Dong—
Dong—
The melodious bell sounds echoed through the clouds. As the center of the Three Thousand Worlds, the Five Continents of Honghuang welcomed another morning. The Sun Star rose from the eastern sky as countless stars retreated into the firmament.
In the northwest of Eastern Victory Divine Continent, near the border of Central Divine Continent, there was an unremarkable corner where a smooth, silky grand formation lay like an inverted glass bowl, covering dozens of verdant peaks within.
Under the sunlight, the formation’s barrier refracted faint seven-colored light, with visible spiritual energy flowing back and forth inside. Among the mountains, celestial beasts and spiritual creatures frolicked; in the clouds, occasional figures flashed by like passing swans.
Wisps of smoke rose as gentle string music descended. In the clearings beside pavilions among the forests, numerous figures sat in meditation or soared in dance, composing a scene of an immortal mountain.
With the morning light, a white cloud slowly drifted from the East Sea’s edge, flying directly to this grand formation. Two figures stood on the cloud—a tall elderly Daoist with graying hair, accompanied by a spirit-filled girl who appeared to be eight or nine years old.
White clouds drift carefreely, with gentle winds as a company, what is there to worry about?
The elderly Daoist sang with emotion:
“When Hongmeng opened in the Dragon Phoenix Tribulation,
Ten thousand cycles passed in the blink of an eye.
No sight of immortals ascending their towers,
Only hearing songs from the ninth heaven above.
Crossing others and self through the dark river,
Laughing at men and gods to dispel disasters.
Why do you cherish your homeland so?
Ancient sages broke their bones for fortune to fall.”
“Spirit Maiden, listen well!
Since the ancient Battle of Shamans and Demons, the Heavenly Dao greatly elevated the human race. We human cultivators gradually occupied most lands except the North Uttarakuru Continent, spreading across the Three Thousand Great Worlds and countless Small Thousand Worlds. However, the South Jambudvipa Continent, being the place of human destiny, restricts our entry and exit.
This place is the Eastern Victory Divine Continent, one of the finest cultivation grounds in the Three Realms. Spirit Maiden, look at these immortal mountains ahead—aren’t they filled with spiritual essence and quite magnificent?”
The girl nodded obediently, her spirit-filled eyes blinking gently, her slightly chubby face wearing an expectant smile. She responded in a voice like a young bird’s first song, melodious yet somewhat timid, “Yes, they’re very magnificent!”
“To occupy a spirit vein in land close to the Central Divine Continent, our sect’s power is incredibly formidable!” The elderly Daoist stroked his beard with satisfaction, not forgetting to wave his whisk proudly.
The girl, wearing a small lotus patterned dress, asked softly, “Then Master, why don’t we occupy a spirit vein in the Central Divine Continent?”
The elderly Daoist was suddenly stumped, giving an embarrassed laugh, “There are too many formidable figures in the Central Divine Continent. Occupying a spirit vein there would mean constant unrest. It’s better to be peaceful and comfortable here…Spirit Maiden.”
The girl formally cupped her hands and bowed, “Disciple is here!”
“Today I bring you into this immortal gate. From now on, you must cultivate diligently without the slightest laziness. Strive to achieve success in cultivation early, walk the immortal path, seek longevity, and attain that carefree Dao fruit!”
The girl tilted her head and asked softly, “But Master… have you become an immortal?”
“Ahem!” The elderly Daoist covered his mouth and coughed, “Your Master had some cultivation errors in earlier years, but becoming an immortal is just a matter of ten or twenty years now.
Come, follow your Master into the formation.
Remember, our Dao lineage is named [Crossing to Immortality Gate], and our founding patriarch is the currently renowned Western Kunlun Suffering-Crossing True Person on the Immortal-Divine Rankings. The transmitted Dao inheritance is [One Qi Orthodox Heavenly Dao], an extremely profound method of longevity!
Have you remembered it all? This is your future foundation, don’t forget!”
“Yes! Disciple has remembered everything!”
The girl nodded very seriously. The elderly Daoist waved his whisk, guiding the white cloud slowly toward the formation ahead, taking out a palm-sized jade talisman.
The jade talisman flickered with gentle green light, and the mountain-protecting formation slowly split open a crack, allowing the elderly Daoist to bring the girl inside on the cloud.
Just as the master and disciple entered the formation, several white cranes flew low from the clouds, carrying several young people wearing Daoist robes and colorful dresses—the disciples currently responsible for patrolling the mountain.
They came forward to greet the elderly Daoist, addressing him as “Uncle Master Qi Yuan,” and after learning that the girl was his newly accepted disciple, they departed gracefully on their white cranes.
The girl’s bright eyes reflected the departing figures of the two graceful female disciples.
“Master, when can Spirit Maiden ride immortal cranes and fly?”
“Once you’ve refined the Five Qi in your chest, you can naturally ride objects and travel,” Master Qi Yuan smiled while stroking his beard. “What you see as immortal cranes are actually transformed magical tools. Don’t be anxious, cultivation must be taken slowly.
