Chapter 185

The subsequent journey was without any more twists and turns.

Everyone could be considered to have seen the steepness of Mount Hua.

They left Mao Nv Cave, passed through Cloud Gate, arrived at Qingke Terrace, and then had to pass through the Thousand-Foot Pillar.

This was a crack in the mountain cliff, where ancient ancestors chiseled stone to climb up, and the tilt angle was almost straight up and down.

The steps were extremely narrow, only half a step, and the ice and snow had not melted.

Mount Hua in this world was not like Li Yan's previous life, with various protections and chains to pull for leverage; it was empty and empty, almost like an ice slide.

If it weren't for the fact that several of them had great skills, even Wang Daoxuan and Yan Jiuling often climbed mountains and crossed ridges, they would have mostly rolled down.

This place was also known as the throat of Taihua, rumored to have been opened up during the Han Dynasty.

Originally, the mountain was steep and had no road, but someone saw apes jumping up and down, shuttling between the cliff cracks, and followed the apes to climb, only then discovering this road.

Du Fu once said in a poem: "The carriage enters the valley with no return road, the arrow-notch connects to the sky with one gate."

Of course, this was also a key point guarding the mountain gate.

The tops of the cliff walls on both sides were covered with small stone caves, no more than a foot high, like shrines, neatly arranged in a row, filled with stone carvings of immortals and gods.

Li Yan could smell that all the statues were surrounded by incense, and divine Gang Qi gathered, as if many immortals were looking down at them passing by.

Two Daoists stood at the top exit. Seeing them from afar, they bowed respectfully and asked: "Are you Fellow Daoist Li from Chang'an?"

"Exactly."

Li Yan quickened his pace and quickly left the Thousand-Foot Pillar.

He looked up and examined them carefully, only to see that the two Daoists were one tall and one short, one fat and one thin, all wearing black Daoist robes and carrying precious swords on their backs.

Completely different from the Daoist at the foot of the mountain, the two had clear and calm eyes, and their expressions appeared much kinder.

"I am Yufengzi."

"I am Yuhanzi."

The two Daoists introduced themselves and then smiled and said: "Master asked us to wait here, saying that we must treat Fellow Daoist Li from Chang'an well."

Seeing that everyone had come up, the two immediately raised their hands and said: "Everyone, please follow us."

The Tai Xuan Orthodox Sect was huge, almost governing the entire Daoist lineage of the Divine Land, and its internal factions were even more complex and complicated.

Li Yan had no friendship with the Daoists of Chunyang Academy, so this warm treatment must be because of the warning earlier.

Everyone followed the Daoists forward, trudging through the steep mountain walls and the severe cold of snow, and soon arrived in front of a Daoist temple.

"Everyone, this is Wangxian Temple, often used for fellow sect members to rest. The vegetarian meal has been prepared, everyone can rest first, and Master will come later."

The short and fat Yuhanzi introduced with a smile.

Li Yan hurriedly asked: "We are participating in the cellar opening ritual. Where are the fellow Daoists who came earlier?"

The tall and thin Yufengzi replied: "This is the North Peak, they are at Lotus Peak. Everyone don't worry, the environment here is better."

After saying this, he even blinked.

Li Yan suddenly understood, cupped his hands and smiled: "Many thanks, just as you two said, this place is very good."

Walking into Wangxian Temple, the ancient cypresses were lush, isolating the noise of the world.

The buildings in the temple were simple and ancient, with flying eaves covered in snow, stone railings and red walls, and the age looked very long.

The guest rooms arranged for them were also simple and elegant, the wooden beds exuded pine fragrance, the bedding was warm, fragrant tea was brewed on the tea table by the window, and blue smoke curled from the incense burner in the corner, making people feel calm.

Not long after, the Daoist boy presented the vegetarian meal.

Bamboo shoots fried with wood ear mushrooms, red date soft cakes, as well as vegetable soup and vegetarian dumplings.

