Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio, but Thunderbolt Taoist Sect

Dou Xu was still bewildered as he followed the man in coarse cloth to the door. He had simply lay down to sleep as usual when he saw a stranger in coarse cloth standing in front of his bed. In his surprise, he thought he had been robbed. But then the man said, "Please come in," which completely baffled Dou Xu.

If a stranger suddenly enters your home, the normal reaction would be to kick them out, and Dou Xu should have done the same. But he doesn't know what got into him, he followed the stranger out the door, and ended up here, in this place that seems otherworldly.

Perhaps he was just half asleep and dreaming, Dou Xu couldn't help but think. Normally, he wouldn't just follow a stranger like that. His own house wouldn't be connected to this kind of place. The village was just an ordinary village. He had never heard of any legends about immortals or fairylands. At most, there were wolves in the mountains and water ghosts in the water.

Therefore, Dou Xu believed that he was more likely to have a nightmare, especially when he saw Juan Shou Tian Yuan Wu Xiang. The surrounding pavilions and towers were not like the scenery of the human world, and the two people in front of him were not like ordinary people.

The two figures before him were of gold, dazzling like the rising sun, and silver, bright as the moon. If the messenger beside him, dressed in coarse cloth, was not mistaken, these two, along with him, were honored guests. Dou Xu felt that he was just a mortal, how could he be honored as a guest alongside two immortals?

Dou Xu: I know my own limitations. If I had the ability to become a VIP at any house, I would have moved to the city long ago and gotten promoted and made a fortune.

If we interpret it this way, his dream was quite grand, involving even immortals.

The three followed the guide through the gate and entered a magnificent hall that resembled a palace. Inside, a high-ranking official greeted them and immediately stepped forward to bow respectfully. Dou Xu, whose attitude was extremely respectful, felt a little uncomfortable.

Surrounded by splendor and gold, with officials dressed in fine clothes and two celestial beings beside them, I stood out as an ordinary mortal in the most ordinary clothes.

If it really was a lucid dream, he wanted to wake up as soon as possible.

"Today, Your Majesty is hosting a banquet, and it just so happens that two immortal lords have descended to the mortal realm. Immortals are rarely seen, so we have invited them here, along with this young master Dou. The three of you are honored guests of our country tonight."

The minister called out his own surname, which was even stranger, as he didn't recognize the other person at all.

"...I am but a commoner, with no prior dealings with you all. I am truly perplexed by the kindness of your esteemed country."

Regardless of whether it was a dream or not, Dou Xu was still relatively clear-headed, so he followed his own train of thought.

"Mr. Dou's family is of impeccable character and has been virtuous for generations. Our king has long heard of your illustrious reputation and has long wished to meet you."

"..."

To be honest, Dou Xu himself didn't know he had such a reputation. His family did have a good reputation in the village, but it wasn't to the point that word got out and people wanted to befriend them.

"So it seems we've caught the eye of this young master Dou."

The minister's implication was that today's banquet was organized by their king to foster good relations with Dou Xu, and Juan Shoutian and Yuan Wuxiang just happened to be nearby at this time. The king, seeing their distinguished appearance, invited them to join him.

"No, no, no, it is my honor to be seated at the same table as two immortals."

"Why do you all like to call me an immortal? My friend and I are just two ordinary cultivators. Look at me... never mind, stop looking at me. Come, look at this one."

Yuan Wuxiang originally wanted the other party to see the evidence of his status as a cultivator, but upon closer inspection, he found that the various characteristics on his clothes were not very obvious. So he stepped aside and gestured for the other party to look at Juan Shoutian, who seemed to be in a daze.

Juan Shoutian's golden attire was indeed dazzling, but his Taoist characteristics were also more obvious. In fact, compared to Yuan Wuxiang, his clothing style was more "traditional".

“Look at this crown, this whisk, this Tai Chi diagram. I am a proper Taoist practitioner, a member of the Dao Zhen lineage.”

Finally, Yuan Wuxiang patted Juan Shoutian on the shoulder to wrap things up. Juan Shoutian turned around and looked at Yuan Wuxiang's hand that had patted his shoulder, then looked at Dou Xu opposite him and nodded slightly.

"So, you two are... Taoist priests?"

Dou Xu tentatively inquired, and if you only look at appearances, Juan Shoutian's face is actually more delicate, but for some reason, Dou Xu just feels that this Taoist priest dressed in gold has a stronger sense of oppression.

Perhaps it was because this person didn't talk much and seemed less approachable than the other, or perhaps it was their gaze. Although the other person was looking over, Dou Xu felt that their eyes weren't on him. It was as if they were looking but not really looking, giving him a feeling that he couldn't catch their eye.

"If you find it convenient to call it that, then call it that."

