Chapter 76: Searching for the Master

The Zhongnan Mountains, another sacred site of Daoist sects, were just south of Chang'an, the ancient capital.

There had long been an ancient saying about the "shortcut through Zhongnan." It referred to a certain period when those aspiring to serve as officials in the imperial court would first retreat to the Zhongnan Mountains to cultivate and practice Daoism.

Once their names gained recognition in Chang'an, they would be summoned by the emperor to serve as officials. Hence, some cultivators in ancient times held disdain for the Zhongnan Mountains. Despite being home to a large number of cultivators and many Daoist heritages, no sect had ever established dominance over them.

That stretch of the Qinling Mountains extended for hundreds of miles, with hidden cultivators scattered throughout. Moreover, Daoist temples and secluded courtyards were scattered all over the dense forests, and various mountain paths interconnected them.

All of it only made tracking down Qing Yanzi even more difficult.

Their sect did have some historical ties to the Zhongnan Mountains. After all, Lu the Progenitor had once lived in seclusion there.

Wang Sheng ran into some trouble while boarding the high-speed train. Since Abyss Listener had been sharpened, it was confiscated during security screening. A few police officers were even alerted.

Fortunately, Mou Yue once again stepped in and quickly found someone to issue a special permit for him. The whole ordeal only delayed him by less than half an hour.

Now that Wang Sheng had thought about it, Yuan Pu Zhenren had ordered Zhou Yinglong's master to give him a treasured sword, but that matter seemed to have been left unresolved.

Wang Sheng wasn't one to take advantage of others. He had already received great guidance and owed enough gratitude. If he were to go shamelessly asking for a treasure from their Daoist collections, he would be crossing the line.

On the train, he received a message from Mou Yue. The Special Investigation Unit had made arrangements for him at the Zhongnan Mountains, including transportation.

Additionally, Mou Yue had found him a reliable guide. It was a local Daoist known as Lin Huifeng. He was reportedly well-acquainted with all the temples on the Zhongnan Mountains.

As soon as he stepped out of the train station, he immediately spotted a glaringly bright red banner.

Warmly Welcoming Daoist Master Wang Fei Yu of Mount Wudang!

Wang Fei Yu... Why did that name sound so... feminine?

His master really had a way with naming things.

Two young female disciples held the banner, both wearing traditional

Hunyuan

headscarves. Beside them stood a slim Daoist sporting a proper Daoist robe, sunglasses, and a distinctive mustache. The unusual sight drew the curiosity of passersby, who stopped to take pictures.

Wang Sheng glanced down at his casual outfit and suddenly felt a bit underdressed.

Carrying Abyss Listener, which was wrapped in gray cloth, he stepped forward and immediately caught the attention of the Daoist master and the two disciples.

"Daoist Master Huifeng?" Wang Sheng asked.

"

Oh?

Daoist Master Fei Yu?"

Lin Huifeng promptly removed his sunglasses. The rather handsome man gave Wang Sheng a respectful Daoist greeting.

Having received Wang Sheng's details from Mou Yue in advance, he had no doubts about his identity. Smiling, he said, "You are truly remarkable, Daoist Master Fei Yu. Your cultivation is concealed completely, yet there is an endless flow of Daoist aura around you. Reaching such mastery at such a young age... I must say, I feel quite humbled!"

"I wouldn't dare call myself a Daoist master in front of you, Daoist Master Huifeng," Wang Sheng replied. "Please, just address me by my Daoist name."

"There are too many ears around here. Let's talk in private. The car is ready." Lin Huifeng gestured toward his disciples. "You two, greet the Daoist master properly!"

The two quickly rolled up the banner and stepped forward to give Wang Sheng a proper Daoist greeting.

Smiling, Lin Huifeng explained, "These are my nieces. Anyway, let's continue our conversation in the car."

Wang Sheng nodded in agreement. He then followed him to the parking lot outside the train station.

