Under One Person: My Inner Realm Connects to All Worlds!

Chapter 141 The Taoist of Louguan
After the two of them descended the mountain, the middle-aged man fanned himself with a palm-leaf fan and said with a smile, "The outcome depends on the fate of the two of you."

"Let my longing be entrusted to the sound of the flute, a thousand years of tears staining the jade dragon's spirit. Today, the cycle of cause and effect turns again, and the rising tide of the blue sea brings a different kind of emotion."

"Hahaha, by doing this good deed, you'll owe me a debt of karma. Your path to enlightenment is now within reach!"

Then, the middle-aged man staggered into the cave, humming a little tune: "Gazing at the wine's reflection, drunkenly watching the world..."

As they entered the cave, the body gradually turned into white bone dust, drifting away with the wind, as if it had never existed in this world.

If Han Yun were here, he would surely think of a certain historical anecdote.

Legend has it that Laozi, the Supreme Lord Lao, transformed into the Supreme Lord Lao and descended to earth during the Zhou Dynasty.

One day, Laozi was traveling in the land of Xu Yi when he came across a pile of white bones with their souls still intact. Laozi felt compassion for them and used the magic "Gathering Form Talisman" to transform the bones into a human, named him Xu Jia, and ordered him to serve by his side.

Xu Jia became Laozi's servant from then on, working diligently and conscientiously. However, Laozi never delivered on the promised wages. Although Xu Jia was dissatisfied, he dared not speak out.

As time passed, Xu Jia served Laozi for over two hundred years. During this time, Laozi wanted to pass on his teachings to Xu Jia, but he found that Xu Jia's faith was not firm, he was often displeased, and he was unwilling to endure hardship.

To test his heart, Laozi conjured up a manor with beautiful women to tempt him. Xu Jia was indeed moved and wanted to leave Laozi.

Seeing this, Laozi knew that Xu Jia's resolve was not firm, so he withdrew the "Gathering Form Talisman," and Xu Jia instantly turned back into bones. Yin Xi was shocked and pleaded with Laozi for mercy. Laozi was finally moved by his plea and threw the talisman onto the bones again, and Xu Jia was able to be resurrected.

After this incident, Xu Jia felt deeply ashamed and, after much reflection, resolved to live in seclusion and cultivate Taoism. Laozi, seeing his remorse, guided him to become an immortal.

This middle-aged man is very likely just an incarnation of the patriarch Zhongli Quan, an avatar that appears to have a long lifespan but is actually just a skeleton.

As for where the real Zhongli Quan is, who can know?

Even if Han Yun witnessed this scene with his own eyes, he would only sigh, "The road ahead is long and arduous, and I will continue to explore it." Instead, he would become even more determined to pursue the Dao.

-----

Han Yun stood atop a solitary peak, gently stroking a jade flute. After emerging from the Azure Sky Cave, he sought out this tranquil place to study the "Purple Mansion Flute Chapters."

The sun was setting, and the sea of ​​clouds was churning. He suddenly brought the jade flute to his lips and played the first note.

The clear, melodious sound of a flute pierced the air, causing the mountain clouds to swirl and billow. At first, it sounded like dew dripping from a secluded spring, then like the roar of pine trees, and finally transformed into the cry of a dragon and the howl of a phoenix, shaking the ancient pines around it so that their leaves fell.

Even more remarkably, as the melody changed, Han Yun's vital energy resonated with the heavens and earth.

This involves changes in force, the manipulation of the Qi of Heaven and Earth, and so on. It is a method of sound, and also a method of spiritual resonance with the minds of all living beings in Heaven and Earth.

Suddenly, Han Yunxiao's voice changed, turning into a natural and peaceful tone.

The sound of the flute, melodious and gentle, like a clear spring gurgling over rocks, echoed among the peaks of Zhongnan Mountain. Suddenly, the mountain wind ceased, the rustling of the pines subsided, and only this lingering, pure sound remained in the world.

The first to appear was a white-browed mountain deer, which leaped lightly from the forest, stood with its head held high, its glassy eyes reflecting the afterglow of the setting sun, and the tips of its ears trembled slightly with the sound of the flute.

Then the treetops rustled, and three or five long-tailed ribbon birds with blue feathers gracefully arrived and perched on the gnarled branches beside Han Yun, their tail feathers drooping like jade tassels.

