Chapter 33: Touring the Qingyang Palace

The big-bosomed young lady is called Jiang Shishi, and the long-legged young lady is called Xiao Ya.

Both are senior students in the Folk Music Department of the Yan Du Conservatory of Music; Jiang Shishi specializes in the pipa, while Xiao Ya plays the guzheng. At this moment, both women are interning at the Yan Du Folk Orchestra, touring the country with a team. Last time they were in Yangcheng, and this time they are in Rongcheng.

"Impressive, so you are musicians!" Gu Zhao praised. "The Yan Du Folk Orchestra is very impressive!"

Gu Zhao didn't even need to investigate; with the name directly attached to Yan Du and no other nonsensical middle words, it must be a state-owned enterprise, a public institution with an iron rice bowl.

"What musicians? Just making a living," Jiang Shishi shook her head. "The competition at the Yan Du Folk Orchestra is too fierce; we might not even be able to stay."

While explaining things to the two women, Gu Zhao chatted casually with them.

"Xiao Ya's grandfather is in poor health. Every time Xiao Ya reaches a city, she visits a famous local Daoist temple to pray for her grandfather," Jiang Shishi explained, counting on her fingers. "We have already visited the White Cloud Temple in Yan Du, the Bixia Yuan Temple in Quan Cheng, the Baopu Temple in Lin Cheng, as well as the Yuan Fa Temple in Yangcheng and this time, the Qingyang Palace."

Gu Zhao couldn't help but ask, "Just Daoist temples?"

Jiang Shishi smiled. "Because Xiao Ya's grandfather is a Daoist Priest."

"Not exactly a Daoist Priest. Grandfather said he hasn't undergone the ordination to enter the sect," Xiao Ya interjected.

"That's pretty much the same. Last time I went to your house, I saw your grandfather wearing a Daoist robe and chatting with an old Daoist Priest," Jiang Shishi said, linking arms with Xiao Ya.

Xiao Ya nodded, then let go of Jiang Shishi, knelt on the cushion inside the Hall of the Three Pure Ones, formed the Zi-Wu hand seal, and performed the kneeling and bowing ritual to the Three Pure Ones Ancestors with standard posture and a devout expression.

Gu Zhao watched from the side, then heard the sound of a chime nearby. The female Daoist Priest who struck the chime looked at Xiao Ya with a gentle gaze.

Then her gaze turned indifferent, because another middle-aged woman knelt beside Xiao Ya, clasping her hands together.

"Wow, the Twelve Golden Immortals! I know this one. There is Guang Chengzi, and also Taiyi True Person, Nezha's master!" Jiang Shishi whispered in admiration.

Inside the Qingyang Palace, the Hall of the Three Pure Ones is the largest. Besides the Three Pure Ones Ancestors at the very center, six golden statues sit on each side of the hall, precisely the Twelve Golden Immortals from *Fengshen Yanyi*.

Gu Zhao told the two women the stories of the Twelve Golden Immortals as if recounting a tale, introducing their disciples and magical treasures, such as Guang Chengzi's Fan Tian Yin and Taiyi True Person's Nine Dragons Divine Fire Cover.

To be honest, compared to *Journey to the West*, where even Zhen Yuanzi was schemed against, the Daoist deities in *Fengshen Yanyi* sound incredibly powerful, both in their titles and their magical treasures.

After visiting the Doumu Hall, the Jade Emperor Hall, and the Tang King Hall, Xiao Ya also drew a fortune slip in the Jade Emperor Hall, and the three of them came to the tea garden east of the Tang King Hall to rest.

"With you as our guide, it's much more interesting than visiting the temple on our own," Jiang Shishi ordered three portions of vegetarian food and a pot of tea.

Gu Zhao didn't stand on ceremony. "Because I count as a lay Daoist Priest."

Jiang Shishi remembered the incident last time and couldn't help but tease, "Did you encounter a female ghost again? Did the Five Thunder Talisman work?"

Gu Zhao sighed. "It wasn't just a female ghost. I also saw a child ghost and an old man ghost. If my cultivation hadn't been decent, I might have died."

Hearing this, both women laughed. Jiang Shishi said seriously, "Next time you meet a ghost, bring me along to see it. I've grown up this big and have never seen a ghost!"

Xiao Ya worried that Jiang Shishi's teasing was becoming inappropriate, so she changed the subject. "Just now in the Jade Emperor Hall, I felt your interpretation was even better than what that Daoist Priest said."

Xiao Ya and Jiang Shishi had just drawn and interpreted fortune slips in the Jade Emperor Hall. That Daoist Priest had been somewhat impatient, dismissing them with just a few words. Later, Gu Zhao took the slip and explained it to them.

