Daoist Master of Qing Xuan

Shen Lian noticed Qi Sanguang’s arrival but he did not stop talking. He continued speaking for almost half of a day.

In the beginning, although Qi Sanguang could not understand, he was still able to absorb everything because they sounded pleasant to his ears. Later, he felt so dizzy and every single word was like the cotton being stuffed into his ears. He was stupefied. He felt that he was floating in the air, unsure of what was going on.

Until the moment that Shen Lian’s resonance stopped, Qi Sanguang instantly felt that he woke up from his dream. The moment he looked at his surrounding, the celestial Daoists already vanished from sight. All he saw was the bright moon-like water fell on Shen Lian’s body and the blowing wind like the waves swaying his Daoist robe.

Qi Sanguang bowed his head to the ground, saying “Disciple Qi Sanguang is here to greet Celestial Teacher Shen.”

However, before his head touched the ground, there was an invisible force that stopped him and he failed to bow.

He was aware that Shen Lian had extraordinary power and he was close to being a celestial. Thus, he was not taken aback and allowed the force to help him up.

Shen Lian mentioned, “It has been a really far journey and yet you could be here, it already shows your sincerity. If you want to learn some supernatural power, you can stay here to cultivate for three years and later on you can go back to the earth to live your leisure and unconstrained life. I would not restrict you from passing the skills you have learned here to your descendants.”

Qi Sanguang uttered, “Through these few years, I have already experienced everything on earth. I no longer have the desire to look back on it. I just hope to pursue Dao to attain immortality.”

“If you want to learn the ways to achieve immortality, it is too late. When you cultivate it would be less effective and in the future, you may have to face the ending of your old and lonely death on the mountain. You better think about it again,” Shen Lian said.

“Disciple would still like to give it a try,” Qi Sanguang looked up at Shen Lian.

Shen Lian grinned, “Pursuing Dao is not only difficult, but you still have to bear the loneliness. Whether you can take it or not, it still depends on yourself.”

Before Qi Sanguang managed to respond, Shen Lian pointed his finger towards Qi Sanguang, immediately beneath his feet there was a rising cloud. In a flash, he went through the clouds to reach the peak of a mountain. On top of the mountain was a sea of bamboos, the mountain stretched out and it was immense and way better than all the famous mountains and great rivers on earth.

He soon reached a small courtyard whereby the door opened up itself without any help from the wind. It could be heard that there was somebody speaking inside, “What is the matter for your late night visit, Headmaster?”

Qi Sanguang followed Shen Lian and entered the courtyard together. Upon entering, there was a young scholar sitting in the hall and he was holding a book. When he saw Shen Lian, he left the book on the table and approached him.

Shen Lian mentioned, “Junior Apprentice-Brother Lu, this person is here to pursue Dao, I would like to entrust him to you.”

The scholar was, of course, Lu Shouyi. He encountered a strange incident which made him improve significantly and he entered the path of Dao and Huandan. He was already considered as someone who was super capable and skilled in Qing Xuan. The reason why he would come to Qingliang Peak which was located beside the Sea of Bamboos was that he preferred peace and quiet. Thus, he found an empty area and set up a Daoist courtyard for the purpose of daily self-cultivation.

He took a glance at Qi Sanguang. With his current ability, a glance was sufficient for him to tell Qi Sanguang’s foundation level. He smiled and said “Since he is Senior Apprentice-Brother Sanwen’s descendant, there is no harm accepting him. But I am not as capable as you, Headmaster, in teaching Daoism and clearing doubts.”

Shen Lian said, “I take him here to you is not to learn anything about Daoism, but to study with you.”

Lu Shouyi smiled, “It is true that Headmaster is not as competent as me in teaching people in studies.”

Then he asked Qi Sanguang, “You are already at an old age, are you still willing to learn?”

Qi Sanguang asked Shen Lian, “Celestial Teacher Shen, is studying relevant to pursuing Daoism? I have not really studied before.”

Shen Lian smiled and said, “Studying helps you to gain knowledge, whether it helps in cultivating, it is hard to say. Aren’t you willing to study with my Junior Apprentice-Brother?”

