Chapter 17: Outside Mount Mao

After lunch, Zhou Yinglong and Zhao Zhao attempted to strike up a conversation with Mu Wanxuan several times. However, Mu Wanxuan merely responded with a faint, polite smile that made them feel inexplicably uneasy. Her eyes were far too clear—almost as if they could reflect the unseemly thoughts buried in others' hearts. It made people reluctant to keep her gaze for too long.

They were all cultivators, and while relationships between men and women weren't outright forbidden, maintaining a clear Dao Heart was a must. Hence, Zhou Yinglong and Zhao Zhao quickly abandoned any fleeting notions they harbored. Their interest in Wang Sheng and Mu Wanxuan stemmed more from their masters' praise of the pair's cultivation anyway. Building a good rapport with them was better than remaining strangers.

Thanks to Zhou Yinglong and Zhao Zhao, Wang Sheng soon got acquainted with two other young Daoist priests throughout the meal. They were all at the early stage of the Spirit Convergence Realm and representatives of Wudang's young elites.

Zhou Yinglong, a member of the sect master’s lineage, specialized in the Taiyi Sword Art; and Zhao Zhao focused on the Wudang Dragon Fist Art. Meng Hong, another of Wang Sheng's senior brothers, practiced Wudang Hand-Deflecting Tai Chi; while Hao Ling, his delicate-looking senior sister, cultivated the Five Windward Thunder Palm Art. Wang Sheng, who was at the late stage of the Spirit Convergence Realm; and his senior sister, who had fully embraced her identity as a gourmand, welcomed them to the table.

The foundational teachings of Wudang's Daoist heritage were rooted in the True Martial lineage. Its core cultivation methods were closely intertwined with the principles of martial arts.

This characteristic wasn't inherently good or bad. After all, techniques existed to safeguard the Dao. The best kind of Great Dao allowed one to ascend and achieve immortality, and an immortal art that could keep one safe would be regarded as top tier.

Most of the other teenagers traveling with them weren't disciples of Wudang's Daoist heritage. They were there mainly for martial arts demonstrations, serving as a way to divert attention from the actual cultivators. Regulations from above dictated that they couldn't act too conspicuously, after all.

Throughout the rest of the journey, Wang Sheng made sure to include his senior sister in conversations, but Mu Wanxuan seemed uninterested in socializing. She mostly just gazed out the window, enjoying the scenery.

They spent half the remaining journey chatting and the other half napping. The day passed by in a blur.

Since they had set out early in the morning, a Daoist master who had experience driving long-haul trucks switched with the bus driver midway. After their stopover, they pressed on tirelessly until, a little past nine in the evening, they finally reached their destination: Shangqing Altar, Mount Mao.

The exchange meeting brought together disciples from prominent Daoist sects of sacred mountains. When the Wudang Mountains' group arrived, two Daoist priests from Mount Mao were already waiting to welcome them.

According to their arrangements, they would first check into a hotel in a nearby town and head to a sports arena in the morning for the exchange meeting. As cultivators, they couldn't frivolously spend offerings from pilgrims. Hence, aside from those like Li Shiwu—who rented a single room—most disciples shared double or triple rooms.

Some Wudang disciples and Mount Mao Daoist priests naturally thought Wang Sheng and Mu Wanxuan were a couple—a perfect one at that. When Wang Sheng arranged for Mu Wanxuan to share a room with Hao Ling, Mu Wanxuan's look of frustration and reluctance, coupled with her longing glances, only solidified their assumptions.

In truth, his senior sister was simply shy and didn't know how to handle being alone with strangers.

However, Wang Sheng had no desire to further explain the situation to others. Carrying his luggage, he joined Zhou Yinglong and Zhao Zhao in a shared room. Later, after they had all taken turns showering and were about to sleep, Li Shiwu unexpectedly knocked on their door, accompanied by several Daoist masters.

"Fei Yu," Li Shiwu called, addressing Wang Sheng by his Daoist name. "Your swordsmanship is quite good, is it not?"

Wang Sheng pondered briefly. "It's decent."

"Well then, you'll perform at tomorrow's exchange meeting." Smiling, Li Shiwu patted Wang Sheng on the shoulder. "The morning session is public, and there will even be media present. I'm worried they'll lose focus and accidentally reveal their cultivation, causing unnecessary trouble. You'll just perform a simple sword technique. Don't use any true essence—just make it visually appealing and entertaining."

