Under One Person: I Have a Billion Taoist Gods Within Me

The next day at dawn, the sky was bright and the morning mist was like a veil.

Li Yuan ended his deep meditation, which had lasted all night, on the futon in the guest room.

Inside the interior, the phantom images of myriad gods in the Great Luo Palace rise and fall in an orderly fashion.

Whether preaching the Dharma, expounding the doctrines, or guarding a region, each follows their own position and performs their own duties.

It merged with his own perfect and flawless spiritual light, which had reached the state of "emptiness giving rise to light," as if it were the central hub of heaven and earth.

After a night of breathing exercises and meditation, not only was the spiritual energy depleted yesterday fully restored.

I felt a deeper connection with the rhythm of this world, as if I were a part of the world awakening in the morning.

Li Yuan slowly opened his eyes, his clear gaze reflecting the pale blue sky filtering through the window. His mind was calm, like the moon reflected in an ancient well. He was about to get up and continue his journey to the Lu family in Tanzhou.

Just as his mind was completely drawn back to himself from that vast inner landscape, about to move but not yet moved.

An extremely unique aura, distinct from that of ordinary cultivators or the pure and spiritual energy of heaven and earth, was like a spiritual shooting star streaking across the silent night sky.

Through his profound sensitivity, which connects him to the subtle workings of all things and has reached a state of "understanding through perception," it was clearly captured by him.

This aura...

Its lively and ethereal nature carries the vibrancy and cunning of the mountains and fields, while its mellow and lingering flavor is imbued with the vicissitudes and wisdom of time.

It is also intertwined with a spiritual radiance that is closely coexisting with specific regional ethnic groups and ancient customs, originating from collective beliefs and the power of incense and vows refined over hundreds of years!

It is neither human nor ghost, nor is it a spirit or monster that is purely inspired by the essence of heaven and earth or by chance, nor is it a deity or spirit worshipped by incense.

Rather, it is a more special kind of existence—

They belong to the category of earth immortals, and are revered for their spiritual responses.

It is a unique crystallization conceived and sculpted by the combined willpower of all beings and the spiritual energy of heaven and earth over a long period of time.

It is a unique life form that hovers between "elves" and "gods," with its own way and its own methods.

"This is..."

Li Yuan's heart stirred slightly, and his gaze seemed to pierce through the wooden walls of the inn and the morning mist, heading towards the official road outside the town.

In the blink of an eye, the source was clear.

"One of the Five Great Immortals of Northeast China..."

"White Fairy?"

......

At almost the same moment, on the official road about two miles outside Qingshui Town.

A middle-aged woman wearing a dark green brocade cheongsam with a pipa-shaped collar, over which she wore a short jacket of the same color with fox fur trim, and her hair was tied up with a translucent jade hairpin.

He was leading a little girl, who was about ten years old and dressed in a very festive manner, steadily walking towards the town.

The beautiful woman was tall and graceful, with a dignified and pretty face. Her brows naturally revealed a sense of competence and authority that came from long-term authority. Her eyes were sharp and bright, and she always had a sense of propriety in her gaze.

She is Guan Xiugu, the current head of the renowned Guan family in the world of supernatural beings beyond the Great Wall, known for her skill and insight.

This trip south was not only to broaden my horizons, but also to keep my appointment with the Lu family and to pave the way for the Guan family's future.

The little girl beside her had two delicately styled buns, with red ribbons tied around her hair and adorned with small silver ornaments.

They were very cute, and had the honest and sturdy spirit unique to children from outside the Great Wall.

What's most striking is that each of her rosy cheeks is adorned with a round, bright red dot of rouge.

Her large, dark eyes, like black grapes, darted around with remarkable liveliness, filled with an inquisitive curiosity about everything around her, yet her demeanor was not unruly, clearly indicating a strict upbringing.

This is Guan Shihua, one of the future "Ten Elders" and a leading figure in the Northeast Shamanic tradition.

At this moment, she was still a little girl who was highly valued by the Guan family and was traveling far away with her mother for the first time.

The two distinctive blush dots on her face were applied by her grandmother before she left home, according to the customs of the area beyond the Great Wall, symbolizing "good fortune and protection from all evil."

The two were walking at a leisurely pace, with Guan Shihua still chattering away, asking questions about the local customs and products of the South.

Suddenly, Guan Xiugu, who was walking in front, stopped abruptly without warning, and a look of astonishment and seriousness flashed across her face!

