Chapter 3: Mortal mayflies, seventy-third generation

The section from Nanxuan Palace to the Golden Summit is all mountain road, and one can only rely on two legs.

"I finally know now... why... why the movie 'Daoist Goes Down the Mountain' had to be filmed specifically..."

Zhang Fan leaned on his hiking stick, panting heavily, his clothes already soaked with sweat.

"Why... why?" Li Yi asked mechanically.

"For a Daoist... to go down the mountain... it's too difficult..." Zhang Fan looked up at the endless stairs, feeling dizzy.

"Are you still sad now?" Li Yi asked.

"I finally know now why when one is in a bad mood... one must come to climb the mountain and go on a pilgrimage..."

"Why?"

"Brain hypoxia, who the hell has the energy to think about those annoying things?" Zhang Fan bent over, unable to support himself any longer.

"As expected of a famous mountain of the Daoist sect, I have already attained enlightenment before reaching the summit."

Just at this moment, Li Yi suddenly stopped in his tracks, looked at the mountain peak, his face full of great realization.

"What did you realize?" Zhang Fan panted, head tilted, looking up at Li Yi's suddenly tall figure.

"Do you remember the girl in our department who was raised by her grandfather?" Li Yi asked back.

"Raised by her grandfather? Who? What do you mean?"

"..."

"Oh... classmate Xiong Zhenxiao, what's wrong?" An image of a consistent figure appeared in Zhang Fan's mind.

"When she returned to school last month, she wore a particularly exquisite and beautiful brooch... since we had already graduated, I thought I'd praise her... so I just casually said your brooch is nice..."

"Who knew she didn't say a word and slapped me directly..." Li Yi touched his face, seemingly still feeling the burning sensation.

"I can't figure out even in death why she slapped me..."

Speaking of this, Li Yi turned his head back, somewhat happily: "Just now, I suddenly realized... so she..."

"You hurry up and climb for me... does this kind of thing need realization!!?" Zhang Fan took a deep breath, leaned on his hiking stick, and began his final sprint.

"Wait... wait for me... what kind of life are you risking..." Li Yi panted and shouted from behind.

Three and a half hours later, the two were as tired as dogs and finally climbed to the peak of the Golden Summit of Zhenwu Mountain.

"Let's check in first, I put a lot of effort into grabbing this room." Li Yi panted and said.

One can stay overnight on Zhenwu Mountain, but most people can only stay in the homestays at the Nanxuan Palace gathering place. There is only one hotel on the Golden Summit. After five o'clock, tourists can only take the cable car down the mountain.

"After the clearing, we'll book the whole place."

As he spoke, Li Yi followed the map and came to the only hotel on the Golden Summit, the Yingbin Building.

A single double room cost 1,800 yuan per night.

"Check in."

Arriving at the front desk, Zhang Fan and Li Yi took out their ID cards and placed them on the table.

"Didn't they say no idlers were allowed in?"

Just at this moment, a cold voice came from behind.

Zhang Fan turned around and saw a young man walking over, looking about the same age as him, thin and tall, wearing sportswear, with a look of annoyance in his narrowed eyes.

"What idlers? We booked the room." Li Yi was immediately unhappy upon hearing this.

"Mr. Gan, these two booked the room before you booked the whole place, we really can't..."

The hotel manager rubbed his hands, looking flattering, and said apologetically.

"Alright, let them check in, don't let anyone else in."

Just at this moment, a young man wearing gold-rimmed glasses walked over. Even though he was on the mountain, he was dressed in a suit, and although he looked scholarly, he appeared extremely strange. "Brother Wu..." the sportswear-clad youth glared at Zhang Fan and Li Yi and was about to speak.

"Alright, why bother with these ordinary people?" The gold-rimmed glasses man raised his hand to signal.

"Who is an ordinary person? Having money is amazing? Having money means you can do whatever you want?" Li Yi couldn't suppress his anger.

"Sorry, having money really means you can do whatever you want."

The gold-rimmed glasses man pushed his glasses, said this casually, didn't even look at Zhang Fan and the other, and turned to leave.

"Burn high incense."

The sportswear-clad youth sneered softly, hands in his pockets, slowly following the gold-rimmed glasses man.

"Manager, who are these two? Their tone is bigger than foot odor?" Zhang Fan looked at the two departing figures and couldn't help but say.

"Keep your voice down, big clients, they booked all the rooms here, but no one has come to stay... it's strange." The manager lowered his voice and said.

"Show-offs." Li Yi spat.

"Two, your room is 2013, on the left..."

The manager raised his hand and pointed out the direction for Zhang Fan and Li Yi.

At this very moment, in room 3027.

"Brother Wu, you were too polite just now..." Gan Shaokun had just entered the room, took off his sportswear, revealing a sturdy set of muscles, and lay directly on the bed.

"Mortals are like mayflies, born in the morning and dying in the evening, not knowing spring and autumn... why bother with them?"

Gan Shengwu whispered in a low voice. He faced the mirror, took off his glasses, and inside the mirror, his eyeballs suddenly turned, as if insects were crawling, and instantly returned to normal.

"Don't forget the purpose of our trip."

"Brother Wu, what's going on with Zhenwu Mountain? Such a big thing as the Jade Tablet Transmission, they didn't even invite parties to observe the ceremony?"

Gan Shaokun lay on the bed, looking at the ceiling, revealing a look of confusion.

The Jade Tablet Transmission is no small matter; it is the inheritance of the Daoist sect's lineage and also a certificate for subduing demons and monsters, concerning the rise and fall of this lineage.

Such major events concerning the inheritance of the sect gate have always been announced to the world, inviting high-level masters from all sides to observe and witness.

But this time... Zhenwu Mountain didn't even have half a movement, and it was even quiet and secretive...

"Because this time is different from the past." Gan Shengwu said lightly.

"Different from the past? Is there anything different?" Gan Shaokun revealed a look of confusion.

"Zhenwu Mountain is one of the ten famous mountains of the Daoist sect under heaven. Back then, Zhenwu attained the Dao here and once left a verse, predicting the inheritance of this mountain's lineage..."

Gan Shengwu sat down slowly, picked up a white porcelain teapot, and brewed a cup of tea. Water vapor rose, and the tea fragrance overflowed.

"What verse?" Gan Shaokun straightened his body and asked curiously.

Gan Shengwu pushed his glasses, put down the teacup in his hand, and whispered in a low voice.

"Not cut off, not extinguished, the seventy-third generation will have a rest..."

"The seventy-third generation will have a rest!?" Gan Shaokun chewed on this sentence, revealing a look of deep thought.

"Calculating it, Zhenwu Mountain has been passed down to today for seventy-three generations." Gan Shengwu's gaze condensed slightly, and he said lightly.

"You mean..."

"Zhenwu Mountain... will this generation have its roots cut off!!?"

A surprised voice suddenly erupted in the room, and a look of shock gradually covered Gan Shaokun's face.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 4 =====