Let me first take you back to our peak, then handle various entry matters for you. Although our lineage now has only three people—you, me, and your senior brother—we still exclusively occupy a mountain peak within the sect, which is truly a great honor.”
When Qi Yuan spoke of these things, his weather-beaten old face also showed traces of pride.
However, the girl’s attention wasn’t on “exclusively occupying a mountain peak” at all. She counted on her fingers.
Three people?
“Master, but there are only two of us.”
“Oh? Didn’t your Master tell you along the way? Look at my memory.” Elderly Qi Yuan looked up at the white clouds floating in the sky and said lightly, “You have a senior brother above you, a disciple I accepted a hundred years ago. Now, he can be considered… well, a capable talent who can hold his own. It’s just, hehe…”
The girl stood on her tiptoes, “Master, you’re laughing so strangely.”
“Spirit Maiden, you must remember,” Qi Yuan looked down at his precious disciple whom he had just picked up from a Great Thousand World, his expression serious, his eyes gleaming, the wrinkles on his face seemingly forming two characters—
Solemn.
The girl, being exceptionally talented and quite clever, had known etiquette and learning since her early years. Seeing her master so serious, she immediately became alert and listened attentively.
The elderly Daoist suddenly sighed softly, as if deflating, and said in a low voice: “Your senior brother had some problems with his cultivation, um, and often speaks nonsense, plus he has some heterodox theories. In the future, you can seek his guidance in cultivation, but do not listen to his principles about being a person! Regarding handling affairs and dealing with people, your Master will teach you extensively.”
The girl blinked, and although somewhat puzzled, she still nodded obediently and responded:
“Yes! A disciple understands!”
Only then did the elderly Daoist slightly relax, waving his whisk gently toward the front.
“Look, that’s our Small Jade Peak.”
Looking in the direction of the whisk’s floating tail, one could see a somewhat “underdeveloped” short peak nestled between several tall mountains.
Unlike the scenes throughout the sect of “carved beams and painted rafters hidden in forests, flying eaves and treasure pagodas hanging from sharp peaks,” this peak was more rustic and simple like a place rarely visited;
Many precious birds and beasts could be seen in the dense forest, and the only buildings were two thatched cottages beside a small lake halfway up the mountain, along with several herb gardens near the cottages.
The elderly Daoist was content, riding the white cloud to bring the girl directly to the mountainside, passing through a simple formation.
The formation here only had the effect of blocking external probing. Due to sect rules, within the mountain-protecting formation, only the forbidden area in the back mountain had protective formations.
Landing before the thatched cottage, the white cloud dissipated on its own.
The girl’s cloth boots stepped on the short grass still covered with dew, soft and gentle. The fragrance of plants accompanied the gentle breeze, making her unconsciously immersed in the beautiful lake scenery, her delicate pink lips couldn’t help but softly praise.
The mountain sunlight had just fallen, and the small lake sparkled;
Several spiritual fish carrying crystalline water droplets leaped from the water surface as if greeting the new little cultivator.
The elderly Daoist smiled while observing his little disciple’s reactions and called out loudly: “Chang Shou, won’t you come out to meet your junior sister?”
The girl instinctively looked toward the closed door of the thatched cottage, her heart rising with slight anticipation.
A senior brother cultivating in an immortal sect must be a brilliant and graceful immortal, surely just like those heroic figures who slayed demons and eliminated evil in the legendary stories she had heard since childhood…
However, the thatched cottage remained quiet, with no movement inside.
The elderly Daoist called again: “Chang Shou? What are you hiding in the room for? Are you shy?
Strange, his aura is inside.”
Muttering, the elderly Daoist led the girl toward the cottage, raised his hand to push open the two wooden doors, and an unusual medicinal fragrance wafted out. The elderly Daoist’s eyes widened as he saw the source of the aura he had sensed—
It was a small paper figure placed on the wooden bed!
“Oh?”
The old man and young girl suddenly began swaying back and forth. The elderly Daoist’s expression changed as he pulled the girl toward the exit, unable to help cursing:
“Bad! It’s Chang Shou’s Soft Immortal Incense!”
The girl immediately felt the world spinning. Although her master was pulling her, she immediately started tilting to one side.
Splash!
Water sound?
Just as she was about to fall, the girl couldn’t help but look toward the water sound;
On the lake’s surface, a tall figure was rising skyward. He wore only black trousers, his robust and well-proportioned muscles flickering with faint light under the sunlight, his wet long hair whipping out two sparkling water curtains…
The sunlight was just right, and this young man’s rather handsome face reflected in the girl’s eyes, making her little face instantly flush red.
But she had not yet begun cultivation, how could she resist the power of the medicine? Before she could completely fall, she fainted completely, her little face still bright red.
Indeed, he was…
The heroic senior brother she had imagined!