The air around her seemed to ripple silently like water.

A unique aroma, a blend of ancient sandalwood and crisp mountain flowers, both sacred and wild, permeated the air, enveloping her and the rockflower.

Immediately afterwards, under the astonished gazes of Guan Xiugu and Guan Shihua.

A hazy yet noble phantom slowly coalesced and emerged from beside Guan Xiugu.

Initially, it was the image of an old woman holding a spirit wooden staff, with snow-white hair and a kind face that exuded an inviolable majesty.

This is the most common form shown by the "White Immortal Ancestor" whom the Guan family has worshipped for generations and who has been with them for hundreds of years.

However, today, this Dharma form underwent an incredible change after it appeared!

The phantom was surrounded by flowing light, like ripples under the moon, and its form changed at a speed visible to the naked eye!

In an instant, her silver hair transformed into flowing, jet-black locks; her wrinkles smoothed out, becoming smooth and radiant skin; and her slightly hunched figure became slender and graceful, exuding elegance and poise.

In the blink of an eye, the kind old woman's serene appearance vanished.

Instead, she became a stunningly beautiful fairy, whose beauty could topple kingdoms!

She was wearing a bright red brocade palace dress, the color of which was pure and not gaudy, elegant and not vulgar.

She wore a matching gold-embroidered robe with a hundred birds and a phoenix, the shawl resembling clouds and rainbows, lightly wrapped around her arms.

When in motion, it is like being surrounded by clouds and mist, exuding an ethereal aura, with a restrained yet captivating radiance.

Her appearance was even more indescribable; her eyebrows resembled distant mountains shrouded in mist, her eyes were like autumn waters rippling across the surface, her nose was delicate, her lips were cherry-like, and her skin was as white as snow.

Especially her eyes, which, with their every glance and movement, seemed to exude a myriad of charms, captivating to the bone.

Yet, deep within his eyes lay a clarity and wisdom refined by the passage of time, along with a touch of detachment and pride that seemed to look down upon the world.

Every frown and smile, every gesture and movement seems to stir the deepest emotions and longings in people's hearts.

It possesses both an alluring charm that captivates and makes people willingly succumb, and an ethereal, sacred, and inviolable divine aura and the majesty of time.

This is the White Immortal, who has been worshipped by the people of the region for hundreds of years, now revealing his true form without reservation—

A thousand-year-old immortal spirit who has achieved spiritual perfection, possesses unparalleled beauty, and is accomplished in cultivation.

"Our ancestor?"

Guan Xiugu suppressed the turmoil surging in her heart, quickly released Guan Shihua's hand, took half a step back, and bowed respectfully, her tone filled with awe and incomprehension.

She knew that although this White Immortal Ancestor was not strict or rigid, he held an extremely high position and placed great importance on rituals and "status".

In daily life, he usually manifests as a kind or dignified patriarch, which is consistent with his status as an "elder" and "guardian" in the Guan family's generations of inheritance.

They maintained a sense of distance that made the Guan family feel at ease and look up to them.

Like this moment, it manifests spontaneously without warning while on the journey.

And the stunning beauty she exudes, so striking, so youthful, and even with a natural allure, is truly unprecedented!

This completely overturned Guan Xiugu's and the Guan family's generations-long understanding of this "ancestor"!

Moreover, the aura emanating from the ancestor was not only the vast spirituality and majesty that one could usually sense.

At this moment, there seems to be an indescribable sense of urgency, exploration, and even a rare emotional fluctuation that is almost "expectation" and "nervousness".

This is very unusual!

Little Guan Shihua, standing to the side, instantly straightened up, her big, dark eyes widening in shock and curiosity.

Although she is young, she is the most spiritually sensitive child of the Guan family generation and has been designated as a key child for cultivation.

I had long been aware of the existence of this "White Immortal Ancestor" through family rituals, listening to ancient stories, and daily spiritual influences.

I have also vaguely felt that vast, ancient, gentle yet majestic spiritual envelope during meditation or special moments.

But seeing the ancestor manifest in person, especially in such an unheard-of, stunningly beautiful form that deeply impacted her young heart and almost made her forget to breathe, was truly remarkable.

This is absolutely unprecedented!

She could clearly sense that her ancestor was in a very special state at that moment.

