Taoist priests in the supernatural world

Chapter 114 The Unification of All Realms, The Supreme Zombie

The spring water is clear and flows quietly.

Huang Bai stood by the spring, looking down intently.

In the pool, strands of pale white light flowed slowly along the stone patterns at the bottom of the spring, like a life source nurtured from the depths of the mountains and rivers.

Purple energy swirled within his yellow and white eyes as he used the Emperor's Qi Observation Technique to carefully observe the flow of earth energy around the spring.

In his view, the entire snow-capped mountain range resembled a giant meridian map.

Countless energies from the earth converge from mountains, snow-capped peaks, canyons, and underground rivers, eventually flowing into this spring.

Huang Bai squatted down, stretched out his fingers, and gently touched the pool water.

The moment your fingertips touch the water, a warm, life-giving sensation seeps into your body through your skin.

Ying Zheng walked to Huang Bai's side, looked at the pool of water, and couldn't help but ask:

"Immortal, is this truly the Fountain of Immortality?"

His tone was tinged with disbelief.

He sought immortality his entire life, and was deceived by alchemists his entire life.

Immortality is always achieved at a heavy price and with extreme danger.

The spring water right before us can grant immortality simply by drinking a sip or soaking in it.

That's far too simple.

Huang Bai did not answer immediately, but continued to observe the spring water.

After a long silence, he slowly spoke:

"It is the fountain of immortality."

"However, what really matters is not the spring water itself, but the spring itself."

"spring?"

Huang Bai nodded: "This spring connects to the energy of the mountains and rivers, and is the center of vitality in this area."

"Drinking spring water is essentially a ritual to complete a life exchange."

"Binding one's own life to the earth's veins, thereby achieving theoretical immortality."

Of course, such longevity has extremely limited limitations.

Firstly, one cannot transcend this realm. It's hard to say whether the effects will still be present after leaving this world.

Secondly, physical characteristics may be affected by springs and ley lines, resulting in certain changes.

The reason why the false emperor in the movie turned into a three-headed Western dragon is probably because of this.

Ying Zheng looked down at the spring, his expression growing increasingly solemn.

Huang Bai glanced at him and said:

"You can use it, but remember, this spring water is extremely cheap and can be easily dispelled by certain spells. Don't think that you'll be invincible just because you've gained immortality."

Ying Zheng nodded solemnly and said, "I understand."

Huang Bai gazed at the pool, but there was little greed in his eyes.

"What a pity, what I want is to transcend the Three Realms and be free from the Five Elements, to live a carefree and immortal life."

"This kind of immortality means nothing to me."

Even among those who achieve immortality, there are differences.

For the native inhabitants of this land, this spring water is indeed a source of immortality.

But for beings like Huang Bai, who have traversed various realms, this fountain of immortality is not much different from plain water.

Because its foundation depends on this world.

Once you leave this realm, once you break free from this earth's veins, your immortality may be shattered.

Why do true immortals always add the phrase "transcending the Three Realms and not being within the Five Elements" to their descriptions of immortality?

Because that kind of immortality has universal applicability.

It does not depend on any particular place or any particular magical artifact.

No matter which world you're in, you can form your own system and live a carefree life.

The secret lies in cultivating both body and spirit.

"Indeed, there is no shortcut to cultivating both body and spirit."

Huang Bai thought to himself.

Of course, if he really can't repair it anymore and his future is hopeless, he can find a nice world to retire in.

Light a stick of incense, find a beautiful, resource-rich world without too many demons and monsters, and become an immortal immortal—that wouldn't be so bad.

However, for now, there is still hope for his path of cultivation, and he doesn't need to think about these fallback options for the time being.

Huang Bai snapped out of his thoughts and looked at Ying Zheng.

"Ying Zheng, come and try."

He still needs to further verify the effects of the spring water.

Ying Zheng did not hesitate.

"yes!"

As soon as he finished speaking, he jumped into the water.

Whoosh!

The spring water rippled outwards.

