Chapter 15. Ascending Mount Hulong, Ancestral Ground of Daoism

Mount Hulong, the ancestral home of Daoism. Its towering peaks and perilous cliffs were shrouded in drifting clouds and mist, its land the birthplace of ancient myth and legend.

According to legend, Zhang Daoling, founder of the Zhengyi Sect and foremost among the Four Great Celestial Masters of Daoism, once refined pills here. On the day of his pill refinement success, a phantom tiger and dragon manifested in the skies. The omen hereby gave the mountain its name—Mount Hulong. [1]

There are three renowned sites on the mountain, namely the Celestial Master Hall, the Zhengyi Temple, and the Palace of Supreme Clarity.

Among the three, in terms of influence and fame, the honor belonged to the Celestial Master Hall.

At this moment, five figures clad in Daoist robes stood at the base of the mountain gate.

An elderly Daoist master with graying hair and a crimson robe stood at the very forefront. Amongst practitioners, the color of one's robes determined one's rank and position. Red was just below the exalted purple.

This man was none other than Master Yuyang, the junior brother of the current Celestial Master of the Celestial Master Hall on Mount Hulong.

The other Daoists were clad in simple blue robes, a sign of their junior positions.

Technically speaking, Mount Hulong was a well known scenic spot. Even during non-holiday seasons, there would always be a steady flow of tourists. Yet, it was empty today.

The reason was that the Celestial Master Hall was preparing to receive a group of particularly important guests.

A young Daoist craned his neck to gaze at the winding path below. Seeing the lack of any movement, he couldn't help but ask, "Grandmaster, it's almost ten, why haven't they arrived yet? Could you have remembered the wrong date?"

Although seniority was important in Daoism, practitioners weren't overly strict with formality. As a result, the young Daoist was daring enough to voice out. Besides, he knew that the old daoist was already over ninety years old and wouldn't take it to heart.

"Patience, young one," Master Yuyang said with a chuckle. He had done the calculations and predicted that this timing should be just about right. There was no mistake about it.

"Grandmaster, look over there!" At that moment, a sharp-eyed Daoist pointed ahead.

Everyone turned their heads in the direction of his pointed finger and sure enough, a tour bus came into view. It pulled up by the roadside and six individuals alighted. They were men ranging from their thirties to fifties, and without exception, each of them were well-dressed and exuded an air of grace. At one glance, their wealth and status were evident.

Master Yuyang stepped forward with a small bow and clasped his hands in greeting.

"Welcome, esteemed benefactors, to the Celestial Master Hall of Mount Hulong. On behalf of our sect, I sincerely offer my gratitude for your generous donations. Today, I will personally guide you through the grounds to help you select your dedicated lay cultivator site."

It turned out that these people were the wealthy donors who had recently contributed significant sums to Mount Hulong. According to the temple's rules, those who met the required threshold would have the privilege of selecting a lay cultivator site on the mountain.

No wonder Master Yuyang, the junior brother of the current Celestial Master of Mount Hulong, had to personally welcome them.

"Master, you're too kind. We're just ordinary people. It's an honor for us to be here." A pudgy middle-aged man with slick, oily hair and a leather briefcase clutched under one arm stepped forward. His words were overly formal and it was apparent that he had rehearsed this during the bus ride.

"I'm Liu Qing, Master. But please, feel free to call me Xiao Liu."

The other tycoons took a side glance at Liu Qing, the traces of mockery in their eyes unmistakable. However, they maintained a poker face as they too stepped forward to greet Master Yuyuang.

Back on the bus, they already knew that the Daoist welcoming them today was of incredibly high standing. Even with their influence and position in the societal world, none of them dared to act superior here.

People said that once people reach a certain level of power and wealth, they start believing in higher forces. And these rich businessmen belonged to that particular group.

"Master Yuyang, it's about time. Should we get moving to head toward the Celestial Master Hall?" Liu Qing spoke up, eager to try the fabled vegetarian meals of the Celestial Master Hall and basking in a bit of that celestial aura.

The others, of course, shared the same sentiment.

"It seems like there's one person who's not here yet," a young Daoist by the side spoke up. He flipped open the name roster and counted heads again before confirming, "Yeah. One person hasn't arrived yet."