To tell the truth, the appearance was acceptable, but the taste could only be said to be average.

But being able to eat a hot meal at the peak of Mount Hua was already a luxury, after all, there was no way to grow food on the mountain, and all materials coming and going required human transport.

Everyone wolfed down their food, and after a few pots of hot tea, the fatigue of climbing the mountain was swept away.

The master mentioned by Yufengzi had not yet arrived, so everyone chatted to pass the time.

Yan Jiuling had become the center. He was learned and knowledgeable, knew all the allusions of Mount Hua clearly, cited classics, and everyone listened with great interest.

He sighed with emotion: "I didn't expect Mao Nv to really exist..."

Li Yan had seen it with his own eyes and had a deep memory of Mao Nv's terrifying appearance, so he asked: "I heard that Brother Yan knows a lot about Mao Nv. Can you tell me about it?"

"Of course."

Yan Jiuling smiled and said: "This Mao Nv was originally a palace maid of the Qin Dynasty, and later fled into Mount Hua during the chaos of Qin."

"She received secret methods from an immortal, and it is rumored that she could live forever by eating pine needles. There are relevant records in the 'Biographies of Immortals' of the Han Dynasty..."

"By the beginning of the Taizong era, Tao Taibai went to Mount Hua to collect medicine and claimed to have seen Mao Nv and talked to her. Cai Yuanzhang was also the same. He saw a woman on Mount Hua, covered in green hair, with intimidating eyes, walking like flying."

"It is rumored that this Mao Nv does not know hunger or cold, and whenever the night is deep and quiet, she will worship the Big Dipper..."

Li Yan listened and was lost in thought.

He pondered secretly, listening to this allusion, why did he feel that it was related to the "Immortal Library of Zhao Changsheng"?

Living forever by eating pine needles, could it be some kind of ingestion method?

Perhaps because of this, Mao Nv's divine soul could remain to this day without being washed away by incense.

It's a pity that it was too long ago to investigate. Although he could communicate with gods, he couldn't talk to her, so he really didn't know what happened at the beginning.

Seeing that Yan Jiuling was so learned, Li Yan's heart moved, and he took out an object from his bosom, which was the phoenix gold ornament he got from Yuan Ba.

"Brother Yan, do you recognize this?"

After Yan Jiuling took it, he examined it carefully, and the surprise in his eyes grew stronger, asking: "Where did Hero Li get this? This is the order of the Jing Witch. I didn't expect it to be in Guanzhong."

"Got it from a friend."

Li Yan casually brushed it off and asked: "Jing Witch... is it the heritage of Jing Chu?"

Yan Jiuling nodded: "That's right. This object involves some secrets. To tell the truth, I am also studying it. Its origin involves the ritual of national sacrifice."

"Although there have been national sacrifices through the ages, they are all different. I dare not speak of Xia and Shang, but the Zhou Dynasty began to have the name of 'Sheji'. The Zhou Rites paid much attention to many things, inheriting the rites of the Xia and Shang dynasties, just as it is said: 'Zhou monitored the two dynasties, how magnificent the culture is'..."

"At the end of the Zhou Dynasty, the rites and music collapsed, and the sacrifices of the vassal states all had their own emphasis. For example, Qi, Lu, and the Three Jins worshipped the Five Emperors and the Eight Gods of Qi..."

"And the Chu State only believed in the Three Emperors, namely the Yellow Emperor, Emperor Jun, and Emperor Zhuanxu, and also worshipped the Ten Gods, such as Donghuang Taiyi, Dongjun, Yunzhongjun, Xiang Jun, etc..."

"As for the Qin land, it focused more on its main god, Shaohao Bai Di, which is the god of this Western Peak Mount Hua. Therefore, when the Han Emperor beheaded the white snake to start the uprising, this white snake was said to be the son of the Bai Di, symbolizing the destruction of Qin..."

