Taoist priests in the supernatural world

Chapter 102 Xu Fu of the East China Sea, a Time Traveler

The vast East China Sea, with its towering waves.

This place is far from the mainland, and is the land where the sun rises in the east.

Clouds and mist swirl above the surface of the East China Sea.

Deep within the fog, a solitary island stands.

In the valley, there is a lake that shimmers with golden light.

A large area of ​​lush mulberry trees grows along the lake, and several stone temples are located near the mulberry grove.

The palaces and temples are not tall, but they are extremely ancient.

The stone wall is engraved with the sun, moon, stars, the five elements, birds and beasts, yin and yang fish patterns, and some ancient symbols that resemble characters but are not.

rustle……

A soft rustling sound came from one of the stone chambers.

If there were silkworm farmers here, they would immediately recognize that this is the sound of silkworms eating mulberry leaves.

At the summit of the mountain stood a high platform made of black stone.

The high platform offers a wide view on all sides, directly facing the stars in the sky.

The tabletop is engraved with the five planets, the Hetu and Luoshu diagrams, and yin-yang fish patterns.

Dozens of sorcerers knelt in all directions.

They were all dressed in black and white robes, holding jade tablets, with their heads bowed, constantly chanting the names of stars.

The sounds were kept extremely low, and when combined, they formed a strange and muffled sound wave.

In the center of the high platform, an elderly man dressed in black looked up at the sky.

He had been calm at first, but as he watched, his expression gradually changed.

In his eyes, the starry sky is not what ordinary people see.

Beyond the celestial constellations, there are also streams of energy invisible to ordinary people.

In the eastern star field, the two wretched little stars that should have gone out have lit up again.

The old man in black narrowed his eyes slightly and continued to look into the distance.

Further away, a golden alien star, not within the Zhou Tian star chart, hangs above the Qin Kingdom's dragon aura.

It does not belong to the Five Virtues, nor does it belong to Yin and Yang.

It suddenly added an unpredictable turbulent current to the originally unstoppable flow of fate.

The old man in black remained silent for a long time before slowly raising his hand.

The sorcerers chanting the names of the stars around them immediately stopped.

On the high platform, only the sound of the sea breeze brushing against one's robes could be heard.

The old man's voice was hoarse, carrying a hint of undisguised solemnity.

"An unusual person has entered Qin; inform Lord Xu immediately."

Moonlight streamed through the clouds, illuminating the old man's true face.

This person had a rosy complexion and dark skin, but his face was thin and his skin had an unusual rosy glow.

A prominent vein bulged on his back, extending from his spine to the back of his neck, like a sleeping worm lurking under his skin.

The strangest thing was his eyes.

Those eyes were vertical pupils, and within them, the strange phenomena of stars were faintly reflected.

If an ordinary person were here, even if they looked up all night, they would only see the stars twinkling.

He practiced the art of observing qi, which allows one to see things that ordinary people cannot.

One of the sorcerers immediately stood up.

He dared not ask any more questions, and holding the jade tablet in both hands, he quickly left the black stone platform and went straight into the valley along the mountain path.

Golden mulberry trees droop low on both sides of the mountain road.

Moonlight fell on the leaves, creating a layer of fine, shimmering gold.

The sorcerer passed through the mulberry grove and soon arrived at a silkworm room.

The room was covered with mulberry leaves.

Countless golden silkworms lay on the mulberry leaves, constantly nibbling at the golden-tinged leaves.

These golden silkworms are entirely golden, about the length of finger joints, with semi-transparent abdomens through which strands of golden liquid can be faintly seen flowing.

Between swallowing and spitting, they excrete tiny mulberry droppings.

The mulberry tree carried a faint medicinal fragrance and was an extremely valuable auxiliary medicine for alchemy.

In the center of the silkworm rearing room stood a three-legged, two-eared cauldron.

The body of the tripod is bluish-black, and its surface is engraved with patterns such as three mountains, the sun and moon, golden silkworms, mulberry trees, and ocean tides.

A ball of cold, azure flame burned beneath the cauldron.

The flames flickered silently, yet no heat was visible.

Instead, it imbued the entire silkworm rearing room with a chilling atmosphere.

