist Master in the 1990s

Chapter 3 Duke Qi's Love of Dragons
Sure enough, there was a thin, narrow river at the west end of the village.

The water was crystal clear, and several dark green stones, worn smooth by countless generations of footsteps, were firmly embedded in it.

Qi Yun stepped across the river on the stones. The cool water vapor under his feet seeped through the thin soles of his rubber shoes, instantly invigorating him.

In the 1990s, the mountains of your province still retained an untamed wildness.

As soon as you enter the forest, the light suddenly dims, but the air is exceptionally crisp, filled with the mixed scent of damp earth, resin, and some unknown wildflower. Taking a deep breath, it feels as if your entire body has been cleansed.

Tall trees provide dense shade, their intertwined branches filtering down rays of sunlight that dapple the ground with golden light.

The plants spread out wildly, their leaves glossy green and thick, with newly sprouted pale yellow edges.

Moss thickly covered the rocks and tree roots.

Occasionally, a startled squirrel will dart across the tree with a "whoosh," leaving a swift shadow behind.

The mountain wind rustled through the forest, bringing with it the faint roar of a distant waterfall, and the leaves whispered as if the whole mountain was whispering.

The original owner's physical condition was much stronger than in his previous life.

Although the mountain path was steep and rugged, breathing in the air of this primeval forest made my steps gradually lighter.

Sweat seeped out layer by layer, initially slightly cool, but when the mountain breeze blew, it gave rise to a refreshing and invigorating feeling.

The lingering effects of the hangover were finally washed away by the lush greenery and the sweat.

There are no deliberate trails, signs, or noise in later tourist attractions; only pure, silent, and vibrant wildness.

In this primeval forest, Qi Yun's heart gradually calmed down, temporarily casting aside the bewilderment of the journey and the uncertainty about the future.

The path wound its way uphill, and by midday, Qi Yun was already standing at the foot of Shenxian Mountain.

Looking up, the mountain is not particularly high, but it appears exceptionally deep and secluded due to the dense vegetation.

The narrow dirt road, worn smooth by countless feet, stretched upwards like a faded old cloth strip, disappearing into the depths of the dense forest.

The sun was shining brightly, the sky was a clear, deep blue, and there was no sign of rain.

Qi Yun composed himself and stepped onto the legendary mountain path.

The mountains grew even quieter in the afternoon.

Only his own footsteps, treading on fallen leaves and soft humus, made a monotonous "rustling" sound.

The road grew narrower and narrower, and the forest grew denser and denser, blocking out the sun.

He carefully observed his surroundings: the thick tree trunks, the gnarled vines, the rocks of various shapes, and the occasional wildflower peeking out from a crevice in the rock...

Everything was so ordinary it couldn't be more ordinary.

There was no trace of man-made construction, no tiles, no inscribed stones, not even a slightly regular pile of stones that resembled a foundation.

As Zhao Xinmin said, apart from the story that has been passed down, the mountain itself is really nothing special.

A deep sense of disappointment gradually washed over Qi Yun.

He stopped, leaned against an old pine tree to catch his breath, and looked at the sky, which was fragmented by the branches and leaves.

Perhaps... it really is just a story? Is it that I, as a transmigrator, am too sensitive, too eager to grasp at some "unusual" straw in this world?

He chuckled self-deprecatingly, adjusted his mindset, and thought, "Oh well, what's done is done."

Just treat it as pure sightseeing, breathe some fresh air, and see the pristine scenery of Guizhou in the 1990s.

He continued climbing upwards, no longer deliberately searching, and his mind became more open.

The mountain breeze blew through the gaps in the forest, bringing a cool sensation as it brushed against my sweaty neck, which felt very comfortable.

Around 3 p.m., he finally reached the summit.

The mountaintop is a small platform, with the view blocked by the surrounding higher peaks, offering only a continuous expanse of green waves.

Qi Yun looked around and saw that the landscape remained pure and pristine.

He found a large, sunny, sheltered spot on a blue stone and sat down. The stone was warm from the sun, and leaning against the cool mountain wall, he felt quite comfortable.

He pulled a cold steamed bun from his canvas satchel and slowly chewed it with the cold water from his kettle.

The mountain sunlight filters through the gaps in the branches and leaves, falling softly and lazily on my body.

After eating and drinking my fill, an irresistible drowsiness suddenly overwhelmed me.

The stress of the past few days of hiking, the fatigue from last night's hangover, and the exhaustion from today's climb all came together at this moment, stimulated by the warm mountain breeze and sunshine.

He intended to lean against the mountain wall and close his eyes to rest, but his eyelids grew heavier and heavier, and his head bobbed up and down until he unknowingly drifted into a deep sleep.

I slept incredibly soundly, my limbs and body were completely relaxed, and I didn't even have a single dream.

It wasn't until a chill ran through his body that he was jolted awake.

Qi Yun opened his eyes with a start, and the light in front of him had changed drastically!
The warm and bright sunlight had vanished without a trace, leaving the sky gloomy and heavy with a sense of twilight.

He hurriedly turned his head to look west—half of the bright red sun sank into the jagged outline of the distant mountains, leaving only a small part of its face, which tinged the horizon with a purplish-red hue!
"Oh no!" Qi Yun's heart skipped a beat, and his scalp tingled instantly.

He sprang to his feet, a chill running down his spine and straight to the top of his head.

There was only an old-fashioned tin flashlight in the backpack!
In this completely unfamiliar, undeveloped mountain area, the consequences would be unimaginable once it gets dark!