"When the Han Dynasty was founded, new rites were established, and decrees were issued for the sacrifices of gods from all over the country to enter Chang'an and be worshipped together with the gods of Qin. The 'Records of the Grand Historian: Book of Feng and Shan' says: 'The Liang Witch, sacrifices to Heaven and Earth... The Jin Witch, sacrifices to the Five Emperors, Dongjun, Yunzhongjun, Siming... The Qin Witch, sacrifices to the She Lord, Witch Bao... The Jing Witch, sacrifices to the Hall, Witch Xian, Siming...'"

Secret blessings of the Han Palace!

Li Yan suddenly understood. Isn't this the source of the Night Crying Lang and the Shangshan lineage...

Yan Jiuling continued: "By the end of the Han Dynasty, the world was in turmoil, the Mystic Sect rose, and the Fangxian Dao caused trouble, so the original sacrifices of the Han Palace stopped, and the related witch sacrifices returned to all parts of the country. This object is the hand order of the Jing Witch..."

Saying this, a smile appeared on the corner of his mouth: "I have been interested in this kind of ancient sacrificial rites since I was a child, and I have collected many such objects at home. It's a pity that I have to go to the capital for the imperial examination, otherwise I would definitely invite Hero Li to see my collection." Li Yan said solemnly: "If there is time, I will definitely visit."

Hearing Yan Jiuling's words, he had a premonition.

These things might be related to the Ascenders.

While everyone was talking, the sky had darkened, and the bright moon was rising in the night sky.

Suddenly, the sound of messy footsteps came from outside the Daoist temple, and he saw an old Daoist leading many Daoists walking in with big strides.

He was tall, with white hair and beard, thick features, and a ruddy complexion. He didn't look young, but as he walked, he had quite a momentum.

Seeing this, Li Yan's face changed slightly.

He could feel that this old Daoist couldn't smell any scent, which was a manifestation of a martial artist after holding the Dan, indicating that the other party was at least a Dan Jin expert.

This was already rare in the Mystic Sect, after all, practitioners still focused on sorcery.

"I am Jingxuzi, the supervisor of Chunyang Temple. I have met all the lay Buddhists." The old Daoist's voice was warm, and there was a faint sound of thunder in it.

Although his speech and conversation made people feel like a spring breeze, he inexplicably had a momentum that made everyone in the group feel intimidated.

!.

"Met the Senior!"

Everyone hurriedly paid their respects.

Even Sha Lifei put away his grinning look.

After all, they were all from the Guanzhong Mystic Sect, and after a mutual introduction, they even established a relationship.

It turned out that this old Daoist was a close friend of Qingyangzi, the temple keeper of the City God Temple in Xianyang. With this relationship, the conversation became even more intimate.

Jingxuzi sighed: "This time I have to thank Little Friend Li. If it weren't for your warning, something big would have almost happened."

"This drought demon fierce thing caused turmoil at the end of the Tang Dynasty and has been suppressed on Mount Long Hu. When the Northern and Southern dynasties confronted each other in the previous dynasty and the world fell into war, it disappeared."

"The Chang'an Law Enforcement Hall suffered more than half of the losses and spent a lot of manpower and material resources to transport it to Mount Hua. If something happened here, how could my Chunyang Palace have the face to guard Mount Hua?"

Li Yan hurriedly cupped his hands and said modestly: "It was all Mao Nv's warning, I just passed it on."

"No need to be polite, the ability of divine communication is not something everyone can have."

Jingxuzi waved his hand and took out a small wooden box from his hand. "This thing was killed because of your warning. I dare not take credit, so I will give it to you as a thank-you gift."

After saying this, he opened the small wooden box in the curious eyes of everyone.

He saw a strange beast similar to a lizard inside, with a long body, only about a foot long, with six feet and two bulges on its back.

"Is this Fei Yi?"

A trace of curiosity rose in Li Yan's eyes: "This is a legendary thing in the 'Classic of Mountains and Seas'. I didn't expect to see it with my own eyes."

Jingxuzi nodded and replied: "It's just a Fei Yi larva."