During this brief moment, the two exchanged names and learned that they were currently in Jiaozhou.

Soon, two female officials came and guided them forward with two banners. The palace was also full of rooms that were close together, and they had to go through a series of palace gates to reach the main hall where the banquet was held.

Indeed, a king was waiting in the main hall. Upon seeing the arrival of the guests, he immediately descended the steps to greet them with the proper etiquette between host and guest, showing them great respect. Looking up, a plaque hung in the hall, bearing the words "Gui Mansion."

Upon meeting the legendary king, Dou Xu couldn't help but feel uneasy again. The king noticed his nervousness and laughed heartily.

"The fact that we are neighbors shows how close we are. Why be so suspicious? Let's drink to our hearts' content!"

This was something Dou Xu couldn't understand. His family lived in the village, so how could they be adjacent to this place?

Dou Xu was full of questions, but the other two did not have such concerns and sat down very naturally. If you were to be honest, this king and all his people could not be considered demons, but just a group of spirits with some abilities. Outside of this Beehive Wonderland, they would have difficulty even speaking human language, let alone transforming into human form.

Its combat power is beyond description; it's about the same strength as an ordinary bee. A single ordinary snake could destroy this entire country, posing no threat to anyone.

"With music and dancing all night long, it's a scene of joy and happiness. In this light, this place can be considered a fairyland."

As long as no one causes external damage, this bee kingdom can continue to live in peace and prosperity, multiplying generation after generation, truly fulfilling people's ideal of a paradise on earth.

"I wonder when Zhen will be able to hold such a banquet..."

"We'll talk about Daozhen's matters later when we get back to Daozhen."

Juan Shoutian raised his glass to Yuan Wuxiang. Before the banquet started, it was Yuan Wuxiang who was daydreaming. Now that the banquet has started, it's Yuan Wuxiang who's daydreaming again.

"Since you've decided to come here to relax and clear your mind, you should naturally put aside your worries."

“My friend is right.”

Looking at the wine glass extended in front of him, Yuan Wuxiang raised his own glass to clink with it.

"It's a pity that there aren't any of your favorite foods here, Peking University Fangxiu. Otherwise, our trip would have been much more enjoyable."

The banquets here mainly consist of large amounts of fish and meat. Apart from a few signature dishes, the other noodles are just extras, and there are no baked flatbreads that Juan Shoutian loves.

Similar foods are more common on the tables of ordinary people, but due to limitations in technology and ingredients, they are mostly eaten as dry rations, and their taste cannot compare to what they eat.

As for the sunrise, it's probably not possible to go to the mountaintop to watch the sunrise until Xi Fangping can safely achieve his goal. Xi Fangping is currently just a soul, in a state of being half ghost and half living soul. Traveling during the day is fine, but taking him to the mountaintop to face the sun directly is definitely not an option.

Based on this calculation, it turns out that Juan Shoutian can't touch anything he likes for a while. And as for traveling south from Jiaozhou to find Erlang Shen, whether he actually reaches Erlang Shen's residence or encounters the Ninth Prince along the way, the time it will take is still unknown.

"I came here to have fun, I never expected that you would be treated so unfairly."

"With friends by my side, how can I feel wronged?"

After several rounds of drinks, Dou Xu was already drunk. He felt that his dream was becoming more and more real, and his courage gradually grew. He was a little afraid of Yuan Wuxiang and Juan Shoutian before, because these two did not look like they lived in the human world. Now, with the courage of alcohol, he took the initiative to come over.

Dou Xu only understood the names of these two people. He had never heard of the Daozhen lineage, and he had never seen a Daoist dressed like this before. The nobles and kings around them seemed to be normal people, so these two people stood out.

Especially the hair of the person who is timid and timid. At first glance, it looks like a gold color similar to the clothes. But upon closer inspection, it seems to be a mixture of gold and white. And upon further observation, you can find that there is a gold powder luster in the hair strands, which is truly magical.

Juan Shoutian was like a gilded statue, his golden radiance attracting attention but also making people afraid to approach him, only able to admire him from afar.

However, Dou Xu didn't come over to ask about his hair; no matter how much he drank, he wouldn't have the guts. He had heard that they came from a very far place, and he wanted to ask about that.

"I am of limited knowledge and do not know the True Lineage, but judging from what you two Taoist priests have said, you are not from the Central Plains?"

"Not only is it not, but it's much farther away. The distance between us and this place, which we come from beyond the heavens and earth, is probably more than 108,000 miles."

It's more than that; it's a difference in worldviews.

"Beyond Heaven and Earth..."

"The place where my friends and I live is called the Bitter Realm. It is vast and rich in resources, but also..."

"Many disasters and calamities."

