I'm already a Great Luo Golden Immortal, how come you're only Martial Saints?

Old Luo was an old hand after all. He rolled his eyes, chuckled, stepped forward, put his arm around the old Taoist's shoulder, and used a move called "Strong Man Locking Man"!

"Master Daoist, may I speak with you in private?"

Without giving the old Taoist priest a chance to resist, Lao Luo forcibly dragged the unwilling Zhang Qingxuan to the corner.

The two whispered to each other for a while. Old Luo would wink and make faces, and then pat his chest to make promises. Finally, he took something out of his pocket and stuffed it into the old Taoist priest's hand.

Zhang Qingxuan's expression shifted from resistance to surprise, and finally he slowly nodded.

Ning Chen saw it clearly; what Lao Luo gave him were clearly two gold bars.

A moment later, the two returned.

Zhang Qingxuan coughed, his face still not looking good, but his tone had softened considerably.

"Very well, since this brave man Luo insists on going, I will not stop him. However, once we arrive at the ancestral temple, you must be careful with your words and actions, and follow my instructions without disturbing this place of quiet cultivation!"

Clearly, Lao Luo used his financial power to persuade Lao Dao.

Luo chuckled and winked smugly at everyone.

"Let's go, let's set off! With your teacher here, I guarantee you'll have a safe and smooth journey!"

Thus, the original team of seven became eight.

The journey from Luoyang to Zhongnan Mountain is far more distant and arduous than the journey from Tongguan to Luoyang.

This road had long since fallen out of the effective control of the imperial court, becoming a vacuum zone inhabited by defeated Yellow Turban soldiers, bandits, and even some mountain spirits and monsters.

The official road had fallen into disrepair over the years, riddled with potholes and overgrown with weeds.

The post stations along the way were either burned down or deserted.

To make matters worse, not only were there no horses to replenish, but even safe drinking spots were hard to find.

The journey was far more arduous than the Tongguan section, and naturally, it took much longer.

After traveling for about half a month, as dusk fell, dark clouds obscured the stars and moon, and a downpour was imminent.

The group had no choice but to find a dilapidated earth god temple in a remote, desolate mountain area to settle down.

The temple walls had mostly collapsed, the statues of the gods were already mottled and blurred, and the altar was covered with a thick layer of dust. It was clear that no one had come to worship for a long time, and it was an abandoned temple.

Just as the group finished cleaning a corner of the temple and were preparing to start a fire to cook, footsteps sounded outside the temple gate.

By the dim light of the fire, one could see three dusty, disheveled men helping each other as they entered.

The leader was tall and thin, with a sallow complexion. He wore a yellow Taoist robe, and his waist appeared to be severely injured, tightly wrapped with strips of cloth, from which blood seeped.

Behind him were two men, one burly and silent, the other somewhat frail, both bearing injuries, their expressions weary and their eyes wary.

Upon seeing that there were already guests inside the temple, the tall, thin Taoist priest who was leading the group was slightly taken aback, then revealed a faint smile and cupped his hands in greeting.

"Greetings, friends. We are in the middle of nowhere, and we are sorry to bother you by asking for shelter from the cold in this remote place."

His voice was somewhat hoarse, yet it carried a peculiar authority that was irresistible.

The man in yellow glanced at everyone, his gaze lingering on Ning Chen for a moment, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes.

"It's alright, this dilapidated temple is also unclaimed land, please make yourself at home."

Ning Chen, the one with the highest cultivation level in the team, responded calmly.

The injured Taoist priest, supported by the burly man, sat down in another corner.

He felt that they were both in distress, so he greeted them.

"It's fate that we've met. We have some dry food and water; if you don't mind, please share."

He gestured to his companion to take out a few grain cakes and a water bag, and then pulled out a roast chicken from who-knows-where.

"No need, we brought our own food..."

Ning Chen and his group had a divine space, so food was not a problem. Out of caution, they did not accept the invitation to go.

The three men didn't insist and started eating and drinking on their own.

The firelight flickered, and the men began to whisper among themselves.

Ning Chen had a keen sense of perception and could vaguely hear the three people talking in hushed tones.

The tall, thin man at the head of the group often sighed, his voice low and filled with sorrow.

"The heavens are dead... the yellow heavens... ultimately failed to rise..."

"It's not that fate is unkind, but rather that the human heart is unpredictable. We three brothers have been blinded by greed, anger, ignorance, and pride..."

"I rose up to save the common people, by the mandate of Heaven, but little did I know that once war broke out, this prairie fire would not only burn away the wicked who had exploited the people, but also consume the innocent lives..."

"I am consumed by resentment, fearing my days are numbered, and I deeply regret my past actions..."

"Brother, hold on... find the Old Immortal of Nan Hua, perhaps..."

"I'm afraid it won't work. The old immortal warned me before... not to have any disloyal thoughts..."