Those beautiful eyes gazed toward the town, their intense and focused gaze seemingly able to penetrate all barriers of earth, wood, bricks, and stones.

There burned within it a burning desire that she could not fully comprehend, yet which made her spirit tremble involuntarily.

Bai Xian did not immediately respond to Guan Xiugu's calls and questions.

Her eyes, capable of outshining a hundred flowers, swept past them and locked onto a single point within Qingshui Town, her gaze seemingly piercing through the morning mist, the houses, and the mundane world.

Her face first showed an almost dreamlike disbelief.

Immediately, an irrepressible surge of emotion and longing, originating from the deepest part of one's spiritual origin and concerning the foundation of cultivation and the future path, suddenly arose!

That was not lust.

Rather, it is an instinctive yearning and pursuit for a higher level of "Tao" and "Li" and a more perfect state of "existence"!

Her lips parted slightly, and her voice, no longer aged and dignified or kind as before, became clear and melodious like the cry of a phoenix, and gentle and melodious like a spring flowing in an empty valley.

"I... sensed... a 'source' in the town."

Bai Xian paused slightly at this point.

It seemed as if she were searching for the most appropriate words to describe the existence that made her spiritual core, which had been dormant for thousands of years, tremble, rejoice, and even generate a slight impulse of "pilgrimage":

"It is neither the overwhelming aura of a accomplished cultivator, nor the magnificent majesty of a deity bestowed with incense offerings..."

"That is... a being that is more sublime, more primordial, almost a manifestation of the 'Great Dao' in the mortal world!"

"Its energy is perfectly harmonious and complete, without any flaws or omissions, resonating seamlessly with heaven and earth, and in perfect harmony with them."

"It seems to contain... the Daoist principles and laws of countless deities, a myriad of phenomena, yet all returning to one, operating silently!"

"I could only vaguely sense that subtle, naturally flowing, unintentionally displayed aura..."

"It made my spirit, which relied on the faith of incense offerings and cultivated itself with the help of the heavens and earth, feel like rain after a long drought, or like the Big Dipper suddenly appearing in the dark night when I was lost! My mind became clear, and the road ahead seemed to be illuminated!"

"Such beings are an unparalleled opportunity, a once-in-a-lifetime chance, for a spirit like myself who is still seeking to transcend limitations and comprehend higher laws of the universe; they are a beacon illuminating the fog ahead!"

"It might even be... knocking on the door to a higher realm!"

Bai Xian's gaze grew even brighter.

She finally turned back to look at Guan Xiugu, who was staring in shock and confusion, and little Guan Shihua, whose eyes were wide open. Her tone carried an undeniable determination, and even a rare, almost uncontrollable urgency:

"From this moment on, stop addressing him as 'Ancestor,' as it makes him seem distant, old-fashioned, and out of touch with the times."

"You two... just call me 'Aunt Bai,' and hurry! Follow me into town! Don't miss this opportunity and let it slip away!"

After saying that, she even subconsciously adjusted the tassels of her wedding gown and the hem of her palace dress, a gesture that did not resemble an elder instructing a younger person.

She resembled a stunningly beautiful woman, meticulously dressed, rushing to a crucial... date?

Or perhaps, a pilgrimage?

Guan Xiugu was completely stunned, her mind blank and in a state of chaos.

The information contained in these words from our ancestors is astonishing, and the impact is too strong!

What about "the manifestation of the Great Dao itself," "the Daoist essence of countless deities," "unparalleled opportunity," "once in a million years," "a beacon," "a gateway"...?

Any one of these words, if uttered by this white immortal who has cultivated for a thousand years, would be enough to shake the entire immortal circle outside the pass, attracting countless speculations and inquiries!

At this moment, the ancestor was willing to temporarily set aside the title and rites of "ancestor" that had been passed down for hundreds of years for the sake of some unknown existence in the town.

Just for a more intimate title, "Aunt Bai"?

He even revealed such an urgent, almost out-of-control emotion?

Who on earth has come to the town?

Could it be that a Taoist immortal who has been living in seclusion for a long time has suddenly gone on a trip?

Or is it the legendary ancient immortal who has already ascended to heaven and descended to the mortal world?

Or perhaps...

Although Kogane Sekihana could not fully understand those esoteric terms.

But she had a keen sense of perception and could clearly feel the huge emotional fluctuations of her ancestor at that moment.

This filled her with endless curiosity about the unknown entity in the town.

