Lingyuan Immortal

Chapter 951 Hunyuan Zhenyun Cong

Green mountains are shrouded in distant mists, while white clouds drift freely in the sky.

On an autumn morning, the mountains are shrouded in mist and haze.

As the sun rises, the summit of Huiyan Mountain is bathed in golden light, while the surrounding Tianshan Mountains and deep lakes remain shrouded in mist, adding to the mountain's mystique.

As the mountain wind rises, the mist rises and occasionally reveals a quiet room on the mountainside.

With several months to go before the Fuyi Dao Discussion Conference, Chen Mu felt that his cultivation had been honed to perfection. If he wanted to take another step forward, it was not something that could be done hastily at the moment.

He then waved his sleeve, removing the protective spells in front of the gate, and stepped out of the pass.

Chen Lan and Chen Bai, two blue ducks, were cultivating in the mountains day and night. When they sensed the movement, they quickly flapped their wings and flew over, landing on an ancient pine tree on the cliff.

Chen Mu glanced at the two of them and asked, "How has your cultivation been lately?"

Then Chen Lan, whose figure was even more slender and graceful, replied, "Everything went smoothly. My fourth-order realm is now stable, but I'm afraid it will be difficult to make much progress in the short term..."

Its sound is clear and melodious, like that of a young girl.

However, in terms of age, Chen Lan was indeed extremely young at this time, which was quite fitting.

Chen Bai, who was standing to the side, had already refined his transverse bone and replied cautiously, "This humble one is foolish and has not yet reached the second stage of perfection..."

Their talents differed, and their starting points were vastly different, so Chen Mu's expectations also differed. Hearing this, he nodded and said, "No rush, just cultivate diligently."

Chen Lan then asked, "Is True Lord preparing to attend the gathering?"

She already knew about Fu Yi's discussion of Taoism, and seeing Chen Mu emerge from seclusion, she had some guesses.

Chen Mu nodded and said, "Fusheng Temple has donated a lot of resources in recent years. The reason you were able to overcome the tribulation so quickly was partly due to their help. I am grateful for their kindness. Moreover, I had already promised Fellow Daoist Fu. Now that the time is approaching, it is time to set off."

"Shall we accompany them?"

Chen Mu hesitated for a moment, then shook his head: "This journey may not be smooth sailing. You are not yet worldly, and going to such a place rashly may cause unforeseen circumstances. For now, you should stay in the mountains to cultivate."

Chen Lan has already reached the fourth level, making him a demon king in this remote place. In addition, with the restrictive formations he left behind, there is no need to worry about the safety of Huiyan Mountain.

Upon hearing this, Chen Lan nodded in agreement and led Chen Bai away to take his leave.

After a few days of rest and reorganization, once everything was settled, Chen Mu rode his escape light and headed south.

Since he was not in a hurry, he did not ascend to the Heavenly Peak to borrow the wind. After traveling for several days, he was still hundreds of thousands of miles away from the prefectural city under the jurisdiction of Fusheng Temple.

As a renowned Taoist sect in Qizhou, Fusheng Temple governs four magnificent prefectural cities, with a population of millions under its jurisdiction.

The towering city ahead is one of its key strongholds, named Zhonghui.

This city is the premier thoroughfare of Qizhou, with three rivers encircling it like jade belts, and ancient pines and cypresses embracing it like screens.

Only by passing through this city can one reach the location of the Fusheng Temple.

On this day, Chen Mu rode on the clouds, approaching the city above, looking down from the heavens.

On the official road outside the city, vendors gathered in droves. Blue cloth vendors carried bamboo trays and called out their wares. Travelers, merchants, and horses came and went in an endless stream, and camel bells jingled. It was a bustling and prosperous scene of the world.

To the east and south of the city, there were two large moats, each as wide as a lake, with rippling blue water.

Two dragon boats guarding the city were moored in the water. Each boat was 600 feet long. On the dark ironwood hulls, twelve magnificent pavilions were stacked, with flying eaves, brackets, carved beams and painted rafters.

Moreover, on each floor, the four directions are adorned with apricot-yellow banners of Fusheng Temple, which flutter in the wind like dragons soaring into the sky, creating a solemn and imposing atmosphere.

While the view outside the city was unobstructed, the city itself was shrouded in a thin, almost invisible mist.

Even with his level of cultivation, he needed to concentrate and strain his eyes to see the outline and movements within the city.