The gathered tycoons were momentarily taken aback. Then, a flicker of annoyance crossed their faces. All along, others waited on them. Never had they waited on others. Yet now, they had to wait for someone else?

However, when they saw that Master Yuyang remained calmly in place without a word, they didn't dare to voice their opinions. They could only stay put in the awkward silence.

Not long after, a black Mercedes G-Class drove up the winding path and stopped before everyone. The door opened and a young man alighted.

Without hesitation, he approached Master Yuyang and in an apologetic tone, he said, "Master, sorry for the delay. I drove here from Hu City and was caught up in the traffic."

The young man was none other than Lu Yuan, having made the trip by car from the city.

𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

"No worries," Master Yuyang said with a smile. "As long as you manage to arrive safely."

Master Yuyang wasn't the least bit displeased. After all, the delay hadn't been long. He then turned and took the lead to guide everyone up the mountain path toward the Celestial Master Hall.

Hints of concern masked the faces of the tycoons. The old Daoist was over ninety years old. Could he really make the climb?

But, reality soon hit them hard. Despite Master Yuyang's old age, he had great stamina. From the base of the mountain all the way up, they hiked for over an hour. Through it all, he maintained a steady pace and his eyes glimmered bright without the slightest sign of fatigue.

On the other hand, the faces of Liu Qing and the other donors were flushed red with exhaustion as they panted and gulped down water periodically like their lives depended on it.

Even the young Daoists accompanying the group had gone pale. Clearly, the fatigue had hit them too.

"Esteemed benefactors," Master Yuyang said. He was clearly used to such scenarios and proposed, "It's still early, so why don't we rest for a while?"

His words were met with unanimous approval. Everyone dropped when they stood and clutched at their chest, taking in deep breaths.

But soon enough, the old Daoist's gaze shifted slightly as he spotted Lu Yuan not far ahead. The latter stood tall, his posture straight and breath calm. There seemed to be almost no difference as when they had begun their climb. It was as if the steep hike had been nothing to him at all.

Is his physical fitness good because of his age? No...That shouldn't be the reason.

Master Yuyang thought to himself, his eyes narrowing ever so slightly.

Having lived on Mount Hulong for so many years, he had seen countless people scale these paths. Yet never once had he seen someone like Lu Yuan, who seemed to be totally unaffected by the hike.

Though Master Yuyang found it slightly strange, he asked no questions. He closed his eyes and rested in silence.

Of course, Lu Yuan had also noticed the old Daoist's glance. His thoughts began to wander.

After the global awakening, Mount Hulong was one of the few places to rise to prominence in the early phase. Figures of true power emerge from its doors and a few Daoist elders attained terrifying levels of cultivation. Seems like they had also prepared ahead of time. I mean, look at this Master Yuyang. He's over ninety but his stamina is almost as good as a young man's.

Ordinary folks call it spiritual attainment but I doubt things are that simple.

Lu Yuan knew very well that a myth-shrouded famed mountain like Mount Hulong carried immense hidden potential. Perhaps, there was an inheritance left behind by the ancestors. But due to the suppression of the heavens and earth, it was not able to manifest itself.

But after the global awakening, the shackles of the world would be erased. Cultivation methods used by some Daoists and monks would start to show their tremendous power. Especially those who had endured years of seclusion, they would almost immediately be able to tap into that mysterious power.

In ancient times, before the Qin dynasty, there were qi cultivators. They could refine pills, cultivate arts and wield mystical powers.

In the modern era, those who had inherited such lineages would naturally be able to step into that path once more when the bindings of the world had been removed.

In other words, the true might of these elder Daoists had been sealed. And the moment the global awakening happened, that seal would be broken.

Lu Yuan had experienced it himself in his past life. Some people, as soon as the new era arrived, rose to prominence with terrifying speed. These individuals weren't overnight miracles but rather the results of decades of silent cultivation and foundation.

Lu Yuan couldn't help but feel somewhat envious. But, that was all to it.

After all, figures like Master Yuyang had practiced the Dao for who knew how many years. And he...

He only needed a few months of preparation to catch up.

1. Hu(虎)is the Chinese character for tiger, and Long(龙) is the Chinese character for dragon. ☜