Before the cauldron, a middle-aged alchemist dressed in a black robe sat cross-legged, refining a batch of elixir with blue flames.

His face was reflected in the blue flames.

This person's face was as white as jade, almost devoid of any color.

What's most striking is his pair of blue, square eyes.

His pupils were square and shone with a deep blue light, making him appear unlike an ordinary person.

The sorcerer approached him, first bowing respectfully, then leaning close and whispering in his ear:

"Mr. Xu..."

He reported the unusual celestial phenomena on the Black Rock Platform one by one.

The Taoist priest in black robes listened quietly.

He didn't interrupt at all.

He slowly opened his eyes only after the sorcerer finished speaking.

Xu Fu's lips curled up slightly: "Interesting."

Xu Fu stood up.

His black robe fell down, and with a flick of his sleeve, the azure flame beneath the cauldron was immediately extinguished.

The light in the silkworm rearing room dimmed.

"Prepare the boat."

Xu Fu walked slowly outside.

"In the Qin Dynasty, there is no variable in the world that the Yin-Yang School cannot control."

The sorcerer immediately bowed his head and said, "Your subordinate understands."

Xu Fu's figure gradually disappeared into the darkness.

Before leaving, he left behind one last sentence.

"Keep a close eye on the stars and wait for a divine intervention from beyond the heavens."

All the alchemists responded in unison:

"yes!"

……

Mount Li.

Hot spring alchemy hall.

Inside the misty palace, rows of fairy-shaped lamps for collecting dew stand on both sides of the passageway.

The lamp is cast in bronze and shaped like a tray held by an immortal.

The lamps burned dimly, casting a half-light, half-dark glow over the entire Dan Hall, making it seem as if immortals from the clouds were truly standing in the hall.

Ying Zheng, dressed in casual clothes, sat cross-legged in the center of the hall.

His head was directly facing the Purple Star in the sky.

The dome had a skylight, through which the night and starlight streamed down, landing right in front of him.

A servant knelt beside him, holding a jade plate.

On the jade plate lay a crimson pill.

Ying Zheng reached out and took the pill, swallowing it without even looking at it.

The pill entered the mouth and transformed into a powerful medicinal force.

The medicinal properties flowed into the limbs and bones, quickly transforming into qi and blood.

Ying Zheng closed his eyes and regulated his breathing, his chest rising and falling slightly.

Ying Zheng was not a weak emperor; on the contrary, he practiced martial arts from a young age and possessed the world's resources of elixirs.

Palace physicians and alchemists spent years refining elixirs and conditioning his body, and devising methods for maintaining health.

In terms of martial arts skills, he far surpasses ordinary martial artists.

However, the human body has its limits, and even the strongest blood and energy will eventually decline.

What Ying Zheng pursued was never to live a few more years; what he wanted was immortality, to last for thousands of generations.

He looked down on low-level techniques, and he disdained to practice ordinary qi-gathering and elixirry techniques.

The path to immortality was what Ying Zheng truly desired.

After a long while, Ying Zheng finished digesting the elixir and slowly opened his eyes.

His gaze fell on the attendant beside him.

"Is there any news of the Immortal of Penglai?"

The servant's face immediately turned bitter, and he quickly lowered his head.

"Your Majesty, we searched the entire mountain, but the three men seemed to have vanished into thin air, leaving no trace whatsoever."

Ying Zheng remained silent.

However, the atmosphere inside the hall suddenly became somber.

The servant broke out in a cold sweat, knelt on the ground, and dared not even breathe.

Ying Zheng looked up at the starry sky outside the skylight, a hint of irritation flashing in his eyes.

The world has been brought under Qin control.

The former territories of the six states all submitted to them.

But a so-called immortal from Penglai kept disappearing right under his nose.

He disliked this feeling of being out of control.

Just then, another attendant hurried into the hall.

"Report!"

"Your Majesty, a true immortal is requesting an audience outside the palace."

Ying Zheng's eyes flickered.

All the servants in the hall subconsciously raised their heads.

True Immortal?

Now is the time when His Majesty is most eager to seek immortality, yet someone claims to have come as a true immortal.

Ying Zheng pondered for a moment, then spoke:

"Announce."

Soon, heavy, steady footsteps could be heard outside the hall.