Perform a simple sword technique?

"Perhaps Senior Brother Yinglong would be better suited for this," Wang Sheng suggested.

He stood up and placed his left hand behind his back. He then raised his right hand in a sword finger gesture[1], resting it against his chest. There was no trace of true essence in his movements, yet a faint, ethereal sword intent naturally emanated from him. It flowed continuously, carrying a hidden sharpness that was balanced and harmonious yet rich in potential transformations.

Though he held no sword, it seemed as though he was a celestial blade gleaming with starlight.

"This is...?!"

Li Shiwu sighed deeply, and the other Daoist masters exchanged stunned glances. Wang Sheng had already found his Dao Rhythm.

Zhou Yinglong and Zhao Zhao were equally astonished. Though they couldn't fully understand what they were witnessing, they knew it was extraordinary.

The Dao Rhythm wasn't a cultivation realm; it was a natural manifestation of profound comprehension akin to a rare gem. It made it impossible not to stand out. However, Wang Sheng had yet to fully master his Dao Rhythm, making it difficult for him to control or conceal it. Performing a sword technique in this state would only draw unnecessary attention.

It was only then that Zhou Yinglong and Zhao Zhao realized that Wang Sheng, whom they had previously overlooked, was far beyond their level. In the future, they might even need to rely on his guidance.

In the end, Zhou Yinglong was tasked with the swordsmanship performance.

After witnessing Wang Sheng's display, Zhou Yinglong and Zhao Zhao became much more cautious in their interactions with him. Though he was younger and had started later, he had already achieved clarity in swordsmanship, developed his own sword rhythm, and reached the late stage of the Spirit Convergence Realm.

They all cultivated on the same mountains and shouldn't compare themselves to their peers. However, as young disciples, it was inevitable for them to measure themselves against one another.

That night, Wang Sheng meditated cross-legged on his bed. Zhou Yinglong and Zhao Zhao, initially planning to sleep, felt compelled to sit and cultivate as well.

However, substituting sleep with meditation was no easy task for those at the Spirit Convergence Realm. Eventually, both gave up and lay down, silently wondering if Wang Sheng had simply grown accustomed to sleeping while sitting upright.

As snores gradually filled the room, Wang Sheng couldn't help but chuckle softly while meditating.

***

The next morning, Wang Sheng woke up early. After freshening up, he quietly opened the door, wanting to take a walk. To his surprise, he found his senior sister sitting cross-legged on the carpet by the door, engrossed in her phone.

Mu Wanxuan had apparently been waiting for a while without his knowledge.

Today, she was dressed in her "professional attire": a loose, gauzy Daoist robe over a white training outfit. It was meant to obscure her figure, but it accentuated her ethereal and otherworldly temperament instead.

"It's been two weeks. Still stuck on that level?" Wang Sheng teased.

Mu Wanxuan made a face, grunted softly, and then turned away as if sulking.

However, the faintly raised screen of her phone betrayed her mood—on it was a small, inconspicuous meme that read, "Come on, cheer me up!"

Wang Sheng chuckled softly. "Alright, stop pouting. Let's go for a walk. We should at least pick up some local specialties for Master."

At that moment, he heard Meng Hong ask, "What are Mount Mao's specialties? We should buy some for our master, too."

Looking back, Wang Sheng saw Hao Ling and Meng Hong approaching them.

Mu Wanxuan immediately sprang to her feet. In the blink of an eye, she transitioned from a sulking senior sister to a smiling, composed cultivator. Her smile seemed a bit forced, though.

"Good morning, Senior Brother, Senior Sister," Wang Sheng greeted politely. Since he joined the sect later than they did, it didn't seem odd to consider himself their junior brother.

Meng Hong and Hao Ling nodded in response. They clearly had a favorable impression of Wang Sheng.

Soon, the four left the hotel to explore the area and grab something to eat. As they wandered, Wang Sheng discreetly observed the dynamic between Mu Wanxuan and Hao Ling. Despite having shared a room the previous night, they seemed to have a subtle distance between them.

Hao Ling, for her part, didn't seem to mind. It was clear that she held a good opinion of Mu Wanxuan.

Though it was still quite early, several Mount Mao disciples were already stationed outside the hotel, guiding the various delegations to their breakfast venues. The four naturally couldn't pass up on free breakfast.