Lin Huifeng drove while Wang Sheng sat in the front passenger seat. The two Kun Daoists sat in the back, having followed along to meet the "expert."

According to Daoist customs, the moment they got in the car, they would... naturally exchange YouChat contacts.

With a certain degree of politeness, Lin Huifeng praised Wang Sheng endlessly, even bringing up the sword technique that he had shown at the Mount Mao exchange meeting.

"I didn't get to witness it in person, but every time my fellow Daoists describe it, I can't help but feel admiration."

The cheerful and amiable Lin Huifeng was a late-stage Spirit Convergence Realm cultivator of a Daoist temple on the Zhongnan Mountains. Moreover, he held a position in the local Daoist Association.

While driving, Lin Huifeng spoke about his Daoist heritage. He sighed as he recalled his master, who had unfortunately passed away just half a month before the resurgence of primal qi. The old man had lived to ninety-two but couldn't make it to his ninety-third New Year's Eve.

"This is all fate," Lin lamented with a shake of his head. Wang Sheng responded with a few words of sympathy.

As they drove toward the Zhongnan Mountains, Wang Sheng shifted the conversation to the matter at hand.

"Are you acquainted with my master, Senior?"

Lin Huifeng chuckled. "No need to call me 'Senior.' My cultivation is still below yours, and I'd feel embarrassed if you addressed me that way. As for your master, Qing Yanzi, I recall meeting him once over ten years ago at a Daoist friend's temple. We engaged in discussions about Daoism at the time."

"Would it be possible to take me to that temple? Before he left, my master mentioned he was visiting a friend to discuss Daoist teachings."

"Of course! Since I've been entrusted with this task, I will make sure to help you find your master!" Lin Huifeng declared with determination.

The Daoist master then promptly stepped on the gas pedal. He pushed the car to the speed limit of the city's ring road... only to be stuck in a long, slow-moving traffic jam.

The traffic jam unexpectedly turned into an opportunity for Lin Huifeng to showcase his talkative nature. He began sharing various tales and legends about the cultivators of the Zhongnan Mountains with Wang Sheng.

Fortunately, the traffic jam wasn't too severe. Although they lost some time on the road, they still managed to reach the main peak of the Zhongnan Mountains by noon.

Thanks to Lin Huifeng's arrangements, Wang Sheng had a hearty vegetarian meal before heading to the Daoist temple where Lin had once encountered Qing Yanzi.

Upon inquiry, two elderly Daoist masters with graying hair confirmed that they knew his master. When they heard that Wang Sheng was Qing Yanzi's disciple, they enthusiastically insisted that he stayed for a meal.

Unfortunately, his master had neither been cultivating there nor visited recently.

"Do you know if my master has any other close friends here?" Wang Sheng asked.

"Oh, quite a few," one of the Daoist masters replied, furrowing his brow as he calculated with his fingers. "Your master had at least fifty, if not a hundred, good friends here. He cultivated on this mountain for over twenty years before moving away."

Wang Sheng was rendered speechless.

So my master actually spent his younger years cultivating here at the Zhongnan Mountains?

All he had heard about his master's past was that when he met and fell in love with the mistress, he had been traveling with Wang Sheng's grandmaster. It was only after adopting his senior sister, Mu Wanxuan, that he moved to Mount Wudang.

It turned out that the true roots of their sect lay here.

After pondering for a moment, Wang Sheng realized that he couldn't simply wander aimlessly through the mountains like a headless fly.

He looked up at the two Daoist masters. "Before coming to the Zhongnan Mountains, my master mentioned that he had some doubts about his cultivation and came here to seek guidance from fellow Daoists. If I may, who among his acquaintances here are highly skilled cultivators?"

"We can name three or four people with profound cultivation who also know your master, and they're quite close by," one replied.

The two were kind-hearted, perhaps due to their secluded lifestyle on the mountain, where little ever happened. Now that they had a chance to assist, they were more than willing to take it.