Qi Sanguang said, “It’s not that disciple is unwilling to learn, but I have come a hundred miles to escape from life and death, to pursue Daoism, to attain immortality.”

Shen Lian said, “Then you follow by my Junior Apprentice-Brother’s side to study for a period of time first. If you are able to master your studies, then I will teach you the entry level of Dao formula, what do you think?”

Qi Sanguang said, “Disciple obeys.”

Shen Lian said, “So this is it. Junior Brother Lu, since tonight’s moon, is looking fine, you and I shall go for one round. Whereas for Sanguang, you head to the bamboo forest beside to chop some of the bamboos back to replace for firewood burning to keep us warm.”

Qi Sanguang thought to himself, “How am I going to make a fire using the chopped bamboos? Moreover, the two of you should already have resistance towards the heat and cold long ago isn’t it?”

He wanted to ask, but he changed his mind and thought that this could be a test for him.

Thus, he took a bow and headed towards the bamboo forest.

Lu Shuoyi frowned and said, “Senior Apprentice-Brother, the bamboo in this Qingliang Peak is almost as tough as the high-quality iron. Although he has learned some Qigong practices, I’m afraid that he will not have the strength to chop it off.”

Shen Lian said, “Today he has listened to me speaking Dao, there is still some Dao will remaining in his entire body. This is the chance for him to vent it out. Or else with his half-aged body and elementary cultivation experience, he can only do so much.”

Lu Shouyi said, “I see. I did not expect Headmaster to bring Senior Apprentice-Brother Sanwen’s descendent back here. If he knows this from the netherworld, he would be relieved.”

“When we enter the school, the lower house was only left with Sanwen, Bugui, Senior Apprentice-Sister, Senior Apprentice-Brother Chen. Now the three of them already enter the path of Dao and Huandan, except Senior Apprentice-Brother Sanwen who already stopped practicing Dao long ago. This shows that nothing is perfect, but after all, he had contributed quite a lot to the celestial school. At least now that his descendant has a good temperament, the celestial school should do something for him. Thus, we can repay him through his descendant,” Shen Lian said in a carefree tone.

Lu Shouyi sighed, “I’m afraid that all these issues on celestial school are restricting you, Headmaster.”

Shen Lian said, “Or you can be the Headmaster.”

Lu Shouyi’s sigh turned out to get a shocking reply from Shen Lian. It instantly made him speechless and did not know how to respond. Finally, he said, “Shen Lian, you are joking again.”

This had made him use the address which they used to call each other in the past. He no longer addressed Shen Lian as the Chief.

Although it was slightly impolite, both of them looked at each other and smiled. It felt like the time back when they first entered the mountain gate.

Shen Lian said, “I’m not joking actually.”

Lu Shouyi said, “If it’s back in the times when Qing Xuan was still powerful and prosperous, I could be the Chief. But now the situation in the cultivation community is chaotic, you’re the only one that can keep Qing Xuan’s thousands of years of foundation.”

“What you said is right. I’m not going to demise the position to you now. It’s just that if one day the right timing is here, you have to be mentally prepared. I will be passing this heavy responsibility to you,” Shen Lian mentioned.

Lu Shouyi said in a serious manner, “From the first day I know you, I already realize that it’s almost impossible for you to be restricted by anything. But after all you’re a person that prioritizes relationships a lot, thus you were willing to take over Qing Xuan despite such hard times. If this day comes, I would help you to protect Qing Xuan.”

Shen Lian sighed softly, “Shouyi, you’re a real gentleman.”

He waved his hand, then a chessboard and chess pieces appeared. The two of them stopped talking and each one took the white and black chess respectively and started playing.

When Shen Lian and Lu Shouyi were playing chess, at Mount Taicang in Guangqing Celestial School, there were also two people playing chess.

One was dressed in Daoist robe, and that was Huanzhen.

Another person was dressed in white, like snow, he was filled with the aggressive and powerful aura. Even when he was playing chess, his magnificent murder intention could not be hidden.

He held the white chess piece, hesitating to place it and finally, he mentioned, “Powerful first move, victorious strike only after enemies have struck; assign the dragons to regulate and control water, Qi penetrates through Yin and Yang. Mubai is unable to catch up to your skill level, Senior Apprentice-Brother.”