Several gray rabbits peeked out from the crevices of the rocks, their noses twitching slightly, and stood upright. A red fox emerged from behind an old pine tree by the stream, but unlike its usual alert self, it remained quietly lying on the mossy stone.

From a distant mountain stream came the splashing sound of water; two egrets were wading in, their snowy feathers still glistening with water droplets. Then came golden monkeys, crested ibises, wild boars, and other animals, a veritable pandemonium. Only when Han Yun stopped playing his flute did the animals realize what was happening and scatter back into the forest.

"See nature, see all living beings, see the Way of Heaven!"

Han Yun smiled and looked at the jade flute in his hand: "It is a natural Daoist treasure left by the patriarch. I never thought it could also be used to resolve malevolent energy and cleanse inner demons."

Just as Han Yun was playing the flute in deep thought, he suddenly heard a clear, loud laugh from behind him:
"What a peaceful and harmonious melody! Young friend, your flute playing has already grasped three-tenths of the profound meaning. May I ask which family you belong to?"

Han Yun turned around and saw an old Taoist priest with white hair and a youthful face leaping three zhang (approximately 10 meters) at a time, seemingly soaring and flying, his figure ethereal, walking swiftly towards him.

The man had wide sleeves fluttering in the wind, a vermilion gourd hanging from his waist, a bamboo basket on his back, and straw sandals on his feet covered in fresh mud. He was clearly hiking up the mountain, yet he exuded a carefree air as if he were riding the clouds.

What was most unusual about him was his appearance; his skin was even more delicate than that of a young woman in her late teens, and his complexion was extremely rosy, clearly indicating that he was a master of health preservation.

Han Yun cupped his hands in acknowledgment and smiled, "I am unaffiliated with any sect or school, have extensive connections, and possess some lineage. I can tentatively be considered a wandering hermit!"

The old Taoist stopped a foot in front of Han Yun, stroked his beard and laughed, "What a free spirit! I've been gathering herbs in Zhongnan Mountain for seventy years, and this is the first time I've seen a wandering monk who can summon hundreds of beasts to pay homage with the sound of his flute."

As he spoke, he untied the crimson gourd from his waist, tilted his head back and took a sip, then casually tossed it to Han Yun: "Try it? It's my own brewed Songling wine, not something ordinary people can get."

Han Yun took the gourd and felt its weight in his hand, and a refreshing fragrance wafted towards him. He took a small sip and immediately felt a warm current flow from his throat down to his dantian, which actually caused the true qi in his body to circulate on its own.

"Excellent wine!" Han Yun exclaimed. "Senior, you must have added quite a few fine medicinal herbs to this wine, right?"

"It's just some old Poria cocos."

"Poria cocos?"

Han Yun's heart skipped a beat.

The Jin Dynasty scholar Ge Hong wrote in his book "Baopuzi: Inner Chapters: Immortal Medicine": "Ren Ziji took Poria cocos for eighteen years. Immortals and jade maidens followed him. He could hide or reveal himself, no longer ate grains, and all his moxibustion marks disappeared. His pores and face all became delicate and radiant."

It is evident that Poria cocos has a beautifying effect.

Unexpectedly, the old Taoist priest in front of him was a master at preparing the precious medicine of Poria cocos. However, Han Yun was not envious. The method of taking the medicine he had obtained before was even more ingenious and could naturally extract the effects of Poria cocos.

If Han Yun were to set his mind to it, he could make some beauty and skin-nourishing pills, and there would probably be many people who would go crazy for them.

Han Yun smiled and said, "No wonder you have such a face, Daoist. I wonder which sect you belong to? Would I have the opportunity to visit you?"

The Taoist priest chuckled lightly: "My sect is small and few people know about it. Have you ever heard of Louguan Taoism?"

Han Yun was taken aback. He had searched high and low without finding it, but it came to him without any effort. He never expected that his casual boast would attract such a master from Louguan Dao.

Han Yun did not hesitate and directly revealed the alchemical aura of the Wen Shi School: "I didn't expect we were family. I am Han Yun, greetings, fellow Daoist!"

Upon hearing this, the old Taoist carefully examined Han Yun's vital energy, then suddenly clapped his hands and laughed loudly: "Wonderful! Wonderful! The Wen Shi lineage still has a descendant alive!"

(End of this chapter)