Xu Fu, with his blue eyes and square pupils, slowly entered the hall, led by his attendants.

He was dressed in a black robe and walked with a composed gait.

After entering the Dan Hall, his gaze swept over the surrounding dew-collecting lamps, the hot spring mist, and the warriors lurking in the shadows, but his face showed no sign of panic.

Upon entering the hall, Xu Fu stopped and bowed respectfully.

"Xu Fu, a man from Qi, pays his respects to Your Majesty."

Ying Zheng looked down at him from his high position.

After seeing Xu Fu's blue eyes and square pupils, he began to believe him to some extent.

Ying Zheng didn't like beating around the bush; his first sentence went straight to the point.

Do you have the elixir of immortality?

Xu Fu raised his head, his expression neither humble nor arrogant.

"Your Majesty, the elixir of immortality exists throughout the land."

"Where?"

Xu Fu did not answer directly, but instead said slowly:

"Since ancient times, there have been no true immortals in China. Most of the so-called immortals who walk on the land of China are just fake immortals who know some magic tricks."

"They gather herbs, refine qi, cure diseases and save lives, or use some illusionary tricks, and then dare to call themselves immortals."

"Such people can deceive the common people, but they cannot deceive His Majesty."

Ying Zheng understood the implication in his words.

"You mean yellow and white?"

Xu Fu smiled slightly and said, "Your Majesty is wise."

Ying Zheng did not immediately express his opinion, but simply looked at him coldly.

At this moment, the palace beams, all four corners, and behind the curtains were already filled with Qin's top imperial guards.

Furthermore, the Mo family's armor-piercing crossbows were secretly aimed at Xu Fu's vital points.

Those crossbow bolts were made of black iron refined by alchemists, specifically designed to penetrate armor and also pierce through flesh and bone.

If Xu Fu made the slightest move, he would be riddled with arrows the next moment.

Xu Fu seemed to have noticed it, yet also seemed completely unconcerned.

He continued:

"True immortals live far from the dust and smoke of the mortal world, and do not reside in human cities. Beyond the East Sea, there are three immortal mountains: Penglai, Fangzhang, and Yingzhou."

"Above the immortal mountain, palaces are made of gold, steps are made of white jade, lingzhi mushrooms are everywhere, and immortals never die."

"If you want the elixir of immortality, you must first find the immortal island."

Ying Zheng asked again, "I ask you, in the south there is a yellow-and-white immortal from Penglai, is this person truly an immortal?"

Xu Fu did not hesitate, his tone resolute.

"He must be a fake immortal, just a sorcerer who knows a little about herbal medicine and potions."

"People are ignorant and, seeing that medicine is used to treat illness, they believe that it is like bringing the dead back to life."

"The reason he dares not meet His Majesty is probably because he fears that His Majesty's discerning eyes will see through his true nature."

The hall was completely silent.

Ying Zheng stared at Xu Fu, seemingly trying to find a flaw in his face.

Xu Fu remained calm and composed, allowing the emperor to scrutinize him.

After a moment, Ying Zheng slowly spoke:

"Since you say Huang Bai is a fake immortal, then tell me about the real immortal mountain."

Xu Fu cupped his hands and said:

"If Your Majesty desires longevity, you must select young boys and girls, prepare gold, jade, jewels, grains, various crafts, cinnabar, and mercury, and then send a fleet to sea."

"Your Majesty, I am willing to cross the sea to the east to seek immortals."

A strange light flashed in Ying Zheng's eyes as he asked, "Are you confident?"

Xu Fu lowered his head.

"Your Majesty, I dare not deceive you. If the immortal mountain appears in the world, the elixir of immortality can naturally be obtained."

Ying Zheng remained silent for a long time.

Steam from the hot spring flowed gently between the two of them.

Finally, Ying Zheng spoke.

"Very well, I will give you this opportunity."

From that day forward, the Qin Emperor ceased his search for the immortal Huang Bai of Penglai.

His gaze was drawn by Xu Fu to the legendary three sacred mountains overseas.

Meanwhile, the gears of fate were quietly turning.

……

On the banks of the Wujiang River, the sunlight was intense.

Outside the execution ground, crowds thronged, with people forming layer upon layer.

