Supreme Golden Palace

Chapter 143 Cloud Chamber (Part 2)

Lu Shang raised his hand in a gesture of invitation, looking at the two-story building with the sign "Qu Mi Chun" hanging on the street corner, the copper bells on the eaves tinkling in the wind.

"Since you, Daoist, are aware of your worldly affairs, why not use this earthly wine to dispel half a day's hustle and bustle?"

"Since Lord Lü has invited me, how could I refuse?"

The middle-aged Taoist stroked his beard and laughed heartily, then flicked his sleeve and collected the fireflies into his elixir.

As the three walked through the street, the owner of the tavern on the street corner saw that it was the carriage of the Duke of Qi's mansion parked at the street corner, and hurriedly lifted the cotton curtain and bowed to welcome them.

Lü Shang chose a wooden table by the window, and the middle-aged Taoist priest and the young man sat down on his left and right, respectively.

"My lord, please."

The pine window frames swayed gently in the evening breeze. The shopkeeper smiled and held up a rough earthenware wine jar, ready to pour the wine.

"Wait a minute,"

The middle-aged Taoist priest flicked his finger, and the wine jar immediately floated up, tilting itself in mid-air. The amber-colored wine dripped down like silk ribbons, creating three splashes of wine in the three ceramic cups.

As the wine poured into the cup, it created delicate ripples. When Lü Shang's fingers touched the edge of the ceramic cup, his fingertips felt a warmth.

The middle-aged Taoist priest tapped the edge of the table with his finger and announced in a loud voice, "I am Zhongli Quan, a native of Zhongnan Mountain."

After speaking, Zhongli Quan glanced at the young man beside him, who was fiddling with the rim of his cup with his eyes lowered, and said, "His name is Su Xuanlang, and he is from Mount Luofu."

"Master Zhengyang, Zhongli Quan? Qingxiazi, Su Xuanlang?"

Lu Shang paused slightly as he raised his cup. In his previous life, when he was seeking the Dao, he had long been familiar with the lineages of gods and immortals from all generations. He naturally knew the origins of these two individuals and how profound their backgrounds were.

First, let's talk about the patriarch Zhongli Quan. He was a disciple of the Eastern Emperor Wang Xuanfu, who was also known as the Eastern Chongen Holy Emperor, the ancestor of the immortals of the Ten Continents and Three Islands, and one of the Five Elders of the Five Directions, holding an extremely high position.

Zhongli Quan, also known as Zhengyangzi, was a disciple of this sage. He received the Crimson Talisman and Jade Seal, the Golden Code and Spiritual Text, the Great Elixir Secrets, the Cycle of Heavenly Fire, and the Azure Dragon Sword Technique. He was ranked among the immortals and was a first-class great immortal, revered as the patriarch of the Quanzhen School of Taoism.

Although they are not well-known today, during the Sui and Tang dynasties and the Song dynasty, Zhongli Quan, along with Tieguai Li (the leader of the Donghua Sect), Lü Dongbin (the Pure Yang Master), Zhang Guo (the Master of Profound Mystery), Cao Jingxiu (the brother-in-law of Emperor Renzong), He Xiugu (the Wonderful Dharma Primordial Lady), Lan Caihe (the Great Luo Immortal), and Han Xiangzi (the Yaohua Supreme True Man), gathered at Shisun Mountain, thus giving rise to the legend of the Eight Immortals.

Both the Northern and Southern schools of Neidan (internal alchemy) revere him as their patriarch.

When it comes to Neidan (internal alchemy), one cannot help but mention Qingxiazi Su Xuanlang. If Laozi provided the most fundamental theory for Neidan, then Qingxiazi Su Xuanlang truly pioneered the methods of Neidan on that basis.

He was a disciple of the Great Master Mao of Maoshan. After attaining enlightenment, he led his disciples to cultivate the Great Elixir in the Qingxia Valley area of ​​Luofu Mountain, thus earning the title Qingxiazi.

He explained internal alchemy using external alchemy terms, interpreting external alchemy terms such as furnace, divine chamber, jade pool, lead, mercury, central earth, and yellow sprout in terms of internal body, mind, fluids, Kan, Li, intention, and spleen earth.

Advocating the cultivation of both body and mind, the Taoist practice of "internal alchemy" takes the human body as the "furnace," essence, energy, and spirit as the "medicine," the application of intention as the "fire control," and the "sacred embryo" formed in the body as the inner elixir.

Lu Shang said softly, "So it is two eminent Taoist masters who have manifested their divine powers here. May I ask what they wish to teach you?"