The tall, thin man's sigh was filled with the helplessness of a hero's end, and his tone was full of deep self-blame and regret.

Ning Chen listened, his heart stirred slightly, and he vaguely guessed the identities of the three people.

Master Zhang Qingxuan's expression changed slightly, and his fingers trembled slightly, as if he wanted to say something. In the end, he glanced at Ning Chen, but only lowered his eyes and silently recited a Taoist title.

"Amitabha Buddha..."

As night deepened, everyone leaned against something and gradually drifted off to sleep.

Only Ning Chen, who was cultivating with his eyes closed, and the burly man on night watch remained conscious.

After an unknown amount of time, Ning Chen felt someone gently push him.

He opened his eyes, and what came into view was the injured Taoist in yellow robes.

The Taoist priest made a shushing gesture, indicating that Ning Chen should go outside to talk with him.

Ning Chen, skilled and daring, quietly got up and followed him to the shadowy area of ​​the ruins outside the temple.

A chilly mountain breeze blew by, carrying a biting cold...

The Taoist priest had his back to Ning Chen, gazing at the undulating mountain silhouettes in the darkness. He remained silent for a long time before slowly turning around.

His sallow face carried a calmness that seemed to have seen through life and death.

"Young friend... you must have already guessed who I am."

Ning Chen nodded, without denying it.

"The Way of Peace, the Great Teacher of Virtue, Zhang Jiao?"

"It is indeed I, the humble Taoist."

Zhang Jiao readily admitted it, a bitter smile appearing on his face.

"The other two are my brothers, Zhang Bao and Zhang Liang. The three of us brothers are at our wits' end, like a lamp running out of oil."

Ning Chen remained silent. This man, who had stirred up the winds of change and made the entire Han Dynasty tremble, was now like a candle flickering in the wind, reduced to such a wretched state.

Zhang Jiao carefully took out a simple, ancient bamboo scroll wrapped tightly in oilcloth from his bosom and handed it to Ning Chen.

"This is the Taoist manual, 'The Essential Techniques of Great Peace,' which I received from the Immortal of Nanhua."

Zhang Jiao's eyes were filled with complex emotions: reminiscence, regret, and final hope.

"Back then, I was a traveling physician, spending my days gathering herbs in the mountains to treat the sick and save lives. I happened to meet the Old Immortal of Nanhua, who taught me this scripture. He said, 'With this book, you can spread the teachings of Heaven and save the world.' What he taught me was the way to heal the sick and save lives, and to harmonize Yin and Yang, not the imperial arts of stirring up the universe and overthrowing the state!"

His tone suddenly became agitated, and he coughed violently, more dark red blood seeping from the wound on his waist. He paused for a while before continuing.

"It was because I saw the suffering of the people and the injustice of Heaven that I felt indignant and thought I had glimpsed the secrets of Heaven and could establish a new Heaven to save the people from their suffering. Instead, I turned this holy book of salvation into a tool for conquest and a spell for slaughter..."

The voice of the great and wise teacher was filled with endless regret.

"It was because I went against the Immortal Master's original intention that I ultimately incurred divine punishment and human resentment, falling into an abyss of eternal damnation."

Zhang Jiao's gaze was fixed on Ning Chen.

"Young friend, I see that you possess extraordinary bearing and are imbued with the profound mysteries of the Great Dao. This scripture shall be entrusted to you, but I hope you will not repeat my mistakes and use it to save the world, rather than..."

Before he could finish speaking, he let out another rapid gasp, as if he had used up all his strength.

Finally, he pointed to himself.

"I am a wanted criminal with a hefty bounty on my head. If you want some reward money, you can take my head and exchange it for a thousand taels of gold or a bright future. It's not difficult at all. I only beg you not to make things difficult for my two younger brothers..."

Ning Chen shook his head.

"Money is like dirt to me, and wealth and glory are fleeting. Even your 'Peaceful Techniques' are of little use to me. Rest assured, I have no ill intentions towards you brothers..."

Zhang Jiao nodded slightly.

"It's clear that you possess an extraordinary lineage, young friend. I can see through that old Taoist priest over there, but I can't quite discern your cultivation level. Therefore, I can entrust this scripture to you with peace of mind!"

Zhang Jiao bowed deeply to Ning Chen, as if he had finally unloaded a tremendous burden.

His body gradually became ethereal, and the light in his eyes quickly dimmed.

The next instant, a chain flew out from nowhere and wrapped around his neck.

In the distance, two humanoid creatures, one black and one white, bowed to Ning Chen and quickly pulled Zhang Jiao's soul away, as if afraid of getting involved with something.

Ning Chen could still hear the shrill voice of Bai Wuchang.

"Just passing by, sorry to bother you..."

Black Impermanence complained repeatedly.

"If I had known he was here, I would have sent the oxen and horses."

"???"

Ning Chen looked completely bewildered...