A makeshift execution platform stood in the center of the open space.

On the execution platform, more than ten ragged prisoners were being held.

Some of the prisoners had disheveled hair, some had faces covered in blood, and some were so frightened that they collapsed to the ground.

The Qin army was heavily guarded, with spears and halberds standing like a forest.

The executioner sat behind the wooden table, expressionless.

An official unfolded the bamboo slips and loudly read out the verdict:

"According to the laws of the Qin Dynasty, fifteen traitors shall be beheaded..."

Before he could finish speaking, the crowd suddenly stirred.

"Who is that?"

"Why is there someone else on the execution platform?"

"Where did you come from?"

Everyone was filled with surprise and doubt.

Suddenly, a strange man appeared on the execution platform.

This person had fair skin, short hair, and wore soft, exceptionally form-fitting clothes in a style never seen before.

He stood out conspicuously among a group of Qin people dressed in rough clothes and with their hair tied up in high buns.

Everyone stared at him.

The strange man also looked at everyone with a bewildered expression.

This person was none other than Yi Xiaochuan.

He stood on the execution platform, looking at the Qin soldiers in armor and wielding spears before him, at the people dressed in ancient costumes around him, and then at the wooden platform beneath his feet. He was completely bewildered.

"What's going on? What film crew are you from? Where are we?"

Splash!

Several Qin soldiers immediately surrounded them with their spears.

The sharp tip of the halberd was brought to the front of Yi Xiaochuan.

Yi Xiaochuan was startled and quickly raised his hands.

"Hey! Stop messing around! The props look realistic, but don't actually hit me with them!"

The Qin army couldn't understand what he was saying at all.

Seeing that he spoke strangely and dressed unusually, yet had no power to resist, they simply pressed him down and escorted him to one side of the execution platform.

Yi Xiaochuan struggled while shouting urgently:

"Did you understand? Where's the director? I'm not part of your crew!"

Two Qin soldiers held him down and dragged him to the execution platform.

Yi Xiaochuan turned to look at the several prisoners next to him who were crying their eyes out, and forced a smile.

"Dude, that's pretty good acting."

"Shanghai Theatre Academy or Central Academy of Drama?"

The prisoner's face was filled with fear, and his lips trembled.

Yi Xiaochuan wanted to say more, but the executioner had already looked up at the sun.

"The time has come!"

The executioner stepped forward, carrying a long sword. The blade gleamed coldly in the sunlight.

The next moment, the executioner brought down his blade.

puff!

The head of a prisoner rolled to the ground beside him, and hot blood sprayed all over Yi Xiaochuan's face.

Yi Xiaochuan froze on the spot.

The blood was hot and had a fishy smell; a few drops even trickled down his cheeks to the corners of his mouth.

The head rolled to the edge of the execution platform, its eyes still wide open, its face bearing the lingering terror of death.

The headless corpse lay on the ground, still twitching slightly.

"this……"

Yi Xiaochuan was stunned.

His expression changed from confusion to terror.

My mind went completely blank.

Although he wasn't a professional, he knew that modern props couldn't possibly be made that realistic.

As a modern person, this was the first time he had encountered such a scene, and he felt as if he had been doused with a bucket of ice water from head to toe.

He tried to shout, but found his throat felt blocked.

He tried to run, but was held down firmly by the Qin soldiers.

The executioner quickly approached him from behind.

The blood-stained longsword was raised once more.

Yi Xiaochuan caught a glimpse of the blade out of the corner of his eye, and his body finally began to struggle violently.

"Wait! You've got the wrong person! I'm not the criminal!"

The executioner gripped his sword with both hands, ready to strike.

boom!

Just then, a magnificent horse suddenly charged into the execution ground.

Horse hooves pounded the dust and knocked over the outer wooden fence.

The crowd screamed and scattered.

A tall figure leaped off his horse and charged straight into the densely packed Qin army camp.

This man was burly and imposing, with the aura of a tiger. When he swung his long sword, it carried an extremely savage power.

clang!

The weapons of the Qin soldiers blocking their way snapped in two.

The next instant, he was swept away by the force of the sword.

Several more Qin soldiers surrounded him with spears, but he kicked them to the ground.

He even grabbed a barricade with one hand and slammed it into the crowd.

boom!

