Please call me Dadaozu

Chapter 374 Climbing the Mountain, Traces of an Old Friend (4000 words)

After an unknown amount of time, the radiance faded, and the roar subsided into silence.

Between heaven and earth, a glass-like pit stretching for hundreds of miles was revealed.

Zhang Yuanzhu put away his teacup, took a step forward, and strolled ahead leisurely like a noble young master on a spring outing.

Tower! Tower! Tower!
The crisp sound of footsteps echoed in the air.

He came to the edge of the pit and looked at the limp body lying on the ground, its body charred black.

A faint panting, the slow beating of the heart, came from within the body.

This is the only surviving cultivator among the four True Immortals.

"Zhang Yuanzhu, such slaughter, such brutality, I will wait for you on the road to the Yellow Springs."

A hoarse female voice emanated from her body, and the last trace of her breath vanished.

Zhang Yuanzhu remained expressionless as he extended his palm, generating a wisp of crimson-gold flame.

With a flick of the fingertip, flames drifted down onto the wreckage.

boom!
The flames surged, instantly engulfing the corpse and burning it to ashes, with no possibility of recurrence.

The young man withdrew his hand, placing it on the long, white ruler, and turned to look eastward.

"After watching for so long, it's time to come out."

Snapped!Snapped!Snapped!
An elderly man dressed in a blue Taoist robe walked out of the void, his palms clasped together.

This old man was the same powerful figure who had recently gone to bid farewell to the remains of the True Man of Qingxin Pavilion, yet he appeared here.

"As expected of a hero who fought his way out of the Demon Land, he has a deep understanding of the principles of destroying evidence and eliminating all traces."

Zhang Yuanzhu gently stroked the long ruler with his five fingers, feeling the warmth emanating from his fingertips, and sighed softly:

"The Paper Doll Peak of the Puppet Sect?"

"I never imagined that you could even successfully infiltrate Qingyangzhai."

This demonic cultivator was highly skilled at concealing his aura; even though they had fought several times before, he hadn't noticed it until now when the other party deliberately exposed himself.

"It's too normal, there's nothing to praise about it."

"One side is immersed in the past prosperity and strength, while the other side is constantly facing the invasion of the demon race. With Wuliang Palace advancing northward, such a desperate situation would have been lost to the long river of time if we did not rise up and fight desperately."

The old man in the green robe shook his head, his aged face cracking with fissures, looking sinister and demonic.

"I have come here to meet you frankly, my fellow Daoist, for only two words."

"cooperate!"

"Ha! Cooperation?"

Zhang Yuanzhu's lips curled up, his double pupils narrowed, but there was no hint of a smile.

The old man's expression was solemn, and his eyes were sincere:

"In this unfamiliar territory, we share a common enemy. We can support each other and survive."

"Regarding the pursuit by the righteous sects, I can give them false information, or even reveal the pursuers' location, allowing you to deal with the situation more calmly, and even..."

"Persuade the various sects to allow the righteous path to temporarily abandon the pursuit."

The old man described a variety of tempting offers.

If this is true, it would be of great help to young people and could save them a lot of trouble.

Zhang Yuanzhu shook his head indifferently, took a step forward, and walked slowly.

At this moment, the old man frowned, looking at the approaching young man with puzzlement in his eyes.

"Why should I refuse? I came with sincerity, not out of malice."

"It's not important, and I don't care."

The young man gripped the long ruler tightly with his five fingers and raised his arm.

"I simply never cooperate with the enemy!"

With a swing of the arm, the shadow of the ruler flashed by.

Boom!

The old man exploded instantly, turning into shattered skin, which was then crushed into dust by the radiance.

'Just a shell?'

Zhang Yuanzhu murmured to himself as he slung the measuring ruler over his shoulder.

He turned and strode away.

Without the help of the demonic path, he can still fight his way out of the Divine Control Plains and still fulfill his promise to lead the Buddhist disciples back to the Southern Desert!

What followed was the time that followed.