Ignoring the aches and numbness all over his body, he took off and rushed down the way he came.

My steps faltered, and my heart pounded with anxiety.

The mountain path that seemed gentle when we came now appears exceptionally steep and long.

He quickened his pace, almost jogging, the branches scraping against his polyester jacket with a hissing sound. However, the sky darkened faster than he had imagined.

When the sun was completely blocked by the mountains, the remaining sunlight was powerless to penetrate the tree canopy, causing the forest to darken instantly.

Then the light gradually dimmed, and the mountains were enveloped in a blue hue.

Beneath the deep blue of the twilight, the mountains and forests suddenly appeared grotesque!

The lush green trees of the daytime have now transformed into enormous, twisted, and menacing black shadows, crowding the narrow mountain path on both sides and silently pressing in.

Those gnarled branches looked just like ghostly claws reaching out from the darkness.

The melodious chirping of birds and insects during the day has vanished without a trace, replaced by an absolute, suffocating silence.

The wind stopped, and the air seemed to freeze, pressing heavily on my chest.

Only his own heavy breathing and the thumping of his heart were amplified infinitely in the silent valley, pounding against his eardrums.

The path beneath my feet became blurred and indistinct. In the deep blue twilight, the shadows of trees, stones, and vines intertwined, threatening to trip me at any moment.

The familiar scenery from the daytime now appears strange and eerie, as if the world has been transformed.

"Faster! Faster!" Qi Yun screamed inwardly.

He frantically pulled the heavy tin flashlight from his bag and shoved the switch hard—

A dim, weak beam of light struggled to pierce the deep blue before them.

However, in the deep twilight, this beam of light appeared so fragile and powerless.

It could only illuminate a few steps ahead, barely revealing the blurry outline of the road surface.

Beyond the beam of light lay a deeper, thicker darkness.

That dim, yellowish light, instead of dispelling the fear, was like a lone lamp lit on a boundless, dark sea, illuminating the shadowy figures around it.

Just as his heart was in his throat, and he was about to suffocate under the oppressive weight of the boundless darkness and deathly silence, something even worse happened.

A damp, cold mist began to spread silently from somewhere.

At first, it was just wisps and strands.

Within minutes, the fog surged in like a rising tide, quickly becoming thick and viscous.

The dim beam of the flashlight was enveloped and swallowed by the thick fog, and the halo was compressed to only a pitiful, blurry little ball, which could only illuminate an area of ​​less than two meters in front of him!
Everything around—trees, rocks—was completely obliterated by the thick, impenetrable blue-gray fog.

"Fog!" Qi Yun's heart sank.

"That day, he was so eager to chop a few more loads of good firewood that he missed the time to descend the mountain. As luck would have it, just as he reached the halfway point, a fog rolled in! It was a vast expanse of white, so thick it seemed impossible to see through, and the silence was eerily profound..."

The old man Zhao's hoarse voice at the wedding banquet resounded in his mind like a thunderclap.

It's exactly the same!
Time, place, and context!
He came for this legend, but when the thick fog of the legend truly enveloped him, immense fear instantly overwhelmed his faint fantasy of "opportunity"!
What kind of deity temple? What kind of deity?
All he wants now is to return to that lively village down the mountain immediately, even if it means being forced to drink a few more bowls of corn liquor!

Lord Ye's love of dragons was futile!

Only now did he truly understand the meaning of this word.

He started walking frantically, wanting nothing more than to escape the eerie, thick fog.

However, the road beneath our feet seemed to stretch out infinitely.

He clearly remembered that it only took a little over an hour to climb to the top of the mountain, but now he had been running for a long time and felt that the time had long exceeded the time of climbing the mountain, yet he still could not see the foot of the mountain!
The surroundings were still shrouded in thick fog and the shadowy, monotonous tree shadows.

He tried hard to find landmarks from where he came, but he couldn't see the oddly shaped crooked tree or the big rock that looked like a reclining ox!

The fog distorted everything, and the surrounding scenery, illuminated by the dim yellow light, became strange and distorted.

"The man felt a chill run down his spine. He wandered around in the mountains, like he was lost in a maze! He had been walking for ages, but when he looked up, he was still lost in the old forest..."

Old Zhao's voice, like a leech, rang in my ears once more.

Ghost hits the wall!
These three words pierced Qi Yun's mind like an icicle!

He stopped in his tracks, his heart pounding so hard it felt like it would burst out of his chest. The beam of his flashlight swayed futilely in the thick fog, casting his own shadow, distorted by fear.

"Could it be...could it be that I'll see the Temple of Immortals later?"

The thought had barely crossed his mind when he immediately suppressed it.

No! He just wants to go back to the village! What kind of temple is this?

The eerie and unsettling environment, the endless mountain path, and the suffocating fog made him want nothing more than to escape!

He forced himself to calm down and recalled the route; there had only been one path from beginning to end!

There are no forks in the road! How could I possibly get lost?

A ghost wall? That completely defies common sense!
Just when he was filled with regret and wished he could slap himself twice.

"Ch..."

A very faint yet very clear sound suddenly rang out not far behind him.

It was the sound of a dead branch or brittle moss being crushed by something.

In this absolute silence and thick fog, the sound was nothing short of a thunderclap!
He suddenly held his breath and stiffly, like a rusty machine, turned his head inch by inch.

The dim beam of the flashlight trembled, struggling to pierce the thick, bluish-gray fog behind them...

(End of this chapter)