Martial Arts Crossover: The Sweeping Monk of Wudang? That's our patriarch!

"Senior! Please help me! Even though we've only met by chance, it's fate—I'm already incredibly fortunate to see you today! If you turn your back on me, no one else in this world can save me!"

The mountains were still clear, the waters still beautiful, but now, the sounds only carried a chilling desolation. He thought Lin Daochen was about to turn and leave; this time, it seemed his immortal traces would be gone forever.

If I miss the guidance of this true immortal before me, I fear I will never again experience even a trace of immortality for the rest of my life.

He lay prostrate on the ground, his words burning hot, each sentence trembling.

Lin Daochen's fingertips curled slightly, his heartstrings were indeed plucked. It wasn't that he was unwilling to take on a disciple, but a single act of guidance might unravel the karma of a past life—that person had once been a Celestial Venerable who had attained enlightenment on Mount Kunlun, whose divine essence and spiritual energy remained. He himself was still on the path to enlightenment, and the slightest carelessness would shake his foundation.

He closed his eyes briefly, then finally nodded.

"Rest assured. Although I will not be your master, I can still point out the right path for you—after all, there is indeed a spiritual connection between us."

A misty haze hung in the air before the waterfall when suddenly a figure emerged slowly. His white hair was like snow, and his white robe fluttered in the wind; it was none other than Chen Hao, the immortal from the painting. Lin Daoxian had visited several times, and each time he had encountered him here.

"Ha! Young friend, it's nice to meet you again—it feels like only yesterday we last parted!"

Lin Daochen's eyelids twitched, and he almost rolled his eyes: This guy's nonsense is still going on and on.

He didn't bother to reply, but stepped forward and looked directly at Chen Hao: "Senior, I beg you to lend a hand this time. This person and I have a predestined connection. If I can help him, perhaps... it will be just what I need for my current breakthrough."

Chen Hao's eyes flashed, genuinely taken aback. Lin Daochen had always been a solitary figure, never entangled in worldly affairs, let alone actively seeking help for others.

After a moment's thought, he slowly nodded: "That's right. You've recently hit a bottleneck that's as solid as an iron wall, and ordinary methods can't budge it in the slightest. Right now, this is the only viable option."

"In his previous life, this person was a righteous immortal who ascended from Kunlun Mountain. He cultivated diligently there for a hundred years before finally opening the gate to immortality. In terms of the foundation of the righteous path, he is stronger than anyone else."

Lin Daoxuan's heart skipped a beat, his pupils shrinking slightly—he never expected that this person would have such an astonishing background. But there was no time to think about it further. Lin Daoxuan shook his head slightly and walked towards the man.

The man knelt on both knees, his forehead almost touching the dust, his gaze burning with a desperate piety, fixed directly on Lin Daoxian.

Having discussed the matter privately with Chen Hao for a long time, Li Daochen had already made up his mind: to point a finger at him and test him. He lowered his eyes and stared for a moment, his voice low but clear:

"Therefore, you shall first climb alone to the summit of Kunlun Mountain and raise a flag there. If I see that flag fluttering in the wind, I will accept you as my disciple."

The man trembled, as if a drowning man had grabbed onto a piece of driftwood, and stumbled forward, his voice strained: "Your kindness, senior, is something I could never repay even with my life! I would go through fire and water without hesitation if given the chance!"

Lin Daochen waved his hand to stop him, his expression indifferent. He didn't care about serving him to the death—what he really wanted to see was whether this flesh and blood body could, like he had done back then, break through the heavy pressure of the waterfall and shatter the thousand-step cold mist with real blood and sweat.

At this moment, the nine primordial spirits within his body had already returned to their positions and were now at rest, with no longer any danger of tearing or fighting each other. However, ever since the golden core emerged from its cocoon, they had remained outside the threshold of fusion, like viewing a mountain through fog, unable to see its path.

Lin Daoxuan sought answers from various sources, consulting the Six-Eared Macaque and paying homage to the Great Sage Equal to Heaven. He even kept the still-warm monkey hair in his pocket, never using it.