White light flowed into Ying Zheng's body through his acupoints.

He closed his eyes and let the spring water soak his body.

The spring water swirled slowly around him, like a pale white cocoon, enveloping his entire body.

Meng Lie and the others stood far away by the pool, not daring to make a sound to disturb them.

After a long while, the white light gradually dissipated.

Ying Zheng leaped out of the spring.

His robes were soaked through, and his white hair clung to his shoulders, but he did not exhibit the dragon-transformation phenomenon seen in a false emperor.

He actually looked more energetic.

The original air of old age had been largely washed away, and a calm and enduring vitality had appeared in his eyes.

Huang Bai asked:

"What changes have occurred?"

He could clearly feel that the power of the Fountain of Immortality had been weakened.

It seems that the spring water is not in unlimited supply.

It can only sustain a maximum of a few people to immortality.

Ying Zheng looked down at his palm, his brows furrowing slightly, and said, "Something's strange."

He opened his palm.

A wisp of water first appeared in the palm of his hand.

The water swirls and twists, taking the shape of a small snake.

Then, the water flowed back into yellow earth... the five elements of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth.

Ying Zheng looked at the changes in his palm with a puzzled expression.

"Is this an elemental ability?"

"What are the abilities of that false emperor?"

He didn't understand why, after drinking the spring water, he not only gained immortality but also acquired the ability of a pseudo-emperor to manipulate the five elements.

What's even stranger is that these powers are used extremely smoothly, without the slightest bit of unfamiliarity.

It was as if this was an ability he was born with.

Huang Bai watched the changes in Ying Zheng's palm, seemingly lost in thought.

"Perhaps, he is also Qin Shi Huang."

Ying Zheng looked up.

"What does the old immortal mean?"

Huang Baidao:

"He is just Qin Shi Huang from another world, or rather, he is the image of a tyrannical, arrogant, and barbaric feudal emperor in the eyes of Westerners."

The real Qin Shi Huang certainly had a cruel side, but this superficial tyranny was far too ruthless.

However, Qin Shi Huang in this world did indeed unify the world.

Although he is absurd, he also occupies a part of the destiny of the identity of Ying Zheng.

"Both have the same origin, so your action could be considered a fusion."

Huang Bai thought to himself.

If one day, Ying Zheng can truly unify all realms and merge the destiny and superpowers of all "Ying Zheng" in all the heavens and myriad realms into his body, what will he become?

This idea is worth trying out in the future.

There's no need to tell Ying Zheng for now, because even if we did, he wouldn't fully understand.

Huang Bai said:

"Alright."

"This world is yours. You should develop the Heavenly Dao Temple well. However, there may still be gods in this world, so don't go too far."

Ying Zheng withdrew the power of the five elements from his palm and nodded seriously.

"clear."

Over the next two days, Huang and Bai strolled around this realm at will.

He had seen the Shangri-La spring, observed the feng shui layout of the Dragon Emperor's tomb, and also investigated the forces controlled by Meng Lie.

After confirming that there was no immediate major threat to them in this realm, Huang Bai returned to the ancient temple.

As for Ying Zheng, he remained alone in this realm.

The summit of Shangri-La Mountain.

Ying Zheng gazed at the mountains and rivers, his eyes gleaming.

"It's my turn."

Whoosh!

Yellow sand surged.

One by one, the terracotta warriors slowly rose from the ground.

The soil crumbled, revealing the armor standing starkly.

The Qin army, silent for a thousand years, has risen again in the world.

In the following two years, with the help of Meng Lie's forces and the Terracotta Army, Ying Zheng quickly resolved the warlord conflict and established a new system.

He did not restore the so-called imperial system.

In this era, using the old methods will only make you enemies.

Ying Zheng quickly adapted to guns, railways, newspapers, factories, and modern armies.

He understood better than anyone that true hegemony was not about clinging to old titles, but about mastering the sharpest tools of the era.

Another great undertaking has begun.

……

Inside the ancient temple.

