Super System in the Early Tang Dynasty

Li Jing and Li Shun were naturally very worried about Li Xingzhi's trip to Heming Mountain. Only they knew how dangerous the mountain roads in Sichuan were. Not to mention the monkeys, leopards, wolves, and jackals, the sheer number of bandits and robbers who killed people along the way was enough to make people tremble with fear.

Unexpectedly, Li Xingzhi's display of swordsmanship skills stunned everyone.

While Li Xingzhi and his companions were already on their way, Li Jing and the others stood in the front courtyard, staring speechlessly at the enormous blue stone placed in the center. The stone was as smooth as a mirror, with the poem "The Road to Shu is Hard" carved upon it in bold, powerful strokes—truly dazzling!

It was late summer, and the trees on the mountains were lush and verdant, with birdsong and cicada chirping echoing through the valleys.

Although the road was difficult, all of them possessed internal energy. Zhou Rou'er, the weakest among them, focused her mind and gathered her energy, while Li Xingzhi accompanied her. They traveled along the way, carefree and untouched by grass or trees, enjoying a pleasant journey.

The sun shines on the earth, but the mountains are quite refreshing. As they traveled through the mountains and valleys, even Zhou Rou'er only broke out in a thin layer of sweat, her little face rosy, which gave her a healthy glow.

Li Xingzhi looked to his right and saw the Taoist priest Yuan Yi carrying a long sword, silently keeping his distance. He could easily kill any poisonous snakes or ferocious beasts on the mountain with a single sword strike, but unexpectedly, he was so afraid of women.

Little did he know that Yuan Yi was also harboring resentment, ultimately unable to understand why Brother Li was so fond of what his master had described as the number one 'poison' in the world.

As evening falls, clouds emerge from the mountains, and the valleys are bathed in a hazy orange-yellow hue under the setting sun, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere that makes people feel increasingly languid.

They lit a fire, ate some roasted meat and wild fruit, and amidst the howls of monkeys and tigers, the group sat cross-legged on the ground, thus entering a state of blissful immersion.

The mountains of Sichuan were indeed difficult to cross, and after a few days, the group encountered sheer cliffs and deep ravines. Rocks tumbled down, water roared, and looking down, they felt the biting mountain wind and felt dizzy. Zhou Rou'er, whose composure was slightly weaker, turned pale.

The crowd looked at the Taoist priest walking nearby with suspicion, but the Taoist priest Yuan Yi did not speak. He looked around a few times, then took the lead and cut through the forest to the other side of the cliff.

Li Linzhi, this fearless girl, gasped when she saw what was in front of her—countless wooden stakes were driven diagonally into the stone wall, winding into the distance like a huge, gray snake coiled on the cliff. Occasionally, a gust of wind would pass by, and several of the stakes would sway precariously!

"Taoist Yuan Yi, are you planning to make us walk through here?" Li Linzhi looked at Yuan Yi with disbelief, surprise and anger.

Upon hearing the woman's question, Yuan Yi's body trembled almost imperceptibly. Without turning around, he swiftly moved his legs, focused his mind and breath, and firmly planted his feet on the wooden stakes, as if he had practiced countless times. He leaned forward, like a long arrow shooting towards the other side of the mountain.

Looking at Li Linzhi's face, which had never shown much fear before, Li Xingzhi saw a hint of surprise and panic. He smiled inwardly and, without waiting for the two women to recover, grabbed each of their arms with both hands, lightly touched the ground with his toes, and rushed out just as Li Linzhi screamed and Zhou Rou'er closed her eyes in panic.

The Taoist priest's ears twitched slightly as he heard the sharp, clear scream behind him, and he quickened his pace. He wasn't worried that Li Xingzhi and the two women wouldn't be able to make it; there was only one path, so he wasn't afraid that Li Xingzhi would go astray.

The two women felt the mountain wind howling, making it hard to open their eyes. Li Linzhi was the first to adapt to this thrilling way of traveling, still shouting, but her shouts were no longer filled with panic but with excitement.