Gu Zhao looked at the papers in the women's hands. "Many temples use the Lu Ancestor Fortune Slips. I remember the Yuan Fa Temple uses them too. This must be the exclusive fortune slips of the Quanzhen School. I'm very familiar with them."

"That's not true. The fortune slip I drew at the Baopu Temple in Lin Cheng was the Baopu Fortune Slip," Xiao Ya said.

Gu Zhao could tell that Xiao Ya indeed knew a little about Daoism, but not much, just like the style of the Qingyang Palace.

So Gu Zhao explained, "The Baopu Temple belongs to the Lingbao School, which is part of the Zhengyi School. If they dared to use the Lu Ancestor Fortune Slips, it would be considered betraying their master and destroying their ancestors."

"Ah?" Neither Xiao Ya nor Jiang Shishi understood. "Isn't Lu Dongbin a famous figure in Daoism?"

Gu Zhao explained, "But Lu Dongbin was a figure from the Tang Dynasty and counts as one of the Five Northern Patriarchs of the Quanzhen School, while the Three Mountains Talismans of the Zhengyi School in Jiang Nan have existed since the Jin Dynasty."

"Did the Quanzhen School appear much later than the Zhengyi School?" Jiang Shishi asked.

"Much later," Gu Zhao said.

"But it feels like there are more Quanzhen temples than Zhengyi ones?" Xiao Ya asked.

"This is the advantage of being latecomers," Gu Zhao smiled. "The Zhengyi School focuses on preserving the spirit and using talismans, sitting still for long periods. The Quanzhen School refines Qi into elixirs, combining movement and stillness. They might be healthier than the Zhengyi School."

"Hahaha, you speak so interestingly!" Jiang Shishi laughed heartily, then asked curiously, "By the way, are you of the Quanzhen School or the Zhengyi School?"

Xiao Ya knew a little. "The Five Thunder Talisman belongs to the Zhengyi School, right?"

"The Southern Sect of Internal Alchemy also has Thunder Methods," Gu Zhao explained, then clenched his fist. "Adults don't have to choose; I am both!"

Hearing this, Jiang Shishi raised an eyebrow. "Then your health must be very good too?"

Suddenly being hit on, Gu Zhao was caught off guard. But before he could think of how to answer, he heard Jiang Shishi continue, "Then will you accompany us to Qingcheng Mountain again tomorrow?"

"To save on guide fees, we'll treat you to a big meal," Jiang Shishi made a heart shape with her hands for him.

"You two are truly devout!" Gu Zhao looked at the two women and laughed helplessly. "Shouldn't girls go shopping, get manicures, and do skincare when they go out?"

Jiang Shishi hugged Xiao Ya. "Do you think we need skincare right now? As for shopping..."

The two women looked at each other and said in unison, "No money!"

Of course, they were joking. Gu Zhao could see that the clothes on the two women were of good quality, obviously not lacking money, but rather having good upbringing and no desire to compete in this regard.

"Alright." Gu Zhao had no objection. Although he wanted to go to Long Hu Tianshan to seek the Vajra Mystic Talisman, visiting Qingcheng Mountain first was also nice, especially with two beautiful young ladies.

"Then let's add each other as friends and meet tomorrow morning!" Jiang Shishi took out her phone.

Since the girls took the initiative, Gu Zhao naturally wouldn't refuse. He added both women as friends, then visited several side halls on the side together, took photos with the Ginseng Fruit Tree, a filming location from *Journey to the West*, before leaving the Qingyang Palace and bidding farewell to each other.

"This handsome young man is quite interesting. Although his eyes always wander towards our best features, his attitude is at least proper."

"You really are a female hooligan, staring at where his eyes are looking!"

"I think he's quite good. It's a pity the distance between Yan Du and Yangcheng is too far; otherwise, I wouldn't mind giving him a chance."

"He has to like you first."

"I'm beautiful and have big breasts; why wouldn't he like me?"

It was the height of summer, and Jiang Shishi's clothes were quite form-fitting. At this moment, her big bosom stood out quite spectacularly.

"That's enough." Xiao Ya quickly interrupted Jiang Shishi. "Truly, what you can't have is the best. Several people in the troupe are chasing you; why don't you agree?"

"Don't you know what they're like? They all claim to be artists but are promiscuous by nature," Jiang Shishi snorted, then said lecherously, "Of course, none of them are as handsome as this young man. He looks like a warm little puppy."

Xiao Ya said gloomily, "Maybe he's a fierce big wolf dog in private."

"Great, great! I like that too!" Jiang Shishi nodded repeatedly.

Women's private conversations are even more fierce than men's; even the shy Xiao Ya, usually reserved in public, spouted tiger-and-wolf words: "I've heard the Daoists have techniques for the bedchamber—be careful he doesn't drain your yin to nourish his yang."

Jiang Shishi embraced Xiao Ya. "Then it depends on you. Let us sisters attack together and suck him dry!"