Huang Bai returned to this place.

Above the incense table, the Heavenly Decree floated motionless.

Golden light flowed slowly.

Huang Bai glanced at the incense burner and found that no new incense was being generated inside.

"There are no new incense offerings."

"It seems the time spent traveling to the world is too short, and the incense offerings won't be generated immediately."

He wasn't surprised by this.

This trip to the Mummy World felt more like a glimpse into a play, rather than a genuine exploration of the world.

Thinking of this, Huang Bai took out the Zhan Yin Xiang (a type of incense).

Incense is lit.

Wisps of smoke rose into the air.

The Heavenly Decree then lit up, and a line of text slowly appeared.

[Journey to the world of Zombie Supreme...]

There was originally a task description following it.

However, due to the effect of Zhan Yinxiang, the mission of the Heavenly Decree disappeared.

There are no missions on this trip.

"Zombie Supreme..."

"Uncle Nine".

"Shi Jian".

Huang Bai pondered for a moment.

The plot of this story is roughly set on the fifteenth day of the seventh lunar month, when the gates of hell open wide.

Uncle Nine and his disciples prepared offerings to appease the wandering ghosts, but Wen Cai, being playful, went to see a ghost play and accidentally entered a group of ghosts. Uncle Nine sent Qiu Sheng to rescue him, but Qiu Sheng was bewitched by a female ghost.

After all that commotion, the ghosts that were originally under control were all released.

To clean up the mess, Uncle Nine invited his senior brother Shi Jian and his fellow disciples to set up the Innate Eight Trigrams Formation to catch the ghost.

Later, Shi Jian's son, Shi Shaojian, used evil magic to commit evil deeds and was killed by Qiu Sheng and Wen Cai.

This led to a feud between the two sides.

Shi Jian took his anger out on Uncle Jiu and his disciples, and the two sides eventually fought each other with magic.

"Shi Jian is skilled in thunder magic and wooden stake magic. His Taoist arts are profound and his magic is powerful. If he becomes an opponent, it will be quite troublesome."

Of course, Huang Bai used the incense that cuts through the stagnation.

The cause and effect of this world have nothing to do with me.

Uncle Nine's apprentice is useless, no matter what.

Shi Jian's son, Shi Shaojian, was no better.

Using witchcraft to insult women is not a first offense.

Huang Bai did not believe that Shi Jian was completely unaware of the situation.

Shi Shaojian did not suddenly turn bad after he came to Uncle Jiu's place.

He wouldn't be so reckless if he wasn't usually indulged by others.

As Huang Bai was thinking, his figure slowly faded away.

……

Jinling City.

The warlord era had just ended, and the country was unified.

China was in dire need of reconstruction, and its national industries sprang up like mushrooms after rain.

A brand new situation is slowly unfolding.

Inside the official residence, the lights were bright, and the study was simply decorated.

A middle-aged man with a mustache sat at the table, smoking a pipe, looking down at telegrams from various provinces.

The desk was piled high with documents.

The map was spread out and took up most of the desk.

The man's gaze was steady, and although there was a hint of fatigue between his brows, his spirit remained sharp.

Standing beside him was a young man in his early thirties.

This person was none other than Hongwu.

He was also the temple keeper in the world of "Uncle Zombie" that Huang Bai once worked for.

After ten years of political training, Hongwu was no longer the same as the street-smart man who only knew how to fight.

He stood tall and straight, with a composed expression and a calm look in his eyes that reflected the wisdom gained through experience.

Hongwu stood to the side, looking at his master Hongwen, and whispered a reminder:

"Master, this year is the year the Taoist priest said the Japanese invaders will launch a full-scale invasion."

"We ended the fighting ahead of schedule, and the economy and people's livelihoods have improved."

"Wouldn't the Japanese have the guts to invade again?"

Hong Wen took off his pipe and tapped it lightly on the edge of the table, the ash falling into the copper cup.

He stared at the direction of Japan on the map, a fierce killing intent flashing in his eyes.