Juan Shoutian finished the last few words, and unlike Dou Xu, who was already a little dizzy from drinking, the two of them were very sober.

"Yes, it has been full of disasters and hardships."

Yuan Wuxiang sighed, "The name 'Bitter Realm' is truly well-deserved."

"In the Bitter Realm, from the peak of the Innate Realm to ordinary people, as long as they are involved in the turmoil of the mortal world, they will inevitably have to go through a calamity."

"But with close friends by my side, even a calamity won't be too bitter."

"With you, Fangxiu from Peking University, by my side, I naturally don't need to worry about the suffering of calamities. But who wouldn't like to live a peaceful life?"

Dou Xu: Why do I feel like I can't get a word in edgewise? Maybe I've had too much to drink.

At this moment, the king, who was at the very top, suddenly put down his wine cup and looked at the ministers on his left and right.

"I will give you a couplet and see who can match it: 'A talented woman ascends to the mansion of laurels.'"

Upon hearing this, those around him began to ponder the next line of the couplet. Juan Shoutian and Yuan Wuxiang also fell silent, waiting for the story to unfold on its own.

Dou Xu was already a little tipsy. The wine was sweet and fragrant, unlike anything he had ever tasted before. When he heard the first line of the couplet posed by the king above, he answered it without much thought.

"A gentleman loves the lotus."

His answer drew all eyes to him, making him sober up a bit and realize he had said something wrong.

"What a coincidence, what a coincidence!"

The king was delighted to hear the second line of the couplet, and his face showed a hint of surprise.

“My princess’s nickname is Lotus. Isn’t this fate that brings our two families together? Go and tell her to come here.”

"This……"

Dou Xu never expected such a coincidence. His second line was just something he said casually. Moreover, the king's words reminded him of his previous question: how could he, living in a village, be considered to be adjacent to this magical country?

This question lingered in Dou Xu's mind. Even after he woke up from his dream, he couldn't help but wonder how his only neighbor, an old man, and his two ordinary houses could possibly be connected to this fairyland-like place.

"...It really was a dream."

When Dou Xu woke up the next day, he looked at the house that was all too familiar to him. He pushed open the door and went out. There were no pavilions and towers next to each other, no palace maids or female officials coming and going, and he could not smell the fragrance of the wine in his dream. As far as the eye could see, there was only his own garden that was all too familiar to him.

At the end of the banquet, Dou Xu was quite drunk. Because of a couplet, he saw the beautiful and charming Lotus Princess and was momentarily distracted. In addition, he had drunk quite a lot and was so drunk that he could not hear what the other person was saying. He was completely drunk and dizzy.

Or perhaps one of the ministers stepped on his foot under the table and told him that the king was speaking to him and that he intended to marry the princess to him.

I can't remember how I got back. Now that I think about it, since it was all a dream, why did I get so dizzy? Just agree to it, it was just a dream anyway!

After waking up, Dou Xu wanted to lie back down and go back to sleep, hoping to return to his dream. As expected, although he didn't know why he had such a dream, and the things in the dream were things he had never seen before, he didn't know that his brain could imagine so much. The immortals at the state banquet and the beautiful princess were all in one dream.

As beautiful as the dream, it was still just a dream. In the dream, there was singing and dancing, and beautiful women by his side, but when he woke up, there was nothing there. Moreover, although the dream was wonderful, the logic was a bit strange. How did he imagine these scenes out of thin air? Dou Xu couldn't figure it out after he woke up.

"Dong dong."

A knock at the door snapped Dou Xu out of his reverie. Although it was already daytime, no friends had come to visit, and he didn't know much about his neighbors. He couldn't think of any acquaintances who would suddenly come to visit.

Dou Xu opened the door with a question in his mind, wondering who might be coming to see him, but he couldn't figure it out after thinking about it for a while. Usually, when close friends came to visit, they would just call out from outside the door, and he could tell who it was just by their voices.

But today's visitors only knocked on the door a few times and didn't make any further noise. Could it be that my mischievous friends have come up with some kind of trick to scare me when I open the door?

As soon as he opened the door, Dou Xu was caught off guard and his eyes were dazzled. The morning sunlight shone on the two people at the door, the golden light as dazzling as the rising sun and the silver light as bright as the moon. The two immortals who had chatted happily with him in his dream were now standing at the door.

"..."

Dou Xu rubbed his eyes hard, unable to tell if it was a dream or reality. He looked back and saw his own home, and looked out and saw the familiar village.

Only these two people in front of him looked the same as those in his dream, but compared to the surrounding rural scenery, they seemed unreal. Was he awake or dreaming again?

Or perhaps he hasn't woken up from this beautiful dream yet?

"We meet again. Has Dou Lang sobered up yet?"