Chapter 25

To avoid being shocking, Su Chen lowered his figure ten miles away from the city and walked toward the city gate on foot.

The city wall could not be considered tall, but it was sturdy, and there were still traces of sword and axe on the wall, obviously having experienced many wars.

At the city gate, merchants and people coming and going were in an endless stream, and the soldiers guarding the city, although checking, were not harsh, just routine business.

Su Chen's aura was restrained, looking like an ordinary Daoist traveling the world, and he entered the city very easily.

After entering the city, a rich atmosphere of human fireworks rushed toward him.

On both sides of the street, shops were lined up, restaurants, teahouses, pawnshops, and grocery stores, everything one expects to find.

The peddlers' hawking, children's laughter, and the noise of carriages and horses intertwined into a lively mortal movement.

Su Chen asked a passerby and learned that this country was named "Xian Guo," and the city he was in was named "Ji City," which was an important town in the eastern part of Xian Guo.

His goal was very clear: find local practitioners and inquire about the news of Mount Wanshou.

Mortals might not know, but practitioners would more or less have heard of the dojo of the ancestor of Earth Immortals.

Su Chen didn't wander around like a headless fly, but walked directly into a teahouse that looked the most imposing.

Such a place, where all kinds of people gather, is the place where news is most well-informed.

He asked for a seat by the window, ordered a pot of good tea, and while drinking tea, listened to the casual chat of the tea guests around him without changing his expression.

The teahouse was bustling with noise, and what they were saying was nothing more than trivial matters of the Zhang family and the Li family, or which firm had made money again, or which official had taken a concubine again.

Su Chen listened for half an hour and didn't hear any news related to cultivation.

Just as he was about to change places, the storyteller in the center of the teahouse slapped the awakening wood, cleared his throat, and began to speak.

"Today, we won't talk about those romances, but tell a story about a local Immortal!"

The storyteller shouted this, and it immediately attracted the attention of the full teahouse of guests.

"Speaking of our Ji City area, it also has Immortal Fate.

It is said that two hundred miles east of the city, there is a Gong Mountain.

That mountain is shrouded in clouds and mist all year round, with high mountains and dense forests, and ordinary hunters dare not go deep easily.

But ten years ago, there was a medicine farmer who went up the mountain to pick medicine.

He got lost in the mountain, and just as he was about to starve or freeze to death, in a trance, he actually saw a Daoist temple on the top of the mountain."

"The medicine farmer thought he was hungry and dizzy, and climbed up with his last breath.

Hey, guess what?

At the entrance of that Daoist temple, there was actually an old god with Immortal bones!

The old god gave him a bowl of clear water and a fruit.

The medicine farmer drank the water and ate the fruit, and instantly became energetic, and the wounds on his body were all healed!

When he came back to his senses and wanted to kowtow to thank him, that Daoist temple and the old god had disappeared without a trace!"

The storyteller told it vividly, with spit flying.

The tea guests listened with relish, occasionally letting out a burst of exclamation.

"Really or fake? Is there really an Immortal in that Gong Mountain?"

"Who knows? But that place is very evil. My second uncle's neighbor's cousin's nephew said he saw light on the top of Gong Mountain at night."

Su Chen's heart stirred when he heard this.

Regardless of whether this rumor is true or false, the possibility of practitioners existing in Gong Mountain is very high.

He left a few silver coins and stood up quietly, leaving the teahouse.

After leaving Ji City, he rode the wind directly and flew toward the continuous mountain range to the east.

The distance of two hundred miles was just a moment's work for him.

The Gong Mountain range was indeed as the storyteller said, with steep mountains and lush forests, and above the mountainside, it was shrouded in thick clouds and mist, revealing a mysterious atmosphere.

Su Chen's spiritual sense swept over, and he soon discovered a Daoist temple covered by an array on the mountainside of the main peak.

That array was simple, but it could also play the role of hiding traces and blocking mortals.

He didn't break in by force, but dissipated his magic power, landed outside the array, and walked step by step to the front of the Daoist temple along a mountain road that had been deliberately covered.

The Daoist temple was not large, with blue bricks and gray tiles, looking somewhat ancient. On the temple gate hung a plaque with the three words "Mingxin Temple" written on it.

Su Chen stepped forward and knocked on the door ring lightly.

With a "creak," the temple gate opened from the inside, and a little Daoist boy in a gray Daoist robe poked his head out, looking at Su Chen curiously: "This Daoist, may I ask who you are looking for?"

