Chapter 7: The Daoist Realm: Because of the Mortal, Calamity Follows

The road to Nanxuan Palace collapsed and was under emergency repair, leaving a large number of tourists stranded and unable to ascend the mountain.

Today, the Golden Summit seemed unusually quiet.

Zhang Fan and Li Yi Shan stepped out of the hotel, but saw none of yesterday’s bustle.

“What are you thinking about? Still half-asleep?”

The morning air was as cool as mint, yet even the natural oxygen bar of Zhenwu Mountain could not dispel Zhang Fan’s dazed confusion.

“Jiang Lai… that beautiful girl we met at the Worship Hall…”

“You dreamed of her? See… I told you you were dreaming… I never saw her at all…”

Li Yi Shan patted Zhang Fan’s shoulder, as if grasping proof that the girl didn’t exist.

“Move aside.”

At that moment, a cold voice came from behind.

Zhang Fan turned and saw the two men who had booked the entire hotel yesterday walking out the main gate.

The man with the gold-rimmed glasses had changed into a suit, still refined and polite, but the burly youth in sportswear remained as haughty as ever, as if the mountain paths belonged to his family.

Before the words had fully faded, the two walked straight past Zhang Fan.

As they brushed past, Zhang Fan’s face changed instantly—he saw the gold-rimmed glasses man’s eyeballs transform into two insects, wriggling within their sockets, then instantly returning to normal.

“What the hell…”

Zhang Fan gasped softly and instinctively stepped back.

The Qian brothers cast sidelong glances, seemingly not even regarding him worthy of notice, and walked off.

“What’s wrong with you?” Li Yi Shan couldn’t help asking.

“You… you didn’t see it? The glasses guy’s eyes… they turned into insects…” Zhang Fan whispered.

“Insects? Are you still not awake?” Li Yi Shan frowned, speaking low and stern.

“I…”

Zhang Fan’s lips twitched—he truly didn’t know how to explain. He knew he hadn’t imagined it…

“I didn’t imagine it… last night definitely wasn’t a dream… Old Li didn’t see it… could it be because I swallowed the moonlight?”

Zhang Fan fell into thought, not doubting his own sanity, but recalling the giant serpent from last night that had spat out the moonlight…

“It was definitely swallowed by me… but Old Li says I slept all night without leaving the hotel.”

Zhang Fan lowered his head, a suspicion stirring in his heart.

“Brother, that kid saw your [Color-Eye Worms]…”

At that moment, the Qian brothers, long gone, paused slightly, their attention sweeping back.

“To perceive the true nature beyond illusion means he has reached the realm of nurturing the Nascent Soul…”

Qian Sheng Wu adjusted his glasses, a sharp gleam flashing in his deep eyes.

“Yesterday, I misjudged him. I didn’t realize this kid was one of us.”

“He’s hiding well… I wonder which sect trained him? Could he also be here for the Zhenwu Mountain Jade Scroll Transmission?” Qian Shao Kun’s expression turned thoughtful.

“Watch him… if he gets in the way, eliminate him.” Qian Sheng Wu said calmly.

“I’ve been thinking the same.”

Qian Shao Kun licked his lips—his tongue emerged as a bizarre, thousand-legged, thousand-armed insect, then retracted and vanished.

“Tonight is the Zhenwu Mountain Jade Scroll Transmission…”

Qian Sheng Wu gazed up at the towering Golden Summit, murmuring softly.

…

At this moment, in the Taihe Palace on the Golden Summit, Daoist priests were busy. The Jade Scroll Transmission concerned the lineage’s continuity and the sect’s prosperity; the ritual’s scale was exceptionally high, requiring half a year’s preparation for incense, lamps, five offerings, ten tributes, ritual tablets, proclamation scrolls, and talismans.

“Tonight is the Jade Scroll Transmission. I wonder how Sister is preparing.”

At that moment, a young Daoist with a clear-faced countenance set down his scripture scroll and gazed toward the deepest chamber of the Taihe Palace.