A row of Qin soldiers, men and horses alike, fell to the ground.

The onlookers had never seen such a fierce person before, and they were so frightened that they all backed away.

The executioner on the execution platform changed his expression drastically.

"Someone is storming the execution ground!"

"Stop him!"

The visitor was none other than Xiang Yu.

Xiang Liang was captured by the Qin army and taken to the execution ground to be beheaded.

Xiang Yu came to storm the execution ground.

He rushed to the execution platform, severed the ropes binding Xiang Liang with a single sword stroke, and cried out urgently:

"Uncle! Let's go!"

Xiang Liang was pale, but he remained calm.

"Ji'er, be careful!"

Xiang Yu helped Xiang Liang up and turned to leave.

As he passed by Yi Xiaochuan, he saw this strangely dressed young man also being held on the platform by the Qin army, his face full of terror and his shoulders trembling.

Xiang Yu assumed that Yi Xiaochuan was also a victim of the Qin army's wrongful imprisonment, so he casually cut the ropes with his sword, grabbed Yi Xiaochuan by the back of his collar, and threw him onto the horse.

Yi Xiaochuan lay on the horse's back, and the world spun before his eyes.

He mounted his horse, protecting Xiang Liang with one hand and using his sword to clear a path with the other, forcefully breaking through the chaotic execution ground.

As soon as the three rushed out of the execution ground, the Qin army pursued them.

"stop!"

"Don't even think about leaving!"

"Release the arrows!"

Whoosh!

The arrow pierced the air.

An arrow struck Yi Xiaochuan on Xiang Yu's back.

puff!

The arrow pierced Yi Xiaochuan's shoulder.

"what!"

Yi Xiaochuan screamed in pain, his face contorting instantly.

"It hurts!"

The instant the excruciating pain shot through him, he finally understood that he had truly traveled back to ancient times.

Xiang Yu glanced back and saw that Yi Xiaochuan's face was pale, so he quickly said:

"Brother, hang in there!"

Xiang Liang urgently reminded him from the side:

"Ji'er, leave him behind! The Qin army is closing in; if we keep him with us, none of us will escape!"

Xiang Yu gritted his teeth and said:

"Uncle, this gentleman took an arrow for me; how can I abandon a righteous man?"

Seeing Xiang Yu's resolute expression, Xiang Liang knew he couldn't persuade him, so he could only mutter under his breath, "With your temperament, you'll suffer a great loss sooner or later."

Xiang Yu did not answer. He urged his horse forward and fled with Xiang Liang and Yi Xiaochuan.

The shouts of battle behind them gradually faded into the distance.

The three crossed the wilderness, bypassed mountain paths, and hid in a dilapidated village, finally shaking off their pursuers.

……

Inside a dilapidated house.

The roof was drafty, and the corners were piled with withered grass.

Yi Xiaochuan lay on the ground, an arrow still stuck in his shoulder, sweating profusely from the pain, groaning incessantly.

"Call an ambulance..."

"I need to go to the hospital... do they have any anesthesia...?"

Xiang Yu squatted to the side, watching him spout words he couldn't understand.

Since neither Xiang Yu nor Xiang Liang knew how to treat illnesses, they had no choice but to go out and ask the nearby villagers where a doctor could be found.

An elderly villager shook his head repeatedly after hearing this.

"A doctor? We don't have any doctors around here."

"The Qin army just came, and so did the bandits. Those who could run away have already done so."

Xiang Yu frowned deeply.

"Is there anyone nearby who can treat arrow wounds?"

The old villager hesitated for a moment, then lowered his voice and said:

"If you really need to save someone's life, you might as well go to the mountains and find a deity."

Xiang Yu was taken aback: "A deity?"

An elderly villager pointed to the distant mountains.

"There is a Yellow-White Monk on the mountain who often comes down to heal the people. If you are lucky, you might be able to meet him."

He turned back to the dilapidated house and, without saying a word, carried Yi Xiaochuan on his back.

Yi Xiaochuan winced in pain as soon as his wound was touched.

"Ouch! Where to go? I can't move!"

Xiang Yu said, "Let's go into the mountains and find a deity to cure our illness."

"Gods? Where are there any gods?"