As four Nascent Soul cultivators perished within the formation, Zhang Yuanzhu struck in succession, slaying the Foundation Establishment and Qi Refining cultivators who were searching for him.

No one can stop him!

For a time, no powerful figures were dispatched to continue the encirclement and killing.

It's time to go home!

Zhang Yuanzhu stood amidst the mangled limbs and shattered flesh, shaking off the blood from his sword, which then transformed into a rainbow of light and vanished from the spot.

Half a month later, in the southwest of Yushen Plain,

A sword light streaked across the sky, and a tall, slender figure sat cross-legged on the Emperor's Sword.

He held the jade book in his hand, carefully flipping through it. He casually raised his free hand, and his five fingers changed, with strands of blue-gold lightning appearing and disappearing.

After an unknown amount of time, Zhang Yuanzhu finally put away the jade book and turned his gaze to the cyan-gold lightning flowing in his other palm.

"Reading the scriptures and comprehending their principles has indeed been helpful for Qingyang's cultivation of the Demon-Slaying Divine Thunder."

He has been practicing this thunder magic for more than two months, and he is making progress every moment, becoming more and more proficient in thunder magic.

Zhang Yuanzhu believed that it wouldn't be long before he could cultivate this thunder technique to a state of perfection.

Moreover, in the meantime, besides the improvement of lightning magic, the second type of lightning attribute elixir for tempering the eyes has been completed, and a new lightning attribute elixir is needed.

Unfortunately, after a fierce battle, they did not obtain the precious elixir they desired.

A hint of regret appeared on the young man's face, but it quickly faded away.

Neither lightning magic nor body tempering were the greatest gains.

A thought came to my mind.

Zhang Yuanzhu's face began to blur, and a white tiger Nuo mask emerged.

Raise your arm and gently stroke the Nuo face with your five fingers.

Roar!
A tiger's roar rang out, and the Nuo mask melted as if into liquid, flowing into the body.

In an instant, Zhang Yuanzhu's right arm began to change.

His muscles bulged, and streaks of white-gold patterns appeared, wrapping around his arms. His five fingers transformed into sharp claws, resembling five peerless divine swords.

Extremely sharp, without any movement, space was already torn apart, revealing deep darkness.

A violent and sharp aura then emerged, filling the vast sky.

The young man lowered his gaze, examining his right arm, a smile spreading across his face as he murmured:
"Tiger form, complete!"

The five divine forms are only three steps away from being successfully created.

Only when the mountains appeared from the horizon did Zhang Yuanzhu dispel the transformation of his right arm, stand up, and gaze at the mountains and rivers.

The 'Breaking Through Illusion' pierced through the sky and immediately spotted two beautiful figures standing in front of the valley.

Zhang Yuanzhu took a step, and the mountains and rivers seemed to recede, as he arrived before the two women:
"I apologize for keeping you two waiting. The miscellaneous matters have been taken care of, and we can now depart."

"It's only been a few months, how could it be a long wait? But you, fellow Daoist, have traversed mountains and rivers, fought against all enemies, and walked between life and death. You must have had a hard time along the way."

Fayan clasped his hands together, his voice gentle, and his eyes sparkling.

Standing beside her fellow disciple, she lowered her head and softly chanted Buddhist mantras, making it impossible to discern her inner emotions.

Zhang Yuanzhu casually draped his arm over the long ruler and chuckled softly:

"A few enemies are nothing, but since the various sects have temporarily suspended their pursuit, we can take this opportunity to leave."

He had already learned from some of his righteous enemies about the actions of the Boundless Palace, and naturally understood why the righteous sects had reduced their pursuit.

This was a rare opportunity, and it was the perfect time to leave with the two women.

"I will leave it to you, fellow Daoist."

Zhang Yuanzhu nodded, raised his hand, and gently beckoned.

call out!
The Emperor Sword arrived swiftly, rapidly expanding to occupy half the sky.

"Come, Deng Jian, I'll take you away."

The young man leaped up and stood on the tip of the sword.