Hearing Li Linzhi's excited shouts, Zhou Rou'er slowly opened her eyes. The wooden stakes beneath her feet were sparse and barely visible, and a strong wind was blowing.

The surging waves made her feel as if she were flying through the air, an indescribable sense of freedom. If it weren't for her years of cultivated reserve and gentleness, she might have joined in the shouting and commotion like the girl in red beside her. For some reason, she looked at the girl beside her who could shout and scream so freely, and a hint of envy appeared in her eyes. Her gaze finally settled on the man beside her, her eyes revealing a sense of relief that others couldn't decipher, along with a subtle, almost imperceptible, adoration and curiosity.

The first Taoist priest, Yuan Yi, watched as Li Xingzhi carried two people over, and felt increasingly that this young man was unfathomable, wondering who had taught him. Yuan Yi thought about his own cultivation since childhood, spanning over twenty years, and couldn't help but feel a little dejected. However, his foundation was deep, and in an instant, he swept away this dust. The arrogance that had arisen from his years of being "superior to others" was also swept away completely, and he became even more composed.

The mountains and rivers stretched far and wide, with steep cliffs and countless wooden fortresses and stone planks suspended in mid-air. Although not as dangerous as those wooden stakes, they were still not easy for ordinary people to cross. Only now did Li Xingzhi truly understand the difficulty of the Shu Road.

In just a few days, without getting dusty at all, they soon arrived at the foot of Crane Cry Mountain. Just as Yuan Yi had said, this was the shortest route, shorter than you could imagine, and even more dangerous than you could imagine.

Crane Cry Mountain is neither high nor dangerous. This is true for the group of people who have conquered countless strange peaks and cliffs in recent days.

The four of them walked straight up the path that seemed wide and flat to them, and into the mountains, they found a pavilion called the Jieyuan Pavilion. Beside the pavilion, a stream ten feet wide and long flowed out, directly opposite the mouth of the mountain crane. In the stream, a huge red rock emerged, which was called "Crane's Sweat and Crimson Book".

Beside the pavilion, there is a ten-foot-long stone wall embedded in the mountain, with the words "Zhengyi Mengwei" (正一盟威) written in the center. The words are imposing and majestic, exuding a powerful aura, showing the majesty of the Great Way! Next to it is the "Tao Te Ching" with more than three thousand characters.

Upon reaching this point, the unremarkable mountain began to reveal its extraordinary nature. Even the usually carefree and lazy Li Xingzhi had to stand up straight, straighten his clothes, and show respect, demonstrating his devotion to the Dao.

The road ends here.

Most people, upon reaching this point, would drink from the spring, admire the Taoist atmosphere, and then head down the mountain. But this group, led by the Taoist priest Yuan Yi, easily made their way up the mountain.

Suddenly, a rock appeared on the steep slope. Li Xingzhi and the two women jumped up first, and the sky and earth opened up and the air became clear. Looking down, the water was shrouded in mist, and the sound of waves crashing against the rocks still lingered in their ears.

Suddenly, a clear cry echoed through the mountain stream, reaching the depths of people's hearts.

Everyone looked up and saw five or six white cranes gracefully spreading their wings and playing in the air not far away, while leading them were two rather ugly mottled cranes. And the heart-stirring, clear cry came from the beaks of those two mottled cranes.

"A crane turns blue after a thousand years, and black after two thousand years; this is what is called a black crane." A sentence that Li Xingzhi had read somewhere suddenly flowed into his mind.

The crane's hair turned white, and its cry startled the heart.

Just as everyone was still reeling from the clear cry, a melodious zither tune drifted from somewhere.

----

Okay, I'll owe you two more chapters. I think I can just die now o(╯□╰)o

I feel ashamed that I only upload one chapter this late at night every time.

I absolutely have to find a chance to put it on sale; it's my hard-earned money!