Shulong Daojun

The next day, at the hour of Mao (5-7 AM).

The sun rises with radiance, its light as dark as ink on a green robe.

Lin Shu wore a black turban and double-faced shoes. He casually tied a silk ribbon around his neck, smiled confidently, and turned to go to the main hall.

When one is properly dressed, one exudes dignity; when one exudes dignity, one's spirit is complete.

The slight chill in the air is just right for this auspicious day.

Inside the main hall, a Taoist priest dressed in black, wearing a nine-ridged turban, held a white jade-handled whisk, and waited quietly with his eyes closed.

tread--

Just then, a light footstep sounded.

His eyes snapped open, his whisk fluttering like a white ribbon. Upon seeing the scale-like pattern, he nodded and smiled, "Excellent!"

He immediately took a step forward, his figure suddenly approaching. He glanced at Lin Shu's shoulder, pondered for a moment, and said, "Since Qing Min is already your Dharma companion, it would be good to take it with you to this Dharma assembly."

One purpose was to register him/her as a person, establish his/her lineage, and remove the name of him/her as a monster from the mountains and fields.

Both of them can also make an appearance, allowing other Daoist practitioners within the sect to recognize them and accumulate some seniority, which will greatly benefit their future transformation into dragons and the bestowal of titles.

Lin Shu also had the same thought in his mind.

He knew that for Qingmin, attending a Dharma assembly would be entirely beneficial.

However, this matter was of great importance, and as a disciple of the temple, he dared not act on his own initiative and needed his master's approval, so he simply acted as usual.

Hearing this, he undoubtedly breathed a sigh of relief.

He bowed, instructed Qingmin to keep it coiled in his sleeve, and then took three steps at a time to follow the dark figure not far away.

But as soon as the Taoist finished speaking, he walked out of the temple.

Lin Shu took a few more steps, walked along a stone path, and exited the temple. He then stood still and came to the stone tablet.

There, the two people and the crane had been standing for quite some time.

Seeing Xiaodou'er and his junior brother covered in morning dew, he couldn't help but sigh softly, "The air is so misty, be careful not to catch a chill."

Little Bean ignored all of that, riding her little white crane, she approached Lin Shu and asked expectantly, "Senior Brother, when are you and Master coming back?"

Upon hearing this, Lin Shu thought about the arrangements for the upcoming Dharma assembly and realized that he could not predict when he would return. He could only shake his head and smile.

Just then, the Taoist priest slowly spoke:

"The journey ahead is long and arduous, and involves a major change in the sexagenary cycle, a time when the old gods abdicate and the new gods ascend to the throne. The return is still far off."

"Sheng'er, Xiaodou'er, and all matters concerning the temple, I'll leave them to you to take good care of."

Zhao Sheng immediately bowed and said, "Disciple has remembered. Please rest assured, Master and Senior Brother, and wait for your return."

The Taoist priest nodded slightly. After Lin Shu bid farewell to Zhao Sheng, he activated the array to seal the temple and disappeared from sight.

Therefore, the white crane did not accept the summons, and the immortal's whereabouts became unknown.

......

Meanwhile, the monk with the robe sleeves fluttered slightly, and Lin Shu, understanding the meaning, approached, using his master's magic power to carry him away.

The two of them shrank the ground with a single step, their figures swaying slightly, and they had already crossed the green mountains and clear waters.

A short while later, they left the territory of the Dao Yi Tai Miao Zhen Men and headed towards the Three Mountains and Five Peaks.

The so-called Three Mountains and Five Peaks refer to sacred places for cultivation, various blessed lands, or spiritual mountains occupied by major Taoist sects, which are the places where the lineage of the Dharma takes root.

Their number is countless, yet like the root system of an old tree, they are divided into main and lateral branches.

The main lineage is the orthodox transmission of the Dharma, originating from the founding patriarch and directly inherited by the sect leader, who has the responsibility to maintain the purity of the Dharma lineage.

The side lineage is a separate branch established from the main lineage.

Whether for the needs of a separate town or due to differences in ideology, they formed their own lineage, yet did not lose their orthodox status.

In addition, there are two other branches: miscellaneous studies and unorthodox practices.

The former is a wild and unorthodox school of Chan Buddhism, without roots or proper origins, and often attaches itself to the orthodox lineage in order to ensure the continuation of its teachings.