After observing for a while, Chen Mu felt that the city in Xuandu was quite remarkable. Throughout the city, regardless of whether one had cultivation or not, or how high or low one's cultivation level was, every household had an altar with a jade table and offering table. On the table was a statue of the patriarch of Fusheng Temple, with incense burning and the steam rising like clouds.

The power of incense is mysterious and unpredictable, and most difficult to explain.

In this world, it is common for wandering immortals to raise mortals, gathering their devout thoughts and transforming them into incense offerings to help them overcome the perilous and unpredictable tribulations.

As for a sect like Fusheng Temple, it was naturally not for this purpose. It's just unknown where the abundant incense offerings gathered from the entire city were directed and what they were used for...

As he pondered, a black dot suddenly appeared on the horizon behind him. After a few breaths, the black dot gradually enlarged, revealing the outline of a thirty-six-zhang-tall warship.

The ship is entirely black with gold paint, and the intricate patterns flow and shine on the hull, giving it an extraordinary appearance.

Chen Mu sensed something and turned around, just in time to see a figure leap out from the ship. Their eyes met.

The newcomer was a middle-aged Taoist priest with black hair and a black robe. He had regular features, a beard, and a calm demeanor, clearly a Taoist master.

Behind him were two young Taoist priests, who, judging from their expressions and demeanor, were disciples of the sect, with cultivation levels only at the Nascent Soul stage.

"This fellow Daoist has stopped here," the black-robed Daoist looked at Chen Mu, bowed, and asked, "Are you one of those attending the gathering?"

Chen Mu smiled slightly and returned the greeting: "It seems you are also a fellow traveler. May I ask where the immortal mountain is?"

The black-robed Taoist waved his hand and said, "What talk of immortal mountains? I am just a rogue cultivator from Changzhou. I am honored to have been invited by Brother Fu of Fusheng Temple. You may call me Xu Rong."

"So it is Fellow Daoist Xu." Chen Mu cupped his hands and said, "This humble Daoist is Chen Mu."

"Brother Chen Dao..."

The two met here by chance. After a brief chat, Xu Rong had an idea and took the initiative to invite him: "Brother Chen, since we are on the same road, why don't we travel together?"

As far as he knew, Fusheng Temple had invited at least a dozen like-minded people to attend the meeting with the True Lord.

Most of the people are strangers, but some will inevitably stick together. If you are alone, you may be at a disadvantage in some situations.

Therefore, he traveled slowly, hoping to encounter one or two suitable people who could lend a helping hand.

Unexpectedly, he actually met one.

Judging from the understated elegance and profound aura of this Taoist priest in plain robes, he is no ordinary person. If we could get to know him beforehand and travel together, it would be beneficial and harmless...

Chen Mu was used to being alone, and when faced with an invitation from a stranger, he would instinctively decline. But as soon as the thought crossed his mind, he remembered that discussing Taoism with Fu Yi would inevitably involve dealing with people.

He thought for a moment, then nodded slightly and said, "That's fine too."

Upon hearing this, Xu Rong's face lit up with joy, and he immediately beckoned two disciples behind him to step forward and pay their respects: "Fellow Daoist Chen, these are my unworthy disciples, one named Sun Fu and the other Wu Yang. If you have any mundane matters that are inconvenient for you to handle, please feel free to send these two over..."

Seeing that Chen Mu had no disciples or attendants, he assumed that this fellow Daoist was also a solitary and aloof cultivator, hence his words, which showed his genuine concern.

It's no wonder Xu Rong made such a guess.

With their level of cultivation, they would be considered patriarchs anywhere, and even within the True Immortal lineage, they would be pillars of strength, with numerous disciples and followers.

Therefore, even if he doesn't travel with a large entourage or make a grand entrance, he will still bring some close disciples with him to serve him.

Chen Mu was an exception. Because he had only been a disciple for a short time, he had no disciples to rely on and had no intention of taking on disciples to spread his teachings. Naturally, he had no disciples to serve him.

To onlookers, his solitary figure would most likely lead them to believe he was a lone, solitary cultivator... Chen Mu simply smiled faintly, offering no explanation, and calmly thanked him.

Xu Rong waved his hand to indicate that there was no need to be polite, then turned his gaze to the imposing city below, saying with emotion, "Fusheng Temple truly lives up to its reputation as a descendant of wandering immortals. Managing a city of this size, I wonder how many talented cultivators it can recruit every year..."

