A Tale of Encounters with Immortals: A Peach Blossom Temple in the Martial World

The eighth day of the tenth month of the first year of the Jiqing era.

The sky was clear and cloudless.

The "Collection of Strange Tales of Lingzhou" describes the following: On the eighth day of the tenth month of the first year of the Jiqing era, the sky was clear and blue. Two of the Four Great Martial Arts Masters, leading heroes from all over the land, gathered in Linbin Town, Lingzhou.

On that day, gongs and drums resounded and banners fluttered. Yin Jueshou Hai Tianfu, together with Qin Shouzhong, the number one swordsman in the world, brought his famous swords, one named Longquan and the other Mirror Moon, and presented them to the statue of the Taoist patriarch at Peach Blossom Temple.

He knelt and kowtowed three times, showing utmost respect and deference, addressing himself as a disciple, desiring to become a disciple of the Taoist patriarch and the Peach Blossom Temple.

Unexpectedly, the abbot rebuked them for having distracting thoughts and an impure heart for cultivating the Tao. He said that those who cultivate the Tao do not seek longevity, but only the state of mind. He ordered the two to descend the mountain and reflect deeply on their intentions. If they had a karmic connection with the Tao, he would then discuss their case further.

As the two led the group of heroes down the mountain, the clear sky suddenly became covered with dark clouds. Before they had gone halfway, a heavy snow began to fall. When the group looked back, they saw that the road was not yet covered with snow, but the Taoist temple on the top of Peach Blossom Mountain was covered with white snow, like a jade palace, a truly fairyland.

The crowd looked up at him, and he did not return for a long time.

Years later, Zhang Zhengdao felt deeply aggrieved whenever he saw this book.

Why would I, an enlightened immortal, be included in a collection of "strange tales"?

It's infuriating.

The locals from Linbin Town all came out.

It's human nature to enjoy watching a spectacle.

Sister-in-law Gui managed to snag a front-row spot in the square. The square was already ablaze with flags and bustling with activity. The drummers were silently counting the beats, mentally reviewing them several times.

After all, this job pays well.

Thousands of martial arts practitioners crowded the square, making it quite congested. However, people continued to try to squeeze in. After all, those who managed to get in were invited by the two grandmasters.

Yan You Yourong.

When you go back in the future, whenever your friends or younger generations say things like, "What's so great about you?", you can proudly say, "Back in the day, I was a guest invited by a grandmaster. So why do you think I'm great?"

People in the underworld love fame; fame can make money, build connections, and get jobs.

Being able to establish connections with two grandmasters is the pinnacle of one's life.

"Oh!"

Sister-in-law Gui spat out the sunflower seed shells into the winnowing basket next to her.

"What do you think these people are planning? A grand opera? It's not a holiday, is it for these two old people's birthdays?"

Lu Xiaohua, who was standing next to her, said, "I heard from people in the martial arts world that they are going to Peach Blossom Temple."

"Such a grand display, is it to pray for the well-being of these two elderly people?"

"I heard from people in the martial arts world that they're planning to present a treasure to Peach Blossom Temple," Lu Xiaohua said. "If it's a treasure presentation, will the Taoist priest have the money?"

The young girl's suspicion was correct, after all, the Taoist priest was never one to spend money recklessly whenever he came to town.

Those two women in the Taoist temple don't care at all about the money the Taoist priest earns. They spent so much money last time and the time before that. Humph, I really don't know what the Taoist priest is thinking.

From now on, when you're in charge of the accounts, you must be very careful.

Zhang Zhengdao: ...

With only a little silver saved up, not only did the female ghost covet it, but the female knight-errant also coveted it, and even Lu Xiaohua had her eye on it.

"set off!"

Sword God Qin Shouzhong raised the Mirror Moon, which was contained in a sword case and wrapped in bright yellow silk, high with both hands, and shouted. He then took the lead and set off towards Peach Blossom Mountain.

Then came the old eunuch Yin Jueshou Hai Tianfu, who also carried a Longquan sword with the exact same packaging.

Behind the two was a large group of people.

One step is the beginning of the path to immortality.

"play music!"

Then the emcee shouted loudly.

Suddenly, gongs and drums resounded, and zithers played in unison.

The group of people slowly made their way towards Peach Blossom Temple on Peach Blossom Mountain.

The long procession, led by two solemn-looking individuals, followed by others exuded reverence. Like a long, winding snake, it snaked its way through the mountains.

If it weren't for the loud music and drums playing as they walked, these martial arts figures, lined up in a long, winding formation and carrying weapons, would have looked like they were preparing to attack Peach Blossom Mountain and capture Zhang Zhengdao alive.

The bustling world of martial arts is bustling every day.

Many people in the martial arts world are just people who enjoy themselves.

Zhang Zhengdao sat upright in the Peach Blossom Temple, waiting for customers...believers to come to his door.

Suddenly, he raised an eyebrow, stood up, ran outside the Taoist gate, and looked down the mountain.

The faint sound of drums and music had already reached my ears.

"what happened?"

Not only Zhang Zhengdao heard it, but Hu Yunying and Shu Baimei also rushed out, followed by Guo Lanying.

"Who will go take a look?"