Inside that dim room, Zhenwu Mountain’s most outstanding disciple was in seclusion.

Tonight, the Jade Scroll of Zhenwu Mountain would be transmitted into her hands.

“She must be utterly prepared… Sister is Zhenwu Mountain’s youngest [Gonggong]. To be granted such a rank at her age—across all Daoist sects, she’s a rarity.”

Beside him, a chubby Daoist spoke with pride, his eyes gleaming as he mentioned Zhenwu Mountain’s pride.

In Daoist cultivation, only when one reaches a state of no thought, enters the utmost stillness, and perceives the Nascent Soul does one barely enter the path of cultivation—this is called [Initial Movement].

From there, one begins nurturing the Nascent Soul, causing the body to manifest wondrous phenomena and acquire inexplicable Daoist abilities—this is called [Manifest Spirit].

Those who enter this realm may be granted one of nine ranks: [Qigong], [Shu Tu], [Xuanshi], [Lingsi], [Gonggong], [Dashi], [Zhaishou], [Guanzhu], and [Tianshi], ranked from low to high according to cultivation level and mastery of techniques.

Like these two young Daoists before us, in Zhenwu Mountain they hold only the rank of [Qigong], having just glimpsed the wonder of the Nascent Soul—like laborers, they spend their days hauling spiritual energy and celestial light to nurture the Nascent Soul.

If they advance further, they may cultivate Daoist techniques and assume the rank of [Shu Tu].

Mastery of more than twelve minor techniques qualifies one for the rank of [Xuanshi].

If one masters a major technique such as [Five Thunder Orthodoxy], one may assume the position of [Lingsi].

As for [Gonggong]… that is one who can independently establish an altar and preside over rituals to spirits and deities, wielding power capable of summoning wind and rain.

The sister these two Daoists spoke of was actually younger than them, barely in her early twenties, yet already one of Zhenwu Mountain’s few [Gonggong]—her future was unimaginable.

“The elders say… Sister has a real chance of becoming a True One before her transcendence,” said the clear-faced Daoist quietly.

At the mention of the title [True One], their faces both showed deep reverence.

Among the nine ranks of Manifest Spirit, the highest is [Tianshi]; beyond it lies the [Pure Yang Infinite State], purifying all yin impurities within the spirit to achieve Pure Yang Infinity.

Such beings are called True Ones.

In history, Master Sanfeng was of this realm.

Beyond that lie the legendary [Three Flowers Gather at the Crown] and [Five Qi Converge to the Origin]; crossing the transformation of Three and Five leads to a terrestrial immortal—only glimpsed faintly in ancient texts.

“If Sister receives the Jade Scroll, she may very well reach this level…”

“I heard Sister has extraordinary talent—when she entered [Initial Movement], she only needed three days to enter stillness, perceive the void, and see the Nascent Soul…”

“Then she needed only forty-nine days to let her Nascent Soul leave her body and wander the eight directions at night.”

“What a genius… When I achieved no-thought and perceived the Nascent Soul, it took me three full years. My master said I had innate talent. As for Nascent Soul departure, it took me another three years…”

“No wonder we’re mortals and Sister is a celestial being… Only a celestial being can receive the Jade Scroll.”

The two young Daoists sighed in awe, their gazes unconsciously fixed on the deepest chamber of the Taihe Palace.

“But… I heard this Jade Scroll Transmission is not ordinary…”

At that moment, the chubby Daoist changed tone abruptly.

“What’s unusual about it?”

“I heard from our Patriarch that our Ancestor once left a verse, hinting at great calamity…”

“What verse?” asked the clear-faced Daoist.

“Zhenwu transmitted the Dao for seventy-three, because of the mortal, calamity follows, descendants must understand,” said the chubby Daoist solemnly.

“Because of the mortal, calamity follows?!”

“Could Zhenwu Mountain’s lineage be doomed by a mere mortal?”

The two young Daoists exchanged glances, their expressions deep in thought.

(End of Chapter)