After speaking, he put aside his distracting thoughts and pointed to the rising mist that permeated the city.

"The city's forbidden formation has been activated. If you rush in rashly, you will be blocked. You will need a pass to pass through without hindrance."

His disciple, Sun Fu, seemed to be inexperienced and unaware of the rules. Curious, he extended his divine sense to investigate briefly and said, "Master, this restriction looks quite simple. I think I can easily pass through it. Why bother?"

Upon hearing this, Xu Rong shook his head and chuckled, not annoyed by his disciple's slip of the tongue, but gently explained:

"Now that the time for the Daoist discussion is approaching, the two temples will surely be conducting strict checks within their jurisdictions. Although the restrictions here cannot stop us, Fusheng Temple is the host and we are the guests. Since we have come to keep our appointment, there is no need to force our way in. Brother Chen, what do you think?"

After speaking, he turned his gaze to Chen Mu, seeking his opinion.

Chen Mu nodded and smiled. He stopped in his tracks precisely because of this. However, being new to the place, he was unfamiliar with the local rules and did not know how to obtain the pass, which caused the slight delay.

"There are usually Taoist temples in the city, where you can go to obtain the jade certificate."

Xu Rong continued, scanning the area below before pointing to a spot: "Look, that's it."

Following his gaze, Chen Mu saw a palace or temple standing on a mountain ridge about a hundred miles away, shaped like a pen holder.

Above the roof of the temple, a wisp of smoke rose, unyielding to the wind, piercing straight into the sky, clearly a strange phenomenon created by a Taoist practitioner performing magic.

The group immediately transformed into light and traveled away. In less than a moment, a beam of mysterious light flew out from the temple and landed an old Taoist with white hair.

This man was dressed in a very bright Taoist robe, and his snow-white beard and hair were meticulously groomed, not a single strand out of place.

The moment he saw them, he sensed that Chen Mu and the other man possessed a profound and unfathomable aura, much like the abbot of the sect. Knowing they were no ordinary people, he quickly stepped forward, bowed respectfully, and said, "I am a minor official in charge of general affairs in Zhonghui Prefecture. May I ask which immortal mountain you esteemed elders come from? Is there anything I can do for you?"

Without Chen Mu and his companion needing to speak, disciple Sun Fu stepped forward and replied, "We are on our way to the Fuyi Dao Discussion Meeting and have come here specifically to obtain a pass certificate."

The white-haired old Taoist was slightly taken aback upon hearing this, not expecting that these two True Lords would be so courteous. Compared to the previous True Lords who had crossed the city directly, these two clearly showed more respect for their own sect.

His respect for him grew even stronger, and he immediately took out a jade pass from his sleeve and presented it with both hands.

Xu Rong casually picked up the jade tablet, glanced at it briefly, exchanged a knowing look with Chen Mu, and then lightly waved his sleeve, summoning a ship shimmering with spiritual light.

He stepped aside and gestured with his hand, "Fellow Daoist Chen, please."

Chen Mu stepped onto the deck, and Xu Rong and the others followed.

A clear light swirled around the ship, and in an instant, it rose from the ground, transforming into a streak of light that cut through the sky and sped towards the depths of the city...

With the jade token as their pass, Chen Mu and his companions were no longer hindered in their flight across the sky. In just half a day, they arrived at the gate of Fusheng Temple.

At that moment, the disciples on duty on the observation platform immediately noticed and flew to meet them.

After inquiring about the reason, he put on a respectful smile and said, "Thank you for your assistance, esteemed guests. The ceremony hall has been prepared in advance. Please follow me."

Now, only the abbot, Tao Fengbian, is the only True Lord presiding over Fusheng Temple.

As the head of the temple, it was inconvenient for him to personally handle the welcoming and seeing off of guests, so he had to entrust such tasks to the temple's stewards.

Although it was slightly inappropriate from a etiquette standpoint, most of the fellow practitioners who were able to attend the meeting at this time understood the difficulties involved, so they had no objections and followed the steward to lead the way.

Although the number of disciples of Fusheng Temple is not extremely large, there are still three thousand pavilions and eight hundred exquisite buildings scattered throughout Zhuoguang Mountain.