The latter goes against the natural order, harms lives and damages morality, differs from the demonic path, and is despised by all factions.

Although the various lineages usually govern their own regions, during major Dharma assemblies, those of different lineages and those of miscellaneous lineages must all gather at the location of the main lineage to participate in the assembly.

This time, the place that Lin Shu followed the Taoist priest to was the main lineage of the Taiyi sect, called the Taiyi Yuanchen Sect.

Although it is not the ancestral temple, it is the orthodox lineage of the Dao Yi Tai Miao Zhen Men.

A fleeting glimpse of the mountain stream, enveloped by a gentle breeze.

When they reached a certain mountain wilderness, the Taoist priest suddenly stopped and withdrew his magic.

He glanced at Lin Shu, who had just settled down beside him, and sighed helplessly, "Good disciple, if we go any further, we will be in the territory of your senior uncles and elders."

According to etiquette, one should dismount from the palanquin and proceed on foot to the Dharma assembly, and should not be disrespectful.

Fortunately, there were still three or four days before the Kunyuan Dharma Assembly began, so there was plenty of time. I decided to use it as a pilgrimage for spiritual practice.

After he finished speaking, Lin Shu bowed and agreed.

Since he condensed the embryo of the Dao, he has not had a single day of rest. He has worked hard, both physically and mentally, and his will and spirit have been agitated.

As time goes by, one will stray from the right path, and thus, one will stray further from the true way.

For those three or four days, take a rest and calm your mind.

Then, they saw towering mountains and fluttering leaves. An old Taoist priest with white eyebrows led the way, followed by a young Taoist priest in a green robe. The two figures headed east.

My mind wandered in tranquility, and I lost track of how far I had traveled.

When I came to my senses and looked up at the sky, it was already dusk, and a vast expanse of twilight had appeared.

Heaven and earth have vanished into slumber, and a lone wisp of smoke rises from the ruins.

At the foot of the mountain, there are many houses.

Occasionally, roosters crow in the trees and dogs bark at the fence.

Lin Shu and Bao Yi Dao Ren walked several dozen steps, when suddenly they heard a noise. They walked again and again, and suddenly everything became clear.

These are the settled households, scattered in groups of three or five, separated by field ridges, bamboo groves, and paths.

Just then, the barking grew louder, followed by a shout, and then a square-faced man came out of the house.

The man was dressed in coarse linen, was thin, had a dark complexion, and was barefoot.

Fang Yi turned his head and saw Lin Shu and the other person. His expression was surprised, then he became serious and tentatively asked:

"It's getting dark. May I ask where you, old immortal and little immortal, come from?"

But what about Mount Chenji?

Upon hearing this, the Taoist priest glanced at the man, nodded slightly, then shook his head and said softly:

"I come from Qingxuan Valley, and I am here at the invitation of Chenji Mountain to attend the Dharma Assembly."

He was originally from Chenji Mountain, but is now a member of the Dao Yi Tai Miao Zhen Men, a branch of the same lineage, living a carefree and leisurely life.

Having said that, he turned to the side and led Lin Shu over, laughing, "This is my unworthy disciple."

Lin Shu immediately smiled and nodded, took half a step forward, and bowed with his hands clasped in greeting. The man was taken aback for a moment, then hurriedly imitated her, returning the greeting with about 80% accuracy.

Then, his thick eyebrows relaxed, he grinned, and warmly greeted, "Little immortal, you're too kind."

Our Guishou Village is fortunate to have been protected from the dangers of the mountains thanks to the mountain god of Chenji Mountain and his subordinate, Lord Mountain Crocodile.

"If you two immortals don't mind, please come inside and have a simple meal—just some flatbread—to tide you over for the night."

After saying that, he turned his head and shouted inside.

In the blink of an eye, a sturdy peasant woman emerged from a house with smoke rising from its chimney. She wore a coarse cloth dress and her face was covered in ash.

She casually wiped her body with her fingers a couple of times, then continued the man's words and made another request.

Upon seeing this, Lin Shu and his companion said "I apologize for disturbing you" and then entered the house.

That night, mountain delicacies and river seafood accompanied us.

Beside the rough wooden table, the man, eating flatbread, carp soup, and monkey wine, got excited and started chatting with the Taoist priest about immortals.

Lin Shu learned from his conversation with the peasant woman that there was a temple dedicated to the local deity in the village.