Without hesitation, Fa Yan and Fa Ding both transformed into rainbows and ascended the Emperor's Sword. "Let's go!"

Zhang Yuanzhu laughed loudly.

hum~
The Emperor Sword trembled slightly, then shot out with incredible speed, its sword energy traversing the heavens and earth, dazzlingly brilliant.

A strong wind blew, the red robe fluttered, and the black hair danced wildly, exuding an indescribable sense of freedom and ease.

Fa Yan gazed at the crimson figure standing before her, watching the vast mountains and rivers rush by, her red lips curving into a bright smile.

This journey home was more interesting than I had imagined.

She was looking forward to the journey ahead.

Time flies, and in the blink of an eye, ten days have passed.

The imperial sword, which had traversed the sky, slowly came to a stop, its sword aura dissipating.

Zhang Yuanzhu, Fayan, and Fading stood on the ground, looking up.

An indescribable cliff came into view. No matter how hard you looked, you couldn't see the end or the edge. There was only a lush green foliage covering the bottom of the cliff.

"Qingmu Mountain is the only landscape in the Shichuan Plain that can be called a 'mountain'."

Fa Yan sighed, his arms hanging down naturally.

Zhang Yuanzhu's double pupils were deep and profound. Compared to Guyashan, this 'mountain' was shorter, but its spiritual energy and scenery were far superior.

He still remembers that when he climbed the ancient cliff mountain, his magic power, blood and energy were all suppressed, and he could only climb with his physical body.

However, Aoki 'Mountain' obviously does not have such restrictions.

Zhang Yuanzhu observed the rainbow-like lights rising and falling in front of the cliff.

There were cultivators wielding magical artifacts, sect disciples riding warships, and luxurious and solemn palaces. Rays of rainbow light intertwined, like a celestial river, cascading down from the cliff face.

Brilliant and bustling.

"Let's rest here for the night and climb the mountain tomorrow."

Zhang Yuanzhu spoke softly, flicking his sleeves.

One array plate flew out, stood in four directions, bursting forth with rays of light, which then intertwined and transformed into a large array.

He then sat down cross-legged and took out the jade book from his bosom to read it.

Fayan sat opposite the young man, his hands clasped together, chanting scriptures softly, his body radiating a faint Buddhist light.

As for the legal provisions, he looked at his junior sister with slight worry.

After hesitating for a moment, he ultimately decided not to disturb them, and sat cross-legged at the edge of the formation, remaining silent.

For a moment, the great formation was peaceful and serene.

As time passed and night fell, the Buddhist light surrounding Fayan dissipated, the chanting ceased, and he raised his eyes to look at the young man:

"Brother Dao, have you finished adjusting your breathing?"

Zhang Yuanzhu withdrew his gaze from the jade book and looked at the woman:
"Your meditation is complete. Do you have any questions, fellow Daoist?"

"I'm just curious why we're walking this road and climbing Mount Aoki. It all seems a bit unnecessary."

Fa Yan spoke up to ask.

They could easily bypass this 'mountain' and take other roads, which would be much safer and save time.

Zhang Yuanzhu remained silent, placing the jade book in his palm aside:
“For the sake of an old friend, I sensed that she was in this mountain and needed to check on her to make sure she was alright.”

“An old friend, it’s quite unexpected that you have an old friend in the righteous path.”

Fa Yan looked astonished.

This was indeed a reason she hadn't considered.

Then, seemingly casually, he asked:
"I wonder which celestial goddess this old friend is, that she would send someone like you across mountains and rivers to visit me."

Zhang Yuanzhu placed his arms flat on his knees, seemingly having realized something, and said directly:

“A true fellow Daoist, who entrusted me with his care before his passing.”

"Although I have already fulfilled my promise, since we have come this far, I still want to take a look and confirm that they are safe."

"Brother Dao is a man of deep affection and loyalty."

The woman sighed softly.

Decisive and resolute, loyal and righteous—these seemingly contradictory traits are perfectly embodied in one person.

"It's just following my heart, nothing special."