It was the hour of You (5-7 PM), the setting sun was melting gold, and the afterglow still lingered. Under the colorful clouds, one could see smoke rising from between the eaves and tiles, and the palaces and lakes reflected each other, shining brightly. The scene was magnificent and wonderful, with ever-changing atmosphere.

The group admired the scenery along the way, nodding in approval repeatedly.

A moment later, the guide pointed to the mountain peak and said with reverence, "Honored guest, please look over there. This is the treasure of my Fusheng Temple—the 'Hunyuan Zhenyun Cong'."

Following his gaze, Chen Mu and the others saw a jade cong, about three feet tall, standing majestically atop the mountain.

Its shape is square on the outside and round on the inside, which subtly conforms to the principle of the round heaven and square earth, and implies the idea of ​​connecting heaven and earth and establishing the order of the universe.

Around the jade cong, a continuous stream of dark gray smoke, as deep as an abyss, was gathering.

Chen Mu observed carefully for a moment, and immediately understood.

He had just been wondering what Fusheng Temple would do with all the rich incense smoke in the city; it turned out it was all gathered in this treasure…

The steward introduced with a hint of pride: "With this treasure guarding the mountain gate, our sect's fortunes will continue to grow and our foundation will remain strong."

Upon hearing this, Chen Mu and Xu Rong remained expressionless, only nodding slightly.

However, Sun Fu and Wu Yang, standing behind him, couldn't help but secretly scoff: If this treasure could truly safeguard the sect's destiny forever, how could Fusheng Temple have declined generation after generation? Clearly, the treasure's power might not be as mysterious and unparalleled as it claimed…

The group followed the steward for a while longer, only to find that they were not heading straight into the depths of the temple, but instead turned towards a beautiful little mountain in the southeast of Zhuoguang Mountain.

Upon seeing this, Sun Fu couldn't help but ask in surprise, "Isn't the ceremonial hall located within the main peak here?"

Before the steward could explain, his master Xu Rong shook his head knowingly and said, "Those who have come to attend this gathering are all True Lords from the outer realms. If I were the Abbot of Fusheng Temple, I would not dare to let all these fellow practitioners reside within the important mountain gate area. It would be more prudent to place them in the outer courtyards."

That small hill is also dotted with palaces, temples, and courtyards, arranged in a staggered pattern according to the terrain.

As dusk approached, many temples had already lit up their lanterns and candles, and the mountains were dotted with lights, like stars scattered across the sky. If you got close, you could faintly hear the sounds of string and wind instruments and drums drifting on the wind.

What's even more striking is that several beams of spiritual light emanated from the mountain, among which several beams of clear light were particularly prominent, soaring straight into the sky. This was clearly a deliberate act by the Daoist Master who resided there, to demonstrate his cultivation level.

Xu Rong glanced over them and counted them briefly; indeed, there were no fewer than ten True Monarch auras.

The steward led the group to a ceremonial courtyard covering a hundred acres at the foot of the mountain.

The place is elegant and quiet, with over a hundred servants at your beck and call. It has all the necessary equipment and facilities, and also has thirty or forty female entertainers skilled in music, dance and singing for your amusement.

Sun Fu briefly surveyed the courtyard, then suddenly asked, "I see that the palaces and temples halfway up the mountain are much more exquisite and spacious. Why not invite us to stay there?"

The steward hurriedly bowed and explained, "Honored guest, please forgive us. The True Lords residing halfway up the mountain all arrived several months ago. As for the several hermitages at the summit, they were all pre-arranged, and even I am not allowed to enter without important business..."

Upon hearing this, Sun Fu and Wu Yang showed unusual expressions and felt indignant. However, seeing that their master remained silent, they had no choice but to suppress their emotions.

Chen Mu didn't care about the place of lodging at all. To him, even the cold moon and green stone were fine. So he smiled calmly and said, "This place is quiet and secluded, very nice."

Hearing this, Xu Rong felt a little relieved and nodded, saying, "There is always a first-come, first-served order in everything. Since we are a little late, let's settle down here in peace."

The steward bowed and said, "If any of you honored guests require anything, please feel free to instruct the steward of the courtyard. I shall take my leave now."

After the steward left, Chen Mu and Xu Rong chatted for a while before each finding a quiet room to meditate and regulate their breathing.

With only a few months left until the grand discussion, for someone of their level, if there were no worldly affairs to disturb them, it would be no more than a moment of meditation...

……

(End of this chapter)