Having finished explaining, he had no intention of dwelling on the matter any further. This trip to Kunlun was, in essence, a test of his resolve—if he could truly climb to the summit with the heavy load and plant the flag as proof, then his resolve would be as firm as iron; if he turned back halfway and failed to unfurl the flag, it would be nothing but empty talk, not worth the slightest effort.

He watched the man hurriedly pack his bags as he walked away, then chuckled softly and waved goodbye.

"Okay, you go ahead and get busy. I should get going too. I have important things to do."

Before he could finish speaking, Chen Hao suddenly appeared, grinning as he blocked Lin Daochen's path.

"That won't do—the Kunlun Mountains are a treacherous place, filled with poisonous miasma and teeming with demonic creatures. He'd be sent alone? He probably wouldn't even make it to the mountain gate before becoming prey for wild beasts!"

Lin Daochen pondered for a moment, then finally nodded: "Alright, I'll accompany you on this trip. But I must warn you first: there are ancient trees growing densely on the mountainside of Kunlun, which is where ancient spiritual veins reside. If we step into it, we will be trespassing into someone else's ancestral home."

"Obey my orders completely. Do not move a single step or utter a single word without authorization, understand?"

The man nodded solemnly, then extended his hand, palm up, and solemnly presented it to Lin Daoxuan:

"Please enlighten me, senior. I, Yang Kai, have traveled a long way just to see you. Who would have thought that as soon as I stepped into this place, I would see you standing in the wind?"

"Stop with the pleasantries and get ready." Lin Daochen's tone was crisp. "I'm going to Kunlun with you. There, poisonous vines devour people, and night owls steal souls. A slight mistake and you'll be reduced to ashes. Before you leave, be sure to go home and say goodbye to your family."

Yang Kai's face suddenly darkened, his Adam's apple bobbed twice, and he said in a low voice:

"Senior... I've long since lost my home. In this world, you are my only hope."

The air suddenly felt heavy, and a silent sorrow spread, enveloping the entire courtyard. Lin Daochen was stunned—not by the tragic scene itself, but because he suddenly remembered when he first entered the mountain gate, he was also just like this, utterly alone, with nothing but emptiness behind him, only the howling wind. For those who cultivate the Dao, which path doesn't have a few old skeletons buried within? Which heart hasn't had pieces of flesh torn from it? He had long since taken separation for granted, and loneliness as his robe.

He raised his hand and patted Yang Kai's shoulder, wanting to say something, but only felt a dryness in his throat, which finally turned into a short sigh that drifted away with the wind.

The journey to Kunlun was indeed fraught with danger at every turn. Poisonous pythons coiled in trees, snow leopards lurked on rocks, black bears blocked the way, and wolves surrounded the night... Lin Daochen remained aloof throughout, letting Yang Kai sweat profusely, chop down thorns like firewood, and smooth the steep slopes with his knees—he didn't want a shortcut to the clouds, but rather the marks of blood and flesh worn into the path.

A day later, the two finally stood at the foot of Kunlun Mountain. The mountain's shape was like a sword cleaving through the clouds, the cold air was biting, and even the wind carried the metallic scent of blades.

Snow-capped peaks pierce the clouds, and the Kunlun Mountains, like a giant sword with a cold, gleaming light, pierce the sky. The entire mountain range seems to be soaked in molten gold, shining brightly in the clear morning light.

The man stopped abruptly at the edge of the cliff at the foot of the mountain, his brow furrowing slightly.

"Senior, there is no fixed place for cultivation. You can cultivate in desolate valleys, ancient temples, and secluded pools. Why must you come to Kunlun? I have heard that ferocious beasts roam the mountains, with packs of jackals and tigers and leopards lurking in the shadows. You are not afraid, but if I am caught off guard, I am afraid that not even a bone fragment will remain."

"Oh? You're actually afraid of these beasts?" Lin Daochen raised an eyebrow and chuckled. "If your Dao heart trembles, your thoughts will go astray; if your thoughts go astray, what's the point of cultivating the Dao? You might as well go back to selling steamed buns."

The man's ears suddenly burned, and he hurriedly waved his hands: "It's not that I'm afraid! It's just... it's too sudden. There are so many sacred places in the world, why choose this dangerous and desolate place?"

In his mind, spiritual practice is about finding a quiet room where the pine breeze caresses your face, closing your eyes to regulate your breathing, focusing your mind, and slowly finding the secluded path leading to the Great Way.