Around the hotel were Daoist priests in robes conducting their morning rituals. Young men and women in matching training outfits laughed and joked as they mingled, while elderly Daoist masters, exuding an extraordinary aura, occasionally glided past like a fleeing crane.

At one point, Mu Wanxuan tugged at Wang Sheng's sleeve, stopping them at a small alleyway. She pointed between two shops. "There."

Following her direction, Wang Sheng saw a majestic celestial palace bathing in the sunlight yet shrouded in an ethereal mist.

"That's Jiuxiao Palace," Meng Hong said. "It's the equivalent of the Wudang Mountains' Golden Summit. It's not easily accessible nowadays."

"Mount Mao is surprisingly easy to climb, though," Hao Ling softly commented.

Wang Sheng smiled. "It's not the height of the mountain that matters; a mountain inhabited by immortals is sacred."

"Fei Yu is right." Meng Hong laughed. "Mount Mao's Daoist arts are certainly unique in many ways."

After sharing a chuckle, the group continued to look for a place to eat.

The main peak of Mount Mao was only a few hundred meters tall; it was not particularly majestic or treacherous.

However, its gentle slopes were dotted with Daoist temples, and serene spots could be found everywhere. In ancient rankings of sacred cultivation sites, Mount Mao was listed eighth among the Most Beautiful Lands and first among the Blessed Lands, making it one of the finest places for cultivating the Dao.

Extending his spiritual consciousness, Wang Sheng felt the primal qi of heaven and earth flowing like a gentle stream through the mountain. Even in areas closer to mundane society, the primal qi remained remarkably pure. Overall, the spiritual environment of Mount Mao was slightly superior to that of the Wudang Mountains.

No wonder Mount Mao consistently ranked within the top three of the Daoist sects after the resurgence of primal qi,

Wang Sheng thought.

The Wudang Mountains, once thriving with its combination of Daoist and martial arts, had slipped to a mid-tier position—an outcome closely tied to the rapid decline of martial arts within the Daoist tradition.

Mount Mao was different. Even during the millennium-long drought of primal qi, it remained renowned for its expertise in exorcism and talisman crafting. With a heritage steeped in tradition, Mount Mao's Daoist arts were famous for their talismans, formations, alchemy, and mantras. They even incorporated elements of witchcraft. Only a few sects could rival it in heritage preservation.

Historically, it had always been a leading force among the sacred Daoist mountains.

Wang Sheng recalled hearing Li Shiwu and several Daoist masters mention last night that the resurgence of primal qi had revitalized Mount Mao, much like the Wudang Mountains. Several old and retired Daoists had even returned to reorganize Mount Mao's extensive teachings and revive its Shangqing arts. Today, while certain parts of Mount Mao were still open to pilgrims, its back mountain had become a restricted area—such was the case for most sacred Daoist mountains.

The exchange meeting was officially billed as a martial arts performance competition, complete with rankings and awards. However, its true purpose was for Daoist leaders to meet, discuss the future of the Daoist sects, and assess each other's strengths.

There was no immediate rivalry among the sects. After all, all Daoists could trace their roots back to the

Dao De Jing,

and they embraced the principles of non-contention and effortless action. Nevertheless, future competition for cultivation resources and heavenly treasures was inevitable. Knowing each sect's strengths and weaknesses in advance would allow for better preparation.

Moreover, such exchanges gave everyone a chance to ensure their paths remained true and their teachings complete.

For those reasons, the exchange meeting was of great significance to them.

The Daoist masters of Mount Mao were generous, allowing visitors to freely eat at the local breakfast shops and stalls. After the exchange meeting, Mount Mao would settle the bill.

Hence, Mu Wanxuan did not hold back.

By the time they had finished browsing the breakfast stalls, Mu Wanxuan's hands were already full—two bags of steamed dumplings, three bags of soup dumplings, and a few roasted sweet potatoes. She also had two more plastic bags hanging from her wrists. If not for Wang Sheng reminding her that the items wouldn't keep long enough to bring back to the Wudang Mountains, she might have stocked up enough food for their entire group for a week.

As they wandered, a group of young Daoist priests—three males and two females—approached them. Their robes were embroidered with the characters for "Mount Mao," and their friendly smiles matched their harmonious demeanor. Each one exuded an easygoing and approachable air.

1. a hand gesture in which the index and middle fingers are pointed while the thumb is pressing on the ring and pinky fingers ☜