Without further delay, they changed into proper Daoist robes and donned their Daoist hats. After instructing their disciples to watch over the temple, they set off with Wang Sheng and Lin Huifeng in search of Qing Yanzi. Since the two masters were already at the Seed Formation Realm, they didn't have to worry about any physical exertion.

Their search lasted the entire afternoon. Wang Sheng visited nearly twenty Daoist temples, meeting whole host of martial uncles, grandmasters, and elders. Along the way, he received a few bottles of alchemical pills and stacks of protective talismans. However, no Daoist master was generous enough to gift him artifacts. After all, they were still far too rare and valuable.

Although no one had seen Qing Yanzi, a few enthusiastic elders immediately attempted a modernized version of Thousand-Mile Transmission: calling his phone number.

Unfortunately, there was no response.

Several elderly Daoists were particularly intrigued by Wang Sheng, refusing to let him leave easily. Some even pulled out their phones, adjusted their reading glasses, and played short videos of Mu Wanxuan playing the jade flute and Wang Sheng performing a sword dance.

Apparently, his master's social circle in the Zhongnan Mountains was rather vast.

The situation reminded Wang Sheng of the times he had visited his hometown with his parents during the New Year. Every elderly relative would stuff him with food and gifts.

After much running around, he suddenly looked at his phone and slapped his forehead in realization. "Senior, could you help me post in the group chat of the Zhongnan Mountains' Daoist masters? Maybe someone there has seen my master."

"That's right! Why didn't we think of that sooner?"

"Let's ask now. We cultivate so much that we barely use our phones!"

The sight of several elderly Daoist masters shouting into their phones was certainly amusing.

One of them called out, "Hello? Fellow Daoists, has anyone seen Qing Yanzi? His disciple, Fei Yu, is urgently looking for him. If you have any news, please contact me immediately."

Another shouted, "Has anyone seen Qing Yanzi? His disciple came all the way here to find him!"

Wang Sheng quietly observed them, feeling a sense of warmth.

Each sacred mountain had its own unique Daoist culture. Mount Mao was strict and full of regulations, while Mount Wudang's senior Daoists remained deep in seclusion. In contrast, the Zhongnan Mountains radiated a strong sense of camaraderie and warmth.

In just a few minutes, the main peak of the Zhongnan Mountains was shaken up, and the Daoist masters' phones started vibrating nonstop.

𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

One voice message after another played, filling the small Daoist temple with sudden liveliness, both inside and out.

—Qing Yanzi is back? He still owes me an explanation on some Daoist techniques! Where is he?

—Fei Yu... That's the young martial nephew in those sword dance videos, right? He's here? Where is he staying? I'll go take a look.

—I heard his master is a sword fanatic. I love meeting sword cultivators!

—I haven't seen Qing Yanzi around here.

—No news of him returning for any discussions lately.

Responses poured in one after another. Before long, except for those in secluded meditation, nearly every Daoist master on the mountain range had heard the news and was now helping to search for Qing Yanzi. The overwhelming response caught Wang Sheng completely off guard.

Eventually, they got a voice message that offered a clue.

—He's probably not near the main peak. Try searching in the Lantian area. He might have gone back to his old sect.

Another Daoist Master quickly replied, "I'm in that group. I'll ask over there."

At last, there was a glimmer of hope.

Wang Sheng glanced up at the statue of Daode Tianzun in the temple and silently offered a prayer. Perhaps even the heavens wanted his master and mistress to reconcile.

While Wang Sheng was lost in thought, Lin Huifeng suddenly ran over, waving his phone.

"There's news! Someone just replied in the group! He's with Daoist Master Jingyun!"

Had they finally found his master?

A surge of joy filled Wang Sheng's heart as he hurried over. Lin Huifeng tapped his phone, and a cool, composed female voice came through the speaker.

—He's here with me. What's the matter? Where is Fei Yu now?