"Not coming? Even if he doesn't come, I'll still be looking for him. Within ten years, I must crush them."

"They must return all the land and wealth they previously robbed, with interest."

Hongwu was shocked to hear this.

Hong Wen continued:

"If the Japanese come, that's fine; if they don't come, we'll go anyway."

The study fell silent for a moment.

The clock on the wall chimed softly.

The faint sound of cars driving by on the street could be heard outside the window, and the long whistle of a factory could be heard in the distance.

This newly formed nation is gathering strength.

The two then talked about many other things.

Finally, Hong Wen suddenly asked about Huang Bai.

Has Master Huang returned recently?

At this point, a hint of regret appeared on his face.

"Back then, I was overseas and was unable to see that extraordinary person in person. I've always felt regretful about it."

Just as Hongwu was about to answer, a series of hurried footsteps suddenly came from outside the door.

Soon, someone knocked on the door and entered.

"Temple keeper! A stranger has come; he says he wants to see you."

Hongwu frowned and said, "Strangers? How did they get here?"

The visitor, visibly excited, quickly added:

"He looks exactly like the Huang Shenxian in the photo."

"And he specifically asked to see you by name."

Hongwu stood up abruptly.

"See me?"

The next moment, he immediately realized what was happening.

"The Taoist priest is back!"

Hong Wen also put down his pipe instantly, his eyes lighting up.

Hongwu said urgently, "Quickly, take us there!"

The two put aside their official duties and followed the man's footsteps, quickly heading towards where Huang Bai was.

Office buildings stand tall in the city.

In one corner of the office area, there is a group of buildings that blend ancient and modern styles.

The exterior is enclosed by an iron fence.

The signboard at the entrance reads five large characters: Huaxia Prayer Association.

The ancestral tablet of the Tiandao Temple is enshrined here.

It is also the official department in China that presides over various ceremonies, charity events, public welfare activities, disaster relief efforts, and prayer ceremonies.

In recent years, the Huaxia Prayer Association has nominally been a religious and charitable organization, but in reality, it has undertaken many special responsibilities.

When encountering inexplicable strange and eerie events, the temple priest system would handle them secretly.

The talismans, paper talismans, and fragments of external alchemy formulas and organizational frameworks left behind by Huang Bai have long since become another hidden network in this land.

At the center of the modern building complex stands a temple with golden tiles and red walls.

The temple is not large, but it is extremely solemn.

Copper bells hang from the eaves; when the wind blows, the bells ring out with a clear and melodious sound.

The vermilion gate was tightly shut.

"This is it!"

The visitor led Hongwu and Hongwen to the tightly closed gate.

Hongwu stood in front of the door, his breathing slightly rapid.

He hesitated for a moment before pushing the door open.

It's been ten years since we last met.

I wonder if the person inside is the same Master Huang from my memory.

Hong Wen glanced at him and said in a low voice, "Open the door."

Hongwu nodded and stepped forward to push open the heavy vermilion door.

Squeak!

The heavy vermilion gate slowly opened.

A dim, yellowish light spilled out from inside the hall, covering the floor.

What comes into view is a lifelike yellow and white bronze statue.

The bronze statue has a serene expression, its robes flutter in the wind, and its eyes seem to gleam with golden light.

On the altar in front of the bronze statue, a tablet of Heaven's Way is enshrined, exuding an indescribable solemnity.

And below the bronze statue.

A young Taoist priest, almost identical to the bronze statue, stands with his hands behind his back.

He heard the door open and slowly turned around.

Ten years have passed, and it seems that no trace has been left on him.

Hongwu stared at the person before him, his expression momentarily dazed, his eyes welling up with tears.

Scenes from those years—the Qing Eastern Tombs, the turmoil in Beijing, and the passing down of the Huangtian Daoist tradition—resurfaced in my mind.

He then bowed deeply.

"It's been ten years since we last met."

"The Taoist priest remains as dashing as ever."