"This poor Daoist is Disciple Wu Chen, a traveling Daoist," Su Chen performed a salute, his voice gentle, "Passing by this place, I heard that there is an Immortal dojo in the mountain, so I came to visit, wanting to discuss the Dao with the temple master."

The little Daoist boy saw that although Su Chen was young, his temperament was extraordinary, so he didn't dare to neglect and replied: "Daoist, please wait a moment, I will go and report to my master."

Before long, an old Daoist in a blue Daoist robe, with crane hair and child-like face, and high spirits, walked out from behind the little Daoist boy.

He looked Su Chen up and down, a trace of surprise flashing in his eyes.

With his cultivation, he couldn't see through the depth of this young Daoist priest at all.

"Poor Daoist Daoist Xuan Ming, I have met Daoist Disciple Wu Chen," the old Daoist didn't dare to be big, and took the initiative to perform a salute, "Daoist, you have come from afar, and I failed to welcome you from afar, please forgive me. Please come in."

This old Daoist was the master of Mingxin Temple, Daoist Xuan Ming, who had the cultivation of the Transformation of the Spirit Realm.

Su Chen followed Daoist Daoist Xuan Ming into the temple, and they sat down as host and guest.

The little Daoist boy soon served clear tea.

The two talked about everything, from cultivation insights to classic scriptures.

Daoist Daoist Xuan Ming discovered that this Daoist Disciple Wu Chen in front of him had such broad knowledge and such profound understanding of the Great Dao that it was far above his own.

Often, a problem that had puzzled him for decades, the other party could make him feel enlightened in just a few words.

Daoist Daoist Xuan Ming became more and more respectful in his heart, almost treating Su Chen as a senior expert.

Seeing that the time was about right, Su Chen mentioned: "Daoist Daoist Xuan Ming, this poor Daoist's trip to the west, besides seeking Immortals and visiting friends, actually has a wish.

I heard that in this Western Niuhe Continent, there is an Immortal blessed land named Mount Wanshou, and in the mountain, there is a Wuzhuang Temple, which is the dojo of the ancestor of Earth Immortals.

This poor Daoist yearns for it, and originally wanted to go and pay respects, but after traveling all the way, I couldn't find it.

I wonder if the Daoist has heard of this place?"

Daoist Daoist Xuan Ming smiled when he heard this, stroking his beard.

"Hehe, Daoist Disciple Wu Chen, you have asked the right person."

He put down his teacup, a look of yearning appearing on his face: "Wuzhuang Temple, that is a true Immortal land. We mortal cultivators don't even have the qualifications to pay respects. Let alone you and me, even those great figures who have become Immortals, if they don't have the opportunity, don't even think about finding the mountain gate."

Su Chen's heart stirred, and he pursued: "Oh? How so?"

"Wuzhuang Temple is guarded by a supreme array, and those without fate cannot enter," Daoist Daoist Xuan Ming explained, "That Mount Wanshou, looking like it is in the Western Niuhe Continent, is actually already a world of its own. Ordinary people, even if they pass by the mountain, will only treat it as an ordinary mountain range and won't see any clues at all."

"Then in the Daoist's opinion, how can one be considered 'having fate'?" Su Chen asked without changing his expression.

Daoist Daoist Xuan Ming shook his head and laughed: "These two words 'fate' are mysterious and mysterious, who can say clearly? Perhaps sincerity is spiritual, perhaps it is a coincidence. However..."

His tone changed, and he pointed in a direction.

"If the Daoist really wants to try your luck, you can go southeast from here, about three thousand miles away, there is a continuous huge mountain range.

That mountain range is where Mount Wanshou is in the mouths of mortals.

The Daoist can walk around in that mountain range and take a look.

If there is really fate, perhaps, you will have the opportunity to see the Immortal gate of Wuzhuang Temple."

Su Chen was overjoyed, but his face remained calm.

He stood up and performed a solemn salute to Daoist Daoist Xuan Ming.

"Thank you, Daoist, for pointing out the maze, this poor Daoist is very grateful."

"Daoist, you are too polite," Daoist Daoist Xuan Ming hurriedly stood up to return the salute.

"Today, talking with you, this poor Taoist has also benefited a lot. If the Taoist visits and doesn't meet, you can return to my Mingxin Temple at any time, and you and I can taste the tea together again."

Su Chen stayed in Mingxin Temple for one day, discussing the Tao with Taoist Xuan Ming all night, which could be considered as repaying the favor of the other party pointing the way.

Early the next morning, he said goodbye and left, following the direction pointed by Daoist Daoist Xuan Ming, rode the wind, and disappeared into the horizon.