"It's not really a matter of seeking instruction,"

Zhongli Quan stroked his beard and smiled, his gaze piercing through the window to the distant bustling city. He said leisurely, "We two have been traveling here and have heard of Lord Lü's great reputation. People call him a young hero. Although we are outsiders, we admire him and have come to meet him." He looked at Lü Shang and said, "It is laughable, but before I became a monk, I also served in the army. However, I was not a capable general and caused the army to be wiped out, which I felt ashamed of. At that time, I suddenly realized that the turmoil of the world, fame and fortune, are nothing but fleeting clouds. Only by transcending life and death can we truly seek."

"Later, I met a famous master who taught me the true teachings of Taoism. From then on, I devoted myself to the Tao and studied it diligently, hoping to find the ultimate truth of liberation. Fortunately, I am somewhat gifted and have developed some skills."

"I originally intended to travel and help the world, but after arriving in Daxing, I saw that the people were praising Lord Lü's heroic name. So I decided to get to know him and came here with Fellow Daoist Su to bother you."

Zhongli Quan gently swirled the wine cup, and the amber-colored liquid rippled slightly within.

Upon hearing this, Lü Shang was deeply moved. He raised his wine cup to Zhongli Quan, then tilted his head back and drank a mouthful of wine. He felt a warm current slide down his throat, and the warmth instantly spread throughout his body.

"Master Zhongli is able to transcend worldly affairs and focus on the Tao, which is truly a sign of great wisdom. I am still living in the mortal world, entangled in worldly affairs, and often feel that I am not in control of my own destiny."

Su Xuanlang smiled slightly and said, "Lord Lü, there's no need for that. There are ways to cultivate oneself in the mortal world and ways to attain enlightenment beyond the secular realm. Lord Lü's dedication to public service and benefiting the people is also a kind of extraordinary cultivation."

"In my humble opinion, Master Lü's cultivation level is already close to that of a martial arts immortal,"

He looked at Lü Shang with a hint of inquiry in his eyes and said, "If you take another step forward, entering the path of the Human Immortal is not difficult. However, this path of cultivation is arduous at every step. Have you ever thought about what it will be like after becoming a Human Immortal in martial arts?"

Upon hearing this, Lü Shang was startled, and the wine cup in his hand unconsciously stopped at his lips.

The so-called 48,000 acupoints and 84,000 divine perfections, reaching the realm of shattering the void, is the great path of martial arts that Lü Shang comprehended after studying the "Golden Flower Secret of the Ancestor of Fuli". This is the end of martial arts in his understanding.

The path of martial arts in the world of Yanfu becomes a dead end after reaching the level of a Human Immortal. But since Su Xuanlang asked this question, perhaps there is another way out.

Even if Lü Shang doesn't necessarily follow the path Su Xuanlang suggested, it can still serve as a reference.

Lu Shang composed himself, put down his wine cup, and said sincerely, "Master Su, in this world, there is no further path to becoming a Human Immortal. I have cultivated to this day and this is all I know. I hope you can enlighten me on the mystery."

Su Xuanlang chuckled softly, tapping his fingers rhythmically on the edge of the table as if he were carefully choosing his words. He said, "After becoming a Human Immortal, there is indeed no future. Even if one achieves immortality through physical means, no Earth Immortal can match one's physical form. But after a hundred and fifty years, one will still become a handful of dust."

"If you want to live a long life, you must accumulate merit and virtue. When you have accumulated enough merit and virtue, Heaven and Earth will be moved and you will be able to ascend to Heaven, obtain the status of an immortal, and enjoy eternal life."

"Among the four marshals of Nantianmen, Ma, Zhao, Wen, and Guan, Guan Yu, the marshal Guan, ascended to heaven and joined the ranks of immortals."

"His virtue and achievements are complete!"

Lü Shang nodded with some disappointment.

After that, they stopped talking about cultivation and chatted about everything under the sun. After a few rounds of drinks, dusk fell over the eaves, and Zhongli Quan suddenly stood up.

"happy,"

The wind stirred by his robe sleeves caused the wine cup to swirl gently, the amber wine swirling within the ceramic cup, creating tiny, iridescent glints.

Zhongli Quan cupped his hands in greeting to Lü Shang, his laughter ringing out like bells piercing the clouds, and said, "I have troubled you for half a day, and dare not trouble you any further, Lord Lü. We are wanderers, and when you are tired of official duties someday, you may come to Zhongnan Mountain to drink with this old Daoist."

Before he finished speaking, he flicked out another pill from his fingertip, saying, "This is the Longevity Pill, which will serve as payment for today's wine."

(End of this chapter)