"For us, the most important thing is still cultivation and seeking the Great Dao."

The young man picked up the jade book from the ground and began to read it again.

"I have been reading the scriptures, studying the Taoist texts, and comprehending the power of thunder. I wonder if I could discuss this with you, fellow Taoist?"

I can learn from the stones of other mountains to polish my own jade. If possible, I would naturally like to have a discussion with this Buddhist disciple in front of me.

Upon hearing this, Fa Jing's expression relaxed, and he slowly lowered his clasped hands, adopting a relaxed posture.

"I could not have asked for your invitation, fellow Daoist."

Amidst light laughter, the woman began to explain her feelings about studying Buddhist scriptures and comprehending the Great Dao since she began her spiritual practice.

"Where the carving knife falls, there is no form; a million layers of Buddhist inscriptions lie on the shoulder. Only when one has no desire for rebirth in the Pure Land can one see the Buddha's presence."

Zhang Yuanzhu listened attentively with a solemn expression. After the words of Dharma had faded, he began to explain his own insights into spiritual practice.

One in red, one in black, one by a side door, one on the main road, the two sat facing each other, conversing without reservation.

Wisdom collided at this moment, and the Tao intertwined at this moment.

Both were intelligent people, and after a few words of conversation, they had different insights.

From nightfall to dawn, and from dawn to nightfall, the two were so engrossed in their discussion that they forgot about climbing the mountain.

Until the early morning of the third day, as the sun rose, golden light shone through the array and fell.

Zhang Yuanzhu stopped talking and stood up:

"I have benefited greatly from the discussions over the past few days, but it is time to come to an end."

"I will heed your words, fellow Daoist."

Fayan slowly rose, clasped his hands together, and looked peaceful.

At this moment, Fajing, who had remained silent all along, also stood up, walked to Fayan's side, and whispered:
"Junior sister, fellow Daoist, we really should go now. We can't stay at Qingyangzhai any longer."

"it is good."

The young man nodded.

He extended his palm and gently beckoned.

As the grand formation was dispelled, array plates flew out from the surrounding area and drifted into the storage bag.

After the array materials were retrieved, Zhang Yuanzhu lowered his hand and slapped the Emperor Sword.

call out!
The long sword flashed across the sky, its sharpness fully revealed, and it swirled with wisps of sword energy.

The young man leaped up and looked down:
"Come, let me take you to the top of Qingmu Mountain."

As the words fell, two graceful figures transformed into rainbows and landed on the sword.

Zhang Yuanzhu stood on the tip of his sword, looking up at the endless cliff face, and lightly stamped his feet.

Boom!

The sword energy soared into the sky, the sword light was dazzling, and in an instant it traversed hundreds of miles of sky, climbing the mountain.

As gazes fell upon it, beams of rainbow light retreated instinctively.

The sword light moved extremely fast, climbing all the way up the cliff in just two days and nights.

All of a sudden.
Boom~
The spiritual energy swept in like a whirlwind, lifting robes and blowing through black hair.

Zhang Yuanzhu's face turned serious as he sensed the surrounding spiritual energy, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes.

Such a concentration of spiritual energy is comparable to that of the main branch of the Zhuoyang Dao Meridian, and this is just an ordinary area on Qingmu Mountain.

If the information he gathered is correct, Mount Qingmu is vast, covering an area of ​​millions of miles.

"So this is what a remote, impoverished place is like?"

Zhang Yuanzhu muttered to himself.

Compared to the Shichuan Plain, Guya Mountain was indeed a harsh and cold place, which made the righteous sects look down on it and unwilling to stay.

A moment later, the young man noticed the spiritual energy receding from his surroundings and looked ahead.

A vast city came into view, spanning thousands of miles of land and reaching into the clouds.

Colorful rainbows fell from the sky and flowed in and out of the city, like a fountain that never stopped. At the city gate, a hundred miles of people slowly advanced.

The sounds of discussions, playful banter, and loud laughter constantly reached my ears.

What a bustling and prosperous scene!
(End of this chapter)