Unexpectedly, Lin Daochen dragged him into the snowy mountain range where danger lurked.

Lin Daochen had lost his patience. He raised his hand and pressed down on the man's shoulder with a firm grip: "Stop dawdling, let's go up the mountain. Only when the flag is firmly planted in the windy spot on the main peak will I teach you the real stuff."

Before he finished speaking, he had already sat cross-legged, his eyes lowered, and his breathing became as still as a deep well.

Half an incense stick's time had passed when the mountain breeze suddenly stopped.

Lin Daochen's consciousness surged, and he suddenly felt a violent aura tearing through the air and rushing towards him—as fast as a thunderbolt splitting through the mountain mist. The ground trembled and the accumulated snow rolled down.

Goodness, he's a tough character indeed! But since it's a trial, he'll have to get through this on his own.

With a muffled boom, snow dust erupted. A giant gray bear, over ten feet tall, smashed through the bushes and rushed to the edge of the cliff, its fangs bared and saliva dripping like rain, as it gripped the man's collar tightly and dragged him along.

"Senior, save me! This beast's bones are like iron, I can't stop it—!"

Lin Daochen remained motionless, staring intently as the bear paw, carrying a foul stench, slapped towards the man's back.

"Bang!"

The man crashed into the snowdrift like a kite with a broken string, blood seeping from his mouth and nose, but no bones were broken.

Lin Daochen's heart tightened—if he really lay down here, the trial would turn into a funeral. He strode forward, and the grizzly bear bared its teeth and growled, standing upright, its claws scraping the frozen ground until it cracked.

Lin Daochen glanced at the bear, whose body stiffened abruptly. It let out two whimpers, turned around, and disappeared into the distance at the end of the snow slope in the blink of an eye.

He shook his head and chuckled; it was truly the first time he had ever seen a bear so terrified by a mere glare.

Turning around, he knelt down, his fingertips touching the man's wrist pulse: "The bones are fine, just skin and flesh injuries. Bear with it, there will be a few scars after it heals—do you mind?"

The man trembled violently, but when he looked up, his eyes shone with a frightening light, dark and deep, like two clusters of burning charcoal. That desperate, all-or-nothing spirit was exactly the same as when he himself knelt on the bluestone steps years ago, begging for immortality.

Lin Daochen remained silent for a moment, then reached out to help him up, placing his palm on the wound, and a warm current slowly seeped in.

Once the bleeding stopped and the muscles healed, he stopped urging them. The trial had reached its limit.

Let's go, I'll accompany you for the rest of the journey. But let me make this clear first—I won't intervene unless we encounter a truly life-threatening obstacle. This mountain climb is a whetstone tailor-made for you.

The man's lips curled into a smile upon hearing this, knowing full well what was going on. But given the rugged mountain path, he truly wished Lin Daochen would lend a hand. However, since it was a trial on the path of cultivation, he had to grit his teeth and climb it himself.

He turned around and plunged into the steep crevices of the Kunlun Mountains. The mountain path was as if cut by a knife and axe, crooked and slippery, with strange flowers and exotic plants growing on both sides, many of which had thorns on their stems and leaves, and if you were not careful, you would get several bloody scratches.

Want to reach the top? Easier said than done.

But Lin Daochen stood to his side and behind, his gaze calm as still water. He dared not catch his breath, nor dared he stop, but pressed down on his waist and pushed off with his feet, stubbornly climbing upwards.

He endured the wind tearing at his clothes, the stones digging into his feet, and the fog obscuring his vision. It wasn't that he didn't want to rest, but that he dared not slacken his efforts—this was his only chance to knock on the gates of immortality.

Lin Daochen silently followed, taking in every drop of sweat, every stumble, and every moment of gritted teeth he endured. A young man who had staked his life on this path stood before him, and even this seasoned cultivator, accustomed to the trials of life, felt a slight warmth in his heart.

After three days and three nights without sleep or rest, they finally reached the summit of Kunlun Mountain. The man, panting heavily, slammed a black chess piece onto the blue stone at the peak.

Lin Daochen gazed at the chess piece, a warm light shining in his eyes. It was worth it. This child was finally worthy of inheriting his mantle.