"It's... Aunt Bai..."

Guan Xiugu uttered the title with difficulty, a title that seemed too "equal" and even presumptuous to her, her heart filled with trepidation.

But the command from the White Immortal Ancestor, especially such a solemn, urgent, and even crucial order concerning his path and opportunities.

She dared not disobey or hesitate in the slightest.

Little Guan Shihua blinked her big, dark eyes, her little head filled with question marks and stars.

Seeing that her mother had called her that, she also whispered and mumbled a reply:

"Aunt Bai... Aunt Bai..."

Upon hearing this, Bai Xian's gaze lingered slightly on Guan Shihua's tender little face, and a rare smile appeared on her face, which could be considered as acknowledging the title.

But she immediately urged again:

"Stop talking and come with me quickly!"

Before he could finish speaking...

She no longer even completely disappeared into Guan Xiugu's body to accompany her.

Instead, it retained that peerless and ethereal appearance, with its red robes fluttering and its rosy veil shimmering, like a moving red cloud.

It drifted away towards the gate of Qingshui Town, its speed seemingly unhurried.

In fact, it was much faster than walking, carrying a sense of urgency that time waits for no one.

Guan Xiugu dared not delay any longer. She quickly took Guan Shihua's small hand again, gathered her inner energy, quickened her pace, and followed closely.

On the relatively empty official road in the early morning.

A dazzling phantom of a stunningly beautiful fairy led the way.

A dignified and capable head of the household followed closely behind, accompanied by a cheerful, bright-eyed, and curious little girl.

It creates a strange, dazzling, and endlessly imaginative scene.

It quickly disappeared into the streets and alleys of Qingshui Town, which were gradually awakening and beginning to see sporadic voices and cooking smoke.

Meanwhile, inside the Yuelai Inn in the town.

Li Yuan had already withdrawn most of his externalized profound perception, leaving only a wisp of spiritual awareness reflected in the water like a reflection of the moon in a mirror.

He clearly sensed the rapid approach of the white immortal's aura, as well as the intense tremor and exploration contained within it, and even a trace of awe.

"The White Fairy of the Guan Family in Northeast China..."

"His spiritual cultivation has surpassed the threshold of a thousand years, his spirituality has been refined to perfection, and he has absorbed the power of incense and vows in a measured and proper manner."

"Having already enjoyed the carefree bliss of an earth immortal, he is only a little bit of opportunity and final enlightenment away from truly 'transforming himself,' 'entering the ranks of immortals,' or establishing his own lineage."

"It has such a keen, strong and essential sensitivity to the trace of original Daoist energy that I did not deliberately display, but only naturally revealed due to the perfection of the meditative state."

With a slight shift in his mind, Li Yuan understood the key to the matter.

His inner landscape is the Great Luo Palace, the place where the divine principles and laws of all gods are manifested and stored, and its essence and status are supreme.

For those spirits and immortals who rely on sensing the universe, absorbing spiritual energy, and tempering their spirituality through faith and incense...

The aura he unintentionally released was like a bright beacon in the darkness, a life-giving spring in the desert, possessing an almost instinctive and irresistible attraction.

This was an unexpected little episode, yet it was also within the realm of cause and effect, and the logic of fate.

Perhaps... it could become an interesting connection, and even have some subtle influence on future plans.

He no longer deliberately concealed the unique aura that naturally flowed from him, which was in harmony with the Great Dao, but he also did not flaunt it.

It simply exists naturally, like a mountain spring or a cloud in the sky.

This aura is gentle and peaceful, profound and unfathomable, yet it carries a unique charm of understanding all things and encompassing heaven and earth, like casting a clear guide into a calm sea of ​​consciousness.

Li Yuan did not wait deliberately, nor did he come out to greet him. He simply walked down the stairs slowly like an ordinary early riser and came to the front of the inn.

The shopkeeper was wiping down the tables and chairs in preparation for the morning business. When he came down, the shopkeeper greeted him with a smile.

At that very moment, a gentle breeze quietly lifted the half-closed elm door of the inn.

There were no footsteps, but a warm and vast spiritual light, like the soft glow of the rising moon, gently spilled in.

It instantly diluted the slightly murky atmosphere in the morning hall.

The shopkeeper felt a flash of light before his eyes, as if a rosy glow had appeared. When he looked closely...

There were already three more "guests" at the door.