"I'll go!" Shu Baimei agreed.

"it is good!"

Zhang Zhengdao grabbed her by the back of her collar and shouted, "Hurry!"

Suddenly, Shu Baimei vanished into the clouds.

Hu Yunying:...

Guo Lanying: ...

The two of them took several steps back without prior arrangement.

After waiting a while, Zhang Zhengdao put two fingers together like a sword and said, "Withdraw!"

A figure suddenly fell from the sky.

Shu Baimei: ...

Catching his breath, he said to Zhang Zhengdao, "It was Qin Shouzhong and Hai Tianfu who organized some kind of treasure-offering ceremony, which was basically presenting their weapons to us. They organized a thousand men, and it was like they were going to war."

"It's our sword!"

Guo Lanying corrected her from the side.

"Yes, it's our sword!"

Shu Baimei also corrected her statement.

Do you need me to take you in?

Hu Yunying looked at Zhang Zhengdao.

"With so many people coming together, this is going to be a big business..."

Zhang Zhengdao nodded.

It is indeed a big business, but... there are more than a thousand people, but only two are the main characters. The rest are all people from the martial arts world. They might not necessarily spend money.

They didn't prepare anything for themselves, those two old fools!

"How to do?"

“Let’s go, let’s go. Although we can’t receive them all, we need to plan for the long term.” Zhang Zhengdao straightened his back. “Back to the Taoist temple. Guo Lanying will greet them at the entrance, Hu Yunying will greet them in the main hall, and Shu Baimei… never mind, you’re just a ghost! Just stay by my side…”

Shu Baimei: ...

Am I not human, therefore I am discriminated against?

He obediently followed Zhang Zhengdao outside.

After Zhang Zhengdao sat down in the backyard, he counted on his fingers, looked up at the sky, and closed his eyes slightly.

The evolution of Taoism is connected with Heaven and Earth.

Before long, the sounds of gongs and drums, along with the sounds of zithers and flutes, grew closer and closer. Finally, they stopped, and Guo Lanying, who was waiting at the first checkpoint at the entrance of the Taoist temple, said crisply, "Unauthorized persons are not allowed to enter. The two laymen may wait here. The rest of you must not make any noise and disturb the peace of the Taoist Ancestor."

Qin Shouzhong and Hai Tianfu waved their hands and said, "Thank you all for escorting us up the mountain. We will wait at the crossroads."

Immediately, the martial arts practitioners all cupped their hands and loudly replied, "Grandmasters, we obey your command."

More than a thousand people spoke at once, their voices uneven, like a flock of ducks. After a while of noise, they calmed down and retreated to the intersection.

They said they'd keep it quiet, but it's still such a mess.

Guo Lanying snorted, but still ran inside to report.

Wait a moment, then come out and say, "Let's go in!"

So the two of them carried the gleaming sword case into the main hall.

In the main hall, Hu Yunying looked at the two of them, bowed, and said, "Gentlemen, is there something important?"

The two bowed and clasped their hands in greeting to Hu Yunying, saying, "We wish to meet the immortal and present our treasures."

"Just you wait!"

Hu Yunying also went into the backyard, and after a while, she came out and said, "The Taoist priest invites you."

The two hurried inside.

As the martial arts heroes watched Qin Shouzhong and Hai Tianfu enter the Taoist temple, they couldn't help but speculate.

"With two grandmasters presenting treasures to the Taoist temple, Peach Blossom Temple is likely to take off in the future!"

"There are two weapons belonging to Grandmasters in the temple. I must come and pay my respects."

"Me too!"

……

While everyone was speculating, after a while, two grandmasters suddenly came out of the Taoist temple, and Zhang Zhengdao saw them off.

However, the sword cases they were carrying were gone, presumably because they had been successfully presented.

Qin Shouzhong looked at Hai Tianfu and sighed.

Hai Tianfu glanced at Qin Shouzhong and sighed as well.

The Taoist priest sheathed his sword but did not accept any disciples. The two were not discouraged; after all, if the path to immortality were so easy, why would the Taoist priest be the only true immortal in the world?

The two, leading a group of noisy, chattering martial arts practitioners like ducks, looked at the Taoist temple with reluctance before leading the group down the mountain.

The two grandmasters were not in high spirits, and no one dared to ask them anything.

However, when we reached the mountainside, a north wind suddenly blew up.

The sky suddenly darkened, and in no time, it was covered with dark clouds.

The two grandmasters sensed something and both looked towards the peach blossoms on Peach Blossom Mountain.

His nose felt cold as a snowflake landed on it.

Snowing.

But there didn't seem to be many snowflakes.

Peach Blossom Mountain seemed to be shrouded in a dense layer of white mist that lingered for a long time.

When they looked again, the top of Peach Blossom Mountain was already covered in snow.

Peach Blossom Temple, nestled amidst the white snow and complemented by a peach grove, resembles a jade palace, a veritable fairyland.

As everyone looked around at the occasional snowflake and then at the Peach Blossom Mountain peak not far away, they couldn't contain their excitement and marveled at the sight.

Qin Shouzhong and Hai Tianfu looked at each other, their resolve becoming even stronger.

This road is a road leading to the celestial palace!