Li Yan was a little puzzled and cupped his hands: "Forgive the junior for being ignorant, what is the use of this thing? Isn't it a monster, and does it have the qi of demonic disaster?"

"Hahaha..."

Jingxuzi stroked his beard and smiled, "Between heaven and earth, both Yin and Yang have the Dao. Fei Yi is born because of disaster. Although it has trouble, it is also good fortune."

"The qi of demonic disaster has been cleared by us and suppressed at the peak of this Mount Hua, and it will dissipate in three days."

"This Fei Yi corpse is also a heavenly treasure. For all epilepsy and madness, and all Gu insects, grind it into powder after drying and take it, and it can be cured in one bite!"

When Li Yan heard this, his eyes suddenly lit up.

According to this statement, this thing is extraordinary.

Medicine cures incurable diseases, and medicine that can immediately cure certain diseases is already called divine medicine, not to mention that it can also kill Gu insects.

In the future, if he encounters a master of witchcraft, he will also have a way to save himself.

"Then the junior will not be polite."

With this harvest, Li Yan naturally wouldn't miss it and accepted it respectfully.

Jingxuzi stroked his beard and smiled: "This is what you deserve. In addition, on the day of the cellar opening, Little Friend can be the first to go to choose."

Li Yan and Wang Daoxuan hurriedly thanked him.

You must know that there is a lot of attention to which batch to choose after the cellar is opened. Generally speaking, the Mystic Sect is first, the local Dharma lineages are second, and the heterodox paths that have obtained tokens are the last to choose.

By then, there will only be leftovers.

There is no way, this is the Mystic Sect, and the rules between heaven and earth have always been like this: those with big fists eat meat, and those without ability drink soup.

"Little Friend, stay here peacefully. If you have anything, you can tell Yufengzi. I have a lot of things to do, so I won't disturb everyone's rest."

After some instructions, the old Daoist left in a hurry, obviously still having important matters to deal with.

Everyone smiled at each other. Getting this opportunity just after arriving at Mount Hua was obviously a good omen.

Just at this moment, Yan Jiuling looked hesitant, gritted his teeth, and cupped his hands: "Hero Li, there is something I want to ask for your help."

After some conversation, Li Yan had a very good impression of Yan Jiuling and smiled: "Brother Yan, please speak."

Yan Jiuling cupped his hands and said: "My mother got a madness three years ago. I searched for famous doctors to no avail, and tried to invite people from the Mystic Sect, but it was useless. She was crazy all day long and couldn't even take care of herself when eating."

"As a son, it is really heartbreaking. I searched all the big mountains and also prayed to the gods to let my mother get better..."

Li Yan knew his intention as soon as he heard it and smiled: "It doesn't matter, you go to the capital for the imperial examination. We happen to be leaving Guanzhong."

"Your home is in Yiling, right? You can write a letter, and we will visit to treat her on the way."

According to Jingxuzi, this Fei Yi can be dried and ground into powder, and only a little bit is needed to cure the disease. Helping to save a person is not a big deal.

"Many thanks, Hero Li."

Yan Jiuling was full of gratitude, "I have some family assets, and I will definitely not let you suffer a loss."

After saying this, he hurriedly returned to the room to write a letter.

Li Yan smiled slightly and looked at Sha Lifei and Wang Daoxuan.

"How about we go to Ezhou later?"

"Okay, I really want to go to the Jing Chu land to see it..."

……

The next day, before dawn, Li Yan had already gotten up.

Mount Hua is a blessed land. Although it is not a spiritual aperture in the Daoist temple, it feels comfortable all over after a round of martial arts practice.

Just at this moment, a little Daoist boy came in to report: "Li Li Jushi, someone outside the door wants to see you."

Li Yan hurriedly went out, and it was indeed an acquaintance.

The person who came was Manager Wan, and beside him was someone who surprised him, none other than the master and apprentice of the Meishan Sect from the Jing Chu team...

(End of Chapter)