I trade in both worlds

The group continued to go deeper and saw towering ancient trees and the smell of incense in the temple.

Xu Weihao pointed to a large hall in front and said, "That is the Tianfu Hall, the main building of the Dai Temple. Let's go and take a look." Everyone nodded in agreement and walked towards the Tianfu Hall together.

Walking into the Tianfu Hall, Xu Jin saw the magnificent golden palace and the solemn statues. He looked up at the high statue of the Great Emperor Dongyue, and a feeling of awe welled up in his heart.

Xu Qiwei looked at the statue curiously and asked softly, "Who is this?"

He blinked his eyes, his face showing an expression of ignorance yet curiosity.

Li Mufeng explained softly, "The Great Emperor of Dongyue is the god of Mount Tai, in charge of life and death, disaster and happiness in the world. In ancient times, emperors would come to Mount Tai to worship the Great Emperor of Dongyue and pray for peace and prosperity in the country and good weather."

Xu Weihao and Chen Xinghuan paid more attention to the murals and carvings inside the hall. Those exquisite works of art not only demonstrated the superb skills of ancient craftsmen, but also contained profound cultural connotations.

As they admired the artworks, they discussed the age, style and meaning of the artworks.

After passing Tianfu Hall and Dongyuzuo, we arrived at Hanbaiyuan.

Hanbaiyuan, as the name suggests, is named after the several thousand-year-old ancient cypresses planted in the courtyard. These ancient cypresses are said to have been planted by Emperor Wu of Han during his eastern tour. After thousands of years of wind and rain, they are still green and upright, witnessing the vicissitudes of Mount Tai.

"Look, look at that tree, it's so big." Xu Qiwei suddenly pointed to an ancient tree not far away, his eyes full of curiosity.

The trunk of the cypress tree is thick and its bark is mottled, as if every inch of it is engraved with the traces of time. Its branches and leaves are lush, blocking out the sun, just like an old man who has experienced many vicissitudes of life, quietly guarding this land.

"This is the 'Hang Yin Feng Hou' cypress among the Han cypresses." Li Mufeng explained with a smile, "According to legend, when Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty offered sacrifices to the gods at Mount Tai, he hung his seal under this tree as a souvenir. Later generations called this tree 'Hang Yin Feng Hou', implying a smooth career and success."

He is knowledgeable and well-versed in the history and culture of Mount Tai. Before going out to study, he specially found a few travel books to read.

"It's amazing." Xu Qiwei murmured, looking up blankly, his eyes full of awe and yearning for nature.

Xu Jin looked at the ancient cypress tree, and an inexplicable feeling welled up in his heart. "If I can achieve great things like Emperor Wu of Han, my life will not be in vain."

He seemed to be able to see that this tree had experienced countless wind, rain, thunder and lightning, spring, summer, autumn and winter over the past two thousand years, yet it still stood tall, witnessing the joys and sorrows of the world.

He took a deep breath and sighed, "Two thousand years! This tree is older than any of us. It has witnessed the rise and fall of Mount Tai, as well as the vicissitudes of the human world."

Xu Zhun also stood aside, staring at the Han cypress. He tried to search his mind for memories that were different from the present, but unfortunately, apart from the outline of the tree, he could not remember anything.

He shook his head gently, feeling regretful in his heart.

Li Mufeng looked at the ancient cypress in front of him, and a different feeling arose in his heart: "This Han cypress has gone through thousands of years and witnessed the rise and fall of countless heroes."

“We are just a drop in the ocean. But even so, we must strive to become the heroes in our hearts and live up to our youth.”

After hearing this, Xu Weihao, Chen Xingrui and Chen Xinghuan also looked at the tree with a seal and title of nobility in deep thought.

Leaving Hanbai Courtyard, we came to the backyard of Dai Temple, which is shaded by green trees and quiet and pleasant.

It was almost noon, and the sunlight shone through the gaps between the leaves onto the ground, creating mottled light and shadows.

Everyone found an open place to sit down, took out the dry food they had packed from the inn, and prepared to have lunch here before continuing to climb Mount Tai.

"Come on, everyone, take out the dry food we packed from the inn, and let's enjoy lunch here!" Chen Xinghuan greeted everyone. He was tall and strong, with a loud voice and a generous look.

Everyone responded, and soon the open space was covered with all kinds of dry food.

There are fragrant steamed buns, crispy and delicious pancakes, and Taishan specialty specially prepared for them by the proprietress - Taishan dried tofu.

Everyone sat together, eating and chatting, the atmosphere was warm and lively.

After lunch, everyone took a short rest and then continued to climb Mount Tai.

Although the beautiful scenery in the backyard of the Dai Temple is unforgettable, the mountain road ahead is even more attractive.

They walked along the winding mountain road, sometimes climbing steep stone steps and sometimes passing through dense woods.

With every step you take, you can feel the majesty and grandeur of Mount Tai.

Walking along the winding mountain road, ancient sites such as Hongmen Palace, Wanxian Tower, and Doumu Palace come into view one by one.

Wherever they went, everyone stopped to watch, listen to Li Mufeng's explanation, and feel the richness of history and the charm of culture.

Xu Qiwei listened with great interest and asked some naive but interesting questions from time to time, making everyone laugh.

In Jingshi Valley, there are huge rocks, engraved with inscriptions and poems of ancient people.

Xu Jin and Xu Zhun stood in front of a huge stone tablet, carefully studying the words on it, as if they could feel the emotions and wisdom left here by the literati and poets thousands of years ago.

"I really hope we can leave something behind like them," Xu Zhun said softly.

"Yes, as long as we study hard, we will definitely have opportunities in the future." Xu Jin encouraged, his eyes full of expectations for the future.

Inside the Hutian Pavilion, everyone sat together and tasted the local specialties.

Xu Weihao and Chen Xingrui chatted about academic matters, while Chen Xinghuan exchanged martial arts with the escorts.

The road on Huimaling is steep, but everyone's enthusiasm has not diminished at all.

Chen Xinghuan and the escorts walked in front, looking back from time to time to remind everyone to be careful.

Xu Jin and Xu Zhun took turns supporting Xu Qiwei so that he could also enjoy the scenery along the way. Xu Weihao and Chen Xingrui supported each other and climbed up step by step steadily.

As we climbed higher, the mountain road became steeper, but everyone's will became stronger.

At Zhongtianmen, a cool breeze blew past, bringing a moment of freshness and blowing away the sweat on the forehead.

Kuaihuo Sanli, Yunbu Bridge, Wudafu Pine, each place is a scenery and each step is a challenge.

As the altitude gradually increases, the air becomes fresher and clouds begin to swirl around us.

When everyone finally stood at the starting point of the Eighteen Bends, the scene before them was awe-inspiring.

It was an almost vertical stone staircase with cliffs on both sides. The stone steps were narrow and steep, as if leading straight to the sky.

Xu Jin took a deep breath, turned his head and looked at everyone, and said: "The Eighteen Bends is the most difficult part of Mount Tai to climb, but it is also the only way to the top. We support each other and we will definitely reach the top."